This is an incredible biblical novel!

When I read a biblical novel I don’t look for the story to follow the bible perfectly. Instead I look for a well crafted story that could very easily be the way things happened. We are not given complete details in the bible, and if we were why would anyone write biblical fiction.

This author has done a marvelous job of studying scripture and the culture from during the period that Jesus ministered on earth. She has then taken all of the information that she learned and crafted this story to fit the information that is included in the bible.

I love the way that she developed Tasmin, Thomas (her twin brother), and Jude (the brother of Yeshua. I was easily able to understand the doubts and the questions that they were all dealing with as the story progressed.

I am really looking forward to seeing what takes place in the next book in this series. This is one author that I trust to have done an excellent job of preparation before she begins writing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

I'll never read the story of Jesus' first miracle the same way. As a child, I grew up learning about Jesus feeding the 5000 or raising Lazarath from the dead.... his first miracle of turning water into wine was neat, but nothing that made me pause much. If he could raise people from the dead, or heal a child from 20 miles away....what was a beverage miracle compared to that?

However, if you really stop and think (and this is exactly what this novel made me do), what would it have been like to be at that wedding and to be one of the servants who filled those barrels full of wine? What would it have been like to then watch the master drink from it and declare it to be the best of wines? Think on that for a moment. The confusion....the awe....and struggle to reconcile normal reality to what you just witnessed.... the questions....and the ultimate question, 'Who is this man'? 

I really enjoyed this detailed retelling of Jesus' first miracle and the internal struggle that Tasmin faced (and I think most of use would have). This story was well written and thoughtfully told and does this Bible story great service. I would certainly give this book a high recommendation to anyone who enjoys Biblical Fiction. 

Thank-you to Net Galley and Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this book.

The first installment from Angela Elwell Hunt's Jerusalem Road series, Daughter of Cana is exactly what I expect from the author. Thought it was a great read. 
Five stars.

I enjoy Biblical fiction if it's done well and accurate, but I'm always a bit leery of reading someone's ideas about what might have happened to Bible characters. That being said, I have read a couple of Angela Hunt's stories based in Bible times, and liked them, so when I saw Daughter of Cana I decided to give it a try. I found it quite good. 
Tasmin and her twin brother Thomas lived in Cana with their father. Tasmin was in high demand as an organizer of wedding feasts, and Thomas helped her. They did everything together! This wedding, though, was to be a bit different. The groom had many friends who came, including a family group from nearby Nazareth. Tasmin found herself quite frustrated by her brother's distraction. He didn't help her—he spent the entire week of the feast listening to Yeshua talking! Tasmin had to locate the needed supplies herself when they ran short—although somehow Yeshua helped them out when the wine ran out, even if Tasmin couldn't figure out his trick.
During the next few years, Tasmin found herself repeatedly searching for her brother as he followed that Yeshua around. Rumors abounded about the man's activities and his teachings, but Tasmin, and Yeshua's own brother Jude were sure that Yeshua was crazy. They needed to save him—and Thomas—from destruction. Could they do that? And what about the feelings they were starting to have for each other? Could it be that Tasmin did need a man besides her brother in her life, after all?
I found this to be a thought-provoking way of looking at the life of Jesus. This story is told by people who didn't believe that He was anyone special, and they were desperately trying to find explanations for the miracles that Jesus performed. They tried their best to persuade Him to lead a “normal” life. I'll have to admit that Tasmin seemed all too much like me, just wanting everything to stay the same. I really liked the ending. The one thing I wasn't sure about in this book was the mention that Galileans observed a “last supper” the day before the Passover, and then fasted until the Passover meal. I've never heard of a custom like that before, and the author didn't have a note to say if this was a real custom, or if she had made it up.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Classic Angela Hunt..specializing in Biblical Fiction.  This story will move you...and you will remember this book for a very long time.  An excellent read during any Holy Day...or season.  You must experience it.  Five Stars.

