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Soothsayer

Kathryn Amurra (Goodreads Author)

4.27 · Rating details · 33 ratings · 27 reviews

Aurelia has always valued love and happiness over titles and power. Though her kind-hearted father has allowed her to turn away suitor after suitor in pursuit of a love she cannot yet define, when he dies her choices die with him. Knowing that marrying the elderly governor of a neighboring province can secure her mentally challenged brother's safety, she gives up on her dr ...more

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Paperback, 212 pages

Published May 10th 2020 by Independently Published

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Jul 25, 2020 Julie - One Book More rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, romance

A sweet historical romance with well-developed characters and an interesting plot, Soothsayer is a quick and immersive read. The story is about Aurelia, a young woman in Ancient Rome whose father recently died. Now in charge of her brother, who has special needs, Aurelia is pressured by her nagging aunt to marry. When the Governor, an older, selfish man that repulses Aurelia, offers his hand in marriage in exchange for excusing Aurelia’s brother from the required military duty, Aurelia sees no o A sweet historical romance with well-developed characters and an interesting plot, Soothsayer is a quick and immersive read. The story is about Aurelia, a young woman in Ancient Rome whose father recently died. Now in charge of her brother, who has special needs, Aurelia is pressured by her nagging aunt to marry. When the Governor, an older, selfish man that repulses Aurelia, offers his hand in marriage in exchange for excusing Aurelia’s brother from the required military duty, Aurelia sees no other option and reluctantly agrees.

Weeks later, on her journey to the Governor’s town and home, a series of unfortunate events force Aurelia closer to her sole escort, the handsome warrior named Cassius. Captain of the Governor’s guard, Cassius refuses to get close to anyone, especially the woman betrothed to his boss. He swore to protect her, but how will he protect his heart from the sweet and brave Aurelia? Is there a chance for this ill-fated couple when Aurelia needs to protect her brother, and Cassius believes his life is almost over?

I enjoyed the love story between Aurelia and Cassius. Aurelia is a kind and caring woman. Her main concern is protecting her younger brother, and her selflessness is admirable. She is also a sensible and smart survivor, willing to do whatever it takes to save her brother. Her quick-thinking and adaptability serve her well throughout the story, and even when she succumbs to her fears, she still perseveres.

Cassius is selfless as well, devoting his life to serving others and his country, protecting others while putting his own life at risk, and pushing others away so that they won’t grieve his death. I love how he is described here:

"He was a solitary man, that much was easy to discern. He was content with his own company-he needed no validation from others. He valued truth and honesty."

He is an honorable man who lives his life by a strict set of rules, and he is struck by the feelings he has for Aurelia. Unfortunately, because of a foreboding prophecy, Cassius has pushed anyone who cares for him away. That is, until he meets Aurelia. She gets past his defenses and shows him how fulfilling and wonderful caring for someone can be.

One of my favorite moments is when Cassius becomes jealous of the old soothsayer for spending time with Aurelia and taking her attention away from him. It’s sweet and endearing to see Cassius slowly showing a more vulnerable side as he grows fonder of Aurelia.

The romance between Aurelia and Cassius is filled with longing, fleeting glances, and sweet moments where they explore and reflect upon their feelings for each other. This slow-building romance makes my heart happy. I always love stories that have two lonely and wounded people finding each other, and Cassius and Aurelia couldn’t be a better suited pair. Aurelia believes in love and convinces Cassius that love isn’t a burden or a luxury. I rooted for an HEA for this couple and hoped they would find a way to be together while still helping Aurelia’s brother.

Messages about family, duty, and the power of love are woven beautifully throughout the story and offer hope in even the direst situations in the book. A quick and charming story, this book will appeal to readers who enjoy historical romance. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. ...more

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Jul 20, 2020 Stephanie (Bookfever) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-publication, ancient-rome, historical-romance, historical-fiction, romance

Ah yes, three star reviews… my favorite. Again I find it pretty hard to put my thoughts about this book into words. But I will try!

Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra is a historical romance set in ancient Rome. When I read books set in ancient Rome it’s usually historical fiction, more focused on battles and politics and not romance like this one but reading something slightly different every now and then isn’t that bad.

