The Heart of a King

Author: Jill Eileen Smith
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Releases: April 30, 2019

Get swept away by a story of love, loss, and longing

King Solomon could--and did--have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands. But for all of his wealth and wisdom, did he or the women he loved ever find what they were searching for?

In this engrossing novel, find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meet four remarkable women: Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba. As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and theirs, you'll grapple with whether this king's storied wisdom ultimately benefited him and those he loved . . . or betrayed them.

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Reviewer: Sabrina Wade

I absolutely enjoyed this novel from cover to cover. Most definitely a page turner. Simply amazing read! Jill, you kept close to the scriptures while painting a vivid interwoven love story. A love story between the king and his son, the king and his Queen, a mother and her son. The love of a newly betrothed King Solomon and his many wives. Most importantly, God's love was evident through all their relationships.

A must read!! Jill will have you sitting on the edge of your seat wanting to glimpse a more in-depth look into your childhood Bible study of King David and King Solomon. Like me, you will be filled with a sense of awe for who they were and have a few of your questions of life answered or questioned all the more.

You may even find the heart of a King is similar to your own deeply held desires and longings.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.

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Reviewer: Martha Robinson

Readers of Biblical fiction will recognize Jill Eileen Smith as the author of the wonderful series: The Wives of David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land. In the “Note to the Reader,” Smith states that this novel was an “eBook series turned to print.”

The Heart of a King is highly readable, yet scripturally sound. Smith pulls back the veil of time to immerse the reader in the sights, sounds, and smells of ancient Israel. We first see Solomon as a young man, eagerly awaiting his father’s announcement that he will be the next king of Israel. We witness his loving relationship with his mother Bathsheba. We watch as he marries his first wife Naamah from Ammon, who had become a believer in Adonai. Smith spotlights three other relationships— with Abishag, King David’s last concubine; with Siti, Pharoah’s daughter; and with Nicaula, the queen of Sheba. We see Solomon struggle to use his great gift of wisdom to maintain peace in his kingdom. We also see the extravagant wealth of his palace as well as the magnificent beauty of the Temple.

How Solomon dealt with the faith of his foreign wives was fascinating. As each new wife is added to his harem, we witness his desire to remain true to Adonai. For example, Siti, worshipped the Egyptian goddess Bastet, protector of women and children. She insists that she bring Bastet, a stone image of a cat, to Jerusalem with her.

Siti attempts to learn about Adonai. At one point Solomon tells her, “We only understand Him by faith, Siti. I can explain many thing about Him to you, but I cannot make you believe them. . . . I’m afraid even the wisest man on earth does not truly grasp the nature of my God.”

Verses from Ecclesiastes and Proverbs were woven throughout the novel. I personally will never be able to read Song of Solomon again without remembering how Solomon seduces each wife by whispering those verses in their ears.

Despite the fact that there are no Discussion Questions at the end, this book would be an excellent selection for book club readers.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.

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Reviewer: Jill Jones

Jill Eileen Smith brings biblical characters and culture to life unmatched by other writers.  Her research into history and culture is proven in the stories she tells that bring the famous stories from the Bible alive.

Her newest work, “The Heart of a King”, tells the story of King Solomon, the king who asked for wisdom from God and received it and so much more.  King Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba who was the wife of Uriah. The Bible tells of Solomon’s birth in 2 Samuel 12:24. Even though Solomon was the result of a relationship that was not ordained by God, 2 Samuel tells us that the Lord loved Solomon.  Even as an infant, Solomon’s heart was full. God knew the man he would become and prepared him.

Smith’s story of how Solomon followed God, loved his wives and continued to fulfill his duties as God’s chosen king gives us a look inside a man whose heart was filled with abundance yet struggled with his love of God and his love of women and his throne. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Solomon’s wives. In fact, I couldn’t find any Scriptures that named Solomon’s wives. But Smith has captured the essence of what several of his wives might have thought and felt as Solomon continued to add wives to his harem.

While the story is purely fictional, Smith allows us to imagine, just for a moment, what it was like to live in the time of Solomon. She gives us fodder to chew on as we look at Solomon as a human being who struggled with being human while trying to please God especially before Christ became our mediator. Solomon may have tried harder than we realize not to allow foreign women to influence his relationship with God. Maybe he thought they would come to know God and love Him as much as He did. For whatever reason, he allowed his foreign wives to worship their own gods which, in turn, led the Israelites astray.

Every book Jill Eileen Smith writes is better than the last. Not only do they tell a story, each book shares an important biblical truth. I can’t wait to see who decorates the cover of her next book.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Mindy Houng

"You will never be all that he needs, dear girl. Only God can give us all that we need. Only He can feed the hungriest places in our soul."

Jill Eileen Smith is a master storyteller of Biblical fiction. Her research is detailed, her writing exquisite, and her renderings of the Biblical stories that we know well are fresh, thought-provoking, powerful and unforgettable. From the prelude, she will pull you into the world of a thriving and prosperous Israel near the end of King David's reign with sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that are vivid and tangible. This book is a little different from the others I have read by the author, in that Solomon is the central character holding the story together, while the four featured wives have their own stories that intermingle with Solomon's life and in each others'. I did not read the four previously published novellas of the four wives from where this particular book was drawn from but thoroughly enjoyed the book. The book flows well to encompass Solomon's life from being a prince, to the celebrated wise king, to an older, more experienced king who has much to repent. It doesn't feel like a compilation of previous novellas and apparently is different from the novellas in the approach and presentation. I can't believe how much anticipatory angst I had while devouring the book when I already know the ending! Such is the skill of Jill Eileen Smith. If you're a fan of Biblical fiction, this book is a must-read!

The four wives and their characters showed the complex man Solomon was underneath his wisdom, love for beauty and women, and passion. Naamah, his first wife and mother of his heir, was his first political obligation and passion of his youth though he didn't love her as much as she loved him. Abishag shared his curiosity, joy in song and poetry, and offered him comfort and unconditional acceptance. Siti, an Egpytian princess, captured him with her exotic beauty and intelligence that challenged his belief in One God. Nicaula, the Queen of Sheba, sought to learn from Solomon's wisdom and, in return, learned about Solomon's One True God and sacrificial love. The incorporation of David and Bathsheba into the story at the beginning was also quite delightful.  

Solomon, though having experienced real love from God, unfortunately let his passions rule unchecked and trusted the gift instead of the Giver. His story is poignant and heart-breaking, but surprisingly hopeful. This book is not just about the loves of King Solomon but is a journey of the heart and faith - for Solomon and for his wives.

I received a copy of the book from Baker Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

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Reviewer: Lynn Rountree

Jill is one of my favorite authors, and this book is no exception. She is able to take you back in time to what might have been, mingling scripture with historical facts and supposition. 

I had a little trouble with the story ONLY because my brain had trouble exiting its usual belief in how things occurred in order to really step into the story with a mind wide open. Specifically in regards to how Solomon came to write the Song of Songs. 

In spite of my reservations, this telling of it really helps you to understand what the women must have been feeling and what they must have incurred in his courts. I love how Jill is in tune with how we as women feel and with what we struggle with. She honors our sisters past. 

I recommend diving into this one...with MIND wide open!

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

How could a king who asked God for wisdom be so utterly lacking in it? This was my constant thought as I read The Heart of a King by Jill Eileen Smith.

The author did a marvellous job of showing how Solomon went from asking for wisdom from God, to better serve his people, to ignoring God and twisting that same wisdom for his selfish pleasures. It was a perfect study of how easily those whom God blesses with every good gift, can fall away from Him, all while believing they are still in good standing with God.

I have read the story of David and Solomon before, but the author, through her careful reading of the Scriptures and research, brought them to life. Solomon was the ultimate gigolo! A truly disgusting man. The author did an excellent job of getting me to dislike him, fully exposing how Solomon made excuses as to "why" he needed to build temples and altars to foreign gods. He did it to please his foreign wives but thought God wouldn't be angry if he built places of worship for them outside of Jerusalem. It is so easy for us to make excuses for sin when we want to. With Solomon it started with the excuse, "I must marry these foreign wives to keep peace among the nations." It then progressed to building temples for their foreign gods (but outside Jerusalem so God wouldn't be angry) to finally embracing those gods and forsaking God entirely.

The author was thorough in her examination of Solomon's fall from grace, which unfortunately made the book somewhat  repetitive. There is no happy ending to Solomon's story, and so it left me feeling rather flat. Hence the four stars.

​However, if you are a fan of Biblical fiction, you will enjoy the journey of how one man, blessed by God, took everything he was given and threw it away all in the name of "love."

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Eva-Joy Schonhaar

Biblical fiction, when written well, is one of my favorite genres.  The Heart of a King definitely delivered and I enjoyed almost every moment of it.  I will definitely be looking for more books from Jill Eileen Smith in the future.

WHAT I LIKED:

• Each of the four women where well-developed and unique.  My favorite was Abishag, closely followed by the Queen of Sheba.  Both were women of honor and faith.  Naamah and Siti were more demanding of Solomon and weren't as close to God (especially Siti).
• Along with the women in this book, Solomon was also a very well developed character.  I didn't always like him, but I understood him.
• The writing!  Beautiful, clear, and with just a hint of poetry in places.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

• Some of the author's interpretations of different Bible verses and accounts didn't sit well with me.  For instance, I don't believe David and Bathsheba would have been so happy with Solomon marrying Naamah, a foreigner (especially to the point where they were encouraging the marriage).
• Sometimes the plot got a little repetitive.

Overall, The Heart of a King was an intriguing, gripping look into the life of one of history's most famous kings. Highly recommended for fans of well-written Biblical fiction.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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