Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is a compelling, character driven family drama, centered around the 3 Joseph boys, Baylor the oldest, Waylon the middle child, Shay the baby of the family, their distant mother Elise, and their headstrong father Mick, and Marley who is new to town, but will become a pivotal role in each of their lives. 

Marley is only 17 when she and her mom come to the small blue collar town of Mercury. Upon her arrival Marley takes in a local baseball game where she catches the eye of the oldest Joseph son Baylor, but it will be the heart of Waylon, Marley catches and holds. Despite Marley becoming pregnant with Waylon's child at a young age, and desperately wanting a relationship with Elise, Elise Joseph still holds Marley at a distance. But when Elise has a crisis in the middle of the night, it is Marley she calls to help and to keep her secrets. It is Marley who will become the center of the Joseph family when Elise passes. Taking on the duties of caring for Baylor, Waylon, Shay, Mick, as well as running Joseph and Sons roofing. But who will take care of Marley when the weight of everything gets too much? 

Mercury tells a story of a complicated family with complicated interrelationships. About wanting to find your own place, while still wanting to be loyal and most of all just loved by the ones you call family. All the characters in Mercury are richly developed with their own set of flaws that drives them. Baylor who is stubborn and tough, who only knows how to show love in the sense of paying for things and showing up to defend his family. Waylon, the middle son, who loves Marley fiercely but can not break the chains his family has on him. Shay Baby, the baby of the Joseph family who basks in the motherly love that Marley provides, has his own deep rooted secrets.  If you enjoy compelling family drama and richly developed characters, Mercury will be one that you will want to add to you To Be Read shelf.