There are many wonderful works of Christian fiction (CF) set in Roman times, and I call all of these Early Church stories. Some take place during New Testament times, which I define as between the birth of Jesus and the first imprisonment of Paul in Rome under Nero, as described by Luke at the end of the Acts of the Apostles (about A.D. 62). Others take place after A.D. 62 and focus on the lives of Christians when Rome no longer considered Christianity a protected sect of Judaism and declared it to be an illegal religion, potentially punishable by death.

The books I list here are either ones I’ve read and loved or ones that have been strongly recommended to me by other authors and readers whose opinions I respect and trust. So, this is not an exhaustive list. I expect to be adding to it as I discover more Early Church books that I enjoy. I would rate all of these PG-13 or milder. Some have military characters and include scenes of battle that are descriptive of the violence but not more than what I consider appropriate for a PG-13 work. The physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of a life of violence is an important part of those stories. Many would be suitable for older teens. I would have shared many of them with my kids after they were 12, and many would be great as springboards for discussing why early Christians were willing to live and if necessary die for their faith. My own Light in the Empire stand-alone series is one of those.

I divide Roman-era stories into two broad groups. Some have Roman characters and situations that focus on the Roman aspects of society and how that affects members of the Early Church. Lovers of historical fiction who don’t typically read Biblical fiction should enjoy these. The others focus more on the Jewish aspects of society, often having important characters who are named in the Bible. Those who love Old Testament Biblical fiction should especially enjoy these. This is not a rigid separation, and I would expect that lovers of either ancient historical or Biblical fiction would find any of these delightful and satisfying reads.

For many of the books, I’ve included an extract of the book description at Amazon to give you an idea of what the book is about. For my own books, I’ve included only the tagline from the description. You can find the full descriptions of my novels here.

Stories where Roman society is a major theme.

Carol Ashby
Light in the Empire Series
A stand-alone series that moves around the Roman empire when being a Christian was illegal and pagans with Christian friends wrestle with whether accepting the Truth is worth the risk of dying for it. Charts of the relationships between the novels (dates, locations) and shared characters are here.

All include discussion guides for book clubs and to use with students.

“This is a fabulous ancient-world series of novels that follow the lives of fictional early Christians. Carol is meticulous with her research and a true expert on Ancient Rome! History lovers and those who enjoy my biblical books are going to LOVE this series!” — Roseanna White, best-selling author and Christy Award winner.

Forgiven (2016)
Blind Ambition (2017)
The Legacy (2017)
Faithful (2018)
Second Chances (2018)
True Freedom (2019)
Hope Unchained (2019)
Honor Bound (2020)
Hope’s Reward (2020)
More Than honor (2021)
What Matters Most (2021)
Truth and Honor (2023)
Crushed Hopes and Hopeful Beginnings (2023)
River of Life (2024)
What Loyalty Demands (2025)

Forgiven (2016): Are some wounds too deep to forgive?
Blind Ambition (2017): Sometimes you have to almost die to discover how you want to live.
The Legacy (2017): When Rome has taken everything, what’s left for a man to give?
Faithful (2018): Is the price of true friendship ever too high?
Second Chances (2018): Must the shadows of the past destroy the hope of the future?
True Freedom (2019): The chains we cannot see can be the hardest ones to break.
Hope Unchained (2019): Can the deepest loss bring the greatest gain?
Honor Bound (2020): Honor had forced him to protect her. Time would tell if he’d regret it.
Hope’s Reward (2020): Must the secrets we hide destroy our hope for a future?
More Than Honor (2021): As he hunts the one who killed her father, will he learn the secret that could lead to her death?
What Matters Most (2021): When faced with impossible choices, how do you decide what matters most?
Truth and Honor (2023): Is truth worth the price if it costs you everything?
Crushed Hopes and Hopeful Beginnings (2023): Can God work all things for good if you don’t even think he’s real?
River of Life (2024): When the future you dreamed of looks impossible, maybe God has a better one planned.
What Loyalty Demands:When simmering unrest becomes open rebellion, do you do what’s right or what loyalty demands?

Francine Rivers
Mark of the Lion Series
A Voice in the Wind (1993)
An Echo in the Darkness (1994)
As Sure as the Dawn (1995)

Travel to first-century Rome in this classic series and discover what has inspired millions of readers worldwide. There are three books in the Mark of the Lion series.

A Voice in the Wind (1993)
The first book in the trilogy introduces readers to Hadassah, a young Jewish girl captured and sold into slavery but still holding firm to her faith in God. Though torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, Hadassah becomes a shining beacon of light in the darkness and depravity around her.

An Echo in the Darkness (1994)
Marcus, a wealthy Roman aristocrat touched by Hadassah’s sincere belief, begins to wonder if there’s more to this life. As he continues to search for meaning and faith, he is led by a whispering voice from the past that could set him free from the darkness of his soul.

As Sure as the Dawn (1995)
Atretes was the high chief of a Germanic tribe who fought as a gladiator and won his freedom. As Atretes sets out to return home with his infant son, only one thing stands in his way: Rizpah, a Christian widow who has cared for the baby since his birth.

Tessa Afshar
Land of Silence (2016)
Bread of Angels (2017)
Thief of Corinth (2018)
Daughter of Rome (2020)
Jewel of the Nile (2021)

Land of Silence (2016)
2017 INSPY Award winner, general fiction category
Before Christ called her daughter . . .

Before she stole healing by touching the hem of his garment . . .

Elianna is a young girl crushed by guilt. After her only brother is killed while in her care, Elianna tries to earn forgiveness by working for her father’s textile trade and caring for her family. When another tragedy places Elianna in sole charge of the business, her talent for design brings enormous success, but never the absolution she longs for. As her world unravels, she breaks off her betrothal to the only man she will ever love. Then illness strikes, isolating Elianna from everyone, stripping everything she has left.

No physician can cure her. No end is in sight. Until she hears whispers of a man whose mere touch can heal. After so many years of suffering and disappointment, is it possible that one man could redeem the wounds of body . . . and soul?

Bread of Angels (2017)
Purple. The foundation of an influential trade in a Roman world dominated by men. One woman rises up to take the reins of success in an incredible journey of courage, grit, and friendship. And along the way, she changes the world.

But before she was Lydia, the seller of purple, she was simply a merchant’s daughter who loved three things: her father, her ancestral home, and making dye. Then unbearable betrayal robs her of nearly everything.

With only her father’s secret formulas left, Lydia flees to Philippi and struggles to establish her business on her own. Determination and serendipitous acquaintances—along with her father’s precious dye—help her become one of the city’s preeminent merchants. But fear lingers in every shadow, until Lydia meets the apostle Paul and hears his message of hope, becoming his first European convert. Still, Lydia can’t outrun her secrets forever, and when past and present collide, she must either stand firm and trust in her fledgling faith or succumb to the fear that has ruled her life.

Thief of Corinth (2018)
First-century Corinth is a city teeming with commerce and charm. It’s also filled with danger and corruption—the perfect setting for Ariadne’s greatest adventure.

