I don’t even know what to say honestly. Tessa Afshar’s novels do not disappoint. I love the way action, humor, and deep Biblical truth are always so deftly woven into her stories. It was good to revisit some of the characters from The Hidden Prince and the get to know the new ones. The banter was especially fun and I found myself chuckling out loud a few times. I also had to stop and google some of the historical details because the settings were so intriguing. And although Jewel of the Nile is my favorite of Tessa’s, I really enjoyed this book. Although I pre-ordered this paperback, I am gladly sharing my honest review after receiving an early ARC copy.

The Peasant King was a great read. The banter was light, funny and interesting keeping you hooked. The verses and faith elements were well inserted. There were so many verses that were aptly used and which acts as reminders to readers even as we read the story.

I felt that the story was fast paced, there could have been more development of characters and their interactions nevertheless the author didn't miss any detail.

I wish I had a physical book to make a ton of annotations ✨ overall, a great read!!

Anyways, here are my 4 shining stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for the arc. The review is my honest opinion.

This was a captivating look at the time of Cyrus, Daniel, and the Persians. And it's so humbling to think of each little thing-each circumstance, each person-that God uses to fulfill His plans. I never before realized how many little things it took for Cyrus to become the Median king, and I literally had chills at the end.

It's always fascinating to imagine the what-ifs in history. What if the king had a son he refused to recognize? What if that son helped his [many] enemies? What if Cyrus had a chief scribe who was a woman? What if, what if, what if... This book addresses these things and more. It really is quite intriguing to imagine it all. And with Tessa Afshar's writing, you can easily imagine everything happening around you: the fighting, the questionable rescue, the flight through the mountains. All of it.

The one thing that didn't quite make sense to me, and I could be imagining it all wrong, is that Jemmah couldn't be in an enclosed place without passing out, but she could hide somewhere (no spoilers) without issue.

I really liked this continuation of Cyrus' story.

Man, what a story! The Peasant King leaps into action early on and doesn’t let up until the last pages. I love a good quest/road trip story, but you don’t always see that kind of thing in Biblical Fiction, so I really enjoyed that aspect of this book. There were so many twists and turns along the journey! Just when I thought the action was done and the mission complete, something would happen that would up the stakes even more.

But this book certainly had far more to it than just action and adventure. Tessa’s characters always shine! They feel so relatable despite the fact that they “lived” thousands of years ago. The wit and humor she weaves into her stories always makes me smile and even laugh out loud. The banter between Jemma and Asher in this one was especially fun!

Speaking of Asher… From the moment he stepped onto the page and opened his mouth, I said, “I like this guy.” He was so witty and funny, while also being totally swoon-worthy. His romance with Jemma was the sweetest and I could not wait for them to finally admit their feelings for one another! I also loved the fact that he is slightly shorter than her, because that’s not something you typically see in fiction. Jemma, too, was a lovable character. I loved that she was strong but still soft, and how she pushed herself to do brave things in spite of her fear. The fact that she’s standing in a cave on the cover… Oh, my goodness!! It means so much more now that I’ve read the book.

As always, Tessa grabs your heart with her charming characters and interesting plot, then gets you with the profound, spiritual meat of the story. I bookmarked so many quotes in this one! There were just so many beautiful nuggets of truth. And that final climax! Wow… To see how God worked in favor of a Persian king and performed many miracles, all so He could set the stage for His people’s freedom and thus, the Messiah’s birth. Absolutely mind-blowing and beautiful! Sometimes history really is stranger than fiction.

5/5 Stars!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!**

This is a great book by Tessa Afshar. She combines just the right amount of excitement, intrigue, and spiritual insights. This can be read as a stand-alone book, but it was nice to see some characters overlap from her previous books. I really appreciated the little spiritual tidbits and wonderful quotes from the book. We can see how God works through so many people, regardless of their rank, status, or religion. Its really beautifully to see the characters grow and find God through their experiences. I recommend this book to all historical novel lovers!
I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Straight from page 1, The Peasant King is action packed, driven by political intrigue, full of hope, and characters you want to root for! Tessa never fails to write a beautiful and encouraging message wrapped up in an engaging story!

