Five Before Rome Book Review & Book Tour Giveaway

I always enjoy thrillers and international crime dramas--but, I have especially enjoyed the Roma Series by Gabriel Valjan. I have shared reviews of Corporate Citizen and Turning to Stone a few years ago. This morning, I am sharing my review of the prequel to this wonderful series. Read my thoughts on Five Before Rome, learn about the author & the series and be sure to enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Book Title: Five Before Rome: 5 preludes to the Roma Series by Gabriel Valjan

Category: Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 215 pages
Genre: International Crime Thriller
Publisher: Wild Goose Publishing
Release date: June 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M. There is violence (not graphic) and mention of child abuse by the clergy. There are 4 instances of the F-Word.

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About the Book

These five novellas precede Roma, Underground, the first novel in the Roma Series. Meet the five men, who form the team around Bianca, and learn about their personal history, their respective parts of Italy, and why they each have a stake in the fight against organized crime.

My Review

Five Before Rome Gives a Great Opening for The Roma Series. While the books of the series are written as standalone novels--I found myself backtracking to the beginning after I read the 4th book of the series first. After reading the individual novellas within Five Before Rome, I am now ready to actually re-read the series. I love Valjan's writing style--and his ability to transport me through his settings and characters' lives. The details, historical backgrounds, and the insights into his characters' pasts are very well written to give readers just enough of each character to entice them to read the full series.

Five Before Rome Appeals to Fans of Historical Fiction and International Thrillers. I love historical fiction and I love learning more about characters' pasts and motivations. This prequel gives much depth to the remaining series and offers the perfect blend of history, setting, character development and storyline for each novella.

Would I Recommend Five Before Rome by Gabriel Valjan? Beginning the series with these novella length stories gives readers a perfect preview of the author's writing style. I love the author's writing style and his series. This prequel is the perfect way to interest new readers to the series--and to remind series readers why we loved it so much. If you enjoy international thrillers--The Roma Series should certainly be on your reading list. The novels are not light reads--but, they are all page turners none-the-less. I recommend this book as a wonderful starting point to the series--but, you will want to add the entire series to your reading list once you meet the characters!

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About the Author

Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston’s South End where he enjoys the local restaurants. When he isn’t appeasing Munchkin, his cat, with tuna, he documents the #dogsofsouthendboston on Instagram. His short stories have appeared online, in journals, and in several anthologies. Gabriel is the author of two series, Roma and Company Files, with Winter Goose Publishing. He was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery for Company Files: 2. The Naming Game in 2020. Gabriel has been a finalist for the Fish Prize, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and received an Honorable Mention for the Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Novella Contest in 2018. Dirty Old Town, the first in the Shane Cleary series, was published in 2020 by Level Best Books. Gabriel attends crime fiction conferences, such as Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and New England Crime Bake. He is a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram