Book Review: The Royal Artisan

Title: The Royal Artisan
Author: Tessa Afshar
Series: Queen Esther’s Court, Book 2
Publisher: Bethany House
Date: Nov 4, 2025
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0764243707
Category: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Buy it: https://amzn.to/4snsbJK
Review by: Trisha Smith

Review:

I absolutely adored this story. I found myself drawn in from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. This is the second book I have read from Tessa Afshar and the second in the Queen Esther’s Court series and it was just as good, if not better, than the first one! I love how Afshar brings her characters to life and lets them interact with names from the Bible. It is so impressive how she makes the Bible come alive through the stories she writes. I found myself going back to the book of Esther to check names and read more and was impressed by what I saw. I also love the additional letters that are scattered throughout the story where you get to see things from Esther’s perspective, though she is not the main character. I also love the fact that Afshar empowers the women in her books. In a time when women had no rights and were viewed as property, Afshar creates women who defy the odds and follow God’s path for their lives despite that. This is a wonderful retelling of the story of Esther told through other characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to better understand the Bible while being entertained through fictional characters. Very well written and a true joy to read.