This is a character driven family saga that spans years. You get to deeply understand each of the characters and what motivates them. It would definitely be a great book club picked since there is so much to ruminate over. It has a few family secrets and a dead body so you think I’d be all in, but something about the writing just didn’t flow for me. It

I wanted to love this book more, but It felt tedious to me at times and overly dramatic. Some of the characters responses to conflict were nonsensical to me. Yes Marley I’m talking about you. I thought the writing style mirrored that of Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful So if you liked that you will probably also enjoy this one.

I absolutely love family dramas and this one did not disappoint! I loved this multigenerational story. There was a little bit of everything. Murder, love, in laws. I devoured this one in a weekend! Highly recommend this amazing novel.

4.25⭐


“There’s more to this life than just trying to survive it…”

Set in 1999 in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, the story revolves around the Joespeh family who own and operate their own roofing business headed by patriarch Mick Joseph with his sons. In 1990, then a newcomer to the town teenage Marley West meets the Joseph brothers, and though initially involved the Baylor, the eldest son eventually falls in love with and marries Waylon his younger brother and the middle son of the Joseph family. Marley, the daughter of a nurse who moves wherever work takes them, is happy to finally be a part of a family unit with roots. But families can be complicated and as Marley evolves from a lovestruck teenager to a young mother who eventually pushes her way into playing a significant role in the family business over the years she learns how to navigate the complex dynamics between the members, the tragedies and the sacrifices, the financial struggles and the secrets and the conflicting emotions that push each of these members to their emotional limits. When the discovery of a body in the attic of their church shocks the close-knit community, long-buried secrets, suspicions, and cover-ups threaten to fracture the fragile bonds and loyalties within the family.

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is an intense , absorbing family drama with an element of mystery skillfully woven into the narrative. The strength of this novel lies in its characterization. Burns’ characters are flawed which makes them realistic and relatable. Each of these characters is well-thought-out and the author depicts sensitive issues such as PTSD and dementia with much emotional depth. Though initially we might find it difficult to feel sympathetic toward some of the characters , we are able to explore their motivations and the factors that have contributed to who they are and in doing so, we feel invested in their journey. Marley’s character arc is exceptionally well developed and particularly liked how the author depicts her complicated relationship with Elise, her mother-in-law, and the tender almost mother-child bond she shares with Shay, the youngest Joseph brother. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy character-driven fiction that revolves around dysfunctional families.

This was my first time reading Amy Jo Burns and I hope to explore more of her work in the future.

Many thanks to Celadon Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for an eARC of Mercury.

Set in the 1990s in western Pennsylvania, the novel focuses in on the Joseph family men and the women who loved them.

Mercury is my favorite kind of book to read. Amy Jo Burns writes with beautiful prose that draws every emotion out of you without being pretentious. Every character in Mercury shows the true complexity of humanity. Our tendencies, our choices, our personalities, our mistakes, our successes, all are a part of how we came to be who we are, and how others have shaped us, either for the best or for the worst parts of us.

I couldn’t help but be completely drawn into the Joseph family, aching with their losses and rooting for their redemption. This book is for anyone who loves character driven novels, solid writing with depth, and finds themselves drawn to stories about families.

I don’t normally love character driven novels but this one was a winner. It was one of my favorite books of the year. I think the fact that the characters’ had a family roofing business was unique. This was just a great book. Well written, great character development, and riveting plot.

Thank you NetGalley for a advanced reading of Mercury by Amy Jo Burns.
This was great! It took me a little while to get the flow of the Joseph family but after about the 15 % mark I was hooked. I loved the slow burn of the family, their secrets and the what if you took a different path kind of story this was telling. 4 1/2 stars for me.

Thank you again!

If you have not read a book by Amy Jo Burns, you are missing out. Seriously, you are missing out. What appears to be a simple story is so much more. This is a quiet book but speaks volumes about family, the ties that bind, the need to belong, identity, loyalty, love, marriage, motherhood, sacrifice and being a woman in an all-male family. Mercury is a book that tip toes up behind you, taps you on the shoulder and demands attention.

Marley West was a loner who moved frequently with Ruth, her single mother from one job to the next. When they arrived in Mercury, Pennsylvania in 1990, little did Marley know that the sight of three men standing on a rooftop, would have such a life changing effect on her. She was a loner who longed to belong, to be a part of something, and to be part of a family.

The Joseph family owned a roofing company and the entire family put effort into making it succeed. When Marley meets the Joseph brothers, she would go on to date one, marry another and become a part of their world. Living with all of them would prov to be challenging. Their parents Elise and Mick are an interesting pair. Elise welcomes Marly to her table but never fully to her family. Mick was unpredictable and his ego often got in his own way.

The dynamic between the characters, the storyline, the discovery in the church attic drew me in and had me turning the pages. This was not an edge-of-your-seat page turner but a quiet one with powerful themes. This book is heavy with emotions and a lingering sadness that flows through the family and family members.

What does it mean to be a part of a family? Do you lose yourself while taking care of others?

Through the course of the book, Marley grows in so many ways. I enjoyed reading about her and how her character grew over the course of this book. She was not the only character who grew. Each character has their own issues and unique personality. The Joseph family is dysfunctional but what family isn't?

The characters in this book are an interesting book. Shay (the youngest brother) and Marley were my favorites. I enjoyed learning more about Baylor, Waylon, and Shay at the end of the book. That was a nice touch and filled in some gaps and answered some questions that I had about them. I have a feeling that I will be thinking about this book for quite some time.

This family drama was well written, moving and powerful.

📖 Book Review 📖

📱 "Mercury” by Amy Jo Burns

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
published January 2, 2024

Thank you @netgalley for the eARC of this novel. 

An emotional character driven story with multiple timelines, that I will think about for long after I finished. The depth of relationships and complex family dynamics were real, flawed, and yet beautiful. Set in a small town in Pennsylvania, in the 1990s are 3 very different brothers, a struggling family business and parents who live very separate lives.

The main character, Marley arrives to Mercury the summer before her senior year, and being the new girl in town many take notice. She meets the Joseph family, and quickly finds herself a part of their family dinners. The oldest is Baylor, big, in your face, and tough while underneath a huge heart for his family. Waylon, is the middle and near perfect son, always thoughtful and caring, taking other’s problems on his own shoulders. And the baby of the family by 8 or so years is Shay, always aware, very clever and constantly trying to be seen by his very tired parents. Mick is the father and after many wild business ideas started Joseph & Sons Roofing, which could make money if his ego would allow help. Before long the Joseph men are Marley’s whole world and she can see they need her to guide them. When everything starts to crumble Marley helps hold the pieces together as the brothers decide their fate.


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A generational family story about the Joseph clan - an invisible mother, a charismatic but sometimes difficult father, three brothers, and one girl who becomes part of the family. Each family member has secrets to keep, to share with one other, and that will create decay within relationships. It emphasizes the bond and power of women, the intricacies and secrets of marriage, and the underlying misconception that blood is thicker than water.

This character-driven story begins with a body being found in the attic of a church by two of the Joseph brothers who, as roofers, are there to fix a leak. The story then jumps back in time a little less than a decade before and describes the relationships in and around the Joseph family. Told in 3rd person, we first follow Marley, the new girl in town who first falls for Baylor the oldest Joseph, then Waylon, his Irish twin. She navigates first loves, first heartbreaks, and the necessity of growing up before she's ready. She has wants desperately for Elise, the matriarch of the Joseph family to accept her and love her.

Waylon, Baylor, and the youngest brother, Shay, also get a few chapters to explain their feelings and perspectives all leading up to and just after the body is found.

Even though the story includes the mystery of the dead body, it really isn't the focus of the story. I am usually one who likes plot driven stories more, but I couldn't put this down. I enjoyed the characters, despite their many flaws, and wanted to see how they came through the pain and suffering they often caused each other. It was real and raw and I cried several times. I highlighted so many intuitive, insightful passages. One of the best books of the year so far for me. I've already requested her first book, Shiner, at the library.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Amy Jo Burns and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC copy and give my honest review.

Mercury by Amy Burns is a wonderful family drama about a dysfunctional family. It was so engaging that I read it in a couple of sittings. I loved the character development and the mystery within the story. I have never read this author before, so I'm excited to read her backlist.

Thanks to Celadon Books and Netgalley for the digital copy for my honest opinion.

I really loved this book! If you are looking for a complex family drama, with deep character study, this is a book for you.
This story is about the Joseph family, and as the story progresses, we learn about each of their members, and their many secrets. The story takes place in early 90s, with teenage Marley moving in to the town of Mercury. She then becomes a part of the Joseph family: parents Mick and Elise and brothers: Bay, Way and Shay.
This book is raw, it deals with generational traumas, interfamily conflicts, but also offers hope.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a good, engaging read.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon for an early access to this book (already published on January 3, 2024).

