Potiphar's Wife
4 stars for clean but mature content

Mesu Andrews is a favorite biblical fiction author for me, so when I seen this was up for review I knew it would be probably be pretty good. Mesu always keeps things real and true to life without having anything unnecessary, graphic or steamy in her stories.

This was true to her usual style, with lots of interesting characters, scenery, biblical truths and palace intrigue.
I didn't expect to like the main character, Zuleika at all, but she ended up being likeable in her young years. She grew more self-centered as she aged, and more irritating. I did love the setting of the island of Crete at the beginning though, with it's ocean beauty.



Trigger warnings: brief, but not detailed mentions of rape and abuse

Princess Zuleika of Crete is presented to the Pharaoh of Egypt as a bargaining chip and she’s willing to do anything to save her beloved country. But instead of becoming Pharaoh’s third wife, she is given to his best friend and Captain of the guards, Potiphar. Throughout the book Zully is treated poorly by the Egyptian nobles, is betrayed by someone she trusts, and makes many bad decisions. But her servant Ahira and Potiphar’s chamberlain Joseph are great examples of kindness, forgiveness, faith and mercy. I thought this was an excellent story and the historical details definitely make the time period come alive.

I received a complimentary ebook from the publishers via NetGalley. I was not required to provide a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Mesu Andrews is a master storyteller and this engrossing tale had me hooked from the start. I actually felt like I was in Egypt because the book was rich with culture and historical details. The wonderfully written characters learned powerful lessons which led to transformations for some. I appreciated the faith lessons about grief, dealing with very difficult circumstances, choosing to do what was right and more. Lessons that are certainly applicable to our world today. I will never read the account of Joseph in the Bible the same again because I now have a richer understanding surrounding those events. The depth of this story made it worth the read. But I definitely want more from this author. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Potiphar’s Wife is a novel that has Biblical truth woven with fiction to tell a story that is alive. I was able to learn about Egyptian culture like why they wore honeycomb cones on their heads. Andrews, story brings across the qualities of honesty, redemption, and honor.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

The most powerful people in the world are women who are truly loved by their husbands. No, they’re not powerful according to the world — they’re probably not CEOs of Fortune 500 companies or billionaire socialites. In most instances they’re most likely simple, regular, nondescript women. But I promise you, they are extremely powerful. You see, these women hold hearts in their hands — the sensitive hearts of their husbands. When a husband truly loves a wife, he gives her all of him: his heart, his trust, his vulnerabilities, his weaknesses, his thoughts, his secrets, etc. This gives a woman A LOT of material that could be unfairly, unjustly, used against him. So, a woman has two choices. Choice #1, she can choose to love Jesus first and foremost. When she does this, Yahweh transforms her into a Proverbs 31 woman (it takes time, but it does happen). This woman is many things positive, but in modern terms, this woman does not manipulate her husband, she does not use his vulnerabilities against him, she does not terrorize him with explosive outbursts of anger, and she never, ever weaponizes sex. Instead, she encourages her husband, builds him up, and helps him walk his walk with Jesus. The second choice, however, is a woman who makes herself priority number one. This type of woman knows she holds great power over her husband and uses that power to hurt him to get what she wants. She is self-centered, mean and vindictive, and often uses sex as a tool to get what she wants.

Why am I bringing ANY of this up? Because Potiphar’s Wife is a story about many things, and one of those things is the difference between a Proverbs 31 woman and a self-centered woman. In this story, Zuleika, Potiphar’s wife, and Ahira, Joseph’s love interest, illustrate these two types of women. Ahira, on the one hand, is the type of woman I aspire to be — she LOVES Yahweh first and foremost. She is totally human and totally makes mistakes, but she ALWAYS goes back to God. Ahira has scary moments, frustrating moments, boring moments, and super sweet moments just like us women today, and she brings them all to God. And because of this, she is able to be there for Joseph the right way, the Proverbs 31 way. Zuleika, on the other hand, is the other type of woman and she drove me insane the entire story. I wanted to chuck my book across the room several times she frustrated me so badly. Days after reading this AMAZING novel and I am still so bugged by her. The real issue isn’t a fictional character. The real problem is me. I was a lot like Zuleika for a very long time in my marriage, so seeing aspects of my old self in 400+ pages was a hard pill to swallow. I wanted to chuck this book a ton of times because I wanted to get away from reminders of who I used to be. My husband fell in actual love with me, and I wielded my power for evil. I was selfish and self-centered and manipulative and angry. I took my husband’s heart and squashed it on many, many occasions, and this is my one BIG regret in life. Potiphar’s chapters in this novel were the worst for me emotionally because his pain and hurt and sense of total rejection ripped my heart to shreds and reminded me of all the ways I used to hurt my hubby. I can honestly say that I’m not like Zuleika anymore (and this is only because of God’s grace and patience), but Potiphar’s Wife did make me realize that I’m still a work in progress and I really need to learn how to forgive myself for my past actions. This is just another thing I will need to bring to Yahweh.

Potiphar’s Wife by Mesu Andrews is another home run. This novel is SUPERB. It’s well-written and highly engaging. The historical detail is superior — I truly felt transported to Egypt in the days of Joseph. The characters are masterfully created. They feel so real and so relatable, and my heart really went out to them. And the themes throughout this novel definitely force the reader to think on and wrestle with hard truths. This is a story you will not want to miss. I highly, highly recommend Potiphar’s Wife.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, WaterBrook and Multnomah, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Mesu Andrews has an incredible gift: Keeping true to all known details, she can craft plausible backstories and dialog to flesh out lesser-known characters from the Bible and bring them to life.

When I first heard about her new book, Potiphar’s Wife, I was intrigued to see how Andrews would tackle writing about a Biblical “bad girl,” Zuleika. Zuleika is infamous from the Genesis story of Joseph. She was the wife of Pharaoh’s guard captain who falsely accused Joseph of rape when he turned down her sexual advances.

Andrews rose to the challenge admirably, even managing to make me a bit more sympathetic, albeit not approving, of why Potiphar’s wife might have acted as she did. The author’s depth of research and talent for painting with words help pull readers into her stories quickly, as exemplified yet again by this book. Be prepared for some late nights once you start reading Potiphar’s Wife, as it is hard to put down!

Andrews offers fascinating insights into the ancient Egyptian culture throughout the book and rounds out the story with wonderful supporting characters and love relationships that help make it an extremely compelling read.

I highly recommend Potiphar’s Wife to anyone who enjoys reading Biblical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, but I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

I was really awed by this book. The writer brought the characters alive and a very descriptive story kept me wanting to turn to the next page. An intricate weave of events and this was a most interesting topic. I loved the book and may even read it again. A very enjoyable read and fascinating story. A must read!

How on earth can anyone make an even semi-palatable character out of one of the most infamous women of the Bible?! Potiphar’s Wife by Mesu Andrews will open your eyes to possible reasons why this much-maligned lady acts as she does. Your attitude may be more sympathetic as you consider this well-researched historical novelty that is careful to agree with any actual Biblical truth we are provided of her and her times. Well-done, Ms. Andrews!!

This novel is unique in that it employs first-person and third-person POV’s. Only a very skillful writer can successfully carry this off, and Andrews soars with this style.

What a wonderful chance to glimpse the inner workings of an Egyptian courtroom. I loved the intrigue and the fine line between friendships and servants. Also, the relationship between friends that changes when one of them becomes Pharaoh, a god, yet obviously with human foibles.

Cultural differences are such a huge part of this breathtaking story. I kept saying, “Why doesn’t this character do this or that?” But Andrews opens my eyes to how training and environment make a huge difference in the way a person views and responds to a situation.

And the multiple love relationships within this novel are compelling. Some friend for friend, some husband for wife, some familial, some lovers. Ah… so well-depicted, yet clean enough to not feel shame for reading.

Since I have a penchant for picking favorite supporting characters, I will give two. Pushpa, Potiphar’s surrogate mother, and Ahira, who is Zuleika’s personal maid. Both are so wise, gentle, and care so much for others.

Oh, one other thing I loved that I must mention. Thank you for showing Joseph to be human, not perfect as we sometimes are either taught or caught!

I loved that the maps, glossary, and character list were all at the front!! I was also pleased with such well-organized author’s notes at the end. These were the best or at least most useful reader’s helps in a book I’ve yet read!
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Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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A slave doesn’t always wear chains, nor does a master possess all power.

“No one should know everything about anything.”

“I can’t tend the wounds inside you, dear one, but they will heal. I promise. They may leave scars—ugly ones. But you can choose how those scars affect your future. Will you use the ugliest memories as the focal point, weaving every future event tightly around it with its repetitive themes? Or will you weave your scars into a larger tapestry with more variegated experiences that can comfort or instruct others?”- Pushpa

Don’t assign the sins of men to a faithful God. Elohim will never betray you, and He can protect you in ways I never could. Trust Him, Ahira.”- Joseph

“What if I don’t like your god’s plan?” She squeezed my hand. “Then we trust Him together for a future we don’t understand and perhaps see His goodness when we recount our past.”-Ahira

but let mercy and forgiveness become the ruins on which a stronger house is built.”

Sometimes God’s favor is simply a spark that keeps hope alive in utter darkness.

Trust His presence in the dark, but never stop hoping for light.

“Honesty is telling the truth. Transparency is telling the whole truth. Some are honest but become deceitful in the things they choose to hide.”— Pharaoh Khyan

The story of God’s providence through Joseph’s life is one of my all time favorites from God’s word. It has led me through my own dark pits of life. As a fan of Mesu Andrews’ Biblical fiction work, I could not wait to read this fictional account of Joseph’s life. To be honest I was a bit hesitant when I realized the focus was on the ‘villain’ of the story. However, as I read this book God used Mesu’s extraordinary story telling and dedicated historical research to bring to life this story and demonstrate God’s mercy and grace to all His people.
Trapped and alone, you will see Potiphar’s wife in a different light. This book kept me guessing where the story would turn even though I know the Biblical account so well. The rich culture of Egypt is shown through the vivid descriptions provided in this book, and will lead you to another place in time. As the main character, Zuleika’s, life unfolds I found myself rooting for her one moment and wanting to see her punished the next. In this book you will find redemption, grace, and mercy as the connecting thread through each character’s life as they face their own triumphs and difficulties.

I love reading fiction books based on Scripture. It really helps me to view the characters as real people and brings the Scriptures alive. Mesu Andrews has written a winner in Potiphar's Wife!! Her research has added a depth to this story that truly gives it credence; it's so easy to picture the setting, characters, and events that took place in this book. I enjoyed every moment while reading this book and look forward to reading more by this author!

Perhaps you have considered who Potiphar’s wife was when reading the story of Joseph. Having never given it much thought, this story is a fascinating narrative of who she may have been. Zuleika, born into the royal family in Crete was groomed to be queen someday. Necessity forcing her to leave, she gave up all she knew for the benefit of those left behind. Given in marriage to a man she did not know would she be able to face her new life with courage?

The author takes the reader along as she slowly unwraps the layers around this beautiful woman. A prisoner in a land not her own, she joins Joseph and others who must learn to survive. Can they learn to rely on the God who sees and trust Him for a future they don’t understand?

This ARC was received through WaterBrook, Random House and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

I found Potiphar’s Wife and interesting work of writing. I always appreciate this author’s take on a subject because I know she does extensive research. I look forward to each new book and I have read every book she has published; I like her work that well.

One reason for following this author is I love how she takes the historical records and does her spin on the details that are not available. This is a page turner and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. The characters are believable and engaging. This for Christian historical fiction fans. It is one of her best works in my opinion. If you know Mesu Andrews, you will not be disappointed and if you are not familiar with her – check it out! Dive deeper into the story of Joseph!

