3.5 rounded up

A solid novel covering around four decades which tells the story of two neighbouring families whose lives become inextricably intertwined after a tragic incident takes place. I'd describe this as great book club fodder but don't let that put you off -- while it's a family saga on the impacts of mental health and alcoholism on relationships it makes for an engaging and compelling read. More on the women's fiction side of literary fiction, but I reckon it'd make for a great beach read for many.

Beautifully written. Looking back at childhood from an adult’s View. I found this absolutely mesmerising.
4/5 on goodreads.

I throughly enjoyed this book, it was calming despite the heavy story line. The story was delivered in such a lovely way that it wasn’t a read where your heart is in your mouth but you were quietly rooting for them all as people, as family and as a whole.
Some books with a storyline like this you have a racing heart and rush through the pages to find out who did it but this was transparent and not a book to be rushed though I did finish it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down!
It made me smile, laugh, tear up and even silently, willing them to move forward with their lives.
It’s special with many levels to the story but still I felt a calmness whilst reading it which is quite an achievement.
It’s written in such a clever and new way and I’m happy I’ve read it.
I will praise this book and the author to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I absolutely loved this, it was exactly my sort of book. Subtle and profound, an enjoyable and moving journey through the lives of two families. It made important points about mental health and addiction, touching on big topics and tragedy whilst also showing that they're the fabric of normal life. It felt similar to a Celeste Ng or Anna Quindlen title where both everything and nothing happens.

Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a great read; the story had a good pace, not an overly complex plot but the characterisation made for quite a profound, intense book. I enjoyed it and will look out for this author.

This is a moving story of families and love. At times it felt quite slow and drawn out but as it spanned over several decades I felt this was right. Beautifully written.

Ask Again, Yes tells the story of two families - the Gleesons and the Stanhopes - over several years, focusing particularly on the friendship between the youngest Gleeson daughter, Kate, and Peter, the only child of the Stanhopes.
The book centres around a tragedy which has a lasting impact on both families, and explores both the circumstances leading up to that event, and the journeys of the families as they try to move forward and find peace.
It is beautifully written - I was completely drawn in and wanted to read more. The characters are vivid and realistic, each with their own flaws and issues but very relatable.
The book touches on themes such as love, family ties, friendship, mental illness, addiction, and forgiveness, which means that while it's an easy and enjoyable read it is also thought-provoking, and it is definitely one that will stick with me.

4.5 stars

This was a fantastic family drama. Mental health and addiction are two of the main themes in the story of two families who live next door to each other, and spend their lives intertwined.

A must read - beautifully written and completely engrossing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Pubishing for the ARC of this book!

Two rookie cops, Francis and Brian, patrol together in New York for 6 weeks. They move to adjacent houses in an upstate suburb. Brian's wife is standoffish and the families don't socialise. Brian's only son and Francis' youngest daughter become soul-mates though. A dramatic event changes all their lives,

A story of love, compassion, human decency and redemption. An emotional family drama well told.

Ask Again, Yes is a set in New York and covers two families intertwined forever during the course of their lives.
A family saga type drama that was both heartbreaking yet uplifting.
A fast paced book filled with secrets, betrayal, attempted murder, family feuds, mental health, infidelity, alcoholism and ghosts of the past.
I read this slowly and digested every piece of information, as there is so much to keep you interested.
I normally read thrillers, so this is a step away from my usual genres, but I quite enjoyed this. I must admit I spent a lot of the book wondering what was going on and where this book was heading, but it kept my attention and left me wanting to read more.
A very talented writer, she writes with empathy and and concern for her character, emotions you as the reader also feel.
It’s raw, it’s real and touching. Relationships are messy, and Keane portrays this brilliantly.

A really great read, very absorbing, very sad but uplifting at the same time, hooked me from start to finish, a story about family and tragedy and how it can all still come together

One of my favourite books this year. Two policemen in New York marry and end up living next door to eVh other in the suburbs. Their lives intertwined, their youngest children the very best of friends. Until a terrible event shatters them forever. Reminded ,e strongly of Ann Patchett in that I could have happily just read this forever. I didn’t need a plot, or a compulsion to keep turning because it was full of twists and turns. Just fantastic engaging writing with two truly memorable families. I’d be underselling this by describing this as family drama. Go read it!

