This was a slow read for me, just didn’t care for most of the characters. I felt Marley was a bit of a goody-two-shoes and took on everything but wanted acknowledgment for it. The sons, Way and Bay, were grown but acted like middle schoolers, physically fighting etc. Their dad was not at all helpful either. When wife/mom died and Marley left them for a month, none of them could figure out how to run the house and business or even feed themselves. Youngest son Shay seemed to be more mature than his dad or brothers.

There was a bit of a mystery but was lackluster to me. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This book surprised me in all the best ways. Character-driven and emotional, I was completely enthralled with the lives of the Joseph family. Their relationships were so genuine and flawed and every character felt like a real person to me. I honestly felt like I was part of the family at times!

I loved that at the heart of the story, there was a mystery surrounding the death of the person in the church attic. While not necessarily the primary focus, it added a depth and interesting layer to the story.

I also loved all the backstory with Marley and the Joseph family. We really got to know them and understand them. While I never quite came to terms with Marley's mother-in-law and how she treated Marley or her grandbaby, I could certainly picture it.

Marley was such a strong protagonist and I absolutely adored her. I really admired her work ethic and her plights were so relatable to so many women.

All in all, if you love a character-driven novel, this is one you absolutely cannot miss. I already miss the Joseph family and can't wait to read more by Burns.

Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the copy.

Marley is new to town, and the first thing she sees is the Joseph brothers. The more she gets to know them, the more she becomes part of their family. She starts dating one brother, but quickly falls for the other. As she integrates into their life, their mother fades away, and Marley becomes the woman of the house, and leads them all.

This book is one that is going to stick with me a while, it hits deep, and it is so beautifully and elegantly written. This is a slow burn, character driven book, that really gets to the heart of the characters. I loved how the characters developed and the story unfolded through their eyes. Life doesn’t always work out how we plan it, and this book is a showcase in that. So much happened in this book, but at the same time, so little happened. It’s a strange thing to describe. I think most of all, this book is about family, the family we are born into, and the family we find and develop. While no family is perfect, family means being there for each other in times of need, and this book highlighted different ways that can be shown. This book is emotional, and I felt so many emotions reading it.

If you are looking for a truly amazing book, then I suggest you check this one out, you won’t want to miss it.

Thank you so much to Celadon, @celadonbooks for sending me a copy of this one, and @netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this family story. It was very well-written and completely immersive. This book is set in the 1990's and tells the story of the Joseph family, which consists of a larger-than-life father named Mick, an elusive mother named Elise, and her three teenage sons. Their family revolves around their roofing business, and it both brings them together and drives them apart in equal measure. Their lives become tightly interwoven with that of the teenage Marley, who is new to town, having just arrived with her single mother, who is a nurse at a local hospital. I do not want to give away any more details, but this tightly woven novel is extremely compelling. It is a quiet book that will pull at your heartstrings and have you cheering for some characters and loathing others. At the heart of the story is a mysterious discovery in the church attic, and what it represents in the lives of each of the main characters, all of whom are hiding secrets from themselves and from each other. The town, the roofing business and the Great House that the family resides in are all characters in the story, and add a lot of nuance and atmosphere to the novel. This one should not be missed if you love a family story, a quiet novel, or a slice of life character study.

Thank you to Celadon for providing me with the opportunity to participate in a read-along for this book. There have been so many books this past year by Celadon that have been amazing.

This is a family drama that starts off with a body found in the town church attic. The story changes timelines and goes back to the 1990s when Marley moves with her mother to Mercury and starts attending the local high school where she meets the Joseph boys, Waylon and Baylor. I loved the character development of the women in this story. The timeline switches back and forth until the gaps are filled in about what the Joseph family had been through and why there is a body in the attic. There are so many characters in the story that are unlikable, but over time as a reader, you connect with almost all the characters and feel compassion. It took me a little bit to get into the book, but once I was past the first forty pages, I didn't want to stop reading and was sacrificing my sleep to finish the book. I am so glad it was a quiet weekend so I could finish this satisfying and wonderful book. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading fiction and exploring people and family dynamics. Often, I find these types of stories to be slow-moving, but this was written in a way that kept you captivated to the very end. I would highly recommend reading this

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns feels like a country song in book form.

