Until The Mountains Fall

Written by Connilyn Cossette

Narrated by Rachel Botchan

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband's brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh's head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom. Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother's death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah's father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request. As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980033899

Connilyn Cossette

Connilyn Cossette (www.connilyncossette.com) is a Christy Award and Carol Award-winning author whose books have been found on ECPA and CBA bestseller lists. When she is not engulfed in the happy chaos of homeschooling two teenagers, devouring books whole, or avoiding housework, she can be found digging into the rich ancient world of the Bible to discover gems of grace that point to Jesus and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Although she and her husband have lived all over the country in their twenty-plus years of marriage, they currently call a little town south of Dallas, Texas, their home.

Reviews for Until The Mountains Fall

[Ayanfeoluwa Vese · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The books in this series just keep getting better. I loved this book! Can’t wait to read the next one.

[Jonathan Hulley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found the part 1 quite slow, so I skipped to part 2 and from there it got so good. Love it.

[kimpotter-309059 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette is the third book in her Cities of Refuge series. This story centers around the refuge cities of Kadesh and Edrei. Rivkah is a recent widow and according to Torah law she must marry her husband’s brother, Malakhi. Still grieving for her husband, she flees Kadesh and becomes a scribe for a wealthy man in Edrei. Malakhi has loved Rivkah since he was a young boy. He is heartbroken when she runs away. His family tries to get him to find someone else but nobody measures up to her. Will they ever find a common ground? This story started out very slowly. To me both Rivkah and Malakhi were too self-centered and childish. You wanted to reach out and shake some sense into them and tell them to grow up. About half-way through it started picking up and by the end I couldn’t put it down. Rivkah owned up to her sins and was willing to pay the consequences for her actions. Thankfully she had a forgiving heavenly Father and earthly father as well. What a story of forgiveness and reconciliation!I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Each time I read a new book by Connilyn Cossette, I believe that it is her best work yet and Until the Mountains Fall is no exception! I consider Cossette to be one of the best biblical fiction authors currently writing books and I am always amazed with her ability to tell a fictional story that has us hanging on to every word but still remain true to the biblical account that she has used as her background. This is the third book in her Cities of Refuge series and it features a strong-willed young woman who has suddenly lost her husband and is now expected to marry his younger brother to fulfill the laws concerning a Levirite marriage: the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. Rivkah rebels against this because Malakhi is two years younger than her, just sixteen, and he has teased and bullied her for years. How can she even contemplate being married to such a person? This book relates her journey as she runs from her home, away from her father who is a priest and an advocate for this marriage, away from the young man who has secretly loved her for years and is more than ready to take her as his wife. Her flight also takes her from the protection that a City of Refuge offers and she faces danger and uncertainty. Over the next five years, on their separate journeys, Rivkah and Malakhi mature into humble servants and gain the wisdom that comes with age. It is when they are once again drawn together that Rivkah realizes that she may have run from the biggest blessing of her life, the love of Malakhi. 'Somehow, over these past two months, I'd discovered that life without the man I'd once thrown away was unthinkable.' And as she prays to her Heavenly Father for Malakhi's safety, she realizes that her own earthly father has probably been praying for her and pleading for her safe return!Until the Mountains Fall is a beautifully written story that features two love stories: the breathtaking romance between a woman and the man who never gave up on her and the powerful love that God has for His children. Cossette's theme is one that we all need to remember---no matter where we go and no matter what we do, we all can experience redemption and forgiveness. All of us can enjoy a homecoming like the prodigal son that is recorded in Luke 15, or in this case, the homecoming of a prodigal daughter!I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher and I am voluntarily sharing my thoughts in this review.

