VERNA HARGROVE: Book Reviews

Book Reviews

(Mesopotamian Maiden book review by Jennifer Ray Wild On Books.) 

With her husband Prince Jubal now dead, young Kenana is made Queen of Adah, a fact that does not sit well with her eldest stepson and breeds unrest amongst him and his allies.

However, Kenana's first priority is the impending birth of her child, a babe that might not be her husband's, but the progeny of the Nephilim who took advantage of her so many months before. Will her son be human? Will he be good, or inherit the evil nature of the Nephilim?

Meanwhile, the enemies of Kenana and Adah have amassed an army to march against them. Her trusted friend, Asher, returns just in time to deliver her baby and to spirit them both away to safety from the war-minded Nephilim.

Has Asher returned only as her servant and protector? Or is there more to his feelings for Kenana?

Having previously read Verna Hargrove's GLORIOUS COMPANION, which begins the story of Kenana and ends with quite the cliffhanger, I was very interested to see how this wondrous tale ends in MESOPOTAMIAN MAIDEN. I will say right up front that MESOPOTAMIAN MAIDEN is really a continuation of the story begun in that first book, so I highly recommend reading them in order to best experience this story.

In my review for the previous book, I mentioned that romance did not feel like the primary focus of the story, but in this sequel the romance is much more prevalent, although the other elements have as strong a presence as the romance.

As the story progresses, we enjoy the opportunities that Kenana has to obtain closure in some areas of her life, along with the new possibilities that open up for her. Kenana comes to understand more fully what is happening in the world around her, and her own family's role in the future of mankind.

Asher's return introduces some very interesting surprises in the story, for both Kenana and the reader. She and we see this man in a new light - although he was always an intriguing character, he plays a much larger part in this book than I ever suspected.

What also makes the plot interesting is that we see the world before the Great Flood, with a fictionalized account of some of the events that led mankind to that disastrous event, showing a bright spot of hope and faith in a world that was speeding rapidly towards its own doom. These bits of biblical history lend MESOPOTAMIAN MAIDEN an undeniably inspirational slant.

Congratulations to Ms. Hargrove for a moving conclusion to a wonderful series!

(Glorious Companion book review by Jennifer Ray Wild On Books.)

In ancient Mesopotamia, women had little or no say in the course of their lives, and were often sold into marriage contracts. Still, Kenana had always hoped to one day marry for love - a dream that was dashed when her own mother's treachery caused her to be wed to Prince Jubal, a man older than her own father, and who she has held no small measure of distrust for since her childhood days.

Dutiful Kenana determines to make the best of the situation, honoring her wedding vows and fulfilling her wifely responsibilities to the elderly prince. However, she cannot help but wish for what might have been - especially when her strikingly handsome Guardian Angel, Malluch, returns to her life in a very corporeal form, serving as no small distraction.

Malluch's mere presence is enough to stir feelings of unrest in Kenana, who holds fast to her resolve to remain faithful to her new husband. But Malluch's persistence grows, and the new Princess begins to question his nature - is he truly her Guardian Angel, or a creature with dubious intentions?

Verna Hargrove's novel Glorious Companion is not the kind of story that would normally catch my attention on the shelf in the book store, but having now read it, I am pleased to have been asked to review this delightfully intriguing tale! Mrs. Hargrove's prose flows smoothly, providing a story that easily engages the reader from the first chapter. Her use of modern vernacular in this historical setting engenders a familiarity for the reader, ensuring that the dialogue will be palatable even to those who may normally be put off by the more alien parlance a historical novel typically employs and thereby broadening her potential audience.

Although it can be classified as a romance, I would not say that romance is the primary genre of this story. Indeed, to pigeon hole Glorious Companion in one genre alone would do a disservice to this book, as it blends aspects from several popular genres - romance, historical, paranormal and even some theological elements.

Adding to that, this story really has only one main character, Kenana, who is surrounded by several supporting characters. This is truly Kenana's tale, and romance happens to be a small part of it, but her journey into womanhood while she uncovers her family's mystical legacy is the foremost story.

Kenana struggles with the events in her past and present as she attempts to forge her future in this new world she finds herself thrust into as the wife of a royal. As she takes her place as the Prince's bride, dark memories from her childhood begin to surface, serving to both explain and exacerbate her feelings of disquiet concerning her new life. She shows a strength of will and character in her ability to deal with her traumas and accept the situation she finds herself in, albeit without her choice.

The story ends with some major cliffhangers, leaving the reader with hope for a sequel to this fascinating book. I know I will be looking forward to it!