I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book was full of SO much. There were many themes that are relevant to the world we live in today which made it so relatable. The characters were strongly developed and I loved the conversations and interactions between all of them. Each character will remind you of someone you know in real life, they’re all there and covered in this book. Everyone in their own way has to come to terms with things that they might not be open to at first and in a community where people know and see each other, that’s even more important. Definitely an endearing novel, serious at times, and humorous at others.

Griffin, a rural town in the U.S., is in crisis. Tensions are rising between its citizens: on one side, the longtime locals, who are facing mounting challenges (rising living costs, a housing crisis, increasing drug abuse); on the other, the affluent newcomers, the *city gays* investing in second homes in the area. Amid this strained backdrop, a political campaign for congressional seats is underway. Will Chip, the son of the Republican candidate, finds himself torn between his family in turmoil and the dazzling lifestyle embodied by the Democrat candidate and his entourage.

I went in expecting something with a bit of humor: after all, the setup could have easily been the start of a dumb U.S. comedy movie. But I completely misjudged the tone of this book. This novel confronts heavy, sometimes shocking topics. Bigotry and slurs are expected, but there's also drug use, deaths (from overdoses, suicide, AIDS), past abortions, religious trauma… everyone is going through *something*. TThis story is not about campaign platforms or the classic Republican-vs-Democrat rhetoric (as a matter of fact, Republicans and Democrats are never named). Instead, it focuses on the people behind the campaigns; their families, histories, and how their lives intersect.

You can really tell the author has a background in journalism. At first, there’s a certain clinical distance to the writing, like reading a long-form feature about a place you've never heard of (and honestly, do not care about) in a newspaper. The prose doesn’t dive into emotions right away, it feels more observational. But that gradually changes for the better, and the novel hits its stride in the final third, culminating in an emotionally powerful and well-paced ending.

There are *a lot* of characters, which can feel overwhelming. The omniscient narrator moves fluidly between them, though not in a jarring or amateurish way. Still, even by the end, I had to pause occasionally to remind myself which name connected to which character. The “first debate” scene, where most of the cast appears at once, was especially challenging to follow. However, I wouldn’t change a thing: every character felt intentional. I never felt like the story dragged while reading, but the first half may feel slow while readers adjust to the narrative’s scope. Still, while the book wasn’t what I thought I wanted, it absolutely accomplished what it set out to do with virtuosity.

I think this novel will age well. Despite what's happening in the U.S. now (which makes the future feel uncertain), the core themes (identity, belonging, community) are timeless. What stood out most to me is how realistic the story felt, like someone had dropped a magnifying glass onto a small American town and recorded what they saw with startling accuracy.
Schaefer’s ability to weave so many narrative threads together is impressive. The prose stands out, too: there were several moments where I genuinely wanted to add a quote for the book on Goodreads. Some sentences managed to deliver such vivid, precise, surprisingly resonant statements with so little words.

And all in all, I especially appreciated the ending. It was emotional and bittersweet, the kind of finale that hits all the harder *because* you’ve spent so much time alongside such a wide cast of characters. I am thankful for the one crumb of hope I was left with in this gloomy landscape...!

Overall, I definitely recommend this book, and I think it'd appeal to a wide range of readers!

This book was a really interesting debut novel. It started with what I felt like too many characters and I couldn’t keep track and then I was engrossed and enthralled.

This book is white people making mistakes, trying to better themselves with a sense of foreboding that something bad is going to happen but you the reader doesn’t know when.

Leon - I know the kind of man you are. No wonder your boyfriend left you.

So happy I got this early from NetGalley. Love reading new authors - there was a few irksome phrasing that felt like weird but tapered off. Will definitely be reading any future books.

‘A social circle has no official limit; in theory, it can expand endlessly. Yet the reality is, a circle must close somewhere. It must exclude.’

‘… in some stubborn awareness, that thats where the problems started. But that’s where Matt is, so he keeps trying to go back.’

I really enjoyed this book. The Duffels were rich characters (literally) and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of commentary on gay culture and how it has changed throughout the generations. I agree that there were a few too many characters introduced in the beginning to keep track of. Even though the author didn't explicitly name the parties, there was a clear right/left divide in their politics. I grew up in a small touristy town in Appalachia that has experienced incredible growth throughout my childhood and adulthood and thought that Schaefer portrayed a small town with an identity crisis very well.

