What can I say, I am overcome with joy Connilyn Cossette decided to write one more book for the Cities of Refuge series. Surely it would have been incomplete without Like Flames in the Night as this is her best yet -- and I do not say that lightly.

No, Moriyah has come a looong way since "A Light on the Hill". Her family has come a long way.
Facing hostility, grief, and animosity, they've lived as fugitives, with Moriyah in particular unable to leave the walls of Kedesh, but that never stopped her and her family from building a community where they were, tending to others needs so that they will also know how much they are loved by the One Who Sees. And Moriyah's joy only increases as she finds herself free from the bondage that kept her in Kedesh and able to journey to her dear Shiloh once again with her family.

As enemy lines draw closer and closer, however, and as each City of Refuge falls, the cry for battle comes once more for all men to join forces. A cry young Tirzah feels called to commit to alongside her brothers. The price for freedom and justice is a high one to pay because flame lit must be put in full view if it is meant to overcome the darkness. Tirzah knows this; nevertheless, to light up this flame means also to come face to face with the wickedness within ourselves and that might be the greatest challenge and the sweetest reward.

Drowning in grief, Liyam is determined to avenge the blood of his daughter. When his journey brings him to the woman considered a sister by his mother and to the pleading of a desperate father concerned for his own daughter, how can he turn away but answer the cry of help his people once again? However, when he encounters a young woman who both confounds him and intrigues him, a people who are rising up with tools not fit for war but with faith strong enough to move mountains, can his own flame find fuel to be lit and overcome the deep shadows he is lost in?

I cannot express how much I appreciated this book. Connilyn Cossette brought to life once again a people that have grieved much but also who know how to wholeheartedly hope and seek the One Who Hears their cry for deliverance. I will cherish these stories and continuously reflect on them.

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series and am sad I won't be "seeing" these characters again. This story introduces some new characters that are just as strong & lovable as characters earlier in the series. This book focuses on the time when the Arameans conquered the Promised Land and oppressed the Hebrews. Othniel and his army are working to take back the land with the help of an unlikely heroine.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

I have wanted to read one of Cossette's books for a long time and even though this is the fourth in a series I have yet to read, every expectation that I had for the book was more than exceeded.

The storyline was wrapped around an era in bible times that we don't often read about, and done so well that it very quickly worked it's way to one of my top favorites in biblical fiction and made the rest of the series get a good bump to the top of my wishlist!

I'm excited to review this book on my blog on release day and will look forward to sharing copies with my fellow biblical fiction loving friends!

One lone flame does little to push back the darkness, but many little flames will soon create a blaze that will defeat the darkness.

Wow! What an incredible finish to the Cities of Refuge series. There is suspense, spying, mercy, forgiveness and unconditional love - Yahweh for His people, Tirzah for Odeleya and the many who die to redeem their land. Tirzah is a young widow who is skillful, dedicated and a fast learner. She wants to help in the fight against the Aramean occupation of Judah’s cities and lands. Sending a woman as a spy was just not done but with much convincing and a great deal of training she was allowed to go to Shechem as a cook. Here she worked, listened and passed information back to her brother who was the leader of the fighting forces. As the remnant rises up, her faith is renewed and she remembers that the Lord will fight for her, she needs only to be still.

Liyam has lost his wife in childbirth and his daughter to a trader’s lack of ability to control his team and wagon. Seeking only revenge, he sets out to find that one-eyed Moabite. It was lovely to read how Yahweh brings him back to the place where forgiveness is possible, as he helps in the mission to oust the Arameans from the land.

One lone flame made all the difference! A good reminder for all of us to let our light shine wherever we are.

I received this book through NetGalley, Bethany House Publishers and the Baker Publishing Group. All impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

Oh, my goodness! I cannot possibly overstate how much I enjoyed this book. Anyone who has ever read anything by Connilyn Cossette will not be surprised that she has written yet another phenomenal book. (Those who haven't read anything by her--go do it, now!) Each time I read one of her books, I'm blown away by how much I enjoy it, so for me to say that this book is my very favorite of hers is high praise. I just loved everything about this book. It never ceases to amaze me how she takes readers into the Hebrews' world, with rich details about their struggles against their enemies as well as their day-to-day life. Within her carefully-crafted setting, she also gives terrific characters, who are well-developed with both strengths and weaknesses. I loved getting to know both Tirzah and Liyam, as well as getting to see other favorite characters from her earlier books. Both broken in their own ways, Tirzah and Liyam are so relatable and so engaging; I just adored both of them and loved reading about their journey. The plot was so gripping as well! This book was just an absolute pleasure to read, and it's definitely one of my picks for the best books of 2020. The only "bad" thing about it is that it's the end of a series that I wish would go on and on!

Five stars!

I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book was received as an ARC from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I knew I was in for a wild ride when beginning Like Flames in the Night. I had high expectations for this book and I was prepared for the intense sequences and I must say, I fulfilled my wishes. The beginning at first I thought it was mostly going to be a lesson in the descriptors of the war and I almost stopped reading until we meet Tirzah, and the tenacious woman she is fighting for whats right even when others are against her. This also was a lesson to not let yourself get carried away. From people she once knew as friends and family are now her enemies until she meets Liyam to fight alongside her and win the power of her people. With convincing to be her ally, Liyam fights to be more than that to Tirzah battling his family, upbringing and everything he once stood for. This is a romance like no other incorporated with a story like no other.

We will consider adding this title to our Christian Fiction collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I liked that this was a story about a female biblical spy - definitely something new and intriguing to me. We read about male spies in the Bible but I don't remember any female ones, do you?

I enjoyed Like Flames in the Night but if I have to choose a favourite among the series, it would be Until the Mountains Fall, the previous title.

What will Connilyn Cossette write about next? I can't wait!

Thank you Netgalley and Bethany HOuse for the ARC. This is my honest review.

The last in the Cities of Refuge series by Connilyn Cossette, Like Flames in the Night, is my favorite of them all. Tirzah is not a weak woman with a sordid past, but instead is a strong, secure woman with a passion for her God, Yahweh, and His people. She is single minded in her purpose to destroy the Aramean power that has taken root against the Isrealite nation over the past 8 years. She is willing to give it all and is a spark of inspiration to her fellow believers. Liyam, on the other hand, is out for revenge when he is sidetracked by a secret mission to rescue Tirzah from a spy assignment gone awry. The love story that ensues is truly beautiful and unexpected. We, the readers get to meet up with past characters from the previous books in what feels like a family reunion. Ms. Cossette's completed series flows together to create a symphony of lives intertwined.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All the opinions in this review are my own.

Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette is the fourth and final book in the Cities of Refuge series. We follow both Tirzah (whom we’ve seen grow up in the previous books) and Liyam, a new character. Liyam is a widower who just lost his little daughter, and has sworn vengeance on the man who killed her by driving recklessly. If you’ve read the previous books, you know that Tirzah’s family has a history with blood avengers which might cause some friction...

Tirzah is a very spirited woman, with many skills. She’s recently become widowed due to the Aramean’s oppression. She doesn’t want to sit around and let others do the work of freeing Israel, she wants to help. After an opportunity arises, she is reluctantly trained as a spy by her brother (sooo impressive!), and placed in an enemy household as a cook to overhear the conversations. It is already a tricky place where death comes too swift even if you’re not a spy, and the stakes are high. When they become too high, Liyam is send to take her home, but instead she convinces him to stay in his position as “hired mercenary” to unfold more secrets. And that is only the beginning really...

I’m so much in love with the main plot of a woman spy! And Tirzah is such a wonderful versatile character, she’s perfect for the job (though ok, sometimes a little reckless). I love how she trained with her brothers and became very good at it. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how things would unfold - and it unfolded a bit different than I expected which is awesome! There were many twists and turns, and wow it was amazing. Liyam is a very interesting character, he is torn between his duty to Israel and his personal vengeance, and his story was very moving.

