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The Moonlight Healers
For generations, the Winston women have possessed a unique but unspoken they can heal with the touch of a hand. The youngest, Louise Winston, is shocked to discover her abilities when her best friend is in an accident, mere hours after professing his feelings for her, and she inexplicably brings him back to life.
Searching for answers, Louise visits her grandmother’s lush Appalachian orchard, where her family’s hidden history comes to light. Their story begins with her brave great-grandmother who secretly used her healing skills on soldiers in war-torn France and even fell in love with one of them. But just as Louise begins to embrace her magical legacy, she learns that it can also come at a high cost. And with a life hanging in the balance, she’ll be forced to make the most impossible of choices…
Spanning eighty years, The Moonlight Healers is a deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.
Searching for answers, Louise visits her grandmother’s lush Appalachian orchard, where her family’s hidden history comes to light. Their story begins with her brave great-grandmother who secretly used her healing skills on soldiers in war-torn France and even fell in love with one of them. But just as Louise begins to embrace her magical legacy, she learns that it can also come at a high cost. And with a life hanging in the balance, she’ll be forced to make the most impossible of choices…
Spanning eighty years, The Moonlight Healers is a deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.
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First published February 11, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
January 11, 2025
This book wasn’t exactly as I expected it to be. Which isnt a bad thing, it was just different. I expected romance with the friend. Anyways. I absolutely loved how the book flips back, and forth between past, and present. I love when information is given slowly throughout the book, instead of dumped at the beginning. It makes for a much more enjoyable reading experience, and this one did that perfectly. I think this one really did well highlighting women’s strengths. I loved the relationships, and the emotional depths in the story. It really had me very invested. This book really leaves you thinking about mortality a little when you finish it, and what if you were in those situations. How would you respond with that power.
This is a Womens Fiction with historical, and fantasy themes. There is a small amount of romance, but the book remains very plot driven. The book moves at a steady pace following Louise after a tragic accident where she brings her best friend back to life, and learns she is descended from a line of healers. Only all this healing isnt as simple as it seems, and may come with a cost. This book is mysterious, and emotional. A perfect gripping read for a readers heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a Womens Fiction with historical, and fantasy themes. There is a small amount of romance, but the book remains very plot driven. The book moves at a steady pace following Louise after a tragic accident where she brings her best friend back to life, and learns she is descended from a line of healers. Only all this healing isnt as simple as it seems, and may come with a cost. This book is mysterious, and emotional. A perfect gripping read for a readers heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 20, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
To sum this up book up in a sentence I would describe it as a love letter to Nurses, and caregivers.
It was very heartfelt and the familial bonds shared between Grandmother, Mother and Daughter were woven with such precise delicacy.
The flash backs to the great grandma navigating her healing powers during World War II and the descriptions of the burdens and hardships of living in that time were felt deeply through the authors expressive writing.
The magical elements were laced throughout the novel with an air of mystery that left us yearning for more answers and truths.
This was honestly such a refreshing and unique read I highly recommend.
Thank you again Netgalley.
To sum this up book up in a sentence I would describe it as a love letter to Nurses, and caregivers.
It was very heartfelt and the familial bonds shared between Grandmother, Mother and Daughter were woven with such precise delicacy.
The flash backs to the great grandma navigating her healing powers during World War II and the descriptions of the burdens and hardships of living in that time were felt deeply through the authors expressive writing.
The magical elements were laced throughout the novel with an air of mystery that left us yearning for more answers and truths.
This was honestly such a refreshing and unique read I highly recommend.
Thank you again Netgalley.
January 10, 2026
Louise has just graduated from high school and she's looking forward to go to NYU. When Louise and her best friend, Peter, get into an accident, and Peter walks away unscathed after Louise performs CPR on him, even though he wasn't breathing and his neck was broken after the accident, Louise feels something strange is afoot. After an odd conversation with her mother, Louise decides to find some answers, so she decides to visit her grandmother, who lives in Appalachia.
When I read the synopsis of this, I added it to my tbr as soon as I read the words Appalachian orchard. Ever since I read In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf, I have been wanting to read more stories set in Appalachia. The magic sounded intriguing, too. I think it was my own fault because I expected it to be as whimsical as In the Hour of Crows. It wasn't.
Told in past and present, it covers a few decades of the magical healer women's lives, two specifically, Helene from the past and Louise in the present, both related through bloodlines. Helene's timeline sounded more fascinating to me, as it covers France during the WWII, where she attends a religious convent and learns to care for the wounded soldiers. Helene wants to go back home to her mother and grandfather, but when she meets a wounded young soldier and saves his life, things change for her.
The writing felt lackluster, and the story too slow. Even though I expected the story to be slow, it still felt extremely slow. Based on the title, I expected it to be full of the unique magical healing powers. It was not. The said magical healing powers were barely used. Whenever the magic is mentioned, it's only mentioned theoretically. I found it to be more telling and less/barely showing.
The sole focus seemed to be family dynamics. I didn't mind the family dynamics, but I wasn't ready for it to be the main thing, forgetting all about magic. And these dynamics revolve around one of my most hated tropes, where a parent keeps their child in dark about the special magic powers.
Parts of it were good, but they were not many. I certainly liked parts about being healers and the discussion around it, and I know it's because the author is a nurse herself, but it still felt jarring as it was supposed to be about magical healing based on the synopsis, instead of clinical.
The characters had no depth to them. They were just there. Just to move the plot along. It wasn't even the fact that it was predictable. It would be a fine fiction read if you were only expecting a slow, fiction read full of strained family dynamics. Based on the title and blurb, I was not expecting that. I can't believe how deceptive both the title and blurb are. In addition to it, I expected a lot more Appalachia, but I didn't get much. Again, I was left disappointed. I don't know why, but it felt mundane.
I would have rated it only one star but rating it two because I feel it was my own mistake to expect and compare this to In the Hour of Crows.
2 stars
When I read the synopsis of this, I added it to my tbr as soon as I read the words Appalachian orchard. Ever since I read In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf, I have been wanting to read more stories set in Appalachia. The magic sounded intriguing, too. I think it was my own fault because I expected it to be as whimsical as In the Hour of Crows. It wasn't.
Told in past and present, it covers a few decades of the magical healer women's lives, two specifically, Helene from the past and Louise in the present, both related through bloodlines. Helene's timeline sounded more fascinating to me, as it covers France during the WWII, where she attends a religious convent and learns to care for the wounded soldiers. Helene wants to go back home to her mother and grandfather, but when she meets a wounded young soldier and saves his life, things change for her.
The writing felt lackluster, and the story too slow. Even though I expected the story to be slow, it still felt extremely slow. Based on the title, I expected it to be full of the unique magical healing powers. It was not. The said magical healing powers were barely used. Whenever the magic is mentioned, it's only mentioned theoretically. I found it to be more telling and less/barely showing.
The sole focus seemed to be family dynamics. I didn't mind the family dynamics, but I wasn't ready for it to be the main thing, forgetting all about magic. And these dynamics revolve around one of my most hated tropes, where a parent keeps their child in dark about the special magic powers.
Parts of it were good, but they were not many. I certainly liked parts about being healers and the discussion around it, and I know it's because the author is a nurse herself, but it still felt jarring as it was supposed to be about magical healing based on the synopsis, instead of clinical.
The characters had no depth to them. They were just there. Just to move the plot along. It wasn't even the fact that it was predictable. It would be a fine fiction read if you were only expecting a slow, fiction read full of strained family dynamics. Based on the title and blurb, I was not expecting that. I can't believe how deceptive both the title and blurb are. In addition to it, I expected a lot more Appalachia, but I didn't get much. Again, I was left disappointed. I don't know why, but it felt mundane.
I would have rated it only one star but rating it two because I feel it was my own mistake to expect and compare this to In the Hour of Crows.
2 stars
September 6, 2024
The Moonlight Healers is a story about 3 generations of women with healing powers that pass from mother to daughter.
I loved the alternating timelines between Helene in WWII and Louise in 2019. It kept the book so interesting. The relationships between mother and daughter throughout the whole tale were beautiful and complicated and real.
This book really makes you think about what healing really is and how there is beauty in both life and death. By the end, it had me in tears.
I would definitely recommend this book everyone but especially to nurses.
I loved the alternating timelines between Helene in WWII and Louise in 2019. It kept the book so interesting. The relationships between mother and daughter throughout the whole tale were beautiful and complicated and real.
This book really makes you think about what healing really is and how there is beauty in both life and death. By the end, it had me in tears.
I would definitely recommend this book everyone but especially to nurses.
December 8, 2024
A Beautiful, Heartfelt Tribute to Nurses and the Power of Family Legacy!
I honestly didn’t expect this book to turn out the way it did, but I’m so glad it did. It’s such a beautiful tribute to nurses and the quiet, powerful magic they bring to the world. The story alternates between two points of view—one from the past and one from the present—and follows a family of women, each with a gift passed down through generations.
I really appreciated Helene. I found myself completely invested in her journey, feeling her struggles, triumphs, and emotional complexities. Watching her great-granddaughter, Louise navigate her own challenges, grappling with relationships and her sense of self, was equally moving. It was incredible to witness how each woman in this lineage faces her own battles but is ultimately shaped and supported by the women who came before her. Their shared gift, wisdom, and resilience are at the heart of the story.
What really stuck with me, though, was the way the book explores life and death. It brings such a honest perspective on how we face both, and how our connections to those around us can shape those experiences.
Overall, this book is a beautiful meditation on legacy, love, and the quiet strength of those who work in healthcare. It will leave you reflecting on the deeper connections that bind us, and the magic we sometimes overlook in our everyday lives.
I honestly didn’t expect this book to turn out the way it did, but I’m so glad it did. It’s such a beautiful tribute to nurses and the quiet, powerful magic they bring to the world. The story alternates between two points of view—one from the past and one from the present—and follows a family of women, each with a gift passed down through generations.
I really appreciated Helene. I found myself completely invested in her journey, feeling her struggles, triumphs, and emotional complexities. Watching her great-granddaughter, Louise navigate her own challenges, grappling with relationships and her sense of self, was equally moving. It was incredible to witness how each woman in this lineage faces her own battles but is ultimately shaped and supported by the women who came before her. Their shared gift, wisdom, and resilience are at the heart of the story.
What really stuck with me, though, was the way the book explores life and death. It brings such a honest perspective on how we face both, and how our connections to those around us can shape those experiences.
Overall, this book is a beautiful meditation on legacy, love, and the quiet strength of those who work in healthcare. It will leave you reflecting on the deeper connections that bind us, and the magic we sometimes overlook in our everyday lives.
February 18, 2025
4.25⭐
Lovely meditation on healing wrapped up in a multi-generational story of a family of women whose gift of healing remains stronger than the various ways each generation tries to control or deny its existence. Opening with Louise and a devastating car accident that exposes her matrilineal gift, the repercussions of what happened may be able to heal the gift between her mother and her grandmother. The story switches between Helene, a young girl in France during WWII, and Louise in present day coming to understand her family's story. While magical realism plays an important part, at its core this is a love letter to nurses and all healers. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lovely meditation on healing wrapped up in a multi-generational story of a family of women whose gift of healing remains stronger than the various ways each generation tries to control or deny its existence. Opening with Louise and a devastating car accident that exposes her matrilineal gift, the repercussions of what happened may be able to heal the gift between her mother and her grandmother. The story switches between Helene, a young girl in France during WWII, and Louise in present day coming to understand her family's story. While magical realism plays an important part, at its core this is a love letter to nurses and all healers. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2025
Elizabeth Becker's debut novel The Moonlight Healers weaves together two timelines - contemporary Virginia and World War II France - to explore the mysterious healing abilities passed down through generations of women. While the premise is enchanting and the emotional core is strong, the execution occasionally falters, particularly in pacing and character development.
Plot and Structure
The story follows Louise Winston, who discovers she can heal with a touch when she brings her best friend Peter back from death after a car accident. Seeking answers, she returns to her grandmother Camille's orchard in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. There, through a weathered journal, she uncovers the story of her great-grandmother Helene, who used her healing abilities to help Allied soldiers in Nazi-occupied France.
The dual timeline structure mostly works well, though the transitions between past and present can sometimes feel abrupt. Becker handles the World War II sections with particular sensitivity, bringing to life the atmosphere of occupied France through vivid sensory details and well-researched historical elements.
Strengths and Notable Elements
Rich Atmospheric Writing
Becker excels at creating immersive settings, particularly in her descriptions of:
- The mystical Virginia orchard with its fireflies and whippoorwill birds
- The stark reality of occupied France
- The intimate moments of healing, described with both technical precision and emotional resonance
Complex Family Dynamics
The relationships between mothers and daughters form the emotional backbone of the novel:
- Louise and her mother Bobbie's strained but loving bond
- Camille's role as both mother and grandmother
- Helene's connection to her own mother Agnes These relationships are portrayed with nuance and depth, avoiding easy resolutions while still offering hope.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing Issues
The novel's rhythm is sometimes uneven:
- The contemporary storyline occasionally drags, particularly in the middle sections
- Some crucial revelations feel rushed or underdeveloped
- The resolution comes together too neatly in places
Character Development
While the female characters are generally well-drawn, some supporting characters feel less fully realized:
- Peter's character could have been more deeply explored given his importance to the plot
- Several secondary characters in both timelines remain somewhat one-dimensional
- The male characters, particularly in the contemporary timeline, often feel thinly sketched
Writing Style and Technical Elements
Becker's prose is lyrical without being purple, demonstrating her ability to craft beautiful sentences while maintaining readability. Her background as a nurse lends authenticity to the medical scenes, though occasionally the technical details overshadow the emotional impact.
Themes and Deeper Analysis
The novel successfully explores several interconnected themes:
The Nature of Healing
- Physical versus emotional healing
- The limitations of both medical science and magical abilities
- The cost of healing others
Legacy and Inheritance
- The passing down of both gifts and burdens through generations
- The weight of family history
- The choice to accept or reject inherited responsibilities
Choice and Sacrifice
The novel raises interesting questions about:
- Personal autonomy versus family duty
- The ethics of magical healing
- The price of saving lives
Impact and Resonance
The novel's exploration of healing, grief, and family relationships feels particularly relevant in our current times. Becker's nursing background adds depth to these elements, though sometimes at the expense of narrative momentum.
Final Verdict
The Moonlight Healers is an ambitious debut that mostly succeeds in its goals. While it occasionally struggles with pacing and some character development issues, the novel's emotional core and unique premise make it a worthwhile read. Becker shows promise as a writer, particularly in her ability to weave together historical and contemporary narratives while exploring universal themes of love, loss, and healing.
Plot and Structure
The story follows Louise Winston, who discovers she can heal with a touch when she brings her best friend Peter back from death after a car accident. Seeking answers, she returns to her grandmother Camille's orchard in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. There, through a weathered journal, she uncovers the story of her great-grandmother Helene, who used her healing abilities to help Allied soldiers in Nazi-occupied France.
The dual timeline structure mostly works well, though the transitions between past and present can sometimes feel abrupt. Becker handles the World War II sections with particular sensitivity, bringing to life the atmosphere of occupied France through vivid sensory details and well-researched historical elements.
Strengths and Notable Elements
Rich Atmospheric Writing
Becker excels at creating immersive settings, particularly in her descriptions of:
- The mystical Virginia orchard with its fireflies and whippoorwill birds
- The stark reality of occupied France
- The intimate moments of healing, described with both technical precision and emotional resonance
Complex Family Dynamics
The relationships between mothers and daughters form the emotional backbone of the novel:
- Louise and her mother Bobbie's strained but loving bond
- Camille's role as both mother and grandmother
- Helene's connection to her own mother Agnes These relationships are portrayed with nuance and depth, avoiding easy resolutions while still offering hope.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing Issues
The novel's rhythm is sometimes uneven:
- The contemporary storyline occasionally drags, particularly in the middle sections
- Some crucial revelations feel rushed or underdeveloped
- The resolution comes together too neatly in places
Character Development
While the female characters are generally well-drawn, some supporting characters feel less fully realized:
- Peter's character could have been more deeply explored given his importance to the plot
- Several secondary characters in both timelines remain somewhat one-dimensional
- The male characters, particularly in the contemporary timeline, often feel thinly sketched
Writing Style and Technical Elements
Becker's prose is lyrical without being purple, demonstrating her ability to craft beautiful sentences while maintaining readability. Her background as a nurse lends authenticity to the medical scenes, though occasionally the technical details overshadow the emotional impact.
Themes and Deeper Analysis
The novel successfully explores several interconnected themes:
The Nature of Healing
- Physical versus emotional healing
- The limitations of both medical science and magical abilities
- The cost of healing others
Legacy and Inheritance
- The passing down of both gifts and burdens through generations
- The weight of family history
- The choice to accept or reject inherited responsibilities
Choice and Sacrifice
The novel raises interesting questions about:
- Personal autonomy versus family duty
- The ethics of magical healing
- The price of saving lives
Impact and Resonance
The novel's exploration of healing, grief, and family relationships feels particularly relevant in our current times. Becker's nursing background adds depth to these elements, though sometimes at the expense of narrative momentum.
Final Verdict
The Moonlight Healers is an ambitious debut that mostly succeeds in its goals. While it occasionally struggles with pacing and some character development issues, the novel's emotional core and unique premise make it a worthwhile read. Becker shows promise as a writer, particularly in her ability to weave together historical and contemporary narratives while exploring universal themes of love, loss, and healing.
