“Buckeye”
Author: Patrick Rayan Genre: historical and literary fiction
Trigger Warning: wartime trauma/mild violence, grief, family tension/infidelity, substance abuse
Available: hardcover, paperback, and e-book
First Published: 09/02/2025
Rating: 4.5/5
Love, secrets, and the passage of time, Patrick Ryan’s “Buckeye” is a novel that you’d pick up expecting a slow-burn slice of Americana and end up completely swept away.
Set in the fictional town of Bonhomie, Ohio that traces the lives of two families, specifically, two couples—Cal and Becky Jenkins, and Margaret and Felix Salt—whose paths intertwine due to a pivotal moment on V-E Day in 1945, leading to a saga filled
with passion, clandestine whispers, and the quiet intensity of an ashen family life that spans into
the 1970s.
What makes “Buckeye” an exceptionally captivating read is Ryan’s ability to breathe life into his complex characters. Cal, navigating the world with a disability, is a mix of inherent vulnerability and humor which provides the reader with a sense of sincere authenticity. At the same time, Becky, his wife, brings a fantastical yet grounding charm to the story. Margret and Felix Salt put forth a myriad of fascinating depths. Readers can ascertain that Margaret is the emotional core of the novel, being stunning yet elusive, as she carries the weight of her past and a deep longing. Felix, on the other hand, is steady and reserved, shaped by his experiences on a navy cargo ship during World War II.
As readers, we see these characters’ relationships unravel with a deafening intensity, which may ultimately reveal the tension between desire, duty, and the moral compasses that define each of them.
What really hooks readers is Ryan’s attention to small details everyday life, which, for readers, gives space to better understand the rhythms of habits and their ability to coexist with moments of intense drama.
The novel does not shy away from the challenges of infidelity and love, or the overbearing shadow of war, but rather readers encounter it and handle these themes with compassion and subtlety. The reader is invited to witness the choices that shape lives and the quiet ways through which forgiveness and understanding emerge over time.
The novel’s scope can be described as both intimate and epic. Ryan moves from the personal—love, secrecy, and family dynamics—to the historical,
showing how World War Two, postwar reconstruction, and cultural shifts in the 1960s and 1970s shape lives in subtle
and profound ways. He explores the emotional toll of choices, the quiet burdens of loyalty and betrayal, and the nuanced reality of human attraction. Children in both families grow up under a heavy weight, illustrating how the decisions taken and ones lost of
one generation may or may not affect the next.
Furthermore, readers can identify that the setting of Bonhomie—the texture of homes, streets, and routines with warmth, humor, and attention to detail— itself and various historical events become autonomous characters, reflecting the ebb and flow of
small-town life, which can be found to be most fitting to the storyline; that being said, it is
also valid to say that during the later part of the novel the pace may become rather
overstimulating for some readers to keep up with the historical context, and readers may occasionally wish that Ryan had slowed down to let these decades breath.
Ultimately, readers will discover this is a novel to savor—a story where the small details of daily life are as important as the grand
events that shape the era. Through richly drawn characters, a vividly depicted small-town America, and a narrative that spans through generations, Patrick Ryan has created a work that feels both timeless and profoundly affecting.
“Buckeye” is a story of love, consequence, and the slow, often complicated paths towards understanding and forgiveness.
Overall, this novel was a great read that lost half a point from me due to its slightly rushed final act. So if you enjoy character-driven, generational stories that blend the personal and historical, this novel will have you hooked until the last word.
