As Sure as the Sea - by Jamie Ogle

About the Book

"A.D. 308. Demitria Caepio and her brother Theseus are expert divers, by day harvesting pearls and coral for a merchant who turns a blind eye to the fact that they are Christians, a dangerous identity in the face of the edicts Emperor Diocletian has passed to eradicate believers. By night, Demi and Theseus assume a far riskier and more difficult task: going upriver to trade goods on the underground Christian network, becoming the lifeline that supports the believers still living in Myra and its port village of Andriake. Demi seems fearless, but her bravado is a cover for her secret shame and guilt. She doubts she can ever do enough good to overcome the fallout of her greatest misstep years before. Then Theseus is severely injured in a diving accident, and Demi beaches her boat on the outskirts of Andriake where she meets a stranger who introduces himself as Nikolas. Nikolas inherited the vast wealth of his father's shipping enterprise after his brother's tragic death, an accident he blames himself for. Nikolas arrived in Myra to pastor the church and is determined to use his wealth for good, secretly giving it away to help others. The needs are dire as the emperor's birthday approaches-and with it a large pagan festival-the violence against the Christians growing all the greater. As the danger increases, Demi begins helping Nikolas supply Christians upriver with the food and money they need to survive. Then one night, Demi and Nikolas are followed by the emperor's soldiers who will stop at nothing to capture them. Demi escapes but Nikolas is taken. With Nikolas and other church leaders imprisoned, Demi must decide whether she will continue the work they have begun. Doing so means she must finally confront the choices she made years ago and decide whether the faith she calls her own is worth risking everything for...and if it is strong enough to sustain her in the face of devastating losses"--

Book Synopsis

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.

• Stand-alone Christian historical romance novel set in ancient times
• For fans of historical fiction by Francine Rivers and Tessa Afshar
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Review Quotes

Ogle (Of Love and Treason) sets this captivating historical in an ancient Turkey roiling with religious tension. Ogle keeps the suspense sky-high as sparks fly between Demi and Nikolas and both question how far they're willing to go to uphold their faith. It's a winning mix of thrills and heart.--Publishers Weekly