Historical Bookworm

Historical Bookworm


A Bookchat about Of Love and Treason with Jamie Ogle

January 22, 2024
About the Author

Jamie Ogle is a predawn writer, homeschool mom by day, and a reader by night. Inspired by her fascination with the storied history of faith, she writes historical fiction infused with hope, adventure, and courageous rebels. A Minnesota native, she now lives in Iowa with her husband and their three children, and she can usually be found gardening, beekeeping, and tromping through the woods.


Author questions:
  1. How did you get into beekeeping, and what do you love about it?
  2. I love the tagline for your stories on your website – “Good rebels, deep faith.” Can you tell us about how (and why) the theme of rebels worked its way into your story signature?
  3. As a homeschool mom, how do you think being a writer affects your approach as a teacher?
  4. Is there anything especially interesting that you haven’t covered in other interviews that you could share with us or perhaps there is something God has laid on your heart that you would like to share with your readers? 

About the book: Of Love and Treason

Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything. 


Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.


Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris’s new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire.


But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.


Book Questions

Ancient Rome and the early Church–the perfect setup for dangerous adventure and deep themes. Also, we seem to have a well-known historical figure at the forefront.


  1. Did you learn anything surprising about St. Valentine as you were researching for this book?
  2. I love how there are some jailers with pretty interesting experiences in the New Testament, and you have a heroine who is the daughter of a Roman jailer. How does that shape Iris’ life?
  3. As you were researching ancient Rome for this book, did you run across any surprising facts?
  4. What’s next for your writing?

Connect with Jamie Ogle: Newsletter, BookBub, Amazon, Pinterest, Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram.