The Fifth Avenue Story Society: A Heartwarming Novel of Found Family and the Healing Power of Stories, (Paperback)

A college professor who suffers guilt about the death of his brother. The professor's ex-wife. A grieving widower longing for the perfect love story. An heiress in danger of losing her cosmetic company. A divorced father who yearns to be a part of his children's life. These five people are invited to join a story society and their lives will never be the same because their hearts and souls are about to be stripped bare. As they continue to meet weekly, we learn their secrets, we see how they all have been in denial about their lives, and we witness the seeds of friendship being planted and nurtured. Author Rachel Hauck has created some fascinating characters and as I read about their failures, their hurts, and their secret lives, I was reminded that pretending is a common trait. If we humans can't have perfection in reality, we may seek it in our fantasies. These five individuals who attended the first meeting of the Fifth Avenue Story Society in August had no way of knowing that by the next March they would have experienced 'Hope...second chances....living through the storms of life' and that faith, forgiveness, and redemption would be theirs to claim. Honesty would set them free because, as one character observed, "Funny thing about the truth; it opened as many doors as it closed." This is an inspiring and heartwarming story and I found myself completely immersed in learning more about The Fifth Avenue Story Society. I received a copy from the author and publisher but I wasn't required to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

Fantastic book!!! Thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck is a captivating story of five broken individuals who are brought together by an invitation from an unknown sender. I was quickly caught up in each of their lives. The author did a great job portraying the emotions and reactions of the diverse characters. Characters who ranged from Uber driver to the wealthy owner of a cosmetic company, from a divorcee to a widower, and a writer, each with a past that was affecting their present. Would this weekly meeting bring them to friendship and a level of trust that would bring healing and resolution to their wounds? I like how the author connected their lives and made what seemed impossible, plausible. And in the end, there was hope and second chances--the opportunity to start over and put the past behind. I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required, and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society, by Rachel Hauck, is a thoroughly engaging novel of loss, friendship, truth, and second chances. Moving effortlessly among multiple storylines, this book explores the histories, secrets, and motivations of a group of people who choose to pursue unlikely friendships with one another. Though they have all had their lives altered by heartache, they press on despite fears and uncertainties as they help each other find the courage to heal and to live their lives with boldness, authenticity, and gratitude.  The characters in this novel are truly interesting and deeply sympathetic. Their choices and struggles are believable and moving. Their motivations, desires, insecurities, mistakes, and actions are well-developed and resonate with vulnerability, veracity, and emotion. As they contemplate their choices and persevere through the consequences that follow, they grow in wisdom and confidence. Their faith is also strengthened as they learn to trust in grace, forgiveness, and redemptive love. It is immensely satisfying to engage with characters who bravely pursue wholeness in the aftermath of trauma, grief, and disappointment, giving space for their hardships to grow in them a generosity, a wisdom, and a faith that inspires others. It is refreshing to read a novel that so creatively explores the power of friendship to nurture hope and healing. The themes of acceptance, belonging, and honesty resonate on every page of this book making it sincerely thought-provoking and utterly touching. As it explores rejection, assumption, and wounded hearts, this novel gently and creatively offers opportunities for healing and restoration through compassion, forgiveness, and humility. Beyond mere entertainment, this story is very compelling as it examines the value of meaningful relationships and the powerful impact that is realized when lives are lived with authenticity and vulnerability. Ms. Hauck has skillfully crafted a story that is emotionally impactful and uplifting. The Fifth Avenue Story Society is a remarkable novel that is beautifully written, memorable, and relevant. It is a pleasure to recommend it eagerly to all readers. I was given a copy of this book by the publishers and Celebrate Lit. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

Let me preface this with the fact that I am a HUGE fan of Rachel Hauck. The Wedding Dress is one of the most well written (in my opinion) books I've ever read. The previous statement was SO TRUE for me that it could have been written on my tombstone....until I read The Fifth Avenue Story Society. As with The Wedding Dress, I feel this book will appeal to a large audience spreading far beyond Christian Fiction only readers. I can't wait to pass this one along to my friends and family members. What would you do If you were invited to a library by someone you didn't know for a reason you weren't sure about.....what would you do?! Find out what happens when random group of "unrelated" people get that very invitation. It is a brilliant journey that Rachel Hauck takes readers on - and I, for one, and beyond thankful for the trip. *I was offered an advanced unedited copy from NetGalley for an honest review. The above is my honest review. I love it so much that I bought a copy on release day!!!