The Hidden Prince (the original story of Keren, Jared & Cyrus) is my favorite read of 2023 (I've already reread it) and I was so excited to continue their story through their daughter, Jemmah. It is not necessary to read THP, but it definitely provides backstory and extra context into the relationship dynamics between many of the characters and the political conflict. I immediately loved Jemmah, as she is kind, brave, clever, but also struggles with debilitatingly anxiety due to a traumatic childhood event. Although she could have walked away from her faith, it made her stronger. Asher, our main man, is also burdened by his past and I really enjoyed watching him lower his guard with Jemmah and learn to trust. I also enjoyed watching Cyrus' rule as a king, compared to his childhood in THP, and him learning his role of fulfilling God's prophecies. And of course, seeing Keren and Jared again (now married and parents) was so sweet!! I would have liked an epilogue to feel a satisfactory conclusion with all of the characters, but I liked how it ended nonetheless :)

I pulled so many beautiful quotes, but here are a few of my favorites:

"Perhaps it is not how high your position or how great your influence,” Jemmah said slowly. “Perhaps what matters is whether you are a perfect fit in God’s plan. A lowly profession can hide an exalted ability.”

“Somehow all of you occupied that darkness with me. Without judgement. Without derision. You made me feel safe where I have never felt safe.”

"One thing I have seen with my own eyes over the past few months is the sheer complexity of God’s plans on this earth. His majesty at work as he weaves a thousand different strands together. Each one of us was a tiny strand in his hands. Insignificant in ourselves. And yet he used the insignificant in order to bring about his glory.”

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This incredible sequel to “The Hidden Prince” continues the portrayal of Cyrus the Great’s rise to power through the eyes of Jemmah, the daughter of Keren and Jared from “The Hidden Prince”, and Asher, the unrecognized and illegitimate son of the evil Median king, Astyages. The story is fraught with danger as the key characters face one obstacle after another, as time and again God’s unending faithfulness is shown to those He loves, even when they doubt His faithfulness or are overcome by fear.

One of the prevailing themes of this novel is how God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways, and how His will always prevails:

“None of us can even begin to estimate the threads of God at work in history throughout generations. Our minds cannot fathom the intricacy of his design. And yet he chooses to include us in his plans. Use us. Often in tiny intangible ways that we shall never comprehend.”

“Each one of us was a tiny strand in his hands. Insignificant in ourselves. And yet he used the insignificant in order to bring about his glory.”

Isn’t it humbling to be aware of how important we are to God’s Kingdom?

Our God is truly a God of miracles, and this inspiring true story of how a Gentile who didn’t even know God was used by God in incredible, miraculous ways, is one that will stay with me for a long time to come.

The Peasant King follows the storyline of Jemmah and Asher during the time of King Cyrus. Keren, Jemmah’s mother, and the King’s scribe is kidnapped during a task in the war taking place, Jemmah and her sister must go to rescue her from the prison in which she’s being held. Through the ups and downs, dangers, and hardships they face they must rely on the skills of the stranger they freed when rescuing their mother: A prince named Asher. I loved the plot and how the story progressed as well as the great characters and their development. The faith content was great, and each chapter started with a Bible verse. Despite the hardships and challenges the characters face, there are some fun moments and great commentary I loved especially from Zarina, Jemmah’s adopted sister, and Asher.

I overall enjoyed the story and I love being able to see an author take Biblical accounts and incorporate their interpretations but I’m also very particular with Christian Historical Fiction and always turn to my Bible while reading a story like this. I was confused about 60% by mentioning Daniel and his wife, Mahlah. I have not read The Hidden Prince, but I've gathered that it also mentions Daniel having sons. When reading Scripture, there is no indication of Daniel being married or having sons. My personal interpretation of Daniel was that he was a Eunuch through various Scripture examples, accounts, and context. The author kindly responded to my questions and has a different view on Daniel and believes in certain details that aren’t directly mentioned in the Bible. I’m in no way saying anyone is right or wrong, rather, as Christians we should use discernment and always turn to the Bible and God first in all we do even when reading Biblical fiction to ensure we are following God, not me a woman who likes to read or an author who writes in the Christian fiction genre.

My favorite blurb from the book: "Our aching hearts always long for the at once answers of God. We want the pain gone all at once. We want to have relief, at once. Instead, God chooses a little by little answer." "You think God has not healed you. I see differently. Every year, you take a little step closer to healing. A little more understanding. A little more patience for yourself. A little more trust in God. Little by little, my girl. God's healing for you is coming in the little by littles of grace."


Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tessa Afshar writes outstanding Biblical fiction. I’ve read or listened to several of her books and they are all outstanding, 5 stars. She researches her topic well and has a vast knowledge of the Bible. One of the many things I liked about this book is that she had a pertinent Bible verse at the beginning of each chapter. This book is a continuation of the story in the Hidden Prince. However, you can read this as a stand alone.

This book was quite exciting and intense from the beginning. We see the Prophet Daniel, King Cyrus and his Immortals in here. As always I learned quite a bit. For example, the Immortals were an elite fighting group for King Cyrus. Many of the characters throughout the book try to tell King Cyrus that though he was a Gentile, God had decided to use him in a mighty way despite his low odds for victory.