After years spent living with her mother and oppressive grandfather in Athens, Ariadne runs away to her father’s home in Corinth, only to discover the perilous secret that destroyed his marriage: though a Greek of high birth, Galenos is the infamous thief who has been robbing the city’s corrupt of their ill-gotten gains.

Desperate to keep him safe, Ariadne risks her good name, her freedom, and the love of the man she adores to become her father’s apprentice. As her unusual athletic ability leads her into dangerous exploits, Ariadne discovers that she secretly revels in playing with fire. But when the wrong person discovers their secret, Ariadne and her father find their future—and very lives—hanging in the balance.

When they befriend a Jewish rabbi named Paul, they realize that his radical message challenges everything they’ve fought to build, yet offers something neither dared hope for.

Daughter of Rome (2020)
A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.

When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.

With impeccable research and vivid detail, Daughter of Rome is both an emotive love story and an immersive journey through first-century Rome and Corinth, reminding readers once again why Debbie Macomber has said that “no one brings the Bible to life like Tessa Afshar.”

Jewel of the Nile (2021)
Whispered secrets about her parents’ past take on new urgency for Chariline as she pays one last visit to the land of her forefathers, the ancient kingdom of Cush.
Raised as an orphan by her aunt, Chariline has only been told a few pieces of her parents’ tragic love story. Her beautiful dark skin is proof that her father was Cushite, but she knows nothing else. While visiting her grandfather before his retirement as the Roman official in the queen’s court, Chariline overhears that her father is still alive, and discovering his identity becomes her obsession. Both her grandfather and the queen have reasons for keeping this secret, however, and forbid her quest. So when her only clues lead to Rome, Chariline sneaks on the ship of a merchant trusted by friends.

Theo is shocked to discover a stowaway on board his vessel and determines to be rid of her as soon as possible. But drawn in by Chariline’s story, he feels honor-bound to see her safely to shore, especially when it appears someone may be willing to kill for the truth she seeks.

In this transformative tale of historical fiction, bestselling author Tessa Afshar brings to life the kingdom of Cush and the Roman Empire, introducing readers to a fascinating world filled with gripping adventure, touching romance, and a host of lovable characters—including some they may recognize from the biblical book of Acts.

Roseanna White
A Stray Drop of Blood (A Visibullis Story Book 1) (2010)
A Soft Breath of Wind (A Visibullis Story Book 2) (2014)
Giver of Wonders (A Visibullis Story Book 3) (2016)

A Stray Drop of Blood (A Visibullis Story Book 1) (2010)
One little drop to soil her garment.
One little drop to cleanse her soul.

Abigail was born free, but when her parents die, she’s sold into slavery to the family of a Roman soldier in Jerusalem. Fortunately, the Visibullis family is kind, and as years pass, she’s proud to serve them. But Abigail’s beauty attracts unwanted attention when their son, Jason, returns from Rome. She doesn’t dare to defy him…but how can she ever love him as he demands?

As Jerusalem boils with political unrest and the stories of a rabbi named Jesus who snags Jason’s attention, Abigail struggles to find her new place in the family. But then tragedy strikes, and her world is shattered. Desperate for justice, Abigail attends a trial for the criminal responsible—Barabbas. She instead finds herself in the path of Jesus, condemned to die in Barabbas’s place. And when a stray drop of the rabbi’s blood falls upon her, she knows Jason had been right. This Man really is the Son of God.

Only in the wake of His touch can she find what her heart has always longed for. Love, in the place she least expected to find it…and freedom for a soul that had resigned itself to slavery.

A Soft Breath of Wind (A Visibullis Story Book 2) (2014)
A gift that has branded her for life
Zipporah is thirteen when the Spirit descends upon her, opening her eyes to a world beyond the physical goings-on of the villa outside Rome she has always called home. Within hours, she learns what serving the Lord can cost. Forever scarred after a vicious attack, she knows her call is to use this discernment to protect the Way. She knows she must serve the rest of her life at Tutelos, where the growing Roman church has congregated. She knows her lot is set.

Yet is it so wrong to wish that her master, the kind and handsome young Benjamin Visibullis, will eventually see her as something more than a sister in Christ?

Samuel Asinius, adoptive son of a wealthy Roman, has always called Benjamin brother. When their travels take them to Jerusalem for Passover, the last thing he expects is to cross paths with the woman who sold him into slavery as a child the mother he long ago purged from his heart. His sister, Dara, quickly catches Benjamin s eye, but Samuel suspects there is something dark at work.

When Dara, a fortune-teller seeking the will of a shadowy master determined to undermine the Way, comes into the path of Zipporah, a whirlwind descends upon them all.

Only the soft wind of the Spirit can heal their scars…with a love neither divination nor discernment could foresee.

Giver of Wonders (A Visibullis Story Book 3) (2016)
A miracle once saved her life ~ will another give her a future?

Cyprus was little more than a child when a fall left her paralyzed…and when the boy known as the wonder-worker healed her. Ever since, she has wondered why the Lord spared her, what he has in store for her. But her pagan father thinks she was spared solely so she could be introduced to the wealthy wonder-worker, Nikolaos.

Nikolaos has never questioned that his call in life is to dedicate himself to the church and to God. Never, that is, until he and his cousin Petros meet the compelling Cyprus Visibullis. For years he struggles with the feelings she inspires…and with the sure knowledge that Petros loves her too.

Petros knows he will never be good enough for Cyprus’s father to consider him as a match for his favorite daughter not as long as Nikolaos is there. But when tragedy strikes the Visibullis family, he will do anything to save his beloved. Unfortunately, his beloved is determined to do anything to save her sisters ~ even at the cost of herself.

As the festival of lights bathes their Greek city in beauty, Cyprus, Petros, and Nikolaos celebrate the miracle of their Savior s birth together one last time. And in remembrance of their Lord’s greatest gift, one of them will make the ultimate sacrifice for the others…and a centuries-long tradition will be born.

Katrina D. Hamel
Dividing Sword (2019)
Joanna: Court of the Tetrarch #1 (2021)
Wife of Chuza: Court of the Tetrarch #2 (2022)
Herod’s Steward: Court of the Tetrarch3#3 (2023)
The Lion of Corinth (2026)

Dividing Sword (2019)
In a time when Rome rules the world and the people are crying out for a savior, a revolutionary rabbi walks the land, dividing families and faith. A Pharisee disciple will do whatever it takes to secure his future, even betray those he loves. A young woman longs for peace and safety, but her heart pulls her far from home. What are they willing to give up for their faith?

From the temperamental Sea of Galilee to the tinder-box that is Jerusalem, this journey through Matthew’s gospel will sweep you into the first-century world. Witness the epic events of the gospel with all its wonder and conflict. See Jesus through the eyes of a woman and a Pharisee.

Beth believes Jesus offers healing and hope, but his plan for her husband rises like the waves of the sea to wash away her dreams for the future. Afraid of being left behind, she chases after her husband Peter, but in traveling with Jesus she finds more questions than answers. As her husband pursues the Nazarene with his whole heart and her cousin’s bitterness towards Jesus grows, she wonders, what place can a woman have in the coming kingdom?

