Brave was the first book I’ve read by Mesu Andrews and certainly not the last!! Amazing imagery of the countryside that David fled to, as well as the customs and traditions of the culture. Such a powerful story of love and strength found only in God. It was absolutely eye opening to see things from Ahinoam’s perspective!

As a reader of biblical fiction, I have a process that precedes actually reading a new novel. First, I look to the author to determine the original text from which they draw their work. Then I read the original text and sit with it for a time to digest God’s holy word before diving into the novel. I want to hold the fact separate from the fiction, but have grown to love the way the fiction fills in context and points toward God’s truth while helping us consider things we sometimes don’t want to stop to consider. One thing many of us hesitate to ponder for long is the relationship between David ben Jesse, God’s anointed king, and his wives. It makes sense that we do not want to linger on the polygamist relationship of a historical figure we tend to put on a pedestal as the icon of a man after God’s own heart. This is an incredibly sensitive subject to cover, but I have great respect for Mesu Andrews and her approach to it in her latest release, Brave. Because the fact of the matter is that even a man after God’s own heart is still a man. David did have multiple wives. And they are important enough that God inspired man to record them by name in the Old Testament.

Brave is the story of Ahinoam of Jezreel, who is interpreted by Andrews as a Kenite with exceptional dagger throwing skills and who works with her father to forge weapons for David’s ragtag army during the years of running from King Saul. She is spirited, fierce, and loyal. She is also not interested in marriage or being a silly woman, like the mother who abandoned her and her father so many years ago. Yet the Lord works in mysterious ways. In this instance, it is to bring Ahinoam and David together as husband and wife, to forge their relationship as the Lord gives and takes away. Giving and taking provision, giving and taking friendships, giving and taking family. Through it all, they must learn grace and forgiveness. They must learn to praise Him and seek His will. They must learn to keep their focus on Him instead of their human desires. Especially when Abigail, widow of Nabal of Carmel, also becomes David’s wife.

Andrews is a voracious researcher and I am always fascinated by the context provided in her novels. It is an honor to camp in the wilderness with Ahinoam, feeling the cool walls of the cave at my back, if only in my mind. It is hard to avoid building relationships with the characters she brings to life in text, particularly this strong dagger throwing, God seeking match for the future king. Brave’s narrative switches between Ahinoam’s point of view and David’s, and though I initially thought I just wanted her POV, it did not take long to see that his is essential for greater understanding. Brave is an enlightening read, if not an easy one, and I now wait as patiently as I can for the next installment of the King David’s Brides series.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Mesu Andrews is a new to me author, but this won't be the last time I read her novels. Ahinoam is a fearless warrior, but is complex because she fears her emotions and feelings towards the future King of Israel, David. Her struggle between being adequate as his wife yet rough around the edges and a master blade thrower is central to this novel. I didn't expect to read David's perspective, but I appreciated it. He is a man after God's own heart, but is a man, none the less. He struggles with situations and the weight of Samuel's anointing.

I could tell Andrews took much care in providing Biblically-accurate details where there was that information. I loved how she brought in so many verses from Psalm and just interspersed them like prayers to God. I will say that I struggled with tears in my eyes and pain in my heart through the polygamous lifestyle David led. I had to remind myself that just because he did have more than one wife does not mean that it was God's design for marriage. Yes, God worked through it, but doesn't make it any less difficult to read. Ahinoam's thoughts and feelings during this time broke my heart. Like tears streaming down my face kind of broken.

Do yourself a favor and read through this Biblical fiction of David's first two wives.

Thank you NetGalley, Bethany House, and Mesu Andrews for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Reading Biblical fiction can be challenging for me.
I find that I get in my head what I feel the bible characters are like or how they should behave--leading to some consternation when an author chooses to represent them differently. Thankfully, Mesu Andrews is one that while she may challenge me to explore "what if" in a different way than I've considered--she does it very skillfully.

Brave (as you know) is the first in a new series on King David's Brides. This one discusses MOSTLY Ahinoam and then Abigail. The lead characters in this story are Ahinoam and David. The book takes place during the time when King-elect David is on the run from sitting King Saul and being chased through the wilderness. It's during the time when he is building his Mighty Men and having confrontations with Saul's armies.

Woven through the book are the psalms of David as he's being inspired to produce them. I did enjoy that. Seeing him teaching his songs to the armies and their families.

