There are two sides to every story - and every marriage in crisis . . .
Malcolm, bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a bar, and when his boss finally retires, he seizes his chance. He sees unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to make it a bigger success.
His wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career, but after years of trying for a baby, she's struggling to accept the idea that motherhood might not be in her future. She finds herself slipping away from both her career and her marriage. The bar is Malcolm's dream, and as she feels her youth start to fade, she wonders how to reshape her own life.
When a blizzard hits their upstate New York town on the same day that Malcolm learns some shocking news about Jess, and a regular at the bar goes missing, everyone is frozen in place for a single, pivotal week. In The Half Moon, award-winning author Mary Beth Keane carefully explores a marriage in crisis, what it takes to make a life with another person, and the true meaning of family.
One tumultuous week. One marriage in crisis. One chance to begin again...
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Malcolm Gephardt could tell the bar was busy even from a block away, even from behind the filthy windshield of his Honda.- ONE
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(Penguin, 13 July 2023, e-book, 304 pages, ARC from the publisher via NetGalley)
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I really enjoyed The Half Moon. I've enjoyed other books by the author, and this caught my eye. I liked the fact the chapters alternate between present with Malcolm and Jess struggling to find their way back to each other and key moments in the past. The author does a great job of soliciting sympathy for both of them. This is a compelling read. I thought it was great.