I'm having a hard time describing this book because it was such a unique reading experience. Almost literal fiction in a way. And totally unput-downable.

Wow If you are looking for a great read, pick up The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds. You will not be disappointed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is a historical novel, with a time travelling element which makes it fun and quirky.

Josephine is recently widowed who buys her great-grandmothers house as a long term project. When she installs the original front door she is transported back to her Great Grandmothers speak easy; but finds herself in a race against time to undo damage caused to the timeline.

This is a fun book – Josephine is a likeable character as is her grandmother and her sister. The writing is lighthearted and fun to read. Even though Josephine is recently widowed and devasted at the loss of her husband.

There is romance, dancing and moonshine which makes this book which for me made it rather enjoyable.

“[Wishes] made from the deepest part of someone's heart, even the broken pieces, well, they can dramatically change a life. The stronger the wish, the stronger the possibility of change.”

After unexpectedly losing her husband, Josephine Reynolds has begun to lose the will to go on. In a moment of grief, she even wishes she’d never been born. When she buys her ancestral home and begins restoring it to its glory, Josephine finds herself stepping through time—directly into 1927. But she soon realizes that she has begun to change the past, in turn unraveling her own future. Can Josephine right the wrongs she’s created in her own family history? Or will she simply cease to exist?

The synopsis of this book immediately caught my eye and reminded me of The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young, which I had recently read and loved. The premise of this book is fascinating and has some similarities to Young’s novel, while also incorporating enough differences to make the two distinct from one another. I loved reading about Josephine’s physical and mental journey through time. I simply couldn’t put this book down and loved the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperMuse, and Jennifer Moorman for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Stay tuned for the release of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds on January 13, 2025!

Based on the description I thought I would enjoy this more. I never connected with Josephine (maybe because she was so pathetic in the beginning?) and I got confused with the time travel rules (which even at times I felt like the author didn't know how to handle, so the cop-out of "who knows how this works" was used).

I liked Josephine's relationship with her sister and with Alma. The insta-love with Danny felt predictable. I felt like not everything was resolved at the end either (most notably, what did happen to the uncle)? I think I wanted a little bit more from the ending.

Overall I liked it but maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds through Netgalley, and I am absolutely blown away. Jennifer Moorman has crafted a mesmerizing tale that seamlessly blends historical fiction with time-travel suspense.

Josephine's journey is both heart-wrenching and exhilarating. Her connection with her vivacious great-grandmother, Alma, is beautifully portrayed. As the plot twists and turns, I found myself on the edge of my seat, desperate to discover how Josephine would save both her past and future.

Moorman’s vivid descriptions transport readers to the roaring twenties while simultaneously building tension in the present. This novel is a must-read for fans of time-travel and historical fiction alike.

Five stars without a doubt!

The beginning of this was so slow, and I felt like I had to almost force myself to keep reading. BUT, once I got 50 or so pages into it I started to enjoy it. I liked hearing about the speakeasy and the fashion of the 20s. This was a clean read without any swearing and only a little bit of “necking” 😆

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

O m g!! I am in love with this book!! It was everything I've expected and more..
I was so excited to read about two timelines, and especially because one in set in 1927., and the 20's are such a fun time to read about. That was one of my favorite parts of the book, how well Jennifer Moorman described the atmosphere, the parties and dresses, the men! The courtship, the manners.. it's just chef's kiss!

Jospehine is a widow in her 30's who decides to move house to get a fresh start, and she ends up buying her great grandmother's Alma house. The house is full of Alma's things and memories, and anything but ordinary; and soon Josephine is immersed in Alma's world, and quite literally so.
I'm not gonna give too much away, but she is faced with decisions that could alter both timelines - and hence the title - changing the future so much, she might never even exist..!

There's so much more to it, the female friendships, family, romance, hope.. How things that are meant for us will always find us, and bravery will always be rewarded.
It was SUCH a heartwarming read that I can't waitttt for all of my friends to read; and I can't believe we have to wait for January for that to happen!
But once it does!! This will actually be a PERFECT winter read.
Add it to your TBR's, folks! So beautiful, a full 5 star!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. But, opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for my first ever ARC! :)

(I made a little moodboard for how I imagined the book & you can see it here :) - https://i.pinimg.com/736x/83/38/f1/8338f191da1f29e5cc34fca264629543.jpg )

I recieved a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Captivating. Captivating is the first word which springs to mind when thinking about this book. Jennifer Moorman again delivers a beautiful tale of magical realism.
Josephine Reynolds, newly widowed in her mid thirties, makes a rash and thoughtless wish in a moment of grief. Thinking no more about it, she embarks on a journey to restore her great-grandmothers home to its former glory, however she soon realises that there may be more work than just the property restoration to challenge her.
When she discovers miniscule words carved into the front door, she is transported back to the 1920's, and into her great grandmother Alma's circle of friends.
With a parallel timeline emerging, Josephine decides to get to know her great grandmother, however, when the timelines being to merge, Josephine can feel herself slowly disappearing.
Can Josephine find herself again? Can she start to heal her heart and mind?
Jennifer Moorman again expertly blends magical realism with historical fiction. The descriptions of the 1920's are descriptive, evocative, and you can almost imagine you are side by side with Josephine in the roaring 20's. As a reader who enjoys historical fiction, this read was beautiful

Thank you Harper Muse for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the novel is extremely compelling: Josephine Reynolds, a newly widowed woman in her mid-thirties, moves back into her ancestral home and discovers a magical door that transports her to 1927. She meets her great-grandmother, Alma, who is running an illegal speakeasy in the home’s basement. But Josephine accidentally alters history – and finds her own existence vanishing as a result.

I love time-travel stories, and this one caught my attention immediately because it reminded me of The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (a favourite of mine). Unfortunately this book didn’t quite live up to my hopes; I found the plot to be pretty slow moving at times, and often found myself drifting while reading. I didn’t feel particularly attached to Josephine; she read as two-dimensional to me, and ultimately, I did not finish this book because I did not feel invested enough in the story.

I think the author has a very interesting premise here, and this book will appeal to people who are looking for a cozy, historical fiction-esque novel. For me, I found the action of the novel happened too slowly and it fell a bit flat for me as a result.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to the arc of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!! I have never felt so immersed in 1927! And at a speakeasy! My heart is bursting with love and I feel like dancing! At one point Josephine thinks to herself "why not turn up every part of my life? Why not live louder and bolder?" YES!!! That is exactly how I feel after reading this story!! This book is why I love to read!!! GAH!!!

Josephine is struggling. Her husband died unexpectedly and she's not sure how to go on. She even wishes she'd never been born. In an impulse she ends up buying an old mansion that used to belong to her family. In the basement, she finds an old speakeasy and soon after unexpectedly ends up with a door leading to 1927. Add she travels back and forth, she realizes she's disappearing. She had to figure out how to save herself. This is a great time travel book!!!

Ok my only issue with this is it reminded me too much of outlander with the magical transportation frame and then your in a new place in a new time period. Doesnt mean I didnt like it its just ive read it already. I absolutely loved all the descriptions and the places that everyone went to and her spending time with her family who she never thought she would see again that was heartwarming.

I just could not get into this story. I found it boring. The plot did not capture my interest and it was a struggle to finish it.

I really enjoyed this book. I love historical fiction and if you love the 20s and jazz age, you will enjoy this too.

I think the story is well thought out and well-written. I think the details of the 20s era is great and I can picture it in my head. I would love more depth in the story during certain points and I didn't feel like the time lapses during the days completely match up (for example, there is a point where the MC is in the 20s during the day, she is invited to a party later that night, she goes back to present day, sleeps the entire night and wakes up to go back in time to the party)

I think the development of the FMC is pretty good. I think sometimes she lacks emotional depth as she is experiencing the 20s. I'd love to also get more from Alma since she is so important to the overall story. I loved the dialogue and the language used is authentic to the time period.

The ending is wonderful (although predictable) and truly ties up what happens in the story. It gave me all the feel goods and I appreciated it.

I think overall, it's a good book. A quick read that is really nice to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an ARC of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is reminiscent of the Christopher Reeves movie "Somewhere in Time" or the Sandra Bullock movie "The Lake House." Josephine, the protagonist, mourns the loss of her husband (or does she?). The opening is a bit confusing as the author must paint a picture of her relationship that inspires her depressive grief yet detaches her from her former husband, Nathan. As a widowed woman, the author tries to build relatability as Josephine must come to terms with the knowledge that she had lost her identity in the marriage, deferring to Nathan in almost every circumstance, including major life decisions, household decor, lifestyle, and other events. At the same time, the author disperses some sensual imagery around Nathan and Josephine's romantic attachment to him. This has an abrupt transition at the beginning and mentions of Josephine's resentful feelings and/or grief become repetitive in description and somewhat contradictory. Her depression (i.e. Twilight-style or like the Zoe Saldana movie "From Scratch") is quite dramatic considering her emotional resentment over his controlling personality.

