DNF at 14%
This definitely has bold and intriguing choices, but the style -a group of letters, emails, magazine clippings- made it hard for me to follow, get invested, understand who the characters are, and see where the story is going.
The blurb does mention that this is the storytelling method used, and this is probably as much a me-problem as it is additional things I needed from the clippings.

The email addresses were confusing. Maybe if the domains were all the same, it would have helped to keep track and not get confused.
It was not clear who is related to whom, their ages, how their relationships are happening. The dates were also confusing because I couldn't keep a track of time (maybe if we had the date + hour the email was sent it would be easier?)
It also felt like the emails really wanted to have an informal and friendly tone, but for the sake of writing a better piece, the author had to make certain choices in the style that made it feel odd for me. Like not quite an email between siblings or aunt-niece, but also not quite a proper English written email.
The magazine clippings and shorter letters were easier to track and get into because of their style.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC. I'm actually sad this one didn't quite work for me.

How have I not seen this book all over Instagram?! I was not prepared for just how clever this book was nor the joy of wishing I could stay in the lives of these characters forever. To be completely honest, I requested it strictly because I liked the cover and genre and feel delighted to have randomly found such a gem of a story! But in case you prefer knowing just a bit about the book…
It’s a story of new and old residents, their struggles and triumphs, and navigating life in a tiny town in Kansas.

If you’re like me and love Gilmore Girls then you should add this to your list. Why? Because in Goodnight (love the towns name!) there are some wonderfully quirky characters, intelligent and funny teens, a diner reminiscent of Luke’s, and creative ingenuity with food similar to Sookie St James! The characters are very different with their own unique voices but it gave me all the vibes I love from GG. I can’t even tell you how many times I chuckled while reading this, it’s funny and thoughtful and everything I didn’t know I needed!

I started out by listening to this audio but I’m so glad I had the ebook to switch to because the format of this is epistolary, with emails, newspaper articles, and journal entries. I actually didn’t mind too much but having an epistolary novel with email or text read aloud can be difficult to listen to. If you don’t enjoy hearing email addresses read over and over I suggest the print or e-book version.

Thanks to Sourcebook Landmark for the opportunity to read and give my honest opinion.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I completely fell in love with these quirky characters in the quirky town of Goodnight, Kansas. This book felt very Schitt's Creek-y. Sid Solvang and family have packed up and left Brooklyn with their tails between their legs after Sid ruined his family's deli business. The family went back to their mother Scarlet Solvang's hometown of Goodnight, Kansas. They were not met with open arms, and they were hoping to just save up some money and get back to Brooklyn. Soon the town of Goodnight would be so intertwined with them that it would be hard to leave. Disco Kennedy is one of the residents of this town who is always covered in glitter and singing country songs. The town has cast her as an outsider, but maybe those are the kinds of people who really kickstart change and acceptance in these small towns. Disco plays a huge role in the Solvang's lives. I hope Page Getz brings more novels from Goodnight! Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.

📚A Town with Half the Lights On by Page Getz

Okay, real talk—I went in blind with this one and had zero idea what to expect. The storytelling structure? Definitely different. It took me a minute to settle into it, but once I did? Goodnight, Kansas, wrapped me up in its small-town charm and didn’t let go.

This book doesn’t follow one neat arc. Instead, it delivers the story through the people—residents of a town who are flawed, funny, stubborn, sweet, grieving, and growing. It’s the kind of book that reminds you that community isn’t about liking everyone. It’s about knowing them. Sharing history. Feeling tied together by something invisible but undeniable.

Reading this felt like sitting at a local diner eavesdropping on conversations, then suddenly realizing every one of them connects. It’s quirky and heartfelt, and by the end, you realize the town itself is the main character—and it’s a good one.

Small-town slice of life
Tropes:
Found family (but it's a whole dang town)
Grief and healing
Everyday magic in ordinary lives
Unlikely connections

Would I Recommend This Book? Absolutely. It might start quiet, but it ends with a full heart.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is such a lovely story, of finding family and home where you least expect it. After leaving New York, the Solvang family relocates to the small town of Goodnight, Kansas where things are completely different to what they are used to. The people in the town do not like strangers, and the people now living in the old Victorian house are strangers to them. But after the dad of the family purchases the diner in the town, they become part of it, and understand more about the people and the town; they now face the same problems. There are also alpacas, adventures, and eventually a town that becomes home. I loved the way the story was told. Through emails, letters, newspaper articles, you can see stories develop from different perspectives, and the characters develop and their unique backstories, and authenticity shines through. I'd definitely recommend this!

A special thanks to sourcebooks and NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to dive into this one, since it promised something cozy and delightful, à la Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls.
It's a fun times, it delivers the right vibes, but some of the content definitely was not for me.

If you're into an epistolary story with some Gilmore Girl vibes, make sure to look this one up!

“I think we drove through the whole town in five minutes” - Harlem Solvang

I first came across this story from GR friend, MonReads, and her lovely 5star review about the story of the Solvang family’s arrival in "Goodnight, Kansas, where there are no strangers." It sounded like my kind of story and I knew I had to have it.

