3.5 stars for this latest from Rachel Hauck. This was an interesting tale of seemingly random people selected/invited to a "story society" and no one knows why. This book is about their stories, their secrets and their healing. It's a book about the power of friendship as well. Though this is Christian fiction, I was at 65% before any subtle hinting at Christianity was mentioned and 80% before it became fully part of the story. Once it came in, the story had a very strong faith thread, but it took a bit to get there. Because of the nature of the story, this was a very character-driven book. As a plot-driven story lover, this made this book a bit more tedious for me, but the writing style still drew me in and the characters were ones I wanted to know better and learn their secrets. Once they got to the healing part in the latter part of the book, I couldn't get enough. Though the ending was completely predictable, it still brought tears to my eyes. While this was definitely not my favorite of this author's, it won't keep me from continuing to read her books and fans of character-driven books will really enjoy this one.

Special thanks to NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society is an example of how books with a strong first chapter have the ability to reel you in, hook, line, and sinker. I was immediately interested/intrigued by the main character, Jett, and his experience, but as the story developed into that of five different characters, I was completely invested.

Everything was written in third person so there wasn't a bunch of head-hopping, but I still got the flavor of each one's personality and their individual story/backstory as their threads wove together to the story's end. As is expected with inspirational fiction, there is a religious/Christian spin toward the end that is more blatant than my personal preference, but it wasn't overly preachy, which I appreciate.

Overall, I thought the premise of the book unique and the themes were both personal and relevant. Coupled with solid writing, these elements made TFASS a solid win in my book.

Rachel Hauck writes great dual time novels which I have loved, but The Fifth Avenue Story Society has become my favorite book she has authored. It tells the story of five New Yorkers receiving messages from an unknown source to meet at an old library. They meet and continue to weekly and start to become friends. The reader learns of each member’s life and are taken into tales of forgiveness, love and hope. This is Rachel Hauck’s best work to date. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society
Rachel Hauck has hit it out of the park with this tale of five very different characters who come together under mysterious means to form the Fifth Avenue Story Society. In it, everybody has a story but the question is, how do they relate?
This book is complex, fascinating and unpredictable. I loved getting to know each character and trying to guess the reason they would have been invited to join the society. Overarching the story was the supernatural element of the hand of God arranging their lives or ‘kismet’ as one the characters believed. It is a mystery but also a story about love and courage and finding them both. And the fact that it involved a library, books and an author made it even more compelling.
As I was reading I kept hearing myself say ‘I love this story, ‘I love this story’. I already know this will be one of my favorite reads of the year.
I received a complimentary copy from the NetGalley but the opinions and review are entirely my own.

Wonderful book. The characters came to life. I would recommend this author . Thank you for providing an ARC.

Five people, with only tenuous connections at most, receive mysterious invitations to a Story Society meeting in a special room at the Fifth Avenue Library. As they struggle to find out what or who could have brought them together, they begin to form relationships and find themselves looking forward to and depending on this strange group more and more. Could they have been brought together to simply share their stories, or will they find a bigger purpose within the sharing?

This was my favorite Rachel Hauck book in awhile; I'm almost glad I didn't realize it was connected to The Writing Desk, because I didn't love that one. However, this one was filled with such an amazing cast of characters, all of whom had compelling stories to tell, that I had a hard time letting go of them with the last page. I found myself equally drawn into almost all of their points of view, and I was eager to see their secrets revealed and their wounds from their pasts healed.

I give this book 4.5 stars; I still don't love the Gordon Phipps Roth storyline that carried over from The Writing Desk, but it was important to Jett's storyline. Otherwise, I loved the interplay between the characters, and the tough choices they had to make with revealing the truths in their lives.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives readers everything you’d expect from a Rachel Hauck novel. While not adrenaline-pumping suspense, the story has plenty of intrigue. The author brings several characters to life as they each receive a mysterious invitation to join the Fifth Avenue Story Society.

Jett Wilder carries the burden of his brother’s death and his recent divorce into the Society. Lexa Wilder, Jett’s ex, doesn’t know how to cope with a demanding job and lingering feelings from the divorce. Chuck Mays is rough around the edges and just wants to see his kids. Coral Winthrop brings a broken engagement under mysterious circumstances to the table. Ed Marshall wants to write a love story to tell the world about his late wife. The group decides to continue meeting even though they have no idea how they were brought together.

This story brings out all of the emotion and drama a reader can handle. I enjoyed these characters and their complex problems. I enjoy a large cast of characters told from multiple viewpoints, and not all authors could make this work. But the way the members of the Society interact is heart-warming. Rachel Hauck peels back the layers of the characters as they come to grip with their own inner demons while relying on the help of a group of strangers.

