Buckeye: A Read with Jenna Pick

I’ve been hearing about this book all year, so I was thrilled to receive a gifted eBook copy for an advanced read (thanks NetGalley and Penguin Random House!). The good news: it’s every bit as astounding as promised.Set in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, across the middle decades of the 20th century, the novel traces how four lives become inextricably bound by a secret as wars, history, and cultural shifts unfold on the national stage.Cal Jenkins, unable to serve in WWII because one of his legs is shorter than the other, marries Becky, a young woman with the unsettling gift of speaking with the dead. Cal works for her father at his hardware store, while Becky raises their son, Skip, and quietly runs a free seer business from home—much to Cal’s disapproval.Meanwhile, Felix Salt, a successful executive struggling with his sexuality, marries Margaret, an orphan still haunted by her past. During the war, Felix serves aboard a ship, returning home deeply traumatized and forever changed. While he was away, Margaret shared an impulsive kiss—and later, a brief affair—with Cal.The power of this novel lies in how these relationships reverberate across time. Even when certain moments occur off the page, Ryan’s deft storytelling ensures their emotional weight lingers. Every character—from the central couples and their sons, Skip and Tom, to supporting figures like Everett and Roman—feels fully realized, complex, and alive.Daily life and sweeping historical events move the story forward, but it’s the characters’ interactions and secrets that deepen the narrative and kept me racing through pages. I wept, I laughed, and ultimately, I closed the book feeling deeply satisfied.This novel illuminates the humanity of ordinary lives with extraordinary tenderness. Its message is profound yet simple: despite the inevitable joys, losses, and complications of living, it is love, forgiveness, and hope that make life—and our bonds with one another—worthwhile.A stunning and heartfelt read. Don’t miss it.

Two strangers meet have an innocent kiss as they hear of the end of World WarII. So the story begins in a small town in Ohio.Cal Jenkins was unable to serve in WWII because of one of his legs was shorter than the other. He marries Becky who becomes a spiritualist, who can communicate with the dead.We meet Margaret who had a very difficult childhood going from one foster family to another.She marries Felix Salt who serves in the Navy. She receives a telegram that her husband’s ship has been attacked in the Philippines.This is a sweeping novel of two families facing the turmoil of two wars and dealing with everyday life.Beautifully written with well developed characters. This story will just draw you in to the atmosphere of a small town. It is a captivating story of love, loss and grief.This story will stay with you for a long time.Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

This begins as a story of a multi-generational family, as well as a story of wars, both World War II as well as the Vietnam War. A story of how this affected the families involved, including their child's life as time passes over four decades.A very touching story of the struggles of navigating lives.Many thanks for the opportunity to read 'Buckeye' by Patrick Ryan

A stunning saga of life in Ohio just before WWII and decades beyond. The story is concentrated on two couples whose lives become intertwined through secrets that hold them tight and impact not only their lives but the generation to come. The war brings people together as grief and uncertainty pull them apart at home and changes the lives forever of those who are fortunate to make it back. This is not just "a slice of life Norman Rockwell painting" kind of story but one that includes a variety of characters all dealing with moral dilemmas, unrealistic expectations, guilt as well as all the secrets no one talked about back then. I really enjoyed the quiet psychic powers of comfort that Becky offers to the residents of Bonhomie during the war. Gorgeous writing that makes it hard to believe this is a debut and equally hard to put down. What Ken Follett has done for old English village life, Patrick Ryan has now done for small midwestern towns in the time of the greatest generation. Readers of historical fiction and family centered stories like those of Ann Patchett , Ann Napolitano and Elizabeth Strout will love this.

This is one of those cancel-your-plans, move-into-the-guest-room, forget-about-getting-anything-else-done-for-three-days novels. It is a 450-page wholly immersive book that sweeps across generations and wars and dives deep down into its characters’ lives. It follows two couples in a small Ohio town in the lead-up and aftermath of WWII, how their lives intertwine and the impact of their relationships on the generation that follows, who have to fight wars of their own.Ryan captures the intimacy of what happens inside people’s bedrooms and inside their own minds as well as what has happened to our nation and the arc of history across the 20th century. Buckeye is a ridiculous accomplishment that I have no doubt is going to be an astounding success.