There were also so many spiritual lessons... Tirzah makes some amazing speeches that hit home, not only with the Levite priests (which is quite a feat, being “only” a woman), but also with me. What struck me most, is that a spiritual revival, a return to God, was actually more important and victorious than actual battles, even with all the spying being done. That is such an important message! If you have faith, it is a flame what will burn brightly in the night. The people regained faith, and that was followed by action, a desire to do the right thing and rise up. It left me in awe.

The characters were very well developed and likable and the plot just kept turning in amazing directions with the right pacing to keep it interesting! I liked headstrong Tirzah best as you may have noticed, but Liyam is very amazing too, rough on the outside but kind on the inside, and he actually relies on Tirzah and taking her seriously, and his inner struggles and his way back to Adonai. There is a side plot of found family, which I loved, and as always the characters from the other books are present (it’s become more a clan than a family by now lol), which feels like a warm embrace and it’s amazing to see what their lives are like now. I loved every minute, and I didn’t think any book could top Until the Mountains Fall, but this one honestly did. It’s my favorite of this series and I just couldn’t stop reading! This will be one of my favorite books of 2020 and yes I know that’s early but sometimes you just know it’s a gem when you find it.

I can recommend this to anyone who likes Christian historical fiction! I do think it would be wise to read the earlier books in this series, otherwise it might be a bit confusing with a lot of names and throwbacks to earlier stories. It can be read independently if you really want to, but I wouldn’t advise it.

I received a free e-copy, but my opinions are my own.

Connilyn Cossette puts everything into "Like Flames in the Night" that one would expect from a series finale, and more. Tirzah goes where women (at least during Biblical times) were least likely to go...behind enemy lines to help save her people from oppression at the hands of the Arameans. The story is replete with twists and turns that continue to satisfy the reader again and again. Tirzah has enough passion for her cause to risk everything, but does she have enough passion to convince Liyam, the Levites, or the rest of Israel to return to God and rise to victory?

The historical accuracy in this book is evidence of why Connilyn Cossette has such a great following. The depiction of the rules that applied to the cities of refuge provide a backdrop for the story line that transforms the reader into a participant in the novel. Read this book and you will be inspired.


I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

LIKE FLAMES IN THE NIGHT is another beautiful book by CONNILYN COSSETTE. I cannot recommend it highly enough, for its historical and biblical truths, exciting story, sweet romance and interesting characters. Although this novel can be read as a stand alone, I suggest you read the first three books in the series. You will not be sorry! This author has a special understanding of biblical times and a way of bringing her readers right into the middle of the story. Her ficticious characters enhance, rather than detract from, the biblical account.
This is Tirzah's story, and with her we come across some of the characters we have grown to love in the previous books. It is lovely to see everything tying up in what seems to be the end of the series.
The Christian message is very strong. There is a theme of justice, mercy, repentance and forgiveness running through the book. I love the way we are reminded of our Messiah Yeshua as we see Yahweh's dealings with His often disobedient people, and His destruction of their enemies when they come back to Him in repentance. It is a most enjoyable and inspirational read.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Connilyn Cossette is a master at her research. I can't imagine taking a few verses from the Bible and crafting four complete stories out of them.Cossette has done a fabulous job with her Cities of Refuge series. I adore the cover for her fourth and final novel, Like Flames in the Night. It is breathtaking. Tirzah finally gets to have her say in the story. She is a tomboy who puts her life on the line for her family. She is brave and finds love too. The story captured my attention in the beginning and the end, but the middle dragged A LOT. I had a hard time staying focused. My mind kept drifting to other things. Not what I like to happen when reading a book. While I enjoyed the other three, this addition didn't quite feel as exciting to me. Fans of Cossette, Angela Hunt, and Mesu Andrews might totally disagree with me and that is okay. Overall, I can't imagine the type of research Cossette does to create a believable story for her readers, but the plot dragged a lot of me in the middle.

I received a complimentary copy of Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.