Title: THE HALF MOON
Author: Mary Beth Keane
Read: February 2024
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!
Book Description:
Malcolm Gephardt, handsome and
gregarious longtime bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a
bar. When his boss finally retires, Malcolm stretches to buy the place. He sees
unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to transform it
into a bigger success, but struggles to stay afloat.
His smart and confident wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career.
After years of trying for a baby, she is facing the idea that motherhood may
not be in the cards for her. Like Malcolm, she feels her youth beginning to
slip away and wonders how to reshape her future.
Award-winning author Mary Beth Keane’s new novel takes place over the course of
one week when Malcolm learns shocking news about Jess, a patron of the bar goes
missing, and a blizzard hits the town of Gillam, trapping everyone in place.
With a deft eye and generous spirit, Keane explores the disappointments and
unexpected consolations of midlife, the many forms forgiveness can take, the
complicated intimacy of small-town living, and what it means to be a family.
My musings:
This is my first book by Mary Beth Keane, and I
absolutely loved the way she portrays the ups and downs of a marriage scarred
by loss and thwarted aspirations. Jess and Malcolm once were the perfect couple
– young, in love and full of hope they embarked on fulfilling their dreams.
Jess threw herself into her law degree, whilst Malcolm still manages the Half
Moon, the bar he once wants to own himself. Things are going well until one of
their shared dreams falls through: that of starting their own family. After the
loss of their infant daughter, their reality becomes endless rounds of
fertility treatments and disappointments. When Malcolm makes a rash decision
against Jess’ advice, the strain on the marriage proves too much and Jess
leaves him.
Now, Malcolm is running the bar on
his own, battening down the hatches just before a raging blizzard hits town.
With the bar closed for a few days, Malcolm knows he won’t be able to pay his
bills and faces the loss of his business, making him question every decision he
has ever made ….
Keane is an astute observer of human
relationships and her description of the couple’s marriage rang true and deeply
touched my heartstrings. Here are two people who loved another, unmoored by
tragedy. Will they find their way back to one another? Or is it already too
late? The NOW part of the story plays out over just a week, but we get to find
out all the details of what brought Jess and Malcolm to their present
situations – I dare you not to shed a tear or two here!
THE HALF MOON was a touching,
thought provoking, well written and wonderfully observed study of a marriage
and what really matters in life, as well as one of overcoming adversity. I
became so deeply engrossed in the audiobook that I just wanted to keep listening
until I could find out how this story would play out. My first favourite read
of the year – I now must go back and read the author’s other books!
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