Mother of Rome

A powerful & fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history’s greatest empire, & the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.They threw the wrong woman to the wolvesThe names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children. But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh. Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life...and her beloved land.To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight.All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.°°°Lauren J. A. Bear was born in Boston and raised in Long Beach. After studying English at UCLA, and education at Loyola Marymount University, she worked for a decade as a middle-school teacher focused on literacy and humanities. Lauren lives in Seattle with her husband and three young children where she enjoys crossword puzzles and being on or near the water without getting wet. She is the author of Medusa’s Sisters. A powerful and fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history’s greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible. The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children. But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story. Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir. Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh. Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life...and her...