Thorn in My Heart

Thorn in My Heart, by Liz Curtis Higgs

In the book of Genesis, Jacob and Esau are twins fighting for the family inheritance. Jacob gains a reputation as a deceiver and flees to a distant land, where he works seven years to marry his boss's daughter, only to find out on his wedding night he has married her sister by mistake. So he works another seven years for the "right" bride.

This book takes that whole story, sets it in Scotland in the 1780s, and enhances the drama and intrigue that the Bible only hints at. It tells the story of Leah, Jacob's first wife, who had to live with the pain of knowing she was not the "right" bride.

I really can't say much more. The novel is heart-wrenching at times, and at other times you could lose yourself in the excitement and romance of the moment. While the author is a Christian, and the book has a Christian message, there were a few- ahem, bedroom- moments where I thought, "Wow I can't believe I bought this in a Christian bookstore!" Having said that, I also have to say, the author managed to masterfully keep the entire book pure. This is not one of those cheap dime-store romance novels.

It was good enough that I ordered the second book online the moment I finished this one.