‘THE WEDDING CHAPEL,’ BY RACHEL HAUCK

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To invest time and emotion in The Wedding Chapel isn’t hard. The decades long love story is sure to stir the reader’s emotions and as is true to the signature style that is Rachel Hauck, the book has a wonderful concept of love.

STORY: The story is about two couples. The first is Jimmy and Collette. High school sweethearts in the 1940s, life isn’t been kind to the now elderly couple. Collette left, leaving Jimmy’s heart in tatters, and clinging to a shell of a dream. In the present day, Taylor marries Jack on a whim. In fact, they elope much to the shock and horror of Taylor’s family. Six months into their marriage and Taylor senses their relationship is fading – fast.

BOOK REVIEW | How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Leaving to return to her hometown for a job, it takes a wedding chapel, a reunion and a carefully hidden secret for over 50 years to open their hearts to new possibilities.   

The Wedding Chapel, by Rachel Hauck | Book Review

This is a kind of “raw” story. It’s not the typical contemporary fluff in the same sense as Rachel’s prior works. In fact, this reminds me of Nicholas Sparks The Longest Ride in many ways though as one would expect, The Wedding Chapel is more rewarding. After a mediocre beginning (as a reader opinion), about ½ way through the book, something clicks into place and the flow of this story works its magic. I think my primary hesitation with the story is the four person point-of-views; two of the POV’s shift back in time to complicate things. As a reader, this is too “messy” because I prefer a two-person switch-off between the primary two characters. With this story, I understand why it’s important to dig deeper into Jimmy and Collette’s story. Fortunately, the end result is really, quite beautiful.  

I have to confess I liked (surprisingly) Taylor and Jack’s story best. In particular I liked Jack. Written onto these pages is a very real and very flawed male protagonist, who underneath his insecurities and messy past lays a heart of gold. I never doubted that Jack loved Taylor with a kind of reverence, and I stand resolutely by the fact that he cherished her. He just needed to find a way to move past ghosts that were trapping him in a past he didn’t know how to repair. Both of them came into their  whirlwind romance with baggage, what they hadn’t counted on was those ghosts rearing up, affecting who they were as one half of each other’s hearts.  

The Wedding Chapel is very different than Rachel’s last adventures which took us on the adventure of a lifetime with their three royal brides, but it’s a heartwarming story nonetheless. This is certainly one of those books that has that something special. Personally I found it quietly impacting. Everyone’s story leads to a satisfying place and gives the characters a promising future, bringing them all to a place of new beginnings and forgiveness. 

About the Book:

Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Zondervan
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: 2015
Find the Review elsewhere: Goodreads 
Add the Book: Goodreads
Genre: Fiction; Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

6 comments

    1. This one is interesting, Tessa! It's so gorgeously written and well told. As for my favorite, I'd have to say that belongs to either Once Upon a Prince or How to Catch a Prince. The former is more lighthearted and fun and the latter follows suit, but it also looks deeper into what it means to truly love. There's plenty I've not read yet too! Hope you can read some at some point; they're so good. :)

    1. There was something really interesting about Jack's character. Either way, the book was excellent! And I agree; Rachel's next novel sounds amazing. :)

  1. This is definitely a little different than her prince/princess fluff, but still a good story. It just took a bit for me to get into the swing of things. Yet overall it's quite the emotional journey! Very glad I read it. :)

    1. Right on, Kara. I agree. It took me a bit to get into the style too. But once I did, I really enjoyed it! Glad you liked it too (BTW, I am so coming by to read YOUR review too!). Thanks for reading.

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