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.

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.

I received an ARC of this book, saw it was receiving good reviews, started reading...

Mother and 2 children take slight detour on way home to swing on a swing
and they meet a woman who speaks of past
and walks them through a cemetery where they see
smooth carved monuments dated before the Civil War
that speaks to them,
"Recognize me once more - that I should exist again"

This is only the beginning of a book where you will travel back to Bethlehem, PA
where in 1914 Bethlehem Steel begun to roar with warfare
then to 1918
then to 1962
how these time periods are all linked and connected - you will need to read to discover.

Long buried secrets, family, privilege, redemption and forgiveness. This book spoke to me and touched my heart. I loved the characters and the double narration in two different points in the past. Beautifully written. 💜💜

4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you, Netgalley!

#Netgalley
#Bethlehem
#Forgiveness
#IAmBawling

I want to give this book all the stars and shout about it to the world, but simultaneously want to hide it away so it can stay my pure and perfect discovery that no one can ever say a bad word about.

Bethlehem had the ultimate chemistry for me. It had the period-piece elegance of Rules of Civility, the thought-provoking and nostalgic charm of Station Eleven and Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, and evoked the same level of emotional response as The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and The Art of Fielding.

I picked up this book because I used to live in Bethlehem, and find the little city to be super charming. The steel boom that put Bethlehem on the map is utterly fascinating to me, and it helped to set some of the scene.

But this story isn’t about steel industry or even Bethlehem, really, though that’s it’s only setting. The book’s about complex relationships: between complication women, with romantic partners, and with ourselves. It begs a lot of questions about forgiveness: who deserves it, when to ask for it, and if we owe it to ourselves.

The story oscillates between two timelines — 1920s and 1960s — and zooms in on two families. You’ll get the prohibition era flapper-dresses-in-ballrooms that you crave, but you’ll also find a new sort of beauty and solace in cemeteries.

Nothing about the plot ever shocked me, but I was certainly surprised how much I fell in love with the people and the place, and how much perspective it all gave me.

In this dual time frame novel, Karen Kelly gives us a beautifully wrought story of love, loss and the importance of family. Alternating between the 1960's and the 1920's, the novel opens with Joanna Collier, her husband Frank and their two children returning to live in the Collier mansion with Frank’s mother Susanna and Grandmother Helen. Flash back to the 1920's and we see Susanna as a young woman along with her sister India and brother Kit, best friends with the Parrish family’s two sons Chap and Wyatt. These two families, titans of the steel industry in Bethlehem, PA., are inseparable. The secrets and mysteries of the two generations gradually unfold and are revealed in a tender and moving ending.
While this novel had a slow start and the large cast of characters took some trouble to learn, it was well worth it. This is a book about passion, love and loyalty; it is about the sometimes complicated relationships between husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, siblings and friends.
Bethlehem is more Women’s Fiction than Historical Fiction, but it is a story that is compelling and beautifully written. The characters are sympathetic and believable, and the writing is profound. I highly recommend this novel. It will appeal to many different types of readers and would lend itself well to book club discussions.

What an amazing, well written novel about two families and their intertwined lives. I read this book in one night and am still thinking about Savannah and Joanne. Such a lovely read.

This is an absolutely wonderful story that I could not put down. The stories of the 1920s and the 1960s are deftly woven and the characters catch your heart. I lived in Bethlehem in the 1980, by which time the steel mills were closed/closing. Lehigh University and other place names were so familiar to me. Thanks to the author for the memories and excellent historical fiction.

Thank you St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for gifting me an E-Arc Of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I rate this book a 3. out of 5 Stars.

This cover was stunning, and I love the premise. While it may have been slightly predictable, I still really enjoyed the story. I found it to be very timeless, this is the kind of story that people won't tire of hearing. Does that make sense?

I loved the rich, detailed writing, and the emotions that it evoked from me, I was really pulling for Joanna, I found myself really drawn to her character. I loved the time period, and the descriptions of the city, the clothes, the atmosphere.

A downside that I can see is, there were a lot of characters, almost too many to keep track of, and at some points it did become somewhat of a slow read. But other than that, I did enjoy the book.