A review by pshelling
The Gladiator's Master by Marguerite Labbe, Fae Sutherland

3.0

The Gladiator's Master is a historical romance that takes place in the Roman town of Fidena. It was well researched, featuring a smattering of Latin words, real events, and a plausibly accurate setting (I'm not a Roman nor an expert so I can not confirm the authenticity of the exposition). Caelius just inherited his uncle's property, along with the handsome but disagreeable slave Argon. The two men have steamy sex and eventually fall in love, but are otherwise kind of flat and one-dimensional. The plot was a little weak, with bad luck and the progression of time being the strongest driving forces of story. The prose also had a very strong "old timey" feel, persistently calling children "little ones" and saying "gratitude" instead of "thanks". This can be a pro or a con depending on what you're looking for. Despite it's flaws, it was a solid read that I have re-read a couple times since I first bought it in 2011.