After decades of exile, the prophesies are coming true—King Cyrus has declared the Jews may return to Jerusalem. Iddo, a priest, is sure this is a sign of God's renewed favor. For too long they've remained in Babylon, and many, including Iddo's sons, are losing the faith that sets them apart. And so only a few choose to leave everything to return—return to their home and their God.
Nothing about their journey to the Promised Land is easy. As hardships mount, even the faithful, like Iddo's beloved wife, Dinah, question the sacrifice of following God's leading. Zechariah, Iddo's oldest grandson, feels torn between his grandfather's ancient beliefs and the family they left behind. But one life-changing encounter with the Holy One gives him insight that will change Zechariah—and history—forever.
Bringing the Old Testament to vibrant life, Return to Me tells the compelling story of two men living by faith in the midst of doubt, the women who love them, and the faithful remnant struggling to rebuild their lives in obedience to the God who beckons them home.
My take: Like many people, I tend to skip over large sections of the Old Testament—sections I deem too "boring" to spend my time on. So I'm very thankful for Return to Me, which brings the book of Ezra to life. At first, I was afraid I would have a hard time finishing this book (after all, it is 455 pages), and I did struggle to get into it at the beginning. But once the Jews began their journey to Jerusalem, I was hooked. After I finished the book, I even continued reading Ezra (Return to Me deals with events through Ezra 6) and looked up a timeline of Old Testament events. (Yes, I should have learned all of this in my 16 years of Christian schooling, but apparently it didn't stick.) I appreciate that Return to Me gave me a bit of a kick in the pants—it reminded me that all of God's Word is important and rekindled my interest in the Old Testament!
Return to Me is completely captivating, and I look forward to reading the next book in "The Restoration Chronicles." This is a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone—it's not just a "girly" book!
My rating: 4-1/2 stars
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My giveaway: I received an extra copy of the book from the publisher, so I'm giving it away! Enter through the Rafflecopter widget below:
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You can find out more about Lynn at http://www.lynnaustin.org/.
About the giveaway: Lynn Austin is celebrating the release of Return to Me, the first book in her new Biblical fiction series, The Restoration Chronicles, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat party.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- Return to Me by Lynn Austin
So grab your copy of Return to Me and join Lynn on the evening of October 22nd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 22nd!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."
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Hope to win. I love your books!
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