I read A LOT of Christian fiction and I have to say The Hidden Prince is one of my favorites of 2022! It has everything for a great story, memorable characters, danger, heartbreak, revenge, and love.

The Hidden Prince tells the story of Keren, who becomes a servant in the household of Daniel. She, Daniel, and all their kinsmen are captives in Babylon longing for the freedom to return to their homeland. Keren is allowed the great honor of attending lessons with Daniel's sons and a family friend. A few years later, Keren's jealousy of a beautiful guest in Daniel's home, results in a terrible accident to her best friend, Jared. With Jared's father demanding the right of the Hammurabi Code, Keren is sent in exile to Media. There she is given the task of educating a shepherd boy. Confused as to why a shepherd boy needs to be educated, Keren begins to teach him languages and sword fighting. She later discovers that he is no ordinary shepherd, but the future King Cyrus, being kept safe from those who want him dead. She and Jared's fates are entwined to help keep a hidden prince alive.

I loved the book and read it in one sitting. Any fans of Christian fiction or Biblical fiction will enjoy this book!

After a tragic accident, Keren must flee Babylon to save her life. Her journey takes her to Media where she is tasked with the training of a student who must remain secret. Her new student challenges and amazes her.

Readers will quickly fall in love with Artadates who is charming but also kind. His character shines on the page and you get a glimpse of the man he will grow up to be and will understand why sacrifices will be made on his behalf.

Keren and Jared were both complex characters who had to learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness. Readers will be reminded that God has a plan for our lives and is able to use the worse situations in our lives to give us a future and a hope.

The Hidden Prince is a story of sacrifice, betrayal, and friendship, one that will remind you that God knows the future and is working everything out for your good.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

I cannot recommend THE HIDDEN PRINCE by TESSA AFSHAR highly enough for the gripping story which is filled with biblical truth that leads to the promise of the coming Redeemer. I love the Scripture verses heading up each chapter, many from Proverbs and Jeremiah, and completely in tune with Keren and Jared’s journeys as they work out God’s purpose for them and as He gives them the strength to carry on. Jeremiah 29:11, that speaks of the Lord’s perfect plan for our lives, comes out very strongly.
I love the descriptions of life in Babylon and of Keren living and learning in Daniel’s household, and of her journey to Media where she meets the delightful Artadates, the chief shepherd’s son, who is to play such a big part in her and Jared’s lives……
There is a wicked king, of which it is said, “Unpredictable humans with unlimited power should play no part in any sane person’s life,” which description also fits Jared’s wicked father.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you. I always look forward to this author’s books and The Hidden Prince definitely does not disappoint! This is a novel that I will definitely read more than once!
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Love all things written by Tessa Afshar and The Hidden Prince definitely does not disappoint. Keren is a 14 year old Jewish exile living in Babylon with her family. Unfortunately, her family falls on hard times and Keren is then sold to her rich cousin Daniel. Daniel accepts her into his house and she is trained to be a scribe. As she attends the tablet house school she meets her classmates, Johanan and Jared. As the years pass she grows in love with Jared and becomes Daniel’s most trusted scribe. Things take a turn for the worst when Keren, fueled by jealousy, makes a haphazard mistake that leaves the man she loves marred for life. Keren is forced to leave Babylon and all the things she loves for safety in an unknown land. When she arrives she is tasked with teaching a peculiar shepherd boy all the ways of the royal court. Slowly, as she reads through the scrolls of Isaiah, Keren comes to the realization of the shepherd boy’s true identity and his importance to the Jewish exiles. She realizes that even through all the hard things in her life God has picked her for the special task of becoming a part of the rescue plan for the Jewish nation.

The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from Netgalley.

I am always a bit skeptical to read Christian fiction based directly from Bible stories, as I worry about authors possibly deviating from the text, but Tessa Afshar is a poet with her words! This is not the first book that I have read by the author, and I am constantly surprised by how she weaves these tales.

In “The Hidden Prince”, we follow Keren on a journey from a family whose history is rooted in captivity and poverty to someone of great importance in society. Keren has always been different from other girls her age. Her interests in reading, writing and even a little swordplay stand out.
As she seeks to not be a burden to her poor family, she constantly ponders the Lord’s will for her life. She is encouraged by the man of God, Daniel when she moves to his house for employment. There, she finds a sense of belonging, friendship and family. However, a tragic accident uproots her life and she is forced to flee for the sake of her life, leaving behind her family and – and her heart. In a new land, the task of instructing a young shepherd boy becomes life-altering as the truth of who he really is comes to light.

This book is a refreshing and encouraging read with great character development, a bit of romance, adventure and learning how to trust God and forgive.
Highly recommended read!

