Rachel Hauck is one of the best at writing time-slip (split time, dual timeline) romances. I love how the two stories end up intertwining ... especially in this case, when it was something I didn't expect!
Embracing the future means remembering the past . . .
When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that, either.
Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.
Fifty years separate the women, but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.
Genre: Christian Romance (Split Time)
Release Date: April 2, 2019
The Memory House tells the stories of two women separated by several decades: Everleigh, whose life was decimated after a tornado ripped through her town, and Beck, an NYC cop still dealing with the effects of 9/11 seventeen years later.
Almost always in a time-slip novel, I find myself drawn to one story over the other. But in this case, I loved both stories. I also appreciated that I didn't have to guess whether Everleigh would find her happy ending—that little tidbit is revealed near the beginning of Beck's story. As someone who still sometimes flips to the end of a novel to assure herself that the ending will be worth the time spent reading, I was glad to know at least the basic outcome of Everleigh's story early on. (Hauck did surprise me with a few twists along the way, though!)
With the knowledge that I could enjoy Everleigh's story knowing it would turn out well, I really dove into Beck's pages. At the beginning of the book, Beck is lost—suspended from the NYPD, hiding a secret that could ruin lives, and completely unable to remember anything about her father. Then she learns she's inherited Everleigh's house in Florida ... but Everleigh is from the time in Beck's life that she can't remember. When Beck arrives in Florida, her life begins to change as she connects with childhood friend Bruno, comes to grips with her actions and their consequences, finds faith, and finally begins to remember.
Though some of the circumstances in the novel are not commonplace (amnesia, NFL draft, other things I can't mention without spoilers), every bit of this novel rings true. At its core, it's about forgiveness, love, and embracing the life God has given you—things to which we can all relate. 5 stars.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Hauck's Royal Wedding novels Once Upon a Prince (5 stars), Princess Ever After (5 stars), and How to Catch a Prince (5 stars); the Royal Wedding novellas A March Bride (4 stars) and A Royal Christmas Wedding (5 stars); The Wedding Dress (4-1/2 stars); The Wedding Chapel (5 stars); The Wedding Shop (5 stars), and The Love Letter (4 stars).
Follow the blog tour:
Back Porch Reads , April 22
The Avid Reader, April 22
Wishful Endings, April 22
All-of-a-kind Mom, April 23
The Power of Words, April 23
Andrea Christenson, April 23
Worthy2Read, April 23
Carla Loves to Read, April 24
Blogging With Carol, April 24
Spoken from the Heart, April 24
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 24
C Jane Read, April 25
Reader’s Cozy Corner, April 25
Lis Loves Reading, April 25
For Him and My Family, April 25
CAFFEINATED CHRISTIAN RAVES-N-REVIEWS, April 26
Literary Reflections Book Blog, April 26
Jeanette’s thoughts, April 26
Carpe Diem, April 26
Mary Hake, April 27
EmpowerMoms, April 27
My Devotional Thoughts, April 27
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, April 27
Bigreadersite, April 28
Inklings and notions, April 28
Pause for Tales, April 28
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, April 28
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 29
Rachel’s Back Talk, April 29
For The Love of Books, April 29
Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, April 30
Quiet Quilter, April 30
Just the Write Escape, April 30
Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 1
Godly Book Reviews, May 1
Lights in a Dark World, May 1
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1
Stories By Gina, May 2
Texas Book-aholic, May 2
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 2
Older & Smarter?, May 3
janicesbookreviews, May 3
Living Life Free in christ, May 3
The Becca Files, May 4
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, May 4
A Reader’s Brain, May 4
Inspired by fiction, May 5
Moments, May 5
To Everything A Season, May 5
Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Giveaway
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e2aa/the-memory-house-celebration-tour-giveaway
Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at RachelHauck.com; Facebook: RachelHauck; Twitter: @RachelHauck; Instagram: @rachelhauck
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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