Reuben believes the way to a restored Israel is through careful obedience to law and tradition, and Jesus of Nazareth is challenging tradition at every turn. Under the watchful eye of his secretive rabbi, Reuben hopes he can rise above obscurity and take his place as a leader among men, but a disastrous confrontation with the Nazarene threatens to destroy his budding career. When his dreams collide with the people he loves, is he willing to do what it takes?

Joanna: Court of the Tetrarch #1 (2021)
She’s bound to the infamous Herodian dynasty, but her bold faith will carve her name in the gospel.

Joanna must pay the price for her brother’s crime. Claimed as a hostage, she’s forced from the verdant slopes of her beloved vineyard to serve Herod Antipas’ neglected wife.

In an opulent palace where Roman culture supersedes the commands of God, Joanna struggles to express her Jewish faith. Despite her misgivings, she is swept into the adventure of traveling with the court, and conflicted by her feelings towards the enigmatic man who took her captive. As the royal marriage fractures, she is caught in the crossfire, and her choice will alter the fates of those she loves.

When rumors whisper that a man from Nazareth travels the roads of Galilee, healing and proclaiming the kingdom of God, Joanna yearns to follow. When it becomes impossible to leave the palace, she begins to fear her role in an earthly court will cost her place in the heavenly one.

The first novel in the Court of the Tetrarch series imagines the origins of the biblical woman who beholds the empty tomb.

Wife of Chuza: Court of the Tetrarch #2 (2022)
Herod Antipas rules from his opulent palaces, but amid the hills and rural villages, Jesus of Nazareth proclaims a coming kingdom.

The prophet has Joanna’s unfaltering loyalty, but offering support is risky when she’s under the suspicious eye of the tetrarch’s jealous wife. Joanna and her husband Chuza must use their unique position to shield the prophet and allow him to gather his supporters.

While navigating between the astonishing wonders in Galilee and the intrigues plaguing the royal court, Joanna must apply her influence in both spheres to handle the complications of her revolutionary brother and give her young ward hope and a future.

But as Jesus’ mission escalates, so does the risk. As a malicious enemy forces Joanna and Chuza apart, the ruling powers unite to bring Jesus down.

Wife of Chuza is the second book in the Court of the Tetrarch series and continues the compelling story of the woman who beholds the empty tomb.

Herod’s Steward: Court of the Tetrarch #3 (2023)
A Powerful Slave
A Woman Disciple
A Soldier Searching for God

Chuza finally has the family he longed for. Now he just wants to keep them safe. But he also swore to serve Herod Antipas, and his master’s rule is becoming erratic. Chuza must regain his influence in the court while supporting his wife in her new mission. His task would be easier with Titus by his side, but the Greek soldier is still missing.

Chuza’s wife Joanna is a prominent member of The Way—a group led by the miracle-working apostles. But while she tries to share the good news with the people of Jerusalem, a new enemy ravages The Way, dragging men and women to prison. Chuza knows the believers must flee, but getting his loved ones out of the city may be his greatest challenge yet.

As their lives are broken down and rebuilt with Jesus as their cornerstone, Chuza tries to hold his family together. But his master’s fateful choice threatens to undo everything, and Chuza fears his life will end as he began—alone.

This third novel concludes the Court of the Tetrarch series in a world forever changed by the empty tomb.

The Lion of Corinth (2026)
He thought his story was over. But with a seer, a jeweler, and a message that can’t be silenced, the danger is only beginning.

When Marcus dares to share the gospel, he ignites the wrath of the most ruthless man in all of Corinth. After losing everything, Marcus flees the city—and buries his faith. But when he’s entrusted with a gospel codex, he must confront the past that nearly destroyed him.

Aela is desperate to save her sister and rescue her jewelry shop from a crippling debt. Cast ashore with her secret collection of precious stones and the enigmatic Marcus, she’s forced to rely on him for protection. But as Marcus’s past resurfaces, their friendship puts her future at risk.

Selene, a seer with prophetic gifts, must keep her abilities out of power-hungry hands. Thrust into the dangerous world of Corinth’s elite, she finds both allies and enemies. A chance encounter with Marcus offers hope—and risk. If she’s not careful, she’ll lose what matters most.
Together, these unlikely allies must face their pasts, outwit a powerful enemy, and deliver a message that could shake an empire—and awaken their hearts.

Carlene Havel
Phoebe of Cenchrea (2026)
On a visit to Corinth, Phoebe and her shipping magnate father hear the Apostle Paul preach, and they immediately believe his message. They use their wealth to help Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul in their mission to spread the gospel. Eventually, Phoebe founds a church in her hometown of Cenchrea. As her faith matures, Phoebe struggles to reconcile Christianity with her privileged lifestyle.
She is honored when Paul commissions her to deliver his epistle to the church in Rome. Meanwhile, her father decides she needs a husband. Can Phoebe’s commitment to Jesus stand against the opposition of a decadent empire?

Jamie Ogle
Of Love and Treason (2024)
As Sure as the Sea (2025)
Daughter of the Rebellion (2026)

Of Love and Treason (2024)
2024 Christy Award Winner for Historical Romance!
Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.

Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.

Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris’s new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire.

But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.

As Sure as the Sea (2025)
2025 Christy Award winner for Historical Romance!
Once she denied everything she believed in. Now she’d give anything to choose differently. But in the shadow of the Roman Empire’s persecution and the shame of her past, she fears that what she wants most will be forever out of reach.

Eastern Roman Empire, AD 310. In the shadow of Emperor Diocletian’s anti-Christian edicts, Demitria makes a meager living harvesting coral and pearls for a merchant who turns a blind eye to her faith. By night, Demi goes upriver with her brother, Theseus, to obtain provisions for fellow believers in the port city of Myra. While willing to risk her own life to ensure others are safe and fed, Demi lives with a desperate fear for those she loves and carries secret shame over her greatest failure. When Theseus is injured in a diving accident, all seems lost, until a stranger named Nikolas appears on the beach and offers help.

Arriving in a sinking boat, Nikolas is burdened by guilt over his older brother’s tragic death. Though the wealth he inherited from a prosperous shipping business now rests at the bottom of the sea, as the new pastor in Myra, he is determined to recover it and use it for good. As the violence against Christians increases, Demi helps Nikolas retrieve his lost fortune and distribute it to those in dire need.

Despite wondering if she can ever be worthy, Demi is drawn to Nikolas and longs to trust in his belief that freedom can be found in forgiveness. Then one terrifying night, everything changes as the Roman Empire’s fury rains down. Demi has no other choice but to decide if she has the courage to do what she once failed to . . . and if the faith she calls her own is sure enough to carry her.

Daughter of the Rebellion (2026)
In this stirring historical romance by award-winning author Jamie Ogle, a young woman imprisoned in a Roman gladiator school becomes a legendary warrior. But when not even her fame is enough, she must fight to save herself and those she loves.

