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Love Amid the Ashes (Treasure of His Love #1)

by Mesu Andrews (Goodreads Author)

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 502 ratings · 106 reviews

Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job's life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family?Through painstaking research and a writer's creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional...more

ebook, 314 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by Fleming H. Revell Company (first published January 1st 2011)

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Jun 29, 2011 Andi Newberry ~Tubbs rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dinah is Isaac's granddaughter and she has strict instructions after his death to go to Job's household and marry Ennon to advance the line of Esau since Jacob took the birthright from him. Dinah has been "soiled" she was raped by Shechem the son of Hamor, the prince of the land. Jacob's sons destroy the city, in Dinah's honor. Yet that doesn't take away the disgrace of Dinah. Dinah travels to Uz to marry Ennon, no sooner does she arrive than Job's household is destroyed. The man Dinah was to ma...more

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May 17, 2013 Dawn Hamsher rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What I liked:
1. The book cover.

2. The character of Job (he was the most believable and stable of all the characters).

3. Message of God's love and forgiveness. The love that Job had for God even with the terrible misfortunes and his witness to those around him.

4. The use of scripture at opening of every chapter.

What I didn't like:
1. Overuse of metaphors, similes, and description (facial expressions and body language) to the point that I wanted to scream. Ex. "Jacob raised his chin once again, as...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-ive-read-in-2013, books-ive-reviewed, set-in-bible-time-novels

Love Amid the Ashes was pretty good, considering. Though I felt the beginning and the end were a little slow to really get started, I did become engrossed in the book for the most part. There were some really intense journeys to God in this novel… Job’s, Sitis’s, and Dinah’s. The way Mesu Andrews intricately wove Job and Dinah’s lives together was fascinating! I have to say, reading Love Amid the Ashes really makes me want to pull out the Bible and read the books of Job and Genesis (where you’d...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: challenges

I read this for a group read recently in the Christian Fiction group. I had actually run across it in my local Half Price Books and thought the cover looked interesting enough to read the back cover blurb. From that tiny description, my fervor to read this book was ignited. It is a fictional retelling of the story of Job, a story that holds great meaning and memory for me, even though I am not a devoutly religious person. I kept my eye out for it on the Kindle and was lucky enough to pick it up...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Historyprincess rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

After finishing the Genesis trilogy, I decided to look through Amazon.com for similar books to read, when I came upon this. And I don't regret it. This debut novel by Mesu Andrews is probably one of the best interpretations of the Book of Job I've ever read.

Dinah is the daughter of the patriarch Jacob and his wife Leah. At the age of fifteen, she allowed herself to be tempted into sleeping with the prince of Shechem, because he showed her a rare kindness. Later, her brothers Simeon and Levi kill...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Audrey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

Love Amid the Ashes, by Mesu Andrews, is the story of Job from Dinah’s, the daughter of Jacob, point of view. When her beloved grandfather Isaac passes away, she is sent to Job’s household to marry his son who is of the Edomite lineage. But as soon as she arrives, Job’s world crashes in on in him. As Job has few remaining friends and Dinah has nowhere else to go since she is disgraced in her family, she stays as his nursemaid. When he recovers Dinah leaves to be with her favourite brother Joseph...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this fictional retelling of the Biblical story of Job. I found nothing in the book that directly contradicted the Bible; however, being a work of fiction, there are added characters and assorted assumptions throughout the story. The book starts with the death of the patriarch, Isaac and Job taking Dinah home to marry his son. Dinah is there throughout the devastation that hits Job's household.

"Seeing" Job's actions in the flesh, especially as he reacts to his initial losses pr...more

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Nov 28, 2011 E rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is not at all often that I give 5 star ratings. I firmly believe in giving credit where it is due, and that there is always something somewhere that can be improved. Having said that, Love Amid the Ashes gets a solid 5 stars from me.

