A Novel (Wives of the Patriarchs) (Volume 2)

We have only sketchy information about most women in the Bible. Jill Eileen Smith does an awesome job of fleshing out these women in her stories. While fiction, this story is a plausible exploration into the life of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac.

Rebekah leaves her brother's home to marry a man she's never met. She knows about him, of course. Isaac's fame has spread far and wide. He is the chosen offspring of Abraham. Imagine the emotions that batter her from all sides as she makes that journey. They meet, they marry, but how much do they really know about each other? As a couple, they face infertility, tense family relationships, and then finally the birth of their twins. The long-awaited children that will eventually drive a wedge between Rebekah and her husband.

Jill Eileen Smith crafts a compelling story that colors in the spaces between the verses. There is plenty of emotional punch to keep the reader engaged. The story also transports the reader back in time to experience the smells, tastes, and textures of a time long, long ago.

Rebekah witnesses her brother, Laban convince his way into power at her father's death bed. Laban becomes the man of the household. As time passes Rebekah realizes that Laban has his own greed in mind and not Rebekah's best interest when it comes to finding her a husband. Laban is holding out until he finds the highest bidder for his sister.

Abraham figures it is time for his son, Isaac to find a wife. Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac. Things are going well in the beginning but as time passes and Rebekah does not bare any children, Isaac and Rebekah start to drift some. That is until Rebekah gives birth to twins.

Rebekah is the second book in the Wives of Patriarchs series. You don't have to read the first book as each book in this series is focused on a different woman in the Bible.

I had a pleasurable time reading this book. More then I thought I would. I sat down to start reading this book and by the time that I stopped to take a break, I was almost half way down. I started reading this book again while in bed and I made to make myself put it down so that I could get some sleep.

Rebekah is a great woman. The times that she was outspoken were good. However, I can not imagine living back then in this time when the women did not really have a voice. The plus side of living in this time would have been getting to know Abraham and Jesus and knowing you were destined for greatness through the Lord. This book is not preachy; it just tells the story of Rebekah. Jill did a wonderful job bringing Rebekah's story to life.

Jill Eileen Smith once again brings the women of the Bible to life with REBEKAH, the second in her Wives of the Patriarchs series, which follows her Wives of King David books. Basing her novels on scripture and extensive research, she captures the emotion, trials and joys of these women with vivid imagery, relatable dialogue, and flawed characters facing conflicts with others as well as within themselves.

Rebekah's father left the world too soon. He had not yet arranged for her to marry, leaving the task instead to Laban, the brother she does not trust. Her beauty draws many a suitor, but none rich enough to please her greedy brother. She worries that, under his rule, she will remain single. Her fears are intensified when Laban chooses a crude and violent man for her to wed. But God has other plans, and makes them known to Rebekah by appearing to her and saying, "Do not be afraid of your brother Laban's plans for you. They will not succeed. I am sending my messenger to meet you. When he comes, you will know what to do."

Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, knows that he must move on from the grief he has suffered over his mother's death. He is ready to take a wife, but his father is adamant that she come from his people, not the Canaanites who live nearby. Abraham sends his servant to his brother's household in Harran to find a wife for Isaac there. When the servant prays for a sign to know which girl is right for Isaac, he is met at the well by Rebekah. The expensive gifts he bestows on her are enough to please Laban, who agrees to a marriage between Isaac and Rebekah. They set off for Abraham's camp, with Rebekah curious about her future husband and wondering what their future together will bring.

Rebekah and Isaac, two strangers, are blessed with love at first sight. Their wedding week is blissful, though Rebekah can see there is tension between Isaac and his father. Adding to the tension are the dreams that make her husband restless in his sleep. She knows he is hiding a secret and hopes he will feel comfortable enough to confide in her someday. As time goes on, the two grow closer and more in love. Isaac tells her what changed his relationship with Abraham: the binding. He explains that God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but called out to Abraham and stopped him just before the knife came down on Isaac.

Twenty years go by with Isaac and Rebekah staying strong in their faith and their marriage, but Rebekah longs for a child. Isaac takes her to the site where the binding took place and pleads with God to bless them with a son. God answers, and Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins Jacob and Esau. Little does she know that the source of her joy will begin years of turmoil in her marriage. It isn't long before Rebekah can see that Isaac favors Esau, while she is partial to Jacob. As the children grow, so too does the rift between them, until a famous betrayal widens the gap even further. Will she and Isaac ever be able to find the love they shared for so long?

Like Jill Eileen Smith's previous novels, REBEKAH gives us greater insight into the women of the Bible, as well as the men who loved them. Their heartaches, fears, desires and joys are no different from those experienced by women today, a truth that spans thousands of years to breathe life into her books. I highly recommend REBEKAH to read and share, as well as SARAI, the first in the Wives of the Patriarchs series.

Reviewed by Susan Miura

Rebekah's life has just been torn upside down with her father's death and now her future lies in the hands of her conniving brother. She should b married by now but her brother is clearly dragging his feet to wait for a bigger bride price and Rebekah is concerned she will spend the rest of her life an unmarried virgin. But when Rebekah figures that she is going is going to be stuck marrying a horrible man, she is given the opportunity to marry a cousin she has never met before. She has no idea the journey she's about to go on.

Isaac is the promised child of his father, Abraham. Years ago, his father almost sacrificed him at the request of God and God's voice was the only thing that stopped him. That day changed his life and the life of his parents. Now Isaac is grown and is ready to find a beautiful girl of his father's people and marry her. When he sees the woman that was chosen for him, he couldn't be happier. Little does he know the challenges he will face.

