The Half Moon: The compelling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author

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The strength of this narrative lies not only in its gripping plot and thought-provoking themes but also in its masterful characterization. The complexities of Jess and Malcolm's emotions are laid bare, their struggles and vulnerabilities raw and palpable. As readers, we are drawn into their world, feeling their pain, their joy, and their yearning for something more. Jess, feeling neglected and resentful, mourns the loss of the shared dream they once held dear. Failed attempts at IVF treatments drained their savings, leaving Jess questioning Malcolm's priorities and the sacrifices she had made for their relationship. As their paths diverge, they both grapple with the weight of their choices and the haunting question of whether they are truly living the lives they had envisioned. Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their stores—a gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstore—become fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love. Malcolm's dream is to own his own bar. It has to be the "Half Moon" where he's tended bar for years. When this bar is offered for sale, he'll be the buyer, at all costs.

The Half Moon - Mary Beth Keane

Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts. The narrative chronology, which, while limited to a week, goes meandering across past and present like nobody’s business. The Half Moon” is that kind of story-sometimes melancholy and sometimes reflective, but always authentic, as Malcolm and Jess figure out which kind of couple they will be. There’s one point where Malcolm remarks to Jessica about IVF, and how it can lead to false hope, and how long can they keep trying because of that hope if earlier IVF attempts haven’t worked. I loved that scene because I have seen the same happen to friends who opted for IVF. That hope is a killer. Malcom finally owns the bar he’s dreamed of and worked years in. Struggling to keep his relationship and the bar afloat, life seems to unfurl regardless of his good intentions. His wife Jess is struggling with her own dream - she desperately wants to be a mother but her body has other plans. UCan they have both dreams fulfilled or are neither going to get what they want?

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I didn’t go through anything like what Jess went through, but I talked to a lot of people who felt like they were dying to talk about it,” she says. “It’s a type of grief that’s just not discussed that much. It’s hard to make people understand who haven’t gone through it.” As time passes, we find Jess and Malcolm estranged, their marriage strained by the weight of unfulfilled dreams and sacrifices made along the way. Jess seeks solace in the familiar embrace of her mother, who had reservations about Malcolm from the start. Meanwhile, Malcolm fights tooth and nail to keep his dream of owning the "Half Moon" bar alive. It was a dream that consumed him, passed down from his own father. But the price he paid for this ambition was steep, entangling him in a web of financial woes and threats from unscrupulous characters associated with the bar's previous owner. The cover – with its dual reference to the bar as well as the marriage of Jessica and Malcolm. Real smart design.

Book Marks reviews of The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane Book Marks reviews of The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane

His wife, Jess is dedicated to her law career, but what she wants more than anything else is to be a mother. Unfortunately, the Infertility treatments haven’t worked, and it’s taking a toll on their marriage. I didn’t always like her, but I understood that some of the choices she made came from pain. Over the course of the story we watch their relationship bud, blossom, and grow. We also watch as this same relationship withers and decays. Will their love prove strong enough or is it time for these two lost souls to find their own way without one another? You'll have to read this to find out. Marriage is hard. It’s messy, hurtful, yet rewarding. And Keane shows us this through two flawed characters who love each other despite life having broken their hearts.Malcolm and Jen started out contented. They were known as a golden couple. Malcolm had dreams of owning a bar, while Jess wanted children. By the time we meet them, it doesn't appear these dreams are being met in the ways originally planned - Malcolm is deeply in debt - and Jess is grieving her dream of ever being a Mom.