I never really gave Ahinoam any thought besides knowing she was wife #2 (after Michal). This allowed me to suspend belief and explore the What If a bit more on her. I admit, her challenges at the end of the story when she's being confronted with the knowledge that David WILL take more wives and how she's going to navigate that...well. I won't say that I agree 100% with how the "understanding of God's will" was portrayed. But since there isn't anything biblical specifically about that--it gives author's license to explore it. And well, it DOES make the reader thing and have to contemplate their own ideas on it.

While not a favorite of mine by Mesu, it was still well done and I expect I will read more in the series.

4 Stars

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are 100% my own.

This is a story of Ahinoam, wife of King David. While switching back and forth between David and Ahinoam’s perspectives, we witness both of them struggling with accepting who they are.

She struggles because she’s so different that the typical women of her day. And most of them won’t accept her. Where some people capitalize on their uniqueness, Ahinoam is torn between loving what makes her different and being confident in that life, and sadness that it isolates her so much. David has a hard time accepting himself, because he’s been rejected so much.

I really appreciated some of the explanations offered in this novelization, because they give depth and plausible ideas of the whys that aren’t recorded in the scripture. Right or not, they make sense, and don’t conflict with what we do know explicitly from the Bible.

The character growth and storyline made this book an excellent experience. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

Brave by Mesu Andrew’s brings to life the life of King David on the run from King Saul. We are drawn in to the love story between David and Ahinoam. This story is rich in details and history. Andrew’s does not disappoint. She brings this time when David is on the run to full color. We see glimpses into the friendship with Jonathon the crown prince. We get a richer understanding of David’s relationship with his family and possible reasons for the distance. Some very familiar Psalms make an appearance in the story as well as some recognizable scenes from the Bible are played out as well. This story was a brave story about Ahinoam and her unusual career and how that affected her emotionally. I was enthralled with the storytelling. I look forward to the next installment of this series. If you are looking for a book to spark an interest in the Bible and the life of David this will whet your appetite. #Brave is worth the read. My thanks to #Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ecopy of the book in exchange for my review.

I have always enjoyed reading books by Mesu Andrews and this is no exception. She did a very good jo of telling the story of someone in the Bible I really had no recollection of.
The story flows well and the characters are believable. If you like Biblical fiction you will enjoy this story.
My only negative comment is in her interpretation of God wanting David to have more than one wife. I totally disagree with that concept and believe God only allowed it.

Wow! What a great read Brave by Mesu Andrews was! I loved the stories of David’s wives and can’t wait till August when the series continues. So inspirational, a keeper for my keeper book shelf! 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Highly recommend

Gosh how do you put into words all the feelings this book evoked? Mesu Andrews did such a fantastic job. I mean I would have never thought of telling the story of David's wives but here we are and she truly captivated me. This story had me feeling all the emotions. It was hard at first because our contemporary selves knows that God only meant for us to have one spouse and truly even in the times of David that is what God intended and you can clearly see that in Deuteronomy 17:17 however that is not really what happened and I can't even begin to imagine what God thought of the whole situation, what I do know is that God allowed it and despite there being generational consequences God had good reason for it after all David was the chosen one. But I have to say that was the hardest part of this story.

It is not many Christian fiction books that you read that you encounter multiple love interests so I am extremely curious how Mesu Andrews will continue this series of King David's brides because I fell in love with the character of Ahinoam. She was strong and brave but she was also trying to find herself and who she was in the scheme of things. I felt for her and I was ecstatic when she finally saw herself as the wife of a King but it completely broke me when the next wife came into the picture. Despite David reassuring Ahinoam about his love for her it was a hearbreaking moment.

I loved seeing the side characters in the story especially Jonathan. The love that he had for David was incredible. I am always praying that my kids find their "Jonathan's" in their life so to see their relationship unfold in the story was truly amazing. I also really enjoyed seeing the Psalms come to fruition and how they came about while they were running from Saul.

Overall despite it being one of those reads that was hard to read I really enjoyed the story. As always with Biblical Fiction it is truly fascinating how an author brings forth life to an unknown and gives it what I like to call a "what-if". Mesu Andrews did that through this story and I am definitely interested in seeing how the next book unfolds more of the story.

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

Mesu Andrews does a marvelous job of telling the story of the woman who became David's second wife. Brave is historical fiction at its finest. Taking Biblical history and fleshing out the story, Andrews brings readers a thoroughly captivating read. With descriptive prose that makes the reader feel like you are right there in the scenes and realistic dialogue, the author expertly portrays the struggles and emotions of the characters as they deal with every day circumstances while fleeing from King Saul. I read a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and was not required to write a review. Readers who enjoy realistic Biblical fiction will not want to miss this one. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, King David's Brides.

