Breakaway Books

Authored by Patrick Ryan; Published September 2025; Historical Fiction

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At first glance, Buckeye does not seem like it’s going to be all that compelling a read. A story about two typical families in Ohio in the second half of the twentieth century? Yawn. But somehow, it drew me in.

Buckeye follows Margaret, Felix, Cal and Becky as they grow up, get married and have children in post-WW II Ohio. Their lives are shaped by America’s wars and the civil rights movement, but also by their own individual actions. Margaret lives in the shadow of the mother who abandoned her, Felix hides his true sexual orientation, and Becky chooses to explore her gift of speaking to spirits who have “passed to the other side.” Their lives become more complex with Margaret and Cal’s wartime affair and the secrets it engenders—the ramifications span generations.

It is truly a mark of the author’s talent that he somehow managed to make me feel sympathetic toward each and every character in this book. They all make mistakes—some of them monumental—and yet, I understood that they didn’t stem from malice but from very human errors. It seems that that is at the heart of this book: an understanding of the messiness of life and an appreciation for the forgiveness that can make the journey a little smoother. On top of that, it superbly showcases how geopolitical events impact the whole American population, causing ripples in every community, big and small. 

One warning though—if you’re not open to observing supernatural encounters, you might find Becky’s storyline alienating. She claims to have the gift of speaking with the dead, and her husband’s skepticism of said gift causes problem after problem in their marriage. Yet, the author makes clear that there very well may be something to her gift. It was her storyline that I found myself chewing on over and over, wondering what I would do in Cal’s shoes. Be supportive, even if I don’t know if I really believe in her gift? Swallow the embarrassment when my neighbors and colleagues find out about her hobby? It was a strangely fantastical plot line in an otherwise down-to-earth book.

Buckeye may seem like an average book covering ordinary American lives, but it brings compassion and empathy to their stories. To me, that makes it a rare find.