Readers are taken on an exciting and unforgettable journey by this author as Jemma and her group confront honorable warriors, face the unthinkable, and save loved ones.

Asher is informed about Cyrus in the Bible by the prophet Daniel during this time. For years, Keren and Jared talked about God with Cyrus in the hopes that he might get rid of his idols. According to scripture, God set His people free via Cyrus. I enjoyed the manner in which the author wrote this tale. I had the feeling that I was traveling with them.

This story builds faith and restores hope in the God who rules all nations. This author’s writing is absorbing and pulled me in from the start. If you haven’t read this author before, make sure you put her on your TBL for 2024.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Once again Tessa Afshar brings biblical times to life with engaging characters, a fascinating plot, and her endless research of all things related to that time period (and place, food, clothing - everything!). She truly amazes me at how well she brings it all together, in a story that keeps you on your toes, keeps you up late at night so you can get just one more chapter, and makes it a true joy to read. The Peasant King isn't a book that you need to sit here and read reviews for. It's a book you need to just read and experience for yourself.

Historical fiction and biblical fiction fans alike will no doubt fall in love with the entire cast of characters, the pacing of the plot, the suspense and the romance. Afshar combines them perfectly, leaving you wanting more when you reach the end. Might we be able to tempt her into penning another perhaps? (hint, hint) I highly recommend The Peasant King, and its predecessor The Hidden Prince.

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

The Peasant King
Intrigue, fast action, adventure, betrayal, romance…The Peasant King had it all. It was a book I found hard to put down. I think I’ve read all of Tessa’s books to date and am loving the experiencing Bible stories as they might have been. “I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I always love reading books about historical fiction during Biblical times. Author Tessa Afshar writes excellent books in this genre and The Peasant King was one such book! This storyline took place during the Persian rule of Cyrus the Great. The two main characters are Jemmah and Asher. Jemmah's mother is the chief scribe for Cyrus.

During the time there is a war taking place. Jemmah's mother is kidnapped while traveling for the King. Jemmah and her sister set out to rescue her, but must journey through enemy territory in dangerous terrain. Asher is another main character that crosses paths with Jemmah. He is a weapons designer and manufacturer. Jemmah and Asher begin to develop a relationship and their adventures come alive as they work together to rescue Jemmah's mother. How does Asher play a role in aiding the king?

They must trust God's provision and their faith grows throughout the story because of this. I love how the characters build and the excitement of the plot itself. There is action, romance, faith, suspense, and love. I recommend this book and look forward to reading another of her books!!

Afshar has done it again, in her latest biblical era book, which is sure to captivate her readers. Afshars books are well researched and leaves the reader feeling the Bible is all that more real and personal to them. Instead of stories of old, they are coming alive in a way you can sympathize and visualize instead of just mere words on a page. This is definitely a must read book!

The Peasant King was a really great book. I have been in the hospital and when I got home was feeling very down. I picked up my Kindle and started reading The Peasant King and was so pleasantly greeted with this great story. This book was good from the beginning and captured my attention right away. It made me laugh and made me cry. I have told my friends about it and they now want to buy a copy of it. The storyline is believeable, the characters are great. I just couldn't put it down. Thank you, I really enjoyed it!

I did not think I would love this book as much as its predecessor because I just loved Keren and Jared so much, but I was wrong. Asher and Jemma’s story is different, but it is just as good. They are both such layered characters.
Jemma is a sweet and caring young woman, but has the heart of a warrior. She endured an extremely traumatic event as a child, but she doesn’t let it stop her from doing anything she can to help others and bring about justice. Her sister may be the outward soldier, but Jemmah is the quiet one.
Asher is layers upon layers. Is he the vain courtier, the violent mercenary, or the poor nomad? His rough life has created all of his personas and very few meaningful relationships. Seeing him open up to, and fall hard for Jemmah we come to love him too. Despite his best efforts, he falls in love with Jemmah early on. He keeps his affection for her a secret because he knows their separate goals in life and his unpleasant background make him the most unworthy to court her. Even though it took awhile for Asher to confess his true feelings for Jemmah, it was a necessary wait. He didn’t want to confess his love when he thought it wouldn’t work out for them to be together and I respect that. I loved their relationship and all the adventures they shared. I loved how they rescued each other in so many ways. This is another wonderful story by this super-talented author and I recommend it wholeheartedly. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I think it will be enjoyed more after reading the previous book, The Hidden Prince.

