I'm not sure what I think about The Dearly Beloved. I'm not religious at all, and I found all the debate about believing or not believing tedious after a while. It's too steeped in faith for my taste. But, the writing is lyrical, beautiful and serene. The premise is unique and intriguing. I was interested to see how two different ministries would work together and if their wives were similar. The story is a complex narrative about love, friendship, family, marriage and the role of faith in a person's life. While I liked certain aspects of the story, I didn't care for some of it. It's an issue of personal preference, and if you are more religious, you'll probably love this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Dearly Beloved is a love letter to a life of ministry, and to those who minister, specifically in a church setting. It is told from a secular worldview, but handles the themes of community, loyalty, faith, commitment and especially calling, with a knowledge so true that I found myself nodding and underlining all the way through because I live this life everyday and I appreciate the loving yet honest picture of it portrayed by the author. Beautifully written and well plotted, it is the story of two couples and the road that leads them to a church in which they will eventually serve together for 40 years. Beginning in their teens, the characters are developed gently, but with a definite forward draw, until Nan and James and Lilly and Charles find themselves married and called by Third Presbyterian Church in New York City to be co-pastors. The church had lost its way and deeply desired to follow its pastors as they led it back. The work ahead of them is well defined and the God who leads them is clearly acknowledged, though not all of the 4 main characters acknowledge God. I adored the no-nonsense wisdom of the long-serving church secretary as she led the two green ministers to take charge and love their people. I appreciated the way the author dealt with the changing culture and how Charles and James dealt with issues both within and outside of the church walls. I loved the relationship between the two pastors' wives' which was most of the time prickly, but all of the time honest. This book may well be the best I've read all year and absolutely the richest reading experience since Marilyn Robinson's Gilead. . This is not a perfect novel but it is a true one in so many ways. I had a sense that the reading of this work deserved a slow thoughtful pace but I was unable to slow down because I cared too much for each character and the church to take my time and savor the tale. I cannot wait for more from this debut author. What a talent!
I happily accepted an early copy of this book from Simon & Schuster for an honest review via NetGalley.

The Dearly Beloved is a beautifully written historical fiction book. This book is more of a character driven book to me - it involves 2 couples from College age through about 30 years. The two men are ministers of a Presbyterian church while one of the women doesn't believe in God and the other woman was raised in a Christian home. The book revolves around their faith, family, friends, and jealousy between the women. When I read historical fiction I always look to learn something and with this one what I found so interesting was LIly and Charles' struggles with Will who suffered from autism. Today we have so much information at our fingertips yet during the time that Will was diagnosed - little was known about it. I loved their determination to help Will and I loved Annaleese who helped them so much with helping Will and how he needed things to be structured in his life. I just found it thought provoking and insightful.. I think this is a 4 star read for me. I think that Cara Wall is a very talented writer and I will look forward to reading something else she writes.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Cara Wall for the privilege of reading her debut novel - 5 glorious stars. I just finished this book and should probably absorb it more before writing this review, but all I really want to do is read it again to absorb it more. This is the absolutely perfect book club book because it has so much to discuss and will touch everyone.

This book focuses on two couples - Charles & Lily and James & Nan. The story takes us back to each of their childhoods, through falling in love, and eventually Charles and James are co-ministers at a Presbyterian church in NYC in the 1960s. Charles struggles with the fact that Lily doesn't believe in God; Lily struggles to get past her grief from her parents' deaths; James struggles with the scars of his childhood and wanting to change the world he seems to have lost hope in; Nan grew up the daughter of a minister, taught to be the perfect person. These four widely different people are forced to come together and combat their own demons as well as those of the world in a turbulent time.

This beautifully written book explores so many topics - faith, hope, forgiveness, religion, grief, parenting, friendship - in such a glorious, inspiring story. I want to be a better person after reading this book and to strive harder to help others. It's hard to believe this is a debut book; sign me up for anything Cara Wall writes!