After they wed, Rebekah is scared that she won't bear him a child and Isaac is trusting that God will follow through on his promises. When Rebekah does get pregnant she sees a vision that tells her that she is pregnant with twins and the younger with be stronger than the older and the older will obey the younger. This is where the hard journey begins as Isaac suffers doubt and Rebekah is determined to make the prophecy come true.

Will Rebekah be able to convince Isaac that her vision was real and not her imagination or will Isaac completely reject the idea? Will Isaac and Rebekah's pride and stubbornness tear them apart or will they be able to put aside their differences and love each other? Who will Rebekah and Isaac pick? Their favorite child or each other?
-------------------------------

Every now and again I want to read a book that isn't predominately romance or even a romance at all. This was one of those times and this author fulfilled that desire. This book follows the lives of Isaac and Rebekah and their twins. It was a drama and a in-depth retelling of one of the most well-known biblical stories. This book is great and it gives some emotional depth to a story only telling the facts. It also helped to make sense of why they did what they did.

This book can't really be categorized as a romance, yet I think that it fits into the category in a more unconventional way. The beginning of the book is technically a romance because you got to see the love between Isaac and Rebekah's love grow. But the middle and the end of the book is where the unconventional comes in. For the majority of the book you see Rebekah and Isaac's pride get in the way of each other yet the ending makes the whole romance complete. The end of this book moved my heart and made me long for a love like that (minus all the years spent in conflict die to pride and stubbornness).

The storyline of this book follows the story of the bible and, like always from this author, is historically and Biblically accurate, minus some modern lingo but that didn't detract from the book at all. For some reason I loved this book and how it brought the story to life even though that story isn't a pretty one. I usually only like stories that are generally more light-hearted but this book was different and it was so well written I couldn't help but love it.

I liked the first book in this series. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one. If I had to guess this one would be about Jacob, Rebekah and Isaac's youngest twin son, and the drama that will ensue when he married two sisters. Whoever this next book is about, I fully intend to read it and any other book I can get my hands on from this author. This book is a gem that comes highly recommended.

I became a fan of this author with Sarai, the first book in this series, but with Rebekah I'm now a full out
lover of this author's work. I love how well she tells these stories and keeps it accurate as well and I love that this is where her passion is. Her passion for the Bible and the people that make up it come through the pages of this book and all of her others as well. This book, series, and author come highly recommended.

Overall, a great retelling of the story of Rebekah and Isaac. I can't wait for the next. This book is perfect for Biblical fiction fans as well as drama or historical fiction fans. I think this book is perfect for adult and maybe really mature teenagers. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Rebekah daughter of Bethuel is perhaps best known for two things-a selfless act which led to her marriage with Isaac and helping her son Jacob deceive Isaac. However, between these recorded events, are many years in which scripture reveals very little about Rebekah's life. What type of woman would willingly leave her family to travel to a foreign land to marry a man sight unseen? How would their relationship grow and develop? Would Isaac be pleased with his wife? Since Abraham lead Isaac up Mt. Moriah to sacrifice his only son, how has the father and son relationship continued? So many questions, but scripture provides relatively few answers to the daily lives of these people or their journey towards faith in God. In this second book of the Wives of the Patriarch series, Jill Eileen Smith takes the scant amount of scripture dedicated to Rebekah's life and fleshes out the story of a strong woman, grounded in faith, hopelessly devoted to her husband and family, but often blinded by her own stubborn tendencies.

Perhaps the greatest strength of Rebekah is the lack of material provided in scripture. While I enjoyed the first book in this series, Sarai, I felt that even though the story held very true to scripture and was infused with research and authenticity, it lacked imagination. However, as Smith aptly points out in the author's notes for Rebekah, between Abraham and Jacob, there is little information provided about Isaac and Rebekah. I imagine this made for quite a challenge for Smith. But I really enjoyed this story much better than Sarai because it added to scripture a very human side, personalizing Rebekah and Isaac while taking their lives and teaching strong lessons of faith. There is more fiction in Rebekah than Sarai, but it is intertwined among scripture making an excellent blend for a Biblical fiction novel.

First off, I love the cover to this book. Absolutely gorgeous! Revell and Bethany House have a great team of cover art designers. Their covers tend to be very visually appealing. Anyway, the cover to this book really did grab my attention and set a wonderful picture in my mind of Rebekah from the start. As a result I had little difficulty accepting her beauty or the way men pursued her or the potential issues with finding her a husband. Having knowledge of Rebekah's brother, Laban, I could easily accept his opportunistic approach to her future. I could equally believe Rebekah's obstinacy and tenacity in ensuring her future was not determined by money alone. The cover for this book really captures her strength, determination, and beauty, which makes the ensuing story that much more believable.

The characters in this book are captivating. I loved Rebekah and Isaac; both are alive and highly relatable. Smith expertly takes scripture and combines it with a touching story of intense love, betrayal, and reconciliation. This story asks the reader to contemplate some deep issues such as how Isaac's near death truly affected him, how does one trust God given the events of life, how do we trust in something we have not personally experienced? The growth in Isaac and Rebekah's relationship is wonderfully developed and I found their passion, struggles, and introspection to add depth to scripture and highlight the truth that's already present.

Unfortunately the transition between Esau and Jacob's birth and their teen/adult years is a little abrupt. The shift in Isaac and Rebekah's relationship is understandable and well explained, but the reader is not given the chance to see that change, so it feels sudden. The love that flourished between Isaac and Rebekah is so strong and presented with such passion early on in this book, it is a little hard to adapt to the change in their relationship.