Mesu Andrews uses the facts we have, weaves in fiction to fill in the blanks so skillfully that one must be careful to discern between the two, and gives us a story of love and redemption that left me wondering if I had read it or truly been there. I expected this...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

Thirty-five-year-old Dinah has cared for her grandfather, Isaac, for 15 years making her feel secure, capable and useful. When Isaac dies, Dinah doesn’t know what to do with herself but she knows she must keep her promise to her grandfather at all costs. That promise was to travel to the City of Uz and marry Job’s son, Ennon, who is 39-years-old. Before leaving with Job’s caravan, Dinah collects all her vials and herbs for healing as she knows the minute her greedy Uncle Esau arrives he will str...more Thirty-five-year-old Dinah has cared for her grandfather, Isaac, for 15 years making her feel secure, capable and useful. When Isaac dies, Dinah doesn’t know what to do with herself but she knows she must keep her promise to her grandfather at all costs. That promise was to travel to the City of Uz and marry Job’s son, Ennon, who is 39-years-old. Before leaving with Job’s caravan, Dinah collects all her vials and herbs for healing as she knows the minute her greedy Uncle Esau arrives he will strip her home of everything.

Dinah meets up with a little Cushite girl named, Nogahla who pleads with Dinah to let her be her mistress for she has no one and nowhere to go. At first, Dinah laughs and tells the girl it’s silly because she herself is essentially nothing but a servant too. But the little girl is insistent and Dinah relents. Together they worked to carefully wrap Dinah’s vials for healing.

Esau absolutely despises Dinah and lets it be known when Job announces that their caravan wouldn’t be leaving for Uz until after they had eaten their evening meal so they could travel under the cover of darkness. Esau, with his hateful persona, spits out that they weren’t leaving until then because of: “..that woman…and she’s already been defiled!” Job was terribly upset and didn’t take those rude and harsh comments lightly and even though Esau was his favourite grandson, he wouldn’t endure his bossy tongue.

As the caravan leaves and begins travelling, Job becomes suspicious of his guide and this upsets him because he thought he could trust him, after all he did hand-pick him himself. The guide was pressuring Job to keep moving in the wake of a violent storm. With this on his mind, he told his other guides to keep moving. Job soon found out why the guide was hurrying them on through a raging storm for he had no idea what fate awaited them when they reached Uz.

The story of Job from the Bible is one of immense tragedy and one wonders how one man could remain so faithful in spite of the tragedies that befell him. If we all had a quarter of the faith that Job had, our world would be a much happier place. I would never have known this was a debut novel. Mesu Andrews writes with clarity, a studious insight into scripture and a knowledge that puts many of us to shame. I loved the way the story flowed without missing a beat. Love Amid the Ashes is a story of immense faith, tragedy, suffering, coping, love, and redemption, and allows us to gain a better understanding of both biblical characters, Job and Dinah.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".
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May 03, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biblical-fiction, job-and-dinah

LOVE AMID THE ASHES by Mesu Andrews is an amazing,inspirational biblical fiction about Job and Dinah. It is well written with details,scriptures,and depth. The characters are enduring,courageous,steadfast,suffer and romance. This story will bring the biblical story of Job,his suffering,his faith,his journey,loss,and weaves this story of the old testament to life. This story will weave beauty,steadfast faith,suffering and love amid the ashes together with vivid details.Job's tale is not only one...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Nora St Laurent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was thankful to receive a review copy of a story many people quote from the bible and look to when they are suffering. The story of Job is a powerful one. Meus Andrews states in the author notes how she came up for the premise of her book Love Amid the Ashes! She says, “I hope you can see (through my extensive research) that biblical fiction is so much more than a fanciful imagining of how things might have been. It is truly my heart cry to know how biblical characters experienced the God I kn...more I was thankful to receive a review copy of a story many people quote from the bible and look to when they are suffering. The story of Job is a powerful one. Meus Andrews states in the author notes how she came up for the premise of her book Love Amid the Ashes! She says, “I hope you can see (through my extensive research) that biblical fiction is so much more than a fanciful imagining of how things might have been. It is truly my heart cry to know how biblical characters experienced the God I know today!”

Having read this gripping, heart wrenching book I can say Mesu has accomplished her goal. Not only did she show how biblical characters experienced God in their lives but she got up-close and very personal in showing the inner turmoil every character had endured watching Job suffer. No matter what came Job’s way he stood faithful to not curse God like his friends and family wanted him to but was a witness to the love he had for God no matter what happened in his life.

Love Amid the Ashes is not only about Job, and the impact he had on his community, family, friends and the world around him. But it’s also about Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob, who was violated by King Shechem. Her brothers avenged this act by killing the king and did some horrible things to the people that lived in the kingdom before they murdered them.

Dinah isn’t mentioned in the Old Testament much so the author had to dig deep to uncover facts she could use to make her story work. Through extensive research Mesu found a way for Dinah to cross paths with Job, a wise man and respected man in his community, who was highly favored by God, and who showed the love of God to everyone he came in contact with.

Soon after Dinah and Job’s paths cross calamity befalls Job. One messenger after the other reports horrific news to Job, first the report that his children are dead, then a report that all his live stock are slain and then to hear that his grandchildren are killed. Soon after that Job’s house burns down to the ground. Job is left homeless and penniless. His wife is used to living the good life and agonizes over their new situation even more so when Job gets deathly sick. She is willing to do almost anything to get money in the house and live the life she is accustomed to.

We read in scripture of how everything was taken away from Job and then later given back more than he had in the first place without all the drama associated with this horrendous situation. The author reveals the heartache and struggle of a man losing his children (the loves of his life), everything he owned and his status in his community.

This author not only shows Job’s terrible situation but on the flip side she discloses Job’s hope and faith in God. Mesu brings scripture alive as she gives the reader a peek into what life might have been for Job back then. This Mesu Andrews pens an amazing story of Job’s authenticity, his passion, love for God and family and how he suffered well. He stayed faithful even when his body was in horrific pain. This story brings this story to life in a real way. You’ll never think of the book of Job in the same way.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
Finding Hope Through Fiction www.psalm516.blogspot.com
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Mar 27, 2011 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mesu Andrews in her new book, "Love Amid The Ashes" published by Revell gives us a fictional account of what might have happened with Job.

Job, according to various surveys, is not one of the books in the Bible that people read frequently, if at all. Seems there is just too much suffering in this book for someone to read it to the end where the redemption is. Job is the richest man in the world and he serves God. The devil wants to destroy him and in one day takes away all Job's cattle, then Job'...more Mesu Andrews in her new book, "Love Amid The Ashes" published by Revell gives us a fictional account of what might have happened with Job.

Job, according to various surveys, is not one of the books in the Bible that people read frequently, if at all. Seems there is just too much suffering in this book for someone to read it to the end where the redemption is. Job is the richest man in the world and he serves God. The devil wants to destroy him and in one day takes away all Job's cattle, then Job's sheep, then Job's children are killed. If that was not enough then the devil comes and makes Job really sick and while he is sitting on an ash pile scarping at his sores his wife comes and tells him to, "curse God and die."

And that is just the beginning of the book it hasn't finished yet for Job. So why write a fictionalized version of this Biblical account? Because it needs to be done. Mesu Andrews has done a superb account of researching many different sources to give us a cast of characters that most of us are probably not aware of. Foremost of which is Dinah. Dinah is the grandaughter of Isaac and, while I did know that Job lived at the Patriarchs, I did not know that they interacted with each other.

Ms. Andrews gives us the Biblical portrayal of the man, Job, in a new way. While we are now witness to the day to day operations of the Job family, which we have not seen before, Ms. Andrews still gives us an accurate account of the Biblical story. I believe that this book should be read, not only for the Biblical detail, but for the extra story that brings new life to the man we know as Job.

If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Available March 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.(less)

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Mar 23, 2011 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When Mesu Andrews said her book, Love Amid the Ashes, would challenge you to open your Bible, she was not joking. Things I ‘KNEW’ were in the Bible weren’t, how I interpreted what I had read wasn’t so clear after all, and the names of some of the characters are pulled from books I’ve never even heard of. Although I admit that I’m not sure I believe some of the latter, as they aren’t ‘canonized,’ it worked to fill in the unknown aspects of the well-known Bible story of Job. She did fill in the bl...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Kaylea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: see-blog-for-more-info

Wow.

For a debut novel, Mesu Andrews has "hit a home run" with her portrayal of Dinah and Job.

Through strong Biblical research and solid writing, Andrews has created a novel that is not only enjoyable to read, but will also challenge you to study the Bible more and more.

