Told in alternating timelines, this book had my attention from the very beginning! When Julia, a struggling young writer in New York, is approached by a prominent photographer, Jonathan, about a photo he took decades ago capturing a young woman with her baby, jumping off a bridge into the Ohio River, she starts on an adventure to discover the events leading up to that day. Julia travels to Western Kentucky in an attempt to uncover Kathryn’s story and she discovers so much more along the way. This novel is about mental health and how it affects one’s entire family and how society often views people with mental health diagnoses. This is a story of a mother’s love. It’s a story of infertility and the weight that can take on a couple. This was an excellent debut novel!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gower’s intriguing novel delves into the duality of mental illness in two emotionally compelling stories, one from the 1940s-60s and one present-day. The premise is based on a photograph of a trestle bridge, showing a tiny background figure of a woman jumping, suspended in mid-air above a river, swaddled baby in arms.

In present-day New York, Jules suffers from paranoia and a nervous disposition. She has just published a not-very-successful book about her mother’s lifelong depression when she meets renowned photographer, Jonathan Aster, who gives her ‘The Fairchild Photograph.’ Insisting the story will tell itself, Aster offers nothing more. Jules heads to Gray Station, Kentucky, armed with nothing but a date, where Edith Fairchild jumped to her death on July 4, 1964.

Throughout her life Edith is in and out of hospital, given shock treatment and psychotropic drugs and returned home to cope with her world. Her baby Kathryn receives sporadic care from her mother, who locks herself in a room for weeks on end, but in lucid moments shows infinite love for her daughter. Kathryn grows up labelled by small-town residents as the daughter of the crazy Fairchild woman. When an unexpected pregnancy occurs and Edith gives birth to a son, fifteen-year-old Kathryn leaves school to care for him. Too young for such immense responsibility, Kathryn’s teenage angst is beautifully portrayed in Gower’s poignant account.

Gradually the pieces of the puzzle begin to make sense to Jules, unfolding a tragic story, which Gower handles with tender compassion. Both timeframes have equal merit― Jules’ 21st-century mental health problems inextricably interwoven through her search for a woman whose illness and treatment are indelibly tied to the 1950s. This intergenerational story of motherhood and the bonds of maternal love is a riveting read.

This was the most suspenseful, page turning, completely had my attention historical fiction I’ve ever read!
With having my most despised TW of cheating and SA, the writing and the story line all but made up for it. This was such a beautifully written complex story with such lovable characters. I definitely recommend this debut novel!

Thank you the hive, htpbooks, netgalley and author Nathan Gower for providing me an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Release date: May 28th

Immediately engrossing, “The Act of Disappearing” will have you turning the pages late into the night.

Nathan Gowers, novel of family secrets is uniquely, interesting and well written. Coming from a family with his own secrets,I found an authenticity in the story and characters.

I will definitely be placing this high on my list of book recommendations.

I loved this book! It was an emotional journey. Enthralling and well written. I like how the author unraveled the personal histories of characters. Strength and courage rising through darkness and uninformed times.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

This book had me in a chokehold from page 1! I could NOT PUT IT DOWN! This story is told from alternating timelines. Julia is asked to investigate a photograph of a woman jumping off a bridge with a baby in the present and in the past we slowly uncover pieces of the puzzle leading up to photograph.

Honestly, this was SOOOO well done in my opinion. It was beautifully written. It touched on hard topics of mental health, and the struggles of motherhood. This wasn’t like a plot twist heavy story, but it was just so compelling! I knew this was going to be five stars from chapter 1! Hands down one of my favorite reads all year!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book hooked me and reeled me in from the very beginning. It is chockfull of secrets upon secrets and the ride to the end was a fascinating and intriguing one. Julia is a kind of down on her luck writer working as a bartender to make ends meet. One night she is approached by a famous photographer named Johnathon Astor. He shows her a photograph of a woman jumping to her death off a bridge holding a baby that he has never offered to the public. He offers her money to research the photograph and the story behind the woman. He wants her and her alone to write a book about the woman, he does not even tell her the woman's name. After deliberating Julia agrees and travels to Gray Station, Kentucky and begins her research. The novel jumps back and forth in time between the present day and 1963 and we are introduced to many characters that will become part of Julia's world. This book is wonderful, I loved it. So much mystery, so many discoveries, and such a good story. Julia is going to discover more than she could ever have imagined about the woman in the photo and in the process, her self. I will definitely be looking for more titles by Nathan Gower, a very talented writer. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for a chance to read an ARC of the spellbinding novel.

