Ancient Rome was the epicenter of excitement in the ancient world. Hosting games, parties, and campaigns. A Roman is what many aspire to be. Behind the scenes painted a different story of hidden alliances, betrayals, greed, and lies. Rome was perfect on the outside a modern wonder, on the inside its corrupt political greed tainted the very fabric of Rome society.

Valentine always aspired to be a soldier. He and a group of his men were strong and resilient in the face of danger, having won numerous battles and saved the empress from their enemies. His first love always remained in the back of his mind, causing complications in his love life as an adult. He hoped to one day stumble on her again and often wondered if he would recognize her if he did.

Agatha has been blind since the age of 13, her sister and Tiber often accompany her as they travel outside of their home. While she is known to be beautiful, she doesn't have any suitors due to her "disability" and men unable to look past her blindness to see the real her. Viewing her as too troublesome to wed, her sister has taken it upon herself to care for her every second of every day.

The Legend of Valentine starts slow, giving great detail of past and current events leading up to "the main event" that started the elaborate plot. The story highlights behind-the-scenes views of conspiracies that transpire in politics. There is often betrayal, secret alliances, and murder for those led by greed to achieve a higher status of importance. Sheldon Collins took the histories of what we know about Rome and its citizens and created a phenomenally detailed well written historical romance that immerses the reader into the intricate plot and sets the foundations for what was expected at that time in Rome during the rule of a tyrant and the religious persecutions of Christians.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from an ancient love story, but The Legend of Valentine surprised me with its perfect balance of action, historical depth, and vivid depictions of warfare. It’s not just a romance—it’s a gripping tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and the clash between faith and empire. A must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction with equal parts heart and grit.

“The Legend of Valentine” is a historical fiction bookby Sheldon Collins. I think Mr. Collins did a great job describing what third century Rome both looked and felt like. This book was a bit outside my normal historical fiction read, so visiting (and checking facts) on Ancient Rome was interesting. A solidly good read.

This novel is a masterful blend of romance, action, and political intrigue—truly a page-turner from start to finish. The way the storylines seamlessly come together in the final hundred pages is brilliant. Without a doubt, this is one of the most compelling historical fiction novels I have ever read. A true gem. I highly recommend it.

Collins does a fantastic job of portraying the environment in 3rd century Rome. Sometimes I could almost taste the dust in the air or hear the clanging of swords. This is clearly a love story between Valentine and Agatha (who is blind by the way), but it also depicts the clashing of religions - the Roman gods versus the Christian god. Valentine starts as a good Roman but is influenced by the Christians, which is one reason he is a saint. Worth a good read.

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel and how everything worked to tell the story that it needed to. The characters felt like they were supposed to in this universe and was glad everything was on point. Sheldon Collins was able to create a world that worked overall and was invested in the characters overall. I’m glad it had that Roman element that I wanted and enjoyed reading this.

A true masterpiece! As a discerning reader, I'm rarely so deeply captivated, but this novel is an exceptional blend of history, action, and romance that held me from beginning to end. It’s my favorite book of the year. Highly recommend!

A history of Valentine! I was intrigued by the cover and I liked how the story was written. Some of the content was very technical and I don’t love that. Overall it was something outside of my normal reads. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.