I very much enjoyed Rebekah and the story that is presented. However, as I was reading it, I realized that while I was drawn into the story, I had no problems walking away from it at any point. Perhaps this isn't a true `issue', but I felt engaged in the story while I was reading it, but I didn't long to get back to it. As Smith points out in the author's notes, this is a relational story rather than action based, so this might be why I didn't feel that strong need to pick it up during a moment of free time. After all, I knew how the story would end and the facts that lead to the conclusion, but I didn't know how Smith would bring everything together, which should have caused a stronger degree of suspense than was present.

When I finished Sarai, I was a little undecided as to whether or not I was going to continue the Wives of the Patriarchs series. But this second book, Rebekah, was very rewarding, with a passionate group of characters and a nice balance between truth and fiction. I look forward to seeing what the next book holds--as scripture tells us, Jacob certainly had his hands full with his family!

Review copy provided courtesy of Revell

Twenty-year-old Rebekah desires to get married, but when her father dies before making a match for her, she's left in the care of her brother. Laban knows he must find a suitable husband for his beautiful sister, but more interested in finding someone with wealth than character, one man after the other is rejected.

One day, Rebekah offers to help some travelers, not realizing they are servants to an uncle living in distant Canaan. They're searching for a wife for their master's son, Isaac, and the leader is convinced that Rebekah is the one God has chosen. Laban is thrilled with the many gifts, including silver and gold, offered in return for Rebekah's hand in marriage. Eager to begin her own life away from her brother, she agrees before even meeting her cousin to return with the visitors and marry him. Isaac is handsome and kind, and the two soon fall in love.

But marital bliss doesn't last forever. After waiting many years for children, twin sons are born. Isaac favors the older son, Esau, but Rebekah believes God has told her that Jacob should inherit the blessings and lead their people. Instead of bringing joy and rewarding years, the birth of their sons begins a time of misunderstandings, disagreements, and betrayal. Rebekah and Isaac drift so far apart, there doesn't seem to be any hope of finding their way back to each other.

When reading biblical fiction, it can be tempting to skim through the book, especially if the story is familiar and the outcome is already known. But if given the chance, it can provide a new perspective. This author has done her research, and I felt transported to that time period, which enhanced the reading enjoyment. More importantly, I have a greater understanding and appreciation for Isaac and Rebekah and what they experienced. They are no longer just characters in a Bible story--they've become real people to me--with hopes, dreams, and struggles. I can relate to them, even though they lived thousands of years ago. That's the beauty of biblical fiction!

I've heard the story about God asking Abraham to offer Isaac as an offering since I was a child, and I've always looked at it from Abraham's perspective. For the first time, while reading this novel, I started to look at it from Isaac's point of view--what he may have felt and how it might have affected his life.

What happens to Issac and Rebekah's family is an example of what happens when we try to take things into or own hands instead of waiting for God to act in his own timing. But it's also a wonderful story of forgiveness and hope.

Rebekah worries that her brother is going to betroth her to the highest bidder with no thought of her happiness, so when she is given the chance to wed her cousin Isaac, whom she has never seen, she agrees. She has heard of his father Abraham and his covenant with God and knows that this is where she belongs.

After years of barrenness, she became pregnant when God answered their prayers. During the pregnancy, God revealed His plan for her twin sons. Her faith in the promise of God causes strife in her marriage, and her impatience caused her to plot with her son Jacob to bring about God's plan.

The women of the Old Testament have long fascinated me. Although they are often seen as second-class citizens in that time and place, a closer look reveals that they were often strong, determined women whose faith was as strong as that of the men. In this second installment of Jill Eileen Smith's series, Wives of the Patriarchs, the author presents the story of Rebekah, who daughter-in-law of Abraham, wife of Isaac, and mother of Esau and Jacob. She has stayed true to the Biblical account while fleshing out the story only when necessary. Rebekah is seen as a woman with strong principles, while also having the same human shortcomings that exist today. Rebekah's inner conflict with her desire to "help" God out with His plan is clearly portrayed, as is the marital conflict experienced by Rebekah and Isaac.

Ms. Smith has written a novel that answers my need to more closely explore the lives of the women of the Old Testament. I will be looking for her other novels, especially Sarai and Bathsheba.

Recommended for adolescents and up; will appeal to historical fiction fans as well as students of Biblical history.

5 stars

"Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

"Rebekah" by Jill Eileen Smith is a fictionalized version of the Biblical story of Rebekah. It includes how Rebekah and Isaac met, Rebekah's marriage to Isaac, life with her and Isaac's family, Rebekah and Isaac's struggles to have a child, the relationship with her twins Jacob and Esau, and some other struggles that were faced in Rebekah's and Isaac's life together. It is written in a way in which the author tried to stay as close as possible to Scripture, although there seems to not be much to work with in Scripture about this story. It also takes into account other parts of Scripture that relate to the story of Rebekah and Isaac, such as the story of Sarai/Sarah and Abram/Abraham.

I haven't dug that deeply into Scripture about the story of Rebekah so it was a blessing for me to read about it in this fictionalized format; it brought the story more alive to me. As I read some of the story in Scripture, I could see where parts of it matched the Biblical facts and how parts of it were fictionalized because it was unknown what happened at certain points. I didn't make the connection that Isaac was Sarah's (Sarai's) son until I read far into the story, remembering back from the Biblical story of Sarah and Abraham. It was interesting to be able to hear Isaac's input about his relationship with his parents, and his half brother, even though it was probably fictional. What was the most amazing to me in this story was how long Rebekah and Isaac continued to trust in the Lord before he finally gave them certain blessings.

This book would mostly likely benefit people who are already familiar with the Biblical story of Rebekah and for people who are just starting to learn about it. I believe it will help people to pick up on facts that they might have missed in the Biblical story and possibly expand their minds on the unknowns of the story.

Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary book from Revell for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I've always had issues with the story of Rebekah. I felt she manipulated her son, Jacob, and deceived her husband, Isaac, and I had struggled to understand her actions. The second title in the Wives of the Patriarchs series, however, has given me new insight. The novel begins with Rebekah at her father's deathbed where she witnesses him give his blessing to his second son, Laban. This is extrapolation on Smith's part; there is no mention of Rebekah's father in Genesis and Laban is portrayed as the head of the household. Still, it's an important scene. The blessing was the equivalent of naming an heir, and it was usually given to the eldest son. This scene shows it wasn't unheard of for the second son to receive that blessing. After her father's death, Laban looks for a man wealthy enough for his sister to marry, although Rebekah isn't interested in wealth. "I want a man who treats me well. A man I can trust," she declares. Trust will play a pivotal role later on in the relationship between Rebekah and Isaac.

Smith's interpretation of these ancient events has made these characters come alive. I'd never thought about how Sarah might have reacted to Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, but we know she often doubted God's word by the way she acted to give Abraham an heir. Nor had I pondered how the event might have affected Isaac's relationship with his parents and his future relationship with Rebekah. This novel made me recognize the human frailties of these amazing people. I can now see that Rebekah was much like Sarah in that she was impatient and had difficulty in waiting for God's promises to play out. And Isaac was definitely his father's son in many respects, even if he didn't have the faith of Abraham.

Although this is the second book of the Patriarchs series, it can be read as a standalone. I'll admit to not having had the chance yet to read the first book, Sarai. The third and final book of the series will be called Rachel and will probably be published this time next year.

Thank you to Donna Hausler and Revell for my free copy of Rebekah, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

When her father dies, Rebekah's hope for a husband rests with her brother Laban selecting one for her. Yet as time passes and he does nothing, she wonders if she's meant for something else. The unexpected visitor from Abraham arrives seeking Rebekah for a wife for his master's son Issac. Rebekah departs to marry a cousin she'd never met. As she begins her life as wife to the promised one, she has no idea just how much her life will change. Or how deeply the birth of her own twin sons will tear a rift between Issac and herself. Will Issac forgive her?

The story of Issac and Rebekah is told in the book of Genesis. Yet anytime that I read Biblical fiction, I enjoy getting a glimpse into the details that we aren't told in Scripture. Details are left up to the author's imagination. The author did a good job of describing how life might have been like living in tents and moving from field to field as a community of shepherds. The book helps to give life and breath to Biblical characters that we really only know from what we read in the Bible.

Was the book good? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes again. But to be perfectly honest, and this has nothing to do with the author's writing or the story itself, I wasn't in the mood to read this genre once I'd gotten about a fourth of the way finished with the book. So I put the book down for several days and read other things. Even when I picked it up again, I still wasn't in the mood to read it, but I finished. And I'm pleased to say that I did not let my mood hamper my review of the book. I just know that I'll be taking a break from Biblical fiction for a long time.

I received this book for free from the publisher Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Biblical fiction.

Rating -4 stars
Available in February 2013 at your local bookstore from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

After reading Sarai last year I had great expectations for Rebekah, unfortunately it just wasn't as good. The story started out all right, but there was just something about it that didn't set well with me - I just can't put my finger on exactly what it was. The author didn't stray from scripture, as far as I can tell anyway, so that wasn't the problem. There obviously isn't as much written about this couple as there is Abraham and Sarah, so maybe part of the problem (for me) had to do with the fact that I had always thought of them differently - I don't know.

One thing I know I didn't agree with in this book was the time frame for when Abraham married Keturah. I had always believed, and still do, that he married her after Sarah died not before. The author explains why she wrote it this way in her note at the end of the book. I personally don't agree with it, but this one part didn't affect my rating of the book - just thought I'd mention it.

I do like how this book made me think of different possibilities for things that aren't clear in scripture. I had always thought that Isaac was a young child when Abraham was going to sacrifice him, but now I wonder if he was older - maybe even fully grown? The author suggests that it might have been the shock of Abraham be willing to sacrifice Isaac that killed Sarah. If that's the case, that would have put Isaac around the age of thirty - I had heard some say he might have even of been thirty-three, the same age as our Savior when he died. It's something to ponder.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable book. One that made me think deeper about Biblical issues, which is always a good thing. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***

I love discovering a great new author, and that's exactly what I did when I picked up Jill Eileen Smith's new release, Rebekah.

Rebekah is based off the Biblical character in the Book of Genesis, and is the second in The Wives of the Patriarch Series. Rebekah was the woman chosen by God to be the wife of Isaac, who was the Promised Child. She became the mother of Jacob, the man who would later be called Israel and would be the Father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

After her father's death, Rebekah is left at the mercy of her shrewd brother, Laban. He is responsible for finding Rebekah a suitable husband, and she is afraid he will choose the wrong one. When she is finally given in marriage to her cousin, Isaac, Rebekah is delighted to find the match God intended.

Rebekah and Isaac fall in love immediately, and revel in each other's nearness. But when their marriage is challenged by the birth of their twin sons, and the prophesy Rebekah has been given about them, misunderstanding, betrayal and disappointment follow. Rebekah and Isaac are left to wonder if their love for one another will withstand the trial.

What I loved about Rebekah is how Jill was able to fill in the blanks within the Biblical account. In the Book of Genesis, we're given the basic details of the real story of Rebekah. To bring the story to life, Jill used wonderful cultural details, vivid imagery to capture the setting, pertinent background information to help us understand the motivation of the principle characters and historical context to place us in the hearts and minds of Rebekah and Isaac.

This story is rich with secondary characters who play major roles in the telling of the tale. In some books, a large cast of characters can bog down the story, but I appreciated the diverse personalities in Rebekah and had no trouble distinguishing who was who.

I enjoyed reading Rebekah's story, and I look forward to reading Jill's other Biblical Fiction accounts of the women who played significant roles in the Bible.

"Rebekah" is a wonderful addition to the "Wives of the Patriarchs" series, a book written with rich detail and heart-stirring emotion. I love the way that Jill Eileen Smith has brought Rebekah and Isaac to life, staying faithful to the Biblical account and yet forming them into characters with depth and uniqueness. These characters and their stories in the Bible have always fascinated me, and looking through their eyes as portrayed in this story has given me even more to think about. Never before have I considered that in the cultural context of the day, it would have been very difficult for Isaac to accept that God spoke to and through Rebekah and that he would be asked to trust a vision a woman had been given from the Lord. The author has succeeded in unfolding the story in a natural manner that would help explain why Rebekah played the role she did in helping Jacob deceive Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing instead of Esau.

Despite being very familiar with this story, I can say that this book is filled with compelling drama, and it held my interest from the first page to the stirring conclusion. As with the first book in the series, "Sarai", the author has put her skilled pen to good use, resulting in a book that is a pleasure to read. I strongly recommend this book, especially to readers who enjoy excellent Biblical fiction, and I award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Though this book is written as Biblical fiction, and the author has taken some liberties in her writing to enhance the possibilities behind the scenes, the basics of Rebekah's early life and her marriage to Isaac come to life in Jill Eileen Smith's book, Rebekah.

The romantic beginnings of Isaac and Rebekah's marriage are delightful, as the author intricately develops their deep love for one another. Their lifestyle of living in tents is a reminder of `roughing it' when on tent camping vacations. Their `camping vacation,' however, doesn't end.

The book is so realistic that it could easily portray anyone's life and marriage. The favoritism of the sons is deliberately emphasized to help create the tension and animosity between the boys as well as Rebekah and Isaac. The painful emotions are so personal that they pull at your own heartstrings, as though you are personally there. Jill does this in her own creative, story-telling method that I have grown to love.

This story is not God's perfect will for a family, but He is willing and able to help them make changes, where willing. In spite of the contention and sin, God used the situation to advance His plans.

If you find yourself in this position, or any other, know that the God of Abraham is there to change you through His Son. Please be willing.

Be sure to check out all of Jill Eileen Smith's Wives of the Patriarchs and the Wives of David series. You will be pleasantly surprised at the intricacies of the author's writing.

This book was provided by Donna Hausler, Publicity Assistant/Blog Tour Coordinator for Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was received.

This is a fictional but Scripture-based story, written in such a way as to fill in the many gaps of what is sparsely told in the Bible. We are not really given many details from the Bible concerning Isaac and Rebekah, though theirs has always been a beautiful love story due to the way God ordained their paths together.

Although this story provides some extensive background on both Rebekah's and Isaac's childhood and young adult lives, as imagined by the author, the main body of the story is of the conflict between these two over the eventual fate of each of their sons, Esau and Jacob. The great love between Rebekah and Isaac is constantly alluded to and their conflicts and ability to forgive come up over and over. It is easy to imagine that all of this is quite true, but of course, much of it has to be credited to the author's imagination and her guidance by the Holy Spirit. It does make a compelling story to read, and all of it could quite possibly be true!

This is an emotional story, one that can easily be felt within the reader. It brings tears at times because there is so much truth in it. Many times, the reader is surprised by the truths that become evident concerning marriage and trust in a marriage partner. The reward of true love is related over and over. The feelings that parents have for each of their children and the conflicts they feel over what will eventually happen to these children is easily acknowledged by anyone who is a parent. It is comforting to see how Isaac and Rebekah finally accept one another's views of their conflicts and how they eventually resolve them.

A great story which compels one to go back to Scripture and read what is written there!

Rebekah by Jill Eileen Smith is the story of Isaac and Rebekah. The story is told from both of the characters point of view. If you're not familiar with this classic Bible story it is a love at first sight beginning. Isaac's Father sent his servant to find a bride for him from his family back in his homeland. When they first see each other; Isaac and Rebekah love each other immediately. What follows is a lifetime of love, tears, laughter, betrayal, and growth.

I will admit I am not the biggest fan of fictional stories being written about factual Biblical people. This being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the care that Ms. Smith handled the book. She not only put Biblical references in each part, but she also explained the liberties that she had taken while writing the book. If you feel uneasy reading fictional books about Biblical stories I suggest you read her author's note at the end of the book, to better understand where she is coming from. After reading it, I felt much better about reading this book.

Ok, now on to the writing. This book is a great lifetime romance, beautiful and poignant. Ms. Eileen does a awesome job at weaving a story that not only shows love, but the cracks that can happen when you place your own desires above others. It's a story of learning to trust not only your husband, but God. So dear readers if you love a good lifetime romance about the people who have shaped the Bible I suggest you pick up Rebekah.
"Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."
*This book was given to me via Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group in hopes of my honest opinion and I honestly gave it.

Rebekah is a beautifully written fictional story based on the life of some of our favorite Bible characters - Isaac and Rebekah. It takes the truth of God's Word, and the events we find there, and weaves in what might have been. The story begins with Rebekah's father's death, and her brother Laban acquiring the blessing, and command of all his father's wealth and family. It journeys through her marriage to Isaac, their family disagreements, and to the birth of their twins Esau and Jacob. It is romantic story, and very compelling.