Mercury is a typical small town, and as is typical of small towns, it comes with its own cast of characters who are biased against others. When Marley moves to town with her mother, she creates a ripple effect, and the town is better off with her taking up residence.

The struggles and challenges of moving to and living in small town USA were appropriately realistic. It didn't take long for me to become immersed in Marley and the Joseph family drama, and I found myself constantly wondering how they were when I wasn't reading the story.

Then the plot took a bit of a turn, and I'm not sure I liked Marley's choices. I really sided with her best friend, Jade, who seemed to be the voice of reason Marley needed in her life.

This one is a bit of everything: there's romance, family drama, mental health representation, queer representation, and there's even a bit of mystery, which helps build suspense and tension.

So many questions are posed within these pages: Are you allowed to have more than one role in a small town? Are you able to be your true self, and not just how others see you? Are you truly able to keep secrets from family members?

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Are you ready for some 2024 reading. Well, make sure you get your pre-orders for this one. I am pretty sure it will be a top read for me this year. Complicated family at its best. It reminded me of Hello Beautiful, A Place for Us, and The Dearly Beloved. I really enjoyed this one! Out in January 2024.

Pleasantly surprised with how much I loved the story. The characters are written very well and the drama unfolds at a nice pace. I think if you enjoy family dramas you will devour this one! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5/5

Amy Jo Burns is a masterful storyteller and has written a truly heartbreaking family drama. Set in the old industrial town of Mercury, the story centers on the men of the Joseph family and the women who orbit them: Elise and Marley. Married to the family patriarch Mick, Elise is a mercurial woman in the habit of yielding to the needs of the Josephs' roofing business. Dominated and effaced, her strange habits are only noticed by her daughter in law Marley and it soon becomes clear that Elise is not well and has secrets of her own. Halfway through the book, tragedy strikes and the three Joseph sons, Waylon, Baylor, and Shay, adapt to their new reality while also uncovering the layers of trauma they experienced at the hands of Mick, and an overall toxic family dynamic going back decades.

Mercury is superbly written, with clear prose and good pacing. This is an incredible case study of family systems theory: the author adds so much nuance and sincerity to each relationship. The characters very much feel like real people, frustrated by their families while also remaining incredibly loyal. Of note, this is a hard read thematically. There's no easy or tidy resolution. This is a sad book about the labor women take on when they become wife and mothers, and the lifelong work men take on to undo constrictive notions of masculinity. It's heavy, but rang so true. The author's compassion for these characters shines and helps ease the weight of their struggles for the reader.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I love a good family drama and this did not disappoint. The characters were so well written. I loved each character in their own way especially Marley's character. I admired her relationship with each one of the Joseph's and how she evolved. I know these characters will stay with me for a while. If you enjoy family dramas, I highly recommend this one.

This is a story about a dysfunctional family at its core. The story starts with seventeen year old Marley and her mom moving into the town of Mercury. Marley meets the Joseph family of Baylor, Waylon, Shay, Mick and Elise. The Joseph’s own their own roofing company. Soon she is integrated into the family.

As the story unfolds, we find out the secrets the family has. Can they over come them or will the secrets swallow them up? This is a wonderful character driven novel about having secrets and what it means to be a family.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Amy Jo Burns for Arc copy of this book.

Emotionally resonant and deeply nuanced, MERCURY will hit all the right notes for family drama lovers.

The character-driven story follows the Joseph family known for their roofing business and their three boys destined for it. Told in a non-linear fashion, the layers of this family are slowly peeled back to reveal vulnerable characters searching for a place in their family and in the world.

When Marley arrives as the new girl in a small town and finds a seat at the Joseph’s dinner table the family dynamics are forever altered. An unlikely matriarch of the family, Marley plays a different role to each Joseph son which speaks to the myriad of roles we each play within our families.

