An invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives five New York strangers a chance to rewrite their own stories. Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed. Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud. Uber driver … be a fraud.
Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.
Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.
Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’’s multimillion-dollar empire.
When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’‘re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.
Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.
“This captivating story full of heart, soul, and humor kept me turning pages until midnight to finish it. Rachel weaves the perfect amount of tension and opens possibilities to keep the reader pondering long after the story is over. I loved it!” –Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author
“Rachel Hauck’’s flair for inviting prose and well-drawn characters shines in this delightful story about searching for hope and healing within the most unexpected circle of people. Finely tuned themes of love, self-authenticity and discovering the benevolent hand of providence make this one sweet gem of a book.”–Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War
“You are cordially invited, dear reader, to step through the doors of an enchanting old library and embark on a remarkable journey with the Fifth Avenue Story Society. In this beautifully written novel, Rachel Hauck has created a cast of masterful characters whose stories seem shattered beyond hope. But Rachel doesn’‘t leave them in their brokenness. She sweeps up the pieces and begins sculpting together a new story. A better story for each of them. Their fireside society is a place where miracles still happen. A space full of wonder to savor and dream. If you dare to step inside these pages, into this mysterious story society, you’‘ll be warmly welcomed as a fellow sojourner and friend.” –Melanie Dobson, bestselling author of Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass
“I was captivated by this story from the first paragraph, and my heart soon became invested in the lives of the various members of the Fifth Avenue Story Society. It’’s magical. My favorite Rachel Hauck novel to date!” –Robin Lee Hatcher, Christy Award-winning author of Who I Am with You and Cross My Heart
“What a delightful surprise! Five near-strangers discover the story of their lives after meeting under the most unusual of invitations. The Fifth Avenue Story Society is both complex and spellbinding, and I found it difficult not to flip to the back in search of the hopeful conclusion. But I’‘m glad I held out and, without a single doubt, you will be too. The Fifth Avenue Story Society allows readers to slip into another world and, in doing so, find the story of their own lives.” –Eva Marie Everson, bestselling author and President of Word Weavers International
“A delightful and insightful story about broken dreams and dreams reborn. A tale of deep emotion and even deeper friendships. I loved this novel and the memorable characters Rachel Hauck has created. Just get ready for your heart to be changed in a beautiful way.” –James L. Rubart, Christy Hall of Fame author
“Rachel Hauck is well-known to her fans as an author of books with compelling characters, heaven invading earth, and a romance that will win your heart. With The Fifth Avenue Story Society, Hauck delves into the space of our greatest wounds and how confronting them brings freedom, healing, and hope. She accomplishes that with a story told from five characters’’ perspectives, each one rich with the possibility of more constrained by the chains of the past. The characters’’ search for freedom points the reader to healing while delving into the power of each person’’s fully embraced story. I’‘m grateful for the time I spent with this group and these pages. Readers who love a story laced with heart and hope will adore this Hauck’’s latest offering.” –Cara Putman, award-winning and bestselling author of Delayed Justice and Shadowed by Grace
- Contemporary standalone
- Book length: approximately 100,000 words
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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‘It’s odd how some things have to be broken before their value and worth can be discovered.’
New York. Five strangers receive a mysterious, anonymous invitation to a meeting of The Fifth Avenue Story Society. Each are familiar with the library, but have never heard of the Society. Not one of them knows where the invitation came from, either. But all five show up. And they keep coming back week after week. Chuck, Jett, Lexa, Coral and Ed all have deep hurts in their lives and none want to share their secrets with strangers. And yet they find that they really care about each other and soon they are not strangers anymore. They really do have stories, each of them, stories waiting to be told and what blooms from each meeting of The Fifth Avenue Story Society is incredibly touching and inspiring. And deeply satisfying.
Rachel Hauck has once again crafted a story that will move her readers’ hearts. That shouldn’t surprise me and yet we are moved anew each offering from her. Her ability to delve into her characters’ hearts is amazing and she definitely hits another home room with this one. And her trademark touch of the Divine in each book just warms my heart. Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.