This books was amazing, wonderful, chef's kiss! I love a good family story that weaves through time. I felt like I got to know all four of the Winston women, all in different ways, and understood so many of the choices they made in their lives.
Whoever said - If you're fans of Alice Hoffman, you'll love this - was right! I love a great Alice Hoffman tale and this book did not disappoint in that way. It is really a gentle story of family relationships and magic!

I absolutely loved this audio! The narrators flowed really nicely with the dual POV and timeline!

If there’s one type of story that I can’t seem to get enough of, it’s multi-generational stories of matrilineal witches.

The first thing that drew me to The Moonlight Healers is that these women’s powers are specifically healing powers. It’s a curious thought that what if all the “witches” in history were made up of women that knew and used natural remedies to ease pain and cure infections.

The second thing was that the past timeline is set in France during WWII while Helene is training as a nurse. I don’t read much historical fiction these days, but these types of stories scratch the itch while still giving me an escape.

What I didn’t expect, but am so happy to have gotten is the exploration of mother/daughter relationship dynamics. Throughout the generations, you can feel the complex emotions that wind throughout these women and add an emotional depth to their stories. The weight of this “inheritance” and family history is a constant struggle for each woman as she tries to navigate her own life.

Both narrators, Cassandra Campbell and Bailey Carr, were phenomenal. The transition between Helene’s and Louise’s stories felt very natural and the voices truly complemented each other. It was an overall soothing read which fit the vibe of the story. While I normally listen at 1x, I did increase to 1.5x this time.

For some reason I could not get this audio to work for me and would start to play then stop constantly. I reset my device and tried to go into the app multiple times. Other books worked but had problems playing this one unfortunately. Will still give stars so the rating isn’t docked, but haven’t been able to listen to this one :(

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved this! Definitely worth the read!

A family of healers with incredible abilities come to terms with the beautiful pain of love, life, and their own power. 🩺

Things I loved:
🏠 multi-generational
🕰️ dual-timeline
✨ magical realism

A much deserved love-note-to-nurses in book form; if Kristin Hannah wrote Practical Magic, it might look a little like this! 🤍

Thank you to Harlequin audio and Netgalley for this audio version of the moonlight healers. This was super well narrated and powerful, and magical. I loved it very much and highly recommend it on audio.

I was drawn to the premise of The Moonlight Healers, but wanted more from both the plot and the character development. In the author’s note at the end, she shares that the book was inspired by her work as a nurse and experience with end-of-life care. I wish the story had been more exclusively focused on those ideas. The plot created around the two teenagers - her plans to leave for college and his desperation for her to stay - was a significant distraction from the book’s core inspiration.

This was a pleasant audio experience. I must admit, however, that I failed to realize there were two narrators. I just assumed there was one voice actor using a French accent for the chapters set in France during WWII. I wouldn’t know a genuine French accent from an imitation. I did listen at only 1.5x to ensure I understood everything clearly.

What a standout debut. From start to finish, I was completely immersed in this story and invested in these characters.

Told across timelines between war-torn France during World War II to present day Blue Ridge in 2019, we get a beautifully told story about a generation of women who have the power to heal others with just the touch of their hand. The audiobook was beautifully done. I loved the narrations especially when it came to representing the time periods and locales.

It’s a love letter to healers and nurses-inspired by the author’s own experience. It’s filled with poetic prose, and contains multitudes of moments from whimsical and enchanting to heartbreaking and thought provoking. While the end did have me in tears, it was also filled with hope. These characters are resilient and inspiring and will stay with me. The author brought beauty to the cycle that is both life and death in such a poignant way. I think this is a must read debut and look forward to future work by this author.

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for my #gifted ALC

*** 4.5 Stars ***

THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS is a story about family, love, and difficult choices. Becker’s writing is not only eloquent and lyrical, but it is captivating as she travels back and forth in time to explore two young women discovering the magic within and how they can use it.

This book is a gift to readers. It brings together emotion, interconnected relationships, and life struggles in a way that is both compelling and deeply heartfelt. A tale such as this comes from the soul of an author. It is an expression of her innate ability to create layered and complex characters, all the while developing the intricacies of their lives.

At its core, THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS is about family and self-discovery, but it is so much more. The women who come to life in these pages are real. They go through a variety of emotions and complications because of who they are. Learning about what they can do is only the beginning. Dealing with the consequences of what their healing can do is far more involved.

There is so much I could say about this book, but it wouldn’t do justice to Louise, Helene, and all the others I met while reading. Honestly, pick up the book. You will not regret it.

Audiobook Note: This book was narrated by two different women, Cassandra Campbell and Bailey Carr. Having each represent a different character and moment in time truly made the listening experience much better. Louise and Helene are well represented, and it becomes easier to transition from one to the other. Each of the narrators has a good pace and perfect inflections for the stories they are telling. Having spent more time with the audiobook than the physical book, I can say it was completely enjoyable.

I really enjoyed the way the narrative was told and the switching between perspectives. Great story of generational gifts and the passing on of a family story. I would have liked to see more from the in between generations rather than just the girl and her great grandmother but overall it was well done.

It's been a while since I've been able to get into a historical fiction book, but this story was a work of art! I loved getting to tune in to the story of the Winston women, a family where mothers and daughters have passed down healing abilities over generations. The story felt like a slow reveal both sad and beautiful, and my heart hurt for the realizations the characters had to make along the way and the realities they had to face.

I loved how the author explored both an eagerness for life but also the peacefulness in death, as a lot of women in this family used their healing abilities as nurses, doctors, midwives, and more. I also loved jumping back and forth between two Winston women in different times and places, but how their stories were connected and came together along the way. Overall I thought this was a beautiful story and I really enjoyed the characters and messages within it.

I LOVED this book. The dual timelines was done very effectively and I was invested in both Helene and Louise’s POV. It’s a good starting point for someone who wants to get into fantasy! I very much recommend!!

This book surprised me in the best way. As other reviews have mentioned, the dual perspectives were unexpected from the book synopsis. As someone who typically rejects historical fiction, I was ready to write this one off, but I am very glad I endured.

Characters are multi-faceted, with a healthy awareness of their own problems within the larger scope of the story and world around them. Relationships feel authentic and well earned, with a sensitivity to the surrounding war or environment.

The historical setting is appropriately constructed and weighed into the motivations and plot of the flashback scenes. The orchard setting is alternatively warm and comforting in the present day timeline. Writing style shifts seamlessly between the two.

Plot lines are similarly well constructed and woven together to form one cohesive and compelling story of familial history.

The magical elements and compassionate characters kept me turning the page. I would definitely read more by this author!

The Winston women come from a long line of healers...a gift passed down each generation to the females in the family.

The story begins with Helene, a French young woman during WWII. Helene has learned of her gifts by assisting her mother on house calls to help those in need. Moving in secret by the cover of night, Helene and her mother help to bring peace and comfort to those in need. In an attempt to protect her daughter, Helene's mother sends her away to work in hospital as a traditional nurse during WWII in France. Helene is faced with many trials and moral challenges as she navigates the contradictory situation she finds herself in. She is a healer...working in a hospital during war…suffering and brokenness surrounding her day and night…and forbidden to use her gift.

This dual timeline novel flips from wartime to 2019 where we meet Helene's great-granddaughter, Louise, just days before she is heading off to college. Louise is unaware of her gift until she accidentally preforms an act that has always been forbidden among healers. Unbeknownst to her, she has broken one of the major rules of practicing healing, and now has to find a way to correct what she has unintentionally done...ultimately losing something she loves no matter which path she chooses to take.

The Midnight Healers is a tribute to all nurses and healers, exploring death both as an all-encompassing darkness, and also as a thing of beauty. It blurs the lines of morality, compassion, selfishness, selflessness, acceptance and fear. It is a story about standing up for what is right, protecting those who need it most, letting go when it is time, and holding on when it's hardest. It's beauty and tragedy co-existing to create this amazing story of life, resilience, and love.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook for The Moonlight Healers. This was a beautifully written, emotional, magical dual timeline story. I was captivated by both POV’s, which both tied together nicely and held their own unique stories. I enjoy historical fiction, especially when done well, and I can imagine how it felt to live during those times. I think WWII tends to be done often as it doesn’t take much to illicit an emotional reaction from a reader. Yet this story was different than most that I have read.

Helene was the main character in the past timeline, and I loved seeing the world during her time. She had much personal growth throughout the book, going from a young healer doing as she is told by her mother during wartime to a woman who learned to take risks that others shied from. Although her story was tragic, it was also told through a tender, beautiful lens. While reading, I was able to feel how nurses (especially during wartime) touch so many lives, reaching far beyond their medical care. In her story, the reader felt the stories of many others around her.

The modern timeline was told through the eyes of Louise, a young woman about to set off for college, ready to build a safe and stable future. Louise’s story was multi-generational, touching on the stories of her Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother (Helene). Her story was not only about the discovery of her healing abilities, but healing generational trauma, love, and family legacy. Although some of this story included romance, I would say the true love of this book is healing, and what an impact one can make in both life and death.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and the author for a free advanced reader copy of this book.

4⭐️

Historical fiction is not my usual genre. Especially WWII historical fiction. That being said, I think this is the exception. I throughly enjoyed the multiple povs and time lines. I often get tired of WWII novels written in an American Centric POV, so it was extremely refreshing to read one from a French Nurse's pov. This is very character driven. The pacing wasn't exactly fast, but it wasn't slow. I feel like it was just right for the story and the POVs

This was a beautiful women's historal fiction with a fantasy twist. A moving story of love, sacrifice, mother/daughter relationships, loss, and life, this is one you don't want to skip. It will grip your heart.

The narrators did a beautiful job, however this didn't hit home for me. I found myself being bored. But it is a beautiful love letter to nurses and healers of all kinds.

WOW!! This was a debut novel for this author!! And just...wow!!

Being a nurse, for many years, this was a beautiful tribute to Nurses, Mom's, Grandma's and Healthcare Professionals all around!! And, HEALERS... in whatever capacity they may affect you...

In the book we go back and forth between present day, USA, and the 1940's in France...during war times. In both timelines, nurses and healing are in the spotlight...

It is revealed that the women of this one family have a GIFT of healing that is passed down from generation to generation, via the women of the family...

And this gift may be a present, or a curse...depending on how you look at it..

The relationships that are formed in both timelines are precious, detailed, and humbling. You learn so much about war-time France, and all that the Nurses and Sisters had to go through, just trying to protect their patients... and live their lives. All while trying to comfort soldiers who are sick and/or dying....

Then we have present day, in the Appalachian Mountains, where Louise is a HS Senior who is heading to NY for college. But then, something happens that just might change her life forever. Again, the love, family, friendships and community are beautiful...and will really touch your heart! In this scenario, Louise's Mom is a nurse, and her grandma is a healer... The three of them have not always had the best relationship, but they are truly working on it...

#TheMoonlightHealers by #ElizabethBecker and narrated beautifully by #CassandraCampbell and #BaileyCarr.

5 Big, Bright, Beautiful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook! This one has already been released, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!!

I had NO IDEA that this was a debut novel until I came here to write this review! Outstanding job to Ms. Becker!! And Kudos, from another lifelong RN...

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Oh, what a beautiful story this was!!! So beautifully written❤️ It bridges the lines between health care and healing powers of the FMC over multiple generations! I love the dual pov of the gifted women in this family. The sacrifice the grandmother gives in the end just broke my heart it was so beautiful and sweet 😭❤️. If you are looking for a beautiful story about healing and magic, this is it!

A love letter to nurses. A wonderful book with magical Realism and historical fiction. Set in 2019 Appalachia and 1940's German occupied France. The Winston family has the ability to heal and their stories of Love and Loss. I really enjoyed this book. The narrators did a fantastic job telling their stories.