Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith

Biblical fiction at it's best--today's feature: Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith.

First, the back cover copy:

Abigail's hopes and dreams for the future are wrapped up in her handsome, dark-eyed betrothed, Nabal. But when the long-awaited wedding day arrives, her drunken groom behaves shamefully. Nevertheless, Abigail tries to honor and respect her husband despite his abuse of her. Meanwhile, Abigail's family has joined David's wandering tribe as he and his people keep traveling to avoid the dangerous Saul. When Nabal suddenly dies, Abigail is free to move on with her life, and thanks to her brother, her new life includes a new husband--David. The dangers of tribal life on the run are serious, but there are other dangers in young Abigail's mind. How can David lead his people effectively when he goes against God? And how can Abigail share David's love with the other wives he insists on marrying? Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of Michal, draws on Scripture, historical research, and her imagination as she fills in the blanks to unveil the story of Abigail and David in rich detail and drama. The result is a riveting page-turner that will keep readers looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.

And now, my review:

David is one of my biblical heroes, so reading Jill Eileen Smith’s fictionalized accounts of his life has been enjoyable. Smith is insightful, her research thorough.

As happens with heroes, flaws are often missed. Especially with someone tagged by God Himself as “a man after God’s own heart.” But just because David acted in a certain way doesn’t mean he was right to. Smith demonstrates that with David’s contriteness and repentance in a few instances covered by the scope of Abigail’s story. She shows us a tenderhearted king, and in the case of Abigail, a lovesick one.

This book is a standalone, though it covers the next chapter in David’s life following Michal’s story. Readers will find they can read this novel without feeling “lost” if they haven’t read the first in this trilogy.

Whether the biblical accounts are familiar to readers or not, these novels (The Wives of King David) will interest those fascinated by history, by King David, or simply wanting a good story based in truth. So, whether readers are looking for biblical fiction, romance, adventure or women’s fiction, they’ll find this series enjoyable.

Abigail’s story is full of heartbreak and tragedy, triumph and love. And this novel is an enlightening account of her story. Bravo, Jill!

I’m looking forward to reading Book 3: Bathsheba.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

Before reading on, take a quick peek at the bestseller list below (posted yesterday). There you'll find Jill Eileen Smith's name and her book Michal at number 17. I am so excited to feature Michal and Jill today on Net's Book Notes.

I've seen Jill at plenty of writer's conferences. Like me, she was there digging in, learning, fellowshipping, networking, writing (in our spare time *grin*). All of her hard work and dreaming have paid off. Her first book released March 1st and is now on the bestseller list for Christian Fiction! Congratulations to Jill!!

Here's the back cover blurb:

As the daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and by competition from her beautiful older sister. When Michal falls for young David, the harpist who plays to calm her father, she has no idea what romance, adventures, and heartache await her. As readers enter the colorful and unpredictable worlds of King Saul and King David, they will be swept up in this exciting and romantic story. Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes her readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as one of the wives of David. A sweeping tale of passion and drama, readers will love this amazing story.

Here's her bio:

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of several articles, poems, and stories, and her unpublished novels have placed in five writing contests in the past five years. A children’s story, which she wrote for her church led her youngest son to faith in Christ several years ago; much like a gospel tract led her to the Lord at a similar age. That story, “Seeking Treasureland,” is now available here. Jill is a member of several online writing groups and helps promote fellow authors’ works through monthly interviews on the "Spotlight" page of her website. She, along with her husband and children, are active members in their local church. A stay-at-home mom, she homeschooled the couple’s three sons for twelve years through high school, seeing them go on to higher education. In her spare time, Jill teaches piano, reads, does picture scrap-booking, and enjoys trying out new recipes, especially those that include dark chocolate. Jill and her family make their home in Southeastern Lower Michigan.

And now, my review:

First of all, congratulations to Jill on achieving bestselling status on this debut novel! I am thrilled for her!

Sometimes Bible readers can forget King David was human. His legacy of intimacy with God, even God’s own description (a man after God’s own heart) are so daunting, our vision is shaded in ethereal hues. But author Jill Eileen Smith portrays his humanity in believable ways as she insightfully reads between the lines of Scripture for her fictional account.

And Jill’s focus on Michal brings readers into the life of a complex, somewhat overlooked, oftentimes judged woman.

Readers experience David’s victories, trials and journey to kingship. We get to watch him cry out to God, and we witness his compassion (as when he calls in Miphebosheth, his beloved friend, Jonathan’s, son).

Jill’s ability to bring all the characters from Scripture onto the stage and explore the accounts with insight, description, real-to-life motives and emotion is unique and helpful. Of course, her work is fiction, but I found myself thinking more than once “that motive does explain this scene” or “it could have happened like this.”

In a letter to readers, the author explains the providential process of how these books came to publication. More books chronicling David’s life (and the lives of his wives) will follow. (Watch for Abigail and Bathsheba.)

Michal is very well researched and will give readers a fresh understanding of how things may have occurred. Jill brings in the politics, romance, hope and failures so clearly and with such fresh prose, I was left wanting more. I’m so thankful there are more books to come in her “Wives of King David” series. Bravo, Jill!


Read more at www.jilleileensmith.com where Jill keeps a blog. She shares her response to being on the ECPA's bestseller list this week.