Welcome to the Blog Tour for Anna of Arimathea by Susanne Blumer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Anna of Arimathea
Series: The Arimathea Chronicles #1
Author: Susanne Blumer
Publisher: Sutton Avenue Press
Release Date: December 7, 2025
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Some wounds are carried in silence. Some healings require more than medicine.
Eighteen-year-old Anna bears the marks of a childhood tragedy that left her motherless, scarred, and lame. Hidden within the household of her father, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy councilman of the Sanhedrin, her days are measured in herb gardens and healing tinctures, in the steady work of hands trained to help others, and in the quiet safety of a world made small.
Then Andrew of Bethsaida arrives at her father's gate with urgent business for Joseph and talk of a teacher who calls ordinary people to extraordinary purpose. A fisherman turned disciple, Andrew follows the rabbi Jesus with a conviction that unsettles every long-held expectation—including Anna's own.
When Andrew's kindness cracks open the door to a larger world, Anna faces an impossible choice: remain in the safety of her father's estate or risk everything for the possibility of healing, love, and a life she never dared imagine.
Set against the dusty roads and fishing villages of first-century Judea, where miracles unfold and mercy walks among the broken, Anna of Arimathea opens The Arimathea Chronicles—a richly imagined tale of faith, first love, and redemption in the footsteps of the Messiah.
Anna of Arimathea is perfect for readers who love:
Biblical and historical fiction with rich period detail
Redemptive love stories that explore the cost of faith
Immersive historical worlds
Characters who choose courage over comfort
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Author's Website | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
Book Excerpt
THE WOUNDED STRANGER
(Themes: healing, courage, unexpected return)
"Help… someone… please!"
I froze, my hand still buried in the soil. A man's voice carried over the stone wall.
I reached the courtyard as a man pitched forward onto the paving stones with a cry. Dark stains had soaked through his tunic in spreading patches, and his hair clung to a gash across his scalp.
My stomach dropped. For one terrible heartbeat I could not move. Abba. What if it's Abba lying broken in our courtyard while I kneel here frozen? But when I dropped to my knees beside the fallen man, my staff clattering away across the stones, I saw his face. Younger than my father's, the beard darker, the features I had memorized two weeks ago now masked in blood and swelling.
Andrew.
"Anna," he gasped, reaching for me with one arm. "I am sorry … to come here … like this."
He remembered me. He had returned. He needed me.
"Do not move," I said, though my voice shook. "You are badly hurt. Lie still."
More in This Series
About the Author
Susanne Blumer lives her life surrounded by stories—some she writes, and some she sells. As the CEO and Founder of Sassafras on Sutton LLC, she is the owner of three magical indie bookstores nestled in the North Carolina mountains of Black Mountain and Waynesville and Beaufort, South Carolina. One even has a full coffee bar. Oh, happy day!
She is the author of The Arimathea Chronicles, a series set in first-century Judea and centered on the life of Anna, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea. The first book, Anna of Arimathea, published in December 2025 and the second, Anna of Bethsaida, will be available in March 2026. She's also written several children's books, including the award-winning Bell Tower Bible Adventure series she co-wrote with her husband. Her new children's picture book series, The Story of You, will release its first book late Spring 2026 called Before Your Story Had A Name.
When she’s not writing or doing other entrepreneurial tasks, you can usually find her hanging out on the floor of one of her stores, drinking coffee and learning the stories of her customers or spoiling her eight chickens. Susanne splits her time between Waynesville, NC in her beloved mountains and Beaufort, SC on the enchanting Lowcountry coast.
Connect with Susanne by visiting susanneblumer.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a signed print copy of Anna of Arimathea plus a $50 Bookshop.org Gift Card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 21, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 28, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
I liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing about Anna of Arimathea!
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