A story full of characters you will love and family dynamics that will entrap you, this book was so well developed but written so simply. I loved the different perspectives we saw - from outsiders and insiders. I truly can't wait to read other books by this author, as i enjoyed the writing style so much!

My take: 3.5 out of 5. Repeating parental actions and mistakes is an epidemic in this book. An exercise in the futility of our every day lives, and how intergenerational patters and mistakes can continue and how empowering it is to let go of those. Its a good book and it definitely is a very well written book it just needed a bit more action. I appreciated the character development it was just a tad boring at times. Bonus points (and it raised itself to 3.5 from a 3) for the good ending, I was very satisfied by it. “men do things and women apologize for it”

Why did I choose it: It was in a lot of lists of books to look forward in 2024. It was also a Book of the Month option, and although I did not pick that one it intrigued me enough to ask for an ARC and I got it!. It also got described as a type of Hello Beautiful but with men (let me assure you it is not, Hello Beautiful was one of my favorite books, this is not to that level for me)

Read this if you like(d): Family dramas, small town stories. This feels very art house movie like.

I had such a hard time getting into this book. I love small towns, I love drama. But I couldn't keep track of anyone or anything. I blame this as a ME problem, not the author.

I really wanted to love this one but as I kept reading the more I kept wondering when it would get to the point.

I loved this one. Gut punches and all. Loved the people in it, their tenacity, the storylines.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Shiner by Amy Jo Burns, so I was super excited to see she had a new one coming out.
Mercury is *so* excellent and did not in any way disappoint. I loved it!! It hits all the notes of good complicated family stories and literary fiction that keep me coming back to these genres time and again.

I love Marley and was rooting for her the entire time. And I really appreciated getting to see the family relationships mature/change/develop over time, and also how we got to see some of the same events through the different brother's eyes. This book made me feel all the feels.

I appreciated that just like in life, people are messy and broken, but there is love to be had in the midst of it. Some parts of the story ended happily, while some are not tied up with a bow.

Also, the roofing family business totally made me think of Wally Lamb's "I know This Much Is True", which I was not at all mad about.

Well written, well worth my time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

There's something about a family drama set in the 1990s that I will always relate to. The characters felt real, the drama and situations high stakes, and the character development was great.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for a copy of Mercury in exchange for an honest review.

Mercury is an interesting literary fiction following the lives of the Joseph family and a new-to-town girl, Marley. The story starts out with a body being found in the attic of a church, but that is only a small part of a greater story being told.

Mack Joseph came back from Vietnam much like many soldiers, broken both mentally and emotionally. His wife, Elise, was left to mend their relationship while also raising 3 boys. By the time Marley comes around, the Baylor and Waylon are in high school, while younger brother Shay tags along on roofing jobs for the family business, Joseph and Sons.

While I imagine many can relate to the mental and emotional abuse they were put through as children of a parent who fought in a war (before PTSD was recognized and helped), the story of Elise Joseph and her own struggles really stood out for me. I know the main storyline involves Marley and Waylon, but I found the plot of Elise and how she struggled and fought to keep a family together so beautiful.


Overall, I would give this books 3.5 stars. While I did enjoy most of the book, I did find myself getting a bit bored in the middle and hoping to “get to the point” and find out more about the body that was found.

This book will tug at your heartstrings and also keep you reading to figure out just what they're hiding! Coming of age drama. I will say that it felt fractured and that it could use some editing in areas. Overall 3.5

Will family loyalty and appearances become tarnished by a deep, dark secret?

I thoroughly enjoyed this enticing story based in a small Pennsylvania town. We meet Elise and Mick Joseph, and their three sons, as well as Marley West and her mom, Ruth. As Marley becomes more a part of the integral threads that bind the Joseph family together, we see her grow into strength and perseverance in such a relatable way. She battles insecurities, learning to be a mother to both her own as well as learning to mother the family, trying to tame a strong (and over inflated) ego and save face for the family. These dynamics are both relatable and concerning, but told in such a compelling way it was hard to put it down!

This book was deep. I had never read this author before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a complex study of a dysfunctional family dynamic, and a very character driven story. I was entranced in this story for some reason. I wanted to know what happened to each and every character. Why they acted the way they did, and how each person became that way. The author, Amy Jo Burns, delivered on all accounts.

This story starts off with a young teenage Marley moving into the town of Mercury, with her mother Ruth. Marley right away becomes involved with Baylor Joseph, which gets her a seat at the Joseph family table for dinner each night. The Joseph family consists of three brothers- Baylor, Waylon, and Shay. The Joseph parents are Mick and Elise. The Joseph men own their own roofing company, and Elise tries to uphold the family name.