I'll be honest, it made me read the novel alongside my Bible, to try to determine which aspects were fiction and which were true.

I find her placement of Job within the chronology of Jacob, Esau and Joseph, helps give the story a...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before Dinah’s grandfather, Isaac died, he told Dinah that she must go with Job and marry his son, Ennon. Dinah’s grandfather knew that no one else would marry Dinah after she was found with Shechem, many years ago. Even though, she and Shechem were married and had committed no crime.

Job is a wonderful leader and man. He has gained great respect but he now finds himself under attack. Job knows the truth regarding Dinah but yet he does not feel he has to justify himself now or Dinah. Job brings...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Cafelilybookreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love Amid The Ashes makes the story of Job come to life! Biblical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I’ve read many books about various characters in the Bible but I don’t remember ever reading a story centered around Job. The meticulous research and hard work of the author shines through in this captivating tale of romance and tragedy and makes this an easy book to read.

Love Amid The Ashes was not only interesting and thought provoking, but very emotional as well. At times, I found it di...more Love Amid The Ashes makes the story of Job come to life! Biblical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I’ve read many books about various characters in the Bible but I don’t remember ever reading a story centered around Job. The meticulous research and hard work of the author shines through in this captivating tale of romance and tragedy and makes this an easy book to read.

Love Amid The Ashes was not only interesting and thought provoking, but very emotional as well. At times, I found it difficult to read, especially some of the more graphic details of Job's physical suffering. If you are not familiar with the story of Job, I would suggest reading the biblical account first and then reading this book.

Although this is a fictional account it helped the story of Job became clearer and I was able to relate better to the characters having known some of the scriptural background. Readers cannot help but grieve for Job and what he endures; the depth with which Mesu Andrews writes about his suffering and loss made me think harder about this character.

If you think you know the age old story of Job well, this book puts new perspective on what Job may have endured and the complexities of his suffering. As a woman who suffers with chronic illness, Mesu was able to write a book about suffering and truly understand what Job may have been thinking and feeling, as he dealt with physical, mental and emotional pain. I also like how Mesu was able to connect Job to members of Jacob & Esau's tribes and create a complex cast of characters while keeping the plot easy to follow.

Love Amid The Ashes is Mesu’s debut novel and I can’t wait to read more of her books in the future. In the front of the book there is a family tree where the author clearly notes which characters are fictional and at the end of the book, the author includes a note which describes her research for this story. For history lovers, this information is helpful and may encourage further reading about the life of these characters.

“Available March 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

This book was provided free for review by Revell
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May 01, 2012 Truly Bookish rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars. I’m a huge fan of Christian historical fiction and love books based on people from the Bible. It takes a lot of creativity for a writer to take small bits of history and weave entire stories out of them and when it’s done well, it’s really enjoyable. Most times, the story is great and completely believable, other times if falls short and misses the mark. Unfortunately, Love Amid the Ashes missed the mark for me.

A story based on the Biblical account of Job is great material to work wit...more 2.5 stars. I’m a huge fan of Christian historical fiction and love books based on people from the Bible. It takes a lot of creativity for a writer to take small bits of history and weave entire stories out of them and when it’s done well, it’s really enjoyable. Most times, the story is great and completely believable, other times if falls short and misses the mark. Unfortunately, Love Amid the Ashes missed the mark for me.

A story based on the Biblical account of Job is great material to work with. Mesu Andrews makes good use of the potions of Job’s story that we are very familiar with but Job is not really the main character in this book, Dinah is. Honestly, this surprised me as I thought the story would focus on Job more than anyone else.

Dinah is Jacob’s only daughter, the one who, according to scripture, was raped by Prince Shechem and whose brothers took revenge by killing the prince and all the men in the city. Andrews’ book puts a different spin on the situation. Instead of being raped, Shechem approached 15-year-old Dinah, proposed to her and the two eloped, all on the same day. In Love Amid the Ashes, Dinah was actually in love with her husband, her brothers slaughtered him and she was labeled and an evil temptress by everyone who heard the rumors. This is the first portion of the story that I had an issue with. I have a hard time believing that with the culture she lived in, this girl, with Jacob for a father and those 12 men for brothers, would be crazy enough to run off with a man from a different culture and religion who she had just met.

Now an adult, Dinah is pretty much unmarriageable because of her reputation but her grandfather’s dying request is that she become the second wife of Job’s oldest son. Job, being a distant cousin and a faithful man who trusts God decides to honor the request and takes Dinah on a lengthy trip to his family’s home.

The middle part of the book does focus on Job and his trials including his wife’s inappropriate relationship with another man, her idolatry and a host of other things, but the point of the story is muddled with the fact that Dinah is constantly in the picture, people treat her like a whore, a bad luck charm and the reason why calamity has befallen Job in the first place. I also have an issue with the fact that Dinah’s looks (she is tall and thin with blond hair and blue eyes) are mentioned several times, especially the blond hair. Her description sounds more like European supermodel than Middle Eastern woman but maybe that’s just me.

This book also has a lot of secondary characters, many of them I thought were unnecessary and the extra made this book way too long. Another thing I found surprising is the author’s extremely unflattering portrayal of twin brothers and patriarchs of their families, Jacob and Esau. I know Jacob did some conniving things but I would like to think that circumstances in his life, including physically wrestling with God, humbled and softened him. Not according to Andrews. She writes them as two of the biggest jerks and meanest fathers ever.

Love Amid the Ashes is not a bad book by any means and this review may be coming out harsher than I intend it. There is a very good message in the book that regardless of your past is, after you seek God’s forgiveness, you are free from the shame and embarrassment of whatever you did. But Job did not sin against God and so there is the second message that you should praise and trust God in all your circumstance. The story just felt like several books mashed together and there is too much going on. Most reviewers seem to love it but it just was not the book for me.

Content: Kissing and some violence.(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Doleary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I stumbled upon this book quite by accident. my kids needed new library books and none of my holds were yet available so I was just wandering the stacks of my local library. I was a Biblical Theology major (extremely rare for a Catholic!) and took a class on Job in College. I LOVED THIS BOOK. The author did a beautiful job of taking the Biblical text and turning it in to a very readable and enjoyable novel. The Book of Job is an amazing story, but to have it fleshed out and more accessible was s...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: Revell

Shelves: book-review

I became hooked on Biblical fiction when I read Roseanna White's A Stray Drop of Blood and Jill Eileen Smith's Wives of King David series. Both of those ladies are masterful with their skills and are at the top of my favorites list. Mesu Andrews sure ranks up there with those amazing ladies and their talent! Mesu Andrews took an account from the Old Testament and weaved it with life-like fiction and created a novel that is emotionally complex and, at many times, life changing. Though she has onl...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: LOVE AMID THE ASHES
Author: Mesu Andrews
Publisher: Revell
March 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3407-7
Genre: Inspirational/biblical fiction

Grandfather Isaac has just died, and Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, has been promised to one of Esau’s descendents, Job’s son. But as the family is packing up, Jacob and Esau are fighting like cats and dogs over Isaac’s belongings, and they both refuse to pay the brides price or give a dowry for Dinah, a woman “defiled”.

When Dinah accompanies Job to Uz to marry his son,...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great read. I enjoyed every page of this book. I love how the author used what the Bible does tell about Job, as well as historical traditions and guesses, to fill in the gaps. She included a few pages at the end to explain how she came up with the ideas she used to create the setting and parts of the plot, which was an enjoyable peek into her mind and writing process. Overall, the book was right in line with the Biblical account, except for one thing (which I won't reveal, since it's...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Since the horror of her experience at Shechem, when her brothers bathed a city in blood in the name of honor, Jacob’s only daughter Dinah has lived under an oppressive cloud of shame. A virtual outcast in her own family, Dinah’s knowledge of healing and herb lore earns her a place as her grandfather Isaac’s nurse. But from his deathbed, Isaac sends Dinah’s future down a path she never expected by ordering her to marry into Esau’s clan. Though regarded as a fallen woman, Dinah is covered by the c...more Since the horror of her experience at Shechem, when her brothers bathed a city in blood in the name of honor, Jacob’s only daughter Dinah has lived under an oppressive cloud of shame. A virtual outcast in her own family, Dinah’s knowledge of healing and herb lore earns her a place as her grandfather Isaac’s nurse. But from his deathbed, Isaac sends Dinah’s future down a path she never expected by ordering her to marry into Esau’s clan. Though regarded as a fallen woman, Dinah is covered by the covenant promise bestowed on her father’s line – a promise that through marriage she could bless her uncle’s family. Only one man from Esau’s clan steps forward to honor Isaac’s wish – Job, the wisest man in the East, offers his oldest son in marriage. On the journey to Job’s home, Dinah is awed by this righteous man’s ability to look beyond the rumors and accept her as she is, in spite of her past. Job’s desire to see Dinah restored, if only she’ll have the faith to accept Yahweh’s forgiveness, plants the first seeds of hope in Dinah that she might have a future free of condemnation.

