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Buckeye
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025)“Wise and heartbreaking” (Ann Napolitano), this captivating epic weaves the intimate lives of two Midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century.
In the small Ohio town of Bonhomie, a stolen moment of passion, sparked in the exuberant aftermath of the Allied victory in Europe, binds Cal Jenkins, a man wounded not in war but by his inability to serve in it, to Margaret Salt, a woman trying to obscure her past. Cal’s wife, Becky, has a spiritual she is a seer who can conjure the dead, helping families connect with those whom they’ve lost. Margaret’s husband, Felix, is serving on a Navy cargo ship; she will soon learn that he may have perished in a predawn attack in the Philippine Sea.
As the country reconstructs during the postwar boom, a secret grows in Bonhomie—but nothing stays buried forever in a small town. Against the backdrop of some of the most transformative decades in modern America, the consequences of that long-ago encounter ripple through the next generation of both families, compelling them to re-examine who they thought they were, and what the future might hold.
Sweeping yet intimate, rich with piercing observation and the warmth that comes from profound understanding of the human spirit, Buckeye captures the universal longing for love, and for goodness.
In the small Ohio town of Bonhomie, a stolen moment of passion, sparked in the exuberant aftermath of the Allied victory in Europe, binds Cal Jenkins, a man wounded not in war but by his inability to serve in it, to Margaret Salt, a woman trying to obscure her past. Cal’s wife, Becky, has a spiritual she is a seer who can conjure the dead, helping families connect with those whom they’ve lost. Margaret’s husband, Felix, is serving on a Navy cargo ship; she will soon learn that he may have perished in a predawn attack in the Philippine Sea.
As the country reconstructs during the postwar boom, a secret grows in Bonhomie—but nothing stays buried forever in a small town. Against the backdrop of some of the most transformative decades in modern America, the consequences of that long-ago encounter ripple through the next generation of both families, compelling them to re-examine who they thought they were, and what the future might hold.
Sweeping yet intimate, rich with piercing observation and the warmth that comes from profound understanding of the human spirit, Buckeye captures the universal longing for love, and for goodness.
656 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2025
13426 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,176 reviews
September 4, 2025
A sweeping story that starts in the 1920’s through to the 1970’s, in a town in the mid-west of Bonhomie, Ohio. A story of 2 couples whose lives become entangled.
We meet Cal who is symmetrically misaligned with his legs. Because of this, he is rejected from signing up for the war. Betsy, his wife, is a spiritual healer. She conducts seances to reach the dead to provide closure for her clients. But Cal doesn’t believe what she does is real and hence, a distance grows between them.
Then there is Margaret, who we meet, as a young baby orphaned by her birth mother. Felix, her spouse, is gay but he’s attempted to keep that life separate from theirs until he returns from the war and realizes how difficult the duality has become.
Two boys from each family develop a kindred spirit and become close friends. They become the glue that cements these families together.
Secrets and regrets the cornerstones to each of these characters.
Homosexuality; infidelity; identity; abandonment; grief; ultimately, forgiveness.
And time. A luxury we think we all have. Sometimes it seems to stretch out eternally; and at other times, its end is abrupt.
5⭐️
We meet Cal who is symmetrically misaligned with his legs. Because of this, he is rejected from signing up for the war. Betsy, his wife, is a spiritual healer. She conducts seances to reach the dead to provide closure for her clients. But Cal doesn’t believe what she does is real and hence, a distance grows between them.
Then there is Margaret, who we meet, as a young baby orphaned by her birth mother. Felix, her spouse, is gay but he’s attempted to keep that life separate from theirs until he returns from the war and realizes how difficult the duality has become.
Two boys from each family develop a kindred spirit and become close friends. They become the glue that cements these families together.
Secrets and regrets the cornerstones to each of these characters.
Homosexuality; infidelity; identity; abandonment; grief; ultimately, forgiveness.
And time. A luxury we think we all have. Sometimes it seems to stretch out eternally; and at other times, its end is abrupt.
5⭐️
December 6, 2025
“The things that we love, tell us what we are.”
Buckeye paints a beautiful portrait of small-town America. Spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s, this multilayered, poignant tale had me captivated. The book touches on so many things: identity, loss, family, friends, and love.
Written with so much heart and tenderness, Buckeye is one of those remarkable stories that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I loved each of the characters and Patrick wrote their flaws so beautifully. The characters are very dimensional and I loved how the author delved into their insecurities. Following them from childhood to adulthood, and even their children's lives, was such a delight.
I listened to the audiobook version which is read by the amazing Michael Crouch. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend this format.
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan will be available on September 2. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook!
Buckeye paints a beautiful portrait of small-town America. Spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s, this multilayered, poignant tale had me captivated. The book touches on so many things: identity, loss, family, friends, and love.
Written with so much heart and tenderness, Buckeye is one of those remarkable stories that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I loved each of the characters and Patrick wrote their flaws so beautifully. The characters are very dimensional and I loved how the author delved into their insecurities. Following them from childhood to adulthood, and even their children's lives, was such a delight.
I listened to the audiobook version which is read by the amazing Michael Crouch. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend this format.
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan will be available on September 2. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook!
September 6, 2025
This is an emotionally poignant and beautifully written novel that follows two families through four decades living in the fictional small town of Bonhomie, Ohio.
Set against the backdrop of both World War ll and the Vietnam war.
Secrets don’t stay private in a small town.. and there is a big one here.
Great characters that I will certainly continue to think about.
I really enjoyed this one!
Set against the backdrop of both World War ll and the Vietnam war.
Secrets don’t stay private in a small town.. and there is a big one here.
Great characters that I will certainly continue to think about.
I really enjoyed this one!
December 22, 2025
5-star read!!! this book was so unique and beautifully written omg 😭 i’m so happy i snuck this in before the end of the year. it is worth the hype my friends!!
to me this felt like a mix of Kristin Hannah books and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. idk don’t ask!
this is a historical fiction spanning across two major wars following characters that were EXTREMELY flawed yet easy to root for. idk how the author did that????!!! seriously nearly everyone made major errors and lack of judgement calls and yet it was so uniquely human and just beautifully done. if you like family drama and character driven novels, this is for you.
it’s a bit emo but i loved every second of it. at no point in the story did i ever guess where this was going… what a ride! another epic pick from @readwithjenna 👏🏼 would not have been on my radar without her choosing this book and those are low key my faves!
i did an audio + physical combo and loved both. prob loved the audio a bit more bc i like the narrator’s other work (one is the great believers lol!)
bravo!!!!! worth the read for sure—it’s long but moves very quick and hooked me right away.
to me this felt like a mix of Kristin Hannah books and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. idk don’t ask!
this is a historical fiction spanning across two major wars following characters that were EXTREMELY flawed yet easy to root for. idk how the author did that????!!! seriously nearly everyone made major errors and lack of judgement calls and yet it was so uniquely human and just beautifully done. if you like family drama and character driven novels, this is for you.
it’s a bit emo but i loved every second of it. at no point in the story did i ever guess where this was going… what a ride! another epic pick from @readwithjenna 👏🏼 would not have been on my radar without her choosing this book and those are low key my faves!
i did an audio + physical combo and loved both. prob loved the audio a bit more bc i like the narrator’s other work (one is the great believers lol!)
bravo!!!!! worth the read for sure—it’s long but moves very quick and hooked me right away.
September 19, 2025
These are always the hardest books to abandon - the ones that everyone else gives five stars to and you plough on against your better instincts, hoping you'll see the light soon! I think I knew from the first few pages that this just wasn't going to be quite for me, despite some amazing endorsements from lots of writers I love.
It was all a bit too twee for my liking. I didn't feel emotionally engaged with any of the 100 pages I read, and I couldn't find one character to care about. And all the 'I see dead people' stuff? No.
