The Writing Desk

The Writing Desk is the latest novel by Rachel Hauck. Tenley Roth has just won the Gordon Phipps Roth Award for Outstanding Debut Novelist. Tenley is the great-great-granddaughter of Gordon Phipps Roth for whom the award is named. She is supposed to be working on her second book, but Tenley is experiencing writers block (and many doubts about her abilities). Tenley’s debut book is a hit, but she wonders if it is for her writing prowess or her heritage (Conrad Roth, her father, was also a famous writer). Her boyfriend, Holt Armstrong is going to France for three months and wants Tenley to join him. But then Tenley gets a call from her estranged mother, Blanche Albright. Blanche is starting chemotherapy and needs someone to assist her. She is asking Tenley to come to Cocoa Beach. Tenley has been yearning for a connection with her mother and decides this might be the perfect opportunity especially since she is her last relative. In the library at Blanche’s house is the perfect desk for Tenley to work on her book. She can tell it has history and it speaks to her. In the early 1900s, Birdie Shehorn has just obtained her degree from Wellesley. She is hoping to spend more time on her writing. Unfortunately, Birdie’s mother is pushing for her to marry Alfonso Van Cliff (a notorious flirt). Birdie has no desire to be married off to someone she does not love, but her mother will not be thwarted. Will Birdie get her chance to write and marry for love? Can Tenley overcome her writing block? Pick up a copy of The Writing Desk to see how the story plays out. The Writing Desk is a well-written and engaging novel. The past and future are beautifully woven together for a lovely story. I was more interested in Birdie’s story than Tenley’s. Tenley is a difficult character to like. Her whining and complaining quickly got on my nerves. The Christian element is light but impactful. I am giving The Writing Desk 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I only told you a little bit about the story. There is also Jonas Sullivan and Elijah Percy. The story is told from the perspective of all four main characters (it does not get confusing). In this story, we can see that despite a hundred years difference, people undergo the same struggles (joys, doubts, uncertainties, love, grief). The Writing Desk is Christian, romance novel that can be enjoyed by readers from 13 to 103. It is an inspirational story with a feel-good ending (it has a great epilogue). I am never disappointed when I pick up a novel by Rachel Hauck.