"Ask Again, Yes" by Mary Beth Keane, Scribner, 400 pages, May 28, 2019.

Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope meet as unmarried rookies in the New York City police academy in 1973.

They aren't close friends on the job, but after they each marry, they move into adjacent homes in the small town of Gillam. Francis’ wife, Lena, gives birth to three daughters, Sara, Natalie and Kate. Brian’s wife, Anne, loses her first child but then has a boy, Peter. Anne has a mental health problem.

Peter and Kate are friends and when they are teens they become closer. But on the night Peter tells Kate he thinks they will marry one day, Brian tells Anne that he is moving out. Anne becomes violent. Peter and Kate, who are 14, are driven apart by her actions.

This novel is a multigenerational, character-driven tale of families, with mental illness, infidelity and alcoholism testing them. Although the writing is excellent, the book doesn't have much of a plot and it moves slowly. I didn't feel a connection with the characters.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane follows two neighboring families and the aftermath of a violent event that rip them apart. After the incident, the two children Kate and Peter are forbidden from seeing each other, but they keep trying to find their way back to one another. This story follows the families over the next several decades and explores topics such as family, trauma, mental health, alcoholism and forgiveness.

The hype surrounding this book is real. I know this is one that I will be thinking about for quite a while. This story has some of my favorite things in a book: multi-generational family drama, multiple POVs, strong characters. And the writing was just wonderful.

Ask Again, Yes explores how just one moment, one decision, can impact people in many ways and the little ripples that can come from that one moment. This book made me want to smile and cry at the same time - basically I felt all the feels. I can’t recommend this book enough.

5/5 stars

This book hooked me from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down. I became so invested in these well-drawn characters and had to know what happened to them. Beautifully written, an original story with unexpected turns. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I adore character driven fiction books. This book promised that and it delivers. It is a story about two neighbors, and how an incident changes the dynamics between the families as well as between the families themselves. The book explores how the families cope with the ramifications of the incident, how their lives progress and how they deal with everything that comes their way.

Make no mistake - this is a completely character driven book and plot. The writing is excellent, the portrayal of each character’s thought process behind their actions and their perspectives is so good to read.


Spoiler Alert:
I loved Peter’s character. How he survives everything, and has unwavering faith in his mother loving him inspite of everything. The time when Katie tries to make him understand that his mother still loves him and cares about him, he is genuinely baffled as to why Katie would try to explain something that he’s already known. I also love how the portrayal of both Katie’s and Peter’s different reactions about his mother was done.


Trigger warning: mental illness, alcoholism, parental abandonment.

This book covers so many important topics: alcoholism, infidelity, mental illness and forgiveness to name a few. This book made me wonder are you destined to be something. Can you change your destiny? This book also made me think about forgiveness. Is anything so horrible that you can’t find it in your heart to forgive? This book will have you thinking about it for a while

I always enjoy family dramas that span several decades, and Ask Again, Yes was no exception. This novel touched on many difficult topics and did so in a way that was honest and believable. I also loved the themes of love and forgiveness. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I received Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane as an ARC from NetGalley. I loved this book!! Ask Again, Yes tells the story of two families brought together because the fathers were rookie police officers together. They become neighbors and their families are further entwined. I became completely immersed in this story of families, love and tragedy. The story was compelling and I loved the characters. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this early copy!

I went into this blind and not sure if I would like it. I managed to read half of it in one sitting because of the beautiful writing style.

I recommend checking out this well-written look at two families. Full review to come.

There has been so much positive buzz surrounding this book and I was SO excited when it was finally time for me to start reading it but, unpopular opinion alert, I didn’t love it as much as I was hoping to. There definitely is quite a lot to love about this one but unfortunately for me there was also enough that didn’t work for me that I can’t truly say I’m a fan.

For the first half of the book I was pretty well invested, the writing is fantastic, no doubt the author is talented, and the storyline itself while not necessarily gripping, had me interested for sure. I really liked that we followed two families over several decades and the character development was very strong, I think it was maybe a little too strong for me actually. Often I struggle with literary fiction, it’s sometimes too heavy and dense for me and while that wasn’t my exact issue here, I’m beginning to think that maybe LF in general just isn’t for me. I didn’t find the writing style to be too verbose or over the top like I sometimes feel, however I did find myself start to lose interest at the halfway point and I think at least part of the reason why is because it started to feel like things were dragging, almost at a standstill for me. I really and truly had to push myself to finish and maybe I should’ve just set it aside because it was a struggle form halfway to the end. But after spending quite a bit of time getting to the middle point I stubbornly refused to set it aside, I figured I could power through and honestly that wasn’t a smart decision.