Remember King Cyrus? He was the gentile king who allowed the people of Israel to go back to their country and ended their Babylonian exile. He even gave them the sacred vessels that were taken from the first temple and gave them money to rebuild the temple.. Did you read that? He was a gentile king. What made him offer this astonishing decree? Tessa Afshar combines Biblical facts surround by a rich fictional account of Cyrus as a young boy, and how he became the beloved Cyrus the Great.. I was fascinated by this story (as I am with all of Tessa Afshar's books) and I simply couldn't put it down. I'm putting my request in right now for a sequel! You will not be disappointed with Tessa's incredible gift of making scripture come vividly to life.

REVIEW: As I'm not used to reading historical fiction, I was worried that I would find the book slow or boring. However, that was absolutely not the case!
There was very little action, but you could have still appreciated the novel without it. The suspense is palpable, the characters are compelling and beautifully written, however the names can be confusing, just so you know. And because the author's writing was so fluid, I felt a strong connection to the narrative.
I've been missing a lot if every historical novel is like this one.
The religious reference and faith were the only things that were more difficult for me to relate to, yet they worked brilliantly for the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free early reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

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RESEÑA: No estoy acostumbrada a leer novelas históricas y tenía un poco de miedo de que la iba a encontrar lenta o aburrida, pero no ha sido así ¡para nada!
Ha tenido un poquito de acción, pero podías haber amado el libro incluso sin eso. La historia te atrapa, puedes sentir el suspense, los protagonistas son fuertes y muy bien escritos, los nombres son difíciles de seguir, solo por que lo sepáis. Y la pluma de la autora, tan fluida, estaba muy inmersa en la historia.
No sé si todas las novelas históricas son como esta, si es así ¡me he estado perdiendo muchas cosas!
Lo único con lo que más me ha costado empatizar es con las referencias religiosas y la fe, pero ha funcionado perfectamente para el libro.
Gracias a Netgalley y a la editorial por dejarme leerlo a cambio de una honesta reseña.

This is the first book by Tessa Afshar that I have read. She is a truly terrific author and one that I will definitely be recommending this author to those who love a great story with a religious background.

Tessa Afshar really, really outdid herself this time. I was totally engrossed in the story from page one till the end. What an interesting story with a beginning that was absolutely delightful, making me smile and laugh out loud. Such a clever narrative woven from just a few verses from the Bible.

The spiritual element was top notch too, inspiring me to a possible journal entry in my Bible. The characters were well drawn out and the romance so sweet.

Bravo, Ms Afshar. I can’t wait to see how you will top this one.

A really enthusiastic 5 stars from me. Highly recommended! Will look into buying a copy for the church library.

"Let him give you the strength to bear the flames."
An achingly beautiful and moving book.

WHAT I LOVED:
~Dual POV!
~Engaging and quick beginning that kept me educated along the way.
~Sweet and tender romance
~10 chapters in and my heart was already broken
~lovely blend of history, fiction and scripture.
~Touching character development
~Satisfying ending! No cliffhanger ending here.
~God and scripture are very front and center. As a God loving woman myself, I connected with it on a deep level but not all people are like me, so just know that it's there.
~It kept me guessing till the very end. I really didn't know where the plot was going and that was exciting.
~ THIS QUOTE: "Where do you draw the line for God......Even if he does not take away this pain?.......Will you still choose him, even if? Choose him every day?"

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
(These critiques are not deal breakers, but this is me being honest....)
~Keren's chapters were written in the 1st person and Jared's were written in 3rd person. Most people won't care but I found it a bit strange.
~I'm a romance leech, so naturally I wanted more. Just more romancy-like angst in the middle of the book.
~I became annoyed with Jared and Keren at times.
~The ending was a little rushed but not to a huge degree.
~Some of the names were a challenge. I'm positive I ruined most of them.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I loved it. The things I liked far outweighed the small critiques I mentioned. I completely forgot I was reading, and the time flew by. This book may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

I feel so honored that I got to read this thanks to NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Hidden Prince will be released on November 8th 2022. You bet, I'm pre-ordering this one.

Characters - 9
Atmosphere/Setting - 9
Writing Style - 9
Plot - 10
Intrigue - 9
Logic/Relationships - 9
Enjoyment - 10

Total: 65
Divided by 7 = 9.2 ( 5 stars )

1.1-2.2 *
2.3-4.5 **
4.6-6.9 ***
7.0-8.9 ****
9.0-10 *****

Insightful read! The author takes a smaller, more insignificant character from the Bible and weaves a tale! As a reader I was not left bored, as this story keeps moving.

