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Will the daughters of Zelophehad be able to settle their land together, or will Noah get left behind, trapped in the tent of a troublemaker?
I previously reviewed Lioness: Mahlah's Journey by Barbara M. Britton in November of 2019, and since then I have been anxiously awaiting Noah's arrival. (You can read my review of the first book at this link).
As for the characters:
Noah was easily one of my favorite characters from book one. I loved her feisty, get-it-done attitude. Don't get in Noah's way, everybody! I admired her determination, her resilience, her strength, and her work ethic as a shepherdess. My heart hurt for her when she was only valued by others for her inheritance
And Jeremiah, although a background character in Lioness, was no less of a showstopper for me. I was thrilled to get some chapters from his perspective in Heavenly Lights. Jeremiah is officially my favorite shepherd with a disability in Biblical fiction. I loved how he was represented in this novel; not just how he coped with his disability, but also how he overcome adversaries. His arc and story was truly incredible!
And not to mention... I love a good romance! ;) This was a true "marriage of inconvenience story!" It was clear from Lioness that Noah and Jeremiah had feelings for each other, but the circumstances for their marriage couldn't have been less ideal. The prose was beautiful thought, full of sweeping symbolism that showed how Jeremiah and Noah grew closer together, while also growing closer to God. I laughed, I cried, and... oh yeah, I stayed up until midnight to finish this book. Talk about a #pageturner!
One of the major themes of this book was dedication to God. As we all know, Israel was a very fickle nation. Just look at the source material for this book, Joshua 5-8, and you'll see successes like the fall of Jericho, as well as dire consequences in battle as a result of sin.
"Mahlah's concerns rang in Noah's head. Talk of war and battles had abounded this eve, but there had been very little talk of God." - Heavenly Lights: Noah's Journey by Barbara M. Britton
While the Israelites were battling for their land, God was battling for their hearts. Noah's trust in God even during difficult times was inspirational, and is especially relatable in modern times as we also try to rely on God even when He seems so far away.
Noah and her sisters are such good role-models of strong women who have steadfast faith in God. They truly go forth with God; a mantra which we can all learn from.
I could not recommend this book ENOUGH and I'm already waiting for #BookThree!
You can purchase Heavenly Lights at this link (trust me, it's worth it). And don't forget to get to know the rest of the Daughters of Zelophehad by purchasing a copy of Lioness, and following Barbara M. Britton.
Happy reading!
*I was provided a digital copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.