**Rewritten without dashes:**

*Town & Country* follows a heated congressional race in the small rural town of Griffin, where the longtime Rileys go up against the newly arrived Bankses. What begins as a story about local politics turns into a powerful exploration of identity, loyalty, and community.

Despite the description, this is not a light summer read. Brian Schaefer leans into difficult topics like sexuality, grief, drug use, and small-town prejudice, creating flawed yet deeply human characters. As someone who lives in a small town and identifies as LGBTQ, I expected to be turned off by the Rileys. But Schaefer writes them with nuance. They are the kind of people you run into at the local diner or grocery store. Misguided at times, but trying in their own way.

The book features a wide range of characters and perspectives. While the quick shifts can feel overwhelming at first, each one eventually finds its place in the larger story. These voices help bring Griffin to life and highlight the push and pull between tradition and change.

Schaefer tackles big ideas with honesty and care. By giving space to all sides, he creates a story that feels real, messy, and meaningful.

This is one of those books that sticks with you. I blazed through this read, but the characters were still on my mind when I put it down. And days later, I'm still thinking about it!

There are a lot of characters in this book, and it can be difficult to tell them apart at times. However, the main drivers of the story are memorable and unique. You have two political factions running for Congress: Chip Riley, the local businessman who campaigns on traditional family values; and Paul Banks, one of the many "power gays" who has purchased a second home in the area to escape from the bustling city.

As the two candidates battle it out for the Congressional seat, this book doesn't shy away from tough topics. In fact, those subjects are what propel the story forward. From the opiate epidemic to same-sex marriage, political hot button issues are shown from both sides of the spectrum and force the reader to consider their own biases.

The good news: You don't have to love politics (who does!?) to enjoy this book. Having just moved to a small town that could very well be Griffin, I related to this book in a lot of ways and I believe it has opened my eyes to the dynamics at play. This is a story about the societal implications of choices we make and, more importantly, what it means to be human.

I could have read Brian Schaefer's writing all day. And if I was awarding stars for that alone, "Town & Country" would be a 5-star read. However, the story itself did seem to drag on at times. As in love with the characters as I was, I did find this to be a slow burn.

The author has been compared to Fredrik Backman, one of my favorite writers, and I have to agree. I'd also liken him to T.J. Klune. Both Schaefer and Klune write in a way that feels like they're wrapping you in a blanket and applying balm to your very soul. I'm genuinely looking forward to any and every book from this author in the future. He's bound to be a household name.

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

3.75 stars, rounding up to 4. What I appreciated the most from this book was looking at how different communities have to share the same spaces, the misunderstandings, the awkwardness that have to be faced and somehow resolved... or not. I also like a book that gives us a lot of POVs, and this book got it mostly right. Definitely engaging from the start, with a lot of heart along the way. Recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I thought at first this would be a cute exploration of identity, but there was a lot going on, and it was a lot more emotional than I originally expected.

I think the representation is done very well, but the plot just didn't vibe with me. I didn't really understand what was going on, and while I liked the main characters, I didn't really care much about the other characters, and the general population of the town.

Personally, I didn't enjoy this book all that much because of the plot, but it was a good pastime!

To quote Maddy Perez from Euphoria… “Wait. Is this f***ing play about us?”

Town & Country weaved so many gay tropes and characteristics into one seamless novel that you weren’t sure where it was headed but it felt comfortable and I loved it. I felt represented and saw so many of my friends in the story that it felt like snippets were pulled directly from reality.

It was a reminder, during a time of significant strife, that you should never judge a book by its cover. You never know who will save your life, be your caterer, or be in your corner when you need them most. It was a big gay hug.

Overall a good book, though a bit slow. Hard to get into, it didn’t really grip me as there’s so much clutter in the beginning and it took a bit to sort out who was who and what was going on.

I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads. The book is set for release in November 2025, and I’m beyond thrilled to have had the opportunity to read this debut work from an exciting new author.

Set over the course of six months, this novel centers around a congressional election in a small, rural town. The two candidates are polar opposites in their worldviews, yet both (along with the richly developed other characters) are desperately seeking acceptance within their community. This dynamic creates a compelling narrative that is as deeply personal as it is politically charged.

Every so often, you come across a book that is not only bold and thought-provoking but also impossible to stop thinking about. This is one of those books. The months leading up to its November release will feel like an eternity as I eagerly anticipate seeing it in the hands of other readers and discussing it further. In the meantime, I’ll be recommending it to book clubs and can’t wait to hear others' thoughts on the novel’s powerful themes.

This book is one that will linger in your mind long after the final page is turned. A brilliant debut that deserves attention.

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about this book. It is filled with likable characters, all of them with serious character flaws. It is has a background story of a political campaign that threads through the book, but not the main idea. It is a story of gentrification, except not between black and white people. And at times the plot moves slowly that I wanted to fast forward if I could, at other times I felt I could have used more information about an incident or what a character is thinking. And I was just at the point that I was accepting how everything was coming together at the end of the story--and then it ended and I wanted to scream!! However, I do think it was a foray into the gay community and definitely did have a point about what they went through during the AIDS crisis, but I'm not sure that is the reason that this story occurs. I think I was expecting something different from this book and maybe that is why I am so torn about it.

A congressional race in a rural district pits the local Rileys against the new-to-town Bankses. As the summer ramps up with campaigning, the small town of Griffin must confront their loyalties to themselves, their families, and their neighbors.

Despite the description, I expected this book to be a rather light-hearted summer read with some hard insights around sexuality and drug use thrown in for spice. Instead, this book was almost the opposite, and it was all the better for it. Town & Country delves unflinchingly and unabashedly into the difficult conversations. Characters are forced to confront their prejudices and asked to examine what matters most to them.

Brian Schaefer does an excellent job in creating and developing characters that are both deeply flawed but sympathetic. As someone who lives in a small town as identifies on the LGBT spectrum, I expected to be turned off by the Rileys and their platform, and while they make so many mistakes, Schaefer created real, tangible characters. They’re exactly like the people I pass in the grocery store or at the farmer’s market or the local restaurant. They’re people with staunch opinions that are also trying to be more open-minded even if they don’t always go about it the right way. My ability to both dislike them but also see them in my own neighbors just means that Schaefer brought to life incredibly real people on the page. They’re not caricatures, and each of them is just trying to do the best for themselves.

This book contains a vast array of characters from all corners of the town, and while I found the quick switching between them confusing in the beginning, once they become more their own people, it was much easier to keep them straight. I would almost say there are too many perspective switches but each of their stories are important to the overall narrative and message of Town & Country.

And this book has so many messages. While clashes over local vs outsider and heterosexuality vs homosexuality are two of the major players in this book, there’s also deep conversation surrounding loneliness, grief, and drug use as well. Neighbors are asked to confront their prejudices and grapple with how to be true to both themselves, their beliefs, and one another.

This book has so many dynamic messaging, and Schaefer does a fantastic job juggling all the conversations, intertwining them to create the fabric that makes up the social patchwork of Griffin. In particular, giving different voices and opinions to each of the issues makes the book come to life in a way that is real and tangible.

Colum McCann called Town & Country a “powerful and extremely well-written book,” and I couldn’t agree with him more.

Town & Country is a sharply observed, emotionally layered debut that captures the messy, beautiful tensions of a town caught between old roots and new ambitions. Brian Schaefer’s portrait of Griffin—a rural community disrupted by a high-stakes congressional race—feels both timely and timeless, with its cast of flawed, deeply human characters navigating grief, identity, class, and belonging. Told through multiple points of view, the novel gracefully balances politics with personal stakes. Chip and Diane Riley’s unraveling family life contrasts poignantly with Paul and Stan Banks’s high-gloss campaign and strained marriage, while a circle of gay second homeowners adds texture and wit to the narrative. Schaefer has a gift for writing people as they are—contradictory, vulnerable, and trying their best in a world that keeps shifting. It’s a novel about how place shapes people, and how people, in turn, try to shape place—often imperfectly. Moving, honest, and full of quiet revelations,

Town & Country was a topical, deeply personal dive into the humanity behind the conflict of politics, community, and identity. With its wide cast of complex characters, this painted a very realistic, complex portrait of what real communities face every day.

