I never know what to expect when reading fiction based on Biblical stories. I received the advanced reader's copy of this book from the author and Revell via NetGalley. This is my own personal unsolicited opinion about the book. I found it to be a very interesting and entertaining read. It also gives me a lot to think about and I like that.
The author uses her talent to enhance what we know from the Holy Bible's account of the story of Noah and his family from the time God spoke to him to build an ark and prepare for the great and catastrophic flood until decades after the event. She used her imagination to fill in the framework of the story showing how it could have been. She has given names and characteristic to the women; Noah's wife and three daughters-in-law. I am prompted to think about how these eight humans may have reacted and felt about the entire situation and the overall picture of how many years the actual building of the ark took. It's a learning experience to realize how materials may have had to come from a distance, along with what kinds of foods that had to be harvested and prepared. It's a good book. It was a neat thing to imagine seeing the animals lined up to enter the ark. There's an element of sadness with loss due to sin and knowledge that sin continued on.
I recommend it to anyone who is interested in or curious about Noah and Biblical history. I like to have my Bible at hand when reading books like this.

The Ark and the Dove is an interesting retelling of the story of Noah. The author brings to life Noah's family and how things could have been before, during, and after the flood. She is careful to stay true to the Biblical account, but there are many details left untold, which she fills in with plausible stories.
I appreciated her perspective of this important and found it easy to read.

A good reimagining of the flood account. I liked how the author included the nephilim and Watchers, I enjoyed the perspective of Zara, but the I did feel that the ending had too much included, but overall very enjoyable.

The Ark and the Dove is a fictional telling of Noah's ark and the global flood. While I loved her last book, Daughters of Eden, this one was just okay. Overall, it was a good setting, and brought up some interesting thoughts about how quickly sin gripped the world again after the flood (a wife that wasn't a believer and secretly held on to idol worship), but this one felt like it jumped around a lot more with long "sermons" in between. Don't get me wrong - I do believe Biblical fiction and Christian fiction should proclaim the Gospel, but this one was obsessing over trying to convert people to make sure more of them got on the ark....which is never mentioned in the Bible. God very specifically told them up front that only Noah, his sons, and their wives would be on that ark with the animals. I will still probably add this to our library eventually...it just wasn't a favorite for me personally (and Biblical fiction is my favorite genre!).

I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. ~ Genesis 9: 9-11

The story of Noah and the Flood sparks the imagination. A family of nine on a boat with rain coming down for forty days and forty nights. Then hundreds more days as they wait for the flood waters to subside and step back onto dry ground. Along with them were hundreds of animals. Jill Eileen Smith helps bring this story to life in more detail. She was inspired by The Ark Encounter in Kentucky. If you have been there, you will know how immense the ark was. God provides the exact dimensions in the book of Genesis. How the family of Noah was able to feed and care for all those animals -- and themselves -- is a large part of this narrative. We, the readers, benefit from her extensive research. Even the genealogy bits are fascinating. For example, Methuselah was Noah's grandfather and died just before the Flood. Noah's sons and their wives did not have any children until after they were off the ark. They must have been married approximately 75 years by that time. Also, Jill Eileen Smith points out that Shem, Noah's oldest would have still been alive when Jacob and Esau were born in the land of Canaan. Such rich tapestry of stories during this time in history. If you love the book of Genesis and biblical historical fiction, you will definitely be blessed by this new release.

A big thank you to Revell and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea how much labor and material would be needed to rebuild their way of life after the floods. Frankly, I was astonished at how much work awaited Noah and his family after their unimaginable adventure of forty days and forty nights on the ark. With so few people, there was a lot of work to be done. Then there was everything they experienced while traveling on the ark with hundreds of animals. It was amazing to learn about the enormous effort of providing for, feeding, and maintaining the health and happiness of these creatures.
I like how the author describes the emotions that Noah's family could have had as they went about their regular chores, building the ark, looking after one another and then the animals both before and after the flood. The author states that as she was conducting research, she went to the reconstructed ark in Kentucky. She said it's enormous, but no one could truly understand what transpired during and after Noah's 40 days and 40 nights adventure, as well as the year they spent on the ark following the flood,
They prepared for their city and way of life to be reconstructed following the flood. It was astounding to realize how little help would be available for what was required in rebuilding. This story compelled me to go back and read everything there was about Noah and his family in the bible. This detailed description of Noah, his household, and his dedication to the Creator was eye opening. Reading this narrative gave me a fresh perspective. You will gain a new insight into Noah's family, their hardships, and their hopes. You should check it out. It's an outstanding pick for a book club.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. 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/

