What a remarkable story! Written in very spare prose, Landslide tells the story of Jillian Archer, her marriage to Kit, and her relationship with her two teenage sons, Charlie and Sam. Raising teenagers is treacherous enough but Jill has the added pressure of Kit's recent serious accident. He is a commercial fisherman and has been hospitalized in Canada, hours away from the family's home in Maine.

Jill refers to her sons as "the wolves" and she is torn between being at her husband's bedside and staying home with her son, who are both challenging her in different ways. I was immediately drawn into this family's story and loved the setting of a tiny Maine fishing village. The author does a wonderful job of exploring how the commercial fishing industry has suffered and the toll it takes on the fisherman and their families. But fishing is in Kit's blood and is the only thing he has ever known.

If you like books that explore marriage and long-term relationships, you will love this book. Jill begins to think her husband is not the man she thought she married and begins to question whether this life is for her. Her marriage and her relationship with her sons all seem to be unraveling at once. I loved the conclusion of this book and the way the author reveals that everything is not always black and white. Parenting and marriage and tough and happy endings are not always guaranteed.

I felt Jill's interactions with her sons were all incredibly realistic, as painful and funny as they are in real life. I couldn't wait to see what they would do next! The title of the book is very fitting as it parallels the Stevie Nicks song, and what happens when your life comes crashing down around you. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more of Susan Conley's books.

(Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reading copy, provided in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.)

My babies are still small, and this novel made me equal parts excited for them to be teenagers and so petrified. I loved reading about this family (even in their state of crisis) that feels not too far off from where my family will be. Easily comparable to J Courtney Sullivan or some of Maggie O’Farrell’s contemporary novels. Good character driven fiction.

This is a beautiful, slow burn of a novel where time seems to be standing still and yet so much is happening. Conley masterfully chronicles the challenge of raising teen boys, especially when there is genuine reason for concern. She gets that dance that mothers have to do, trying not to say too much, not being able to say nothing, and then blurting out the wrong thing. But as much as this book is about mothering boys, it's also about marriage and trust, faith and patience. The writing is exquisite and precise, the Maine setting conjured in all its bleak wildness and compelling beauty.

Loved, loved this book. Even the cover is perfect. Full of heart and insights, and it made me care so very deeply about every single character--which is always my litmus test.

Landslide by Susan Conley is titled for the Stevie Nicks’ song that she penned about the changes and challenges of life, which certainly fits Jillian’s life at the opening to the book when the tune is playing on the radio in her car. Jillian’s son Sam, who was with his friend Liam when Liam fell to his death, deals with survival guilt. Jillian’s fisherman husband Kit has suffered serious injuries from an explosion on a boat and is in a hospital seven hours from their home in Maine. More complications will occur in the story as the Archers’ lives are headed for a landslide.

Life is challenging enough raising two teenage boys, and when Jillian is left to parent them alone while Kit is in the hospital far from home, things become a bit too much. Add to that the realization that Kit may have been having an affair prior to the explosion makes it almost unbearable for Jillian.

The pacing of the book keeps one reading, and the characters seem true to life.

Susan Conley has also written Elsey Come Home, Paris Was the Place, and The Foremost Good Fortune. She has also been published in The New York Times Magazine, The Paris Review, The Huffington Post, Ploughshares, and The Harvard Review. She teaches at the University of Maine’s Stonecoast MFA Program.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting December 14, 2020.

I would like to thank Alfred A. Knopf, Borzoi Books, and Penguin Random House LLC ¬ for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Loved this book. Relatable! Loved the setting of Maine. Easy read and fast. Great for book club discussion. Will definitely recommend

I am not sure if I was in the right headspace for this book. The story of a woman and her family facing all sort of obstacles one after another was not what I was really looking for right after my mother died, we are in a pandemic and staring down an election. It was well-thought out and well written but it was not a relaxing read.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jillian is a filmmaker, wife, and mother. She struggles with money, her teenagers, and the elements as she tries to hold her family together after her husband's tragic accident.

The characters are flawed and likeable.

Wow! What a landslide. Susan Conley's book, Landslide, will keep you on edge the entire read. It made me realize how many traumatic events in individuals' lives can remain with them and affect their relationships severely throughout their lives and the lives of their loved ones. I was rooting for Jillian the entire way with Sam, Charlie, and Kit while feeling some of her frustration and hopelessness, too. A great read.

This is a beautifully written novel about a family in crisis. They must face a veritable landslide of difficult events. Health, emotional and financial issues all pike up during the very short time period described in the novel. Flashbacks help us understand the characters, but I felt the need for more depth.

It’s engaging but I would have preferred better character development.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.