Ok, so this book is not about England or Scotland, nor is it medieval to 16th century. However, The Secret Heir is an excellent fictionalized retelling of a historical story about the ancient kingdom of Israel, and the enigmatic shepherd boy who rose from lowly sheep herder to the mighty warrior, King David. It’s ok to get out of our comfort zones from time to time, right? 😛
David is a young man, anointed to be king (unbeknownst to the current king) stuck on the Judean hillside, watching his father’s sheep. He longs to be more useful to his father than just another shepherd and to fulfil the role for which he has been anointed. When he receives a summons to come and play the lyre for the troubled king of Israel, David is one step closer to the life he longs to live. But he is also closer to danger as he endeavors to keep a secret from the king that could cost his life and the lives of his family.
In The Secret Heir, David comes to life as more than just a Biblical character. Anyone familiar with David knows he struggled with insecurities, depression, and loneliness. Yet, we see a clearer picture of how he used his music and poetry to draw strength from God and overcome his weaknesses.
One of my favorite parts of The Secret Heir was when David, fresh from the hills of Bethlehem, comes face to face with the intimidating, well-trained Philistine giant, Goliath. It was very easy to become emotionally involved in this scene; for Janice breathed new life into this old, familiar story, and I felt as if I were right there on the battlefield with David. <chills>
Another interesting piece of this story is that of Michal, the daughter of the paranoid King Saul. Michal often gets a bad rap in history and Ms. Broyles opens our eyes to the young woman who, like so many females of her time, was just another pawn in a very dangerous political game.
This is a story of a warrior, fueled by the love for a woman beyond his reach, driven by a desire to be someone great, and anointed by God who saw him as something more than he was.
The Secret Heir follows the life of David of Bethlehem from shepherd to warrior. I look forward to the release of Janice’s next book in this series, tentatively called The Runaway Heir.
Janice Broyles, Ed.D is an author and instructor at Livingstone College. She is a Michigan transplant currently living in North Caroline with her husband and two children. Learn more about Janice and her books at her website:
Or, connect with her on Facebook at Janice Broyles, Author or on Twitter at @JaniceBroyles1
The Secret Heir can be purchased at Barnes&Noble or Amazon.
The Rose and the Thistle 