The book summary basically introduces the primary storyline for this epistolary story told through a series of emails, local newspaper articles, journal entries, prayers and even a will along with anything else written by the Solvang family and/or the residents of Goodnight, KS regarding the plight of their town and the May Day Diner. The May Day Diner has been a beloved and historic establishment of Goodnight for decades, but with the declining population of Goodnight, the elderly owners want out. A local real estate developer wants to buy it cheap and turn it into a Taco Bell or a Burger King.

Sid Solvang, a failed chef, fled Brooklyn, NY after bankrupting the family deli that had been in his family for three generations. Sid’s wife, Scarlet, who is also a chef, was the youngest daughter of Alpaca farmer Pops Bannister. Scarlet left Goodnight 20+yrs ago and fled to NY to become a chef and never looked back. After she and Sid failed miserably in NY, broke with nowhere else to go, Scarlet drags her family back to Goodnight after learning she was the sole beneficiary of the family farm after her father’s death. Needless to say, this did not go over well with her three older sisters who didn’t leave KS and stayed to take care of their Pops before he died of cancer.

There is also a secondary storyline of Harlem Solvang believing that her grandfather has left some treasure somewhere on the property and she is determined to find it and use it to get her family back to Brooklyn asap. Through all the emails, local newspaper articles, journal entries, prayers and secret notes between the Solvang family and their loved ones back home in Brooklyn and their new friends and neighbors in Goodnight, the reader learns about the history of Goodnight as well as the current state of the residents and business owners.

Among the residents there is poverty and hardship at the mercy of corporate corruption, fraud and greed. There was a divided town because of their loyalties to those modern-day robber barons and eventually community pride and advocacy from the residents that stood together for their survival and eventually bring down those same robber barons.

“It’s contrary to every instinct of self-preservation to share a dream with a world that doesn’t need another dream and one so hostile to dreamers.” - Sid Solvang

For the Solvang family, there were failed dreams and the development of new dreams as well as loss of family and the creation of new family relationships. There was the reality of discovering that “home” doesn’t always have to be the place where you were born and raised, but rather that place that you find where you feel loved, seen and heard and where you want to be more than anywhere else. At this moment, I am reminded of a distinction I learned a long time ago. I can’t remember where I learned it, I am tempted to say my Gramy Jules (she was infamous for her sayings) because she didn’t believe in luck – good or bad, which is something that I definitely learned from her.

”Fate is what happens to you and destiny is what you make happen”

Anyway, I loved the development of so many of the characters, especially the Solvangs. The pacing was steady and the storyline very interesting. The writing was wonderful and I loved all the different types of mediums that were included in telling the story. I especially loved the ending! Please Ms Getz!!! More Goodnight, KS!!! I flipped back and forth between the ebook and the audiobook and as much as I enjoy audiobooks, I think I liked the ebook better for this story. I think for stories like this, listening to the narrator rattle off email addresses, oh idk, about a gazillion times , got kind of annoying. I’m not marking the audiobook down for that, I just wanted to mention it. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #TantorAudio #ATownwithHalftheLightsOn

Thank you Sourcebooks for the gifted digital ARC!

This book was SO GOOD and in a way I just wasn't expecting. The synopsis gave me major Schitt's Creek vibes, and when I found out it was written entirely in diary entries, newspaper clippings, emails, etc. I was SOLD.

But this book is just so much more than that. By the end of the book I felt like I was wrapped in a big, warm hug. It's a very uplifting story with funny and quirky characters, including some mildly misbehaving alpacas!

I highly recommend this one for anyone who needs a feel good pick-me-up.

A Town With Half the Lights On pub date is April 22.

How interesting can an epistolary novel in the form of e-mails about a small-town diner be? Turns out it can be pretty gripping. I just couldn't stop reading this book. Its characters are so well-developed. Just as we discover new information about a location as we truly begin to settle in, the mysteries surrounding the town and its residents gradually came to light. The author is an expert in human psychology and has undoubtedly taken some inspiration from actual people. It was an amazing book to read, and I can't believe it's only her first book. I will be sure to pick up the author's upcoming books.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted copy of A Town With Half the Lights On, an unexpected hit! It’s out 4/22.

Normally I’m not the biggest fan of epistolary novels, but this one had me hooked from page one. The format is surprisingly easy to follow (so much so that I might change my stance on the modern epistolary novel!). It features the right amount of characters — enough to keep the format fresh and interesting, but not so many that I couldn’t keep track of the important players. The writing also strikes the right balance between reality and storytelling to keep readers engaged.

Beyond the format, I really liked the plot itself! It’s a family “fish out of water” story centered on the Solvang family. After running their Brooklyn deli out of business, they’re forced to relocate to Goodnight, Kansas, where the wife/mom grew up and where her recently deceased father left them his home. What unfolds is a classic “who saves who” story, where the Solvangs need the town, the town needs the Solvangs, and they both save each other.