To keep it nice and short, the story is about Aurelia who is set to marry a much ...more

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Jan 08, 2021 Alana Bloom rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, historical-romance, ancient-rome

I haven't read a historical romance outside of London/Scotland in ages, so I was excited to pick up a romance set in ancient Rome. If you are looking for a sweet, no steam romance then look no further than Soothsayer.

I enjoyed Aurelia and Cassius. Aurelia was naive, sheltered, but a legitimately sweet and loyal character that was interesting to follow. Cassius was gruff, doom and gloom. Basically a shell of a man plodding through life after a grim prophesy handed to him by a soothsayer as a chil ...more

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Dec 19, 2020 CoffeeTimeRomance andMore rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviews-by-vicky, historical-romance

I must admit, I have not read more than a couple of books set in this time. I am not sure if it is because there are not a lot of them, or I just do not come across them. Either way I thoroughly enjoyed this little glimpse into ancient Rome. A well told story is a well told story.
Vicki
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
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Dec 25, 2020 Hina Tabassum Khatri rated it liked it

Originally published on Hina Loves To Read

The idea of the setting of the story was what intrigued me to say yes to Kathryn that I will give her book a go. I am glad that I said yes.

I was looking forward to learning more of the lifestyle of the time the story is set in and was a little disappointed as not much was talked about of the times. In the beginning, I wanted the characters to be more but they felt very two dimensional but past 25% mark, I was pretty satisfied with the development.

The ...more

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Dec 09, 2020 cherelle (a bolt out of the book) rated it really liked it

Shelves: three-and-a-half-stars, historical-fiction

3.5 stars! A solid historical romance that surprised me!

FULL REVIEW of Soothsayer on my blog

Ancient Rome. A sweet romance. Admirable characters. What more can I ask for?

I loved how brave and charming Aurelia and Cassius both were, and how deep their love for the family was... Also, though the haters to lovers trope started out a little hastily with some awkwardness, I still enjoyed seeing how it progressed with Little Miss Sunshine and Mr. In a Bad Mood... afterwards, I found all the longing and ...more

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Aug 08, 2020 Kelly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, my-favorites, real-page-turners, romance

Soothsayer is Kathryn Amurra's debut novel. It was published in the beginning of May 2020. It is a clean romance.

About the Book

Soothsayer is set in ancient Rome. Aurelia has always valued love and happiness over titles and power. Her kind father indulged her desire to marry for love, allowing her to turn away suitor after suitor in her pursuit of love. However, when her father dies, she is placed in a predicament that doesn't allow her the freedom to choose. If she is to protect her mentally cha Soothsayer is Kathryn Amurra's debut novel. It was published in the beginning of May 2020. It is a clean romance.

About the Book

Soothsayer is set in ancient Rome. Aurelia has always valued love and happiness over titles and power. Her kind father indulged her desire to marry for love, allowing her to turn away suitor after suitor in her pursuit of love. However, when her father dies, she is placed in a predicament that doesn't allow her the freedom to choose. If she is to protect her mentally challenged brother, she must marry the elderly governor of a nearby province.

Cassius, a Roman centurion, and captain of the governor's guard, is to escort Aurelia and her unpleasant aunt to the governor's estate. However, one mishap after another seems to threaten this journey, and soon Cassius finds himself escorting Aurelia alone. Cassius's only desire is to carry out his duty and keep his heart unaffected by such things as love.

My Review

Soothsayer grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn't let go until the very last page. I felt disappointment with every loss and challenge that Aurelia had to face. I understood her distaste for a man a great many years older than she and hoped for another way for her to keep her beloved brother safe. I admired her courage and determination to do what she believed she must do, sacrificing her own dreams.

Cassius, a man of few words, but also a man of honor. A man who could be trusted. Also, a man who had a troubled heart and believed he wouldn't remain in this world very long. I hoped he would be able to experience what every human needs but that he felt a need to deny himself.

As I read about the journey of Aurelia and Cassius as their paths crossed and they helped one another, I grew to love these characters and want to see them happy by the end of the book.

Kathryn Amurra's writing is strong. She paints pictures in the reader's minds, grips their hearts with emotions, and keeps them hoping for the best. This book was so well written and I found no errors, and therefore had nothing to distract me from the story. I related to the internal struggles of the characters, as well as some of their external struggles. I loved the ancient Roman setting, as historical fiction is one of my favorite genres.

This was definitely an exceptional debut novel, and I will be looking for more books from Kathryn Amurra in the future.

I give this book 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book for my honest review. ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Millay rated it liked it

Recommends it for: 16+

Recommended to Millay by: Kathryn Amurra

Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra was a fairly entertaining book. Its setting in Ancient Rome was most interesting to me. However, this book didn't astound me.

The story was nicely put together, it was well-written and the characters were nicely fleshed out. However, the story was too probable. The hate-to-love trope is evident from the first chapter, and poorly constructed. That being said, the characters were pretty good.

Though Aurelia was an intelligent, independent, and highly-relatable woman, she ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 love_yourshelf rated it liked it

I give this book a 3.5. Sorry it took so long to read this.

If you like enemies to lovers romance set in Ancient Rome, this book may be for you!

"I wonder if sometimes our understanding of a thing is based on our own notion of what that thing should mean, rather than what it truly does mean."

Soothsayer is a novel of fate.

Setting/Romance: What I liked most about this book is, what mainly attracted me to the book which is it's setting. I have not read many if any books set in Ancient Rome and it was ...more

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Dec 29, 2020 Danielle Urban rated it it was amazing

Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra is an interesting tale. A young woman is forced to given in only to save her brother. A forced marriage to a man she hates. Aurelia is a strong character. She braves the situation and unexpected outcomes arrive. A love like no other happens between her and her future husband's guard. Both characters quick, smart, and kind. The pages fly by as I followed them. With every page, I rooted for the heroes. Love, sacrifice, and family are major themes inside this novella. F ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 Rose Auburn rated it really liked it

Soothsayer is set in Ancient Rome and tells the story of Aurelia, who lives with her rather petulant and mercenary Aunt Petronia and mentally disabled brother, Angelus. A visit by the aging Governor Attilius delights Aunt Petronia as he asks for Aurelia’s hand in marriage. Aurelia has absolutely no intention of marrying Attilius but it is made clear that if she does not, then her brother will be left to the mercy of military service for three years in the Emperor’s Army. Aurelia knows that he wi Soothsayer is set in Ancient Rome and tells the story of Aurelia, who lives with her rather petulant and mercenary Aunt Petronia and mentally disabled brother, Angelus. A visit by the aging Governor Attilius delights Aunt Petronia as he asks for Aurelia’s hand in marriage. Aurelia has absolutely no intention of marrying Attilius but it is made clear that if she does not, then her brother will be left to the mercy of military service for three years in the Emperor’s Army. Aurelia knows that he will be misunderstood, tormented and likely killed if he enters service and, therefore, she agrees to the marriage. However, her accompaniment to the Governor’s residence is his Captain of the Guard, Cassius, a taciturn and, at first appearance, surly young man, who engages only when he has too. A series of misfortunes befall Aurelia and Cassius on their journey to the Governor’s residence which throws them together. Aurelia begins to understand why Cassius is so aloof and Cassius, in turn, understands why Aurelia feels she must marry the Governor. Once in the Governor’s residence and at the mercy of his vile sister, Marcella, Aurelia begins to realise that she really cannot bear to marry the Governor. Aurelia and Cassius must find a way to be together and take care of Angelus yet both feel bound by the Soothsayer’s predictions …

This book is undoubtedly a labour of love; it shines through the characters and the plot. I can feel Kathryn Amurra’s dedication and need to tell Aurelia’s story in every line. I really, really enjoyed it and felt thoroughly immersed into Aurelia’s world; she was a very believable and likeable main character. The opening chapter was cleverly written with just enough hints peppered throughout the paragraphs that all was not as it seemed. At times, the book reminded me a little of a play, nuggets of information were released almost as an aside to the reader and it works – probably because of the setting of Ancient Rome, which is always very present and I could really visualise. The story would not be so strong without it; the placement really complemented it and drew the reader in. Amurra cleverly weaved quite a large proportion of Aurelia’s history into her conversation with the Governor in Chapter 3 and here as throughout, the dialogue is beautifully written; economical, precise, effective but full of emotion.

*** Spoilers in this paragraph**
I did find the book a slow-burner, yet when it took off, I could hardly put it down. I would have liked a little more chemistry between Aurelia and Cassius earlier; the Chapter with them battling through the thorn bushes certainly brings it alive but I would have liked a bit more sizzle a bit earlier! All of the characters were very well-realised; Marcella was deeply unpleasant without veering into pantomime and likewise for Tullia, the Soothsayer. I wondered if the two narratives of a) Cassius leaving home as a young boy, and b) the Governor deciding against marriage, survive close inspection but you were rooting so much for Aurelia that you were just pleased that she did not have to marry the repulsive old Governor and you are kept guessing and page-turning as a result.

I thought this was a beautifully written book that I would not hesitate to recommend losing yourself in; which you will.
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Sep 24, 2020 Leanne Davis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Taking place in ancient Rome, the story immediately takes the reader back in time in a way that makes you feel like you are "there" and part of the story. There was just enough nuggets of historical detail to make the setting feel completely real, without weighing the book down with (though interesting!) unnecessary, or distracting details. Everything the author included in the story enriched the reading experience and deepened the reader's understanding of the setting and how it relates to the Taking place in ancient Rome, the story immediately takes the reader back in time in a way that makes you feel like you are "there" and part of the story. There was just enough nuggets of historical detail to make the setting feel completely real, without weighing the book down with (though interesting!) unnecessary, or distracting details. Everything the author included in the story enriched the reading experience and deepened the reader's understanding of the setting and how it relates to the characters.

Oh these characters! They are wonderful. There is a raw, genuine feel to both Cassius and Aurelia. I felt like I could know them, even though they are from ancient times. Once started it is impossible to put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page. It is an incredibly well crafted and well paced story. You flow through it with strong emotional connection to Aurelia and Cassius. By the end you are so invested you are rooting for them to find a way around all the obstacles... and you will not be disappointed!

Aurelia concedes to marry an older, rich governor who is able to provide for her and special needs brother, now that her father has died. While this is important to her, the real motivation to marry the governor is for protection for her brother, otherwise in less than a year he will be drafted as solider into mandatory service for Rome, a fate she knows her brother won't survive.

Aurelia's care and concern for her brother was both heart-gripping and lovely. She never portrayed she was sacrificing herself for her brother but in her view, simply saving him. I loved the inclusions of her brother and how she never stopped fighting for him. She was so strong, kind, caring and yet there was enough spunk to make her interesting too. Every action she did had a well thought out reason as she tried to balance out what was best for her brother and her own heart's desires.
There was not one moment that her actions weren't done out of her inner strength and strong convictions. I enjoyed every word written about her. She was so kind to everyone from the servants to the soothsayer that eventually has a key role in her future.

Cassius, oh he was awesome! A bit more difficult to get a read on, and he had some issues that made his emotions less clear-cut. But it made for some heat between these two! Though there was little in the way of PDA in this book, the chemistry still melts off the page. So while this is a "sweet" read, in that no more than kisses are shown on the page, their chemistry with each other explodes off the pages throughout the book and all the way to the amazing ending.

I loved the entire book from start to finish. There was nothing "cookie-cutter" or annoying in the characters actions. The author never takes the easy route to move the plot forward in both believable and surprising ways.

Excellent book I'd recommend to anyone who loves a historical romance! It has characters that will grip you and not let you go until the end! ...more

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Mar 01, 2021 Alyssa Jingling rated it really liked it

I received the book for free from the author. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and I am writing a voluntary review.

I pride myself on my insane work ethic at my 9-to-5. Like, all my coworkers and my bosses comment on my productivity levels insane. So the two days I spent reading Soothsayer probably seemed strange to the office — I devoured it without thought to the world around me. No one tell my boss, but I snuck my Kindle under my desk to read while I went through my emails and org I received the book for free from the author. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and I am writing a voluntary review.

I pride myself on my insane work ethic at my 9-to-5. Like, all my coworkers and my bosses comment on my productivity levels insane. So the two days I spent reading Soothsayer probably seemed strange to the office — I devoured it without thought to the world around me. No one tell my boss, but I snuck my Kindle under my desk to read while I went through my emails and organized my reports. This novel was refreshingly Austenite in plot, which is to say I knew exactly how it would end within the first few pages, but the journey to get there was beautiful.

