Pompeii, a city that's many things to many people. For Cato, it's the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato's sister, he must oust the man from power to save her. 

For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom. 

But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.

Endorsements:

"I love T. L. Higley's stories set in the ancient world. Pompeii has a mystique all its own, and Higley brings it to rich life, from glory to destruction, while bringing her well-drawn characters through disaster to salvation."

DeAnna Julie Dodson, author of In Honor Bound 

"T.L. Higley brings Pompeii to life again in this exhilarating tale of love and adventure. The story was so enthralling to me-I want to read it again!"

Elizabeth Goddard, author of The Camera Never Lies

"A glorious storytelling of the plight of early Christianity. Higley's meticulous research enhances readers' understanding of the daring lives of the first Christians."

RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)

"This follow-up to Petra is sure to please readers who enjoyed the history, adventure, and suspense of that first novel, as well as fans of Bodie Thoene's historical fiction."

Library Journal (starred review)