People will love this, and I'm almost sad to not be one of them.
It was all a bit too twee for my liking. I didn't feel emotionally engaged with any of the 100 pages I read, and I couldn't find one character to care about. And all the 'I see dead people' stuff? No.
People will love this, and I'm almost sad to not be one of them.
November 4, 2025
Life is fragile and complicated and finite as we already know. Life happens and may not always be what we hope for . Babies are abandoned, or born with physical deformities, or born with special gifts that not everyone believes in , or are born as someone they have to hide from the world. Ryan does an amazing job of illustrating how these circumstances of his characters made them in many ways who they were. But he also portrays how it’s so much more than fate that determines our identity. It’s also the consequences of actions, our own and of those around us, consequences of the times, the events happening that shape who we are. Through a story that spans decades from before WWII to after the Vietnam war, life happens to two families who are forever connected by all of these things. The effects of war, grief, abandonment, infidelity, alcoholism, the unacceptability at that time of homosexuality are themes of this story . But mostly it’s about how no matter what, it’s love and forgiveness that can get us through it. Beautifully done . Highly recommended.
September 27, 2025
Small Town Fiction at Its Finest...
In Bonhomie, Ohio, two couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Felix and Margaret Salt, have entangled their lives, beginning with a chance meeting that led to an impulsive moment of passion...
Buckeye begins with intense backstories of these four main characters starting several decades before WWII, and continues into the 1980s.
* Cal can't enlist in the fight overseas. This rejection stings.
* Becky is a seer connecting clients to lost loved ones.
* Felix enlists in the Navy and safely serves on a cargo ship.
* Margaret keeps secrets from her past buried deep within.
I found Margaret and Felix's relationship more interesting and complicated in the first half. In the second half, Cal and Becky's relationship takes on new layers and tones. What relationship isn't more complex at some point in a marriage?
The 450+ page count surprised me, but well into the story, it didn't drag, and I wasn't distracted. I wanted to spend more time with these characters, and perhaps read more about what would come with the next generation.
An immersive reading experience; the audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch, whose narration is steady. However, there is little distinction between the narrator’s gender voicing, causing it to sound muddled more often than not. This book would have been a perfect candidate for a multi-cast narration.
Buckeye is the first book I've read by Patrick Ryan. I'll be checking into his backlist and paying attention to what's new in the future. I re-read the final chapter before starting my review, and cried just as much as I did the first time. FYI—tissues may be necessary while reading this book!
5⭐
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and Patrick Ryan for the gifted DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
In Bonhomie, Ohio, two couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Felix and Margaret Salt, have entangled their lives, beginning with a chance meeting that led to an impulsive moment of passion...
Buckeye begins with intense backstories of these four main characters starting several decades before WWII, and continues into the 1980s.
* Cal can't enlist in the fight overseas. This rejection stings.
* Becky is a seer connecting clients to lost loved ones.
* Felix enlists in the Navy and safely serves on a cargo ship.
* Margaret keeps secrets from her past buried deep within.
I found Margaret and Felix's relationship more interesting and complicated in the first half. In the second half, Cal and Becky's relationship takes on new layers and tones. What relationship isn't more complex at some point in a marriage?
The 450+ page count surprised me, but well into the story, it didn't drag, and I wasn't distracted. I wanted to spend more time with these characters, and perhaps read more about what would come with the next generation.
An immersive reading experience; the audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch, whose narration is steady. However, there is little distinction between the narrator’s gender voicing, causing it to sound muddled more often than not. This book would have been a perfect candidate for a multi-cast narration.
Buckeye is the first book I've read by Patrick Ryan. I'll be checking into his backlist and paying attention to what's new in the future. I re-read the final chapter before starting my review, and cried just as much as I did the first time. FYI—tissues may be necessary while reading this book!
5⭐
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and Patrick Ryan for the gifted DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
September 18, 2025
2 1/2 * -- "It was okay, plus"
I can't put my finger on what it is, exactly, that draws me in and hooks me to some literary fiction and not others, but this was one of the "others." A character novel of families and marriages and love and strife and forgiveness: it should have been right up my alley, but I could not bring myself to care about any of the characters, so their trials and achievements failed to move me. Maybe because nobody in the novel displayed a shred of humor? Or the story's pacing, that seemed to be little more than this happened, then this happened, then this happened. As a side note, I also got a little annoyed at the way the narrative referenced events in U.S. history, as if the author felt compelled to check off little boxes for each one.
I can't put my finger on what it is, exactly, that draws me in and hooks me to some literary fiction and not others, but this was one of the "others." A character novel of families and marriages and love and strife and forgiveness: it should have been right up my alley, but I could not bring myself to care about any of the characters, so their trials and achievements failed to move me. Maybe because nobody in the novel displayed a shred of humor? Or the story's pacing, that seemed to be little more than this happened, then this happened, then this happened. As a side note, I also got a little annoyed at the way the narrative referenced events in U.S. history, as if the author felt compelled to check off little boxes for each one.
December 8, 2025
Buckeye, the new novel by Patrick Ryan, is a sweeping small-town saga, focusing on the drama of ordinary lives.
Set in the quiet (fictitious) small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, Buckeye tells the story of the Jenkins and Salt families, whose lives become forever intertwined after an impulsive kiss, celebrating the Allied victory in Europe during World War II.
It follows the two families from the postwar years, through Vietnam, and into the 1980s.
Ryan sprinkles details throughout of the styles and practices that governed the decades of the mid-20th century: fashions, home furnishings, careers, military service, the institution of marriage, and the art of homemaking.
Much like life, Ryan doesn’t shy away from the messiness, but he also shows the tenderness that exists underneath.
Fans of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout and her novels (raises hand) will connect with Buckeye and might recognize pieces of their own lives, like the parent who means well but doesn’t always get it right or the awkward tension that lingers during family gatherings.
Even if you didn’t grow up in Ohio like I did, even if your family history looks different, the emotions Ryan explores are universal: the longing to belong, the pain of feeling misunderstood, the strange pull of the past.
It’s not a flashy novel. It doesn’t rely on big reveals or shocking twists.
Instead, Buckeye offers something rarer: a mirror held up to the ordinary struggles and quiet triumphs that shape our lives.
Not every book needs a world-ending threat or a shocking plot twist.
Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that force us to look at ourselves in new ways.
Set in the quiet (fictitious) small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, Buckeye tells the story of the Jenkins and Salt families, whose lives become forever intertwined after an impulsive kiss, celebrating the Allied victory in Europe during World War II.
It follows the two families from the postwar years, through Vietnam, and into the 1980s.
Ryan sprinkles details throughout of the styles and practices that governed the decades of the mid-20th century: fashions, home furnishings, careers, military service, the institution of marriage, and the art of homemaking.
Much like life, Ryan doesn’t shy away from the messiness, but he also shows the tenderness that exists underneath.
Fans of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout and her novels (raises hand) will connect with Buckeye and might recognize pieces of their own lives, like the parent who means well but doesn’t always get it right or the awkward tension that lingers during family gatherings.
Even if you didn’t grow up in Ohio like I did, even if your family history looks different, the emotions Ryan explores are universal: the longing to belong, the pain of feeling misunderstood, the strange pull of the past.
It’s not a flashy novel. It doesn’t rely on big reveals or shocking twists.
Instead, Buckeye offers something rarer: a mirror held up to the ordinary struggles and quiet triumphs that shape our lives.
Not every book needs a world-ending threat or a shocking plot twist.
Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that force us to look at ourselves in new ways.
September 4, 2025
"One town. Two families. A secret that changes everything."
“A small-town novel of epic proportions” (Tom Perrotta), this captivating story weaves the intimate lives of two Midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century."