"If we love when it's easy, it's of no credit to us. Anyone can love when it's easy. But if we love when it's hard, then we are all the better. We gain what we cannot see." The Fifth Avenue Story Society is another beautifully written book by Rachel Hauck that will thrill her followers and garner new fans. The author does something a bit different in this book - the timeline stays in the present (so don't expect split timeline plot) but she melds five different characters and their heartaches into a vividly orchestrated story of secrets, grief, forgiveness, and redemption. The plot is definitely character driven and there is this delicious slow build up of suspense as each person's secret is revealed within the story society that the five characters are invited to. The author is known for her lyrical writing, weaving the supernatural into the plot line, and emotional depth in her characters and this book shines in these areas. The five characters - Jett, Lexa, Chuck, Coral, and Ed - are unique individuals living in NYC who have fascinating lives filled with pain, past heartaches, and secrets. Some of their secrets will surprise you and some will awe you. Week after week, they meet together as the "story society" without fully realizing who invited them and what their purpose is. The mingling of their lives, though completely random at first, brings fuller and more abundant lives. Though Jett and Lexa are the centerpiece of the fivesome, I really liked Coral and how grounded she is in the midst of a professional and personal crisis. And I liked Chuck, the underdog, who tries so hard to overcome his rage and lack of self-control to find his way back into his children's lives. Once you open this book, you will become deeply emotionally invested in the characters' welfare; so beware! You won't be able to put the book down. I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

A book written by Rachel Hauck is something to treasure. The Fifth Avenue Story Society has so many wonderful aspects. First, it is heavy. As in, there are a lot of pages in which to get lost. Secondly, the cover just draws you in. You could spend plenty of time imagining the stories, simply found on the front cover. Then, the title. You wonder, with the characters, just what is The Fifth Avenue Story Society? The library-oh, how I would love to walk in and absorb that atmosphere! And the story, with its five characters, whose lives become more complexly intertwined as the story unfolds. Hauck writes this story with brilliance, with so many layers to be discovered. References to previous novels gave this one special meaning and depth. And as this reader has come to love about Hauck's books, there is a touch of the miraculous in this one, as well. This is a stand-alone novel, which any reader can pick up and enjoy, but fans of Hauck's previous books will especially love this one. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, through Celebrate Lit, for review purposes. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

The author has written a very emotional book that pulls the layers back from five characters. Each one has something that is holding them back from being content. I loved when they all got together in the group and wondered who brought them together and why. That is the beauty of this story where each character gets a staring role to let readers look deep inside and feel their emptiness. From the depths of emotion the author gathers five people from different backgrounds and places them in a room where lives will be changed. Each person in the story is mesmerizing and yet holds deep secrets. I couldn't put the book down as I began to know each character. I was filled with hope as the story began to chip away from their heart that had been hurt. The author has written a story that I will not forget. These five people meet in a room and as they grow closer each week we get to experience loss, unspoken love, rejection, fear and most of all God's love. I think my favorite character was Ed. His story was heartbreaking yet taught me about loving the unloved. He is a true example of loving someone unconditionally. As he begins to share his story, I could feel him being set free. Throughout the story the author shows how hard it is for a person to ask for help. They each want to hold back and pretend everything is fine. Within that room, many tears are shed and healing begins. I think we could all use a group like the one in the story. Guilt consumes some of the characters and I really liked how the author reminds us that “the truth will set you free.” I won't spoil the book because each character brings a story that could be our own story. It made me look at my life differently. All the lies that the enemy has whispered to me over the years that I was never wanted was a lie. I was always wanted by my Heavenly Father. “Doesn't make you less strong to need and accept help.” I received an arc copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

If there's one thing I've learned over 25 or so years of reading fiction, it's that everyone has a story to tell. Some are a little more, or even a lot more, exciting than others but they are all real, living, breathing stories and each is important in its own way. I like to think that might have been what author Rachel Hauck was getting at when she penned The Fifth Avenue Story Society and introduced her five mismatched characters to the world. Like every real person they have made mistakes both big and small, they have secrets buried in their hearts, baggage from the past that is hard to let go, and fear. Fear of the future with all of its possibility for triumph and tragedy because of the pain of the past. I've not read a lot of Rachel Hauck's stories but The Fifth Avenue Story Society seemed a little different, I think partly in style, than her other books. It's not a bad different, more of an interesting different. There's a little romance, quite a bit of personal drama, and even a little touch of mystery. Some of the things that I really liked about the story would be: the wide age range of the Story Society members, late 20s to 70s, the different economic situations of the characters, from an Uber driver to the owner of a multi-million dollar company, the careful layering of the characters' intersecting lives as the story progresses, and the requisite true HEA ending. One thing I have to mention is that if alcohol consumption bothers you, there is quite a bit of it in this book with more social drinking than in the average Christian novel. There are 5 main characters, though, all living in New York City, so... This book is aimed more at adults as sex is referred to several times, the marriage problems themes, etc., so, not a book I would give to a tween or young teen. Anyway, The Fifth Avenue Story Society was an interesting read, I enjoyed the premise of people sharing their stories in order to heal from the past and look forward to the future. Rachel Hauck has a cast of characters that are different, fun, and will leave you thinking about them even after you've finished the book. The question is, will we get to visit the Fifth Avenue Literary Society Library again....? (I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

The Fifth Avenue Story Society is yet another great novel written by Rachel Hauck. I enjoyed the relatable and true to life characters. Readers are introduced to Ed, Coral, Jett, Lexa, and Chuck, who are all going through their issues in life and are mysteriously brought together by an invitation to The Fifth Avenue Story Society in New York. It was interesting getting to know every one of them and seeing how they would add to the story. This reminds me of something you would see on screen. It is such an inspiring and heartwarming tale. I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next and where each character would end up. This is one of those stories where I could not have predicted. I am giving The Fifth Avenue Story Society four and a half stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy a beautifully well written and clean story. I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.