The Handmaid and the Carpenter

The Handmaid and the Carpenter
by Elizabeth Berg

This is a wonderful book that I read last Christmas. It focuses on Mary and Joseph and their relationship. It's a semi-fiction book on how they met, fell in love, faced challenges, and raised a Savior and King- Jesus. It's a great book to read during the holiday season! I HIGHLY recommend it- I score it an 8 out of 10.

Here's a snipet from a critique:

"In this wonderful novel about love and trust, hope and belief, Elizabeth Berg, the bestselling author of We Are All Welcome Here and The Year of Pleasures, transports us to Nazareth in biblical times to re-imagine the events of the classic Christmas story. We see Mary–young, strong, and inquisitive–as she first meets Joseph, a serious-minded young carpenter who is steadfastly devoted to the religious traditions of their people. The two become betrothed, but are soon faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Aided by a great and abiding love, they endure challenges to their relationship as well as threats to their lives as they come to terms with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the birth of their child, Jesus. For Mary, the pregnancy is a divine miracle and a privilege. For Joseph, it is an ongoing test not only of his courage but of his faith–in his wife as well as in his God."