This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher (Although I actually preordered this book well before I got the ARC). I was not required to give a favorable review.

I did not realize that this was a book in a series. However, under the description it states that it can be read in the series or a as a standalone book. I went ahead and read this as a standalone book.

I will start by saying that I wish I had read the first book, The Hidden Prince, prior to this one. I think that there was enough information in this book that it was ok to read by itself, but I believe that it would have been better if I had read book 1 then 2.

But about this book specifically, Tessa is a great author. She blends Christianity, romance, faith, and some adventure into this book. I have always been a fan of biblical fiction but because I love the Bible I am extremely picky with how authors write biblical fiction. Tessa did a good job of researching the Bible and biblical times. The story follows Jemmah and Asher during the rule of King Cyrus of Persia. I really enjoyed both characters and feel like they were developed well.

Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to Tessa Afshar and giving me the opportunity to read her book.

When Jemmah, the daughter of the Persian king's scribe, and Asher, a weaponsmith, cross paths, they embark on a life-changing journey that has the potential to save a nation. This exhilarating story captured me from the first chapter. The attention to detail and historical accuracy added so much to Jemmah and Asher's fast-paced adventure. I appreciated how the flaws of these two charming characters helped teach deep spiritual lessons to the reader. I enjoyed reuniting with two other beloved characters from Afshar's previous novel, "The Hidden Prince." Being able to see their continued story lent a pleasant richness and depth to "The Peasant King."

One of the thought-provoking quotes of the book is "One thing I have seen with my own eyes over the past few months is the sheer complexity of God's plans on earth. His Majesty at work as He weaves a thousand different strands together. Each one of us was a tiny strand in His hands. Insignificant in ourselves. And yet He used the insignificant in order to bring about His glory."

I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Peasant King is another beautifully written story by Tessa Afshar. I absolutely loved the Hidden Prince so I was excited to read about Keren and Jared’s daughter, Jemmah.

When Keren goes missing, Jemmah sets out to find her. This turns into an adventure that was unexpected and so fun to read! I loved both Asher and Jemmah and how their relationship developed. I also loved getting to see how characters from the previous story were doing. As usual with a Tessa Afshar story, I was completely immersed the entire time!

I’d love to have another story in this series! Highly recommended! 4 stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Another great book from Tessa Afshar featuring the mysterious and enigmatic King Cyrus the Great, a Persian Prince and strong women. They all come together at a fascinating point in ancient history. If you don't know much about the political background of the ancient Babylonian and Persian Empires, this is perhaps the book for you. It doesn't just feature politics though: there's also romance and danger.
This book is a follow-up to The Hidden Prince and features a couple of the same characters, but can be read on its own.

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers who approved me for a PDF. This did not influence my review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Tessa Afshar’s unique heritage, education, and experience give her powerful insights into the people, lands, and events of the Bible. I've read and enjoyed ALL of Tessa's books. Her research is stellar, her writing top-notch, and her newest couplet of books, The Hidden Prince and The Peasant King, have been my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES of any she's written!

Not often does an author write an even more powerful sequel to an already significant story like The Hidden Prince (which is a Christy finalist), but Tessa Afshar did it! The Peasant King delivers even more intrigue, romance, humor, and history by weaving together fictional Jewish characters with King Cyrus's fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. She does it by bringing to life plausible narrative with vivid details informed by her Middle Eastern heritage.

This novel seamlessly introduces necessary relationships early in the book that later play key roles. The mastery with which the plot evolves is testimony to the author's skill but also--I believe--some Divine help. How else could she so clearly have explained the way God moved in men's hearts, preserving their ability to choose right and wrong, while also displaying God's sovereign power to fulfill His plan for rulers and nations set in place centuries before?

During a time when our world is rocked by fear and confusion, this book builds faith and restores hope in the God who rules all nations. I highly recommend The Peasant King to everyone that enjoys historical and biblical fiction.
You need not read the prequel to enjoy The Peasant King, you will, of course, enjoy Jemmah's story more if you realize the foundation of her parent's love story that was built in The Hidden Prince. (Already posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and social media. Thanks for the privilege of reading this book!)