Tracing the intertwined lives from childhood to adulthood of two men who are destined to co-lead a New York church and their wives, this first novel is quiet, contemplative, and hopeful. Each character is compelling, and it is interesting to see how the four very different and uniquely flawed individuals navigate their lives, relationships, and challenges. Ultimately, it is the intersection of their lives that becomes the most important thing.

This is a debut book by a very talented author. She wrote an interesting story about faith by dissecting it through the four main characters, the two ministers and their wives. We first get the backstories of the two men and what leads them into the ministry as well as the women they marry. We experience all the emotions of these families through all life’s trials. #TheDearlyBeloved #NetGalley

HOW IS THIS A DEBUT NOVEL? I am completely in love with this book. It will probably be one of my favorite books this year. In fact, I even bought a copy today (publishing day) to support the author. I absolutely love the characters and the dynamics between each couple. It carries them through the years through trials and tribulations. Will be posting this to my instagram next week!

{My Thoughts}
Let’s just get to the bottom line here. I loved The Dearly Beloved and I know many others will, too. If you haven’t already, put in a library hold NOW! This is a book that will surprise and delight you in so many ways.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a story centered on two ministers; there might be too much religion and not enough beyond. I needn’t have worried. The Dearly Beloved is not a story about religion, but one about faith in all its manifestations. Until I read it, I’m not sure I’d have seen much of a distinction between the two. Throughout the story debut author Cara Wall shone a light on faith over and over, and in doing so brought her characters to life. Co-pastors, Charles and James, held very different thoughts on faith, and with that the role of God in their lives and the nature of their roles as stewards of God. I enjoyed their explorations of (and struggles with) faith immensely. It made them so normal, so human.

The other side of The Dearly Beloved focused on the relationships between all four of the main characters, Charles and Lily, James and Nan. The first part of the book introduced the couples, how they met, fell in love and created lives together. After the men took positions at the same NYC church, all their relationships came into focus, with some being easier than others. Sweet Nan, daughter of a southern minister, grew up blessed in many ways. Atheist Lily was touched by tragedy at 15 and never fully recovered.

“And now, here, was a boy who was telling her, with his whole being, that he believed in the loving benevolence, the hidden meaning, the purpose. He had described his faith clearly; she could not mistake its outline. It sat between them as fresh and essential as the pale frame of a new house. Her heart was racing. She was afraid.”

While the bond between James and Charles was strong from the start, Lily refused Nan’s friendship over and over. She was a prickly character, hard to understand and even harder to like, but I grew to love Lily.

“When had Lily made friends, Nan wondered, and how, and why was she gracious to these women but not to her? Why was she here at all? Just by being in the building, in the room, Lily had put Nan on edge. Siphoned off her ease, left her bitter and resentful. This was Nan’s sanctuary, and Lily’s presence made it itch and burn.”

I found myself awed by Cara Wall’s remarkable writing. She made me teary in the prologue, grabbing me right from the start. This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down, but also didn’t want to finish. The Dearly Beloved is definitely one of the best debuts I’ve read this year. No, it’s one of the best BOOKS I’ve read this year. Grade: A

Note: I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

In 1963, Charles and James are hired to jointly minister the Third Presbyterian Church in Greenwich Village, New York City which means that their wives, Lily and Nan, are also forced together. How will their similarities and differences set the pattern for the next 40 years? Will they be able to work together companionably, or will their unique set of beliefs keep them forever divided?

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book, but I found myself utterly fascinated by the serious, realistic, and thoughtful look at friendship, as well as the way each character's faith in God ebbed and flowed. As life's gifts and hardships were granted, each character struggled with their beliefs in a unique manner. The story line dealt with several difficult questions, including: Can a marriage be successful when one half of the couple believes in God and the other does not? How do you find joy in one child when your other child struggles? How do you accept what you cannot have? And, how do you preach faith to your congregation when your own faith falters?

"No married couple has the same faith. And one faith is not better than the other."

