Saturday, April 26, 2014

REVIEW: Rachel by Jill Eileen Smith

Title: Rachel
Series: Wives of the Patriarchs #3
Author: Jill Eileen Smith
Publisher: Revell
Published Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN: 9780800734312
Buy It Link: Amazon
Genre: Religious historical fiction
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: Beautiful Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Maybe then she would not feel so scrutinized, so managed, so judged. Plain Leah wishes her father Laban would find a good man for her, someone who would love her alone and make her his only bride. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him.
But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery and the victim of a cruel bait and switch. The man who wanted only one woman will end up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she?
Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manage to surprise even those who think they know the story inside and out.

Review: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and have not been swayed by receiving a copy of this book.
Poor Rachel! I feel so badly for her in this novel. Jill Eileen Smith has done such an incredibly wonderful job of bringing these dry stories to life, of fleshing out stories that are thousands of years old. She makes me feel as if I am there by the character's side, and experiencing their emotions: the anger and betrayal that Rachel feels towards her father, the jealousy and inadequacy that Leah feels, the manipulation of their father towards Jacob. The only part I felt could have been explained a bit better was the meeting between Jacob and Esau.
I have read the first in this series and this one, and I have loved each one. If you;re looking for a great series to get into the lives and hearts of these understated Biblical women, then please read this series. It is amazing!

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