Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

An improbable friendship blossoms into love in this beautiful tale about C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidson.

As a 1950s New York mother, wife, and writer in search of the meaning of God, Joy finds herself on the receiving end of pen pal letters from the very famous English writer, C.S. Lewis. He has also just discovered the joy of being a follower of the Christian faith.

Joy eventually leaves her abusive husband and moves to England, where every day is a dream with the sights, sounds and smells of the English countryside. She becomes more and more enmeshed in “Jack’s” life, and serves as his muse.

There are problems along the way, of course, but the self-discovery they both experience leads to an affection and growth most never find. This and so much more await you in this beguiling, and at times, breathtaking story, by Patti Callahan.

My sincere thanks to #ThomasNelson-FICTION and #NetGalley for an ARC for my review.

#netgalley #becomingmrslewis

I had a hard time getting into this book, it just wasn't the right genre for me. I'll give it a rest and come back to it later.

Well written and entertaining inspirational romance. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I love historical fiction and this title does not disappoint. Patti Callahan is an incredible writer and her background research can be scene in her attention to period details. Mrs. Lewis is a strong character and the author brings her to life. A must read- really brings attention to a strong woman who was overlooked in an entertaining and well written novel

CS Lewis has always been magical to me. I loved hearing about the woman that inspired some of his softer moments. This was interesting and entertaining!

Becoming Mrs. Lewis was an engaging and informative historical fiction work - at times I wondered how much liberty Callahan took on the story and was pleased (and sometimes dismayed!) with how accurate she was with the facts. This book has become a popular book club pick for our library.

Reading this book gives a sense of being present with C.S. and Joy Davidson. Patti Callahan delved into journals, biographies, and a treasure of Davidson's poetry written during her relationship with C.S. Lewis. Though it's fiction, the narrative reads like a memoir of Davidson's. Readers journey alongside Joy as she makes choices in men and work that influence her future both professionally and in her inner psyche. Davidson is portrayed as a fiery, outspoken intellectual who spends a lifetime searching for her true self. Her first marriage to Bill Gresham was filled with Bill's alcoholic rages that induced fear into Joy and their two children, Davy and Douglas. And the intellect is the means that a spiritual awakening began for Joy as she reaches out to find her true self.

Through a correspondence that discussed philosophy, faith, and their personal lives, Joy and C.S. Lewis grew quite close. This letter writing formed the basis for the philia love they shared for so many years. The book follows Joy as she works out her need to be free of her husband because of his infidelities and his abuse to her and the boys. Joy seeks escape in her writing and the hope of something that could allow her to begin her real life.

Eventually, the book goes to England, and Surrey, and inevitably, the Kilns, the Lewis home. Callahan walks the boys through their first visit much like the same path Lewis led his readers on as they first step out of the wardrobe into Narnia. Once Callahan places Joy in England where her intellect and her more tender sides can be discovered and nurtured, Joy Davidson feels that she finally is becoming the person she longed, and knew she was meant to be. There is a tension in the book shown through Lewis's reluctance to break moral strictures that his faith demands, while he continues to grow closer to Joy who is longing for the true eros love that she wants with him.

And like many who have loved most passionately and completely, the time is short for the couple since Davidson has never been strong in her health. Once it becomes clear that Davidson has cancer, the sonnets written by Davidson, which are placed at the beginning of each chapter, seem to enliven the flame of passion that both Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are finally able to fully express to each other. Lewis even begins quoting the Sonnets to Davidson as he slowly opens his heart to her once he has read the Sonnets.

Callahan preserves the honor due such a one as C.S. Lewis while she juxtaposes the passionate and irresistible Joy Davidson with him. The book is a walk into Narnia for the truth self - seeker, only it's so much more gloriously real. I recommend the book for it's scholarship and it's story telling craft. Not to be missed.

I really enjoyed this novel! Patti Callahan has a wonderful way of writing historical fiction for women while including nuggets of real history, and actual people in her stories. C.S. Lewis has always been an intriguing author to me in his own right and I was enthralled by Callahan's interpretation of his relationship with Joy Davidson.

