The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds
by Jennifer Moorman
Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Widowed at thirty-five, Josephine Reynolds wishes she could disappear, but her concerned sister convinces her to buy their ancestral home, a Craftsman bungalow in disrepair and foreclosure. It's a welcome distraction, and Josephine can't believe her luck when she finds the home's original door in a salvage yard.

When she installs the door and steps through it, Josephine is transported into 1927, where she meets her great-grandmother Alma, a vivacious and daring woman running an illegal speakeasy in the bungalow's basement. Immersed in the vibrant Jazz Age, Josephine forms a profound bond with Alma, only to discover upon her return to the present that history has been altered. Alma's life was tragically cut short in a speakeasy raid just a week after their fateful meeting.

Josephine has a chilling revelation--her own existence is unraveling/vanishing--and she must race against time to rewrite history. Josephine is desperate to not only save Alma but save her own future in a time-bending journey where past and present intertwine in a desperate battle for survival.

Infused with Jennifer Moorman's signature blend of magical detail and heartfelt storytelling, The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a tale of resilience in the face of loss and a testament to the timeless bond of family. Great book!

Josephine Reynolds is a young widow, at only 35. Somehow during her marriage, she had lost her sense of self, and molded herself to fit her successful husband’s needs. Even the house she lives in doesn’t reflect her style - if she even knows what that is anymore. Six months after his death, she’s still just going through the motions during the days, with no sense of purpose. That all changes when her great-grandmother’s mansion The Carter House comes up for sale. Her uncle had purchased it, but ran out of money and left it with much still to do. Encouraging Josephine in this adventure is her realtor sister Katherine. When Josephine enters the house, she truly feels she is home, but as she starts to explore, there’s a whole other world literally beneath her feet. She finds out that her great-grandmother ran a speakeasy in the basement of her house in the 1920’s.

As she begins to research her great-grandmother’s past, she discovers a newspaper article that could drastically alter her future. Josephine journeys back to 1927, to try and prevent a tragedy that could affect her and her family’s future, and in the process learns that she is stronger than she knows. But how much of changing events in 1927 will affect events in her current day? Lots of jazz age music and fashion details blended with the magical aspect of time-traveling makes this an enjoyable read - I couldn’t wait to see what happens next! Thanks to the author for sharing an ARC with my book club. Pub date is 1/14/25, but available for preorder now!

While I enjoyed this, it was perhaps marketed slightly incorrectly. I thought this was a light fantasy book, but it was more so a contemporary story with magical realism. Since I primarily read fantasy and science fiction, I had questions on how the door actually worked that were never answered. This probably wouldn’t bother most readers, but I had to suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story. Overall, a solid read that most likely more contemporary and literary fiction readers will enjoy!

I was in the mood for something with an element of magical realism, and I knew it had to be The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds by Jennifer Moorman. I read and loved her book The Magic All Around but I loved this one even more and it was such a delight to read. I love time travel and when you throw in parallel timelines where the characters have big decisions to make, it just creates an even more intense and interesting read. I loved the present timeline and Josephine’s relationship with her mom and sister, and the 1920s timeline was excellent with its Prohibition era speakeasy and dash of romance and drama.

I was so close to ugly crying at the end of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds, and I definitely found myself tearing up often. Despite the serious subject matters Moorman touches on, this book made me laugh as well and I can’t imagine a better way she could have wrapped the story up. There is a lot of tension throughout along with moments that will touch your heart in the best possible way. Read this if you enjoy time travel, family themes, romance, and hopeful endings!

I really enjoyed The Baker's Man and I was really excited to read this 1920s time travel story. The book is a lovely exploration of grief and family ties, and I liked the historical atmosphere.
A lot of the writing focused on telling instead of showing, which made the narration appear choppy at times. The characters also felt flat and I wish we had gotten some more development. I liked the way that Josephine did change throughout the book and learn to find happiness on her own.
I really liked the fall setting and the time travel - readers will love to get cozy with this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the eARC!

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a heart-warmingand magical tale of accepting life's challenges and finding yourself.
Our protagonist is, Josephine Reynolds, a 35 year old woman, who is struggling to come to terms with being a widow and the need to rebuild her life. When Josephine's sister, tells her that their old family home is up for sale, Josephine makes the impulsive decision to buy the house, and slowly restore the damage, caused by the previous owner (her uncle).
It's not long before the house starts to reveal it's secrets to Josephine. And when she replaces the front door, with the original, Josephine is given a pathway into the past.
I loved the chapters set in the 1920s, the descriptions are so vivid, and just beautiful. The costumes (or rather outfits), and music, helped to build up the atmosphere and I was almost disappointed to return to the contemporary timeline. During her trips into the past, Josephine realises that her beloved great, great grandmother, Alma is due to die shortly and if she does, then Josephine and her sister would not exist. Josephine's race to save her grandmother acts an extra layer of drama and heightens the tension.
A wonderfully bittersweet ending, but one that gives the reader hope for the future.

I liked the plot but it was a little too slow for me. It took me a while to finish. Might have been better if it as a tad bit shorter honestly

When life gives you lemons and the love of your life (you think) passes away, it's time to retreat. And for Josephine Reynolds it means that you retreat to your great grandmother's home. What happens within those walls is a time travel that sees JoJo living amongst her relatives and loving a certain man that brings out the best in her. But what if she wants to go home, back to the time she was living...and actually live again.

This book has the most gorgeous cover and loved her last book but I just didn't connect to this one in the same way.
I hope whomever reads it finds a love in it's words and then you can chalk it up with my issues.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc.

Some books don’t just tell a story; they invite you to live within their pages long after they’ve closed, and The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds does just that. I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperMuse via NetGalley, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts.

The story follows Josephine Reynolds, a thirty-five-year-old woman who realizes, after losing her husband of fifteen years, that she no longer knows who she is outside of her marriage. In her grief, she wishes she’d never been born—a throwaway thought that sets a series of impossible events into motion.

Seeking a fresh start, Josephine buys her great-grandmother Alma’s house, hoping its restoration will help her move forward. But as she unlocks the original, intricately carved door of the house, she finds herself transported nearly a century back.

What follows is a heartfelt, five-day journey where Josephine must prevent Alma’s untimely death to secure her own future. She soon finds herself completely immersed in Alma's world—a world of underground speakeasies and lively gatherings.

I loved the bond that forms between these two women from different times. Alma, a bright, spirited woman who embraces life despite her own struggles, quickly becomes a guiding light for Josephine. As the past and present blend, Josephine grows close to Alma’s friends and finds love with a man named Danny. Despite her fears, she allows herself to be loved and to choose love in return. Watching her grow and begin to define herself as her own person, rather than an extension of anyone else, was incredibly moving. The found-family aspect was wonderfully done and Josephine’s journey to self-discovery is one that I’ll carry with me.

The ending is bittersweet, adding to the story’s beauty- so keep the tissues ready. This book is perfect for anyone who loves stories about second chances and finding oneself in the most unexpected ways. It releases in January 2025, and I can’t recommend it enough for those seeking a beautifully emotional read.

Time travel books always leave me with many questions, but it is fiction so the questions will just have to remain unanswered. I loved this book! The house, the setting, the characters. It didn't matter that everything seemed to fit, it was still so good. The characters were very likeable and the pace just perfect for me. The setting was described so well, that I could actually envision the basement room in my mind.

Highly recommend for a romantic, happy ending, filled with a magical twist!

This is the story of Josephine who has recently lost her husband and has been faced with the fact that her entire life has been framed around being what her significant others want her to be. When she buys her old family mansion she finds herself suddenly in the middle of a time paradox where she has to find herself and at the same time save her great grandmother from a twist of fate that might erase Josephine from existence all together. This book did not do much for me unfortunately. Based on the description I was expecting a more intense time traveling adventure and I was really hoping for a lot of deep introspection from Josephine into what it means to be a widow at 35 and trying to find yourself for the first time as a middle aged woman. And while there was some of that introspection it never seemed to dip below the surface level musings. The story itself is also quite slow paced and boring at least for someone who might be expecting a heavier magica/science fiction aspect. This really is more like a historical fiction/portal fantasy/historical romance vibe. So if that’s something that you enjoy then this may be a really excellent book for you. The sentiments are all very sweet and it’s a feel good story, but the writing was very simplistic and it just felt flat for me. There is a lot of opportunity for meaningful discussions surrounding woman who have to rediscover what it means to be alone in a world that previously revolved around their husbands, but there just wasn’t enough introspection to make it worthwhile in my mind.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Harper Muse for the complimentary eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been loving magical realism lately, so I was pumped to receive an ARC of this title. The plot premise is intriguing--who doesn't love a good time travel story! And combine that with an old, familial mansion, recently returned to the heir? SIGN ME UP. I was ready to love it.

I didn't love it. I liked it ok, but I didn't love it. Mostly the plot is solid, although there are some moments where my determination to suspend disbelief are really NOT backed up by the kind of writing you need to stay immersed in a fictional world. The character arc was... ok. I don't love FMCs who are so... Vanilla. The dialog and general writing was basically adequate.

