3.5

This book was such an interesting experience because it managed to be completely ridiculous yet extremely relatable at the same time.

The story follows a 30-ish year old woman named Hannah who is struggling to put her life back together after her boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her at what she thought was her proposal dinner. Freshly fired from her job and left without a place to stay, Hannah packs her bags and moves in with her parents. Can she find romance again with the boy next door?

Judging by how much I died laughing at certain parts of this story, I don’t think it’s a book meant to be taken too seriously. Some of the scenes are so completely absurd that you can help but look around like, “is anyone else seeing this??”. I even showed a particularly hilarious excerpt of the book to my fiancé because I needed someone to experience it with me.

That being said, Laura Piper Lee still managed to touch on some topics that are real issues for a lot of people, including child neglect, emotional abuse, pregnancy complications, homophobia, and workplace trauma. Both Hannah and her love interest, River, have faced many hard trials in their lives, and they’ve been deeply affected by them, for better and for worse. Watching these two struggle to figure out what’s best for them was a wild ride, but it was also an enjoyable one.

I feel like this book wanted to be so many things it ended up being none of them. There was just to much going on from co-parenting to an Airbnb fraud uncover, while trying to set up a romantic relationship between the characters.

Marketed as a rom-com while touching on topics that would've fit better as a literary fiction like being a single mom, finding your own way after being with someone for so long, and while I liked that premise what I didn't like was the romance in itself.

The MMC felt flat and not really developed, he was like an adult Tarzan that didn't want to compromise in anything, the FMC was the one that did most of the things to make the relationship work, and it felt forced. They didn't have anything in common and the chemistry was barely there.

Other thing that bothered me was that the FMC, a grown adult called her mother G-Ma and stepfather Big Daddy which was so cringy and anticlimactic when some serious stuff was going on, and that made me not able to take the characters seriously.

What I enjoyed was the secondary character's dynamics, I loved reading about their sapphic romance and their struggles; and wish that instead we could get a book about them. Which is why even though I didn't enjoy this book as I hoped I would, I am excited for the author's next book which is being marketed as a sapphic romance.

Did not read.
Unfortunately, I did not research this book enough before requesting a copy of it.
This is not my kind of book, and I could not even bring myself to start it.
However, I have agreed to give an honest review and therefore rank it neutrally as it is not the book or the authors fault but my own.
It’s just not for me.

So, here's the thing: I am, at my heart, 100% a mood reader. That means that if a book doesn't strike the right chord from the get go, I'll usually end up putting it to the side. Unfortunately, in this case, that also meant it took me a good 6 tries (spanning actual months) before I could really delve into this story. There was just something about the first chapter or chapters that didn't seem to work for me - and I couldn't quite make myself push through it either.
Once I did, though - well, I finished this book within the span of hours. As soon as Hannah goes to meet up with her best friends, the author seemed to really have got going: the narration flowed better, the dialogue became so much more interesting, and most of all: the plot hit its stride. From the representation (so easy, so natural - almost as if, shocker - people of all preferences, sizes and backgrounds exist!) to the actual growth all of the characters went through: Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair gave me that feel-good, happy-yet-believable-ending that I absolutely needed from it!

Hannah is a new mom and she is very relatable. She is not perfect, but fun and would do anything for her son. She talks about getting dressed up and how she is late for everything. There were so many moments throughout the book that I laughed out loud. When Killian tells her that he just wants to co-parent and co-live together, I was so glad that she left. She goes back to her parents and wants to help them get their vacation property fixed. Her parents help her take care of her son. I felt this as I went through something very similar.
When her friends come to visit and they see the scary decor, I laughed out loud again. I could literally envision the scene in my head. She meets the neighbor and ends up hiring him to help with the renovations. Hannah gets signed up for classes and she is trying to better her life.
You pull for her throughout the book and when Killian comes to his senses, she is faced with more decisions. The characters, good and bad, help her find herself.
The last few chapters were my favorite. When you get to the chaos of the Santa and his helpers, you will laugh. I could literally see so many parts of this book, as if I were there. My boyfriend kept looking at me and asking what was so funny.
I will be recommending this book for my library and for my patrons that love the fun romance books!

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book because I felt what happened to the heroine wasn't something I could believe. But...having said that, she redeemed herself and gave us a sweet romantic second chance romance.

While I'm not sure this belongs in the romance genre (I think it's more general fiction) I enjoyed it even though it wasn't what I expected picking it up. Overall, this was very cute and deals with a lot of relatable issues related to motherhood, breakups, coparenting, etc.

Overall this was a very lighthearted, cute romance read. Some parts were predictable but it didn’t take away from the story. I love seeing strong character development in books & this one was full of it. I never wanted her to get back with Killian but I loved how good he became with her & Bowie. At times I didn’t really understand the feelings between Hannah & River, it felt like so much so fast & like I was missing parts. Also the way River is so disconnected from everything got frustrating very fast & because of this I was never really rooting for them to be together. I really liked most of the side characters & they added so much to the story. Except Madison, I couldn’t stand her as soon as she showed up. I did enjoy this book & would read more of this authors work.

Thank you to Netgalley & Berkley Publising Group for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Super cute! I loved the set up and the way the characters slowly started to open up to each other and reveal their true selves. I enjoyed the laugh out loud moments and was rooting for the romance right away! This is fun and swoony and will appeal to a large audience.

I felt like this story was more women's literature than a true contemporary romance. As a mother myself, I am all about empowerment as a mother but I wanted more about their romance. I think this book is great however for a quick, small-town romance for lovers of HGTV and for those who want a burly, carpenter to swoon after. Thank you to the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. It was well written but it was not what I was expecting when going into a contemporary romance. It felt more women lit fic if anything with the emphasis on single parenting as a mother. The main focus was not the romance and the "big daddy" references made me cringe quite a bit. Also, Hannah's quirky humor did not work for me which made all the characters within the novel fall flat for me.

