about the book
Captured by the Philistines as a young boy, Zevi has grown into a formidable warrior. As a captain in King Saul's army, he is assigned a crucial mission: Recruit soldiers, gather tribute for the royal coffers, and find talented artisans for the king's court. But when he is sent to Maresha, the town he was forced to leave as a child, he faces a startling truth--the elder council rejects King Saul and his campaign against their enemies.
Yochana, a widow and skilled woman of business, is captivated by a stranger who enters her perfume shop. Upon discovering he is not only a soldier but a captain responsible for enlisting young men to die in battle, fury and pain from her past loss resurfaces, threatening to consume her. But when Zevi's actions in Maresha entangle Yochana in his radical scheme, they're forced to confront present dangers and past scars.
Embark on a journey through ancient Israel with bestselling and award-winning author Connilyn Cossette in this exhilarating tale of vengeance, justice, and healing.
publisher: bethany house publishers
release date: august 20, 2024
other books in the series
review
if you love diving into the nitty-gritty of old-testament history—with some romance thrown into the mix—this is a book (and series) you don't want to skip.
first introduced in between the wild branches, taken into the protection of demon-eyes, the champion fighter of ashdod, zevi is a fighter in his own right now in shield of the mighty. he's recruiting soldiers for king saul's army, and this mission leads him back to the hometown he was forced to leave as a child because of tragedy and loss. here, his nose leads him to yochana's perfume shop, and he's captivated—so he takes her captive. he has his reasons, of course, including that king saul could benefit from her talent in his court, but she, too, has her reasons for not wanting to go without a fight...
zevi and yochana don't have the easiest start to a relationship, to say the least. still, a mutual respect and natural chemistry can't help but grow on their challenge-filled journey through ancient israel. they must confront dangers—present and past—to find their way toward justice and healing.
i loved shield of the mighty (which i expected, really, since i haven't been disappointed by one of connilyn cossette's books yet). the history of ancient israel and its first king not only comes to life in the facts woven into the story, but it also plays a critical role in developing both zevi and yochana. both characters have been deeply affected by the circumstances of the time and have reason for being involved in the events that play out. page after page, i was so intrigued to see how these characters fit into biblical narrative—the storytelling amidst historical detail makes it such a worthwhile read.
★★★★★
considerations:
—language: none
—spice: kisses only, no physical details of past relationship
—faith: biblical setting, strong themes with mentions of God and prayer
—content: war violence, mentions of past assault, rape, and family death
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