Location: Harvard, King's College in London, Massachusetts (Nantucket) and Greenwich Village, NYC

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Dearly Beloved arrives with lots of lore...Cara Wall spent more than 15 years writing and based it on 1st Presbyterian Church where she is a long-time member.

Taking place in the 50s and 60s, Charles and Lily - who, despite being married and in love - have different view of religion. James, who joins the ministry and his devoted wife, Nan. James and Charles are co-pastors and the story of their families relationships over the years.

While I tend to not read religious heavy books, the writing from Cara Wall transcends religion and just tells a wonderful story. Every side is presented. It's more than religion, it's a story of marriage and faith.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Dearly Beloved is the debut novel of Cara Well. It’s also irrefutable proof that sometimes a work of love can truly turn into something great. Cara Well spent fifteen years working on this novel to get it to this point. And it truly shows. This is a poignant and touching novel, written beautifully and polished to shine.
The novel is set in the 1950s and follows two couples through their journeys and interactions with one another. The first couple are two opposites destined for one another; Charles a believer through and through, with an unshakable faith in his religion; and Lily, a determined non-believer yet sweet and tenacious. Then there’s the second couple, a pair who are also a perfect match; James, a minister intent to do everything he can to save and help others; and Nan, a religious woman who is kind and caring.
These four find themselves crossing paths with increasing frequency thanks to their paths in life. The story follows them from their earlier years up through to the bittersweet moments – and everything in between.
It’s a novel that studies human nature and interaction. It’s sweet, it’s beautiful. And at times it’s heartbreaking. But it is never anything but perfectly honest.
I honestly don’t normally read books with such a heavy religious tone, but there was something about Cara Well’s writing that captivated me. It was all so beautifully written that I couldn’t do anything but read on. And I’m so very glad I did.

Read this one slowly to appreciate what a lovely debut it is. It's the story of Charles and Lily and James and Nan- two couples who are linked together by the fact that Charles and James are co-ministers at a Presbyterian church in Manhattan in the 1950s and 1960s. All four of these characters are different and distinct; Wall give us all of their back stories in a way that makes you better understand them as their lives progress. While Charles and James get along wonderfully Lily and Nan not so much. Some might not like Lily- she's not an easy person at all- but then her son Will is diagnosed with autism and her reaction might change your mind. Or not. Why is Nan reluctant to reach out to Lily? You'll understand. Wall does pose a number of questions about faith and God (how could it not given the characters?) but doesn't come down hard on or about religion. This might remind you a bit of Crossing to Safety but it's quite different. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I enjoyed this more than I expected to and highly recommend to those looking for a more serious but still emotional read.

It is so exciting when the first few pages of a book send you hunting for an author’s backlist, and you realize that you are reading a debut novel. Cara Wall’s beautifully descriptive opening tells the story of a child growing up in a privileged enclave on Martha’s Vineyard. I knew I was going to love this book after the first fifteen pages. Wall brings the four major characters of the book to vivid life. Each of them is a product of their era and upbringing, and the book plots the intertwining of their lives as the two men, Charles and James, along with their wives, Nan and Lily, co-pastor a New York church. I loved the way that the characters were developed, and how they learned from and grew with each other.

I eagerly await more from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is not a topic I really know much about at all despite growing up in a catholic family. This book was a little slow for me, but the story was overall a decent one. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my. This is the best novel I've read in a while.

Its quiet premise seemed promising: the story of two couples whose lives intersect when the minister husbands are called to co-pastor a Manhattan church. It sounded something like Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner, which I appreciated. I liked this one even better!

There's a slow build as Wall introduces each character, from childhood. Her writing sparkles and the descriptions hit the sweet spot of authentic, granular detail combined with stepping back to provide some overview. For me the narrative picked up pace once the characters got to college, met and married.

Without any plot spoilers, suffice it to say that while this is a quiet, character driven novel, THINGS HAPPEN. It is the 1960s so there's that backdrop. In addition, there is suffering in store for each couple. This is perhaps my favorite theme of the novel: the way that youthful faith intersect with suffering, and how each person copes. There are no platitudes here, just gritty real life, and a lot of human failure and transcendence. It is not necessary to be a person of faith to appreciate this book.


