Book Review: Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar
Tessa will always be one of my favorite authors because of the way she brings her characters so vividly and intimately to life, weaves in such thought-provoking themes, and does it all with the perfect dose of humor and wit!
A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.
When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.
With impeccable research and vivid detail, Daughter of Rome is both an emotive love story and an immersive journey through first-century Rome and Corinth, reminding readers once again why Debbie Macomber has said that “no one brings the Bible to life like Tessa Afshar.”
It took me a little while to really get plugged in to the story, but knowing Tessa’s writing as I do, I knew the story would deliver in the end. And it certainly did! I confess, I had never given much thought to Priscilla and Aquila until she first mentioned them in Thief of Corinth, but now that I’ve read this book and had a glimpse into what their life might have been like, I have such respect for this amazing Biblical couple! Like Tessa said in her Author’s Note, theirs must have been quite a powerful partnership—two knowledge teachers that loved to the Lord and gave of themselves selflessly to build His kingdom, doing everything side by side as husband and wife. They are #CoupleGoals, and I truly hope to live by their example in my own marriage.
Tessa never fails to connect her stories to your heart, and this book was no exception. The beautiful theme of forgiveness, examined from many different angles, will not soon leave my mind. I will be meditating on what it means for God to forgive us and us offer boundless forgiveness to others in return—even our enemies—for days to come I’m sure.
If you’re looking for a Biblical fiction story that will entertain, inspire, and push you to want to study more of God’s Word, Daughter of Rome is the book for you! 5/5 Stars!
