Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair

DEBUT A thirtysomething new mom gets a second chance at love in Lee’s debut novel. Hannah is stuck in a toxic job and permanently perfumed in spit-up from her darling baby boy, Bowie. After finding an engagement ring in her boyfriend’s closet, she’s thrilled at the prospect of having the perfect family she dreamed of growing up. Her dreams are dashed when she comes home from date night with a breakup instead of a diamond. Reeling from the split and a sudden employment termination, she heads to the mountains of rural Georgia, where her mother and stepfather give her the opportunity to redesign a rental property. Their hot neighbor River is an off-the-grid, treehouse-dwelling carpenter who works alongside Hannah to build her dream rental and help her heal from heartbreak. Over the course of the autumn, Hannah redefines family, purpose, and love. Her foray into new motherhood is handled with candor and care, and the secondary characters are vibrant and fully developed as part of her village of support.