I really enjoyed the first third of this book, centred on a young woman raised by her mother within a cult in the Berkshires, and her secret life through reading and books. But as tragedies mount in her life and she excapes the grips of her cult-leader-father, the odd time travel turn didn't work for me. It is well written and insightful, but the magical realism just didn't work for me . . .

Beginning an Alice Hoffman book is like reading a fairy tale. Hoffman parts the magic and the mist and crafts a story that is full of emotion, adventure, and strong women. In The Invisible Hour, we meet Ivy, a woman who has succumbed to a puritanical cult and tries her best to raise her daughter Mia within the strict, inflexible joyless place.

When Mia is finally broken in spirit she finds The Scarlet Letter. An old classic that speaks to her. She is transported to a time and a place where an author connects with her. Hoffman uses delicate magical realism to create a beautiful ode to books and reading. If you like magical realism, love books and reading, or just love the Scarlet Letter (I know most of you teachers out there do!) The Invisible Hour is for you!

I have read every one of Alice Hoffman's books, she has a magical way of making a story come alive. The Invisible Hour tells the story of Mia, raised in a cultish community and we travel back and forth in time as she falls in love with Nathanial Hawthorne while reading his Scarlet Letter. Another winner from Hoffman! Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for my arc of The Invisible Hour,

Can I rate more than five stars?! Alice Hiffman is a favorite of mine and this one definitely didn't disappoint. Not that I though it would. Loved it!

Another enjoyable book.by Alice Hoffman. A combination of life in a cult Ms. Hoffman's speciality of magical realism. I particularly enjoyed how the Scarlet Letter and the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne featured in the book.

"The Magic Hour," a thought-provoking novel released on August 15, delves deep into the rich tapestry of themes reminiscent of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter." With Hoffman's masterful storytelling and evocative prose, the book draws readers into a mesmerizing world of shame, guilt, and societal judgment.

It took me a long time to read this book. Normally I love nothing Alice Hoffman writes. But this one I could not connect with. It has romance and magic. Time travel and cults. But….it just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy

I knew I’d love this book by Alice Hoffman! It was enchanting and magical, pulling you in with Hoffman’s lovely prose. I loved the setting of the book and how Hoffman told the story of Ivy and Mia, two strong women held in an oppressive place that doesn’t allow them to reach full potential. This book showcases the power of family, resilience, the power of books/reading, and the strength of women.

Perfectly fine, but not my favorite Alice Hoffman. Which probably says more about me than the author.

This book was pure magic for me. I was so involved with the characters and found myself immersed in their stories, where life would lead them next. They all felt so real, I felt their anxiety, fear, love, sadness. Alice Hoffman has such a way of telling stories so that you feel you are with the characters, living with them, feeling with them.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

There is always something comforting about an Alice Hoffman rutile and this is true of this very fanciful story of a modern day Hester, the daughter who traveled across time to meet Nathaniel Hawthorn and the power of books that transcends all worlds.

Alice Hoffman never disappoints!

From the beginning, I could tell that this was going to be one of my favorite books from this author. The writing is beautiful, descriptive, and had me hooked from the start. The story was enchanting, and the way the author brings two worlds into one seamless story really held my attention. I can't wait to recommend this book to all of my friends.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for an advance copy,

Another gentle, lovely experience from Alice Hoffman who has an uncanny ability to build resilient, evocative female characters who I really want to be friends with in real life!

Here, Mia is such a complex character who shifts easily between worlds. Hoffman’s imagining of a true timeslip based on books is breathtaking for this lifelong reader/librarian. And what a story she spins here! I was a little skeptical at first because of the Scarlet Letter and Nathaniel Hawthorne connection because my recollection from learning about Hawthorne in school was that he was kind of a prick, and I have not enjoyed most of his work, with the exception of The Scarlet Letter. I remember being so angry reading that book when I was teen.

Hoffman takes the scarlet letter premise and successfully applies it to both time periods, effectively demonstrating the destructive power one man can have over a woman but also giving her a way out.

Alice Hoffman is a true treasure of an author. Every single one of her books is a gift.

Highly recommended.

Read if you like:
✨ Magically Enchanting Reads
👩‍👧Stories of Mothers and Daughters
❤️ Stories of Love
💪🏻 Stories of Strength
📚 Love Letters to Books and the love of reading

This book was so enchanting! If you are looking for a book that will make you feel so much as you read it I highly recommend this one! I loved the themes of strength, love, family, sacrifice, found family, love of reading, the beauty of stories in books, and feminist plot points.

