Ask again Yes is the love story of Kate and Peter and their Families starting from the 1970's to present time .Two NYC Police Officers move next door to each other in the sleepy suburbs when suddenly tragedy strikes one family that impacts on the other ..This is a very well written story about alcoholism,mental health and ultimately love and forgiveness .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book, but overall, I wasn’t disappointed.

It’s beautifully written, at times quite haunting and evocative. It’s a family saga which covers two families over some forty years. There’s drama, heartbreak, loss but there’s also live and I found it totally immersive. It made a change from my usual genre and I enjoyed it.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

It pains me to write this but I think I will probably be in the minority of not absolutely loving this book. We just didn't click.

The story of the two neighbouring families in New York disliking each other progressed at a very steady pace. A little fuss, a little drama but nothing in the grand scheme of things after the one major disruption in their lives. I found it pleasant but not earth-shattering. Although I didn't connect with the storyline the writing was brilliant and descriptive.

The love between the children of the pair of families was inevitable. You could see that coming from the beginning.

The characters were just there. The only one I found interesting was Anne, touching on mental health issues which I think were handled well. Not all mental health problems are recognised early on or dealt with immediately so to see a prolonged storyline involving this was good.

The alcoholism was also portrayed well, showing how these things can build up over time without being noticed, or perhaps that they run in families . The relapse into drinking again also felt like it could be relatable to many. Too many times you read of a miraculous recovery with no relapse, which rarely happens in real life.

All together I found this book just so-so, perhaps I wasn't the intended reader, but I'm still glad to have read it.

I adored this book about 'suburban' life in New York state. Thinking back I don't think that many of the characters were likeable, but that certainly doesn't stop your enjoyment.

The novel paints a rather harsh picture of how families and family history can impact on one's life but, apart from one major event, it's all about the minutiae of everyday life.

‘Ask Again, Yes’ is a totally absorbing read, beautifully crafted and written with empathy and care. This novel pretty much encapsulates everything about life; love, pain, faults, goodness, misunderstandings, judgements, prejudice and reconciliation. This is the bittersweet love story of Kate and Peter and that of their families, stretching from the 1970s to the present day. Two families, with some lives lived well and others living with awful repercussions and terrible remembrances.

Kate and Peter are childhood best friends and next door neighbours. They just know that they will be together forever: that is until there is a dreadful incident which drives their families apart for decades. When Kate and Peter find each other again they face the challenge of bringing their families to some kind of reunion, whilst individually suffering from their memories of the past. The narrative delves into the darker aspects of family life, mental illness, alcoholism, mental and infidelity.

This is not my normal genre but I was fully engrossed in the story and totally invested in the lives of Kate and Peter. The characters are beautifully drawn and the descriptions of addiction and mental illness are created with sensitivity and compassion. The relationships described are deeply moving and complex. This is the kind of book that I would read more than once. It is a wonderful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up

A solid novel covering around four decades which tells the story of two neighbouring families whose lives become inextricably intertwined after a tragic incident takes place. I'd describe this as great book club fodder but don't let that put you off -- while it's a family saga on the impacts of mental health and alcoholism on relationships it makes for an engaging and compelling read. More on the women's fiction side of literary fiction, but I reckon it'd make for a great beach read for many.

Beautifully written. Looking back at childhood from an adult’s View. I found this absolutely mesmerising.
4/5 on goodreads.

I throughly enjoyed this book, it was calming despite the heavy story line. The story was delivered in such a lovely way that it wasn’t a read where your heart is in your mouth but you were quietly rooting for them all as people, as family and as a whole.
Some books with a storyline like this you have a racing heart and rush through the pages to find out who did it but this was transparent and not a book to be rushed though I did finish it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down!
It made me smile, laugh, tear up and even silently, willing them to move forward with their lives.
It’s special with many levels to the story but still I felt a calmness whilst reading it which is quite an achievement.
It’s written in such a clever and new way and I’m happy I’ve read it.
I will praise this book and the author to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I absolutely loved this, it was exactly my sort of book. Subtle and profound, an enjoyable and moving journey through the lives of two families. It made important points about mental health and addiction, touching on big topics and tragedy whilst also showing that they're the fabric of normal life. It felt similar to a Celeste Ng or Anna Quindlen title where both everything and nothing happens.

Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a great read; the story had a good pace, not an overly complex plot but the characterisation made for quite a profound, intense book. I enjoyed it and will look out for this author.

A most wonderful book. There is lots going on and there are dramatic events, but these are almost secondary to the characters and their relationships. The writing is beautiful - gentle and heartfelt.
I loved it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

This is a moving story of families and love. At times it felt quite slow and drawn out but as it spanned over several decades I felt this was right. Beautifully written.

Ask Again, Yes tells the story of two families - the Gleesons and the Stanhopes - over several years, focusing particularly on the friendship between the youngest Gleeson daughter, Kate, and Peter, the only child of the Stanhopes.
The book centres around a tragedy which has a lasting impact on both families, and explores both the circumstances leading up to that event, and the journeys of the families as they try to move forward and find peace.
It is beautifully written - I was completely drawn in and wanted to read more. The characters are vivid and realistic, each with their own flaws and issues but very relatable.
The book touches on themes such as love, family ties, friendship, mental illness, addiction, and forgiveness, which means that while it's an easy and enjoyable read it is also thought-provoking, and it is definitely one that will stick with me.

4.5 stars

This was a fantastic family drama. Mental health and addiction are two of the main themes in the story of two families who live next door to each other, and spend their lives intertwined.

A must read - beautifully written and completely engrossing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Pubishing for the ARC of this book!

Two rookie cops, Francis and Brian, patrol together in New York for 6 weeks. They move to adjacent houses in an upstate suburb. Brian's wife is standoffish and the families don't socialise. Brian's only son and Francis' youngest daughter become soul-mates though. A dramatic event changes all their lives,

A story of love, compassion, human decency and redemption. An emotional family drama well told.

Ask Again, Yes is a set in New York and covers two families intertwined forever during the course of their lives.
A family saga type drama that was both heartbreaking yet uplifting.
A fast paced book filled with secrets, betrayal, attempted murder, family feuds, mental health, infidelity, alcoholism and ghosts of the past.
I read this slowly and digested every piece of information, as there is so much to keep you interested.
I normally read thrillers, so this is a step away from my usual genres, but I quite enjoyed this. I must admit I spent a lot of the book wondering what was going on and where this book was heading, but it kept my attention and left me wanting to read more.
A very talented writer, she writes with empathy and and concern for her character, emotions you as the reader also feel.
It’s raw, it’s real and touching. Relationships are messy, and Keane portrays this brilliantly.

Excellent!
This was a compelling and thought provoking read. Set in the suburbs of NYC this is the tale of two Irish American families, living side by side whose lives and woven together on one fateful day.
A mature and sensitive exploration of the subjects of mental health and addiction, provoking the age old questions of nature over nurture. Is it our experiences and circumstances that’s define us or we all held hostage to our genetic make up.

A really great read, very absorbing, very sad but uplifting at the same time, hooked me from start to finish, a story about family and tragedy and how it can all still come together

One of my favourite books this year. Two policemen in New York marry and end up living next door to eVh other in the suburbs. Their lives intertwined, their youngest children the very best of friends. Until a terrible event shatters them forever. Reminded ,e strongly of Ann Patchett in that I could have happily just read this forever. I didn’t need a plot, or a compulsion to keep turning because it was full of twists and turns. Just fantastic engaging writing with two truly memorable families. I’d be underselling this by describing this as family drama. Go read it!

Two innocent children growing up alongside one another then divided by family conflict and trauma.

Peter and Kate's life couldn't be more different, the only things they have in common are the place where they live and their fathers' job. As the pair get older a tragedy occurs and the two soul mates find themselves separated. In the coming years they seek comfort in one another and are reunited but can the past stay in the past and can forgiveness and peace be made?

This was an interesting read delving into the themes of mental health, alcoholism, neglect, forgiveness, family and love. It was well written with credible characters. I loved the way Keane developed each of the characters and by the end made you question who were in fact the victims. I also loved how the title was revealed towards the end, this was a real 'ahh' moment for me.

This would be a great book club book as it would spark lots of discussion, especially about the role each character had to play in the novel and the themes presented.