Love this author and will read everything that she writes

Her books are so enchanting with fabulous characters and amazing storytelling

Would highly recommend

This book, by my favorite author Alice Hoffman, is captivating from the first page, with believable characters and unexpected twists that keep you hooked. With a hint of magic and a compelling narrative, it's a must-read.

I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

This was my first book by Alice Hoffman (although I always gear fantastic things about her work), and this tory didn't disappoint. The storyline was beautiful and I adored the characters. Would definitely recommend.

"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."

Mia Jacob's life is shrouded in secrecy within an oppressive cult known as the Community, where books are considered evil. However, a chance encounter with Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" leads Mia on a journey of self-discovery, love, and time travel.

This book is how it seamlessly blends the real world with fantastical elements. The first half of the story had me completely hooked with its raw portrayal of women's struggles within the cult. But then, out of the blue, it takes this wild turn into time travel and magic.

Mia Jacob's transformation from a girl trapped in a cult to a strong, determined woman who finds solace in books and love is incredibly inspiring. Her journey from start to finish is nothing short of amazing.

Alice Hoffman's storytelling is brilliant, as always. Her writing style is rich, her characters are vividly drawn, and the way she blends reality with fantasy is just magical. Yes, the story takes a surprising twist, but trust me, it's worth every page.

"The Invisible Hour" reminds us of the incredible power of books and the resilience of the human spirit. If you are someone who believes that words have the magic to change lives, then this book is a must-read. Grab a copy and dive into this world of literature and love. You won't regret it!

Thank you NetGalley, Alice Hoffman, and Simon and Schuster UK for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a lovely read and read as a story of two halves. In the first half you learn about Mia escaping from a cult where she has been raised with her mother Ivy. Halfway through you end up in a completely different time period. The author does a great job of tying the two stories together.
I loved the story and will read the authors other books.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Long ago, there had been other places where women were punished for being true to themselves. I kept The Scarlet Letter close to my heart when I left the barn and ran across the dark field. Sometimes when you read a book it’s as if you were reading the story of your own life. That was what had happened to me. I woke up when I read the first page. I saw who I was and who I could be.”

My thanks to Simon & Schuster U.K. Scribner UK for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Invisible Hour’ by Alice Hoffman.

This gentle literary novel is very much written in Hoffman’s signature style; complete with touches of whimsy, magic, and heartbreak.

Cast out from her family due to her pregnancy, sixteen-year-old Ivy finds refuge with Joel Davis, the charismatic leader of the Community. At first it seems a quiet, peaceful life among a group of likeminded folk managing a farm where apples and other produce is grown. There is a great sense of camaraderie, yet there are also many rules that become more and more constricting.

Ivy gives birth to a daughter, Mia, who grows up only aware of the claustrophobic life of the Community. One weekend while serving at the Community’s market stall in the small town of Blackwell, Massachusetts, she slips into the local library. While Mia knows how to read, the Community does not allow the reading of novels or attendance at public school.

Mia quickly realises that there is a world beyond the Community and takes increasingly dangerous risks that sets her on a path that she could never have imagined. As Mia seeks to establish a life of her own, Joel is determined that she will return to the Community, no matter the cost.

Throughout I felt as though Alice Hoffman had taken hold of my hand and led me into the world of her novel. I found the characters of Ivy and Mia very compelling. There is also Sarah, a librarian who befriends Mia and provides her not only with books to expand her worldview but encourages her to seek her freedom.

Books are clearly important to the plot and as the above quote indicates Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Scarlet Letter’ plays an important role in Mia’s tale. On the day that Mia had planned to escape the Community by drowning herself, she had found an old copy of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ in the library. She came to believe that it had saved her life as when she read the dedication she saw it as a sign. It read: ‘To Mia, If it was a dream, it was ours alone and you were mine.’

Mia feels that she is in love with Hawthorne and dreams of being able to meet him. She visits his grave and imagines him walking beside her even though she is well aware that they are separated by 150 years. Yet as Hoffman observes: “What she wanted was impossible, but she was convinced there was magic in the world and if she waited long enough, if she really wished for it, he would be hers.”

Of course, Mia is fortunate in being a character in a novel by Alice Hoffman as she is an author who is willing to bend the rules of linear time to fulfil her characters’ dreams.

I also found Hoffman’s depiction of the Community compelling. Novels that feature cults always interest me and it was easy to appreciate why Ivy had been initially drawn to Joel’s vision even though from the outside the rules were clearly restrictive, especially for the women.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Invisible Hour’ very much and found it beautifully written and an immersive read. I especially appreciated how seamlessly elements of magical realism were integrated into the narrative.

Highly recommended.

I enjoyed the first half of this detailing a cult like community, and the second part was such a swerve it was a huge shift in expectations it was hard to not mourn where you though the story was going. Untilsnelt vety entertaining. While the prose was as excellent, minor quibbles aside I enjoyed this tale of two halves!

Forever under the spell of Hoffman!

Thanks Simon and Schuster,UK and NetGalley for the ARC!

Synopsis –

Mia Jacobs has no choice but to run away from the cult where she was raised. Just when is contemplating taking her own life, the classic book – The Scarlett Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne falls into her hands. Mia is surprised by how this story written over 200 years ago reflects her own life and even saves her from death. She falls in love with both the book and the author. Will she ever find her true love?

Review -

What’s not to love in a book has everything a book lover craves? A book about books, the timelessness of it and how it can elevate our life experiences. Only, there is so much more here.

More than the story itself, it is Hoffman's exquisite writing that enraptured me. She has an incredible ability to transport us centuries backwards like in all her books. She has gone above and beyond in this one - seamlessly integrating the present era with the 1800s during the period of the evergreen author Nathaniel Hawthorne. How she does this is simply unimaginable.

Mia’s passion for books literally saves her life. This is where the author casts her spell, bends time to her will, sparking magical elements as she teleports us to early 19th century, when Mia meets her true love – Hawthorne. It’s no secret that I am not a big believer of time travel or even magical realism, but apparently here I am at Hoffman’s mercy.

I was simply mesmerized with everything and just greedily drank up this beautiful and enchanting romance between Mia and Hawthorne. Hoffman brilliantly blends Mia’s future with Hawthorne’s past, even before the creation of The Scarlett Letter - crafting one of the most captivating and unique love stories ever.

The Invisible Hour is a bewitching story about breaking barriers, a mother’s love, believing in one’s passion and true love, finding freedom, self-transformation and most importantly the magic of books.

Read it to believe it.

The invisible hour by Alice Hoffman is absolute magic.
The writing is beautiful and so captivating, I enjoyed every single word.
This novel will break your heart from the get go. It’s filled with loss, love, tragedy, hope and magic!
I loved how Hoffman entwines the second half of this book with the magical and historical fiction elements, it’s so cleverly done.
This is the book I will be recommending to friends and family as my most favourite read this year.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Invisible Hour' by Alice Hoffman.

'The Invisible Hour' is the latest novel by Alice Hoffman and it had potential!! Personally, I just didn't enjoy the story but I did enjoy the characters - Especially Mia. If you are into following characters over a lengthy period of time, maybe try this book because Hoffman is such a renowned author.

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2023/08/24/the-invisible-hour-by-alice-hoffman/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Went in an unexpected direction

I would start this review by saying that Alice Hoffman is one of my favourite authors and so in the interests of clarity I’m not sure how totally unbiased my thoughts and feelings always are, so maybe bear that in mind – because, for me, once again, Hoffman has produced a beautifully written and emotional story – the biggest surprise being that it took me in a completely unexpected direction.

The Invisible Hour brings to us the mother and daughter story of Ivy and Mia. Ivy comes from money. Her parents are strict and she often balks against their rules. A beautiful and spirited young girl, Ivy is also naive and when she falls pregnant believes that the young boy she has fallen for will whisk her away. Yes, that doesn’t happen, but, hearing her parents make plans for her future, in which she has no say, Ivy runs away that night. Put bluntly Ivy swaps one oppressive environment for another winding up in a cult in western Massachusetts. Led by a charismatic man the cult allows no contact with the outside world, has very strict rules and harsh punishments and forbids books. The only light in Ivy’s life is her daughter Mia, and although ‘the children belong to the community’ Ivy finds ways to share special time with her daughter.

Mia struggles with life in the community, she wants to leave with her mother but Ivy recognises that the Leader of the cult (and her husband) will never allow them to simply walk away and Mia’s saviour becomes a love of books. A love encouraged by the local librarian (although of course Mia has to keep this a secret).

Now, I don’t really want to give away too much more about the plot, but, I would say that Hoffman’s trademark magical realism comes into play later in the story. I found this element to the story a real surprise, it involves time travel and a connection to a particular author that Mia feels a strong connection to. You could say that this author saved her life and at the same time she entered his life during a difficult period and gave him inspiration.

So, my thoughts and impressions.

Well, firstly, the writing, the tone, the pacting, are all perfection. Hoffman has a style of writing that is so evocative, she brings the place, time and people to life on the page.

I love the way Ivy and Mia are written. Their relationship is such a winning element to the story and in fact the story then moves on to another lovely relationship. Which links into the themes portrayed here. Obviously family but more for me a look at women and their struggles across the years.

In terms of criticisms. Well, the time travel part of the story felt a little rushed. Also, I would have liked to spend more time watching Mia grow up.

Overall though, I really enjoyed The Invisible Hour. It definitely has a feeling, for me, of the right book/right time, but, that aside, I thought this was a beautifully rendered story packed with emotion and surprises.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

The author writes in such a descriptive style you can imagine the story playing out in front of your eyes , I see the characters , their clothing and the environment they find themselves in.
Loved poor Ivy , thrown out by her parents pregnant and alone. Found and taken in by a man who we later find is not as he seems.
Once Ivy's child is born they are leading a life very different from the norm , and something completely normal the child does - changes everything.
A truly unique and captivating book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Invisible Hour is a truly beautiful story, well written and engaging with time travelling magic.

I devoured the first part of this story. Ivy and Mia captured my imagination and whisked me away to the orchards, rivers and barns of the community. Joel was a hateful, controlling figure; a perfect foil for Mia who is so beautifully independent and quietly rebellious. I loved Sarah and Constance, whose strength, love and protection overflowed onto the pages. As we reached Nathaniel’s perspective the atmosphere of the book changed quite significantly for me. It felt slower and I think that had to do with his melancholy and self-doubt, which I always find harder to read. It almost felt like a different story to the first half of the book. I would have loved to see more of Elizabeth, who had a character bursting to be set free.
It is beautifully written, and I liked the way Mia’s story concluded.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the Chance to read an ARC.

Beautifully written, interesting premise and Alice Hoffman interlaced through every chapter. A work rendered from the love of books and those who read them.

The Invisible Hour tackles issues around womens choices (or lack of them), family and community and teenage pregnancy, all the while providing a novel, part chiller, part love story, part time travelling magic realism bought together using Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Scarlet Letter’. An odd mix - yes, an ambitious mix - most definitely, a mix that is singular, enticing and oh so clever and will definitely stay with me for a long time to come. I love Alice Hoffman’s writing in all its guises and The Invisible Hour was no exception.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review 📚
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman - 4.5/5 ⭐

This is my first book from Hoffman but given how extraordinary her writing style is, it will not be the last. It's so beautifully set out and descriptive. Hoffman has a unique style of writing and does an exceptional job in making her story magical.

There were some beautiful characters we come across. With such a magical storyline the characters really shine. Ivy's character broke my heart over and over, everything I was reading made me just want to cuddle her and never let go. It was truly breathtaking. Her whole story was worth the read. But for book lovers, it's the ideal story to read.

This was a truly magical read and I was utterly emerged into the whole thing, I could not put it down and was easily read within a day. I'm now off to buy myself some Alice Hoffman books to add to the never ending TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

As beautifully composed and woven as Hoffmans entire body of work. She manages to bring a sprinkle of her magic in anything she writes. Hoffman should always be on your must read list.

A surprising and wonder-filled book that moves through different timelines and storylines and really gives you pause for thought. Ivy and Mia's stories cover so much ground, and offer so much to think about, it almost seems that you're reading at least three books in one, and each of those books could be a complete story of their own - but then they all interweave and leave you will the feeling of having travelled a lot of ground in both despair and delight.

Well.. this was the story that kept on giving and which I had no idea where we were going. Especially when THAT happened. So I just sat back and embraced it all and let it all unfold. And it was lovely...
We start with Mia, born into a Community - or cult to give it its proper title - to Ivy a young woman whose parents were none too pleased when she told them she was pregnant and pretty much banished her. The Community is strict, very strict and run with a rod of iron by Joel Davis who Mia believes to be her father, he having married Ivy. The only time they leave the compound is to sell the fruit and veg they produce. And it is during this time that Mia slips away to "use the loo" in the library over the road. What she actually does is discover books. He mother Ivy was a great reader in her time before the cult and, although books are banned (yes I know!) she has inherited that love...
And so begins what starts out as a relatively straight forward tale of Ivy, Mia and Joel and the interconnection between them, the rebelling of Mia and the fallout from that. But you need to remember whose book you are reading so what happens next shouldn't come as a great surprise... and that's all I'm saying.
Just keep an open mind and embrace what happens as it will all come together eventually at the end...
As with all her other books, and I have read most of them, this book is beautifully written. The characters are all perfect, Joel is deliciously dark and creepy. The bond between Ivy and Mia is unbreakable even though all the children belong to everyone. The cult is oppressive and claustrophobic but yo can see how people get sucked in.
And the "other parts" of the book. Mia's journey so to speak. Well, that gave me food for thought and another author to check out. I have never read anything by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In fact I know very little about him other than what I looked up whilst reading this book.
All in all, a beautiful book that embraces the written word, extols the virtue of love and which left a powerful message of the magic of books. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.