This was a really well researched novel, I was expecting it to be told solely from Julia's POV but there were actually several throughout the book and it helped add dimension to the story. This was a really descriptive and exciting novel which was surprising since it's set on a remote island. I loved the focus not being in Rome and surrounding an emperor so heavily, made it feel very unique to a lot of the other Roman historical fiction novels I've read. Julia's story was tragic and I can't wait to see it's conclusion in book 2!

The Longest Exile by Tana Rebellis is a stunning and immersive historical novel that takes readers deep into the heart of ancient Rome’s political intrigue, betrayal, and forbidden love. Set against the backdrop of Julia the Younger’s exile in 8 CE, this novel is meticulously researched, filled with vivid descriptions, and brimming with tension, making it a must-read for any fan of historical fiction.

From the very first page, Rebellis masterfully draws readers into Julia’s world. Julia, the granddaughter of Augustus and a woman whose life is marked by scandal and treason, is sent into exile on a remote Adriatic island. Her pregnancy, the result of an adulterous affair, becomes a symbol of her disgrace, and she is forced to navigate a world where trust is scarce, and survival is anything but guaranteed. Julia’s struggle to maintain her dignity and protect her unborn child amid the political chaos around her is compelling and heartbreaking.

The pacing of the novel is superb, with constant twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Julia’s complex relationships with those around her—her scheming mother, the unstable Agrippa Postumus, and her growing attraction to Titus, the bastard son of a senator—are all explored in depth. Titus, as the guard tasked with watching over Julia, becomes an unexpected and irresistible love interest, creating a forbidden romance that is as dangerous as it is captivating.

The secondary characters, particularly the slaves Aurelia and Aphrodite, add depth and nuance to the story, each with their own motivations and challenges. The guards, like Quintus, Martius, and Publius, are also well-developed, each adding their own layer to the narrative. I was particularly fond of Julia's unexpected neighbor, Lucius, and his quirky pet birds—he brought a touch of lightness to an otherwise tense and dramatic story.

The setting of the novel is breathtaking. Rebellis has an incredible talent for painting vivid pictures of the villa and its surroundings. I could easily imagine the landscape of Trimerus Island, with its rugged coastline and the isolation that Julia faces. The historical details, from the food dishes to the political machinations, are well-researched and enrich the story without overwhelming it.

While the novel primarily focuses on Julia’s journey, the glimpses into the lives of her mother, Julia the Elder, and Agrippa Postumus add another layer of intrigue. Julia the Elder’s attempts to free her children from exile and her scheming against Augustus adds a palpable tension to the story. Agrippa’s descent into madness and his tragic end is poignant, though I do wish more had been made of the imposter angle that was touched upon.

Ovid’s sections, while intriguing, were the weakest part of the book for me. His chapters serve more as a setup for future events, which may play a larger role in the sequel. However, his inclusion does provide a wider view of the world outside of Julia’s exile and sets the stage for future developments.

Rebellis’ attention to historical detail is remarkable, and she brings ancient Rome to life in a way that feels authentic and rich. The plot plays out like an epic drama, with Livia’s plotting from afar feeling like something straight out of history.

The Longest Exile is a fantastic start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. The characters are complex, the setting is rich, and the story is filled with enough intrigue, betrayal, and passion to keep readers hooked. I highly recommend this book to history enthusiasts and lovers of ancient rome alike. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel and can’t wait to see where this captivating story goes next!

This book is book one of a duology. I can’t wait to read the second one.
This meticulously researched novel takes place in Rome 8 AD in the beginning of the novel starting with the eldest granddaughter of Augustus, Julia. She is the main POV. She describes her life in exile after being banished for her indiscretion and unplanned pregnancy. She goes on to describe her life on an isolated island with guards. Her brother and other family members are mentioned too.
This story is so haunting to me. The life of a privileged woman in a high class society is pretty restrictive and brutal.
The island, the villa, food, the guards, servants, and pet birds(gifts from her neighbor) were extremely descriptive to the point I can see them clearly in my mind. This is one of the best ancient historical novel I’ve read. I am really looking forward to reading the sequel.
Thank you Netgalley and Little Piggy Publishing for this wonderful compelling eARC.As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher.

The first historical novel I've read in a long while, "The Longest Exile" has everything to make it perfect for me. A strong, yet tragic, FMC; an amazing setting both in time (Classical Rome) and in place (Mediterranean islands); and a very researched and well crafted background. It touches everything I love, and it does it really well.
The only thing that makes me hesitant to give it five stars is the feeling that the different POVs could be better woven. Or, maybe, that is something that will be revealed in the second installment, which I definitely look forward to reading.

