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.

This tale delves into the intricate dynamics of a family, exploring how secrets and sacrifices strain familial bonds. Raised by their resilient mother, Elise, and their impulsive father, Mick, the Joseph boys find themselves constantly shielding Mick from the consequences of his actions. The arrival of Marley, a new addition to the family through marriage, eventually plays a crucial role in the success of the family business but also assumes the responsibility of protecting Elise. As the sons grapple with the roles imposed on them by their parents and navigate unspoken emotions, concealed secrets reach a climax, threatening to irreparably fracture the brothers' relationship.

I felt this book was beautifully written. I couldn’t put it down. This is a great character driven book that will have you “in your feelings” as you empathize with each character’s struggles

Mercury is the raw and unfiltered story of a roofing family in the early 1990s in a rust belt town. It’s quite an interesting character study and a deep look into the complexity of human relationships. I truly cared about these characters despite their flaws. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it though parts of it were heartbreaking.

I have a confession. I judge books by their cover. I do NOT like the cover of this book however I took a chance on reading this book (mainly because I was given a copy of it) and I am glad I did.

Marly West is only 17 years old when she moves to Mercury, Pennsylvania. Being the new girl in a small town quickly draws the attention of others. She finds herself sitting at the Joseph's family dinner table after meeting Baylor Joseph but she soon finds herself in the arms of his brother Waylon.

Marly ends up pregnant and marrying Waylon. She interests herself into the Joseph family roofing business and into the family. Family secrets and family drama quickly becomes a main character in this story as does the body found in the church attic.

The character relationships are complex and deep and sometimes your left wondering if Marly is with the right Jospeh brother. This dysfunctional family and murder make for an interesting read that will keep you turning the pages in order to discover what becomes of this family.

Marley falls in love with the Joseph family almost from the moment she moves to their small steel town. And it seems that the boys fall in love with her just as easily. Becoming a part of their family is far from easy. Even though she struggles, she does everything she can to hold the family together and still maintain her individuality.

The family drama in this one is the key to this story. So much happens in this book that it’s hard to choose which is the worst or most significant event. It was emotional and at times challenging to read.

This is my first book by Amy Jo and I definitely want to read more by her.
Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

Mercury is a family saga centering around the Josephs, a roofing family living in Western Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Amy Jo Burns does an incredible job hooking the reader in the opening chapter when the Joseph brothers find a dead body while repairing their church's roof. Before we find out the mystery of the unknown body, Burns takes us back to 1990 when Marley West and her mom arrive in Mercury, and Marley is immediately drawn into the Josephs' orbit. I enjoyed the backstory of the family and the secrets, though I did get frustrated with the characters' choices and their lack of communication. Recommended for readers of literary fiction who enjoy character-driven stories. Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon, and Amy Jo Burns for the librarian preview copy!

This was such an amazing novel for me. It is highly character driven, and the Joseph family included an eclectic bunch. It is hard not to empathize with each of them, as their lives unfold throughout the 1990s in the small rural town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. We also learn of their pasts through flashbacks, such as when the heads of the Joseph family, Mick and Elise first met, married, and finally lived together and began raising their family, when Mick came home from the Vietnam War. They had three sons, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay, and the men in the family worked together to build a commercial roofing company.
Baylor and Waylon meet Marley, a new girl in town, and she quickly becomes enthralled by them and being a part of their family. From there, Amy Jo Burns takes you through the next decade of their lives, and touches on so many subjects. These characters are so complex, and the phenomenal way in which this was written had me completely drawn in. Just when I thought I knew where things were headed, I would be completely surprised by the turn in events. There is so much to this novel and the characters, the town… I really think this has something for everyone. I will be thinking about the Joseph family for a long time! Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC!

Wonderful family drama about a family of roofers living in Mercury, Pennsylvania. The Joshua Family, a mother, father and their three sons, befriend Marley, a lonely teenage girl who has just moved to the small town of Mercury. Since Marley’s mother is a nurse and works constantly, Marley dreams of being part of the Joseph family who sits down together for dinner every evening and seems to have the perfect family life. As Marley is torn between the two oldest brothers and becomes a surrogate mother to the youngest brother, shocking secrets are revealed that may destroy the Joseph family..

This was an interesting story with many plot turns that were unexpected. When I thought I did not like a character, the author revealed a back story that made me see the character in a completely new light. This book reminded me that everyone has a past that has shaped them into the person they are; therefore, we should not judge others.

Phenomenal writing and character development by Amy Jo Burns. Thank you Net Galley and Celadon Books for the Advanced Reader Copy! I really enjoyed this novel and will be recommending Mercury to my friends who love to read. #NetGalley #Mercury

I loved Shiner by Amy Jo Burns so I was really excited to read this one, but after trying multiple times, I DNFed at 30%. It just wasn't cutting it for me, that pacing was too slow, and I wasn't getting a clear plot that grabbed me. I dig character-driven stories, but I usually need some bit of plot to see where the story is going too and and one just wasn't doing it for me.

Dysfunctional family story that you will feel true fondness for, despite the character flaws. The Joseph family is authentic and I loved the setting of Mercury, PA.