A new historical biblical fiction, full of suspenseful adventure, God’s sovereignty, and an unexpected love story! ⁣
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My favorite part of the book are the characters. We get to see the main characters from The Hidden Prince, Keren and Jared, and witness their faithfulness in the lives of their children. Then the two new main characters, Jemmah and Asher. I loved seeing them grow in their faith as they trust in God’s provision as they walk in obedience in their own lives, While taking place in fulfilling prophecy for their people. There is also plenty of humor, danger, and faith.

4.5 stars

“God’s healing for you is coming in the little by littles of grace.”

Oh how I adore Tessa Afshar’s books! I am always immediately immersed in the characters, the setting, and the story and try to find the perfect balance between savoring each word and devouring it in one sitting. Inevitably, ‘devouring it in one sitting’ wins out because I can never quite seem to put down her books until I’ve reached the end. The Peasant King is no exception.

I’ve long had a deep affection for Persia and her people, so the characters and historical events depicted in Afshar’s latest are close to my heart. But even if I hadn’t already felt that way, I would have easily fallen in love with Jemmah and Asher and all of the other key players in The Peasant King. Jemmah is one of the delightful children of Jared and Keren from The Hidden Prince but you can read this one first with no problems. She loves fiercely and sacrificially and, while she feels ordinary and untalented, her courage to do what God asks of her proves her quite extraordinary indeed. I loved her positive spirit, her tenacity, her sense of humor, and her big heart. And Asher… oh Asher… let’s just say Jemmah isn’t the only who fell for him. He reminded me so much of Tangled‘s Flynn Rider – in all the best ways. The persona he adopts to goad the father who won’t acknowledge him has a lot of Flynn’s flash & bravado, but like that smoldering hero there’s a lot more depth to Asher than initially meets the eye. Watching Asher and Jemmah fall in love – their friendship, their banter (the beard!), their protectiveness of each other, their layered conversations, their kisses (swoon!) – was truly a pleasure. Also… Zarina is such a spitfire of a character and I really hope she gets her own story! And that great-grandmother near the end had me laughing out loud! What a delight!

But besides the romance and the adventure that we get to experience with Jemmah and Asher and the others, there are some key themes that really stood out to me in The Peasant King. Both Jemmah and Asher feel unworthy, for different reasons, and both have secrets they aren’t comfortable sharing. Through a couple of unique characters and plot points, the author weaves into their journey a reminder that God specializes in granting ordinary people the ability to do extraordinary things. He does not judge us by the same standards as those around us. Along with that is a related truth that should greatly encourage all of us who are tempted to grow discouraged with our current or future leaders. Through the unfolding of history and the subsequent fulfilling of biblical prophecy we read about in this book, it’s clear that God Himself is on the throne and works even in the hearts of rulers who don’t know Him to accomplish His purposes.

“None of us can even begin to estimate the threads of God at work in history throughout generations. Our mind cannot fathom the intricacy of his design. And yet he chooses to include us in his plans. Use us. Often in tiny intangible ways that we shall never comprehend.”

Bottom Line: The Peasant King is another richly written story of grace by talented author Tessa Afshar. There’s a reason she’s one of the only biblical fiction authors I read, and she proves it yet again in this latest novel. Her meticulous research, her attention to history, and her warm and witty writing voice make the sights, sounds, aromas, flavors, and people of the era come to life on the page. And as readers immerse themselves in the redemptive plot, they will fall in love with the characters, yes, but also ultimately fall more in love with God. Jemmah and Asher – and the people of Persia – have imprinted themselves on my heart, and I look forward to the author’s next book (which I hope features Zarina in some way!).

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Tessa Afshar has done it again! In this action-packed, fast-paced book, the reader is led into the depth of the story as the beloved characters embark on a challenging journey seeking to rescue one loved by all. They seek to stop evil that is set on destroying them and through the journey end up learning deep personal lessons in forgiveness and purpose, all while watching God do impossible things and keep His prophesied promises.

I enjoyed how this book carried a strong thread from the Hidden Prince with my favorite characters that I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to yet. They are now older and wiser, and there to guide and inspire the new generation. The heroes of this story are engaging and delightful characters. Personally, I love a strong female hero, mixed with a little romance, and Tessa did not disappoint there! Thank you for that! Jemmah was a warrior, but yet tender-hearted in her care for others. She was a young lady who thought she wasn’t enough (not as educated as others, not as well-trained as a warrior, not smart enough) but she learned her truest value as she let God lead her life instead of her own fears or insecurities.