But shortly after their arrival, Dinah’s hard-won hope and fragile faith are tested as her newfound friend and benefactor loses everything. Overnight, Job is stripped of family, wealth, and servants, and when his household and riches are reduced to rubble, the man himself falls prey to a crippling illness. Covered in painful sores, with his very flesh decaying before his eyes, Job is reduced to living in piles of filth and waste, sustained by Dinah’s healing knowledge of herbs. Through the horrifying reality of being brought so low, Job clings to his faith in Yahweh’s greater plan, and Dinah finds fresh purpose as his friend and healer. But when those closest to Job array against him in judgment, Job and Dinah’s tenacious faith is brought to the breaking point. In the face of shattering loss and crippling pain, when all hope seems lost and heaven is silent, can faith and love overcome the weight of unspeakable tragedy?

Love Amid the Ashes fascinated me from the moment I discovered the novel’s premise, and it’s been one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I never considered the possibility that Job lived during the time of the patriarchs, that the man famous for his suffering could be a contemporary of Jacob and Dinah. Mesu Andrews weaves together two lives, shattered by horror, into a breathtaking portrait of God’s never-failing, sustaining grace. Dinah receives all too brief mention in the scriptures, raising more questions than answers when one stops to consider her perspective of Shechem’s destruction. How does one cope with being branded a wanton temptress when as a young girl a mistaken night of passion leaves her hands covered in blood, bereft of any hope of an honorable future? As for Job, Andrews’ portrait of the man’s faith in the midst of crushing sorrow takes one’s breath away. Because of the construction of the Book of Job, it’s been all too easy for me to fall into the trap of forgetting that Job was a living, breathing, fallible human being. Despite the text’s many passionate declarations of faith in the midst of suffering, it’s too easy to forget Job the man and the human suffering that birthed the book’s chronicle of faith in trials. Andrews brilliantly fleshes out Job’s life and character, giving context and emotional resonance to the man that makes his suffering even more compelling and his faith even more inspiring.

Andrews’ debut embodies everything I love about biblical fiction. When an author has a passion and heart for the story, they can take the “dry bones” of well-known and loved biblical characters and imbue the individuals immortalized in the scriptures with the vibrancy of the life they once lived on earth. And that life, that previously unimagined yet now fully realized world they inhabit within the pages of a novel like Love Amid the Ashes makes lives such as Dinah’s and Job’s relatable in a fresh new way. The reality of suffering and trust in a believer’s life is such an individual, very personal thing with which to grapple, and this side of heaven one’s understanding cannot help but be limited by our humanity. As someone who’s struggled with “whys,” I freely admit my own tendency to focus on circumstances, or the emotion of the moment, forgetting the sovereignty of the God who holds my future in His hands. Andrews’ beautifully realized, heartfelt portrait of Job and Dinah is a powerful, inspiring reminder of the fact that my God transcends the whys, and when it seems that no answers are forthcoming, that doesn’t mean that He holds me any less securely in the palm of His hand.

Love Amid the Ashes shines with Mesu Andrews’ passion for scripture, and her lovingly crafted portrait of Job’s life cannot fail to inspire a deeper appreciation and study of the biblical text. This is a humbling, challenging novel, and I pray that no matter what your situation, you’ll be reminded of God’s ability to bring beauty from ashes. Hope endures, God’s love never fails, and my Redeemer lives – let the story of Love Amid the Ashes take root in your soul, and take heart. Circumstances may devastate, people may fail you, but God never changes. (less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Debut Novel + Mesu Andrew’s = Author to Keep an Eye On!

