“The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don’t know what they’re doing any better than kids do. That’s the truth.”
Oh, I love a good family drama.

Ask Again, Yes is a book about the members of two families-- the Gleesons and the Stanhopes. They are first brought together through the New York City police academy when young rookies Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope work together. Later, they become neighbours and start families next to one another. Except any chance of cordiality between them is destroyed on one fateful night.

This is one of those intimate character portraits that explores the interactions between the characters in depth and with an unusual level of insight into human nature. There are some perfectly-crafted scenes where as the reader I felt , yes, that is exactly how someone would behave in that situation. While the book is busy focusing on the characters, many issues emerge over the course of the novel, integrated so seamlessly that it wasn't until I looked back at the end that I fully appreciated what Keane had done.

I don't want to make the book seem sentimental, because it is not at all. But it is very empathetic, and the author writes each character with love and sensitivity. Anne's mental illness causes ruptures in her marriage with Brian, amongst other things, while the Gleesons seem determined to honor commitment no matter what troubles befall them.

I love the understanding that consequences can be far-reaching, both over time and to other people. The book follows the Gleeson daughter, Kate, and the Stanhope son, Peter, over many years, and yet they can never fully escape their beginnings.

You probably know by now if this is a YOU book. It's one of those for readers who to explore the nuances of human behaviour and relationships. An obvious choice if you loved Ng's Little Fires Everywhere.

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube2019 arc modern-lit784 s chai ?336 162k

There is a soul-baring emotional honesty to Ask Again, Yes that reminds of me of why I this genre of novels. With its realistically rendered relationships and tensions, its tender observations about family and the ties that bind mothers and sons even through years of separation, and its unblinking interrogation of the ways love ferments in the airless conditions of unaddressed trauma, Ask Again, Yes invites its readers into the low-lit corners of every household at those fragile moments when human nature no longer seems so out of reach, but rather displayed in all its heartbreaking glory. The resulting story is one that is strange in its specificity, but undeniably universal in its familiarity.

At its heart a profoundly humanizing story about the never-ending ache of love and loss, Ask Again, Yes is not to be missed.
adult adult-contemporary adult-lit ...more826 s Susanne1,168 38.2k

5 Stars.
Edited after much thought to revise rating from 4.25 Stars to 5 Stars. The ramifications of this novel and its ending have stayed with me!

“Ask Again, Yes” is Literary Fiction at its best!

This novel is an exploration of life, love, family, mistakes and the tragedies of everyday life. The Stanhopes and the Gleasons are at odds. Will they ever heal the rift that tore their families apart?

Alcoholism, friendship, forgiveness, mental illness, love and tragedy. These are the themes of “Ask Again, Yes.”

This is one heck of an engrossing novel. I truly felt for the characters of Peter and Kate. The trials and tribulations of two families - your heart will literally be pulled in two, feeling bad for each, at certain points in time, almost feeling as if you are betraying the other. Admittedly, parts of this novel totally shocked me. I felt as though I should have understood certain things from the get go and didn’t and when things came to light I was “oh!” Then there is the ending… yes, tears sprung to my eyes, (some of you are , yeah “big surprise, you old sap!”). Seriously though, I simply couldn’t help myself!

If you love literary fiction, fiction or are just looking for a great read, grab this and read it. You will not be disappointed.

This was a buddy read with Kaceey. I loved reading this one with you Kaceey and was so glad that you ended up liking this one too!

Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Mary Beth Keane for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.7.19.
Will be published on Amazon and Twitter on 5.28.19.2019-five-star-reads buddy-read netgalley407 s MarilynW1,338 3,431

* I've added a link to an article called A conversation with Mary Beth Keane, best-selling author of "Ask Again, Yes" to the bottom of this review.*

I didn't want to put this book down from the moment I started it...too bad I needed sleep and had other things I needed to do. Still I read it within a few short days and it hurt my heart but also, filled me with hope. Mary Beth Keane did a great job of putting her words down on paper.

Kate and Peter, born to neighbors, 6 months apart, had a connection from the beginning of their time. They were best friends but more than best friends, they knew each other and loved each other before they were even aware of that fact. Kate had a blessed life and a loving family but Peter had a harsh, troubled life, both a troubled dad and a troubled mom. Peter carried the weight of the world on his young shoulders, weight that a child should not have to carry.

When Kate is 13, Peter 14, something happens that shatters their lives and the lives of their families. Peter and his family have to leave immediately and Kate is left with a hole in her heart, Peter too is left with a hole, holes that only the other can fill. Eventually Kate and Peter make contact again and all of the past is still with them and their families, past that is part of their present too. I won't say more about the book except that it was so heart-wrenching, so real, but also so full of family and love, that I finished the book wanting to continue being a part of Kate and Peter's lives.

Here's a link to an article about this book: https://www.amazonbookreview.com/post...

Pub May 28th 2019

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.netgalley netgalley-2019 traveling-sisters-read338 s Nilufer Ozmekik2,486 50.6k

Four angsty, dysfunctional, mind blowing, pushes you take a forty years journey of vivid characters and you got speechless on some parts of it starts!!!

