Book Review: The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck
I feel like I need to open today with a disclaimer. I am a bit of a Rachel Hauck fangirl. In my opinion she has never written a book that wasn’t excellent. Since most of them hit the bestseller lists, I know I’m not alone in my adoration of her stories!
Rachel’s latest book, The Love Letter, starts with a beautiful cover. For real, if I could insert emojis here, I would have to use all the heart eyes! Sometimes, simple and stunning is the best way to go. This cover is the best introduction for an amazing story.
I love historical fiction, but, honestly, The Revolutionary War is not my favorite time period. But in The Love Letter the time period really shines! It doesn’t hurt that much of it takes place in South Carolina, where I live. I had no idea there was such a place as Ninety Six, but I am now dying to visit there. Road trip, anyone?
I’m getting ahead of myself. Like many of Rachel’s other stories, The Love Letter is a dual time romance. In 1781, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow are on separate sides of the revolution. Hannah’s father is a loyalist, while Hamilton’s parents were killed by the Redcoats. A terrible tragedy drives Hamilton to join the rebellion. On the eve of a major battle, he writes a letter to Esther, hoping to send it himself, or to have it delivered after his death.
Fast forward to present-day Hollywood. Actress Chloe Daschle has been typecast as a dying girl for most of her life. When she reads the script by a new screenwriter, Jesse Gates, she just knows she can play the part of Esther. She’s ready to shake off the embarrassment and mistakes of her past, and live. Jesse wrote Bound by Love based on the story of an ancestor and a never-delivered letter. He’s hoping to give Hamilton and Esther the ending they deserved. But, Jesse has another reason for writing Bound by Love. He’s hoping to right a wrong in his own past. As Chloe and Jesse work together on the movie, they draw closer together, but can they each let go of their pasts to find the future God has planned for them?
This book did not go how I expected. Ya’ll, I cried at the end. Yes, I know it’s just fiction. But it’s so great to read a book that includes such a wonderful spiritual truth. Even though Chloe had come to Christ, and her life was certainly changed, she was still allowing her past to hold her captive. Seeing her realize that she was free in Christ, no matter what movie rolls she got or didn’t get was an eye-opening moment for me.
It was also incredible to see Chloe share her faith with Jesse. He was so broken over what had happened in his past. Seeing his journey towards Christ was one of the best parts of this book. I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t read it, (yet!) but his visit with Loxley’s parents was such a pivotal moment for me. I think I started crying there, and barely stopped until the end.
I love, love, love to read. I think you know that by now. But when I read a book that I really enjoy and that also contains spiritual truths, it’s so uplifting. I think we all have things in our past that we’re ashamed or embarrassed about. But God says those things don’t have to control us. When we trust Him, and follow Him, we realize that His plans are best. He has a way to make everything–even the stuff we’d rather not remember–work out for our good. When we release the plans we have for our lives, and trust His, He will give us things we never imagined possible. Esther, Hamilton, Chloe and Jesse all learned this lesson.
I finished reading The Love Letter, wiped away my tears, and realized that I felt encouraged in my spiritual walk. I realized I’ve let things hold me back–things that God says I’m free from. This book is a gentle reminder that in Him I am free, forgiven and loved. What a wonderful thought!
If you want to read great fiction, and a great love story, read The Love Letter. If you want to read a book that will help you become what God wants you to be, read The Love Letter. It’s not often that a book like this comes along. It’s a true feel-good story, with an underlying message that we all need to hear. You don’t want to miss it.
You can order your copy of The Love Letter, here.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
