I went into this one a bit blind not really knowing what to expect. Just that I've liked some of Hoffman's previous works (Practical Magic anyone). I'm not sure how I feel about the magical realism but there were a lot of aspects off the book I did love.

First off, I found it to be a quick easy read once I settled into it. Mia was a great character and I really loved her chapters in the beginning parts of the book. All the characters were well written with great depth. As well, the emphasis on the love of and importance of books of course resonated with me as an avid reader. The tie ins to Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlett Letter were really cool. I also enjoyed the cult aspect and how that connected everything to the storyline. Though it was very much a character based story. An overall enjoyable read and I'm grateful to Simon and Schuster for my ARC.

I love the way Alice Hoffman writes, I've read most of her Practical Magic series books and love those too. However, I wasn't a fan of the time travel aspect and wasn't invested in the plot of this one that much, which makes me sad because I really wanted to like it after her other books.

This was a stunning read! Alice Hoffman has expertly woven together this cultish tale with a love and reverence for books & the magic of reading and how a book can save a life. The novel shows the beauty of motherhood and the bond between mothers and daughters, but also touches on the power of choice as a prominent theme throughout the book. I loved reading about Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlet Letter, which I haven't read before but am immediately adding to my tbr list!

I adored the main character, Mia, her resilience was admirable in the face of hardship and loss. Her struggle with choice and choosing the right path was interesting. I am always drawn to any story with an element of time travel and this checks the box for me.

This is not a book I would normally gravitate towards. With themes of magic, time travel and historical fiction these are not typically ones that interest me. However, when I read the synopsis and it mentioned that the story was centered around the power of books and reading I knew I would like it, and I did. I really enjoyed the fast-paced story and its unique characters. I particularly liked the heroine of the story, strong-willed Mia, who vows to leave a cult that she was born into. The cult restricts people from experiencing joy and happiness and forbids anything that opens one’s eyes to the outside world, including books.

You can tell that this story was Alice Hoffman’s response to the current cultural wave of book banning as well as society’s move towards cutting back women’s rights. This tale is therefore very timely and addresses these issues in the really unique style that Hoffman is known for. At times I wondered if this book could pull off what it was attempting (it could have gone really wrong) but it definitely did and that I attribute to the strength of the writing.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for an arc copy of this book.
I admittedly have never read this author. I can say I do enjoy the writing style and prose throughout the book.
I didn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked. The chemistry seemed to be lacking once the two finally met so I found the story lacklustre when they were together, after all the build up.
I was very pleased with the way the story came full circle.
I think that if you strip away all the themes, this was really lovely fanfic.
Fans of the Scarlett letter, multiple genres in one book and omniscient writing will enjoy this book.

I loved the first half of this book. The pace of the story was pretty fast and we got to see a specific timeline through the eyes of Ivy and Mia. The subject is not necessarily easy but I thought it was beautifully written. We get to see what brought Ivy and her unborn baby to a cult and how Mia (Ivy's daughter) later manages to get out and make a life for herself. The second part is where the story lost me completely. I am all for some magic but it just felt like we were in a completely different book. I could not relate or get into that part of the story and I had a difficult time getting through it. It just felt like I was getting a complete other story that did not relate to the first part aside from the fact that it was the author's work that helped Mia get out of her cult. I don't know if maybe I'm the one who missed some subtleties or maybe a meaning that made it all work. Overall it was good just maybe not my cup of tea.

For fans of beautiful prose and a little bit of magic, The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman was a treat to read.

Half of the story is anchored in the present, a time when Ivy has left her home and moved into a community ruled by commandments of sorts and a leader whose intentions are not good. Ivy has found herself unwed and pregnant and fearful of what will happen to her child if she remains at home. A threat by her father sets her on her way. Ivy gives birth to a daughter while living in the Community. Now, her daughter Mia has been secretly introduced to the library and finds a book that means the world to her. Then the story adds its’ tint of magical realism when Mia falls in love with the writer—who wrote the book in 1850.

Hoffman has broached a women’s right to her own body and fate in an interesting way. My initial thoughts were that the omniscient narrator wasn’t allowing for the depth of character that I so enjoy in my literary fiction novels and of this author’s previous works, but alas I needn’t be worried as it quickly honed in on the women who made this novel special.

