Thanks to Harper Muse Books for the gifted book I read in partnership with the library audio.

I was expecting to like this book, but I more than just liked it, I adored it. I wanted to give every character a hug at the end. This is the feel good Christmas story that you can read year round. You feel like you too are getting to chat with C.S. Lewis about his life and how Narnia came to be. Although sadness is a thread woven throughout the story, there is a much more prominent thread of hope that infuses every page. As author Sophie Hudson would say, "The Gospel is all over it!".

Hands down one of my favorit4e books I've read this year! A solid 5 star book for me. Such gorgeous writing, brilliant f low of the story, well-developed characters. I'm actually doing a book interview tonight (I'll send publishers the recording!) of this book with 2 other authors this evening. I have already recommended this book to many, and I will continue to.

Patti Callahan’s Once Upon a Wardrobe is a beautiful and heartwarming story portraying the pure affection and love between a sister and brother as they bond over a shared love for C.S. Lewis story, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

Megs Devonshire is a student at Oxford University. Her much younger brother George suffers from a terminal heart disorder and has spent much of his fragile life living, dreaming and escaping his reality through the books, a favorite of which is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. With a curious imagination, young George ponders the inspiration behind Narnia and asks his sister’s help in understanding where Narnia comes from, sending Megs off on a quest to meet Professor Lewis to search for the answers to her beloved brothers questions in the hope of bringing him some sense of peace, comfort and hope.

This enchanting and heartwarming story held me captive from the beginning right to the very end. It’s such a beautiful reminder of the magic and power in storytelling and it’s ability to bring people together. While the story evokes sadness, it is also filled with hope and goodness. A must read for fans of Narnia!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to ready this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Both for fans of Lewis and those new to him, Once upon a Wardrobe is a poignant reminder of the power of both stories and friendship in the most difficult times. It’s a warm cozy sweater of a book, well-suited for autumn or winter reading.

Once Upon a Wardrobe will transport you back to your childhood when books held such wonder and you first felt the way books could transport you to fantastical places.

Meg is studying mathematics and physics at Oxford but spends every spare moment at home with her brother George. George has never been well, but Megs knows that his time is drawing near. George has just one question that he asked Megs to answer "Where does Narnia come from?" Megs tracks down C.S. Lewis himself to ask this question, and that is the start of this lovely book.

I adored every moment of this story. It felt so real, yet so magical. It inspired me to go back and pull out my copy of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to remember those childlike moments of wonder.

I highly recommend this amazing novel. It would make a wonderful gift and a great addition to your Narnia collection.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a kid, I absolutely loved the Narnia series, and I couldn't wait to read this book.
I found the story moving and a perfect mix of history and fiction. It was fun learning a bit more about C.S. Lewis as a person.
I think this book will be very popular among readers at my library and would be an excellent selection for our book group.

I don`t very often find myself reading fiction, but when I read the description of this book and decided to give it a try, I was drawn in right away and had a hard time putting it down! I loved the back and forth stories of past and present and I loved the plot. I don`t know how much of the information about C S Lewis is true, but it was very interesting and inspired me to read some of his writing, and check out Patti`s other book about C S Lewis` wife. It was refreshing to read this kind of story that was sweet, but not centered on a romantic relationship. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get lost in a good story!

Once Upon a Wardrobe
Patti Callahan
Pub Date: October 19, 2021

I received an arc of Once Upon a Wardrobe in exchange for my honest review!

I’ll be honest and say I don’t remember reading any of the Narnia books as a child so the nostalgia factor wasn’t there for me. The story however was still very good! I enjoyed reading about Megs, George, and Jack! It was not a light-hearted Christmas novel but a beautiful story of love, family, and loss.

I recommend this to fans of the series and historical fiction fans!

Title: Once Upon a Wardrobe
Author: Patti Callahan

Ch: 24 Plus Epilogue

Pg: 292

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Harper Muse



I'm not going to lie I've not read any of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, to date I've only read one book by him A Grief Observed which I read in 2016 after losing both my mom and papaw in the span of six weeks. Lost and not knowing what to do I picked up A Grief Observed and read it in one day. I got so much out of it that I had planned to read more of Lewis's work though I couldn't bring myself to read the Narnia books as I thought they were books for kids. Though Lewis no doubt would say that that was foolish.



And after reading Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan the second book I’ve read by her and the second book that features C.S. Lewis as a character and loving the story of Megs and George Devonshire. Megs in determined to find answers for her brother after he read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. And in her quest for answers, she becomes friends with Lewis and his brother Warnie and discovers more about herself than the answers she wanted about Narnia. And after reading this book I am now determined to actually read The Chronicles of Narnia because they just aren't books for kids, they are for adults too.

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I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I'm going to describe this book with a few words only: soft spot for C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia meets Patti Callahan.
I'M HERE FOR THIS BOOK 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I can't even begin to say how this warmed my heart, how happy I was to feel this author going through the experiences of Narnia and being the perfect mix of historical and fiction. PERFECT!

Anyone who has walked through the wardrobe with Lucy into the land that is “always winter and never Christmas” will love this glimpse into true stories from the early years of C.S. Lewis’ life. In a unique split-time fact-and-fiction approach from the author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, we’re introduced to the fictional Megs Devonshire and her little brother George, who wants nothing more than to find out the story behind Narnia and his beloved Aslan. When Megs interviews Lewis at The Kilns, we’re swept in and out of tales from Lewis’ own life. Heartbreaking and beautiful, I wanted every line of Once Upon a Wardrobe to be true. (The audiobook is also exquisite!)

If you've never read the Narnia set, this book will make you want to go right out and get a copy. If you're a life-long lover of Narnia, Once Upon a Wardrobe will remind you of the wonder you felt every time you read one of the books.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I'm sorry for the late review, Life's been a bit crazy this fall.

I had read so many great reviews of this one and it sounded great but I'm sorry to say I was bored out of my mind. I have read other books from Patti Callihan that I've enjoyed but this was not my wheelhouse.

I loved this book from beginning to end. This is definitely my favorite book by Patti Callahan. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once Upon a Wardrobe is an incredible story about a brother who is ill and a sister who would brave a lion for him. Megs is asked by her brother George to find out how C.S. Lewis got the idea for Narnia. She is a student at Oxford University where he is a professor, but the task is a big one. She gets an invitation to his home but the direct answer to her question is hard to pin down. All of these characters grow and learn in wonderful ways throughout the book. This is a beautiful story about love that will tug at your heart strings. I highly recommend Once Upon a Wardrobe, because like C.S. Lewis's Narnia, it takes you into a glorious world. Loved it!

Patti Callahan had a lot of research materials left over from her writing of Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She was intrigued by C.S. Lewis' writing of the Narnia stories. She was able to take this information and spin a poignant story about a child, George who is terminally ill, and his fascination with fairy tales and Narnia. He asks his sister, Megs, to find out how Lewis created Narnia. Megs goes to Lewis' house and is invited to stay for tea with Lewis and his brother, Warnie. As they continue to meet for tea, stories of their childhood unfold. Each weekend, Megs rushes home to share with George the latest installment. The way the story progresses is magical. We are allowed to share in the boys' loneliness of boarding school, and how these experiences shaped their later lives.
Callahan writes, “The way the stories change us can’t be explained ... It can only be felt. Like love.” And this story is all about love.

What a marvelous, uplifting story. Set in 1950s England, Megs is a scholarship student at Oxford, studying physics and math. She has no time for fairy tales. Her little brother, George, born with a heart condition, spends much of his time in bed. He loves fantasy and is intrigued by the new book, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," he begs his sister to find out more about Narnia.

Megs does search out C.S. Lewis and "Jack" and his brother, Warnie, welcome Megs to their home for tea. With each tea time, more of Lewis's story is revealed and Megs faithfully carries each and every story home to George.

I believe we are all enriched for having read this story. We know a lot more about Narnia, about Lewis, and we watch Megs become so much more than she ever could have without the Lewises in her life. She discovers magic and beauty and a book's power to heal the soul.

“Every human interaction is eternally important.”

I don’t normally put quotes in my reviews, but this one really struck me and made me think about all those interactions we have with people and just how important they really are.

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan is a moving story about a little boy named George, who desperately wants to know where Narnia came from. His sister, Megs, will do anything she can to find out, including asking C.S. Lewis himself!

What made me love this story was the relationship between Megs and George. It was so moving. I loved the lengths she went to to get answers for George and how in her quest, she also found answers for herself.

I also enjoyed the scenes with Megs and Jack (C. S. Lewis) and his brother that gave us glimpses into his life and childhood. If you’re not a
C. S. Lewis fan already, this story will definitely make you seek out his work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is light.

A luminous, enchanting, magical and uplifting story that is a delight to be savored! A must read for both those familiar with C.S. Lewis’s Narnia and those who are not. Megs, a college student studying mathematics and physics at Oxford is devoted to her ill and largely bedridden younger brother Charlie. On one of her frequent trips home to visit him, she learns of his fascination with a new book he has read called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The author, C.S. Lewis is an English professor at Oxford and Charlie begs Megs to seek Lewis out at the university and ask him where did Narnia come from? Determined to grant her brother’s request, Megs seeks out Lewis. In a series of visits, Lewis shares with Megs stories about his life, which she in turn shares with her brother. The beauty of storytelling and reading is captivatingly conveyed as well as love and hope. An exquisitely written combination of history and fiction, this soul nourishing story speaks to the transformative power of stories. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

EArc provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I was excited about this book! Another book about CS Lewis and Narnia. I really wanted to enjoy it. Sadly that didn't happen, and I have to confess that I didn't finish it.

We start with a young boy, who is dying, but who loves to escape into the world of Narnia. It's his one joy that he has and he wants to know how Lewis came to write it. His sister just happens to be studying at Oxford, where Lewis is teaching. However, she has no interest in writing and thus has no contact with Lewis' college. So she goes to one of his lectures and then begins to stalk him. She eventually is caught by his brother and after telling her story, is invited in to tea.

Lewis begins to talk about Narnia and that is where I lost interest. I've read many books on him and by him. I've seen several movies regarding his life. But never has he been portrayed so lackluster. I already had my doubts and it was already dragging and this was the end.

I'm sure that others will find this a good read. But it just wasn't for me.

Delightful! I read this as a part of my "Christmas reads" tradition leading up to the holidays, and even though this wasn't really specifically Christmasy it fit in great. Really enjoyable for fans of Narnia.