Circus Maximus: Return of the Champion by Annelise Gray

Return of the Champion by Annelise Gray is the stunning conclusion to Circus Maximus – the epic Roman chariot-racing adventure series.

Dido remains the most incredible female hero defying the constraints of her time by challenging her family and society to carve out her own destiny. She truly is a living legend: she disguised herself as a boy, raced for the Blues at the iconic Circus Maximus arena, defeated the emperor in a chariot race and became “Queen of the Circus”. In Return of the Champion, Dido’s journey comes full circle as she is reunited with her past and faces a new challenge – to train the greatest racing team ever seen at Circus Maximus.

Damon dreams of being one of the next greats. Working as a stable boy in the emperor’s household, he would give anything to become a driver for the Greens and change his life forever. When he’s sent to train with Dido, a new path is formed for them both.

Annelise Gray’s world-building is incredibly immersive. Readers are fully transported to the ancient past. The narrative plunges them into the sights, sounds, and sensations of ancient Rome, capturing the grandeur and danger of a bygone era. As characters travel across Italy and North Africa, the richly detailed settings draw readers deeper into their world. The horses are just as important as the human characters – beautiful, powerful and part of the team.

The Circus Maximus series explores the reality of status and class. Who you are is everything. This Ancient Roman societal belief is turned on its head as Dido and Damon prove that who you are really does matter – your strength, determination, courage and belief in your dreams means more than anything.

Thank you to Zephyr Books for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this adventure over the past four years. You can find out more about the first three books in the series in the posts below:

Book One: Race to the Death