Town & Country

by Brian Schaefer

A 2025 MOST ANTICIPATED Town & Country LGBTQReads Kirkus Reviews

“Refreshingly thoughtful...Town & Country is never short of engaging.” —The Washington Post

A “big-hearted and true” (Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize winner) debut novel set in a small rural town amid a congressional race that forces the candidates, their families, and a clique of gay second homeowners to confront lies, betrayals and shifting allegiances.

The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners, but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.

Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. Their elder son, Joe, is grieving the recent overdose death of his best friend and spiraling into drugs himself, while their younger son, Will, is a newly out college student seduced by the decadent lifestyle of Paul’s circle.

Meanwhile, Stan Banks uses the race to give purpose to the pain of losing a loved one to AIDS, even as he begins to doubt Paul’s readiness for office. And within their growing fraternity of city transplants, Eric Larimer finds unexpected connection with a local farmer that opens his eyes to the region’s complexity as Leon Rogers, still reeling from a divorce, becomes increasingly desperate to infiltrate the Banks’s exclusive crew.

Spanning six months from Memorial Day to Election Day, Town & Country paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a community in flux. For readers of Fredrick Backman and Jen Beagin, this “powerful and extremely well-written book” (Colum McCann, National Book Award winner) asks the essential and timeless What makes a home, and what do we owe our neighbors?

Genres: Fiction, LGBT, Audiobook, Contemporary, Queer, Literary Fiction, Adult

Audible Audio

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

Brian Schaefer contributes regularly to The New York Times and has written for The New Yorker, New York magazine, and more. He received his master’s degree in creative writing from Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, where he also worked as a writer and editor for Haaretz. He and his husband live in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Town & Country is his first book.

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriansch...

Reviews

[Ron Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nation gagging on its own political bile needs another political novel like a late-night swig of Reddit rage. But in these poisoned times, Brian Schaefer’s “Town & Country” serves up something refreshingly thoughtful.

This is an election story set far from Washington and the clashing swords of cable news, in a district where funding for a new sewer can be debated without sinking into one.

Schaefer doesn’t specify where the town of Griffin is located, but he sketches the annual Memorial Day parade with such charm and verve that we recognize the familiar sounds of the band’s Sousa march. Here is a once-depressed rural community that’s suddenly earned the affection of wealthy folks from a nearby city. Somehow, without changing its character, Griffin has upgraded its style. Old Main Street now sports fancy boutiques, high-end hair salons and gourmet tea shops. It’s even been named “The Best Big Small Town in America” by National Holiday magazine. While drug addiction continues to haunt the alleys, housing prices have soared, sparking the usual tension between owners happy to see their equity spike and renters locked out for good.

Driving much of this gentrification is a group of affluent gay men who appreciate Griffin’s bucolic tranquility and nostalgic charm. With their good taste and big-city incomes, the town is a vast green canvas on which they can paint the perfect weekend getaway.

One of these new residents, though, hopes to make a more substantial impression. Flaunting a lacquered campaign smile and an allegorical last name, Paul Banks, 32, is running for Congress in the state’s 26th District. For his affluent, much older husband, Paul’s candidacy represents a chance to ensure that the gay community never again falls into that state of political helplessness it endured during.....

To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher compares Brian Schaeffer to Fredrik Backman, and I can see why. Both writers introduce a large number of main characters at a rapid pace, making the first 20–30% of the story hard to follow. Add in the head-jumping, which I’m usually not a fan of but feels natural with both authors, along with a small village setting where tensions run high between people, and it’s easy to draw the comparison, especially to Backman’s Beartown series.

I struggled through the first quarter, but once I got up to speed, I began to appreciate the contrasts between all the characters. The story paints such a clear picture of a small town in a swing state, highlighting the minor differences that ultimately shape people's political choices.

Town & Country introduces a large cast of characters, from the mostly white, cheating, rich gay men buying the biggest houses as summer retreats and hosting pool parties in their tiny bathing suits, to Griffin’s mostly white original residents: Diana, a real estate agent raised by progressive parents who turned to the church as an adult; her husband, who owns the local pub and is now running for Congress; and their children, one a drug addict, the other recently out as gay.

I was most drawn to the storyline between Eric and Dalton. Eric is part of the gay clique but starts to like the quietness of the village, while Dalton is a young gay farmer living with his dad, and they’re barely getting by.

While reading, the current situation in the US was constantly in the back of my mind. Something just gnaws at me each time I see that man on television or online, and I hate the polarization. This book shows the struggles of real people, and I admire the way Brian Schaeffer depicts flawed characters. Eric and Dalton both picture the differences between the two groups so clearly and also show that those differences might not be that big after all.

Actual rating 4.5 stars

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[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with delicious gossip, dark humor, and plenty of intrigue, Town & Country not only provided some truly relatable political and social commentary but also a darn good time. Set in a small town during a high-stakes congressional race, the believably flawed characters and serious themes interwove into a story that mirrored our current reality in many ways. From political polarization to the us versus them mentality, the high tension and timeless feel instantly pulled me into this gently nuanced tale. Don’t get me wrong, the scandals and drama added a fun side to the story, but it was the thought-provoking nature of this book that really hit home for this reader. After all, with our current political climate, there was a lot to ponder after I finished inhaling this truly special novel. With quirky characters, memorable scenes, and a premise that felt beyond real, this big-hearted novel will undoubtedly stick with me for quite a while.

