Skip to main content

The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

The Peasant King
Author: Tessa Afshar

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Romance 

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishing 

Release Date: 2023

Pages: 376

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis: Jemmah has always thought of herself as perfectly ordinary . . . until she faces extraordinary circumstances.


    When her mother, the Persian king’s famous senior scribe, is kidnapped, Jemmah and her sister must sneak undetected into enemy territory to rescue her. But infiltrating their adversary’s lands proves easier than escaping them. Fleeing through dangerous mountain passes, their survival depends on the skills of a stranger they free from prison: a mysterious prince named Asher.


     Asher is not who the world believes he is. Despite his royal blood, he has had to climb his way out of poverty to forge success from nothing. A manufacturer of some of the best weaponry in the East, Asher has only one goal: to destroy his father. But following his escape from prison, Asher is irresistibly drawn to Jemmah, unaware that she guards her own secret.


     Jemmah must convince Asher to give up everything he has worked for, all for the sake of a higher purpose he’s not sure he believes in. The fate of the Persian empire—and possibly the Judean people—hang in the balance and in the persuasive power of one ordinary woman.


           My Review: The Peasant King is the sequel to The Hidden Prince. The Peasant King focuses on Jared and Keren’s daughter, Jemmah. When Keren is kidnapped, Jemmah undergoes a dangerous mission to rescue her mother. Once she frees her, she also frees the Median prince, Asher. Jemmah realizes that Asher is the key to help give Cyrus the victory he needs against his father.


    Jemmah was a very lovable character. I found her to be very fun and humorous. I admired her sacrifice for saving those she loves. Jemmah is a very loyal woman, and her faithfulness wins the heart of Asher. I adored her romance with Asher.


    Asher is a fascinating love interest. He is deeply conflicted. He thirsts deeply for revenge against his father. Once he meets Jemmah, he must make a difficult choice to give up revenge for love. I like how he cares for Jemmah and how he will do anything to keep her safe. Thus, Jemmah and Asher’s relationship was very cute and was the best aspect of The Peasant King.


     Overall, The Peasant King is about forgiveness, sacrifice, and belonging. The message of this novel is that God has a plan for each of us. I love all of the characters in The Peasant King, especially Jemma’s foster sister, Zarina. I also like how we get to revisit a few characters from The Hidden Prince like Daniel, Keren, and Jared. I like how King Cyrus the Great plays an important role in the novel! I love how Mrs. Afshar made ancient Babylon come alive! The Peasant King was a delightful and fast-paced novel that is full of adventure, romance, and political intrigue! I had a hard time putting it down, and I read it in one sitting! I recommend The Peasant King for fans of Angela Elwell Hunt, Tracy L. Higley, and Mary Ellen Boyd!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Tour: Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter: A Book Review

Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter Fairy Tale Retellings, #1 Publication Date: March 15, 2017 Genres: Historical Romance, Fairy Tale Retelling, Gothic Romance, Adult 🌹 Buy 🌹 Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA B&N Kobo iBooks 🌹 Book Blurb 🌹       Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.      A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST      Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.      A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE      Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle ...

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Dreamland Author: Nancy Bilyeau Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: Lume Books Release Date: 2020 Pages: 291 Source: Publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.       The invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer working at the Moonrise Bookstore than keeping up appearances with New York City socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.      But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy the freedom she has been yearning for, and it’s not long before she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of. Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web...

The Queen's Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty that Outlasted an Empire by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

Th e Queen’s Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty that Outlasted an Empire Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2020 Pages: 449 Source: Publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine. A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Jos...