I am obsessed with this book. It has to be in my top five of the year so far. The epistolary style is so well done and I don't feel like a minute of plot was missed this way. I ate this up

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for my free eARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own:

The Solvang family just moved to Goodnight, Kansas from New York. But not really by choice. Sid Solvang crashed and burned as a chef in New York City, so when his wife Scarlet's father "Pop" dies, they retreat (temporarily) to rural Kansas to live and work through Pop's things. But it's not long before their teenage daughter Harlem befriends the town oddball and the two of them embark on a hunt for what Harlem is sure is buried treasure, and Sid gets caught up in saving the town's heart, the May Day Diner, from corporate greed. And maybe, just maybe, Goodnight might be just what they need to help find their way back together as a family.

What a treasure! This was a modern take on an epistolary novel, told through letters, emails, journals, news articles, and other written communications. I felt like the town needed the Solvangs just as much as the Solvangs needed the town. This book gave me a folksy, feel-good vibe reminiscent of Fannie Flagg (but not). after all, sometimes what you need is what you weren't looking for until you crash into it.

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This boom was a little slow to start for me. It changes character perspectives a lot so it took me a bit to find a good rhythm while reading it. I’m glad I stuck with it because it ended up being great. You will fall in love with all the characters and their very unique quirks. Plus, you will definitely root for them as they try to save their dying town.

The way I LAUGHED out loud so many times reading this. Not only is it hilarious, but it’s so full of heart exactly what you would expect from a modern take on the letter writing format - but better!

The execution of the format was essential to helping us get close to Sid, Harlem, and all of the other great characters. Disco and her mom, the dumb neighbor, Bailey - it’s like I loved this right along with them and I love that for me.

The plot never slowed down to the point that I was bored and while maybe I saw one thing coming, there is a heap of other stuff I never saw coming. Thankful for the ARC opportunity.

If you’re into the abstract even a smidge you have to try this one. There’s a lot of heart and movement here that’ll have you rooting for this family and this town!

Paige Gertz’s *A Town with Half the Lights On* is a charming and quirky love letter to small-town America, focusing on Goodnight, Kansas—a place caught between nostalgia and tough times. The story mixes diary entries, emails, school notes, and a juicy town newspaper, giving it a fun twist. At the heart of it is the Solvang family, with Sid, a Brooklyn chef looking for an escape, and his daughter trying to solve a mysterious puzzle from her grandfather. Things get complicated when Sid buys the struggling May Day Diner, throwing their plans for a fresh start into chaos as they deal with local corruption and community ties.

Gertz does a great job blending humor with heart. The bizarre characters—like a rebellious girl named Disco and a bunch of alpacas—bring the town to life. While the story doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of small-town life, it’s really about finding family and strength in unexpected places. For anyone who loves epistolary novels and smart humor, *A Town with Half the Lights On* is definitely a cozy read, like a comforting meal at a diner.

I loved the premise and wasn't sure going in whether the epistolary format would work. Much to my delight, the author uses the epistolary form to great effect, giving voice to a charming cast of characters. Through emails, text messages, journals and newsletter entries, each perspective comes alive. The sense is place is very strong as well. The story builds to a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

*DNF at 25%* No Rating on Goodreads

I thought I would love this epistolary novel about three Brooklynites in need of a fresh start who move to Goodnight, Kansas after inheriting a dilapidated Victorian home (And a few Alpacas). Especially when I read that the family purchases the May Day Diner, an iconic eatery under the threat of the wrecking ball.

Told through diary entries, emails, school notes, an anonymous town paper and a few messages in a bottle, I hoped to find the story to be as charming as just about EVERY other reviewer, has-but I just can’t relate to the town or its quirky residents.

No book is for every reader, and sadly, this one isn’t for me. BE SURE to read other reviews! There are many praising this debut offering!

Expected publication date : April 22, 2025

Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read an early copy provided through NetGalley.

This was cute and enjoyable. The Solvangs have fell on hard times and moved to little Goodnight, Kansas. Goodnight is a very small town and it doesn’t take well to outsiders. Everyone knows a lot about everyone.

They had a little bit of a rough start, but soon they took ownership of a diner on the brinks of shutting down. Saving this diner did so much for their place in society. Our MCs found their love and passion for cooking again as well as helping their town. Which leads to more involvement and scandals.

The characters were fun to get to know and quirky. There is a slight mystery component to the read and small town politics.

Overall pretty good.

Until I read Page Getz’s “A Town with Half the Lights On” I had never heard of the term “epistolary novel.” I was a little hesitant to read this novel because of how it may be structured, but my fears were unfounded. I’ll also say upfront this review won’t do justice to how much I enjoyed this book.

This was a charming novel that tells the story of the Solvangs (Sid, Scarlet, and Harlem) after they’ve moved to Goodnight, Kansas. Scarlet is from Goodnight, but Sid and Harlem are used to Brooklyn, New York. Set in 2001, the book is told through diary entries, newspaper clippings, e-mails, etc.

