This may be Hunt's most stunning novel to date!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Woman of Words tells the story of how Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth works with Matthew to write the Gospel. The novel is very emotional and inspirational! The novel discusses how God’s word was written down! I recommend this for fans of Tessa Afshar, Jill Eileen Smith, and Mesu Andrews!

I was finally able to read this book and it was good. I liked it better that I read it during holy week. I felt a bit uncomfortable though of the way Mary, Matthew and the other disciples conversations seemed too normal and casual like us. But like Mary said they are humans, human beings like us. They feel and do things like everybody else. After I passed that stage, I started to enjoy how the story focused on Mary's calling to write Jesus's story. For Matthew to recognize his value and purpose. I really enjoyed it. It was a good angle to certain aspects of their lives after Jesus went to heaven. God can use our talents in ways we may have yet to discover.

*Warnings*
#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out.


Stars: 3.5


Synopsis: Matthew, disciple of Jesus, has longed for years to go out and preach the Gospel as Jesus commanded before He ascended into Heaven. However, his desires are put on hold when Mary, Jesus’s mother, makes a strange request of him...to write down the stories of Jesus.


Coming into A Woman of Words was very, very difficult for me. First of all, I had thought for a moment that this was about Matthew and Mary Magdalene (don’t ask me why...maybe because the woman on the cover looks so young). Second, The Chosen has ruined me. I simply cannot read about the disciples without imagining them as their on-screen counterparts, which makes things so confusing when they’re portrayed differently. Third, I thought for the longest time that Matthew and Mary were writing a Gospel.

Newsflash: they weren’t. And the fun part (I’m being sarcastic) is that you don’t really know what’s going on until the end...when you read the author’s note.

So suffice to say that I kinda messed up my own reading experience with some of my preconceived notions...but you have to admit that the premise was a little contrived.

Let me explain. Mary, mother of Jesus, requests that Matthew help her compile the stories of Jesus while the eyewitnesses (such as her) yet live. This book about Jesus they create is not a Gospel, nor is it even an actual historical document. I just feel like the author was pushing things here, especially considering the fact that most of what Matthew ended up writing seemed heavily influenced by the Gospel of John—which didn’t even exist at this point, and was written in an entirely different style than both fictionalized Mary and real-life Matthew wrote in.

I also feel like the plot wasn’t quite sure of itself. It wanted to be about the Mary and the writing, but it also wanted to be about Matthew and his life. Of course, their stories entwine deeply, but there seemed to be a lot of possible storylines and things going on that just weren’t explored to their full potential.

This is coming, mind you, from the girl who simply cannot see a good plot (or five) wasted and thereby ends up writing books that are over two hundred thousand words. Take what I say with a grain of salt, will you?

There was a lot of interesting historical detail woven into the story, but unfortunately, the setting wasn’t as immersive as most biblical fiction is. I did, however, really appreciate how Hunt used the Hebrew names for God and the Holy Spirit, which added a layer of authenticity to the story! (I hate it when biblical fiction doesn’t include at least a few Hebrew/Aramaic words or cultural references.) The writing itself was good, but the story seemed kind of slow...and yet, at the same time, it rushed through elements that could’ve been more defined.

Make sense? Probably not, but oh well.

As for our cast of characters here…

First off is the titular character, Mary, the woman of words. Y’all, I really wanted to like her character. After all, this is Mary, the mother of Jesus. But I just couldn’t! I can’t exactly pinpoint why, but she seemed to be lacking all those qualities of Mary that you usually see—meekness and humility, to name a couple—and her character wasn’t really delved into like I wanted. Also, there were many instances in which Mary got all “feminist” on me. Now, she was justified for her opinions, but the way she expressed them was very un-biblical! I personally didn’t appreciate that, and I also felt like it neither aligned with biblical/cultural teachings of the time (or with Paul’s teachings either), nor did it fit the same woman we read about in Scripture. I won’t presume to know much about who Mary was, but I felt like this just...wasn’t her.

Of course, Hunt can’t presume to know everything about her either, so…

As for Matthew...no, he was not The Chosen Matthew (which I kept expecting him to be, for some reason), but he stood strong on his own! His personality and inner struggles were all well-written and developed, and I loved his arc! (Yes, he actually had an arc! Because, yes, you can be saved and have your life all together and still have a fantastic arc! But that’s a story for another day...)

And y’all. I wanted more of Dina and the other disciples! Of course, I felt like Matthew and Dina’s relationship had barely enough page-time at all, and the rest of the disciples seemed so full of life and potential! I hate to see a good secondary character wasted, so naturally I wanted much more of our supporting cast!

As for the content...since this wasn’t a romance or a murder mystery or really anything intense and dramatic at all, the only content I get to rant about today is...drum roll, please...the spiritual content! More specifically, the theological content!

Like I mentioned above, Matthew seemed to think along the same lines as John did...except for one thing. Jesus as the Word. The way Hunt described this was at odds with how the Bible describes it in John 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-5, 14). Despite that, I did appreciate how Hunt wove revelation into Matthew’s writing process! I know this from experience, that God will speak to you and reveal things to you as you write them, so I really enjoyed seeing that included in here!

At the end (in the author’s note, I think...so maybe it doesn’t count), Hunt mentions Heaven possibly being the Garden of Eden. This stood out to me as being (1) unnecessary to mention and (2) inaccurate. The Bible makes it clear that the Garden of Eden and Heaven are not one and the same. For one, the Garden of Eden was a physical place here on earth that the Bible actually describes the location of, whereas Heaven is a spiritual realm outside of this earth. Thinking that Heaven could be the Garden of Eden isn’t going to make or break your relationship with God...but it did really stick out as being biblical false and just unnecessary to the story.

Otherwise, everything was sound and guess what!!! Hunt didn’t exclude the operation of the Holy Spirit! Wahoo!

I mean...technically no one excludes that when it comes to stories set during the events of the New Testament...but still. With how people seem so disbelieving of it nowadays, it’s refreshing to see the Holy Spirit at work within fiction, biblical or otherwise!

Also, I just want to throw in that this is the third book in a series and no, I have not read the previous two books. However, considering the stories aren’t direct continuations of each other (they just follow the some of the same characters), I didn’t feel like I missed anything! Maybe some more characterization on Mary’s part, but otherwise, I was all good!

Long story short…A Woman of Words could’ve been executed better to make it absolutely perfect, but no story can be perfect, eh? It did have some interesting characters and a beautiful arc, as well as an intriguing (but quite confusing) concept regardless! (Still, I think it needed more romance. Everything needs more romance. *winks*)

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Angela Hunt writes in a beautiful style and her books set in Biblical times are rich in detail from her research into those times. I have loved this series. Every book has given me a different look into life during this time period, and feel as if I were walking the road with these characters. Highly recommend this one and the other books in the series.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is a thoughtful story set about 10 years after the resurrection of Jesus. It follows Matthew (Levi the tax collector) as he seeks his assignment for the Cause. He feels led to work with Mary, mother of Jesus, as she requires a scribe for making sure the history of Jesus is not lost.
The author tells at the end of the book that she has taken liberty with the scant information available about Mary and Matthew in the early Church. But, she has researched the time period and built her story around possibilities of the era.
I thought the two main characters were well-developed and earnest in their work.

This book just kept spinning and spinning and not really moving. I loved the idea that it was about Mary and her connection with Jesus. I loved that she wanted the stories to be authentic and not added fluff, that she kept trying to keep Matthew from adding flourish to the stories. I just struggled with them not getting anywhere in this book.

Beautifully told Biblical fiction about the writing of the Book of Matthew. In Ms. Hunt's book, it is postulated that Mary was the co-author of the book of Matthew. I loved the descriptions of places, customs, and foods of the Time of Christ. It was a fascinating glimpse into the life of Jesus' family and friends in the years after His Crucifixion and Resurrection.
pour up your favorite beverage and cuddle up for a fabulous read.

I was given a copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

The third installment from Angela Elwell Hunt's Jerusalem Road series, A Woman of Words, was a great read. Five stars.

I enjoyed this lovely story of the relationship between Matthew and Mary.

They both always kept in the center of their thoughts and actions, how best they could serve Jesus. Mary wanted to share her experience as the mother of Jesus, and Matthew wanted nothing more than to be a good servant for Jesus.

A joyful read!

Thanks to Bethany House for the read of Angela Hunt’s, A Woman of Words.

Opinions expressed are my own.

I was happy when I seen this book! It has blessed me in so many ways! Like just wow!
I like how the author teaches us that the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow will always be here for us if we let Him.
Matthew is perfect example of forgiveness! Yeshua loved him too just as He first loved us! What a super best friend to ever have!
I loved Mary too in all of her humble ways. I felt truly connected to her. I felt that she finally got her own story and I loved it!
This author is very talented and I am a forever fan. I most especially enjoyed in how she made the book realistic because it pulled me in and I felt like I was really in the book itself. A Mary Poppins sort of feel.
It was a joy to read this book and it will be on my list for 2021!
5 stars! As Biblical fiction is my very favorite!

A very inspirational historical novel with a little romance
Award-Winning and best-selling author Angela Hunt presents the third book of the "Jerusalem Road" series entitled "A Woman of Words", published by Bethany House Publishers. She is using an interesting and creative approach in presenting her readers how the Gospel of Matthew which was written by Matthew himself, the Matthew who was originally a tax-collector for the Romans called Levi, might have come about. Matthew, one of the apostles, comes back to Jerusalem with his ideas for ministry, what he wants to see and experience, but discovers that his ministry will be something totally different. Along the way he really gets to know Mary, the mother of Yeshua, who strives that the story of Yeshua is told as his story and that she is only seen as an ordinary woman.
After two books about adoption this was the first Christian historical novel by Angela Hunt which I read and I am looking forward to read the next one and also the previous ones of this series. I highly recommend this book for readers of biblical fiction and historical fiction with its amazing and believable characters. I also appreciated that Hunt explained her inspiration for this book in the author's note at the end of the book and answered some questions that might arise as well as her extensive reference list as well as two historical maps which will help readers to dig deeper into the Bible facts if they want. Though the meaning of most of the Hebrew words can be guessed I would have appreciated a list with the translation of the Hebrew words either at the beginning or the end of the book.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#AWomanOfWords #NetGalley

I enjoyed this story of how the Gospels may have been started. Though there is a fair amount of speculation on the part of the author, there is also a lot of this story that is backed up by history. I enjoyed the story and the glimpse of life in Ancient Israel. I was also thankful for the author's historical notes in the back of the book—and I think I might just read those first in future books in the series, so that I know what is true and what is invented for the story!

