The Vanishing Of Josephine Reynolds
By: Jennifer Moorman

5 Stars

Josephine just lost her husband of 15 years. She finds a house that happens to be linked to her family and buys it to start anew. When she walks in the door, magic is happening. She steps into the past. Her life will never be the same as she goes on an adventure that defies logic and sets her on a path she never saw coming.

Wow. This was such an interesting and fun story to follow. The characters are well done and likable. The setting of an old house, with its secrets, was well described. To think, a simple wish could bring about such adventure and drama. I was mesmerized by the magic of this book. It presented a mix of mystery and fantasy that keeps you spellbound. It definitely had a pull on me. It was amazing and well written.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

I loved Josephine’s story so much. I wish I could read it again for the first time. The idea of traveling back in time and having a friendship with a relative is just so fascinating. I have so much to say but I don’t want to give anything away about this magical story. If you love the 1920s, if you love time travel and you’d love to meet a great grandparent when they were your age, definitely pick up this book.

Jennifer Moorman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors for cozy magical realism. The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a time traveling story of love after loss. Josephine is a recently widowed, distraught 35 year old who makes an errant wish that she never existed. That wish had the unfortunate effect of splitting her timeline into two: one where she does exist and one where she never existed. The timelines duel back and forth for the upper hand and Josephine is the only one who can save herself and her family. As she fights to save her life (and the lives of her loved ones), Josephine discovers that life is worth fighting for.

With time travels back to the roaring 20s and a handsome love interest, this book is cozy and delightful and ties up exactly the way it should. Definitely one to read around a cozy fire in Nashville.

I would like to thank HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this read blindly and it did not disappoint!

This was such a great read. The historical fiction in this book was right up my alley. I loved the characters and how they intertwined in the now and the past to give all of us hope. No matter the pain of losing ourselves, we can come back and grow from it. And, thrive! Loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review!

#TheVanishingOfJosephineReynolds #NetGalley #HarperCollins #JenniferMoorman

What an amazing story! When I first read the synopsis of this story, I immediately thought of "It’s a Wonderful Life", however, I was taken on an even more incredible journey than I expected! Imagine being in one of the lowest points in your life and making a wish that changes your entire life and the life of your loved ones? How far would you go to make amends?
Jennifer Moorman is one of my favorite authors of magical realism. Her seamless transitions from the present time to the past time are incredible, making the story smooth and taking the reader between timelines with no confusion. I truly fell in love with the characters, and the vividness of the scenes made me feel as though I was right there throughout the entire story.
A definite 5 star read for me and one that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of magic!

What a heart-tugging novel! When recently widowed Josephine Reynolds makes a desperate wish that she was never born, things are put in motion that will change her life - or get rid of it entirely. It's up to her newfound ability to travel back to 1927 to keep her entire family from being erased. Can she save her great-grandmother's life, ensuring her own continuation?
There is so much heart in this novel. I loved it. The support Josephine receives from her sister, the new romance she stumbles into, getting to know her grandmother as an adult... all of it hits the right feelings and I found myself on edge and turning pages to find out what would happen. I love magical realism and this novel definitely does not disappoint.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds
by Jennifer Moorman
Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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. Immersed in the vibrant Jazz Age, Josephine forms a profound bond with Alma, only to discover upon her return to the present that history has been altered. Alma's life was tragically cut short in a speakeasy raid just a week after their fateful meeting.

Josephine has a chilling revelation--her own existence is unraveling/vanishing--and she must race against time to rewrite history. Josephine is desperate to not only save Alma but save her own future in a time-bending journey where past and present intertwine in a desperate battle for survival.

Infused with Jennifer Moorman's signature blend of magical detail and heartfelt storytelling, The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a tale of resilience in the face of loss and a testament to the timeless bond of family. Great book!

Josephine Reynolds is a young widow, at only 35. Somehow during her marriage, she had lost her sense of self, and molded herself to fit her successful husband’s needs. Even the house she lives in doesn’t reflect her style - if she even knows what that is anymore. Six months after his death, she’s still just going through the motions during the days, with no sense of purpose. That all changes when her great-grandmother’s mansion The Carter House comes up for sale. Her uncle had purchased it, but ran out of money and left it with much still to do. Encouraging Josephine in this adventure is her realtor sister Katherine. When Josephine enters the house, she truly feels she is home, but as she starts to explore, there’s a whole other world literally beneath her feet. She finds out that her great-grandmother ran a speakeasy in the basement of her house in the 1920’s.

As she begins to research her great-grandmother’s past, she discovers a newspaper article that could drastically alter her future. Josephine journeys back to 1927, to try and prevent a tragedy that could affect her and her family’s future, and in the process learns that she is stronger than she knows. But how much of changing events in 1927 will affect events in her current day? Lots of jazz age music and fashion details blended with the magical aspect of time-traveling makes this an enjoyable read - I couldn’t wait to see what happens next! Thanks to the author for sharing an ARC with my book club. Pub date is 1/14/25, but available for preorder now!

While I enjoyed this, it was perhaps marketed slightly incorrectly. I thought this was a light fantasy book, but it was more so a contemporary story with magical realism. Since I primarily read fantasy and science fiction, I had questions on how the door actually worked that were never answered. This probably wouldn’t bother most readers, but I had to suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story. Overall, a solid read that most likely more contemporary and literary fiction readers will enjoy!

I was in the mood for something with an element of magical realism, and I knew it had to be The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds by Jennifer Moorman. I read and loved her book The Magic All Around but I loved this one even more and it was such a delight to read. I love time travel and when you throw in parallel timelines where the characters have big decisions to make, it just creates an even more intense and interesting read. I loved the present timeline and Josephine’s relationship with her mom and sister, and the 1920s timeline was excellent with its Prohibition era speakeasy and dash of romance and drama.

I was so close to ugly crying at the end of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds, and I definitely found myself tearing up often. Despite the serious subject matters Moorman touches on, this book made me laugh as well and I can’t imagine a better way she could have wrapped the story up. There is a lot of tension throughout along with moments that will touch your heart in the best possible way. Read this if you enjoy time travel, family themes, romance, and hopeful endings!

I really enjoyed The Baker's Man and I was really excited to read this 1920s time travel story. The book is a lovely exploration of grief and family ties, and I liked the historical atmosphere.
A lot of the writing focused on telling instead of showing, which made the narration appear choppy at times. The characters also felt flat and I wish we had gotten some more development. I liked the way that Josephine did change throughout the book and learn to find happiness on her own.
I really liked the fall setting and the time travel - readers will love to get cozy with this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the eARC!

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds is a heart-warmingand magical tale of accepting life's challenges and finding yourself.
Our protagonist is, Josephine Reynolds, a 35 year old woman, who is struggling to come to terms with being a widow and the need to rebuild her life. When Josephine's sister, tells her that their old family home is up for sale, Josephine makes the impulsive decision to buy the house, and slowly restore the damage, caused by the previous owner (her uncle).
It's not long before the house starts to reveal it's secrets to Josephine. And when she replaces the front door, with the original, Josephine is given a pathway into the past.
I loved the chapters set in the 1920s, the descriptions are so vivid, and just beautiful. The costumes (or rather outfits), and music, helped to build up the atmosphere and I was almost disappointed to return to the contemporary timeline. During her trips into the past, Josephine realises that her beloved great, great grandmother, Alma is due to die shortly and if she does, then Josephine and her sister would not exist. Josephine's race to save her grandmother acts an extra layer of drama and heightens the tension.
A wonderfully bittersweet ending, but one that gives the reader hope for the future.

I liked the plot but it was a little too slow for me. It took me a while to finish. Might have been better if it as a tad bit shorter honestly

When life gives you lemons and the love of your life (you think) passes away, it's time to retreat. And for Josephine Reynolds it means that you retreat to your great grandmother's home. What happens within those walls is a time travel that sees JoJo living amongst her relatives and loving a certain man that brings out the best in her. But what if she wants to go home, back to the time she was living...and actually live again.

This book has the most gorgeous cover and loved her last book but I just didn't connect to this one in the same way.
I hope whomever reads it finds a love in it's words and then you can chalk it up with my issues.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc.

Some books don’t just tell a story; they invite you to live within their pages long after they’ve closed, and The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds does just that. I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperMuse via NetGalley, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts.

The story follows Josephine Reynolds, a thirty-five-year-old woman who realizes, after losing her husband of fifteen years, that she no longer knows who she is outside of her marriage. In her grief, she wishes she’d never been born—a throwaway thought that sets a series of impossible events into motion.

Seeking a fresh start, Josephine buys her great-grandmother Alma’s house, hoping its restoration will help her move forward. But as she unlocks the original, intricately carved door of the house, she finds herself transported nearly a century back.

What follows is a heartfelt, five-day journey where Josephine must prevent Alma’s untimely death to secure her own future. She soon finds herself completely immersed in Alma's world—a world of underground speakeasies and lively gatherings.

I loved the bond that forms between these two women from different times. Alma, a bright, spirited woman who embraces life despite her own struggles, quickly becomes a guiding light for Josephine. As the past and present blend, Josephine grows close to Alma’s friends and finds love with a man named Danny. Despite her fears, she allows herself to be loved and to choose love in return. Watching her grow and begin to define herself as her own person, rather than an extension of anyone else, was incredibly moving. The found-family aspect was wonderfully done and Josephine’s journey to self-discovery is one that I’ll carry with me.

The ending is bittersweet, adding to the story’s beauty- so keep the tissues ready. This book is perfect for anyone who loves stories about second chances and finding oneself in the most unexpected ways. It releases in January 2025, and I can’t recommend it enough for those seeking a beautifully emotional read.

Time travel books always leave me with many questions, but it is fiction so the questions will just have to remain unanswered. I loved this book! The house, the setting, the characters. It didn't matter that everything seemed to fit, it was still so good. The characters were very likeable and the pace just perfect for me. The setting was described so well, that I could actually envision the basement room in my mind.

Highly recommend for a romantic, happy ending, filled with a magical twist!

This is the story of Josephine who has recently lost her husband and has been faced with the fact that her entire life has been framed around being what her significant others want her to be. When she buys her old family mansion she finds herself suddenly in the middle of a time paradox where she has to find herself and at the same time save her great grandmother from a twist of fate that might erase Josephine from existence all together. This book did not do much for me unfortunately. Based on the description I was expecting a more intense time traveling adventure and I was really hoping for a lot of deep introspection from Josephine into what it means to be a widow at 35 and trying to find yourself for the first time as a middle aged woman. And while there was some of that introspection it never seemed to dip below the surface level musings. The story itself is also quite slow paced and boring at least for someone who might be expecting a heavier magica/science fiction aspect. This really is more like a historical fiction/portal fantasy/historical romance vibe. So if that’s something that you enjoy then this may be a really excellent book for you. The sentiments are all very sweet and it’s a feel good story, but the writing was very simplistic and it just felt flat for me. There is a lot of opportunity for meaningful discussions surrounding woman who have to rediscover what it means to be alone in a world that previously revolved around their husbands, but there just wasn’t enough introspection to make it worthwhile in my mind.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Harper Muse for the complimentary eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been loving magical realism lately, so I was pumped to receive an ARC of this title. The plot premise is intriguing--who doesn't love a good time travel story! And combine that with an old, familial mansion, recently returned to the heir? SIGN ME UP. I was ready to love it.

I didn't love it. I liked it ok, but I didn't love it. Mostly the plot is solid, although there are some moments where my determination to suspend disbelief are really NOT backed up by the kind of writing you need to stay immersed in a fictional world. The character arc was... ok. I don't love FMCs who are so... Vanilla. The dialog and general writing was basically adequate.

Ok, so what DID I like? The concept. A haunted speakeasy in an old mansion? Love it! The door/keyhole/key thing? Freaking awesome. I loved the relationship between the sisters, and I love the *idea* of a grieving widow re-finding herself after decades in a relationship that swallowed her identity. A lot of the background descriptions were great about "putting you there". I just wish the rest of the writing was a bit stronger and could really give the plot and characters the support they deserved.

Wow!! Moorman does it again! I love her magical realism takes and while this one is a little different with a time travel element, she writes a wonderful tale!
Josephine is floundering. Recently widowed she decides to renovate her ancestral home. When she finds the original door she learns it’s a portal back to the Jazz Age and to her great- grandmothers time. Moving back and forth through time Moorman writing takes us right there too! But can Josephine rewrite history or will it create more problems?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC

I had high hopes for this book and was afraid to be disappointed.
It was interesting at the beginning, but a few moments seemed "not real" to me and I couldn't fully trust the story, but the characters and atmosphere saved it.