Marriage drama, failing business, and more nonsense that honestly felt unreasonable and unrealistic. This story was okay., but I was definitely not invested in the characters or the storyline in the slightest.

A character-driven, quiet, somber drama, where the realities of reckoning with decisions and grappling with a marriage and a life that doesn't go as planned require the reader's thoughtful attention. Stay for the realistic, imperfect characters and atmospheric small-town setting, skip if you're looking for something more plot-driven.

I had a little bit of a difficulty getting into the book for the first few chapters but the story was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. Once I got into the story, it was an enjoyable read.

"Half Moon" by Mary Beth Keane is a poignant exploration of dreams, disappointments, and the complexities of marriage set against the backdrop of a small town and its beloved bar. Malcolm Gephardt, the charismatic bartender turned owner of the Half Moon, grapples with the challenges of running a business while his wife, Jess, confronts the heartbreak of infertility. Keane skillfully navigates their intertwined narratives over the course of a week filled with shocking revelations, a missing patron, and a crippling blizzard.

With lyrical prose and keen insight, Keane delves into the intricacies of midlife, forgiveness, and the bonds of family. While some may find the characters unlikable, Keane's ability to evoke empathy for their struggles is undeniable. Despite its slow pace, "Half Moon" captivates with its intimate portrayal of ordinary lives touched by extraordinary circumstances.

For readers who appreciate nuanced storytelling and introspective narratives, "Half Moon" offers a compelling journey through the highs and lows of human experience. Though not without its flaws, this novel resonates with authenticity and emotional depth, earning it a solid four stars.

Does anyone write more complex and heartbreaking characters better than Mary Beth Keane? The relationship between Malcom and Jess felt genuine and raw as they dealt with the growing divide in their marriage. Deeply-felt emotions sit at the heart of their story as it moves from their original meeting to their evolving relationship. Reading how real their relationship felt and how vulnerable the two main characters are written prompts some introspection into your own relationships and self as a whole. While the book seems to move slowly and doesn’t contain major action plot points, it isn’t missing anything. Keane is clearly a character-driven writer and does a phenomenal job at it.

The chapters were so insufferable. I thought the idea behind the story was great, but it was so dragged out I couldn’t get into it, no matter how hard I tried.

This was a hard, heartbreaking love story of what happens when you life does not go as expected. I loved the focus on Malcolm and Jess Gephardt and how they both dealt with the loss of something important to them - having a child and losing a bar that has been their identity. I enjoyed the exploration of love in all shapes and feeling as if your life might be passing you by.

This was a slow burn drama and was hard to keep my attention the whole time. I loved the small town vibes and side characters, but it just wasn't enough drama. The timelines and POVs kept me interested and it flowed nicely, but wasn't very plot driven.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
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Malcolm owns a bar called the Half Moon. The bar is not doing well. He and his wife, Jess, have had a rough go of things. And there is a blizzard coming to town. When it ends, one person will be missing.
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I almost DNFed this book. I got half way through and didn’t really care for either character. They were kind of awful and I didn’t want to finish.
But I did.
The second half of the book was ok, but it didn’t make me like it really.
I feel like this book was more of a character study with no real happy ending, more of a “people make mistakes and life goes on” vibe to it. Not my ideal.
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I gave it 3⭐️⭐️⭐️, it was meh.

A somber, yet familiar tale of a husband and wife prone to struggle after hardship hits their marriage. I really enjoyed this book.

Keane’s previous novel, Ask Again, Yes is an excellent, complex novel about two families from several years ago. She’s narrowing the lens this time and focusing on a couple, Malcolm and Jess who are navigating their marriage while trying to keep a bar afloat (Malcolm’s dream) and start a family (Jess’s dream). When both those dreams start to crumble, their marriage does as well. Set over one week in a blizzard, this novel weaves emotional literary fiction with the mystery of a missing bar patron.