I knew this book was a romance going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the first love story Amurra detailed was that of sibling love. The main character Aurelia’s brother had special needs that, true to its setting in Ancient Rome, went unnamed in the book. Aurelia’s love for her brother drove the plot, as she considered the marriage proposal of a governor who was as old as her late father in order to exempt her brother from mandatory military service. This, in turn, put her on a perilous journey with the governor’s captain Cassius, who so artfully rubbed her the wrong way, like an ancient Roman Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightly.

And similar to their Austenite heroine counterparts, Aurelia was clever, outspoken, and kind — a perfect role model for readers of all ages, but especially the young adult readers this book seems to be written for. Casiuss’s curt and cold personality balanced her out perfectly, and his doomsday attitude also set the stage for the choose your own destiny theme that the characters explored and that gave the book its title. The characters’ use of familial and romantic love to shape or be trapped by their own destinies kept the story interesting and important. On the topic of romance, there is one content warning: one character did attempt to take advantage of another character physically, though there were no graphic details.

Without giving anything away, I found the ending of the book to be unsatisfactorily hasty. Though I knew how it would end (and was pleased by the outcome), it should have been more elegantly fleshed out, rather than just a few pages in length. My other critique is that Amurra’s use of enslaved characters was insensitive. Though I must praise her for being historically accurate in her use of enslavement, the characterization of the enslaved characters read more as these people are simply unpaid laborers, when in reality enslaved Romans were often treated as property and subjected to horrific physical torture. While I understand that detailing the historically-accurate treatment of enslaved people would not fit in this book, I believe that undermining what they went through can be a dangerous thing to teach readers. Even just including a paragraph before the novel to explain what really happened to enslaved people could have been more helpfully educational. ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Katie rated it it was amazing

This is not my normal read. I'm a raunchy romance novel reader through and through. Soothsayer hardly fits that bill, but I found it to be an enchanting read, nonetheless.

Soothsayer takes place in Rome in 115 CE which made it an utterly fascinating read. You can tell that Amurra did her research, although, to be honest, my lack of knowledge about 155 CE Rome would technically mean that I wouldn't know one way or the other. But the descriptions of the clothing, the settings, and the people were i This is not my normal read. I'm a raunchy romance novel reader through and through. Soothsayer hardly fits that bill, but I found it to be an enchanting read, nonetheless.

Soothsayer takes place in Rome in 115 CE which made it an utterly fascinating read. You can tell that Amurra did her research, although, to be honest, my lack of knowledge about 155 CE Rome would technically mean that I wouldn't know one way or the other. But the descriptions of the clothing, the settings, and the people were incredible. I found myself googling terminology on occasion to allow myself the full picture of the time period, which made my experience reading the book even better.

Soothsayer was a captivating story of the lengths one young woman goes to protect her special needs brother from a world, and time period, that doesn't understand him. I loved our heroine Aurelia. She was kind to everyone, even their servants and those beneath her station, as well as thoughtful and selfless. She was willing to marry a man forty years her senior if it meant protecting her only family, her brother. I didn't need any convincing to like Aurelia's character. She was a bold and beautiful young woman.

Cassius, our hero, was honorable, but his consistently poor attitude and quickness to jump to judgment made me frustrated at the start. I couldn't believe that he didn't like Aurelia as much as I did (the cad), but as his story develops I gained more sympathy for him and his views. It would be hard to have hope in your life when a future-teller tells you your life is going to be a short one. As the story moves forward I enjoyed watching their innocent fascination with one another turn to something more, even as the clock ticks every closer to Aurelia's impending marriage.

This book was a mega slowburn and what the romance community refers to as a "proper romance" meaning that it is a clean read in which the characters exchange nothing but a couple of kisses, however I knew this going in based on the time period alone. However, the innocent nature of the book only enhances the overall experience.