Jemmah is one of the main characters. She has always considered others to be of much more value than her. I loved how God grew her faith into a more mature faith like her parents. Asher is another main character, he builds and designs superior weapons. Without giving too much away, this story illustrates how God works out every detail in the prophecy about King Cyrus.

After I finish a book by Tessa Afshar, I find I understand the Bible better and verses become more clear to me. The characters are well developed, memorable and personable. The story is fast paced. It’s easy to develop pictures in your mind due to the outstanding descriptions, for example of the jail cell or a battle. There are even several humorous moments. I highly recommend this and all books by Tessa Afshar.

I would like to thank the author and her invaluable assistant for graciously providing me with an ARC to review. It was an honor. My review is unbiased and my own opinion. I enjoyed this book so much, I’m adding the audible version to my library when it is released.

Can I give 6 stars??? That's how good this book was. I LOVED the MC. She was just the right mix of brave without becoming foolish or ridiculous in her efforts. She was unassuming, humble, kind and displayed encouraging obedience to God in the little things that had HUGE results.

This book overall was a great reminder of what God accomplishes in the lives and through the lives of people who simply obey and trust the Father :)

Other highlights:
- The romance was a clean slow burn that was delightful without being lustful at all
- The connection to the Hidden Prince (which is a Christy award nominated book) gave me all the good feels!
- The subplot with the MC's family and her sister's growth is incredible (I may or may not have shed a tear)

I could go on and on, but really GO READ THIS BOOK!

"The Peasant King" is biblical fiction set in the 8th year of Cyrus' reign over the Persians and is set in Persia, Media, and Babylon. It follows the events in "The Hidden Prince" but works as a standalone and doesn't spoil that book. There's suspense as they faced danger from traveling in hard terrain during bad weather, from a bunch of bad guys who want to harm them, and from war. Cyrus has skilled and loyal soldiers, but he's not rich enough to supply his army with good weapons and armor. When Jemmah travels to free her mother from the Medes, God leads them to help a skilled weapons-maker with a grudge against Cyrus' enemies. Asher wants his weapons to go to someone who'll win, though, not to mention someone who can pay.

Asher was never acknowledged by his royal father, and his mother remained a slave in a nomadic tribe. Though free, he never belonged. He's drawn to Jemmah's willingness to face fear and discomfort for those she loves. Asher helped Jemmah face a traumatic fear from her past and made her feel appreciated, and she helped him open up to love and faith. They worked well together.

Jemmah's learned through hard experience that God is in control even when it doesn't look like it. She can see God's hand in their encounter with Asher, but his heart must change to one of faith if he's ever going to help them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical novel.

Another wonderful Biblical fiction novel by Tessa Afshar! This one follows her prior novel The Hidden Prince. If you haven't read that book, you won't be lost as this story stands alone, but this is somewhat of a continuation of that story a couple decades later. While this one had some politics and specifics of war, which made it not my favorite of hers, the details didn't get too bogged down and were essential to the plot, so it was still thoroughly enjoyable. This book takes place during the Israelites' captivity in Babylon and speaks to the rising of Cyrus as the King of the Medo-Persian empire (hence the politics and war). The thing I like most about Biblical historical fiction is learning more about the culture when the familiar Bible stories happened as my 21st century western worldview is about as far removed from the original audience can get. Afshar always does a wonderful job of bringing the times to life for me!

I really enjoyed the story line and the character development in this book. The main characters, Jemmah and Asher, had me laughing out loud at various points with their banter and antics. But the book also had me in tears in places. The characters in this novel were well fleshed out and likable. Jemmah may be one of my favorite all-time characters. They grew throughout the story as well. Fans of The Hidden Prince will be glad to catch up with Karen, Jared and Cyrus again, though they are more background characters in this one. The romance was sweet in this one and there was a good amount of action to keep the story moving along. The over-arching theme of this book was the miracles of God. The awe-inspiring number of details and people that have to be in place for one thing to happen is astounding. I really enjoyed not only that message, but how the characters came to realize it and conveyed it. All in all, this was a wonderful Biblical historical fiction novel and one I'd heartily recommend! Special thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Tessa is an incredibly talented author. She paints her setting vividly and brings the bible to life.
I loved this book immediately. Adventure, romance, lively characters, and faith content were all masterfully woven together to create this beautiful novel. It is intriguing and suspenseful and pulled me into the story immediately. I loved watching Jemmah and Asher fall for eachother. Their sarcastic banter was hilarious. The side characters were great as well!
There was enough action to keep me hooked throughout the whole book.
The Peasant King can be read as a stand alone, but now I want to go read the first book, The Hidden Prince.
Afshar did an amazing job on this one!
.
.
.
*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.*

The combination of biblical history and a war and romance makes for a very compelling story. The story line is engaging and kept me reading longer that I should have at times.