All said and done, while the beginning was initially a bit difficult to grasp thanks to the fast and furious introduction to the long list of characters, I had a blast being a fly on the wall during this tense political campaign in a small, purple town. Exploring heavy topics such as the drug epidemic, homophobia, and religious bigotry, I was thrilled to find that the social commentary was tempered by the empathic feel. The best part for me, though, was still the on-point characterizations that made each and every individual come alive on the page. Perfect for fans of Fredrick Backman or T.J. Klune, it was both eye-opening and like a warm balm to the soul. You see, as contentious as things got, the twisty plotting led to a wholly satisfying conclusion that made me smile with glee. So if you love humor-filled plot lines and unforgettable characters, be sure to check out this stunning literary fiction debut as soon as you can. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners, but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.

Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. Their elder son, Joe, is grieving the recent overdose death of his best friend and spiraling into drugs himself, while their younger son, Will, is a newly out college student seduced by the decadent lifestyle of Paul’s circle.

Meanwhile, Stan Banks uses the race to give purpose to the pain of losing a loved one to AIDS, even as he begins to doubt Paul’s readiness for office. And within their growing fraternity of city transplants, Eric Larimer finds unexpected connection with a local farmer that opens his eyes to the region’s complexity as Leon Rogers, still reeling from a divorce, becomes increasingly desperate to infiltrate the Banks’s exclusive crew.

Thank you to Brian Schaefer and Atria Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: November 4, 2025

Content warning: homophobia, drug use, religious bigotry, addiction, animal death, sex, mention of: death of a parent

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rural town of Griffin has its mix of longtime townies and weekenders from the nearby city who own second homes there; but more importantly, it’s a swing district for a congressional seat. Town supervisor and local business owner Chip Riley is pitted against a queer carpetbagger Paul Banks, testing the loyalties of many in the town. Who else is caught in the middle? Chip’s newly out son, Will, who has to decide on between a known rocky past and an excitingly open future. It’s neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, secrets against vulnerabilities; who will make it to Election Day?

I went into this novel with an open mind expecting to like it, but I was blown away at Brian Schaefer’s excellent writing in this debut novel. It’s just so politically sharp, tapping into the susceptibilities and insecurities of a town stuck between politicians. He includes challenges with the opioid epidemic alongside the traumatic past of losing family to AIDS. It’s for all the queer kids growing up in less-supportive environments, navigating two worlds in which neither quite feels like home despite the many ways identities and relationships are (messily) woven together. Daniel K. Isaac’s narration is so immersive and spellbinding, capturing a cast of wildly different personalities in such an intimate way. I found myself continually questioning which candidate I was rooting for, but I’ll never question just how much I loved and highly recommend this book.

Read this book if you:
👑 resonate with Chappell Roan’s identity as a queer icon/Midwest Princess
🗳️ loved Ben Platt in The Politician or obsessively watched The Hunting Wives
🕺🏼 LIVE for Brian Derrick dancing for democracy via Oath

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[mtrics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Griffin, a rural town in the U.S., is in crisis. Tensions are rising between its citizens: on one side, the longtime locals, who are facing mounting challenges (rising living costs, a housing crisis, increasing drug abuse); on the other, the affluent newcomers, the city gays investing in second homes in the area. Amid this strained backdrop, a political campaign for congressional seats is underway. Will Chip, the son of the Republican candidate, finds himself torn between his family in turmoil and the dazzling lifestyle embodied by the Democrat candidate and his entourage.

I went in expecting something with a bit of humor: after all, the setup could have easily been the start of a dumb U.S. comedy movie. But I completely misjudged the tone of this book. This novel confronts heavy, sometimes shocking topics. Bigotry and slurs are expected, but there's also drug use, deaths (from overdoses, suicide, AIDS), past abortions, religious trauma… everyone is going through something. This story is not about campaign platforms or the classic Republican-vs-Democrat rhetoric (as a matter of fact, Republicans and Democrats are never named). Instead, it focuses on the people behind the campaigns; their families, histories, and how their lives intersect.

You can really tell the author has a background in journalism. At first, there’s a certain clinical distance to the writing, like reading a long-form feature about a place you've never heard of (and honestly, do not care about) in a newspaper. The prose doesn’t dive into emotions right away, it feels more observational. But that gradually changes for the better, and the novel hits its stride in the final third, culminating in an emotionally powerful and well-paced ending.

There are a lot of characters, which can feel overwhelming. The omniscient narrator moves fluidly between them, though not in a jarring or amateurish way. Still, even by the end, I had to pause occasionally to remind myself which name connected to which character. The “first debate” scene, where most of the cast appears at once, was especially challenging to follow. However, I wouldn’t change a thing: every character felt intentional. I never felt like the story dragged while reading, but the first half may feel slow while readers adjust to the narrative’s scope. Still, while the book wasn’t what I thought I wanted, it absolutely accomplished what it set out to do with virtuosity.

I think this novel will age well. Despite what's happening in the U.S. now (which makes the future feel uncertain), the core themes (identity, belonging, community) are timeless. What stood out most to me is how realistic the story felt, like someone had dropped a magnifying glass onto a small American town and recorded what they saw with startling accuracy.
Schaefer’s ability to weave so many narrative threads together is impressive. The prose stands out, too: there were several moments where I genuinely wanted to add a quote for the book on Goodreads. Some sentences managed to deliver such vivid, precise, surprisingly resonant statements with so little words.