The small town of Griffin is coming upon an election, a contested congressional race is a notoriously purple district. On one side, Chip Riley is running. Married to his high school sweetheart and with his two boys, and owner of the local pub he's the face of Griffin. But he's not a shoe-in by any means. With his rocky political decisions, one of his sons being gay and the other struggling with addiction, his own house is in all sorts of disarray. Not to mention his god fearing wife is a popular real estate agent who is personally driving gentrification in the area, essentially funding her husband's opponent's movement. Paul is a young, handsome rising star in the political space. Having recently bought his second home in Griffin with his (much) older husband Stan, he is excited to drive the change in this district. With lofty dreams and a deep, deep belief in fostering community, he cares about this town-- and bringing his own community to help him. Surrounding each of these candidates is a cast of characters who fall on one side or the other. Will is Chip's gay son, struggling with his devotion to his own family who is so quick to cast him aside and with Paul and his dazzling group of gay friends who have recently bought second homes in town, and are eager to draw Will into their friend group. Diane, chip's wife, struggles with the dissonance between selling to men.. like that.. and her husband's fight against rising house prices. Stan needs Paul to get his head into the election and out of the next scantily clad pool party they're going to be hosting. But he can't help holding onto animosity for how people just like the ones in this small town cast his community to the side during the AIDS crisis. Eric, friend of Paul's and transplant to Griffin finds an embrace in the local community and begins to find his friend group exhausting. Leon, an aged gay man, ejected from his former social group, struggles to find a new community with a younger gay community who is hesitant to receive him. Joe is struggling with his addiction, his alienation from his campaigning family, and the death of his best friend. All of these stories weave together into a rich tapestry of community plagued with partisan politics, and as the election draws closer, who knows who will win, and what relationships will survive.

So what I thought this would be walking into is was a story that was deeply political, and some grand commentary about politics in the modern day. And while that's not necessarily NOT what this book is about, it makes sure to focus on community. Not even just community based politics, but rather this is a story ABOUT a community that happens to be set during a local election, and I think that's what really made it hit home for me. Each person, whether we followed them or they were a side character, was so flawed and complicated and integrated into the story, it was really well done.

Will's manager at the catering job is also his brother's friend and shit talks about Will to his brother. The bartender at the local bar also comes over for family dinner with the Riley's, and Diane has to secure temporary housing for her because rent prices are driving her out. Eric's husband is also a decorator for Paul and Stan, and manages their campaign events. It just felt like a living, breathing community.

Now even though I'm praising this for having complex characters, I can see other's criticizing the character work for being a bit too... hot and cold. Every character isn't so much as "gray" as they are "black and white". They do decidedly good things or they do decidedly bad things, and it varies from chapter to chapter, perspective to perspective. But I appreciated it, I thought it did a good job at making me feel REALLY complicated towards everyone in the book.

I also really like how we don't really get any perspective from Chip or Paul, our two candidates. We only get the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the people directly surrounding them, which is really how politics works.

Despite a slow start, this really ended up being a fantastic story. Despite it being very much "of the moment," I think there are some lasting lessons to be taken from this.

Town & Country is a layered and thoughtful debut that captures the unease of shifting identities—personal, political, and geographic. While its cast of characters sometimes outpaces its emotional depth, there’s enough intrigue and atmosphere to keep it moving.

In the rural town of Griffin, a congressional race stirs tensions between long-time residents and newcomers, as political loyalties and personal struggles come to the forefront. As families grapple with loss, identity, and changing allegiances, *Town & Country* offers a poignant exploration of community, belonging, and the complexities of home.

I loved the writing style and cadence of this book. I really enjoyed the relationships and the characters themselves. I could picture everyone and the scenery of the town as well. I would have loved to have read more about Eric and Dalton's relationship specifically, as they were my favorite characters and their love story was unique. My only criticism was that I didn't have closure at the end. I wanted to know who won the election, I wanted to know what happened with the relationships. I also wanted to know who stayed in Griffin and who didn't. This is like the ending of the Sopranos for me, lol, I need more!

I’m a bit disappointed because I genuinely wanted to enjoy this novel. The premise was intriguing, and I thought it would be a nice escape to learn the perspectives of these captivating characters.

However, the issue arises from the sheer number of characters, which made it difficult to become fully invested in any of them. The constant switching between characters became confusing and distracting, hindering my engagement with the plot. While there were a few storylines that I found enjoyable (particularly Dalton’s), I believe that this book could have been more enjoyable if it had focused on a few strong characters rather than attempting to follow all of the storylines simultaneously.

This book was just okay for me. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a friend. It seemed to drag on. Maybe it was just too far out of my usual reading preferences.