I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is basically the story of a marriage in disarray. The wife is obsessed with baby-making and refuses to give up. The husband also is stubborn and somewhat naive when it comes to his lifelong dream for owning a bar. He closes his eyes for far too long to the mounting debts. In the end, he helps her realize that a baby is not in the cards for them, and she helps him to come to his senses about his failing business. Love conquers all, as they say.

Throughout my reading experience I felt like I was in the room with this couple. While that can be a good thing in terms of a writer's talent, it wasn't particularly enjoyable in this instance, A little too much angst for me. There also was a side plot towards the end of the book which didn't seem to have much connection to the story. It baffles me as to why it was included. Did the author need to fulfill a requirement for a certain page count? Anyway, this was a just okay book for me.

Like "Ask Again, Yes," Keane's novel "The Half Moon" is quiet and atmospheric. There's not a lot of action, but the story still gives you plenty to think about. The story takes place over one week in the New York suburbs during back-to-back winter storms that cut-off power to homes and shut down businesses, including Malcolm Gephardt's troubled bar, The Half Moon. As Malcolm struggles to keep his business afloat, he is also struggling to keep his marriage together. The story alternates between Malcolm and his wife, Jess, with generous flashbacks that bring the reader up to speed on how they both ended up in their current predicaments and if there is a second chance for both of them.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

May be in the minority, but I could not get into this one. An incredible amount of exposition, slow moving, and just did not connect with the characters.

4.5 relationship-driven stars

I am a huge fan of this author, so I eagerly dug into this book. We start with Malcolm’s perspective, he’s the spark of the party, the bartender, and now the owner of the Half Moon bar. He’s a bit of a dreamer too, not ready to face the harsh realities of running a bar. Especially when men keep showing up to collect payments.

We then shift to his wife Jess, she’s an attorney and successful in her professional life. In her personal life, she wants to have a baby more than anything. As the years go by, medical intervention never works, and she feels like a failure for not being a mother. Things become strained between Malcolm and Jess as debts pile up.

I loved the way the author showed both sides of the story, I felt like I really got to know these characters. As their marriage crumbled, I still held out hope that Malcolm and Jess could work their way back together, with or without a baby. We get to know their friends, their families, and the impact that a broken marriage has on everyone, especially in a small town.

This well-written book made me ponder if a marriage can be successful if the parties want different things. How much are you willing to give up? Authentically portraying family and relationships shows that this is a strong writer for me! I had to round this one up because I’m still thinking about it a few days after finishing.

Malcolm and Jess have been married for several years.. he a bar owner, she a lawyer…problems with the debt of keeping up a rundown bar, student loans and also of many rounds of intervention because of miscarriages and infertility problems for Jess they are both maxed out other avenues open up for Jess that threaten to end their marriage.. it all comes to a head during a major blizzard that keeps everyone trapped in place during power outages, etc..
The story of a midlife marriage in trouble.. in a small town ..and what it means to be a family.

By the author of Ask Again, Yes which was an amazing read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for the ARC!

I loved Mary Beth Keane's Ask Again, Yes, and recommended it to so many people. The Half Moon, however, didn't quite hit the mark for me. The writing was well done, it was just difficult to read about the main couple's relationship. While this isn't my favorite, I would still be interested in reading other books by the same author.

This is a heart-wrenching but also heart-warming story of Malcom and Jess who married quickly. Determined to have a baby, Jess resorted to IVF but many attempts result in only heart-break. Malcom is busy buying and running The Half Moon, a bar that appears to be lucrative until things begin to go haywire (it's a bar; go figure)! Jess leaves and Malcom is devastated, but things are going poorly for him as well as he begins to realize that appearance and reality are rarely the same. Fast-paced and emotional, this novel doesn't disappoint as it paints the picture of a couple in distress who attempt to find their way back to each other amid crazy circumstances!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I had high hopes for this one. I do think it’s wonderfully written but it is probably one of the harder books I’ve read in a long time. Lots of potential triggers here and it’s just heart wrenching. There’s something about the characters that I just couldn’t connect with. This is a pass for me. Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Remember Bruce Springsteen’s song “Glory Days”? This book had that kind of nostalgic feel to it-in the very BEST way! Think about a “slice of life” in a small town, loyal friends who grew up together, love and broken dreams.

Malcolm Gephardt is the guy that everyone loves! He had worked at the local, neighborhood bar, THE HALF MOON, for 26 years, with the intent of buying it, when the owner retired. Now that it’s his-he has tried to modernize the place, but what he didn’t realize is that the regulars just want what’s familiar-what feels like home.
And, business could be better.

His wife, Jess is dedicated to her law career, but what she wants more than anything else is to be a mother. Unfortunately, the Infertility treatments haven’t worked, and it’s taking a toll on their marriage. I didn’t always like her, but I understood that some of the choices she made came from pain.

Student Loans, failed medical treatments, and the cost of owning a bar that has been in disrepair for years-has caused their debt to pile up, and their dreams are crumbling fast.

When life hands you lemons, 🍋 make lemonade, is a lovely concept but it’s not always realistic!

When you are young and in love with your whole life ahead of you, nothing seems insurmountable. But, the reality is that we don’t all get everything that we want in life. Some couples find their way through their disappointments together and others must find their way, apart.

