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!

I love a good family drama, and Mercury did not disappoint. Marley was a fantastic protagonist, and I wish the story would have been told solely from her viewpoint. The perspectives of the other characters just felt unnecessary and repetitive. Plus, all of the Josephs (aside from Shay) were pretty insufferable — Marley was definitely too good for this dysfunctional family. However, I appreciated the author’s focus on motherhood, marriage, and female friendships explored over the course of several decades. I also loved the small town setting of Mercury! Finally, I did not like the ending. It felt too rushed and unresolved for my taste. Overall, if you like family dramas or character driven stories, Mercury is the book for you!

3.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed this story of class/family/womanhood, just thought it went on a little too long.

Mercury is a beautifully written story of motherhood and the bonds of family. Set in a less than idyllic small town in Pennsylvania this family drama keeps you turning the page to find out what is going to happen to this family.
The character driven plot is captivating, i really enjoyed how you get different points of view from the characters. Not every character gets the same amount of time to tell their story but only the most important missing pieces that Marley the original narrator could not tell. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a family drama in a uniquely told story.

(I would give this 4.5 stars if available but always round down)

I got it after it was published so I read it asap! It was very slow for me. I’m not a huge fan of character driven. The writing was there. The characters were there. The story was there. I just had a hard time actually wanting to read it. It was very relatable though and the right audience I think would enjoy this more.

This book was full of family love and protecting the family and the business. This book takes place in the 1990’s maybe a time when life was a little simpler. The main character falls in love with a roofing guy and gets pregnant. Once she is a member of the family lots of drama occurs. She is trying to safe the roofing business. Along the way a lot of action takes place and she finds herself and her friend in an unusual circumstance. She drifts away from her husband but they begin to patch things up. A really touching story that grabbed me from the beginning. I did not want to put this book down.

This was an engrossing novel about relationships, family, and coming of age in 1990's Pennsylvania. I tend to enjoy more plot-driven literary fiction, but these characters were written well and it didn't feel like the story dragged on.

•Mercury
•Amy Jo Burns

Marley - new girl in a small-town blue collar PA town.

Mercury - the Western PA town where the story takes place.

The Joseph Family - mom, dad, 3 sons (Baylon, Waylon, & Shay).

Their worlds collide when Marley meets them upon moving into town and quickly becomes a regular at family dinner. She marries one brother, is the one that got away to another, and mothers the last. All while dealing with her relationship with her mother-in-law Elise, her wild and ego driven father-in-law Mick, and growing up.

This story is deeply character driven; portraying a dysfunctional family dynamic with a touch of coming of age and a sprinkle of mystery and crime when a body is found during a roof repair. Spanning years, you watch as Marley steps into the role of girlfriend, friend, wife, mother, adult child, business woman, and eventually matriarch.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

This was my last book of 2023 and I really enjoyed it. I spent majority of my New Years Eve sick, but fully immersed in the town of Mercury getting to know the Joseph family, their roofing business & Marley. The intricacies of the characters and the dynamics between them were so beautifully written and explored. I really enjoyed this one!

“𝘐’𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭.”
- Mercury

I adored Amy Jo Burn’s backlist title- 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳, and had high hopes for her latest, 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗬 (out today). I wasn’t disappointed.

This literary fiction story blends drama and coming-of-age elements alongside a complicated family in 1990’s blue collar Pennsylvania. Rich characters, evocative writing and an immersive story. I relished the depth of the complex, emotional and realistic relationships.

It has a slower pace with secrets and glimpses that are unveiled bit by bit with intention. The Joseph family, in all its iterations, will stick with me. Even now I can close my eyes and vividly picture their home down to the dining room table and hear the creaks of the floor.