Mercury by Amy Jo Burns was a captivating read—I genuinely loved it. Burns’ storytelling is beautifully atmospheric and deeply evocative, pulling me completely into the vivid, almost dreamlike world she created. Her characters felt raw, authentic, and unforgettable. The emotional depth and lyrical prose made it hard to put down, and the narrative stayed with me long after finishing. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates immersive, thoughtfully written fiction.

In 1990, seventeen-year-old Marley West arrives in Mercury, Pennsylvania, and is quickly entwined with the troubled Joseph brothers, becoming one’s wife, another’s mother, and the third’s great lost love.

This ARC sat on my Kindle for over a year - I just couldn’t get past the first three chapters, which felt like a disjointed mix of a baseball game, strained family dynamics, and a dead body. But I was tired of seeing it on my TBR, I finally committed this month, and once I did… oh my. I ended up absolutely loving this book. Phenomenal characters, a plot that keeps the pages turning, and most importantly for me, a beautiful and harrowing commentary on what it means to be a mother. I’m really surprised that I didn’t hear more about this book around it’s publication, because it is definitely worth a read! I hope Burns’ other books are similar, because I will certainly be picking them up sometime in the future.

4.5/5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was good book! It was a slow build, but beautifully character-driven with lots of emotional depth. I loved the themes of motherhood and marriage and characters with some real flaws. The mystery-ish plot did keep my interest and the writing itself was compelling!

Interested to see what she comes out with next!

I almost quit this book because I cannot stand books in which the main female character moves from one brother to another, but for some reason I was drawn in enough to ignore it. I loved the character development & the shifting of viewports.

3.5 rounded to a 4

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book really touched me in ways I didn’t expect. It was slow paced, yet full of moments that made me so invested in the story.

Mercury follows one family as they struggle through life and family dynamics. At times, it was difficult to listen to. I was so stressed for things to go “right.” There was so much struggle and miscommunication, my heart ached for the characters, specifically Marley. Marley was so loyal, sometimes to her detriment. I loved her character and spirit. She held so much love for her family. Even if she didn’t feel that she belonged most of the time, she truly was the backbone of the Joseph family.

I also loved Shay. The dynamic between him and Marley was one of my favorite parts of the entire book.

I wasn’t quite ready for the story to come to an end. Even though this is a standalone book, I could read another book set with this family. There were a few things that had some loose ends. However, the ending was so beautifully written. I’m so happy I decided to pick this book up.

Average at best, boring at worst? Maybe it was the pacing. There were some parts that I was really engaged and others where it felt like I was slogging through the mud.

A solid/domestic town drama. Well written and I would definitely want to read more of Burns' work after this.

I'm rating this one on the writing of it rather than the enjoyability of the story. This story was very well written with strongly developed characters. A classic family saga rich with drama and character growth along the way. However, the story itself is a bit melancholy and not exactly "fun" to read. I listened to the audiobook of this while doing other things and that is probably the only way I could finish it. If I were reading in person, I'm not sure I would have kept with it.

If you like this type of book though, please read it! It is very well-written! it would make for a good book club book choice and discussion!

I loved Amy Jo Burn’s previous book so I was so excited for this one. I love small town stories, and this one didn’t disappoint. It has interesting and memorable characters, and you become invested in them. This isn’t a happy book, but it does have hope and stayed with me after I finished reading.

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns. This book was a slow burn but definitely kept my interest. I am from Pittsburgh, so I enjoyed hearing lots of places/references that I actually know. This book was the perfect palette cleanser. There were several twists that I did not see coming. I really enjoyed this book!

This was a such a “me” book; rich storytelling, character-driven with themes of family legacy, small-town intrigue, and complicated relationships/family dynamics—with a darker mystery storyline woven in. I enjoyed the 1990s nostalgia and overall message of resilience. excited to read more from this author!!

This book was one of my few five star reads of the year. Deeply moving with characters easy to connect with. This author is now one of my auto buys.

Thought provoking and an easy page turner. This book sucked you in to the plot and left you wanting to continue reading. Relatable characters, well written. this author has a way of writing emotional tales.

This was a complex family drama that was a bit slow moving and not usually my cup of tea, but held my attention throughout the story. It’s a multi-generational family story about the Joseph family with a bit of a coming of age twist when it came to Marley. Overall I really enjoyed it! 3.5 stars

Mercury is just a plain old good story. Framed around dynamics and generational outcomes, I believe most readers would be hard-pressed to find they could not find it relatable in at least some capacity. Each character is highly developed. Alternating narratives gives each family member the opportunity to share his or her own truth. Mercury is just one of those stories that will stay with you for a long time. I highly recommend you give it a chance to make the same imprint on your mind and heart.

Such a realistic portrayal of family struggles.

This hit home for me. Wanting to pave your own way in this world but feeling a loyalty to those you love and craving that love in return... That desperate need to be accepted as you are and where you are.

Every character felt so unique and carved out. I felt a connection to each of them in different ways.

The way Burns was able to make me think of how I would react in these scenarios and the extents I would go to for those close to me made this book feel so personal.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc through NetGalley! All opinions are my own honest opinions.

I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read this one!

It’s the late 90s in Mercury when the book opens. We meet the Joseph family, a father and sons who own a roofing business, and middle son Way’s wife Marley. The story goes back and takes the reader through how Marley became a part of the family, the secrets we keep to stay loyal to those we love, and the challenges that come through generations.

This is one of those time-spanning family dramas, and I loved it. I loved getting to read about this family and the emotional turmoil they experience as the years pass and things change.

If you like family sagas, you’ll enjoy this one!

Mercury was my first novel by Amy Jo Burns, but I really enjoyed her writing style and want to go back and read Shiner now. This book's premise grabs you from the very start. This book is a perfect combination of being a true -page-turner while also offering beautiful writing that you just want to luxuriate in. I felt fully enveloped in the strong sense of place that Burns created. I love complicated family dramas, so this book was totally up my alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celdon Books for the complimentary e-book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for an e-ARC of Mercury. Here are my thoughts!

Taking place in a small blue-collar town in the 1990s, Marley is new to town and soon she meets the Joseph family. They are a hard-working roofing family with three sons. Marley soon finds herself intertwined with the family, and a huge family drama plays out surrounding the roofing business, dementia and death!

Marley and the Josephs felt like a real family. The characters were very complex and sometimes I hated them, and other times my heart was totally on their side. I think that’s the sign of quality character development. The book is broken into a 3-ish parts. The first is very focused on Marley, the second brings various perspectives between the three brothers, and the third is a snippet surrounding the mother. I thought this was a creative way to allow the reader to become connected with the characters, and I would love to hear why the author chose this unique way to tell this story.
The 90s are captured so well in this story as well that it feels like time travel! The plot moves slowly in parts, but there are some major plot points that are quite engaging and kind of gave the story a bit of a wake-up.

If you want to read contemporary fiction that is very character heavy, I recommend this novel.

Sometimes literary fiction works well for me and sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I can see why others loved it and the writing was excellent. There wasn't much plot, and character driven is very hit or miss for me.