The story opens in the aftermath of World War II, where Cal Jenkins—a man wounded by the shame of not serving—finds solace in the arms of Margaret Salt, a woman desperate to conceal her past. Their impulsive tryst ignites a chain of events that entangles not only their lives but those of their spouses and, eventually, their children.

The novel masterfully explores themes of guilt, longing, and the fragility of secrets. Cal’s wife, Becky, is a particularly striking figure—a seer who channels the voices of the dead, offering solace to grieving families. Her ability to peer into the beyond adds a hauntingly mystical layer to the narrative, making her grief and intuition all the more poignant. Meanwhile, Margaret’s husband, Felix, stationed on a Navy cargo ship, is presumed safe until a telegram brings the shadow of war crashing into their domestic sphere.

What makes this novel so compelling is its seamless navigation through the postwar decades, capturing the optimism of America’s reconstruction alongside the undercurrent of personal reckonings. The author skillfully evokes the claustrophobic intimacy of small-town life, where no secret can remain hidden forever. The ripple effects of Cal and Margaret’s indiscretion haunt their families for generations, forcing them to confront their identities and reimagine their futures.

Poignant, beautifully written, and achingly human, this story is about the weight of unspoken truths and the resilience of the human spirit.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was beautiful. The writing was so straightforward but compelling and while we jump around from character to character, the flow of the story was effortless and I was never confused or lost. I highlighted so many quotes and will be thinking about these characters for a long time.

Everyone wants to be loved and feel loved. I think this book captures those emotions uniquely. The writing is top-notch and the characters well crafted. I enjoyed the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Captivating and Layered Family Saga

Buckeye is a beautifully crafted novel that weaves together family secrets, personal struggles, and the passage of time in a small Ohio town. The story follows a cast of deeply compelling characters—Cal, Becky, Felix, and Margaret—whose lives are shaped by love, regret, and the societal expectations of their time. At the heart of the novel is the complex relationship between two boys, Thomas and Skip, whose connection remains hidden from them for years.

The novel skillfully explores themes of identity, war, and generational change, with particularly strong depictions of Felix’s post-war trauma and Becky’s spiritualist practices. The pacing is engaging, shifting seamlessly through decades while maintaining emotional depth. The relationships feel authentic, and the gradual unraveling of long-held secrets adds to the novel’s emotional weight.

With its rich character development and evocative storytelling, Buckeye is a deeply moving read that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Publication Date: September 2, 2025


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed the multigenerational story which is set in your typical small town, this one in Ohio. I particularly liked the characters in the novel, portraying the "common" folk, people who live the kind of life most Americans experience, working hard, raising families and dealing with the turbulent times, ranging from WWII to the Vietnam War. The book highlights the many facets of being human, good, evil, selflessness, selfishness, etc. I would have enjoyed reading a continuation of the characters, maybe there will be a part 2!

The storytelling is wonderful. There are many characters but they are unique and relatable. It focuses on two couples in Ohio who are interconnected. It encompasses their time from WWII until the Vietnam War, and describes life at home and not from those who went to war, but then includes those characters who went to war after they returned home. The book is engrossing and compelling. It is complex, deep, and layered because it showcases the nuances of married life. I recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is a sweeping, multigenerational family saga. I was hooked from the first pages and savored the read. Would be excellent book club discussion.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Random House and the author for the opportunity to read the ARC

#Buckeye #PatrickRyan #RandomHouse #familysaga #midwest #bookclub

Being an Ohio native, I was hoping this was going to blow me out of the water, but it only bored me... At first I found the book relatable and I enjoyed the story line. That being said, it seemed to go on forever, when it probably could have been wrapped up sooner. There were some themes and topics that I understand for the time period, were next to impossible, and I was glad to have those addressed, but the look was lackluster for me

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the copy of Buckeye, this review reflects my personal thoughts.

A story spanning decades, from before the second world war to after the 70's, we follow two families and how their lives get irreversibly tangled in each other's.

It's simply a superb read. The way the author weaves parts of history into the lives of two run-of-the-mill American families, giving us the perspective of common people on it, is outstanding. Three generations grace the pages of this novel, each one with its ups and downs. It shows the impact of generation on generation, the mistakes our parents made and the ones we make are sometimes eerily similar, and other times abysmally different. But we all make them. It's a story about "normal" people in a "normal" town, and the beauty and heartbreak that lies there too.
Simply masterfully written and thought-out. Even though it's a longer novel and there are a lot of characters, the pace is easy to keep, each sentence feels purposeful.

