The Royal Artisan

Queen Esther's Court, Book 2

De: Tessa Afshar

Narrado por: Rachel Botchan, Jonathan Todd Ross

Sazana of Persia creates exquisite pottery that graces Susa's finest tables, but her master, Lord Haman, does not know her secret: Sazana is one of the Jews he has vowed to eradicate. When Haman discovers her true identity, he forces her into indentured servitude. But at Haman's sudden downfall, Queen Esther becomes the new master of the pottery workshop, restoring Sazana to her rightful place.

Yet her troubles are not over as Haman's sons are enraged by his death, and the queen assigns one of her men to root out any threats. Sazana is shocked to discover the identity of the queen's agent is none other than Jadon, the man who left her heart in ruins years ago. But despite his presence, danger still lurks, and when Sazana and Jadon become entangled in the hunt for an ancient artifact, so much more than their own hearts and lives depends on the success of their mission.

Experience the thrill and intrigue of secrets and romance within Queen Esther's royal domain in this biblical fiction tale that will appeal to fans of ancient history, The Chosen, House of David, Francine Rivers, and Angela Hunt.

©2025 Tessa Afshar (P)2025 Recorded Books

Easy listening

The story is historically accurate as far as Esther goes which is what makes this story interesting

Loved this Book

This storyline kept me coming back from the very beginning. I love how the author weeps in historical facts with a sweet fictional romance!

Excellent

I love the story. I loved the characters. I loved the narration. Everything love together beautifully. It was a seamless story from beginning to end and the added surprise about the illness of the grandmother and the mother was unexpected. A truly delightful book. I probably will listen to it again.

Enjoyed both narrators!

All the love for this intriguing Biblical romance! Tessa Afshar does a brilliant job bringing insight into Queen Esther’s story through two endearing fictional characters. I loved the history, beautiful descriptions, the artistic details, & the swoon worthy second chance romance.

Orphaned at a young age, Sazana’s taken in by her parents’ dearest friend Arta. Now working in Lord Haman’s workshop as a talented potter, she’s forced into indentured servitude after her Jewish heritage is discovered. But, when Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews is revealed, Queen Esther takes control of his workshop. Angered over the loss their inheritance, Haman’s sons are out for revenge putting Sazana’s & Arta’s lives in danger.

The queen sends one of her agents to protect them, but he’s none other than the man who broke Sazana’s heart years ago when he abruptly ended their betrothal. To root out spies & foil an impending plan to destroy the Jews, Sazana & Jadon must work together to find an ancient artifact in time to save them all from destruction, all while trying to mend their broken hearts.

I loved this story! Sazana’s such a strong, sympathetic character. Though she may have difficulty putting thoughts into words, she’s an amazing artist. I loved the descriptions of the blue glazed pottery she creates. Jadon broke her heart, but he has his reasons & thinks he’s protecting her. I loved seeing them find ways to reconcile their past. Sazana doesn’t let Jadon off too easily & I loved her coming up with difficult tasks which he does uncomplainingly. All the delightful, forced proximity situations like sharing a horse kept me grinning.

The beautiful messages woven throughout along with all the intrigue had me eagerly turning the pages. I loved the themes of trusting God, seeking faith in trials, & realizing strength comes through adversity. I enjoyed the search for the hidden papers & artifact & deciphering the clues along with Sazana & Jadon.

The audiobook was well done. I enjoyed both narrators who did a fantastic job bringing each of the characters to life. I appreciated the emotion they put into the performance. It was just the right amount.

Highly recommend this fantastic story that so creatively ties in with the Biblical story of Queen Esther. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Another amazing Tessa Afshar novel!

Loved this story. It wasn’t necessarily as suspenseful as some of Afshar’s other books, but still had a great story line and makes one love and appreciate the book of Esther even more.

Riveting story

Interesting characters, history, Biblical narrative and fiction woven seamlessly. Love a love story, especially one of redemption