So much love for this book and can't wrap my mind around this debut without all the emotions spilling out. Well-worth the slow build and descriptors of every flawed but lovable character. It encircles the small towns of America with average people experiencing love, loss and forgiveness. The characters are fully fleshed out with their hopes and challenges. They suffered betrayal, but found forgiveness in the process of over 40 years. A small kiss between two strangers tentacles into consequences that reach generations.
In Bonhomie, Ohio, Cal and Becky Jenkins & Felix and Margaret Salt are entwined in a remarkable story, connecting and disconnecting them in everyday life moments. You can't miss this opportunity to see how one kiss can be endearing and misunderstood. Capturing moments from WWII through the Vietnam war, and how it brought these people together, which would leave a trail of guilt.
Outstanding writing and so much heart and love went into it. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this outstanding ARC.
“A small-town novel of epic proportions” (Tom Perrotta), this captivating story weaves the intimate lives of two Midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century."
So much love for this book and can't wrap my mind around this debut without all the emotions spilling out. Well-worth the slow build and descriptors of every flawed but lovable character. It encircles the small towns of America with average people experiencing love, loss and forgiveness. The characters are fully fleshed out with their hopes and challenges. They suffered betrayal, but found forgiveness in the process of over 40 years. A small kiss between two strangers tentacles into consequences that reach generations.
In Bonhomie, Ohio, Cal and Becky Jenkins & Felix and Margaret Salt are entwined in a remarkable story, connecting and disconnecting them in everyday life moments. You can't miss this opportunity to see how one kiss can be endearing and misunderstood. Capturing moments from WWII through the Vietnam war, and how it brought these people together, which would leave a trail of guilt.
Outstanding writing and so much heart and love went into it. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this outstanding ARC.
December 13, 2025
“ The things that we love tell us what we are.”
“ Nothing is quite as maddening as being angry at people who lovingly understand your anger.”
Welcome to the town of Bonhomie- a small American town that has stories to tell.
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is simply a brilliant human-driven emotional novel about the lives of two couples mainly told over a period of four decades.
This is the story of Cal and Becky and Margaret and Felix.This is a story of the joys, the challenges, the intricacies of relationships and the tragedies that befall everyone in their lives. ( The character of Everett, Carl’s father is a wonder)
It is also the story of two boys - Tom and Skip - the children whose worlds are impacted upon by the actions of the adults in their lives.
It would be easy to describe some of the plot but that would give away too much; this is a book to dive into and escape into the lives of others . Patrick Ryan captures the emotional fragility of all the characters - the happiness in single moments but also the things unsaid or never explored in life that indelibly leave their deep marks. The small details that describe scenes ,key events and individuals and are what make this novel so compelling
As will be said by many, if you like the work of Elizabeth Strout and Ann Tyler, then Buckeye is highly recommended but move comparisons aside Patrick Ryan has written a superb novel capturing the everyday of American life during the 1940s to the. 1970s. Weaving the impact of two wars - and the futility and damage of conflict - this is much more than simply a novel about the lives of the characters, this is an all-embracing story of love and humanity that we can all relate to.
Be prepared for an emotional journey that will hook you - not sentimental in any way- but should leave all readers reflecting upon about what is sometimes unsaid or said too late in life and the lasting impact .
Patrick Ryan has written a modern day classic .A triumph of a great American novel .
“ Nothing is quite as maddening as being angry at people who lovingly understand your anger.”
Welcome to the town of Bonhomie- a small American town that has stories to tell.
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is simply a brilliant human-driven emotional novel about the lives of two couples mainly told over a period of four decades.
This is the story of Cal and Becky and Margaret and Felix.This is a story of the joys, the challenges, the intricacies of relationships and the tragedies that befall everyone in their lives. ( The character of Everett, Carl’s father is a wonder)
It is also the story of two boys - Tom and Skip - the children whose worlds are impacted upon by the actions of the adults in their lives.
It would be easy to describe some of the plot but that would give away too much; this is a book to dive into and escape into the lives of others . Patrick Ryan captures the emotional fragility of all the characters - the happiness in single moments but also the things unsaid or never explored in life that indelibly leave their deep marks. The small details that describe scenes ,key events and individuals and are what make this novel so compelling
As will be said by many, if you like the work of Elizabeth Strout and Ann Tyler, then Buckeye is highly recommended but move comparisons aside Patrick Ryan has written a superb novel capturing the everyday of American life during the 1940s to the. 1970s. Weaving the impact of two wars - and the futility and damage of conflict - this is much more than simply a novel about the lives of the characters, this is an all-embracing story of love and humanity that we can all relate to.
Be prepared for an emotional journey that will hook you - not sentimental in any way- but should leave all readers reflecting upon about what is sometimes unsaid or said too late in life and the lasting impact .
Patrick Ryan has written a modern day classic .A triumph of a great American novel .
September 7, 2025
Stunning work of literature. 📕
“What is it about time that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We kill it. We complain about not having enough of it; or having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we’ve done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say “time and time again” when something is bothering us “it’s time” when something is supposed to end….all we should ever want of time is more of it.”
At 448 pages it is rare to say I didn’t want this to end. This was such a character driven novel that I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the people I had come to love and others loathe.
War, grief, sexuality and family. This book encapsulates small town living with all that entails. The impact that war has on family and the deep seated PTSD which was so eloquently written about. In a small town, the need to hide from our own true selves as there is no such thing as a closeted secret.
….And yet, there was a secret. A secret that was held onto for far too long.
I think this would be an amazing bookclub pick. There are so many moral dilemmas, parenting issues and general topics that would make for excellent discussion.
A definitive all-time favourite book for me. I can see why this book is creating such a buzz. 🐝
“What is it about time that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We kill it. We complain about not having enough of it; or having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we’ve done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say “time and time again” when something is bothering us “it’s time” when something is supposed to end….all we should ever want of time is more of it.”
At 448 pages it is rare to say I didn’t want this to end. This was such a character driven novel that I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the people I had come to love and others loathe.
War, grief, sexuality and family. This book encapsulates small town living with all that entails. The impact that war has on family and the deep seated PTSD which was so eloquently written about. In a small town, the need to hide from our own true selves as there is no such thing as a closeted secret.
….And yet, there was a secret. A secret that was held onto for far too long.
I think this would be an amazing bookclub pick. There are so many moral dilemmas, parenting issues and general topics that would make for excellent discussion.
A definitive all-time favourite book for me. I can see why this book is creating such a buzz. 🐝
August 28, 2025
4.75 stars “Wise and heartbreaking” (Ann Napolitano), this captivating epic weaves the intimate lives of two Midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century."
This sweeping saga is an intimate portrait of two families in the small town of Bonhamie, Ohio, set against the backdrop of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It follows the families over a period of forty years. You learn of their hopes and dreams, their talents, their challenges, and insecurities. We learn everything about the Salt and Jenkins families over the years and how they are inextricably linked together. The character development is flawless. You know each and every character completely, including their motivations and flaws.
This is literary fiction at its finest. Fully fleshed out characters, intimate moments, raw emotions, and thought-provoking pearls of wisdom woven throughout the novel. Themes of love and loss, grief and forgiveness, parent-child relationships, motivation, ambition, betrayal, and misunderstanding are superbly explored. This is a highly character driven novel that can move slowly at times so be aware of that. For fans of literary fiction, this is a must-read. Highly recommended by Ann Patchett, Ann Napolitano, and Chris Whitaker.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Patrick Ryan for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
This sweeping saga is an intimate portrait of two families in the small town of Bonhamie, Ohio, set against the backdrop of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It follows the families over a period of forty years. You learn of their hopes and dreams, their talents, their challenges, and insecurities. We learn everything about the Salt and Jenkins families over the years and how they are inextricably linked together. The character development is flawless. You know each and every character completely, including their motivations and flaws.
This is literary fiction at its finest. Fully fleshed out characters, intimate moments, raw emotions, and thought-provoking pearls of wisdom woven throughout the novel. Themes of love and loss, grief and forgiveness, parent-child relationships, motivation, ambition, betrayal, and misunderstanding are superbly explored. This is a highly character driven novel that can move slowly at times so be aware of that. For fans of literary fiction, this is a must-read. Highly recommended by Ann Patchett, Ann Napolitano, and Chris Whitaker.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Patrick Ryan for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2025
In a Nutshell: A character-driven epic historical family saga about four people whose lives become intricately connected. Decent character development, lyrical writing. Straightforward plot. Too much telling, too much secret-keeping. I think this fits under “The Great American Novel” category, which isn't a favourite genre of mine. This is an outlier opinion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🙇🏻♀️ Becky as a character. Quite a strong female main character for a historical fiction, independent in mind and spirit.
🙇🏻♀️ The portrayal of Cal’s disability and how it, though significant, isn't the be-all and end-all of his personality.
🙇🏻♀️ The two couple’s relationships. Quite interesting to do a compare-and-contrast of their circumstances. Explores the role of trust, insecurity, secrets, and shared pain.
🙇🏻♀️ The small-town setting. Put to good use.
🙇🏻♀️ Many deep quotes worth jotting down.
Bookish Okays:
🤷🏻♀️ The character development of the four leads. They are realistic and flawed, which I appreciate. But they are also somewhat drab. I wish at least one of them had a spark of joviality to offer a break from the monotony of gloom.
🤷🏻♀️ The writing structure. Character-driven, with the story divided across chunky sections coming from the third-person POV of various characters. I usually love this format, but the length of each section means that it takes a bit of time to adjust to the new perspective.
🤷🏻♀️ The length and pacing. Decent for a character-driven epic saga, but also a test of the patience, especially in a story where not much is happening on page and yet too much is happening in the background. The book is highly introspective with a lot of moping and mulling, but at no point was it gripping my attention.
🤷🏻♀️ Becky’s psychic abilities and the societal reactions to seances, superstitious beliefs, willingness to try the unconventional – all great. But despite it playing a strong role in Becky’s arc, the writing focusses only on the worldly side of seances and not the otherworldly aspects. This was really disappointing given what was indicated about Becky’s abilities.
🤷🏻♀️ This book fits what is called ‘The Great American Novel’. Plenty of US history and pop culture references to help us remember that the book is about (mostly) ordinary US citizens during extraordinary times. All well except that it goes overboard on the patriotism. I can see why it would resonate strongly with US readers, but I felt like I was being taken through a calendar-based checklist of key US historical events.
🤷🏻♀️ For a generational saga, the book does well with the first gen but not much for the next gen. I would have liked more details on the children whose lives were dictated by their parents’ connection.
Bookish Nays:
🤦🏻♀️ The ease with which the characters forgave infidelity immediately disconnected me from them. I am not that angel-hearted and a casual brushing aside of infidelity never works for me.
🤦🏻♀️ A multitude of themes within the arcs, none out-of-the-expected except for the half-baked seances. The ingredients of this novel are standard features of most family sagas. I wish there were more originality to this work.
🤦🏻♀️ The first half was decent enough but the second half lost me entirely with its OTT drama and unrealistic communication and unnecessary secrets.
🤦🏻♀️ I could have forgiven the above had the book had a strong ending. But the finale is surprisingly lacklustre for a saga. It does feel realistic in some ways, but for a book nearing 500 pages, it needed more smoothness than a rushed, abrupt culmination.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 15 hrs 44 min, is narrated by Michael Crouch. While he does a commendable job, this book, with multi-character perspectives, needed multiple narrators. Having one narrator for each POV would have helped break the tedium of hearing only one voice for almost 16 audio hours. Further, two POVs were female, so their emotions would have sounded more convincing coming from a female narrator.
Overall, I did expect to like this book better, given how much acclaim it has been getting. Then again, almost all the enthusiasm comes from US reviewers. I might have felt the same had there been an epic saga set during India’s formative years. But to me, this novel went overboard on US history and underperformed on personal emotions and originality.
Recommended to saga-loving readers looking for the “big American novel.”
2.9 stars. (3.75 for the first half, 2 stars for the second half. Averaged.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bonhomie, Ohio. 1920s onwards till the 1980s.
Cal: Born with one leg shorter than the other; always self-conscious about not being serve during the war.
Becky: Cal’s wife; has a gift that enables her to communicate with spirits, but many consider her a sham.
Margaret: Trying her best to escape her painful past, but even a secure present isn't secure enough.
Felix: Has his reasons for marrying Margaret; serving with the navy during the war.
How are the two couples interconnected? What does fate have in store for them? We learn this and more through the third-person perspectives of all four characters in a story that spans decades.
Bookish Yays:
🙇🏻♀️ Becky as a character. Quite a strong female main character for a historical fiction, independent in mind and spirit.
🙇🏻♀️ The portrayal of Cal’s disability and how it, though significant, isn't the be-all and end-all of his personality.
🙇🏻♀️ The two couple’s relationships. Quite interesting to do a compare-and-contrast of their circumstances. Explores the role of trust, insecurity, secrets, and shared pain.
🙇🏻♀️ The small-town setting. Put to good use.
🙇🏻♀️ Many deep quotes worth jotting down.
Bookish Okays:
🤷🏻♀️ The character development of the four leads. They are realistic and flawed, which I appreciate. But they are also somewhat drab. I wish at least one of them had a spark of joviality to offer a break from the monotony of gloom.
🤷🏻♀️ The writing structure. Character-driven, with the story divided across chunky sections coming from the third-person POV of various characters. I usually love this format, but the length of each section means that it takes a bit of time to adjust to the new perspective.
🤷🏻♀️ The length and pacing. Decent for a character-driven epic saga, but also a test of the patience, especially in a story where not much is happening on page and yet too much is happening in the background. The book is highly introspective with a lot of moping and mulling, but at no point was it gripping my attention.
🤷🏻♀️ Becky’s psychic abilities and the societal reactions to seances, superstitious beliefs, willingness to try the unconventional – all great. But despite it playing a strong role in Becky’s arc, the writing focusses only on the worldly side of seances and not the otherworldly aspects. This was really disappointing given what was indicated about Becky’s abilities.
🤷🏻♀️ This book fits what is called ‘The Great American Novel’. Plenty of US history and pop culture references to help us remember that the book is about (mostly) ordinary US citizens during extraordinary times. All well except that it goes overboard on the patriotism. I can see why it would resonate strongly with US readers, but I felt like I was being taken through a calendar-based checklist of key US historical events.
🤷🏻♀️ For a generational saga, the book does well with the first gen but not much for the next gen. I would have liked more details on the children whose lives were dictated by their parents’ connection.
Bookish Nays:
🤦🏻♀️ The ease with which the characters forgave infidelity immediately disconnected me from them. I am not that angel-hearted and a casual brushing aside of infidelity never works for me.
🤦🏻♀️ A multitude of themes within the arcs, none out-of-the-expected except for the half-baked seances. The ingredients of this novel are standard features of most family sagas. I wish there were more originality to this work.
🤦🏻♀️ The first half was decent enough but the second half lost me entirely with its OTT drama and unrealistic communication and unnecessary secrets.
🤦🏻♀️ I could have forgiven the above had the book had a strong ending. But the finale is surprisingly lacklustre for a saga. It does feel realistic in some ways, but for a book nearing 500 pages, it needed more smoothness than a rushed, abrupt culmination.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 15 hrs 44 min, is narrated by Michael Crouch. While he does a commendable job, this book, with multi-character perspectives, needed multiple narrators. Having one narrator for each POV would have helped break the tedium of hearing only one voice for almost 16 audio hours. Further, two POVs were female, so their emotions would have sounded more convincing coming from a female narrator.
