Jamie Ogle

A deliberate use of foreshadowing immediately grabs the readers attention to prepare the heart and mind for inevitable historical events to come. The well crafted, yet simultaneous, conflict between faith and fear instigate a sense of urgency to continue turning the pages. Of Love and Treason, tenderly blends the unfurling of new found faith with the constant threat of persecution for what is held most dear. Gruesome depictions from the time period are balanced with biblical Christian acts of love. This book is at once inspirational and introspective in a suspenseful and action filled novel with enough hope to make it worthy of your time.… (meer)

Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle is a Christian fiction novel set in Rome in AD 270. The emperor has banned marriages for soldiers and Valentine, a “public notarius” feels the ban is unfair - he is a Christian and believes that marriage is a God-given right. He performs marriages in secret, even though he knows if he gets caught, it could mean execution. Leading an underground Christian church is also a dangerous affair, but Valentine is determined to live by his convictions. Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailer, was blinded in an accident many years prior and her father has gone into debt trying to placate the Roman gods in order to restore his daughter’s sight. Iris and Valentine meet, and he promises to pray for her - to his Christian God. Iris is quite skeptical, but soon she gets a temporary moment of sight. Could Valentine’s God be the one true God? She tries to find Valentine, but her father has been offered a way out of the debt that would ruin him (and leave Iris in a terrible situation) by finding and imprisoning Valentine. Valentine’s aunt and friends are ready to lead Iris to faith in Jesus, but Iris and her father struggle with the idea that their God can heal blindness, but does not promise to make life perfect and danger-free for His people. There is a good deal of suspense, especially near the end, and the story does not end the way I thought it would - but it is still a very satisfying ending! By the way, I listened to the audiobook and I liked the narrator.
… (meer)

I’ve never given much thought to St. Valentine beyond the holiday on February 14, but after reading Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle, I will never look at Valentine’s Day the same.

This debut novel is set in Rome in 269 AD starts by introducing readers to Iris, a women who was blinded after an accident during her childhood and makes her way in the world as best she can. Enter Valentine (whose friends call him Val or Valens) who promises to pray to his Christian God for Iris.

Ogle does a wonderful job of sweeping the reader into the lives of Valentine, Iris, and Titus (Iris’s childhood friend) as they navigate life in Rome and the decree that no one may get married.

This book has many elements that remind me of the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers—miracles, the faith of the believers, love, and high stakes. If you enjoy stories with a strong heroine, a hero who sees beyond her limitations, pieces of true history, and romance, then you do not want to miss Of Love and Treason.

*I purchased the audio book and was not required to write a review.… (meer)

The author whisks readers away into the Colosseum in Rome, where a broken and bruised man stood—not the hero the crowd had imagined. “The man isn’t afraid to die. He will be saved like the three in the fiery furnace. A miracle that would cause all in the stands to believe in the One God.”

I love how this author has her main characters interact with the store owners and takes readers through the streets of Rome. She additionally provides an insight into the struggles faced by the early church. It is like the world situation we are currently facing.

We then meet Iris, the jailor's young blind daughter who is trying on a pendant which promises a miracle if she wears it. Her father has spent a great deal of money attempting to restore his daughter's sight. She has heard about a God who is able to heal people. He makes no demands for money of any kind. After everything she's been through, she finds this hard to accept, yet she can't afford to ignore this knowledge,

I enjoyed the author's note, in which she admits that she has never been a fan of Valentine's Day. She started her investigation to demonstrate the ridiculousness of Valentine's Day. However, during her study, she came across a guy named Valentine who, infuriated by Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage, went on to secretly marry couples until he was captured. He fell in love with the jailor's blind daughter when he was incarcerated. Before being taken away to be executed, he left her a love letter signed, “Love, your Valentine.”

Even though Valentine shares scripture, and prayers for Iris it didn’t feel forced and/or preachy. It naturally followed through the characters with their sacrificial love that touched my heart. This made for a riveting, page turning, emotional read, I couldn’t put down. This is a gripping story you don’t want to miss. It would be a wonderful book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/… (meer)