Once Upon a Wardrobe(70)

—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends

“I so loved this story. Every page is filled with magic and wonder, with insight and wisdom. I am in awe of Patti Callahan’s talent.”

—Debbie Macomber, New York Times bestselling author

“From the very first page of Patti Callahan’s new book, Once Upon a Wardrobe, I was transported, as if I was finally stepping through C. S. Lewis’s famous wardrobe, something I’ve wanted to do since I first read the Narnia books. In this powerful, enchanting tale for all ages, readers uncover the inspiration for Lewis’s famous books, while at the same time discovering the way in which stories—and myths—weave through our existences, subtly transforming us in immeasurable ways. Stunning.”

—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

“Exquisitely heartfelt, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a love letter to the magic of stories. I call it the Callahan Effect—from the first page to the last, Patti Callahan’s wise and beautiful prose draws you in and doesn’t let you go.”

—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of First Frost and Lost Lake

“Once Upon a Wardrobe is a poignant meditation on the lengths we will go to for our loved ones as well as a fascinating glimpse into the early life of C. S. Lewis. Patti Callahan’s beautiful, life-affirming novel is a reminder that literature lives inside us, and that when we read someone else’s story, we understand so much more about our own. A gorgeous, compelling book.”

—Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library

“When it comes to a classic like the great C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we all want to hear the story behind the story, just as Patti Callahan’s young, ailing George Devonshire does in the gorgeously wrought Once Upon a Wardrobe. And in the book, we get just that: a peek behind the curtain of a story that has enchanted generations. But the masterful Callahan—who has already shown us a more intimate, human side of C. S. Lewis in Becoming Mrs. Lewis (2019)—gives us much more, too; she delivers a great gust of enchantment, a draft of emotion, and a zephyr of spiritual insight that will sweep through you the way snowflakes rush through the wintry postwar Oxford countryside. Callahan starts with a simple enough question: where did Narnia come from? But the answer she delivers in Once Upon a Wardrobe—a tale full of forests and castles, hope and despair, first love and first loss—will leap from the page straight into your heart. With a touch of fairy tale magic, Once Upon a Wardrobe will take you behind the legend and deep into the English and Irish countryside, where you’ll encounter not only the inspirations for one of the 20th century’s most beloved works but also a tale of heartache, hope, and discovery that will forever change the Narnia you thought you knew. Callahan’s poignant, luminous Once Upon a Wardrobe honors the legacy of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia by giving us a new chapter, one born from the kind of real magic that is only possible when we open our hearts and let the lamplight in.”

—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars





Becoming Mrs. Lewis


“Patti Callahan seems to have found the story she was born to tell in this tale of unlikely friendship turned true love between Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis that tests the bounds of faith and radically alters both of their lives. Their connection comes to life in Callahan’s expert hands, revealing a connection so persuasive and affecting we wonder if there’s another like it in history. Luminous and penetrating.”

—Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark

“I thought I knew Joy Davidman, the oft mentioned but little examined wife of C. S. Lewis, but in Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Patti Callahan breathes life into this fascinating woman whose hunger for knowledge leads her to buck tradition at every turn. In a beautifully crafted account, Patti unveils Joy as a passionate and courageous—yet very human—seeker of answers to the meaning of life and the depths of faith. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is an unlikely love story that will touch heart, mind, and soul.”

—Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author of The Dream Daughter

“Layered with personal reflection, poignant life events, and the Davidman-Lewis journey toward respect and love, Becoming Mrs. Lewis may very well become a literary classic of its own.”

—Hope by the Book, Gold Star Review

“Spanning more than a decade, this slow-burning love story will be especially satisfying to writers and C. S. Lewis fans, as there are many references to his literary canon and his famous stories of Narnia. Callahan’s prose is heartfelt and full of grace.”

—BookPage

“Callahan crafts a masterpiece that details the friendship and ultimate romance between the real Davidman and Lewis . . . Fans of Karen White and Mary Alice Monroe will enjoy this book. Callahan’s writing is riveting and her characters spring to life to create a magical and literary experience that won’t be soon forgotten.”

—Library Journal, starred review

“Readers familiar with the life and work of C. S. Lewis will relish learning about the woman who inspired some of his most famous books. Others will find the slow burn of the romance between the two mesmerizing. All fans of women’s fiction, particularly works with religious themes, will appreciate reading about this vibrant and intelligent woman.”