However, the book becomes substantially better once the supernatural time-traveling plot is introduced. She chooses to leave the fancy house that Nathan picked out, and tries to find her roots by purchasing an old family home. When confronted by the HOA rep about the tacky modern front door, she locates the historically-appropriate door to replace it. In fact, it's the original door! She notices that the door is a portal to the past when her grandmother Alma ran a speakeasy in the basement. However, the speakeasy was raided and now Josephine has to figure out how to rescue Alma in order to save her own existence. Once again, it's metaphorically significant because Josephine struggles with self-actualization and tends to lose herself in the plots of other people's stories. She meets a man named Danny who takes notice of her and a lovely romance ensues. Josephine continues to visit the 1920s through the portal, but she notices that there are consequences in her "real" life. The narrative style and how the supernatural plot unfolds feels far more "real" and developed than her real life plot. The 1920s atmosphere and the dresses that she wears create a beautiful backdrop for Josephine's transformation from a timid follower of a woman to a fierce and protective woman. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her develop as a character; this part made the book worth reading and set up the novel for an appropriately wonderful resolution.

I would definitely recommend this book to women who enjoy time-traveling historical romance that is low-smut and a perfect blend of romance-writing and literary writing. Josephine is an older woman already having been in a marriage, which also makes this more interesting as a romance than a typical hot-blooded young woman. There is some commentary about how women managed to gain power in a time period like the 1920s and Josephine learns from Alma how to take back her own life. There are Great Gatsby allusions (of course!) and also a touching interracial relationship that is touching. Although the beginning was abrupt and odd, the book was a very satisfying read once Josephine moves into the new house. Stick with it!

How do you describe an indescribably wonderful book? This was the type of book where I never wanted to stop reading because I felt the story would continue without me!

Recently widowed Josephine Reynolds, in all her grief, feels that she is just a shadow or ghost of her usual self and wishes she could just disappear. Her sister Katherine encourages her to move through her grief and become the woman she wants to be, to be her real self. When they find that their great-grandmothers home has gone into foreclosure, Katherine convinces Josephine to buy the house. The tale that ensues is a magical tale of a Narnia-like portal Josephine passes through to meet her great-grandmother in 1927 where she experiences fringed flapper dresses, cloche hats, windowpane suits, French 75's, prohibition & bootlegging, and a speakeasy. The descriptions are so real that I could see the smoky speakeasy, smell the cigarettes & alcohol, and hear the jazz music.

As a result of meeting her grandmother, Josephine learns to become herself again, regains her momentum and strength, and finds that you can live and love again. A truly wonderful read.

The characters development is excellent, the story line is engaging from beginning to end, and the book ends exactly as I envisioned!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Harper Muse for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the chance to read this delightful story!

This was a fun, breezy read great for fans of 'Midnight in Paris'. The time-travel didn't get too convoluted, which I always appreciate. I was expecting a fun read from the premise alone, but was pleasantly surprised by the way this story tackled love, grief, and healing. The romance was sweet, and the characters all feel distinct and likeable (Except Barbara, who deserves a kick in the tush! lol) The ending was bittersweet, of course, but I wasn't disappointed.

I highly recommend picking this book up, and I will definitely look into other titles by this author.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I want to put those quote about wishes because it made me stop to think.
I believe the old saying goes be careful with what you wish for because it can happen. Others might call it karma
"Those made from the deepest part of someone's heart even the broken pieces, well, they can dramatically change life. The stronger the wish, the stronger the possibility of change.
She said that listens to our wishes. Time breaks and reforms. Like branches of a river, time can split from
a single point where a vital event occurs— when a specific wish is made a single point where a vital event occurs— when a specific wish is made— and create alternate outcomes simultaneously.
Wow! That certainly leaves a lot to think about doesn't it. This quite came from Leo. I'm loving his wisdom.
Josephine is a pretty cool character.
This is an amazing book. I love time time traveling adventures. I was pretty happy when I received this book.

3.75 rounded up.
Josephine buys her great-grandmothers house and finds a secret speakeasy in the basement. After replacing the front door back to the original, she finds herself able to walk into 1927 and meets her great-grandmother Alma. Josephine accidently messed with the timeline and is now disappearing from the present. She needs to right the past and save Alma from a deadly raid to her speakeasy.

I did enjoy this book. It's a low action, low conflict magical realism book. Josephine needed to find herself again after losing her husband months before. I'm not sure how much I really liked the main character, and I would have rather stayed in the past with Alma.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc to read and review honestly