This was an interesting fictional story of Noah, told through the character of his wife. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this as she isn’t really mentioned that much in the Bible, but like the authors previous book it did lead to me opening my Bible and going deeper into the story of Noah, and I love when biblical fiction does that. Recommend giving this a read, just remember it is fiction. I’m looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review

The Ark and the Dove is based on the story of Noah and the Ark in the Bible where God sent a flood to cover the earth and destroy all living beings. White it is a fictional story based on the biblical story, it is fleshed out in more details about what each member of Noah's family probably encountered individually and as a family. Noah was scoffed and laughed at for his preachings that God had given him. God was saddened by the evil in the world and sent a flood to destroy those who rejected Him. All people were given the chance to accept the Creator, but no one accepted Him other than Noah, his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law. Noah was a righteous man and obeyed God by building something large enough for his family, animals of all kinds on the earth, and supplies, with no idea of how long the flood would last. The author did a wonderful job of sensing emotions, struggles, personality conflicts within the family, and the constant tending of the animals-of putting us on the ark through this time. We have the rainbow as a promise from God that He will never send a flood to kill all living beings on the earth again. Very thought provoking and interesting as well as emotional.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

Wow! Once again, this author awakens my thirst for knowledge on a particular Biblical story! Noah and the ark is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I loved all of the details that were in this book! I could easily picture myself each step of the way as Noah and his family built and then lived on the ark.

The characters are written well. They each have their own personal struggles. Their dedication to God is amazing! I don't know if I could stay on the ark for that long. Zara is my favorite. She's a peacekeeper.

I love how the author always points the reader towards God and his faithfulness! It's so encouraging and uplifting to be reminded of this fact! Each chapter was more exciting than the last! I was so sad when the book ended. I can't wait to read more books by this author!

I was provided a copy of the book from Revell through Interviews and Reviews and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this book more than I did :(

I have to confess that I did a little happy dance when I got a chance to read Jill Eileen Smith’s latest novel “The Ark and the Dove”. The popular Sunday school story of Noah and the Ark takes on new depth with this novel told from the perspective of Noah’s wife and the journey of their entire family before, during and after the Great Flood. My thoughts:
✨Using the perspective of the wife was so creative and helped to bring extra depth to a story I’ve known my whole life
✨I liked that the drama didn’t just start with the flood but the community interaction as they prepared years in advance
✨The MC was sweet and easy to root for

However, the story took too long to develop for me. I wasn’t as immersed in their world like I’ve been while reading biblical fiction in the past. And it was hard to stay engaged. But I love how this author continues to find nuggets of truth to give greater depth to stories from the Bible.

All in all, it was okay, but not as great as other books she's written. I don't regret reading at all and I can't wait to see what she comes with next.

Readers who have been to the ark in Kentucky will have an easy time visualizing this story. The amazing details of the structure is brought to life as well as the biblical characters in this book. The author did a fantastic job recreating the Biblical times of Noah through his wife's eyes. I thought the Watchers were a little weird and creepy. Lots of biblical facts made this story but one must remember that it is fiction. Recommended.

This was an interesting delve into the life of Noah's wife and family. Though not part of a series, this book does continue the Genesis narrative that the author started in Eve's story - Daughter of Eden, so I would probably recommend reading that one before this one just to familiarize yourself with the author's take on filling in the gaps on these well-known Bible stories. However, reading Daughter of Eden is not essential to the enjoyment of this story as this fully stands on its own. But they do complement each other. This story begins during Shem's wedding and Noah and his wife are seeking a wife for Ham who believes in the Creator, which is hard to come by. It is at this point when Noah hears from God that judgment is coming. I enjoyed following the emotional journey of Noah's family and seeing the ark building, hearing the taunts of those around them and considering the losses they encountered when the earth flooded. Though I've read the story of Noah and his family many times, I admit I haven't given much thought to the enormity of what they must have felt not only leading up to the flood and during their time on the ark, but also after they left the ark to a brand new (and empty) Earth. It was fascinating to consider the viewpoints of Noah's wife and daughters-in-law, who are only mentioned in passing in the Bible. And to consider what family drama they may have encountered while sequestered together on a boat. In addition, it was interesting to consider how they maintained the animals during their time on the ark. And I enjoyed the author's take on the circumstances that led from their salvation to Ham's curse just a chapter or two in Genesis later. I enjoyed this unique take on the details surrounding one of the best known stories in the Bible. I would recommend to fans of Biblical historical fiction or anyone who wanted to consider more what it was like to be a part of Noah's famous family. Special thanks to Revell and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

