At the centre of this utterly absorbing and tender book, set in Bonhomie, small town Ohio, and steeped in the experience of both the major wars of the twentieth century, and the later conflicts America was engaged in, specifically in Vietnam, are two sets of married couples, their parents, and their children. Cal Jenkins, who works in his father-in-law’s hardware store wanted to enlist in the Second World War, but has one leg significantly shorter than the other. Various tragedies happened in his life. His father, Everett, is an elderly man, an alcoholic and an obsessive hoarder, passionately anti-war. Cal is married to Becky, an engaging and confident woman, who rather set her cap at Cal when they first met. Their marriage has been a good one, but Becky has a gift which has come between them. She is a psychic, and those who lost loved ones in war, particularly, but also from other reasons, come to Becky hoping to connect with them. Cal is not only a sceptic, but finds this disturbing and unseemly, even. Margaret Salt is a rather mysterious woman with a complicated past, which she keeps well hidden. She was abandoned as a baby, and went through several experiences of unsatisfactory fostering, though the woman who ran the charity which tried to place abandoned children and orphans in foster homes, did provide a loving and supporting connection. Margaret and her husband Felix came fairly recently to Bonhomie, and Margaret mourns the big city they left. There are secrets, too between the Salts. Felix, handsome, successful and charismatic, has enlisted. Ann Patchett, one of my favourite American authors has said Ryan is one of her favourite writers, and I absolutely understand why. I think readers who like Patchett or Ann Tyler will get on with Ryan. Thank you to the publisher who offered me this thoroughly recommended book as an ARC, via NetGalley

A rather sad.story of two marriages in America from just before World War Two through to The Vietnam War. The families become interwoven mainly through lack of communications. A very involving read.

A beautiful, unusual writing style which swept me along through the years and lives of the ordinary, flawed characters, keeping me enthralled and committed to their stories. Spanning the years before and after WW2 and then taking us along to the Korean and finally the Vietnam wars, the atmosphere and prejudices of the times is so beautifully described, I felt I was along for the journey. Character led, atmospheric with its major themes of forgiveness and loss and complicated grief, I enjoyed every minute of this beautifully written thought-provoking novel.

Patrick Ryan is an award winning short story writer, so it's a surprise to see him tackle a lengthy novel about two couples across multiple decades and taking in much American history in its path. From the outset it is very clear Ryan enjoys working in miniature - some of the chapters here read like beautiful short stories in their own right - but the cumulative impact of these is that there becomes this sense of grandeur, almost epic quality to his story. The setting is the small Ohio town of Bonhomie which Ryan sculpts beautifully on the page - I could see it's streets vividly - and he is very good on detailing these small town lives. His characters - Cal and Becky, Margaret and Felix - whose lives are entwined across the decades, are extremely well drawn and their stories engaging. It is a novel I read slowly, savouring the details. It is certainly a novel which drags you in and lets you wallow. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Bonhomie. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.