Overall, I did expect to like this book better, given how much acclaim it has been getting. Then again, almost all the enthusiasm comes from US reviewers. I might have felt the same had there been an epic saga set during India’s formative years. But to me, this novel went overboard on US history and underperformed on personal emotions and originality.
Recommended to saga-loving readers looking for the “big American novel.”
2.9 stars. (3.75 for the first half, 2 stars for the second half. Averaged.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
November 9, 2025
Patrick Ryan's Buckeye absolutely tore my heart out. There were numerous instances throughout where I felt compelled to pause and reflect on some of the regrettable decisions I have also made over the years, and how they have impacted the trajectories of those I love. These dynamic, emotionally powerful and authentic characters wouldn't allow for anything less from me.
Narrator Michael Crouch has never shined higher. Many thanks for the stunningly moving performance.
Narrator Michael Crouch has never shined higher. Many thanks for the stunningly moving performance.
October 16, 2025
“Buckeye”, by Patrick Ryan
5 brilliant stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a delightful surprise this book was! The storytelling is superb!
Thanks to my GR friends for bringing this book to my attention.
This was a terrific break from crime fiction.
It’s a sweeping, character-driven story that explores American life across multiple decades through the interwoven lives of two families between 1920 and the 80’s.
What really pleased me was the storytelling, which was so compelling and so clear, especially when taking into consideration that there were not a lot of dialogues.
The writing was simple and straightforward and the development of the story (although slow, but far from boring) was not overly dramatic, with a good timeline structure.
The characters are very sad but are also deeply sympathetic and realistic, and I was completely immersed in their stories. I felt very attached to them.
I praised the author for describing casual sex encounters without the need for creating steamy scenes, and also for avoiding stereotypes of gay characters.
Themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the enduring impact of the past are central to the narrative.
If you are looking for a book of action then this is not the one.
Terrific work of fiction!
Excerpt: “What is it about time
that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We waste it. We kill it. We complain about not having enough of it, or about having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we've done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say "time and again" when something is bothering us and "it's time" when something is supposed to end. Felix saw it so clearly: all we should ever want of time is more of it. Life was so simple when it was reduced to the barest of necessities: more time; more air; more Duke Ellington.”
Hardcover (Random House): 464 pages
5 brilliant stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a delightful surprise this book was! The storytelling is superb!
Thanks to my GR friends for bringing this book to my attention.
This was a terrific break from crime fiction.
It’s a sweeping, character-driven story that explores American life across multiple decades through the interwoven lives of two families between 1920 and the 80’s.
What really pleased me was the storytelling, which was so compelling and so clear, especially when taking into consideration that there were not a lot of dialogues.
The writing was simple and straightforward and the development of the story (although slow, but far from boring) was not overly dramatic, with a good timeline structure.
The characters are very sad but are also deeply sympathetic and realistic, and I was completely immersed in their stories. I felt very attached to them.
I praised the author for describing casual sex encounters without the need for creating steamy scenes, and also for avoiding stereotypes of gay characters.
Themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the enduring impact of the past are central to the narrative.
If you are looking for a book of action then this is not the one.
Terrific work of fiction!
Excerpt: “What is it about time
that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We waste it. We kill it. We complain about not having enough of it, or about having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we've done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say "time and again" when something is bothering us and "it's time" when something is supposed to end. Felix saw it so clearly: all we should ever want of time is more of it. Life was so simple when it was reduced to the barest of necessities: more time; more air; more Duke Ellington.”
Hardcover (Random House): 464 pages
August 27, 2025
This is going to be the generational trauma novel of the fall. It is Ohio's Forrest Gump, without the grandiosity.
Imagine you are looking at an American history book from around 1920-1976. Then zoom into Ohio, then a town of 6,000 people called Bonhomie. Then zoom further onto two interconnected families. Cal Jenkins was exempt from military service because one leg is longer than the other. He marries local girl Becky Hanover, who soon discovers a special gift. Margaret Anderson was an abandoned infant who grows up in a girls' orphanage. She is happy to marry Felix Salt, although they barely know each other, and soon he is off to war.
“Is the future knowable? Will our older selves be anything like our younger selves thought we would be? We can only find out by writing it down and then putting it out of our minds and letting life take its course. The unraveling of time should be mysterious, don’t you think?”
Sweeping long periods of time, this descriptive book hits on most major historical events and how they may be experienced by small town white America. If it has any faults, it is probably a bit nostalgic, but those moments are always followed by a reality of the time that leaves this reader grateful to have been born later. Several songs are mentioned that keep me moving along with the Jenkins and Salt families. Every storyline is sandwiched within the context of American history.
In many ways, it is the story of every midwestern town. The story explores patriotism, duty, honor, and what makes a family. Cal's father Everett often writes letters to the current president expressing his dissatisfaction, these letters make me wonder what my great grandfather would have written.
The characters are far from perfect, with the possible exception of Becky, they are flawed and afraid to be who they are meant to be. I think the characters will stay with me for a long time.
For fans of Long Island Compromise, The Celebrants, Same As it Ever Was, and Blue Sisters.
Here is my Hollywood Cast
Cal- Adam Driver
Felix- Jeremy Allen White
Becky- Anne Hathaway
Margaret- Emma Stone
Everett- Tom Hanks
I think it is high time to ask if you have noticed that the ones who do the talking in war are never the ones who do the dying?
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Book to be published September 2, 2025.
Imagine you are looking at an American history book from around 1920-1976. Then zoom into Ohio, then a town of 6,000 people called Bonhomie. Then zoom further onto two interconnected families. Cal Jenkins was exempt from military service because one leg is longer than the other. He marries local girl Becky Hanover, who soon discovers a special gift. Margaret Anderson was an abandoned infant who grows up in a girls' orphanage. She is happy to marry Felix Salt, although they barely know each other, and soon he is off to war.
“Is the future knowable? Will our older selves be anything like our younger selves thought we would be? We can only find out by writing it down and then putting it out of our minds and letting life take its course. The unraveling of time should be mysterious, don’t you think?”
Sweeping long periods of time, this descriptive book hits on most major historical events and how they may be experienced by small town white America. If it has any faults, it is probably a bit nostalgic, but those moments are always followed by a reality of the time that leaves this reader grateful to have been born later. Several songs are mentioned that keep me moving along with the Jenkins and Salt families. Every storyline is sandwiched within the context of American history.
In many ways, it is the story of every midwestern town. The story explores patriotism, duty, honor, and what makes a family. Cal's father Everett often writes letters to the current president expressing his dissatisfaction, these letters make me wonder what my great grandfather would have written.
The characters are far from perfect, with the possible exception of Becky, they are flawed and afraid to be who they are meant to be. I think the characters will stay with me for a long time.
For fans of Long Island Compromise, The Celebrants, Same As it Ever Was, and Blue Sisters.
Here is my Hollywood Cast
Cal- Adam Driver
Felix- Jeremy Allen White
Becky- Anne Hathaway
Margaret- Emma Stone
Everett- Tom Hanks
I think it is high time to ask if you have noticed that the ones who do the talking in war are never the ones who do the dying?
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Book to be published September 2, 2025.
September 1, 2025
Two strangers meet have an innocent kiss as they hear of the end of World WarII. So the story begins in a small town in Ohio.
Cal Jenkins was unable to serve in WWII because of one of his legs was shorter than the other. He marries Becky who becomes a spiritualist, who can communicate with the dead.
We meet Margaret who had a very difficult childhood going from one foster family to another.
She marries Felix Salt who serves in the Navy. She receives a telegram that her husband’s ship has been attacked in the Philippines.
This is a sweeping novel of two families facing the turmoil of two wars and dealing with everyday life.
Beautifully written with well developed characters. This story will just draw you in to the atmosphere of a small town. It is a captivating story of love, loss and grief.
