A Reluctant Queen the Love Story of Esther by Joan Wolf

On the back cover:
"You've read it as a biblical tale of courage. Experience it anew as a heart-stirring love story.
She was a simple girl faced with an impossible choice. He was a magnificent king with a lonely heart.
Their love was the divine surprise that changed the course of history.
The beloved story of Esther springs to fresh life in this inspired novel that vibrates with mystery, intrigue and romance."

My review:
If you know the story of Esther in the bible by heart you probably won't like this book. It veers from the bible story and has fictional turns that I quite enjoyed. I don't know the story past Esther saving her people by showing herself to the king and him allowing it because of his love for her.

A Reluctant Queen is a beautiful love story, and I was so ready for a beautiful love story. A girl brought up in the Jewish community by her uncle. She is taken out of that innocent world into the palace where she is to try for the king's hand.

There is one part, before she is let into the harem, that was disturbing and I had to kind of skip over.

I've read a few reviews that complained about the "sex" in the book. I am shocked. There was passion but no sexual details.
"Then he leaned forward and kissed her mouth. It was not like the brief kiss he had given her in the bridal tent. This was a long kiss, a kiss that began tenderly but one he soon deepened and made slightly more demanding. She was passive at first, hesitant to respond, but then, as he continued the kiss, asking patiently, she opened her lips. After a while, her hands came up to hold his shoulders. Carefully he laid her back on the bed, continuing to kiss her as his hands began to move, slowly and knowledgably, over her body. Esther closed her eyes."
That is the first "sex" scene. That is where the chapter ends.

No cussing, a bonus in my book! I really enjoyed this book and felt happy for days following.

I give A Reluctant Queen; The Love Story of Esther four stars.