In this book, Angela Hunt gives us an interesting look at the life of Jesus through the viewpoint of his earthly half-brothers and sisters.  (We know from scripture that they did not believe that Jesus is the Messiah until after His resurrection, but came to believe in Him afterwards.)  We follow Jesus’s ministry through the three main characters of Jude, the half brother of Jesus; Thomas, one of Jesus’s disciples; and Tasmin, the twin sister of Thomas.  The book opens with the wedding feast in Cana, and follows the story until Christ’s ascension into heaven.

The author was very careful to follow the scriptural account of Jesus’s life.  Through Jude, Tasmin, and Thomas we see how people reacted differently to Jesus: the amazement; the belief; the struggle to reconcile what they were seeing with Jewish tradition; and the skepticism.  

At first, Jude and Tasmin are united in a cause to bring both their brothers back home.  As they themselves follow the journey of Jesus, they find themselves not only drawn to each other, but coming to understand the incredible truth about Jesus. Tasmin’s story is especially heart-touching, as she struggles to find God’s will for her life.

The author’s notes at the end of the book are quite interesting, as she explains how her research and following scripture guided her writing of this book.

Daughter of Cana by Angela Hunt, not the typical Viewpoint on Jesus' life. Told from the point of view of the wedding planner where the water was turned into wine.

I have loved every. single. book. ever. written by Angela Hunt and 'Daughter of Cana' is no exception. She has this incredible way of taking a biblical hero....whether well known or only whispered about...and making them live and breathe. And without fail, as I read her novels, I end up pausing to jot down notes in my Bible of things I hadn't thought of, things I'd learned or things that make the historical person more relatable. 

This time, the story centers around Jude (son of Mary) and Tasmin (twin brother to "Doubting Thomas.') (Which, by the way, it's possible that he actually HAD a twin. Can you even?) Both Tasmin and Jude doubt Jesus' claims, and decide to follow Him to convince Thomas and Mary, respectively, to turn home. The story covers their travels, what they learn, and some pretty awesome conclusions. It is SO GOOD, Y'all. So good! A definite recommend!

Daughter of Cana by Angela Hunt
  Daughter of Cana takes a unique approach to some lesser known Bible characters and fills in the blanks through well-researched speculation.
Tasmin is the daughter of Cana and a Jewish woman who was present at the wedding at Cana where Jesus turned water into wine.  Her brother becomes fascinated by Yeshua bar Joseph and follows him from the wedding to the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Tasmin goes in search of her brother and finds love and the long-awaited Messiah on her journey.
Angela Hunt is one of my favorite authors.  Her work is varied and doesn’t have a consistent, predictable “voice,” which means that her books are unique and fresh.  I enjoyed this one, which is the first one of a series.  
I have read much in the genre of biblical fiction and this book compares favorably with the best authors.  It gives readers an accurate glimpse of life in biblical times.  It also poses answers to the questions of what it would have been like to grow up in same family as Jesus.
Readers who are fans of biblical fiction or Angela Hunt will enjoy this book.  I am grateful to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in return for this, my honest review.

Powerful, insightful and memorable. Angela Hunt has a way with Biblical fiction unlike any other; she truly brings the characters to life in ways that are relatable to modern times. This story takes place during the time of Jesus’s ministry on earth and captures true biblical, historical details while providing thought provoking insights through the lens of fiction. I would recommend this book to any of my friends. The characters are real, raw, and genuine in their journey of faith and I was blessed as a result. 
I received a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

Yet I know that my Redeemer lives and in the end, He will stand on earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, het in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes.

Tasmin and her twin brother Thomas have agreed to feed and cater a wedding feast. It is meeting Yeshua and the miracle that he performed of turning water into wine that Tasmin's life changed. It has always been her brother and father and when Thomas went to follow Yeshua, she knew she had to bring back home. She was not the only one that wanted to bring a brother back home. Jude the brother of Yeshua wanted to bring his older brother home to the responsibilities of their family. In their journey, they hear of the miracles of Yeshua and the hope that is filled with all those that encounter him. When they rescue an abandoned baby boy, Tasmin and Jude become drawn to something greater than rescuing their own brothers.

Tasmin and Jude do not believe that Yeshua is the promised Messiah and in their journey to bring their respective brothers home, they discover the fragility of their own hearts.

Angela Hunt is one my favorite historical biblical authors. She brings the emotions of Jude and having a perfect brother Jesus. Can you imagine. With Tasmin the relationship of her brother was a special bond that she was held captive to. The revelation of who Jesus was to both Tasmin and Jude is a surrender of preconceived ideals and pragmatism. It is easy on this side to see the whole story but the Jewish people had to overcome so much of traditions that they could not see into their own hearts.

Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

First of all, I picked up this book because I loved this author's novelization of Risen.
I hadn't read the whole synopsis, but it sounded like a good story.

Now when I started reading, I soon realized one of the main characters was brother to Jesus. As a Catholic, I don't actually believe Jesus had biologically brothers. But I was willing to see past this and enjoy the story regardless. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the story all that much.

I felt the book lacked depth. About the first half of the book is about the two main characters trying to find Jesus and meeting people along the way relating to them what Jesus has been doing. I had a really hard time getting through this part, because it felt way too slow for me.
I also found the book lacking when it came to character development. I really didn't feel we got to know them really well and I also didn't feel they knew each other all that well either.

Overall, it's not a bad book, but I have read many biblical fiction enjoyed more than this one.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book. It did not affect my review.

Daughter of Cana"
 (Jerusalem Road Book #1)
By
Angela Hunt

Synopsis: Thomas and Tasmin twins, whom were hired to oversee a wedding feast on Cana.  They begin to worry when they ran out of wine, until a guest tells Tasmin to fill the pitchers with water.  She was reluctant but the water did turned to wine.  Are you going to follow Thomas and Tasmin as they follow the Nazarene.

My Thoughts: Angela Hunt wrote another great book.  I have read several of her books and she leaves me amazed.  "Daughter of Cana" is one of her best book I've read.   It is a page turner and I felt like I was there.  This is the first book in a new series and I can't wait to read the next one. If you love a Christian historical period piece, you will need to read "Daughter of Cana" .

Favorite quote:  "I am the light of the world.  The one who follows me will no longer walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".

Rating: I am giving this book a rating of a 5 out of 5.  I will highly recommend this book to family, friends and others

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for a honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are mine.

This is the story of Tasmin, the twin sister of Thomas the Apostle.  When Jesus passes through their neighborhood (attending the wedding where he performed a miracle), Thomas decides to follow him.  Tasmin is not pleased by him leaving all the work to her.  And she doesn’t trust Jesus of Nazareth.  Neither does his brother Jude and so they embark on a journey to try to persuade their brothers to come home. 
 
This story goes all the way to the time of the ascension.  I would recommend this story to anyone who likes Biblical historical.fiction.  Angela Hunt is the best author out there of this genre.  I see by the title that this is the start of a series and I am eagerly awaiting the sequels.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley.  All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Daughter of Cana
by Angela Hunt
Bethany House
 You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 31 Mar 2020   |   Archive Date 31 May 2020

Angela Hunt is one of my favorite Biblical fiction authors.  I loved this book and it is well written. 
I will recommend this to our patrons. Easy read! 
Thanks to Net Galley and Bethany House for my ARC.

This was a very interesting look at what Jesus’ brothers might have thought about Jesus and also the doubt of others who saw what Jesus was doing.

We start with Tasmin and she is very doubtful of who Jesus is. Then we she connects with Jude, one of Jesus’ brothers that doubt is magnified. If his own brother doesn’t believe that Jesus can really do these miracles why would Tasmin?

There was a lot of traveling in this book, but I suppose that might have been true to life back in these times and many dangers that surround foot travel.

I didn’t love this book, but it was good and definitely gave me a new perspective on how Jesus’ family might have reacted to him.

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

This was the first biblical fiction novel I read that took place during the life of Jesus. A fascinating read! I look forward to more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read and enjoyed Angela Hunt's books before and this was no exception. I really enjoy Biblical fiction and this did not disappoint. Everything that came from the Bible and the history of Jesus was accurate and not tampered with. The fiction comes in with Jude and Tasmin, Thomas's twin. Jude is a true person but Tasmin is pure fiction.

