This book takes place 20 years after The Hidden Prince, as Cyrus becomes king and has to fight the Medes. It was great to see characters from that book and how they have grown and matured as well as new characters Jemna and Asher. I thoroughly enjoyed the story as I do all of Tessa's books. She really brings biblical times to life and makes me feel like I can enter into the story. I love the faith element and how different characters' faith struggles are portrayed as well as seeing the characters get closer to God through their experiences. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

What a spectacular story, so beautifully written. Tessa Ashfar is a master at bringing Biblical stories vividly to life. The Peasant King could be read as a stand alone but is an enjoyable follow up to the history of king Cyrus told in The Hidden Prince. One of the best parts of well written Biblical fiction is the insight given to geography, history, culture, and customs of the Biblical account. The Peasant King has all of that plus plenty of excitement, intrigue, faith struggles, and Old Testament prophecy woven together highlighting the sovereignty and faithfulness of God and His redemptive plan. Excellent book that captivated me from the first page to the last.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House publishers for the opportunity to read for honest review.

The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar is the stand-alone sequel to The Hidden Prince.

This book. These books. I fell in love with this author’s writing from the first book I read of hers … and each one since!

As much as The Peasant King is a stand-alone, you’ll want to read The Hidden Prince first. Reading them together makes the whole experience deeper (and helps avoid spoilers). Plus they’re both amazing reads.

Specifically about The Peasant King … it had the most delightful blend of history set in Biblical times, romance, and suspense. My favorite mix of genres. The characters were so real on the page. I looked forward to the opportunity to pick up the book every chance I could. As for the inspirational side of this story, there were several quotes I want frame, they were so touching.

I cannot recommend these two books enough. If you love fiction that wraps you up in another world, definitely grab a copy of The Peasant King.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book.
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

What an incredible book! Tessa Afshar does a fantastic job of world building and her characters could be your friends. What I love about her stories is that they lead you to Scripture. I enjoyed the adventure and the romance and the history. Highly recommend!!

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

The story of Cyrus (the Hidden Prince) continues in this second book by Tessa Afshar. Keren is now the chief scribe for the king of the Persians. The Medes are relentless in their assaults on the small kingdom. Yet, the Jewish captives in service to Cyrus know that God has prophesied victory for their leader and plans to use him to send them back to Jerusalem. The female characters in this book --Keren and her daughters--are warriors and faithful to God's calling. Daniel is in Babylon and a key player in encouraging the Jews and a newly discovered Jewish arms manufacturer in their quest to prevail over the Medes. Each chapter begins with a relevant scripture passage. An read that reminds us all of the intricate tapestry our Creator weaves in carrying out His plans for His people.

Thank you to Tyndale House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar twice, back-to-back, before writing down these thoughts. During the first reading, I eagerly flipped pages to find out what would happen and how things would conclude. The second time around, I read slowly and picked up more of the humor, cleverness, wisdom, and themes. The wonderfully unpredictable plot held my attention both times around.

Tessa Afshar’s novels always contain spiritual truths to encourage the reader, and The Peasant King followed suit. The idea of “ordinary v. extraordinary” shaped Jemmah and emerged as a story theme. As the back cover copy tells us, “Jemmah has always thought of herself as perfectly ordinary . . . until she faces extraordinary circumstances.” When the ordinary is insufficient in the story (and in real life), then the extraordinary (miraculous) is possible if a Believer follows God. It’s a message of hope for those who feel insufficient or ordinary. In the words of Jemmah, a “lowly profession can hide an exalted ability.”

The well-rounded characters in The Peasant King felt like real people (some side characters were historical figures). Jemmah’s normalcy (sense of being ordinary) and journey to healing (from childhood trauma) made her relatable and provided room for growth. She was my favorite character in The Peasant King, but I loved seeing an older Karen from The Hidden Prince and wished for Zarina to get her own story.

Reading The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar made me want to reread Karen and Jared’s story in The Hidden Prince. Though the novels have strong connections, both read well as stand-alones. I thoroughly enjoyed The Peasant King and I recommend this book to Christian fiction readers who enjoy adventurous stories with dynamic characters, strong spiritual messages, and beautiful writing. Five stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Rating. 4 Stars!
After I read The Hidden Prince, I couldn’t wait to read the next book in the series.
I loved seeing the characters from the first book again and I also liked getting introduced to new characters and new adventures.
I loved Asher’s character so much! His story was unique, and I liked that. I liked Jemmah too although I didn’t connect with her character as much. The other characters in the book were delightful as well.

