Hesitating because you don’t like historical settings? Reconsider…
Early Goodreads reviewers are loving the historical elements of A Time of Gladiators and Fate:
“ATOGAF is fiction at it’s core, but the historical accuracy has been educational for me and wholly immersive. I found myself questioning if I could do what Grace has done? Would I survive if this happened to me? Could I use or eat that? It’s masterful in how the facts have been woven in.“ ~Lois (Goodreads)
“Susan has clearly done her research; every historical element feels considered and authentic. What I appreciated most is that she hasn’t glorified or glamourised Rome and that period into something it wasn’t. So much historical fiction sands down the brutality and complexity of the ancient world for the sake of spectacle, but this story resists that, and it’s so much stronger for it.” ~AJ (Goodreads)
Written by a veteran and history major, this book brings 1st-century Rome to life with gut-wrenching arena action, modern humor, and incredible female friendships. Yes, there’s a bit of romance, too. I won’t deny you’ll learn a few things about the period, but you’ll also get to watch how a modern woman tackles the foreign and ancient ways of life. Sometimes with aplomb, sometimes not. The sponge on a stick situation has definitely left early readers with conflicting thoughts.
A Time of Gladiators and Fate will give some urban fantasy and romantasy vibes, but it is also different enough to be a great palate cleanser from your usual favorite genres. It’s also a fun way to take a step outside your comfort zone. Plus, it has gladiators, so what’s not to love?
⚔️ Coming soon to Kindle Unlimited! Also available in hardcover for pre-order on major retailers. The paperback isn’t available for pre-order, but it will release on Amazon Friday, October 9th!
In an update post back in April, I mentioned that I’d started a new project. It required a massive amount of research and sort of took over my life. The story that had been playing vaguely in the back of my head for more than ten years finally took shape, vividly.
I’d already begun writing it when I mentioned it before, but now I’m far enough along to have a cover designed (same person who handles the Realm of Zadrya series). I can also announce the release date, which will be October 12th. You’ll get to see the cover much sooner on July 9th, though. I’ve got a sign-up link for anyone interested in participating in the reveal that you can find here: https://forms.gle/4iJQR43XMghh58Eg8
While I’ll go into some other details below, this is the current summary of the novel to give you an idea of what it is about (unless you’ve been paying close attention to my social media posts and already know):
A toxic marriage ending was supposed to be her hardest battle. Falling through time into the blood-soaked sand of ancient Rome wasn’t part of the itinerary.
While a 28-year-old Kansas woman is on a solo vacation to Rome, a mysterious stone hurls her and her rental car through time—dropping them straight into the 1st-century Colosseum amid active games. To survive an unforgiving empire that’d gladly execute her for her chaotic interruption, she must trade her modern life for the brutal reality of a slave. Relying on her raw, farm-built strength, she is forced to master the blade and shield to become a gladiator.
Navigating this world means enduring the raw degradations of Roman slavery—from the dehumanizing body inspections to the predatory whims of the imperial elite. Her fate rests in the hands of two dangerous, contrasting men. In the training dust of the Ludus Magnus, a demanding lead instructor pushes her body to its absolute limits while challenging her with sharp, addictive banter. Meanwhile, a wealthy, enigmatic sponsor offers a shield against the arena’s darkest exploitations, though his own hidden time-travel secrets weave a dangerous web of their own.
Written from the tactical mind of a female combat veteran and history major, A Time of Gladiators and Fate follows the gripping journey of a modern woman who must become a force that ancient Rome fears and admires if she ever hopes to earn her freedom and find a way home.
If you’ve ever wished for a story with Spartacus-meets-Outlander vibes, including the grit, this might be the book for you.
Book releases October 12th, 2026. Pre-order the ebook on Amazon HERE.
TROPES
Time travel
Roman Empire
Gladiator romance
Banter
Slow-burn romance
Reluctant allies to lovers
Found family
Fish out of water
Mysterious MMC
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Brief explanation on why this setting and year.
So why did I choose 97 CE, given that the Roman Empire spanned many centuries?
This is a short and simple post. For those waiting for Wrath & Desire to be on Kindle Unlimited, you can now borrow it through KU on Amazon. Hope you enjoy!
Also, Ingram approved the Wrath & Desire files I uploaded (that took a few business days). I have ordered the proof copy so I can verify it looks good. That should arrive by early next week. Once I have it, and I’m sure it doesn’t need any changes, I’ll approve it for sale across the retailers. I will post here and on social media to let you all know.
That’s it for today. Hope everyone’s week is going well!
A sentient murder garden, gods meddling in unexpected ways, weird creatures running wild. Oh, and the two main characters trying to navigate their new marriage while a war rages and a blight kills the land. Wrath & Desire is here and ready to keep you on the edge of your seat in more ways than one. You don’t want to miss out on this installment.
For those who haven’t read the first book, Oaths & Vengeance, you can find it on Amazon (including Kindle Unlimited). If you have read it, but it’s been a while and you need a refresher, I recorded a YouTube video that covers the key points to keep in mind as you head into the second installment. It will refresh your memory of many of the characters, plot points, plants, animals, and the sequence of events that led to the conclusion of the first novel.
Now, for the full details on the book below, including links to where you can grab it. For anyone who doesn’t use Amazon, please get it quickly because I’ll be pulling it tomorrow night to put into Kindle Unlimited. I’m also working to get the hardcover available in the next week or so, and the paperback sometime in March.
