Thank you so much to NetGalley & Celadon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Set in the 90s, we meet Marley, new to town, an only child to a single mother working to make ends meet. Left alone alot, she is left to her own devices to make friends and find her way in the new town. Within days of her arrival she finds herself at the Joseph's family dinner table. Smitten with one brother, choosing another, mothering the third. We follow Marley as she navigates the very complex family dynamic their stoic, do everything, hold everything together Mother created alongside their flighty, selfish, self centered Father.

The author did a great job in connecting you with Marley. You felt for her and routed for her and I found myself really admiring her. At such a young age, hitting the ground running to ensure this family survived and ultimately thrived. Teaching herself all aspects of a roofing business, taking business calls, going on sales appointments, all without taking a paycheck to ensure these brothers and their selfish father didn't fail. As you can see, the author also did a great job of making you dislike Mick, the Patriarch of the family. You questioned the Joseph son's loyalty to him each time he was mentioned doing another selfish thing.

I struggled with the pace of the book. It felt very slow and with no shocking moments or AH HAs on the horizon, it was a struggle to stay interested in. I did however like that the author gave you all the details at the end and pulled back the curtain a bit on each brother, as well as mom and dad.

Overall, I'd say a 3 star for me at most.

I really enjoyed Mercury by Amy Jo Burns. A slow burn, character driven, family drama, with a bit of mystery woven in. The Joseph family stuck with me long after finishing the novel. I flipped between the ebook and the audiobook, which was done well.

I recommend this to fans of Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful. It reminded me a bit of the Padavano family, but with brothers.

Special thanks to Celadon Books for the ARC via NetGalley.

So well written but so dang sad. This is the perfect dead of winter book in my opinion. The mood is somber and its best read alone in a dark house.

I love a family drama book and this one was great! The only problem with family dramas is they can get a little slow but I was still able to enjoy this!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Mercury was a well written story about a dysfunctional family of men and the two women who loved them. I did enjoy this book though at times it was painfully slow. I lived Marley and thought she was a great character.

"There's more to this life than just trying to survive it". I loved this book by Amy Jo Burns!

What I loved:
1. It was a family story with lots of layers, complications, drama and secrets.
2. The complexity of the relationships was so real to me.
3. I loved the character driven story and that she took time to make each character understood by the reader. I didn't necessarily like all the characters but I loved getting to know them.
4. Loved the mystery portion as well.

Highly recommend and have already given two copies to friends!!


Many thanks to Celadon Books and Net Galley for the ARC of this book!

I didn’t want to put this book down. I just had to see how it would all play out. The relationships and setting felt authentic. I didn’t love the characters, as in they weren’t really lovable, besides maybe Shay, but sometimes you need gritty, flawed characters to make a good book. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by Burns!

Loved every flawed character and every attempt at creating a loving home and family.
An unforgettable cast of people hoping to find the love and family they’ve been searching for.
Highly recommend.
Loved every word!

This book was really good. It made me feel things I didn't know I needed to feel. It was set in the 90's in Mercury PA. There's a lot of secrets and mystery within a family of the parents and 3 brothers. We hear about the characters backstory. It was really interesting and really well written.

Mercury tells the heartbreaking tale of what toxic masculinity and an abusive parent can do to deteriorate a family. The Joseph family is a raw look at the dark side of narcissism, selfishness, fear, and a lack of empathetic love. I hated everything about this family, especially Mick and Elise. I felt so badly for the boys and more so for Marley. Poor Marley.

Marley is a girl who wants to find a stable family. Marley just wanted to have something of her own. No matter how hard she tries is, never good enough, always an outsider, and always falls short. Marley fell victim to the toxic masculinity of the Joseph family, the dependent, nearly incestual relationship echoing harsher and louder than with Elise since she was literally the wife and mother of all of the Joseph men. The way Elise was so easily replaced with a younger, more capable version of herself, the way Elise manipulated the men in her life into needing Marley more than they needed her.

I wish Mick got what he deserved in the end. I wish Marley got what she deserved in the end. I wish Shay got what he deserved in the end. But, like in real life, sometimes the bad guys end up walking away unharmed, and the innocents are the ones who have battle scars for life.

This book was amazing with the layered characters and getting to know everyone to a level where I cared about them!! I really enjoy character driven books but at times the story did drag, but it was still such an enjoyable time!!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
“She was pushing to stay where she wanted to be. Fighting to make this story her own.”

Burns’ strong writing is pulls the reader in. “There was Marley, ever hopeful, blossoming like a summer bouquet.” “Shay wanted so very much to learn how to remain in the present like she did, to tie a rope around a moment and pull it tight.”

Mercury centers around a family who runs a roofing business. Dad, Mick, came home from Vietnam, but struggles with relationships and the rest of life. Mom, Elise, sacrificed much for her family of three boys. Nicknamed Bay, Way, and Shay, each son had his own distinctive personality and challenges. Sometimes they worked together (commercial roofing jobs), but often they were at odds. Add new in town, teenager Marley, to the mix and there is plenty of drama to come, following their growth and hardships for a decade.