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

A woman of words tells the fictional account of how the gospel of Matthew came to be.
The book is written in the first person from Mary, Mother of Jesus and Matthew point of view. The author took into account not just what Matthew saw and learned in his time with Jesus, but you get Mary's perspective and her memories of Jesus as a child.

I was very intrigued by the concept of this book. I have never read anything like it. The author did a great job with her characters, bringing them to life with her creative license, but also staying within the boundaries of scripture.
This is the third book in this particular series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Recommend especially if you are a fan of biblical historical fiction.

I reviewed this book for Historical Novels Review Magazine, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. Per their policy, I cannot post the review until after it is posted on the HNS website on August 1st. I will update the review then.

A Woman of Words
by Angela Hunt
Bethany House
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Historical Fiction
Pub Date 04 May 2021


I am reviewing a copy of A Woman of Words through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:





Matthew was a disciple and a former tax collector who is invited to work with Peter, James, and John in Jerusalem. He has dreams of preaching and performing miracles like his fellow apostles, but he finds his dreams postponed because of a request from Yeshua's mother. Well aware of her passing years when Mary asks him to help dreams postponed because of a request from Yeshua's mother. Well aware of the passing years, Mary asks Matthew to help her record the stories of Yeshua while the eyewitnesses are still alive. Reluctantly, he agrees, though the longer he and Mary work together, the more difficult their task becomes.





The two are not only are they pressured by opposition from friends and foes alike, but Gaius Caesar, better known as Caligula, is determined to raise a statue of himself in the Holy Temple, even if it means killing every man in Israel.



While Matthew works to save his people, Mary encourages him to come to terms with issues from his past. When they finally near the completion of their project, Matthew realizes that the job he reluctantly accepted might be his God-given destiny.



I give A Woman of Words five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Angela Hunt has a gift of writing that brings the scripture and the people to your heart. It is not an emotional writing but one of taking great care of keeping true of the scripture and what the context of the times were like. Even the language is intentional. So how did the writing of Christ come together. Angela writes that Mary the mother of Jesus would have been a good resource so together with Matthew one of the twelve, Hunt brought on how they may have come together. What was in their heart. A mother's heart and the heart of a man that knew Jesus personally. How do you keep your own emotions out of scripture and deal with the truth of Christ and his mission?

The relationship between Mary and Matthew has its own contrast but it always comes down to what is important and why. Something they both discover.

One of the things that Hunt brought up which is important in this day and age is how God's chosen people are still relevant to the gospel. To salvation and why it is important for Christians. Some Christians believe that this is not so because the church replaces what God chose. I always go back to scripture that Romans 11. We has non Jews have been grafted in. It is to our peril to think God is not finished with bringing the Jews to salvation in Christ. This is a tender story of God's mission for the Jews and Christians. Highly recommend.

You can't go wrong choosing a story by Angela Hunt. Her biblical fiction storytelling is superb, drawing you back to Bible times and learning about and experiencing customs unfamiliar. I've read very little fiction depicting Mary, mother of Jesus. Wonderful storytelling, strong visualization, and evocative characters. Highly recommended!

Angela Hunt’s A Woman of Words, the third installment in her Jerusalem Road series, looks at the Gospel of Matthew from a unique perspective: that of Mary, the mother of Jesus, working with the disciple Matthew. Together, they record eyewitness stories from those who had spent time with the Son of God when neither of them was there.
I was enchanted by the portrayal of Mary as a relatable person – a kind, caring woman who was strong in her faith yet not without flaws. Matthew, a former tax collector, was likewise very real in Hunt’s story. Both were plucked from ordinary lives and divinely appointed to fill special roles. For me, this served as a wonderful reminder that the people we read about in the Holy Bible were human just like us, experiencing worries, self-doubt, frustrations, and the whole range of other emotions. Even so, Christ loved and died for them, just as he loves and died for us. We can all be used by God in our own unique ways, even though they may not be the ways we would have chosen or expected.
Hunt is an exceptionally talented writer, and the depth of historical research she does is readily evident in her work. She easily drew me into the story, transporting me back in time, and kept my attention to the very last page. She has a true gift for bringing her characters to life and painting easily imaginable settings while weaving scripture into the plot all along the way. Although this book is part of a series, it is not necessary to have read the first two books to enjoy the story fully.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Biblical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley, but the opinions I have expressed are entirely my own. A positive review was not required.

A Woman of Words
by Angela Hunt
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Historical Fiction
Pub Date 04 May 2021 | Archive Date 03 Jun 2021

This is the third book in the series but it could easily be read as a stand-alone. I really enjoyed this book and will refer it to others. Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC.

4 star