Author: Angela Hunt
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 330
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as "the Lydian woman," seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.
Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade-in-arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest enslaved girl of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.
Determined to find someone to restore the girl's valuable "gift," Hector is willing to travel to the ends of the earth to do so. Following close behind him, Euodia and her servants embark on a journey to rescue Sabina and set her free forever.
My Review: The Woman from Lydia tells the story of Lydia, the Purple Seller who was the first Christian convert in Europe from the Bible. It also focuses on her life after her conversion. In this story, Lydia is called Euodia, who is a widow and who makes purple dye. She moves to Philippi where she befriends Paulos (also called Paul). Through her conversion, she wants to help those in need, especially the slaves. When Euodia sees one unfortunate slave named Sabina being mistreated, she buys the slave. However, Hector, the Roman soldier, says that the same was not legitimate and that he is still the owner of Sabina. Euodia then sets out to rescue Sabina from Hector.
I have found Lydia of Thyirta’s conversion to be one of the most inspiring stories of the Bible. However, there are only a few known facts about her. The Woman from Lydia not only fleshes out her background, but it also shows how her conversion had utterly transformed her. Euodia is called upon to help those who are less fortunate than her. I found her to be a very admirable character. I love her strength and determination to free Sabina. I also like how she remains true to her faith in God throughout her difficulties. Therefore, Euodia is a very compelling character, and I wanted to know how her story ended.
Overall, this novel is about faith, friendship, and love. The message of this book is always trust in God no matter the difficulties. The only thing that I did not like about this book was that half of the story is told from the villain's perspective. I did not care for Hector’s storyline, and his character was very unlikable. Therefore, I wished that the story was told solely from Euodia’s perspective. As for all of the other characters, I liked them, especially Sabina. I also liked the romance in the story and thought it was very sweet! I also thought that Mrs. Hunt did a wonderful job in making Ancient Greece come alive! I also liked that the story was very fast-paced! I found it so engrossing that I could not put it down! The Woman from Lydia was a very profound and inspirational novel! I recommend this book for fans of Tessa Afshar, Diana Wallis Taylor, and Paula Gooder!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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