Slow to begin, this family centered drama was lushly written and evocative of its historical settings.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to review.

The story is gripping but I didn't like the narration that much. Overall an enjoyable read. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc .

Bethlehem by Karen Kelly is a wonderful story of family, secrets and love that endures. Historical fiction about a family in the 1920‘s to 1960‘s surrounded by romance, tragedy and mystery.. I enjoyed the suspense of the situations involving the characters and how their lives are affected. I loved this book so much I immediately searched for other books by Karen Kelly and purchased her first book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.

This was a good book. You will have to pay attention closely in the beginning because you are introduced to a lot of characters in quick succession and it can be somewhat tricky to remember who are the friends and who are the relatives/family members. The book focuses on the Collier and Parrish families in Bethlehem, PA -- Hollins Parrish ran Bethlehem Steel and Charles Collier was the head engineer and their families were inseparable, with Wyatt Collier and Susannah Parrish ultimately marrying. The book alternates between the 1920s when the children were teenagers/young adults and 1962, when Susannah's son, Frank, and his family have returned to the family home following the sudden death of Wyatt Collier. Frank's wife, Joanna, is not used to the lifestyle in which Frank grew up and she is not entirely comfortable living in a home that already has two mistresses of the house -- Susannah and her mother Helen. With Frank out of town for prolonged periods with work and the children in school, Joanna finds herself drawn to the local cemetery, and Daniel, one of the caretakers.

The characters are well-crafted and engaging; in fact, Susannah's siblings, Kit and India, could easily be subjects of short books themselves detailing their adventurous adult lives. The plot progresses steadily and alternating between time periods works well in this book (not something that all authors can manage well). Some of the events of the book are predictable, but there are a fair share of surprises as well.

The book deals with family secrets and how keeping secrets, even if done with good intentions, can have life-altering effects. It also addresses the depth of sacrifice some people are willing to make for the ones they love. The ending of the book is incredibly powerful.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Two strong women are drawn together through life's experiences. Two family histories and secrets are entwined in the town of Bethlehem.
Later, the secrets are revealed. It would have been better to have been open about the events in the first place. So much easier in the long run. At the end of the day, it seems that the secrets weren't even really secret.
Well written. Strong characters. Interesting and enjoyable.

I find it hard to believe Bethlehem is Karen Kelly's debut in the literary world. Every part of this book is note perfect. The descriptions, the characters, the dialogue - spoken and unspoken, the situations; everything was just so right! Make sure you have tissues at the ready when you read this beautiful and haunting story. I breezed through it in little over a day simply because I couldn't hear to put it down.

Bethlehem is essentially a story of women who discover love, loss, strength, yearning and possibly themselves. There are two main stories told in two time periods linked by one house and by family ties. Susannah straddles both worlds but her defining story takes place in the 1920s; Joanna, her daughter-in-law finds her challenges in the 1960s. They each in their own way and time struggle with love, hurt, betrayal, and loneliness. What do we give up for love? What do we gain? How do we connect? Is it possible to find our way back to those we love?

The story takes place in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania often in Brynmor House, a mansion built by the family who founded Bethlehem Steel. The history of the town, business, and family is really the history of two families, the Colliers and the Parrishes. Together they combined business and personal into one. what happens in the 1920s affects the people in the 1960s. Two seems to be a recurring theme in this novel. Two families, two time periods, two women facing challenges, two brothers, two sisters, two siblings (twins), two children, two deaths (close together), two chances, two choices.

I received this novel as an ARC and this is an unbiased review. What a great story about families and secrets they keep. It is also a search for identity within a family and the commitments that you make in this world. I requested the book through NETGALLEY because of the setting of the book and the author did not fail in drawing on the rich history of Bethlehem PA in its heyday. That part of the book is more than authentic. The three main women characters are solid, depicting generational changes that also render a portrait of similar struggles. My only complaint is I would have liked more but the story does come full circle. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Karen Kelly for the opportunity.

Bethlehem by Karen Kelly is a very interesting book. It centers on a group of families connected by the Steel Industry in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. It switches between Bethlehem in the 1920’s and the 1960’s. It may take a few chapters to get the different generations sorted but after you will love the story. You will see how the characters evolve with the times. You also discover those people you feel you had nothing in common with may understand you the most. In the end, you will love going along journey with these families.

I didn't finish it--stopped about 3/4 of the way through. I really wanted to read this because I'm from Bethlehem. And although the references to the town were fun to see, the story didn't interest me at all.

BETHLEHEM by Karen Kelly is a moving multi-generational family saga set in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 1960s. It is a tale of the close relationship between two wealthy families who make their fortunes from the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at the height of the steel boom in the US. Full with long-buried family secrets, lies and forbidden relationships, it is a story of love, friendship and family ties spanning over three generations. It explores the strong bonds between mothers and children, husbands and wives, neighbors and friends. The author weaves the two timelines together seamlessly in the end for the reader to understand the loss and heartache experienced by the various characters and their path to forgiveness and hope. I enjoyed this engaging story and I look forward to reading more from Karen Kelly in the future. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This book is a drama that involves two families over several generations. The background is the Bethlehem Steel Corporation and the city for which it is named. The characters are the (fictional) owners and engineer of the company. A close relationship develops between the two families and the children grow up together. Unfortunately, their wealth did not protect them from the heartbreaks and personal sacrifices of ordinary folks.

I was disappointed that there was so little information about the birth of the steel industry and how it affected the country's history.

There were many characters and each had a nickname. At times, it became confusing. A family tree would have been helpful and I eventually made my own list of people and relationships.

I found the author's writing style intriguing and would like to read future books.

The action is set in Bethlehem, PA and oscillates between 1920 and 1960 and focuses on the relationship between the Collier family and the Parrish family. This relationship is based on their involvement in the US Steel business reaching across construction and also in supplying munitions during the war in Europe. They are also connected socially and the children of both families are particularly close.

I struggled at the beginning with all the characters: attempting to identify which child was related to which child; which children belonged to which parents: compounded with names of ancillary characters like servants etc. and to top it all – they all had nicknames. AHH!

So, imagine my joy (relief) when I had them all settled and in place in my mind and I could just absorb and enjoy the writing which I found quite lyrical, and coast along relishing what was to come. This family saga turned into something special, a little pearl of a plot that I had to excavate to discover not knowing that at the heart it was quite, quite beautiful. Nothing flashy, nothing sensational – just a gentle story of love and relationships that time moulds and reveals.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

An atmospheric gothic read about a wealthy family and its secrets, as teased out by a newcomer to the family and its estate in Bethlehem, PA. It could be dismissed as just another entry into the long line of books about rich white people and secret love affairs and tragically short lives, but it's beautifully written and the author's inclusion of class-based conflict makes it seem more real and more compelling than if that aspect hadn't been present.

This book, so thoroughly enveloped me, like a cozy blanket. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Karen Kelly is a skilled and fluent writer, able to convey a well constructed tale. This novel is thoughtful, intriguing and heartfelt. I loved every one of the characters, along with some of the well kept secrets and aching longings. I do not write about the story line in my reviews, that can be gleened from the book flap. The intimacies shared, along with the tragedies, wove a truly ruminative narrative. I highly recommend this book. It’s one of the finest I have had the privilege to read as an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press.

This will be a good beach read, light reading, nice characters and a good story. It did start fairly slow but when I reached the halfway point, it became much more enjoyable. Joanna and her husband Frank move in with his wealthy in-laws after his father dies. The house is occupied by Frank’s mother and grandmother. As you can imagine this is not an easy situation for Joanna. There are secrets from the past that affect them all.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Description
A young woman arrives at the grand ancestral home of her husband’s family, hoping to fortify her cracking marriage. But what she finds is not what she expected: tragedy haunts the hallways, whispering of heartache and a past she never knew existed.
Inspired by the true titans of the steel-boom era, Bethlehem is a story of temptation and regret, a story of secrets and the cost of keeping them, a story of forgiveness. It is the story of two complex women—thrown together in the name of family—who, in coming to understand each other, come finally to understand themselves.

My Thoughts
I usually read mysteries and thrillers, but occasionally like to step away from those genres, just to give my furious page-flipping habit a rest. Bethlehem tells the story of two women Joanna and Susannah in two timelines the 1960s and the 1920s. They're related by marriage as Susannah is Joanna's mother in law. Neither has a perfect life and secrets are revealed by both women.
This wasn't fast-paced, but rather a beautifully written slow burn of a story. I found myself engrossed in not only the characters lives but also the times and the places. Such a well-written debut novel and I would definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre. Publication date is in July, the perfect time for a beach read. I look forward to reading more from Karen Kelly.
I received a DRC from St. Martin’s Press(thanks Jordan) through NetGalley.

(review posted on Goodreads)

I don't always read historical fiction, but when I do, I usually enjoy it. This was the case for Bethlehem. The story revolves around two generations of women, which unfold in two distinct timelines: in the 1960s we follow Joanna, a lonely wife who is forced to leave her home for her husband's mansion with her two children, and in the 1920s we follow her mother-in-law, Susannah.

The stories of these two women and their families intertwine with great pace, and we see strong women growing in their relationships, suffering the sorrows of wives and mothers, creating unsuspected bonds and sharing secrets and ancient wisdom.

I enjoyed this book very much, the plot was revealed throughout the end, making the first half of the book slower. This is a characteristic that I actually appreciate in historical fiction, because it allows the reader to focus on the atmosphere and get to know the characters before the reveals. I also liked the character build very much, and I was especially fond of Susannah, and of the relationship between her and her daughter-in-law. This is a book about women, so the male characters stay in the background and are less developed than the female ones, but still likable.

I also liked the writing style, not too plain but not too heavy either, which I found appropriate for the time setting and the general style of the novel. I was going to rate this three stars from the beginning, as I found it a very enjoyable read, but the last chapters raised it two a solid four stars. I will surely read any other future work by this author.

Loved this book!!!!!!!!! Karen Kelly definitely knows how to tell a great historical fiction story!!!!! This is the tale of two families joined as one for life. The children are best friends as are the adults. It also tells the story of their future children and grandchildren. There's too many characters to name names but not too many that readers get confused. If you love historical fiction this is the story for you. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.

Bethlehem is a truly riveting story, reminiscent of 'Rebecca,' where the truth is really not what it seems.
I was happy to see that this didn't go the traditional route in which these kind of novels where there is a failing marriage, tend to go. The author managed to present a great cast of complex characters that became more interesting with each chapter.

As a nearly lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley I was extremely excited to see a book that takes place in my back yard! I will say, there were a few times I was disappointed in some geographical inaccuracies, but the actual story was fascinating. I found myself getting lost in and consumed by the stories and characters.