Afshar brings biblical fiction fans another favorite in Daughter of Rome. The way she brings the bible time to life is truly remarkable. Two bible figures we don't know a lot about - Priscilla and Aquilla. I've always wondered their story, and Afshar certainly has given me a lot fot hink about. Highly recommend!

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

I loved The Thief of Corinth, but I did not like this one as much. I did not connect to Priscilla and Aquila. Still, I recommend this to anyone interested in Biblical fiction.

I adored this book SO MUCH!

I loved the faith journeys displayed. I loved how the characters stumbled again and again in their faith walks, but continued to chase after God and all that He had promised them. I loved how the heart of the early church was displayed so clearly. I loved how the entire book was such a powerful and empowering expression of the Truth of the Gospel.

I absolutely devoured this story and enjoyed every part of the beautiful journeys it contained. I only wish there was a sequel!

As the best Biblical Fiction does, this book stirred my heart and soul and encouraged me to go back and read the real stories of these real people who helped turn the world upside down for the cause of Christ. A fantastic, uplifting, bittersweet experience.

FIVE STARS

Note: I received a copy of this book for FREE, and a positive review was not required.

Daughter of Rome is biblical fiction at its best! Author Tessa Ashfar tells the story of Priscilla, believed to be a Gentile, who was converted to Christianity and worked tirelessly to spread God's Word. Priscilla and her Jewish husband Aquila don't receive a lot of mention in the New Testament but their importance cannot be denied. In her end notes Ashfar explains how she determined that Priscilla might have been from a noble Roman family and why she chose to include both historical figures and fictional characters to create this story. Bible scripture confirms that Priscilla and Aquila saved Paul's life, they worked with him to spread the Gospel message, and they set up churches in their homes in three different cities; the fictional characters and events that are included have been added for creative interest.

Priscilla and Aquila are both fascinating biblical figures but it is Priscilla who claimed my heart. Through much of this story, Priscilla doubts that she has truly been forgiven of a past sin that still haunts her. As deeply as she loves Yeshua, as strongly as she believes that He will forgive, she continues to have a "tiny root of guilt". And, then, as she is reassuring another distraught woman that total forgiveness is possible, Priscilla finally feels it for herself. "Her own sin. Her own failure was no match for Yeshua's love. She was washed clean, utterly. Utterly. She felt the root wither. Die."

This is a beautiful story of love between a man and woman but it is also a story of the overwhelming love that a man and woman share for their God. One a Jew, one a Gentile, but together, they worked to tell others of His goodness.

Daughter of Rome is wonderful biblical fiction filled with faith, forgiveness, and redemption. It is a book that I will read again and I recommend it highly!

I received a copy of this book from the author. There was no obligation to write a favorable review and I am voluntarily sharing my own thoughts.

One of the things I love about Tessa Afshar's books is the way they dig deep into the heart of a matter. They don't deal with just surface level things and surface level growth. She gets down to the heart and deals with the sin and the pain and her characters find freedom and joy in Christ.

I've read a lot of Biblical fiction and while Priscilla and Aquila show up a lot in books written during the time of the early church, there aren't many books told from their point of view. I loved the life and breath that was woven into these powerful New Testament people. This isn't the first time the theme of forgiveness has made it into one of Tessa's books and yet, it's done here in a way that feels fresh and beautiful.

I can't wait for her next book!

Daughter of Rome is a beautiful and engrossing novel by the amazing Tessa Afshar. If you like beautifully written novels, engaging characters, historical fiction, and Biblical fiction, this one is for you! Afshar's beautiful writing is sure to drag you into the story and leave you many sleepless nights until you finish this novel.

Priscilla and Aquila are the stars of this book. Set in the first century AD, this book starts in Rome with Priscilla as an unwelcome occupant of her brother’s large villa. She is lonely but resilient and begins to make her own friends. An introduction to an influential Roman senator turns things for her. Aquila is making his way as a tent maker and leather craftsman. As a Jewish man, he is not to be swayed by Roman citizen, Priscilla. However, he is taken with her and the story ensues.

I love how the author brings a small piece of Bible history alive with easy-to-relate-to characters.

DAUGHTER OF ROME is a beautiful story of Priscilla and Aquila, how they met, how they learned to love, forgive and to grow in God’s grace. It’s about their ministry in Ancient Rome and Corinth. How they were forced to leave Rome just when everything was going so well. But God had other plans. Plans to grow their ministry with Paul in Corinth and beyond. It’s a story of how heartbreak and loss can be turned into blessings by God. A story of how God provides for those with a willing heart. There are so many beautiful messages in this book, I highly recommend it.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the ebook to review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

When you find an author that shares her talent and gift of writing you don’t want the story to end. “Daughter of Rome,” by Tessa Afshar is the story of Aquila, Priscilla, Paul, Rufus and God’s plan to transform the early church. Priscilla, the daughter of a Roman general meets a Jewish immigrant, Aquila. Their courtship is followed by murder and betrayal. They work to build a community of believers while a runaway boy and a foe complicate their lives.
There are many lessons in the book, one is that we should all be like Priscilla. She never gave up when they were forced from their home. The determination, forgiveness, mercy, love, willing to put aside those who wronged her, to take in those that are lost who do not have a relationship with Jesus. To literally be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Tessa has done it again!!! “Daughter of Rome,” will leave you looking for more. Jesus uses the struggles in our own lives to make something beautiful.
I received this book free from the author and her publisher in order to provide an honest review. 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.”

Tessa Afsher is a superb writer and has easily become a favourite!
I love how she just brings the characters and the setting to life! Everything develops organically and the reader feels completely immersed, growing, and learning alongside the characters. That last page is deeply wanted and dreaded.

3.5/5
I've never read a Biblical Fiction book about the lives of Priscilla and Aquila.                        To be honest, I was a little skeptical about reading it because both Bible charcaters didn't seem ''interesting enough'' to read a book about. 

But as always, I was wrong . Even though there were some things I thought a little unnecessary to include, it did spark my interest in that Bible story, and with no doubt, I will go read it as soon as I'm finished with the book. 

At the beginning of the story, we see young Priscila taking bad choices, living in the midst of a corrupt and pagan society that didn't fear God. Tessa did an amazing job painting the scents and scenery in the story, that for a second I thought I was in Rome. The way she described their traditional dishes, the clothing, the ''glory'' of the Roman empire, enveloping you into their culture, making you another character in the story. I loved that. You had a great sense of where you were, and you could picture every place in your brain and walk the path to the synagogue and the main market in a whiff. 

Aquila wasn't my favorite character at first, but as the story progressed he did start to melt my frozen heart. It's not easy to shove everything you were taught to believe in, what the Torah told you, and start walking the path of Jesus in a divided city filled with pagan gods and immorality. Yet he did it. I like the character growth he had throughout the story. It was very inspiring and it made me realize sometimes we too have prejudices and horrible things in our hearts that make us no better than the ''worst'' sinner. 

Ok, the only aspect I was a little *eek* about was the romance. For my taste, it was a little too much. Too graphic? Yet it was YA. I do understand why the author decided to give that aspect more detail than usual, yet I feel I didn't have to actually read that much to understand it. It is pg-13 but I would not recommend for young teens or even adults that prefer to stay away from overly descriptive romance scenes.

But, I also feel that if you want to read the book anyway (because the story itself is gorgeous) you can definitely skip those pages without missing any vital information. I think they are very easy to spot, but if you would like the exact page numbers, let me know and I'll dm you:)

But, yeah, It was a beautiful story. The side characters were also amazing. I loved Mary so much, I wish I would become that wise and loving in my old age.

You could ''feel''  the love of Jesus in those who were his true followers, and it did challenge me to grow in my faith. To be as selfless, caring, loving, and devote as Priscilla. To be honest, wise, thoughtful, and fearful as Mary. And to put God first in everything and every day of my life.

First Initial Thoughts

Priscilla is the daughter of a deceased Roman general. She is now under the care of her brother but her brother does not treat her like a sister in a wealthy home. Recently she has been going to the synagogue and is intrigued by the information she learns about God. There she meets a few people and become fast friends. And through those friends, she meets Aquila. I liked Priscilla but felt that she was holding herself back at first. You could tell that she wanted to do more with her life but let her past decisions hold her back.

Aquila is an older man (in that era 30 is considered old) and owns and operates a leather making business with his uncle, Both of them and their close friends are Christians. Aquila and his friends helped Priscilla learn more about Christ and what he can do for her life. This is also when their relationship started to blossom.

