I’ve been trying to find the time to share a book review with you ever since the beginning of summer; the book is Rachel Hauck’s The Memory House. Finally; I am so glad to be able to do this today!
My best recommendation: READ THE BOOK!
It is great.
MAKING TIME FOR READING
I know your first question for me is: How do I have time to read books when I’m so busy blogging all the time?
Right?
That is a very good question; but it has been my experience that people who love to read are always going to find a way.
Somehow or another I seem to squeeze in the reading of a few new books every month. I never stick to the same subjects; I mix them up and include both fiction and non-fiction, Christian and secular.
I just love to read; and I also love sharing what I’ve read here on the blog.
When it comes to the authors, no matter their style of writing or genre, I’ll admit that I do have my favorites.
Rachel Hauck is on the top of my “fictional escapes” reading list.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS
Her novels can take me away quicker than Calgon. You have to be as old as I am to understand what that statement really means though.
Let’s just say; I’m picky about my fiction.
I like for it to feel real to me; and most of the time I prefer deep fiction; something based on history or world events. I often shy away from romances altogether, and light, easy reads don’t usually intrigue me very much; but Rachel Hauck’s novels are different and (so far) they are my one exception.
GREAT CHARACTERS
I absolutely love her character development. Most of her stories have some hint of history hiding in the background, though it is all vague enough for you to wonder if it is actually real or simply made up for the story.
I’ve read enough of her books now to understand how her stories usually flow; but STILL they intrigue me.
BOOKS TO MOVIES
Rachel is good enough to write for Hallmark’s movies (with help of a production company that picked up her book and scripted it) and I’m very glad they did; but I’ll have to admit I’ve loved reading her books much more than I’ve enjoyed seeing them coming to be movies. Both things are good; mind you – but I’ve always considered the books by themselves to be more excellent than the movies.
That last statement may be about to change as rumor has it (straight from Rachel’s own blog) that a Canadian production company is considering putting The Wedding Dress into a movie.
Seeing that one is on my bucket list for sure. The Wedding Dress has always been one of my favorites of Rachel Hauck’s novels and it is icing on the cake that a lot of the history takes place in Birmingham, Alabama.
TOURING THE MEMORY HOUSE
So; my Rachel Hauck adventure for this summer involved reading her novel called The Memory House.
It did not disappoint!
I get the same feeling from every book that Rachel Hauck writes; and how I hated turning that last page and reading that last paragraph from The Memory House. I knew I would have to accept the fact that Beck Holiday and Everliegh Applegate were NOT real people, and there probably would not be any more of their stories highlighting my days.
Sigh.
It was so much fun while it lasted!
A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLOT
This time the main character (Beck Holiday) is a police officer from New York City, who is very passionate about her career; but she has an odd reason to be sidetracked. She has become pregnant out-of-wedlock by a one-night-stand with a close friend and co-worker. They both had been drinking and celebrating a large career victory and too much celebrating had led them down a wrong path.
Here is where the story gets real.
The minute they both become sober again; so does the outcome of the rest of their lives.
Nothing would ever be the same.
The close friend, who is the father of Beck Holiday’s baby, also happens to be very happily married to a woman who is no less than a saint. He is very much in love with her and regrets the complications he has caused in their marriage. At least he has a conscious and it got the best of him as he wound up telling his wife the truth and asking for forgiveness. He has nothing to offer Beck that will be helpful in the future.
TRIALS AND SILVER LININGS
A whole trail of unexpected events began to happen to this woman who found herself in a very bad set of circumstances.
For a little while she cops out (excuse the play on words) by ignoring the whole situation.
Then; unexpectedly and out of the blue, she is willed a mysterious house from an old friend with whom she had not spoken or seen in years; someone whom she had practically forgotten.
That last line is actually an understatement – as it turns out our main character actually suffers from selective amnesia that dates all the way back to her childhood and her father’s untimely death. He had been a victim of 9/11 and had died a hero in the line of duty.
RECOVERED MEMORIES
His death had made Beck a victim too – as she suffered so much grief that she could not remember her father at all.
To make the mix of life events even more complicated; an old childhood friend that Beck does not even remember reappears in her life as she is trying to decide what to do about her pregnancy and whether or not to keep this old beloved place which is lovingly called “The Memory House.”
SWITCH AND BAIT
Like many of Rachel Hauck’s books; there is a person from the past whose life relates to the meaning of the story, and the author ping-pongs back and forth between these two main characters until their stories crash together and that collision brings answers to both parties in very strange and unexpected ways.
After reading the words of my review so far, I have to emphasize to the reader that my words cannot even begin to do justice to the mysterious unfolding of this story.
It all sounds typical as it is told back, and maybe even like any other romance novel; but it isn’t.
NOT YOUR TYPICAL ROMANCE NOVEL
In the usual Rachel Hauck style; this author weaves a tale that leaves you shaking your head and saying “Oh! How amazing” at the end of the book.
Don’t take my word for it though; pick up a copy and read it for yourself. You will love the history of the setting and the characters will stay in your heart long after you finish the book.
The reading will be a great escape from a world full of bad endings at every turn and too much real-life technology and stress.
UPLIFTING AND HOPEFUL BUT REAL
Though this book is absolutely full of people with real-life, hard situations; it will still lift your heart and fill your spirit with hope.
For many of us this book is just what the doctor ordered for good and relaxing reading, and the only thing that could make it better is to be reading it on a vacation in the mountains; which is exactly how I came to be involved in this whole conversation and precisely how I was able to write the book review I’m giving to you today.
If you loved The Writing Desk and The Wedding Dress as much as I did; you will soon be adding The Memory House to that list of Rachel Hauck favorites.
Happy reading!
Find your own personal copy of this book below. There are four versions for sale; audio, paperback, Kindle and hardback. We’ve provided all four choices for you.