The Love Letter - by Rachel Hauck (Paperback)

"Remember me as Before. When my Deeds, if not my Words, proved my Heart." Actress Chloe Daschle has finally gotten the opportunity to live . . . . . on screen, that is. Up until now, her best roles have been ones where Chloe's characters have met their demise, but playing the part of Esther Longfellow in "Bound by Love" will give her the opportunity to erase that stereotype, once and for all, won't it? Writing a screenplay based on a curious love letter penned by his ancestor Hamilton Lightfoot, who fought in the Revolutionary War, Jesse Gates is optimistic that his future might in fact, heal his past. When he meets the leading lady, Chloe Daschle, at a mutual friend's wedding, his intuition goes into overdrive. All of a sudden, life is getting complicated again, for "Chloe was Esther in so many ways". "The House of Hobart. Warriors. Lovers. Followers of Christ." Perhaps there are many more love letters to be written.

Just finished this and was impressed as always with how Ms. Hauck weaves two time periods together and ties them up with a red bow to present them to you as a gift. My favorite character is Hamilton and the sacrifices he makes for love of country and the woman he loves. His greatest strength is when he learns to follow......I love that the love letter is preserved through the ages and is woven into both plots to make for an interesting read. I was more invested in the historical side, as I’m not a fan of Hollywood, but it worked. These characters all faced real struggles with feelings of inadequacy and learning to move on to the path God has planned. I needed tissues a few times over Hamilton and Esther’s story. Another home run for this author. I won a copy of this book and was blessed. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

I’ve read most of Rachel Hauck’s books and she never fails to amaze me. Every time I pick up her book, I come away astounded. The same is true of her newest offering. The Love Letter is beautifully written with an intricately detailed dual timeline plot that fits together like a puzzle. The characters are relatable, human, oh-so-flawed with painful pasts and incredibly lovable. If you love dual timeline romance, this book is definitely for you! Rachel Hauck has the ability to write emotionally-charged, heady romantic stuff without saccharin and with plenty of life-altering, soul-hurting events in her characters’ lives. As in most of her dual timeline novels, there is intrigue (as the delicious storyline slowly reveals itself), plenty of romance and angst, and gasp-inducing plot line twists. Chloe, our contemporary heroine, is a unique actress who is down-to-earth, sweet, kind, and thoughtful though she is born and bred in Hollywood. Her quest to find true love lands her at rock bottom and she meets Jesus there. Jesse, our contemporary hero, is a brilliant techie turned actor/screenwriter who is still battling his demons from the past and hides out in Hollywood. He is gentle, loving, and so tender-hearted but can’t let go of his past. Jesse’s first screenplay about his ancestor Hamilton and his first love Esther gets made into a movie and brings Jesse and Chloe together. Hamilton and Esther, the historical hero and heroine, get their own story through the screenplay as well as flashbacks. The lessons of faith that all four main characters learn throughout the book are applicable to all of us. Chloe’s faith is admirable and she finally learns to have freedom from fear. Hamilton and Esther’s faith that propels them to “come and follow Me” even when it means leaving everything they hold dear is a calling for all of us who believe. I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.