If you are looking for a heart-warming and inspiring read with complex characters and a story line that will linger long after you put down the book, look no further than The Fifth Avenue Story Society.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Rachel Hauck is the only author who consistently has a way of capturing me from page 1 and not letting me go until the last page is read. This story was everything. An eclectic group of people has mysteriously received invitations to meet at a not often used library but no one can figure out who has invited them or why they are there. Yet for their own reasons, they each find themselves showing back up, week after week.

I have a little "get to know me" frame on my desk at work and under favorite book, I have The Writing Desk. As I was reading this story, I was becoming bummed that it felt a little "rewritten" in that Rachel Hauck had already done an ENTIRE story on a ghost written book, why did she have to bring that kind of thing in again? Holy Moly, it was the other half of the story! Half way through, I dug into The Writing Desk, confirmed the names, and realized this part was just a continuation. I was overjoyed!

Each and every one of the characters felt like someone I knew, and I rooted so hard for them. Thank you Rachel Hauck, for being such an amazing author. Your books fill a hole that I wasn't even aware was there.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3104975825

The beginning of this novel asks that readers suspend disbelief.  Why were these five characters mysteriously invited to attend a society whose mission was not known?  The author implies that something higher than the fictional Gilda brought them together.  After all, this is a book that is published by a Christian publisher.


So...the five are the heir to a cosmetic company, a widower grieving for his wife, a divorced man wanting to see his children, an executive assistant who would feels qualified to be a CEO, and her former husband, an academic who is contemplating a difficult career decision.  The story of each of these characters, Coral, Ed, Chuck, Lexa and Jett is told in a way that keeps readers turning the pages.  There are romance, secrets revealed and healed, and deep friendships formed over the course of the novel.


SPOILER:  One of these characters makes a major life decision based on beling called to become an active Christian.  I won't tell you who but in the context of the story, this felt slightly forced to me.  Otherwise, I found this novel to be an enjoyable, easy read .


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a chapter or so to really dig deep into this one, but once I did, I really enjoyed the story. The lives of five individuals were changed when they received their invitations to the Fifth Avenue Story Society. Each one came with a different perspective and problem they were dealing with and each one finished the story with a new ending to their lives. A poignant, well-told novel you won’t want to miss by Rachel Hauck.

'It's odd how some things have to be broken before their value and worth can be discovered.'

New York. Five strangers receive a mysterious, anonymous invitation to a meeting of The Fifth Avenue Story Society. Each are familiar with the library, but have never heard of the Society. Not one of them knows where the invitation came from, either. But all five show up. And they keep coming back week after week. Chuck, Jett, Lexa, Coral and Ed all have deep hurts in their lives and none want to share their secrets with strangers. And yet they find that they really care about each other and soon they are not strangers anymore. They really do have stories, each of them, stories waiting to be told and what blooms from each meeting of The Fifth Avenue Story Society is incredibly touching and inspiring. And deeply satisfying.

Rachel Hauck has once again crafted a story that will move her readers' hearts. That shouldn't surprise me and yet we are moved anew each offering from her. Her ability to delve into her characters' hearts is amazing and she definitely hits another home room with this one. And her trademark touch of the Divine in each book just warms my heart. Well done!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweet, endearing srory about 5 strangers brought together by an invitation received out of the blue for reasons unknown, to the Fifth Avenue Story Society. This turns out to be a place where strangers become friends and I loved getting to know them all. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this delightful book.

THE FIFTH AVENUE STORY SOCIETY is my new favourite novel by RACHEL HAUCK. It is an honest, real, story of broken lives and the importance of dealing truthfully with the past.
Five people are invited to a meeting of the Fifth Avenue Story Society. This gradually leads to close friendships where they, hesitantly at first, tell the truth about their life stories. None of them know where the invitation has come from, but we get the feeling that the mysterious Gilda has been sent by God to help them unravel their lives. I love the way these very dissimilar people form such a close bond and help one another along life's road.
The message is one of encouragement and second chances and of really allowing the truth to set you free.i
It is a lovely book and one that I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

With five seemingly random characters drawn from across the city, this novel covers various income brackets and lifestyles as they come together to form a cohesive group. There' s a bit of mystery woven into the novel, but mostly it's about taking life as it comes and continuing to write your own story...

Rachel Hauck is a wonderful writer who really dives into the emotionl realm of her characters, who in turn cause a reaction in her readers. I loved her story The Writing Desk, so I couldn't wait to read The Fifth Avenue Story Society. What starts out as a story with five complete strangers morphs into something pretty amazing by the end of the story. I really liked how Hauck reminds the reader that our story isn't complete. We may be in the middle of the biggest disaster in our lives, but the story can change. Include God and the story will be even better. I liked seeing these five people come to know each other better and even start using the skills of the other players to help them come out of their depression. This was a wonderful story, and I can't wait to purchase it and place it with my other Keeper Hauck novels. I think fans of Hauck's other novels and James Rubart novels might enjoy this novel. I really am looking forward to what God leads Hauck to create next.


I recieved a complimentary copy of The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.