The concept at the root of this book reminded me of the much-beloved "Pushing Daisies" TV show, but taking a direction that focuses on personal dramas between mothers and daughters. The dual-narrative flipping between modern day and the Second World War makes it a potentially curious readalike for the many readers who continue to enjoy this trend, but are willing to try a dash of magical realism in their reading diet. The first character we meet, Louise, is incredibly young and the romance there feels like a very light, burgeoning thing. The second romance, between Helen and her soldier, is the one that simmers with more energy and potential and is the one more likely to break your heart. Ultimately, though, this book focuses on the relationships between generations of women with secrets between them, with fights they never got over and words they never fully expressed, and which they will need to face as the pressure of time now closes in on them. The resolution of the story brings a LOT of potential discussion for a book group, and people will be feeling some kind of way about it. It's complicated and sad, while still coming to a clear resolution framed as hopeful by the narrative.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the different perspectives of women in the same family. I enjoyed the historical aspects and the themes of death and dying. I will recommend for sure. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

Beautifully written. Touching and thought provoking. The author writes beautifully and uses such personal details. I found the timelines well balanced and enjoyed how the author tied events to each other.

My goodness, how I loved this one!! THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS drew me in from the premise, the title, and, let's be honest, that stunningly gorgeous cover. Thankfully the pages drew me in deeper and deeper. The author does such a wonderful job of immersing us in the two storylines, both of which are carefully crafted, captivating, and emotional. I especially admire how the novel traces the lives of the Winston women across generations -- and the storylines never get bogged down. By the end, I was swept up in the profound insights about life and death shared within the narrative. I highly recommend THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS for fans of historical fiction and book club fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Book Fort Rating: 5 Stars
Is it building the Book Fort? Yes. That's all there is to say.

I had to wait to stop crying before I could write this review.

The Moonlight Healers is a masterpiece, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Also because I am at a loss for words on how to otherwise describe a beautiful, tender book about the nature of life, death, and dying with dignity (or, more aptly, letting those we love go with dignity).

I could start by saying I was excited to read this ARC after realizing Elizabeth Becker is a fellow graduate of my alma mater and English department. I was excited to look at a book informed by a nurse, after growing up in a medical family. But I can honestly say I did not expect this book to carve as deeply as it did.

My 5-star ratings/reviews are given for books that I feel have fundamentally altered my cognizance in some way, or for books I know I will come back to, again and again. This book fits both of those bills. This is the kind of book you buy an extra copy of, so that you can annotate and come back to over and over again to gain its wisdom and read its absolutely beautiful passages. And it's the kind of book that sits and makes you reflect on yourself and the world around you, and (hopefully) help you come away with a new way to think about things.

So here's what I loved:
- I love, truly, when teenage characters act like teenagers. This book centers around two women, Louise and Helene, in a female line of healers, both around the age of 18 during their storylines - and both girls act like teens near 18. It makes all of their choices, their joy, and their pain that much more believable.
- The small romance(s) in the book do not feel forced at any point. They're natural revelations borne out of life unfolding around those involved. Only once did it seem like the romances were a small afterthought, and even that was smoothed over within a chapter or two. Also, I really appreciated that romance was not the actual point of the novel - mother-daughter relationships, understanding for family, and again, death and dying with dignity rightfully take centerstage.
- I'm typically not a fan of WWII novels or settings (because, simply put, they're overdone). But this setting not only makes sense in the world of Louise and Helene, but actually enhances the storyline. It felt to me like the time period was treated with the respect and realism it ought to be afforded, rather than how it's sometimes used as a prop by other novels.
- The characterization and character development of the main characters, but really every woman, in this story was so thoughtful and well-written. Each woman went on their own journey of understanding or unfolding, and the scenes that created as they all interacted were heartfelt and poignant.

What I didn't like:
- If anything, I think there could have been more character development for a couple of the male characters in the story (they are, overall, fairly one-paned). But at the end of the day this is a small thing, because the story really is not about the men: it's about the women in a line of healers, and that definitely shows.

