The Wedding Gift

The King's Men #0.5

by Connilyn Cossette

Shalem cherishes visits with his family on the sacred mountain of Kiryat-Yearim, where the Ark of the Covenant has been hidden for many years. Although he and his cousins, Avidan and Gavriel, are not excited about attending a relative's wedding, they cannot wait to explore the woods together. Since Zevi, an older boy rescued by Shay's uncle Natan, came to live there a few months ago, the four boys have spent countless hours dreaming of being warriors one day and of defending Israel from the vicious enemies that surround her.

When a caravan of foreign wedding guests arrives on the mountain, carrying a mysterious box that ignites the boys' curiosity, they are determined to discover what lies inside. However, when the priceless box goes missing and the boys are blamed for its disappearance, they embark on a mission to find it and vindicate themselves.

"The Wedding Gift" serves as a prequel novella to the King’s Men Series, published by Bethany House Publishers. It unfolds a few months after the conclusion of "Between the Wild Branches" (Book Two of the Covenant House series) and before the Epilogue. The novella offers a window into the evolution of Shalem, Avidan, Gavriel, and Zevi's friendship, leading up to the fateful day when they witness Saul's anointing as Israel's first king in "Voice of the Ancient" (Book One of The King's Men Series).

Genres: Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Historical, Christian, Short Stories, Novella

68 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Connilyn Cossette is a Christy Award-winning and bestselling author of stories that illuminate the ancient world of the Bible, in hopes readers will dig deeper into the Word and encounter the Great Storyteller himself within its pages. She is blessed to be the adopted mother of two graduated homeschoolers and is a recent breast cancer survivor. She and her husband of nearly thirty years live just north of Charlotte, NC when they aren't traveling around, exploring the world together!

Connect with her at ConnilynCossette.com

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set after the end of 'Between The Wild Branches' and before the epilogue, 'The Wedding Gift' is a short and sweet introduction to Connilyn Cossette’s new series, 'The King’s Men'.

It features a group of young boys, Shalen, Zevi, Avidan and Gavriel and their trusty sidekick, Igo. Cossette has perfectly captured the adventuresome young boys and used their inquisitiveness to warn us of the dangers of hasty judgement.

If you, like me, aren’t a big fan of novellas, please don’t push this one aside. If you intend to read Cossette’s new series, 'The King’s Men', this book is a wonderful bridge between the first book, 'Voice of the Ancient', and the previous series, 'The Covenant House'. It’s a great way to meet The King’s Men before starting the new series and cheaper than a latte!

You won’t regret it!

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great introduction novella to our main characters 👏 Beautiful reminder of the meaning of brotherhood, marriage, family and being honest. I can’t wait to dive into Voice of the Ancient soon❤️

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet novella being told from the point of view of a little boy. Being the mother of three boys, it brought back sweet memories of my sons when they were little. Always busy and getting into things. This book was so sweet with the bond of cousins and family being strong.

[Maxine Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful prelude to Connilyn Cossette's "The King's Men"series. I had actually already read the first book in the series, then I read this short novella. It's great background to the characters and I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Hannah-rose Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wedding Gift by Connilyn Cossette is a captivating novella that takes readers on a journey alongside the protagonists of her new series, The King’s Men. Set a few months after the conclusion of Between the Wild Branches, this short story offers a glimpse into the origins of Shalem, Zevi, Avidan, and Gavriel’s brotherhood. Setting the stage for the upcoming novels and characters, The Wedding Gift is the perfect appetizer before delving into Voice of the Ancient, book one in The King’s Men!!!

As a massive fan of Connilyn’s previous works, I was thrilled to embark on this new chapter filled with fresh characters and adventure. From traversing the desert to reach the Promised Land, racing to the cities of refuge, to encountering the judges, and protecting the Ark of the Covenant, we have traveled far and wide through ancient Israel. Now, we don our armor and prepare to join the army to fight alongside King Saul!

[Mahaley Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun novella and I loved all the boys, they each have their own unique personalities for sure. This has made me even more excited for voice of the ancient!

I love it when Connilyn writes novellas— I’ll take all the books by her I can get!

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get a glimpse of Shalem before he disappears and learn the story behind his scars. I love him! He is such a cinnamonroll. I can't stand how protective his ima is -- she is overly protective. Levi, Gavi, and Avi seem to be the annoying big cousins, but I get their concern for him.

This follows the boys and the appearance of the groom to Shalem's cousin. A wedding gift goes missing, and due to the boys being curious about it, they get blamed for it. However, the blame was wrongly given. The culprit was an unexpected character that honestly made me laugh a bit.

Shalem wants to be adventurous, he is curious, he can't be couped up because he was born to explore and learn.

Shalem is amazing.

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get a glimpse of Shalem before he disappears and learn the story behind his scars. I love him! He is such a cinnamonroll. I can't stand how protective his ima is -- she is overly protective. Levi, Gavi, and Avi seem to be the annoying big cousins, but I get their concern for him.

This follows the boys and the appearance of the groom to Shalem's cousin. A wedding gift goes missing, and due to the boys being curious about it, they get blamed for it. However, the blame was wrongly given. The culprit was an unexpected character that honestly made me laugh a bit.

Shalem wants to be adventurous, he is curious, he can't be couped up because he was born to explore and learn.

Shalem is amazing.

[DEBBIE AGUILAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Addition !! Cassette does it again !!!

Can This Women Do It All !!! Yes Can't wait for more ! This Addition was inspired by " Voice of The Ancient" " Shield of The Mighty" The Kings Men , What a wonderful addition to these books . Can't wait for more ! The Characters are so real like old friends , family members are so loved Old Testament comes to life !! A Must Read !!!

[ada Herrmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these short stories!

What an absolute gift of writing and making you feel like your right there with the characters. I loved all three books, thinking my favorite is the Wedding Gift but no, each book is full of character, life and what life was possibly like it the old testament days. For short books there are twists and turns and surprises. Connilyn is one on my favorite authors and I look for any books written by her!

[Terry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even at a young age our true selves come out

Four cousins during old Testament times learning how to grow up and be men. It brings in some of the different friends and enemies of the Israelites during that time period, i.e. Philistines. This is written around d a wedding in the family and the Armenian visitors who bring a very special gift.

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun to get to visit with all our loved ones in Kiryat-Yearim! I loved getting to know these little boys whose parents feel like dear friends! This is a fun short story that I can't wait to share with my own little guys - I think they'll love it! And I'm really excited to get to read about them when they're all grown up in Connilyn Cossette's series, The King's Men!

[Nyla Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wedding Gift by author Connilyn Cossette is a novella to introduce readers to her new series, The King’s Men. It left me wanting to read more of the series. It was very good!

[Maribeth Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the prequel

Finally got around to reading the prequel. I enjoyed Shay’s story about the wedding box and how he got his scar. Beautifully told!

[Mary Ellen Barringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a prequel to one of her series. The story tells of the antics of four boys who become men in the series. Set in ancient times, it is a quick read.

[Camella Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joy to read

I love Shay's bravery and curious nature! He's small but not weak. It was neat seeing Eliora and Natan from a different perspective. The ending was sweet.

[Miriam Harwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and Sweet

The story of how Shay got his scar and the Bo’s made their blood covenant is super sweet. But poor Igo and Avi

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in an hour, or less possibly. Very quick read! This was a cute novella that brought those 4 boys together in a new way. I've already read Connilyn's series', just the novella's and a few if the women of the Bible (Healer's Touch and Mother of Kings.) My goal was to read all of Connilyn's works in 2025, and I just might finish it!

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been intrigued about this novella for a while, so when I got the chance to read it, I took it. I’m glad I did; this is a fun story! In my opinion, it doesn’t measure up to the other books in the series content-wise (this isn’t as deep of a story), but it was fun to get a glimpse at these cousins when they were younger, and see some of the things that shaped them into the men they are in the novels. A quick read.

[Stephanie Mccall · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how as a kid, you were so excited for Christmas that your parents let you open a present on Christmas Eve? Or your mom wouldn't let you have a whole slice of your favorite dessert before the guests or the party but she let you have a taste or a little "snacky snack?" Well, that's what The Wedding Gift was for me, a Connilyn Cossette enthusiast. I still can't wait for Shield of the Mighty in August, but this was the perfect little treat!

First off, I love the idea of exploring the childhoods of "The King's Men." I love watching characters grow up, and I've already fallen in love with the deep friendship between Avi, Gavi, Zevi, and Shay. (Be warned that it is a little difficult to keep up with who is who here since they're all on the same page, but it's not worth losing a star over in a story so short). I still wish I had friendships that close growing up, and watching these boys take Zevi into their circle, look after Shay, tease and banter, and play games was nothing short of both fun and uplifting.

Besides that, all four boys come through as distinct characters. Young as they are, their personalities are already easy to see. Yet none of them are stereotypes, and I could tell how they were going to grow into interesting, multifaceted men. I rooted for them all and enjoyed seeing them all use their talents and strengths. In fact, I especially identified with Shay on many counts. We both love words, saying and learning them. We both love accents and stories and cultures. And because of a physical disability, I grew up overprotected. I wasn't as coddled as Shay is; in fact my parents, especially my dad, expected me to be tough, work twice as hard and do twice as well where I could. But I identified with and rooted for Shay because yeah, I know exactly what it's like to want, and need, to prove yourself every day.

The plot of The Wedding Gift itself was a lot more interesting and multifaceted than I expected. Yes, Connilyn is a pro at multifaceted plots, but I admit I was thinking, "What can she really do in 68 pages?" Well, I was happily proven wrong. The mystery of the box, the determination of Shay to exonerate his cousins out of loyalty and love, plus Shay proving himself even though he doesn't get to be the "hero" he expects, all come together to form a simple, yet thought-provoking story. The Wedding Gift almost reads like a children's chapter book for adults, a nostalgic story to remind us how much God loves us and how much care He takes in crafting each creation.

Finally, yes, I do want to give Connilyn some kudos for an unexpected spiritual thread. I won't say what it is just in case it's a spoiler. It's also fairly subtle, so I don't want to point it out in case other readers want to catch it themselves. I will say though, that it was a great encouragement to me as a person who doesn't often receive something like it, or catch it when God bestows it on me. I really should keep my eyes open more. (Here's a hint: think about "double portion.")

Again, The Wedding Gift made me that much more eager to continue The King's Men series. In the meantime though, snatch this up and savor it. It's a "quick snack," but the flavor will linger most pleasantly on your reader's tongue.

[MJSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet short story about Shalem, Avi, Gavi, and Zevi only a few months after Natan (Lukio) returns home in Between the Wild Branches. The four boys’ adventure and brotherhood is told through Shalem’s third person voice and lays the groundwork for Voice of the Ancient. And we get a glimpse of Amina, one of Natan’s younger siblings, marrying someone from Kadesh so perhaps we’ll get more tie-ins with characters from Cities of Refuge series as well. I can’t wait to meet the grown-up versions of the boys!

This short story is free for those who pre-ordered the book Voice of the Ancient and who received it through NetGalley - go to the author’s website to be sure to grab it while you can.
I received the book from the author and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

[Erin Laramore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great short novella to bridge the gap between the Covenant House duology and The Kings Men series. Introducing the main characters of the new series as boys, this story gives history about their connection and how their bond grows deeper. It was also good to see our friends from the Covenant House stories now that they are settled. With a fun little mystery included and the antics of young boys and their dog, this was a great introduction to the new series and I look forward to reading about the boys all grown up!

I received this novella from the author as a bonus for pre-orders or NetGalley approvals. No review was required.

[Katie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a big fan of novellas, but this one was a good introduction for Connilyn Cossette’s new series. I get a feel for each one of the boys’ characters before reading Voice of the Ancient. I hope we get a story for each of them, especially Zevi. I did keep a list of characters and their traits until I got a feel for each boy’s personality and motivations. There’s a lot of information packed in that little story.

[❀♡Kelsey♡❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short story! I'm looking forward to starting the series. :)
~The only reason I gave this 4 ★★★★, instead of 5, is because I had a hard time keeping the boys' names straight. I kept mixing them up and getting confused as to who was who.
All in all, it was a cute introduction, and I love Connilyn's stories. ♡

[Inspirationalfictionreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short story about Shay, Avi, Gavi, and Zevi and how they formed their strong bond when they were children. This story has really gotten me excited about reading Voice of the Ancient which is about Avi.

[Denise Jaramillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story!

[Lisa Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this prequel. Being introduced to the cousins and seeing how their younger behaviors show a start to who they’ll become was so neat. The perfect set up to the “Kings Men” series.