This story will stay with you for a long time.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
Cal Jenkins was unable to serve in WWII because of one of his legs was shorter than the other. He marries Becky who becomes a spiritualist, who can communicate with the dead.
We meet Margaret who had a very difficult childhood going from one foster family to another.
She marries Felix Salt who serves in the Navy. She receives a telegram that her husband’s ship has been attacked in the Philippines.
This is a sweeping novel of two families facing the turmoil of two wars and dealing with everyday life.
Beautifully written with well developed characters. This story will just draw you in to the atmosphere of a small town. It is a captivating story of love, loss and grief.
This story will stay with you for a long time.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
September 29, 2025
Secrets and lies will never die. They live inside you and shape your future if you let them.
People scarred for life with events that they had little or no control over. There was Margaret, a character that was hard to understand, left by her mother as an infant in a basket of a girl's home. She could never get over the fact of abandonment and her behaviors reflected her yearning for love. However, love was not something she could find or even give.
Cal Jenkins, a man burdened by a birth defect in his leg, and feeling sorrow for not being able to serve his country in WW 2. For a brief time, he finds a bit of semi happiness but that results in a secret he delays revealing until the very worse happens. Cal's wife is a seer, she can perceive the dead and as her reputation spreads, she and Cal drift further apart.
Felix, Margaret's husband does serve on a cargo ship during the war, but when tragedy happens, Felix finally comes to the realization of what he is, a secret he was so ashamed of he never considered sharing it until that special someone came along.
The story touches one's heart while people struggle to come to terms in the aftermath of tragedy, desertion, and the turbulent times after the war in a small town in Ohio.
Can they find peace within themselves to overcome a lifetime of secrets?
People scarred for life with events that they had little or no control over. There was Margaret, a character that was hard to understand, left by her mother as an infant in a basket of a girl's home. She could never get over the fact of abandonment and her behaviors reflected her yearning for love. However, love was not something she could find or even give.
Cal Jenkins, a man burdened by a birth defect in his leg, and feeling sorrow for not being able to serve his country in WW 2. For a brief time, he finds a bit of semi happiness but that results in a secret he delays revealing until the very worse happens. Cal's wife is a seer, she can perceive the dead and as her reputation spreads, she and Cal drift further apart.
Felix, Margaret's husband does serve on a cargo ship during the war, but when tragedy happens, Felix finally comes to the realization of what he is, a secret he was so ashamed of he never considered sharing it until that special someone came along.
The story touches one's heart while people struggle to come to terms in the aftermath of tragedy, desertion, and the turbulent times after the war in a small town in Ohio.
Can they find peace within themselves to overcome a lifetime of secrets?
October 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Audiobook was fantastic!
I think going into this book blindly is only going to elevate the experience. This is a very complicated World War II era, family drama, where we move through several different decades of choices and decisions which then follow consequences and forgiveness. It’s one of those books that I knew I would gravitate to because of the family drama genre, and the simple fact that this shows such human nature and the rawness of how difficult life can be for someone. I really loved the audiobook and thought it was a great story to listen to. It wasn’t challenging to follow, but only magnified my connection to these characters and the family and all of the different events that occurred throughout this chunk of time. I thought the author handled a lot of difficult topics in such a delicate and beautiful and relatable way. My only hangup is, I thought there could’ve been a little bit of editing because the middle felt a little drawn on.
Audiobook was fantastic!
I think going into this book blindly is only going to elevate the experience. This is a very complicated World War II era, family drama, where we move through several different decades of choices and decisions which then follow consequences and forgiveness. It’s one of those books that I knew I would gravitate to because of the family drama genre, and the simple fact that this shows such human nature and the rawness of how difficult life can be for someone. I really loved the audiobook and thought it was a great story to listen to. It wasn’t challenging to follow, but only magnified my connection to these characters and the family and all of the different events that occurred throughout this chunk of time. I thought the author handled a lot of difficult topics in such a delicate and beautiful and relatable way. My only hangup is, I thought there could’ve been a little bit of editing because the middle felt a little drawn on.
December 5, 2025
Yes! Yes! YES!!!! So darned good!😲
There's no point repeating what other reviewers have said, so check out the many wonderful reviews for this really excellent and very worthwhile story here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
5 “There's–no–such–thing–as–fun–for–the–whole–family” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
LBC 2025: Book 6
There's no point repeating what other reviewers have said, so check out the many wonderful reviews for this really excellent and very worthwhile story here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
5 “There's–no–such–thing–as–fun–for–the–whole–family” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
LBC 2025: Book 6
November 5, 2025
The ultimate Great American Novel.
"Wasn’t it a fair measure of a person, what they did with their mistakes? How they managed to stumble into some of the right steps, after taking all the wrong ones?"
On the heels of Nazi Germany’s surrender to the Allied forces in 1945, signifying the beginning of the end of World War II, a single encounter between a man and a woman in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, alters the course of both of their lives and those of their families. Cal Jenkins, a man haunted not by war but by his shame of not serving in it, and Margaret Salt, a woman whose husband is stationed in the Pacific, share a fleeting moment that reverberates for generations. What follows is a sweeping saga tracing the Jenkinses and Salts across five decades, from Cal and Margaret’s respective childhoods to their marriages and the moment when their lives first intersect in May of 1945, and onward to the births and lives of their children. Spanning more than five decades, this tender novel chronicles love and betrayal, marriage and divorce, compromise and heartbreak, grief and healing so vividly and heartbreakingly that I never wanted to leave Bonhomie.
"Buckeye" is, quite simply, extraordinary. From the very first pages, I fell in love with Bonhomie and its people. Author Patrick Ryan renders his protagonists - Cal, Margaret, and their extended families - with such tenderness and precision that they felt like family, crafting a novel full of lyrical prose that captures both the sweep of history and the intimacy of private heartbreak, as emotionally poignant as it is compulsively readable.
Set against the backdrop of much of the 20th century, from the 1920s to the 1970s, "Buckeye" perfectly embodies the spirit and complexity of the American experience in a time of unrest and technological advances. It doesn’t just tell a story about two families, it channels the spirit and contradictions of America itself. It’s a novel about mistakes and second chances, about the ways we stumble through love and loss, and about time: how we waste it, wish for it, and above all, long for more of it.
"What is it about time that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We waste it. We kill it, or complain about not having enough of it, or having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we’ve done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say "time and time again" when something is bothering us and "it’s time" when something is supposed to end. Felix saw it so clearly: all we should ever want of time is more of it."
Oh, how I wish I’d had more time with these characters. "Buckeye" is the kind of book I’ll buy for my shelf, revisit again and again, and press into the hands of anyone looking for the next Great American Novel.
All the stars - this is easily my favorite book of 2025 so far.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a digital copy of this wonderful book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Buckeye" was published on September 2, 2025, and is available now.
"Wasn’t it a fair measure of a person, what they did with their mistakes? How they managed to stumble into some of the right steps, after taking all the wrong ones?"
On the heels of Nazi Germany’s surrender to the Allied forces in 1945, signifying the beginning of the end of World War II, a single encounter between a man and a woman in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, alters the course of both of their lives and those of their families. Cal Jenkins, a man haunted not by war but by his shame of not serving in it, and Margaret Salt, a woman whose husband is stationed in the Pacific, share a fleeting moment that reverberates for generations. What follows is a sweeping saga tracing the Jenkinses and Salts across five decades, from Cal and Margaret’s respective childhoods to their marriages and the moment when their lives first intersect in May of 1945, and onward to the births and lives of their children. Spanning more than five decades, this tender novel chronicles love and betrayal, marriage and divorce, compromise and heartbreak, grief and healing so vividly and heartbreakingly that I never wanted to leave Bonhomie.
