I received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Ultimately not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. I liked the concept, but none of the characters felt fleshed out and were painted in overly broad strokes. (For example - every time we hear about Josephine's deceased husband, it's always about how overbearing he is). The historical details never came alive for me.

Time travel, the 1920s, an atmospheric speakeasy, and captivating characters – what more could you want?

The heartwarming novel “The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds” explores topics of loss, love, friendship, and second chances. While the abrupt beginning and the unusual formatting of the eBook were a bit confusing at first, I quickly found myself immersed in the story. Despite the initially somber premise, the author skillfully strikes a delicate balance. The narrative is not weighed down by heavy emotions but instead remains light and accessible, allowing readers to fly through the pages and root for the characters.

Although the plot could have benefited from a bit more depth, as it sometimes felt a bit superficial and left a few questions unanswered, I still enjoyed the story.

For fans of “The Great Gatsby” and time-travel novels, this book is an absolute must. Without relying on action, spice, or violence, it weaves a beautiful tale that shines through its endearing characters, who quickly find their way into your heart. By the end, you may even feel a bit disappointed that the journey has come to a close, wishing you could linger in this world just a little longer.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Jennifer Moorman’s *The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds* is a magical and heartwarming tale that takes readers on an emotional journey through time. Recently widowed, Josephine Reynolds is struggling with grief and finds herself buying her ancestral home on a whim. What begins as a simple renovation turns extraordinary when a mysterious door transports her back to 1927, where she meets her spirited great-grandmother, Alma.

With richly drawn characters and a plot full of suspense, this novel beautifully explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Moorman’s storytelling is both heartfelt and immersive, making *The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds* a delightful read for fans of historical fiction with a twist of magic.

Jennifer Moorman is a wizard! This magical book introduces you to widow Josephine Reynolds. Josephine is spiraliing and griefing and decides on a whim to buy her old ancestral home when it comes up in foreclosure. She begins restoring the home and finds the the door she installs is actually quite magical! When Josephine walks through it a certain way she is transported to the 20's and is able to interact with her great grandmother. Everything is so real and vibrant, even Josephine's grief is beautifully written about. This is the best kind of historical fiction and a time traveling book to die for!
#harpermuse #harperfocus #jennifermoorman #thevanishinglifeofjosephinereynolds

I will admit that I had no expectations when I started this book but found it delightful! It was a clean read with a bit of romance and I couldn't put it down once I started it. Josephine's journey to finding her true self was so relatable. And the ending was perfect!!!

“The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds” by Jennifer Moorman is the story of a recently widowed woman who is lost in her grief and wishes she could just disappear. With her sister’s urging she moves forward by buying her grandmother’s home to find herself and move forward with her life. She begins to find old family heirlooms and stories about her great grandmother. These lead her to a magical door which brings her back to 1927 where she meets her past and helps her to resolve her future.

The story is beautifully written and very heartfelt. It speaks to friendships, family and the bravery of women.

I felt the beginning and end of the story were strong and engaging, but the middle dragged a lot for me thus the 3 star review.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In "The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds," readers are taken on a mesmerizing journey through time, where one woman’s grief-stricken wish sets off a chain of events with life-altering consequences. Widowed at thirty-five, Josephine Reynolds seeks solace in renovating her ancestral home, a dilapidated Craftsman bungalow. The discovery of the home’s original door in a salvage yard seems like a stroke of luck—until Josephine installs it and steps into 1927.

Transported to the Jazz Age, Josephine meets her daring great-grandmother, Alma, who runs a speakeasy in the bungalow’s basement. The bond they form is profound, but upon returning to the present, Josephine discovers that history has been altered, and Alma’s life was tragically cut short. As Josephine's own existence begins to unravel, she must race against time to save both Alma and herself in a thrilling, time-bending adventure.

"The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds" is a captivating blend of historical fiction and suspense, with richly drawn characters and a plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The novel explores themes of loss, love, and the intricate connections between past and present, making it a compelling read for anyone who enjoys stories where time itself becomes the ultimate antagonist.

Oh my goodness what a book!!! A story of love, grief, history and coming to terms with your present and future while trying to understand your past.

Jennifer Moorman writes a gorgeous story that left me sobbing several times.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for the honor to read and review this amazing book!!!

Omg this book was evertything i expected. It, had love , grief, friendship, healing , time traveling . i felt in love from the beginning. It was captivating.
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, , prohibition , and a speakeasy.
The book is so atmospheric , it literally takes you back to the 1920s.I felt as if I was there with the characters in the book. This was my first time reading Moorman’s work - it definitely won’t be the last.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the e ARC and the chance for reading this book.

I thought this was a really fun read. It felt a little slow to begin with but I really ended up liking it a lot. I thought it was really heartfelt and it was a cool concept. I liked the time travel aspect. It made me want to go back in time to see my great grandparents. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

finished this book in 6 and a half hours and i loved every second of it! a magical book that hugged me in the midst of talks of grief and rebirth

Well written and engaging, The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds pulled me in from the first chapter and held my attention throughout - I read it in two sittings over the course of one day.

With excellent character development and a compelling plot, I really didn’t want to stop reading this. I don’t want to write anything that could be considered a spoiler so I will simply add - I loved this story, absolutely adored it ❤️

This was my first time reading Ms Moorman’s work - it definitely won’t be the last.



Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the DRC

I love that the whole time travel aspect wasn’t too complicated. I love a good time travel story even though they usually make me so anxious about timelines. This was such a great read though the character development that happens throughout through the discovery of how things were in a different time really makes this such a special read.

This is such a healing story too, things aren’t glossed over too quickly which is nice to see because there is a lot of emotion to be felt with the death of a spouse.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC

What a fun story! Although I felt like it was lacking something it was a fun read! I felt like
It needed more storyline

The premise of this book drew me in but it was kind of confusing and hard to keep up. It was a tough thing just to finish.

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!