This book was a joy to read - I truly cannot wait until it's released next year so I can have a copy (or two) for my bookshelves.

Infinite thanks here to Harlequin Trade Publishing & Graydon House, NetGalley, and Elizabeth Becker for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was a privilege to read.

The Moonlight Healers is a heartfelt, magical read that pulls you right into the lives of the Winston women, who’ve been quietly healing people for generations. Louise Winston’s discovery of her ability comes most unexpectedly and emotionally—she brings her best friend back from the dead after an accident, just days before she’s supposed to move away. The twist? He had just confessed his feelings for her, making everything more complicated.

To figure things out, Louise escapes to her grandmother’s beautiful orchard in the Appalachian Mountains, where she uncovers a hidden family history, including her great-grandmother’s brave acts during World War II. But with this new knowledge comes a big, mysterious price that Louise must face, making her question everything she thought she knew.

What makes this book shine is how it blends the magic of healing with real-life struggles, like the pressures of family legacy and tough choices. It’s not just about the magic—it’s about mothers and daughters, love and loss, and the tough decisions that define us. If you love stories that mix a bit of fantasy with emotional depth, this one’s for you!

The Moonlight Healers is a captivating tale that masterfully blends family legacy, love, and magic. Louise Winston’s sudden discovery of her ability to heal, following a tragic accident involving her best friend, sets the tone for this emotional journey. With the backdrop of her family’s hidden past, Louise flees to her grandmother’s orchard in the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers secrets in a tattered journal, revealing how her great-grandmother used her gift during WWII. This novel beautifully explores the burden of inherited abilities, as Louise grapples with the ethical dilemmas tied to her power and the consequences that come with it.

Author The Moonlight Healers paints an atmospheric portrait of the Winston family’s history, blending their healing abilities with themes of love, sacrifice, and the cost of playing with life and death. This touching and magical story reminds readers that some gifts come with a price, and choices, no matter how difficult, define our legacies. Fans of generational family sagas with a touch of the supernatural will find this an enchanting read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

To sum this up book up in a sentence I would describe it as a love letter to Nurses, and caregivers. It was very heartfelt and the familial bonds shared between Grandmother, Mother and Daughter were woven with such precise delicacy.

The flash backs to the great grandma navigating her healing powers during World War II and the descriptions of the burdens and hardships of living in that time were felt through the authors expressive writing.

The magical elements were laced throughout the novel with an air of mystery that left us yearning for more answers and truths.

This was honestly such a refreshing and unique read I highly recommend.

This book was absolutely divine! The lines between decisions and consequences could not have been more blurred or any clearer. The family drama added a great aspect as well as the setting. I could not put it down...

This book was way outside my comfort zone since I typically stick to Fantasy, Romantasy, and Contemporary Romance. But despite that, Moonlight Healers is a heart-wrenching exploration of life, death, and everything in between.

The story offers a fresh take on healers. Unlike the usual depiction where their power seems boundless, allowing them to heal anything in their path, Moonlight Healers cleverly subverts this trope, all while set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied France. The women in this story possess the power to heal, give life, and even take it away. As the narrative unfolds, we witness their struggle with the morality of their gift. Who deserves to live? Who should die?

It was a somber and emotionally heavy read, far different from what I’m used to, so it took me some time to get through it. I’m a sucker for bittersweet endings, and this book delivers several. The final 20% is especially heart-wrenching—have tissues ready!

Thank you to Elizabeth Becker, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review!

The Moonlight Healers is a story about 3 generations of women with healing powers that pass from mother to daughter.

I loved the alternating timelines between Helene in WWII and Louise in 2019. It kept the book so interesting. The relationships between mother and daughter throughout the whole tale were beautiful and complicated and real.

This book really makes you think about what healing really is and how there is beauty in both life and death. By the end, it had me in tears.

I would definitely recommend this book everyone but especially to nurses.

This is a powerful, beautiful story that had me thinking about it long after turning the last page. As someone who works in healthcare, quite often with hospice patients, this book truly touched my heart. The alternating storylines kept me interested, and I was invested in each. The author does an incredible job of mixing historical fiction with magical realism. I will be recommending this one to my book club.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read in advance. One of my favorite ARCs to date!

