Potiphar's Wife by Mesu Andrews {Book Review}

Today is the day! It's finally here! Happy release day to Mesu Andrews once again for another epic biblical fiction novel, Potiphar's Wife!

Huge thank you to both Mesu and Waterbrook for having me on the launch team! It's always such a joy working with her and helping to get news and traffic out about the book.

This one is a heartwrencher! It's a story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. You get a different outlook on things and one that will make you both cry and be angry.

Keep on reading for my thoughts...

Title: Potiphar's Wife
Author: Mesu Andrews
Age: Adult
Genres: Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
Publisher: Waterbrook
Source: e-ARC
Purchase: Paperback | Kindle | Audible | Christian Book 
Synopsis:

The drama of the Old Testament comes to life as one of the Bible's most infamous women longs for Joseph, her husband's servant, in this riveting novel from the award-winning author of Isaiah's Legacy.

Before she is Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika is the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. She rules the isle of Crete alongside her mother in the absence of their seafaring husbands. But when tragedy nearly destroys Crete, Zuleika must sacrifice her future to save the Minoan people she loves.

Zuleika’s father believes his robust trade with Egypt will ensure Pharaoh’s obligation to marry his daughter, including a bride price hefty enough to save Crete. But Pharaoh refuses and gives her instead to Potiphar, the captain of his bodyguards: a crusty bachelor twice her age, who would rather have a new horse than a Minoan wife.

Abandoned by her father, rejected by Pharaoh, and humiliated by Potiphar’s indifference, Zuleika yearns for the homeland she adores. In the political hotbed of Egypt’s foreign dynasty, her obsession to return to Crete spirals into deception. When she betrays Joseph—her Hebrew servant with the face and body of the gods—she discovers only one love is worth risking everything.

My Rating:

Reading Vlog:

As custom for my channel and any launch team I'm on, I do a reading vlog. This vlog was filmed in 3 days instead of the initial one day I had planned.

This was an interesting story. I wasn't fully connected to the story or the characters, but I appreciated and enjoyed the plot and how Mesu weaved scripture into this biblical fiction. The writing was superb and the atmosphere made me feel as if I was there at Potiphar's house or the palace.

Zuleika aka Zully was a determined, loud mouth brat to me. Spoiled in every way, but also hardworking. I was saddened by the lost of her mother and betrothed. I was heartbroken by all the things she experienced. I didn't connect to nor really care for her. She upset quiet often along with Gaios. I felt sorry for her. I will say the ending she got was beautiful.

Joseph was amazing. Seeing him as the chamberlain for Potiphar, working behind the scenes, was so exciting to read about. He was headstrong and hardworking. He made God the center of it all. He never abused his power or overstepped boundaries. He was kind to everyone and helped where and how he could.

Joseph's romance with Ahira annoyed me at first, but I loved how they both made sure that the other knew God would see them through their darkest hours. It was absolutely cute.

Potiphar seemed like a rude guy at first, but then as he began to open up I started to like him. I enjoyed his perspective a lot, but was sadden by the fact that he realized his love for his new wife too late. Potiphar was also very dedicated to his job and role of bodyguard so I feel like his job was more of his wife than anything else.

Pharaoh seemed a good friend, but sometimes I feel like he overplayed his role as ruler. Gaios was dog from start to finish. He was manipulative, controlling, deceitful and the list goes on. Very much a narcissist from start to finish. King Rehor wasn't a terrible father, but I didn't like how he abandoned his daughter, Zully. He could have done a bit more rather than try to manipulate her into "helping" her people.

Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend it to others to read. I really enjoyed my read of this new release.

Blessings,