The prophecy about Cyrus freeing the Israelites from Babylon by waging war on the city is the foundation for this plot. The author starts the story from Cyrus as a child. The Lord sends a teacher of sorts, Keren, to school him in language and manners while the authorities are hiding his true identity for the sake of his life.

This story is riveting and you will read this book quickly. Bravo to the author! This book is perfect for a teen reader. I was given a free copy in exchange for this review.

The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar is an amazing historical and biblical fiction that is just stunning in every way. I loved it!

I have now read several books by Ms. Afshar and have loved every one of them…and this is probably one of my favorites.

The setting…Babylon 500s BC…history, suspense, wonderful character cast, romance, faith, optimism…it has it all. I won’t spoil the surprise on who the mysterious young boy mentioned in the summary could be…but let’s just say I was surprised and I learned a lot.

Keren is a wonderful main character and I loved seeing her grow, change, find her place, and stand up to obstacles. The underlying currents of hope, faith, forgiveness, trust, perseverance, sacrifice, promise, and purpose were just wonderful.

The descriptions of the land, customs, events, and people of the time show what a true talent Ms. Afshar has. I highly recommend this book and every book that she has written thus far. I can’t wait for more from her in the future.

5/5 stars

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/8/22.

Oh my gosh❣️❣️❣️❣️

This was my first Tessa Afshar book and I'm wowed at what I've been missing. Tessa's writing is impeccable. The chapters were concise and easy to read. The pacing was perfect. The narrators were brilliant, strong voices you had to listen to. The Characters made the story come alive.

I'm not so much of a fan of historical fiction because of flowery, outlandish description employed by some authors, but Tessa made each scene vivid with simple words.

The story was beautiful, but even more so were the spiritual lessons embedded in it. I learned to love God with a love that endures triumph and tragedy from this book. I also learned to trust God to make beautiful things out of the pain and ugly things we go through.

The romance was pure, beautiful and swoony. I loved how the MCs' love for each other grew and transcended the circumstances around them. I also loved how precocious Cyrus was. In summary, I loved this book and I completely recommend it.

I just finished up the book The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar. As I closed down the Kindle I realized how very sad I was to say good bye to these characters and to watch them disappear across the desert sands and across time. I was left longing for more and sad I didn't get to watch the boy shepherd turn into a king and the Israelites be set free. To watch them all grow and become the people that God called them to be. To watch God take the sacrifices they made and the time they spent and make amazing things out of it. I love how He does this in our lives. Sometimes we live to see it happen and sometimes our children get to see.

In The Hidden Prince, Keren is a servant to Daniel during the Babylonian captivity of Israel. After a fateful accident, she is sent away to protect her from the repercussions. Keren remains a servant but to a new master in a foreign land. She is given the task of teaching a young shepherd boy, but her student is not just an ordinary boy. He has the potential to change the lives of Keren and her people forever.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and was sad for it to end. Tessa Afshar knows how to weave stories full of emotion and suspense, and this book is no different. I was so engrossed in the story that I found it hard to stop and do necessary daily tasks.
I had a little difficulty keeping some of the names straight though. A few started with the letter “J” and several started with an “A” that it got somewhat confusing and pulled me out of the story a little bit. Other than that, The Hidden Prince is thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for an advance reader copy. All opinions in this review are honest and my own.

All I can say is yes! My favorite book of hers ever!
Such an awesome story. Once you open it, it's very hard to put it down.
I loved Cyrus's story! I did learn a lot about him and his family and it was certainly interesting.
The Lord certainly has taught these people lessons on life for sure.
Changes are hard but it's where God puts us at certain times in our lives.
God's blessings through this novel are abundant.
I definitely loved the Bible verses at the beginning of each chapter.
This author has done an amazing job with this story.
My favorite heroine of course is Keren.
My heart went out to her during this book but it does show us that God can work miracles and that we can learn to adapt no matter where we are in our lives.
This book will stay on my keeper shelf for sure.
Thank you Tessa for another wonderful story to make my heart feel full and satisfied.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
5 stars for a job well done!

Tessa Afshar is a great author, and knows how to write a capturing story. I really enjoyed this book, and I loved the realistic feelings the characters had for each other (love and bitterness, instead of the 'only ever true love', etc). The one problem I didn't like was that the main character Keren was taught swordsmanship. What girl in the ancient world (who was a slave, even though a scribe) would be taught this? I am not a historian, but have read extensively and this is a far-fetched idea. But, it is fiction, so if I put that little thought out of my mind, I was able to enjoy the novel.

Tessa Afshar is the master at writing Biblical Fiction and The Hidden Prince is the perfect example. I loved it. Five stars.