Review: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Tenley Roth’s first book was a literary and commercial success. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who merely found a bit of luck?

 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.

 Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Yet her life is not her own. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams of her own.

She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has literally destroyed her dreams, 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. Yet when Tenley discovers Birdie’s manuscript, their lives intersect. Birdie’s words help Tenley find a way home. Tenley brings Birdie’s writing to the world.

 Can two women separated by time help fulfill each other’s destiny?

Hardcover, 352 pages 

Published July 10th 2017 by Zondervan

*****

I was first introduced to Rachel Hauck with her book The Wedding Dress, which I really enjoyed. 

Reading books about anything bookish whether it is writer's, readers, bookshop owners, you name it and you've got my attention.   

The Writing Desk is a dual narrative about writers and writer's block (amongest other things as well). In present day we have Tenley Roth with a serious case of writer's block, the fact that she is on a tight deadline isn't helping her find her mojo. Thinking this new found desk (along with a red robe and slippers) will help her, she ultimately gets more than she bargained for. 

Birdie Shehorn is a writer who does not suffer from writers block but she is born during a time when a women's first priority is to do what their parents and then husband says, to marry for social status and financial gain, forget about love. 

I will just be blunt here and say that I loved this book.  Both time periods were equally entertaining and intriguing.   It was not predictable and left me guessing right to the end.  The characters were developed with depth, they were flawed and authentic, where one relies on her faith to get her through situations that appear hopeless the other discovers what it means to cast your cares on Him. For Christian fiction it wasn't overly preachy but contained the right balance that I love.

The Writing Desk is a wonderful story of forgiveness, love, endurance and discovering where to place your faith. With a unique plot that was written with humor and feeling, definitely one I highly recommend.

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Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist.

Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower.

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