However, I think if you like small town romance, interior design, quirky/goofy behavior and single parenting - this might be the book for you!

Many thanks to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair is a great story for contemporary romance readers who enjoy:
- single parent
- coming of age
- small town romance
- found family
- fresh starts
- funny inner monologues
- interior design
- goofy characters

This one just wasn't for me, but is well written. I wanted to love it, but it fell flat for me. Not sure if it is the single parent part. Or perhaps it's because I was expecting romance, but a big part of the story was Hannah's motherhood/single parent journey and finding herself, with a side dish of hot carpenter, River. I

Many thanks to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Tate, I see you. You are so many moms I know & your voice is important! I realize that Hannah is not real, but good grief—she sure felt real! I get a publisher’s need to make comparisons to other authors, but I really think Laura Piper Lee defies comparison to others. It’s spicy, sure, but it’s also got strong characters, an engaging plot, and entertaining dialogue. Looking forward to what she pens next!

I received an advanced copy of Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee from the publisher Union Square & Co via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Hannah Tate, a new mom finds an engagement ring in her boyfriend Killian’s pocket. Excited that she is getting engaged, Hannah looks forward to a romantic night where she will end up, but it goes astray when Killian tells her he’s dumping her. Furious and devastated, Hannah moves in with her mom and stepdad in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. Hannah works to turn her parents’ cabin into a vacation rental, and it takes a lot of work, luckily the cute neighbor next door, River, is ready to help. Hannah begins to find her path and romance, but is it sustainable?

What I Loved: I really liked the side characters and Hannah’s growth as a character. I really liked the setting and the idea of cleaning up your life in the midst of a crisis. I really think that this book as woman’s fiction (I know I hate that phrase but you know what I mean) would be top of the field, solid 4 stars. This part highlighting Hannah growing up and reconnecting with family is just wonderful.

What I Didn’t Like: Alas this is a romance and I dislike the romance oh so much. Here’s the deal Hannah as a mother is totally fair in asking her partner to have a phone, but he, River, does not want a phone and gets all upset that she’s trying to change him. The immaturity of this character and his refusal to do minimal things to grow up, literally decreased the star rating for me, because this romance seemed to go against the theme of the book.

Who Should Read It: People who love stories of women having to restart and get their lives together.

Summary: When Hannah is unceremoniously dumped, she decides its time to get her life together so she’s happy.

I think this book is much more of a story about finding yourself than it is a rom com. I felt like the romance was one of the most uninteresting and poorly done aspects of the book, and I enjoyed many of the other storylines much more. The male romantic lead didn't feel believable to me, he was almost a caricature, and the conflict between him and the main character felt incredibly forced and unrealistic. *Slight Spoiler: If you are dating anyone, but especially someone with a small child, it seems crazy to be upset that they want you to be reachable!
People buying up properties to turn them into vacation rentals for sites like AirBnB is a huge issue right now as well, so having that be so romanticized in this book felt a little odd.
The best part of this book to me was Hannah's relationship with her parents and I wish the author had spent more time on that storyline. It would have been interesting to get more of Hannah's childhood and her dealing with her feelings about watching her mom be such a great grandma when she wasn't like that before, but we really only got just a little bit of that. I did have some fun with this book, but I think many plot points (childhood trauma, new motherhood, unsupportive partners, etc.) just were not expanded upon enough and felt very surface-level.

Sweet romance where everything is just messy enough to feel a little real life-ish. Thoroughly enjoyed. Loved how real the fmc felt.

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

This is a fun book to read and shines a light on motherhood. Definitely a fall read that's cozy and nice, as well as realistic and laugh out loud funny. This book has a great emphasis on character development, which I always appreciate on romance novels, and a great set of secondary characters.

This book is a relaxing read, the kind you sit down with at the end of a long and exhausting day. It’s the sitcom you wished they didn’t cancel, the guilty pleasure dinner from your favorite fast food place.

The characters are well written - books don't often go into how hard being a new mum is like this! - and the story flows along nicely. Hannah's friends, old and new, are fantastic. As a fan of Grand Designs and My Dream Home I really enjoyed 'watching' the renovations and exploring the treehouse!

River did frustrate me here and there, but things always worked out in the end, and I loved how Hannah learned to stand up for herself over the course of the book. There's a couple of great fist punch moments throughout this read. Definitely one I recommend for cosy evenings in.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
spice: a couple open-door spicy scenes
TWs: implied cheating, grief, heart attack (nonfatal), emotionally unavailable partner, sabotage, emotional manipulating/gaslighting, parental abandonment, mentions of difficult pregnancy (nonfatal), homophobia
standalone: yes
final thoughts: this book was a mix of fully aggravating, adorable, tense, and lighthearted and I think Laura Piper Lee did a great job keeping levity in a book that deals with a lot of tense and heightened topics. There is some OW/OM drama throughout the book that was frustrating to me but I can see how it helped move the book where the author wanted it to go. The book follows newly single mother Hannah Tate as she helps her parents renovate their cabin to generate some extra income and ends up falling for the hunky next-door neighbor. Overall, it was cute but OH GODS WHY did she call her stepdad “big daddy’?? 😂😂😂

read this book if you love

😬 angst
🏝️ forced proximity
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤫 hidden secrets
🔀 opposites attract
👩‍👦 single parent
👮 blue collar MMC (construction)
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🍪cinnamon roll MMC
🌈 LGBT+ representation
💞 neighbors-to-lovers