Ask Again Yes is an exquisite slow build character driven story. If you love character driven stories, this is your book. It explores friendship, love, forgiveness, and heartache. How much do you let an unexpected tragedy define the future you imagined for yourself?

The Gleeson family consists of Lena, Francis, and their three daughters. The father is a well-established police officer partnered with their neighbor, Brian. The Stanhope family consists of Brain, Anne, and their son. When tragedy strikes, everyone is left picking up the scattered pieces trying to move on as their predicted future dissipates.

I would recommend this book as a book club pick to break down and analyze the characters and their choices. The author delves into their development and progress through their lives so thoroughly it will leave you feeling as if you were apart of their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC to read and review.

Engaging, interesting characters and a storyline that kept me turning pages. This is exactly what I want in a family drama. I felt like I could have been one of their neighbors, living on their street and being a part of what these characters were experiencing. I’m glad to say that this one lived up to the hype for me.

I just could notttt understand what was going on this this book. I felt like I was hanging onto the words thinking the mother was going to go crazy again and shoot or kidnap someone else but then in the end she turned out to be semi normal...... I was just so confused

This book was SO good! I could not put it down. The story of two families, neighbors and how one act of violence separated them and changed their lives forever. Kate is the youngest daughter of the Gleeson family and she is close friends with Peter, only child of the Stanhopes. They are seperated in 8th grade because of something Peter's mother does and do not see or talk to each other for many years. Eventually, they find each other again and fall in love and get married. Both families have been affected by Peter's mother, and Kate and Peter must be strong in their love for each other because of all that has happened. They are. This is an amazing story of friendship, love, tragedy and strength over time. So well written. I loved the characters and the entire story. Well worth your time!!!! Thanks to NG for the ARC!!!

ASK AGAIN YES // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This novel follows two families, who live next door to each other in a small suburb, and what unfolds after a tragedy strikes that changes their lives forever.
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It touches on many realistic, emotional aspects and events of life. It is so beautifully written. Mary Beth Keane takes each character’s development and opens you up to their feeling and their perception of events and feelings.
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Honestly, I was skeptical I would like this book when I first read the synopsis, but this book took me by surprise. It covers so many tough topics so many go through and does so in a very careful and eye opening way. It follows a beautiful and difficult love story and the intertwined family issues of these two suburban families. This is a perfect book club pick and I can see why it has been so praised!
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“Because life changes and people change. As long as we change together, we’re okay.”
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Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is what real life looks like. In all of its fucked up glory.
Real life- so often books are filled with happy endings, the silver lining or lessons learned. But that’s not real life. Real life is messy, gritty and can be utterly painful. Real life is filled with roadblocks and scattered with bumps in the road. Real life is smothered in painful situations that test your ability to persevere or simply get knocked down. Ask Again, Yes is a book about real life. It’s not about a journey that’s all blue skies and roses. It’s about trials and tribulations. This book is not about escapism but about facing your own battles and reflecting on the fact that while life is a gift, it also can be terrifying and oh so hard.

Kate and Peter have known one another their entire lives. Literally. Their parents both moved to the quaint town of Gillam when they were young, just married and had their entire lives ahead of them. Kate and Peter were destined to be inseparable despite their parents complete disdain and/or jealousy for one another. As The years go by, it becomes more difficult to maintain their friendship due to the mistakes and drama lying within their own families. When the most gut-wrenching tragedy strikes within their families, Kate and Peter are torn apart. As Kate and Peter navigate their soon to be adult lives, they need to decide if their parents burdens, issues and faults should become their own or if they are simply something they need to overcome.

Oh my god, I’m still thinking about this book. What really hit home was how honest everything was. There were so many real life family issues- something that has easily touched everyone’s life at one point. Mental illness. Alcoholism. Sexual abuse. Abandonment. Marital struggles. Infidelity. But it was written in such a truthful way. No sugar coating. No fluff. Real life. And oddly- it wasn’t utterly tragic because this was to raw and truthful. It was like watching life play our before your very eyes. Ask Again, Yes reminds you of the strength that human beings possess and it’s up to us to summon it and live the best possible life we can.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Scribner Publishing and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. Keane's new novel is a beautiful novel with well developed characters and story lines. The story's overall theme is one of love and forgiveness. Truly an immersive experience to read.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

There's a reason Ask Again, Yes has received so many honors, among which are Book of the Month selection and Jimmy Fallon book choice. Mary Beth Keane is fun to watch in interviews as well. Check both the novel and her interview out!

This book just wasn’t for me. I made it to the 36% point and I was too bored to continue. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I just finished this book last night, and oh my goodness - it's very rare that a book can move me to tears, but this one had me going. An emotional story, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, and one that will definitely stick with you for a while.

Ask Again, Yes tells the story of two families and the ties that bind them over a 40 year span. Both Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleeson are rookie cops in New York City as well as neighbors in a small neighborhood outside the City. Life is pretty standard in the beginning: working and making a living, being married, having children. However, after a tragic incident, both families are bound together yet changed forever.

