The Peasant King by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

The Peasant King
Author: Tessa Afshar

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishing

Release Date: 2023

Pages: 376

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Jemmah has always thought of herself as perfectly ordinary . . . until she faces extraordinary circumstances.

When her mother, the Persian king’s famous senior scribe, is kidnapped, Jemmah and her sister must sneak undetected into enemy territory to rescue her. But infiltrating their adversary’s lands proves easier than escaping them. Fleeing through dangerous mountain passes, their survival depends on the skills of a stranger they free from prison: a mysterious prince named Asher.

Asher is not who the world believes he is. Despite his royal blood, he has had to climb his way out of poverty to forge success from nothing. A manufacturer of some of the best weaponry in the East, Asher has only one goal: to destroy his father. But following his escape from prison, Asher is irresistibly drawn to Jemmah, unaware that she guards her own secret.

Jemmah must convince Asher to give up everything he has worked for, all for the sake of a higher purpose he’s not sure he believes in. The fate of the Persian empire—and possibly the Judean people—hang in the balance and in the persuasive power of one ordinary woman.

My Review: The Peasant King is the sequel to The Hidden Prince. The Peasant King focuses on Jared and Keren’s daughter, Jemmah. When Keren is kidnapped, Jemmah undergoes a dangerous mission to rescue her mother. Once she frees her, she also frees the Median prince, Asher. Jemmah realizes that Asher is the key to help give Cyrus the victory he needs against his father.

Jemmah was a very lovable character. I found her to be very fun and humorous. I admired her sacrifice for saving those she loves. Jemmah is a very loyal woman, and her faithfulness wins the heart of Asher. I adored her romance with Asher.

Asher is a fascinating love interest. He is deeply conflicted. He thirsts deeply for revenge against his father. Once he meets Jemmah, he must make a difficult choice to give up revenge for love. I like how he cares for Jemmah and how he will do anything to keep her safe. Thus, Jemmah and Asher’s relationship was very cute and was the best aspect of The Peasant King.

Overall, The Peasant King is about forgiveness, sacrifice, and belonging. The message of this novel is that God has a plan for each of us. I love all of the characters in The Peasant King, especially Jemma’s foster sister, Zarina. I also like how we get to revisit a few characters from The Hidden Prince like Daniel, Keren, and Jared. I like how King Cyrus the Great plays an important role in the novel! I love how Mrs. Afshar made ancient Babylon come alive! The Peasant King was a delightful and fast-paced novel that is full of adventure, romance, and political intrigue! I had a hard time putting it down, and I read it in one sitting! I recommend The Peasant King for fans of Angela Elwell Hunt, Tracy L. Higley, and Mary Ellen Boyd!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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