Forgotten Followers: From Broken to Bold (Book Review by CBE)
- Elaine R Kelly
- Jul 1, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
I am grateful for the decision by Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) to include a review of Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold will increase its exposure to readers looking for Christian egalitarian books.
Through my historical fiction, I dramatize how Jesus breaks barriers, frees us from patriarchy, and equally empowers and authorizes women and men. I hope that this novel will help those who feel broken by patriarchal teachings to heal and feel the Spirit fill them with boldness.
Below are a few excerpts. Here is the review in full:
In her review, Anna Bernin-Mallin recognizes that Forgotten Followers is about character development, women struggling to overcome the trauma of patriarchy and racism. Their inner growth leads to friendships, acceptance, and support in a way that resonates with those of us who feel forgotten today:
"A strength of Forgotten Followers is the well-written characters. This book effectively points out the struggles of women in that culture, especially in the attitudes towards them. This will resonate deeply with many of us who have felt unseen or unloved because of gender."
Retelling the Gospels from the perspective of women who were there provides a fresh take on familiar stories, and a refreshing view of women disciples and patrons:
"I appreciated the up-close look at Jesus’s ministry and the different perspectives this book provides on well-known Bible stories. I believe many women will identify with the struggles of the main characters and the doubt we feel as women because of what we are told by men. The book draws attention to the ways that these women supported Jesus through his ministry, which is not something I have come across before in traditional interpretations of the Bible. There are several times where the women understand Jesus’s teachings better than the men."
Anna Bernin-Mallin concludes her review by stating:
"Not many books tell Jesus's story in detail through the eyes of the women who supported him, making this an eye-opening and engaging book.""
I am also grateful to Sheila Wray Gregoire for providing her endorsement of this novel:
Elaine Ricker Kelly Author is empowering women with historical fiction about women in the Bible and early church and Christian blogs about women in leadership, church history and doctrine. Her books include:
Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold, Book 1, A Novel (2022)
The Sword: A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role (2023)
Because She Was Called from Broken to Bold, Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church (2024)
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience (2024)
Finding Her Voice from Broken to Bold, Book 3, Acts of Early Female Apostles: A Novel (2025)
Comments