The more I read, the more I fell in love with the town, as well as the other characters. I especially came to love Disco, a friend and classmate of Harlem’s. She is instrumental in helping to save the May Day Diner. The diner being saved, in turn, helps other good things occur for the town.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

This book is for fans of quirky small towns and characters that Fredrik Backman brings into the world. A charming tale of a down-on-their-luck Brooklyn family who inherits a home in Goodnight, Kansas. Actually, it's not a home it's an alpaca farm. The only things Goodnight has to offer are a truck stop diner and a tire factory. The diner is halfway closed because the owners want to retire.

It's a good thing our lovely New Yorkers know a thing or two about kitchens and can save the May Day from closing. But will the town rally around them? That's the question as half the town, including her sisters, can't forget or forgive Scarlet for leaving. Once they taste their new menu items though the town is willing to let bygones be bygones. As they win the town over with their food, buying the only hotel, they also become public enemy number one when Harlem and Disco make a discovery about the tire factory.

What happens next can only happen in small-town America.

Okay, this book was unexpected in the best way possible. You’d think a small-town story about a family trying to escape their new life would be pretty straightforward, right? Nope. A Town with Half the Lights On is a wild mix of heart, history, humor, and a whole lot of small-town drama that somehow feels so real.

We follow chef Sid Solvang, who’s basically hit rock bottom in the most spectacular way—crashing and burning in New York before getting stuck in his wife’s Kansas hometown of Goodnight. And let’s just say… he is not vibing with it. But Goodnight, with its dwindling population and surprisingly stubborn charm, isn’t about to let the Solvangs pass through unnoticed. Especially with the May Day Diner—the town’s barely surviving heart—on the verge of being torn down.

The way this story is told is what makes it so special. It’s pieced together through diary entries, town newspaper articles, emails, and school notes, making it feel like you’re digging through Goodnight’s history as it’s happening. It’s chaotic, quirky, and so immersive that by the time you hit the last page, you feel like you’ve lived in Goodnight yourself.

At its core, this book is about home—not just the place but the people who make it worth fighting for. It’s about community, resilience, and figuring out what truly matters when everything else falls apart. Fans of Dear Committee Members or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will love the unique storytelling, and if you’re a sucker for underdog towns with big personalities, this one’s for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because I’m officially invested in Goodnight, Kansas and all its wonderfully messy people.

Thank you for the ARC! This definitely wasn't my favourite book. The POV's bothered me and I didn't find the characters that interesting. The way the book was written was interesting but didn't have me wanting to grab for it often. It was a cute, cozy read, however, missing a lot of depth.

I LOVE epistolary novels so I gasped when I got approved for this E-Arc from the publisher. I really enjoyed this small town story about community and the power of food. I felt like I was sitting in the local coffee shop hearing about all the happenings.

Not going to lie this one was depressing and only made it about thirty pages before I had to call it quits.

This was a very cute novel, loved the caracters and plotline but the several POV was not for me.

But adored the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

First off, I really love the way that this book was put together. It’s very rare to find a book quite so full of ephemera, so this proved to be an interesting read from the get-go. It’s definitely a small town story by nature, which is sweet- but there’s nothing that’s particularly hard hitting in here. It’s the perfect little cosy read without too much of a consequence, which is great.

I did think the characters could have been developed out a bit more. While the style was good, it did come at the expense of knowing a little bit more about the mindset of the characters. I think it could have been interspersed a bit better and made a little cleaner with this, but it was hard to tell who was who and why we as the reader should care now and then.

I definitely think that this book is a lovely cosy little read- there’s just a few pieces of it that could have been brought together a little more successfully.

Poorly written with one dimensional characters, this book was a huge disappointment in many ways. I do not recommend it.

I’ve never read anything like this – entirely made up of emails, articles and letters. It was unique in its format as well as in its story; with innocent treasure hunts, failing and finding oneself again and a small-town welcoming in outsiders (mainly reluctantly!).

A Town with Half the Lights On explores the pressure of starting again from nothing in a town that’s not ready to let you back in again. This is a cosy story of a family down on their luck due to the father messing up the family business – his ambitions were too much for the humble sandwich shop. However, with the help of his family, he finds his passion again and manages to inspire the whole town through his commitment, selflessness and a couple of ‘leaps of faith’.

Incredibly, Page Getz stuck to the format flawlessly and it never felt stilted or silly – that the whole text was made up from emails, notices and letters in bottles. An impressive feat and I’m so glad this was continued throughout.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. You might enjoy this if you’re looking for a family comedy with an uplifting storyline.

This was my very first epistolary novel, and I have to say I don’t think this writing style is for me.

However, it may be for you! I can totally see someone getting lost in this book with its small town feel. Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for a heartwarming story that is written a little differently!

3 ⭐️

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for my e-ARC