Welcome to Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my recommendation for Roseanna M. White’s fabulous historical fiction novel. A Stray Drop of Blood is Roseanna’s debut book and one of the first fiction books I reviewed when I started blogging in 2010. A Biblical era fiction gospel story, it’s fitting to repost my book recommendation during Holy Week.
Here’s the Book Description for A Stray Drop of Blood:
One little drop to soil her garment.
One little drop to cleanse her soul.
Abigail was born free, but when her parents die, she’s sold into slavery to the family of a Roman soldier in Jerusalem. Fortunately, the Visibullis family is kind, and as years pass, she’s proud to serve them. But Abigail’s beauty attracts unwanted attention when their son, Jason, returns from Rome. She doesn’t dare to defy him…but how can she ever love him as he demands?
As Jerusalem boils with political unrest and the stories of a rabbi named Jesus who snags Jason’s attention, Abigail struggles to find her new place in the family. But then tragedy strikes, and her world is shattered. Desperate for justice, Abigail attends a trial for the criminal responsible—Barabbas. She instead finds herself in the path of Jesus, condemned to die in Barabbas’s place. And when a stray drop of the rabbi’s blood falls upon her, she knows Jason had been right. This Man really is the Son of God.
Only in the wake of His touch can she find what her heart has always longed for. Love, in the place she least expected to find it…and freedom for a soul that had resigned itself to slavery.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
A Stray Drop of Blood is Roseanna M. White’s captivating debut Biblical fiction novel. The story is set in Jerusalem and Rome around the time of Jesus’ ministry.
Eight year old Hebrew girl Abigail is orphaned and sold into slavery by her stepfather. She is purchased by a Roman prefect as a companion for his Hebrew wife. Abigail is educated and raised as if she was their own daughter and her immense beauty is both a blessing and curse. Six years later her master’s son, a Roman soldier, returns home after a six year absence and claims Abigail as his own before she can be given in marriage to her fellow slave and best friend. Abigail is forced to accept her new situation and feels abandoned by her God.
Tragedy befalls her Master’s household and Abigail’s encounter with Jesus on the day he is crucified both challenges her faith and transforms her life. Her faith is tested as she loses loved ones and cannot escape being treated as a Hebrew slave despite changes in her circumstances. A powerful love story unfolds and Abigail struggles with her seemingly futile desire to be with the man she loves.
A Stray Drop of Blood is an honest story that explores the best and worst of human nature. Realistic and compelling characters struggle with temptation and the differences between the Hebrew and Roman society create strong emotional conflict. The story is action packed, with masterful plot twists and the spiritual element flows seamlessly through the story. I recommend A Stray Drop of Blood to historical fiction readers who are looking for a challenging and exciting Biblical era fiction story with a clear gospel message.
The characters in “Biblical Fiction” feel so authentic and relatable.