Jewel of the Nile

Written by Tessa Afshar

Narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman

Whispered secrets about her parents’ past take on new urgency for Chariline as she pays one last visit to the land of her forefathers, the ancient Kingdom of Cush.

Raised as an orphan by her aunt, Chariline has only been told a few pieces of her parents’ tragic love story. Her beautiful dark skin is proof that her father was Cushite, but she knows nothing else. While visiting her grandfather, Chariline overhears that her father is still alive, and discovering his identity becomes her obsession. Both her grandfather and the queen forbid her quest, however, so when her only clues lead to Rome, Chariline sneaks onto the ship of a merchant trusted by friends.

Theo is shocked to discover a stowaway on board his vessel. But drawn in by Chariline’s story, he feels honor-bound to see her safely to shore, especially when it appears someone may be willing to kill for the truth she seeks.

In this transformative tale of historical fiction, bestselling author Tessa Afshar brings to life the Kingdom of Cush and the Roman Empire, introducing readers to a fascinating first-century world filled with gripping adventure, touching romance, and a host of lovable characters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781980078920

Tessa Afshar

TESSA AFSHAR’s books have been on Publishers Weekly, CBA, and ECPA bestseller lists and have been translated into many languages. Her Bible study, The Way Home: God’s Invitation to New Beginnings, won the ECPA Christian Book of the Year in the Bible Study category. Tessa’s novels have been the recipient of the ECPA’s Bronze Milestone, Christy, and INSPY Awards. She holds a master of divinity from Yale, where she was elected to serve as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship for one year. Tessa is a devoted wife, a mediocre gardener, and an enthusiastic cook of biblical recipes. Learn more at TessaAfshar.com.

Reviews for Jewel of the Nile

[Sharon Spence · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tessa’s writing and storytelling are outstanding as usual with solid historical and biblical backdrops. But the narration detracted from it. Caroline’s voice and the other women including Aquila sound like little children, not adult young women. Almost irritating with the high pitched whining that doesn’t seem realistic. Only for this author will I force myself though it. Update-cannot finish with this narrator. Will switch to written when I can. Storyline moves slower than previous novels as well.

[Margareth Grobler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful book but the narration does not do it justice. Rather just read the book than do voices that make the characters sound unnatural.

[Richard Stahl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good book but the narrations are terrible. Very disappointing

[Deb Spencer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story line is very good; but, the narrator left something to be desired.

[K · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another wonderful adventure from Tessa Afshar! Exciting & suspenseful with a skilled voice bringing the story to life! This is one of my favorites ?

[Travis Janet Hofer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the story, but the voices of the main characters really spoiled the audio experience. The ladies' voices are shrill and whiny and sound like a child while the men's sound old.

[kathy kinman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the book/ story. Tessa gets me on the first page. I love her historical accuracy.
However the narration was terrible. Way too squeaky. If it had been any other author I would have quit listening after the first or second chapter.
I own the book also.

[Braelynn Hart · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thank you so much, Tessa, for this touching and beautiful novel! What an amazing story of God’s love, even when life feels overwhelming and not worth living. This is one of my favorite books ever!

[khoyt-43756 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love reading Biblical fiction. It feels like I am doing a Bible study. Tessa Afshar is a great example of that in her novels. It is sometimes hard to think of people named in the Bible as having lives outside the pages of the Bible. This story places them in other cities besides where we are used to seeing them. Tessa has them interacting with local characters (albeit imagined characters) and makes them more human, more real, more like me. Trust in the Lord. He is with you always.

[lamb521 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: Jewel of the NileAuthor: Tessa AfsharPages: 432Year: 2021Publisher: TyndaleMy rating is 4 out of 5 stars.The setting is ancient Cush and Rome. The author does a great job of putting the reader in the setting with her descriptive details of scenery, clothing, food, etc. I could smell the spices in the spice shop where Chariline met with her long-time friend from the queen’s court to play chess or just talk. She longs to feel loved as her grandparents, especially her grandfather, barely tolerate her. Her mother died while giving birth to Chariline and she has been told that her father is dead. However, she overhears a conversation between her grandparents that lets her know that her father is alive.She will stop at nothing to find out who her father is and where he is. Her only clue leads her to make a decision to travel to Rome, but how? She is a young, single woman with no money. She stows away on a merchant ship of a man who dines with her family. Once discovered, she is too far from home to turn the ship around, so the captain agrees to take her to Rome.Theo loves being at sea. His ship is his home away from home. His discovery of a young woman onboard and her quest leads him to offer to help her. She is a beautiful woman and shouldn’t be traveling or searching alone. Theo is a God follower as is Charline, and their faith in dire circumstances will be heavily relied upon as attempts are made on Chariline’s life. Who could possibly want to kill her?This author does a wonderful job of making her characters come to life. Their emotions are easily to identify with and experience right along with the characters. This isn’t a light piece of fiction to just pass the time with. There are some heavy subjects brought up, and I enjoyed seeing how the characters reacted. Here is another interesting historical fiction novel from a fabulous author.Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

[grammy57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tessa Afshar is an author that has not written a book yet that I haven't enjoyed. This book has not disappointed me.This wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was good. It had Biblical persons mentioned in the book but they were not major characters. This book was set in Biblical times but the characters, though well developed, were fictional except possibly one.This story is part mystery and part romance. The characters were well developed. Some items, while making the story interesting were not quite believable. This story did a good job of showing true Christian faith and beliefs without being preachy. I would recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 5-star rating.

[nadinec.keels · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a young woman whose Roman mother died in childbirth, Chariline was always told that her Cushite father was dead. When she overhears that her father is alive, she heads off to Rome to discover his identity, stowing away on the ship of a merchant, Theo. But Theo and Chariline find out that a secret she's after—or may already know—could cost Chariline her life in Jewel of the Nile by author Tessa Afshar.First off, can I rave a little about the cover of this biblical fiction novel? The power of the image is in the angle of the shot and the poetic pose of the woman representing this novel's biracial heroine. We see that curly hair of hers, and the red and brown of the cover's earth-toned theme fits wonderfully with the story's connection to roses and cinnamon. Ahhhh, yes.I purposely jumped into this novel with no knowledge of the plot, so I was pleased to find it's a tale of adventure and intrigue, along with its themes of family, friendship, faith, and romance. Besides the aspects of danger and my partiality to historical settings (I love that this story unfolds in the Kingdom of Cush and ancient Rome), I think a couple of the supporting characters are what I liked best about the story. Especially a clever and mischievous boy, Arkamani.Now, though I can't say I ever found the story uninteresting, it is fairly slow at times. And these days, I tend to prefer a less-is-more approach when it comes to central messages within a plot, as this story felt a little "lesson heavy" to me, here and there. At the same time, it seemed like the most crucial lesson and discovery for Chariline came to a head rather soon. So even with important events happening in the last 100 pages or so, some of the tension and weight of the plot was already "over" for me relatively early.Even so, I found this to be comfortable reading, adventurous but not too dark, and plenty of other ChristFic fans should enjoy this dramatic and uplifting story.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Each time I read a book by Tessa Afshar, I find myself doubly blessed. Yes, she writes marvelous stories to satisfy my love for fiction, but she also shares words that both challenge and deepen my faith. I find myself amazed with the depth of her fictional characters, and I often go to my Bible to check many of the details in the story. Jewel of the Nile is certainly no exception. I fell in love with Chariline and Theo, and I found myself eagerly turning pages to see what this young impulsive woman was going to do next, and what Theo would have to do in order to protect her from those impetuous actions. I enjoyed that many other familiar people from the Book of Acts are mentioned, and that Priscilla and Aquilla once again get a chance to shine. I also gained a whole new perception of the encounter between Philip and the Eunuch that is recorded in Acts 8!Jewel of the Nile is filled with adventure, danger, and intrigue, as Chariline searches for the father she's never known. There's also a swoon-worthy romance that offers so much more than just physical attraction. Above all, this is a story that offers a powerful faith message. As Priscilla reminds Chariline "The problem is that when you are flesh-driven, you cannot be Spirit-led." This is a remarkable book and I recommend it to all who enjoy biblical fiction.I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and NetGalley. There was no obligation for a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

[coverloverbookreview · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’m a big fan of Tessa Afshar’s stories. She writes with such grace, delivering a wonderfully strong visual and ambiance of Bible times.Jewel Of the Nile is no different. I connected with Chariline, and felt the time, place, and emotions she experienced. She ran me through so many emotions, and it was easy to sympathize with her on her pursuit of finding out who her father was and desire for connection.It is effortless to connect with Theo as well. He’s a magnificent personality, and perhaps one of my favorites of Afshar’s male characters. I love the interaction he shares with Chariline and empathize with his feelings of inadequacy. Theo and Chariline wear off on each other, so-to-speak, imparting wisdom, wit, and healing upon the other.Ms. Afshar has a strong storytelling gift. I love how she meshes fiction with authentic Bible characters and culture, and how she swiftly penetrates the soul with divine spiritual truths. After meeting Theo in Thief of Corinth, I’m delighted he got his own story. Dɪsᴄʟᴏsᴜʀᴇ: I ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ.

[lifeofliterature · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once again, Tessa Afshar pens a novel that is rich in its detail and imagery! I love how she brings emotion and depth to Biblical stories with her fictional tales. This story caused me to examine myself and apply the spiritual lessons to my own life. I loved the theme of God’s use of our scars for His greater glory and purpose. I also found myself falling in love with the characters. Theo has appeared in Tessa’s other novels, and what a delight to read about him again. And Chariline has a rough background, but it was such a joy to read about how she overcame her circumstances. There is a bit of mystery and suspense as Chariline searches for her father and this story easily kept my attention. I greatly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to all readers, even if you are not typically a reader of Biblical fiction!

[beautyinthebinding · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great storytelling permeates Jewel of the Nile from beginning to end. Relatable characters, a perfectly paced plot, skillful writing, and a mystery that spans continents combined to make this story a five-star read. I read the entire novel in two long sittings because the story captured my attention from the start and my interest continued to grow with each chapter.Jewel of the Nile by Tessa Afshar brought back Theo, a secondary character from two prior novels, and introduced Chariline, a young woman searching for the truth about her past. I loved the romance between these characters as well as the personal growth that they brought forth in each other. Amid the action, romance, and mystery, Jewel of the Nile packs nuggets of truth into the many spiritual topics that comprise Chariline’s complex emotional and spiritual journey. Speaking truth, breaking generational patterns, being led by the Spirit, seeking divine direction, and surrendering to God’s purposes are some of the topics addressed within Chariline’s journey to finding her father and embracing her future. Jewel of the Nile by Tessa Afshar includes characters from her prior novels, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction with depth, mystery, and romance.Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.