Noah bat Zelophehad might have broken tradition by being able to inherit her father’s land, but her heart’s desire is to have the finest herds in all of Israel, something an orphaned and unmarried woman has never achieved.

Jeremiah ben Abishua cannot speak, nor hear. God has made his thoughts captive to his mind. But he can communicate with one shepherdess, a woman who sees his skill with animals and treats him like a man worthy of respect.

When their people disobey God and incur his wrath, Noah and Jeremiah must overcome tragedy in order to change perceptions in the tribes of Israel. Will their kinship desire to care for one another and the four-legged creatures God has placed in their care, be able to flourish in a land filled with enemies of the One True God?

God gave Noah bat Zelophehad four sisters, a way with four-legged creatures, and a strong spirit. She will need all three gifts to thrive in the Promised Land of God and find love with a special shepherd.

I’ve never read biblical fiction before, but I picked this up for a reading challenge (I needed a book with a character who has the same name as a family member).

Even though this was book two of the series, I didn’t feel lost or confused. The large cast of characters sometimes got confusing (I couldn’t always remember who was related to whom) but it wasn’t overwhelming.

It was so interesting to read this kind of historical novel. I never thought about what the other Israelites were doing while the warriors fought at Jericho. It was also interesting to think about how they responded to the laws of cleanliness and such.

Overall, there were a few parts I thought were a little slow, but the story did catch my attention and I had to know how it ended. I’m not sure biblical fiction will ever be my go-to genre, but this was a fun introduction to it.

PG rated for thematic elements.