3.5 stars, rounded up.

"𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘐𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.”

This book is a sweet dual-timeline story spanning from the 1970s to the present day. I loved the story of Madame Imelda Burova, a fortune teller on the Brighton seaside, and her life and impact on those around her. She fell in love, she had some great entertainer friends in the holiday camp, and she kept many secrets. This book surprised me with its delve in to racism experienced by a bi-racial child, a look at what love really means, and what it’s like to help those around us.

"𝘞𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴."

Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Custom House for the copy of this ARC!

You won't be able to help but fall under the spell of Madame Burova, Tarot reader, palmist, clairvoyant and the heart of this wonderful novel.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦, 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗔 follows two women, Imelda Burova and Billie Marie. In the 1970s, Imelda takes over her mother's fortune-telling business, assuming the title of Madame Burova. Her gift, while special, can also be taxing as she becomes privy not only to her clients' successes and joys but also to their secrets and lies. Fifty years later, she's ready to retire and leave all the drama behind when a promise she made comes back to haunt her.

In present day, Billie has lost both of her parents, her job and her marriage when she makes a discovery that causes her to question who she really is. The person who might be able to provide her answers is none other than Madame Burova.

Told in dual timelines, we follow Imelda's journey and uncover how it intersects with Billie's. I loved the storylines in the 70s when Madame Burova works with a fabulous group of entertainers who Hogan brings vividly to life. Many of them have their own interesting tales and I came to be as invested in them as I was in the main characters. Imelda's parents are also a delight and stole every scene they were in. Throughout both timelines, the author does a great job maintaining the mystery surrounding Billie's past and I didn't see the final twist coming at all.

This uplifting story of family and friendship kept me thoroughly entertained and all of the characters came to feel like friends, but it was Madame Burova who enchanted with her magic.

Thanks to William Morrow, Custom House and NetGalley for a copy to review.

*This book contains slurs for Black, Roma, LGBTQ people, and people with physical disabilities. There is an author's note that addresses the historical bigotry, the research and experts consulted, and the author's own lived and professional experience. See other content notes below.*

A dual timeline historical about a group of hard-working, high-spirited, seaside entertainers in 1970s Brighton (England), the small mysteries of their lives and loves that weren't solved until nearly 50 years later, and the clairvoyant Madame Burova at the center of it all.

As Imelda Burova prepares to retire from 50 years of reading tarot and telling fortunes at her seaside booth, she is filled with both hope and dread — but mostly satisfaction and relief. She has been worthy of the trust of her calling — performing it with integrity, wisdom, and skill — and now she has a final promise to fulfill, a final secret to release, and she can set aside the weight of the past.

Poised for her life's second act, 40-something Billie is shocked to learn that her future is about to be entirely changed by a revelation about her own past... which intersected with Madame Burova's before she was even born...

This is the first I've read by Ruth Hogan and I was delighted by the beautiful and immersive writing, interesting characters, tangled mysteries, and the way she imbues her story with intrigue and a bittersweet weightiness (making it a great book club pick). It was a little slow to come together for me — there's a huge cast of characters and I made the mistake of starting with the audiobook and not getting a grasp on all the names right off the bat — but once it did I sped through it in a single evening. (And the audiobook is excellent, so don't let my temporary lack of concentration and listening skills deter you from it.) I also would've appreciated more development for the Imelda-Cillian relationship. A couple more conversations would've set me up just fine. But overall, this is a sweet and interesting story with some weighty themes and an unflinching, realistic portrayal of growing up in the 70s.



Topics & themes: love, loss, family, friendship, youth, pivotal moments, second acts, secrets, bigotry, oppression, 1970s, adoption (human and pet), legacy, retirement
Content notes: bigotry, racism, slurs (for people who are Black, Roma, LGBTQ, and disabled), internalized racism, schoolyard bullying and assault, MeToo, sexual assault, sudden death from heart attack, sudden death from asthma attack, loss of parents, child abandonment, mistreatment and attempted harm to animals

My thanks to #NetGalley, William Morrow, and Libro.fm for a digital ARC and LRC!

As someone who works in the "woo-woo" field, I think my absolute favorite thing about this book was how Madame Burova was written: she is grounded, kind, and empathetic with a strong code of ethics that she sticks to with compassion. There are a lot of stereotypes floating out there about who psychics are as people (some of those stereotypes are spoken about in this book, actually) but this book did a fantastic job of *showing* someone who has honed this talent/skill and with this career as a real human worthy of respect. I really appreciated that. ♥

With that said, there were a number of times when I was reading the book when I stopped to think "Oh, I really hope this book had some sensitivity readers." Namely, with the representation of the Romany experience -- I'm still unsure if using racial slurs for Romany people 13x (plus a few Black racial slurs) was really necessary or how Romany people feel about being so tightly associated with the woo-woo world. That felt rather stereotypical as well. BUT! I'm a white person, so I wouldn't know whether that is truly harmful representation. I can only say that it felt rather unnecessary to me. So. Take that for what it's worth.

Story-wise, this one is a sweetie. It follows one girl's journey to learn more about herself and where she came from after the death of her parents and, of course, Madame Burova who's found herself at the center of this girl's discovery-journey. The book has a cozy-close-knit-community & feel-good vibes, so this one is great when you're in a bit of a funk and want to be guided out of it by someone who's also trying to sort through their own emotional funkiness. Or! If you want to just have a peek into what it feels like to have a supportive community. I think we all need that sometimes.

So! All in all? A super cute story that I hope beyond all hope got some feedback from real people represented in these pages.

I just love Ruth Hogan's books. I just care so much about her characters and I love the parallel stories in the past and present. This one was probably my 2nd favorite of all her books. Billie was okay but I really loved Imelda. I was kind of hoping Cillian would still be alive like maybe Vivienne had played a trick on them both to keep them apart. It would have been really tragic but they could have still had a chance to be in love during their later years. Oh well. I'm always engaged in Hogan's books and this was no exception.

I really enjoyed this book and only wish I could give a definitive explanation why. Maybe is was the the fiery, protective and controversial Shunty-Mae the first Madame Burova we encounter, or Alexei who loves his wife and daughter unconditionally, and most definitely the careful and compassionate personality of Imelda who is the last in the line of the Madame Burovas. Maybe it was the setting of Larkings Holiday Park and the stalls on the Brighton Pier. It could have been all the lesser characters who were so beautifully defined or the roles they played. It might have been all the secrets and silences Madame Burova has spent a lifetime keeping. Or was it the hint of lingering love that was never completely lost?! And what of the parallel story of Billie and her search for knowledge and understanding?! Then there are all the tendrils and feathers lost in the wind, all ultimately landing in a basket on the Brighton Pier. Spanning decades the story never falters.

This is a beautiful, soft story of things lost, found, hidden, discovered, resolved, understood and fulfilled. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for a copy.

This story is told by a dual timeline. One is in the 1970's, when Imelda Burova inherits her mother's fortune telling business on the Brighton Beach boardwalk. As the new Madame Burova—beloved Tarot reader, palmist, and clairvoyant, she and her dog Dasha spend their days in her shop.....Madame Burova telling people's fortunes and Dasha waiting patiently for walks and sausage rolls. The other timeline is present day, where Madame Burova is ready to retire, but before she does, she first has to fulfill a promise she made years ago. Meanwhile, in London, Billie is at a crossroads. Her parents are both dead and she has just discovered that she was adopted. Not only that, but that she was found abandoned outside Madame Burova's on Brighton Beach.
This book was so good. There was such an eclectic mix of characters that I just fell in love with. As with all of her books, she spins such an imaginative story with unusual characters that you are captivated from start to finish. I highly recommend this one.

This book was gripping. I was sucked in and could not put it down! The concept was so unique, I loved this book.

The Moon, the Stars and Madame Burova is the novel spanning 50 years of the stories of Imelda, a tarot card reader who has inherited her mothers traveling business. While she entertains holiday travelers by the seaside, she is also charged with helping Billie find out the truth about her past.

Billie is a young, recently divorced wandering soul who's world has been turned upside down. After the loss of both of her parents, she finds a letter that states she was adopted, so she turns to Imelda to help her find the truth about her past.

This is my first novel by Ruth Hogan, and while the premise was fun, I definetely had a hard time getting into the first quarter of the book. There were SO many characters, coupled with the dual storyline, that it was really hard to not only keep everyone straight, but also get attached to any of the storylines. Once I started to get a feel for the story and the characters, the story was fun and enjoyable to read, but I did almost give up in getting there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinions

A great story about the mystery surrounding a young woman's birth and the colorful cast of characters she encounters while trying to solve it. I would have given it 5 stars but found the ending to be rushed.

Very heartwarming and sweet! Starting off, there is a lot of characters in this book and a lot of different storylines going on. Once you get it all figured out, it is an enjoyable read. I liked how the storyline goes between the current with Billies story and the past with Madame Burova. I was hoping from the title for a little bit more of fantasy and magic vibes in this book than there were. It took me a little bit to get into the book but overall, it was a great, enjoyable read. The ending was fabulous. Looking forward to reading more from Ruth Hogan in the future.

Thank you Net Galley and William Morrow Custom House for a digital ARC in return for my honest reviews

This is another great book by Ruth Hogan. Imelda Burova is a character that really comes to life and her interactions with her parents, friends and of course Cillian are totally believable - even though she is a “fortune-teller”. I enjoyed the inclusion of the clients that were not part of the main storyline but were interesting in their own right. I felt like I knew the answer to the mystery of Billie’s mother but didn’t work out how it would all come together. The jump between time periods was handled nicely and the treatment of Treasure while difficult to read was well written and truthful to the period. Interesting in the end how all the characters came back to settle up and produce a satisfying ending to the story. I received an ARC from the publisher William Morrow through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.

