Daughter of the Seven Hills

Written by Margaret McNellis
Review by Ellaura Shoop

Daughter of The Seven Hills has something for everyone. The story of a girl, Aurelia, born into one of Rome’s noble families and sneaking around the notorious city circa 100 CE, is filled with romance, action, adventure, and loss. When Aurelia finds herself pregnant with a soldier’s child, a station below her birth, she is forced to make a choice which could cost her everything. The love of her life is shipped to Britain to fight on the front lines, and her most cherished companion, a slave named Vita, will risk her life to make sure that Aurelia is safe. With an impending marriage to an unfeeling man looming on the horizon, Aurelia feels she has no option but to sacrifice her baby to honor her family’s wishes. She’s just made up her mind to settle into her new, dull life when she learns that her new husband and uncle are hatching a traitorous plot against the empire. As the pressure mounts, Aurelia’s plans fail, and with Vita in tow, she has no other option but to flee the city of her birth and undertake a journey in search of her true love.

In a riveting tale of sacrifice and finding one’s identity among the shambles of an old life, author Margaret McNellis brings Aurelia and ancient Rome to life vividly in this thrilling narrative. Readers will cry between smiles and cheer on the protagonists every step of the way. Hold your breath because the battle for Britain—and freedom—is now underway.