Buckeye by Patrick Ryan a Read with Jenna pick

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK

Step into the heart of small-town America with this mesmerizing novel that swept Jenna Bush Hager off her feet. Buckeye is the kind of story that lingers—a sweeping, intimate portrait of two families whose lives intertwine across generations, from the jubilant close of World War II through the transformative decades that followed.

In Bonhomie, Ohio, a single stolen moment changes everything. Cal Jenkins, wounded by his inability to serve his country, and Margaret Salt, a woman fleeing her past, share a passionate encounter in the glow of Allied victory. Their spouses—Becky, a gifted seer who communes with the dead, and Felix, serving on a Navy cargo ship—remain unaware of the secret taking root in their quiet town. But secrets have a way of surfacing, especially in places where everyone knows everyone.

Patrick Ryan crafts what Ann Patchett calls “a glorious sweep of a novel,” weaving together the intimate struggles of ordinary people against the backdrop of extraordinary times. The New York Times Book Review praised it as “captivating,” while Jenna Bush Hager declared it “a once-in-a-decade novel.” This is storytelling at its finest—rich with piercing observation, deep humanity, and the universal longing we all share for love and goodness.

Perfect for readers who savor multi-generational sagas and the intricate ways our choices echo through time. A remarkable addition to any collection.

Additional information