On paper, this book felt like it was just for me. I love the 20s, time travel, magical realism, and a mystery that needs to be solved. I found the story intriguing: Josephine can step back in time through the door to her house, and the speakeasy, and having to save her grandmother to save herself. However, some things nagged at me. For instance, Josephine's relationship with her dead husband—she spent so much time mourning, but as the story progressed, I got the feeling that she wasn't happy in the marriage. And that's okay, I guess. I just felt that she had been married to this guy for a long time, and it seemed like she now realized she wasn't happy. At first, it didn't bother me; however, as the book progressed, she thought more about how controlling he was, how he swept her off her feet, and how she lived in a golden cage that she seemed to like—at least until he was gone, and she now realized everything. It's perhaps a small, thing, but it was just something that annoyed me throughout the story since she was at first so sad. Then, of course, there is someone else that she meets...also a thing that I was not completely sold on. However, it made the ending quite good. So, I will admit that it wasn't all that bad the romance part of the story.

I did enjoy the book, but not as much as I hoped I would. As I mentioned above, some things bothered me; however, I did love going back in time through the magical door and that her grandmother had a speakeasy. The story felt a bit easy to predict, but overall, it was a good story.

A twist of fate allows widowed Josephine Reynolds to become the latest owner of the Carter Mansion. Travel along as Josephine finds herself stepping back in time through her own enchanted front door into the home once owned by her great grandmother. Once in the past, she finds herself on a mission to save her great grandmother’s life. Josephine must race the clock to change the past or she risks her present-day life vanishing.
I enjoyed this quick read. I loved the author’s note included with the book which gave us a glimpse of her inspiration in writing this story. She mentions seeing an old door years ago at a salvage store that left her day dreaming of all the history that this door had been witness to during its existence. This inspired her time travel story, complete with the setting of a home in the 20s with a secret speakeasy. Author Jennifer Moorman does a great job of weaving a time travel tale filled with mystery, new friendships and a dash of romance.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3.5 rounded down to 3.

Thank you to Harper Collins Focus and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Magical realism has my heart. And the Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds was a darling magical realism representation. It was a blast into a bit of historical fiction via an enchanted door. My favorite parts of the book were definitely the parts taking place in the 1920s. One of the main characters in 1920, Alma, was so dynamic and completely lovely. She was an absolute treat and I loved her upbeat, positive personality.

The book started to become a bit repetitive at the halfway point. It goes through Josephine, the main character, going back and forth between timelines and being angsty about how she's going to save her family. She hops back and forth going to the speakeasy, making food and changing outfits. I could not stand her attitude towards her late husband, Nathan. She spends so much time, almost idolizing him, yet he seems like a utter and complete a&%hole! She was pretty much in an oppressed relationship, yet she still had warm fuzzy memories about their time together. That part really didn't work for me. One more point - in the NetGalley description it says that Josephine buys her grandma's craftsman bungalow, but in the book the home she buys is actually a mansion. I may have enjoyed it more if the house was a sweet and cozy little bungalow?

Even with all of that, I really did enjoy it! I loved the idea of the enchanted door. Leo was a cutie! And the descriptions of the 20s clothes was a fun aspect! The little bits of prohibition we get was pretty interesting. It would have been great if there would have been more of that. I will definitely be diving into more books from Jennifer Moorman.

This was a quick, easy read for me that pulled at my heart strings and took me on a wonderful journey into the past. I haven't read a time travel novel in a while, and this has reignited my interest in that genre. There are some loveable characters in this story, and they are well-developed with some endearing qualities. It's a story of grief, family bonds, friendship, strength, and hope, with a tender romance developing. I'm so glad I chose to read an advance copy of this book and I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital ARC for review.

📖 The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds 📖⁣
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⁣Genre: Historical Fiction/ Magical Realism. ⁣
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⁣Length: 320 Pages. ⁣
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⁣Pub Date: January 14, 2025. ⁣
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⁣This book is part historical fiction and part magical realism. Josephine never imagined she’d be a widow in her mid-thirties. One night while deep in her despair and desperately lonely, Josephine wishes she’d never been born. At the same moment, she receives a link from her sister— a sales listing for her great-grandmother’s house. Her sister convinces her to buy the house and restore it to its former glory. ⁣
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⁣The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds sucked me in with its likable characters, historic setting and the time travel. Pick this up if you’re a fan of flappers, strong females, and surviving after loss. Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

X ♾️

A story filled with magic, time travel and love. This is such a fantastic magical novel. I loved the time travel aspect and loved getting to know Alma. Josephine's great grandmother in 1927. There's a speakeasy and an FBI raid that may change the timeline. Magical Realism is one of my favorites and this book is very well done. I hope the author continues to write such beautiful books.