I was truly blessed with the opportunity to read this complimentary copy of Jill Eileen Smith's most recent Biblical fiction novel through NetGalley. She has long been a favorite author of mine in this genre because not only does she include a lot of historical fact, but she time and again brings the soul and spirit along for the journey. This fictional story from "Mrs. Noah's" perspective begins when her husband Noah is given the charge from God to build the ark and continues through a time decades after leaving the ark when her children and grandchildren finally begin to spread out over the earth as God had instructed them to do. The author created a story line that is not found within Scripture, but it is plausible and shows once again that humans of all times and cultures are the same in many ways. Noah's wife in this story faced some of the same challenges and concerns that face me, along with some challenges I had never considered in my reading of the Biblical account. For example, how did they cope with weeks of nonstop rain (no sunlight, no ability to get out for fresh air, etc.) and the possibility of feelings of depression? How did they deal with interpersonal conflict within the family when there is nowhere else to go? I felt her emotions with her, both positive and negative, over her children, her husband, concerns for the future, and her faith in the Creator. I fully recommend this book, and especially as we face "the days of Noah".

I enjoyed this story very much! The characters were well-done. The time leading up to the flood was described and characterized fascinatingly. The time on the ark was told in a way that I could imagine everything that was going on. The time after the flood was told in a way that showed that humans hadn't really changed, but showed the beauty in trusting God. The way the familiar story was told caused me to open my Bible, and also to open my imagination to God. We won't know this side of heaven what all transpired in this time period, but I think this story reveals a lot about the human heart and our need for the Redeemer. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Have read some of Jill’s other works and enjoyed but this one I didn’t. All authors create a mix between fiction and truth but this one was a bit too fiction compared to the Bible where the characters are entrenched. Unfortunately did not finish. Thanks anyway.

The Ark & The Dove by Jill Eileen Smith was the first book I’ve read that was written by her. This tale of Noah’s Ark was unique in that it was told from the viewpoint of Noah’s wife. There were many aspects of life on the Ark I hadn’t thought of that the author brought out. I found it very intriguing and inspiring.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5 stars!
This was a really interesting story of Noah and his wife. The author really puts into perspective how it could have been leading up to the flood, during the flood, and then the aftermath of it. This book had me pondering about their life and all the trials and hardships they had to endure. Also, I would love to one day visit the Ark encounter they have in Kentucky. I can’t imagine how amazing it would be to see this huge Ark. Anyone that enjoys Biblical fiction would enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book via netgalley. I was not required to write a review. These are my honest thoughts.

I love how Jill Eileen Smith brought out the story of Noah. It really made it fill like it was more than just a story that you hear in Sunday school,but it really brought the characters to life. And made me realize that people in the Bible were very much human too.

The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith is an interesting look at the tale of Noah and the Ark from his wife's perspective.

The cover immediately drew me in, as did the concept for the story. What was life like for Noah and his family on the ark? While it is easy to imagine the opposition Noah encountered when building the ark, once God shut them up in it, what was their daily life like?

The author has brilliantly shown, through Zara (Noah's wife), how they might have cared for the animals, but has also allowed for normal family dynamics that occur when we are together too long. Noah and his family had no way to escape each other's presence, and when one family member grates against the nerves of all aboard, it makes for a very realistic view of life on the ark.

One thing that was foremost on my mind while reading this story was that the world is currently in the same situation as Noah and his family. We are living in a time of increased lawlessness, where sin is ignored and even celebrated.

While Noah had one hundred years to warn his friends and neighbours of the impending judgement, we have had over 2,000 years to warn others of the judgement to come. Our "ark" is Jesus. He is our only hope for salvation. Unfortunately, many people don't even believe in God today, so it feels very much like the "ark" is about to set sail, leaving many without hope of salvation and eternal life.

Many times, talk of a coming redeemer was mentioned in this book. I hope that all who read it take it seriously and "get on the boat."

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest review.

The Ark and the Dove
4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I always appreciate the way Biblical Christian Fiction challenges me. We always talk about Noah and his faith, but what about his wife? She didn’t hear directly from God but had to trust. Had to support and help her husband, hear his fear and frustration.

This book dives into the life of Zara - Noah’s wife. Jill took the time to research the time, tour the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, and pour through the scriptures to develop and intriguing story of what life just must have been like. I so appreciated that the characters mourned their loved ones, argued amongst each other, and struggled to not know the full plan. All things we can relate to. Even though one of the daughter in laws got on my nerves as a character, who is to say that everyone got along great?

The reason for a 4 out of 5 stars is I felt the pace a little slow and jumbled. I wanted a little more but am also so thankful for thinking more about context when I read Genesis.

Thank you Jill and NetGalley for the ARC of
#TheArkandtheDove