It was so exciting to see an author take on the story of Potiphar's wife. She stands prominently as the ultimate bad girl in the Bible. Zully is the wife of Potiphar, an older man who serves Pharoah.
In Mesu Andrews capable hands and immense research; the story of Joseph vividly takes shape and comes to life. As a reader, I was prepared to dislike a woman who would throw herself at a man and then claim rape when he rejected her advances. Ms. Andrews, while not condoning such behavior, helps explain what may have prompted such an outrageous act.
Why did this book earn five stars?
1. Kudos to Mesu Andrews for such an original plotline.
2. Ms. Andrews writes beautifully. You can literally visualize everything in her books.
3. Research, research, research!
4 The plot is compelling and keeps you interested.
5. That cover! That will be in my top five most beautiful covers of the year.
6. Honorable mention: Mesu Andrews is on my top five list of Biblical history 'must read authors'. She is heavy on research, remains true to Scripture and what is known about people, events and culture of that time.
Does Zully feel remorse for the years she stole from Joseph as he languished in prison? Is there redemption at the end?
Joseph's life story is well known and filled with despair. Yet in the midst there is hope. This book is a must-read!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own. @mesuandrews #potipharswife @waterbrook&multnomah

"Then we trust Him together for a future we don't understand and perhaps see His goodness when we recount our past."

I knew I would love this book because Mesu Andrews wrote it. I also knew there would be well-researched history and culture woven throughout the story, beautiful and engaging writing style, multiple voices painting the story, and a strong faith thread - all the reasons I adore the author's books. What I didn't expect was Zully, the main character. She speaks in first person as Potiphar's wife and her Minoan background was delightful to learn about. I unfortunately did not understand her character nor empathize with her, even at the end of the book. Her obsession with her island home and her destructive nature did not sit well with me. So why am I giving this book 5 stars? Because the book is that good and that powerful, even with a main character who is more a villainess than heroine. The redemption and grace offered and received are truly powerful; I needed to be reminded of this all-encompassing grace.

Potiphar is a layered character in this book whose point of view is expressed in third person. His love for Zully was mind-blowing and his tenderness surprising. Joseph also enters the plot in third person perspective and we get to see a very human side of this Biblical hero. Ahira, a fictional Hebrew character enslaved from Jacob's camp, also has a third person voice as Zully's maid but also as Joseph's love interest. There is a sequel coming next year and I'm so hoping that we'll get to see Potiphar and Ahira again.

This story, told through the eyes and hearts of four very different people, reveals a captivating epic saga of love, desire, betrayal, politics, grace, mercy, and forgiveness under El Roi, the God Who Sees. Mesu Andrews is one of the best Biblical fiction authors and you'll want to read this latest masterpiece by this gifted writer. It will make you think, reach for your Bible, and pray as the journey unfolds.

I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

This is an excellent book! The author brings the Bible to life with her words and does a wonderful job of mixing fact with fiction to make it a page turning read. If you are a fan of Biblical fiction you don't want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy from WaterBrook & Multnomah via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

When writing Biblical Fiction Author Mesu Andrews does thorough research and one-dimensional Bible characters come alive in 3-D. She does not add to or take away from Scripture. She takes historical facts and weaves them into her stories. In this fictional portrayal of Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika is a king’s daughter on the isle of Crete. She goes to Egypt for the purpose of becoming the Pharoah’s third wife only to find herself married to Potiphar, a man twice her age. She yearns for her homeland and is lonely and desperate for affection. She becomes infatuated with Joseph; the Hebrew chamberlain to the Pharoah and her troubles start escalating. Will the God of Joseph heal her hurt and give her hope? I overwhelmingly recommend any book written by Author Mesu Andrews. They do not disappoint.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions are my own.

This was a very powerful novel. I am thrilled that my husband and I have been reading the Old Testament recently so I knew the story very well. The author did a wonderful job of meshing real history and fictional content. This is the second Biblical fiction that I have read from this author. I have enjoyed both of these books very much.
This Bible story totally came to life as I read it and was very entertaining as Potiphar's wife, Zully, tries to seduce Joseph and he wants nothing to do with that. There is so much historical information in this book, you know the amount of research that goes into a work such as this. I found myself totally captivated by the entire book as each of the characters truly are amazingly well written and you feel as you are right there experiencing their stories with them. I love that Zully tells her story in her words and with her own feelings and thoughts.

