Book of The Month discussion

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

It’s 1990 and seventeen-year-old Marley West is blazing into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. A perpetual loner, she seeks a place at someone’s table and a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop. Their silhouettes blot out the sun.

The Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink. Soon, she is young wife to one, The One Who Got Away to another, and adopted mother to them all. As their own mother fades away and their roofing business crumbles under the weight of their unwieldy father’s inflated ego, Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later, an eerie discovery in the church attic causes old wounds to resurface and suddenly the family’s survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they’ve always known―or whether together they can build something stronger in its place.

I've heard the first few chapters of this one are tough. . .

Through Ch. 10

(view spoiler)[Oh my gosh! That body...so gross, right?

I hate how the brothers fight, especially Shay and Waylon. At the start of the book Way was 26 years old, so the BEFORE chapters I'm in now are telling the story of how they got where they did. I wonder whose body it is.

So Waylon and Marley are just teenagers, not the best time to get pregnant but life goes on. He seems to truly love her, but they are so young. I'm anxious to see what happens. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch 19 (All of BEFORE)

(view spoiler)[I love Marney. lol She stands up for herself and I like that.
I was cracking up (somewhat) that the body was the pastor and he was nude and Elise's whole explanation. lol Imagine that! What the heck! I couldn't stand Elise and even though she was so rude to Marney, she called her? What nerve! And on top of that she quoted scripture. lol It's too ludicrous! Then Jade's comment: Shit, Mar. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were burying a body?" LOL

I was definitely not expecting her to die. I don't think it was suicide because she was too concerned about covering up what she'd done with the pastor and that whole incident. I think maybe Mick was implicated. I'm so bad at detective skills though. What do you think really happened? Right now Marley is the only one who seems sane! (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch 24 (All of AFTER)

I know it's not a lot of pages since my last comments, but it just seemed like a natural place to stop. I'm at BOOKENED BOYS

(view spoiler)[Wow. I feel so bad about everyone and what they're all going through, but especially for Marley's miscarriage and under the circumstances it happened. The Josephs are definitely a dysfunctional family. I still think Mick is culpable for Elise's death. He admitted to "helping" her but did he give her any reason to want to live? Ugh...I wonder if Way and Marley will be able to regain what they had.

Now to find out more about the pastor's death...I think. (hide spoiler)]

Finished

Yesterday was so busy, I kept having to go places and my reading was interrupted throughout the day as you can tell by how long it took me to read this. The reason I'm telling you this is that I wanted to finish it last night, but would you believe that I just could NOT finish it!!! I had to stop at Love, Elise, which I think was page 309 and it's only 315 pages. I guess I was really, really tired! lol

(view spoiler)[I thought there'd be more twists or something. I felt like the AFTER section just most retold what we already had been told but in a different way. I was disappointed in that the mystery aspect wasn't much and the historical fiction wasn't either. The end was rushed when we found out a little more about Elise's and Mick's relationship. I guess those pages were the historical fiction part. I liked it, but I didn't love it. (hide spoiler)]

ugh, I was so tired yesterday too! I only made it to chapter 8 last night! lol

finally through Chapter 10

I am not loving the writing. it's overly descriptive and a bit over the top. it's evened out now that I'm 10 chapters in but that first chapter was rough lol

(view spoiler)[ yeah, the body was gross
but we haven't been back there since. what does it mean? did they bury someone up there?

well. . .we know Ruth is leaving but that Marley clearly stays. And it sounds like they keep the baby since they are there to see their son up to bat. I wonder how it all their love sours

I'm sad Elise isn't treating her like a daughter
and I'm sad that Mick won't let Waylon grow up (hide spoiler)]

I agree!

End of Before (through Ch 19)

(view spoiler)[ wow, I can't believe I didn't figure out it was the Hollis up there! Whew! That was a surprise!
and Yeah, Elise has been awful. She should have accepting Marley and helping her in this "new world" she'd invited her into.

and Yes, I think the dad crammed those pills down her throat and let her choke. I think he decided he didn't want to take care of her.

They say that over 80% of men leave their wives when they become sick later in life. Isn't that crazy? (hide spoiler)]

end of After

(view spoiler)[ I agree, it's so sad what they are all going through
and the miscarriage was so sad too, especially when she could back into what she thought was why.

and I still absolutely believe that Mick killed Elise - and I don't think she wanted it (hide spoiler)]

I agree with your ending too!

I'm done (view spoiler)[ and the ending was a complete letdown. I agree, I thought there would be more. I guess this was a family drama. it was certainly a dysfunctional family (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "End of Before (through Ch 19)

wow, I can't believe I didn't figure out it was the Hollis up there! Whew! That was a surprise!
and Yeah, Elise has been awful. She should have accepting Marley and..."

(view spoiler)[Pretty sad and disgusting statistic! (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "I agree with your ending too!

I'm done [spoilers removed]"

I absolutely knew in my heart of hearts that you'd rate it 2 stars! lol Mainly because I almost did, too.

I almost did 3 stars but I just couldn't.
If the writing had been just a little less dramatic at times, I would have left it at 3

lol I'm so stingy with stars!

I just finished this one and I enjoyed the character development. I am usually not into slow builds or overly descriptive writing but there was something about this one that I loved.

I'm so glad you loved it! I can see how it could be a very moving story about life and love and family!

except for Mick and Elisa...they had no character development and were the absolute worst