I feel like the relationship between Jemmah and Asher progressed a bit too quickly. In my opinion, they trusted each other a bit too easily and developed deep feelings a bit too fast. However, I loved reading about their love story and how they grew close to one another. I only wish things went a little slower in their relationship and their feelings.

I was also hoping that Asher’s relationship with his father would be explored more than it was. I would have loved to read more about their past. Nevertheless, I loved reading this book. It was fun, enjoyable and really interesting. Tessa Afshar put a lot of work into this, I cannot imagine the research and hard work that went into this. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

This book is rich in historical detail and abounding in adventure and romance. The main characters of this story help bring about the prophecy of Jeremiah and Isaiah concerning King Cyrus of Persia. I really enjoyed it and felt like I was there with Jemmah, Asher and the family helping to defeat Astyages.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.

Tessa Afshar is a talented author known for her historical and Biblical fiction novels. Her stories combine rich storytelling with spiritual and moral themes, making them appealing to a wide range of readers. This book book was all that and more.

The Peasant King combines romance, history, and a Biblical story in a fast action packed novel. I loved the way action, humour, romance and Biblical truth are woven together without feeling overdone or preachy.

Jemmah and Asher, the main characters of the story find themselves in many perilous situations as time again God's unending love and faithfulness is shown to them. The characters are well developed, memorable and personable. This book was a good reminder of what God accomplishes in the lives and through the lives of ordinary people who trust in Him.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone, especially those who enjoy historical fiction. Thank you NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for an advance copy of this book.

Tessa Afshar never disappoints! She always offers captivating stories woven with historical accuracy and embellished with luxurious details that demonstrate her understanding of the culture. The Peasant King is the sequel to The Hidden Prince, a gem full of history, prophecy, and faith.

I was immediately drawn to Jemmah simply because she was the daughter of beloved characters from the previous book. But she quickly won me over with her bravery and intelligence. Asher is a wonderfully complex character. I love that he isn't afraid to look foolish to keep up his ruse. Afshar knows how to inject just the right amount into tense situations.

My favorite thing about all Afshar's books is the way you see God's hand guiding the characters even through the most difficult circumstances.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts expressed are strictly my own.*

Captivating and beautiful read!
I have read and loved all of Tessa's books! How can they possibly get any better?
Starting with the Hidden Prince and now the Peasant King, Tessa has reached a new level.
The Peasant King has an intriguing plot full of suspense, hope, humor, adventure, romance and family trauma. The characters are flawed but grow and are relatable.
The historical aspect is believable and gives a whole new perspective on biblical prophecy that is woven throughout and how it may have come to fruition.
This book is not only for those whose genre is biblical fiction but for anyone who loves beautiful descriptive writing about culture, and it's surroundings, character development and edge of your seat twists and turns.,
I devoured this book, staying up,late and am still thinking about it and the implications in our lives. A MUST read!
I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and also bought the book. 😉

After reading The Hidden Prince last month I was so excited to have the opportunity to read the next installment ahead of publication. Though The Peasant King can be read as a stand-alone novel, the reading experience is greatly enhanced if you’ve read The Hidden Prince.

Once again, I was swept into a captivating historical romance set in the time of Israel’s exile. Characters from The Hidden Prince are back on the scene along with new characters to root for in this action packed tale. Afshar’s writing is beautiful and points to Scripture throughout.

Read if you enjoy:
•Stories set in biblical times
•historical fiction
•clean historical romance
•Christian fiction

I can’t wait to see what Tessa Afshar writes next and I definitely will continue to read her backlist books.

Thank you, Tyndale House for an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Biblical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and The Peasant King did not disappoint. This book follows Tessa Afshar's book, The Hidden Prince. Readers see some of the characters from that book, but The Peasant King is easily read as a stand-alone story. Afshar is an expert storyteller and has woven a wonderful tale surrounding the reign of the Medo-Persian king, Cyrus, and his role in the lives of the Israelites during their captivity. In this fictional account, the author has magically infused the pages with drama, adventure, action, spiritual truths, and romance to create a remarkable story. The colorful, compelling characters are well-developed and realistically portrayed. The author brings readers a thoroughly captivating read with descriptive prose that makes the reader feel like you are right in the scenes and dialogue that flows seamlessly without sounding forced. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will not want to miss this one. It will hold the reader spellbound and wanting more.
I received and read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Okay, folks, I loved this story! More than once, I found myself on the edge of my seat, questioning what would happen next, wondering how the characters would escape the dangerous situations they faced, and watching as love unfolded in the most unlikely places. ⁣
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You’ll have to read it to find out what I mean. 😉 ⁣
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🔸Gripping adventure and perilous danger⁣
🔸Clean historical romance set in biblical times⁣
🔸Strong women characters ⁣
🔸Discussion questions included for book groups!

Anyone who loves historical fiction would love this book! This book brings to life an account that has been read many times in the Bible, we can only speculate all the "life" that occurred in-between the verses of the Bible and this book helps us do just that. The characters all have personalities with aspects that touched on my heart and emotions. Each character's growth, through the different journeys they go through, can also cause growth in each of the readers lives, too. My favorite character is hard to choose, but it was nice to see Keren again, since I had met her before in a previous book of Tessa's. The ultimate journey of each character was in God's hands, even if they couldn't see His Providence, He was always there. A peasant king rises up from strange encounters and situations. I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. #thepeasantkingbook @tessaafshar

Yet another wonderful masterpiece from Tessa Afshar. The storyline, development of characters, elements of the Judeo-Christian faith, suspense and richness were just what I expected (and hoped for). This was a great story that takes place in Persia during the Babylonian Captivity. Both the women and men in the story were strong characters with vices and history to work through for the Glory of God. What a great read!

I loved learning more about Cyrus and the prophecies surrounding him. The history in that part of the world is fascinating. It was interesting to learn more about it. She brings the story alive with interesting characters. I've read many of Tessa Afshar's books. It's evident that she does a lot of research for each of them.

The Peasant King takes place several decades after King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. We follow Jemmah and Asher's story as they go on dangerous missions and make perilous journeys to survive and protect the ones they care for. Interwoven in their story is King Cyrus's as he rises to power against all odds.

While this book is a stand alone novel, I wish I had reread The Hidden Prince beforehand to reacquaint myself with some of the characters and their backstory. The author does a good job of recapping any necessary information from the previous story though.

In this book I particularly enjoyed the Scriptures at the beginning of each chapter, the adventures, and the humor in this novel. The witty banter made it an especially fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. I received a free ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Read this book when you don't have to go to work the next day -- it's a page turner!

Afshar develops multiple and varied interesting characters in this story--and then the action takes off and doesn't stop.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twists and turns and couldn't put it down. Written with strong yet positive female characters as well as manly male characters, I know my daughter and her college friends will love this book.

My favorite character was Asher; so well described I couldn't help but root for him while totally empathizing about the difficult decisions he's called to make.

I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, and I'm thrilled to have gotten an early sneak peek at this well-written story.

“The Peasant King” by Tessa Afshar (one of my favorite authors) combines romance, history and Biblical truth in an action-packed fictional story. Featuring characters that range from Cyrus, King of Persia, to a young “ordinary” girl named Jemmah, the world of the 500 B.C.’s comes alive. (I hadn’t realized that this book is the sequel to “The Hidden Prince”, and I look forward to reading that book, but “The Peasant King” stands alone very well.)

“The Peasant King” takes place in the beginnings of the Persian Empire, in a world dominated by Media and Babylon. It’s very interesting to read a historical fiction book that features God’s plan for the world and His hand in history. Cyrus the Great is portrayed as a very intelligent leader, chosen by God to free His people from evil. . Jemmah, and her Jewish family and new friend Asher are called to aid Cyrus when Media’s King attacks Persia.

I enjoyed the battle, action, seeing how God’s plans unfolded, and the tender and sweet romance between Asher and Jemmah. The author is excellent at sharing both the joys and heartaches of awakening love. Author Afshar is also excellent about describing the daily life and culture of the times with vivid word pictures of food, clothing, architecture, and social events. “The Peasant King is an exciting and entertaining read, with pearls of Truth. Highly recommend.

And remember, listen to the quiet voice of God!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.