Last night, I finished your book. I put off reading the last few chapters, because I didn’t want to leave Mary.  I became completely connected to her. I wanted to sit next to her in the shade in Magdala, spinning thread.
      I was teleported to Mary Magdalene’s world, right into her fear and longing and uncertainty. I loved reading about the circle of women, working and living together, passing on traditions and searching out prophecies.
      And then, Sweet Jesus! You have given us a Jesus that I not only understand, but totally have the hots for. As much as my Christian friend would remind me that he was a rebel and a hippie, I never could quite see that through the centuries of domination and control that occurred in his name. But you recreate him as a real man, not a Catholic Store cartoon, the kind of man I was aching for as a teenager- wild and curious, free spirited to the point of obliviousness, capable and charismatic. And their love is completely outside the paradigm of what Christianity became; I wish everyone would read this book. One can’t help but get it. 

     Thank you for this experience. You know when you read a great book and it kind of stays with you through the day, in your body, making you sort of inhabit the characters in subtle ways? Yeah.

If you want a wonderful book about women in the Bible and their relationships. This is the one. Valerie Gross writes like a poet. Her writing is beautiful. This is Biblical Fiction.

what interests me about biblical fiction is how each author interprets or creates their own historical account of the New Testament. this novel provides a compelling perspective on the events that culminate in the crucifixion of the Son of Man. i was captivated by way that the story is told: a deeply personal account from Mary herself, her words written for her beloved Jesus. what really captivated me about this story is how the author is able to convey the love between Mary and Jesus; a love that is so deep and beyond words, down to the essence of their being.
for the fan of biblical fiction, this is a must-read.
- Della, online review

In a word, I found it astounding! It is also outstanding and worthy of the highest praise. For me, it gave an understanding of Mary and her psyche in the way the underappreciated film The Messenger gave of Joan of Arc. I would love to talk to you about your process, your choices… how you channeled this story. Let me know if that’s possible.
- Brian Porzak, NYC NY

I love it! Finished reading your first published novel in one night. It’s beautiful!
Looking forward to the next one!
- Robert Tann, Newark NJ

I believed and felt every word. I was transported to another time and place, and I deeply identified with the moving characters. This novel is inspired, inspriting and uplifting. A true pleasure.
- Eve Bromberg, Nanuet NY

Congratulations! You have performed a most difficult task: to produce the true essence of by-gone age. Furthermore, your narrative has a lyrical quality that draws the reader in because it is alive. The book carried me along through harmony, tone and place — in the same way that I enjoy my favorite operas. The beauty is in the subtext… May your ideals transform the current zeitgeist!
- Trudy Hames, Cenford NY

I just finished your book, and it is truly one of the best books I’ve ever read. It is now one of of my favorite books of all time. It made actually very very anxious for you to write the next book. You have a true grasp of this period, these characters. I felt the human beings beyond the myth, the internal struggles, how hard it was for them to be them. This is a true gift, something the Bible didn’t do for me, something other books have not succeeded in doing. I’m sending it to my dad. I think he will love it.
- Eve Pomerance, New York NY