Thursday, January 11, 2018

The Writing Desk

GIVEAWAY
HAUCK, RACHEL
THE WRITING DESK

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 friend who has run out of inspiration?

With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighed 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.

My Review:

I finally understand what everyone has been raving about! I may be a late bloomer but I'm definitely on The Writing Desk's cheer team now! Especially cheering because this is a dual timeline story. Birdie with all the pressures of belonging to the upper class during the Gilded Age and Tenley with the pressures of living up to the expectations that come from belonging to a literary family. There are interesting parallels in these two heroine's stories though a century separates them. Difficult mother/daughter relationships and both chasing dreams as they find the courage to be true to themselves.

And then there are the men in their lives. Blissful sigh. Elijah in the historical timeline and Jonas in the contemporary one. Men of integrity and faith. Elijah determined to do the honorable thing for his family's estate despite his love for Birdie. Be still my heart. This star-crossed lovers story had me on tenterhooks!

I'm still having heart palpitations over steadfast, easy-going, steeped-in-faith Jonas. And I'm guilty of feeling like Tenley didn't deserve him in the beginning. But Jonas proved me wrong and humbled me in the process. Because he looks past the baggage and insecurities and sees Tenley as the beautiful daughter of God she is. Their witty dialogue still has me smiling. So much fun in the give and take between these two. But so much heartache too. And so much hope as Tenley finally begins to grasp the concept of grace and the hope it can bring to her future.

The Writing Desk is the kind of novel you want to savor and share and read over again just because it makes you feel alive and hopeful and inspired to live out your dreams the way Birdie and Tenley do.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Writing Desk, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 14 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.


48 comments:

  1. I love the cover and I love the title and I love Rachel's work. I would love to read this book. Thank you for sharing, Kav! mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. That's a lot of love, Melanie! lol Good luck.

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  2. Kav, you are not the only late bloomer to Rachel's books because I haven't read any of them either! And I've read rave reviews too, which in turn, make me want to see what all the fuss is about :-) There will always be more new-to-me authors than I could ever get to in my lifetime, lol!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. I've read three other books by Rachel but for months people having been waxing poetic about The Writing Desk and I finally know why. It's so hard to keep up, isn't it? Good luck, Trixi.

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  3. Hi Kav! I have wanted to read this book since I first saw the cover. With just having major surgery yesterday, buying a copy is out of the question.Thank you for the chance to .

    Blessings,
    Cindy W

    countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com

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    1. Praying for a swift recovery, Cindy. Good luck.

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  4. SQUEEEEE!!!!! KAV, I've been drooling over this one for a while! Thank you for the great review and the chance to win a copy!
    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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  5. YAY! I am so excited you finally read this book!
    You know you are a book buddies when you are as
    happy for a friend to read a book as you are when you read it yourself. Your review has me smiling, I so agree with every word!

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    1. I know -- you told me to read it a long time ago. I should have listened sooner. Bwahahaha!

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  6. Oh swoon! I like a well done dual time line story. lattebooksAThotmailDOTcom

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    1. And we have so many to choose from lately. Good luck, Susan.

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  7. I read it...loved it! I always read her books, however, on this one.....Tracey urged me on! lol
    Kav, your review is tops!

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    1. Tracey is the official town crier for The Writing Desk. lol

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    2. haha Kav, just sharing all the book deliciousness!

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  8. Cindy W......hope you are doing well after your surgery! Prayers!

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  9. oh wow this sounds fascinating. I love dual time stories that work together. this is a great post and your review is great.
    quilting dash lady at Comcast dot net

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    1. Thanks, Lori. I'm sure you'll love this dual timeline story. Good luck.

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  10. So excited to see you offering this one, Kav. Definitely on my to-read list (and the length of that is another story! Ha!) Please include me! :)

    ckbarker at gmail dot com

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    1. LOL -- but at least there's lots of anticipation in having a very long tbr list. Good luck, Cheryl.

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  11. I would love to read this one! Just finished her book, "The Wedding Dress" and loved it!

    kleehar[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. She has such interesting storylines! Incredible author. Good luck, Kristin.

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  12. I love her dual time line books. This is an enjoyable read. Good luck everyone.

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    1. Ohh...has she done more than one dual timeline??? I must check that out!

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    2. Yes, you must read the Wedding Dress, the Wedding Chapel, and the Wedding Shop

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  13. I have read a lot about this book, definitely a winner. Thanks for the chance to read it.
    cenya2 (at)hotmail (dot)

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  14. OH I'm even Later than you Kav! I MUST READ THIS! ;) Thank you for the opportunity to win!

    Many Blessings,
    Amada
    amdad_chavezATyahooDOTcom

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  15. I haven't read THE WRITING DESK yet although I've read so many praises for it. Why I don't know other than I just haven't had the chance. I do love stories with dual timelines. I didn't think I would at first but after being tempted once and then reading another, I found that I very much like them.

    You're wonderful review now has me longing to read THE WRITING DESK now more than ever. Thank you for awakening my desire to read this book and the chance to win a copy.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. I'm quite intrigued by dual timelines too, Kay. Good luck.

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  16. I really enjoy Rachel Hauck's dual timeline books but I haven't yet read The Writing Desk. Thanks for your review and the opportunity to win the book.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  17. This was one of those books I never got around to reading. It does sound wonderful!
    Dianna

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  18. I like Rachel’s books as well as the dual time line feature. Thanks for the giveaway! paulams49ATsbcglobalDOTnet

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    1. It's a winning combination. Good luck, Paula.

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  19. Rachel is a wonderful writer. Thank you. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet

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  20. Rachel is a wonderful writer. Thanks. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet (hope I didn't put this in twice)

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  21. Just wanted to chime in as another who had not yet read one of Rachel's full length books, having read only one novella in a collection. Well, after reading this book a few weeks ago, I now have another author on my must-read list. The further I read, the harder it was to put down, with some difficult life lessons and moral issues confronted. Don't enter me as just wanted to comment. Thanks!

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    1. Thanks for chiming in, CC. As you say, this book deals with some difficult life lessons and yet the author does it with such grace and hope. It boggles the mind!

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  22. Keep Hearing about her books
    Sounds really good
    Thanks for sharing and for the chance to win
    iamabho AT gmail DOT com

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  23. Late bloomer here too, as I have yet to read her books. Would love to get this one and find out more about Tinley and Birdie!

    LLWALTZ [at] gmail [dot] com

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  24. I'm getting to like these dual timeline books more and more! Thanks for sharing this book.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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    1. I know -- and there are more and more of them coming out! Good luck, rubynreba.

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