Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar

All that glitters is Tessa Afshar's newest book Harvest of Gold. This is a continuation of Sarah and Darius's love story that began in Harvest of Rubies. The story begins with a summons to the King's court. Darius and Sarah rush to arrive on time to the King's summons. During their travel they are set up by thieves. Darius barely escapes with his life, and Sarah discovers a man with tattoos on his head that reveal instructions about an upcoming attempt to assassinate the King. Sarah's uncle, Nehemiah is granted his wish to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Darius is charged with finding who wants the King dead. Sarah doesn't wish to be separated from her husband for more than a year, so she keeps a secret from her husband. Keeping secrets from her husband was something she had promised to never do again, but her fears win the battle. When Sarah's secret is discovered through a tragedy, Darius once again shuts her out of his life. We see God's amazing grace in a strange twist of fate for Sarah, but will this be enough to bring Darius back to Sarah? Will Darius learn how to take down his walls protecting his heart and open it fully to his wife? Will Nehemiah be able to overcome the opposition to having Jerusalem's walls rebuilt?

I am so grateful that I was granted the privilege of reading an advanced e-copy of Harvest of God through Netgalley. I loved the continuation of Sarah and Darius's story. Afshar has a unique talent for weaving together a story that makes Biblical history come alive. Harvest of Rubies focused on the female psyche, while Harvest of Gold gives insight in the male psyche. Many marriages could learn a few things from this story on how fears can take over and bring problems without it being someone's original intent. The baggage each of us carry is shared with such care and insight. All of us need a Nehemiah in our life to help us see the walls we have built that need to be taken down, while learning which walls need to be built to protect us. This is why this book belongs on everyone's favorite shelf. I know that I will read this book again and again.