Help me figure out the name of this book please!

[minkajane]

I read this book when I was a kid, so it's pretty old. I don't remember a lot of specifics. It was a biblical story. The main character was a priestess, trained since childhood, and I think she did some kind of temple prostitution. She ended up falling in love with a Jewish guy and he showed her that he loved her despite what she had done and been through in her past. I remember a few brief things about the story - while in the temple she had a spiral-shaped object inserted into her womb to prevent pregnancy, and on her wedding night her husband cut his arm and smeared the blood on the sheet to represent her virgin's blood as a sign that her past was gone and she was starting anew with him.

I know this is a long shot, especially as vague as my description is, but if you have any idea I'd appreciate the help!

[MadiMamacita]

no idea, sorry! I have been googling parts of your post but can't come up with anything. I love a good google puzzle..

[MadiMamacita]

I'm still digging.. I'm going to make a list of possible books:
pearl in the sand: http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.com/2010/07/pearl-in-sand-by-tessa-afshar.html


maybe one of these books? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francine_rivers#Christian.E2.80.93inspirational_romance_novels

Mists of Avalon?

Was it Samson and Delilah? http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8214394-delilah
this book only came out in 2010 so I don't think it is the one, but the blurb sounds promising: "Given to the temple of Atargatis as a child, Delilah is raised to be a priestess to the Five Cities that rule Canaan. ... Meanwhile, in the hills of Canaan, the Israelites choose Samson to lead their fight against the Five Cities. When he catches a glimpse of Delilah, he risks his freedom to marry her, and Derceto seizes the chance to have Samson at her mercy.

here a a list and summary of a bunch of biblical historical fiction: http://www.historicalnovels.info/Ancient.html#Bib
Edited by MadiMamacita - 3/7/12 at 4:34pm

[minkajane]

It's none of those. I remember reading this book in 1996 or 1997, so it's at least that old. It's a very small library, so the book was probably at least several years old by that time.

[nstewart]

I don't know what it is, but not Mists of Avalon.  Mists of Avalon is a about the Legend of King Arthur but from a woman's perspective.  Specifically a priestess is the main character.  But a really good series, BTW.

[Igraine]

Sounds a bit like "Moon Beneath Her Feet" by Clysta Kinstle. It has been a long time since I read it though, so I maybe way off.