First off I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for making this ARC available to me. As I’ve been an admirer of Joy Davidman since I studied “Smoke on the Mountain” in the mid-50s and an admirer and avid reader of CS Lewis’s works, I’m always eager to know more about their lives.

Of course, this book is a fictionalized account of both Davidman and Lewis during the time period. It would seem to me that the author took great liberties with the lives and personalities of these two literary and Christian icons, especially with Davidman. She was as depicted as being bitter, angry, jealous, underhanded and demanding. Somehow I find that difficult to reconcile with the great love, affection and admiration written of her by Lewis. I also find that difficult to reconcile with the last few chapters when she is depicted as being a suffering saint.

The book was a real conundrum for me. I wanted to know more about her, but didn’t want the view I already had to be sullied. For example, I wanted to remember her as someone who admired Lewis and respected him not as someone looking for any opportunity to jump into his bed. According to this author, Davidman was “hot to trot” immediately upon arrival in England and couldn’t understand his reluctance to bed a married woman. Further according to Callahan, she had flings with various writers she had met in London, even those who were married, in response to Lewis’s sexual disinterest toward her.

There was a lot to be gleaned here and a lot to be questioned. I had to remind myself continually that it was a work of fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I knew very little about Joy Davidson before reading this novel but I adore C.S Lewis's works. This book is an interesting look at Joy and her relationship with C.S Lewis.

Fantastic book - LOVED this read, and exploring "Mrs. CS Lewis" and her life - the good and not-so-good. So glad that Patti Callahan chose to write this book - and that I read it!

Beautiful love story- but so much more! A story of a woman finding her voice and true love while searching for meaning in all that surrounds her.
I have read all CS Lewis’ works and knew nothing of this part of his life. Intriguing and captivating!
Not to be missed!

I really enjoyed this book. I'd never given much thought to C.S. Lewis' wife, but this book inspired me to read more about her. Callahan gave life to a character--her flaws and her strengths.
Great read!


Review shared on Goodreads and later on Amazon.

I was really intrigued by the historical nature of this book and reading a new story that I had not heard previously. Sadly, this story failed to keep my attention and I just could not finish the book. I really enjoying discover new stories and talent, but I enjoyed reading Mr. Carnegie's Maid a lot more than this book - I suppose the subject matter relating to libraries more is what drew my attention and kept it focused on that book. I also suppose I would rather about strong ladies, but not just because they were married to or in love with someone.

This was interesting but story didn't really hold my interest. I read about half of it and just couldn't get to the finish line.. Its hard to stand out in the genre and this one didn't do it for me. Sorry to say. Theres nothing I enjoy more than finding a new writer

Becoming Mrs. Lewis is not only an examination of the life of an unconventional American woman of the 1950's but also an accurate description of the everyday life of C.S. Lewis which gives us insight into the inspiration and creation of his amazingly whimsical yet visionary writings. Patti Callahan's sumptuous tale of the great romance and deep love C.S. Lewis shared with his wife Joy Davidman does not follow a traditional story arc. Patti Callahan has allowed her imagination to flesh out what we already know about the lives of these two writers and she has delved deeply into their spiritual awareness and longing to better understand the teaching and love of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Callahan's recounting of their exquisite, intellectual conversations and her use of Davidson's sonnets as an epigraph for each chapter allows the reader a greater understanding of the profound and abiding love that was developing between the two personalities.

Elegantly written but prior knowledge of the events and the ending took some of the excitement and heartbreak out of this novel for me.

I received a free copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea when I started this novel that it was based on C.S. Lewis’s life, but this historical fiction story captured my thoughts and challenged me to think a little more deeply in some areas. This is not your typical love story, and it certainly isn’t a light read, but definitely one I’d recommend wholeheartedly. You won’t be disappointed in this beautiful unfolding of sweet love.

DNF - waded through the first 50 pages of this and found the writing style simplistic. I can sense when a book is written to a trend - in this case, historical novels about the wives of famous men, I love the books of CS Lewis and adored the movie Shadowlands that covers the same material - unfortunately, this feels like an effort lacking in heart.

Oh so good! ALL the stars for this heart gripping read which was page turner for me. The book states: "The improbable love story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis"

And that it is. I knew some of this story. But a lot I didn't. And it's so much more than that.

