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

Interview with Melanie Karsak

Today, I have the pleasure of having an interview with Melanie Karsak! I have read and enjoyed her many series of books on some of history's more obscure or misunderstood women. Often, little is known about their true histories, either from not being recorded because of their gender and the unimportance given to women or else intentional character assassination. Mrs. Karsak seeks to bring light where much is shrouded in darkness. As a result, we are enriched by their lives and these fascinating women can speak to us through the centuries. In this interview, Mrs. Karsak talks about what drew her to these women and her writing pro cess! Thank you Mrs. Karsak! You have written books on Lady MacBeth, Hervor, Queen Boudica, Queen Cartimandua, and now Freydis. What drew you to write about these women? I like the unsung and maligned heroines. Hervor is a significant character in the Norse Hervarar Saga . In fact, there are two Hervors in that tale—grandmother and granddaughter. But ...

A Nurse's Tale by Ola Awonubi: A Book Review

A Nurse’s Tale Author: Ola Awonubi Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Romance  Publisher: One More Chapter  Publication Date: 2023 Pages: 385 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis: Born Nigerian royalty, Princess Adenrele Ademola trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London and stepped up to serve the people of Britain when war broke out – facing both the devastation of the Blitz and the prejudice of some of the people she was trying to help.    80 years later, Ade’s great-niece Yemi arrives in London clutching the Princess’s precious diaries and longs to uncover the mysteries they hold…      A richly-detailed, compelling historical novel shining a light on a hidden voice of WW2 and one woman’s courageous contribution to Britain.        My Review: Princess Adenrele Ademola was a Princess of Egbaland and a nurse during WWII. A Nurse’s Tale chronicles Princess Adenrele...

Marie Von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind The Making Of On War by Vanya Eftimova Bellinger: A Book Review

Marie von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind the Making of On War Author: Vanya Eftimova Bellinger Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, History Publisher: Oxford University Press Release Date: October 1st, 2015 Pages: 312 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The marriage between Carl von Clausewitz and Countess Marie von Brühl was a remarkable intellectual partnership. Many historians have noted the instrumental role Marie played in the creation, development, and particularly in the posthumous editing and publishing of Clausewitz's opus, On War , which remains the seminal text on military theory and strategic thinking. Highly intelligent and politically engaged, Marie was also deeply involved in her husband's military career and advancement, and in the nationalist politics of 19th-century Prussia. Yet apart from peripheral consideration of her obvious influence on Clausewitz and on the preservation of his legacy, very little has been written...