An absolute delight to read! This was a very touching story about friendship, romance, religion, marriage and beliefs. I knew nothing about this couple except reading some of C.S. Lewis's writings. Now I feel like I know them both very well. Loved it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of this book. Once I got used to it, I had a hard time putting the book down. I think what amazed me the most was realizing how much research Callahan had to have done to have written such a book. Although this is definitely fiction, it is based on the facts of the relationship between C. S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. It flows and breathes like a true story - as Callahan says in her afterword, “This novel was written with the backbone of research and the work of those who have come before me, yet in fiction, imagination and inspiration must fill the gaps.” She has done an amazing job of filling in those gaps. It’s not an easy book to read, but it is worth it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#BecomingMrsLewis #NetGalley

I must admit that I started this story with little knowledge, other than that C. S. Lewis had written the Chronicles of Narnia. I was so pleasantly surprised that this focuses on the love story between Joy Davidman and Lewis, over many years.
Joy has been married for several years to a man who has struggled with depression and alcohol. One night fearing that he may harm himself, she feels God’s presence and it is from this event on, that she seeks out the friendship of C. S. Lewis. With many letters exchanged between the couple, the love and respect for each other resonates. Whilst they live on separate continents, with Lewis almost 17 years her senior, their connection is quite unique. What was also fascinating was their acceptance of each other and ultimate determination to be together.
The book is written with great depth of feeling, with detailed prose. What could have been difficult to communicate, in terms of communicating their thoughts through their letters, was well detailed and made for fascinating reading. The complexity and fragility of relationships was marvellously conveyed, and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful, complex, heartbreaking and uplifting novel this is!  I rate this story about C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman highly.


Many people know who C.S. (Jack) Lewis was.  The first thing that often comes to mind is his children's (Christian) book series about Narnia.  But of course he was and accomplished so much more than this.  An Oxford and later Cambridge professor, a writer on many Christian topics, a heartbroken child who lost his mother, a caretaker for a brother whom he loved deeply and a believer in four types of love.  (Readers will learn about these in reading the novel.)  C.S. Lewis was also a veteran, a person loyal to his commitments and a friend to many including Dorothy Sayers and J.R.R. Tolkien.


Joy Davidman Gresham Lewis was a child of an exacting father, a highly intelligent and well-educated woman, a wife to the dysfunctional Bil, a mother to beloved sons Davy and Douglas, a writer, editor, poet and more.  She lived her life fully and complexly.


How did these two, one British and the other American come together?  Readers learn fairly early in the novel that Joy had a profound and life changing religious experience.  This led to her writing to C.S. Lewis.  No spoilers so readers must go to the novel to learn about Joy and Jack's uniquely evolving relationship.


The settings of the book are so beautifully evoked, both in New York and Vermont, also in London and Oxford.  Oxford, in particular, is so lovingly described that Anglophiles will truly rejoice at the sections of the book that are set there.


The full meaning and impact of the title, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, becomes deeply affecting the deeper one travels into Joy's world.  It was a very clever name for the novel, even as it is deceptively simple.


Becoming Mrs. Lewis is published by a press that describes itself as one that publishes "stories that inspire, illuminate, and transform. Stories that captivate the imagination, enlighten the mind, and strengthen the spirit."  They are the right ones for this title.  The novel made me think about the complexity of life choices and the meaning of many kinds of love.  It has inspired me to learn more about these two remarkable people. 


I found the novel to be one that did not read especially quickly but I enjoyed the time that I spent with it.  The end definitely touched my emotions.


In this paperback edition of the book, there are many extras.  These include a map of Oxford, comments by the author, a bibliography, discussion questions and more.


I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this amazing read!

I found the writing to be uneven. Some passages were beautiful. Some were tediously dull. There were some passages that seemed written for no other reason than to give the author a chance to see if she could write beautiful but effusive descriptions. This made the book much too long. I wanted to like the main character, but could not. Thank you to netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this novel. It did pique my curiosity about Joy Davidman and sent me in to do some research.

