The Moon is Missing was story meant to tug on heartstrings. It was written with several story lines that flowed together beautifully. I was really moved by this book. I would love to read a "prequel" providing Savanah's story - she seemed like a character whose story needs to be told.

This is a fantastic read! It is so beautiful written and we'll developed. I loved Georgia, a truly likeable and interesting main character. I was drawn to the lovely book cover and thought that reading about the life of a neurosurgeon would be exciting. My expectations we're not only met, but they were exceeded. I really enjoyed the different settings of New Orleans, London and Great Barrier. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Jenni Ogden, Sea Dragon Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is about a neurosurgeon, Georgia who is a prominent dr but has things from her past she has to deal with. She goes to New Orleans where she gets stuck during hurricane Katrina. I enjoyed the book overall. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Georgia Grayson is a neurosurgeon and well-respected in her field. She is hoping to become Director of the unit at the hospital where she works. But a panic-attack mid operation precipitated by the death of another patient who reminded her of her former boyfriend and father of her eldest child Lara, leads her in a different direction.

The story is set in 3 parts and takes the reader from London to New Orleans when hurricane Katrina strikes to New Zealand where her parents live. Georgia is not just struggling to face her own demons but in keeping her marriage to Adam together and being a mother to young Finbar as well as the teenager Lara who wants to know more about her father.

I really enjoyed this book as it explores many issues including mental health and how workplaces handle it, work-life balance, gender inequity, identity, the unintended consequences of secrets, grief and loss. These issues are raised as an integrated part of the story and Ogden manages to expose them skilfully without hammering them home. There are excellent book club discussion questions at the end which enable the reader to think through these issues. Highly recommended for anyone who wants an involving story woven with complexity.

This cover is beautiful and I just had to read it, the blurb makes it even more interesting.

Georgia works as a neurosurgeon in a London hospital but hails from New Zealand. Georgia suffers from the occasional panic attack, When she has one mid surgery she covers it up and goes into therapy. The panic attacks have gotten worse now that her daughter Lara wants to know more about her biological father. Georgia has never really processed his death. When Georgia goes to a conference in New Orleans she has Lara tag along so she can discover her dad’s stomping grounds and maybe meet her great grandmother. When in New Orleans Katrina hits, is devastating, but they find a way to help others and themselves. While there Georgia discovers some secrets and sets of to New Zealand to confront her parents. In New Zealand all can finally be out to rest, if only everyone is willing to do so.

This book tells an interesting tale of family secrets, love and loss and devastation. Part 1 plays out in London and it’s my least favourite, I had a very hard time getting into it. I was reading on hoping it get better when Part 2 in New Orleans would come around, luckily it get a lot better. Part 2 was the best for me, 3 was ok but felt a little forced. There’s a lot of talk about anxiety and panic attacks in this book and although the main found her coping mechanism and triggers I am not entirely sure how I feel about how this is being dealt with. The description of New Orleans during Katrina and Great Barrier Island are very well done, I could picture all the details, that is the best of the writing. The story in part 2 is interesting, but the overal story is a bit flat for me. Georgia was bit too self absorbed for my liking of a character, even when she acknowledged this it did nothing to warm me to her. When a story like this is written from first person I think it’s important to like the main character, and I didn’t. The writing itself is good, but the book is just missing something for me.

New Zealander Georgia is a gifted neurosurgeon living with her family in London. They are a happy unit until 16 year old daughter Lara wants to find out about her real father Danny. Georgia has had trouble with her mental wellbeing and a panic attack at work puts everything on hold. Travelling to New Orleans the two of them search for clues to Danny’s family and why he committed suicide. Georgia has flashbacks to the event and wants to make sure she was not responsible for it.
Trapped in the disastrous storm Katrina adds a level of danger and heroic doctoring by Georgia. This gives her back her confidence for the two of them to return to New Zealand for the answers they both need.
This is an exciting adventure but so much more. It is wonderful that mental wellbeing is finally getting the attention it deserves. This story has it all, sadness, tragedy and finally a resolution for everyone involved.

The Moon is Missing by Jenni Ogden I have to admit drew me further and further in to the life of neurosurgeon - Georgia Grayson. Her life as a surgeon, her family and relationships with her son and daughter and husband. Then there are her anxiety attacks and the reason for them and the consequences that arise because of them.

The book is well written and its focus is Georgia. I liked her, she is talented yet haunted by her past. As she takes up with courage the journey back into her life, I the reader, feel like I am right there with her. The heartache that is happening in her family, the questions she holds, the answers hidden to her.

I really liked - if its okay to say that! - the part that tells of Georgia and Lara ( her daughter) in hurricane Katrina. It was both horrific and wondrous as medical staff and others worked to help each other.

The three settings of London, New Orleans and Great Barrier Island were all contrasts - yet each had their own fascination. I also loved where finally Georgia and her family truly find themselves at the end of the journey.

Some family secrets are gradually revealed. I really appreciated how they unfolded and finally came together. Forgiveness, acceptance and compassion eventually win through.

I found myself  slowly reading the story,  a few times I had to reach for a tissue for the times of sadness and beauty. A Moon is Missing touched my heart and was so worth spending time with it.

Rating: 4 hurricane-whipped stars

This is Jenni Odgen’s second novel, and it is a doozy of domestic suspense. Georgia Grayson and her husband live in London with two children. Georgia is the Director or Neurosurgery in a large hospital. However, she was on a leave of absence from actually operating. Increasingly she’s been unable to control her panic attacks. She is required to seek counseling before her privileges will be be reinstated. Georgia’s 15-year-old daughter, Lara, is escalating her demands to know who her father is. Danny, a musician from New Orleans was an early love of Georgia’s. He died after having a huge fight with Georgia, and there are some gaps in Georgia’s memory about the time surrounding those events. This is apparently the source of her psychological issues.

With scenes in London, New Orleans, and New Zealand the plot moves along showing how easily a family can start to disintegrate. While this is set in several locations, the section set in New Orleans was most riveting. Lara convinces her Mom to let her accompany her to a medical conference in New Orleans in the hope of finding out more about Danny. What they ran smack dab into was the full force of hurricane Katrina. This is where Odgen’s writing skills really flourished in this book. The sights, the smells, the personal peril of enduring this natural disaster were viscerally depicted. The immediacy of these scenes pulled me into the middle of the chaos.

Everyone in this book had issues. In the final analysis, this is a family drama. Ms. Odgen skillfully writes about psychological issues. She shows how a trained psychologist can help unravel some deep-seated problems. I enjoyed the scenes between Georgia and her therapist Sarah. In some ways, Hurricane Katrina was a metaphor for the storm raging within and amongst these family members. It was action packed, and heartfelt.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy an engaging family drama that has intelligent characters and believable scenes. The drama isn’t over the top, and the various locations in the book add to the enjoyment of the story. Oh that hurricane!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Sea Dragon Press via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Moon is Missing” by Jenni Ogden, Sea Dragon Press, August 25, 2020 for Suzy Approved Book Tours
Jenni Ogden, the author of “The Moon is Missing” has written a memorable and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are literary fiction, family drama, women’s fiction, and fiction. The timeline of the story takes place in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The story takes place in New Zealand, and New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated. I appreciate that the author discusses the topic of panic attacks. I love how the author vividly describes her characters, scenery and events. This is also a coming of age story. It is a story of discovering the truth, communication, family, love and faith. This a story that shows one how dangerous secrets can be.

Georgia Grayson is a brilliant neurosurgeon, and a wife and mother. Her teenage daughter brings up the topic of her deceased father, and Georgia finds that she is having panic attacks while in the operating room. Georgia really can’t remember all the details surrounding her first husband’s death. She knows she has to discover what is so deeply buried inside her to be able to live freely.

Georgia is lucky she has the support of her family. I would highly recommend this memorable, and thought-provoking story to other readers.

To be honest the title drew me but the story wrapped itself around me and didn't let go. Beautifully written and poignant it's a story that will linger in your mind long after the last page. A must read. Happy reading!

Family tragedy and long held family secrets propel this novel into the settings of New Orleans during the horrific Hurricane Katrina and the beautiful New Zealand coast line. The protagonist of this story is a strong woman, Georgia, who is a prominent neurosurgeon in London. She works very hard to keep her life as a physician as well as a wife and mother functioning at a high level. But she is haunted by events of her past and suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. She realizes that the only way to eradicate her anxiety is to uncover the truth about the death of her first love. He died under suspicious circumstances before their daughter was born. Her now 15 year old daughter, Lara, desperately wants to learn about her father and his side of her family. These factors compel Georgia and Lara into the past and the gripping scenes of New Orleans and New Zealand. It is a harrowing ride. Well-written with well developed characters and striking settings - it is hard to put down and an enjoyable read!

Jenni's first title, A Drop in the Ocean, was a book I very much enjoyed reading and therefore, was looking forward to her next story. Once again Jenni has written an engaging tale, this time revolving around a range of themes such as family, with some mysterious past secrets, to create that curiosity factor. However, at its heart this is a tale of love and forgiveness, from moving on and lessons learned.

‘... sometimes toxic memories are best kept firmly in a box ...’

In many ways this reads like three separate tales and I am still undecided if it all gelled together sufficiently. Part 1 sets the scene obviously in terms of Georgia’s past secret and really delves into family dynamics and the fallout of a debilitating anxiety disorder. Part 2 finds Georgia and her daughter in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. Whilst I appreciate the significance of this event to the characters journey, to me, it reads like a separate novel with tenable links to the overall mystery. That aside, the writing is incredible in the descriptions of what living through such an event must feel like, sound like - you were there when the waters were rising and could feel the palpable angst. The final Part 3, then transfers to both New Zealand and Australian’s Great Barrier Reef. In some ways, it's like Jenni wanted all these locales to fit her story. Here we return to Georgia’s specific crisis and steps taken to bring about her healing through confrontation and resolution.

“Nothing will ever sink New Orleans. She’ll come through this horror and be even stronger than before.” Even as the placatory words come out of my mouth, I knew I was talking bullshit. It was hard to see how any city could recover from this - especially one built in such a crazy place.’

The writing is well researched and it is clear how much Jenni has called upon her experience from her time involving psychology. She provides a twist on the traditional reading group discussion questions at the conclusion of the novel - preferring instead for her readers to contemplate reflection on the book’s overall themes of work-family balance, anxiety disorders, mother-teenager relationships and family secrets.

‘I suddenly wanted to be home, right now, with my normal healthy family. At least a day at the office put our trivial problems into perspective.’

The Moon is Missing is a book about the many types of relationships, from spousal, family and professional to the relationship one has with oneself. The themes are relevant and real, providing good social commentary - with the added mysterious twist to engage readers.





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Thanks to Netgalley and the editor for my digital copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I liked this book, very much! The cover is very beautiful and the story is a family drama very well developed. I like the way the characters are built and Georgia and Lara are great! I want to read other books by the author, her writing is incredible.

This novel tells a tale within a tale. For the most part it’s a mystery involving the death of a young blues singer (Danny), the possible involvement of his girlfriend (Georgia) who is now a successful Neurosurgeon, wife, and mother of two who is searching for answers of her memory’s missing past. Now, the tale within the tale, takes place in New Orleans during Katrina and the experiences she has there with her daughter, Lara. Georgia takes us on a journey to restore her memories through London, New Zealand, and New Orleans. Jenni Ogden is a marvelous writer, keen on capturing emotion as well as environment. Thanks so much to Sea Dragon Press & Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

An absolute triumph for Jenni Ogden. A beautifully written book that I didn’t put down until the end. A family drama that takes you to a remote New Zealand Island ,(her descriptions were so vivid I felt as if I could literally see it) also to New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The story follows Georgia Grayson, a neurosurgeon, who’s past comes back to haunt her when her daughter demands to know who she is, A tightly woven family drama.:A must read, Superb.....

This book threatened to rip my heart out so many times, but I couldn't put it down. The story centers on Georgia, a neurosurgeon, wife and mom. When something in her present triggers unwanted memories of the past she suffers a panic attack while performing a surgery. She ends up having to take a break from her work to mend herself. Georgia has to grapple with her anxiety and watch how it affects her family, especially her relationship with her daughter. The book is split in three parts each taking place in a different location, London, New Orleans (during Hurricane Katrina) and New Zealand. I also liked that each part of the book focused on something different. London was her downfall, New Orleans and Katrina her healing, and New Zealand her forgiveness and acceptance.

As a panic attack sufferer as well, this was something about the book that hit home, and as is mentioned multiple times in the book "you can't die from a panic attack," but it sure feels like it. I can relate to Georgia in her interactions with her family. Panic attacks aren't something that can just be stopped, there's a process and also medication, and you never know when one will hit. It's something I've had to explain to my family multiple times and I was glad to see how Georgia was able to find a way to cope with the anxiety and bring her family to a point of understanding.

I also really enjoyed the part of the book on Hurricane Katrina. As an avid reader of books on Hurricane Katrina, I thought Jenni Ogden did a great job capturing what was going on, especially at Memorial Hospital. I'd just read "Five Days at Memorial" by Sheri Fink earlier in the year and thought Jenni did a good job capturing several key facts of what went on for patients and doctors at Memorial during Hurricane Katrina.

Overall, a really great book and I highly recommend!

A beautiful story about family, tragedy, mystery and hope.
Georgia Grayson is a successful neurosurgeon with a husband and two children when her world is turned upside down. Her daughter, Lara, wants to know more about the death of her real father, Danny, and his side of the family. This triggers painful memories for Georgia and brings back the panic, anxiety and misery that she felt when she first lost Danny. In order to feel like herself again, and to be able to provide Lara with the answers she deserves, Georgia will return to New Orleans where she first met Danny, and to New Zealand where he died. Will she finally remember what happened the night he died?
This story had so many interesting facets to it - the mystery of what happened to Danny was just the part that tied everything else together. I loved the focus on relationships here; both the husband/wife relationship between Georgia and Adam, and how her panic attacks affect them, and the mother/daughter relationship which suffers as a result of the secrets and uncertainty around Danny’s death. Ogden has a background in psychology and this was evident in the way she so accurately writes about mental health and relationships - spot on.
I also absolutely loved the changes of location throughout the story, which kept things feeling fresh and exciting - didn’t hurt that New Orleans and New Zealand are two places I’d love to explore more! The descriptions were so vivid that I could almost feel the atmosphere and vibrancy of New Orleans, and the peace and spirituality of New Zealand.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely pick up more of Ogden’s books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for the advanced reader's copy.

In The Moon is Missing, Georgia, a UK based neurosurgeon, and her 15-year-old daughter, Lara are the main characters. The story begins when Georgia is confronted about her painful past that she has kept suppressed, a history which is key to Lara understanding who she is. While Lara loves Adam, her stepfather, she knows that he is not her biological father. She feels the emptiness and void from not knowing anything about her deceased biological father, Danny, and his family. Lara's need to know more is heightened when she is given an assignment for school that focuses on her family tree. Lara begins to press her mother for details about her father, which triggers increasing anxiety in Georgia.

While Georgia is a successful neurosurgeon, she has a history of anxiety disorder. Lara pressing for the truth about her father seems to push Lara's emotions over the edge, culminating in an anxiety attack in the middle of surgery. She is subsequently placed on leave from the OR and is only allowed to see patients in office until she has sought treatment with a psychologist. Georgia begins working with Sara, her psychologist, and much of that work centers on Danny, Lara's biological father. As Georgia continues her therapy sessions, things at home begin to unravel between her and Adam, while Lara becomes increasingly angry and rebellious. Their family appears to be imploding while the young son Finn struggles to feel normal in all of it. The family is truly struggling to hold it all together.
During this time, Georgia has an opportunity to travel to New Orleans for a medical conference. New Orleans is where Georgia met Danny (Lara's birth dad). Lara pleads to tag along on the trip, convinced its an opportunity to connect with her deceased father's family. Georgia is agreeable because she is desperate to restore the strained relationship with her daughter. But as fate would have it, they arrive in New Orleans just days before Hurricane Katrina. The story shifts at this point to Georgia and Lara surviving the hurricane and the days following. Georgia ends up assisting with the hospital, where there is a growing number of medical emergencies. The storm seems to serve as an important event that helps heal the mother-daughter relationship. Georgia regains her confidence as a physician and, more importantly, gains perspective on life in general. Georgia is now ready to face her past and the death of Danny, and she is prepared to heal several important relationships.

I really enjoyed this book and was drawn in right away; it was a page-turner. Jenni Ogden's writing style is very fluid; the story has a beautiful flow rich in descriptions and taps into all the emotions. I enjoyed this book so much I plan to read her first book. I highly recommend this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jenni Odgen’s debut novel A Drop in the Ocean which clearly demonstrated the author’s ability to write beautifully and create an unusual story with excellent character development.

Jenni Ogden’s new novel The Moon is Missing is also an incredible story that, while very complex, still holds the reader’s attention. The story moves to many locations - from London (around the London bombings in July 2005 -where I was at the time!) to New Orleans during the Katrina Hurricane in August 2005 to New Zealand (mainly Great Barrier island where the author lives). The dramatic events surrounding these locations are also reflected in the many personal and family dramas the characters go through.

Not only was this beautifully written, there are so many issues to continue to reflect upon and discuss with friends and family. I loved the letter to the reader at the end where Jenni shares with us her views of the importance of reading novels and raises some of the issues this novel raises - Work/Family Balance, Anxiety Issues, Mother-teenager relationships especially with daughters, and Family Secrets. Through the main character Georgia and her relationships with her family, friends and colleagues these issues are brought to life and explored.

Highly recommended read.

A special thank you for the email from Caitlin Hamilton Summie from Caitlin Hamilton Marketing, for providing pre-approval for me to obtain a copy, via Netgalley, of Jenni Ogden’s forthcoming book, The Moon is Missing, to read and review. Also thanks as usual to Netgalley and to the publisher Sea Dragon Press.

Gripping sequences in Katrina-buffeted New Orleans made this a page-turner😲

The Moon is Missing grabbed me, but not for the reason I was expecting. With its changing setting, moving between London, New Orleans, Cape Cod and several scenic spots in New Zealand, I thought I would most enjoy the globetrotting aspect and the tragic love story between singer Danny and neurosurgeon-in-training Georgia. That part of the story was good, emotional and poignant and Georgia's strengthening relationship with their daughter Lara also made it a moving story.

But what really got me stuck to the pages of this book was the sequence that played out in New Orleans in August 2005 when Georgia and Lara visit New Orleans and inadvertently get caught up in the full drama and tragedy when Hurricane Katrina came calling. Putting her characters in a true life event of this magnitude really brought their story to a higher level. By highlighting the plight of secondary characters trapped in the city with them, including doctors, nurses, a very ill new mother and an elderly patient unknowingly connected to Lara through her dead father, author Jenni Ogden made the human dimension of Katrina's destruction come to life.

Georgia's anxiety and prolonged inability to reconcile herself with Danny's death may be the main theme of the plot, but it will probably be the Katrina segment that will stay with me the longest.

Thanks to publishers Sea Dragon Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.