I was intrigued with this at the beginning but found my interest quickly waning. The dialogue was jarring and didn't flow as nicely as I anticipate and the whole story just didn't really capture my attention as much as I was hoping. I realized it's been ages since I've picked this up to listen so am calling it a DNF. Maybe the actual book would be better for me.

3.5 Stars rounded down.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved most of the characters and the story. However, there are some plot holes that don’t make sense and the writing style didn’t always work for me. Couple of examples,
• I’m not sure I’m sold on the idea that a wish to no longer exist in the present caused a time swift 100 years in the past impacting four generations.
• The majority of the characters are in the mid to late 30’s, but several times the dialogue felt younger and stilted. This happened the most with Josephine and I would be taken out of the story when an adult woman made a comment that sounded more like a teenager.
• There were parts that felt drawn out and could have been cut short, such as the historical society president and most of her interactions.

I loved the descriptions of the house and how the house itself was a character. I appreciated the door being the pathway between the present and the past. I love the fact that Josephine did research before returning and even sought out the proper clothes before returning to the past to ensure she was able to blend in.

The narrator for the audiobook was great and did an amazing job with all of the female voices in 1927.

"The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds" explores an interesting question, putting a new spin on It's a Wonderful Life, asking "What if I had never been born?"

After the death of her husband, Josephine is left feeling a bit lost. Jason had been a dominating presence in her life. And with him gone, she quickly realizes she doesn't really know who she is apart from him anymore. In her grief and despair, at a particularly low point, she wishes she had never been born. But as events unfold over the coming weeks, she begins to realize all that would be lost if she didn't exist.

Racing against time to set things right, she embarks on a time-traveling journey to fix what she broke.

I really enjoyed the story with its two timelines (one modern-day and the other in the 1920s prohibition era). As Josephine's timeline fades away, the author employs clever devices to demonstrate that, and as it strengthens again, too. Overall, it's a very well-structured and engaging story that I definitely would recommend.

Thank you to Jennifer Moorman, HarperCollins Focus, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds was a beautifully written book that I knew I had to read as soon as I read the description. I loved the concept and it definitely delivered. The dual timelines and concept of the door to the past was really intriguing and I loved reading about it. While I did think it had a little more elements of historical fiction than I usually care for, I still really loved the whole experience of reading this book. The hardest part for me was the topic of grief, though it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would when I first picked it up.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I enjoyed this audio a lot.
The atmosphere of the twenties is very well done and I liked all the characters.
I also really liked the timetravel and vanishing part of the story.

I very much enjoyed this one just as I thought I would! No notes, just happiness. I’d recommend for anyone looking for a little magic.

To begin, I would like to apologize for the tardiness of my review. Despite this, I am pleased to share my thoughts on this audiobook.
I was initially drawn to the book’s captivating cover, which piqued my curiosity about its content. Upon delving into the narrative, I discovered a compelling story that captivated my attention. The author’s skillful creation of a rich and immersive world made the characters feel real and relatable.
Josephine’s character resonated deeply with me. Her constant struggle to please others and her profound sense of loss after the premature death of her husband evoked empathy within me. I believe many readers can relate to her feelings of uncertainty and grief when faced with such a tragic event.
Josephine’s journey back in time to visit her great-grandmother and save her life provided a transformative experience. This act of time travel granted her the strength she needed to overcome her challenges.
The narrator’s exceptional narration skillfully guided me through the story, maintaining my focus and engagement. Once I began listening, I found myself unable to put the audiobook down. I particularly enjoyed the seamless blend of the past and present narratives.
The conclusion of the book was particularly poignant and fitting for the overall narrative. It left me with a sense of closure and satisfaction.
I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone seeking an engaging and emotionally resonant read.
I express my gratitude to NetGalley and the author for providing me with the opportunity to experience such a remarkable literary work. My reviews will be posted everywhere

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a cozy, uplifting easy listen. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

A woman suddenly loses her husband, moves into her ancestral home, and then suddenly finds herself back in time during the days of the prohibition. Along the way she learns about her family history, somehow finds love while also grieving and kinda sorta finds a new lease on life. This was very Hallmark-y to me and was not my favorite. Obviously the time travel part of the story is far fetched, that doesn’t negate from my interest in this, but the whole lead character’s blandness didn’t interest me. I might recommend this to someone who likes Hallmark.

The genre of magical realism has certainly grown on me in the last year and it’s my go to for when I need a palate cleanser from the dark stuff!

This is a novel of a woman in the midst of grieving her late husband comes into ownership of her great-grandmother’s home. During the restoration to its original glory, she makes a discovery that transports her back to the 1920s.

Has she lost grip with reality or is this an opportunity to reignite life back into her life before it’s too late?

This is a captivating story that was difficult to put down. It's a powerful tale of grief, self-discovery through heartbreak, and the journey of starting over—simply magical. Moorman’s vivid descriptions and well-developed characters completely drew me in.

I’m a big fan of dual timelines, and this book executed that element wonderfully. Every detail came together so seamlessly.

I also enjoy the historical fiction component of speakeasies, raids and bootlegging! My first read of Moorman and certainly won’t be the last!

