Back Cover
The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.
Eitan has lived in Kadesh, a city of refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood, yet chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.
As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Can they uncover the betrayal in time to save their lives and the lives of those they love?
Review
I think it is impossible for Connilyn Cossette to pen a bad novel. I've absolutely fallen in love with every single book of hers that I've read! She has quickly become one of my favourite all-time authors, and the absolute best at writing Biblical fiction. Her historical knowledge and beautiful writing style bring the Biblical times to life like no other. When reading her books, I can almost smell the salty sea, or feel the wind in my hair, and experience the blistering heat of the sun.
The setting aside, each novel has a unique dramatization of either a Biblical event (such as the exodus from Egypt shown in her previous series, "Out from Egypt"), or a completely different story set in a Biblical time period such as this current series, "Cities of Refuge". While there is no Sofea or Eitan in the Bible, a story such as theirs feels incredibly plausible, and I wouldn't be surprised if something similar actually happened in history.
The story had all of my favourite elements. Shelter of the Most High was exciting and suspenseful, with the threat of danger looming at every corner. The big question was, "When would Eitan ever be freed from the sins of his past?" It felt like spies were everywhere, and Eitan's home had become more of a prison than a refuge.
Eitan and Sofea's journey was also inspiring as the faith of Eitan's step-mother, Moriyah (who we met in the first book of the series, A Light on the Hill) is strong and unshakeable, even in the face of evil. When trouble arose, she instantly prayed - a good reminder to all to "Cast our cares on Him for He cares for you".
The story also induced some lovely sigh-worthy moments as Eitan falls in love with Sofea and seeks out ways to overcome their language barriers to express his love and devotion to her.
Shelter of the Most High was a fantastic read, and one that I quickly devoured. I found myself constantly making excuses to put other tasks aside so I could read just "a little bit more"! The third book cannot come soon enough!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
