Book Review: The Writing Desk

How I wish you could trust current bestsellers to deliver fine reading that is wholesome! I've tossed aside several books recently because they veered into promiscuous or unnecessarily salacious territory. Even more depressing because I usually get 50 pages in before I realize it will be that kind of book. So, I sought Christian fiction (not my first choice because so often the message takes precedent over the story).

The Writing Desk, by Rachel Hauck, tells of a frustrated author, Tenley Roth, battling writer's block after her debut novel achieves tremendous success. Her fiance wants her to join him in Paris while he attends a screenwriter's conference, but she dutifully heads to Florida to walk her estranged mother through cancer treatments. Meanwhile, Birdie Shehorn's story unfolds in the Gilded Age. She is an heiress being forced into an arranged marriage. The two timelines eventually merge when Tenley, under pressure to produce, attempts to pass off Birdie's story as her own.

Of the two stories, Birdie's was far more absorbing. It was hard to muster sympathy for Tenley as she lounged endlessly in a ratty bathrobe and whined about everything. The religious bits seemed simply tagged on: a ditty that runs through one character's mind when trouble comes, a recognition of the faith of a parent or grandparent, an admonition to read the Bible to better understand life and its purpose. There is much within the story that speaks of the human condition (abandonment, infidelity, adultery, deceit, and pride), yet the antidote offered limps along as an addendum. It was as if the author wrote the book for a secular market then added bits to bump it into the Christian market. Hmm. The story was entertaining. The historical bits rang true. However, the redemption only moved me enough to give it two and a half thumbs up/stars.