I wanted to love this book because I'm #FlintStrong. Having grown up near and attended college in Flint, I can assure you the historical accuracy is spot-on. I wanted this book to be a love letter to Flint, but it wasn't... The storylines were confusing at certain times. I caught myself reversing the audio book several times, which I rarely need to do, because I thought I missed "something".

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* great book, especially if you know Detroit and Flint well. Great read, would recommend and reread!

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this advance listener copy in exhange for my honest review.

I want to start off by saying that this book was really well written. The characters were very 3 dimensional and could have been people that I knew. I grew up about an hour and a half north of Flint Michigan, so I was hoping to relate or connect on some level, but it just wasn't there. The alternating timelines had no clear indicatoin of when a new POV was introduced and that really took away from the story, which didn't have much substance. I like a book that's more plot driven and this one was definitely more of a character study.

Just because I didn't like this book, doesn't mean it won't have a large audience and many people who love it. It just wasn't a story for me. The audio was phenomenal. She nailed the accents and everything. The book just fell flat for me.

3.5 ⭐️
It’s hard to imagine a prosperous automobile factory ever existed in Flint, Michigan. If I had to give just a feed word about this book it would be an American failure. Besides the fall of the factory there was also the fall of relationships. This brutally honest depiction of Chevy in the hole was at time difficult to listen to. And I wonder if it were to happen today would we still make the same mistakes? Could we have prevented so much damage?
If I learned anything from this, it’s that we have to hold onto something good, healthy and take responsibility for our part of our American story.
It’s never to late to start doing the right thing.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and it was 8 hours and 8 minutes. The narrator was Janina Edwards and she was a 5 star. I don’t know if listening to this would be the best outlet because I was often confused about the present and past.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
I’ve posted this review on Instagram, Goodreads, FB, BB, B&N and Amazon.

This one was not for me. I was about 25% through and could not complete. The description seemed as thought it would work. Wasn't the narrator, more of the story that was not gelling with me.

Thank you NetGalley and Kelsey Ronan for this ARC.

Woven throughout their story are the stories of their families—Gus’s white and Monae’s Black—members of which have had their own triumphs and devastating setbacks trying to survive and thrive in Flint. A novel about the things that change over time and the things that don’t, Chevy in the Hole reminds us again and again what people need from one another and from the city they call home.

Once I started I couldn’t stop listening. I thought the acting for the audiobook was fantastic. I loved the character growth and felt I was a part of Monaes family and world. This story is about love and tragic loss. You can tell the author heavily researched or knew first hand all about Flint. Definitely add this to your TBR.

Weird this book or author is so new it’s not found on GoodReads.

3. 5 stars, rounded up. Chevy in the Hole is Kelsey Ronan’s debut novel. I love strong working class fiction, and the title and book cover spoke to me. But while it shows a good deal of promise, it’s also a cautionary example of how, in trying to do too much, one can do too little. My thanks go to Net Galley and Henry Holt for the review copies. This book is for sale today.

The protagonists are Gus Molloy, who is Caucasian, and Monae Livingston, who is Black. The book opens as Gus is being revived with Narcan on the floor of a dirty restroom in Detroit. We follow him as he meets Monae, a student working at a farm outside of Flint. Their stories are told alternately with bits and pieces of the lives of their predecessors.

The story is promoted as a love letter to Flint, and a tribute to the resilience of its people; it’s a story of “love and betrayal, race and family.” And we do surely see all of those things, but as soon as one aspect or another is touched on, I wink and poof, it’s gone. Gus and Monae are both sympathetic characters, and I can’t help pulling for them, but I suspect the author could have developed them more fully had we not spent so much time and detail on fragments of their parents, grandparents and so on.

If the author’s purpose is to use these characters from the past to showcase the various struggles through which Flint has gone—sit-down strikes, Civil Rights marches, and now, this horrifying industrial sludge that has polluted the town’s drinking water—it could have been done in a paragraph or two, or through some other device than shifting the point of view. The frequent changes of character and time period make it confusing as heck, particularly while listening to the audio version; that’s a shame, because Janina Edwards is a warm, convincing reader.

But we frequently shift from one protagonist to the other, even after they are married, and all of these people from the past have to be sorted by both time period, and by which protagonist they are related to. A story like this should flow. As it is, it’s work listening to it, and had I not been granted a digital review copy as well to refer to, I might have given up.

My other frustration is that both the labor history and the Civil Rights issues—with Black people shut out of company housing in the past, and the issues with cop violence as well as the pollution that is visited most within the Black community—are huge. The pollution problem is immense, and ties back into both of the other issues. This book could be a powerhouse, a call for change to reward to the plucky souls that have stuck with this place through hell and high, toxic water. Instead they present almost like postcards; oh, look at this! Now look at that! Okay, never mind, let’s go on back to the present.