Character development is excellent and I enjoyed the complexity of the relationships. I felt the book got a tad long at the end. Highly recommended to those who enjoy stories about interesting families.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amy Jo Burns' novel "Mercury" offers a deep and nuanced exploration of family, belonging, identity, and sacrifice. The story follows Marley West, a loner who finds herself drawn into the complex world of the Joseph family when she moves to Mercury, Pennsylvania. As Marley becomes entwined with the Joseph brothers and their parents, Elise and Mick, she grapples with the challenges of fitting into their dynamic and the expectations placed upon her.

The narrative unfolds with rich character development and emotional depth, delving into the themes of loyalty, love, marriage, and the complexities of family relationships. While not a fast-paced thriller, the novel captivates with its quiet yet powerful storytelling and poignant exploration of personal growth amidst familial turmoil.

Marley's journey of self-discovery is at the core of the narrative, accompanied by the growth of other characters like Shay, Baylor, and Waylon. The dysfunctional yet compelling dynamics within the Joseph family are portrayed with authenticity and nuance, leaving a lasting impact on the reader long after the book is finished. Overall, "Mercury" is a well-crafted and emotionally resonant family drama that lingers in the mind, offering a poignant reflection on the ties that bind us.

I didn't really know what to expect with this book going in, but I ended up really liking it. I don't know what the genre is considered, but I would classify this as a family drama above anything else. Set in the 90s, Mercury tells the story of the Joseph family and how their family roofing business is basically the glue that holds them all together.

I think part of the draw to this book for me was I grew up not too far from the places mentioned in the story, so that was fun. I also had strong feelings for some of the characters in this book, and some pretty intense dislike for others. Overall, I think the story wrapped up well and the ending seemed to fit the rest of the book.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes family dramas, but I can also say that I don't think this book is for everyone. It was slow-paced and there wasn't really a point where I would say it was the height of the story. Regardless, I was here for the ride and found it enjoyable.

4 stars

This book far exceeded my expectations. I knew little about this author, about the plot before beginning this book. It's difficult to describe this genre, but fans of Educated and The Glass Castle are sure to enjoy this one.

Mercury is a small rural town, and this story explores the lives of the members of one working-class family, the Josephs. This is a story of being trapped in a life you expected more out of. This is a story of love, family, brotherhood, and the many secrets in between. I was also interested in how the many roles and expectations of a women are explored in this story, how women juggle the roles of daughter, wife, mother, and housemaker. While this was not an extremely fast-paced book in itself, I was quick to finish this one, each chapter ending with relative suspense.

Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is different genre than the books I typically read. I was intrigued for the first 20%, but then it fell flat and the characters became less likeable. It became exhausting to read and long winded towards the end. I wish the mystery from the beginning of the novel was not forgotten about until around the 50% and that had been more of the focus of the novel, instead of the family drama we got.

The novel's premise was immediately intriguing to me, but as I started reading, I became less engaged with it. The author was withholding information and tediously dragging the plot along, and that normally annoys me. I decided to DNF with a heavy heart. I recognize that this kind of novel will have its many fans and supporters, so for that reason, I won't publish my review to other outlets and negatively influence its reception. Many thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for ARC access.

Amy Jo Burns's "Mercury" takes place in the 1990s and follows protagonist Marley West as she arrives in Mercury, Pennsylvania, longing to be embraced by the idealized family she perceives in the Joseph household.

Initially infatuated with Baylor Joseph, she soon finds solace in the arms of his brother, Waylon, and quickly becomes entangled in a whirlwind romance that leads to marriage and motherhood. Set against the backdrop of the sprawling Joseph Victorian house, Marley is captivated by the illusion of familial warmth, particularly by matriarch Elise Joseph, whose poised demeanor she aspires to emulate. However, as Marley delves deeper into the intricacies of the Joseph family, she uncovers fractures and secrets that challenge her perception of familial bliss. With determination, Marley navigates her own path, assuming control of the family business and raising her son, Theo, amidst the turbulence of her faltering marriage. Facing the societal shifts of the mid-1990s, Marley grapples with traditional expectations and the complexities of familial bonds, alongside the silent struggles of those around her.

Despite juggling a diverse cast of characters, Burns expertly delves into each individual, offering profound insights into their motivations and relationships. With well-drawn characters and a vivid setting, this novel offers a poignant exploration of family dynamics and the quest for belonging. This is a must-read for lovers of deeply drawn and compelling family dramas.

"Mercury" by Amy Jo Burns is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of small-town life, friendship, and the consequences of secrets. Set in the 1970s in the town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, the story follows the lives of two young girls, Mick and her best friend, Phoebe.

Burns masterfully crafts a narrative that intertwines the innocence of childhood with the darker undertones of the adult world. Through vivid prose and intricate character development, she explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the power dynamics within friendships.

The atmospheric setting of Mercury serves as both a backdrop and a character in its own right, with its decaying industrial landscape mirroring the decay of the relationships within the story. The town's secrets and gossip create a palpable tension that drives the narrative forward, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the final pages.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of female friendship and the ways in which it can both empower and constrain young women. Mick and Phoebe's bond is tested as they navigate the complexities of adolescence, and Burns does an excellent job of capturing the nuances of their relationship.

Overall, "Mercury" is a haunting and beautifully written novel that will linger in the minds of readers long after they've finished the final chapter. Amy Jo Burns has crafted a compelling story that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, solidifying her place as a talented voice in contemporary literature.