With big thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. This author was new to me and I was not let down. It was a great story and very well written. The characters were easy to relate to and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend this to everyone!!

With summer winding down, I highly encourage you to order this book, or pick it up at your favorite bookstore when it releases on August 13th. The story of two preachers and their church wove together their lives and families in such a sweet tale. The author, Cara Wall, incorporates Boston, New York City, the church, and history as vital elements in the relationship between James and Charles, along with their wives, Nan and Lily..

The Dearly Beloved is a debut novel by Cara Hall, and is so wonderfully rich. This is literary fiction at its best. The story begins with Charles raised by a Harvard academic and his mother, attends college of course at Harvard. He decides to spend his graduate years studying theology. He soon meets Lily who has lost both her parents and with that her faith. Charles loves Lily without any doubt in his mind. We then meet James who wants to minister but still questions does God really exist who falls in love with Nan the daughter of a minister. This book follows their journey as newly minted couples and the coming together working at a church in New York.

The crux of this story takes place in the 1960's, and while this does not feel very historical, there are moments of this story that really show the time that they were in. These four very different people do not always mesh especially Lily and Nan, but when crisis occurs, even though the relationships are questioned, they discover their friendship is infallible. This novel starts off very sweet, but quickly takes on very difficult topics and I think Wall handled this beautifully.

I really enjoyed reading this story and found this easy to read. I wanted to savor this wonderful writing and this story and was just a little bit sad when it was over.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for and Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Dearly Beloved is a character study of two couples who find their lives intertwined through the husbands’ work—ministry.

While I’m usually partial to thrillers, TDB has been on my to-read list since the first time I saw it mentioned and it did not disappoint. It is a pleasure to be reviewing an advanced reader copy of the book provided by Simon & Schuster.

Charles grows up in the shadow of his father, a Harvard professor. He shocks him by attending divinity school despite his father’s lack of faith.

Lily loses her parents while still a teenager, and she leaves her hometown to attend college. Her sadness is the first thing her future husband notices about her.

James narrowly escapes the Korean War where he anticipates being so traumatized that he will become an alcoholic like his father. His uncle gives him a scholarship to the University of Chicago.

Nan grows up planning to attend Ole Miss, as her minister-father and mother did. At the last moment, her father sends her to Illinois hoping she will become independent after an incredibly sheltered upbringing. She matriculates at Wheaton, a Christian college, but where she has to omit most of her music studies from letters to her mother.

I’m not a religious person though I did have more than one PK friend when I was younger. Nevertheless this book was fascinating to me because it allowed me to peer behind the curtain. I found a lot of myself in Lily when she says God had not eased her grief. Yup. But being able to move past that and love someone who is a person of faith, that I understand as well.

“They both understood what it felt like when life changed in an instant, what it was to become an entirely different person, to be shown a landscape they had not asked to be revealed.”

The female characters are finely drawn in TDB and it makes for a compelling story.

“There would never again be a day that she did not remember that she was an orphan.”

As the book goes on, complications arise, which puts pressure on all the characters separately. Charles and Lily face a difficult challenge and grow closer; Lily and Nan start to go close but then are permanently broken, until they’re not. Lily takes action by researching; never have I felt more connected to a character.

The last few pages of the story had me in tears. This isn’t the sort of book I would normally pick up nor enjoy but it was one I savored from the first page to the last. We never know as young adults the challenges we’ll face in the decades to come. TDB captures these vicissitudes of life quite well.

The Dearly Beloved truly made me think. About my religion, my God, my friendships and my marriage. Cara Wall presents many sides of religion without ever making you feel one is the correct way and the others are wrong. Just like marriages need to be worked out between partners, religion needs to be worked between you and God. I enjoyed every character even when I was mad at them. They all feel like friends. A book I will definitely read again and think about for a long time.