"Between the Wild Branches" by Connilyn Cossette

Lukio's much-aniticpated story is here! The fifteen-year-old who ran away at the end of To Dwell Among Cedars has now made himself into the champion of Ashdod—a fierce fighter renown for a decade of undefeated matches. But Lukio isn't content. His cousin Mataro has been skimming off the top of his winnings, and he's ready to use his fame to leverage himself into an even more powerful position—Master of Games and son-in-law of the king.

All thoughts of the king's beautiful daughter are swept away when he sees her maid, his childhood love. How was Shoshana enslaved? What happened to her family? Desperate to help her but also eager to maintain the status he's achieved, Lukio begins making quiet inquiries to see if there's any way he can get Shoshana back to Hebrew territory.

Shoshana has dedicated her life in the Philistine palace to saving other Hebrew slaves, especially children. She doesn't know if she'll ever see her own children again, but she will do what she can to save others. Lukio's presence, and his determination to spend time with her, puts everything at risk. She's never stopped loving him, but their paths have taken them to such different places. There's no use hoping for a future together.

What a gripping story from Connilyn Cossette! Not only does it wrap up a story which began tugging at heartstrings with the release of the first book in this series, but I appreciated the unique characters and glimpse at Philistine culture. The themes woven throughout brought tears to my eyes. I can't wait to see what's next from this author, and hope that maybe it will involve some of the minor characters we met here in The Covenant House series.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.