I had ran into this book all over my internet feeds and had it on my TBR list. When my book club chose it to read a month ago, I couldn’t wait to dive into it. It didn’t disappoint. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane digs deep into the lives of two families, the Gleasons and the Stanhopes, that live side-by-side as their children grow up. When tragedy strikes, it examines how each family handles what comes after.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope became NYC police officers for different reasons. They ended up being rookies together and then neighbors when they both moved to a quiet suburb outside of the city. As they transition into marriage and family life, we watch the couples handle what comes next for each couple. Anne, Brian’s wife has just miscarried and is in a deep depression. Lena, Francis’s wife tried to befriend her but can not get through.
Eventually their youngest children, born six months apart, Kate and Peter become closest friends. They are inseparable until the night that Peter’s mother, Anne, falls apart. As each family fractures along the fault lines in place, only one will pick up the pieces and move on. The other will disintegrate further and each member struggled to survive the aftermath.
Many years later, the bond between Peter and Kate will be tested again. What choices will they make based on their family histories? Will they be able to overcome their pasts? Definitely a book that forces you to evaluate the part mental health plays in a family. And this book will take a hard look at what true love means, the lengths one wife will go through to make it work and what the other one will do to become a better mother. A hard book to read in places but will worth the time! A solid 4.5 Stars.