Jennifer delivered exactly what I expected: dual timelines, historical- fiction with family drama, and a sprinkle of magic. This was another great book!

Watching Josephine come into her own after losing her husband had me in tears. I like a book that makes me think after I finish.

This book will sit with you for a minute so be prepared.

Thank you so much Netgalley, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse, and Jennifer Moorman for the ARC of this phenomenal book.

I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love a good historical fiction x time travel. I feel like when the two are combined the right way, with just enough elements of both, something fun and incredible can be created. This is the case with The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds. Josephine is dealing with grief after the passing of her husband and, understandably, wishes she was never born. In the midst of dealing with this grief, she decides it's time to move out of their home and into her late great-grandmother's home, which was just listed for sale. After moving in, she is told she would need to make a few renovations, starting with the front door. Coincidently, Josephine is able to find the original door that was made for the house and notices it has all its original features, including a quote carved into it. When Josephine reads this quote and opens the door, she finds herself back in the 1920s, staring at her great-grandmother. Josephine is confused by this, and as time goes on, she notices her current life is starting to slowly fade away. It turns out that Josephine had never been born. It's up to her to come up with a way to change the past and the outcome of her and her family's future.
This book is such a fun read! I loved the elements of time travel combined with history and life during the 1920s. This book is ultimately one of rediscovery, acceptance, and, of course, processing and coping with grief. It was well-written, and I would 100% recommend if this is a genre that you're into. 4 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Jennifer Moorman for this engaging read!

With a blend of historical fiction and time travel (two of my favourite things), I couldn’t wait to jump into The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds.

One of the things I enjoyed most of this book was the way Josephine’s grief was explored. Her trip to the past and disappearing the in the present was an intriguing parallel to her social withdrawal following the death of her husband. The speakeasy setting and the diverse cast of characters were fun to explore, making this a cosy and engaging read. I would have loved a bit more of Josephine’s life and relationships after the end of the book, but overall really enjoyed the story of her relationship with her great grandmother.

Thank you Harper Muse for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

We follow Josephine as she struggles through her life. She moved to a new neighbourhood and is recreating her identity through that. Throughout it we learn about the character and her family and friends. We also learn a bit more about her likes and dislikes. There is some elements of mystery as we uncover a history about one of her relatives. The book also has a fantasy element to it which I think readers will enjoy

In terms of my opinion, at the start I felt like I wasn’t going to finish this one but I pushed through and it did get better. I really enjoy how Josephine grows throughout the book as well as how the side characters help support her. It reminds me a little of a doctor who episode.

I struggled with the print version as the writing style didn’t immediately capture my attention. I switched to the audio book and was instantly able to be drawn into the story.
Perhaps I have never loved someone enough but I cannot imagine making a wish to not have lived just because my husband was gone…..but Josephine does just that. Add in a magical door and you have a story involving prohibition, family and insta-love. Which all ends up tied up in a perfect bow. Very Hallmark style.
A lot of people will love this book. For me, it was a solid read/listen but not mind blowing.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

This is a review of the audiobook.

The Vanishing Of Josephine Reynolds is beautifully written and, despite the time travel element of the story, completely believable. The imagery, particularly in the depiction of the 1920’s dresses worn by Josephine and Alma, is exquisite. While this is very much Josephine’s story, it is also about family connections, both between Josephone and her sister Katherine and between Josephine and her great-grandmother Alma. I loved the way Josephine grew into her own person after spending fifteen years being the wife her husband wanted to be. I also loved Alma’s charismatic charm. What a dynamic woman! The growing romance between Josephine and Danny Stewart during the 1927 timeline is both swoonworthy and tragic, given that Josephine has travelled back a hundred years to save Alma. While this was a secondary thread, I was on the edge of my seat hoping there’d be a way these two ciud make things work. The Carter Mansion, Alma’s house until her death and later Josephine’s, plays a pivotal role in this story. It reminded me very much of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe for the way the front door and its key enabled movement between the two time periods. This has been a fascinating, gripping and compelling read and a book that I couldn’t put down. I loved it!

I love historical fiction and I am always happy to go back to it. I also love stories about grief. This was both and it was nice. Life in speakeasies during prohibition and the story of a woman finding herself through grieving. The magic door added something to the story as well and on paper it sounds perfect for me but I feel like it would have been better without the romance. I didn’t like that part and found it unnecessary and kind of unnatural in a way. It was still a good story and I enjoyed myself.

