Town & Country by Brian Schaefer is a thought-provoking story about an election between a new man to town and a born-and-raised-here man.
When I say this book is perfect for election day vibes, and feels very timely for the political atmosphere we live in. Town & Country is set in a small town outside a major city where rich people are starting to flock to so they can buy second homes. This is riling up the locals who want things to stay the same as they’ve always been. This book focuses on an election race between a newcomer to town and a “born and raised here” guy. This book is told from many points of view from all sorts of people in the town.
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Town & Country Overview
Title: Town & Country
Author: Brian Schaefer
Pages: 304 Pages
Publish Date: November 4th, 2025
Genre: Literary Fiction
My Star Rating: 3/5 stars! (It was a good book, but not for everyone.)
Grab Your Copy Here: https://amzn.to/4odO6Bs
Synopsis from Amazon
The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners, but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.
Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. Their elder son, Joe, is grieving the recent overdose death of his best friend and spiraling into drugs himself, while their younger son, Will, is a newly out college student seduced by the decadent lifestyle of Paul’s circle.
Meanwhile, Stan Banks uses the race to give purpose to the pain of losing a loved one to AIDS, even as he begins to doubt Paul’s readiness for office. And within their growing fraternity of city transplants, Eric Larimer finds unexpected connection with a local farmer that opens his eyes to the region’s complexity as Leon Rogers, still reeling from a divorce, becomes increasingly desperate to infiltrate the Banks’s exclusive crew.
Spanning six months from Memorial Day to Election Day, Town & Country paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a community in flux. For readers of Fredrick Backman and Jen Beagin, this “powerful and extremely well-written book” (Colum McCann, National Book Award winner) asks the essential and timeless questions: What makes a home, and what do we owe our neighbors?
My Review of Town & Country
First off, thank you to NetGalley, Brian Schaefer, and Atria Books for an Advanced Reading Copy of Town & Country. This was a very thought-provoking book.
Town & Country is a book that is seeping in drama, half-truths, and the scandalous nature of politics. I loved all the drama and kept wondering how, and when, it would all blow up.
This book was a slow-paced book that took me a while to figure out who everyone was. I kept confusing people because there are a lot of characters and multiple points of view. It works for the story and adds an extra layer. It just took my brain a minute to remember who everyone was.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was how it seemed that everyone was somehow related or knew each other. As someone who moved to a small town, I know what it’s like when everyone knows everyone.
One of the reasons I rate Town & Country so low is that it’s a very sad and bleak story. Yes, we all know that politics is filled with people who play into stereotypes, but it would have been nice if people in the book weren’t so “it’s us versus them.”. It didn’t really work for me, and I found most of the characters unlikable. I didn’t really have a side I was rooting for. Honestly, I kind of hoped neither man would win.
I don’t think this book is for everyone, but if you like political books with deeply flawed characters, then you’ll enjoy this book. Lastly, I do think this book is well-written and perfectly timed to be released on election day.
Grab Your Copy Here: https://amzn.to/4odO6Bs
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Final Thoughts
This book was heavy but definitely worth reading! If you want to read a political book that will have you questioning who you would vote for, then you need to check out this book. If you have any questions about this book, let me know in the comments. I love hearing from all of you. Lastly, if you enjoyed this book review, please share it on your social media. I appreciate all the love and support.
Thanks for reading,
Kel
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