Becoming Mrs. Lewis
“Patti Callahan seems to have found the story she was born to tell in this tale of unlikely friendship turned true love between Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis, that tests the bounds of faith and radically alters both of their lives. Their connection comes to life in Callahan’s expert hands, revealing a connection so persuasive and affecting, we wonder if there’s another like it in history. Luminous and penetrating.”
—PAULA MCLAIN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE PARIS WIFE
“In Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Patti Callahan Henry breathes wondrous fresh life into one of the greatest literary love stories of all time: the unlikely romance between English writer C. S. Lewis and the much younger American divorcee, Joy Davidman. Callahan chronicles their complex and unconventional relationship with a sure voice, deep insight into character, and eye for period detail. The result is a deeply moving story about love and loss that is transformative and magical.”
—PAM JENOFF, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ORPHAN’S TALE
“Patti Callahan’s prose reads like poetry as she deftly unearths a lost love story that begs to be remembered and retold. I was swept along, filled with hope, and entirely beguiled, not only by the life lived behind the veil of C. S. Lewis’s books but also by the woman who won his heart. A literary treasure from first page to last.”
—LISA WINGATE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BEFORE WE WERE YOURS
“Becoming Mrs. Lewis is at once profoundly evocative, revealing an intimate view of a woman whose love and story had never been fully told . . . until now. Patti Callahan brings to life the elusive Joy Davidman and illuminates the achingly touching romance between Joy and C. S. Lewis. This is the book Patti Callahan was born to write. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a tour de force and the must-read of the season!”
—MARY ALICE MONROE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BEACH HOUSE REUNION
“Patti Callahan has written my favorite book of the year. Becoming Mrs. Lewis deftly explores the life and work of Joy Davidman, a bold and brilliant woman who is long overdue her time in the spotlight. Carefully researched. Beautifully written. Deeply romantic. Fiercely intelligent. It is both a meditation on marriage and a whopping grand adventure. Touching, tender, and triumphant, this is a love story for the ages.”
—ARIEL LAWHON, AUTHOR OF I WAS ANASTASIA
“Patti Callahan took a character on the periphery, one who has historically taken a back seat to her male counterpart, and given her a fierce, passionate voice. For those fans of Lewis curious about the woman who inspired A Grief Observed this book offers a convincing, fascinating glimpse into the private lives of two very remarkable individuals.”
—NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
“Becoming Mrs. Lewis illuminates the raw humanity of seeking faith in a distrustful world. We’ve heard C. S. Lewis’s narrative. Here, Callahan keenly demystifies poet Joy Davidman’s story and in the telling, shows us the power of a greater love. I was wonderstruck by this novel.”
—SARAH MCCOY, NEW YORK TIMES AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES AND THE BAKER’S DAUGHTER
“This finely observed accounting of writer Joy Davidman’s life deeply moved me. Patti Callahan somehow inhabits Davidman, taking her readers inside the writer’s hungry mind and heart. We keenly feel Davidman’s struggle to become her own person at a time (the 1950s) when women had few options. When Davidman breaks free of a crushing marriage and makes the upstream swim to claim her fullest life, we cheer. An astonishing work of biographical fiction.”
—LYNN CULLEN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MRS. POE
“With an artist’s touch, Patti has woven flesh and bone onto an unlikely love story and given us a glimpse into a beautiful and storied romance. I read this through an increasing sense of awe and admiration. By the final page, I realized Patti had crafted an intimate and daring literary achievement.”
—CHARLES MARTIN, USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF LONG WAY GONE AND THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US
“This book is a work of art. Intelligent. Witty and charming. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a stunning foray into the wilds of faith—from doubt and discovery, to the great adventure of living it out. Patti Callahan’s invitation into Joy and Jack’s love story is as brilliant as the lives they led. I’m left as spellbound as the first time I met Aslan . . . with these characters now just as dear.”
—KRISTY CAMBRON, AUTHOR OF THE RINGMASTER’S WIFE AND THE LOST CASTLE SERIES
“In Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Callahan peels back the curtain and allows a glimpse into Joy Davidman’s extraordinary life and her love and marriage with C. S. Lewis. With captivating prose, Callahan carries the reader across the ocean from New York to Oxford and into the private heart of this tender love story.”
—KATHERINE REAY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF DEAR MR. KNIGHTLY
“In this unforgettable story of love and passion, piercing intellect and the power of the written word, Joy Davidman has come to claim her own resurrection, and the results are astonishing. Patti Henry has achieved a bold literary magic: Becoming Mrs. Lewis heals the cracks in the firmament of our hearts.”
—SIGNE PIKE, AUTHOR OF THE LOST QUEEN
The Bookshop at Water’s Edge
“With an eloquent and effective narrative, a realistic continuing theme of unbreakable relationship bonds, and a fantastic multilayered story line of secrets, regrets, and a good dose of teenage drama, this is a solid summer read . . . [a] low-country treasure of new beginnings and an old mystery.”
—LIBRARY JOURNAL
“A look at what family really means, and how the past affects the present in so many ways. The writing is superb.”
—RT BOOK REVIEWS
“A great summer read about finding yourself and returning home.”
—POPSUGAR
“Henry creates a world that feels rich and real—readers can practically hear the rushing river, see the ocean waves, and smell the hydrangea bushes . . . [an] atmospheric look at friendship, forgiveness, and second chances.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“This is a great beach read of the Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne River Siddons variety.”
—BOOKLIST
“The Bookshop at Water’s End carries us along the graceful curves and outwardly serene story line of two childhood friends returning to their summer riverside home. But like the river she writes about, Patti’s plot roils with strong undercurrents of murky secrets, tragedy, and the pulsing tides of self-discovery. No one writes about the power of family and friends like Patti Callahan Henry. The Bookshop at Water’s End is a must-read for your summer!”
—MARY ALICE MONROE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BEACH HOUSE FOR RENT
“I adore Patti Callahan Henry’s new novel. The Bookshop at Water’s End is a juicy summer read about family secrets, forgotten friendships, and the power of books to change our lives.”
—JANE GREEN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SUNSHINE SISTERS
“Patti Callahan Henry’s stories are always woven with magic and mystery, and The Bookshop at Water’s End knots these elements into a deeply satisfying and heartfelt tale of loss and betrayal, friendship and forgiveness. The sun is shining, the tide is turning, summer and Patti Henry’s latest masterpiece beckon. Resistance is futile!”
—MARY KAY ANDREWS, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WEEKENDERS
“From the very first page, Patti Callahan Henry draws you in like the tide, revealing long simmering secrets that will test family and friendships and explores the question: do we tell our stories or do our stories tell us? In lush, lyrical prose, Henry explores the power of forgiveness, especially in ourselves. Every page was a treat.”
—LAURA LANE MCNEAL, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF DOLLBABY
“Patti Callahan Henry has written the best novel of her career with The Bookshop at Water’s End. I absolutely adored it and predict it will be one of the most loved books of the year. In fact, it’s so good I wish I’d written it myself!”
—DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SAME BEACH, NEXT YEAR