Rebel Daughter is and #ownvoice authored book inspired by an inscription on a 2,000 year old gravestone that is the earliest evidence of Jewish captives brought to Italy.  On the epitaph, the husband begs the living to take care of the remains of his beloved wife.  This sets the tone not only for romance, but for the story of perseverance and drama that follows. 

“Around women, she’s a girl.  Around men, she’s a woman.  With Romans, she’s a Jew.  But she wondered, who was she really?”

Rebel Daughter is a coming of age story about a young jewish girl named Esther.  She is spunky, smart, and curious and but wants to do whatever she can to stop her upcoming arranged marriage.  She wants to protect her family, live without fear of Roman persecution, and find love but she knows she must be a dutiful daughter. 

“The truth often makes us uncomfortable.  But the thing about truth is it doesn’t go away if we ignore it.”

The writing in this book is beautiful.  I could hear the sounds of the market and smell the spices in the air.  Early Jerusalem comes alive in this story thanks to the authors meticulous research.  I learned so much about Jewish culture and history while reading this book! 

Rebel Daughter blends the fascinating story of the Jewish people of these times with a strong protagonist determined to take charge of her own life against all odds. Thank you to Lori Banov Kaufmann for the book!

You can pick up a copy of the book here.  To read more of my reviews, check out the rest of my blog.  To enter the latest giveaways and see what I’m currently reading, head to my Bookstagram account in IG.  And to listen to me chat all things bookish and share my latest reviews, head to my Booktube Channel.