Andrews did a great job of bringing these biblical characters, and situations, to life. She made the characters believable, the interactions compelling, and dealt with some sticky situations with grace. A great read!

Brave was a delightful beginning to a new series by Mesu Andrews. It highlighted an element to Old Testament fiction that is often glossed over: the idea of multiple wives in many of the kings and leaders.

I really liked Ahinoam, although I did feel like there was a small part of her story arc wasn't completed, though maybe that was intentional. I felt like she never really figured out that being emotional didn't make you a "silly woman", it makes you human. However, Mesu brought to life David and the gritty reality of his life and family in a way that I really appreciated.

I LOVED the cover of this book! I kept staring at every time I opened the webpage...

Overall, great book! I'm curious to see what is next!

Have Faith When the Anointing Feels Like a Curse

I really enjoyed reading, "Brave: The Story of Ahinoam," which is the first book in the King David’s Brides series. It's a great opener! I found myself highlighting about 30% of the book. There are touching moments that make you go, "Awwww," as well as fearful moments where you can feel the fear and angst of the characters. There are also "ah-ha" moments when the characters receive a response from Yahweh that changes their thought patterns and, in turn, yours.

It did take me a while to get used to seeing "Abba" applied to earthly men instead of God, probably because my father was physically present but mentally absent. When he was around, he was often in a psychotic state from staying up all hours gambling. However, when I put that aside, it made sense because God desires to know us intimately since He is the first Father we had. He is our Protector, our Nurturer, our Savior, and so much more. He is "the example" for earthly fathers.

There was so much I loved about this book I know that I will not capture all of it but here’s my shot. Growing up in a mostly female household, I experienced my mother’s spousal abuse and her ability to trust God for finances after my dad gambled his paycheck away. She raised seven children practically on her own. I am not a feminist, however, I am the result of a woman of strong faith. That being said, Ahinoam’s description, of a dagger-wielding Kenite woman was my draw to request this book. (And she named her first two daggers Adam and Eve! Oh the nuances in this book.)

What made this book so rich for me was the fact that some years ago our leadership team at my church studied Training for Reigning by Rick Goodwin. That book utilizes the four main places that David fled as tools for learning and growth in leadership. The growth at the end of his sojourn at each place was emphasized by Rick Goodwin. Mesu Andrews fleshes that out with her wonderful understanding of the spiritual and natural lessons to be learned.

There is so much character growth as we see that hardships and desperate situations train David to become the king God anointed him to be. This enabled his band of unruly soldiers, his family, and Ahinoam, and Toren to grow. I am absolutely fangirling over here, but I love the way that Mesu incorporates the poetry and meaningfulness of Psalms and scriptures into the flow of the story.

"Let’s stop here.” I tapped my camel’s shoulder to dismount. Joab didn’t need coaxing. He was off his camel and snoring before I laid my head on a smooth stone. I, on the other hand, could only doze. I counted stars and thought of all I should have said to my wife, my sister, and my troops before rushing away to negotiate peace with Saul after ignoring the true Peace-Giver for months. “Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. Have mercy on me. I’m so weary. Save me because of Your unfailing love, Lord. I’m worn out from groaning.” Calm settled over me, as it had when we’d praised Yahweh with Gad and the prophets. “Lord, You have heard my cry for mercy; You have heard my prayer.”

Mesu Andrews. Brave (Kindle Locations 3818-3823). Kindle Edition.

I love seeing David’s and Ahinoam’s thoughts which enrich the slow-burn attraction, and mental and spiritual growth. I love how faith is such a part of their everyday lives. It is a great example for us today. I love that the book ultimately leads the reader back to the bible to check the nuances. The skill to casually throw in Abigail and Nabal and mirror the event between David, Nabal, and Abigail is a sign of supurb writing. (Abigail is a favorite female character of mine).

David’s name means love and this book shines a light on his relationship with Yahweh. We see love demonstrated in his choice to forgive his family. Love introduces forgiveness, self confidence, and intimace. In his thoughts we see the man who slayed ten thousands seeing beauty where others don’t, appreciating Ahinoam's skills even though they are not considered womanly. Love truly overcomes all! We see a man who desires to be loved, just as we do.

Through numerous mentions we see David's obedience contrasted with Saul’s disobedience. The message is clear: disobedience comes back to bite you in the buttocks. Obedience, though fraught with trials, blesses you and others.

If you enjoyed reading Sisters of Corinth by Angela Hunt, you will love Brave: The Story of Ahinoam by Mesu Andrews. I have discovered a new author to admire.