**Spoiler Alert**

Let me start by saying that I am impressed with this author’s debut novel. Was it perfect? No. Was it better than most debuts? Absolutely! I honestly look forward to following Mesu Andrew’s evolution as an author.

I have stewed on this review for a few days now. I decided I could choose one of two routes. I could either look at this book as simply fiction or historical fiction. I settled upon the latter. Had I taken the hist...more Debut Novel + Mesu Andrew’s = Author to Keep an Eye On!

**Spoiler Alert**

Let me start by saying that I am impressed with this author’s debut novel. Was it perfect? No. Was it better than most debuts? Absolutely! I honestly look forward to following Mesu Andrew’s evolution as an author.

I have stewed on this review for a few days now. I decided I could choose one of two routes. I could either look at this book as simply fiction or historical fiction. I settled upon the latter. Had I taken the historical out of the fiction, this would have rated higher. However, I’ve decided there are certain aspects that couldn’t be overlooked.

I’ve settled on a 3.5-star rating. I love historical fiction. I also love to see authors flesh out Biblical Stories that we are all familiar with. Let’s face it. There are so many unknowns when it comes to having a full knowledge of the detailed events of these families. Imagining what their day-to-day lives were like can be an amazing adventure. It can also give us a greater appreciation of the legacy they’ve given us. However, certain facts shouldn’t be changed.

I loved the concept of this story. Job’s wife is never named. Could it have been Dinah? Perhaps. Fathers had a tendency to find spouses for their offspring that shared the same beliefs. The author’s supposition is not original to her book. Rabbinical studies have made the same jump. Does this make it fact? No. However, it could be possible—if the families were contemporaries.

My issues with the story came on several other fronts. First, Dinah was raped. Turning her defilement by Shechem into a willing choice really rubbed me wrong. The fact that she became his wife doesn’t indicate willingness on her part. It shows the leaders of two nations trying to change a course that could lead to violence. It’s not Dinah’s fault that several of her brothers were idiots. Additionally, I believe this experience was a determining factor in the individual that Joseph became. Would he have been so strong in resisting Potipher’s wife if he hadn’t already experienced the heartache that such actions could bring?

Second, I was definitely not fond of how Jacob was portrayed. He really came across as a mean, conniving, insensitive individual. Additionally, he is made out to be a villain for stealing Esau’s birthright and blessing. Had the Lord wanted Esau to be the leader of his people, no deception by Jacob could have changed that. However, when Esau complained to Isaac, Isaac did not rescind the blessing already given to Jacob. Jacob is the third patriarch of God’s covenant people. God doesn’t make mistakes. The leader He chose is Jacob.

Lastly, as centenarians Jacob and Esau are portrayed as angry, jealous, teenagers. Sure Esau was angry. He even plotted to kill Jacob. Jacob was forced to flee his family in order to save his life and fulfill God’s purposes for him. However, many years later when they reunited we are told in Genesis 33:4 “And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.” This occurs before the events with Shechem.

Those issues aside, the story is one of unconditional love and humility. Honestly, I shed many tears as each blow was humbly endured by Job. What an example! I am so glad the author remained true to the Biblical account of his suffering. In fact, she actually helped me to visualize his sufferings in a more vivid manner. Often when I read things from the Bible, the Old Testament particularly, I fail to remember that these our human beings with the same emotions shared by each of us. Their hopes, dreams and failings are no less real than ours. As I read, I couldn’t help but put myself in Job’s shoes and wonder how I would measure up. Let’s just say, I didn’t!
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Mar 08, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I finished this book last week and it's take me a while to decide how I feel about it. I guess ambivilent sums it up. It was pretty well written, but I found myself craving the style of the other Biblical fiction book I read before this one. There were a few things that I really struggled with in the book, and I definitely appreciated her explanation at the end of the book. I was disappointed seeing one of her inspirations was a book on my personal "no-no" list...I wish I would have read the exp...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Cynthia Vogel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

