Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Her broken heart thirsts for acceptance and love that seem out of reach–until an encounter at the well reveals what her soul truly longs for.
In ancient Israel, soon after Nessa is of marriageable age, her father gives her to a wealthy widowed friend, capitalizing on her beauty to bring in the highest bride-price he can find. Nessa is devastated, as she had begged to marry Lavi, who returned her love and saw more in her than her appearance. Nessa’s betrothal leads to Lavi’s departure, compounding her grief, and she can never forget her forbidden first love.
Nessa tries to accept her fate, but after only a year of marriage, tragedy hits her new family. She is sent back to her father, who quickly finds a young man who wants to marry the most beautiful woman in Sychar. Misfortune follows Nessa as she is passed from one marriage to the next–until she meets an unusual Jewish rabbi at the town’s well one afternoon, and her life is forever changed.
Jill Eileen Smith weaves a historically and biblically rich narrative of the New Testament story of the woman at the well. Bringing a fresh perspective of faith and redemption, this biblical-era fiction is perfect for fans of Mesu Andrews, Tessa Afshar, and The Chosen.
The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well provides the basis for a richly detailed interpretation of her life in A Deeper Well.
By looking at the culture of the day, author Jill Eileen Smith tells the story of a girl who, at 13, is deemed ready for marriage. Rather than the match she expects with a cousin, she is paired up with a man old enough to be her father.
Nessa’s story is one of duty and honor set against a backdrop of strict religious and societal traditions. By the time she encounters Jesus at the well, she’s been married five times, divorced multiple times, and agrees to live with her cousin without the blessing of marriage.
The author weaves historical details into the story to illustrate the challenges the young girl likely faced. Wives were moved into the family home where the mother-in-law, the wives of other sons, and unwed sisters must co-exist. Often, the most value was placed on fertile wives, which created a hierarchy of sorts.
Was the woman at the well a victim of circumstance, or was she truly a woman of ill repute? Through a multi-layered story, the author explores an alternative where the woman’s beauty contributed to unsuccessful unions made by her father.
A Deeper Well weaves a beautiful story of redemption and answered prayers for a woman forced to live on the fringes of society.
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of many biblical novels, including her first series, The Wives of King David. After twenty years of closed doors, she has since published twenty-five fiction and nonfiction books. She loves Jesus and His Word and all things related to learning more about the women God has immortalized in Scripture