This story had me in my feels. The alternating storylines were glorious and I enjoyed seeing this strong line of women in their growth and evolution side by side. The way these women could heal was so emotional and personal it really showcased how deep we can connect with others.

The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker alternates between two different storylines, tracing the lives of the Winston women across generations. It begins with Helene, a young French nurse in World War II who discovers her extraordinary ability to heal pain through touch. Guided only by her mother’s journal of remedies, Helene uncovers a perilous consequence of her gift, while in present-day rural America, her great-granddaughter Louise accidentally resurrects a friend, embarking on a journey to explore her family's mystical healing legacy and the profound truths about life and death.

This book captured my attention immediately. Although I usually don’t enjoy alternating storylines, this one intrigued me so much that I couldn’t put the book down. The writing was excellent and accessible, with a gradual buildup that kept me eagerly turning the pages.


Overall, this is a captivating read that I’d recommend to fans of Historical Fiction and Magical Realism. It would also make an excellent choice for a book club! Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

The Moonlight Healers is a heartbreaking and beautiful book. If you’ve worked in healthcare or been a part of end of life care this book will probably make you cry.

I loved how the magic was related to a mother’s touch initially. The ongoing mother daughter relationships that are spotlighted in the book are complex and understandable. It deals with subjects like relationships, war, death, end of life, moral dilemmas and how a gift can be a blessing and a burden with sensitivity. I enjoyed the dual timelines, both stories kept me interested.

This book was a solid 4 stars until the last couple of chapters. Those last chapters hit me hard enough to add the final star. This isn’t a fluffy, feel good, beach read(unless you want to cry on the beach, which is totally valid), it’s a powerful story that might change the way you view “healing” and have you asking questions for a while. It’s definitely worth the read

I loved everything about this book! It kept me turning the pages and I actually appreciate it how the story went back-and-forth in time until both of the stories met in the middle. There is a lot here about healing, loss, grief, death, love, relationships, marriage, and the power of women, and all of it is written beautifully and with tenderness and consideration.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker is a heart wrenching story about a family of healers who can take pain away from those suffering, but their special gift comes with a heavy price, one that will force the women of the Winston family to bargain with fate.

This story follows generations of the Winston women, first with Helene, a young French nurse who discovers her healing ability while serving in a war hospital in France during the second world war. When she touches someone in pain, she can take their pain away, drawing it out of them with her therapeutic touch. With only her mother's old journal of healing remedies to guide her on her healing journey, Helene will discover a deadly consequence to her ability. In modern day Appalachia, Louise the great-granddaughter of Helene, accidentally heals her friend back to life, setting her off on a journey to learn more about her family's healing magic. In this multi-generational tale, a family of women healers will learn the depths of pain and the true meaning of life and death.

I was very moved by this story about healing which I have not read much of before in fiction. There have been many books published recently that focus on folk healing in fiction, but this book's ideas were simpler and focused on the technique of laying on of the hands which is sometimes used in traditional healing settings, despite it being an alternative therapy. The author wrote about dying and suffering in an emotionally eloquent way that had me tear up at times. I loved the bits of magic, with the moon and an old grimoire type journal adding some whimsy and mystery to the plot. The author handled topics such as the trauma's of war and palliative care with respect, and her background as a nurse contributed to her sensitivity and grace of such topics. Despite all of that, I think the story could have incorporated the moonlight aspect more or even included additional magical components or even some background information on Louise's ancestors who first discovered their healing gifts to help balance out the heavy themes.

This story spoke to me on a deep level and I am so glad that I had the chance to read it. If you love magical realism stories or are a holistic health practitioner, or even someone who works in medicine, I would highly recommend The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker.

I wanted to finish this book, but unfortunately I found it triggering, so I made the decision to stop. The healing the book emphasizes is helping others go into death and ease their pain, and the tone is darker than I expected.

That’s to say my decision was not affected by the quality of the writing or the story. I could see this being a popular book club pick.