Reading Becoming Mrs. Lewis gave me the sensation of wading into the depths of troubled waters, then swimming only to find the choppy waves crashing about me. Often it was necessary to come up gasping for air. This work of fiction is based on extensive research into the real lives of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis, and those closest to them. Knowing this, made the arising emotions more real, more pertinent. Davidman's struggles to set aside the masks she wore, to understand the God she longed to grow closer too and to know herself as loved, were blessed by moments of epiphany, and lessons learned through pain. Lewis' oeuvre speaks to his Christian journey, many quotes from which are included in this book as he and Joy wrestle with understanding their pasts, and their relationship with God and one another.

The back matter included by Callahan is helpful in processing and discussing Becoming Mrs. Lewis. Thoughtful discussion questions, while beneficial for a book club, are great for personal reflection. A gem is found in Callahan's imagined second letter from Joy to Jack following those questions gives the reader the gift of extending the story. A timeline is included for all of us left-brained readers, and “Ten Things You Probably Didn't Know About Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis's Love Story” and more information on Oxford hold special nuggets of information as well. Finally the author invites readers to a seven-part podcast that explores in greater depth this beautiful love story.

I am so very grateful to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a copy of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, via NetGalley. All opinions stated here are my own, and I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

I read this book when it originally came out in hardback and I have enjoyed reading the expanded content included in this new paperback release.

I loved this exploration into the budding and then fruitful relationship of C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. The prose was beautiful and so many times the phrasing would capture my attention and cause me to read a line or paragraph once more.

I have often heard of the great love Lewis had for his wife and his tremendous grief at her passing, but I never knew their story until now. A love built with bricks of friendship and time. It makes me want to pick up A Grief Observed by Lewis (which I'm sure I'll need to read with a box of tissues).

If you love historical fiction based on real life and/or love stories that aren't grand, but mundane in the best way, you will enjoy this novel.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis
Expanded Edition
by Patti Callahan
Thomas Nelson--FICTION
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Thomas Nelson
Historical Fiction | Romance
Pub Date 24 Mar 2020 | Archive Date 01 May 2020

Great book that our patrons will love! Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for the ARC of this book.
Will recommend to our historical fiction readers.

Helen Joy Davidman (1915-1960) was an American poet and writer. This book brings a vivid portrayal of “a woman diverse, courageous, and complicated, and a woman whom C.S. Lewis loved with all of his being.” They seemed to be ill-matched, but at the end they offered a glimpse at what love truly means.

New York, 1946. At thirty-one years old, Joy is a writer, mother, and a wife, who also has to deal with her husband’s infidelity. She realizes that the life she pushed for outside the city is not the life that resonates with her. She misses “the hustle and bustle of the city, the publishing parties and literary gossip.” She dives into “history and philosophy books, with religious texts and pamphlets,” it changes her religious view or rather non-religious.

When she comes across a newspaper reporting on in-depth study on another writer and a converted atheist, a man named C.S. Lewis, she dives into his written work, and his works hidden wisdom. Out of hundreds letters, he responds to hers. Thus, begins correspondence between them. She seeks answers to her spiritual questions. They both “find solace and nourishment in nature.” But not everything is about logic. It’s also about surrendering. And doing it in practice is not easy.

With her cousin’s encouragement, she considers traveling to England, to immerse herself in its history and literature. She has an idea for a book set there. Seeking transformation of her heart and body, she goes on this journey across the ocean and a journey for her soul: reading, researching, writing, traveling, meeting new friends and finding a writing group. And there, she meets the famous C.S. Lewis in person. With each conversation they bond more and more. She grieves her failed marriage. He grieves his harsh childhood.

Joy reacts quickly. She is blunt and brash. He is patient and kind of sensitive nature. She recognizes her faults and tries to work on them, but it’s an up-hill battle. He struggles with changing his long-set patterns to let her in with her love. When she hurts or loves, you can feel her emotions. She is so real and her love for him.

