Mothers of a Nation

Author: Carlene Havel/Sharon Faucheux
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Series: Remarkable Women of the Bible #5
Pages: 175
Release Date: June 11, 2025
Publisher: Chavelbooks, LLC

Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah reveal their hearts as each tells her own story of joy and sorrow. Never realizing the historical significance of their roles, these four ordinary women became the mothers of a nation.

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Reviewer: Diana Lea

Just look at the book cover!

I was hooked the moment I saw it. The faces promised me an inside story—a window into the hearts of the women who shaped a nation. Mothers of a Nation did not disappoint.

Though this story draws from familiar passages in the book of Genesis, authors Carlene Havel and Sharon Faucheux give us a rich, multi-generational retelling of their heritage, heartbreak, and the hopes and dreams carried by four women whose sons would become the twelve tribes of Israel.

The book begins as Jacob arrives at the well watched over by sisters Rachel and Leah. From there, the narrative unfolds: Jacob’s wrestling with the angel, the birth of his many sons, the move to Canaan, the encounter with Esau, and eventually the journey to Egypt—where Joseph is rediscovered during the famine.

The novel is divided into four parts, with each mother—Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah—offering her voice and point of view. Through their eyes, we witness what it meant to be a wife, a sister, a servant, and most of all, a mother. We feel their youthful fears and, later, their seasoned reflections.

Rachel’s story, for example, is deeply marked by endurance in the face of betrayal and loss. Her mother once told her, “Marriage is a matter decided by fathers,” and Rachel’s life was shaped by that truth. Leah, the unloved wife, speaks tenderly of rejection, resilience, and faith. Even the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, given to Jacob as lesser wives, are given space to share their silent struggles and surprising strength.

I don’t read much biblical fiction, mostly because I often find myself weighed down by backstories while clinging to the often scant verses from the Bible. Here, I feel the historical and cultural details were seamlessly woven into the dialogue and setting, enhancing rather than overshadowing the story. The women’s lives revealed stories of love, rivalry, courage, heartache, forgiveness, unwavering hope, and loyalty.

I notice there are other works of biblical fiction by this author and I have added those to my TBR list. If you enjoy biblical stories with emotional depth and historical insight, Mothers of a Nation is a compelling and thoughtful read I wholeheartedly recommend. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of the authors via Interviews & Reviews in exchange for my honest review. 

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Reviewer: Rick Norris

Biblical fiction has an extra element that makes it hard to write. Authors must write a compelling story, creating character motivation that is usually missing in the Bible, while still staying true to the Word. The authors, Havel and Faucheux do a great job of balancing these requirements. 

In this novel, the Biblical women of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah reveal their hearts as each tells her own story of joy and sorrow. These four women bore children to Jacob, who together became the twelve founders of the tribes of Israel. Never realizing the historical significance of their roles, these women entered the Biblical lineage as mothers of a nation. 

Knowing the Bible as I do, I was able to read the text while considering the authors’ attempt to be true to the Bible. This is important because authors who write historical novels are sometimes criticized for “adding” to the Bible. Many of these criticisms lack validity. The Bible doesn’t explain many of the personal feelings or reactions of these women, who, as mates of the same man, lived in proximity. The authors do an excellent job of infusing their story with such feelings. 

A good example is why Rachel treated Leah poorly in the Bible. “I planned to go about my normal routine the next day, as if I cared not a fig that Jacob married Leah. Nevertheless, I would wait and watch for a chance to make them pay for the evil they had done.” 

Ouch! This is very realistic, but as we read the story in the Bible, we skip over such emotions. 

I love the cultural infusion of a woman and her slave’s children. “She belonged to me, and I could do whatever I wished with her. If she bore my husband’s children, I had every right to claim them as my own.” I didn’t think of this when reading Genesis. 

Havel and Faucheux also add their opinions in the story of how women experiencing childbirth may bond together. “Men do not understand the pain required to bring a child into the world. The sacrifice brings all women together in sisterhood, even slave and mistress.” 

I recommend this book to the reader who likes to “look under the hood” of biblical stories and imagine why a character may have acted as they did. The authors provide a good study, allowing the reader to step into the shoes of Biblical characters. 

I received a review copy courtesy of the authors through Interviews & Reviews for an unbiased and objective review.

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