How must she have felt traveling for days to marry a man she had never met? It was their custom to have arranged marriages, but she still must have felt scared. This book does a beautiful job describing what may have taken place. She knows when they are first married, that there is a reason Isaac is haunted by dreams. She learns of his father Abraham being willing to sacrifice him to God. Though a ram was provided, we don't know what that close call may have done to Isaac, or to his other family members.

And what of the twins? They wrestled in the womb, the Bible tells us! Could they have given their mother fits after they were born? Fighting and bickering about everything? It is very interesting to think about!

I highly recommend this book. It was very sweet and engaging from beginning to end.

Available March 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Rebecca is another one of these wonderful books by Jill Eileen Smith that I have found to be quite captivating. It is a neat gift to expound upon the lives of our most well know, and well loved women in the Bible. This Author incorporates the Scripture with events as they would have been in the time frame of the Biblical story. Areas that the real life people lived in are interwoven with what feels like very accurate thoughts and feelings that just happen to folks no matter what time frame God placed them in.

Rebecca has marred Isaac. She is nervous, but grateful that God has sent her a suitable husband, and even one kin to her! So off she moves to live with her new husband, and she finds he carries some pain from his Mother, and his upbringing. Rebecca has huge shoes it seems she has to fill, following in the heritage of Sarah. Then, like Sarah, Rebecca is faced with something many women today have dealt with. She isn't having a baby when she planned to, in fact, she is really upset that God hasn't sent her a baby at all! How is she suppose to do what God said Issac would do because of Abraham if she can't bear a child? Then it gets even more difficult! Once she is with child, they are fighting with in her and God send an Angel to tell her about the babies that she is carrying. Only one more bit of a problem, Issac prefers one son, while Rebecca prefers the other son.

This is a wonderfully well written book, and I already have someone in mind to share it with!
Even thought I know the Scriptures very well that these books are woven from, I find them refreshing and revealing when I read them.

Rebekah is the second book in the Wives of Patriarchs series which emphasis is placed on different women in the Bible.

Rebekah is of a likeable nature, yet she is capable of being candid when need be and you immediately connect with her. Unfortunately, that day in age, women had very little power to voice and carry out their opinions. Her brother Laban, on the other hand, is a selfish, conniving man.

After marrying Isaac and initially having trouble conceiving, Rebekah has twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Thus, the struggle between the brothers begin. Carefree and a strong hunter, Esau was Isaac's favorite. Rebekah was openly affectionate of the quiet, intelligent Jacob.

When Rebekah and Jacob deceived an aging Issac into Blessing Jacob with leading their people, Esau was filled with hatred toward his brother for taking away his birthright.

The Author brings a greater understanding of Rebekah, Isaac, and Abraham. As in this age, there was family drama, jealousy, greed, and betrayal.

I appreciated the scripture references. This helps to give foundation to the story and enhances this well-written, researched novel focusing on the grace of God and forgiveness.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. The opinions expressed above are my own.

In the course of a lifetime will the heart render its match?

Rebecca seeks patience when it comes to the waiting of her brother Laban to find a suitable husband for her. Time and again suitors are turned away from lack of proper financial gain.

Isaac seeks a wife of Godly character, one whom his father Abraham promised and who is familiar to the family line.

As the two come to unite unconditionally, obstacles threaten to strain the constant bond forged. Can faithfulness in the once true God withstand all?

Love, faith, history and sacrifice team together to bring the reader many hours of pure enjoyment. A familiar story enhanced with great depth and creativity. Smooth flowing dialogue with absolutely no dull or broken parts, quick to connect with and well formed characters that will come to life on written page, along with historically accurate scenery mesh together in this hard to put down book! I found this to be a refreshing, faith challenging and inspiring read that can easily be read as a stand alone novel although it is part of a series. I was highly entertained and will recommend this book to others. Well written 5 Stars! I received this complimentary copy for the blog tour from Revell Publishing for my review.

"Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Go behind the scenes of the Biblical Rebekah and walk a mile in her sandals! We're introduced to Rebekah months before her marriage to Isaac and see the strained relationships she has with her mother and brother Laban. She journeys far to become the wife of a man she's never met and and we see what she's thinking and feeling. We gain insight into Isaac also as the event of his childhood where his father Abraham almost sacrificed him deeply affected his relationships with his mother and father and ultimately with Rebekah and their sons Jacob and Esau. Ultimately, we come to understand how Rebekah could have deceived her husband in order for Jacob to get the blessing instead of Esau.

I really enjoyed the insight into Rebekah's life. I came to understand her and Isaac's choices and how a person can get so focused on being right that it consumes them at the expense of others. The message of the harmful effects of pride and the importance of forgiveness is timeless. This is book two of the Wives of the Patriarchs, but can be read as a stand-alone. While this is a fictional account based on what might have been happening behind the scenes, I felt like I gained a greater understanding of these people who were all too human, just like the rest of us.

I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

How long must she wait? Rebekah's brother, Laban, is taking his time in choosing a husband for her. Because of her brother's greed, Rebekah fears she will not marry a man of character, but rather, a man of station that can fill her brother's pockets.

Yet, God in his sovereignty, provides a way for her to marry a man whom her brother approves of and also possesses great character.

Upon meeting and marrying, their love grows and flourishes until the time approaches for their twins to be born. Rebekah has heard from God in a vision that the older will serve the younger. This goes against all tradition!

She must do something to bring this to pass and convince Isaac that she truly did see a vision! If she doesn't, this prophecy will not be fulfilled.

All this doing and trying. At what cost? Will she ever regain the love of her beloved?

Rebekah is the second book in the Wives of the Patriarchs series. "Enter a world where love isn't always what it seems, and sincere longings can lead to devastating choices. Meet Sarai, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, all amidst a backdrop of deceit and control and a struggle to make a united family. Sometimes we must be careful what we wish for, as many of these matriarchs discovered much too well." 1

"Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

1. [...]

