Clean, Christian Family Secrets Novel Compelling ... Enough

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble) 

Despite the raging success of her debut novel, 29-year-old Tenley Roth finds herself paralyzed with fear.  Fear that she's a one-hit wonder who can't produce a second book.  Fear that her first has only gained notoriety because of her notable literary pedigree.  Fear that she's just not good enough to deserve anyone's attention.  She knows a lot of her insecurity comes from being abandoned by her mother as a young child.  So, when Blanche Albright begs Tenley to nurse her through a summer of chemotherapy treatments, Tenley can't say no.  The novelist hopes spending a few months in sunny Florida will help her break through a crippling bout of writer's block while allowing her to make peace with her sick, estranged mother.  

Between playing nursemaid and trying to write something—anything—to satisfy a looming deadline from her publisher, Tenley can't afford any distractions.  Especially one as appealing as handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan.  Then, there's Blanche's dusty writing desk, a piece full of old mysteries and tantalizing whispers from the past.

Just as Tenley suspects, the antique does hide a remarkable story.  One that begins with a beautiful young heiress trapped in a gilded cage, frantic for freedom and longing for love.  Desperate to change the world through the stories she pens in secret, Birdie Shehorn will do anything, risk everything, to achieve her dream of becoming a published writer.  

Witness to it all, the writing desk has kept Birdie's secrets for more than a century.  What will happen when they're finally set free?  For Tenley, it will change everything ...

I'm always up for a juicy family secrets novel told in a dual-timeline format.  Naturally, then, my interest was piqued by the premise of The Writing Desk, the newest offering from romance writer Rachel Hauck.  It sounded like a right-up-my-alley read, especially with its clean, Christian bent.  As I often find with past/present plot lines, the former captured me much more than the latter.  Birdie is a million times more sympathetic and likable than Tenley, who comes off as a spoiled, self-centered brat.  Birdie's story has more meat to it, which made it the more compelling tale for me.  While I never did warm to Tenley, I did end up enjoying The Writing Desk overall.  It's not overly original or spectacularly well-written, but it is engrossing.  It kept my attention for 400+ pages and that's no small feat.  I appreciate that it's clean, uplifting, and engaging enough.  Will I pick up another book by Hauck?  Probably not.  Still, I'm not sorry I read this one.  

(Readalikes: Although this novel reminded me of plenty others I've read, a specific title is not coming to mind.  Help?)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for very mild sexual innuendo/content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of The Writing Desk from the generous folks at Zondervan (an imprint of HarperCollins) via those at TLC Book Tours. Thank you!

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For more opinions on The Writing Desk, follow the book's blog tour:

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

Wednesday, August 9th: The Overweight Bookshelf

Friday, August 11th: By the Book

Monday, August 14th: Reviews from the Heart

Tuesday, August 15th: Books a la Mode – author guest post

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