The Moon to Me

by Ana Hartnett

218 pages, Paperback

Published February 10, 2026

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love character driven romances with a beautiful arc to fully indulge in, 'The Moon to Me' is a definite add to your TBR pile. Hartnett really leans into her strengths in this novel, creating fully formed characters who hook in readers from the first chapter.
We meet Eaden on the worst day of her life and get to know her at her lowest; she has lost her mum, the one person in her life who also guided her with hope and light. She feels like she's stuck and there's no way past this darkness, people in her life always let her down especially her cousin Riley.
Their complicated relationship is only made more tense by the way Riley treats her on-again, off-again girlfriend Florence, because Eaden holds a small flame for her caring ways...
Throw in an epic trip to Europe, some forced proximity drama, a wise Irish aunt and some super hot chemistry and you have an idea of the gorgeous story Hartnett has written.
Small disclaimer, I am in a relationship with the author and as so, I have read every draft of this novel. The way in which Eaden and Florence has evolved since the initial idea has been extraordinary to see. Ana has a real talent at getting to the core of her characters, they're messy and flawed but real and tender and so funny. Like us all Florence and Eaden are just trying to find their way and that person that can stay even in the darkest moments. We all need a little bit of that hope and I hope you love and cry and laugh at their story the way I have in every version.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars)Lovely and uniquely written story about grief and moving forward. The story begins with Eaden Bilbo in at the funeral dinner for her mother. It doesn’t go well. Eaden is in those first stages of anger and grief at losing her mother and feeling let down by those who should be there to support her. The story takes a few chapters to set up. Essentially the mother left a letter for an aunt who still lives in Ireland. And Eaden, who is a school teacher, decides to hand deliver it to her while taking a vacation to Europe. Her traveling companion is Florence, a woman who has for years been the on and off girlfriend of her cousin Riley. Florence and Eaden meet up in Barcelona before moving on to Paris. The situation is precarious because Eaden has feelings for Florence but has never acted on them for fear of losing her as a friend. The journey allows for the start of moving on from grief and adds in the complexity for moving on to more.

This short novel, just over 200 pages, packs a lot of emotion. My mother, at 90 is still alive, but I thought about how I would process her inevitable passing. I felt for Florence too. She hasn’t been treated well by Riley. And I wanted her to be willing to try something new that could be better. I think my only disappointment in the story is that more isn’t made of the two main cities they visit in Spain and France. I wanted them to be tourists and not just get the descriptions of breakfast or bars. But I am a tourist, so that is a me issue. Most of the story is focused on the pair and told entirely from Eaden’s POV. But my favorite side character is the great aunt who adds an extra bit of lightness.

I liked the story a lot. And I want to emphasize that even though it starts with and contains some heavy themes, it isn’t overly angsty. I very much enjoyed Eaden and Florence opening to new possibilities. It ends realistically without everything wrapped up with a shiny bow. But you can feel the HEA on the horizon. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

a book about loss and love

eaden life will never be the same again she is dealing with the loss of her mother and boy did this strike a blow for me as i knew all the emotions she was going to go through those first years anniversaries are the hardest to get closure on

but its so much worse than that.... her fathers betrayal of his affair with a much younger woman ... her brothers indifference and her cousin riley in the face attitude does not bode well

so with the planned tripped to europe to visit spain, france scotland and then onto ireland to deliver a letter written by her mother to her aunt, eaden isnt sure how she feels about it all... especially as riley pulls out but leaves the rest up to eaden to decide and florence... riley on again off again girlfriend

its a trip of a lifetime but can eaden feel anything but grief during this trip....

what a journey this book was.... the feelings of grief and anger and loss comes across throughout the pages of this book...its so well written i couldnt put it down

and the storyline between eaden and florence what a journey of discovery for them both that was lovely to read about them and watch how their relationship developed

i inhaled this book in one sitting.... it was brilliantly written and felt every emotion going throughout this book.... and i had a little tear in my eye as i remembered how i felt when losing my mom as well.....

cant wait to read what this author brings out next

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I enjoyed reading and coincidentally when I did so I was on a plane in the direction of Paris where the most important part of this story played out, when Eaden and Florence realize that something more than friendship between them.

Reading the blurb I though the whole story would be really angsty with a bit of forbidden romance in the mix. That was not really the case, ok Eaden starts off crushed after burying her mom and alienating herself from her cheating dad, busy brother Sean and her horrible cousin Riley. Eaden also is very much into Florence, Riley’s on again off again girlfriend, and she is very much off limits. However, this is more a sweet story about growth and finding the love of your life.

