Book Review: Anna of Bethsaida by Susanne Blumer

Anna of Bethsaida JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Anna of Bethsaida by Susanne Blumer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Book

Title: Anna of Bethsaida
Series: The Arimathea Chronicles #2
Author: Susanne Blumer
Publisher: Sutton Avenue Press
Release Date: March 16, 2026
Genre: Biblical Fiction

Anna believed choosing Andrew meant gaining a home. Instead, she finds herself on the dusty roads of Galilee, under the watchful eyes of hostile Pharisees, walking ever closer to miracles that both heal and unsettle.

As a healer traveling with Jesus's ministry alongside Andrew, Anna takes her place among the women who follow, forming bonds that offer strength as the journey grows harder. While crowds press close to hear the Teacher's words, a different kind of attention gathers. In Jerusalem, her father Joseph of Arimathea, walks an impossible line within the Sanhedrin, and with each miracle Jesus performs, the net draws tighter around them all.

The cost of discipleship, Anna discovers, is not counted in miles walked or comforts surrendered. It is measured in the space between what she hoped following Jesus would be and what it actually demands.

Some journeys test what you believe.
Some reshape who you become.
Anna's does both.

This is Book 2 of The Arimathea Chronicles. Begin Anna's journey from the beginning with Book 1, Anna of Arimathea, where a scarred, isolated young woman discovers healing, first love, and purpose in the footsteps of Jesus.

I got to ask a few questions from the author, ones that I would like to know, too! Enjoy her responses!

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t know if I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I’ve always been a writer. I grew up in a house of chaos, and books were my safe place. When life is hard and painful, a book can take you to places full of wonder and happiness and adventure. And the library… oh, did I love the library! All those books to peruse and you could just take them home for a bit and make them yours! Magical!

Then I started writing. Small stories. Poems. A lot of poems. Writing is a way to make sense of a world that makes no sense. At least for me it did. I must have been a decent writer because during my last two years of high school, my English teacher let me write instead of the regular curriculum. Looking back at that, I’m amazed. I don’t know if I realized how rare that was when it was happening. Mrs. Gardener even wrote me a poem when I graduated. I still have it!

Then life happened and the words stopped. Eventually the calling reignited, and I started writing children’s books. We lived on a farm then and I wrote a book for kids about raising chickens and one about a goose named Walker who was imprinted on people and thought she was my daughter. I miss that goose. Then my husband and I cowrote a middle grade series called The Bell Tower Bible Adventures where our characters go back in time and experience the bible stories first hand. That kindled the idea for my current series, The Arimathea Chronicles.

Originally I planned to write a middle grade book about the daughter of a Pharisee who wants to follow Jesus. Then I started researching Joseph of Arimathea and created his daughter Anna and the first book, Anna of Arimathea, was born! I didn’t know if I would have the passion or discipline to write a full-length novel, but turns out, I do and I love it! But I also have an amazing co-writer in the Lord, and He makes it work. So now I’m a writer but I’m also a bookstore owner. I own three bookstores in North and South Carolina, and they are kind of like my own libraries in every good way. The journey has been so fun and unexpected! I think about that little, lost girl standing in the library hoping a book would take her somewhere safe. They did. And I hope I’m doing that in some small way for others.

Anna of Bethsaida is perfect for readers who love:

Deeply researched biblical fiction with authentic period detail
The untold stories of women in the early church - Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and the community that sustained Jesus's ministry
Love stories tested by faith and dangerous callings
Political intrigue woven through spiritual transformation
Character-driven narratives where personal loss intersects with world-changing events

More in This Series

Anna of Arimathea

About the Author

Susanne Blumer

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 two books, Anna of Arimathea and Anna of Bethsaida, are available now. The third book, Anna of Calvary, will be available later this year. 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

(1) winner will receive a $25 Bookshop gift card and a signed copy of Anna of Bethsaida!

Anna of Bethsaida blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 17, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 24, 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.

Enter Giveaway