Not sure how this author has flown under my radar? I received an ARC for this novel through @netgalley and next thing I know it’s made a book of the month, selected as Barnes and Noble’s Book Club pick, and I have a new favorite author.
Mercury is a fictional story set in the author’s hometown which bares the book’s namesake. It’s a character driven family drama with a little bit of mystery and so much heart.
In this story, the Joseph brothers each have their own role to play within their family. They have dedicated their lives to their father’s roofing industry and defined themselves by their mother’s scrutiny. But when Marley moves to town and finds her way to their dinner table, allegiances are challenged, and secrets threaten to unravel the seams that wove the family together.
I loved these characters, the prose was stunning, and I was pulled into all the love and turmoil. If you loved books like Ask Again, Yes, Hello Beautiful, or The Most Fun We Ever Had, this is for you!
Thanks @netgalley @celadonbooks and #AmyJoBurns 📚

I was captivated by this story from the beginning. The family was complex and each character was described so well. The characterization earns an A+ from me. You could feel the pain and heartache from each family member. I especially loved Shay baby!

However, I feel as though the story didn’t go anywhere. The synopsis mentions a hidden family secret, but I didn’t feel like that part of the story was explored much. While I enjoyed the complexities of the characters, it sadly wasn’t enough for me to truly enjoy this story and want to recommend to others.

This was probably the best family drama that I have read recently. Men were stories on their own. Women were stories on their own. But them all tangled, relying on each other, destroying each other, and supporting each other was story on its own. You could read this book multiple times, focus on another character each time, and still feel like you read different book.

Marley did not only entered Mercury with bang but also into Joseph family. Introduced to family by eldest son, married into it by the middle, immensely loved by the youngest. While sons were opened their arms wide to Marley (after few fights), Mama Joseph was giving her a cold shoulder. Marley couldn't understand why, but Elise did not want her to be the only woman in the house like her. It will take a while for Marley to understand what exactly Elise meant.

I like the dynamic between Elise, Marley, Jade, and Ruth. Women in this story were stronger than people expect them to be and all they do was cleaning up the mess men left behind. I'll follow them with my eyes closed. But also, I would like to pull them out of the vicious cycle they were in.

Thank you Celadon Books, and NetGalley, for granting me access to this book coinciding with it's publication. This is one of my first books read in 2024, and it will be on my heart for a while.

The novel "Mercury" by Amy Jo Burns weaves a compelling tale of a roofing family's intricate bonds, loyalty, and the unveiling of a long-buried secret in their blue-collar town. Set against the backdrop of 1990 in Mercury, Pennsylvania, the story follows seventeen-year-old Marley West as she enters the town and becomes entangled with the Joseph brothers. As their family dynamics evolve, facing challenges and revelations, the narrative explores themes of survival, resilience, and the quest for a place to call home. Burns skillfully captures the complexity of relationships, offering a poignant exploration of family ties in the face of adversity. I will definitely look for more books by Amy Jo Burns in the future and highly recommend this book to my friends and family.





Message ChatGPT…

A mystery, some small-town and family drama, and interwoven love lines made this a good read for me. Though it was a bit slow at points, I felt it picked up toward the end and I found myself more invested in the characters and story than I orignally anticipated. I have already recommended it to several folks.
Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon books for the ARC!

This book wasn't for me, but I know many readers will love it. With a central mystery and a family to root for there's a lot to love here. Unfortunately for me, I found the writing grating, relying too heavily on figurative language to create depth in a manner that I really struggled with.

"There's more to this life than just trying to survive it"

I can see the appeal of this one. I don't think it's a good historical fiction or mystery, but it's an interesting family drama. It's a bit overly wordy. There were a few lines with "air felt thick, like honey and longing" and "he was dapper, devil-stained, and draining as hell" that I couldn't help but roll my eyes at.

The beginning and middle were good. I found our main character, Marley, likable and layered. She was loyal and loved those in her life. She was looking for family. But as the story continued, and each one either mistreated or over looked our mc, it was hard to like any other character. I felt like we rehashed the first part of the book and part of the middle again in the end and it made the last pieces of the story drag out. I didn't find the last section redeeming of those who I'd already disliked. I think maybe this one just wasn't for me.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Mercury is a book about weaponized incompetence and the women that enable that. Kidding! But good lord- these men 🙄

Mercury is actually a beautiful coming of age story about Marley and the Joseph family that she marries into. The relationships she forms with most of them are beautiful.

I love character driven books without much plot where you can just move through the years with the characters. I loved the multiple POVs from most of the family.

Some of the characters drove me crazy with the man baby weaponized incompetence and their need to have their mother and Marley fix and do everything for them. I definitely did grow to love (most) of the characters.

If you love character driven family drama, I’d definitely recommend this one. If you love fast paced plot driven excitement, maybe it’s not for you.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book so much. The author, Amy Jo Burns, developed a cast of characters that I fell in love with. Every single member of the Joseph family is perfectly flawed. I could not get enough of this character-driven novel. I was immersed in the family drama, the air of mystery, and the challenges the family faced -both together and individually. After reading a plot-driven thriller, this was exactly what I needed. I flew through this novel in 24 hours. It’s a five-star read!

I appreciate Netgalley and Celadon Books for an ebook copy of Mercury in exchange for an honest review.

This blue collar family of boys have my whole heart. Small town love and life come alive in every single character. I could find something reframing no matter how small in each person in this dysfunctional but likeable family. I could have spent many more years with the Joseph family!

Outstanding. I loved Amy Jo Burn's Shiner last year and was thrilled to learn about this new book. My family is from the Pittsburgh area, so the setting was especially lovely for me, but more than anything the story swept away. This book, at its heart, is about the women of the Joseph family and how they contend with and nurture the men of the family. Marley is nuanced and thoughtful protagonist who will stick with you long after finishing this book. A note: the cover copy talks about the discovery in the church attic, but to be clear that mystery is secondary to the story of the family. This is a lit fic book, not a mystery.

Mercury is the story of the Joseph family, who are roofers living in a blue collar town. The focus is on Marley and her relationship with all 3 brothers, as well as the parents. While I typically love complicated dysfunctional family stories that are character-driven, this one was just ok to me. I did not find myself drawn to any of the characters, and did not understand many of their decisions. For a book to be successful to me I need to have some feeling for a character, love or hate, but there was just 1 that I cared about. I also thought it was overly long and I found myself skimming some parts. There was a bit of a mystery with a dead body found in a church at the beginning of the story that I was interested in. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy. 3 stars.

Perfect for fans of Tracey Lange, Amy Jo Burns's Mercury centers around a dysfunctional family in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. The family roofing business has always been the primary focus for the Joseph family, but as the Joseph sons get older and new people join the family, it becomes harder to function in the chaos. I love novels that challenge family norms and promote character growth and this novel did just that. I found myself feeling connected to the characters and rooting them on to break the dysfunctional family cycles that they had been raised to accept. I recommend this novel to those who enjoy family-centered novels with likable characters.

An absorbing family drama, each character seems to reach out and grab ahold of you.
I appreciated the unique setting, as my husband has been involved in construction for years, and most recently, roofing.
The way the author describes the surroundings, it could be any nondescript little town you drive through to get somewhere else, but the inhabitants all have hopes, dreams and their own personal traumas to work through.
Marley, the main protagonist, takes on almost more than humanly possible - Just out of high school, she marries and has a baby, a new extended family and tries to keep their roofing business going, almost single handedly. This struck me as a little unbelievable, especially as she fixed a roof (with no previous experience) after giving birth less than two months beforehand.
The one character I could not connect with was Marley's mother-in-law. I did not understand the motivation this character had to act the way she did with her husband, sons and later, her daughter-in-law and grandchild.
However, the complicated family relationships give the story deep meaning. The characters are all well developed. Even the secondary ones have their backstories explained in depth. These excellent character studies are why we can feel empathy for strangers, after reading a well written book.

I read this book because one of my favorite author's recommendation. However, I found it slow and depressing.

Marley and her mom are starting over in small town, PA and she falls in love with brothers. Leaves one for the other and gets pregnant. Her mom loses her job and moves on again, leaving Marley behind with the family of her boyfriend. That family is totally dysfunctional and has a lot of internal issues themselves, without adding Marley and a new baby to the group. The story kind of drags out in the beginning, and takes a while to get interesting. Just wasn't my ideal book - it is well written and the characters are developed and likeable - just the whole town never seems happy and it's sad.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.

This book - about a family of roofers and the new in town young woman who changes everything for them - was a slow burn for me. I loved the characters and came to care for each of them deeply. Really loved the author's writing style - she leaves a trail of bread crumbs which lead to lots of questions (including "did I miss something?") but circles around and around until everything is answered in a completely satisfying way. Grateful to NetGalley for a chance to read this book - I had heard about it on various podcasts and was excited to read it - it did not disappoint!

I was not prepared for how deep this book would get and the range of emotions it would bring. Filled with family dysfunction, a love story, small-town drama, and a mystery death, this book kept me captivated from the very start. I highly recommend adding this lovely novel to your 2024 TBR list!

Thank you NetGalley and celadon books for the ARC! This book certainly helped kick of my 2024 reading on a high note!

Thought I’d take this opportunity to share with you guys my thoughts on Mercury. First of all, the writing. Oh my stars, Burns’ writing is poetic in places causing this story to flow like water.

I’m a fan of messy family dynamics and this book has that in droves. Each character can be endearing and frustrating at different times. With the exception of one, and I won’t say who, each of the characters tugged at a special place in my heart. This book also touches on multiple hot-button issues with grace.

I highly recommend this one. The Joseph family have a special place in my bookish heart. I also think I’ll definitely be looking into Amy Jo Burns’ backlist. 👀

Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well written, I rightful look.at what I means to be family. There is a little .mystery, a lot of frustration and some secrets that cannot stay buried.
Very American dream and working class story.
Much more "real" than most books I read, but was so well done.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Step into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, circa 1990, as seventeen-year-old Marley West embarks on a journey that will reshape her life forever. In this captivating tale, Marley, a perpetual loner, yearns for connection and family in a town where she's a newcomer.
The narrative unfolds with the striking image of three men on a rooftop, their silhouettes casting shadows that obscure the sun. These men, the Joseph brothers, swiftly become Marley's entire world in a blink of an eye. What follows is a complex tapestry of relationships – Marley transitions from being a young wife to one brother, The One Who Got Away to another, and an adopted mother to them all.
As the Joseph brothers grapple with the challenges of a crumbling roofing business and an unwieldy father's inflated ego, Marley steps in as the guiding force for these unruly men. Her journey unfolds against the backdrop of a family in flux, navigating the delicate balance between survival and self-discovery.
Years later, an unexpected discovery in the church attic resurfaces old wounds, throwing the family into turmoil. The delicate threads holding them together begin to unravel, and the Joseph brothers are faced with a critical choice – to salvage the remnants of the family they've always known or to join forces and forge something even stronger in its place.
Mercy by Amy Jo Burns is a poignant exploration of family dynamics, resilience, and the transformative power of love. Amy Jo Burns masterfully weaves a narrative that tugs at the heartstrings, making this a compelling and unforgettable read. A story where Marley's light becomes the beacon guiding the Joseph brothers through the shadows, forcing them to confront their past and determine the future they want to build together.
An emotionally charged journey that lingers in the reader's heart long after the last page is turned.