This was enjoyable but it lacked Hoffman's signature magic. There's something beautiful about the way Alice Hoffman writes, how she weaves magic throughout her novels, and the way characters end up connecting in the end. The Invisible Hour did not have those elements that I look forward to when I pick up a novel by Alice Hoffman. This was just enjoyable, but not a story that will stick with me. I am sorry this one missed the mark for me, but I do think others will enjoy it! I can't wait to see what Hoffman writes next.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I have a hard time reviewing this book, because it's divided into three parts and really feels like three distinct works. I enjoyed the first half, where we meet the main character Mia, and her mother Ivy. There is an abrupt shift in setting, tone, and character arc around halfway through the book, and it lost me a bit. There are elements of magical realism that I wasn't anticipating. The descriptions of the book do not mention this plot twist, as it is the crux of the novel and would really spoil things, but had I known about it, I probably would have skipped this book and opted instead to read something from Alice Hoffman's back catalog. Her beautiful writing and storytelling is present here as in her other novels, but this one didn't stand out to me.

This book was a quick read for me. I looked up after my first sitting with it and had read about 20%!

This story helped me realize why I had such big dreams for myself when I was a kid. I envisioned a life that I had never experienced before, almost like a fairytale, because i was a reader. And readers are believers and achievers.

I liked the book but the ending fell a little flat for me.

A beautiful story filled with heartbreak and just a touch of magic.
The story follows Mia, raised by her mom in a cult called the Community where women don’t have rights. Reading the Scarlet Letter which she snuck from the library brings her such a sense of familiarity, almost as if it was written about her mom and upbringing . But as she tempts fate with the outside world, her life becomes more entwined with that of the author, himself, Nathaniel Hawthorne. This is a heart wrenching novel not only about love and heartbreak, but courage and fighting for yourself and the ones you love. Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC.

This book had me in my feelings. I love books about books and when combined with thoughtful storytelling, love, and intersected with family, it was just captivating. I did feel like something was missing but overall and did not quite seem like a usual Alice Hoffman book. Overall I liked it and found myself continuing to think about. Thank you for the ARC!

Alice Hoffman always delivers a superior story that stays with me and I keep thinking about how she wove the strands together.
Thank you for sharing this book with me.

Although not my favorite Alice Hoffman book, I loved the writing in this one. The author is able to build a compelling story and clearly demonstrates strong character development. The theme of importance of books is near and dear to my heart and any book lover would find this novel to be an authentic portrayal of the magic of books. Alice Hoffman has an easy to read but elegant writing style that will easily capture the hearts of many readers. I will definitely continue to pick up her books in the future.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This was yet another wonderful book by Alice Hoffman. She has a wonderful way to tell a story that makes her books fun and exciting reads.

I thoroughly enjoyed the activity of reading this book. Its prose is leisurely and the descriptions are beautiful. The experience was like taking an autumn walk. I enjoyed aspects of the story, but the overall effect was somewhat disjointed. POV seemed to shift within paragraphs at times which took getting used to and often felt a little bit like whiplash. The story managed to somehow be slow paced and move quickly at the same time. You would spend an entire (long) chapter on one day only to shift 2-15 years at the beginning of the next one. The ties to the Scarlett Letter weren't quite as extensive as I expected. There is a cult that is a major feature of the story, that uses the branding of letters on women's bodies as punishment for their "crimes" and Nathaniel Hawthorne is a character beginning in part 2, but I felt like there were missed opportunities.

As a lover of magical realism and stories that aren't quite full fantasy, I loved those aspects of the book, but I wished they had shown up sooner. The connections felt like they came at the end of a story and all of the sudden there was a whole other story. If I were rating this book exclusively on vibes, I'd give it 5⭐, but because of the disjointed POV and the pacing issues, my overall rating is 3.5⭐.

I absolutely loved this book. I went into it knowing absolutely nothing about the plot, but immediately got swept up in the story and finished the book in 2 sittings. The writing is spectacular and the characters are unforgettable. This one will be living rent-free in my head for quite some time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!

Rating: Did not finish at 63%
Star Rating: 3 Stars

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for providing me with the DRC to review. This book had such a promising premise, but it really just didn't do it for me. I found myself unable to really connect with the characters and possibly would have liked more detail into their initial background. I like the magical element to it, but other parts of the book seemed like it was trying to be 3-4 different types of book.
It felt at times like a coming of age, conquering your past type of story, but at other times went into the territory of abusive relationships with the relationship between Ivy & Joel in The Community. Then it had this magic element of discovering books and their healing power.
I just found it had compelling bits in different parts of the story, but was trying to make every point at once.

I could see people enjoying this book that are standby Alice Hoffman fans, or are more invested into the Mia/Nathaniel portion of the book, but it was not for myself.