One needn’t have read The Scarlet Letter to enjoy this book, just know that it is the book featured in this story and tells of a woman who becomes pregnant with a daughter by a man to whom she is not married to and must wear the letter A for adultery to broadcast her sin. The Scarlet Letter is set in a Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid 1600s.

Alice Hoffman is an auto-read author for me and while it has been some years since I have read her books, I remember how talented she is. Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. The Invisible Hour publishes August 15, 2023.

The first part really dragged for me and took me a week to get through, but then I loved it. Loved the magical realism in this. Such a lovely story.

I must confess that this is my first Alice Hoffman book and I did not realize what I was missing. Her writing is so beautiful and lyrical. This story takes in so much. Living in a cult, regret, love, grief, family, and how words in a book can be a lifeline. I wasn’t quite sold on the time travel and involvement with the book’s author, but maybe that’s just me. The rest I just loved. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This latest from one of my all-time favorite authors did not disappoint in the slightest! Told in two parts, this was very different from her recent Owens sisters books, yet had the same focus on love and family with a unique element of magical realism that I really enjoyed!

This book follows Mia, a young teen girl raised in a cult who finds comfort at the local library and in the pages of books. In particular, a special copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne's A scarlet letter has a dedication that seems written just for her. Determined to escape, she tries convincing her mother to leave with her without luck and when tragedy strikes she turns to the local librarian for help.

Years later Mia has found a new family and a place she can belong working as a librarian at the New York Public Library. Her past comes back to haunt her in a very real and dangerous way though and when she tries to run again she ends up finding herself transported back in time to the man who will become the love of her life.

This book is for romance lovers and anyone who's ever wondered about the story behind their favorite stories. I must admit I was never a big fan of The Scarlet letter but this book certainly had me appreciating it and its author a whole lot more.

Great on audio narrated by Jessie Mueller and perfect for fans of books like The time traveller's wife by Audrey Niffenegger (one of my all time favorite star-crossed love stories). Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review. My words truly don't do this story justice!

I had a really hard time giving this one a star rating, and even formulating my thoughts is still difficult! I think it was extremely beautifully written, and visually provoking- I can picture almost every single thing that happened in this book, which honestly is a rarity for me! That's how vividly Hoffman created this world and its characters. I do feel that it was a little longer than necessary; the main action doesn't happen until over halfway through the book, so it kind of dragged a bit- I was starting to feel a little underwhelmed by the whole thing and then that turning point reinvigorated me. I think the characters were beautifully drawn and the themes in this story were incredibly, realistically, portrayed. All in all, a gorgeous read!

Alice Hoffman is a beautiful writer, and of that there is no doubt. This one is about a cult and a young girl who escapes it because of her love of adventure and books (which aren't allowed on the compound). The book started off well enough and had so much potential. There is a lot of love throughout these pages and I so enjoyed reading Ivy and her daughter Mia's story. But when the plot veered into Nathanial Hawthorn territory I became bored. As much as I like time travel stories this one just didn't do it for me. Maybe I am just not smart enough for this type of book. The second half feels like a different book altogether.

The book tries too hard to fit many genres into too few pages. Is it fantasy, literary fiction, women's fiction or a thriller? I think it got a bit watered down trying to be too much at once. It is a well-written story and Hoffman's prose is front and center, the premise is a good one. Unfortunately, the bad/boring parts overrode the good. 2.5 stars rounded down.

Thank you so so so much NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for access to this magical arc!!

4.5 / 5 stars rounded down

Alice Hoffman has been my favourite author for so many years, and I was SO EXCITED to read her newest novel! I loved being once again swept up in Hoffman's prose, it was like coming home to a dear friend you haven't seen in ages. I did feel the second part of it dragged on, and having read quite a few of her novels I found the themes and some plot devices to be predictable and kind of getting a bit old. That being said, I still absolutely loved diving into another of her beautiful tales, and can't wait to add a finished copy to my Alice Hoffman shelf 💜

"Once a girl walked into a library she could never be controlled again."