This story takes in the years of Jesus' ministry starting with the wedding at Cana and ending with his return to heaven. The story is more about Tasmin and her views on what is happening, along with Jude's views. The story switches between Tasmin narrating and Jude's narration.

The story is well written, the editing was well done. The main characters were very well developed and the story was believable.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 star review.  Five stars are saved for truly exceptional books. Most books are 3 star. I would recommend this book to my friends. https://mybooksiread.blogspot.com/2020/05/daughter-of-cana-by-angela-hunt.html

At a wedding in Cana, Tasmin oversees the week-long feast, with the help of her twin brother Thomas. But Thomas becomes more interested in what a guest from Nazareth has to say than helping his sister. Then that guest appears to turn water into wine, though Tasmin isn't convinced. And neither is the guest's brother Jude. After the wedding, Thomas goes with the Nazarene to Capernaum, and both Tasmin and Jude follow, each determined to retrieve their wayward brothers. But it turns out the task is not so easy, and Tasmin's and Jude's lives are upset as they try to balance their own lives with still making their brothers see sense--and hope to prove that the Nazarene is not who he claims to be.

This was an interesting take on the ministry of Jesus (referred to by his Hebrew name, Yeshua, in this book) from the perspective of one of his half-brothers, who did not believe he was the Christ during his ministry on earth, and the perspective of a sister to one of the apostles. As Jesus himself put it, no man is a prophet in his own hometown, and that principle applies in some way to both of the main characters (in their view of Yeshua). Most of Jesus's works are seen from a distance, and I expected that to become tedious, but I appreciated the way the miracles were told by those benefited by the miracles or even bystanders.

I was a little concerned early on, as it seemed Yeshua was being portrayed as lazy and even slightly belligerent to his parents, slacking off while his brothers did all the work, even before his ministry started. I came to see that as the perspective of a frustrated, even jealous, brother, though. There was also one point where Jude talked to his brother in private, and I mentally winced in anticipation of the words the author might choose to put in Jesus's mouth. Fiction or not, that strikes me as an unwise thing to do. However, his dialog was still right out of scripture. Granted, he obviously said those things to a larger crowd in the Bible, but there is evidence Jesus repeated some parts of his sermons anyway. It was a good decision on the author's part, I feel.

While Tasmin and Jude spent most of the book with little in the way of their own story, and even of their own personalities, they grew enough later in the book that I still felt some connection to them. The best thing about the book, for me, was that it gave me the ability to feel like I was there, back in Jesus's day, hearing him speak, seeing him myself, even if from a distance much of the time. There were Hebrew words and phrases sprinkled here and there, and the meaning wasn't always clear to me. I didn't quite see the reason for most of that, but that's a small down-side to an otherwise lovely book. I would recommend it to fans of Biblical fiction.

The Daughter of Cana is book one in the Jerusalem Road series by Angela Hunt. This is such a good book. It is so well written I had to keep reminding myself it was a fictional writing based on Biblical facts.

The story starts in 27 A.D. with Thomas and his twin sister, Tasmin, being hired to do a wedding in Cana. More guests arrive at the wedding than planned for. Some of them are Mary of Nazareth and her family. Her oldest son, Yeshua (Jesus) is there and several men join him and follow him through his next three years. Thomas is one of these men.

Through the story we see what it might have been for those who knew Yeshua and his disciples' families. We see the struggles the carpenter's family went through without having him there to do the intricate work only he is skilled with. We see Thomas' family struggle to keep up with the fruit trees, especially when his father can no longer tend to them. We also see how the people of the time do not understand what Yeshua is saying.

I especially appreciate the question and answer part after the story, where the author points out the extensive research she has done to give as accurate accounting as possible. She gives bible verses that she used for naming characters. I would highly recommend this story for anyone who enjoys reading Biblical Fiction.

I received an e book copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.