January 24, 2025
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook copy of The Moonlight Healers, in return for my honest review.
The Moonlight Healers is a debut novel that beautifully combines historical fiction with magical realism. The Winston women have passed down the ability for healing, to the daughters in the family for generations. To keep their healing a secret, the women have always practiced during the moonlight hours. But not all of the women have passed down the knowledge of this ability to their daughters. Helene knows of her ability and is struggling with how to use it during the devastation of WWII, in war-torn France. Louise is the most recent healer, in a long line of women before her, but her mother and grandmother have kept it a secret from her. She discovers her ability, when she is involved in an accident with her childhood friend/love interest, and now the women in her family have to reveal their past and make difficult decisions for their future.
Make sure you get your tissues ready for this book! I felt more of an emotional pull to Helene’s story, because of her timeline during WWII. Becker really pulls on the reader’s heartstrings with Helene, Agnes, Elisabeth/Irene, and Cecilia’s individual stories. But, Louise does face an impossible choice at the end of the book, and it’s such a bittersweet, sad moment in her life. Becker does a really great job of showing how the healing ability has affected five generations of women, and the conflict it has caused in their lives. But she also shows their resilience and their love for using the healing to help others pass on with comfort and peace.
This story really honors nurses and highlights the emotional trauma that they have to deal with in their job, and the wide range of patients that are in their care. Becker really explores the question of having the right to offer life and death, and if the death of a horrible person is justified to save someone you love.
If you love historical fiction following generations of women, who share a deep connection and a family secret, when faced with impossible choices that make each of them stronger, then I would highly recommend The Moonlight Healers.
The Moonlight Healers is a debut novel that beautifully combines historical fiction with magical realism. The Winston women have passed down the ability for healing, to the daughters in the family for generations. To keep their healing a secret, the women have always practiced during the moonlight hours. But not all of the women have passed down the knowledge of this ability to their daughters. Helene knows of her ability and is struggling with how to use it during the devastation of WWII, in war-torn France. Louise is the most recent healer, in a long line of women before her, but her mother and grandmother have kept it a secret from her. She discovers her ability, when she is involved in an accident with her childhood friend/love interest, and now the women in her family have to reveal their past and make difficult decisions for their future.
Make sure you get your tissues ready for this book! I felt more of an emotional pull to Helene’s story, because of her timeline during WWII. Becker really pulls on the reader’s heartstrings with Helene, Agnes, Elisabeth/Irene, and Cecilia’s individual stories. But, Louise does face an impossible choice at the end of the book, and it’s such a bittersweet, sad moment in her life. Becker does a really great job of showing how the healing ability has affected five generations of women, and the conflict it has caused in their lives. But she also shows their resilience and their love for using the healing to help others pass on with comfort and peace.
This story really honors nurses and highlights the emotional trauma that they have to deal with in their job, and the wide range of patients that are in their care. Becker really explores the question of having the right to offer life and death, and if the death of a horrible person is justified to save someone you love.
If you love historical fiction following generations of women, who share a deep connection and a family secret, when faced with impossible choices that make each of them stronger, then I would highly recommend The Moonlight Healers.
January 23, 2025
A beautiful journey into history, healing, family legacies, and the magical thread that ties it all together! This is the type of story that breaks your heart and puts it back together again.
Along the way we follow two generations of women who discover a magical gift of healing and their struggles of exactly what that means for them and how it fits into their lives. After a tragic car accident, Louise accidentally brings her best friend and blossoming love, Peter, back to life. This unravels a whole web of secrets that have been kept from her by the previous generations of women in her family. The tale weaves in and out with the heroic tale of her great grandmother, Helene, discovering her own gift in war-torn France.
This isn’t be type of story I would normally pick up, but I am SO glad that I did! It was a quick read that kept my attention, and gave me all of the emotions. If you like historical fiction, then this is DEFINITELY for you - and the subtle addition of fantasy was icing on the cake!
What a beautiful, beautiful story! Not all choices are easy, and this book confronts the hard decisions and responsibilities that come with gifts! I will definitely read other works by this author in the future! Go pick it up and check it out for yourself!
Along the way we follow two generations of women who discover a magical gift of healing and their struggles of exactly what that means for them and how it fits into their lives. After a tragic car accident, Louise accidentally brings her best friend and blossoming love, Peter, back to life. This unravels a whole web of secrets that have been kept from her by the previous generations of women in her family. The tale weaves in and out with the heroic tale of her great grandmother, Helene, discovering her own gift in war-torn France.
This isn’t be type of story I would normally pick up, but I am SO glad that I did! It was a quick read that kept my attention, and gave me all of the emotions. If you like historical fiction, then this is DEFINITELY for you - and the subtle addition of fantasy was icing on the cake!
What a beautiful, beautiful story! Not all choices are easy, and this book confronts the hard decisions and responsibilities that come with gifts! I will definitely read other works by this author in the future! Go pick it up and check it out for yourself!
February 24, 2025
Wow such a clever book but so emotional a must read
July 5, 2025
LOVED THIS
Think The Nightingale meets fantasy… it definitely was a sadder book than what I thought it would be at the beginning but it was intriguing. Would be great for someone easing into fantasy. Very well written
Think The Nightingale meets fantasy… it definitely was a sadder book than what I thought it would be at the beginning but it was intriguing. Would be great for someone easing into fantasy. Very well written
March 8, 2025
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!!
February 10, 2025
what a beautiful novel. let’s just start there because I am truly so moved by the story of louise, camilla, helene— these incredible women with the gift of healing touch. an actual tear ran down my cheek as I read the final sentences. the tribute to the magic of women, to their work, to nurses, to healing, family legacy— elizabeth becker took these themes and tenderly interwove a vivid and ripe story as we jumped through the past and present. i will say, i did guess the plot twist early on but that did not take away from the emotional impact of the story because the storytelling was that good and everything we learn about the lives of each of these women captivates you. i was fortunate enough to be provided an arc copy via netgalley for an honest review, but I will be at the bookstore on release day picking up a physical copy because this is a book I want to put my hands on & relive again while eagerly flipping through the pages. i think this novel will be on quite a few lists this year & maybe more. thank you for this masterful & magical story, elizabeth becker.