I also noted that just within the first few chapters there are a lot of characters in this book! It was hard to keep up at first but as the story went on it got a little easier placing everyone.

Setting

This book takes you many places from Rome to Corinth and the many neighborhoods within those cites. It was interesting to learn all the neighborhoods in Rome. It was interesting to note that the wealthy neighborhoods were more on the outskirts of town where they could occupy more land. The most impoverished parts which were more towards the inner city (where the colosseum and other major sites are located today).

Final Thoughts

Priscilla and Aquila are actual historical figures in history. Through historical records, we know that they met Paul and helped him escape peril. However, we never really knew their backstory as to how they met, got married, etc. I loved that Tessa covered this part. Half of the book I felt was dedicated to them falling in love and adapting to married life. What I really appreciated Tessa writing is about the daily life of being married. When the “honeymoon phase” is over and daily life kicks in. All married couples go through this phase and sometimes lose sight of taking care of each other during busy and difficult times.

Into the book, Priscilla and Aquila meet and adopt a little boy named Marcus. I absolutely adored him. I felt so sad for him when I learned of his backstory. I even found it more endearing that Priscilla and Aquila wanted to help him heal from his past. No further spoilers!

Tessa spent a lot of time researching this book and including as much accurate information as she could. She did state in the Author note that in the Bible that after some years after Christ died Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews. It is unclear if that meant ALL Jews or non-Roman citizen Jews. So she went with Non-Roman Citizen Jews. Real historical figures were included as well in this story including Senator Pudens, the Emperor, Paul, Rufus, and many more.

What really struck me in this book is the symbolism of forgiveness especially towards woman. I won’t give too much away but I liked that it emphasized that we are more than our transgressions and sins we had in our past. And once we accept Christ in our lives, we are forgiven.

She had been born a daughter of Rome. But she had become the daughter of the Most High God. Now, home was where he led. Home was the arm of her loved ones, the company of her family, and the world that spread before her,desperate to be conquered by Love.

A biblical historical fiction on Priscilla and Aquila of the New Testament. As a couple they led many to Christ and saved the life of Paul. I have to first say that this was well done. It was true to the scriptures and context of Rome and the birth of Christianity. It showed the difficulty of living as a Christian and the faith that it took to be a Christian.

Priscilla is a daughter of a Roman warrior. She has poise but her half brother after the death of her father has oppressed her in many ways. She is left at the mercy of her brother. When she finds herself in "bad" situation, she is without any choice. Her actions bring her to despair and to the Jewish synagogue where she meets Rufus and his wife. Rufus' father was Simon, the man who famously carried the cross of Jesus. It is this friendship that led her to know God and the love of God. In meeting Aquila a practicing Jewish man who has his own insecurities, they fall in love but their love is tested has Aquila has his own prejudices that he must overcome.

Once these prejudices are dealt with and Aquila is freed from them, he loves Priscilla with his heart. She too must be freed from her past to love freely as well. It is this freedom that eventually leads them to Paul and together they find peace in their circumstances.

As you read their account, you too will be challenged in faith and see faith anew. I highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest revie

A well-researched, immersive read about the early church, filled forgiveness and new beginnings.



Priscillia is a Roman citizen, who from outward appearances seems to live a life of ease, but her life is more difficult than it appears, and she harbors a secret that weighs on her soul.



Aquila is a leather worker along his uncle, not always a tradesman he forsook much to follow Christ. Jewish by heritage he is taken with Priscilla and her kindness to others.



A compelling and poignant read, that shows the early church and the lives changed by Christ. I loved how this book did an excellent job of showing how Christianity really shook up the culture, making enemies family in Christ. Well researched, this book skillfully navigates life in Rome and Corinth, and how it may have been experienced differently by different members of society.



I loved how this book shows love in more than just the first blush of romantic love, but also the enduring love, and the love that binds us together in Christ.



This was a very satisfying read, with many threads finding their home throughout. One of my favorite characters was Marcus, who brought spunk, hope, and wisdom along with him. I also loved how Priscilla and Aquila had many true, supportive friends that became family to them, which I strongly related to as I have some Christian friends that are closer than family because of our shared faith. I also loved seeing Theo again, still hoping he'll get his own story--Pretty please? A well layered read, with excellent character development, strong well focused themes of faith that reached deep. Highly recommend!