Rome, AD 403. As a loyal daughter of the Visigoth tribe, Adelgard followed her father to war, hoping to win back her family’s approval. But after a clash with the Roman army, Adel is captured and sold to a gladiator school. Now she is the most famous gladiatrix in Rome, determined to keep the fickle love of the crowd and never again rely on anyone but herself for her own security. But beneath the fame lies a darkness and pain that holds her captive.

Felix despises Rome’s fascination with violence. But after returning from medical training to discover his father missing and his family desperate, he had little choice but to accept a position at the gladiator school managed by his uncle. He finds a kindred spirit in Adel and does what he can to preserve the humanity of the rebel fighters, but when he receives orders that further compromise his beliefs, he arrives at a crossroads.

Then Telemachus, a Christian leader, approaches Felix with an urgent message: if the Visigoth captives are not released, their army will invade Rome. Despite the risk, the emperor is bent on proving his power through a stunning, deadly day of gladiatorial games. As Telemachus seeks to save the Visigoth fighters, Felix and Adel join forces in a desperate rebellion that may define not only their own lives but also the course of history.

Lana Christian
The Magi’s Encounters series
New Star (2024)
Survival Secrets (2025)

New Star (2024)
A bold faith. A risky journey. A newborn King who would change the Wise Men—and the world—forever.

In ancient Persia, knowledge is power, and Akilah has spent his life earning both. As a respected priest-scholar among the Magi, his future is secure, his reputation unquestioned. Then a star appears where no star should be.
It isn’t recorded in any Persian almanac.
It isn’t explained by Magi doctrine.
It appears only in Jewish prophecy.

Drawn into Hebrew texts with unsettling truths, Akilah finds himself standing at the intersection of science, faith, and politics, where asking the wrong question could cost him everything. As whispers of an eternal king ignite fear within Persia’s ruling powers, Akilah becomes a liability. Branded a threat, imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, and hunted by those desperate to preserve control, he is forced into a journey far beyond the safety of his charts and calculations.

As danger follows him across borders and belief systems collide, Akilah must confront a truth that will dismantle everything he thought he understood—about God, power, and himself. The knowledge he carries could upend Magi society forever … but believing it may cost him his reputation, his career, and his life.

Survival Secrets (2025)
Faith is tested in the wilderness.

Hunted by Herod’s forces and others who fear what the Magi know about Yeshua, Akilah and his companions flee into the Wilderness of Paran—a land as merciless as the enemies pursuing them. To reach Egypt’s safety, his caravan must survive the elements and the strain of maintaining their anonymity while protecting the many secrets that jeopardize their lives.

But the greatest danger isn’t the wilderness.

Bound by their shared knowledge of Yeshua, the group carries a truth powerful enough to upend empires yet tenuous enough to fracture their resolve. When calamity tears one Wise Man away from the others, the group’s newfound faith start to crumble. Faith once sparked by wonder is now tested by hardship and the silence of unanswered prayers.

Farther from their goal of returning to Persia than ever before, Akilah encounters Yeshua’s family again. Its ramifications raise the stakes for the Magi’s cost of belief in the Hebrew God.

Meanwhile, two thousand miles away, Akilah’s estranged cousin Farzaneh begins her own dangerous search for truth, uncovering secrets her husband carried to the grave after embracing the Hebrew faith.

Survival Secrets is a gripping continuation of the Magi’s journey. As they struggle to return home while facing an uncertain future, costly obedience replaces the early awe of their belief—underscoring that faith doesn’t travel in a straight line, endurance is often learned in the wilderness, and trust rests with an unfathomable, sovereign God.

Nancy Kimball
Chasing the Lion (2014)
Unseen Love (2016)

Chasing the Lion (2014)
From the blood-soaked sand of the Roman arena, a divine destiny will rise.

For as long as Jonathan Tarquinius can remember, everyone has wanted something from him. His half brother wants him dead. His master’s wife wants his innocence. The gladiator dealers want him to fight—and die—for their greed. Rome’s most famous prostitute wants his love. And the gentle slave girl who tends the wounds on his body and the hidden ones on his soul longs for him to return to his faith. What Jonathan wants is simple. Freedom. But God wants something from Jonathan too—something more than anyone would ever imagine. The young warrior’s journey will push him to the limits of human endurance and teach him that true freedom is found within. The greatest battle Jonathan must ever fight will not come in the arena, but deep within himself as he is forced to choose between vengeance and mercy—with the fate of an empire and the life of the woman he loves hanging in the balance.

Unseen Love (2016)
She has an uncertain future. He has a hidden past. Can a forbidden romance set them free? In the shadows of pagan Rome, Laelia Ricarri’s recent blindness destroys her hopes of a betrothal to escape her abusive father. For Drusus, his new mistress is more capable, and beautiful, than she knows. Still tormented by the sins of his past, the only thing he fears more than falling in love with his mistress is failing her in his task. But his newfound faith has made him an enemy of Rome, and the reemergence of an old feud with a calculating rival threatens to ensnare Laelia within its dark grasp. As Drusus reawakens Laelia’s inner strength, his patient encouragement is awakening her heart. She’s learning to trust, as Drusus must also learn to trust in his God. When the indiscriminate tide of tragedy sweeps through Rome, Drusus and Laelia will have to put their faith in each other to survive. Even if that means being parted forever.

Carole Towress
Planting Faith series
Sold into Freedom (2018)
More Than Conquerors (2024)

Sold into Freedom (2018)
Taught to hear messages from the goddess from a young age, Elantia’s life is shattered when she is captured from her home in southwest Britannia and sold as a slave in Macedonia. She wants nothing more than to escape and return home—after she kills the man who took the only good thing left in her life.

Tossed aside by the Empire, wounded tribune Quintus Valerius ends up in sleepy Philippi to retire. Manipulated into becoming the prison keeper, he vows to return to Rome as soon as possible to reclaim his reputation and his life. He is intrigued by the quiet Jewish teacher who speaks of truth and peace, but is convinced he can never have either.

When Elantia’s shocking actions shake up the town and her life is threatened, Quintus risks what little he has left to save her—only to put Paulos and his friends in even greater danger.

More Than Conquerors (2024)
Kassandra‘s privileged and pampered life explodes when she meets a woman with next to nothing. When a glimpse into the lives of those less fortunate turns into a mission to help them, her father offers a choice: act like the daughter of a politarch and marry the man he has chosen––or leave home forever.

Unimaginable loss shakes Jason‘s world to its foundation, and he struggles to keep his faith in the Jewish God. He faces losing everything generations of his family have built, and one of the city’s elite seems determined to make that happen.

A visiting Jewish preacher shakes up the synagogue⸺and then the town⸺with outrageous claims. Paulos’s teachings fascinate Kassi but contradict everything Jason believes. As pressure amps up on every side, they must decide how much they are willing to risk to follow The Way.

