By Way of the Moonlight (Hardcover)

Unforgettable!! What a beautiful and compelling story with an equestrian thread woven through both timelines, rich in history, including the Great Depression, and aspects of WWII that I had never known about. I absolutely loved it! Love, heartbreak, bravery, courage, and secrets are wrapped up in this incredible novel, along with a beautiful and gentle faith thread. "But Nana Dale was filled with secrets and surprises, not the least of which was barnyard wisdom that often included phrases that sounded a lot like they came from the Good Book." Excellent historical fiction, I highly recommend By Way of the Moonlight by Elizabeth Musser. I love learning about history through historical fiction! Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own. I have pre-ordered a copy for my keeper shelf!

"It will never be enough until you decide that you already have it all. You settle in your mind a grateful heart, a content spirit, and everything else will be gravy, girl." Elizabeth Musser has a beautiful and lyrical style of writing that draws you in completely into her world. She invites you to settle in to her characters' lives and become fully immersed in their experiences - the joys, the sorrows, the heartbreaks. The first person storyline narrated by Allie in 2020 is cohesively entwined with third person narrative of Allie's grandmother Dale spanning the 1930s and 1940s. Allie and Dale are quite similar in their passionate, driven personalities but Dale had seen much loss and grief, as well as triumph and purpose, that Allie just starts to discover when she attempts to organize her grandmother's estate after her passing. I loved Austin, the steadfast dependable one, from the present and Tommy, the adventurous daredevil, from the past and how easy it was to get to know them though the eyes of the women who love them. I learned quite a bit about horses, equine therapy, horseshows, and large animal vet work through the characters and the setting. Faith thread is strong and themes of true contentment and healing are powerful and moving. Poignant, nostalgic, and thought-provoking, this newest book by Elizabeth Musser is a must-read of 2022. I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.