I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy I received. It was truly an honor to participate in reviewing a book that shows the heart of Yahweh and what faith looks like amid betrayal, chaos, danger, and insecurity. These are my thoughts. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

I leave you with this excerpt:

“We’re not going to Nob,” David began. “I will sometimes lead my people into hard places but never into known danger. Yahweh does the same.” He pointed in various directions as he rehearsed our journey. “Behind us, the Moabite mountains; below us, the Dead Sea; and beyond it, the Judean wilderness. Yahweh will lead us into the desert— a hard place— because it’s safer than dangerous cities on fertile plains.”

Mesu Andrews. Brave (Kindle Locations 1407-1410). Kindle Edition.

When I first started reviewing I read Jill Eileen Smith's David's Wives series which starts with Michal so imagine my surprise when I found out there was a wife before Michal named Ahinoam. David is my absolute favorite Bible hero. Every year when I read 1 Kings and he dies I cry.

Mesu Andrews has not only the skill to take biblical history with her creative license and write an amazing story, but she also wraps it in the beautiful word of God.

This story is poignant and shows dedication to family. Ahinoam is one of the bravest women I've read about; her determination is something to be revered.

Ms. Andrews is a go-to for biblical fiction. I've read everything she has published, to my knowledge. If you enjoy biblical fiction this is a must-read.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! Mesu Andrew’s delivers another impactful and inspiring Biblical Fiction story!
Brave is the story of Ahinoam -a fierce and passionate Kenite woman- who was King David’s second wife (after Michal) and her story of courage, resilience, love and growth in faith. I have to admit I was intrigued about this series. The fact that King David, the beloved by Yahweh, had multiple wives, had always piqued my curiosity. So when Ms. Andrews announced her upcoming series with this theme, I knew I wanted to read it. And I was not disappointed! What a magnificent story telling! It made me see the historical facts, not from my contemporary point of view, but from the customs and way of thinking of that particular era in ancient Israel. It helped me understand things with a fresh and open take of what happened so long ago, realizing that we are still the same: putting our interests before God’s, lacking faith in the fulfillment of His promises.
I know part of the book is according to the Bible, but the other part -what the Bible doesn’t say, the details-, the fictional part, the secondary characters, the complex plot, everything, it’s so well done that it blends perfectly with the Bible’s narration. I loved getting to know King David more personally, his own point of view. I think he was very well depicted: a true leader, with a heart attuned to God, a humble man, a courageous warrior. Yet, we also see his fears, his weaknesses, and at the same time his love of God and determination to walk in His presence and be guided by his Holy Will. He felt realistic, human, relatable.
And I deeply admired Ahinoam’s personality and character and faith growth: her fierceness, her strength, yet her vulnerability and a big loving heart. Loved her relationship with her abba. The way she opens up to the arrival of David’s third wife Abigail, even though she struggles with it, but her loyalty to Yahweh and her desire to believe in His promises was admirable.
This part of David before being King, running away from Saul, has been less explored than his long years as a King, and I liked getting to know better that part of the Scripture. The way David can love each wife as unique was admirable, and the way the author handled this issue was admirable. There were some great secondary characters that made the story richer. My favorite was Zeruia, David’s sister. Ahinoam finds in her a kindred spirit to help her see things from a different perspective.
There’s a faith inspired message of what true love really means, being presented especially by David’s deep love of God, and Ahinoa’s way of loving and supporting David even when things are not what she expected. She’s loyal to the core.
All in all, a wonderful telling of David’s errant life in the wilderness and the way he approaches the possibility of being Israel’s king. A very engaging and relatable read that transported me to that era with her vivid descriptions of the landscape and customs. You can see it’s so well and deeply researched!
The cover is stunning too!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Brave by Mesu Andrews is the first book in the new King David's Brides series and a definite must read if you love reading historical Biblical fiction.
Brave is about Ahinoam and how she finds herself fleeing her father, joining a band of misfits and eventually finding friendship, love, loyalty and courage during tumultuous times all the while stepping out in faith where she is able to admit her growing love for Israel's future king.
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books in this series in the future.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

Brought up by her father when her mother deserted them, Ahinoam is determined not to marry, having seen what pain love can bring. But when the Amalekites come for them, wanting her father's (and her) smithing skills, they're forced to leave their home, and end up joining with David's band. There, through good times and bad, David begins wooing her, and she eventually agrees. But life on the run is hard. Can she be brave enough to keep going - and to love even when it hurts?