I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. What a realistic and engrossing story! This book takes a look at two families over the decades and how they navigate life and all that comes with it, in their small town of Bonhomie. I found it relatable and nostalgic in so many ways. Cal was an endearing character for me. This book focused on the effects of so many current events that happened over the decades in America and it was fascinating to see its affect on the town and people but also how they cope. This is a very human novel in its purest form.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is a highly recommended multigenerational domestic drama and historical fiction novel which follows decades in the lives of two families.In Bonhomie, Ohio, where they both grew up, Cal Jenkins marries Becky Hanover and takes a job managing her father’s hardware store. Due to having one leg shorter than the other Cal is unable to serve during WWII. Becky has the ability to communicate with those who have passed on and she conducts seances in her family's home to help others find closure. The two have a son, Cal Jr. who is nicknamed Skip.In 1939 Felix, and Margaret Salt moved to Bonhomie for him to help manage the aluminum plant. Margaret is ashamed of her past and never shares the fact that she was an orphan, abandoned as an infant. Felix decides to enlist in the Navy and is assignment to a cargo ship in the Pacific. On VE day, Margaret and Cal meet and begin a short affair before Felix returns home from the war, wounded in more than one way. The two have a son named Tom.This is an exceptionally well-written character driven novel which follows through the centuries how decisions made by flawed adults change the lives of members of both families in this one small town. Since it is character driven, Ryan explores the inner lives of his characters and their relationships. He also carefully includes historical events along the way covering the 1920s, into WWII, the 1950s, the Vietnam War, and right up into the early 1980s.The characters are all portrayed as fully realized individuals and expertly crafted, with both strengths and weaknesses. He delves deeply into their insecurities and interpersonal struggles throughout the novel. The deep insight into the characters helps make this a very compelling novel. This would be an excellent choice for book clubs as the characters and events would provide fodder for great discussions.There were two minor issues I had with the novel which means I'm a bit of an outlier with my rating. First, at times the pacing occasionally felt too slow and deliberate. Secondly, the whole focus on Becky's ability to communicate with the deceased annoyed me.Buckeye is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy character driven domestic dramas and historical fiction. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via . My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Wow. If you haven’t heard of Buckeye yet, get ready — it’s going to be everywhere this year when it releases in September. Patrick Ryan sets his story in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, but there’s nothing small about this sweeping, multigenerational work of historical fiction. It’s brimming with love, joy, and often heartbreaking sorrow. You don’t just read about these characters — you feel them, as they navigate a world transforming before their eyes and wrestle with what that change means for their quiet corner of America. It’s one of my favorite books of the year and easily one of the best I’ve read in a long time.At the heart of the story is Cal, a young man growing up during World War II. Due to a physical disability, Cal is unable to join his friends as they head off to war — some of whom never return. Instead, he remains in Bonhomie, where he meets and falls for Becky, a girl who can speak to the dead, and begins working at her family’s hardware store. Their relationship unfolds with all the tenderness and turmoil of young love. But things take a turn when Cal meets Margaret Salt, a married woman whose husband is serving overseas. When Margaret visits the store with news that the war may be ending and her husband might return home, the lives of two families become unexpectedly and irrevocably intertwined.One of the book’s greatest strengths is its cast of characters — each one richly drawn, with hopes and flaws that feel deeply human. While Cal remains the emotional anchor, the narrative occasionally shifts perspectives, expanding backward and forward through time. This structure adds depth, though it can be a bit disorienting in Part One, where the timeline jumps and focus briefly drifts from Cal. A more linear progression or tighter weaving of these threads might have improved the pacing.My only other quibble is with the ending — not in its emotional power, which is immense, but in how quickly it arrives. After spending so much time immersed in the lives of these characters, the final chapters feel slightly rushed. I found myself wishing for just a little more time with them before saying goodbye. Still, the impact is undeniable. The conclusion left me in tears — a mix of heartbreak and hope — and it stayed with me long after I turned the last page.Buckeye is set to release later this year, and I have no doubt it will land on many "must-read" lists. It deserves every bit of praise it receives. Patrick Ryan clearly poured his heart into this story — from its central characters to its vivid portrayal of small-town Ohio, from WWII through Vietnam and all the joy and grief in between. As I reflect on this novel, I feel genuinely emotional leaving these characters behind. Their lives, their losses, their love — it all lingers.Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!

By the time I’d read the first chapter of “Buckeye”, by Patrick Ryan, I suspected this historical novel was going to be character-driven, and that I was going to fall in love with every single one of them. I was right.Following two families from just before WWII to just after Vietnam, Ryan has skillfully given us a “Great American Novel” to happily immerse ourselves in.Two young couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Felix and Margaret Salt, live in a small town called Bonhomie, just an hour away from Toledo, Ohio.Cal was born with one leg shorter than the other, which, among other hardships, prevents him from serving in WWII. Becky can converse with the dead and does so to help people in grief to find forgiveness (a major theme of the novel is forgiveness.)Margaret was left in a basket at an orphanage as a baby. In and out of foster care until she was eight, she was eventually raised by Lydia who ran the orphanage. She left the orphanage to live and work in Toledo when she was 18 and rarely looked back, except to wonder why her mother left her.Felix joined the Navy and served in the war. His experience was harrowing and life changing.Something happens during the war that causes these families to be forever enjoined, even though most of them won’t know it until many years later.I don’t want to give away any of the excellent and propulsive plot points, except to say that it is totally believable, and fits squarely in the America of the time.I will say how this book made me FEEL, though. Ryan’s beautiful writing gave me “all the feels”! Often amusing (Cal’s WWI veteran father could have come right out of a Richard Russo novel), sometimes suspenseful, always interesting in the historical details of the time, and by turns heartbreaking and hopeful.Reading the story of mid-century America within the stories of two mid-western families, was a pleasure. You’ll want to pre-order this one! It will be ideal for Book Clubs because each of these characters make decisions that can be strongly debated!