I absolutely adored this book!! From the first page, I was drawn into this amazingly beautiful story. It's a magical mix of historical fiction, mystery, and time travel. I loved seeing the journey and growth of Josephine as she found herself and her relationship with her sister is one that warmed my heart. This is one of my favorites and will be one that I always recommend! Don't miss out on this magical story!

3.5 stars. Josephine dealing with the loss and subsequent grief of losing her husband sells their house and buys back the foreclosed family home determined to start over again. She finds a hidden speakeasy in the basement and then finds the original door to the house in a salvage yard and has it placed back where it belongs. Turns out the door is enchanted and allows her to travel back in time to 1927 thus enacting a duel timeline in the present day where two things are true at the same time. She now has to race against time to make sure that she still exists in the present day. I really loved the characters and wish there was more time spent with them. I also liked the time travel aspect and the premise of how something so small as a sentence has the power to change things in the future.

Widowed at 35, Josephine decides to buy her grandmother’s former home. After finding the original door , she restores it to its former glory. A little time travel, reunites her with her young grandmother, and Josephine is able to alter the outcome of her life.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds was an interesting read. The story involves time travel and discovery of the lives of her ancestors. Josephine loses her husband and 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 read, fun, light and entertaining! Recommend!

This book was not what I thought it was going to be. For some reason I thought this was a mystery/thriller and went into the book with those notions. Surprisingly, it was a historical fiction with time travel! How fun!! The description is 100% accurate- had I read it. Either way, this is not my typical genre but I really enjoyed it. I wished for more at the end. I wanted more adventures, more between the two main characters at the end (if you've read it you know). I was sad it ended.

Josephine Reynolds is still grieving her husband's death, life doesn't seem to move forward without him. Jo is depressed and decided a change of scenery would do her good. Seeing that her great grandmother's historical home was up for auction after her lowly uncle lost it to the bank. Josephine buys the house and first order of business is to change the front door back to its original glory. Somehow Josephine stumbles upon the original door, but it's more than just a door- it's a portal to 1927! There she meets her great grandmother Alma. The rest of the story unfolds in the speakeasy beneath the house.

A solid 4 ⭐️ from me. I feel like some of the details could have been more thought out concerning the time travel but I can see why the author didn't want to focus too much on the mechanics of time travel. I really loved the ending too. I won't give out any spoilers but I enjoyed it.

I would read more stories like this. I am not a romance fan but I was for this title! I really loved the relationships in this book as well as the entire cast of characters. I would have loved even more description of the scenery- mostly
Because I love the timeline and the setting so much!

Thank you @netgalley and @harpermuse
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds by Jennifer Moorman is the second book I’ve read by this author. I read The Baker’s Man by her that I totally enjoyed. This one had so many things that I enjoyed about it and for some reason it didn’t all come together for me. I can’t put my finger on it.

The main character is Josephine Reynolds who is a young widow. She doesn’t know how to pull herself out of the grief she is experiencing. Her sister talks her into buying their old ancestral home that belonged to her great-grandmother. I was drawn to the story of a young widow.

She lives in Nashville, Tennessee near my town. That was interesting because the house sits in a historical part of town. I enjoyed her run-ins with the neighborhood historical society president which led her to find the original door to the house and have it installed. This door becomes her entry into 1927 and meeting her great-grandmother Alma as a young widow herself. We soon learn that Alma runs a speakeasy in her basement! How fun would that be and imagine meeting your great-grandmother as a young woman?

Jennifer Moorman did a wonderful job building the suspense but, maybe she did too good of a job for me. I became attached to the characters and worried about their demise. I hated to keep reading. I was afraid of what I would learn. I will have to say that at the end I had warm feelings for the book. I was hoping for a sequel but I think that might be a little too weird. You’ll see what I mean.

I almost think someday I will go back and read this book again knowing how nicely everything works out. At least most of it does. If you like Magical Realism, you will likely love this book. I definitely think you should consider this one for your reading stack!
Until next time…Happy Reading!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Netgalley and Harper Collins. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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.

I enjoyed so much about this tale! I loved the dual timelines, especially the speakeasy of 1927! I loved the old house with all the secrets! I loved the characters, especially Josephine, but, you can’t forget Alma!

The story magically transports the reader in more ways than one. Not only are you transported to 1927 and all that entails, the family secrets keep you coming back for more.

Need a magical tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.