In the end it's an epic story about the human error, about forgiveness, grief, growing old and so many more things that make up a life. And it's beautiful. Read it!

A story of a small Ohio town, and two families with history over three wars, this is quite the story.

Cal Jenkins, having grown up with a father who served in the first World War, feels inadequate that he cannot serve due to a deformity at birth affecting the length of one leg. Eventually, he marries Becky Hanover, who was always the "odd" kid in school because she is a "sensitive" - she can connect with the dead.

Felix Salt serves in WWII and when his wife, Margaret, receives notice that he was missing after a torpedo attack on his ship, is beside herself.

Secrets amongst both families just cannot remain buried, and come to find out, they have a massive effect on the next generation. Ryan does a wonderful job describing the feel of the time, and brings the reader right into the story. Even with so many characters, it was easy to keep track of who is who.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Patrick Ryan for the eARC.

Pub Date Sep 02 2025 #Buckeye #NetGalley.

I absolutely loved Buckeye by Patrick Ryan.

Ryan drew me into the atmosphere of the time right away with beautiful writing and interesting people.
Flawed people. Ordinary people with day to day struggles. Real people just trying to navigate life, love and loss.
The character development was so rich and thorough that I felt like I knew them all.
Even the supporting characters were well rounded and knowable.
Most of their situations were so relatable and real that I found myself caught up in each of their circumstances with a vested interest.

Through the dialogue and descriptive writing, I was transported to many places in time and location with vivid imagery, which is the very reason for reading, isn't it; getting lost in a story that takes one to places they may never experience in real life?

I felt the heartbreak of loss. Lost love. Loss of a cherished one. Lost opportunity.
I shook my head at obvious poor decisions.
I rejoiced in the transformation of addiction and felt the frustration of defeat after tremendous effort.
While I sometimes didn't understand what drove some of the decisions these people made and acted upon, I deeply felt the turmoil of finally coming to forgiveness in those affected by those decisions, sometimes many years later.

I didn't want the story to end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this one in advance.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweeping novel with interesting, complicated, lovable, real-life, ordinary people living extra-ordinary lives.

I absolutely loved Buckeye. Historical fiction is dominated so much by World War II; it was refreshing and interesting to have a perspective of the homefront. Ryan managed to balance a tumultuous time in history from the view of the small town. Character development and growth was interesting, familial conflicts were relatable and heartbreaking, and when I finished Buckeye, I didn't want to. I wanted to see what the 80s and 90s had in store. Exceptional read and one I will recommend to all.

This book is set in Ohio, in a typical American town, with typical people. It captures generations as they relate to the political climate of their time and the impacts that has on their personal lives. But the author is able to portray that as normalness and weave it into something more. We get relatable characters, and each gets to tell their story in their own voice, all of whom are distinctive. This is a story of a typical family, yet it is easy to become invested in their stories. I enjoyed this book for its accessibility and the superb writing, as the author was able to capture the various timeframes in the book, but never let that overwhelm the individual stories of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Buckeye introduced intriguing characters who told their chapters in their own voice. It’s a device I don’t often enjoy, but these characters were so unique in their ordinariness that it was engaging. The author perfectly captures the pre World War II and post war periods in midsize America with a vibrant sense of place and setting. The historical references didn’t overwhelm the conflict that was about the ordinary lives of average Americans living, loving, and dying. A good read.

Patrick Ryan's novel is a big story about a small group of people in Bonhomie, Ohio in and around World War II. Felix and Margaret, and Cal and Becky are each and all impacted by the war. Cal, who has a medical disqualification, works in his father-in-law's hardware store; Becky is a spiritualist who helps family connect with their loved ones; Margaret is a lonely housewife supporting the war effort; and Felix, her husband, goes off to war. The novel involves consequences and secrets. The timeline moves until their sons face the Vietnam War draft. Buckeye is recommended for discussion groups who enjoy family dramas.

Fairly predictable but an enjoyable read.. Well written, great characters and well told. hanks for the opportunity to read this and much luck on publication.