And all in all, I especially appreciated the ending. It was emotional and bittersweet, the kind of finale that hits all the harder because you’ve spent so much time alongside such a wide cast of characters. I am thankful for the one crumb of hope I was left with in this gloomy landscape...!

Overall, I definitely recommend this book, and I think it'd appeal to a wide range of readers!

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sparkling, intensely readable debut novel about a small town's gentrification, the politics involved in a congressional election, and families on the brink. There are many families who have always lived in the tight knit community, but recently the "duffels" have descended on the town with their money. Typically gentrification stories are about white people flush with cash coming into a poor community populated by people of color who soon find themselves unable to afford the communities they are from.... Harlem, Hawaii... but in this case, it is the "fancy gays" from the big city who come with a duffel bag for the weekend who decide to buy a second home or relocate to the small town to make their dollar more powerful.

And hence comes the push and pull.... the bigoted folks, the hard workers, the closeted, the farmers, those who would take advantage, those caught in the opiod crisis....and all in all, the capitalists. There are no "white hats" vs. "black hats" in this story- no one is the evil villain. The book challenges the way we see the world today, the polarization of literally everything. It zooms in on the families of Chip and Paul who are running for congress- one a townie, one a duffel, one straight and one gay, one salt of the earth and the other born to a certain privilege. The scope of this novel is extremely ambitious, there are a lot of characters introduced quickly. It is shining a light on issues in a broader way. It is a character driven novel, rather than a twisty plot.

That said, there are so many layers to uncover- each person is always a little more nuanced and each person is a bit more complicated than they seem. There is a heavy handed lesson in that for all of us.

A high recommendation from me on this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. Book to be published November 4, 2025. Election Day.

[gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I read a novel about a gay man whose husband suddenly decided to run for Congress as a conservative and how he, his lesbian sister-in-law and their 4 year old daughter were navigating this change. Town and Country gave me a similar reading experience in the aspect of giving these people some humanity in the midst of their hate.

The book runs multiple plot lines and somehow manages to do an amazing job with every single one. Annoyance with the characters was the main emotion that I felt reading this but I believe that is a testament to Schaefer's beautiful and captivating prose. I'm not American. Very often I find myself exhausted to the core at the state of the American politics and I put off reading the ARC for so long because of that but this was a really good read.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Tell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet, interior novel about a cast of characters in a town upstate: I loved the look at the way gentrification doesn't solely occur in cities, and the focus on queer men as the interlopers- well dressed, snippy, and rich, but interlopers nonetheless. Some unexpected plot points but great writing about loneliness, addiction, queerness, and a very specific type of moneyed gay guy in his forties.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I have thoughts. Days after reading this book I still have thoughts.

TOWN & COUNTRY leans hard into stereotypes. Hard. And though I recognize satire when I read it, I’m not convinced that the current political and social environment is right for this particular satire and these particular stereotypes especially when so many are seeking validation for their hatred. That being said, the fact that DAYS LATER I am still processing this book says the author accomplished something.

On the surface, this is the story of a congressional race in small town America that pits a long time resident against a newly arrived interloper. It’s got the push-pull of new versus old, conservative versus progressive, a grassroots campaign versus one financed by outside money. The issues are timely—the struggles of small town farmers, the opioid crisis, gentrification, affordable housing—and the battle lines are drawn.

Schaefer introduces the reader to a vast cast of characters and keeping them straight is a challenge at first. His excellent character development is on display as the book progresses and some of the characters begin to move to the forefront. I was particularly drawn to the metamorphic progressions of Dalton, Eric, Leon, and Chip. Schaefer does an outstanding job illustrating the small steps leading to major transformations in their thinking and actions.

The final 10% of the book is the most powerful as Election Day approaches and inner dialogues reveal the thoughts behind ballot choices. It’s here where we feel the impact of the themes driving the actions of the characters. The need to belong, the fear of rejection, and the desire for acceptance are among the themes running through the narrative.

My issues with this book are complex:
• The new town residents known as The Duffles are gay men; usually married couples; however they are depicted as hedonistic, promiscuous, and incapable of maintaining committed relationships. This perpetuates stereotypes that the LGBTQ+ community has worked hard to eradicate. Since gay marriage is a significant storyline in the book, the failure to showcase a single stable family unit seemed to work in opposition to acceptance.
• One of the characters is motivated to get involved with politics after losing a family member to the AIDS epidemic; yet there are multiple references to orgies without any mention of protection or safe sex. This seems incongruous and dangerous, especially when one of the characters is identified as being HIV+.
• Will, a main character who navigates between town factions, is one candidate’s son. It is hard to believe that in 2025 any political campaign—especially a congressional one—would not be aware of their opposition’s family members. This is a huge plot point and it was hard for me to suspend disbelief on such an obvious issue. This might have been more believable if the race in question was for a local position.
• Will is 18 years old and, while technically an adult, if scenes had been written with adult men groping a female character of that age, it would be a major red flag.

Again, I recognize this as satire and acknowledge that the author is a gay man who has more credibility writing about gay men than I do to be critical of his portrayal of that demographic. Perhaps it’s sensitivity to the current attempts to move our country backwards and dismantle hard won rights such as same sex marriage, but I was uncomfortable with the overtly stereotypical depiction.

I was fortunate to buddy read this with a friend and it was helpful to process my thoughts in real time. Since finishing, I’ve chatted with other readers to discuss their reactions. This is a book that offers many opportunities for discussion. In that regard, it is one that will stick with me. I’m just not sure the impression it leaves is favorable.