This is a book I recommend. It was very good!

I received an ebook copy from WaterBrook through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Typically Biblical Fiction is not the type of genre that I gravitate towards but when I read it by someone that truly knows how to capture it I am completely hooked. This is my first book by Mesu Andrews and it will definitely not be my last. We all know the story of Joseph but she managed to place my in Egypt and into a world that I could've never have imagined by myself. Now, let me re-state this is Biblical fiction so obviously she has taken liberties with the story however you can also tell that she has done extensive research and she even has author's notes at the end of the story where she tells you where information has come from and where she added her fiction flare to the story.

It does however give you a "perhaps" or "what-if" thoughts regarding Potiphar's wife, Zuleika or Zully as she is known throughout the story. When reading the Bible story of Joseph we see her as this bad girl but really we don't even know anything about her. This story makes you see her in a new light and although we can't excuse her behavior the fact remains that we all fall short of God's grace. Lucky for us he is a forgiving God.

I mean while reading you have to feel compassion for her. She is a princess who has just lost both her husband and mother in an earthquake. She sacrifices herself and is willing to go to Egypt and marry Pharaoh in order to rebuild her city which she loves. She gets to Egypt and instead of Pharaoh he gives her to Potiphar and although he is kind to her he doesn't know what it is to be a husband. His main job is to keep Pharaoh alive and although he is kind to Zully he leaves her to tend to his responsibilities. In the midst of all this her best friend Gaios betrays her and she becomes a shell of a woman. There is so much more that happens that I am not going to divulge because you should really read it but all I could see was a broken woman, searching for something that would take her out of the situation she was in.

I want to believe that there was someone like Ahira and Joseph that may have shown her who Elohim truly was and that she repented and learned to serve Him but we will never know until perhaps our time in Heaven with out Creator where we can ask all the questions of the people in the Bible we have been reading about all this time.

If you enjoy Biblical Fiction I definitely recommend this one. It will take you on a journey of forgiveness, redemption, mercy and faith.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I’m always excited for a new Mesu Andews story. This author has a way of bringing characters I’ve briefly read about in the Bible to life, and making me care and feel for them.

Potiphar’s Wife was no different. This fictional story about someone I rarely thought about did make me wonder about who The person behind the scenes to Jospeh’s road in Egypt was as well as giving me more meat about Potiphar as well.

Zuleika’s decisions frustrated me and at one point towards the end I was so irritated with her that I wanted to stop reading! This is evident of great writing because my emotions was due to the author making Zukeika feel real. It was sad to see a bold, courageous full of life woman become so lost and broken and ending up making lost and broken decisions.

The story did feel a bit more ‘steamier’ than previous books read by this author.

I loved Bushpa and Ahira and the way Joseph trusted Elohim even though everyone else around him was lost and worshiped idols.

I think fans of Mesu Andrews and Biblical fiction will enjoy this story.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I have to say that this is a book written by an excellent author which is a fictional account of what could have happened. Potiphar's wife is mentioned in the Bible as a way to show more of what Joseph endured when a slave in Egypt.
That being said, it is a colorful, imaginative and interesting story. The beginning was filled with action and emotion. It gave reason for this woman Zully to be a humanized version of what we who have read the Biblical account know her to be evil. The descriptive writing of the area, buildings, customs and possible attitudes of people from Crete to Egypt was interesting to me. What becomes of Joseph and Zully is a bit of an odd story to lead up to her demanding sex and lying which puts him in prison. Again, it's a fiction story, Mesu Andrews take on what could be. I can't even begin to imagine the work that goes into a book like this.
I want to thank Waterbrook and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of this book. Overall, I liked the story. I could envision what the author had described. It was very interesting to me. This kind of story makes me think. This is my own unsolicited opinion.