Customer Reviews

The Protector (Love Inspired Historical)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked up The Protector with trepidation. Would this follow up to the Rita-nominated The Gladiator live up to my expectations? I should not have been concerned. Once again, Capshaw has written what I have come to term a "mature" inspirational with vivid detailing of the first century, alpha males like no other, and an action packed plot. Capshaw's ability to create a vivid world often neglected in historical romances as well as her knack for twists and turns make this a book not to be missed.

Capshaw's gift for faith development shows through on every page as she draws characters who are human in their frailties but have the ability to change as they discover Christ. She took a less than likable character from her first book and made her a wonderful heroine worthy of her hero, a character I fell in love with immediately.

All I can say is "More, More!"

This book is a sequel to Carla`s debut novel, "The Gladiator". If you've not read "The Gladiator", don't worry, "The Protector" stands alone. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy stories set in the Roman times. After winning "The Gladiator" in a contest online, I decided to give it a try. Boy, I'm so very glad I did!! Carla is an awesome writer who takes you back to Rome, gladiators, and the persecution of Christians.

Quintus Ambustus is a slave who fights for his life in the gladiator's ring. He is also a Christian who has sacrificed everything for his beliefs. Adiona Leonia is a wealthy socialite who believes in nothing and no one. Adiona is a friend of Caros, the famed lanista, who owns Quintus as a slave. While visiting with Caros, Adiona sees Quintus and likes what she sees. Adiona is a widow who was badly treated as a child and is sold into marriage at the age of 13. She is treated even worse by her husband and when he dies, she feels that she is finally free. Because of her past she doesn't trust men nor does she want much to do with them.

Quintus is appointed to take Adiona to see a relative of hers who is ill. Neither one wants the other to know how taken they are with each other. It becomes apparent early on that someone wants Adiona dead. They encounter many obstacles on their journey. Their relationship begins to grow and Adiona begins to ask questions about the God that Quintus serves. Does she put aside the gods she has prayed to and worshiped all of her life? Do her and Quintus find a future together?

You will want to grab a copy of "The Protector" and find out what happens. You won't be sorry! And while you're buying it, go ahead and get "The Gladiator", too! Both of these books will take you back in time and you'll be glad you went.

Carla Capshaw brings the readers to early A.D. It is a time of gladiators and persecution for Christians.
If you have not read Carla's first book in this series, The Gladiator, I would suggest doing so. She has started Quintus & Adiona's story in that book and she has wound the beloved characters from that book into The Protector.

Quintus Ambustus was turned in as a Christian and sold into slavery. Caros, a former champion gladiator, had bought him. Quintus was a quick learner in the training school Caros has.

Adiona Leonia is a wealthy widow. Those who want to be known in Rome's social circles want to be in her circle. She is known as a hard woman and a man hater, except for Caros whom many suspect she had been in an affair with.

From the moment Adiona seen Quintus she was drawn into his unique green eyes. Quintus struggled against his attraction for her as she was not a Christian and he had assumed she lived as many in her circle did.

Both of them were hiding deep hurts. When Adiona's life was threatened Quintus was assigned as her body guard. He soon see's that Adiona is not what she portrays to be.

This book is captivating and holds your attention. There is danger to Adiona as they travel as they do not know who her assailant is. Quintus must return to his hometown as well not knowing who had turned him as a Christian eight months ago. It will keep you hanging on to the end.

The third book in this series will be out in August, 2011, The Champion.

I LOVED IT! READ IT IN ONE NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN. BETTER THAN THE FIRST. I HOPE WE GET MORE FROM THE ROMAN SERIES.

Carla really captured the feel of Rome and how it used to be!! I felt like I was there. :). Please read- you won't be able to put it down!!!

This is an amazing book. The heroine, Adiona, has been truly hurt by life and has a legitimate dislike of men. Quintus is a man of faith, but he's in the midst of the worst time of his life so his faith is being tested. These two are perfect for each other, but it takes a long time for them to work through their issues. I loved seeing Adiona melt and become the woman she really was inside and I loved seeing Quintus regain his strength in the Lord. I loved this book and I'll be reading it over and over again.

This is the love story between Adiona, a Roman lady and Quintus, a slave and gladiator. Quintus is a christian with a great sorrow -and guilt- in his past and Adiona is a widow traumatized by her abusive late husband, sworn to hate men forever. She is an icy, distant woman, mistaken by many for evil, but deep down inside she still longs for the love her father witheld from her when she was a child, she needs a Saviour and a man to protect her.
The attraction she and Quintus feel towards each other flares up when an attempt is made on Adiona's life and Quintus is appointed her bodyguard. From there the adventure begins.

They find the Lord, they find healing for their hurting hearts, they find each other.
And in the midst of it all, they have to find the would-be murderer and a way to be together.

This is a sweet, romantic book, rich in period detail, with a touch of mystery and adventure.
I am very glad that I didn't let me prejudice about Adiona from the previous book in the series, The Gladiator, (in which she was quite the villainness) spoil my enjoyment of this book.
It was really well-written, in a way that drew me in, making the characters feel alive and the scenes greatly realistic.

The only thing I disliked about this book was the way the characters sometimes behaved very modernly, which was not consistent with the era in which they lived. I understand that this was so that the author could make a point, but it quite drew me out of the story to think every once in a while, "wow, they would never say or do that". Hoewever, if someone is not so familiar of this particular century in history, they might not even notice it.
Another thing was the characterization of many people by animal adjectives. There were snakes, cows, spiders, weasels, and so on, all over the place. I did not like that.
First, I prefer to drive my own conclusions about the evilness of a character.
And second, it made the speaker sound mean and un-christian.
That really wasn't necessary, I really understood that the murderer was quite evil without them being compared to an animal.

This lovely book, the second in the Roman Series by Carla Capshaw delighted me almost as much as the first and I am truly grateful to her for sending it to me for a review.
If only every author of LoveInspired books wrote like her, there would be no other books in my home.
I recommend it to Christians and non Christians alike.
This is historical romance you don't often come across.

Rating 4/5


P.S. Just look at that cover. Seriously they shouldn't do that to us...

this review was originally published on my blog [...]

Like the first two books that Carla Capshaw wrote, I am amazed at how easy it is to get into her story and then not be able to put it down. She has a smooth, endearing quality to her writing. I highly recommend this book. What's great about her stories are the surprises in her plots and how easy it is to get to know her characters and identify with them. I look forward to more of her stories.

An adventure during the times Christians were arrested for their faith. I recommend you also read "The Gladiator" but both books will stand alone.
True love is not based on social standards. Even today Society tries to dictate how the wealthy act. One so many times has to chose whether to follow the world's view or God's view.
For those who love mystery, there is an assassination attempt. You will be amazed when you see the twists and turns until the real criminal is found.
So many times abuses from one's past haunt them and shape them. They struggle with finding real love because of the hurts from their past. I know of two people who have struggled with this and one still is.
The descriptions of the settings draw you into the picture and you feel like you are there.
Quintus is a slave while Adiona is wealthy.
How many of us could sacrifice everything for our faith? Yet in it all God is still with us for a plan for our life.

Another quality work from Carla Capshaw continuing the characters we met in "The Gladiator." Now we see affection , trust, and faith develop between Adiona, the wealthy Roman woman, and Quintus, the Christian enslaved for his faith. Each has a past of hurt and sorrow to overcome and in the best of romance tradition, they find healing in each other. Written within the boundaries of Christian category romance, Capshaw does an excellent job of character and emotional development. I appreciated her deft use of description to paint a picture of the era and the Roman setting. She uses the Christian thread like a gossamer strand, rather than a heavy rope. A refreshing and enjoyable read.