Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: July 9, 2019
Genre: Family Life Historical Fiction
With the atmospheric storytelling of Kate Morton and Lisa Wingate, Karen Kelly weaves a shattering debut about two intertwined families and the secrets that they buried during the gilded, glory days of Bethlehem, PA.
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 Review 🖤
My curiosity for this book began with the enchanting cover, it's beauty instantly drawing me in. Sadly, my excitement was quickly extinguished for several reasons, first being the painfully slow beginning that is diluted with character names and nicknames. I felt so lost, and trying to keep up with which character was which, plus the nicknames, made me almost give up before I really dived into the story itself!
Once I got my bearings as far as the characters and dual plot lines, I was able to properly immerse myself in the drama of the Collier and Parish families. Bethlehem is told through the eyes of matriarch Susannah, flashing back to her youth in the 1920's, and her daughter-in-law Joanna in the 1960's, who's family has come to stay with Susannah and her mother in the family mansion. The views of both women are clear and concise, but despite the depth of the characters themselves, and their stories, I fought to connect with them, despite the depressing and suppressive situations they both find themselves in.
Truth be told, this novel isn't particularly what I had been expecting. To me, it didn't really feel like a historical fiction, which is what I was hoping for, but it's lacking any significant historical events. There are a few cultural references in the flashbacks, but otherwise the story could really fall into any time period.
There is a certain charm to the tale that kept me engaged, especially the 1920's time line. I absolutely adore that era and honestly would've been fine if Joanne's story wasn't even included. It's a strong enough premise to hold its own, and I believe I would've liked it better if it would've been the main focus.
All in all, Bethlehem wasn't a terrible read, but the pace is on the slower side, the entire premise and feel is dark and depressing, and I had really wanted to love it, but it was just ok.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
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