Finally, this book has been compared to the writing of Fredrik Backman. I do not see the comparison.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance and finished copies of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Kelsey | Pages Between Policy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A poignant and complex character-driven debut by Brian Schaefer, I think it's safe to say that this novel will be a big hit with literary fiction lovers and book clubs alike. As someone from a small town that changed rapidly in the years of my adolescence, I feel a sort of kinship with this book; Schaefer’s skillful writing is a perfect match to bring the story of these types of towns to light.

Town & Country follows a wide cast of characters - the original residents of Griffin (a small rural town outside a bustling metropolis) and the "Duffels" (the not-so-affectionate nickname given to the big city slickers who have bought property in Griffin once they tire of the hustle and bustle of urban life) from Memorial Day to Election Day. The backdrop to the multitude of intersecting lives plays out through a fiercely competitive Congressional race that pits "hometown boy" Chip against one of the Duffels, Paul, whose husband is a political analyst seeking to make up for lost time. While the main issue driving this book forward is Politics (with a capital “P”) this book is more about the lowercase politics that feeds and consumes in a small town.

This book excels in both macro and micro: tracing the collective lives of the residents gives Schaefer the opportunity to carefully peel back layer after layer of this deeply complicated place and what makes it tick. On the flip side, zooming in on the interpersonal relationships among and between the long-time residents and the Duffels, puts the reader face-to-face with the issues plaguing many rural communities across the country: wealth inequality, religion, the opioid crisis, the rising costs of housing, sexual identities, and suicide.

This novel is a true character study of families, relationships, and friend groups. Schaefer tucks the reader into intimate conversations around dinner tables, across beds, behind office doors, and along barstools in a way that almost feels voyeuristic. You feel all the emotions of the characters throughout their well-crafted journeys - the anxiety, tumult, and uncertainty are palpable throughout, creating slow-build tension that never feels overwrought. As power shifts, as does social status, and the readers feel this constant change alongside the residents of Griffin. At play across all the main plot poinst in this book are the social dynamics separating those on the inside and those on the outside. The haves and the have-nots. This book deftly navigates this complicated topic, refusing to draw stark lines on the basis of race, gender, and sexuality, instead bringing us into social circles to see who is trusted with information and how that information is used both as a means of forging bonds and cruelly cutting them.

I imagine that the ending will be polarizing, but I really liked the choices that Schaefer made for both opening and closing this novel. Though both may not be “satisfying” to some, Schaefer asks the reader to confront their own biases in both the first and last chapter. A success of a debut, kudos to Schaefer for this smart and well-crafted story.

[Vito · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I turn the final page on Brian Schaefer’s “Town & Country,” I’m conflicted. While its characters are well written, the overall story well plotted, and themes important, it ultimately doesn’t move the needle one way or another. I’m actually surprised of the lack of big, revelatory moments or story beats that say something (anything really!)

Schaefer hits you over the head from the jump — there are half a dozen characters in this small town six months before an election that will either send a townie, Chip Riley, or a newbie (a duffel, as they’re described, as they only visit this town on the weekends with a duffel bag), Paul Banks, to Washington. The former has lived in this town forever and built up businesses, and the latter, is a young up and coming politician creating roots here. Also he’s gay! Like, almost every character in this book. What is in the water in Griffin. Over the six months, people fall in and out of love, relationships and make dramatic changes to their lives.

From the opening pages to the end, there are several characters you follow and it thankfully gets easy to handle as some stories intersect (but it was a difficult task in the beginning.) Some of these characters and stories, as I noted before, just don’t land for me at all — we’ve got a bartender who sells drugs on the side that never gets her due justice for almost killing another character, elsewhere we have a town drunk who has a bad relationship with his son who decides to make a life altering decision (about 10 pages before the book ends… odd), and the an elder gay who is just a one dimensional loser.

These characters and story beats feel like a symptom of a bigger problem here that may have been resolved had this book been slightly longer. It just doesn’t feel like there’s much resolution here for any of these characters. That may have been what the author was going for but it doesn’t feel earned or worthwhile as the story reaches its “conclusion.” Maybe there’s a sequel?

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced review copy of this book to me.

Town & Country was a topical, deeply personal dive into the humanity behind the conflict of politics, community, and identity. With its wide cast of complex characters, this painted a very realistic, complex portrait of what real communities face every day.

The small town of Griffin is coming upon an election, a contested congressional race is a notoriously purple district. On one side, Chip Riley is running. Married to his high school sweetheart and with his two boys, and owner of the local pub he's the face of Griffin. But he's not a shoe-in by any means. With his rocky political decisions, one of his sons being gay and the other struggling with addiction, his own house is in all sorts of disarray. Not to mention his god fearing wife is a popular real estate agent who is personally driving gentrification in the area, essentially funding her husband's opponent's movement. Paul is a young, handsome rising star in the political space. Having recently bought his second home in Griffin with his (much) older husband Stan, he is excited to drive the change in this district. With lofty dreams and a deep, deep belief in fostering community, he cares about this town-- and bringing his own community to help him. Surrounding each of these candidates is a cast of characters who fall on one side or the other. Will is Chip's gay son, struggling with his devotion to his own family who is so quick to cast him aside and with Paul and his dazzling group of gay friends who have recently bought second homes in town, and are eager to draw Will into their friend group. Diane, chip's wife, struggles with the dissonance between selling to men.. like that.. and her husband's fight against rising house prices. Stan needs Paul to get his head into the election and out of the next scantily clad pool party they're going to be hosting. But he can't help holding onto animosity for how people just like the ones in this small town cast his community to the side during the AIDS crisis. Eric, friend of Paul's and transplant to Griffin finds an embrace in the local community and begins to find his friend group exhausting. Leon, an aged gay man, ejected from his former social group, struggles to find a new community with a younger gay community who is hesitant to receive him. Joe is struggling with his addiction, his alienation from his campaigning family, and the death of his best friend. All of these stories weave together into a rich tapestry of community plagued with partisan politics, and as the election draws closer, who knows who will win, and what relationships will survive.