Eaden ends up alone with Florence on a 3 week-long trip in Europe when her awful cousin Riley bails. The endgame of the trip is to hand deliver a letter from Eaden’s dead mom to her aunt in Ireland but when in Europe also to visit Barcelona, Paris and Edinburgh. When travelling in Europe Eaden slowly tries to get back on track after grieving her mom’s death and questioning her whole life and Florence is a wonderful support. Florence that has stayed available for her ex Riley for way too long, can’t let her go, Riley has made her felt safe after her shitty childhood and she lives rent free with Riley’s family, but finally during this European trip with Eaden her mindset slowly changes.

To follow their journey both physically in Europe and emotionally leaving the old shot behind them and open up to something new and much better is great to follow and I recommend this book to readers that like a well-written sweet story. The only thing I still struggle with is how Florence could continue dating a cheating shot like Riley for so long, I am so happy she found Eaden in the end to get out of that, but still so frustrating to read.

I received a free ARC via NetGalley and leave an honest review voluntarily.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eaden Bildo unexpectedly loses her mother to sepsis following an operation and is left reeling from the loss coupled with her father's infidelity to her mother only a couple of months prior to her death. With her first summer break from teaching Earth Science to thirteen-year-olds, Eaden has a trip planned with her cousin, Riley, and her cousin's on-again off-again girlfriend, Florence, to various European stops and finally to deliver a letter from her mother, Eileen, to her mother's great Aunt, Mary, in Cobh, Ireland. However, at Eaden's mother's funeral, Riley causes a huge scene and an injury to Eaden and then backs out of the trip. Eaden and Florence decide to proceed together on the vacation. Although this is a trip of lifetime for both Eaden and Florence, it is marred by grieving, loss, an injury to Eaden in Paris, and unexpected attraction between both women.

This was a spectacularly written book laced with prose and poetry in conveying the emotions that both women are feeling about their respective situations. The loss, the anger, and the grief were palpable on the written page. Their journey through Europe and the emotional discovery that they gained was capped by an enriching visit to great Aunt Mary in Ireland, who shared stories about Eaden's mother and father with her and Flo.

The cover design for this book was also a standout to me and the meaning was shared in the latter pages of the story, Overall rating, 5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic story about finding love in the midst of grief and loss. It was heartbreaking to witness Eaden’s loneliness, which was made even more intense with the loss of her mother. The way Florence supported Eaden’s healing journey was some of the sweetest writing I’ve read. They accepted one another and their flaws in such a beautiful way. I was completely immersed at it was hard to put the book down.

The primary conflict, besides Eaden’s grief, was navigating the growing feelings between Eaden and Florence in light of the fact that Florence is the ex-girlfriend of Eaden’s cousin, whom Eaden herself has a turbulent relationship with. Initially, I had a lot of problems with the way Florence handled this. She seemed so indecisive in a way that was more frustrating than an interesting characteristic. There were times I felt Florence was a bit emotionally manipulative towards Eaden, and I just had a hard time understanding her, especially since the story was solely in Eaden’s POV. Upon further reflection, though, I think Florence is just dealing with symptoms of coming out of an abusive relationship, which was the situation with Eaden’s cousin.

Overall, I thought this was a great story with a good balance of adventure, exploration, love, and healing. The explicit consent themes in all sex scenes was also wonderful. A truly enjoyable experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing story about experiencing grief from losing a parent, while also trying to navigate family expectations and pressures, as well as figuring out a sense of self. 

I went through a roller coaster of emotions while reading this book. The main character of Eaden goes on a very intense emotional journey, and every feeling is palpable. I was drawn into her orbit from the very beginning, and you could tell that Hartnett relayed a lot of universal truths through Eaden and her relationships with the other characters. I especially appreciated how both she and Florence each had issues that they have to work through, and that nothing was rushed in their relationship.

There are so many other positives I could say about this book, and I highly suggest others read it to experience it for themselves.

Thank you to the author, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Alder series by Hartnett and looking forward to this book. Happy to say it didn't disappoint.

Eaden loses her mom and alienates herself from the rest of her family, and ends up on a 3 week vacation in Europe with her on again, off again girlfriend, Florence who Eaden is falling for, but who is off limits. The endgame of the trip is to hand deliver a letter to her aunt in Ireland, but on the way to visit Paris, Edinburgh and Barcelona. While on the trip, Eaden tries to reconcile her mom's death and finds amazing support in Florence who has her own shitty past.

This was a great, emotional read that I enjoyed very much. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Stuffl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly sweet and deeply heartwarming love story about Florence and Eaden. I liked the pace and the slow development. Considering that Eaden had to cope with the loss of her mother, it felt very real. I loved the connection between the two women and the tentative and tender nature of it. I was deeply drawn into the story and couldn't put the book down.

All in all, a novel with depth and a lot of love. Paired with a trip through Europe, it was a very nice combination that I really enjoyed. And now I want to go to Barcelona…

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!