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

This is the most recent of Tessa Afshar's books, her eight one I believe. She chooses less prominent biblical characters to explore stories of, and this book is written around Aquila and Priscilla, the couple who gave shelter to the Apostle Paul at some point. There is so little known about this couple, thus this book takes great liberties with the story. I enjoyed the story though, imagining what this couples' life may have been like, the fears and trials they may have encountered.

Priscilla is portrayed as a young woman who's father had died, leaving her in the care of her wealthy, though selfish brother who left her to live as a pauper in his illustrious home. She had made friends with Christians Jews and through them met Aquila, who had recently been disinherited by his father because of his belief in Jesus. Her unfailing love and care of those around her -- even those who wished her harm -- is an image of the love of Christ we ought to portray.

I wish we knew more about Aquila and Priscilla--theirs would be a tale to behold. We know that they were Christians, and would possibly have been persecuted in some manner because of it. We know that they were tent makers. And we know that they were friends of Paul the Apostle, who gave them credit for strengthening the Christians around them. They seem to be strong, devout followers of Jesus. We today miss something by the ease of our lives. We don't have to chose life or Christ, we get both.

This book was interesting, as it gave a potential glance into the lives of the early Christians. It is a novel of sterner stuff than most, but remains one just the same. The relationship of Aquila and Priscilla is a dominant theme, with the lessons of love and forgiveness towards everyone to be gleaned around it.



I received a copy of this book from NETGALLEY, and was not required to write a positive review.

Biblical fiction is my most favorite genere ever! I'm so glad I came across these wonderful authors that have the ability to bring these characters to life. I truly appreciate stories like these and I enjoy being transported back to the Biblical times.
Afshar brings us another delightful story about what life might've been like for Pricilla and Aquila who lived in Rome.
Pricilla is a lot like me who wears her heart on her sleeve and has compassion for others. I think this is what I loved best about her. .
Afshar also shows us that God can use anyone to do His work no matter what station you are from life.

This is Priscilla's story told by a master storyteller...Give yourself the gift of savoring this novel. You will not be disappointed. Five stars!

An interesting look at the New Testament story about Priscilla and Aquilla. As with all of Tessa Afshar's book, this one also brings to life the Biblical times in a fresh and unique way. This may be my new favorite by her. I loved it that much.

I forget how much I enjoy Tessa’s writing. She does an amazing job of bringing Biblical characters to life. I have read about Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible and seen other books based on their story but haven’t really paid a lot of attention.
Theirs is a powerful love and story. I loved watching their journey to the cross and getting to know Jesus.
I appreciated the shame Priscilla felt because of her past secret and I loved her friend’s response to it. I have been privileged in my life to have other believers embrace me and see me as the new creation Jesus has created me to be, just like Priscilla.
If you like Biblical fiction you are sure to enjoy Tessa’s newest release.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

The story of Priscilla begins with her in the most unlikely of places. The author starts her life not as an influential member of the early church but as a woman who had made mistakes and was seeking redemption. I loved Priscilla’s character. She was humble, generous and loving.

Tessa Afshar did a great job showing how we can help our brethren in simple ways—even when we ourselves don’t have a lot. She also shows how the things we do for others which we sometimes undervalue can be treasured in the eyes of the ones on whom they were bestowed.

Know God—The relationship between several characters and their Heavenly Father bloomed on the pages of this book. This happened in various ways and over varied periods of time but they all had one thing in common: the study of God’s Word. While many of the characters were unable to study the Word for themselves, they showed up for the teaching and made themselves available to learn from those who had the knowledge to impart.

Know yourself—we spent a lot of time walking around with the main characters Priscilla and Aquila who were like the two opposing facets of human character. One saw themselves as beneath the esteem of others and the other occasionally looked down on the other person for their supposed shortcomings.

Both characters had to come to the realization that who they are according to the standards of the world was not who they were according to their identity in Christ.

Run your race—Priscilla and Aquila had a series of hard things happen in their lives. But, like us, they had to learn that their trials are easier to bear when we rely on God. They also highlighted the lesson that sometimes when we think God has deserted us, that’s when He has drawn closest to us and is directing our path.

I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through JustRead Tours and NetGalley; a positive review was not required.