Not a book I'd recommend to every reader, but for those who love immersive experiences in new settings (and don't mind the lightest of petting between their MCs), this book will spark joy.
...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Kristen rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, antiquity, arcs, book-reviewing, historical-fiction

Please visit My Blog for my full review of this book and many others | I'm also on Twitter of you want to give me a follow

Set in the Roman Empire, Soothsayer is the story of Aurelia, a beloved daughter of a minor nobleman. She is determined only to marry a man she loves and her doting father agrees, allowing her to turn down several potential suitors. His death, which takes place before the book begins and thus is no spoiler, places her in an unstable situation, not just on her own behalf as an Please visit My Blog for my full review of this book and many others | I'm also on Twitter of you want to give me a follow

Set in the Roman Empire, Soothsayer is the story of Aurelia, a beloved daughter of a minor nobleman. She is determined only to marry a man she loves and her doting father agrees, allowing her to turn down several potential suitors. His death, which takes place before the book begins and thus is no spoiler, places her in an unstable situation, not just on her own behalf as an unwed young woman, but because of her brother, Angelus. Angelus is what we would consider developmentally disabled, possibly autistic, and Aurelia is desperate to prevent him being inevitably killed during the mandatory military service required of men when they turn 16. The best way to do this is for Aurelia to marry the regional governor, an old friend of her father’s, who can give Angelus a dispensation from military duty.

Sent to bring Aurelia and her unpleasant aunt to the governor’s estate is Cassius, a career military man and captain of the governor’s soldiers. He was told by a soothsayer as a child that his life would be short, so Cassius has spent his whole life to date avoiding close attachments. He figures it would be better for others not to get attached to him only to have him die young. Of course, making a plan is the best way to make the gods laugh, so Cassius finds himself in charge of Aurelia after a series of small disasters separates them from the rest of Aurelia’s retinue and sets them alone on the road to the governor’s estate.

This novel was a delightful surprise. I chose to read it mostly because I hadn’t read anything set in the Roman Empire in a long time and I felt the urge to, despite the obvious romance elements it contains (I’m NOT a reader of romance). What I found was not the usual predictable romance but rather a very well researched story about ancient Rome that just happened to have a little romance in it. Murra set this story solidly in a historical framework and adhered to the facts we know.
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Nov 16, 2020 M. K. French rated it really liked it

Aurelia had never valued politics or power, so she turned away multiple suitors. Her father allowed this, but when he died she no longer had choices. She needed to protect herself and her brother, who would be drawn into the army unless excused by a governor. Marrying the elderly governor in another province would provide that, so agreed to the marriage. Cassius, as head of the governor’s guard, was chosen to escort Aurelia to the estate. He was never interested in love, as an early death had be Aurelia had never valued politics or power, so she turned away multiple suitors. Her father allowed this, but when he died she no longer had choices. She needed to protect herself and her brother, who would be drawn into the army unless excused by a governor. Marrying the elderly governor in another province would provide that, so agreed to the marriage. Cassius, as head of the governor’s guard, was chosen to escort Aurelia to the estate. He was never interested in love, as an early death had been predicted for him by a soothsayer, but misfortunes along the road bring Cassius and Aurelia into close contact.

Soothsayer takes place in 115 CE within the Roman Empire, nine years after the end of the Dacian War. Aurelia’s brother Angelus has developmental disabilities, in that he has a childlike disposition and hasn’t progressed mentally past that point. All young men at sixteen will need to join the army, and boys his age have all tormented him when he tried to play with them. The governor of the province where Aurelia lived wouldn’t bother to intervene, but her father’s former friend is willing to marry her and spare her brother. The entire trip is one disaster after another, to the point where Cassius thinks the gods are against the marriage. Problems don’t stop just because Aurelia is stubborn enough to push forward. As much as the governor doesn’t initially believe in the soothsayer or signs, even if others in his district do. This leads to the happily ever after of the romance, and it follows all of the predictions that the soothsayer had given them.

The beginning of Aurelia’s and Cassius’s relationship reminds me of Lizzie and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. They have their separate ideas of who the other is and what would matter to them, and it’s only as they get to know each other that they know the truth. That’s what endears them to each other and has them starting to care. The obstacles they had to deal with along the journey reveals more about their character to each other, and we see more about the different classes of people in Roman times. Overall, this is a solid romance, with the heat level never going past kissing and groping. ...more

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Jul 03, 2020 Cindy Gen-Vat rated it it was amazing

When I read, I look for a book that either teaches me something or transports me to another time or place. Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra does all of that!

Soothsayer is set during the 2nd century near Rome. This author does an incredible job of describing the way of living and politics from that time. It’s easy to feel like you are part of that society, following all the characters on their journeys.

