She lives in the shadows of incapable men. With a sharp mind and ambitious drive, can she direct the destiny of millions?

Rome, AD 410. Princess Placidia knows her duty. Well-loved and respected, the stalwart woman fights to protect her people from invaders despite her brother’s inept rule. So when conspirators open the gates to the barbarians, the courageous royal refuses to quail as she’s taken captive.

Abandoned to her captor’s mercies when her sibling declines to negotiate, the determined survivor slowly grows close to the enemy general and his motherless children. And though she weds the rugged Visigoth for love, Placidia fears a jealous rival and the emperor’s incompetence may bring her happiness crashing to earth.

With central authority crumbling and loyalties splintering across the West, can one woman hold together an empire?

In this sweeping epic of fifth-century politics, author Faith L. Justice tells the compelling story of one of the Classical world’s most influential women. From her capture during the Sack of Rome through her rise to power as regent for her son, last of the Theodosian emperors, readers will thrill to Placidia’s tenacious drive to protect those she loves and shape the course of history.

Twilight Empress is the enthralling first book in the Theodosian Women historical fiction series. If you like real-world heroines, impeccable research, and gripping glimpses into the past, then you’ll love Faith L. Justice’s war-torn saga.

Kathleen France