The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds
A Charming and Uplifting Novel with Heartfelt Storytelling
-
-
4.2 • 9 Ratings
-
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
Now a USA TODAY bestseller!
"The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds drips with lush Jazz Age detail, a vivid cast of characters, and a protagonist whose future literally depends on her ability to navigate the past." --Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Echo of Old Books
A captivating tale of family bonds and unexpected chances, threaded with the thrilling magic of time travel, by the author of The Baker's Man and The Magic All Around.
Can one thoughtless wish erase a life?
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Moorman (The Magic All Around) delivers a heartwarming story of love, loss, and time travel. In a bout of grief and depression, 35-year-old widow Josephine Reynolds wishes she had never been born—a wish that changes the course of history. After her sister, Katherine, suggests a fresh start, Josephine buys Carter Mansion, her great-grandmother Alma's home in Nashville's historic district, aiming to restore it. She tracks down the house's original front door and key at a local salvage yard—and, after installing and stepping through the door, finds herself transported back to 1927. As Josephine is swept into the Jazz Age, she meets and bonds with Alma and finds love with a handsome man named Danny. But Josephine soon realizes her careless wish has altered the timeline, and unless she can change history by stopping a police raid on Alma's speakeasy, her existence in the future will be erased. Josephine's low-heat romance with Danny takes center stage for much of the light and entertaining narrative, which comes full circle in a predictable yet cozy ending. Despite a slow and somewhat superficial plot, readers will be captivated by Moorman's lovely descriptions of the 1920s. It's sweet and comforting reading.