[stardust_fiddle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a genre, Biblical fiction is one of the most difficult to write. The author must be well-versed not only in the ancient historical setting, but also of course in the Bible itself. To break it down further, crafting stories that occur during the time of the Old Testament adds to the challenge because the mindset is different. There is a shift from being under the law in the Old Testament to faith and forgiveness in Christ after the Resurrection, as exemplified in Galatians 3:24-25: “So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” This change in the way of life distinguishes the Old and New Testaments and as such establishes a requisite precedent for any writing in the genre. Connilyn Cossette fulfills these standards with aplomb in book three of the Cities of Refuge series, “Until the Mountains Fall.” Opening in the serene refuge city of Kedesh in 1380 BC, this story employs fictional main characters to transport the reader to ancient Israel, bringing the Old Testament vividly to life and foreshadowing the coming of Christ. Despite the differences of living in a post-Resurrection world today, many themes remain the same, now embodied with even more hope in the realization of the Savior. As a result, this story resonates in a deeply intimate way, whether readers are familiar with the Bible or not.Told in a dual first-person narrative, “Until the Mountains Fall” follows Rivkah and Malakhi along a twisting path to discovering the unrelenting grace of Yahweh (God). Following the death of her new husband, Rivkah is subject by the Torah law to a levirate marriage, in which she will marry her husband’s brother, Malakhi. My heart ached for Rivkah from the outset. She is very independent and intelligent and has an arrogance about her that leads her to rebel against how trapped she feels. Still, rather than disliking her character, I felt empathy and pity for her. I appreciated that she was a female scribe who loved languages: “The dance of ink over finely woven plant fibers became an act of worship, a connection to the Creator of language himself, especially when the words of a new song spilled from my heart onto a sheet of papyrus.” What an incredible description of our God-given skills when we use them for His glory! Like so many of us, Rivkah wants to be in control of her own life, and she ends up reaping the consequences of her irresponsible choices. Her betrothed, Malakhi, also endures the costs of her decisions, the reverberations of which reach farther than she could ever have realized. Rivkah’s faith journey becomes derailed as she drifts farther from Yahweh, only to ultimately come to realize that no one can outrun God’s magnificent grace.Epitomizing the story of the prodigal, “Until the Mountains Fall” is an engaging story with a beautiful message of redemption. The time lapses in the narrative are at times somewhat disconcerting but contrast well with the gradual and thoughtful unveiling of the storyline. There are plenty of twists that enhance the plot and take it far beyond a simple romance, as well as tear-jerker scenes. There is some mature and violent content, but it is tastefully done, without graphic details, and these scenes are integral to the story. Although each book can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the Cities of Refuge series in order, as the characters carry over and their stories intertwine. Regardless, though, “Until the Mountains Fall” is a breathtaking, heartrending, and ultimately redemptive story of deliverance, highlighting the grace, mercy, and loving care of God, our Abba Father. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[beautyinthebinding · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette is one of the best books I've read this year. The author combined a captivating plot, steady romantic tension, and deep character development to create a tale that made me laugh, cry, and stay up way too late. Despite her immaturity and poor choices, Rivkah is my favorite character in this novel. I liked her even when she was making her mistakes as the prodigal daughter of a priest. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Rivkah and Malakhi grow individually and together. Many difficulties, some self-inflicted, trouble their lives and relationship. Brokenness, consequences, and scars made their journeys realistic. However, like the other novels in the series, Until the Mountains Fall presents a theme of something beautiful rising out of tragedy.Until the Mountains Fall is the third installment in Connilyn Cossette's Cities of Refuge series. I think the novel could be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the series in order to get the vibrant, full experience. Until the Mountains Fall is tied with A Light on the Hill for my favorite book by Connilyn Cossette. Five stars!Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. 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."

[grammy57 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I have not read any books by Connilyn Cossette, but this will not be the last book of hers that I read.The characters were believable and well described. The story flowed well and kept my interest throughout. The setting was also believable and interesting.This was an advanced reader copy that I got through Netgalley so the editing was not perfect but was done well enough that it did not detract from my enjoyment.This is set in the time and area Isreal after the Jewish people were given the promised land, after the death of Joshua. It felt like it was a bit of a combination of a few of the parables in the New Testament, but it was very interesting. I give this book a 5-star rating and would recommend this to my friends.