My heartfelt thanks to the author, the editor, and NetGalley for allowing me to be an advance reader. My classicist soul has thoroughly enjoyed walking alongside Julia through the paths of Trimerus.

As a lover of historical fiction, I found this book captivating and intriguing. The story and characters were laid out in an easily digestible way, and I enjoyed the depiction of Ancient Rome and the politics at play during this time period. Highly recommend to fans of historical fiction!

Historical fiction about a troubled family and their individual and joint quests for ruling power. Lots of drama, affairs, and treasonous behaviors.

Tana Rebellis’s The Longest Exile presents an engaging premise set against the backdrop of ancient Rome. The rich historical setting and complex character dynamics pull readers into a world of political intrigue and personal struggle. The narrative's strength lies in its ability to weave historical accuracy with compelling storytelling, while also portraying a new perspective on an event that wasn’t commonly known about for that time period.

The Longest Exile by Tana Rebellis is a valuable addition to the historical fiction genre, offering rich historical detail and compelling character arcs. For writers, it provides a wealth of lessons on crafting engaging premises, balancing exposition with narrative, and developing consistent characters. Despite some pacing issues and an incomplete ending, the novel’s strengths make it a worthwhile read. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in ancient Rome and learn from Rebellis’s approach to storytelling, The Longest Exile is a book to consider.

*Review to be published to website 16 July 2024

An intriguing look into the politics of Ancient Rome. The heroine is sympathetic and I felt very pulled into her story. Wonderfully interesting cast of chat and plot.

I received this advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I enjoyed this interesting novel, which is based on a great deal of history. I don't know all of the events that were covered in the story, but I found the characters compelling and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. Strongly recommended for all fans of historical fiction, and those interested in ancient Rome.

HOLY MOLY!! This book is captivating! I don't normally gravitate towards historical fiction but boy oh boy am I glad I read this one.

Here are my top fives reasons why YOU NEED TO READ THIS:
1️⃣ This book reads like a TV show! Honestly, it's like a History Channel documentary married an epic HBO show and had this book as a baby. The pacing and chapter "cliffhangers" make you want more, more, MORE.
2️⃣ You won't get confused. That was one of my fears because what little I know about the Roman empire was that EVERYONE in the family has the same name. The way this story unfolds and is laid out, you can easily tell the characters apart.
3️⃣ Nothing is added just for the "shock" factor. This is a mature book with triggers, but nothing is added that isn't culturally true to the time. Some parts are slightly more descriptive than others, but for the most part the spice level is considered fade-to-black.
4️⃣ VARIETY! I think the last five historical fiction books I read were all about WW2 so it was nice to discover a well-written, action packed, emotionally gripping story about a different time in history.
5️⃣ You NEED to read this so you are ready for BOOK TWO! Back to point #1 - the pacing and storytelling lines up very similarly to an HBO show and you won't want to miss "season two."

There's not a lot of stories about Julia, Augustus' rebel daughter, and I enjoyed this one.
Well plotted and intriguing. I think the historical part is accurate and I liked the storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I’ve read Tana’s romcom under a different name so I knew I enjoyed her writing style, I wasn’t prepared for how much this book would stick to me!
I immediately felt so much compassion and empathy for Julia the Younger. Knowing this is based on the life of the real Julia the Younger made me feel so much more connected to the book.
So many times I found myself crying without meaning to, tears over the situations these characters are in, tears over the hurt they felt, and so many tears over the anguish and pain it is to be a woman on this earth.
(I will add, it could be a triggering book for some, so I recommend reading the tw on the authors website or dm me and I will send you the list)
It left me with a head swimming with thoughts, I spent quite a long time thinking through what I read in hopes of writing a review that would accurately capture what I read, but I don’t think I can do it justice!
The second book comes out in September, I am looking forward to that and hoping to have some of my remaining questions answered then!
A captivating story that I highly recommend! (18+)

A huge thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

ulia the younger is the granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. She's one of the children of his only child, his daughter Julia, who we call the elder and who has been exiled for plotting against her father. When Julia's (the younger that is) husband stages a coup together with her brother Agrippa Postumus. It fails and her husband is executed while Agrippa becomes an exile. A year later, Julia turns out to be pregnant, clearly not by her husband as he has been dead for over 9 months, and so she too is exiled. Once she arrives on the island of Trimerus with four guards, her slave woman Aurelia and three more slaves, some strange incidents cause her to fear for her life - and that of her unborn child.