I love what an awesome job Jill Eileen Smith does fleshing out the women of the Bible. It is easy to tell the amount of research and time she puts into each novel, and I anticipate reading her writing. Rebekah was an interesting and enjoyable take on this woman I've always found so curious. On one hand, she had the faith to walk away from her family to marry a man unseen. On the other hand, she did not have the faith to believe Jacob would receive the blessing without her intervention. She is seen as both admirable and conniving.

I believe the author's interpretation was a good one. I could see things happening the way she wrote it. I enjoyed also the aspect of Rebekah and Isaac's marriage, and the ending of this book was very sweet.

It was interesting also, Jill Eileen Smith's take on Isaac's feelings towards his father. I'd never really thought much of how Isaac may have felt after almost being sacrificed.

My only complaint was the many pages of Isaac's musings. The author has him as a man who likes his quiet times in the fields, and after awhile, I no longer cared too much what all he was thinking while sitting and looking across the land.

Good book. Looking forward to the next.

REBEKAH by Jill Eileen Smith is a wonderful inspirational historical romance set 1969 B.C. Book 2 in the "Wives of the Patriarchs",but can be read as a stand alone. See,"Sari". Rebekah, a beautiful woman full of hope and promise,finds heartbreak,betrayal and healing. Follow Rebekah on a journey with many twists and turns. After their twins are born the rift between her and Issac grows larger,misunderstandings and betrayal stronger, and her faith falters. Rebekah has faced much sadness,dangers,and is a fascinating woman to follow. Issac has many qualities,many faults,as we all do,but can he and Rebekah find love and fill the rift between them. If you enjoy fictional as well as biblical characters,historical fiction,and love you will enjoy "Rebekah". Once again, Ms Smith has filled us with love,hope,faith,forgiveness and healing and gave us a glimpse into the live and times of "Rebekah". A must read! Received for an honest review from the publisher.

"Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

RATING: 4.5

HEAT RATING: SWEET

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More/My Book Addiction Reviews

Jill Eileen Smith is a master of Biblical fiction. She can take a childhood, Sunday School story and bring it to life with characters and motivation, vivid settings and twists that make you look at everything about the story in a fresh way. She is my go-to Biblical fiction writer and I always look forward to her next book. I have always loved the story of Rebekah and couldn't wait to see how she breathed life into it.
Rebekah is a strong woman at the mercy of her brother Laban's whims when it comes to finding her a husband. Just when things look really bad, God intervenes when Isaac's servant show up with a marriage proposal for his master. I'm not going to explain the story to you, but I will tell you why you should read it. What I love is that Jill doesn't change the story, she just makes you really dig into the culture of the time and explains a lot of the hows and whys things might have been that way back then. And she does it expertly. I know some people don't like Biblical fiction but I encourage you to try Jill Eileen's books and see if she doesn't turn you over to my side!

The book itself was well-written. But, I really do not like the character of Rebekah here, especially after her twins are born. She is whiny, spoiled and selfish. She took God's prophecy and let it affect how she treated her sons, yet she wondered why Esau acted out. She showed a marked favoritism to Jacob and that had to affect Esau. She took Esau's teenaged behavior as reason for him not to inherit?? I mean, some of the reasons she did not want Esau inheriting are just flimsy, at best. It seems she was actively looking for all that was wrong with Esau to fufill her own expectations. I wouldn't care too much for my mom either if she always watched me with accusing eyes. And she acted out anytime Issac did not share her favoritism for Jacob. When you have been married for over a hundred years, you would think she would start to act with more maturity and understanding than reacting with anger and manipulation. And her obvious preference for Jacob almost seems like it has ulterior motives. She knew she would probably outlive Issac and probably wanted the heir to be the son who favored her the most. I mean, who is happy when her son tricks his brother's birthright from him?? He could have just shared the stew! I have never liked the story of Jacob and Esau because I always thought it was grossly unfair and now I dislike Rachel from the characterization in this novel. I almost could not finish the book because I disliked Rachel's character so much.

What a fascinating read. We walk hand in hand with Rebekah, as a young woman, and then to a Grandmother.
Jill Eileen Smith really brings the Bible to life. We live in the tents with these people. We feel the deceit that happens, and seems to repeat in History.
Because we live in the New Testament Times, things are a lot different. I had a lot of respect for Isaac, and his vow not to take another wife, other than Rebekah. It seems that they had a lot of love for one another, even with the arranged marriage, but the fact of it was who arranged it!
This is a well know Story of The Bible, but it is so brought to life.
I would not envy their way of life, but the faith is so wonderful. Our God, the God of Abraham, truly blessed them.
A point to ponder as presented by the Author...Sarah would not have obeyed God as to the sacrifice?
I found this to be a very fast read, and really could not put it down.

I received this book through the Revell Blogging Program, and was not required to give a positive review.

Jill Eileen Smith is a wonderful storyteller and has a great imagination. Her story of Rebekah from the account in the Bible is really interesting. I probably would have had a few things different if I wrote the story, but everyone is different.
I like how this book portrays Rebekah as independent and full of life and spunk.
The love story between Rebekah and Isaac is very special and tender. The scenes were described brilliantly. You feel like you are there.
I think Rebekah is a book worth reading for enjoyment and also to help us understand how things can change in a marriage. The ending is excellent. I highly recommend this book.