I loved following pregnant Ivy on her path thinking she was finding something greener than what she left and finds herself in a cult where books are not allowed and women are not allowed to raise their children and how she fights back against these imposed rules in the cult she finds herself in.

I really loved the magical vibes for this one as Mia goes back in time and meets the author that wrote a story that ended up saving her life.

If you are looking for an impactful, thoughtful, and emotional read I highly recommend checking this one out.

Thank you so much to Atria for my ARC in exchange for my review!

I was so excited to read this when I found out it was coming out soon! I have enjoyed everything I've read by Alice Hoffman so far. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

I loved the start of the story and the cult aspect! I do wish we had gotten more into the cult, because I was so intrigued by it. This one had a good amount of magical realism, which I was nervous about at first. I usually don't like magical realism at all, but Alice Hoffman did it so well!

There are alternating chapters during different time periods, but it's very easy to follow. I was immediately drawn in and couldn't put it down!

I really enjoyed the story, and I totally could have devoured 300 more pages. I really wish the story had been longer because I couldn't get enough, I want more!!!😭

Wow, what a beautiful book! I am so honored to be able to have read this.

Alice Hoffman once again weaves a beautiful written masterpiece. Her books always feel so magically and transports you right into the pages. In this book we follow along with Ivy who gets pregnant young and runs away from her disapproving family. She joins a cult like community where books are banned. Ivy is able to share her love of books with her daughter, Mia. Mia grows be a book lover just like her mother. We follow Mia as she falls into the past to meet the author of her favorite book. This book is full of magic, the love of reading, and a bit of romance.

What I enjoyed :
- I loved Mia as our MC. I was able to relate to her love of reading as well
- Multiple points of time
- Beautifully written, with just the right pacing
- The magic and fantasy weaved through it all.

Overall, I found this book to be fantastic and I really enjoyed it. Solid 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you #NetGalley for, once again, letting me be a part of this beautiful reading experience.

No matter which book you choose, Alice Hoffman's writing will transport you to a world where the extraordinary is made tangible, where love and magic intertwine, and where the human spirit triumphs over adversity. “The Invisible Hour” still proves this sentiment exactly. Her ability to create compelling characters and weave intricate narratives is truly a testament to her talent as a storyteller.
One of Hoffman's notable strengths is her ability to transport readers to unique and beautiful settings and time periods. Whether she takes you to a small New England town, a mystical island, or a historical era, her vivid descriptions and atmospheric writing create the ultimate immersive reading experience.

Highly recommend this one!

Alice Hoffman is an enchantress and I love her work so much. This was a story of a bond between mother and daughter, whatever forms that took, and a readers love for their favorite book. Parts were hard to read about the limits placed on women’s bodies and their autonomy, which Hoffman expertly made topical with the current state of gender rights. I almost got sick at the treatment of Ivy and Mia (the branding and hair cutting) but in the end made it though. I love nods to Red Garden and now need my own pair of crimson red witches boots (which appear in several of Hoffman’s works). Mia’s relationship with Hawthorne was a little uncomfortable for me but intimately this was a lovely book that I would recommend and share with others. Can’t wait for what’s next from this brilliant author!

I am a fan of just about everything I've read by Hoffman. This felt too forced, and frankly, too worshipful of Nathaniel Hawthorne. I appreciated what she was attempting to do for libraries and women's health , but it was too much.

This is the first book I read by Alice Hoffman and now I understand the hype, I'm adding her books to my TBR immediately.

I can never say to no to a book about book lovers. It's my favorite thing. This story follows Ivy, who gets pregnant very young and being rejected by her family, she joins a "community" (more like a cult) to protect herself and her baby. There, Ivy marries the cult leader and births Mia. Time goes on and they realize the community is more oppresion than freedom, and even Mia that doesn't know the world out there, craves to get out and start living. Ivy secretly encourages Mia to read, even when it's prohibited by the community.

I don't want to give away too many spoilers, at first I thought this was a regular novel but then there's some time travel and magical realism in there. I wasn't mad at it I just wasn't expecting it, but from I've read about this author it's usually her formula.

The Invisible Hour is inspiring and heartwarming, I can't recommend it enough.