Questions:
1) Is this book including real big problems that the characters are dealing with as alcoholism, mental illness, parental abandonment, cheating, deadly diseases, murder attempt?
YESSS!

2) Is it also about dysfunctional two families and your daily dramas?
YESSS!

3) Are there also a big love story between two families’ children?
YESSS

4) Are these two children, Kate and Peter, forcedly separated after a family tragedy ( One of them’s mother shot the other’s father, oh yesss, that’s what I called big tragedy)when they were 13, but they occasionally find each other ?
YESSS but hmmm okay YESSS

5) are we having a great 40 years journey of those two family members?
YESSS!

6) Did the book remind you of True Detective episodes?
Hmmm partly YESSS!

7) Does it have a chance for nominations of Best Goodreads Fiction 2019?
Oh YESSS!

8) So do you recommend this book to the others?
DON’T ASK ME AGAIN OF COURSE YESSS!!!This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full reviewmaybe335 s Kat268 79.8k

suburban drama!! family dynamics!!

truly, what's not to love? this was addicting and super enjoyable. although this story didn't break my brain or anything, it was fun, and i'd totally recommend for fans of little fires everywhere, the mothers, etc.398 s Chelsea Humphrey1,487 81.6k

"The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don't know what they're doing any better than kids do. That's the truth."

You've seen this book around before. You know the one I'm talking about; it's got an aesthetically pleasing blue-green cover, boasts of domestic drama and in-depth character study of the darker side of families, while promising the reader that they will experience a grand range of emotion by the time the final page is turned. These books are one thing, pure and simple: book club bait. While I always fall for the cover, the inside of such books rarely leaves a longterm impression on me, because it is truly difficult for a book that follows the same procedure and format as every other in its genre to attain a memorable status in my internal hard drive. Yes, this book did follow that formula, remaining fairly predictable, but for some reason these characters were quite enticing, and the author did leave an impression that kept me thinking about these characters well after finishing their story.

I can't help but loosely compare this book to the s of Liane Moriarty, because I had a similar reading experience while working through Ask Again, Yes as I did when I picked up Big Little Lies. Years ago, I joined an online bookclub with my sister and the first month we participated, we were discussing BLL. It was long, and I was intimidated, and the beginning portions were incredibly slow, so much so that I almost tossed the book and told Irina she was on her own. ;) I'm really glad she encouraged me to stick with it, because once I was fully invested in the characters, I began to breeze through and consider it one of the first books to help me embrace the lighter side of the mystery genre. AAY has a very similar setup-slow burning intro while we get acquainted with the characters, and then we steadily speed up once a few "things" begin to happen.

There are many, many emotional aspects to this story, and for the most part it's very sad and mildly heavy, but the ending was done so well that it kept my final verdict as hopeful, while teaching me where to be grateful. The characters of both families suffer tremendously in various ways over the years, and some of the reasons are based on their choices, but most of the outcomes are results of unexpected circumstances, which gave a tense, straining sensation as the story unfolds. If you enjoy family sagas that feature coming-of-age in less than ideal circumstances, you may want to give this one a try for yourself. Some of the buzz-worthy topics included are mental health, addiction, cancer, and how tragedy affects all sorts of relationships, such as married couples and parents/children. Those are some tough issues to cover, but this book does so in very mild ways, with little to no graphic content, and mainly just in being referred to prior to an event or as a memory. The possible discussions that will spur from reading this book are endless, and I cannot wait to see how the general public reacts to Ask Again, Yes once it's released.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.bookstagram-made-me-do-it from-publisher274 s Angela M 1,334 2,163

4.5 stars

I have always enjoyed reading family stories that take me on their journey across time. This is a story of two families over several decades and how their lives intersect in a tragic way as well as one that is filled of love and ultimately forgiveness. Two NYC police officers, living next door to each other in the suburbs, connected mainly by the friendship of their two young children. Abruptly the things going on in one of the families impact the other in a way that changes everyone’s life and the two young friends are separated. In less capable hands, this book could have been melodramatic, but it wasn’t. The author addressed some tough, realistic issues - mental illness, alcoholism, parental abandonment and the effects on these characters, who I was vested in throughout, felt for throughout. This could never be a happily ever after story because the things that happened to these characters are burdens that while can be lightened by that love, loyalty and forgiveness, they can never fully be erased. An ending that was satisfying and provided realistic closure. Highly recommended.

This was a monthly buddy read with Diane and Esil.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Scribner through Edelweiss and NetGalley.edelweiss- netgalley-222 s Elyse Walters4,010 11.2k

Unresolved childhood experiences of loss and trauma are repeated in the next generation...
is a theme that’s explored brilliantly.

With many disturbing themes: abuse, abandonment, mental illness, alcoholism, infidelity, with a tragic defining moment.....the author takes readers on a 40 year journey - (three family generations) - with characters that are genuine and broken.
The emotional reactions of family members is projected on to others - shifting responsibility.

We also see how disease follows one generation to another generation.

Painful life crushing themes..has us look at situations that have not been resolved.
We look at wounded characters reacting and damaging others from their woundedness.

Awareness and insights about trying to cope with the past - understanding rather than blame - opens the doors to love and forgiveness.