So what I thought this would be walking into is was a story that was deeply political, and some grand commentary about politics in the modern day. And while that's not necessarily NOT what this book is about, it makes sure to focus on community. Not even just community based politics, but rather this is a story ABOUT a community that happens to be set during a local election, and I think that's what really made it hit home for me. Each person, whether we followed them or they were a side character, was so flawed and complicated and integrated into the story, it was really well done.

Will's manager at the catering job is also his brother's friend and shit talks about Will to his brother. The bartender at the local bar also comes over for family dinner with the Riley's, and Diane has to secure temporary housing for her because rent prices are driving her out. Eric's husband is also a decorator for Paul and Stan, and manages their campaign events. It just felt like a living, breathing community.

Now even though I'm praising this for having complex characters, I can see other's criticizing the character work for being a bit too... hot and cold. Every character isn't so much as "gray" as they are "black and white". They do decidedly good things or they do decidedly bad things, and it varies from chapter to chapter, perspective to perspective. But I appreciated it, I thought it did a good job at making me feel REALLY complicated towards everyone in the book.

I also really like how we don't really get any perspective from Chip or Paul, our two candidates. We only get the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the people directly surrounding them, which is really how politics works.

Despite a slow start, this really ended up being a fantastic story. Despite it being very much "of the moment," I think there are some lasting lessons to be taken from this.

[Matt Chisling (MattyandtheBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

TOWN & COUNTRY, like the array of personalities it features, is a multi-faceted, brilliantly duplicitous work that manages to shine an important light on two socially warring groups that are calling vacationland home.

Whether it's New York's Hudson Valley, Prince Edward County in Ontario, Joshua Tree, or somewhere equally gorgeous on the eyes, there's a shifting trend in the Western World, of rich urbanites moving into remote, serene locales that evoke a simpler way of life. And for those communities existing residents, its often a wake-up call: That their housing market will outprice them, that their main streets will be pilfered by tourist shops, and that urbanites-and, often, the liberal values they bring with them-are here to stay. With that comes the good: Tourist income! New cuisine! Housing developments! And with it comes the more troubling: A neglect of the communities who were there first. An erosion of values. Crises.

Brian Schaefer's TOWN & COUNTRY takes on this moral and municipal dilemma by centralizing the debate around a local election in the fictional town of Griffin, NY (*ahem*, Hudson Valley). Here, Chip Riley, a local icon and pub owner with a real estate agent wife and two young men for sons is up against a city transplant, Paul Banks, who is surrounded by his loving husband and rapidly expanding community of gay friends who are scooping up property to convert into gleaming vacation homes. Both candidates come to the table with great arguments and some experience (some!) that would make them a qualified congressional candidate for the district. But both have their skeletons, too. And close-to-home naysayers.

The result is a novel that manages to do what so few can accomplish in today's stark struggle of a political environment; a deeply balanced novel exposing both sides for their shortcomings. Despite the novel centering around politics, there is something rather apolitical in the stories author Brian Schaefer uses to illustrate his points: The wife who wants to protect her husband but wants to sell homes to the transplants, the son who is more inclined to spend time with the town's new gay men than his addict brother, the supportive figure who isn't sure his husband is ready for the weight of what it means to be a gay politician, the neighbors who deal, steal, and feel the pain of the current crumbling infrastructure. Add into the mix a burgeoning relationship between one of the town's "duffels" (transplants) and locals with a dark familial secret, and you have a novel that's full of sex, secrets, power, passion, and politics in a way that is genuinely expansive at a time when it feels like we're hitting dead ends as a society. Large, looming topics such as the death of industry and the rise of addiction are tackled head-on, peppered between episodic, telegenic scenes. Schaefer's experience as a journalist shines through here, as does his love of rich, descriptive language, which makes the first third of this book slower, particularly as you meet a rather expansive cast. Don't say you weren't warned.

This novel has so many sticky (spoiler-free!) moments: The first pool party. The last barn scene. The reveal of father and son. The statements at the first debate. The opening remarks of the last debate.

I acknowledge my position as a reader with this one: I'm a gay man, an urbanite, with the aspirations that match one novel's desires to have quiet, peaceful homes just a stone's throw from a Broadway theatre. So I can see how some others are not going to connect with this one as much as I have. But for readers who are unsure as to what the future of "vacation land" is, this is a fascinating, timely work. An impressive debut.

Thank you to Atria Books for my gifted copy! TOWN & COUNTRY is out in November.

[Holly R W]

DNF at 170 pages

I've decided to stop reading the novel. I don't have feeling for any of the characters. They're not fully developed and seem shallow. Also, I can see where the plot is going. It's rather predictable.

In a nutshell, the book is about two rival candidates for congress, both residing in a rural town in upstate NY. In recent years, the town has witnessed a gentrification from the influx of yuppie, gay men. The locals like the economic boost, but remain wary of the newcomers. One candidate is a local resident (middle-aged, married with children) and the other candidate is a young gay man who has newly moved into the area with his much older husband.