February 6, 2025
Louise is from a long line of Winston women with magical healing abilities. Louise was unaware of her abilities until she brings her best friend back to life after a car accident.
Right before the accident, he confessed his love- but this doesn’t deter her college plans. However, finding out she may be a magical healer…. That changes her plans a bit as she travels to visit her grandma in the mountains to learn more after her mother kept this secret from her.
There is the present POV and past of the early origins of the women healers who had to practice in secret- in the moonlight. I thought it was the perfect pacing between past and present to make the story come together.
Beautiful story of self-discovery, family, and life and death. Not what I was expecting- more women’s fiction with some fantasy and history, little romance.
Loved both narrators!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 2/11/25!
Right before the accident, he confessed his love- but this doesn’t deter her college plans. However, finding out she may be a magical healer…. That changes her plans a bit as she travels to visit her grandma in the mountains to learn more after her mother kept this secret from her.
There is the present POV and past of the early origins of the women healers who had to practice in secret- in the moonlight. I thought it was the perfect pacing between past and present to make the story come together.
Beautiful story of self-discovery, family, and life and death. Not what I was expecting- more women’s fiction with some fantasy and history, little romance.
Loved both narrators!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 2/11/25!
March 1, 2025
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and the author for a free advanced listener copy of this book.
Historical fiction is not my usual genre. Especially WWII historical fiction. That being said, I think this is the exception. I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple povs and timelines. 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.
Historical fiction is not my usual genre. Especially WWII historical fiction. That being said, I think this is the exception. I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple povs and timelines. 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.
September 22, 2025
I can definitely see why this book would garner such positive reviews, but it just wasn’t for me.
Here we have dual POVs — 2019, Crozet, Virginia, focusing on Louise, and also 1941, Rouen, France, focusing on Louise’s grandmother Helene. Right away I was confused about Louise’s age. I think with Becker choosing names like Louise and Peter for 18 year old kids, it threw me off. While not uncommon names, those are not generally names people gave their kids in 2001 (though I do know a Peter who is 19 now). Becker also speaks of them loving each other for years, so for the first few pages I thought Louise must have been an adult, late 20s, early 30s. It didn’t help that Peter didn’t wear his seatbelt. It’s also odd that there is no discussion of Louise texting her friends instead of calling them, and cell phones didn’t really seem to be a thing. It sort of jarred me out of the idea that this was supposed to be 2019.
But all that is most likely a me issue, and I recognize that. What I didn’t love about this book is that it doesn’t say anything new or unique. I enjoyed the idea that people could lay hands on a person and take away their pain, or even heal their injuries, but as far as the ending goes, where , I saw that coming a mile away. It was no real surprise.
What I did enjoy about this book was the focus on strong independent women. Even when Cecelia forbade Helene from using her healing powers, Helene wanted to make her own decisions, not simply follow the demands of her superiors. Every major person in this book is a woman, and it is certainly refreshing to read a book solely about women and their thoughts and concerns and issues.
This seems like it may be a good choice for a casual book club, especially as it already contains discussion questions at the end. Personally, I would have wished for a book that delved a little deeper into the lives of these characters. Even with distinct names, they felt so similar that sometimes I had to really think about which event had happened to which woman in which timeline. I also didn’t particularly need the romance elements, with Louise admitting she cares for Peter and with Helene falling for Thomas, a soldier she nursed for a few days during WWII. Not every woman-centered novel needs a romance plot line (and I say this as an avid reader of contemporary romance).
Here we have dual POVs — 2019, Crozet, Virginia, focusing on Louise, and also 1941, Rouen, France, focusing on Louise’s grandmother Helene. Right away I was confused about Louise’s age. I think with Becker choosing names like Louise and Peter for 18 year old kids, it threw me off. While not uncommon names, those are not generally names people gave their kids in 2001 (though I do know a Peter who is 19 now). Becker also speaks of them loving each other for years, so for the first few pages I thought Louise must have been an adult, late 20s, early 30s. It didn’t help that Peter didn’t wear his seatbelt. It’s also odd that there is no discussion of Louise texting her friends instead of calling them, and cell phones didn’t really seem to be a thing. It sort of jarred me out of the idea that this was supposed to be 2019.
But all that is most likely a me issue, and I recognize that. What I didn’t love about this book is that it doesn’t say anything new or unique. I enjoyed the idea that people could lay hands on a person and take away their pain, or even heal their injuries, but as far as the ending goes, where , I saw that coming a mile away. It was no real surprise.
What I did enjoy about this book was the focus on strong independent women. Even when Cecelia forbade Helene from using her healing powers, Helene wanted to make her own decisions, not simply follow the demands of her superiors. Every major person in this book is a woman, and it is certainly refreshing to read a book solely about women and their thoughts and concerns and issues.
This seems like it may be a good choice for a casual book club, especially as it already contains discussion questions at the end. Personally, I would have wished for a book that delved a little deeper into the lives of these characters. Even with distinct names, they felt so similar that sometimes I had to really think about which event had happened to which woman in which timeline. I also didn’t particularly need the romance elements, with Louise admitting she cares for Peter and with Helene falling for Thomas, a soldier she nursed for a few days during WWII. Not every woman-centered novel needs a romance plot line (and I say this as an avid reader of contemporary romance).
July 15, 2025
This book was achingly beautiful. The story and the characters so compelling and REAL. I went into this book blind save for an instagram review that said the ending would emotionally crush me and ended up picking it for my book club. Boy, did this book have so many layers to it. And yes, it emotionally crushed me. I gave it 4.5 ⭐️ but worth the round up for sure.
The structure is semi-chronological, with two parallel time lines and stories of incredible women that weave into each other and eventually meet. It was slightly confusing at first until I realized that the times jump but the flow of the story and what we learn is linear through them both. Weaving in and out. Honestly it works so well, especially in the second half the book and the end.
The women in the book remind me so much of the real world. They are deep. Complex. Imperfect. They contain multitudes. And I loved them so much.
The last line of the book description honestly puts it best: “it is deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.” Absolutely loved it.
The structure is semi-chronological, with two parallel time lines and stories of incredible women that weave into each other and eventually meet. It was slightly confusing at first until I realized that the times jump but the flow of the story and what we learn is linear through them both. Weaving in and out. Honestly it works so well, especially in the second half the book and the end.
The women in the book remind me so much of the real world. They are deep. Complex. Imperfect. They contain multitudes. And I loved them so much.
The last line of the book description honestly puts it best: “it is deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.” Absolutely loved it.
February 15, 2025
The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker beautifully captures the realities of those who dedicate their lives to healing. While the story weaves in magical and fantasy elements, I truly believe that healers, whether doctors, nurses, or anyone offering care, possess a kind of magic within them.
Set across two timelines, this novel follows Helene and Louise, revealing the powerful legacy of women who heal. Their stories are filled with love, strength, sacrifice, and deep compassion, making for an emotional and moving read.
I went into this book expecting something different, and I’m so glad it surprised me. It resonated with me on many levels. As someone who has tried to support mental health and well-being, I connected deeply with the feeling of wanting to take away others’ pain while also recognizing the burnout that comes with it. We don’t often think about the emotional toll on those in healing professions, and this book captures that reality beautifully.
This story will stay with me for a long time. Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Graydon House, for the copy!
Set across two timelines, this novel follows Helene and Louise, revealing the powerful legacy of women who heal. Their stories are filled with love, strength, sacrifice, and deep compassion, making for an emotional and moving read.
I went into this book expecting something different, and I’m so glad it surprised me. It resonated with me on many levels. As someone who has tried to support mental health and well-being, I connected deeply with the feeling of wanting to take away others’ pain while also recognizing the burnout that comes with it. We don’t often think about the emotional toll on those in healing professions, and this book captures that reality beautifully.
This story will stay with me for a long time. Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Graydon House, for the copy!
March 21, 2025
This book was officially the first book to make me cry since The Nightingale 10 years ago.
Beautifully written magical realism while exploring the depths of female relationships across generations.
Atmospheric Timelines
Historical Fiction
Exploration of mother-daughter relationships
Heartbreak and Pain
Death and Healing
The author’s note about the book at the end made me love it even more. She found the inspiration for the book in her love of being a nurse and the power behind her role during end of life care
Beautifully written magical realism while exploring the depths of female relationships across generations.
Atmospheric Timelines
Historical Fiction
Exploration of mother-daughter relationships
Heartbreak and Pain
Death and Healing
The author’s note about the book at the end made me love it even more. She found the inspiration for the book in her love of being a nurse and the power behind her role during end of life care
January 28, 2025
I found this an enjoyable read—fantastic plot with strong characters. The switch between timelines was smooth and easy to follow who was doing what and where. The characters had similar traits which made the family connection real. The ending was a bit abrupt but then again, we know what is going to happen so why drag it out. This is a great story that I highly recommend. I can't wait to check out more by this author, they have amazing talent.
June 6, 2025
I sort of thought the "secret healing powers" would play a more prominent role in a book about, well, healers, but I was surprised at how little it actually had an impact on things.
We have two points of view in this story; Louise in present day, navigating a lifelong friendship-maybe-more with Peter, when a car accident brings Louise's latent healing powers to life. Now she's wondering from her mom and her grandmother why nobody told her, and what this means for herself, her future, and Peter going forward. We also have Helene in WWII France, Louise's great-grandmother, also navigating the complexities of her healing powers as they conflict with the religious school she attends. When a battle brings her to the side of a wounded allied soldier, Helene has to decide where to draw the line when she learns that everything has a cost.
This is very much a women's fiction story with some magical realism elements. The healing aspect comes up frequently, but still manages to take a back seat to Louise's family drama and Helene's struggles within her religious school. Which, while fine, made this more of a fluffy read than I was expecting. I also thought that, despite the two POVs being from the same family, there was very little overlap, making this feel more like two separate stories than two halves of a whole.
There's some good discussions here about caregiving and end of life decisions, but because of the author's nursing background, it felt almost like the author was talking to the reader directly in parts, almost clinical. It was a little distracting to go from the flat writing about the characters to in-depth, clinical terms and concepts regarding healthcare and death.
The healing is also the worst-kept secret on the planet, because the insistence from the family to keep it a secret is at odds with the fact that it felt like everyone else around the main characters knew about it already. Ending spoilers here:
If you're looking for a general fiction book about family troubles, this may be your jam. If you read the synopsis and were intrigued by the healing powers, maybe give it a pass.
We have two points of view in this story; Louise in present day, navigating a lifelong friendship-maybe-more with Peter, when a car accident brings Louise's latent healing powers to life. Now she's wondering from her mom and her grandmother why nobody told her, and what this means for herself, her future, and Peter going forward. We also have Helene in WWII France, Louise's great-grandmother, also navigating the complexities of her healing powers as they conflict with the religious school she attends. When a battle brings her to the side of a wounded allied soldier, Helene has to decide where to draw the line when she learns that everything has a cost.
This is very much a women's fiction story with some magical realism elements. The healing aspect comes up frequently, but still manages to take a back seat to Louise's family drama and Helene's struggles within her religious school. Which, while fine, made this more of a fluffy read than I was expecting. I also thought that, despite the two POVs being from the same family, there was very little overlap, making this feel more like two separate stories than two halves of a whole.
There's some good discussions here about caregiving and end of life decisions, but because of the author's nursing background, it felt almost like the author was talking to the reader directly in parts, almost clinical. It was a little distracting to go from the flat writing about the characters to in-depth, clinical terms and concepts regarding healthcare and death.
The healing is also the worst-kept secret on the planet, because the insistence from the family to keep it a secret is at odds with the fact that it felt like everyone else around the main characters knew about it already. Ending spoilers here:
If you're looking for a general fiction book about family troubles, this may be your jam. If you read the synopsis and were intrigued by the healing powers, maybe give it a pass.
March 9, 2025
Thanks to @netgalley for my digital copy!
What a beautiful tribute to nurses, legacy, and the unseen threads of time.
I didn’t expect this story to unfold the way it did, but what a gift it was. I went in blind, and I was pleasantly surprised! Having encountered a few amazing nurses myself, nurses I will forever remember and be grateful for ♥️this book felt like a whispered blessing passed down through generations. It is a hymn to nurses—the quiet sorcerers of healing, the keepers of comfort, the steady hands in life’s most fragile moments, the unsung heroes…
Told in a dance of past and present, the novel follows a lineage of women bound by an inheritance not measured in gold, but in something far more sacred—a gift, a calling, a thread that stitches them to one another across time. Helene’s journey gripped me, each moment of heartbreak and triumph resonating like an echo in my chest. And Louise, her great-granddaughter—wandering through the tangled paths of love and identity, searching for herself in the reflections of those who came before her, was just as mesmerizing. Their stories entwine like roots beneath the soil, unseen yet vital, shaping and steadying one another.
But what lingers most is the novel’s meditation on life and death—the way it turns them over like stones in a river, revealing their quiet beauty, their inevitable flow. It reminds us that we are all connected, that even in parting, something of us remains.
This book is more than a story, it is a song of resilience, a love letter to those who heal, a gentle reminder of the magic we so often overlook. It lingers like a soft refrain, long after the last note fades.
What a beautiful tribute to nurses, legacy, and the unseen threads of time.
I didn’t expect this story to unfold the way it did, but what a gift it was. I went in blind, and I was pleasantly surprised! Having encountered a few amazing nurses myself, nurses I will forever remember and be grateful for ♥️this book felt like a whispered blessing passed down through generations. It is a hymn to nurses—the quiet sorcerers of healing, the keepers of comfort, the steady hands in life’s most fragile moments, the unsung heroes…
Told in a dance of past and present, the novel follows a lineage of women bound by an inheritance not measured in gold, but in something far more sacred—a gift, a calling, a thread that stitches them to one another across time. Helene’s journey gripped me, each moment of heartbreak and triumph resonating like an echo in my chest. And Louise, her great-granddaughter—wandering through the tangled paths of love and identity, searching for herself in the reflections of those who came before her, was just as mesmerizing. Their stories entwine like roots beneath the soil, unseen yet vital, shaping and steadying one another.
But what lingers most is the novel’s meditation on life and death—the way it turns them over like stones in a river, revealing their quiet beauty, their inevitable flow. It reminds us that we are all connected, that even in parting, something of us remains.
This book is more than a story, it is a song of resilience, a love letter to those who heal, a gentle reminder of the magic we so often overlook. It lingers like a soft refrain, long after the last note fades.
March 13, 2025
I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I picked this book up, in fact it was quite different, but I think that is what made me really enjoy this book. I truly enjoyed the past/present timeline in this book, it was engaging and kept feeding enough information to never make it be overwhelming. The overall tribute to nursing was phenomenally done and just so absolutely beautiful - the way in which it followed each woman in a family as the gift that they had passed from generation to generation.
Helene was an absolutely beautiful character - her journey was so up and down - her strengths, and the legacy that she left behind was truly beautiful. I love how it truly showed that no matter how much a woman struggles it really is ultimately shaped and supported by the generations of women before her. A sharp reminder with current events as well!
I loved the discussion of death as well - how it's not overlooked because it is something that we all face. The honest perspective that is written was truly beautiful.
Overall, this book is truly a beautiful and heartbreaking (yet very, very real) love letter to nurses and it's beautifully done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Helene was an absolutely beautiful character - her journey was so up and down - her strengths, and the legacy that she left behind was truly beautiful. I love how it truly showed that no matter how much a woman struggles it really is ultimately shaped and supported by the generations of women before her. A sharp reminder with current events as well!
I loved the discussion of death as well - how it's not overlooked because it is something that we all face. The honest perspective that is written was truly beautiful.
Overall, this book is truly a beautiful and heartbreaking (yet very, very real) love letter to nurses and it's beautifully done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
July 11, 2025
I'm pretty torn on how to rate this book. When I first picked it up, I was hooked and couldn't seem to put it down.
But once I put it down, I found it hard to pick back up. It took me a bit to realize it was because I found Helene's chapter's interesting, but was bored with Louise's chapters (except for the very beginning).
But I pushed through and honestly I don't know that I needed to finish this book.
The ending was SAD. Not in a made me outright cry kinda way, but in an existential way.
The whole book I was trying to figure out where it was going, what the point was aside from healing people in the midst of tragedy. Of course that can be a plot on its own but it kept feeling like it was missing something.
**Absolute Spoilers**
As in I'm about to ruin the book for you. If you had any plans to read it, look away.
This book should have had a trigger warning for assisted s*icide.
I was thrown, absolutely caught off guard. I genuinely did not think the grandmother would offer up her life for Peter's.
But what really got me was the lack of push back from Barbara and Louise.
Her grandmother is asking Louise to take her life and Louise's first question is, am I capable of taking a life? Not, "I don't want to take my grandma's life", not "this is ridiculous", not "how could she ask me to do this??" Just weird acceptance that this is the answer.
Of course she gets a little unsure right before she takes her life but not really unsure enough. It felt like the author didn't know how to make the scene at all emotional and just wanted to wrap things up.
I can't give this book a 2 b/c Helene's chapters kept me interested. I can't give it a 4 b/c I don't think the author handled the topic of assisted s*icide with any level of sensitivity.
3 stars feels weird but it's where I'm landing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone.
But once I put it down, I found it hard to pick back up. It took me a bit to realize it was because I found Helene's chapter's interesting, but was bored with Louise's chapters (except for the very beginning).
But I pushed through and honestly I don't know that I needed to finish this book.
The ending was SAD. Not in a made me outright cry kinda way, but in an existential way.
The whole book I was trying to figure out where it was going, what the point was aside from healing people in the midst of tragedy. Of course that can be a plot on its own but it kept feeling like it was missing something.
**Absolute Spoilers**
As in I'm about to ruin the book for you. If you had any plans to read it, look away.
This book should have had a trigger warning for assisted s*icide.
I was thrown, absolutely caught off guard. I genuinely did not think the grandmother would offer up her life for Peter's.
But what really got me was the lack of push back from Barbara and Louise.
Her grandmother is asking Louise to take her life and Louise's first question is, am I capable of taking a life? Not, "I don't want to take my grandma's life", not "this is ridiculous", not "how could she ask me to do this??" Just weird acceptance that this is the answer.
Of course she gets a little unsure right before she takes her life but not really unsure enough. It felt like the author didn't know how to make the scene at all emotional and just wanted to wrap things up.
I can't give this book a 2 b/c Helene's chapters kept me interested. I can't give it a 4 b/c I don't think the author handled the topic of assisted s*icide with any level of sensitivity.
3 stars feels weird but it's where I'm landing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone.
February 10, 2025
This was a strong dual timeline debut about a family of women with the ability to heal people but their gift comes at a price. The opening grabbed me from the start where a car crash almost kill's a girls friend but in her panic she's able to save his life only for it to having long-lasting repercussions. In the past we get to know more about her grandmother and her time serving as a nurse during WWII and helping heal soldiers. Great on audio narrated by Cassandra Campbell and Bailey Carr (two favs), this was an enjoyable listen and perfect for fans of books like Emma Donoghue's The pull of the stars. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
February 11, 2025
I received both an ALC and an eARC from the publisher of this story, and I’m absolutely enthralled. The audiobook is beautiful, the narrators did an excellent job, in fact the audiobook adds an extra touch with the accents for dialogue that truly magnifies the story.
The moonlight healers is a beautifully written, haunting, and powerful story that will tug heartstrings, and feel like a blanket of understanding to nurses, doctors, and healers everywhere.
As a medical professional I found this story to be a powerful testament to the work of nurses and healers, a look into the beauty and grief that comes with the profession. When sometimes the hardest thing is the right thing, and also the power of letting someone go, for their dignity rather than trying to cheat death for our own selfish desires. The complexity of mother and daughter dynamics, the way we want to shelter our children from the world, especially in the medical field where we see so much pain that we may cling to the pureness of children staying little. And how sheltering them isn’t always protecting them, but rather we need to prepare them to face the darkness of the world by giving them tools along the way.
Absolutely brilliant.
The moonlight healers is a beautifully written, haunting, and powerful story that will tug heartstrings, and feel like a blanket of understanding to nurses, doctors, and healers everywhere.
As a medical professional I found this story to be a powerful testament to the work of nurses and healers, a look into the beauty and grief that comes with the profession. When sometimes the hardest thing is the right thing, and also the power of letting someone go, for their dignity rather than trying to cheat death for our own selfish desires. The complexity of mother and daughter dynamics, the way we want to shelter our children from the world, especially in the medical field where we see so much pain that we may cling to the pureness of children staying little. And how sheltering them isn’t always protecting them, but rather we need to prepare them to face the darkness of the world by giving them tools along the way.
Absolutely brilliant.
January 31, 2025
Wow! What a beautiful, rich, original story. I can’t believe this is a debut novel. Told in two timelines I was equally invested in, The Moonlight Healers follows multiple generations of women in the same family who have the magical ability to heal. What that means to each of them changes over time. I will forever pitch this book as Practical Magic meets The Sound of Music — nuns in WWII time and all. I can’t wait to see what this author does next. A great start to my reading year!
July 4, 2025
i think….. the book started off slow and ended slow, i understood and really appreciated the heartbreak and the talk of generational trauma, how even if it’s done to protect you it can have the opposite effect entirely. it was heartbreaking but i don’t think the story was enough to keep me captivated a lot of the time, the sentiment could’ve been captured in less words/historical stories that it was. i didnt find jt at all memorable unfortunately
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2025
This story has two timelines, one set in WWII France, and another set in VA in 2019, following the lives of a great grandmother and her great granddaughter. I enjoyed the WWII historical fiction dealing with French nurses, and I like the overarching ideas in this story, the ways of tackling the issues surrounding end of life care and quality of life and the ethics surrounding it, but ugh! another book that part of the story could have been easily resolved if people would just talk to one another! And the ending was tough.
August 18, 2025
On the one hand this isn't an especially well written book. What plot exists is improbable in places and very predictable. No spoilers, but what Camille plans to do is obvious from several chapters away.
On the other hand the book repeatedly brought a lump to my throat. Viewed dispassionately it's probably too sentimental ,and maybe even mawkish, but you can't deny its effectiveness at plucking heartstrings.
So it gets a three for literary merit and a five for entertainment, making four stars the compromise rating. If the literary aspect of a book matters most to you then you should probably steer clear, but if you're in the mood for a "feel good" read then you could do a lot worse.
On the other hand the book repeatedly brought a lump to my throat. Viewed dispassionately it's probably too sentimental ,and maybe even mawkish, but you can't deny its effectiveness at plucking heartstrings.
So it gets a three for literary merit and a five for entertainment, making four stars the compromise rating. If the literary aspect of a book matters most to you then you should probably steer clear, but if you're in the mood for a "feel good" read then you could do a lot worse.
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