Dawn of Grace

Author: Jill Eileen Smith
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Pages: 368
Release Date: February 18, 2025
Publisher: Revell

From her earliest days, Mary Magdalene has known fear and loss at a level so deep she has no hope of surfacing. Bound to the demons within her and incapable of freeing herself, Mary walks in shadow--until one day she encounters a healer, a rabbi who is radically different from the religious leaders and family members who could do nothing to help her. One touch from Jesus and Mary is never the same.

Now Mary's one mission in life is to serve the one who freed her. She is determined never to leave his side, fearing that if she loses him, she'll return to her former bondage. Even when the unthinkable happens and her savior is arrested and sentenced to execution, she cannot abandon him as so many others did. Let her be buried in his tomb, for she cannot live without him.

On the brink of despair, Mary is about to discover that while the life of faith is never perfect, perfect love casts out fear--and Jesus makes all things new.

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Reviewer: Charity Henico

Well, I have certainly learned something new. I have grown up in the church. My dad was, and still is, a pastor. I have read the Bible since I was a little girl. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve read the Bible all the way through. And I have always thought that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.

Why did I think that? I have no idea! But there is no Biblical evidence that she was. My mind is blown.

That’s one of the many reasons I love Biblical fiction: I feel like I learn something new each time I read a Bibfic book.

All that aside, this book was good. I was thoroughly invested in Mary’s story, though I felt she found Jesus maybe a little too early in the book. Don’t get me wrong-the rest of the book was good. But I think there could have been more at the beginning.

But after she met Jesus, I enjoyed seeing the day-to-day life of a disciple. I know many people won’t read this genre because they don’t feel that it aligns with Scripture. They don’t want this to become Scripture to them, etc. But Jill does a wonderful job of sticking to the Word of God. In fact, almost every word that Jesus said here comes straight from Scripture. And the Passover week? Whew. Nothing could have prepared me for those emotions.

This book made the Bible living, breathing history for me.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Revell through Interviews & Reviews. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Connie Porter Saunders

Dawn of Grace shares the story of Mary Magdalene, a woman possessed by demons until she met a man named Jesus. The first part of this book offers a look at a woman who lost her mother at an early age, never felt loved by her father, and endured the torture of being possessed by demons. I found these accounts especially difficult to read! And then, she was rescued by a Rabbi who knew her inner thoughts and successfully drove the demons away. Was it any wonder that Mary Magdalene would become such a devoted follower? Why wouldn’t she idolize the person who rescued her from a life of pain and misery?

Author Jill Eileen Smith normally writes biblical fiction set in Old Testament times, but this book has a New Testament setting. Smith admits she relied heavily on the four Gospels to help her weave facts into fiction into a story that covered Jesus’s ministry and the events that led to His death and Resurrection. 

I enjoyed reading about the other women who became followers and I was especially moved by Mary Magdalene’s grief and devotion after His death. She was determined to care for Jesus’s body, bewildered when she found his empty tomb and overjoyed by the assurance that He would return!  

I love biblical fiction that sends me back to the source, and this was the case as I read this engaging story. I recommend Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story to all who enjoy historical Christian fiction. 

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

I was so excited to see another book from my favorite Biblical author, Ms. Smith!

This is Mary Magdalene's story. I must admit the first few chapters of Mary’s life were quite creepy. I don’t understand why a person would let that happen to them. It’s nothing but misery.

I truly felt like I got to know this character quite well. I really liked her a lot and her three friends, although at first I didn’t, especially Susannah. She’s quite the influencer, isn’t she? A bad one, so to speak.

I finished this book in one day. Of course I was sad when this story ended but it does a have beautiful message within it. This book shows that there’s always hope and a light at the end of the dark tunnel if we choose to accept it.

This delightful read earns five stars from me. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this eBook via NetGalley, courtesy of Bethany House publishers through Interviews & Reviews. My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith is a moving biblical novel that follows Mary Magdalene’s journey from a demon-possessed woman to a follower of Jesus Christ. Through Mary’s eyes, we get a probable backstory on how she came to be possessed and what happened after Jesus healed her. 

Mary was presented as a character who felt unloved throughout her life and was easily led astray by others. Her gullibility and desire for more control over her own life seemed to be the catalyst for her possession. I felt the author did a marvellous job portraying a dutiful yet innocent girl, who regretted asking evil spirits into her life. In fact, the author did such a good job of this that I found I had to put the book down several times as it disturbed me. 

Smith did a remarkable job of bringing the Scriptures to life. However, I felt like I was reading the Bible. This is not a bad thing, but I was expecting a side-story of some sort where the author didn’t feel the need to be constrained by the Scriptures. While she did this with Mary and her friend Susanna, once that part of the story was over, it lacked any further excitement.

Mary’s possession and healing were over faster than I would have liked. It would have been nice to see a bit more adventure in the story along with more character growth in Mary. Her inner thoughts were the same in almost every chapter after she was healed, and the story seemed to stall as she and the disciples followed Jesus around the country. 

I loved the way the author portrayed Jesus and her inclusion of other women who followed Him. I appreciated the faith message in this book and how Jesus redeems us. I realize, too, that telling a story from the Scriptures is difficult, especially where Jesus is involved. The author did a great job of imagining what Jesus would say while combining that with what He actually said. 

Her depiction of Mary at the garden tomb with Jesus was memorable and gave me chills. In fact, Mary’s devotion to the Lord and her love of Him is something I wish more Christians (myself included) aspired to.

Dawn of Grace is ultimately a story of love, discipleship, and self-discovery that will stir the flames of your faith. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest review.

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