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Paint Dries as a Train Goes off the Rails
When a freight train crashes into Connor’s neighborhood, the ensuing fire leaves him homeless. He shares a cramped hotel room with his restless yet magnetic coworker, Kara. Thrown together as they rebuild, it's easy for them to fall for each other.
When their cherished neighborhood is set to be demolished and replaced with a park, she leads Connor and his friends on a last-ditch act of defiance: a concert at the site of the accident, featuring the musicians who lost their homes, to prove their community is worth saving.
As friendships, relationships, and lives are strained, he confronts a simple question: What if giving all of something isn’t enough?
When their cherished neighborhood is set to be demolished and replaced with a park, she leads Connor and his friends on a last-ditch act of defiance: a concert at the site of the accident, featuring the musicians who lost their homes, to prove their community is worth saving.
As friendships, relationships, and lives are strained, he confronts a simple question: What if giving all of something isn’t enough?
206 pages, ebook
Published August 22, 2025
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 23, 2025
i genuinely enjoyed this book. i like how the characters were written- weird, but very real. Connor is a guy who can never fully react, and share what he truly thinks and feels. he just sort of goes through the motions. he reads like someone who wants more, feels deeply, but doesn’t believe he’s allowed to reach for it. maybe out of fear of rejection, maybe because he sees himself as the background character in other people’s stories. his journey is quiet, unspoken, internal. and there’s something very melancholic, but relatable, about that.
Vincent, on the other hand was completely detached from the weight of what he had done. It was funny (because all he could think about was: what if i start biting people), but also showed his disorientation and emotional detachment. i like the way he grows from there.
i like the dynamic between the group of friends. they have good banter, and even when their conversations about serious things were brief, they still mattered. and they also care for each other, look out for one another and stick together to the very end.
theres this soft kind of existentialism throughout, especially with Connor. his constant worry, his inability to stop thinking about what could go wrong-you understand him, you feel sorry for him, and maybe you even relate to him.
i love how Connor sees Kara. theres something tender in how he observes her quietly, always with this unspoken affection. love, even. with her it felt like moments of peace in the middle of the storm. this isnt just satire or absurdism its a soft, weird love story too.
this is a brilliant novel that turns a disaster into sort of a background noise for the real story: dry jokes, packet handouts, awkward hugs, and the quiet ache of wanting to be seen. the book knows how to hit emotional truths in a quiet, original way. It’s not trying to be profound in a preachy sense—but it accidentally is.
“There is suffering all around, but it’s abstract—until it isn’t.” - i liked this. it stood out to me. its a critique of how people ignore global issues until it hits them personally. so important to understand and acknowledge!!
the book is equal parts funny and unsettling, never over-explaining its deeper themes, but allowing them to unfold beneath its offbeat tone. its for readers who enjoy their social commentary wrapped in strange metaphors, awkward hugs, and packets titled “There Was a Huge Explosion Near Your Home: Here’s Why That Matters.”
its a 4.5 star book. i wish Goodreads would let us review with '.' 🙄
Vincent, on the other hand was completely detached from the weight of what he had done. It was funny (because all he could think about was: what if i start biting people), but also showed his disorientation and emotional detachment. i like the way he grows from there.
i like the dynamic between the group of friends. they have good banter, and even when their conversations about serious things were brief, they still mattered. and they also care for each other, look out for one another and stick together to the very end.
theres this soft kind of existentialism throughout, especially with Connor. his constant worry, his inability to stop thinking about what could go wrong-you understand him, you feel sorry for him, and maybe you even relate to him.
i love how Connor sees Kara. theres something tender in how he observes her quietly, always with this unspoken affection. love, even. with her it felt like moments of peace in the middle of the storm. this isnt just satire or absurdism its a soft, weird love story too.
this is a brilliant novel that turns a disaster into sort of a background noise for the real story: dry jokes, packet handouts, awkward hugs, and the quiet ache of wanting to be seen. the book knows how to hit emotional truths in a quiet, original way. It’s not trying to be profound in a preachy sense—but it accidentally is.
“There is suffering all around, but it’s abstract—until it isn’t.” - i liked this. it stood out to me. its a critique of how people ignore global issues until it hits them personally. so important to understand and acknowledge!!
the book is equal parts funny and unsettling, never over-explaining its deeper themes, but allowing them to unfold beneath its offbeat tone. its for readers who enjoy their social commentary wrapped in strange metaphors, awkward hugs, and packets titled “There Was a Huge Explosion Near Your Home: Here’s Why That Matters.”
its a 4.5 star book. i wish Goodreads would let us review with '.' 🙄
July 25, 2025
A nice sentimental and humorous read, I chuckled aloud plenty of times. At its core, it’s a romanticization of a group of friends held together by interesting conversations and a common mission. It gave me a new way to look and appreciate the city around me. I left the book with a refreshed perspective on what’s important in life, all written with a goofy, witty filter. Obvious 5⭐️
August 11, 2025
2.5 stars
After a freak accident, Connor’s neighborhood is obliterated. Connor spends his days as a painter, often repainting the structures around the area where the train accident occurred. When his home is deemed uninhabitable, he finds himself sharing a hotel room with his new coworker, Kara. Which is also the perfect scenario for a blossoming romance. The government, however, is not making Connor’s life pleasant. Now that his apartment building and the surrounding areas are torn down, the town plans to build a park in the vacant area. Despite the number of homeless individuals this construction will cause, the town does not care. As a last hope, Kara and Connor plan to host a concert to raise awareness and show the town who is directly affected by this change. With so much on the line, will their newly formed relationship last? Will they have homes to return to? Or will this all be for nothing?