[delia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a bit of a slow start, mostly due to the large cast of characters that are introduced, but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. Town and Country is a beautiful debut novel that explores the emotional and social implications of change within in a small town. In the midst of a congressional race, this story delves into the lives of people who are caught between tradition and change, leading to conflicting loyalties. To me, there were times that this felt like a Midsomer Murders episode (minus the murder) with the ways that the lives of people in the town were intertwined and how secrets began to surface.

The plot revolves around a tense political battle between a local pub owner, Chip Riley and an ambitious and wealthy outsider, Paul Banks. As the campaign progresses, divisions between lifelong residents and new arrivals become clear. The stakes are high not only for the candidates but also for their families, whose struggles provide most of the novel’s depth. I really appreciated that despite the political premise of this novel, it focused heavily on the communal and social implications of the campaign.

The cast of characters include Diane, Chip’s wife who is torn about selling homes to outsiders. The Riley family’s youngest son, Will, who finds himself torn between his identity as a gay man and his desire to stay close with his father, whose politics are at odds with Will’s own views. The Riley family’s older son, Joe, is struggling with drug addiction and the loss of his best friend, which adds tension to the family dynamic. These emotional dynamics give the novel depth, and they feel both intimate and universal. I enjoy how as a reader, one can draw comparisons between the changing dynamics within the Riley family to the changing dynamics within the town. I think this showcases the importance of community and how it can resemble a family, through thick and thin.

There's lots more side characters throughout the novel that bring different elements to the story, whether it be tension, gossip, or a bit of comic relief, it feels truly representative of a small town where everyone knows everyone.

Town and Country is insightful, emotional, beautiful and not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Katherine Tucker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set around a congressional election in a swing district, Town & Country tells the story of Griffin, a small agricultural town which has recently seen an influx of tourists and second homeowners. Over the course of one summer, newcomer Paul and longtime resident Chip struggle for the congressional seat--and perhaps for the soul of Griffin. All the while, their families, friends, and neighbors become even more entangled.

Unfortunately, this book fell short for me. I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to like this book, nor could I countenance the author's choice to write a book about politics while hardly engaging with any realistic vision of politics in America. Schaefer seems to have point here--maybe that there are people on both sides of the political divide, or that no one party has a monopoly on humanity? But it's muddled by the trite caricatures about whom he writes, as well as the increasingly absurd plotlines he selects. As an example, Will (Chip's out, gay son) becomes Chip's deputy campaign manager while lying to Paul and his husband about his identity. Neither Paul nor his husband nor their incredibly competent campaign team seem to have done... any? opposition research, because they simply do not find out Will's identity until it is revealed to them in dramatic fashion by Will.

The novel is rendered in broad strokes--opioid crisis! real estate crisis! homophobia! open marriages! suicide!--and seems completely detached from the reality of politics in rural districts. Schaefer also refuses to use names for political parties, never discusses national politics beyond gay marriage, and seems bent on moralizing every interaction in the book.

There is one element of this book that I did really enjoy, which was Stan, Paul's husband, and his motivations for encouraging Paul into politics. His reflections on the AIDS epidemic and the loss of his older brother, along with many friends, was poignant. Toward the end of the novel, Stan has a very moving revelation about queer joy.

Thank you to Atria Books & the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Keith Marran · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a gay man that has bought a place in upstate NY, I would have thought that there was more to connect to in a book about wealthy gays buying property in upstate NY.

As other reviewers have mentioned, there are a LOT of characters. And every time you think the author is done introducing characters, he adds a couple more. He also doesn't really settle on any one or two main characters - he keeps cycling through the 10 or so main characters. The problem is, it's only a 300 page book. So how exactly does he go into any detail or meaningful experience of these ~10 different characters? He doesn't. He relies on made-for-TV style stereotypes and leaves it at that. In the end, they aren't characters so much as plot points that he needs to have in the right position for the "shocking and dramatic" moments that come in the last quarter of the book. As a result, they all feel empty, forced and unearned. Throughout most of the book, I found myself thinking "Why would anyone react that way in that situation?" and by the end of the book it was clear that "human experience" took a back seat to "melodramatic situation".

Generally, I can tell you what a book is about without talking about the story. I can't tell you what this book is about. Pretty much every character is at the same point in their life at the end of the book as they were at the beginning. It's just a big plot with a bunch of stereotyped characters. I thought maybe it would be a microcosm view of what life/politics in America is really like, but it's not that.

There is also a mean-spiritedness in this book that I can't get past. Pretty much every character is selfish and has a low level of cruelty or obliviousness to the people around them. There's really only one character that seems to listen to anyone else or show any basic compassion and he is a relatively minor character. For instance... SPOILER ALERT: There's a scene where a character overdoses and almost dies and the next time we see that character's mother, she's at church and her big emotion is embarrassment that everyone knows. Her best friend comes up to her and basically says "I told you your son had a problem, but you didn't listen to me." Wouldn't the mother just be grateful her son's alive? Wouldn't the best friend express some compassion? I just didn't get it. The book is filled with these moments of characters acting shallow or snipping at each other that were lacking in any real world compassion and gratitude.