That being said, the author’s mission is an ambitious one, and her word smithery is of high caliber. I look forward to seeing what else she publishes.

If you choose to read this book, I recommend using the printed word, whether digitally or as a physical copy.

This one felt hard to review. I almost didn't finish the book, but I did push through. Many times, I found myself lost in the story, and not in the good way. In the I don’t know how it got here and I have no idea what is going on way. I had the audiobook version and couldn't concentrate to fully understand what was going on. Usually, audiobooks draw me right in but, this one unfortunately did not. This was a story about Flint Michigan and the people that lived there who were affected by the water crisis and how this affected their lives for a long time. The timeline switched between 1937 during a factory worker strike at a Chevy plant to present-day Flint water crisis. I loved that August and Monae were an interracial couple and the multi-generational story line. I wish there was more action throughout the story. There was a ton of time that passed within the story, but there wasn’t much that happened.

I made it to about 50% and I was just sort of bored… I feel like nothing was really happening and I wasn’t that invested in either of the main characters or their relationship. I thought this would be a grittier portrayal of addiction and maybe I didn’t make it far enough but a 50% I had to call it quits.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the description for this book, but I could not get into the story. I kept waiting to become hooked, but the story did not keep me intrigued and I could not finish the book.

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Chevy in the Hole is a debut novel by Kelsey Ronan, and it is described as a love story to Flint, Michigan, where the author grew up in. So it happens, I am planning my first ever trip to Michigan later this year, and I wanted to have more exposure to Michigan.

Story begins with August "Gus" having overdosed in a Detroit restaurant where he works as a line cook. He ended up going home to Flint, Michigan with his sister's help, where he meets Monae, an aspired urban farmer. From then it goes back to decades of family history in multiple time lines and multiple points of view. This is where things got muddy for me, where there are too many topics (social issues, bi-racial issues, workers justice, gay topics, to name a few) to be addressed and I felt the book lacked focus. Also, given difficult subject matters (I suppose it is difficult to write a happy book about Flint...) , including humor or heart-warming episodes in between might have been helpful to readers to give rests between difficult discussions.
I did like the fact that it is written about the hometown of the author, and a lot of music references in the book given a lot of great music came out from the area. Other than that, this book really didn't work for me unfortunately.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an early edition of this audiobook for honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Kelsey Ronan, gorgeously narrated by Janina Edwards. 4 stars!

Gus has overdosed in the bathroom of the restaurant where he works in Detroit. His sister bails him out again and takes him back to Flint. When he meets Monae, who wants to be an urban farmer, he can start to see a new life. Told over generations of this interracial couple, we see how both family and community meld to form our lives, and the troubles that exist when the city fails its people.

I began reading this book but quickly switched to the audiobook, where Janina Edwards' beautiful voice was the star. I really liked hearing about Gus and Monae's story but sometimes felt a bit lost in the switches to the past. It is a walk down memory lane with the music and culture of those times however. The Flint water crisis and how it affected those who live there was always in the background of this story. A good read but a better listen!

This is a beautiful debut full of characters that work to navigate life in Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Its the story of August and Monae at heart, but includes multi generations in the past to show how their families have gotten to the point they are. I grew up about an hour away from Detroit, so I loved hearing about the city and places I know/have seen. At the heart of this book though I loved the gardening message and all that struggle entailed for Gus and Monae. This is a very character driven plot for readers that appreciate literacy fiction books! The narrator of this audiobook did a fantastic job portraying the highs and lows in this book!

This book was initially advertised as a romance and while there is a romance and it is central to the story, I think this is more of a general fiction story with a romance in it. Flint, Michigan is just as important to the story as the main two characters are and it is a doozy of a contender to compete with.

Chevy in the Hole follows August after he has an overdose in his workplace's bathroom. After temporarily dying and seeing what he thinks might have been heaven or at least a good dream, he begins volunteering at a farm outside of Flint. There he meets Monae, a student who works at the farm and dreams of owning her own one day. While their story progresses we see flashbacks into their families lives as they try to survive and thrive in Flint.

The story analyzes and hits on a lot of ideas with regards to race and classism involved not only in the Flint water crisis as it was a few years ago but also throughout the fall of Detroit’s auto industry and slow descent of the city. Its a slow burn of a tale that shows major highlights of the city's history through the tales of families past and of course, the shockwaves of its failures. I really liked the interesperal of fictional characters through real life events such as the auto workers protests and Keith Moon crashing his car into a pool at the Holiday Inn.

While the romance is supposed to be central it never was a sweep you off your feet kind of deal. This made it feel more real and in a way more depressing and anxiety inducing than romances typically are. The problems they go through are not only internal but external with their environment literally poisoning the world they live in. It gets very bleak and very sad but in a way that feels like there are people who are experiencing it or similar and need to be heard.