This story has such an interesting plot, but I kept getting characters switched and really lost sight of the overall message of the book. It is probably my own fault for getting mixed up, however it does not help the reader to take extended breaks from this book because they could get lost.

I read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2673929365?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan</a> a few years ago and really enjoyed it; so I was really excited to get an advance copy of her new book. All of her books have these amazing covers and look really pretty on the shelf.

Ruth Hogan's writing always seems to suck me in, but it is also more than that. She creates characters that I care about and I'd like to be friends with them. In this book the two main characters are Imelda Burova, who is a tarot reader, palmist, and clairvoyant. We also have Billie who has just found out she was adopted. In the '70s Imelda works with a cast of other (mostly wonderful) characters who all perform the different entertainment for a holiday park. I really enjoyed reading about the mermaids and the death defying motorbike rider.

The story is told via a dual timeline, one starting in 1972 and the other in the present. As we read on we find out who Billie's parents are and how all these characters are connected. There are some twists in this book, plenty of surprises you keep the reader interested but there is also a lot of love. This book had me crying, laughing and cheering the characters on. It made me feel so many things, anger, sympathy and happiness. I am still thinking about this book and I love when a story can do that...Ms. Hogan has done it for me twice, she has become an auto request for me. All. The. Stars.

Imelda is excited to become Madame Burova, once her mother retires, and this tale chronicles her early years and subsequent attempts at retirement, with a heavy heart. She feels burdened by the secrets of customers and a need to set a few matters straight at the end of her career. Meanwhile, a woman elsewhere in England learns her past is not what she believed it to be and goes to Imelda for more information. Between these two women and the beginning and end of Imelda’s career, the story unfolds.

This is the third book I have read by author Ruth Hogan and once again I have found the tale to be just a bit off, in atmosphere and character development. The title implies such whimsy or magic and frankly I didn’t find any at all. There’s a dark side to carnival-type fortune tellers and that’s more the atmosphere that permeates this book due to the surrounding characters. There are more than enough nasty actors operating in this book to make it a darker themed tale.

There is not much surprise to the mystery, either, and it would have been better if there was. I thought the two main characters were dealt with rather harshly for what should have been an uplifting book. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Such a beautiful story of redemption and connection. It’s so beautiful! I couldn’t put it down! I loved reading this story and I’ve recommended it a million times over. My only wish is that I could read it for the first time again.

Some readers may find the dual timeline (1970's / present) takes time to get used to, but once you've gotten a grasp of it, this book becomes quite enjoyable. It's very character-driven, and I feel that it's truly Imelda and Billie who everything centers on. Definitely a magical, immersive, and emotional read! 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan. Throughout the book, I like how it jumped back and forth from the past and the present, really giving us an understanding of who Madame Burova (Imelda) was and how her history and backstory really shaped who she is now. I've never read a book before about a fortune teller, so I came into the book thinking that it was going to be mainly focused on fortune-telling. That's where I was mistaken and in a good way! While Imelda was a fortune-teller by trade, that didn't define her. This book was more about her life and the life of the other entertainers who she worked with. I really enjoyed the backstory of each character and thought that each one was developed nicely. I would definitely read other books by Ruth Hogan!

This book started off slow and then sucked me in and wouldn’t let go. I was fascinated at the drama that we saw unfold in the 70s and I loved Imelda and her mother and her friends (and her dog). I loved how the author included Treasure and the racism prevalent in England during that time period, it was heartbreaking but is so important to acknowledge. Oh and the prejudice the Romany faced!

I also loved the present-time story. I loved Billie and how open and giving she is in her quest to understand where she came from, and the relationships she made along the way. The mystery of who her parents were was a proper mystery and kept me guessing right up until the end! Overall, a fascinating book that entwines two different storylines beautifully.

I was one of those readers who loved "The Keeper of Lost Things." So imagine my excitement when I was selected to read the ARC of Ruth Hogan's The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova. I found this one slow to get into and then bouncing back and forth in the timelines created many characters to keep up with. Once it settled into the main characters, the side ones were less of a distraction. Set mainly in the 1970's Madame Burova, a Tarot reader, palmist, and clairvoyant, is looking to retire from her trade on the boardwalk of Brighton when Billie shows up. The secrets and feelings from the last 50 years rise to the surface as Madame Burorva comes face to face with a girl searching for who she is. While I didn't love this book, it was a nice read and one to put on your TBR pile and grab when you aren't sure what to read.

ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ruth Hogan, William Morrow, and Custom House, William Morrow Paperbacks for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.