[sbmc-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“But still she fled, leaving me battered and bleeding among the only remnants of my brother’s life, each of her parting footfalls another blow to the dream I’d not deserved, but had foolishly dared to hope for.”Connilyn Cossette is a master at using the first person narrative to draw you into the hearts and souls of her beautifully crafted characters. Her vivid description of the ancient cities will pull you into that time period and have you walk in the sandals of the Israelites as they live and fight for their Promised Land around the time of Joshua’s death. The first person narrative flows smoothly and the plot moves along at a great pace with plenty of action, heartache and angst as the narrative switches back and forth between Rivkah and Malakhi. I absolutely loved that I could envision the Cities of Refuge in my mind’s eye while reading this book - the sights, smells, noise, feel and taste of Kedesh and Golan. And the characters!! Rivkah is a young widow who is selfish, self-righteous, and stubborn but also intelligent, resourceful, and determined. Through the years and folly of her own making, she gains humility and wisdom. She isn’t particularly likable in the beginning but her brokenness is so tangible and her servant’s heart so real as she grows up. Malakhi is young, reckless, impulsive and totally devastated when Rivkah leaves him and their betrothal. Even in the midst of his anger, hurt, and humiliation, he matures into a humble, kind, and loyal leader of men. The fierce infatuation he held for Rivkah morphs into an enduring and unending sacrificial love for her and their relationship is achingly sweet. The message of forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope within the story will strengthen your faith. This is a must-read for all Biblical fiction fans. I was given a copy of the book by Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

[becky_l-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Travel back in time and cultures to a land so different from ours, yet so very alike. Israel is a young nation, yet they are already leaving their first love. Compromise and complacency coupled with a blatant refusal to follow the Creator Who has led them to the new land leaves them vulnerable and divided.It is against this thrilling backdrop we meet Rivkah, a widow who is promised to her husband’s brother. To what lengths will Rivkah go to escape an unwanted match, meant to give her security?Connilyn Cossette is now one of my favorite Biblical historical fiction writers. She sets the scene so well, with meticulous research presented throughout a very engaging story. I suspect there are enough Biblical references, suspense, and masculine thoughts (pov is first person, shifting between Rivkah and Malakhi) that even men would enjoy reading this account. Until the Mountains Fall is the third book of the series, The Cities of Refuge. While sweeter if one has the background of the other two, this novel can certainly stand on its own. So much emotion is packed into this one volume! So many parallels between ancient Israel and God’s people in a free land today.One issue I grew tired of, I began to realize was simply Malakhi holding a view common to his time and culture. As a woman, I come away from this tremendous work glad that I did not live as a woman of that time. Yet, Cossette also points out the need for women to be treated humanely and loved well, which would have erased much of the burden of being a woman at that time.Favorite quotes. “The more prosperous we’d grown, the less generous we’d become with those who’d been appointed to serve Yahweh and were therefore unable to inherit land of their own.”“We do not know the whole of the story. But Yahweh does, and we will trust Him with the outcome.”“So many of our young people don’t care enough to defend this land, Malakhi. They’ve given in to compromise. It’s all too easy to sit back and take tribute from the Canaanites, profiting off our disobedience instead of finishing what Yehoshua and Calev started. We need men to stand and fight with careless abandon. If your generation does not take heed, we would do better to strap on our sandals and walk right back to Egypt, because the enemies that surround us here have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions, which are solely my own.

[eamace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When we are on the front line, the magnitude of what we are facing seems insurmountable. It’s also very easy to forget one important detail. For our heroine, Rivkah, there is a huge difference between her view of the battle and how God sees it!. Losing her husband very early in their marriage has left her facing a struggle she wants no part of. Malikhi, the younger brother of her deceased husband, has chosen to wed Rivkah, even though she is adamant this will not happen. Choices she makes put her on the frontlines of battles that could have been avoided. The author has done a fabulous job of drawing the reader into what life could have been like around 1360 - 75 BC. I became so immersed in the story that there were tears in my eyes at times and other moments I felt like yelling NO!The best part for me was the realization that even the prodigal can come home and once again experience unconditional love from family and most importantly from the Lord. The feast is being prepared - we are ALL invited. Abba is waiting with open arms!I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, Baker Publishing Group and the author. The impressions and opinions are my own.