An interesting and thought-provoking read. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I also appreciated the fact that it got me thinking about what life might have been like for David and his company all those years in the wilderness. Incidentally, the note at the end about some of the background material referred to was useful, since I had no idea of some of the Talmud background (not that I would accept it without question, but it's interesting to know that the author had reasons for some of her plot decisions). I wasn't so keen on what felt like a choice to have unnecessarily unlikeable characters, though some of that may have been based on her other sources. Also, the ending didn't feel very satisfying - though deciding where to stop in an ongoing story must be hard. However, all in all, an enjoyable Biblical fiction story.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This is the first by this author that I have read and I really enjoyed it. I liked how I was pulled into the story from the first page. I also love how this author weaved a beautiful story about a woman who we don’t hear much about in the Bible. I liked how she took the few scriptures we have about her and told a story of a strong and brave woman who went through a lot as David’s wife. I feel like I learned something while reading this story and I will definitely look into reading more books by this author.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

"Sometimes we need to worship God even more than God needs our worship."

Mesu Andrews is one of my favorite Biblical fiction authors and she's written great books. Brave tops them all. The author has outdone herself in her impeccable research and weaving of an unforgettable story infused with action, romance, and faith. And I love how Scripture is embedded into every chapter of the book so that I can follow along in the Bible and know God's Word while allowing the author's beautiful imagination to paint the scenes and breathe details into the characters. It's an immersive epiphany into King David's early years as a refugee from Saul. Truly I will never read these Bible passages the same way again.

I honestly have never given a single thought to Ahinoam, one of David's wives and mother of Amnon. I have never given a single thought to the terrain or the places David and his men had to flee for all those years on the run from Saul. I actually have never thought about how David's men, though small in number as armies go but still a large number of people, survived. Now my eyes have been opened and I am awed. Through Ahinoam and David's eyes, we see how things might have been and who they may have been. Ahinoam is so real, with her insecurities, fears, doubts, and longings. David also shows his insecurities, fears, doubts, and inadequacies but also shows his compassion and thirst for justice. All these traits and emotions make David very human and relatable. I enjoyed seeing others like Gad, Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai come to life. And above all, the goodness, faithfulness, and incredible power of Yahweh were on display and the necessity of praise and worship as core of our being was a powerful and poignant lesson not to be forgotten or forsaken.

I am totally excited for the next book in the series where we will follow Maakah. Now I need to do an in-depth study of 1 and 2 Samuel as well as 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through LibraryThing and JustRead Tours via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

If you enjoy Bible-based fiction and have not read anything that Mesu Andrews has written, you are missing out! Her newest book, Brave, begins her series on the wives of King David, and what a great beginning it is!

"I was created to be by your side..." With these words, Ahinoam makes it clear to King David that she is "brave enough" to do whatever she is called to do - even if God calls her to be David's wife. Raised as the only child of Toren the Kenite, she is skilled at both making the very best daggers, and throwing them. Her mother leaving when she was very young gave her few womanly skills, but her father loved her and taught her his trade. When they join David's Mighty Men, she expects to be treated the same way her father treats her. When they realize that her shortened hair and short tunic hide a woman, she is placed in the care of David's sister, Zeruiah (Zerry) and expected to cook, sew, and other things the women did. Saving David's life with an accurate throw of her dagger gains her respect, but it doesn't get her into the fighting where she feels her skills would be invaluable.

David, for his part, thought he had closed his heart to women after his first wife, Michal, daughter of King Saul, betrayed him. After Ahinoam saves his life from an assassin, he first sees her loyalty, then he sees the beauty that peeks through her facade. The more time he spends with her, the more he feels the Lord prompting him to take her as his wife. Can he convince a woman to take him as a husband in the middle of being pursued by King Saul's army? "Are you brave enough to marry a king? Are you brave enough to marry me?"

Ahinoam goes into the marriage knowing that David will likely marry more than just her, but she is as convinced as David is that God is calling her to marriage with the shepherd boy who is God's anointed. David sees her strength, her character, and her unwavering faith in Yahweh to keep them all safe in His care.

I am always amazed at the research Andrews does when writing her biblical fiction. She fleshes out the characters so that her readers feel invested in their lives. Ahinoam is only mentioned a few times in the Bible but Andrews gives her a story and puts "flesh on her bones." Once I started the book, I recognized many of the things that happened but saw them with new eyes. I also loved how she wove many of David's Psalms through the story, sung by David to calm both his own spirit and the hearts of his troops. For me, this gave these Psalms new life and a new perspective.

Readers who love fiction based in the Bible will love Brave. Actually, anyone who loves a good adventure with some romance thrown in will enjoy Brave. I look forward to book 2, The Story of Maakah. Mesu Andrews became a favorite of mine through her books Of Fire and Lions, and Isaiah's Legacy.