Becoming Queen Bathsheba is a beautiful, moving novel about Bathsheba and David. I bought the book at the BookBlest festival, so being part of a Book Tour for Becoming Queen Bathsheba was a great reason to read the book. I am so glad I did, as the story of Bathsheba is such a heartwarming as well as heartbreaking story. I read Leah before, so was looking forward to reading the next book based on women in the Bible.

Amanda Bedzrah, the author, has done an amazing job with Bathsheba’s story. I loved how she took the angle of Bathsheba being taken against her will, as I feel that is a much more likely explanation. Becoming Queen Bathsheba doesn’t gloss over anything, and Bathsheba isn’t perfect in this matter either, as Bathsheba acknowledges in the book. Although the story is a novel, you can tell the amount of research that has gone into this book.

Becoming Queen Bathsheba starts with a prologue, where Bathsheba looks back at the last three years of her life and shares with us her story. It is such a great way to tell Bathsheba’s story by putting it in first person, as it makes it a lot more personal. Becoming Queen Bathsheba shares with us the kind of marriage Uriah and Bathsheba had, and his very special position in King David’s army. He was one of the thirty heroes, something that has always shocked me about the way David dealt with Uriah.

Becoming Queen Bathsheba doesn’t gloss over any of the behaviours, and one thing it makes very clear: God sees and knows everything and He will not look the other way, even if someone like King David sins as he did. Bathsheba had no power, nobody else in the kingdom could do anything, but God knew. Bathsheba finds so much comfort in God and so much strength, which is a wonderful thing to read. I loved how Bathsheba learned so much about God and shared it in such a way. Amanda has woven in some amazing messages without the story becoming too preachy.

Another line in the book that I loved was God’s protecting Hand. Bathsheba was powerless and voiceless in her society, but God protected her and was with her through it all. As Amanda explains at the end of the book, even today many women are powerless and voiceless, but God knows them all. This book is a wonderful reminder that God is the God of all comforts, and He sees it all and will bring justice. Bathsheba learned to trust God through all the pain, and although my heart broke for her, I was so uplifted by her faith and the way God dealt with those around her and blessed her through it all.

Becoming Queen Bathsheba is full of details, making it a wonderful read, as it makes you see it all, and smell the rich scents. There is enormous wealth in the palace, but Bathsheba misses her humble home where she had been so happy and at peace. She needs to find her place again in this new environment. Again, Amanda has brought out the emotions so well and the turmoil Bathsheba must have been in.

There are quite a lot of wonderful characters, and Becoming Queen Bathsheba brings out their natures well. I loved Anushka, Bathsheba’s Egyptian slave, as she is such a comfort and a great friend to her throughout the book. King David, despite his grievous sin against Bathsheba, is still the godly man that the Bible shows him to be, making him more real than ever. I loved how Amanda kept David so human and didn’t gloss over anything, showing his temper as well as his compassion and love. Especially his love for the Lord comes out so well.

Although I was familiar with Bathsheba’s story, I still kept turning the pages, hoping and praying with her for a different outcome! Becoming Queen Bathsheba kept me reading way later than I should be at night, as I had to know what would happen next, even though my mind told me the answer already… The story draws you in, and somehow, Amanda makes you feel like none of the terrible things will happen and Bathsheba will simply return home to Uriah and it will all go away.

I am part of the Book Tour organised by Reading Between the Lines but was under no pressure or obligation to write a favourable review.