"I have been teaching students about Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer, and 17th-century Puritan Boston for more than 30 years. Margaret Cotton’s novel, rooted in extensive historical research, has altered the way I will approach these lectures. The Radiance of Grace is a story of spiritual friendship, female empowerment, and the meaning of religious liberty.
This is historical fiction at its best."
John Fea, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of American History. Box 3051/Department of History, Messiah University, PA
"Margaret Cotton has created a marvelous work of historical fiction which combines real emotion, spiritual belief, and well-researched background. Three women from Colonial America have been brought to life as real and relevant for today’s readers. What stands out most are the beautifully expressed Christian principles that they held dearer than life itself."
Tähti Mänd Carter, Senior Book Editor, NYC – retired Trustee of Bay Head Chapel, NJ
"The Radiance of Grace literally grabs your attention on the first page and doesn’t stop until the very end. This is a riveting story where history, law, theology, religion, and faith intersect in ways that will touch every human emotion. The characters are not only real but are very relatable. Margaret Cotton’s easy writing style is both gripping and compelling at the same time. Get your tissues ready for all the twists and turns presented boldly in live and living color."
Rev. Dr. Cynthia D. Jackson, Esq. Senior Pastor, Allen AMEC, Newark, NJ
"The Radiance of Grace is an amazing story. I am so glad it is being told. I sat down one Sunday and read for hours! It tells about women, faith, and courage."
Christine Warner, Retired Educator who has shared her love of literature with generations engaged community volunteer and activist - Kansas
"Less than ten pages in, I found myself in tears. The characters and storyline of The Radiance of Grace captivated me from the beginning. The themes are incredibly relevant to the struggles in the church today. The Radiance of Grace sucks you in, and you will struggle to put it down."
Christy Lynne Wood, Author of Rethinking Faith, and over one thousand subscribers to Substack-Rethinking Faith-Seeking Jesus in the Awkward Middle Way. Blogger, speaker, podcast host. Faithful survivor of a faux-Christian Cult, Western Michigan
LET'S TALK REVIEWS
"To what lengths will a “spiritual plague” of powerful clergymen go to extinguish the light of a small band of dissenters? How could one member of that beleaguered band consider forsaking a loving family to embrace martyrdom? Margaret Cotton breathes new life into timeless questions with grace, authenticity, and compassion. She let Mary Dyer seep into my soul."
Norma Heller, Clerk of Manasquan Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) NJ
"The Radiance of Grace is a sweeping story of faith, love, and sistership among colonial women that stretches from the birthing rooms to the gallows. In the face of oppression, cruelty, and injustice, these women refuse to be diminished in their faith or their quest for liberty of conscience. It is a tale of seventeenth-century bravery and honor that still inspires us today."
Lyndell O’Hara, Professor of History (retired), Nyack College, NY, NY, Historian Society of Ocean Grove: retelling the diverse stories of progressive Women in the Ocean Grove Campmeeting Town. NJ
"This book unsettled me in the best way—forcing me to face both the evils of religious pride and my own heart, while also stirring hope. These women clung to the goodness of God and found the secret of the saints: joy in the midst of suffering—radiant grace."
Anne Bayles Beasley, Deacon, Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest, serving in the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin in a Spanish-speaking mission church. Illinois
"As a Unitarian-Universalist, I share a close affinity for the faith tradition of the Quakers. The plot moves quickly, and I was drawn into the characters’ complex thoughts and decisions. The timeliness of The Radiance of Grace leaps from the pages, connecting the 17th century with the 21st. It portrays the corrupting influence of power, as well as the inspirational possibility for courage in an individual of conscience."
Jenny Hoffman Lee, retired educator Recipient of Fellowships to Yale, New Haven Teachers’ Institute
"Now more than ever, we need stories of faith. Of women’s faith, the surefooted faith of our foremothers. I was simply immersed in the Radiance of Grace. At times I felt transported into the world these women lived in, closer to my own spirituality and closer to theirs. I have no doubt this book will add to the much needed, growing body of books that honours and celebrates women’s history."
Rev. Lauren Jacobs, Internationally recognized –Author- Desmond Tutu-Gerrit Brand Award - 2022 Woman of Faith Award by the Presbyterian Mission USA; South Africa