Told through emails, diary entries, town newspaper clippings, and more, this book captures the magic of small towns and the power of second chances. It’s absolutely heartwarming and not one I’ll forget anytime soon.

I love this town! The subtle humor with the characters (and, goats and alpaca) are just fun and I loved the format that this book is written in emails, newspaper articles, journal entries, etc. This is an eclectic group of people and I just loved as more and more layers are reveled of the people in town, and the newcomers from NYC. This book is quirky and different and for people looking for a feel good but funny book, this is perfect! I always love when authors do something different and for me this book works and was so enjoyable!

After finishing ‘A Town with Half the Lights On’, I feel like a citizen of Goodnight, Kansas!
There are so many layers to this book, it’s the gift that keeps on giving and oh boy does it keep you hooked. Many characters in this town have huge character developments throughout the book so your thoughts on them may change…
This would be a fantastic read for a book club or buddy read as I wish I had someone to discuss my thoughts and ideas with at different stages.

The only thing that could have made this better would have been more clear dates for timelines on some of the articles /emails to help know how much time was passing.

I am obsessed with this book. It has to be in my top five of the year so far. The epistolary style is so well done and I don't feel like a minute of plot was missed this way. I ate this up

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for my free eARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own:

The Solvang family just moved to Goodnight, Kansas from New York. But not really by choice. Sid Solvang crashed and burned as a chef in New York City, so when his wife Scarlet's father "Pop" dies, they retreat (temporarily) to rural Kansas to live and work through Pop's things. But it's not long before their teenage daughter Harlem befriends the town oddball and the two of them embark on a hunt for what Harlem is sure is buried treasure, and Sid gets caught up in saving the town's heart, the May Day Diner, from corporate greed. And maybe, just maybe, Goodnight might be just what they need to help find their way back together as a family.

What a treasure! This was a modern take on an epistolary novel, told through letters, emails, journals, news articles, and other written communications. I felt like the town needed the Solvangs just as much as the Solvangs needed the town. This book gave me a folksy, feel-good vibe reminiscent of Fannie Flagg (but not). after all, sometimes what you need is what you weren't looking for until you crash into it.

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This boom was a little slow to start for me. It changes character perspectives a lot so it took me a bit to find a good rhythm while reading it. I’m glad I stuck with it because it ended up being great. You will fall in love with all the characters and their very unique quirks. Plus, you will definitely root for them as they try to save their dying town.

The way I LAUGHED out loud so many times reading this. Not only is it hilarious, but it’s so full of heart exactly what you would expect from a modern take on the letter writing format - but better!

The execution of the format was essential to helping us get close to Sid, Harlem, and all of the other great characters. Disco and her mom, the dumb neighbor, Bailey - it’s like I loved this right along with them and I love that for me.

The plot never slowed down to the point that I was bored and while maybe I saw one thing coming, there is a heap of other stuff I never saw coming. Thankful for the ARC opportunity.

If you’re into the abstract even a smidge you have to try this one. There’s a lot of heart and movement here that’ll have you rooting for this family and this town!

Paige Gertz’s *A Town with Half the Lights On* is a charming and quirky love letter to small-town America, focusing on Goodnight, Kansas—a place caught between nostalgia and tough times. The story mixes diary entries, emails, school notes, and a juicy town newspaper, giving it a fun twist. At the heart of it is the Solvang family, with Sid, a Brooklyn chef looking for an escape, and his daughter trying to solve a mysterious puzzle from her grandfather. Things get complicated when Sid buys the struggling May Day Diner, throwing their plans for a fresh start into chaos as they deal with local corruption and community ties.

Gertz does a great job blending humor with heart. The bizarre characters—like a rebellious girl named Disco and a bunch of alpacas—bring the town to life. While the story doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of small-town life, it’s really about finding family and strength in unexpected places. For anyone who loves epistolary novels and smart humor, *A Town with Half the Lights On* is definitely a cozy read, like a comforting meal at a diner.

I loved the premise and wasn't sure going in whether the epistolary format would work. Much to my delight, the author uses the epistolary form to great effect, giving voice to a charming cast of characters. Through emails, text messages, journals and newsletter entries, each perspective comes alive. The sense is place is very strong as well. The story builds to a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

*DNF at 25%* No Rating on Goodreads

I thought I would love this epistolary novel about three Brooklynites in need of a fresh start who move to Goodnight, Kansas after inheriting a dilapidated Victorian home (And a few Alpacas). Especially when I read that the family purchases the May Day Diner, an iconic eatery under the threat of the wrecking ball.

Told through diary entries, emails, school notes, an anonymous town paper and a few messages in a bottle, I hoped to find the story to be as charming as just about EVERY other reviewer, has-but I just can’t relate to the town or its quirky residents.

No book is for every reader, and sadly, this one isn’t for me. BE SURE to read other reviews! There are many praising this debut offering!

Expected publication date : April 22, 2025

Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read an early copy provided through NetGalley.