This story delves deep into the complexities of family, loyalty, and the secrets that bind us together. Set against the backdrop of a blue-collar town in 1990, the story follows Marley West as she navigates the turbulent waters of love, loss, and redemption. One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the portrayal of the Joseph brothers and their evolving relationships with Marley. From the moment Marley arrives in town, the bond between them is palpable and it is interesting to explore their unconventional family unit. Marley's journey from a lonely outsider to a central figure in the Joseph brothers' lives is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, highlighting the power of love and resilience in the face of adversity. I love how the author was able to capture the essence of small-town USA with such vivid detail, that it felt like I was right there. This is a beautiful story of love, loss, and the enduring power of family.

4/5 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book first caught my eye as it was a Book of the Month option for January. While I chose a different book for my pick there, I put it on my shortlist of books to purchase. Thankfully, NetGalley and Celadon Books were generous enough to offer an advanced copy.
Any book featuring a family dynamic spanning multiple members always catches my eye and this one didn't disappoint. Its set in the 1990s and follows a family of roofers and the way their life alters when an outsider joins rank. Part mystery, part drama this book truly found its footing in the character work done in the last third. Personally, it happened too late in the book for me and I found it quite jarring compared to the writing of the beginning.
Reading, I could tell the author had some stake in the roofing industry as it all had a personal ring to it. But it felt like the author had so much to say that she reworded and often repeated the same sentiment over and over making the first two-thirds a slog to get through. If the whole book had focused more on the whole cast of characters, I could see my rating being a five star. As it stands, this is a solid three star. I did cry in the last third and there were sentiments that will stay with me, but I almost didn't get to any of that.

This is the first book I have read from this author and wasn't really sure what to expect. The book starts out at the end and circles back while fleshing out the characters along the way. The character changes and the story reverts to what is going on with that character, however Marley is covered the most.

Marley moves to the small town and is drawn initially to one of the boys, however she finds that she is more drawn to the family and finding her place within it. This book follows the dynamic and world of the Joseph family as they transform, survive, and exist. There are so many minute rules that this family follows and lives with that is harmful to each one of them, however they all feel that they are being selfless to each other. This book unwraps these things that have created their dynamic and shows their lives, thorns and all. I really loved this book and want to read more from this author. Thanks for the ARC, BookishFirst.

This was a great story on audio. This book is full of family secrets in a small town. Thier are dual perspectives and timelines to tell the story of a family over the years.

This was a beautifully, complex story that focused on the family dynamics of the Joseph family. The story was captivating and I couldn't help but fall in love with all of the characters and to root for them all to find happiness. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time.

It was a bit of a slow start for me, but once I was invested, I was IN. Another reviewer wrote that it was a book about a family that doesn't know how to love each other and I think that is the best summary of the story that I've seen yet. I love Burns writing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book== it was published on January 2, 2024, and one I'd recommend you add to your list.

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns tells the story of the Joseph family, roofers by trade, who have their obvious flaws, but somehow manage to make it each day in the name of family loyalty, determination, and love. Marley married into the family when she became pregnant in her last year of high school. Determined not to end up like Elise, her mother-in-law, Marley starts running the family roofing company behind the scenes. Her husband, Waylon, is the emotional tie in the family, steadfast and dependable. Oldest brother, Baylor, is a bit like a bull in a china shop - rough around the edges and lost, trying to find his way. Shay is the youngest and he finds in Marley the love he didn’t get from his mother. Mick, the patriarch, does what he wants and gets away with it, the rest of the family turning a blind eye to what he does. In the end though, this family will circle and protect what is theirs. This is a book to savor and take your time with. Even with all their glaring faults, you don’t want to leave this family behind. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book was published on January 1, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #Mercury #AmyJoBurns #CeladonBook

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for a free ARC of Mercury in exchange for my honest review.

I'm going to be very honest here: I chose to read this book because my dog's name is Mercury and I think she's just one of the greatest things to ever exist.

Also, it was very hyped on a lot of different book lists, which had me very curious.

Mercury tells the story of a multigenerational roofing family, specifically their love, secrets, and dramas.

This one ended up just being ok for me. I will admit that my own personal preferences and life experiences probably clouded my judgement and enjoyment of this book. Plain and simple: I'm likely just not the market audience. In fact, family dramas might not be one of the genres that I enjoy reading at all.

Most characters were not only unlikable, but down right insufferable to me. I found the men to be extremely selfish; while the many of the women characters were weak and suffered immensely because of said men. I wanted Marley in particular to realize her worth and act on it. The lack of communication between characters also kept me constantly frustrated.

I also found the pacing to be very inconsistent. The first 30% or so of the book I enjoyed. I wanted to see where the story was taking me. I soon realized that it didn't take me really anywhere. A lot of descriptive words are used, but essentially nothing really said or problems solved. Overall, I just didn't have a desire to keep reading it, which made finishing it a bit of a chore.

Final rating: 2 1/2 ⭐️

#Mercury #CeladonBooks #NetGalley

This story took a bit to get into for me but once it starting going I did enjoy it. This is a story about the Joseph family, a body in an attic, and the drama that ensues. This book follows Marley, a girl who finds herself entangled with the Joseph family, and her relationship with each member.

Overall a good book but slow to start. Thank you for the ARC for my honest review.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in return for my review.

Synopsis: A roofing family’s bonds of loyalty are tested when they uncover a long-hidden secret at the heart of their blue-collar town―from Amy Jo Burns, author of the critically acclaimed novel Shiner.

Review: People I know who have read this book, have mixed things to say about the story. I have found it is either they have loved the book, or disliked it, nothing in between,. This is a quiet book, not a page turning thriller. It is a character driven story of a family stuck in their lives, when one girl comes to town and stirs it all up. One family, one life, and how they survive their little town, and small business ambition. Very enjoyable, 4 stars.

I loved this book. Absolutely everything about it! I enjoyed it enough that I wish there was a sequel because I want to know more about the family and how they grow moving forward. The perfect mix of mystery, feel good and family drama.

5 Stars!
I am in love with this book. This is a beautiful story of a family that does not know how to show their love for each other. Some of them are truly incapable of it. I am not a literary expert but I felt like this book was so beautifully written. This book will not take you on a face paced journey it takes you on a slow paced journey of a real family and it stole my heart. This is honestly a real love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I requested this one because I saw so many fabulous reviews. And while I enjoyed, I don’t quite agree with all the hype.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this advance copy.
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Character driven family dramas are rarely my thing. I have to really love the characters, and that was the case with this family of brothers, wife Marley and her best friend Jade. I was so invested in Marley and her coming of age as a wife, mother, daughter-in-law & friend, that I could not put this book down.

This book is all about the characters and they were developed beautifully. You are drawn in by each one immediately and want to know what is going to happen to each of them as well. I became so invested in their lives and struggles, I felt like I was living it with them. Such a great read!! Thanks NetGalley!!

Marley West has lived a bit of a lonely life. Her mom’s job often leaves her home alone and occasionally causes them to pick up and move in a moments notice. In 1990, when 17 year old Marley moves to the small town of Mercury, she finds herself drawn to the Josephs, a well known family that owns a local roofing business. Could they fill the void that’s been there all her life or will her presence tear the family apart? This was a well written novel about found family. There was a little bit of a side plot but overall it was a very character driven novel, which I normally love. Unfortunately, I really didn’t like most of the characters in this book which made it hard for me to care about what happened to them. In the end I gave it 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my early reader copy.

At 17 years old, Marley is the new kid in school yet again. When she finds herself tangled up with the Joseph family, she thinks she may have finally found the home she’s been searching for her whole life. What follows will change the course of her life, and that of the entire Joseph family.

If you give me a well written story about complex family drama, I’m going to eat it up every single time, and this one was top notch.

Burns gives us an in-depth look at each member of the Joseph family and how their secrets and shames have shaped each other. Each character has their own POV, and they’re all exceptionally well developed. Even the characters who only got a chapter or two felt so real and solid.

This book also has an element of mystery woven throughout the story, but it doesn’t read like a thriller. Instead, it’s a quiet unfurling that we put together as the different POV’s and timelines start to align.

To put it simply, I loved it. I’ll certainly be thinking about this one for a while.

(If I had to pick out one flaw in this book, it would be the author writing “maxi-four” instead of “maxi-ford” when referring to the tap step. My dance teacher heart hurt just a tiny bit after that one.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

If you enjoy a slow burn family drama with deep character development, this one is for you. The story centers around the Joseph brothers and Marley, the girl who becomes the center of their world. Secrets and a mystery threaten to tear the family apart and Marley has to find a way to hold things together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to Mercury because of its cover and synopsis. I love books surrounding close but dysfunctional families and was excited by the premise of a young woman becoming swept up in one through both a sense of personal intrigue as well as circumstances such as an unexpected pregnancy.

While the introduction to the 'Joseph brothers' and the broader family through Marley was compelling to me, I found the middle section of the novel, as told through her eyes, to be cumbersome. It felt like there was so much 'tell' and very little 'show.' A little excessively, in my view, the reader is reminded that Marley is both "mother and wife" to all the Joseph brothers. Marley, who chooses to take on these roles, vacillates between doing so out of a sense of obligation to and admiration for Elise, her mother-in-law. This fickle relationship seemed to be such a central driver of the novel's plot, but I personally did not understand the obsession or feel very invested in it.

In my opinion, the novel really picked up again in its final quarter. The addition of the perspectives of all the Joseph brothers, Elise and another character allowed for the development of a rich story about trauma, how it shapes us and the way we perceive ourselves in relation to others. My favourite was reading from the perspective of Shay - the youngest Joseph brother - whose past and present experiences converged to truly drive this message home more than any other character.

Overall, Mercury was a solid thought-provoking but slow-burn domestic tragedy about a small-town Rust Belt family in the 90s and their trauma-driven dynamic.

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘩, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭?”

If you love a family drama, you need to read 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗬. The Joseph family is fiercely loyal but highly dysfunctional with secrets galore. It's very much a character-driven story but with a love triangle and a dead body, it's full of small-town secrets. I've seen other reviews compare it to Tracey Lange's books and I completely agree. Mercury would make a great book club read, and I'm excited to discuss it with some #arcenablers friends this week.

I alternated between a physical copy and the audiobook, and really loved the narration. At the heart of this story are the two Joseph women and she brought their stories alive (as well as those of the men) beautifully.

Thanks to Celadon books for the copy to review.