This story brings a vibrant depiction of a woman “trying to live an authentic life while also caring for her family and pursuing her creative life” and passion.

Enjoyed the stimulating conversations between them. With flawless prose and engaging dialogue, the author weaves a beautiful love story of two literary minds. And what a love story it is. So different from what we would normally label a love story.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan has just been released in an expanded edition which includes discussion questions, a timeline, and several other "extras." Originally published in 2018, Becoming Mrs. Lewis was awarded the 2019 Christy Award. Knowing this, when the opportunity came about to read this book, I grabbed it because it's C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman.

A large part of this books consists of letters written back and forth between Lewis and Davidman while she was still married to her first husband. As Davidman had recently become a believer and was introduced to C.S. Lewis' non-fiction works, it was natural for her write as she was a published author herself. As their friendship grew, life circumstances took her to England where she met Lewis in person. Later returning to England with her two young sons, she continued her friendship with Lewis who also helped her to find a school for her sons and introduced her to others. During this time frame their relationship was very platonic but Callahan's version of the story definitely shows how Joy was finding herself falling for him.

One of the first things to remember when reading this book is that while based on the true story of Lewis and Davidman's exchange of letters and then marriage,it is fiction and Callahan emphasizes that she imagined the letters based on the research she did. I did find reading these imagined letters and the story which is written from Joy Davidman's point of view a bit uncomfortable as it definitely plays up a physical attraction that Joy felt for Lewis. However, it also demonstrates the humanity of someone whom we are prone to put on a pedestal. After reading Becoming Mrs. Lewis, I want to go back and re-read Lewis's work and in some cases read for the first time. I also want to reacquaint myself with Davidman's work which I had previously studied as an English major.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Becoming Mrs. Lewis from Thomas Nelson Publishing via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I love anything this author writes. I loved learning all about Joy, the wife of Lewis... I love all the details and thought it was beautifully written. What a love they had.
I received a copy from netgalley and the publisher and I loved it.

Like many readers, I have been a fan of C.S. Lewis since I was a child, burying myself in his Chronicles of Narnia series. While those are certainly my favorite, I have read a few of his other works through the years as well. I must admit though, I really didn't know much (okay, anything at all) about his personal life. When I first heard about Becoming Mrs. Lewis over a year ago, I was intrigued. I'd added it to my TBR list, but had never actually gotten around to crossing it off. When I was that there was a new expanded edition out, I knew it was time to move it to the top of the list.

To be 100% honest, if this were a completely fictional story with made up characters, I likely wouldn't have enjoyed it quite as much. It's certainly not your typical Christian romance novel type of love story. When the story begins, Joy is married to someone else---and while he is far from a loving and devoted spouse himself, she did start to develop feelings for C.S. Lewis (whom she called Jack) while still married. Again, if this were an entirely fictional story, I perhaps wouldn't have read any further. But it's not. It is a fictionalized story of the real relationship between the two... and real life? Well, it's a lot more messy than fictional love stories. It might not be quite what I was expecting... but it is life.

Despite that rather rocky start, I must admit I really enjoyed reading their story. As I said, I didn't know the first thing about C.S. Lewis's personal life and nothing of Joy even by name, and so it was really interesting to get that little glimpse. I was drawn into their world thanks to the author's fantastic storytelling through Joy's perspective. Yes, it is fictional, but it was well researched, as the added resources in the expanded version allow us to see. More than anything, I enjoyed their great friendship and watching it grow slowly throughout the year until it would eventually become more.

I don't believe this will be everyone's cup of tea, as I have said it doesn't read like your typical book from the genre. It's clean in that there are no graphic descriptions, but still more implied than perhaps is typical in Christian works and again does deal with adultery and divorce. While I still enjoyed it myself, I can certainly see where some more conservative readers might not. Still, if you are a fan of C.S Lewis (or Joy Davidman, of course), this is one that is definitely worth checking out.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.