The Dearly Beloved Audiobook By Cara Wall cover art

The Dearly Beloved

A Novel

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“This gentle, gorgeously written book may be one of my favorites ever.” —Jenna Bush Hager (A Today show “Read with Jenna” Book Club Selection!)

This “moving portrait of love and friendship set against a backdrop of social change” (The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Choice) traces two married couples whose lives become entangled when the husbands become copastors at a famed New York city congregation in the 1960s.

Charles and Lily, James and Nan. They meet in Greenwich Village in 1963 when Charles and James are jointly hired to steward the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times. Their personal differences however, threaten to tear them apart.

Charles is destined to succeed his father as an esteemed professor of history at Harvard, until an unorthodox lecture about faith leads him to ministry. How then, can he fall in love with Lily—fiercely intellectual, elegantly stern—after she tells him with certainty that she will never believe in God? And yet, how can he not?

James, the youngest son in a hardscrabble Chicago family, spent much of his youth angry at his alcoholic father and avoiding his anxious mother. Nan grew up in Mississippi, the devout and beloved daughter of a minister and a debutante. James’s escape from his desperate circumstances leads him to Nan and, despite his skepticism of hope in all its forms, her gentle, constant faith changes the course of his life.

In The Dearly Beloved, Cara wall reminds us of “the power of the novel in its simplest, richest form: bearing intimate witness to human beings grappling with their faith and falling in love,” (Entertainment Weekly, A-) as we follow these two couples through decades of love and friendship, jealousy and understanding, forgiveness and commitment. Against the backdrop of turbulent changes facing the city and the church’s congregation, Wall offers a poignant meditation on faith and reason, marriage and children, and the ways we find meaning in our lives. The Dearly Beloved is a gorgeous, wise, and provocative novel that is destined to become a classic. Literary Fiction Marriage Thought-Provoking Heartfelt Historical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Women's Fiction Sagas

Critic reviews

"Narrator Kathy Keane invites listeners along as seminarians Charles and James meet Lily, an avowed and potentially unlikable atheist, and Nan, who is gentle and supportive. These are the women they believe are destined to be their partners in life. Relationships between the characters are developed slowly, letting listeners get to know them. Keane especially draws listeners in as the characters ponder the nature of faith. The story allows her to couple the book's elegant writing with masterful portrayals of the four leads and the people who surround them, though the work focuses on the two women. Keane is especially skilled in her portrayals of Lily and Nan as they deal with heartbreak, their husbands, and each other over decades."
Beautiful Storytelling • Complex Characters • Thought-provoking Themes • Emotional Depth • Insightful Exploration

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I loved this book from page one. I can't describe why in words sufficient to explain, but it truly held my interest from the first page. It was a real, heartbreaking and yet motivating story about human potential and love.

Wonderfully thought provoking and real.

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Beautiful, informative about love,
life, friendship, and resilience.
A must read possibly more than once. Enjoy and learn!

Lessons on Life

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The Dearly Beloved was loved by all! Here’s what our members had to say: ”Very complex emotions, rich, beautiful and sad.” “Very deep…God…or lack thereof.” “Really enjoyed this (audio) book, so much so I could listen again.” “…the autism storyline was insightful.” “Each character has an internal conflict.” “I really loved this audiobook. I cried at the end and I’m not generally a crier.”
The Walking Book Club Sneaker Ratings
Motivation to Move: 4.8
Quality of Narration: 5
Overall Experience: 4.7

Loved By All

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What a beautiful story! Cara Wall writes so tenderly and accurately about marriage, family, and friendship. A new favorite!

Wonderful!

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This beautiful real life story is very well written with characters that present themselves in situations that are both trying and moving.
There are no pat answers here , but this novel gives clues for life in its complexity. Highly recommended…

Exquisite Character

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