I gave it two stars because some of the writing was not so bad, though the prose was a bit purple for my tastes.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Town and Country is a striking exploration of the friction between who we are and where we reside. Schaefer masterfully balances the macro-tensions of local politics and gentrification with the micro-shatters of substance abuse and identity. It’s a gritty, honest look at the cost of progress, both in a neighborhood and in a life. I was particularly struck by how the narrative treats its heavy themes with a blend of intellectual sharpness and genuine empathy, making the complex political landscape feel as intimate as a late-night conversation.

What resonated most, however, was the uncanny accuracy of the characters. Schaefer captures the nuance of gay archetypes with such precision it’s almost startling. Whether it’s the affluent gays navigating their positions of power, the jaded veterans of the scene, or the ones still stumbling through the process of finding themselves, these figures felt like people I’ve shared drinks with or been myself. It’s a vivid, authentic portrayal of queer life that refuses to settle for easy tropes, opting instead for a messy, beautiful realism that stays with you long after the final page.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Town and Country is not a perfect book, but I think it’s close. This is an incredibly memorable story and I’m confident it will live in my mind for awhile. I loved getting to know these cast of characters. The setup is brilliant: small town gossip about a bunch of NYC gay men who buy a second home in the country. One of them decides to run for mayor. Sounds like some entertaining drama, right?

The prose is overwritten in a few places and I think some of the descriptions are buried under grandiose language. I did not think I would enjoy the book after the first 20% because we met so many characters in a very small time frame. However, I’m glad I continued to read the story! If you’re unsure if this book is for you after you start reading, I’d say wait until the 30% mark. Overall, I’d recommend this book!

[Marci Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Oh, I loved this book so much! It follows a congressional race in a politically-purple small town infiltrated by city folk gobbling up real estate for their second homes. It has everything—scandal, gossip, intrigue, and some of the most fully-formed and memorable characters you’ll find in a novel. And nearly every sentence of this book is perfectly and interestingly written. This would have been a slam-dunk 5 star rating but for one unlikely plot piece (concerning Will) that nagged at me. Can’t wait to read more from this author!!

[Annie Tasaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️When an author is marketed for fans of Backman it automatically has my attention. Of course it could also be the kiss of death because it sets the bar way high. Well let me tell you, Schaefer can stand on his own. This novel completely blew me away, in fact I really do hope he takes a page from Backman and turns this into a series. I was so immersed and invested in this town and these people I never wanted it to end.

The first 15-20% of the book introduces a lot of characters, and you need to keep up, but it was also written in a way that painted a very clear picture in my head of this small town. If you give it a chance you will find yourself right there with them.

The book changes pov often, I am not sure how well it would have worked for me as an audiobook but reading it worked.

Griffin is a fictional small rural town that is struggling. The newcomers bring money and affluence to the town, but who is it helping in the end? While reading it, it’s hard to not draw parallels to current affairs and small towns in our areas. This book covers a lot of ground, from the Opium crisis, to affordable housing, the sustainability of farming, but also bigotry, the aids crisis and suicide.

I can already tell that I won’t be able to let go of this book. Each characters will stay with me in their own way. There are no good guys and no bad guys. Each of them is a little more nuanced than you first think.

I was moved by this book and I hope you will give it a chance too. Can’t wait to see what this author has in store next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author Brian Schaefer for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The town of Griffin feels like a microcosm of the US. It's a small town being gentrified by city folks and many of those city folks are gay. We arrive in Griffin during election year at the Memorial Day parade where we meet the two candidates for Congress. Chip, the local statesman and Paul, one of the new folks. While Chip wants to represent his community, Paul came to Griffin simply to represent. He and his husband were in search of a place for Paul to run, not necessarily to find a community. Neither concept makes one the good guy and the other the bad guy. We follow the community from that parade, month by month, to Election Day. We get to know everyone's point of view as events unfold. This is told to us as a tale...very little direct dialog and it's a fantastic delivery method. We get to know folks from "both" sides and see their internal conflicts and how they seemingly at times act against their own best interests, as human beings often do. This book was very insightful and revealing about values and politics. And, very relevant. I highly recommend!! I won the ARC from Friends and Fiction and the author in a giveaway.

[Janereads10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I read the synopsis before signing up for a review copy, by the time I got to the book, I had the satisfaction of being surprised while reading it. Diving into Town & Country gave me that warm feeling (exactly what the cover conveys, at least in my opinion) and at the same time made me deep dive into our own biases and how we face them when it’s our family we have to confront and accept. I read this book six days ago, and while writing this review, I still cannot stop thinking about it. I gave this book a 5/5 rating, and here’s why:

This is literary fiction, and sometimes this genre can be tough to read, but Town & Country flowed smoothly in my experience. The characters were wild, funny, and felt real to me. The storytelling grabbed me from the first sentence, even when it was only talking about a long line at the coffee shop. I wanted to know why the line was long. I wanted to know the secret of this town.

While these elements were highlights for me, it was the complications in one young man’s life that really got to me—his loyalties to his family versus choosing himself, his sense of identity in a community with growing tension.

Through his story is also interwoven different views of the narrative. The mother who tries to be accepting of the Gay community and her son, yet whose words often sound the opposite. How her son must feel in his position. How she must feel with that constant warring within her.

Then there was Leon, a Gay man recently separated and new to the community. His need to belong elicited mixed emotions, especially in how he approached things. Like I said, this was complex and intricate in how each character’s life interwove with others in the most intriguing way.

I cannot find any fault in this book. This doesn’t read like a debut. All I can say is that I found a new favorite author in Brian Schaefer, and I cannot wait to read his future books.