BOOK SUMMARY
Darrow is raw power exemplified. He is full of secrets and pain. The dark elf isn’t satisfied with only marrying me. Oh, no. He wants it all—my body, heart, and soul. I must resist despite being his fated mate. Because if I don’t, he could break me, and I’m already at my limit.
Aella is everything I’m not. She is full of compassion and resilience. The half-druid’s grace and odd fondness for plants bring me to my knees. Though I cannot love her, I need to own her in every way. She can resist all she wants, but I’ll do whatever it takes. No price is too high, even if it breaks me.
But now, war and death plague us. My mother’s people have invaded our realm with ruthless precision. Our monarchy is at stake. And a blight is rapidly spreading to kill the land. Powerful forces are at work to divide our people. I may wish I could focus entirely on my new wife. But we must find a way to save our world. Even if it means traveling to a distant one with its own dangers. That is…if we can find a way there before the enemy stops us. Somehow, they’re ahead of us at every turn.
Note– This novel contains adult content, including graphic violence, foul language, rough spicy scenes, torture, and divine astral projection/consensual body sharing between multiple characters (of a sexual nature).
Other content warnings– weird homicidal chickens, terrifying hordes of venomous frogs, sentient plants with murderous attitudes…actually, many flora and fauna are not what they seem in this world, so assume nothing and mentally prepare yourself for anything. It’s fantasy. Immerse yourself in the madness or go find another genre.
Note- The ebook will only be available widely until the evening of February 24th, 2026, when I pull it to enroll into Kindle Unlimited. I’m working to get the hardcover available before the end of the month and the paperback in March. Stay tuned on my website or social media for more on that.
BOOK SERIES RESOURCES
While there are two professional maps inside the eBook and hardcovers, you can use the ones HERE on the website for reference if you want to avoid flipping back and forth while reading. These are hand-drawn images with some digital details added later that are relevant to key lands and cities that the two in the book don’t show as deeply due to size limitations. You can locate them in the Realm of Zadrya book tab.
Special thanks to my amazing street team for working tirelessly these last days to promote Wrath & Desire. They’ve designed banners and other promo materials, shouted about it on social media, acted as a sounding board, and been a huge source of motivation in many ways. I appreciate them so much! Also, I want to give a special thanks to Hawthorne & Aster for managing my book release blast for this week.
I just have a few quick things for you all as the release day nears for Wrath & Desire. The first is for those who need a refresher on the first book in the Realm of Zadrya. I’ve made a YouTube video that covers the key points to keep in mind as you head into book two. It will refresh you on many of the characters, plot points, plants, animals, and the sequence of events that led to the end of Oaths & Vengeance.
Since book 2 picks up right where book 1 left off, its a good way to get your mind back into this world. You’ll also get to hear how names are pronounced if you had any trouble with that. I’ve had a few readers tell me it’s super helpful. You can watch it below.
Next, I want to let you all know that I have set up a discount for the hardcover edition of Oaths & Vengeance through Ingram Spark (the printer), so you can purchase it for $17.99 in the United States or £15.99 in the United Kingdom. They are normally $24.99 in the U.S. and $21.99 in the U.K. If you’ve been holding off on getting it due to the price, this is a better deal. I only apologize I don’t have a way to do this for more countries, but these are the only two they offer. Since ordering this way is directly through the printer, I will still make the same amount, so don’t worry about that. I’ve had people ask. The difference is in how much you pay and keeping the retailer from getting a cut.
Everyone who is signed up on my ARC team and qualified for it should have received the Wrath & Desire ARC (Advance Review Copy) in the last two days (BookSirens took a while to approve it). If you believe you should have received it and didn’t (meaning that you got an ARC for Oaths & Vengeance and posted a review), please contact me at: [email protected]
Some of you received your copy directly through the ARC sites. If you use Booksirens or Netgalley, you can request Wrath & Desire there again. I know who posted a review through them before, so I can approve you quickly. If you used Booksprout or HiddenGemsBooks, you’ll need to sign up for my list HERE or use the other two sites to request it. As long as your user name isn’t completely different, I should still know it’s you and can approve you with no problem.
Having said that, the advantage of being on my permanent list through Mailchimp is that you’ll receive the ARC newsletter, which updates reviewers on the progress of my next book as needed, provides graphics they can use on social media, includes a link to the DISCORD group my street team has set up to discuss this latest installment, and offers other special incentives. I’ll have to verify your review of O&V through the link(s) you provide, but after that, I can send you the ARC.
REALM OF ZADRYA RESOURCES AND EXTRAS
In the Realm of Zadrya series tab on this site, I will add a subpage before the book release that includes extra maps of various lands and cities not included in the book. Those give better details of the locations. Also, you will find a link at the back of Wrath & Desire to download two bonus stories, featuring a wild and unusual chicken in the book. Many who read the chicken distraction excerpt requested more from the hen’s point of view. She is now named “Dolly” after a close vote in my Instagram group, but her name doesn’t appear in the book since she can’t talk to tell anyone.
Also, at the end of Wrath & Desire, you’ll find dictionaries explaining the fae and non-fae races in Zadrya, as well as definitions of the plants, animals, insects, etc. in the book. Because that sort of thing can be a little dry, I added some humor and sarcasm here and there to make it more entertaining. There are often bonus details in those as well that you didn’t see in the book. I also included two family trees I felt were the most relevant to the series so far.
That’s everything for now, but feel free to ask questions if you have any! I’m truly looking forward to you all reading this novel, as I really enjoyed writing it!
