Book Review: A Light On The Hill

I’m not going to lie. When I was offered the opportunity to review this book, I did so because of the cover. “A Light On The Hill” by Connilyn Cossette is exactly the type of fictional book that filled my early-teen summers and I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic at the sight of it. (Yep, you caught me… I am hands down the type of person who picks books by their covers…) Warm and beautiful with a soft matte finish, this is my kind of book cover!

The novel is set in Israel in the time of Joshua, seven years after the fall of Jericho. After being branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods, one young woman has hidden herself away on her father’s vineyard. Carrying the shameful reminder of her captivity in Jericho, Moriyah struggles to be content with a life lived behind a veil. After her father finds a match for her, a widower with two teenage sons, she begins to hope again. But soon it all goes horribly wrong and Moriyah is forced to flee for her life. Seeking safety at one of the newly established Levitical cities of refuge, Moriyah’s travels bring her to the feet of danger, enemies, unexpected allies, and ultimately, God. 

The story is, in and of itself, well written. I don’t tend to read a lot of historical fiction nowadays but this book was a pleasant change from my usual fare. It’s a light and easy read with an interesting narrative. While the plot is fairly predictable, the characters are well rounded and likable and the scenes are well set.

Like “all” historical fiction, this novel has the typical fast-moving romantic sub-plot but it didn’t seem to bother me as much in this book as it has in others. The characters were enjoyable and the plot fast paced enough to keep it an entertaining read the whole way through.

I also really enjoyed the concept of the book in regards to the Levitical cities of refuge. This is one of those tiny snapshots of scripture that we don’t hear a lot about but has always fascinated me. I think they are a really beautiful picture of God’s mercy and I loved that this novel explored that historical aspect as well. 

Since this is a book outside of my regular reading norm, I’m putting it towards one of the categories in my Reading Challenge for the year (52 books in 52 weeks). I was glad I had the chance to review it and would definitely consider reading future novels in this series. If you enjoy Christian historical-fiction novels, then I definitely recommend checking this one out.

I give this book a 4 stars out of 5. 

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”