I’m clearly in the minority on this one, just browse Goodreads or Instagram and you’ll see plenty of rave reviews so if you’re interested in this one please take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I’ve been struggling in general lately with quite a few books, clearly I’m moody and super picky right now so keep that in mind while deciding whether or not to read this one.

Overall rating: Between a 2.5-3 for me I can’t actually decide but I always round up so let’s just call it a 3 and move on 😂

Last night I could not put down the book I had to finish it and see what was going to happen to Peter and Kate! It is a beautiful story of two families, neighbors but never truly friends except for the Peter and Kate, the children, six months apart. It is a story spanning two generations, the characters well described, real, I felt close to them and I sympathized for them!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ask Again, Yes - 4.5/5⭐️
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I stayed up passed my self imposed bed time in order to finish this book. Told in different perspectives we get to know two families and get to follow their lives through out the entire book.
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This book covers so many topics. Alcoholism, mental illness, love, infant loss, friendship, marriage, and forgiveness. The two families between intertwined when Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleeson become partners at a police station then end up neighbors. It showed how some actions can change you and the future. Can you outrun your past? Is it “in your blood” to be a certain way?.
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HOPE. That’s something this book gave me. They went through so much together and apart and in the end there was still hope. Families go through stuff, that’s life. Forgiveness can happen, it might take years but it can happen. I think this is one of those books that I will continue to think about and appreciate more as time passes by. It was an amazing character driven book.
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I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves a good family saga.
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Thank you to @netgalley and @scribnerbooks for my review copy. It will be available May 28th.

Ask Again, Yes was the perfect kick off to my summer break reading. Finished it in less than 24 hours. It was realistic and heartwarming, real life struggles and believable characters. Loved that it explored regrets and forgiveness and the different ways we all deal with our surroundings when someone we love makes a mistake. I loved it!

Heck yes this book! ASK AGAIN, YES is a multi-generational saga about family, mental health, and enduring love. I can certainly see this being the blockbuster of the summer. It’s stunning and beautiful, surprising and heart-felt.

Revolving around two families, who live next door to each other in upstate New York, and the book is about how their lives intertwine in both welcome and I welcome ways. Spanning decades, Keane does an incredible job of keeping the reader invested and on their toes.

Two families with children the same age. As the children are growing up together and start to feel a deeper connection. But is it to go good to be true? Tragedy hits both families and Peter and Katie go years without seeing eachother due to what his mothers role in both their families tragedy. Can something so horrible ever be forgiven? Can the two young children at the time, Peter and Katie find eachother and forgive eachother after years of not knowing where the other life has led them? What happens when two paths cross and a connection is made just to be torn apart? Can love really conquer all?

I loved this book! A love story mixed with tragedy that keeps you wondering how can they ever be together after what happened? You will be rooting for the characters as their lives progress on two separate paths. You will wonder just how strong a person's love for another person can be. Will they make it through all the tragedy and damage that came from one crazy night when they were teens? I truly recommend this book. It will have you hooked and not want to put the book down! That's how I finished it in only two days! So sit down, grab the book and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster of young love, unexpected horror and just how far one is willing to go and hang on to someone they love.

Ask Again, Yes was not at all what I was expecting. But I loved it anyways. This book is haunting, and poignant. It’s heartbreaking and healing. It’s a book I can’t quit thinking about and I know is one I’ll be telling people over and over again to read. I know this book is all over the place right now, but I’m adding to the chorus of its praises! A great family drama novel that was very well done. It releases this upcoming Tuesday, May 28th so get your hands on a copy ASAP! Thanks @ for my early copy to review!

A profoundly moving, character driven novel which highlights the lives of the Stanhope and Gleeson families.

Ask Again, Yes is a lovingly written book, which delves deeply into the lives of six characters: Francis and Lena Gleeson, and their youngest daughter Kate; as well as Brian and Anne Stanhope, and their only child, Peter. Covering approximately a 40 year time span, we share their laughter, their blessings, their heartbreaks, and their tragedies. If you're looking for a fast paced, twisty novel...this isn't the book for you. However, if you're looking for a truly well-written family drama, look no further. This story is eerily true to life. As I was reading, I thought to myself, "Yea...that sounds about right. I'd probably do the same thing."

Highly flawed and unapologetically imperfect, I found myself feeling empathetic toward these characters one minute, and highly irritated the next. And really, my only complaint is that the book felt unnecessarily long. Because we get pieces of the story from multiple points of view, there is some overlap. A somewhat heavy novel, Mary Beth Keane examines the rippling effect all our choices make throughout our lives. Despite that, the thoughtful conclusion left me with feelings of hope and optimism. This would make a wonderful book club selection.

Recommended for those who enjoy character-based literary fiction and heavy themes. 3.5 stars rounded up.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Mary Beth Keane for my advance copy.

Ask Again, Yes
by Mary Beth Keane
Published: May 28, 2019 by Scribner
Dates Read: May 12, - May 19, 2019
Genre/Category: General Fiction (Adult)
Read For: ARC from NetGalley for Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars

Book synopsis: When Francis Gleason and Brian Stanhope join the NYPD in 1973 neither one could have imagined where their lives would lead, but they end up working in the same precinct and yet again living next door to each other outside the city. Though they were never really close friends, living in the same neighborhood can’t help but allow for their lives to intertwine, but not in the most neighborly of ways. Francis’ wife Lena attempts to befriend Brian’s wife Anne upon their arrival, but Anne and Brian are very aloof, and after some odd interactions, a friendship between families never develops.

As time goes by, the couples have children, and despite the adult’s differences, Francis’ youngest daughter Kate and Brian’s only son Peter develop a strong bond growing up that cannot be broken. During their eighth grade year, a violent event forces the Stanhope family to move away and Kate and Brian lose contact, forbidden by their families to see each other. Both of them afraid and unsure of how to reconnect with each other, never really letting go of their forbidden friendship.

Crossing generations, Ask Again, Yes tells the story of how Kate and Brian find their way back to each other, how their bond is tested by the events that occurred during their childhood, and shaped both of their lives. It encompasses a lifetime of choices, makes us think about the decisions we’ve made, why we’ve made them, and if given the chance, would we make the same decision again?

My synopsis: These are always the best kind of books to read, at least they are my favorite. Ask Again, Yes peaks your curiosity immediately, and as you continue reading, it reaches out and grips you with this tragedy that tears families and neighbors apart. Without falling flat, Mary Beth Keane continues to tell the story of each individual involved, the repercussions of their actions, how they’ve dealt with, moved on, and interacted with each other, how they intertwined, grew together and apart. The personal struggle of each character plays a major role in the telling of this captivating story. The author writes with such ease and grace that you find yourself sad when the book ends, almost as if you are losing a part of your own family when you close the book.

Ask Again, Yes is tender, enchanting, heartbreaking and troubled all at the same time. I felt it deserved a solid 4 stars in review. This is contemporary fiction at its finest. It is well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I feel sure we will be hearing a lot about this novel in the months to come. Highly recommend this book.

Thank You so much to Scribner and NetGalley for the ARC of Ask Again, Yes for an unbiased and honest review.

damn, this book crushed the multigeneration family drama hard. For sure one of the best books I've read this year, I loved the author's ability to alternate character POVs seamlessly. The story itself is actually pretty quiet and simple (two families growing up next to each other are forever affected by a tragic event), but the execution is masterful and the characters are so well written and fully-dimensional.. Huge recommendation.

Told over four decades, the story of Peter and Kate is woven together beautifully, and a pleasure to read. Beginning in Westchester County, Peter and Kate’s lives are intertwined before they are even born.

This read to me almost like a multi generational saga, without the abundance of characters to remember and time frames to keep track of..a great read to curl up with over a long weekend or on a vacation.

[3,5/5 stars]

ASK AGAIN, YES revolves around two neighboring families in a suburban town - Gleeson and Stanhope. Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope work at the same police station and end up living at the same street. One day something terrible happens and the two families drift apart.

This book explores some daily but relevant topics such as family, sacrifice, forgiveness, mental illness, recovery. love and marriage. It took me almost half part of the book to get into the book - there were some fast-paced parts while other parts were quite slow and dragged. Nevertheless, once I was invested in the story, I couldn't stop reading it.

The writing is engaging and this book is a character-driven plot. Keane made me deeply think about how complex can be a family's dynamic and gave me another perspective of facing certain problems. In addition, this book was kind of my self-discover journey by teaching me more about forgiveness and second chances. In the beginning, I felt quite indignant about the how circumstances happened then I was filled with hope. The characters were so authentic that they will remain in our mind for a long time. Finally, the ending was just at the point.

ASK AGAIN, YES is an evocative family drama full of pure emotions. I highly recommend it and will read more of this author.