The characters! So well-developed and multi-faceted. We learn more about them all as the story unfo ...more

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Oct 03, 2020 May rated it it was amazing

Shelves: given-to-review, historical, romance, 2020-faves

*I was kindly sent a copy of this by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Wow.
I loved this. It was such a mistake to start reading this at 1am because now it is 4am and I am exhausted but I got to finish this amazing book so it was well worth it!!
It was exactly what I was needing to read. Perfection. One of the sweetest romances I've read all year. The characters were amazing and had such depth! Aurelia was an incredible female protagonist. She was strong and determined and smart but al ...more

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Nov 11, 2020 Tanya Agler rated it it was amazing

Every so often, you open the cover of the book and know within the first few pages you don’t want to put it down. Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra, a sweet historical romance, is one of those books. Ms. Amurra’s debut novel is a stirring tale of forbidden love set in Ancient Rome. Aurelia is reeling from the loss of her father, and her aunt is busying the household for a visit from the governor, an older leader who was friends with Aurelia’s father. When he visits, he brings with him his security te ...more

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Jul 04, 2020 Nickmatala rated it it was amazing

Reading a romance book is not easy to enjoy unless it relates to your past romances.
With that said, I found the Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra fits my needs. It fits my first and always romance in Cairo Egypt. What a meal, could not let the book down for a minute, easy to read, very accurate in taking you thru that passion of love long time ago, the characters in the story are very much real to me.
The author described those sentiments that I thought during my reading were all mine.
What I could not ...more

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Aug 28, 2020 Deandra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

"Soothsayer" was a beautiful blend of historical romance and tragedy. I fell in love by the second page of the book and I felt so wonderful after reading the story I couldn't believe how expertly crafted it all felt. Kathryn Amurra created believable characters and placed them in historical setting in Rome that I could immediately pin down in history.
I admired the strength of the character Aurelia and the courage of Cassius, the male and female leads respectively. Their's was a believable story ...more

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Oct 26, 2020 Likely Story rated it it was amazing

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. Soothsayer is a historical romance novel set in Ancient Rome. It follows Aurelia as she is forced to marry a governor 40-something years her senior in order to protect her special needs brother now that their father has died. Amurra did an amazing job at writing a romance novel that was unique and not boring. I was flipping through the pages until I realized I had finished it at 3am.

For the rest of this review cli ...more

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Feb 14, 2021 Mary rated it really liked it

I received a copy of this book from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a hate-to-love clean romance set in Ancient Rome. I did enjoy this book so hear me out. With any book set in another time in history, you have to accept how things ran then even if they make my skin crawl. So yes I have a level of acceptance for this book that I would not if it took place in the modern-day.

Now with that said.

In this story, Aurelia is cornered into ...more

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Jul 12, 2020 Samantha rated it it was amazing

A great romance that transported me to Ancient Rome. I loved the story, the characters, and the setting. Great pace too... once I started reading, I found it hard to put the book down. Can’t wait to read Kathryn Amurra’s next book!

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Jul 03, 2020 Nancy rated it it was amazing

This was such a fun read. Very hard to stop reading once I started. Loved the story, the characters, the romance, it really felt like an escape. Highly recommend!!!

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Dec 29, 2020 Vikki Vaught rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My Musings

A full review will follow on my blog. This a a lovely romantic tale about a couple who believe their destiny lie in one direction until a another's words show them a new path. Happy ☺reading 📚! ...more

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Jul 04, 2020 Sondra rated it it was amazing

Really enjoyed this book. Fun, refreshing, exciting, was hard to put down! The characters, dialogue, setting and story were wonderful. It was very light, I could be in any mood and easily dive right back into the adventure. It was also very well paced.

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Inishowen Cailín rated it liked it
Jan 08, 2021

Sydney McKinney rated it it was amazing
Feb 21, 2021

Elizabeth A Mercier rated it it was amazing
Jul 05, 2020

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About Kathryn Amurra

Kathryn Amurra

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Kathryn Amurra has been making up stories for as long as she can remember and writing since grade school. She found her own hero just after graduating college and married him, and they have three girls together. Although her characters live inside her head all day, she writes at night, when she has logged off from her "day job" and her kids are asleep. ...more

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