This is a story of dreams set aside, complicated family dynamics, and the consequences of loyalty above all else. As a mom of three boys, the 3 Joseph sons really stole my heart with their distinct triumphs and tribulations over the years. As I turned the final page, I knew I was going to miss these guys.

READ THIS IF:
-You want to read unforgettable characters that leap off the page
-A satisfying character arc warms your heart
-You enjoy multi-generational family stories that explore the cost of quiet sacrifice


RATING: 5/5
PUB DATE: January 2, 2024

Many thanks to Celadon for an ARC and the chance to discuss with the Celadon Reads Together group.

4.5 Stars

This is a story of family, the one we are born into, and the ones we form through love.

Set in 1990, as this story begins, Marley West along with her mother have left the town where they previously lived, and have decided to settle in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. Marley is seventeen, and will once more be the new girl in her new school. She is cautiously hopeful, but frequent moves have left her weary of trying to fit in, of trying to find the place and the people where she can feel like this is home.

This story goes back and forth through time, sharing her life in this town, the family she meets, the mother who welcomes her into their home, and the brothers who soon all seem like family. It isn’t long at all before she is sitting at their dinner table, sharing their food. The father owns a roofing business, and the oldest sons work for him, while the one that Marley meets at her new school is closer to her age. She loves being a part of this family, so different from the life she’s lived with her mother, who as a nurse is frequently working different hours from Marley’s school hours, they are like ships passing in the night, most nights.

It doesn’t take long before she becomes a wife to one, and the family grows. The men in this family are used to ruling the roost, and her mother-in-law doesn’t seem to have any say about it, and when she does, they dismiss her.

As time passes, the mother seems to be slipping further and further away, and so Marley steps in to help, watching over her, assisting her in a somewhat risky task that may come back to haunt her, and helping the company whether or not the men want her help.

There is a story of family, of love and sacrifices made, the bond of friendships, and the deep dark secrets we keep.


Pub Date: 02 Jan 2024


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Celadon Books

Mercury A Novel by Amy Jo Burns Poignant family drama with well developed and relatable characters. Engaging and emotional read.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Mercury is a tale of complex family and community dynamics. The characters are well developed and grow through a number of years together. It is at the same time a heartbreaking and heartwarming story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I always forget just how much I love family dramas until I’m actually reading one. And this was such a hit for me.

Short Synopsis:
Marley is 17-years-old and new to the town of Mercury. She immediately meets the Joseph’s brothers and fits a permanent seat at their dinner table. The ties to all three brothers are complicated and messy. This family story spans years and shows how marriage, babies, love and loss affect all of them differently.

My Thoughts:
I was immediately immersed into this story. I loved how Marley how very different relationships with all of the Joseph family. And how she came into her own confidence and story. The secrets and mystery was fun to unravel along with the characters.

Read if You Like:
🏠 We are the Brennans
🏠 Messy family dynamics
🏠 Character driven stories
🏠 Multi-generational stories
🏠 Small towns

I do hope the final copy includes trigger warnings though. Miscarriages and parent death are big ones and I wish I knew before going in.

MERCURY is a jewel of a novel - intricately crafted, shiny in just the right light. Burns' writing begs to be savored and highlighted. There are so many lovely lines and descriptions of the characters. And make no mistake, this is a character-driven story. The author knows the Josephs and Marley inside and out. Her psychological insights are perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel and what kept bringing me back to its pages.

This is not "women's fiction" despite the marketing copy on NetGalley. In my opinion, this is, no question, literary fiction. I'm not casting a judgment, but rather trying to convey what type of reader I think will enjoy this book. The writing and the emphasis on characters' inner lives will appeal to fans of literary fiction.

The family in this novel has been through a lot and, at times, they are frustrating. But I grew to adore them.

I look forward to Burns' next novel.

Mercury is a great family drama. At first I thought it would be about three brothers…. but it is so much more, and more about mothers and daughters. The writing style was just a little difficult at times for me. But great story. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.