Grace Liu
Vita’s Prayer: A Christian Romance and A Quo Vadis Retelling (2024)
Vita’s Prayer is set in ancient Rome during Emperor Nero’s reign. Vita, a strong-willed Christian village girl, stages a love affair with a Roman patrician to save her childhood sweetheart, the man she had dreamed of marrying since she was a little girl. During her fake romance, she faces the challenge of maintaining her faith while finding her way back to her beloved, all while danger lurks around every corner, including a royal palace scheme.

Will Vita reunite with her beloved and return to their homeland? Or will she find herself drawn to her fake lover, as their entwined journeys unravel the intricacies of their faith and emotions? And amidst all the turmoil, will Vita finally understand God’s plan for her? This novel delves into themes of faith, love, and hope in the heart of ancient Rome.

Note: Grace Liu came to faith as an adult, and I heartily recommend reading her introduction in which she explains how she came to write this book.

Sandi Rebert
Redemption Saga series
Redemption’s Promise (2022)
Redemption’s Victory (2026)

Redemption’s Promise (2022)
Redemption’s Promise is an exciting adventure/romance set in Jerusalem during Jesus’ death through His ascension. It also weaves in Old Testament prophecies and their fulfillment in Christ. All this in a fast-paced fictional story you won’t be able to put down! – Jason bar Micaiah is just sixteen years old. His father, an insurrectionist, has been killed; his mother is missing. Given the choice of death, slavery, or becoming the son of a Roman centurion—he chooses adoption. Though he despises his new identity, his secret goal is to use it to his advantage—to continue his father’s fight against Roman tyranny. Jason’s life becomes an exciting, dangerous, and soul-searching adventure that ultimately leads to the true meaning of Redemption’s Promise.

Redemption’s Victory (2026)
In the gripping sequel to the five-time award-winning novel Redemption’s Promise, the beloved characters of Jason, Ruth, Deborah, Antonius, Yosef, and Maya return to confront new trials that will test their faith and determination. Tensions continue to rise between Jason and his father-in-law, Ephraim, over the controversial claims of Jesus as the Messiah. From the streets of Tarsus to the barbaric arena at Caesarea, the former centurion, Antonius, grapples with betrayal as his nemesis, Aurelius, seizes the opportunity to exact revenge. As the shadows of the past loom larger, a dual timeline emerges, revealing the tumultuous journey of Saul of Tarsus, the Terror of Jerusalem—who will become the Apostle Paul. Melding the two together with the climax of Acts 17, as Jason’s home is attacked for harboring Paul, this page-turning novel will keep you glued until the end.
As alliances shift and secrets unravel, Redemption’s Victory promises heart-pounding excitement, unexpected twists, and the enduring strength of faith amidst adversity. Will redemption truly be within reach? Join the journey and uncover the ultimate victory that lies ahead!

Angela Hunt
Risen (2015)
The Woman from Lydia (2023)
The Sisters of Corinth (2024)
The Daughter of Rome (2025)

Risen: The Novelization of the Major Motion Picture
Epic in scope, yet deeply personal, this novelization offers a unique perspective on the story of the resurrection. Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down.

His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth–and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries Book #1) (2023)
Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as “the Lydian woman,” seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.

Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade-in-arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest enslaved girl of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector’s ambition.

Determined to find someone to restore the girl’s valuable “gift,” Hector is willing to travel to the ends of the earth to do so. Following close behind him, Euodia and her servants embark on a journey to rescue Sabina and set her free forever.

The Sisters of Corinth (The Emissaries Book #2) (2024)
When the new provincial governor arrives in Corinth, the esteemed Chief Magistrate Narkis Ligus, father to Mariana and Prima, is delighted. He sees a golden opportunity to propel himself to greater power and fortune by uniting his and the governor’s households through the marriage of one of his beautiful unwed daughters to the governor’s firstborn son.

Yet complications quickly arise in Narkis’s own family. Mariana, his stepdaughter, holds steadfast faith in Yeshua, rendering her hesitant to marry a man devoted to the Roman gods, despite Narkis’s urging. On the other hand, Prima, his daughter by birth, yearns for a life of wealth and status and is willing to go to great lengths to secure a marriage that fulfills her desires–even if it means betraying Mariana to do so.

The Daughter of Rome (The Emissaries Book #3) (2025)
In Nero’s Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians–unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world.

When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death.

Nathan Maki
The Keeper’s Crown (2018)
~Quintus~
As a boy, he dared to fight Nero. Worse, he won.
Stripped of his family, the love of his life, and his self-respect, he sets out on a quest to win a victor’s crown, rescue his parents, and restore his family’s honor. But his path to glory in the restless province of Judaea is threatened by the corrupt governor Felix, the murderous priest Melechi, and most of all by the rabble-rousing Paul of Tarsus.
When Quintus finds himself in Rome chained to Paul all hope of a crown seems lost, but Paul’s example makes him question the true meaning of success. And why does Jael, the mysterious young Jewess who once saved his life, now respond with barely restrained flashes of hate?
~Jael~
The Romans took her father and her brother from her.
Now Jael vows to fight for her father’s faith, fulfill her brother’s oath, and avenge their deaths. But the further she travels with Paul and Quintus the more she feels torn. Can she follow her heart and still keep her vow?
~Paul~
He turned the world upside down.
Paul never expected to end his ministry in chains, but even still, he is determined to carry the gospel to Rome and the Emperor Nero himself. But what if those who need the gospel most are those closest to him?

As the Great Fire strikes Rome, fanning Nero’s persecution of the Christians to a white-hot fury, murderous secrets, impossible choices, and steadfast faith will lead to tragedy and triumph.

Davis Bunn and Janet Oke
Acts of Faith series
The Centurion’s Wife (2009)
The Hidden Flame /(2010)
The Damascas Way (2011)

The Centurion’s Wife (2009)
Janette Oke has dreamed for years of retelling a story in a biblical time frame from a female protagonist’s perspective, and Davis Bunn is elated to be working with her again on this sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity…and the very personal story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped in a vortex of competing political agendas and private trauma.

Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi in the Roman backwater of first-century Palestine, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil–facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine’s governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah’s mistress, the governor’s wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death–and missing body–is causing such furor.

This epic drama is threaded with the tale of an unlikely romance and framed with dangers and betrayals from unexpected sources. At its core, The Centurion’s Wife unfolds the testing of loyalties–between two young people whose inner searchings they cannot express, between their irreconcilable heritages, and ultimately between their humanity and the Divine they yearn to encounter.

The Hidden Flame (2010)
Abigail loses everything and is left with little promise of a normal life. When she discovers the Messiah and joins his followers, she also discovers new meaning and purpose. Maybe she does have a future after all. But increasing persecution is scattering the burgeoning group “to the ends of the earth.” And Abigail may have given her heart to the wrong man.

Two suitors desire the lovely Abigail’s hand in marriage. One is a successful Hebrew merchant and widower looking for a mother for his children. On the other side is the Roman soldier Linux, who is captivated by her winsome charm and could offer the sanctuary–maybe even the love–for which she yearns. But her heart has been captured by neither of these. Stephen, one of the leaders of The Way, has a character and a faith that move her deeply, but his outspoken preaching has marked him for assassination. Will her faith and courage withstand a heartbreak beyond comprehension?