Marley’s voice is heard most frequently but I liked getting chapters with other family members perspectives as well.

All around great read for a character-driven family story.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of the book. My first time reading a book by this author and won’t be the last!

A definitely more heavy story about family dynamics and how it shapes you. The book centers around the Joseph’ brothers, their mother, father and Marley who comes into their lives and changes them all. Definitely see how family dynamics molds you but doesn’t have to define you. Marley comes in to their lives during a time when it’s not easy to be a teenager in a new town. She finds herself wrapped up to the Jospeh brothers quickly.

There were a few twists that keeps you interest in wanting to read more. I was happy that the author added twists since it could get heavy at times. I was definitely rooting for them all to find their happiness with life and who they are meant to be

A book about deep family generational drama. It carries pockets of secrets that are captivating as they unfold. I recommend this book to anyone who loves family drama.
Thank you netgallery and the publisher for letting me read a copy of this book.

So. Many. Secrets. This book is heavy with the weight of the Joseph family dynamic. And while family patriarch Mick has minimal direct "scenes" in the plot, his presence is overbearing. Elise seems like a strong character but so much of her energy goes into keeping her family together, she can't seem to keep her own self from falling apart. Both parents passed down their toxic traits for the Joseph clan to work through in the pre-antidepressant and therapy age. Interesting and engaging to watch all the secrets eventually unravel throughout the book's many flashbacks, a technique that served the overall plot well.

So. Many. Decisions. The effect of Marley's many choices and loyalties ripples throughout the Joseph's grand house. For such a young character, she shows more complexity and strength than any of the others, rising above her station again and again. A character than had me rooting for her--and surprisingly, even her marriage.

And all this from a body discovered in the rafters. One small plot hole though: when Marley goes to clean it with Jade, she puts the ring in her back pocket, but later it's referred to as her not noticing it fell off her finger.

Otherwise and overall enjoyable enough to recommend with a shout out over the rooftops!

4.5. I really enjoyed this book. Great character development & I felt so invested in this dysfunctional family dynamic. This book is memorable, & I think it will definitely stick with me.

Well written family drama. Despite the abundance of character descriptions, I found the characters fairly muddy. The depictions were often at odds with one another and left me wondering who these people were supposed to be. The last half of the novel worked better for me as their actions finally defined them. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Shiner by this author, so Mercury was on my most anticipated list. It’s a family drama, which I love, character driven and a quiet story in many ways. It’s the story of Marley West, who settles in Mercury with her single mother, a nurse who works long hours. Marley meets the Joseph brothers who are well-known in town and own a roofing company with their father. She becomes interested in one of the brothers, Baylor, but he is hot and cold. That’s when she and Way connect and fall deeply in love. Marley becomes wife to Way, but deeply in twined in all three brothers lives and becomes a mother figure to all of them after their mother dies.

The relationship between Marley and the family was suffocating in how much they needed her and how desperately some of them wanted her in ways they could not. The story with Elise, the mother, seemed a bit off to me and was not that believable because her character was not very developed. The relationship between Marley and her own mom could have been better developed.

“You can have more than one home, Shay.” She took his hand and held it in her own. “We’ll always be the people you’re from.”

My first read of 2024 was Mercury, and man, it set the bar high for the rest of the year. If you love character driven stories, small town vibes, and complicated family sagas - this is for you! With an underlying current of mystery, Mercury follows Marley as she moves to a small town and forms a bond with the complicated Joseph family.

It’s a beautiful story that had me reading late into the night, which I haven’t done in a long time! Despite the character flaws, the author will have you rooting for each one of them and I was sad to see the book come to an end. While Burns’ writing is unique, I found it similar to Tracey Lange’s books, the slow-burn/character focused nature.

A shoutout to @nightowl.bookworm who shared that this was a ‘read now’ earlier this year on NetGalley and prompted me to request it/read it so fast! Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the eARC. Mercury is now out in the world and I’d highly recommend picking it up!

I am late on the train with this book but it was a solid read! Recommend for anyone that wants to get lost in a drama story that makes you escape your own life. Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you Celadon books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Mercury was an emotional read. Picking apart the bonds and fissures between a family, Amy Jo Burns beautifully illustrates the complexities in each relationship. There were many times I found myself to be frustrated with the characters and their choices, and I wish I could have reached inside the book and changed their paths. Overall, this story was a great work of literary fiction.

Thank you again for the ARC!

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is an emotional story about how the decisions we make affect our lives and the meaning of love and family. Marley moves to the small town of Mercury and meets the Joseph brothers. She instantly falls in with their family when dating the oldest brother; however, she ends up marrying the middle brother, and her decision will affect the family bonds. Years into the future, Marley’s marriage is complicated and the brothers’ bond is tenuous. When a body is found in the church attic, they al lol must face the decisions they’ve made in the past, and it will either strengthen their family bond or break it.

I loved this book. I felt the characters were three dimensional and very well written. I give it a four of five stars as u felt it ended a bit abruptly and would have liked to see a bit more of the family at the end.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.