Book Review: Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle




Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle 
4.5 Stars (Rounding up to 5 Stars on Goodreads).

A Powerful and Moving Story of Faith, Love, and Sacrifice - A St. Valentine Retelling 

WOW. This is a stunning historical novel. From the very first page, I was captivated by the gripping story of Valentine, a man of unwavering faith who stands boldly against an emperor. He is full of bravery, compassion, and devotion to Christ. There are some beautiful salvation stories in this book thanks to Valentine!

Iris truly stole my heart too. Her longing for physical and spiritual sight was beautifully written, and her transformation was breathtaking. The way she discovers faith amidst the dangers of Rome, all while navigating her relationship with Valentine, made for an emotionally rich and deeply compelling story. 

We see such an important focus on standing for Christ in this book. We see how hard it was to be labeled a Christian during this dark time of history. We see the trust in God's goodness here, even when He doesn't answer prayers when we think He should. Specifically in the ending. The ending made me CRY so much because of the beauty shown in sacrifice and faith. 

The author brings ancient Rome to life, from the political tensions to the early church’s desperate struggle to survive. The stakes felt real, and the danger ever-present. It puts me in the mind of the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers, which is also a historical fiction but it's set during biblical times. This book is not a biblical fiction, as its two centuries after the Bible was finished, but it is more of an early church historical fiction set during Rome, AD 270.

Overall, I loved this so much. While some of the romance elements were not my favorite as the pacing was a bit slower in that part, I completely see why the author added that in there. She needed someone to truly love Valentine for the faith impact at the ending to make sense. This book is an absolute must-read for fans of Christian historical fiction. It’s unforgettable. I know this is not biblical fiction, but I think if you like biblical fiction, this would be one you enjoy due to the early church history side of things in this. Certainly a favorite book of 2025 for me. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6266622296

Amazon: https://amzn.to/40P8f7U

Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/540784


*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

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