Alice Hoffman has a place in our hearts with all of her books, including Practical Magic (one of our favorite series). So it is no surprise that her newest book is on our list of time travel romance books. This is the newest Alice Hoffman book and it is a book lover's dream come true.

This fantasy is a story of love, heartbreak, and the magic of books. Mia Jacob is on the verge of sinking herself into a river when the book The Scarlet Letter saves her. The words seem to tell her story of growing up in an oppressive cult where contact with the outside world is forbidden and reading books is a heinous crime.

Even more daunting is the inscription on the inside of the book that is inscribed to her. This is a time travel romance book as only Hoffman could do it. I loved the audio version of the book- it brought life and depth to this story.

4.5 stars!

I loved this short but sweet novel by Alice Hoffman that was an ode to the power of books and how one book can change your life.

The novel is set in Boston and follows an affluent teen girl (Ivy), who runs away after finding out that she is pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend, with her parents attempting to pressure her into giving up the baby for adoption. Ivy flees to Western MA, where is beguiled by an older man who is actually the leader of a cult, known as the "Community." Ivy quickly realizes her mistake, as this is yet another man attempting to control her, but she remains there due to lack of resources and agency.

Ivy gives birth to a daughter, Mia, with whom she secretly shares her love of books, as they are outlawed in the Community and burned if discovered. "In a place where books were banned there could be no personal freedom, no hope, and no dreams for the future." In particular, Mia seeks solace in The Scarlet Letter, and it eventually emboldens her to escape the Community, being rescued and later adopted by a local librarian. The story jumps ahead to Mia as a young adult, who has herself become a librarian. The plot takes a magical turn when Mia is transported back in time to the mid-nineteenth century, where she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne and they both have a profound influence on the course of one another's lives.

Although I had to suspend disbelief at the time-travel element of the novel, I really enjoyed its relevance to many current political issues, highlighting how the subjugation of women and the lack of power and control women have over their own bodies continues to be present today, as it was during the time Hawthorne penned The Scarlet Letter. Similarly, this desire to disempower women is directly related to the recent influx of right-wing conservatives targeting public schools and school boards by attempting to ban books across the nation. "Once a girl walked into a library she could never be controlled again."

Many thanks to Alice Hoffman, Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Though The Scarlet Letter was written two hundred years before, it seems to be 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. How can a story written so long ago parallel their story so closely? As Mia abandons the rules of the Community, she learns that reading can transform, bringing other worlds to the reader and connecting them to the author in strange and mysterious ways.

I choose this one based almost solely on the author, but the plot of a young woman raised in a cult and mesmerized by books was also intriguing. There’s also a bit of fantasy and time travel. All elements for a successful read. I’ll admit, I enjoyed the first half more than the second. And the romance plot was just kind of meh for me. I far more appreciated Ivy’s journey to understanding her own mother throughout her journey, and that was the major point, anyway, so overall, I’m pleased with this one.

I loved this book - and I didn't expect to. I was not sure how the magical realism or supernatural vibes would play out, but I loved it all! The love of books and writing is evident, but not preachy! This has it all, a cult, mystery, time travel, love, loss, regret, and hard choices! Read it now!

2.5
The first half is Ivy finding out she is pregnant and searching for support and love when the father doesn't want to be involved and her parents want to send her to a girl's school and give the baby up. She finds Joel, the leader of a cult. When the baby, a sweet girl named Mia, is born she becomes the child of the family not Ivy and to be a family member Joel is named her father.
When Mia finds a library and a book with her name written in the front her life beings to change. After the death of her mother she runs away. Through the book she steps back in time. She falls in love with Hawthorne. In an effort to not change the book that changed her life she lives in the invisible hour. A place where she can travel between worlds but never really live.
It was a great concept, but the execution fell flat for more. I wasn't captivated. Even with her "father" stalking her, I wasn't invested in her happiness or life. I think it was the background focus on her mother and Hawthorne before any interactions that took away from the love story and personal growth plot.

I am a huge Alice Hoffman fan so it is no surprise that I loved her new release. I went into this book blind and I highly recommend doing so, the story unfolds so beautifully and it was such a joy to read. Hoffman always manages to seamlessly weave magical elements into the human condition and writes some of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read. I do wish this book had been a little bit longer but I enjoyed it very much.

This beautiful book completely took me by surprise.

I didn’t even read the description for this book and that was the best way to read it.

It starts out with a young woman planning to escape the cult she grew up in and the story evolves into so much more than that. Found family, romance, magical realism, historical fiction, a love letter to books and reading - and a smart, strong, lovable main character.

What I love is that some of Hoffman’s characters may not have a lot of real estate on the page but still end up being so memorable and lovable?? I loved them all.

Though I love this Author, this read left me wanting more, I did like the concept of the book that led Mus into the world, but it took a bit long to get there .Magic realism is one of this authors greatest traits . When it was part of the story it was lovely .

I found this book to be very interesting and intriguing. I would recommend this a friend because this is a book for everyone.