Two innocent children growing up alongside one another then divided by family conflict and trauma.

Peter and Kate's life couldn't be more different, the only things they have in common are the place where they live and their fathers' job. As the pair get older a tragedy occurs and the two soul mates find themselves separated. In the coming years they seek comfort in one another and are reunited but can the past stay in the past and can forgiveness and peace be made?

This was an interesting read delving into the themes of mental health, alcoholism, neglect, forgiveness, family and love. It was well written with credible characters. I loved the way Keane developed each of the characters and by the end made you question who were in fact the victims. I also loved how the title was revealed towards the end, this was a real 'ahh' moment for me.

This would be a great book club book as it would spark lots of discussion, especially about the role each character had to play in the novel and the themes presented.

I personally find it very difficult to read a novel in the present tense and this is one of those times, I tried several times and after five minutes reading, each time, I had to give up. I wanted to enjoy this as the themes and storyline very much appeal to me and this is only a personal foible and not a literary criticism.
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read, some of, this in exchange for an unbiased review

This would not usually be my preferred genre of novel, however once I started reading it I did not want to put it down. This is a powerfully written family drama which begins in the early 70’s with the partnering-up of 2 rookie NYPD police officers and follows how their lives and the lives of their families become linked over decades by friendship, love, tragic events etc. Difficult subjects are very much part of the story and include mental illness, addiction, betrayal and so much more. The book is so well written the characters become people you feel are real, who you can empathise with and believe in. I highly recommend.

Ask again, yes by Mary Beth Keane is not the typical book I usually read. But I heard good things about this book, I thought I would give it a go.
It’s the 1970’s. Frank and Brian work in the New York Police department and both live next door to each other in a quite neighbourhood. Their two children Kate and Peter build a special bond between them until when tragedy strikes, and Peter’s dad is shot. The rest of the story describes the lives of the two dysfunctional families which spans over 40 years. Dealing with subjects of Mental health, depression and alcoholism.
This is a well written story of two typical American families and the hardships that they endured. At first, I enjoyed the story between the two families and the writing style. But after the tragedy I thought that it became rather slow. I didn’t connect to any characters. I was waiting for something to wow me but nothing came and I struggled with it because of this. 3 stars from me.

Oh.My.God. What a book! I really loved this one. This is a story about 2 families and their relations over a period of time. Peter and Kate are kind of the main characters, they're connected by the same neighbourhood. The opening of the book starts in 1970's and their fathers are working together as policemen.
Mary Beth Keane, is a storyteller. The dialogue, the plot, it's all amazing, and I loved this book full of amazing characters, beautiful scenes, this will be something that will be staying with me!

A beautiful exploration of the power of relationships and the strengths and weaknesses of individuals within and between two families connected through the fathers' tenuous friendship. This is a family saga, following the twists and turns of both the mundane and the dramatic, through many years. Mary Beth Keane writes both happiness and tragedy equally fluently and draws such authentic characters with depths that she draws on throughout the narrative. I will look out for this author and certainly recommend her books.

An absolutely beautiful read!

This story explores love, forgiveness and the ability to move on. It questions whether we can move on and how this will define and impact on our lives. This book profoundly affected me and made me think of my own family and upbringing.

I implore you to read this.

It was a slow-moving novel and verbose on a lot of unnecessary trivia. At last, the plot shifts gear with a tragedy and nothing is ever the same again. I was unfamiliar with their strange lifestyle, social interaction and dialogue. There’s an admirable insight into the ignorance over mental illness. After which, everything settled into a humdrum phase, and it dips again into tranquil obscurity. It was brought out well how children perceive their parents and accept their eccentricities and idiosyncrasies as the norm until they grow older and start to understand matters. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph.