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.

Another magical fairy tale by Alice Hoffman! Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this adventurous and wonderful story! I'm a sucker for magical realism and time travel so this book felt like it was perfect for me!
The book follows Mia who lives in a cult called the "community." Mia is essentially empty inside from her terrible environment ans discovers a copy of The Scarlett Letter, which speaks to her on a soul deep level. She transports in time to connect with Nathaniel Hawthorne which leads her on a remarkable adventure.
I flew through this book! It was captivating and inspiring! Everyone must do themselves a favor and read this magical story!

I am a big fan of Alice Hoffman, having read most of her books. This one was not one of my favorites. I found the story to be too unrealistic for my taste. I love Alice Hoffman's writing style, but I did not enjoy this book.

Mia Jacob lives in a community- one of oppression and fear. But it takes a tragedy and the written word to give her the courage to escape. She gets to travel through time to meet Nathaniel Hawthorne, the writer of the words that saved her but will her involvment in his life erase those precious words?

I enjoyed the first part of the novel , showing how Mia overcame her time in the community more than I did the last half of the book. Although I read the book's synopsis, the time jump was a little jarring.

With her signature dreamy prose and lyric language, Hoffman has written a love letter to women who have struggled to survive after rejection and loss have forced their hand. Although this story is darker than usual, she captures the same magical feeling of her other novels and paints a disturbing and vivid portrait of what women and girls must do at times to stay close to the ones they love. Relevant for today’s world, this time travel novel shows just how far women have advanced in terms of their rights to control their own bodies and destinies, and it also shows how far we still have to go. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars
A gripping story of family, love, the power of books, the power of women, time travel, and so beautifully written. Alice Hoffman can do no wrong in my book.

The setting: "...when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community—an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?... As a girl Mia fell in love with a book [The Scarlet Letter]. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer {Hawthorne] as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?" And so the story is set. Love, heartbreak, mothers and daughters, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books--and libraries.

I like Alice Hoffman's books. This novel resembles the Practical Magic series as we again revisit red boots, crows, long tresses, mothers and daughters, and magic realism. But, it was not enough for me [in the distinct minority]. At times, I felt it flat and repetitive and the time travel--a hook up with Hawthorne--though it should have reeled me in further, was a disconnect.

A pregnant teenager, Ivy abandons her wealthy, uptight [unaccepting] Bostonian family for the Community. She marries Joel, the oppressive leader of the cult who considers Mia his daughter and pursues her when she escapes--more so for the deed to the land of the Community vs. a familial bond.

Much on my body, my choice [yay].

And no spoiler from me, but very predictable/obvious trajectory for Mia when connected to Hawthorne's sister/s.

I have read other Alice Hoffman books and not connected with them, so this was a pleasant surprise. Hoffman's dreamlike, evocative prose made, for me, the magic realism in the book totally plausible. The book does deal with some contemporary issues that are important to note, including a woman's agency of her own body and book banning/burning. At its heart, though, this is a story of a girl who loved books so much that they are the catalyst for life changes.

The story starts with Ivy, a teenager who gets pregnant by a boy who then wants nothing to do with her or the child. Her parents are harsh as well, which leads her to run away and join a strict commune where her daughter belongs not to her but to The Community, books are forbidden and strict rules set down by the cult leader keep the members in line. As Ivy's daughter Mia grows, the point of view shifts to her. As a teen, she has an uncontrollable urge to seek out books and reading, and even finds a book in the library that seems to be inscribed to her. The rest of this story takes us on Mia's journey to find herself, even as she struggles to free herself from The Community and its oppressive leader.

This book was short at less than 200 pages, and I found myself wishing that it were longer so that the characters could be explored further and the story, especially the magical realism, could be expanded. Because it takes place in and near Salem Massachusetts, I also wondered why the author didn't explore more of the connection between Mia's story and the history of persecution of women there.

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alice Hoffman is a favorite author for me. I've enjoyed everything I've read by her, including, of course, her Practical Magic series, but many other books as well. This one involves life in a cult, the love of books, and time travel - quite a mix!

Description:
One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community—an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

Through a journey of heartbreak, love, and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways. She learns that time is more fluid than she can imagine, and that love is stronger than any chains that bind you.

As a girl Mia fell in love with a book. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter ? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

My thoughts:
Great characters and great plotting. The depth of character portrayal made the characters come alive on the page. Mia was an interesting character who bravely faced hardship in the cult, but also after she escaped and built a new life. The connection with Nathaniel Hawthorne was an interesting segue. The book also throws a light on the past and current plight of unmarried, pregnant women and the difficulties they must face. While some things have changed, other stigmas still remain. Hoffman's writing is magical and engrossing. She has a way with words that make you really think about what is being said.

Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on August 15, 2023.

Interesting premise and great writing, just wasn't my cup of tea.
Thanks for the chance to read and review!

The Invisible Hour is an engaging take on The Scarlet Letter. Mia, the female protagonist, is fascinated by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, especially after finding a library copy of The Scarlet Letter that contains a hand-written inscription reading: “To Mia . . .” Hawthorne's story inadvertently resonates with Mia. But it’s not until she time-travels back to Hawthorne’s era that she finds out why that is so. There’s also an antagonist in the form of Joel Davis who relentlessly pursues Mia, adding a touch of dastardly intrigue to the tale. What a spellbinding premise by Alice Hoffman!

I found the writing absolutely beautiful and I couldn't put the book down. When I did have to step away, the story and the characters stayed with me. I do judge a book on it's ability to peak my interest in the subject matter and Ms. Hoffman had me Googling Hawthorne and his works. Brava!

Thank you so much to @Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman. Receiving this novel early felt pretty surreal as I adored the Practical Magic series.

The Invisible Hour is truly a novel for book lovers as Nathaniel Hawthorne and his classic, The Scarlet Letter, play a large role in the story.

We meet Ivy, a bookish soul, when she is a teen, desperate and in love but also pregnant. The fathers want nothing to do with Ivy or her daughter Mia, and the duo retreats to a cult where women and books are equally devalued, which feels doubly offensive.

I adored this book in the beginning, and the first half was on track to be a five star read. Unfortunately, the novel takes a major turn when the POV is altered, and it just didn’t pan out the way I was hoping. I’m glad I read it, but I would say if you are a fan of magical realism and curious about Alice Hoffman, start with the Practical Magic series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc., for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

"The bond between writer and reader is a cherished and mysterious one. A book doesn't live when it's written. It lives when it's read."

Mia Jacob spent her younger years in the Community - an oppressive cult in Western Massachusetts. Her relationship with her mother had to be hidden because she did not belong to her; she belonged to the Community. Mia found escape at the library and in books. Once she reads The Scarlet Letter, her life changes, she can relate to the book in a way that most cannot. Almost as if it was written about her. Mia eventually escapes the Community after her mother's tragic death and can live a free life.

The second half of the book takes an interesting turn. Mia uses The Scarlet Letter to time travel and meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, who she quickly falls in love with. The story dives into the power of books and the relationship between the writer and the reader.

I cannot decide how I feel about this book. The overall message and theme are captivating and so special to anyone who has used books as an escape, but the book's second half took me by surprise. The transition from Mia's story to Nathaniel's was almost non-existent, and their love story was rushed, making it unbelievable. The time travel element wasn't explained, and Mia's pregnancy made me uncomfortable. The author does an interesting job relating societal themes currently relevant to the 1800s (a woman's right to choose, banned books, etc.). Overall, I give this one 3.5 stars. Once again, I was captivated by the story's message, but I wonder if the execution lived up to its full potential.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I was excited based on the description, and the first part of the book lived up to my expectations. I really cared about Ivy and Mia and found their situation interesting and compelling. But then the magical realism element popped up and... it just wasn't my "cup of tea."

There's no doubt that Hoffman is a stunning writer and her prose is mellifluous and entertaining. And, I love a good fantasy plot twist. But this just didn't work for me. After the first third, I began to lose interest and although I finished the whole book, I definitely skimmed most of the last third.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.