"Buckeye" is, quite simply, extraordinary. From the very first pages, I fell in love with Bonhomie and its people. Author Patrick Ryan renders his protagonists - Cal, Margaret, and their extended families - with such tenderness and precision that they felt like family, crafting a novel full of lyrical prose that captures both the sweep of history and the intimacy of private heartbreak, as emotionally poignant as it is compulsively readable.
Set against the backdrop of much of the 20th century, from the 1920s to the 1970s, "Buckeye" perfectly embodies the spirit and complexity of the American experience in a time of unrest and technological advances. It doesn’t just tell a story about two families, it channels the spirit and contradictions of America itself. It’s a novel about mistakes and second chances, about the ways we stumble through love and loss, and about time: how we waste it, wish for it, and above all, long for more of it.
"What is it about time that confounds us? We spend it. We save it. We while it away. We waste it. We kill it, or complain about not having enough of it, or having too much of it on our hands. We regret what we’ve done with it. We give it away. We want it back. We say "time and time again" when something is bothering us and "it’s time" when something is supposed to end. Felix saw it so clearly: all we should ever want of time is more of it."
Oh, how I wish I’d had more time with these characters. "Buckeye" is the kind of book I’ll buy for my shelf, revisit again and again, and press into the hands of anyone looking for the next Great American Novel.
All the stars - this is easily my favorite book of 2025 so far.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a digital copy of this wonderful book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Buckeye" was published on September 2, 2025, and is available now.
September 3, 2025
5⭐️ I can’t express how much I loved this book! Being from OH and a child of the tumultuous 60’s and 70’s, it’s like a slice of life so familiar to me!
This is a beautifully written character driven, multigenerational story that encompasses the periods before WWII til post Vietnam War. It’s the characters that breathe life into this portrait of two families. We follow Cal and Becky, Cal crippled by a short leg, Becky who speaks with the dead. Felix and Margaret, Felix trying to fit into societal norms, Margaret an orphan abandoned at birth. Each of these people carry their own secrets and burdens that perpetuate into the next generation.
It’s a story of love, heartbreak, loss, grief, and forgiveness.
I can’t recommend it enough! Sure to one of the best of 2025!
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishers,for the eARC in exchange for my honest review, but most of all to the author Patrick Ryan for writing this touching beautiful book!
This is a beautifully written character driven, multigenerational story that encompasses the periods before WWII til post Vietnam War. It’s the characters that breathe life into this portrait of two families. We follow Cal and Becky, Cal crippled by a short leg, Becky who speaks with the dead. Felix and Margaret, Felix trying to fit into societal norms, Margaret an orphan abandoned at birth. Each of these people carry their own secrets and burdens that perpetuate into the next generation.
It’s a story of love, heartbreak, loss, grief, and forgiveness.
I can’t recommend it enough! Sure to one of the best of 2025!
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishers,for the eARC in exchange for my honest review, but most of all to the author Patrick Ryan for writing this touching beautiful book!
October 5, 2025
This book just didn’t work for me. It was a mile wide and an inch deep. The characters felt very surface level and there was so much telling instead of showing. Honestly, I was bored for most of it, and I would have DNF’d if it wasn’t a book club read.
December 30, 2025
Where do I start? Yes, this was a good book with a great storyline. The writing was superb, and the characters are all very memorable. But yet, I didn’t love this book like everyone else did. I really enjoyed it, but it started to drag on. I think if this book was trimmed down by 100 pages, it would have been perfect (for me). This is a good story, but because it spans out over decades, it is quite long.
This book is very popular right now, and very highly rated- so I won’t go into too much detail about what the story is about. I will say there are several characters in this story, but two that held my attention the most, and the two that I enjoyed reading the most about were Margaret and Cal.
Margaret is an orphan, who finds her way to the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio when she marries the handsome Felix. Cal, was born and raised in Bonhomie, and is often left feeling sorry for himself because he was born with one leg shorter than the other.
We learn of the War going on, people’s paths crossing in Bonhomie, family secrets, marriages and infidelity. There were many things that held my interest, but as I stated, I think his book was too lengthy.
All in all, this was a good read- just not one of my favorites. However, many others have truly loved this book, so maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this right now.
This was my December, 2025 BOTM pick.
(3.5 stars)
This book is very popular right now, and very highly rated- so I won’t go into too much detail about what the story is about. I will say there are several characters in this story, but two that held my attention the most, and the two that I enjoyed reading the most about were Margaret and Cal.
Margaret is an orphan, who finds her way to the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio when she marries the handsome Felix. Cal, was born and raised in Bonhomie, and is often left feeling sorry for himself because he was born with one leg shorter than the other.
We learn of the War going on, people’s paths crossing in Bonhomie, family secrets, marriages and infidelity. There were many things that held my interest, but as I stated, I think his book was too lengthy.
All in all, this was a good read- just not one of my favorites. However, many others have truly loved this book, so maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this right now.
This was my December, 2025 BOTM pick.
(3.5 stars)
October 3, 2025
the setup…
It begins in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio in the 1920s and the saga continues through the turbulent time of the 1960s and the Vietnam War era. Cal Jenkins was born with a leg deformity that defines and prevents him from serving his country in WWII. He marries Becky, the first woman he ever dated and who has the gift of being able to connect with the dead, something that becomes a wedge in their marriage. Margaret Salt was abandoned as a baby, left in a basket on the steps of an orphanage with a note from her mother. That history also defines her, one she keeps secret, leading her to marry Felix, a man who she doesn’t love and moves them to Bonhomie, a town where she struggles to connect. He joins the Navy, serving on a cargo ship in the Pacific that should have been a safe assignment…until it wasn’t. Cal and Margaret intersect in a highly charged moment for them both that ends in consequences that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
the heart of this story…
There’s a quiet eloquence and beauty to this story. It’s not constructed with lots of dramatic moments, more the natural events in ordinary lives driven by life’s challenges. It centers around Cal, Becky, Felix and Margaret, all more complicated than how they might appear to those around them. It’s their children that serendipitously connect the two families, further complicating the secret that haunts them. Felix is burdened by the weight of his own duplicity, one that has Margaret spiral out of control and compounds her inability to love. Cal and Becky drift apart from the weight of his betrayal and his disdain of her gift.
the narration…
Michael Crouch delivered the perfect pitch performance in his storytelling. He let the eloquence of the writing drive the tempo.
the bottom line…
I selected this book solely because of my history with other Read With Jenna book club picks and she nailed it again. The story adeptly captures not only the essence of the times from WWII through the Vietnam War but the effects on families and the writing is exquisite. I was completely immersed in the characters and the story, fully invested in their outcomes despite their flaws. I won’t ever forget them or this masterpiece of a story.
It begins in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio in the 1920s and the saga continues through the turbulent time of the 1960s and the Vietnam War era. Cal Jenkins was born with a leg deformity that defines and prevents him from serving his country in WWII. He marries Becky, the first woman he ever dated and who has the gift of being able to connect with the dead, something that becomes a wedge in their marriage. Margaret Salt was abandoned as a baby, left in a basket on the steps of an orphanage with a note from her mother. That history also defines her, one she keeps secret, leading her to marry Felix, a man who she doesn’t love and moves them to Bonhomie, a town where she struggles to connect. He joins the Navy, serving on a cargo ship in the Pacific that should have been a safe assignment…until it wasn’t. Cal and Margaret intersect in a highly charged moment for them both that ends in consequences that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
the heart of this story…
There’s a quiet eloquence and beauty to this story. It’s not constructed with lots of dramatic moments, more the natural events in ordinary lives driven by life’s challenges. It centers around Cal, Becky, Felix and Margaret, all more complicated than how they might appear to those around them. It’s their children that serendipitously connect the two families, further complicating the secret that haunts them. Felix is burdened by the weight of his own duplicity, one that has Margaret spiral out of control and compounds her inability to love. Cal and Becky drift apart from the weight of his betrayal and his disdain of her gift.
the narration…
Michael Crouch delivered the perfect pitch performance in his storytelling. He let the eloquence of the writing drive the tempo.
the bottom line…
I selected this book solely because of my history with other Read With Jenna book club picks and she nailed it again. The story adeptly captures not only the essence of the times from WWII through the Vietnam War but the effects on families and the writing is exquisite. I was completely immersed in the characters and the story, fully invested in their outcomes despite their flaws. I won’t ever forget them or this masterpiece of a story.
