Love's Sacred Song: A Novel [Paperback]

Mesu Andrews (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2012

Standing in the massive shadow of his famous father, young king Solomon wavers between fear and bravado, wisdom and folly. In the uncertain world of alliances and treachery, Solomon longs for peace and a love that is true and pure--a love that can be his cornerstone.

A shepherdess in the northern city of Shunem, Arielah remembers the first time she laid eyes on Solomon in Jerusalem when she was just seven years old. Since then she has known that it was her destiny to become his bride. When her father, a leader of their tribe, secures a promise from King Solomon to marry Arielah as a treaty bride to help unite the kingdom, it seems her dreams may come true.

But how can this simple shepherdess live as part of Solomon's harem? Can Solomon set aside his distractions to give himself completely to just one woman? Or will he let duty, deception, and the daily routine divide his heart?

Mesu Andrews expertly weaves the words of the Song of Solomon into this touching story of the power of love. Readers will be transported from the glowing fields of Shunem to the gleaming city of Jerusalem as they experience this rich and textured novel from a master storyteller.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Wisdom came as God's gift, but sacred love was forged through passion's fire

Standing in the shadow of his famous father, young King Solomon wavers between fear and bravado, longing for a love that is true and pure--a love that can be his cornerstone.

A shepherdess in the northern city of Shunem, Arielah has known since she first laid eyes on Solomon that it was her destiny to become his bride. When her father secures a promise from Solomon to marry Arielah as a treaty bride to help unite the kingdom, it seems her dreams will come true.

But how can this simple shepherdess live as part of Solomon's harem? Can Solomon set aside his distractions to give himself completely to just one woman? Or will he let duty, deception, and the daily routine divide his heart?

Mesu Andrews expertly weaves the words of the Song of Solomon into this touching story of the power of love from a master storyteller.


"Stunning in its depth and scope, Love's Sacred Song is a story of love and passion, faith and flaws, that will haunt you forever. Mesu Andrews crafts characters that will capture your heart with prose that will stir your soul. Masterful."--Roseanna M. White, author of Jewel of Persia and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland


Praise for Love Amid the Ashes

"As the book buyer for LifeWay Christian Stores, I know I probably shouldn't have favorites. Alas . . . I don't care. My favorite debut novel for this year, hands down, was Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews."--Rachel McRae, blogger, A Novel Bookshelf: A LifeWay Fiction Community


Mesu Andrews is the author of Love Amid the Ashes and is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word, Andrews brings the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington.

About the Author

Mesu Andrews is the author of Love Amid the Ashes and is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word, Andrews brings the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Revell (March 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800734084
• ISBN-13: 978-0800734084
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mesu grew up with a variegated Christian heritage. With grandparents from the Pilgrim Holiness, Nazarene, and Wesleyan Churches, her dad was a Quaker and mom charismatic. As you might imagine, God was a central figure in most family discussions, but theology was a battlefield and Scripture the weapon. As a rebellious teenager, Mesu rejected God and His Word, but discovered Jesus as a life-transforming Savior through the changed life of an old friend.

The desire for God's Word exploded with her new commitment, but devotional time was scarce due to the demands of a young wife and mother. So Mesu scoured the only two theology books available--children's Bible stories and her Bible. The stories she read to her daughters at night pointed her to the Bible passages she studied all day. She became an avid student of God's Word, searching historical and cultural settings as well as ancient texts and original languages.

Mesu and her husband Roy have raised those two daughters and are now enjoying grandkids, but Mesu's love for God's Word has never waned. She now writes biblical novels, rich with spiritual insight learned through fascinating discoveries in historical research.

Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell), won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year in the Debut Author Category. Love's Sacred Song (Revell), the Song of Solomon story, is available now and received a 4 ½ star rating from RT Reviews. And Love in a Broken Vessel (Revell), the story of Hosea and Gomer, releases in March 2013. A fourth book is scheduled for release in March 2014.