I have been a fan of CS Lewis for many years; starting with a little cartoon movie called, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I believe I saw with some church friends at a college and career get together. I don't remember what year, but it was likely the late 80's. The Aslan character and his sacrifice (and the magic of the stone table) stuck with me for a long time to come. I don't know when it was, but sometime later I discovered this little cartoon was based on a book and I looked for the author. I devoured the books about Narnia with such fascination in the early 90's and began many of Lewis' other books such as The Great Divorce and The Screwtape Letters. By now I've read a lot of his writings and own many.

While many love this man and credit him as being part of their own spiritual journey, I know I do; not as much has been heard about the woman who captured his heart and he loved very deeply. Other than Shadowlands (the movie made about their romance) I didn't know nearly as much about Joy. This book is about her. And I loved every word of it! Every word.

She is a hero of sorts in her own right. Very human and flawed. Someone I'd love to spend some time with. I can't find words right now to tell you how much this book has meant to me as I am questioning/finding/rediscovering some own things about my faith. I take a lot of courage and hope away from this book. I will buy a copy when it is published in October 2018. It needs to have a home on my personal bookshelf. It will be well loved.

I am so very thankful to NetGalley, Patti Callahan, and Thomas Nelson for a digital ARC to read in exchange for a review. It's well researched and has touched my soul. This is my favorite read of 2018 thus far. I highly recommend it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of this wondrous book from Thomas Nelson-Fiction, as BECOMING MRS. LEWIS has exceeded my every expectation.

This exquisitely written novel is a fictionalized account of the romance between Oxford don C.S. Lewis and New York writer Joy Davidman, who later became his wife. Their relationship was an unlikely coupling. He the greatest Christian writer of the 20th Century, she an American Jewish covert to Christianity and the ex-wife of an alcoholic. They met after she discovered his writings and began a long-term correspondence that led to love.

She was diagnosed with cancer; they married thinking she had little time to live. Blessed by her remission, they achieved a glorious marriage which flourished, only to be felled by the cancer’s virulent return. Her death left him gutted. He wrote a towering book on grief and faith, “A Grief Observed,” which immortalized their love.

Now we also have author Patti Callahan’s gorgeous novel which imagines their relationship in a way that seems truer than truth. 5 Enthusiastic Stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BecomingMrs.lewis #NetGalley

What a book! I found it to be an emotional story about love and loss. It's a slow read but beautifully written. I loved how actual quotes of Joy & Jack's were used throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Thomas Nelson & NetGalley for the ARC.

Balancing Joy Davidman's pragmatic voice with a slow-rendered love story is a carefully thought out exercise in developing romance.

Two largely different people come together against a circumstance that would shun them and continue to find their bond tightening. For those who know a lot about Lewis' history, Callahan's well-researched novel will take you to the more human side of the pen that crafted some of our favourite theological and fantastical tomes. It opens up the very real struggle of a man who was a product of his academic, male-dominated environment when paired with a flawed, opinionated and divorced woman.

Callahan's prose expertly softens as we dive deeper into the budding relationship between Joy and Lewis and it is this expert plotting and pacing that make what this historical narrative a work of prosaic art as well as a fascinating love story.


But lest you think the love story is just two kindred spirits meeting through pen and ink and finally friendship slow blooming into love, it is also a love story of awakening: Joy's realization of her self worth, her memorable conversion as well as Lewis' ability to step out of the brick and mortar mould of his misogynistic and women-free life to experience something new.

For those who wonder about the spiritual themes in this work of women's historical fiction, I can say that they are treated deftly. The intersection of Christianity with Lewis and Joy is an integral part of documenting their history-- but at no time is Callahan's pen heavy handed.

A lush, delightful read that marries the love story between two inimitable authors with the glorious, gold-spired, medieval delight that is Oxford. Yes, reigning Oxford is as much a character in this book as its two leads.

This was a fabulous book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I knew nothing of Joy Davidman before this book, and very little about C.S. Lewis, other than he was a professor who wrote marvelous books. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley..Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One of the best books of any genre I have read recently. Yes, it is published by a Christian publisher, but this is not a typical Christian fiction book. Very well written and even though this is a fictionalized account of the relationship between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, it is truly believable. The story pulls you in and the characters are revealed as the flawed human beings they were (as are we all). Highly recommended!

Honestly, I’m uncertain why this story of the odd love affair between Joy Davidman, Bronx Jewish girl, and C.S. Lewis, the famous British author and philosopher, had to be retold again. The author skillfully takes the materials from several prior books and combines them as a rather schmaltzy romance novel.

I’ve read the others, seen the film and the play, so I found this a retelling of an old story. Certainly, if this is new to you, read it, but for those of us that have done this, I didn’t find it satisfying enough to read it in this new, repackaged format.