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.

Really enjoyed the real life characters that kept me interested in the story, more-so than anything else. That's not a knock against anything, but a true representation of Burns' characterization. Looking forward to more from Burns in the future.

A coming of age story that takes place in a small town in the 90’s. Centred around a family run roofing business, family bonds and loyalty.

Thank you to netgalley for an arc.

Such a deep story mixed with discovery of one’s self, love, family, and a little bit of romance thrown in there.

*Mercury* by Amy Jo Burns is a haunting, lyrical novel that explores the tension between personal ambition and family loyalty, set against the backdrop of a rural, mining community. Burns’ evocative prose and richly drawn characters bring the story to life, capturing both the beauty and hardship of the world she creates. With its dark, atmospheric tone and emotional complexity, *Mercury* is a deeply engaging read that lingers long after the final page.

This is a lyrical and Haunting Tale of Family and Secrets. Mercury by Amy Jo Burns, and it was an immersive experience that delved deep into the complexities of family dynamics, identity, and the weight of hidden truths. Set in the early 1990s in the blue-collar town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, the novel follows 17-year-old Marley West, a newcomer seeking belonging and stability. Drawn to the Joseph family—a roofing clan led by the enigmatic patriarch Mick and his poised wife Elise—Marley becomes entwined in their lives, marrying the middle son, Waylon, and stepping into a world where loyalty and secrecy are paramount.

Burns’ prose is both lyrical and evocative, painting a vivid picture of small-town life and the intricate bonds that hold a family together. The discovery of a decomposed body in a church attic serves as a catalyst, unraveling long-buried secrets and testing the family’s resilience. The novel’s strength lies in its character development, particularly Marley’s journey from an outsider longing for connection to a central figure who challenges the family’s status quo.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is such a beautifully written exploration of family, secrets, and the invisible threads that connect us. Set in the early 1990s in a small Pennsylvania town, the story immediately pulled me in with its atmospheric setting and deeply relatable characters.

The heart of the novel is Marley West, a seventeen-year-old outsider who’s searching for a sense of belonging. When she’s drawn into the orbit of the Joseph brothers—Baylor, Waylon, and Shay—I couldn’t help but feel her longing to connect and the vulnerability she brings into their complex, often fractured family dynamic. Each of the brothers has their own struggles and secrets, and I found myself captivated by how their relationships with Marley unfolded.
There’s also a mystery woven into the narrative—a long-hidden secret found in a church attic—and while it’s subtle, it adds such an emotional depth to the story. It’s not just about what’s revealed, but how those revelations shape and challenge the Joseph family.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good read. I loved all the characters, especially the main character and the way she handled her the men in her life. There were a few surprises which actually shocked me. Overall, a very good read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a hit for me and I see why so many others loved it! Thank you so much netgalley for this copy of Mercury!

This was one I was looking forward to most in 2024, but unfortunately it was a letdown. Around 70% I finally switched to audio so I could get through it faster, and that helped. I may be rating it higher if I had done audio the entire book. I love family dramas and books that span decades, but this one just dragged. I didn’t like ANY of the characters. There was a lot of complaining, deceit, feeling sorry for oneself, and lack of communication.

Mercury is a generational drama with plenty of trauma, grief and dysfunctional dynamics all at play within the characters. This book heavily focuses on the characters themselves, which led to the beginning being a bit too slow for me. Close to the halfway point the book gathers momentum and I was fully invested in seeing how everything would play out for the family. I wouldn't recommend this to my friends that require "happy themes", but definitely one I would suggest to those who are looking for something a bit deeper and grittier.

3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed the first half more than the second. A family drama that spans over several decades. There's a mystery component and romance. Heavier emphasis on character development than plot. Delves deeply into the innerworkings and issues of the Joseph family after a young woman, Marley, comes into town and becomes woven into the family dynamic.

Mercury was an interesting book about a relationship of a family, mostly between two women. I enjoyed getting to know and feel like i was actually involved the lives of them. Thanks netgalley and publishers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of "Mercury" by Amy Jo Burns, with a publication date of January 2, 2024. Please forgive my delay in reading and reviewing this novel. "Mercury" is the first novel I have read by Ms. Burns.

"Mercury" is the story of a wife, Marley, and the Joseph family, which includes elder brother Baylor (Bay), Waylon (Way), the middle brother, and Shay (Shay Baby), the baby brother; their mother, Elise, and father, Mick. They live in the fictional town of Mercury. When Marley arrives in town, she meets Bay and Way, falls in love, and ends up marrying Way. The Josephs are a genuinely dysfunctional family of roofers with lots of secrets.

Themes of betrayal, disillusionment, insecurity, loss, resentment, generational trauma, death, and love permeate the novel. It is a messy family saga whose characters suffer in silence and fall but manage to get back up again. "Mercury" is a raw, quick, and enjoyable read.

3.5/5 stars

This book took some time for me to get into. It started off very slow, but it did eventually capture my interest. It is not a happy, uplifting story, but rather the tale of a young mother just trying to do her best for her family amongst a dysfunctional family. Every character in this story is quite flawed, which I can appreciate, but none of them are overly likeable. My overall feelings about this book are “eh, it was fine.” It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t anything memorable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I always love a good family saga, and this one didn’t disappoint. While it was more character-driven and had a slower pace at times, I really enjoyed delving into the lives of each sibling and unraveling their individual stories. The depth of the characters made the slower moments well worth it!

I had heard a lot about this book going into it, and I understand why it is so well-liked. This is the study of a family whose well-practiced balance of dysfunction is turned upside down when Marley enters their lives. Part mystery, but mostly a study of family, Mercury drew me in and didn't let go.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for a free copy of #Mercury by Amy Jo Burns. All opinions are my own.

Mercury was such a good book! I went in kind of blind, and ended up loving the story of Marley and the Joseph family. The characters were real and flawed and all of them held some secrets that the others knew nothing about. I found myself wanting to know everything as soon as possible, but also savoring all the new information that was coming my way. This really told the story of a family trying to make it through, despite the secrets and dysfunction. I definitely recommend this one!

This book was just not for me. I liked the found family aspect as well as the dynamics of the family. It was just too slow of a burn and not my genre. It took too long to build to a climax and just kind of drug on.