This story has so much potential! The blurb immediately drew me in, and I thought I was going to love it. However, I found it very difficult to get through. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters, and the ending was pretty clear from the start. I found the banter and overall interpersonal relationships shallow, too. Something about the writing threw me off. I felt that some parts of the story were unnecessarily detailed, while other parts were missing important information to keep the story moving. In a way, it felt like everyone was trauma-bonded, which gave me the ick. The main focus of the book was discovering what is really important in life, and I don’t feel like the characters were able to do this. I certainly couldn’t based on what I had read. Sadly, I think this is a big pass.
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
After a freak accident, Connor’s neighborhood is obliterated. Connor spends his days as a painter, often repainting the structures around the area where the train accident occurred. When his home is deemed uninhabitable, he finds himself sharing a hotel room with his new coworker, Kara. Which is also the perfect scenario for a blossoming romance. The government, however, is not making Connor’s life pleasant. Now that his apartment building and the surrounding areas are torn down, the town plans to build a park in the vacant area. Despite the number of homeless individuals this construction will cause, the town does not care. As a last hope, Kara and Connor plan to host a concert to raise awareness and show the town who is directly affected by this change. With so much on the line, will their newly formed relationship last? Will they have homes to return to? Or will this all be for nothing?
This story has so much potential! The blurb immediately drew me in, and I thought I was going to love it. However, I found it very difficult to get through. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters, and the ending was pretty clear from the start. I found the banter and overall interpersonal relationships shallow, too. Something about the writing threw me off. I felt that some parts of the story were unnecessarily detailed, while other parts were missing important information to keep the story moving. In a way, it felt like everyone was trauma-bonded, which gave me the ick. The main focus of the book was discovering what is really important in life, and I don’t feel like the characters were able to do this. I certainly couldn’t based on what I had read. Sadly, I think this is a big pass.
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
August 22, 2025
Fast paced and witty. The characters feel real and the tone is unique, I don’t know how to describe it except wry, somehow both satirical and earnest. It’s an absurdist lens into how young people (but also apathetic humans in general) cope with trauma and displacement in a world where they posses little agency. There are some brilliant snippets of vivid description, the dialogue stays mostly snappy throughout, and the world building is comedic. There’s a variety of character POVs, each with strong, individualized voices and fully realized interiorities. Marchuk is adept at conveying the thoughts and feelings of whichever character he is using as his vessel of narration; he does imagined time extremely well.
If you like the found family trope or are a fan of ragtag quirky friends, this book is for you. Overall a fun, quick page turner you should definitely give a chance!
If you like the found family trope or are a fan of ragtag quirky friends, this book is for you. Overall a fun, quick page turner you should definitely give a chance!
October 25, 2025
@marchuckbooks I met the writer at his work. He is an engineer. He’s a musician and a young man of his time.
When he told me he had read a book, I had to buy it and read it
The story captures contemporary life in working class America. The story has a good plot and it’s uplifting
But I was really captured by a character by the name of Kara.
She broke my heart, I could feel the pain of her boyfriend. One day she picks up and moves, she is ready to continue her life. No apologies or justifications. just a goodbye and move on.
She tells the boyfriend “ …Remember the good things,alright? …”.
After this chapter I had to drink Mezcal to get over this scene. Good for the girls.
Looking forward to the next book.
When he told me he had read a book, I had to buy it and read it
The story captures contemporary life in working class America. The story has a good plot and it’s uplifting
But I was really captured by a character by the name of Kara.
She broke my heart, I could feel the pain of her boyfriend. One day she picks up and moves, she is ready to continue her life. No apologies or justifications. just a goodbye and move on.
She tells the boyfriend “ …Remember the good things,alright? …”.
After this chapter I had to drink Mezcal to get over this scene. Good for the girls.
Looking forward to the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
I loved spending time with these characters! I could relate to Connor and empathize him throughout the story. His connections with Kara and his painter friends felt real. I liked the themes of 'big corporate liars vs the people/musicians/grassroots movements' and the subtle world-building aspects that give the book a dream-like essence; similar to real life, but not truly realistic nor the same. Definitely enjoyed reading and highly recommend!
October 20, 2025
I think overall, there was so much going on and at the same time so much wasn't.. it gave me Frederick Backman feels but I expected a bit more from the ending. Especially considering there were bits which were explained too much but it didn't have a point to it?
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August 6, 2025TBR (August 7, 2025): I got this book for free, and far be it from me to not read something I'm getting for free.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews