Book Review: Until the Mountains Fall

Until the Mountains Fall (Cities of Refuge Book #3)
By Connilyn Cossette

Book Description

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband’s brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh’s head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom.

Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother’s death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah’s father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request.

As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

My Review

☺☺☺☺☺ 5 Smiles

I seldom give a 5-star review, but I’d give Cossette’s six if I could. As a writer, I marveled at the unique and vibrant word choices of her descriptions. As a reader, I was pulled into the Israelites’ post-settlement world of Canaan and felt the high wall of Kadesh, a city of refuge, surrounding me.

Malakhi was transformed from the impish little brother in a previous book to the handsome, wounded warrior that stole my heart. And Rivkah—what a wonderfully complex heroine! On one page I wanted to slap her, and on the next I wanted to hug her!

The large cast of minor characters were well supported with only the details necessary for this story to stand alone. Cossette gave me just enough information to remind me of their roles in previous stories (though I hadn’t read the other books in quite some time) but not so much that it felt like a dump of facts.

Several twists kept me from guessing the next plot point, and the conclusion felt incredibly satisfying—yet filled me with anticipation for Like Flames in the Night. Can hardly wait for the next book in this series! It’s already on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf.