Ana is our main character, and you know from the beginning that she will become the wife of Jesus. But we start with her life as a child, which was difficult. Being a woman at that time was an extreme hardship. Ana loved to write, which was forbidden, but her father indulged Ana and this made her happy. She thought he favored her so much that he wouldn't force her into an arranged marriage.
But she is betrothed to an (of course) undesirable old man. I won't tell you how that turned out. She encounters Jesus at a young age and is attracted to him, but he is of a different class. All along she tries to arrange to see him again.
Ana has an aunt that lives with them because she has been banished for allegedly poisoning her husband. She helps keep Ana safe and serves as a wise counselor.
I won't say too much more about Ana's life, although it is full of adventure and plenty of danger. We know how the story ends for Jesus, but for Ana??
Given my recent difficulties with reading, and after giving up on a couple of other books, The Book of Longings was just what I needed. Poor Ana. How difficult it would have been to be an intelligent woman living in those times. But Jesus respected her and made her happy. It was a romance that melted my heart. I'm so glad I found this book, and I highly recommend The Book of Longings if it sounds like your kind of book.
Published by Viking, April 21, 2020
eARC obtained from NetGalley
432 pages
Rating: 5/5
