The Moonflowers by Abigail Rose-Marie is a deeply moving and masterfully crafted novel that took me on an emotional journey through family trauma and women’s rights. Tig’s quest to uncover her family’s past is beautifully written, filled with layers of secrets that reveal themselves gradually, keeping me hooked until the last page.

The characters are wonderfully developed, especially Tig, whose artist’s perspective adds a vivid and unique touch to the storytelling. Eloise’s complex history brings a haunting depth to the narrative, touching on themes of survival, resilience, and the challenges women faced in a time where reproductive rights and healthcare were heavily restricted.

This novel not only presents a powerful historical tale but also resonates with contemporary issues, making it a must-read for fans of historical fiction and those passionate about women’s rights. I truly loved every page, and the combination of heart-wrenching secrets and artful prose makes this one unforgettable.

Other than that I absolutely loved the narrator and her voice! It was calming and the accents were amazing.

The Moonflowers - Abigail Rose-Marie

The narration was wonderful. I was drawn right in.

When Tig goes to the town that her family used to live in to honor her grandfather’s memory, she had no idea what kind of man he was. So beloved of the town but the longer she is there, the more sinister it all seems. He was murder and the person who murdered him is still in jail and the story she weaves has Tig wondering just who the true hero was.

OOHHHWEEEEE This book was so good! The book straddles the past and the present. Eloise was found guilty of the murder of Benjamin, Tig’s grandfather. Tig wants to know about her grandfather and Eloise was the one who knew him the best. Eloise tells the story of how she met Benjamin as kids up until his murder. I was obsessed with the past part of this story.

Tig was a little bland as a character considering the rest of the characters were livewires. There's some trauma in this book so beware that there is abortion, child death and sexual assault in this book.

It was excellent, the ending was marvelous and even if you don’t read historical fiction, this one is well worth the step outside your comfort zone.

5 stars

(I am sorry this is so long)
Wow. What a debut. This is such an important story about strong, brave women. Though it’s a historical fiction story set in the 1940s and 1990s, it still so very relevant today. I felt every emotion while I was reading it: anger, sadness, disappointment, anxiety, pride, love, strength.
I was hooked from start to finish. The mystery part of the story kept me so intrigued and engaged. I loved the writing style because it was beautifully descriptive and helped me visualize everything in the small rural town. I could see the forest of Red Oak trees and every building the main Narrator, Tig, entered.
I can agree with other readers who said it sometimes felt disjointed going back and forth so much (dual timelines and multi POV), but I was still able to easily follow the story.
I couldn’t help but check the 1⭐️ and DNF reviews when I finished. To those reviewers who found this book to be “problematic” because of your opposing views, some things in life will make you uncomfortable because they are telling you a truth you don’t want to hear. This is a work of fiction that provided some very real life examples of what women truly experienced 70+ years ago (and even still today).
I loved this book even though I don’t agree with every choice made by the characters. It’s important to read books that challenge your point of view, help you grow, and make you feel!
I will absolutely read Abigail Rose-Marie’s next novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing/Audio for access to the audio ARC.

••Side note (cause I can’t shut up): the audio was so well done! I loved the narrator.

Content warning below (don’t read if you feel content warnings are spoilers):
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(There are very heavy topics of domestic abuse, abortion, and suicide so please consider that before reading.)

The moon flowers

Easily one of my favorite books this year- I can’t believe it’s a debut novel…
Tog Costello is an artist from Chicago sent to create a work of art in honor of her late grandfather,Bemjamin Costello. While there, Tig encounters Eloise Price,who agrees to speak with her about her grandfather and their past.
As the two spend time together, secrets unfold as well as a new understanding of all that happened 50 years ago, in Darren Kentucky.
This book is a wonderful work of historical fiction and opened my eyes to what many women experienced back then, in terms of position and healthcare and the like.
This book is thought provoking, beautifully descriptive and the characters came to life in such a way that they were tangible to me.
There was a message that was meant to come across in this book and I felt that the author put it forth in a way that was straightforward and strong. I gave it 5 stars because I felt it was beautifully written and it was a story I shan’t soon forget.

The Moonflowers is a sweeping and emotional historical fiction with elements of the mystery and thriller genres. In the small town of Darren, Kentucky there is a statue of Benjamin Costello. A few generations later, Tig Costello comes to Darren to paint a portrait of her grandfather, the famous Benjamin Costello. But she decides she wants to learn more about him from someone who might know best, a woman named Eloise Price who murdered him fifty years ago.

Told through stories from Eloise, we learn of all the challenges women faced in small town Kentucky fifty years ago and how many of them were impacted by Benjamin Costello. Slowly Tig starts to piece together a puzzle that tells a different story about her grandfather and a different story than many believe about Eloise Price.

I think this will appeal to those who loved Take My Hand and The Last Carolina Girl, although it is about a very different aspect of history. The tension and spirit of the women in this story will resonate in related way.

This book is well-written and the audio narration well-done. I’m sure some readers will enjoy it. Unfortunately, the coyly written book description does nothing warn readers about the triggering content. The book is about rape, abortion, and domestic violence. If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have chosen to read it.

I received a NetGalley ARC, and this is my voluntary review.