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Monday, August 21, 2017

Blog Tour: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Zondervan
Date of publication: July 2017

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 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 have very mixed feelings about The Writing Desk.  In reality, it was like getting two books in one. One story I was really invested in and the other not so much.  The story is told dual timelines and through the eyes of four people.  I'm not sure that many perspectives worked for me.  Some of it seemed like filler and really didn't need to be there.    As I said, of the two story lines, I was really invested in and enjoyed Birdie's story the most.  I loved her perspective and her love story with Elijah. It was heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time.  I loved seeing her get justice in the end.

As for Tenley's story, I really didn't care for it.  I had a hard time liking her.  I felt uncomfortable with her growing  friendship with Jonas while she was engaged to another man.  No matter what Holt did to her, she in a way, did the same to him through her emotional investment in Jonas.  In the end, I just didn't like many of the choices she made or how her ending was too neatly tied up.  Her time with Blanche was just about the only thing I did like.  Their journey to forgiveness with each other was touching.

This is the second book I have read by this author.  I will probably try her out again.  This is a relatively clean romance and a pretty fast read.  Pick it up and give it a try.
About the author:


Rachel Hauck is the New York TimesWall 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.

Connect with Rachel

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Rachel Hauck’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, July 24th: A. Holland Reads
Wednesday, July 26th: Fiction Aficionado
Friday, July 28th: A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, August 1st: Broken Teepee
Wednesday, August 2nd: Just One More Chapter
Friday, August 4th: Cafinated Reads
Monday, August 7th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Friday, August 11th: By the Book
Monday, August 14th: Reviews from the Heart
Wednesday, August 16th: A Night’s Dream of Books
Thursday, August 17th: Just Commonly
Monday, August 21st: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, August 22nd: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Wednesday, August 23rd: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Thursday, August 24th: Reading is My SuperPower
Friday, August 25th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, August 28th: Steph the Bookworm

TBD: Books a la Mode – author guest post

2 comments:

Susan said...

My thoughts exactly! I was WAY more invested in Birdie's story than in Tenley's. Birdie's SO much more likable. Tenley's a spoiled, immature brat and I just didn't care much for her.

Great review!

Heather J @ TLC Book Tours said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour.