Alice Hoffman's The Invisible Hour is an ode to the power and magic of books, transporting the reader into a new world with alluring prose and enchanting descriptions. I've never read one of Hoffman's books before, but this first dive into her wonderous and lyrical writing leaves me already searching for more.

The Invisible Hour is a love letter to books and the power that words have, as the novel follows first through Ivy's story before veering off to continue through her daughter's eyes, Mia. The first half was by far the height of this story, as I felt the second half falling a bit short and unrelated to where I initially thought the writing would go. All in all, this is definitely a tale worthy of those who adore reading, as Hoffman's captivating style will leave readers hungry for more of her gorgeous prose.

The author is a wordsmith who creates the perfect ambience in which the feelings of the main character can be developed. Paying homage to another master of the novel gives the reader a double dose of emotions.

This book contains two stories in one. It not only features Mia, who was born into a cult, but also the story of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The cult is a somber place with punishment meted out by Joel, the leader and father of members. No-one is allowed to leave and Mia finds her escape in books when she discovers a library in town. Books and reading for enjoyment are banned and is a punishable offense. Mia is pulled to The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. When she escapes the cult, she takes the book with her. The writing is atmospheric and tension builds as Mia is hunted by Joel who needs an item that Mia has taken with her when she leaves. While this book does not contain the “magick” found in some of the writers previous books, it does contain the magic of time travel. I am appreciative to NetGalley and Atria Books for the digital ARC. This review is my own.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Mia found a love of books at a time in her life when she desperately needed it. One book in particular, “The Scarlett Letter” called out to her with an inscription of her name. What unfolds is a story across time and the different ways we find love.

This book was just so good, from beginning to end. I loved Mia's love of books and the way her character's story was deep and interesting. The setting for this story was so vibrant and detailed. All the other characters in this story were intertwined so well, it was utterly captivating. As with other books by this author, I truly enjoyed this story.

After Ivy finds herself pregnant at a young age without the support from her family she runs to a community for help. This community is not what she thought it to be with strict rules against books and various other education. After her daughter Mia discovers a library and books she is swept away by Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing, but when the community discovers her indiscretion she runs to avoid punishment. With her book in hand she encounters another time where she turns to Nathaniel to help her escape the community and attempt to build a new life.

This was beautifully written about a girl who loved books. I think we can all relate to that. I felt like their were multiple stories, one of Ivy, Mia and then Mia's love for Nathaniel Hawthorne. A little trouble connecting the three together, but a whimsical story which held my attention. Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC.

This is my first Alice Hoffman book. Am I a fan now? Absolutely. This woman is a word-weaver of supreme talent.

If you want a story that is a great weekend read but that will leave you thinking this is it. There is a subtlety in Hoffman's writings that tackles difficult subjects and tangles them with the truth of her characters leaving the reader to ponder the power behind her words/story.

This book immediately drew me in. The interactions of Ivy and specifically her father are amazing. At what point in our lives do we reach the point of no return - what is the last mistake that really can't be undone? Or is it really that pride, fear and maybe our own shame and regrets bind us so tightly that we can't reach back or move forward?

Interwoven in this powerful story about family, choices, and consequences there lies the haunting truth that writers shape the world in more ways than they can know. I can relate to Mia - I dove into books as an escape from the trials of my life. I will tell you to this day that if I am stressed or overwhelmed I find comfort in my room lined with bookshelves and piles of books stacked neatly. I find comfort, escape, healing, friendship/kinship within the pages of books. So it is with Mia. She stumbles upon the Scarlet Letter and feels that the book was written for her. However, this is too often the truth for many. The words of books resonate in our hearts, our souls, whisper to us as we travel. I have quotes from Emmerson, Dickenson, Alcott, Austen and so many more that have stayed with me through the years. Even more modern writers have stuck with me.

For this reason this story is remarkable, extraordinary, enthralling, captivating. Hoffman - I'm a fan!

