I thoroughly enjoyed this title. Characters were well developed and the entire storyline was thought provoking.

I could not get into this book. The plot was confusing to me and really slow in the beginning. The characters also dragged a bit in the book.
DNF

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of two families and how they intersect. Each individual brings their own traumas into the mix and creates a heartbreaking reality for the next generation.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan – A Luminous Tapestry of Small-Town America
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is a sweeping yet deeply personal saga tracing the intertwined lives of two families in Bonhomie, Ohio, from the 1950s through the waning decades of the 20th century. At its heart lies a single moment—an affair between Cal Jenkins, a man whose physical limitations kept him from serving in the war, and Margaret Salt, a woman burdened by a past she cannot fully escape. From this pivotal act, generations of consequence unfold, weaving a powerful meditation on love, identity, secrecy, adultery, and forgiveness.
Ryan writes with a quiet elegance and urbanity, drawing readers into the rhythms of everyday life in a small Midwestern town. It’s within this "dailyness" that the novel finds its emotional heft—how a single choice reverberates over time, shaping not just individual lives but entire family legacies. With prose that is both restrained and resonant, Ryan captures the ache and beauty of ordinary existence with remarkable clarity.
The novel evokes the depth and nuance of Jonathan Franzen’s Crossroads, offering a similarly ambitious portrait of family fracture and moral reckoning. Like Franzen, and akin to the work of Richard Russo and Ann Patchett, Ryan excels at revealing the emotional architecture of flawed, deeply human characters as they navigate the shifting terrain of American life.
While Buckeye asks for the reader’s patience in its slow build, the reward is a novel that gradually envelopes you—one that is increasingly difficult to set aside. It's a story for anyone drawn to the quiet drama of real lives and the inescapable messiness of being human. Thoughtful, tender, and enduring, Buckeye is a novel that earns its place among the best of contemporary American fiction.

I don't even know how to begin to describe Patrick Ryan's novel "Buckeye". It feels like nothing I say about it will do it any justice, or capture the intensity of emotions I felt while reading this compelling story. In relaying a brief synopsis, here's a few things that are touched on in this book: small town life, WWII, and the war in Viet Nam, deep and hidden family secrets, marital strife, survival, grief, old age and regret.
The knowing of these things, or reading the dust jacket is not, however, an incentive in itself to pick up this book. What might be is this—trust in myself and other booksellers who say, 'you just need to READ THIS'! Forget about the synopsis, and whether or not that appeals to you; this is a novel that needs to be experienced—you need to bathe in it, immerse yourselves in the lives of its characters, fully embracing it. Then, you will most likely come to the realization, as I did, that you've just lived through one of your all time favorite books! I won't soon forget this heart stopping literary gem...it is one gift of a book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to be an early reader!

This is an immensely long book yet it’s an unusual kind of epic. Yes, there are world wars, and presidents come and go, but in essence it’s an intimate story of ordinary lives, not histrionic, although threaded with domestic drama. At times I was full of admiration for the transparency of the narration and clarity of vision. Empathy and a soft spoken yet piercing humanity are the author’s stock in trade. But at other times, it did seem humdrum and over-extended. There were so many moments in the story when secrets could have been shared and psychological prisons broken open. Would it have destroyed the book’s logic to have had fewer of these long, tortured episodes and character portraits?
I came down, eventually, on the side of admiration, since the book has a pleasing integrity and keeps its ambitions within bounds. It may be a little too long for its content, but is likely to be a warmly-received novel and a milestone in the author’s career. Kudos for that.

Simply put, I loved this book.

I love historical fiction especially stories that take place during WWII. This book spanned WWI and the Vietnam War. I felt like I was living there with Cal, Becky, Felix, and Margaret. Their stories were interwoven beautifully. I love when individually stories connect and come together!!

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio made me love the book even more. The descriptions of downtown and especially Lazarus reminded me of being little and going there and loving it.

The characters were well written and I felt connected to them. I really felt like I knew them. I wanted to see them succeed and when they didn’t it hurt.

The writing was beautiful and the descriptions were a perfect fit. Usually long winded descriptions bore me and I want to skip over sentences but not once did I think the descriptions were long!

I can’t thank Random House enough for gifting me with this wonderful book to read. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. I absolutely loved it. I know it’s kind of early in the year to do so, but I’m going to call it and say this is going to be one of my top/favorite books of the year. I’m going to throw it up there with books like In Memoriam, The Nix, The Corrections. You know, those epic novels that cover such an expanse of time, but you still don’t want the story to end.
   Of course I’m going to say I enjoyed some of the familiar areas being discussed, (In case you didn’t guess it, Buckeye takes place in Ohio), like when Lazarus in Columbus was mentioned, it brought back a flood of memories for me. I hope there is a book tour with an NE Ohio stop ahem lol...I’m getting ahead of myself.
   Buckeye centers around Cal Jenkins, who is not able to serve in WW2. He’s married to Becky, a seer who uses her gift to help families connect with those that they’ve lost. Secretive Margaret and her husband Felix are newer to town. Felix enlists and is serving on a Navy cargo ship. I'll stop filling you in. You know I hate a spoiler. Quite a few events unfold in this book, and the reverberations of these are felt for, well, generations.
   While I’d say this book is epic in scope, it still has the feel of reading a novel of small town life. It’s a tale of how a couple of people make choices that lead to entire families suffering the consequences. It’s a novel of chosen family. It’s a novel of running from your past and your secrets. It’s a novel of the toll of war at home. It’s a novel of community and a novel of support and a novel of love.
     Sadly, this one isn’t out until Sept, but seriously, put in a preorder for this one. It’s so good, and the perfect read to ease into fall when it's released.

Such a poetic, beautifully written book with a story that you will always remember. Buckeye takes place in a small town in Ohio in the years before the start of WW II.
Margaret Salt and her husband, Felix, settle down in Bonhomie, Ohio prior to Felix's enlistment in the war. Cal, who was turned down when he tried to enlist in the war, works at the local hardware store owned by his wife's father. His wife, Becky, is a "seer" or fortune teller, and Cal has trouble believing in the legitimacy of his wife's career.
The story unfolds after Felix leaves for the war. During that time, Margaret and Cal meet and become more than friends. Post-war, both couples give birth to a son who grow up to be friends. The story then focuses on the children growing up and upon adulthood, how these children have to endure the Vietnam War.
What makes this story great, of course, are the secrets kept by all of the characters and the secret connections that each of them has with each other. But even with the twist and turns of the plot, what really stands out is how the writing flows from page to page in such a seamless manner, with words that perfectly describe the emotions, heartbreak, and devastation felt by the characters.
Thank you NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy.

Buckeye is a historical fiction novel, sweeping across decades, set in Ohio, the "Buckeye state". The writing put me smack dab in each time period which included WW2, assassinations of JFK and RFK, and social stigmas based on class structure and gender expectations. Although I enjoyed the plot points, several of the characters weren't flushed out enough for me to root for them. Some of the story lines didn't connect or make sense to me and some of the plots felt rushed while others dragged on. I'm glad I read this one and I think it will be popular and loved by many. Heartfelt thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Buckeye is the kind of novel that quietly grabs you and doesn’t let go. Patrick Ryan has crafted a rich, emotionally resonant coming-of-age story that’s both tender and sharp, with characters that feel achingly real. The writing is beautifully understated, every sentence purposeful, every moment earned. It's a book that explores identity, family, and belonging with so much honesty and grace. I found myself completely absorbed, turning pages slowly just to make it last. This is storytelling at its most intimate and affecting. A true gem.

Sincere thanks to Random House and Net Galley for offering me this book for an early read. I cannot describe how immersed I became in this book from the first line to the last word. Although I was alive for much of the time period of this historical novel I was often involved in life, education, marriage, children. Some of the details of both World War II and the Viet Nam war resonated sharply and vividly. Some of the novel like the episode on a tanker in the South Pacific left me shaking and breathless.

Patrick Ryan is gifted, bringing characters to life so that by the end of the long novel you know them as well, perhaps better, then you know your own family. The novel begins with a baby left at an orphanage who is never successfully adopted and is returned to Lydia, the woman in charge of the place. She, named Margaret, becomes a caregiver to the younger children. Her background makes everything else in her life understandable.

Cal is born with one foot shorter than the other and is the only surviving child of a Worl War I veteran who keeps writing his opinions to multiple Presidents. How he develops is also the result of his childhood. Margaret marries Felix and Cal marries Becky. Neighter marriage is happy. Becky has a "gift" of being able to communicate with "spirits", something Cal can't believe in. Margaret finds her sexual life with Felix unfulfilling (for a good reason, we find out.) How these people, living in a small town in Northern Ohio, each have a son move forward in time is fascinating.

The novel is impossible to put down and the involvement in the lives of Margaret, Felix, Cal, Becky, their parents and their sons are so real and so relatable. It is the best novel I have read this year. I can't sing its praises enough.

Incredible. As an Ohioan, I was primed to like a book called "Buckeye," but I think readers will be blown away by this character work and emotionally taut storytelling regardless of where they're from. Not many books make me cry. This one did.

Buckeye was such an interesting, well-written book. Set in small-town Ohio (known as the "Buckeye state", hence the title),from the 1940s through the late 20th century, it is an ode to an Ohio of the past. Additionally, the themes, locales, characters, and cultural references are so universal that the book is a microcosm of life in small towns across America during times of tremendous transition and turbulent change.

Ryan does a terrific job establishing the cultural context of the time periods. I have lived in Ohio for fifty years and other small towns before that, so I experienced all the eras he portrays ( except the 1940s). References to popular music ( from Elvis to Simon and Garfunkel), Zane Grey novels, mood rings, young people watching the televised birthday drawings for the Vietnam draft, old department stores like Lazarus, television shows like Colombo and Cannon and so much more, lend such authenticity to the book. While setting the story firmly in its context, these elements are inserted naturally and never overwhelm the stories.

Similarly, his descriptions of all the demographic and physical changes that transformed the town are fascinating and authentic. These changes were significantly transformative and were mirrored by small town America during these eras. I was particularly fascinated by the descriptions of Columbus, where I have lived for many years. His integration of the changes in the city are accurate and fascinating. The characters and the decisions they make reflect these changing landscapes. Again, these descriptions do not overwhelm or slow down the narrative.

Then there are the characters. The novel is essentially character driven. Each main character-Cal, Becky, Felix, Margaret, Thomas, and Skip-is flawed and heroic in different ways. While I didn’t agree with many of their decisions, they were so well developed that I understood why they acted as they did. Because each speaks in his or her own voice, the reader knows their deepest thoughts, emotions, and secrets.. The only exception to my sense of thoughtful, deep character development was the son Thomas. He was so angered by the revelations of the adults regarding his parentage that he disappeared and didn’t speak for many years to any of the people involved. It seemed to be an overreaction to me. He does eventually and tentatively reconcile with the father who raised him, which seemed more believable to me.

Even the secondary characters were believable and well- developed. Small towns have their gossips, people who help you no questions asked, shopkeepers who know what you need because they are your neighbor, kids who have been best friends since they were babies. These characters enriched the story and served as foils to the main characters, highlighting their thinking and actions.

This is one of the best books I read this year. I hope it finds a wide audience.

Thanks to Random House for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.


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Buckeye by Patrick Ryan offers a unique perspective on World War II from Ohio. Characters evoke laughter and heartbreak. Highly recommended for historical fiction and layered family dramas.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. What a sweeping historical fiction masterpiece. These characters, these settings and the intricacies that tie them together are so impressive. This was a really intimate story that could have just as easily been nonfiction because these stories surely existed somewhere. I loved how all the stories tied together in such a beautiful way. Four stars..

This is a really well researched historical novel that spans the time from WWII through the Vietnam War, centered around three main characters in a small Ohio town. The writing is somewhat singular - despite switching character POVs (and doing so well) I found myself completely immersed in the storytelling.

That said, sometimes the book was a little slow for me! It's absolutely a great jumping off point for many discussions about a crucial time period, but I thought there were some trims that may have serviced the pace of the novel.

Overall, I'd say it's a very strong 3.5 for me. I wanted a little bit more propulsion, but I am sure other readers will quite enjoy the pace. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was such a fantastic story. I truly got sucked into all the drama. It tells the story of two families in small-town Ohio and how their choices affect their families for decades. I will admit I disliked Margaret as an adult, she was the most selfish character in the story and never did seem to change. There were zero redeeming qualities about her. I am sure growing up an orphan did a number on her but she sure treated everyone in her expendable. I enjoyed Beverly the most followed by Everett, Felix, and Cal. Watching the family's connections unfold was cool. The son's characters, Skip and Tom, were well thought out. I enjoyed their storylines a lot. All in all, a winner of a story that gives you a peek into life in small-town Ohio through the years. I highly recommend it.

I loved this book so much! It explored the concept of family, in its expanded form. The characters and their reactions and emotions were so very real. I wanted to be friends with even the most flawed.

I really enjoyed this story. I had a really good understanding of the story and the characters. I liked seeing the characters grow and change over the years too.