I will say the feedback I might have is that listening to audio I kept getting whose family member was who mixed up. We went back four generations of each family and it was a bit hard to keep track of where we were in the genetic timeline and of which descendent. There was no easy break between character and timeline and I often took some time to get adjusted. We would also jump years and years between so a character who we last heard from as a child would be a full grown adult in the next flashback and it got a little confusing.

Also this cover is terrible but I did enjoy this book even while it slowly crushed me until a little light right at the end of the tunnel,

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for a copy of this audio ARC. The narrator was Janina Edwards who was excellent but maybe could have used an assist on a few chapters to clear up some confusion on the timelines/families.

This book is described as "a gorgeous, unflinching love letter to Flint, Michigan, and the resilience of its people, Kelsey Ronan's Chevy in the Hole follows multiple generations of two families making their homes there, with a stunning contemporary love story at its center."

I listened to the audiobook and while the narration was very well done, the story fell flat for me. I kept waiting to become hooked, but stayed at the same level of indifference towards the plot/characters the whole time.

There were a couple characters that I really did like and that definitely helped! I don't see myself recommending this one, unfortunately.

Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This is out on March 15th!

Chevy in the Hole is an ode to Flint Michigan. Gus, a recovering drug addict who had been sober for two years, slipped and the overdose almost killed him. He decides to move back to his hometown of Flint where his sister rand mother still live.

In trying to get his life back on track Gus volunteers at an urban farm and meets Monae, a college student who hopes to help bring Flint back to life. Throughout the book we go back in time and meet Gus and Monae's families. We get a look at what life was like for the working class Whites (Gus) and the Blacks (Monae) in Flint going back to the 1937 sit-in at General Motors.

I enjoyed the history of Flint along with the current struggles with water and drugs. I will say that due to the number of characters, I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read it instead of listening to it. There were times when the POV changed and I had to wrack my brain as to who this was. I think it's easier when reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

When I saw the title, I knew I was reading this. I was born in Flint and lived there until age 5, then only moved to a suburb. I still have family living in the city. I myself live less than a mile from the city limits, where I am currently typing this review. I had family that worked at Chevy in the Hole.

I loved all of the memories this book stirred up. I've been to Autoworld- though if I went during the few months it was open under the Six Flags banner, I do not remember that. I'd have to ask my parents as I would have been a toddler and. I DO remember it opening up a few times over the years and visiting. I also attended UofM-Flint when the White Building opened on the former site. I happen to also know Detroit really well, so the portions that took place there also sparked a lot of memories. I worked downtown for several years. Although, with the progress it has made in the last decade, I had to force myself to think of it like it was, not how it is. The book is very well researched. I only can think of one incorrect fact, and it was early on. The "Jesus" sign on I-75 is not at the Genesee County line. It is a few miles south (exit 93). Granted, the road, M-24 (Dixie Highway at the Jesus sign, Saginaw Street once it crosses into Genesee County) runs parallel and has a second exit- the one that actually is the county line (exit 106).

While reading, I quickly discovered that I am probably not the best person to actually write a review for this. The reason being that I was often distracted by my own memories.

For the story, I really enjoyed it. I loved how real it was and that people can get a glimpse into the real problems the people of Flint. I really felt for Gus- his struggle, especially in part two, seemed so real.

I rated it at four stars for a couple reasons- as I mentioned, I often got distracted. I also want to make sure my own memories don't inflate it. The third, biggest reason, is that I had a hard time keeping the characters in the historical portions straight sometimes. I was listening to the audiobook, so I couldn't just flip back. It is two families over several decades- so a lot of people to keep straight.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished listening to CHEVY IN THE HOLE by Kelsey Ronan. It’s a debut novel about a couple, August and Monae, and their families all living in Flint, Michigan.
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What I liked:
- August and Monae are an interracial couple, August is white and Monae is Black
- Janina Edwards is an excellent narrator
- expansive timeline that spans several decades and features multiple generations of their families
- so many fun music references throughout the whole book including Keith Moon of the Who
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What I didn’t like:
- alternating timelines between part and present were confusing
- it’s a quiet story so even though so much time passes nothing really happens
- I wasn’t feeling the love for the couple or the setting
- none of the characters stood out to me
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So in the end I didn’t love this book and I found the story forgettable but I’d definitely be interested to listen to more books narrated by Edwards!
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Thank you to Henry Holt Books for my advance reader’s edition and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for my ALC!

An interesting read with multiple timelines. Part history of Detroit, part social awareness novel, part chronicle of the damage done by addiction. Many layers that fit together pretty nicely.

This book wasn't really what I was expecting when reading the title and viewing the description. It is at its core a love story and tells the story of two families as they grow and change. It also makes me want to visit this town because it seems like a tribute to an area. I would recommend. Audiobook narrator was my least favorite part, to be honest.