About the Book

Book: Chosen People

Author: Robert Whitlow

Genre: Legal Drama

Release Date: November 6, 2018

Publisher: HarperCollins

Bestselling author Robert Whitlow dives deep into the legal ramifications of a tragic event half a world away and how it affects two lawyers in Atlanta from vastly different backgrounds.

When Hana Abboud walked into the conference room, she was unprepared for the images of a horrific terrorist attack near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. But after watching a courageous mother sacrifice her life to save her four-year-old daughter, Hana knew she needed to help attorney Jakob Brodsky represent the family’s pursuit of justice against those who perpetrate acts of violent jihad. As an Arab Israeli lawyer trained at Hebrew University, Hana is uniquely qualified to step into the gap.
But they need a third partner, an investigator on the ground to help them unravel the snake pit of connections between the terrorists and an organization or company that can be sued in the American courts. Hana returns home to Israel and meets with investigator Hamid Hasan who quickly becomes more than a crucial part of the litigation team.

As Jakob and Hana investigate the case in the US, he is stalked on the streets of Atlanta by affiliates of a terrorist organization. Their pursuit of truth can only be resolved where it began: the streets of Jerusalem. But who can they trust? How deep does deceit go? Can two lawyers and a shadowy investigator impact the kind of violence and terror that has become common in our broken world?

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About the Author

Robert Whitlow is the bestselling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. Website: robertwhitlow.com, Twitter: @whitlowwriter, Facebook: robertwhitlowbooks

Guest Post from Robert

Inside the Story

Chosen People—a title that reflects both the Biblical designation for the Jewish nation as well as converted Christians—opens during a terrorist attack near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A courageous mother sacrifices her life to save her young daughter, leaving behind a grieving husband and a motherless child.

Whitlow’s many trips to Israel and his in-depth research into the culture and laws of the Holy City are evident throughout the story. Furthermore, his experience as a lawyer gives him keen insight into the mind of his main character Hanna Abboud, an Arab Christian Israeli lawyer working in Atlanta.

“This book provides a unique perspective to this region and its peoples through the eyes of an Arab Christian who believes that the faithfulness of God and truths of the Bible are unshakable realities,” says Whitlow. “This viewpoint is rarely expressed, yet it is one that needs and deserves to be heard so that it can become part of our framework for understanding this vital part of the world and the people who live there.”

My Review

Islamic Terrorism is a very real and scary threat in the world today. Chosen People dives into a legal attempt at holding people in terrorism accountable for their actions. Through a complex hierarchical chain of lawyers and legal agencies, Ben Neumann is seeking restitution for the murder of his wife at the hands of two terrorists.

Hana Abboud is an interesting character with a unique perspective that she is able to bring to the table. Raised in the Middle East but living and working in America for a law firm, she is deemed to be just the right person to help with the case. She is both multi-lingual and well aware of the cultural differences between the nations. She is a strong intelligent woman with a lot to bring to the table. I don’t want to give anything away, but I won’t lie I was hoping for a different outcome relationship-wise for her.  Having said that, I wouldn’t consider this book a romance though either.

Although I wish some differences were explained a bit more, I thought it was interesting to see the characters travel to Israel and experience what it was like in Israel. I liked that the author added a bit of tourism as I resonated with Jakob over his interest in seeing the sites of Jesus. There is a lot of division discussed in Israel in regards to not only location but ethnicity of the people. I admit to being confused in a few places because I wasn’t sure if events were handled the way they were truly due to cultural tension or some underlying deceit. It at least made for a more interesting story.

This is a book I would recommend to readers who are interested in legal fiction and  relations with the Middle East. I wouldn’t consider the story very action-packed but would say it’s more about the obstacles the legal system faces in identifying and prosecuting terrorists. It’s an interesting read and will certainly leave you thinking.

*I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit Tours and NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

Rating: 

Age Appropriateness/Content Warnings:

Terrorism can be a difficult topic to read about. There are a few executions by terrorists described in the story. I would say that while there is definitely violence in the story, it’s contained in a few short scenes. Romance plays a very little role and is clean. I would recommend for ages 15 and up.

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Blog Stops

Just the Write Escape, November 8

Genesis 5020, November 8

Multifarious, November 9

Real World Bible Study, November 9

The Power of Words, November 9

The Becca Files, November 10

Bibliophile Reviews, November 10

C Jane Read, November 11

Caffeinated Christian Raves – N – Reviews, November 11

Book by Book, November 11

Margaret Kazmierczak, November 12

By The Book, November 12

All-of-a-kind Mom, November 13

Painting with Words, November 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 13

Simple Harvest Reads, November 14 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Robin is Bookish, November 14

Texas Book-aholic, November 15

Moments, November 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 16

Mary Hake, November 16

Janices book reviews, November 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 17

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 18

Christian Bookaholic, November 18

Carpe Diem, November 19

Stephanie’s Life of Perseverance, November 19

A Baker’s Perspective, November 20

Inklings and notions, November 20

Bigreadersite, November 21

For The Love of Books, November 21

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Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, HarperCollins is giving away a grand prize of three finished Robert Whitlow books (to be chosen by the publisher)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d73a/chosen-people-celebration-tour-giveaway