From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a new captivating novel of secrets, romance, and two women bound together across time by a shared dream.Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who has run out of inspiration?With pressure mounting from her … of inspiration?
With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.
A century earlier, another woman wrote at the same desk with hopes and fears of her own. Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams she doesn’t know how to realize. She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has taken extreme measures to manipulate her future, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own.
Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds, but fate has bound them together in a way time cannot erase.
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I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with Tenley and Jonas. Their dialogue and interactions were so entertaining. But I also loved how the author moved back and forth between this modern-day couple and a historic couple. Only towards the end does the reader realize how the two are connected. I didn’t want the story to end. The author did a great job of digging a huge hole for our heroine, and she dug her way out believably to find her one true love.
I’ve grown to love split-time novels and this offering by Rachel Hauck is a favorite of all her books I’ve read. Usually with this type of novel, I’m far more captivated by the contemporary story. That was the case with this book as well, but the historical chapters drew me in equally, and I loved how the story came full circle.
My favorite Rachel Hauck novel thus far! Well written, moving, and intriguing.
Rachel Hauck has to be one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I haven’t read The Wedding Chapel or The Wedding Shop yet but did read The Wedding Dress and enjoyed the split timeline of the story. She handles the split timeline really well and this book just shows how she masterfully ties together every detail from each timeline to deliver a stunning story.
The writing is fluid and easy to read. There is much humor in this book, more so than I remember from her previous books. At times, I laughed out loud at the thoughts and conversations. The chapters are titled by the characters’ names, which brings a cozier, more first-person narrative-esque feel to this third person narration.
The characters are AWESOME. Of course, we must start with the hero of the story, Jonas. He is every woman’s dream….faithful, loyal to his family, loving, responsible, intuitive, creative, a follower of Christ who walks the walk. Yes, he’s flawed – he has his hang-ups, his past hurts – but he’s willing to be vulnerable for a chance at love.
Tenley, the heroine, takes awhile to warm up to. She starts out as a self-absorbed writer with a truckload of emotional baggage. The story chronicles her journey into finding her purpose and who she really is.
Then there are Birdie and Elijah from the past who add such depth and flavor to the storyline. Their story kept me quite anxious….because I was never sure if they’d end up together or not. Birdie is a strong, educated, independent woman at the turn of the century who is an heiress to a fortune in NY. Elijah is an English earl – the honor-bound, God-fearing, loyal, tender type – with more family debt than he can pay back. Theirs is a story riddled with heartache but also with triumph and love.
The secondary characters, like Tenley’s mom Blanche, Tenley’s dad and his memories, and Jonas’ entire clan, are also wonderful and memorable.
The component of faith, prayer, and communion with God is strong and steady throughout the book. Tenley’s conversion experience is not as dramatic as some of Ms. Hauck’s other characters’ in her previous books (I still get goosebumps when I recall Prince Stephen’s experience in How to Catch a Prince) but the quiet and steady way she comes to the Lord is beautiful.
I am thankful for the ARC from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This book is written in dual time line. Splitting from modern to the 1900. Well written and kept you interested from page one to the end. Birdie is a young women whom desires to be a writer. Her Mother wants her to enter into a loveless marriage. Tenley wrote one best seller and is struggling to write another. She is asked to come to Florida to take care of her estranged mother who is getting treatments. It is a beautiful story of both women wanting to be accepted and loved. Great book..
Lovely story with a strong Christian message of overcoming loss and trusting God as well as about God’s love. The twist in both storylines was interesting and unexpected.
Both the contemporary and historical storylines had a heroine and hero’s point of views (four total), which is standard structure for romance, but I feel it is a bit too much for split time since you already have two storylines to keep track of and it’s harder to connect more deeply with the two heroines. Overall though, the story was well written, inspirational and enjoyable.
What a great read, it sweeps you from current times into the glittering world of the gilded age. Rachel Hauck seamlessly crafted the story between the two time periods with intricate dual plots and page-turning characters.
An absolutely enchanting read, I didn’t want it to end.
This book had an interesting plot, and was enjoyable to read. The story really pulled you in and you wanted to find out what was going to happen to all of the characters and how the author was going to finish their stories. so good. love this author!
Past and present are beautifully woven together in this split-time romance. Tenley Roth (present day) is struggling to come up with a new story after her first novel is a huge bestseller. Birdie Shehorn, from a wealthy Gilded Age family, longs to write and publish her own stories but chafes against her family’s and society’s expectations. An old writing desk connects Tenley and Birdie, and the intertwining of their stories had me glued to the page. I couldn’t wait to see how the novel ended…but I’d grown so attached to the characters that I was sorry to reach the end!
I absolutely loved this story, which is rare for me to say of a book that follows two timelines and then weaves the characters’ stories together. However, Hauck masterfully knits their lives together. Another artful device was that she shows how different generations of the same family can share the same struggle/weakness and how one can seek to redeem past mistakes (no spoilers). The endings were not perfect, which is true to real life, but the book left me feeling satisfied and if I had grown along with the characters. This is my first Rachel Hauck book to read, and it has made me look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I loved this book. I kind of wish I would have read this prior to The Fifth Avenue Story Society (which is great, too). It mattered only slightly though.
Tenley is a fabulous character. I laughed and smiled so many times. Rachel created a delightful character when she wrote Tenley into this story. I enjoyed Birdie’s story, too. I appreciated the step back into time when female authors weren’t rightly appreciated.
It did take me 2-3 chapters to get used to the two time periods. I would have liked to learn more of the connection a little earlier in the book, but that doesn’t diminish how much I ultimately enjoyed the book.
I actually listened to this on audio. The narrator Wendy Lanzl, was fabulous, too.
I look forward to reading more of Rachel Hauck’s stories.
Fascinating dual-timeline story. This is a book worth listening to again–and that’s saying a lot!
If you like historical fiction, contemporary fiction, love stories, stories of forgiveness, characters who transform into better people by the end—this novel has it all. This isn’t her first dual-time story, but it’s very fresh and unlike any other book she’s ever written. I eased into the book at first, getting to know Birdie’s historical story and Tenley’s present one and gathering the pieces. Before long, there was no more easing. I could not turn the pages fast enough (and isn’t that every bookworm’s sweet spot?) I felt so connected to these two strong women, and I felt as if they were people that I could know (and would want to know). All of the characters were well-developed, and although the novel had some intense moments, there was plenty of light-hearted banter mixed in. The characters had chemistry with each other, and I was drawn right in. (If you enjoyed the Songbird series, then you’ll appreciate the storyline between Tenley and Blanche.) There are characters you’ll love and a couple you’ll want to smack! The jumps between the two stories were easy to follow, but the plot was delightfully unpredictable. This would be a great vacation read, but I wouldn’t call it a breezy beach read—there will be moments that I think the reader will want and need some time to reflect on the story. This is a memorable novel that I’ll read again and again. And this may seem trivial, but I love the cover! I enjoyed seeing it on my coffee table or night stand. I’ve been a fan of Rachel Hauck’s books for about ten years, and this one just reaffirms what I already knew: she’s both a storyteller AND a true writer. When she writes her next book, I’ll be first in line!
This was my first Rachel Hauck novel. This time slip novel was easy to follow as an audiobook. I would have loved it if the narrator had sung the song selections. There were enough characters to keep the story interesting without being overwhelming. The mystery of how the 2 time periods were linked gradually built. The ending was satisfying as Tenley began to trust God.
This book was so fun to read. Very creative plot, and I don’t want to give too much away. Just read the book description. But seriously, I felt like I was transported to their world. Great writing. The characters and their back and forth dialogue was my favorite thing. Definitely a must-read for historical romance fans.
What a wonderful book! I loved the way the author went back and forth between modern-day and the early 1900’s. The characters’ struggles were heartfelt, the outcomes were just exactly right.
Loved this book. Could not put it down. Enjoy!
Rachel Hauck does not disappoint. This is now my favorite book of hers and have already recommended it to my daughter and friends.
Well written with a very plausible story line.
Another great book by Rachel Hauck. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking of the characters and the “impossible” circumstances they were in – again, the way they got to the happy ending was creative and most satisfying. Life lessons learned and finding a growing faith in the midst. I always enjoy how the characters and the events in the past have influence and have impact on the present day. I don’t usually read books twice, but I am inclined to do that with The Writing Desk.