As the story progresses, we learn of the many secrets the Joseph family is hiding. We see how Marley has made herself a part of the Joseph family as well, even though Elise may have never really liked her. Did Marley choose the wrong or right brother in the end? Was Marley more of a mother to Shay than Elise could ever be? And why do the Joseph men always stick up for each other?

This book was gritty and raw. The characters kept me captivated from the first page all the way through until the last page. If you enjoy highly developed, character-driven stories- then this is the book for you! I highly recommend this story, and I will be looking for other reads from this author going forward.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

3 stars

This was just ok. A coming of age family drama that had a decent plot but could use some editing. I found myself losing interest as I trudged through the writing.

"Mercury" by Amy Jo Burns takes us on a nostalgic journey to a small Pennsylvania town, where secrets simmer beneath the surface and friendships are tested by the weight of the past.

The book shines in its portrayal of complex characters and the dynamics of family.

While "Mercury" is rich in atmosphere and emotion, some readers might find the pacing a bit slow, and certain plot points could use more fleshing out. The back-and-forth between past and present is a tad disorienting at times.

While it may not be the most gripping read, it offers moments of insight and reflection with its lyrical prose and poignant exploration of identity and belonging. I'd give it a solid 3.25/5 stars.

Mercury is a story about family dynamics told through multiple POV starting in the 90’s and spanning about 10 years.

I love a good family dynamics story and Mercury did it well! I became very invested in each character and learning more about each one and what has made them into who they are. This book is perfect for anyone who really enjoys a lot of character development in their books.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing and found that the book moved quickly for me. I liked the time jumps and different perspectives and found they made the book’s pace move faster. My only criticism would be that I felt it wrapped up too quickly and would have liked a little more information on where some of the characters ended up.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns, is a story about family drama and all the secrets they keep from one another. I really enjoyed this book and all the characters were well written, and couldn’t put it down. Thanks Netgalley for this arc.

This book was a great slow burn and I could not put it down. I really liked the style of writing it was easy to flow and follow.

This books follows Marley a young woman with a single working mom as they move to Mercury, PA and she gets woven into the Joseph family of three brothers with a family roofing business. It’s a slow burn of how lives unfold and how you need to protect your happiness.

My favorite parts were seeing how sibling order plays into dynamics through these brothers lifetime. It is tough at times how hard things get and how stuck you feel in Marleys shoes but I do love the strength and friendships she forms along the way.

This drama, a family and their secrets was well written, although I found it rather slow at times. Marley is a wife to one brother an ex lover to another and a mother to the third. Her relationships with the family are many things and she supports them in many ways, When she stumbles upon her mother-in-law‘s big secret, she helps her hide it from the men in the family. As Elise, loses herself, Marley tries to keep the family together. This story shows the strength of women and the weaknesses of the men they support. Although it was well written I had a hard time loving any of the characters. I enjoyed the book but it wasn’t hugely satisfying to me. Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy.

Mercury is a family drama and character study. On the surface, it’s about the Joseph boys and their relationship with the women in their lives. It’s about a family business and a gruesome discovery. It’s about the secrets kept out of love, protection, and self preservation. It’s about finding peace in a life that doesn’t necessarily pan out the way you envision it. Beautifully written, a few dramatic events lead you through the story of this family of clashing personalities who have their own ways of loving each other. I felt attached to these flawed characters and found myself endeared to each of them as the author effortlessly weaves their stories and motivations together.

I read and reviewed a galley of #Mercury thanks to #NetGalley

In 1990, seventeen-year-old Marley West moves to the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop. The three Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink. Soon, she is young wife to one, The One Who Got Away to another, and adopted mother to them all. As their own mother fades away and their roofing business crumbles under the weight of their unwieldy father’s inflated ego, Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later, an eerie discovery in the church attic causes old wounds to resurface and suddenly the family’s survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they’ve always known―or whether together they can build something stronger in its place.

Thank you @netgalley, @burnsamyjo, and @celadonbooks for this ARC! I love a good family drama, and this book definitely delivered! The book starts off with a body being discovered in the attic of the town’s church, and then goes back in time to build up to who the body belongs to, and how it got there. The first 40% or so was a little slow as the background was laid and the characters established leading up to the ultimate reveal. I was a little annoyed at this at first because I wanted to know what was happened to the person on the attic, but the character development and eventual reveal played out so well and I loved all of the drama as it unfolded. I really loved Marley’s character growth and her relationships with each of the three brothers, especially Shay. The characters were so well developed all around, and I loved how the story really dove into the complexities of the relationships of the Joseph family. If you like family dramas, pick up Mercury!

Unpopular opinion - I really didn't enjoy this one. I didn't really connect to any of the characters and thought all of them were just miserable. I kept going thinking it was my mood and I would eventually start to like the story at least but that didn't happen.