**Book received for consideration. Post contains affiliate link. All thoughts are 100% my own.
King Solomon was wealthy and wise beyond measure. He could--and did--have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands. But for all his wisdom, did he or the women in his life ever find what they searched for all of their lives?
In this engrossing novel, you'll find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meet Solomon and four of the women he loved: Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba. As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and the eyes of these women, you'll ask yourself the ultimate question: Did Solomon's wisdom ultimately benefit him and those he loved . . . or did it betray them?
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as the nonfiction book When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.
To sum up this book in just one sentence: 'The Heart of a King' is unlike anything I've read in the past! Truly, it is. This is not only the first time I've read anything by this author, it is- as best as I can recall- the first book I have ever read in the biblical fiction genre. To be honest, I'm not sure I've even read any historical fictions that date that far back. Still, this year I have learned that my taste in books has greatly changed and I've really been venturing out of my preferred genres to experience a new type of story that I might not have otherwise. While I cannot say that biblical fiction is now one that I will be seeking out regularly, I am happy to have read this one at least.
It's a very interesting story, giving us a more in depth look at what it was like in the life of Solomon, the beautiful voice beyond the most romantic words in the Bible- Song of Songs...as well as a closer look at 4 of his many wives. Now, reading a story such as this should never replace reading the Bible- and should be remembered to be fiction, of course... but it seemed to me to be very well researched and served to bring to life a time period and way of life that is so far removed from our own that it is truly hard to imagine. Even in reading this story, I found myself unable to imagine entirely what it must have been like- but it certainly gave me a new perspective to think about.
Those who are already fans of biblical fiction and/or historical romance are going to love to be taken back to this rather unconventional love story. Those willing to try something new like myself are certainly going to appreciate the fantastic writing and the unique perspective this story gives us onto these characters we know of from the Bible. It's an interesting book, and certainly worth a read!
I have never read this novel. Where can I buy this novel?
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