In "The Act of Disappearing," by Nathan Gower, Julia is a struggling author, whose first book sold slightly more than zero copies.  She gets by as a bartender, until one night a world renowned photographer comes to change her life.  Before his career even started, Jonathan Aster took a photograph of a women jumping off a bridge to her death.  Now, decades later, Jonathan wants Julia to investigate and write about the story behind the picture. Julia leaves NYC for a rural town in Kentucky to find out what happened.  As Julia starts to unravel the past, she is forced to deal with her own present. 

"The Act Of Disappearing" is a predictable, but easy and well flowing book. Even though the ending is rather obvious, it is still satisfying and may draw a few tears.  Definitely a good book for a lazy week on the beach

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC.

When I read the synopsis of THE ACT OF DISAPPEARING, I was immediately struck by how unique the premise was, and equally intrigued by the mystery surrounding a photograph depicting the seemingly final moments of a woman cradling a baby in her arms. And the cover, I must say, is beautiful.

We are introduced to our protagonist, Julia, who is approached by world-renowned photographer, Jonathan Aster, with the task of discovering the story behind the tragic photo. As you delve deeper into the mystery, the sadness and loneliness felt by some of our characters permeates every paragraph, page, chapter. It’s palpable, making you connect to certain characters, like Edith and her daughter, Kathryn (Kate), in ways you wouldn’t have imagined before starting the book. The journey you are taken on in this novel, from present time with Julia, going back in time to the late 1940s and into the 1960s with Kate, is one that is not easy to travel, but by the end, I think you’ll feel was worth it.

As I read the book, I was reminded that one of the worst things in world is not being believed nor understood. Worse yet— not being believed or understood by the people who are supposed to cherish you and protect you. But as we witness in THE ACT OF DISAPPEARING, one thing to counter this is the power of a mother’s love--even more powerful than the lies, or rumors, or ignorance, or intolerance inflicted by the close-minded. None of that matters in the face of the unyielding force behind a mother’s love. Edith loved Kate so fiercely that even during the worst of her mental illness, Edith would not be stopped from protecting her daughter. This plays out in one of the most satisfying parts of the book.

As I was finishing this novel, I was saddened by the waste of life--how sometimes life is shamefully wasted on those who don’t deserve it, and unfairly stolen from those who do. We as readers are outsiders looking into the complex, often tragic lives of beautiful characters created by this author; realistic characters we root for with all of our hearts. But the writing helps us relate to them in unimaginable ways, compelling us to feel their pain, their sadness, their profound loneliness, and ultimately, their redemption.

We are equally drawn into the lives of ugly, horrid, repulsive characters (one in particular), who are the antithesis to characters like Julia, Edith, and sweet Kate, as well as her best friend, Jack. One character I loathed with such intensity, it was difficult to continue reading because I needed justice for someone, but was afraid this loathsome character would go unpunished. My fears, however, were allayed by the fierce love only a mother can truly possess.

THE ACT OF DISAPPEARING tells a poignant story spanning decades and generations, seamlessly connecting the lives of individuals in unimaginable and beautiful ways. It’s at once utterly heart-breaking but uplifting, showing that depression cannot diminish strength of character, nor capacity to love. The remarkable women in this novel are a testament to that statement. And I’ve learned this from personal experience, as well. Not many books bring me to tears. This one did. It is a truly unforgettable story that will stay with me for a very long time!

I want to thank NetGalley, Nathan Gower, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for gifting me the ARC of THE ACT OF DISAPPEARING. It was such a privilege to read this before publication in May. And I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!

*4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

4.5 Stars rounded to 5.

This is a solid story that unfolds at a good pace & arrives at a surprising & satisfying conclusion. The more I read, the more I became vested in the storyline & characters. I found it to be a layered & poignant story that embodies many things: Secrets, deceit, heartache, tragedy, mental illness & foreboding, as well as friendship & love.

Favorite Lines:
** “People couldn’t feel the depth of blackness inside her. Sure, they could feel sadness, of course they could. But what they felt had a bottom to it, something to stop you from falling into the full well of the thing. A bottom meant you didn’t have to try to claw yourself back up against the slippery walls”
** “He was the rarest of human beings—one who knew how to get out of the way and let you exist without excuse.”

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing & Nathan Gower for an ARC in return for an honest review.

There's a photo that has been published over and over by Robert Wiles. It's a beautiful woman, lying on top of a damaged car. It's been called 'the most beautiful suicide' because of how striking it is. The life of Evelyn McHale, the beautiful woman, has been speculated since the photo was first published in 1947.

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower takes this idea, of a mysterious death, and turns it into a beautiful story of love, of want, of not fitting in, and one of sacrifice. It's the story of two women at a crossroads. Julia is floundering after her first book was published. She's picking up shifts at a bar and recently hooked up with her college ex, who is now ignoring her. Katherine has dealt with the rumors about her family her entire life. Her mother has been in and out of the state hospital for years.