This book felt real and a treasure to read. It evokes emotions and questions that I still wonder about to this day. I highly recommend it for those who want to be entertained while being made to think.

Audiobook Notes: It never felt like I was listening to an audiobook with how seamless the production was. Daniel K Isaac provided that distinction amongst the characters as well as highlight those tensed emotions. Whether you enjoy audiobooks on its own or pair it with the book, this production is not one to miss.

If you like books about small-town community dynamics and how they react to change, like Beartown by Fredrik Backman, I highly recommend Town & Country.

Thank you Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Audio for my advance reader’s copies. All opinions are my own.

[Matthew Harby Conforti · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/ This was quite engrossing and well structured. I will say that the first 10-15% was hard to get through-- so many characters quickly introduced, but it's necessary for the rest of the story and still written well, just saying that if it doesn't click at first keep going a bit longer. Once the chapters settle into distinct viewpoints it sails.

I'm from Upstate NY and regularly visit the Hudson Valley, on top of that I reside in the congressional district that's being depicted, so that added a fun extra element to the reading experience. A lot of it is very true to life and I think that Schaefer goes out of his way to complicate the characters and add nuance. There is a flair of satire to it all, so sometimes a few character's actions or pieces of dialogue are a hair on the nose, but I liked so many of Schaefer's authorial choices overall. Rural gentrification is an interesting topic and we get to understand a variety of POVs through this story. This read fast for me and had a good share of juicy and fun twists and reveals.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Town & Country by Brian Schaefer is a character driven debut set in rural USA.

Griffin is a small town that has grown due to influx of wealthy gay men who are mainly there in the summers and weekends. Driving the story is the congressional race between local pub owner Chip Riley and newcomer Paul Banks. Interspersed with the tense run up to the election are the troubles the Riley family is facing, the realities of gentrification and a growing town, and one of the newcomer’s unexpected relationship with a local farmer.

Chip has been involved in local politics for some time now. His run for the congressional seat is a natural progression given his ambitions. His campaign unexpectedly collides with his family’s problems. His wife Diane sells homes to the summer residences, and she is still coming to terms with Will’s shocking announcement. Oldest son Joe is grappling with the tragic death of his best friend who overdosed a few months earlier.

Will Riley’s revelation to his family before heading off to college the previous fall still reverberates when he returns for the summer. He is finding his way and gaining confidence throughout the summer. But Will is walking a fine line between his allegiance to his family and newfound friends.

What Paul lacks in political experience he makes up for with his exuberance and confidence. He is very new to Griffin and he has already made a few memorable mistakes. Paul sometimes does not make the best decisions but will those choices affect his campaign?

Town & Country is a compelling novel that touches on true to life issues. The characters are well-developed but there are a lot to keep up with. The storyline is captivating and moves at a brisk pace. The chapters alternate between different characters' points of view. Brian Schaefer brings this realistic novel to a satisfying conclusion.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a "First Reads" winner! Thank you to the author and publisher.

I'm still unsure how to fully approach 'Town & Country' now that I've finished it. What lingered most was Schaefer’s writing style—his vivid, thoughtful descriptions of places and people were definitely approachable and also deepened the personalities of Will, Diane, Chris, Paul, Stan, and especially .... Leon.

Leon stood out as the most memorable. I empathized with him over the others, even as his contradictions frustrated me.

(I'm not so sure, though, about those Duffels as a whole ....)

I don’t think I’d revisit Town & Country, but I’d absolutely read its sequel. The ending leaves things perfectly set-up for one.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I came upon Town & Country and was immediately attracted by the pop-art cover. After reading the marketing language encouraging fans of Fredrik Backman, I was fully ready for this novel.

Town & Country takes place in a rural town, located not far from a nameless major city. This small town begins to attract city residents seeking vacation homes (“the duffles”). These new weekend transplants start to impact the form and function of the town as home prices increase, higher-end stores and restaurants open, and the political / social outlooks of the residents begin to shift. Through Town & Country, we take these changes and glimpse the lives of various residents, both life-long and transplant, as their paths intersect and impact one another during the pre-election months.

I will admit that at the beginning I became leery about a story centering around a contentious election. In America’s current political climate, the prospect of fictional people arguing about politics did not seem appealing. We are getting enough of that (and more) IRL, thank you.

Town & Country surprised me, though. I actually believe I really needed to read it. While the congressional election is the central plot line in this story, what Schaefer actually drives the reader to pay close attention to are the nuances of the characters. In our modern American society, we have recently been conditioned to view people as caricatures, particularly when it comes to politics. Mr. Schaefer reminds us that very few fit neatly within a box. We are all different, have different opinions, impacted by different things, and are making our way through life facing unique sets of challenges and enjoying unique opportunities. Town & Country's characters are so beautifully multi-faceted and human. This gentle reminder was a lovely gift when I really needed it.

Town & Country is an engrossing and emotional novel that serves as a stark reminder that we are more than our political affiliation or who others expect us to be. It was a fun read and a nice balm for my soul during a dark time.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Town & Country is about several contrasts: gay vs. straight, gentrifiers vs. the gentrified, marriage vs. divorce, rugged individualism vs. the public good. I really enjoyed the characters and plot of this book.

[Dawn T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this country well. I live in it and it was fun to identify in the book its inspirations in real life. The author does a good job of getting in the heads and hearts of the varied characters within his pages. He is sympathetic to them all and the inherent tensions between them ring true.
A satisfying read.