Book Review: Rachel by Jill Eileen Smith
Can true love overcome a legacy of betrayal?
Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Leah wishes her father would find a good man who would love her alone. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him.
But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery. The man who wanted only one woman ends up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she?
Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manage to surprise even those who think they know the story inside and out.
Jill Eileen Smith once again delivers a heartbreaking and comprehensive look at another woman’s story from the Bible. This time it’s Rachel. This book transported me back to the days of Rachel, Jacob, and Leah. I could hear the sheep. Smell dinner. See the emotions between the two sisters who are pitted against each other when their father decides to marry Leah to Jacob, even though it is Rachel he loves. When Rachel is allowed to marry, it brings about a competition for his affections.
This is fiction, but it’s obvious so much research went into this story. These characters come alive and their story becomes multi dimensional as we’re allowed a peak as readers as to what this must have been like for the three. Jacob just wishing there could be peace. Leah delivering her first child and wishing it would be the key to making Jacob love her. Rachel enjoying the passion her and her husband share, but longing for it to be just them every night. It’s heartbreaking, and mesmerizing all at the same time.
If you love Biblical/history, you’ll enjoy this. If you love romance, you’ll want to read this. And if you crave a story that picks you up and takes you back in time to witness love, jealousy, conflict, and family, Rachel is a must read.
To purchase Rachel, click here.
I received Rachel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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