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The Moonshine Women
Michelle Collins Anderson
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Kensington Publishing | A John Scognamiglio Book
400 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Historical Fiction
I would call this type of book “grit lit.” It’s set in the Ozarks during the Depression/Prohibition era, and it’s about the three Strong sisters (an apt name, for sure) who take over the family moonshine business after their mother dies and their dad is so depressed that all he can do is drink. Rebecca is the oldest, Elsie is the middle child (like me), Jace, also known as Shine, is the youngest and is the best at working the stills. Then we have their grandmother, Lidy. She’s the one who came up with the recipe and knows the secret ingredient for the best moonshine.
The characters are the best part of this story; each sister has her own unique personality. Their relationship and the conflicts they deal with were interesting to read about, and I was engaged with the story throughout the book. I loved how the author gets the setting and the time so well—she made bootlegging seem exciting and dangerous. I especially enjoyed that the book showed women in the typical roles of men back then, while also focusing on the strong bond between the sisters. Even though this is a character-driven story, the pacing never slowed down too much, and that’s because the characters were so well-written.
Overall, the story kept me entertained, and the characters kept me invested. If you enjoy historical fiction with family drama, a bit of romance, and a look at life during the Prohibition era, this is definitely worth reading. It’s a compelling story about resilience, sisterhood, and survival. This is my first read by this author, and I was pleasantly surprised. I will definitely be checking out her debut, The Flower Sisters, and that’s the best compliment I can give an author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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