Kept Me Reading From the First Page to the Last

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?

Available on Amazon and other retailers

Meet Rachel Hauck:
New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.

A RITA finalist and winner of Romantic Times Inspirational Novel of the Year, she writes vivid characters dealing with real life issues.

She loves to hear from readers. She also loves to encourage new writers and sits on the Executive Board of American Christian Fiction Writers.. 

A graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism, Rachel is an avid OSU football fan. She hopes to one day stand on the sidelines in the Shoe with Urban Meyer.

An avid Diet Coke fan, she is caffeine free. Sometimes you just have to compromise. 

She's never skied or jumped out of an airplane. She leaves such hijinks to Jason Bourne.

Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

www.rachelhauck.com

My Take:
Once I started this book and got drawn in, I couldn't put it down. I could relate to both of the main characters in the book on several levels, especially emotionally. Tenley seemed to have achieved success, but was struggling to find herself, to figure out her purpose in life, and where she fit in. Birdie seemed to know what she wanted in life, who she wanted to be, yet because of her circumstances struggled to be able to be that person. Birdie's mother was overbearing, Tenley's uncaring. Both of them were expected to perform based on other people's expectations.

I loved how their stores intertwine, the unexpected twists. The old desk intrigued me, the stuck drawer, the old house with a history all its own. Jonas was amazing, a true hero in my eyes, just the kind of guy you can't help but fall in love with no matter where you're from. And the robe, I just couldn't wrap my mind around that one, some of the pictures my brain came up with serious had me laughing or crying. Yep, Jonas is a guy you gotta love, if he can find a way to love that. :-)
And then about half way through, I was almost ready to give up hope for any kind of a happy ending to Birdie's situation. Seriously!!! I am not into books that don't at least end on an up note, when Rachel floors me with the unexpected! No spoilers here... You'll have to read it to see what happens.

I appreciated how Rachel incorporated faith in the mix, just enough, not too much, but she shared the gospel plain and clear. This story has a combination of so many elements- pain, heartache, fear, doubt, love, grace, hope, forgiveness. The single verse, that becomes a song, that only the One who wrote it can instill within the heart of those who have never heard it before.

As with various other books of Rachel's I own, the characters will live one, in my heart. And this one will be staying on my shelf with my favorites to be re-read in the future. I recommend it highly! It is worth the read. 

I was blessed with a free copy of this book by the author/publisher of this book. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.