Love story set against the background of the Year of the Four Emperors. Antonia, daughter of a patrician house, deals with her family and the whole political situation. Her mother holds a secret and later, faced with a similar situation, Antonia, trusting her own decision, reacts completely differently.

From the bland title and ambiguous description, I didn't know what to expect. All I did know, this is a favorite historical period of mine. I did enjoy the novel, although it was too melodramatic in parts. Antonia herself was a strong heroine, who knew her own mind and tried to make her own life, despite familial pressures. A major stereotype of the romance novel appeared--mainly in the form of Antonia's lover, the historical Fabius Valens, a general of Emperor Vitellius and her feelings about him. I did like the author's writing style and I got a good sense of that tumultuous time in history. ( )