September 11, 2025
Buckeye is quite the saga. Set in the American Midwest, the narrative follows both the fortunes of Cal Jenkins, his wife Becky, son Skip and Margaret Salt, husband Felix and son Tom through their lives from the 1930s to the 1980s.
Cal and Margaret both had difficult early lives - Cal through disability and Margaret because she was abandoned as a baby. We follow them as they overcome the obstacles life throws at them including relationship and parenting problems, along with the bigger picture of World War II and Vietnam.
There is a lot packed into this book and, despite some surprising choices made by both Margaret and Cal, I liked them both very much as characters. Felix and Becky, who could be considered secondary characters, both have fascinating lives and likeable characters.
In fact I don't think there was any part of the book that I didn't enjoy. Social and family histories are mixed brilliantly. Nothing feels forced or too melodramatic even though the war sections are extremely harrowing.
I admit to having a little sob on several occasions throughout the book but I'm quite an emotional person. Patrick Ryan certainly makes you care about each character, even Cal's irascible father, Everett.
A great read. Definitely recommended especially if you enjoy a story you can sink your teeth into.
The book does deal with some hard subjects such as homosexuality, life after death, violent death and loss. All are sensitively dealt with.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance review copy.
Cal and Margaret both had difficult early lives - Cal through disability and Margaret because she was abandoned as a baby. We follow them as they overcome the obstacles life throws at them including relationship and parenting problems, along with the bigger picture of World War II and Vietnam.
There is a lot packed into this book and, despite some surprising choices made by both Margaret and Cal, I liked them both very much as characters. Felix and Becky, who could be considered secondary characters, both have fascinating lives and likeable characters.
In fact I don't think there was any part of the book that I didn't enjoy. Social and family histories are mixed brilliantly. Nothing feels forced or too melodramatic even though the war sections are extremely harrowing.
I admit to having a little sob on several occasions throughout the book but I'm quite an emotional person. Patrick Ryan certainly makes you care about each character, even Cal's irascible father, Everett.
A great read. Definitely recommended especially if you enjoy a story you can sink your teeth into.
The book does deal with some hard subjects such as homosexuality, life after death, violent death and loss. All are sensitively dealt with.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance review copy.
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October 6, 2025firstly thank you to the publisher for an arc!
sadly, dnf @60% which is disappointing because i’ve seen so many great reviews about this book. but it just dragged on and on without any true plot for me to grasp until about halfway through, but at that point i had given up.
sadly, dnf @60% which is disappointing because i’ve seen so many great reviews about this book. but it just dragged on and on without any true plot for me to grasp until about halfway through, but at that point i had given up.
May 18, 2025
By the time I’d read the first chapter of “Buckeye”, by Patrick Ryan, I suspected this historical novel was going to be character-driven, and that I was going to fall in love with every single one of them. I was right.
Following two families from just before WWII to just after Vietnam, Ryan has skillfully given us a “Great American Novel” to happily immerse ourselves in.
Two young couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Felix and Margaret Salt, live in a small town called Bonhomie, just an hour away from Toledo, Ohio.
Cal was born with one leg shorter than the other, which, among other hardships, prevents him from serving in WWII. Becky can converse with the dead and does so to help people in grief to find forgiveness (a major theme of the novel is forgiveness.)
Margaret was left in a basket at an orphanage as a baby. In and out of foster care until she was eight, she was eventually raised by Lydia who ran the orphanage. She left the orphanage to live and work in Toledo when she was 18 and rarely looked back, except to wonder why her mother left her.
Felix joined the Navy and served in the war. His experience was harrowing and life changing.
Something happens during the war that causes these families to be forever enjoined, even though most of them won’t know it until many years later.
I don’t want to give away any of the excellent and propulsive plot points, except to say that it is totally believable, and fits squarely in the America of the time.
I will say how this book made me FEEL, though. Ryan’s beautiful writing gave me “all the feels”! Often amusing (Cal’s WWI veteran father could have come right out of a Richard Russo novel), sometimes suspenseful, always interesting in the historical details of the time, and by turns heartbreaking and hopeful.
Reading the story of mid-century America within the stories of two mid-western families, was a pleasure. You’ll want to pre-order this one! It will be ideal for Book Clubs because each of these characters make decisions that can be strongly debated!
Thanks to Random House for an ARC of this Great American Novel!
Following two families from just before WWII to just after Vietnam, Ryan has skillfully given us a “Great American Novel” to happily immerse ourselves in.
Two young couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Felix and Margaret Salt, live in a small town called Bonhomie, just an hour away from Toledo, Ohio.
Cal was born with one leg shorter than the other, which, among other hardships, prevents him from serving in WWII. Becky can converse with the dead and does so to help people in grief to find forgiveness (a major theme of the novel is forgiveness.)
Margaret was left in a basket at an orphanage as a baby. In and out of foster care until she was eight, she was eventually raised by Lydia who ran the orphanage. She left the orphanage to live and work in Toledo when she was 18 and rarely looked back, except to wonder why her mother left her.
Felix joined the Navy and served in the war. His experience was harrowing and life changing.
Something happens during the war that causes these families to be forever enjoined, even though most of them won’t know it until many years later.
I don’t want to give away any of the excellent and propulsive plot points, except to say that it is totally believable, and fits squarely in the America of the time.
I will say how this book made me FEEL, though. Ryan’s beautiful writing gave me “all the feels”! Often amusing (Cal’s WWI veteran father could have come right out of a Richard Russo novel), sometimes suspenseful, always interesting in the historical details of the time, and by turns heartbreaking and hopeful.
Reading the story of mid-century America within the stories of two mid-western families, was a pleasure. You’ll want to pre-order this one! It will be ideal for Book Clubs because each of these characters make decisions that can be strongly debated!
Thanks to Random House for an ARC of this Great American Novel!
October 7, 2025
Buckeye spans over forty years, as we follow the life trajectory of four people, whose lives intersect at one point.
Cal Jenkins is a kind man, who's not confident on account of his asymmetric leg lengths, which prevent him from joining the American forces during WWII.
He meets and marries, Becky, a spiritualist - a person who can summon the dead.
Margaret is an orphan who grew up into a beautiful woman. She's got dreams, but settles to marry handsome Felix.
Bonhomie, Ohio is where the four live.
War, hidden homosexuality, trauma, grief are some of the themes of this novel.
Decent people hurt people, and get hurt by others.
Forgiveness is what will allow one to move on, as life is short.
As my rating indicates, I liked this novel, but not quite as much as I expected to.
Am I wrong, but why are there so many novels set in Ohio?
Cal Jenkins is a kind man, who's not confident on account of his asymmetric leg lengths, which prevent him from joining the American forces during WWII.
He meets and marries, Becky, a spiritualist - a person who can summon the dead.
Margaret is an orphan who grew up into a beautiful woman. She's got dreams, but settles to marry handsome Felix.
Bonhomie, Ohio is where the four live.
War, hidden homosexuality, trauma, grief are some of the themes of this novel.
Decent people hurt people, and get hurt by others.
Forgiveness is what will allow one to move on, as life is short.
As my rating indicates, I liked this novel, but not quite as much as I expected to.
Am I wrong, but why are there so many novels set in Ohio?
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