“The Half Moon” is that kind of story-sometimes melancholy and sometimes reflective, but always authentic, as Malcolm and Jess figure out which kind of couple they will be.

And, it earns 4 glowing stars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A buddy read with DeAnn-be sure to watch for her amazing review to see if she enjoyed it too!

Expected publication date: May 2, 2023.

Thank You to Scribner for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

The Half Moon is not a feel good story. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Through the author's writing, I felt as though I was going through the separation from a spouse, losing my business and stranded without power due to snow. I was not excited to read this book. At times, I dreaded it. The author really did make me feel the emotions of the characters. There were some odd additions to the storyline (though really it was the only plot of the story) but overall, I was truly glad when it concluded.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mary Beth Keane’s Ask Again, Yes is one of my favorite books. Her writing is beautiful and the character depth she creates is spectacular. I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Half Moon from Scribner via NetGalley.

The book captures all the little things that become significant in hindsight as one looks upon a marriage with nostalgia and longing for what might have been. Malcolm and Jess are both grappling with their separation and the paths that led to their broken state. They’ve dealt with tremendous strain from infertility and financial struggles with business ownership and expensive IVF. Each chapter alternates between the perspectives of Malcolm and Jess. Pay attention because you’re in for abrupt timeline shifts within each chapter. This made it difficult for me to know where exactly I was on the timeline of their story at several points in the novel. I typically enjoy timeline shifts, but this execution was a bit jarring.

This is one heavy read so definitely prepare yourself for that and maybe have something else that you can read as you dip in and out of the heaviness. Overall, I’m glad I read this one and appreciate the full examination of marriage, love, and life that Mary Beth Keane tackles in The Half Moon. Look for this one from your favorite bookseller on May 2, 2023. Thank you to Scribner for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the intimate look at the relationship between Malcolm and Jess in The Half Moon. Set in the familiar but fictional town of Gillam, NY over a fairly short space of time, layers are peeled away exposing the vulnerabilities and complications of the marriage. The small town personalities appealed to me and I especially loved Malcolm and Jessica’s respective mothers in the story. Reading the book reminded me that we truly never know what goes on within relationships. I didn’t love the ending of the book although I did feel like it was in line with the characters personalities.

A slice of life family drama about the unraveling of the marriage between Malcolm and Jess. As we delve into the story, we find out about the many issues causing fissures in their relationship - struggles with fertility, business, different ambitions and desires, etc. The story is told in a leisurely pace and, while I did not connect to the story, I do think readers who particularly enjoy character driven plots about relationships falling apart and possibly coming back together will enjoy The Half Moon.

Thank you very much to Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I loved this story! Jess and Malcolm have been together since they were very young. But life hasn’t gone exactly has they planned and it’s taking a toll on their relationship. Most readers will be able to empathize and relate to some of not all of this story. Tag along with Jess and Mal through their ups, downs, and new beginnings.

Another masterpiece by Mary Beth Keane. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to read about a bartender and his bar and his marital issues, but this book ended up hitting all the marks for me. The author intersperses the couple's history in present-time musings which was beautifully done. The whole book covers the span of just one week where there was a snowstorm that closed everything down, leaving so much room for introspection for both Malcolm and Jess. I loved them both with all their insecurities and problems and their love for each other. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read such a beautiful book in advance.

So good. Mary Beth Keene always delivers when it comes to messy and complicated relationships and flawed characters.

The Half Moon tells the story of Malcolm and Jess. Malcolm's dream is to own a bar. After years of working at the Half Moon the owner is retiring and offers to bar to Malcolm with slightly shady selling terms.

Jess's dream is to have a baby. For years she has seen fertility doctors and undergone procedures without any luck. Both scenarios have depleted the couple's finances. The book follows the deterioration of their marriage as their dreams falter as does their relationship.

Keane is a great storyteller and you become invested in Malcolm and Jess's journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed Mary Beth Keane’s Ask Again, Yes but this one was very disappointing. It started off pretty boring and hard to get into and the story just really didn’t go anywhere. This was almost a DNF for me, but I pushed myself to finish it. The story centers around the Half Moon bar owner Malcolm Gephardt and his lawyer wife Jess who both grew up in Gillam, a fictional NY suburb. Malcolm and Jess struggle with infertility and the tremendous strain it puts on their marriage. Another source of conflict between them is the Half Moon’s serious financial difficulties. Most of the book is about decisions made by Malcolm and Jess and the consequences for them and their friends and families. I’m hoping Mary Beth Keane’s next book will be more like Ask Again, Yes because I can’t recommend this one. Thanks to #netgalley and #scribner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Ask Again, Yes and found The Half Moon to have some similarities to it. They both focus on the little things in life, how marriages go through peaks and valleys. Will I remember each plot line and character in a few months, probably not. But I did enjoy the journey Mary Beth Keane crafted. When I started this book, the jumping back in time in the paragraphs was a little confusing, maybe because it was an e-book, it didn't feel clear. Overall, it was a earnest, slow burn.

I loved this book. A story about a marriage, hopes, dreams, but so much more. Written with brilliant prose. Look forward to more from this wonderful author.