This was a wonderful character driven, multi-generational family drama about the Joseph family in Western Pennsylvania. Marley, a young mother, wife, business woman, sister in law and friend is the glue who holds this family together. Each character was well written and the reader really got to know their thoughts and actions. I highly recommend this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

It's hard to categorize this novel, so I'm going to call it literary fiction. The writing is very lyrical and poetic to some extend, and there is a lot of narrative and internal thinking versus dialogue and action. If you read the description or the just the prologue, you might think this is more of a murder mystery, but it is not. It's a novel about family and secrets and figuring out who you are and where you belong in the world.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of Mercury by Amy Jo Burns for an honest review.

Mercury was an amazing story that made you feel like you were part of Marly and the Joseph's life. Maybe it was the 1990's setting in a small town that did it for me, I also was a teen in the 90's in a small town. The way the town and it's people were portrayed was spot on. This is a very character driven story with lots of details. It took me longer to read that a lot of other types of books.

This story is about found family and the lengths you will go through for them. Days after finishing Mercury I keep thinking of it.

Mercury is a typical small town that Marley and her mother happen upon among their many moves, Marley's mom going wherever there is work for her. Marley meets the Joseph brothers and become intertwined in their lives in an inextricable way. We follow Marley and Waylon's relationship through its unexpected beginning and slow deterioration.

This is an honest depiction of a complicated family in a small town setting. The small town setting felt genuine, not at all contrived or stereotypical. I loved getting to know the members of the family - the strong, capable women and the men who try not to be a disappointment to their families. The characters are well-developed and the writing is so evocative. I could feel the emotions - the good and the bad - through the pages of the book, and I felt like I was in the room, witnessing these vulnerable and private moments between family members.

This is the perfect example of a slow-burn family saga. It was executed brilliantly, with so much heart within the struggle and everyone's flaws exposed and embraced.

Put this up there with one of the best books I’ve read. It falls along the vein of Amor Towles, and Fredrick Bachman for me. A heavily character driven story, that draws you in so much so that you care for these characters from the very beginning. There is a large cast, but the detail and insight given to them kept me engaged in this compelling family dynamic.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Mercury is an extraordinary literary gem that captivates readers from the very first page. It is a story about family - the one were are born into, and the family we form through love. The Amy Jo Burns’s mastery of language and vivid storytelling transport readers to a world where emotions come alive, and the depth of each character is so intricately woven in this novel.
The narrative unfolds seamlessly, revealing layers of depth in the plot that keep you hooked until the very end. The exploration of themes such as love, loss, and resilience is handled with sensitivity and insight, making Mercury a truly enriching read.
The characters in Mercury are beautifully crafted, each with their unique personalities and struggles. The protagonist's journey is both heartwarming and inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. The author's ability to create a strong emotional connection between the characters and the audience is commendable.
Overall, Mercury is a masterfully written novel that seamlessly blends beautiful prose, compelling characters, and profound themes. It's a must-read for anyone seeking a rich and fulfilling literary experience.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

I love family dramas and I think this book is taking the top place in the genre for me!

The story is very character driven and I did not want it to end. There are so many secrets and I just wanted to know everything I could about the characters. I loved following this complicated family and will be recommending this book to my friends.

4.5 stars. I did not want this book to end! I enjoyed being introduced to the Joseph family and their intricacies. Living within a family of roofers definitely proves to have its issues. Mercury is a family drama full of secrets and even some twists along the way. I felt the character development by Amy Jo Burns was fabulous and look forward to reading many more books by this author.

The story is set in a small town in western Pennsylvania in the late 1990’s. As a resident of western Pennsylvania, I loved the references to many nearby towns and businesses.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Mercury Amy Jo Burns has written a very compelling literary fiction novel.
This book is such a fascinating, heartfelt character driven story.
Amy Jo Burns has an amazing gift for bringing characters to wholehearted life, with beautiful, easily flowing language that pulls you into their lives and decisions.
What I loved most about this book was how realistic and compelling the characters were.
The pacing is right, the characters are full, and the struggles are real.
A great family drama set in a small-town in Pennsylvania.

Thank You NetGalley and Celadon Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!