And then a glimmer of hope appears, one she never would have foreseen.

The Damascas Way (2011)
Julia has everything money can buy…except for acceptance by either the Gentiles or the Jews. Her Greek father already has a wife and family, leaving Julia and her Hebrew mother second-class citizens. But when they are introduced to followers of the Way, they become part of that community of believers.

Abigail’s brother, Jacob, now a young man, is attempting to discover his own place as a Christian. He is concerned that being more serious about his faith means trading away the exhilaration of his current profession as a caravan guard. Hired by Julia’s father to protect the wealthy merchant’s caravans on the secretive “Frankincense Trail”–undercover transport of this highly valuable commodity–Jacob also passes letters and messages between various communities of believers. He is alarmed to find out that Julia, hardly more than a girl, is also a messenger. Can their immediate mistrust be put aside to finally bring their hearts together?

Jenifer Jennings
Paul’s Patrons series
Leading Philippi: Epaphroditus’ Story (Paul’s Patrons #1) (2025)
Keeping Thessalonica: Persis’ Story (Paul’s Patrons #2) (2026)
Warring Corinth: Chloe’s Story (Paul’s Patrons #3) (2027)

Leading Philippi: Epaphroditus’ Story (Paul’s Patrons Book #1) (2025)
In the raging sea of fear, Epaphroditus finds his faith.

In the bustling colony of Philippi, Epaphroditus, the son of a traveling merchant, finds himself ensnared in the threads of destiny. Blessed with wealth and privilege, his life is shadowed by a prophecy whispered by one of Aphrodite’s priestesses: a grim fate aboard a ship awaits Epaphroditus.

Living vicariously through his best friend Luke, a compassionate physician traversing the seas to aid the afflicted, Epaphroditus grapples with the threat of mortality and the uncertainty of his future. When a bold traveler named Paul arrives, bearing tales of a humble craftsman from Nazareth named Jesus, Epaphroditus finds himself drawn into a journey of faith.

Join Epaphroditus on his extraordinary odyssey, where he discovers the transformative power of grace and the strength to battle fear with faith. Dare to embark on a journey that will stir your soul and ignite your faith as the letter of Philippians comes to life in Leading Philippi, Book 1 of the Paul’s Patrons series.

Keeping Thessalonica: Persis’ Story (Paul’s Patrons Book #2) (2026)
In the face of prejudice, Persis clings to the promises of Jesus.

In the port city of Thessalonica, Persis, a daughter of Persia and a bondservant of Aristarchus, is forever changed when she encounters the teachings of Jesus and learns of His imminent return.

Surrounded by a community of believers and drawing strength from Paul’s letters, Persis discovers the power of hope while navigating the challenges of persecution and prejudice. Through trials and triumphs, she learns to embrace her identity as a beloved child of God and live out the radical call to follow Jesus.

Join Persis as she struggles to hold fast to the refuge of her newfound faith while uncovering hidden truths about her past. Dare to embark on a journey to discover the boundless depths of grace awaiting those who dare to believe as the letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians come to life in Keeping Thessalonica, Book 2 of the Paul’s Patrons series.

Warring Corinth: Chloe’s Story (Paul’s Patrons Book #3) (2027)
She opened her home to the church. Now it is tearing itself apart inside her walls.

Chloe is a woman of wealth and influence in the prosperous city of Corinth, and she has opened her home to a flourishing community of believers. Within her walls, weary souls find solace in the teachings of Jesus.

But as the church grows, so do its divisions. One teacher is set against another. The wealthy eat before the poor arrive. Quarrels and scandal spread through the assembly, and no one will name them aloud. Corinth rewards ambition and punishes weakness, and the church has caught the sickness of the city.

Chloe could keep the peace by saying nothing. Instead, she sends word to Paul, and the letters that come back cut deeply, including into her own heart.

Can she bridge the chasm before it swallows everything she has helped to build?

Tracy Higley
So Shines the Night (The Seven Wonders Book 5) ( 2013 and 2024)
The darkness has found her again.

Daria’s new position, as a language tutor to the wealthy and charming merchant Lucas, takes her to the dazzling city of Ephesus on the Aegean coast.

As their connection deepens, Daria finds herself drawn to Lucas, despite the evil and violence that churn beneath the city’s beauty.

A collision is coming, between the high priests of Artemis, the sorcerers who pursue arcane knowledge, and a new movement called The Way, centered around the Jewish martyr, Jesus.

Daria longs to remain apart, safe from the evil she barely escaped in the past, but her growing feelings for Lucas compel her to get involved.

Lucas treads dangerous ground, pulled into the sorcery invading the streets of the city and claiming the lives of young women.

Now Daria must seek help from the only people who seem able to defeat the city’s dark forces, before the man she is beginning to love is destroyed.

But can love survive the secrets the light will reveal?

Paul L. Maier
Pontius Pilate: A Novel (new edition 2014)
Flames of Rome: A Novel (new edition 2014)

Pontius Pilate: A Novel (new edition 2014)
In a world full of DVD extras, behind-the-scenes commentary, and social media, people are used to getting the story behind the story. Readers want to understand not just what happened but why. This historical novel of the man who washed his hands of the crucifixion does just that! Award-winning historian and best-selling author Paul L. Maier has created a compelling style of documentary fiction. He uses what is historically known of Pilate’s life and rise to power, adds in the known political climate of first-century Judea, and unveils the colorful, untold story that changed history for all time. He provides intriguing answers to questions such as: What really happened at that most famous of trials? Were the proceedings against Jesus legal? Did cowardice or necessity motivate Pilate’s judgment? What became of this successful Roman politician after his verdict? Filling in the details of Pilate’s early career in Rome, Maier captures the drama of imperial Rome under the all-powerful Tiberius Caesar, the plottings of his political allies and enemies, and his relationship with his beloved but ambitious wife, Procula. His great moment arrives as he exchanges the intrigues of Rome for the bewildering environment of Judea, navigating new and dangerous waters. In Pontius Pilate, Maier paints a picture for modern readers to help them understand the behind-the-scenes complexities, political and religious realities, and ultimately, the humanity of the people we know from Scripture.

Flames of Rome: A Novel (new edition 2014)
Can one man’s madness destroy the faith for which so many would die?

A madman who murders his way into power lusts for ever-greater glory and domination. A capital city awash with corruption, sensuality, and political intrigue is at the flash point. And caught between the crushing currents of history are a new but growing religious group known as the followers of The Way.

Award-winning historian and best-selling author Paul L. Maier has created a compelling style of documentary fiction, using only known historical events and persons to bring to life first-century Rome in all its excess, treachery, and insanity. This is the Rome that the apostle Paul visits, where he’s placed on trial, and which is forever changed by his testimony and witness. Maier takes readers into the courtroom of imperial justice and into the homes of the people struggling with the new faith they’ve encountered to answers questions such as:

How did Christianity first reach Rome?
Why did Paul have to wait two years for trial and was he condemned or set free?
Why does the New Testament account in Acts end so abruptly?
Who set fire to Rome and why did Nero persecute Christians so horribly?

