The author of the critically acclaimed Wife 22 has written a captivating novel about a love that transcends time--perfect for readers of The Time Traveler's Wife, Time and Again, and the novels of Alice Hoffman. San Francisco, 1975. A single mother, Lux Lysander is overwhelmed, underpaid, and living on the edge of an emotional precipice. When her adored five-year-old son goes away to visit his grandparents, Lux takes a solo trip to Sonoma Valley--a chance to both lose herself and find herself again. Awakened at midnight, Lux steps outside to see a fog settled over the Sonoma landscape. Wandering toward a point of light in the distance, she emerges into a meadow on a sunny day. There she meets a group of people whose sweetly simple clothing, speech, and manners almost make them seem as if they are from another time. And then she realizes they are. Lux has stumbled upon an idyllic community cut off not only from the rest of the world but from time itself. The residents of Greengage tell a stunned and disoriented Lux that they've somehow been marooned in the early twentieth century. Now that she has inexplicably stepped into the past, it is not long before Lux is drawn in by its peace and beauty. Unlike the people of Greengage, Lux discovers that she is able to come and go. And over the years, Lux finds herself increasingly torn between her two lives. Her beloved son is very much a child of the modern world, but she feels continually pulled back to the only place she has ever truly felt at home. A gorgeous, original, and deeply moving novel about love and longing and the power that time holds over all of us, Valley of the Moon is unforgettable. Praise for Valley of the Moon"The literary equivalent of a farm-to-table delicacy: lovingly handcrafted, delectable and transcendent, becoming more than just a tasty appetizer but a full-course experience of love and time and all the mystical beauty that the region has to offer."--San Francisco Chronicle "Beautifully written . . . [Valley of the Moon is] a wonderful story about belonging, love and the aching certainty that there's something more out there . . . sure to appeal to fans of Time and Again or The Time Traveler's Wife."--Shelf Awareness (starred review) "With lovely shades of The Time Traveler's Wife, Valley of the Moon is a magical, cinematic novel, breathlessly romantic and alive with the love of language."--Sarah Addison Allen "An enjoyable magic carpet ride . . . Two narrators, separated by nearly a century, tell a tale of old-time charm and contemporary agita."--Kirkus Reviews "Captivating."--Booklist "Gripping . . . This update of Brigadoon is recommended because of its well-crafted twists and thought-provoking insights into different times and cultures."--Historical Novels Review "A propulsive and at times deeply suspenseful novel . . . [Valley of the Moon] offer[s] powerful and perceptive considerations about the passage of time, the shape of our lives and the often unintended effects our actions have on the people and communities around us."--Bookreporter
Industry Reviews
"The literary equivalent of a farm-to-table delicacy: lovingly handcrafted, delectable and transcendent, becoming more than just a tasty appetizer but a full-course experience of love and time and all the mystical beauty that the region has to offer."--San Francisco Chronicle "Beautifully written . . . [Valley of the Moon is] a wonderful story about belonging, love and the aching certainty that there's something more out there . . . sure to appeal to fans of Time and Again or The Time Traveler's Wife."--Shelf Awareness (starred review) "With lovely shades of The Time Traveler's Wife, Valley of the Moon is a magical, cinematic novel, breathlessly romantic and alive with the love of language."--Sarah Addison Allen "An enjoyable magic carpet ride . . . Two narrators, separated by nearly a century, tell a tale of old-time charm and contemporary agita."--Kirkus Reviews "Captivating."--Booklist"Gripping . . . This update of Brigadoon is recommended because of its well-crafted twists and thought-provoking insights into different times and cultures."--Historical Novels Review "A propulsive and at times deeply suspenseful novel . . . [Valley of the Moon] offer[s] powerful and perceptive considerations about the passage of time, the shape of our lives and the often unintended effects our actions have on the people and communities around us."--Bookreporter The literary equivalent of a farm-to-table delicacy: lovingly handcrafted, delectable and transcendent, becoming more than just a tasty appetizer but a full-course experience of love and time and all the mystical beauty that the region has to offer. San Francisco Chronicle Beautifully written . . . [Valley of the Moon is] a wonderful story about belonging, love and the aching certainty that there s something more out there. . . . Sure to appeal to fans of Time and Again or The Time Traveler s Wife. Shelf Awareness (starred review) With lovely shades of The Time Traveler s Wife, Valley of the Moon is a magical, cinematic novel, breathlessly romantic and alive with the love of language. Sarah Addison Allen An enjoyable magic carpet ride . . . Two narrators, separated by nearly a century, tell a tale of old-time charm and contemporary agita. Kirkus Reviews Captivating. Booklist Gripping . . . This update of Brigadoon is recommended because of its well-crafted twists and thought-provoking insights into different times and cultures. Historical Novels Review A propulsive and at times deeply suspenseful novel . . . [Valley of the Moon] offer[s] powerful and perceptive considerations about the passage of time, the shape of our lives and the often unintended effects our actionshave on the people and communities around us. Bookreporter" Advance praise for "Valley of the Moon" "" Magical, cinematic . . ."Valley of the Moon" is breathlessly romantic and alive with the love of language. Sarah Addison Allen An enjoyable magic carpet ride . . . Two narrators, separated by nearly a century, tell a tale of old-time charm and contemporary agita. "Kirkus Reviews" "" Captivating . . . reminiscent of "Brigadoon." "Booklist" Praise for"The Slippery Year" "" A love song to her family and to life . . . One of the happiest books to cross our paths in a very long time. " San Francisco Chronicle" "" Gideon explores her pain, doubt, regret, and confusion as a wife and mother at midlife with great poise and insight and, ultimately, a gentle aura of hope. "Elle" [A] perfect balance of gorgeous writing, quirky wit, and lovable impertinences. Elinor Lipman Like all the best books, "The Slippery Year" reminds us that we are not alone. . . . Truly the one thing wrong with this book is that it had to end. Allison Pearson The perfect antidote to the everyday blues. "Booklist" Praise for"Wife 22" "" Poignant and fresh. "People" Playful but incisive. NPR Delightful . . . compulsively readable. Gretchen Rubin I loved it, loved it, loved it. It s so funny and true and sad and real and clever . . . also so hopeful and wise and ultimately heartwarming. Marian Keyes Superb . . . Gideon s work is an honest assessment of a woman s struggle to reconcile herself with her desires and responsibilities. . . . Fully formed supporting characters and a nuanced emotional story line make Gideon s [novel] shimmer. "Publishers Weekly" (starred review)" Praise for Melanie Gideon "" "The Slippery Year" "" A love song to her family and to life . . . One of the happiest books to cross our paths in a very long time. " San Francisco Chronicle" "" Gideon explores her pain, doubt, regret, and confusion as a wife and mother at midlife with great poise and insight and, ultimately, a gentle aura of hope. "Elle" [A] perfect balance of gorgeous writing, quirky wit, and lovable impertinences. Elinor Lipman Like all the best books, "The Slippery Year" reminds us that we are not alone. . . . Truly the one thing wrong with this book is that it had to end. Allison Pearson The perfect antidote to the everyday blues. "Booklist" "Wife 22" "" Poignant and fresh. "People" Playful but incisive. NPR Delightful . . . compulsively readable. Gretchen Rubin I loved it, loved it, loved it. It s so funny and true and sad and real and clever . . . also so hopeful and wise and ultimately heartwarming. Marian Keyes Superb . . . Gideon s work is an honest assessment of a woman s struggle to reconcile herself with her desires and responsibilities. . . . Fully formed supporting characters and a nuanced emotional story line make Gideon s [novel] shimmer. "Publishers Weekly" (starred review)" Praise for Melanie Gideon s "Wife 22" "" This modern-day, mixed-media comedy of manner is as up-to-the-minute as your favorite Twitter feed. "The Washington Post" An LOL Instagram about love in a wired world. "People" Vibrant, au courant, and hilarious . . . brilliant! Adriana Trigiani Channels the playful but incisive vibe of Nora Ephron s "You ve Got Mail." NPR Fresh and funny . . . a delightful, thoroughly modern, guilty pleasure of a read. "San Francisco Chronicle" "" A skillful blend of pop-culture references, acidic humor, and emotional moments. It will take its rightful place . . . alongside Helen Fielding s" Bridget Jones s Diary," Anna Maxted s "Getting Over It," and Allison Pearson s "I Don t Know How She Does It." "Library Journal" (starred review) I loved it, loved it, loved it. It s so funny and true and sad and real and clever . . . also so hopeful and wise and ultimately heartwarming. Marian Keyes"