Keane is a masterful writer and the dark emotions of her characters always ring true. At the same time, I find her work a bit bleak, and that bleakness doesn’t let up. A bit of levity would go a long way in making these characters more rounded–and helping me to care about them, and the outcome, a little more.

TW: infertility

Thank you to @scribnerbooks for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 is a quietly beautiful novel about marriage and a failing bar, set over the course of one week. I am in love with Mary Beth Keane’s writing and I couldn’t out this one down.

The author’s previous book 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘠𝘦𝘴, was also moody and atmospheric and brilliantly written. She has once again captured my heart with this emotional story about The Half Moon, a local pub run by Malcolm, who has toiled there for years first as a bartender and now as the owner. His wife Jess is a lawyer who is beginning to feel discontented in her marriage. She and Malcolm have tried unsuccessfully to have a baby and it has taken a harsh toll on their relationship.

The dual timelines set the stage for how Malcolm and Jess first met and fell in love. Malcolm is the handsome, gregarious type who friends and family always turn to for help or support. Jess is more introverted and thoughtful. Both of them are deeply flawed, realistic characters.

I love how the author unflinchingly portrays the struggles of marriage, job pressures and family relationships. There is also a rather mysterious but very engaging side story about a missing bar patron, and several other supporting side characters who I loved.

Both Malcolm and Jess make some questionable choices but the author never judges them. I loved the satisfying conclusion of this book which ended on a hopeful and uplifting note. If you love small-town, character driven novels about marriage and family, you’ll love 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯.

Malcolm is a bartender while his wife, Jess, is a successful lawyer who puts her career first. These two are polar opposites who don't really seem to be meant to be. After some shocking events, Malcolm must balance his marriage and his bar under snowy circumstances.

I really liked the imagery this book provided. I could picture Malcolm and Jess very well. It's the type of dynamic that you can read well and image what they are like in real life. In other words, very realistic. I appreciated that I felt these characters were not just your run-in-the-mill "lawyer" and "bartender". I felt like there was more to them. I also really enjoyed the ending and felt it was the perfect way to end their story.

DNF @ 54%. While I have loved Keane’s other books and appreciate her focus on characterization this story just really didn’t pull me in. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, but it didn’t. Perhaps these particular characters just weren’t fascinating to me!

This is a family drama but I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I found them to be almost unlikable. It is a slow burn even though the setting is over the course of a single week. I did become invested in the story and it was well written.

To be honest, I didn't love this book. It was slow to start and in some spots throughout. I had trouble at first decifering whose point of view the story was being told from and found myself having to reread in order to get it straight. Overall - 3 stars.

I was a big fan of Mary Beth Keane's Ask Again, Yes, so I was delighted to receive a copy of The Half Moon. In this book, Keane provides readers with a realistic portrayal of a marriage at its breaking point. This will be for readers who appreciate literary fiction and character exploration over fast-moving plot lines.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

The story and writing of this book is good, and I would love to go back and read it in full at some point, but I struggled to engage with this book at the time I began it so I DNFd it about five chapters in. I have heard nothing but great things from all who have read it, and I look forward to trying other books by Keane in the future.

Thank you to Mary Beth Keane, Scribner and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book for an honest review.

2 1/2 stars rounded up.

Malcolm feels like he has always worked at a bar and it is his destiny. When the bar he practically lives at come up for sale, he strikes a dangerous bargain and takes over. But he never could expect the downturn in business or how quickly he is losing money. He is also losing his relationship with his wife, Jess. She is tired of watching him work himself to the bone over a failing enterprise, but his stubbornness won’t let him quit. When a winter storm hits, we watch the unraveling of Malcolm’s life and then the resolution as his family steps up. Overall a good story. I just wasn’t super invested in the characters and there wasn’t a lot of hope until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 63% through.
Couldn't listen to a woman trying to justify having an affair any more. More interested in Malcom's story, but there wasn't enough of that to keep me listening.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.