As she has done in her other novels, Tessa begins each chapter with a Scripture verse that anchors the story. I love watching the truth from Scripture unfold as the story plays out.

Reading biblical historical fiction always whets my appetite for the truth straight from the Bible and adds depth and understanding to places where I don’t know the cultural context. This story was no different. It drew me back to reread the accounts of Israel’s time of captivity leading up to when Cyrus became king.

I read an advanced copy of this book and am providing my honest review.

Tessa Afshar is so gifted at taking a story out of the bible and reimagining it so we can see more clearly some of what may or may not have taken place among people of that time. In The Peasant King we are taken to the time of Cyrus and how he came to become the King of Persia and Mede. It is a great underdog story and the way we see this story come together we see the hand of God directing everything to make the impossible come to pass.
Jemmah and Asher are the two characters that we follow most closely and we see how very gifted and talented they are but also how their hardships and feelings of not being good enough work to draw the together and also work to show how God can use anyone for his plans. It was a great story and I loved every bit of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Readers who love Biblical fiction will enjoy this book. The prophecy of Jeremiah and Isaiah about Cyrus comes alive in this fast paced story. Loved the fictional characters as they supported each other in the quest to defeat Astyages. Readers will not want to miss the author's note. Recommended.

I loved the pace of the book!! It was absolutely enjoyable for me. In a way it kept me at the edge of my seat.

I loved reading about the characters from The Hidden Prince and how their lives evolved. It was a pleasure to see Jared, Karen and Cyprus. I loved that the Mede king got what was coming to him.

I saw the inadequacies of man in this book and how God at everytime shows up for us. It was so comforting to see how He fought battles for His own. This book was really comforting that no matter what I've been through God can turn it for good. It doesn't get better than that.

Tessa Afshar certainly outdid herself in this series.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion

The Peasant King was such a lovely book! I have enjoyed Tessa Afshar's books before so I knew I'd probably enjoy this one too. This one is set during the EARLY reign of Cyrus the Great...before he was "the Great". I also learned that this book FOLLOWS the book The Hidden Prince which I haven't read yet. The Hidden Prince is about the parents' of the girl in this book. Now naturally I will have to go back and read that too!

Okay, so the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the way it gave some speculative insight on how Cyrus became "The Great" and why he may have had such a good relationship with some of the Jewish people. It made me smile to see "Lord Daniel" appear when they visited Babylon.

I think between Jemmah and Asher that Asher had the most growth as he learned to let go of revenge. Jemmah unfortunately never had quite the same resolution to her own personal handicap. It was like it didn't really get addressed again after this one point yet it was so much a part of her and evident in the early parts of the book. Was it a big deal? no. But it was just sort of odd that she didn't get the same resolution.

The book was biblical fiction. I appreciated the heavy focus on the prophecies of God about His people returning to their land and also how He could use a pagan king to do His will.

4 stars!
**I received this ARC from the publishers and NetGalley. i was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts are 100% my own.

Throughly researched. Old Testament history comes alive through rich characters and a mountainous Persian setting. This is the perfect mixture of history, adventure and a delightful romance. Man is rescued from a prison and falls in love with his rescuer. Their adventure through the mountains is filled with suspense and self discovery. The end brings about a fairy tale wedding given by a King. It has it all. This book is well worth the read!
This book continues the story from The Hidden Prince. You do not need to have read that story to enjoy this story. Jenna rescues her mother from Astyages’s prison. Asher and Jemma’s mother have become friends. So Asher is rescued. The story reveals that Asher is the illegitimate son of Astyage. Asher grew up in poverty, but learned to forge and sell weapons to his father’s enemies.

I love Afshar’s stories because I always learn more about history. The other thing I enjoy is that Afshar’s characters end up teaching me about myself. I feel like Afshar uses her characters as a mirror for me. I learn about myself and how to strengthen my relationship with God. This book taught me to not only look for the big miracles. Many times a “God answers us little by little”. Jemma talks with her father about how she felt so ordinary and wanting an instant answer to her prayers. Her father, who lost an eye as a young man, told her that God often answers little by little. How often do we rush past the little miracles that God provides for us. I know I rush past them too often.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for this review.