Until the Mountains Fall, by Connilyn Cossette

In this Historical/Romance novel we also get a great story about the "Cities of Refuge" in Old Testament Israel as well as the concept of Levirate marriage. Connilyn Cossette does a magnificent job of writing an engaging story while providing teaching points for a Biblical Custom.

Rivkah lives in a city of Refuge where her father is the Religious Ruler in charge of those who seek refuge from a Manslayer. These people come here because they have caused the untimely death of an innocent person and they need protection from the Manslayer who might seek revenge for the family who lost a loved one. As such Rivkah see's a lot of distressed and emotionally empty people coming to their city.

But in the midst of this Rivkah marries a good Jewish man but then experiences loss of her own. Her husband dies and leaves her a widow without children. According to their traditions and rules if the deceased husband had no heir and does have a brother, then that brother must marry the widow and provide a child to perpetuate the name of the deceased.

But Rivkah takes exception to the concept of marrying the brother of her deceased husband. She has never liked the young man, he is also younger than her and immature.

Before the marriage can take place she runs away to another city. Here she experiences the loss of everything she has known and everything she owns. Much like the Prodigal Son story in the New Testament. What will Rivkah do? Will she try and return to her family and her home and the arranged marriage?

The story is good and the character development leans itself to letting you feel what young women in Old Testament Israel may have felt. You get a clear picture of their dependence on others. A clear picture of arranged marriages that are not the best. A clear picture of how tradition and laws can actually be somewhat harmful to those they are meant to protect.

I think you will enjoy the story and learning more about Hebrew Culture.