Review: Valley of the Moon

Valley of the Moon by Melanie Gideon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 star review for Melanie Gideon Valley of the Moon. First I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have not read anything by Melanie Gideon, the author of this book until I read this book, and I must say, I did enjoy her writing and I look forward to reading books from her again. It’s nice when you find a new author and bring her/him into your little fold of authors, and how can you not like an author who was inspired to write this from the movie ‘Brigadoon’. If you have not seen this movie, then I suggest you run and watch it right away!

The story is wonderful, the characters are well developed, complex, unique, and come to life right before your eyes. I found this book to be suspenseful, entertaining, enjoyable, fun, heart wrenching, warm, fast pace, touching, fun and all around an enjoyable book that I will tell others about and encourage them to read it. I was sad to see it come to an end, but I also had a satisfying feeling when I read the last word.

In 1975, Lux is a single mother who is barely making it to support her and her son. When her son goes to spend the summer with his grandparents, Lux takes a little, well deserved vacation to Sonoma County, known for being the wine county in California. One night she goes to bed and wakes up to dense fog moving in, as she steps out into the night air she is transported back in time to a farm. Here she meets Joseph Bell, founder of Greengage farm. The time is early in the 19th hundred. Lux is told by the farm residents of how they have become trapped in this time-wrap loop that brings this farm back to life when the full moon is upon them. Lux is relaxed at the farm and has time to think about her past, present and what her future holds for her and her son.

The author did a wonderful job of doing the chapters going back and forth between Lux and Joseph, and didn’t leave you confused. Valley of the Moon is a wonderful read that will transport you to a different place and time, and helps you forget about what’s going on in your life, and gives you time to escape from work, kids, family, bills, and yes even the summer heat.


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