Alice Hoffman is an auto-buy author for me. When I got approved to read an ARC of this book I squealed with delight.

Once again, Hoffman manages to create believable characters placed in unbelievable circumstances. If you are a lover of magic realism, no one does it better than this author.

The beauty of this book is that it examines how reading can literally save a person's life. This book is a love letter to writers, readers and librarians.

How can a book written hundreds of years ago speak to someone in the present day? How are some words and themes able to transcend time? When teenage girl Mia discovers a first edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's acclaimed novel, The Scarlett Letter, in a library, the book seems like it is written for her and is speaking directly to her. Mia and her mother Ivy live in a commune led by a cult leader who imposes rigid puritanical rules on its members. Mia realizes that her life and lack of autonomy is not unlike the lives of women portrayed in Hawthorne's book.

After suffering painful losses, a heartbroken Mia is transported back in time to meet the man of her dreams: Nathaniel Hawthorne. I love Hoffman's writing and have no problem with suspending my belief about time travel but I didn't love the story as much when it was focused on Hawthorne.

In the end, I love the messages in this book - especially the power of books, the love of a mother and the belief that every woman should have a right to make choices about her body and life.

I really wanted to love this one, but struggled with the pacing. It took about half the book for Mia and Nathaniel to meet (which is what had peaked my interest in the first place!) I think others will love this book, but it just wasn't for me,

I feel as if I've just read two separate stories, one ensign near the halfway mark and the other beginning, changing the genre of the book entirely. It came as a surprise, and in the end, I loved it all the more for that.
Alice's note to readers at the beginning was beautiful, and added to my love of the story. And now I've got to go reread The Scarlet Letter because it's been entirely too long.

[arc review]
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Invisible Hour releases August 15, 2023

2.5

<i>“Sometimes when you read a book it’s as if you were reading the story of your own life.”</I>

This starts as the story of a teen named Ivy, who was shamed and rejected by her parents and partner after she became pregnant. With nowhere to turn to, a stranger she meets persuades her to what ends up being a cult.
As the story progresses, the narrative shifts to Ivy’s daughter, Mia, who was born into this secluded and oppressive community.
When her mother unexpectedly and tragically dies when Mia is 15, we see the advancement of her escaping this life.

The unconventional mother-daughter dynamic was very enticing, but once the male pov from 1837 was introduced in the latter half, it really lost its stride for me, and it almost felt like a completely different book.

Mia found Nathaniel through time travel because of the personalized book dedication, but he would have only written it because she travelled in the past before it came to be. It’s a mobius loop that I can’t wrap my head around.

I would have liked more of a clearer explanation on how the magical realism aspects of this book worked, because it seems very amorphous; how she travelled by a wish/thought, and then herself and the words on the pages started to become invisible? If the physical book was vital to time travel, how was Joel able to “slip through behind”?? It didn’t quite work for me.

Mia is heartbroken, but the power of words saves her. She reads The Scarlet Letter and is saved by the power of words by being literally transport through time by reading.

It is clear where this inspiration for this book comes and Hoffman really hits on some current themes, show how history repeats itself, or how things haven't actually changed all that much. It also speaks deeply to the power of the written word. Out in August.

The Invisible Hour is a beautiful testament to the power of dreams, love, and the written word. Hoffman's newest work is nothing short of a riveting blend of historical fiction, time-travel, and romance, wrapped up in a narrative featuring Hoffman's trademark magical realism. The Invisible Hour is a compelling, deeply moving novel that is sure to captivate fans of Alice Hoffman and new readers alike, offering a literary journey that will resonate long after the final page has been turned.

'The Invisible Hour' by Alice Hoffman is a sweeping, haunting but beautiful story above love, grief, family, time and the power of words, stories and books. I found the first half of the book was tight and concise, as we were brought along Ivy and Mia's journey. The second part asks the reader to be more forgiving when it comes to the time-slip feel, the altering timelines and historical characters all woven into a love story. Overall the story resonates with the past as well as the present in terms issues surrounding a woman's choice, their autonomy, their fight for survival within the confines of their societies and of course, a mother's love for their child.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Shuster for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.