The Peasant King
Tessa Afshar
Nov. 7, 2023
Tyndale
* biblical fiction
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I always enjoy reading Afshar’s books and this is no exception. This is the reimagined story of Jemmah and Asher during the Persian rule of Cyrus the great. The writing is absorbing and pulls the reader in from beginning to end,
4 stars

The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar was simply amazing! Every page captured ancient Persia.

I just love the main characters. Asher was guarded; he had endured a horrible life at the hands of his father, and his vow for revenge ran deep. But for him to cross paths with Jemmah, whose brush with death and darkness didn’t make her bitter, helped him return to the faith his mother instilled in him when he was a child.

I love that the author didn’t shy away from the depth of pain behind Asher and Jemmah’s history, and shall I say present, concerning how he was treated in the palace prison.


The secondary characters also held their own. I could have glimpsed over how integral king Cyrus was to the Judeans. But his storyline was done well, and the conversation that he had with Jared was the stuff Christian stories are made of–or at least should be made of. Perfectly done.

The verse chapter headings were a nice touch as well. What a colorful history lesson for a story that needed to be told!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

My first book read of Tessa Afshar's and I'll be going back for more of her literary work! I was quickly drawn into the adventure, romance and faith of this vivid historical fiction. The messages it portrayed were redemptive, while combining history with creative fiction. A fine impressive work indeed!

Tessa Afshar is one of my favorite Christian authors. Her amazing Biblical romances are breathtaking and capture me from page one until the end. Such is the case again with The Peasant King. Tessa takes us deep into the Old Testament on a journey behind the scenes of King Cyrus’ campaigns and ultimate reign. Jemmah, the daughter of Keren, the chief scribe for Cyrus, has to go rescue her mother from the enemy King Astyages. During the journey, she meets Asher, the hated bastard son of King Astyages. Asher had been sharing a jail cell with Keren and soon guided them as they escaped through the mountains. Through amazing twists and turns, disguises, battles, stunning grandeur, and even an opportunity to meet Daniel (yes that one) and some swoony kisses, the story rushes us through a wild time and place that brings the Old Testament into three-dimensional reality.

Tessa builds a beautiful romance between Jemmah and Asher despite the terrible obstacles thrown in their path. Her stories are filled with encouragement and guidance from scripture and the people of centuries ago feel like they could be our next-door neighbors. Her books really do make the bible alive and fresh for today’s eyes.

I was given an advance reader copy and I am giving my opinion voluntarily

First of All, Thank You netgalley for the ARC granted to me. The book fits as a sequel from "The hidden Prince", altough it can be read as a standalone, and I loved as much as I did for the frist one. The new characters were a good addition to the previusly know by the other title. And again The author could show all her talent to mix of reality and fiction. Well done!

From the quiver of greatness, this 5+ star book emerges as an unmistakable treasure. You must read The Peasant King. Set your sights on the rich tapestry of Persia, Media, Babylon, and Judea and embrace a journey of discovering stories of strength, surrender, resilience, and purpose.

Within moments of opening this book, I was swept away by a narrative so gripping that the world around me faded, characters who became cherished companions, settings so alive they wrapped me in their embrace, and the omnipotent hand of God guiding every step left me in sheer wonder.

Bestselling author, award winning, and award finalist many times over, Tessa Afshar, has made it known that through her writing her desire is to help readers internalize the following truths: You are precious. You are worthy of unfailing love. You are cherished. Your life has a firm purpose. Jesus is lovingly pursuing you. He has chosen you. Once again, she beautifully fulfilled that desire! Afshar wraps us with a narrative that seamlessly melds amazing walks of faith, the intricate weave of family bonds, the radiant beauty of friendships, unswerving and resolute bravery and courage, and the tender, heartwarming, yet witty, romance!

Wanting to have the skill of an archer aiming for perfection, I hope I am aptly communicating the sheer delight, deep satisfaction, and amazing inspiration The Peasant King flawlessly delivers.

This book’s influence has woven an exceptionally meaningful thread into the tapestry of my heart. When you read it, I hope you experience the same!

I received an eARC of The Peasant King from NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. I am neither obligated to write a positive review nor compensated for doing so. These words truly convey my assessment and authentic sentiments toward this truly captivating and heartwarming novel.

Since I must wait for "30-day before release date" to post my review everywhere, I will return to this feedback/review to include the multitude of links (Amazon, BookBub, BAM, Barnes & Noble, christianbook.com, goodreads, my book review blog, instagram, etc.) to view my review online.