Following the family of Flavius Sabinus, mayor of Rome under Nero Maier captures all the drama and tension of the political conflicts that precede and follow the Great Fire of Rome, and the epic political and religious clashes of the world’s capital. This is the sensational story of pagans at their worst—and Christians at their best. Readers won’t want to put it down

Ken Gire
The Centurion (2016)
An ambitious Roman soldier. A stunning crucifixion. An unlikely romance. A long war and a chance reunion—the moving parts that make The Centurion a gripping story of love, duty, and sacrifice.

Lucius has always dreamed of military conquest and Roman glory. Little does he know how a routine crucifixion will change him forever.

Curious about this “King of the Jews,” Lucius seeks out His followers and falls for one named Mary Magdalene. But all is interrupted when Lucius is called to lead military campaigns. There the hardships of war, year after year, wear him down to nearly nothing.

When Lucius finally returns to Rome, the city has lost its allure. A chance encounter tests his allegiances, and he must decide who he is, what is real, and what is worth dying for.

This work of historical fiction includes an extensive annotated list of sources.

Stories focused mostly on Jewish society

Carlene Havel
Song of the Shepherd Woman: Remarkable Women of the Bible (2017)
Journey of the Shepherd Woman: Remarkable Women of the Bible (2023)

Song of the Shepherd Woman: Remarkable Women of the Bible (2017)
Avram has spent his life raising sheep in the hills around his native Bethlehem. Old age finds him cynical, peculiar, and perhaps dangerous. After Avram and his mute wife Yael reluctantly accept responsibility for an unwanted child, the girl’s charming innocence endears her to the couple. When Channah is a young teen, her stepfather unexpectedly appears and demands custody, taking her away to an arranged marriage. The young woman hopes for a kind husband, cherishing the dream of someday having her own child to love. Meanwhile, an old friend persuades Avram to investigate rumors of a miraculous healer. What the old shepherd discovers challenges everything he has ever believed.

Journey of the Shepherd Woman: Remarkable Women of the Bible (2023)
Saul of Tarsus instigates persecution against followers of the Way, forcing shepherds from Bethlehem to run for their lives. Channah and her family escape to the seaport of Joppa. They hope to make their way to Ephesus where Channah’s husband grew up. However, travel is difficult and sometimes treacherous. When disaster strikes, Channah relies on the mercy of a kind woman named Dorcas. Through many trials, the little family cherishes their goal of finding a place where they can freely worship Jesus.

Jenifer Jennings
At His Feet (Faith Finders Book 5)
Servant Siblings: stories about Jesus’s siblings
James (Servant Siblings #1)
Joseph (Servant Siblings #2)
Assia (Servant Siblings #3)
Jude (Servant Siblings #4)
Lydia (Servant Siblings #5)
Simon (Servant Siblings #6)

At His Feet: A Biblical Historical story featuring an Inspiring Woman (2017)
A story about Mary of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

Servant Siblings series: Jesus’ siblings’ mourning turned to joy when they discovered he had risen from the dead fulfilling the prophecy of the long-awaited Messiah. Now, they must keep safe from the threats of Rome and Jerusalem’s governing body in order to spread their brother’s message.
James (Servant Siblings #1)
Joseph (Servant Siblings #2)
Assia (Servant Siblings #3)
Jude (Servant Siblings #4)
Lydia (Servant Siblings #5) (2024)
Simon (Servant Siblings #6) (2024)

Susanne Blumer
The Arimathea Chronicles
Anna of Arimathea (2026)
Anna of Bethsaida (2026)
Anna of Calvary (2026)
Anna of Jerusalem (2026)

Anna of Arimathea never imagined her life would lead here—from the sheltered daughter of a wealthy Sanhedrin councilman to a traveling healer walking the dusty roads of Galilee with Jesus and his disciples. But when healing and love pull her into the heart of the greatest story ever told, Anna discovers that discipleship demands far more than she ever anticipated.

As the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, Anna has a front-row seat to the miracles, teachings, and growing opposition that will culminate in the cross. Through her eyes, readers experience the intimate human cost of following Jesus—the joy and devastation, the community and sacrifice, the hope that survives even death.

Meticulously researched and richly imagined, The Arimathea Chronicles weaves together biblical accounts, historical detail, and compelling characters to explore what it truly means to count the cost and follow anyway.

Angela Hunt
Daughter of Cana (Jerusalem Road #1) (2020)
The Shepherd’s Wife (Jerusalem Road #2) (2020)
A Woman of Words (Jerusalem Road #3) (2021)
The Apostle’s Sister (Jerusalem Road Book #4) (2022)

Daughter of Cana (Jerusalem Road #1) (2020)
Thomas and Tasmin, twin siblings hired to oversee a wedding feast in Cana, worry when the host runs out of wine . . . until a guest tells Tasmin to have the servants fill the pitchers by the gate with water from the cistern. Reluctantly, she obeys and is amazed when rainwater turns into the finest wine ever tasted in Cana.

When Thomas impulsively decides to follow the teacher from Nazareth, he and Tasmin argue–since the twins have been together since the womb, Tasmin can’t accept losing her brother to some magician-prophet. Aided by Jude, younger brother to Jesus of Nazareth, she decides to follow the Nazarene’s group and do whatever she must to mend the fractured relationship and bring her brother home.

The Shepherd’s Wife) (Jerusalem Road #2) (2020)
Yeshua of Nazareth has two sisters: Damaris, married to a wealthy merchant’s son, and Pheodora, married to a simple shepherd from Bethlehem. When Pheodora’s husband suffers an unexpected reversal of fortune and is thrown into debtor’s prison, she returns to Nazareth, where she pins her hopes on two she-goats who should give birth to spotless white kids that would be perfect for the upcoming Yom Kippur sacrifice.

In the eighteen months between the kids’ birth and the opportunity to sell them and redeem her husband from prison, Pheodora must call on her wits, her family, and her God in order to provide for her daughters and survive. But when every prayer and ritual she knows is about God’s care for Israel, how can she trust that God will hear and help a lowly shepherd’s wife?

A Woman of Words (Jerusalem Road #3) (2021)
Disciple Matthew, a former tax collector, is invited to work with Peter, James, and John in Jerusalem. He dreams of preaching and performing miracles like his fellow apostles, but he finds his dreams postponed because of a request from Yeshua’s mother. Well aware of the passing years, Mary asks Matthew to help her record the stories of Yeshua while the eyewitnesses are still alive. Reluctantly, he agrees, though the longer he and Mary work together, the more difficult their task becomes. Not only are they pressured by opposition from friends and foes alike, but Gaius Caesar, better known as Caligula, is determined to raise a statue of himself in the Holy Temple, even if it means killing every man in Israel. As Matthew works to save his people, Mary encourages him to come to terms with issues from his past. When they finally near the completion of their project, Matthew realizes that the job he reluctantly accepted might be his God-given destiny.

The Apostle’s Sister (Jerusalem Road Book #4) (2022)
She’s always longed for more, but what if the path she’s chosen requires more than she’s willing to give?

Aya, daughter of Zebulun of Tarsus, does not want a traditional life. After years of being overshadowed by her brilliant brother Sha’ul, she wants a chance to use her own gifts beyond being a wife and mother. When her father insists that she marry a Torah student, she reluctantly agrees.

A dedicated scholar, Sha’ul, or Paul, returns to Tarsus to follow the instructions of the Law and wed the woman his father has chosen to raise his profile and help him earn a seat on the Great Sanhedrin–the highest religious court in the land. But when the Nazarene, Yeshua, and his followers bring trouble to the Holy City, Sha’ul will stop at nothing to silence them.

After moving to Jerusalem with her husband, Aya expects to be bored in her role as wife to a Torah student. Instead, she finds herself fascinated by his studies. Then her brother makes a life-altering decision, and she must face a troubling question: Can she remain true to her beliefs and still love her blasphemous brother?

Naomi Craig and Donna E. Lane
Acts of Faith series
And Their Numbers Grew (Acts of Faith #1) (2023)
And They Were Persuaded (Acts of Faith #2) (2025)
The Weary World Rejoices (2024)

And Their Numbers Grew (Acts of Faith Book 1) (2023)
Rumors of the risen Christ spread through Jerusalem like a wildfire—and the Sanhedrin is paying attention.

Their efforts to stifle the name of Jesus only fuel the cause until a young Pharisee gets involved, breathing threats of imprisonment—or worse. Stephen’s brutal stoning accelerates the persecution and sends the faithful fleeing the city for their lives.

They are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. As the fledgling church disperses, their numbers continue to grow. Now, the apostles must train the new believers in the ways and words of Jesus—and what it means to live in God’s Kingdom here on earth.

The Kingdom of God spreads to Damascus, Joppa, Caesarea, Antioch, and Tarsus through the testimonies of Ananias, Tabitha, and Barnabas. While an outraged Saul sets out for Damascus to arrest them all, the followers press on fervently, with the help of the Holy Spirit—though it may cost them their lives.

Four disciples whose lives are intertwined, told in four novellas, chronicling the birth pains of the early church.

And They Were Persuaded : An Epic Early Church Anthology (Acts of Faith Book 2) (2025)
Four cultures. Four Corners. One Calling.
In the bustling cities and remote corners of the ancient world, four extraordinary individuals join the Apostle Paul to spread the transformative message of Jesus Christ and bring the gospel to life, facing relentless persecution and trials that test their faith and courage.
Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement, stands unwaveringly by Paul’s side, offering comfort and strength in times of adversity. Timothy, a young and eager disciple, learns to navigate the complexities of leadership as he shoulders the weight of Paul’s teachings.
Epaphroditus is shaken when the Philippian jail is demolished on his watch. His life takes on new meaning as he discovers the God who truly knows and loves him. He pursues the Truth with the same vigor he applied in the Roman army. Damaris, a seeker of truth, finds herself drawn to the message of hope and redemption. Her journey from skepticism to faith mirrors the challenges faced by those grappling with the radical message of Jesus.

The Weary World Rejoices (2024)
Foreign dignitaries searching for the baby king.
An enraged Monarch on the Judean throne.
The scribe on a quest to discover the truth before it’s too late.

Behind the elaborate furnishings of Herod the Great’s palace, conspiracy and distrust run rampant. Mysterious visitors from the east challenge everything Amal thinks he knows as palace scribe.
Will his quest to uncover the Truth free him from the ornate shackles of palace life, or will he be the next victim of King Herod’s maniacal jealousy?

Ted Dekker
A.D. 30: A Novel (2014)
A.D. 33: A Novel (2015)

A.D. 30: A Novel (2014)
A sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine.
A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart.
The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all.
Step back in time to the year of our Lord…A.D. 30.
The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father’s warriors–Saba who speaks more with is sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews.

But Maviah’s path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people–and herself.

A.D. 33: A Novel (2015)
New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker delivers the gripping story of Maviah, a slave who becomes a queen in Arabia, A.D. 33.

They call her the Queen of the Outcasts. Maviah, a woman whose fate was sealed on her birth by this world-unwanted, illegitimate, female, a slave-subject to the whims of all. But then she met a man named Yeshua who opened her eyes. She found strength in his words, peace from the brutal word around her. Because of what he taught her, she has gathered her own traveling kingdom of outcasts deep in the desert, wielding an authority few have seen. But when her growing power threatens the rulers around her, they set out to crush all she loves, leaving her reeling as a slave once more. She must find Yeshua to save her people, but when she does, she will be horrified to discover that he faces his own death.

Enter a story full of intrigue, heart-wrenching defeat, uncompromising love and staggering victory-one that re-examines everything you thought you knew about the heart of Jesus’s stunning message and the power that follows for those who follow his easily forgotten way.

D.M. Griffin
Blaze of Honor (Spirit Ignited) (2026)
A blaze of honor would either consume him or illuminate the path to love!

Joram couldn’t pinpoint the burning conviction in his heart, the reason honoring his father felt like the only path to a life that pleased God. He remembered the unheard prayers of a five-year-old whose mother betrayed the sanctity of family and knew well the bitterness in his father’s heart. Whatever the reason, Joram, a man of few words, lived an obedient life. He adopted his father’s wishes and desires as if they were born from his own heart, and with that came his father’s simmering bitterness and ingrained distrust of women.

Driven by a desire for Joram to achieve more than a shepherd’s humble existence, his father pressured him to excel academically, tirelessly seeking the approval of powerful figures. Joram’s life took a dramatic turn when he captured the attention of Parthia’s notorious bandit leaders.

Caught in a dizzying storm of politics and family vendettas, Joram reluctantly accepts a fake marriage, meant to bring a young woman to Jerusalem so she could marry another man. Knowing how his father felt about women, a view he adopted as his own, Joram wasn’t prepared for the transformation that would take place once he began playing the role of a husband for all the wrong reasons.

The treacherous journey, marked by near-death experiences, culminated with them arriving in Jerusalem amidst the vibrant Feast of Weeks. With his knowledge of God ringing hollow as a mere religious duty, Joram divorced his wife and surrendered her to another man, determined to honor his word. But when he stumbles upon the truth and feels the burning intensity of the Holy Spirit descend in a blaze of honor that illuminates far more than he could have ever imagined, Joram has to decide if he is willing to walk the path of love.

Inspirational Historical Fiction Index

This index includes many Roman-era novels. It also includes many other historical periods and has an excellent topical search feature.

Biblical Fiction Finder

This index includes many Roman-era novels as well as a wide range of Biblical fiction in set in earlier time period. If you’re looking for  stories set in Old Testament times, you’ll find many great choices here: Biblical Fiction Finder. You can search by author, title, series, character, location, and time.  This is an active list that has new titles added.