Roy and Mesu live in the Pacific Northwest with their Rottweiler-pitbull named Bouzer, who keeps Mesu company while she writes. Bouzer also enjoys watching movies, long walks by waterfalls, and sitting by the fireplace on rainy Northwest days.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This newest release by Andrews is NOT to be missed!! March 21, 2012

By Katie McCurdy

Format:Paperback

Mesu Andrews has done a BRILLIANT job with her newest release! Centered on the book in the Bible, Song of Solomon, Love's Sacred Song takes you back in time to the beginning of Solomon's reign.

When I first began Love's Sacred Song, I wasn't sure how Andrews could stretch that small book in the Bible into a 400+ page book...but she did! I flew through the pages effortlessly and reached the end with a contented sigh. True, the ending was rather bitter-sweet, but it was a very satisfying conclusion, staying true to the Bible and history.

I was also glad to discover that it wasn't as `graphic' as one might think, since this is based on the Song of Solomon. Andrews did a great job with this, making Love's Sacred Song a book that would be fine for a teenager of any age to read, in my opinion.

What I found extremely neat about Love's Sacred Song was that this isn't just a story about the Shulamite woman and King Solomon...this is also a story about a life in a harem, the politics behind a kingdom, and a journey to discover what love really is. Solomon is living a life that is void of love--the women he marries are just to further the kingdom or to satisfy a passing fancy. But all that changes when Arielah comes as his treaty bride. Love's Sacred Song is not to be missed!

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, this was a deep and emotionally powerful novel. Loved it! March 17, 2012

By Michelle Sutton

Format:Paperback

Well, this book was a long one, but beautifully written to the point that it captured my heart and I spent two solid days reading it until I finished. It had everything I love to read in a book. Deep truths about faith and God's love, intense emotion and intrigue, and people shown as flawed, but redeemable because they are loved by a Holy God who only wants to claim their hearts and devotion. That was well portrayed in this book. It made me think more deeply about God's ways not being our ways and how He uses willing vessels to accomplish His perfect will, even though it often hurts.

Real love is not without pain. There were many beautiful illustrations of this fact in Love's Sacred Song. I loved how Arielah exemplified Christ's love in many ways. I was riveted by her devotion to Solomon despite everything, but at the same time saw it as real and painful and not painted to be perfect and easy as is often the case. And in some crazy way, this story helped me to see that while having a ton of wives was never God's will, that He blessed Solomon despite it, and at the same time it was Solomon's downfall. I loved how Arielah's love was shown as being so pure and intense that it often broke Solomon's heart because he felt so unworthy of her. Just like Christ's love overwhelms us to the point of repentance.

This was a deep and profoundly beautiful story that gave me a greater appreciation for the Old Testament because it helped shine a light on God's plan and setting the stage for the Messiah. I loved this book and was emotionally moved by it on many occasions. It's making my favorite fiction list for 2012. Well done!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of my favorites, but still an intriguing story. March 16, 2012

By Holly VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

Song of Solomon isn't a book of scripture that I have spent much time reading, and I'm not as familiar with the story of Solomon as I am with King David. However, since I really enjoyed Mesu Andrews' first novel, Love Amid the Ashes, I looked forward to this one. Don't you just love that cover? It's gorgeous. And just like Love Amid the Ashes, Mesu does a fantastic job of capturing biblical times. Her characterizations are terrific and her descriptions sumptuous.

Unfortunately, this was a story that frustrated me more than enthralled me. Arielah's story is inspiring, but tragic. The Daughters of Jerusalem and the secrets, deceptions and intrigues in King Solomon's court were so negative and Solomon was clueless at how his new queen was treated. Yet, as much as I despised certain characters, there were others I loved: Jehosophat, Reu and Bathsheba, for starters.

Mesu does a fantastic job at weaving the songs and poetry from Song of Solomon into the story. What could have been sappy was, instead, sentimental and romantic.

Not one of my favorites, but still an intriguing story. Fans of biblical fiction will love it.

Available March 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thanks to Baker Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.