Author: R. William Bennett
Age: Adult
Genres: Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Source: ARC
Purchase: Hardcover | Kindle | Audible
Synopsis:
Simon considers himself fortunate after securing the final room at the inn in Bethlehem. While eating his supper, he sees a younger man and his pregnant wife denied lodging at the door of the inn. Simon momentarily considers giving up his space, but he is weary from his travels as a spice merchant and turns away from the thought.My Rating:
Over the ensuing years, Simon traverses the popular trade routes, and each time he passes Bethlehem, he is reminded of that evening and plagued by guilt.
In time, the Savior begins his ministry, and Simon begins the life-changing process of trying to understand and believe the teachings and miracles of this man called Jesus—said to be the promised Messiah.
The Last Man at the Inn is the story of a journey of conversion we all take in one form or another, told through the eyes and heart of a common man. It is written to affirm the believer, to lovingly beckon to the undecided, and to call out to those who may not even know they are looking for something—only that there is a space in their soul that somehow needs to be filled.
This was such a phenomenally written story! I was blown away by the attention to detail and how hard hitting and convicting this book was. I didn't know much going into this story, but those last two pages made the experience all the more worth it. The writing was so captivating. The blend of romance, humor and tragedy were well done. The use of scripture was evident.
Following Simon, the main character, who begins his journey to true faith in Bethlehem the night of Christ's birth. Simon is a merchant who lived out his faith when it was convenient to him. He's a part-time believer. He tried hard to be king of his family and world. Simon had a strong belief in that he had to live a predictable safe life. He tried hard to keep his family "in line" by his own beliefs. I enjoyed Simon because he was stubborn, yet still tried hard to draw near to God. His experiences and walk to mature in the faith was amazing. His interactions and encounters with other people and how they helped him realize his error and help him grow closer to Jesus was phenomenal. He had major character development from start to finish. Loved his story.
Simon's wife Mara was such a strong woman. She was the perfect example of a woman that loved God, was devoted wholeheartedly to God, but never let her faith overpower her husband's role as the head. She allowed him to make mistakes and grow in his own way. She never forced or pushed him to believe what she did. She prayed and patiently waited for God to do a work on his heart.
Alexander and Rufus, the son's of Simon, were both such resolute men in their faith. I loved Alexander more because we got to see him from birth to age 30. Seeing him make such hard decisions while still being respectful and loving toward his father was amazing. These boys never let their father's belief hinder their walk with Christ. They both lived for God alone and encouraged their father to find his own way to God.
That ending was just amazing!!! We normally read Matthew 27:32 and never really care about this Simon guy. However, for R. William Bennett to take such a well-known yet unknown person that helped Jesus in His time and craft a story of faith, growth, love and family is just awe inspiring to say the least.
The faith and family togetherness in this story really gripped me at the core. It made me see that there are some areas in which I need to mature and grow in. I loved the family and how they never let Simon feel left out. They may have all believed in Jesus as Messiah while Simon didn't but they never cast him aside or forced him.
Overall, I highly recommend this story! It's beautiful in every aspect.
Blessings,
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