Love Amid the Ashes, a book of historical Biblical fiction, takes the lives of two Biblical characters, the famous Job..and the lesser known Dinah, a daughter of Jacob, and intertwines them in a way that is fascinating as well as believable. I never really understood the depths of Job's suffering until I read this book...And it was interesting to see how the various dynasties of Esau and of Jacob interacted with each other and the deep sense of competition that continued on until their deaths. I...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is one author's interpretation of the story of Job from the Bible. I love reading Bible stories made into fiction even though author's have to take poetic license. And that very fact makes me go back to my Bible and read the story for myself again to know what parts of the novel are fact, which is always a good practice too.

This story follows Dinah, daughter of Jacob (brother of Esau), who has been shamed her whole life because of a mistake she made as a young woman, and the misinterpr...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction, forreview, forpleasure, blog-tour-book

This is a tough review for me to write because I really wanted to love this book. There were parts of the story that I really liked, and then there were parts that I found myself skimming through (closer to the end.) I really loved the beginning when Job's plan was for Dinah to marry his son. It seemed like he and Dinah were overly fond of each other, though. Not sure how I felt about that, so the verdict is still out on that one. I also loved the rehashing and remembering of Dinah's experience...more This is a tough review for me to write because I really wanted to love this book. There were parts of the story that I really liked, and then there were parts that I found myself skimming through (closer to the end.) I really loved the beginning when Job's plan was for Dinah to marry his son. It seemed like he and Dinah were overly fond of each other, though. Not sure how I felt about that, so the verdict is still out on that one. I also loved the rehashing and remembering of Dinah's experience with the Prince of Shechem. That was very well done. I felt the horror of it all. I also felt like I was there and suffered along with her. The disdain she received from others for twenty years and being despised was sad, but well done and believably presented in the story. Then things in this novel got a bit muddied for me.

There were too many players and points of view for me to really connect with the majority of the characters like I wanted to. I wasn't fond of Dinah's relationship with the Cushite servant. It seemed like their relationship was not typical for the time period, plus their friendship seemed a bit juvenile. I also felt like they pulled me out of the story and the time period on a regular basis.

There was simply too much content involving Dinah and the other girl, the Cushite. I loved the tension between Sayyid and Sitis. His obsession with her was creepy, but very well done. Job's suffering was well done, too. His wife's issues were well presented. I felt like i understood her. At the same time I wasn't particularly fond of how things turned out for Job with his new family because it seemed wrong after all that happened in the first three quarters of the book. In short, I wasn't feeling the love.

The author's strength as a writer (in my opinion) is writing gut-wrenching scenes. Those were awesome. But the other things like dialog, friendships, and relationships in the story didn't work for me. The book seemed overly long and it meandered a lot. I had a hard time tracking with it and was tempted to skim many times. I wish I could say more good things but I really struggled with this book. It took me longer than most books to read. I'm sure the author is a fabulous person. Her writing style just isn't for me. But that doesn't mean it won't highly regarded by other readers.(less)

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Mar 26, 2011 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having been a fan of Biblical fiction for many years now, I was very intrigued to read a story about the life of Job. Job's story in the Bible is not one that I've read very many times because frankly, it's a little sad and depressing, even though it does end well. I have to say that the fictional retelling of Job's story in Love Amid the Ashes really has me wanting to crack open this book in my Bible to get a better appreciation of Job's trials.

I really appreciated the genealogy flow chart at...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys biblical fiction. I was so intrigued by Job and Dinah’s story and couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what would happen next. I was most impressed with Mesu Andrews’ ability to use her imagination based only on scant factual detail to come up with a story so intriguing. Read the author’s notes as the end. You will find that Mesu spends inordinate amounts of time and exhausts every resource in researching what is known and making it into a story to grab...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Cassandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews is an author and speaker who has devoted herself to passionate study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep love for God’s Word, Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her audiences.

Mesu and her husband, Roy, have two grown children and (Praise God!) a growing number of grandkids. They live in Washington, where Roy teaches at Multnomah University. They have a Rottweiler-pitbull named...more

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“But if rejection was his only stumbling block, then pride was his real problem” — 1 person liked it

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