Julia is approached by a world-famous photographer, Johnathan Aster. He's a fan of her book and has a proposition. He wants her to write a book, to find out the truth behind a photo. In the never-before-seen photograph from his collection, a woman is falling from a train bridge, clutching what appears to be a baby. Julia travels to Kentucky to dig into this story, and find much more than a photograph.

I loved this book. Julia was a tiny bit annoying at first, but her development was nothing unfamiliar to me. The theme of women coming into their own has been done again and again. Nathan Gower has taken this and added the history of another woman, of Katherine and her mother. Of Margot. Of Sammy, George, and Jack.

The growth of each character was so well done. Jack, in particular, was wonderfully written. He both broke my heart and made me happy at the same time.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Nathan Gower for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Julia is pregnant, broke and sharing an apartment. Along comes an odd photographer, Jonathon Aster. He is in posession of a photograph of a woman falling from a bridge with a baby. He hires Julia to research the photograph and find out about the woman. This story follows two timelines and is confusing at the start, but gets a bit better when you start to understand the characters. 2 and a haf stars

To know the secrets of past family history can sometimes bring understanding, clarity, & meaning to following generations. Each thread & character of this story is developed & woven with a finished portrait in mind. Each with strengths & flaws tied to their own unique position in the history of their lives. Both past & present storylines draw you in, culminating together for a beautiful bittersweet ending.

Nathan Grower weaves a captivating tale surrounding Julia White, off on what first seems to be a wild goose chase for information. I felt as though I was unable to put this novel down. I loved how the chapters jumped between the present and the past as Julia was doing her research and following the life of Kathryn. Grower did an amazing job of going between the present and the past in such a seamless way. It was so easy to follow and become engrossed within the story.

I found the characters in the book to be well developed. We learned about them through their conversations, actions and from descriptions from the author. Julia was an interesting character; we were following the difficulties she was facing in her personal life, but then we were also learning about how she felt connected to the people she was researching. She was seeing pieces of herself in Edith and Kathryn.

I highly recommend this book! I can see myself re-reading this book and getting more out of it a second time around. There were some amazing layers to the story.

This beautifully written novel is perfect for fans of of both literary fiction and mysteries alike.

Spanning dual timelines, the story centers around the mystery of a photograph taken decades ago. Who is the woman jumping from the bridge with a baby bundled in her arms? Why did she jump? Where and when was it taken? These are all questions the main character sets out to answer, and along the way she confronts the questions and struggles of her own life.

As I made my way through the book, I found myself ruminating on themes around womanhood, friendship, identity, community, and what we owe our parents as well as our children. The characters are flawlessly developed and unforgettable. I quickly grew to love this small cast of quirky and three-dimensional people, all of whom were facing their own struggles and demons.

This is a poignant and riveting story that I couldn't put down—I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy, which was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the secrets in this book and the double timelines. As a Kentucky native, I also loved the connection to the state. I sometimes struggled with the protagonist, but I think this is mostly due to her age and the fact that I sometimes wanted to give her the kind of "talking to" I would give my own daughter. I often disagreed with the protagonist's desire to give her scoundrel of a lover more information or consideration than he deserved.

I thought the author did a really nice job of telling stories from women's perspectives, which not every man could do.

“The Act of Disappearing” by Nathan Gower was an absolutely brilliant book. This is one of just a few books in my reading life that had me thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it. It is a story of a young author who is struggling through her life because of the loss of her mother and the failure of her first published novel. She is offered the job of writing a book about a haunting photograph of a woman jumping off a train trestle bridge holding a baby. As the mystery moves forward we become emotionally attached to the characters and become involved in each of their personal struggles. The themes in this book are powerful and relevant to the societal issues many face today. This beautifully written and compelling story had me tearing up in several places and especially at the end as I didn’t want to close the book! I loved this book and 5 stars are not enough,

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoy a book with good plot twists with a good ending, and this book had that I was able to fllow the time jumps and never felt lost. A love story and mystery that was more about true love and what it means. Most important it covers mental health and how it deeply effects.

I went into The Act of Disappearing, by Nathan Gower, not knowing what to expect- and I was blown away!!! Such an emotional gut punch of a book. I loved the dual timeline—past (late 1950s Kentucky) and present (Brooklyn)—narratives. The mystery unfolded beautifully over the generations. Motherhood, found family, secrets, mental illness. Highly recommend!!!!

Told in alternating timelines this is a story about love and loss and lives that aren't picture perfect. It's a story about motherhood in so many different ways. This is a story about mental health and the all to real affect it has on you and those around you. This is a story about acceptance and heartache. This story is a mystery to unravel. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read my first book by Nathan Gower.