Ok, so what DID I like? The concept. A haunted speakeasy in an old mansion? Love it! The door/keyhole/key thing? Freaking awesome. I loved the relationship between the sisters, and I love the *idea* of a grieving widow re-finding herself after decades in a relationship that swallowed her identity. A lot of the background descriptions were great about "putting you there". I just wish the rest of the writing was a bit stronger and could really give the plot and characters the support they deserved.

Wow!! Moorman does it again! I love her magical realism takes and while this one is a little different with a time travel element, she writes a wonderful tale!
Josephine is floundering. Recently widowed she decides to renovate her ancestral home. When she finds the original door she learns it’s a portal back to the Jazz Age and to her great- grandmothers time. Moving back and forth through time Moorman writing takes us right there too! But can Josephine rewrite history or will it create more problems?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC

I had high hopes for this book and was afraid to be disappointed.
It was interesting at the beginning, but a few moments seemed "not real" to me and I couldn't fully trust the story, but the characters and atmosphere saved it.

We've all made thoughtless wishes. "I wish I would have left earlier." "I wish I would have turned that corner instead of this one." Josephine Reynolds made a silly wish one night of wishing she was never born. It was after months and months of grief, after the unexpected death of her husband. She's been sort of floating in time. Not seeing friends, not leaving the house, not....truly living.

When her family home, the Carter Mansion, shows up on a real estate website, she (with the encouragement of her sister) purchases the house and moves to start her new life. Upon meeting the President of the HOA, she learns how many changes need to be made to the house, and she starts with the front door. Luckily, the original door is still available at a local salvage yard. Once it's installed, however, Josephine's life changes.

The door is the portal to 1927 and to her great-great grandmother Alma. Josephine learns about Alma's speakeasy, meets her friends, and falls in love all while trying to make sure that Alma lives beyond one October night.
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The premise of this book is fantastic, however the execution felt a bit rudimentary. The plot itself was fun, but moved at a glacial pace. There were plot lines that were left unanswered and storylines that I needed more of. I mean, I'm not even getting into the time/space continuum of the matter. I feel like stories like this have been done before and better. Hate to say it, but I should have probably quit this book before the mid-point.

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

***Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC of this book***

Imagine exploring an old mansion and finding a secret door - do you open it??? HELL YES!
I loved the secret door component to this book as well as the bootlegging and it is the main reason that i wanted to read it but i must admit, it didn't pull me in as much as i thought it would.

I did connect with the main character not knowing who she was as a person until after her husband passes away but as far her story continuing, i just didn't really feel it.

It is a sweet read if you can commit to the storyline but i found it a really slow read.

When I saw the blurb of this book, a woman steps through a door to 1927 and meets her great-grandmother, I knew I had to read it. Plus look at that fabulous cover! This is more historical fiction than magical realism, which disappointed me. I liked the idea of a magic entryway to the past that ends up helping you in the future, that part I did enjoy. The writing felt more like a romance, which isn’t my thing either. I did like watching the main character, Josephine come into her own. But what I didn’t like was the fact that she goes into a new timeline and boom! She starts a new romance.

The plot moves at a very slow pace and at times I was bored. I wasn’t a big fan of the main character either, she grated on me the wrong way for some reason. Just another woman who lost herself to a marriage and doesn’t start to live her life until he’s dead. I did love the character of her sister though, she was a force to be reckoned with and supported Joe one hundred percent. I wasn’t a fan of the rudimentary writing style or how the ending was tied up into a neat little bow, I found it very superficial.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds was a really sweet, enjoyable read. It’s about a woman named Josephine who, after losing her husband, moves into her great-grandmother’s historic home. She discovers a hidden speakeasy in the basement, and before long, finds herself transported back to 1927.

It’s a quick, fun read—light and entertaining!

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds a historical fiction romance with a little bit of time travel. For those seeking a book predominantly with time travel or mainly magical based you may be disappointed. Now into the premise of the novel, Josephine Reynolds, a newly widowed woman moves back into her family home and discovers a magical door that transports her back to 1927. She meets her great-grandmother who is running an illegal speakeasy. Family, friendships, love, and bravery echo throughout this novel giving it a heart-warming and easy read!

This book offers a unique twist on time travel, blending historical fiction with emotional self-discovery. The Jazz Age backdrop is so interesting to me, and the relationship between Josephine and Alma adds a lot depth to the story. However, the pacing is slow, and while Josephine is likable, it takes some time to fully connect with her as she works through her grief and personal challenges.

If you love time-travel books with strong emotional undertones and a touch of historical intrigue, this one might be for you. For me, the slow build and the time-travel element didn’t quite hit the mark, but it has its charms for fans of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an eARC of this book!