This was excellent. So gripping and exciting, I couldn’t stop listening. In the car, out for a walk, even when I was doing the dishes. I enjoyed the audio narrator and thought the story was well done.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a whimsical historical fiction in which Josephine travels back in time to the year 1927 through a magical door of her family's home. Following the untimely loss of her husband, Josephine no longer knows who she is because her life has always centered around him and his career. Seeing that she never finished school or had kids, Josephine is at a loss for what her life should be like now that her husband is gone. Josephine moves back into her childhood home and replaces the front door to the original from the 1900s that had been removed during renovations and upgrades. Little did she know that this particular door would transport her back to 1927, during a time in which her grandmother Alma was alive and lived in the same house. Alma runs a speakeasy in which there is to be a raid and Alma is unfortunately killed. After finding out the door's abilities, Josephine is left to decipher if she can fix her grandmother's past and potentially find her own future.

I received this audiobook from Harper Muse on NetGalley - thank you!

What a delightful and heartwarming story! It’s an easy and cosy listen, perfect for fall/winter evenings. While it is definitely entertaining and relaxing, the book also touches upon many important topics like the position of women and People of Color, dealing with grief and the importance of family.

I loved the premise and the setting in the 1920s.

The only thing that I found a little bit overwhelming was the sheer number of adjectives and very detailed descriptions of clothes and interiors. I didn’t find Josephine 100% relatable and some of her actions were quite frustrating to me, but I still rooted for her.

The narrator has the perfect voice for this kind of stories - very warm, sweet and full of emotion.

'The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds' is historical fiction with a time travel twist. Josephine is struggling to find herself after becoming widowed, and stumbles on a portal which allows her to meet her own great-grandmother, who happens to be running a speakeasy out of her basement in the 1920's. Josephine's interactions with her great-grandmother assist her in exploring who she is as a person without a partner. I appreciated the ongoing discussion of gender and relationships throughout this book. I did get a bit lost in the magic and the multiple timelines.

I was able to review this book in audio formate and enjoyed Kathleen McInerney's narration immensely.

Thank you to Jennifer Moorman and HarperCollins Focus for the audiobook ARC in exchange for a honest review of 'The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds.'

Josephine Reynolds is a grieving thirty five year old widow who goes out on a limb and buys her families historical old mansion in Nashville to change up her life. She has begun to realize that she had lost herself in her marriage and is now opening up to new ideas and finally becoming her own true self. When she replaces the front door of her new home with the original found in an a salvage yard things go a little bit sideways. Every time she leaves and locks the front door she time travels back to the roaring twenties during prohibition. She meets her great grandmother Alma and is horrified to learn that the speakeasy Alma runs out of her house was raided by police and Alma was killed. Josephine is determined to not let that happen and travels back and forth in time trying to keep her family member alive because if Alma dies, Josephine will never be born. This was a fun premise and a pleasant read with a little bit of romance thrown in for spice. I enjoyed the descriptions of the period clothing. Recommended. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I wasn't able to focus on the audiobook. After about 20% through I ended up stopping. The story was overly focused on home features and I couldn't get grounded on a compelling narrative.

Really liked this book. It is very well written and descriptive- I could easily picture the house with the beautiful door to another era and the speakeasy. The idea of being able to travel back in time to interact with a family member is delightful and thought provoking. I thoroughly recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review and to the author for her lovely piece of work.

First off, I absolutely love the narrator. It's the same narrator that does all of Mary Kay Andrews's books, and I've always loved her style of narration. I liked the book a lot. Going back to the 1920s during the 2020s feels fitting, and I felt like the novel had enough history to not only be believable, but also to be just a little educational. I loved the time travel transitions, and the love story included.

Magical realism is definitely more my thing than most fantasy, so I went into this novel with high expectations. While there were some aspects of the story that felt farfetched, even for magical realism, it was an overall good read. I really liked the adventure Josephine took to the 20s and how impactful it was on both the 20s characters as well as Josephine herself. There was just enough suspense to keep the reader entertained, despite the heavy amount of exposition. Thanks NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced audio copy of this novel.

Have you ever heard the saying Be Careful What You Wish For? Well that's the premise of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds. Josephine is dealing with the sudden loss of her husband and the fact that her life was completely absorbed by him that she felt this overwhelming loneliness. In a true moment of despair and sadness she wishes she had never been born, once she utters those words it sets off a chain of events that will challenge her understanding of reality and the power of her own choices. At her lowest point she is given an opportunity to reclaim her great-grandmother's house, which to her is a symbol of her heritage, so with the prompting of her sister to reclaim her own life she purchases the house. As she starts to restore the home, the story takes a different turn when Josephine discovers a hidden connection to her past, leading her to a 1920's party hosted by Alma, her great-grandmother. As Josephine discovers a way to time travel back and forth between the past and present she understands that she has a bigger responsibility then just getting to know a spunky family member. This is my first book by Jennifer Moorman and I enjoyed how she weaved together the whimsical, emotional and thought-provoking tale of Josephine Reynolds.