I received my free copy from Donna Hausler from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Even though there is not lot of information on Rebekah and Isaac in the book of Genesis, the author does an excellent job in "filling in the blanks." I love how she tells Isaac's "story" showing what he might have been like and how almost being sacrificed by his father might have affected him, Sarah and Abraham even later in life. Jill's idea shows how this might also have affected Isaac's relationship with his wife, Rebekah, and their twin boys. When I read the story of Rebekah and Isaac, I often wonder why they each would favor one child over another. This book helps the reader imagine what their lives might have been like before and after their marriage and why they might have made some of the decision they did. The best part was getting a better understanding of two crucial characters in the history of Israel. This is one of my favorite books so far.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Jill Eileen Smith has a gift of bringing characters from the bible to life. I'm thankful for the review copy of a book that helped me catch a glimpse of Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah life up-close and personal.

Jill's author notes to readers in the back of the book explains how there isn't enough documentation on many aspects of Isaac and Rebekah's life so she had to take some liberties. This author explains the things she added to make the novel work. I like when authors do that. I think Jill does a great job of piquing interest in Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah and their children to cause readers to go back to the bible and read the story for themselves, to draw their own conclusions.

I've read a few of Jill Eileen Smith's books now and I like that I always learn something new; for instance did you know that Abraham had another concubine other than Hagar and they had six children together? I was clueless. This information had me running to get my bible to find out more about this relationship and their kids.

I appreciated the fact that this author includes scripture references along with the passages; which made it easy to reference. Thanks to this author I'll never look at Rebekah, Isaac and Abraham the same way. She helped to give me fresh eyes when I read the scripture passages once again. Thanks Jill for bringing this story to life and letting me get to know the women in the bible in a fun and unique way. I'm looking forward to this author's next book and so will you!

I’m thankful for the review copy of a book that answers the question, “What does it mean when someone says; God has healed me from the inside out? How can I let God touch the hurts in my heart and be healed?”

Denise says, “You can only live with your heart shut down for so long. Eventually you will fight for your healing or you will die… Some even find God when their lives fall apart!....Sometimes a person has to die in order to really live. ..Hungry for something real?.. (tired of just going through the motions of life and feeling numb inside?) Want to feel alive? Seek whatever helps you rediscover that carefree childlike heart I know is in there somewhere – that is what you should be doing to Feel Alive!”

This is a walk Denise’s characters have gone on and/or just started down the path. I enjoyed this cast so much, they are fun, bold and each have been knocked around by life. Each has a different result and story to tell.

Scarlett Jo is a Pastor’s wife that’s fun and doesn’t care what people think about her. Denise writes, “Scarlett Jo hadn’t simply survived her life. She had learned how to live in spite of it- and not to worry too much about the perceptions of others.”

Scarlett Jo is fun loving, free spirited and an inspirational person! I loved her voice and her outlook on life she says, “Oh, child do you not know about couponing?...I’m feeding a pack of wolves at my house. If I didn’t know how to coupon, my children would have had to eat me by now. But if you ever want to learn how to do it, you just let me know. It is crazy girl! I can go to a store and leave and they’ve paid me money.” (I want to learn – teach me! Teach Me! Grin!)

The characters in this novel welcome you in as family. They’re situations will tug at your heart. What I love about Denise’s books are this, you’ll be having a good time reading then all of a sudden she cleverly interweaves spiritual truths that pierce your heart, make you stop and think. Denise will help you “See lies you believe.” You’ll laugh out loud and get teary eyed in parts of this story, a winning combination.

I really liked Scarlett Jo’s husband too he says, “I watch people. I take in people. And to be honest, I learn a great deal about them by what they don’t say.”

I highly recommend this novel and the non-fiction companion book called Reclaiming your Heart! It’s a win win combination. A book you’ll want to put on your summer reading list. Did I mention I just love the cover of this book too! It’s a keeper!

Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsor
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

The Bible is full of stories of parents preferring one child over others and the consequences that come from that. Rebekah's story begins that same way. When Rebekah's father is dying, her mother brings her son Laban to receive the blessing reserved for the eldest son. Her father's death and her mother's manipulation changes Rebekah's life in so many ways. Not just in the wait to find a match, but also later in her life as a mother. She repeats what she had seen and did the same for her son. Her story is not just about how this decision played out in her life, but also the lives of her sons.

I so enjoyed this book. It is biblical historical fiction and is written so well.

I loved this book. Lately I had not been finding time to read and thought, perhaps, I had just lost the reading bug. This book reinfected me. It gave me a whole new viewpoint on Rebekah. The story, although I thought I knew it from a lifetime of church attendance, was brought alive with a greater insight into this woman and those in her life. I highly recommend this book. It is the first of Smith's books that I have read and I can't wait to start the next one. I have found a new favorite author.

Jill Eileen Smith has a gift of bringing the Biblical characters to life. As she said, so little was told of Issac and Rebekah in the Scripture that much was left to the imagination. I'm sure much prayer and research of those times went into the telling of this story. Jill has done a wonderful job with all her novels. She leaves you wanting to hear more of the story. Looking forward to her story of Jacob and Rachel.

I enjoyed this book because it was different. Usually when I think of biblical characters that were married somehow I think that they had a fairy tale life with the exception of Leah, Rachel and Jacob's love triangle.

This book changed my perception of the characters . The author made the story come alive and presented additional drama and turmoil in the camp regarding others not mentioned in the bible (servants) which made it entertaining

Jill Eileen Smith has outdone herself once again. Her books put us back in time to the bible stories we are all familiar with. Her way with words brings the stories to life. I can't wait until the next one.

I love this series and bought Rachel today. I am studying genesis in Sunday school and these books go well along side the bible...bringing the characters and their everyday lives to a new understanding.

I love this series and bought Rachel today. I am studying genesis in Sunday school and these books go well along side the bible...bringing the characters and their everyday lives to a new understanding.