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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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!
FIVE INVITATIONS TO FIVE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE.
I closed the book with a contented smile, knowing that everyone would be okay. That God would work everything out for them, and then I blinked back to reality because it was just a book. It wasn’t just any book though. This unassuming story took me on a journey of five lives riddled in heartbreak and secrets. Secrets that defined the people that huddled in a little room of a mansion turned library on Fifth Avenue.
The Fifth Avenue Story Society is a touching, and sometimes heartbreaking, tale of how people handle the curve balls life throws at them. When they discover that these pivotal moments in their lives is choking the life out of each one of them, they find that only one thing can break them free form the bondage. Companionship is the only thing that will make coughing up their secrets tolerable. But a few are hard to face the truths behind the curtains of their stories.
I am a big fan of Rachel Hauck’s, there is nothing the woman can write that I won’t read, BUT I must confess that this one has received the “Favorite” label. There was no confusion in whose POV I was reading as she marked it clearly what person you were reading about in that moment. I also loved the realness of the characters. I know that many readers of CF (Christian Fiction) do not like to read about things that do not fit into the idyllic soft mold of traditional CF, but I love the gritty truth of the world we live in and how we can still find God in the center of it all. This story is raw and unashamed of the thoughts and habits of human nature, thus leaving me clapping for joy on the inside.
If you can’t tell, I think this story is amazing and should be read by every one who enjoys CF romance, mystery, and women’s fiction. It will be worth the time.
***I received a copy of this story from the publisher through CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required.
I absolutely loved this book. The four different POVs, and how they all came together in a message of hope only added to this story. One of my favorite Rachel Hauck books yet!
I always know when I read a novel by Rachel Hauck, that it will entertain, have a profound message, and touch my heart in a way that I can’t stop thinking about it after I turn the last page. This book was even better than I could have imagined.
Five characters all drawn to a library by an anonymous invitation. The story is about learning to trust the ability to be honest with yourself and others, accept forgiveness, and release the chains that bind you to the past.
The storyline is unique and the character’s strengths and weaknesses made them come alive as I followed their journey. They found that truth brings a freedom they never imagined giving them newfound hope for the future.
I feel this is one of Rachel’s best so far and I highly recommend that you don’t miss the opportunity to be thrilled by her magical story. I couldn’t put it down.
How does a story society benefit the anonymously invited participants? These reluctant, seemingly randomly selected people decide to gather each week to figure out the purpose. Although a difficult task, the author develops five main characters. Eventually, they bring their imperfect lives and problems to their safe circle of acquaintances. Can they become friends and discern the purpose of their group? With no guidelines, the men and women struggle with the idea of opening up to each other.
Real life is exposed in this original format and plot. I feel the loneliness, frustration, bitterness, anger, failure, ambition, and impatience working alongside love, forgiveness, success, friendship, marriage, family, and hope. It makes me want to be invited to a secret society, especially in an old library surround by ancient volumes of antique books.
This novel is a treasure of stories about hope and God’s plans for our futures even considering our not so inviting pasts.
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.
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.
I thought The Fifth Avenue Story Society was an inspiring story. The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck has five people receiving invitations to join the Fifth Avenue Story Society on Monday at 9 p.m. at the Fifth Avenue Literary Society Library in the Bower Room. Lexa, Jett, Chuck, Coral and Ed all show up and enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the Bower Room. It is like stepping back into the nineteenth century. No one knows why they received the invitations or who sent them. After the first meeting, they all agree to return the following week. Each week this diverse group of individuals meet and begin to share their lives. Each one of them has something in their past that continues to haunt them. To bare ones most innermost secrets takes time and trust. Each one of them has a story to tell. As they share their stories, it will heal their hearts and souls. The Fifth Avenue Story Society is a charming story. I enjoyed reading every word. I thought The Fifth Avenue Story Society was well-written with developed characters. Jett Wilder is an associate professor of English at New York College who has been working on his dissertation. Jett has not been the same since the death of his brother, Storm. Coral Winthrop owns CCW Cosmetics and is known as the runaway bride. She was to marry Prince Augustus of Lauchtenland, but she backed out on their wedding day. No one know why and everyone wants to know. She is also having trouble with her company. Chuck Mays is an Uber driver who is divorced and unable to see his twin children. He misses them terribly and is ashamed of the reason why he cannot visit them. Ed Marshall wants to write about the love of his life. He has trouble getting the story down on paper. Lexa Wilder is executive assistant to Zane Breas who owns ZB Enterprises. Lexa does the work of a CEO and wants the open position for herself. Lexa just needs to ask Zane. She is also the ex-wife of Jett whom she still loves. Five diverse people come together in the Bower Room each week. As they get to know each other, they look forward to the meetings where they share their lives and food. The story alternates POV between the five characters. The story flows beautifully from person to person as we get to know them and what they are hiding. We learn about their struggles, their hopes, aspirations and their secrets. I enjoyed the description of the Bower Room with all the wonderful books, the fireplace, and the beautiful furniture. I wanted to snuggle in one of the chairs with one of the books from the shelves. I like how everything the story came together for a special ending. My favorite line from the book is, “Every day we tell, listen to, live and breathe stories.” Rachel Hauck weaved a heartwarming and uplifting tale.
Author Rachel Hauck did a marvelous job of weaving together multiple characters in The Fifth Avenue Story Society. The premise of the story is intriguing and I cared about each one of the characters — so much so that I couldn’t put the book down! Hauck layers in deep emotion and her novels are always well researched, too, with believable interactions and choices but enough unexpectedness to keep me turning pages.
I’ve enjoyed every novel that I have read from this wonderful author.
The characters, storyline, writing were all fantastic. This novel is now my new favorite from her.
It is a wonderful, engrossing, novel.
Brilliant! Five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society. Unbeknownst to them, this is an invitation to an adventure beyond anything they can imagine. I would love to be a part of this group! Rich friendships are developed over a period of time as they tentatively open up to one another.
Stories are an integral part of life. Our story is being written by the Master Author. An epic story is a an exciting and sometimes painful journey from darkness to light. There are seasons of the mountain top along with the valley. Ms. Hauck skillfully takes us on such a journey in this brilliant masterpiece!
Recommend to those who enjoy amazing stories of friendship.
I borrowed a copy from my local library. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
“If we love when it’s easy, it’s of no credit to us. Anyone can love when it’s easy. But if we love when it’s hard, then we are all the better. We gain what we cannot see.”
The Fifth Avenue Story Society is another beautifully written book by Rachel Hauck that will thrill her followers and garner new fans. The author does something a bit different in this book – the timeline stays in the present (so don’t expect split timeline plot) but she melds five different characters and their heartaches into a vividly orchestrated story of secrets, grief, forgiveness, and redemption. The plot is definitely character driven and there is this delicious slow build up of suspense as each person’s secret is revealed within the story society that the five characters are invited to. The author is known for her lyrical writing, weaving the supernatural into the plot line, and emotional depth in her characters and this book shines in these areas.
The five characters – Jett, Lexa, Chuck, Coral, and Ed – are unique individuals living in NYC who have fascinating lives filled with pain, past heartaches, and secrets. Some of their secrets will surprise you and some will awe you. Week after week, they meet together as the “story society” without fully realizing who invited them and what their purpose is. The mingling of their lives, though completely random at first, brings fuller and more abundant lives. Though Jett and Lexa are the centerpiece of the fivesome, I really liked Coral and how grounded she is in the midst of a professional and personal crisis. And I liked Chuck, the underdog, who tries so hard to overcome his rage and lack of self-control to find his way back into his children’s lives.
Once you open this book, you will become deeply emotionally invested in the characters’ welfare; so beware! You won’t be able to put the book down. I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This sweet story pulled me in and didn’t let go. When five random, broken people receive invitations to a story society, they attend but have no idea why. Week after week, they slowly build friendships and trust that give them the courage to make choices that help them heal and learn how to love again.
Hauck is a master storyteller. She peels back the layers on these characters’ lives with perfect pacing. I also liked how this delightful story dovetails with The Writing Desk, another of her books that I enjoyed. If you’re looking for a satisfying story about second chances, this book is for you.
I mistakenly got this book instead of The Lions of Fifth Ave. And what a pleasant mistake it was!
This novel has an interesting mix of characters brought together by a mysterious invitation to a historic library. As they meet once a week, their personal stories begin to unfold. Each story is told separately and intersect only at the library. It’s during these weekly meetings their friendships are formed and they try to solve the mystery of the invitations.
Wonderfully detailed, this light story has well developed characters with a minor christian theme (but it’s not overbearing).
This book would be a good “beach read”. It’s undemanding with a clean storyline. Easy to pick up and just enjoy.
I loved this book.
An enchanting tale of five inexplicably intertwined lives that leaves you satisfied. This tale of regrets, heartaches, loves, and new beginnings is one that sticks with you.
Great book, the characters were intriguing. This was the first book I ‘ve read by this author. I will look for more. I enjoyed how the characters, from all different walks of life, bonded so quickly upon meeting and brought the best out of each person. That was uniquely done.
Great characters, good premise. Highly recommend.
So inspiring to read about the power of human connections!
A tender story of healing relationships, with a little spiritual mystery thrown in