Ready for time travel to Ancient Rome? This is an upcoming trilogy that Susan has been wanting to write for more than a decade, and she has finally taken the plunge. Prepare to be immersed in a time vastly different than our own, but in surprising ways, also similar. How? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Grace King, the main character, is twenty-eight and recently divorced when she decides to go on a vacation to Rome. While touring the city in the present day, she is magically transported to the first century. A chaotic series of events ends with her at the famous Ludus Magnus gladiator school, where she’ll have to learn to fight and survive if she wants to earn her freedom. As if that weren’t enough, adapting to life in this period isn’t easy either, but she has a mysterious sponsor who knows how she really came to this time and is willing to help her for a price. Whether that price will be worth it or not remains to be seen.

A TIME OF GLADIATORS AND FATE (BOOK 1)

For lovers of Spartacus and Outlander, where a 21st-century woman inadvertently leaps through time to 1st-century Rome.

Grace King grew up on a farm in Kansas, so nothing prepares her for landing in the Roman Colosseum while it’s still intact. A heart-pounding chase in her rental car follows with spear-throwing legionnaires, armed gladiators, and a couple of wild animals joining the chaos. She manages to take down a few, but she’s not exactly Fast and Furious material. Grace is eventually forced to surrender in a floral sundress meant for vacation, not blood sport.

The emperor offers her two choices: execution or gladiator school. While she isn’t afraid of hard work, the ludus where she’ll train with other men and women is brutal and shocking. Most are skeptical of her right to be there, adding pressure to an already difficult situation. Her fate will rest in the hands of two dangerous, conflicting men who attract her in ways she can’t afford.

In the training arena, the first is a demanding lead instructor with icy good looks. He will push her body to its absolute limits while trading heated banter she can hardly resist. The second is a wealthy, enigmatic sponsor who shields her against the darkest exploitations beyond the games for a price, but his own time-travel secrets weave a dangerous web. The handsome man knows far more about how she ended up in ancient Rome than he’s willing to tell her.

Will she rise above the challenges to become a true gladiator, or will she join the many others whose lives have ended on the blood-soaked sand of an unforgiving arena? Only time will tell.

Note to readers- This novel contains dark themes accurate to the time period, including elements of slavery and lack of bodily autonomy. Those sensitive to certain triggers should check content warnings HERE.

Book releases October 12th, 2026. Pre-order the ebook on Amazon HERE.