Mary Beth Keane always writes from the heart . Her stories are simple but full of emotion and beautifully written
Malcolm and Jess are married. Their lives are complicated at the moment -with both personal and career changes . Can their relationship weather the bad times ?

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

I took a while to warm to this book but soon the characters drew me in and I was invested in Malcolm and Jess and their lives and problems.

The author explores beautifully everyday life events and issues that most people can relate to. The course of true love never runs smoothly and life gets in the way and this was gently explored throughout.

Many difficult subjects like infertility, money worries, miscommunication and marriage problems were all sensitively explored . Although this book may seem slow I felt the gentle pace added to the story for me and was part of its charm.

A easy gentle read perfect if you enjoy family oriented fiction.

It took me a while to get into this but once I did, it was the characters who kept me reading. Their thoughts, their interactions are all what make the book. The story itself is also very human and I found it kept my interest and I looked forward to going back to it every night.. In the end, it was a book that stayed with me after reading it.

A love story of 2 people who have no character and no sense of where they’re going. Very shallow and I found it hard to read. I had no interest in the characters

This is very much “my kind of book” - a suburban family drama - and I really enjoyed Mary Beth Keane’s last book I read, Ask Again Yes.

This is in a similar vein to Ask Again Yes. Domestic drama, character-driven stories, lots of debate around families and children and suburban life.

I really loved the characters of both Malcolm and Jess and their complications and idiosyncrasies- they’re both likeable and unlikable which I found refreshing.

I didn’t care for the sub plot of this book which I found uninteresting and didn’t really become relevant til half way through, and I found the last 25% a bit convenient and rushed but overall I enjoyed it.

A good weekend relaxing read.

4 stars

How do I describe this book. I agree with one comment which appears to suggest the book is dull, and it is difficult at the start to warm to this book. However, the book draws you in as you try to understand where it all leads. What do we get, Malcolm has purchased the Half Moon bar from the previous owner, it seems his wife has left him, there are financial troubles and then a regular at the bar disappears.

What I think this book is fundamentally about is about life, people, flaws, love, revenge. When you come into it with that you feel this is a beautiful book, it will suck you in, there is no real violence, it is gentle as it explores the human nature of people.

I am so glad I kept going because it left me with such a warm feeling at the end.

I have to confess I was putting off reading this book as the description wasn’t calling to me. I am pleased to report that t thoroughly enjoyed it and whilst it could be said that not much happened, the quality of the writing drew me in and kept me hooked until the end. Recommended

A quietly moving portrait of a childless marriage with good characterisation and a few surprises along the way. Well written and charming.

A love story of a married couple who fight to get past the middle aged hump. Moving and easy to read.

This was a quieter book than I’d expected but once I realised that, I was able to settle into the excellent writing and go with the story. Primarily the boom is about the marriage of Jess and Malcolm - which due to time, and infertility - is crumbling. The marriage is beautifully and authentically portrayed and the flawed individuals within it feel so real. There is a ‘side’ plot about a man who disappears, which I wasn’t sure was working at first, but by the end everything tied up in a way that made me realise it’s importance too.

I was excited to read this - and overjoyed to be offered an ARC by the publisher, so thank you! I loved 'Ask Again, Yes' and that book has stayed with me since finishing it. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for 'The Half Moon'.

There is nothing wrong with this novel, per se - it's just that I found it quite dull. The writing is good and the story is okay - it focuses on Malcolm Gedhardt who runs 'The Half Moon' bar in Gillam, New York. But essentially, I found it tricky to warm to the story. There are glimpses of interest - such as Malcolm's relationship with Jess, and the disappearance of a regular - but I just didn't feel the novel went anywhere. It centres on a snow storm that hits the town, and the issues this brings, but apart from that, it is so-so.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

ARC from Netgalley:

Reading the blurb for this story it really piqued my interest!
It seemed like a really down to earth story about a couple who are having issues and I thought it would be an interesting read!
The book has a really thick emotional storyline that draws you in and I found myself really feeling what the characters were feeling!
I would definitely count this as a slow burn as things do take a while to come to a conclusion but it is so worth it!
I like that even by the end the characters are still flawed people and didn’t have a classic tie it all together fairytale ending. I was definitely still left wanting more!

Sorry I could not get into this story at all. I found it dull and boring. I enjoyed the authors last book. A lit of readers seem to enjoy this so maybe it was just me.

After reading and thoroughly enjoying Ask Again, Yes, by Mary Beth Keane, I was excited to delve into another of her books.
The Half Moon centres around a bar named The Half Moon and a short period of time during which the owners, Malcolm and Jess, are going through their own marital struggles.
It's that time-old tragedy of the threat of infertility taking its toll on a relationship.
Coupled with a little disappearing person case.
I found it a little tough to get into if I am honest. The same emotions that I felt reading Ask weren't awakened.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Michael Joseph and Penguin Randon House for an ARC.

I read this a couple of weeks ago and forgot to leave a review so my thought are not as immediate as they could have been. However, they are largely positive. There was quite a lot going on in the novel and it all felt wrapped up by the end in a satisfying way. I liked the fact that the characters may have been flawed but were rounded and not evil, just struggling with life. The backdrop of the snow storm was really interesting and it was interesting the way the author encouraged you not to take sides. It was sad but also uplifting in parts, a more realistic reminder that we can win at life despite the hard times.

Loved this new release from Mary Beth Keane, and was so excited to read Mor from her after adoring Ask again yes having read it multiple times.

The Half Moon is every bit as spectacular with its vivid description to so clearly see the backdrop and homes of the characters you come to know so well. The relationships of the characters so real, and a masterpiece is sharing that at a relationship is only known by those involved.

I really loved the authors previous two novels so maybe I came in with really high expectations. Malcom and Jess have been married for a number of years but Malcolm is more interested in making a success of the bar (The Half Moon) that he has finally bought than he and Jess’s inability to have children. The breakdown of their marriage seems inevitable.
A good cast of characters, a great small American town setting…. But I just didn’t get the warmth and depth that I was hoping for.

I enjoyed The authors previous novels and once again has proved to be a fine storyteller, getting to the heart of her characters. Although a slow burn of story, there was enough to keep me invested and the denouement was satisfactory. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

*Edited as my review was saved to the incorrect title*

I adored this book- genuinely could not put this book down so much so that I have pre-ordered a hard copy. I cared about not only the characters but the plot and have recommended this to a friend already for pre-order.

Jess and Malcolm fall in love quickly and easily. He is a handsome, gregarious barman, she is an idealistic lawyer, and together they feel like they can take on the world. This is a penetrating look at their marriage as life takes its toll on them both. Malcolm has always dreamed of owning the Half Moon bar where he works, but when he finally gets the chance, his ideas for making it a success alienate his old customers and fail to draw in the new. Jess, more cautious about money, is not aware of the extent of the investment, having been preoccupied for years in trying to have a baby and enduring emotionally and financially ruinous rounds of fertility treatments. The stress and mounting debts begin to chip away at their relationship- can they still have a future together? This is a moving and very relateable novel, with well-drawn characters who come alive from the page. The portrayal of a marriage in crisis is very believable and realistic, while the minor characters add to the narrative themes of love and disappointment, reality and escape, dreams and hope. The Half Moon was so vivid, I felt like I could almost go in and join the festivities (on a good night). An absorbing read.