The Apostle's Sister by Angela Hunt

From the back cover:

“She's always longed for more, but what if the path she's chosen requires more than she's willing to give?

Aya, daughter of Zebulun of Tarsus, does not want a traditional life. After years of being overshadowed by her brilliant brother Sha'ul, she wants a chance to use her own gifts beyond being a wife and mother. When her father insists that she marry a Torah student, she reluctantly agrees.

A dedicated scholar, Sha'ul, or Paul, returns to Tarsus to follow the instructions of the Law and wed the woman his father has chosen to raise his profile and help him earn a seat on the Great Sanhedrin--the highest religious court in the land. But when the Nazarene, Yeshua, and his followers bring trouble to the Holy City, Sha'ul will stop at nothing to silence them.

After moving to Jerusalem with her husband, Aya expects to be bored in her role as wife to a Torah student. Instead, she finds herself fascinated by his studies. Then her brother makes a life-altering decision, and she must face a troubling question: Can she remain true to her beliefs and still love her blasphemous brother?”

Aya is the sister of Paul (Saul) of Tarsus, the man to whom Jesus appeared on the road to Damascus. Before this experience, Paul was a student of Gamaliel, one of the most respected teachers of God’s law in Jerusalem. Aya’s a faithful Jewish woman. Her husband was a student of the Torah before an accident took him from her. A widow with a toddler didn’t have an easy time of it in those days. Yet, she manages to raise her son so that he can follow in his father’s footsteps.

The point of view switches from Aya to Sha'ul (Paul) frequently. After Paul’s conversion to Christ, He and Aya don’t get along very well. She doesn’t hear from him much because he travels a lot. But he tries to get back to Jerusalem to check on her periodically. I won’t spoil the story by telling you how it turns out. I recommend you read it yourself. It’s a great book.

Why do I think it’s so good? Because Biblical fiction makes me think about things I’ve never thought about before. And Angela Hunt is an accomplished fiction writer who knows how to weave a story. I never knew Paul had a sister, but she’s mentioned in the Bible. In fact, the fiction is skillfully mixed with the Biblical narrative. If you have questions about this aspect, most questions that occurred to me are answered in the Author’s Note at the end of the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book compliments of the author and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed 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."