No light stroll through this novel...but the courage to reclaim one’s best self delves into the theme of redemption...
There’s plenty of space for the reader to interpret.

Engrossing - compelling - a worthy read!! Dorie - Cats&Books :) 1,061 3,311

***NOW AVAILABLE***


This is one of those books that, as I pondered writing this review, I have changed my rating from a 4 to a 5. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how incredibly strong the characters in this book are, I finished it last week and I’m still thinking about them., all of them. If you love strong character driven books, you will love this one! I had a bit of believability issues with one of the main characters but it doesn’t take away from the entire body of work.

From the blurb you know that this novel is about two neighboring families, both husbands are policemen who started out as rookies on the NYPD force. The book is told from several points of view which I think greatly improved my understanding of how the individuals felt and acted.

Francis Gleeson has had a great career, he is strong willed, intelligent, diligent and yet with his family he has an incredible soft touch. He is the first to move to this new suburb, he, his wife and two daughters are doing well individually and as a family, although Lena is at times lonely and would a larger life outside the home.

Within months Brian and Anne move in next door to the Gleeson’s. Brian and Francis are not close friends at this point, but they are friendly. Anne is quite a different matter, she does not go out of her way to befriend the Gleesons and keeps to her house much of the time. Later, both Anne and Lena have children only six months apart, Peter and Kate, who are immediately bonded to each other even as little friends. Their story will play a huge part in the novel.

A terrible incident occurs which changes the lives of everyone in both families, it is tragic, horrific and probably could have been avoided. The Stanhopes are forced to move away. I would not spoil this novel for anyone by giving away anything more.

This is a book that I couldn’t wait to get back to and finished in two days. This story hits all the emotional buttons, happiness, extreme sadness, frustration, hope, love and forgiveness. We are taken through the lives of these families who handle the tragedy in very different ways. The plot flows very well and is extremely well thought out. We really get to know these people, this is the first book this year that has touched me in this way.

Buy the book, read it, ponder what you would do in this situation and you won’t be disappointed.

As an afterthought, I did read The Walking People, by this author many years ago and it was excellent, so if you enjoy this one, go back and read the other.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.book-from-publisher literature211 s karen3,994 171k

oooh, goodreads choice awards semifinalist for BEST FICTION 2019! what will happen?

heads up to whom it may concern: this book is primo book club bait. in general, the best book club choices are ones with juicy conflicts at their centers which inspire strong, differing, politely expressed opinions from your assembled booknerds. and the best of these have an extra component—they allow the reader a sort of peripheral empathy; taking recognizable, relatable issues illness, marital/job stress, disputes with the neighbors, etc, and then dramatically inflating them into situations one hopes never to have to live through, providing that “there but for the” shiver.

the publisher's synopsis seems to want to keep its secrets, so i'll play along and summarize in the broadest terms: it’s about two families and one verybad night that changes the course of their lives for decades to come. and the specifics of this dramatically inflated situation, and all of its ripple effects, are sure to inspire some wide-ranging booknerd opinions.

it has all of the things that breed discussion—nuanced characters with complicated relationships given years to develop and adjust, and to confront life’s myriad challenges: infidelity, addiction, mental illness, abandonment, loneliness, regret—all of the meaty woes of life. but it’s also a first love story, with a bit of a romeo and juliet edge, although in this case, the capulet’s disapproval of their kid’s romantic choice is totally legit. awkward thanksgivings for sure.

it’s an engrossing and insightful story of human relationships and growth and forgiveness, but it’s not schmaltzy and sentimental so many books of its kind. i d it. maybe your book club will it.

but don't take my word for it—there’s actually a literary litmus test for IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?

IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?



does it look this?



it does!

does it look this?



it does!

does it look this?



it does!

I THINK IT IS A BOOK CLUB BOOK!!!

come to my blog!bossy-book-titles from-publisher-or-author sad-burbia207 s j e w e l s315 2,505

FIVE UNPUTDOWNABLE STARS

Well. No reason to read any more books this year. This is it. My favorite of 2019.

While I tend to devour the psychological suspense novels, I also love a good and messy family drama novel. Ask Again, Yes is a character driven family saga covering almost three generations from Ireland to contemporary New York state.

The story revolves around two couples living as neighbors, but not really as friends. There is something a little cold about one of the wives and even though the men work as cops together, the families never hit it off. Over the years, one child from each family becomes very close with the other, and at the age of fourteen, this couple realizes they may even love each other. But then, a tragic incident. Their friendship and love for each other is put to the test many times in the years that follow for our young lovebirds.

However, this is so much more than a run of the mill Romeo and Juliet story.

Mary Beth Keane is a remarkable and gifted writer. She writes with empathy and concern for all her fictional characters. She cares about them. And, so will you. She seamlessly weaves in alcoholism, mental illness, parental obligations and marriage…so very carefully woven together, the problems sneak up on the reader just as they tend to do in real life.

Heartbreaking at times-never sentimental, uplifting other times, Ask Again, Yes is one of those books you will always remember reading. I am putting it up there with my all-time fave The Poisonwood Bible.

The
Autor del comentario:
=================================