I'm always so happy when a new novel about Ancient Rome comes out. The longest exile focuses on the various family members exiled by Augustus. The book is mainly told from the young Julia's point of view, but the older Julia, Agrippa Postumus and even the poet Ovid are also featured.

I found Julia's story the most engaging. Although it's a thick book and it seems very slow at times, a lot happens and you want to read on chapter by chapter. Julia doesn't know who she can trust, what is happening in Rome and how long she will spend on the island. Her slave Aurelia dies in a strange accident, the guard Marcus acts hostile towards her, while Titus tries to protect her.

Livia and her son Tiberius do everything they can to make Tiberius Augustus' heir. But I never really understood why Augustus goes along with this. He does make it very difficult for his own blood to become his successor. We see in this book a very different side of the emperor, who was merciless to his own family.

I feel this was historically a credible story. Rebellis has clearly done her research and writes smoothly. Just too bad the book has a such an ugly cover (in my opinion). In the second part of this duology, we will read more about Julia's daughter who was left behind in Rome as a child. And I'm curious to see how the story continues. We won't have to wait too long as 'Daughter of exile' will be published in September.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

The early Roman Empire and by extension, the Julio-Claudians was such a tumultuous time in history and as a result, makes for great historical fiction. The Longest exile delves into the experiences of those who were forced into exile on incredibly small islands, often, for upsetting the delicate and conservative sensitivities of Rome’s first citizen, Emperor Augustus.

I thought the book held historical accuracy quite well, the incorporation of appropriate names, ranks, titles and even rooms in a traditional Roman villa added additional layers of authenticity to the story and helped to immerse me as a reader into the time period. Additionally, it did a good job of disguising historical context as necessary dialogue, instead of info-dumping familial connections, political machinations and current affairs. This communication of context will be really helpful for those new to the historical period (or even those returning to it after some time) but to those quite familiar with this time period, there might be some frustration, or ‘well, obviously’ moments.

As an avid history reader, I found it a bit hard to connect with the characters initially, simply because I knew the unfortunate fate they faced, I found following Julia the Younger’s pregnancy in particular difficult knowing the call Augustus ultimately makes in this manner. But these characters are written in a manner that humanises them and really fleshes them out with complex thoughts and feelings. I really liked this version of Julia the Elder, shrewd and calculating but playing the part of a dim witted fool, you could see that this was a woman who was raised in the political heart of Rome and was raised on political machinations and conspiracy. Simultaneously she was written as a pretty wretched person, but very interesting to read from the perspective of.

I found the writing had a really good flow and it was easy to get lost in the story, each perspective had a very clear and distinct voice. It made moving between each easy. Additionally, as the plot advanced, the connection between each character beyond the common theme of exile was well crafted. I really enjoyed this book, though I found the historical accuracy saddening at times (readers who have pronounced triggers may want to assess if this is a book for them) but ultimately my emotional response is a testament of the quality of the writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tana Rebellis for giving me access to this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are my own. (Four and a half rounded up to five stars)

I enjoyed this book yet I didn't love it. I found the history well researched and it held my interest but I was unable to truly connect with the characters. I felt pulled to Lucius and his birds the most. I enjoyed learning about a part of history that I've never explored before. It is well written and will appeal to historical fiction lovers of all kinds.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary copy of the book for a voluntary review

When I started The Longest Exile, I was unsure if this genre was for me - while I tend to love more 20th century historical fiction, I had not yet dipped my toes into any ancient civilizations. I am SO HAPPY that I did!

I found the writing and the story fast-moving, surprisingly easy to follow (especially for how many characters and relationships were introduced), and impossible to put down. I knew next to nothing about ancient Rome during this specific time period, but the author did a wonderful job of painting the lives of the characters and the conflicts of war in the area. I think this was also a unique focus to choose the close family of Augustus, as I have more typically seen stories in media regarding Caesar.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in ancient Rome, historical fiction, or even looking for a dramatic and shorter read. It's also a huge bonus that the second book will be released in a few months, completing the duology.

Huge thanks to Tana Rebellis and NetGalley for a copy of this e-ARC and a shipped, physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Rome, 8 CE. Julia, eldest granddaughter of Augustus, is four months pregnant, and it should be cause for celebration. The only problem is that her husband was executed a year ago for treason. The math is simple, and damning.

Julia is exiled to a remote Adriatic island as punishment for her indiscretion, upending her privileged life. As she struggles to adjust to her new circumstances, a suspicious accident kills her only confidante, and she finds that trust is increasingly hard to come by - especially in a world where power is everything and where people will do anything to get it. Soon, Julia is forced not only to question what else fate has in store, but to fight for her illegitimate baby's survival.

Julia's scheming mother and slightly insane younger brother are already political exiles, but their newest plots pull her further into a deadly web of family betrayal and treason that threatens to taint Rome for generations to come. Further complicating matters is Titus, the bastard son of a senator. As one of the guards tasked with ensuring that Julia never escapes her island prison, she should resent him - but instead she finds herself increasingly drawn to him, at great risk to both their lives."

I am more than a little obsessed with Rome and one thing I know is they loved their island exiles.

A fascinating and hard to put down story of the daughter and the last surviving grandchildren of Emperor Augustus. I can’t wait to read the next one!

'The Longest Exile' is meticulously researched and extremely compelling. It is an eventful, action-packed character study of Julia the Younger, her mother, her brother Agrippa Postumus, and the poet Ovid serving their respective exiles imposed by Emperor Augustus.

The story of Julia the Younger's eventful first year in exile had me turning the pages late into the night. The intrigue surrounding folks that would do her harm, the unraveling of the drama surrounding the adulterous pregnancy that sent her into exile, and her ongoing imprisonment are very well paced and highly engaging. I thought that the slave characters, particularly Aurelia and Aphrodite, were faithfully rendered, and the guards (Titus, Quintus, Martius, Publius, Gaius) uniquely compelling in their own rights. Her unlikely neighbour, Lucius, and his pet birds I also found a welcome addition to the plot. The setting is rendered vividly - I could picture the villa and its surrounding environs. This is primarily Julia's story, and her portion of the narrative absolutely brims with excitement.

Smaller portions of the book are devoted to her mother, Julia the Elder, living in less restrictive exile in Rhegium. Her attempts to free her children from exile and overthrow her own father, the emperor, made for an exciting undertone of danger running through the narrative, even though her plans eventually all come to naught. Agrippa Postumus's exile and his relative 'madness' were well-rendered, as was his untimely end. It would have been interesting to have seen the imposter angle worked into such a compelling narrative, but there is plenty else to focus the reader's attention.

Ovid's portions of the book are the smallest and ultimately least compelling, though I understand why his inclusion was made. The final portions of his chapters provide a window into events happening outside Julia's isolation on Trimerus and sets up the action that will follow in its sequel.

The food dishes mentioned are realistic and well-researched, as was most every detail included in this book. The only error I noticed was the mention of 'minutes' and 'seconds' passing, which Romans had no notion of at this time in history. Otherwise, the setting and characters were faithfully rendered. Livia's plotting from afar seems very plausible - there are several parts of this novel that play out like something right out of 'Domina,' after all, and that is a high compliment to the author. I appreciated her historical note at the end of the novel and am intrigued to see where the sequel takes this story.

Highly, highly recommended to all Romanophiles and those who love a forced-proximity romance! I will definitely be reading the sequel when it is released!

**Book Review: The Longest Exile**

"The Longest Exile" is a riveting historical novel that brings to life the story of Julia the Younger, a figure often overshadowed by her famous ancestors in Roman history. This book is not just a compelling narrative but also a deeply informative journey into the complexities of Julia's life and the era she lived in.

The author masterfully intertwines historical accuracy with engaging storytelling, making the reader feel as though they are walking alongside Julia through her trials and triumphs. The depiction of Julia's exile and the political intrigues surrounding it is particularly well done, shedding light on the often brutal realities of ancient Roman society and the precarious position of women within it.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its attention to detail. The historical context is rich and well-researched, offering readers a nuanced understanding of Julia's world. This makes "The Longest Exile" not just a story about one woman's journey, but also a lens through which we can better understand the broader socio-political landscape of the time.

The character development is another strong suit of the novel. Julia the Younger emerges as a complex and sympathetic character, whose resilience and intelligence shine through despite her many challenges. Her relationship with her daughter is particularly poignant, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative that resonates strongly with readers.

The anticipation for the sequel, "Daughter of Exile," is well-deserved. The ending of "The Longest Exile" leaves readers eager to learn more about the continuation of Julia's legacy through her daughter. If the sequel promises the same level of historical insight and compelling storytelling, it is sure to be another fantastic addition to this series.

In conclusion, "The Longest Exile" is a fantastic and informative read that not only captivates but also educates. It brings a lesser-known historical figure into the spotlight and does so with elegance and depth. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Roman history, strong female protagonists, and well-crafted historical fiction.