Monday, July 5, 2021

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette


Between the Wild Branches (The Covenant House #2)
By Connilyn Cossette
Published by Bethany House

Description: 
Ten years ago Lukio fled Kiryat-Yearim, where he'd been adopted by the Levite family who guarded the Ark of the Covenant. Feeling betrayed by everyone, he returned to his birthplace in Philistia to become a famous fighter. Now the champion of Ashdod, Lukio has achieved every goal with the help of his ruthless cousin. But just as he is set to claim the biggest prize of all, the daughter of the king, his past collides with his present in the form of Shoshana. 
After a heartbreaking end to her secret friendship with Lukio, Shoshana thought to never see the boy with the dual-colored eyes and the troubled soul again. But when she is captured in a Philistine raid and enslaved in Ashdod, she is surprised to find that the brutal fighter known as Demon-Eyes is Lukio himself. 
With explosive secrets and unbreakable vows standing between them, finding a way to freedom for both may cost them everything.

Review:
This book is fabulous! It's so well-written, with tons of details that show what day-to-day life was like at the time, interesting plot lines that show the tensions and conflicts between the Philistines and Hebrews in addition to the main storyline, and absolutely wonderful characters in Lukio and Shoshana. Shoshana has this quiet strength that made me admire her, while, Lukio, who is a bit of a mess but a heart of gold, absolutely stole my heart. He has just such a relatable character, with wounds from his childhood that hadn't quite healed leaving him hurting and vulnerable and kind of lost. I loved seeing how he just couldn't help but be kind to people, even as he has spent his life pushing people away. I just loved reading his story and seeing how things played out for him and Shoshana. Even though there's a lot of dark stuff that happens in this book, due to the violence and depravity of the Philistine culture, it was still such a boost to my spirit as it showed how God's goodness and love can shine even in those dark places and times. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
5 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the author via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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