I do love a multigenerational family saga. Perhaps the best story is the one that Brian's son, Peter, and Francis's daughter, Kate, can tell. Born six months apart, they are best friends and inseparable. Dealing with the aftermath of tragedy, however, turns everything upside down in seemingly irreparable ways.

This book is extraordinarily good. I thought it was such an excellent portrayal of a common family life and how fragile life is at any given moment. I really enjoyed moving through the decades of time and seeing what happens to each of the characters as they attempt to deal with the cards they've been given. In my opinion, it has a touch of Jodi Picoult-style drama, so if you're a fan of JP, you'll be a definite fan of Ask Again, Yes. I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy. I enjoyed this story of two families who go through a tragic event. Parts of this story really dragged for me and I found myself really trying to push through it. In the end, I’m glad I did.

This broke me. Took me a bit to really get into it, but once I was invested in the characters ... basically I cried the whole way.

I ended up listening to the audiobook, but thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of the ARC.

Amazing story and characters! This book hooked me from the start! When the unthinkable happens I was all in. The rest of the story is how the lives of Kate and and her childhood best friend come together again! I completely enjoyed this book. The best I’ve read in a long time! Thank for the opportunity to have this book!

This is a very well done multi-generational domestic drama that gets better as it goes. I was fully engaged with the characters from the start and I loved the optimistic heart of this novel - the themes of redemption and forgiveness, gratitude, and the unbreakable bonds of family really resonated with me.

This is a book where the hype is earned. Trust me on this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an ARC of this novel. My review, however, is based on the hardcover version.

Both gritty and tender, Ask Again, Yes will remind readers of the bonds we all share and the changing power of forgiveness. Move this to the top of your "To Be Read" pile!

AN ENTHUSIASTIC 5 STAR REVIEW
I loved this family drama so much! It is all encompassing emotion wise, character wise, and really hits on neighbors, family, issues and the power of love and forgiveness.
Beginning in the 1970’s, we start with 2 young NYPD rookies who start off as partners, become neighbors, and whose lives are intertwined through a series of events.
Through their journey, and that of their family, we explore what love really is and I found myself really thinking alot about forgiveness. I couldn't put this one down, and can't recommend it enough.
Thank you for the ARC!

I have been thinking about what I could possibly say that would be adequate for this title for over a week now, but I'm still at a slight loss for words. This was a beautiful family drama that covered so much ground and left me feeling reflective about my own life and family.

I suppose the simplest thing to do is to provide you, future reader, with the elements I most enjoyed. You should pick up Ask Again, Yes if:

You are fascinated with observing how characters evolve and change over a long period of time and you are okay with those characters consistently being so deeply flawed.⁠
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You enjoy stories about families and all of their many complex issues.⁠
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You enjoy spending some time reflecting on how the echos of your past are currently affecting your present life and state of mind.

This is a read that will very likely stay with me for some time, but if you prefer a fast-paced, plot-driven story then this is not the book for you.

This is a story of two neighboring families and the repercussions of an event that happens between them. I really enjoyed this book and loved the story and how it was told. Keane's writing is reminiscent of Fredrik Backman's and Celeste Ng's.

This is a story that will leave a lasting impression on me. Highly recommend it to everyone!

The suburbs. Where children on the street all get together to play. Families know each other and neighbors are neighborly. This particular tale introduces us to 2 neighbors in the town of Gillam - the Gleeson's and the Stanhope's. Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope work together as police officers. Francis tells Brian all about the house next door, and Brian moves in. We meet their wives - Lena Gleeson, who is trying to find her place as a housewife in a new town, and Anne Stanhope, who is not...quite...right. Their children, Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope, play together and are very close. Until one night, after Kate is told to stop playing with Peter, Kate and Peter sneak out together but are caught. Peter is sent home, but comes back saying his mom has a gun. And the lives of the two families are changed forever.

Following up, we get to follow the lives of Peter and Kate and see where they end up, along with their families. I have read some reviews that said "where is the story?!" or that the pace was too slow. The story is there all along. There are no stunning twists and turns. There are some shocks along the way, but nothing explosive. It sneaks up on you. I found Mary Beth Keane's writing to keep me engaged from the first chapter until the end. I wanted to know more, more, more! I felt as if the Stanhope's and the Gleeson's were my neighbors, and I was peeking out of my window watching everything that was happening. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. It's a great story, and one that will stick with me for a while.

Ask Again Yes is a subtle reflection on relationships and mental health issues. Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope meet as partners in the NYC police department and then later become neighbors in a small community. Their become inextricably linked as their children Peter and Kate forge a friendship. This book covers a long span of years, and follows the twists and turns of their lives.
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Ultimately I gave this book 3 stars. There were points of the book I really loved, but between those moments I found it hard to remain engaged in the story. I did appreciate how this book handled mental illness and its focus on forgiveness and redemption. Kate and Peter were beautiful and fully formed characters, and I will definitely continue to reflect on their stories and the meaning of it. I recommend this book if you enjoy family dramas that cover a long span of years and more subtle character based narratives.
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!