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader ebook of The Invisible Hour in exchange for an unbiased review.
Hoffman's latest work is fabulous. Part love story to libraries, librarians and the power of reading, and part wondrous acknowledgement of the timelessness of a mother's love, this novel captures readers from its first page. Hoffman's portrayal of talented women denied because of their gender adds to the novel's intensity.
Mia Jacobs grows up in a stifling cult in western Massachusetts known as the Community. Her mother had fled there when she became pregnant and her wealthy Bostonian parents planned a forced adoption. Mia's mother soon finds the life there restricting but she remains out of concern for her daughter's safety.
Mia is always different from the other children who are raised in a communal environment. She feels close to her mother who encourages Mia's reading in the public library - something that other Community children are not allowed.
There she meets Sarah the librarian who becomes her rescuer. It is also there that Mia finds a first edition of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne with its mysterious note - To Mia.
Hoffman's works usually contain a bit of magical realism and this is no exception. For this reader, however, the magical realism adds to the humanity of the characters.
#NetGalley #TheInvisibleHour

The Invisible Hour is my first Alice Hoffman book. She has a wonderful way with words, creating pictures and scenes that draw you in and keep you hooked. The Invisible Hour is a sweet book about the love between a mother and daughter, chosen family, and the power of belief.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It isn't a long book, but it takes some time to get through the pretty words and winding passages. I enjoyed Ivy and Mia and loved watching them grow and mature. I was a little confused by the second part of the book. While the theme of The Scarlet Letter twines the parts together, it's like there are two separate books. I understand the fairy tale symbolism, but it was still a bit disjointed.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, my opinions are given freely.

Interesting story of a young woman trapped in a difficult time with an impossible decision. When Ivy discovers she is pregnant., her boyfriend refuses to take responsibility. Her parents also reject her, and that leaves her few options. Fate lends a hand, and what seems to be an ideal situation turns into a nightmare. The free spirited commune where she lands is not all it appears to be. It becomes a prison for her and her daughter Mia. The only escape Mia finds is through reading books, considered contraband in the community. The book that truly changes it for Mia is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The connections she makes between the book and her own life are transformative. Part science fiction time travel part romance.

I adore Alice Hoffman; this book reminded me why. A very well written story about a young woman who overcomes much in her life and meets someone that none of us ever will.

Born into a society that is more a cult than one of loving people. Taken from her mother's care. Dominated and owned by a man who isn't her father, except on her birth certificate. Not allowed to read or own books or even enter a library, Mia wants it all. The books. Her mother. Knowledge. And she begins to find it and understand after reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

When she finally escapes the commune and seeks her mother's family, she learns to what extent her fake father would go to keep her and control her. She is rescued first by The scarlet Letter and then by the housekeeper for her mother's parents. Together, Mia, the housekeeper and Hawthorne work to save Mia from a life that she doesn't want.

With a bit of luck, some guidance from people who love her, a strong will, and the love of Hawthorne, Mia finds a way to protect herself and have the love she wants.

I love all of Alice’s books honestly I don’t think she could write something I wouldn’t love and devour. This is such a beautiful story about the many ways books can save and support us. This one was truly special and it was very enlightening. I hope Mias story will continue in a sequel.

This dual timeline book was definitely different from what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mia is a free spirit born to a mother living in a commune where harsh rules abound and even harsher punishment is given when they are broken. She learns early that her love for books can change her life. I genuinely hope that Mia's story will continue in a sequel. Thanks to author Alice Hoffman, Atria Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Invisible Hour opens with one of our main characters, Ivy, who becomes pregnant as a teenager and runs away to a cult-like place, known as The Community; it is in this oppressive place that she gives birth to her daughter, Mia. The book primarily follows Mia’s story as she navigates the difficult life she was born into and then, at an extremely low point, stumbles across The Scarlet Letter. This story changes her life and in true Alice Hoffman style, there is even some time travel as she works her way through some big life questions and grapples with her history, as she comes into her own.

This book is a tribute to the power of storytelling and the power that one book can have on someone’s life. I thought the author did a beautiful job of crafting first Ivy’s story and then, both her relationship with Mia and Mia as her own character. Her beautiful descriptions of the elements of Mia’s life that kept her going, like nature and her first experiences with books, were truly entrancing and made me quickly fall in love with the character.

I did feel that the time jump in the story was a bit of a jarring shift, especially as I was very interested at where Mia already was in her story. But, ultimately, after a bit of time, the threads and purpose for the time travel became more clear and I liked how they came together. I also appreciated the authors comments on how, even though women clearly have more rights now than in Hawthorne’s time, there is still much work to be done. Overall, I very much enjoyed this story and would recommend to fans of the authors previous works and contemporary/historical fiction fans.

This book was two separate stories connected together. In the first part, Mia and her mother live in a Community in MA that is run by a Karesh like figure who keeps the women under his control while they farm to survive. Reading is not allowed. The story follows Mia as she seeks a better life away from the Community. She gets the courage to escape after reading The Scarlet Letter.
Fantastic.
Then part 2 happens and through some mystical inexplicable time warp Mia goes back in time to meet Hawthorne. I’m a Hawthorne fan and the many page biography leading up to their meeting was extraneous and will probably lose many readers. Obviously this is a doomed relationship or his works won’t happen so what is the point of all this? Mia’s crazed stepfather Joel ends up back in time because he has been following her for 20 years now. Really?Also part two is filled with Hoffman’s horror at the present state of women’s rights in this country, and whilst I totally agree with her, I felt almost pummeled by her opinions. Was her wish to vent the whole point?
Part one- I totally enjoyed hence my three stars. The time travel section-not so much..
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC.

A truly remarkable and inspiring novel that reminds the reader to never forget the power of books. The Invisible Hour made the hours disappear as I became absorbed in Mia's world.

Ivy is a pregnant teenager during a time where she has no options except to be sent away. She makes the choice to run away and ends up at the Community, an isolated farm which is really more of a cult, where she thinks she will be loved and accepted. She ends up getting married to the leader of the Community and gives birth to Mia. Mia is raised in a world that does not allow books or any type of imagination. Life is all about following the strict rules that Joel, the leader, sets for the community. One day Mia steps in a library and finds a book that seems to be written to her. Mia is determined to escape until one day the unthinkable happens and the only thing that will save her is that book. What follows is a story that blends survival, a historical figure, and magic.

Books are a game changer and this story will speak to you. There truly is power in words and this is one of those books that will have you believing in their power. I can't recommend this book enough. A MUST READ!!!!!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Another beautiful spellbinding tale that Alice Hoffman has crafted. I am so thankful that I got to read this ARC. I have loved all of her work. This one was truly special. Like her classic work but with a time traveling twist and sprinkles of literature.

I was a litte skeptical about the storyline at the beginning because it was eerily similar to other ‘cult like’ books I have read. However, I was hooked when the main character finds a book that saves her life and gives her courage to flee her imprisonment.

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman from NetGalley, Atria Books and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mia Jacob has lived her entire life in The Community, a cult that drew her mother in in a moment of desperation, but all Mia wants is out. As Mia stands at the river's edge ready to take her life, she pulls out The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and begins to read. The story speaks to her and to the life she has experienced in The Community, but how is that even possible?

Having read some of Hoffman's other works, I appreciated the threads she wove into The Invisible Hour - the red boots, the red hair, the small house in the woods, Salem, the bits of magic. I requested Hoffman's novel, I didn't completely read the book's synopsis; when I got half way through the novel, I was completely thrown by the time travel and felt as if I was reading a separate novel. Nevertheless, Hoffman's writing style and gorgeous descriptions kept me reading. The novel does come together and if I had read the entirety of the synopsis, I think I would have understood where the story was going and appreciated it a bit more.

Alice Hoffman has again written a captivating historical fiction with a smidgen of time-travel tossed in. She explores the lives of women and girls in both puritan times and in male-dominated societal cults. The Invisible Hour also examines "The Butterfly Effect" theory of time travel. This tale also references events from her novel, The Red Garden, which is also an excellent novel based in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. I loved this story and was captivated by it.