Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the early digital and finished copies!

I requested this book because I love a romance that explores more storylines than just the love story. This book thoughtfully explores grief, second chances, and friendship as the main character, Gracie, grapples with her grief one year after the unexpected death of her husband and great love. When a viral essay lands her a book deal and pushes her into the online spotlight, she has to navigate her now very public personal life.

I really appreciated the premise of this book, but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. I ultimately DNFed it after 22% because I struggled to stay invested in the characters and the storylines. I found the writing to be a bit stiff, but I also think that a reader who is perhaps closer to the subject matter of grief will be able to connect to it more than I did.

Unfortunately, Gracie Harris Is Under Construction didn’t work for me. I made it about halfway through before calling it quits. I did like that this story explored grief and focused on Gracie's life after her husband's death. I thought the author did a great job portraying Gracie's grief. Gracie's character felt real and grounded. I had a hard time connecting with the romance in this book. The chemistry between Gracie and Josh wasn't there for me. I wanted more tension and build-up between them. There just wasn't enough conflict to keep the story moving forward. The pacing was a little uneven and I found myself getting bored. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC.

Gracie Harris is the queen of grief after losing her husband in his early 40s and writing an essay that landed a NYT column after his memorial service. When she breaks down on a talk show, she knows that she needs a change of pace to finish writing her memoir. With her kids in camp nearby, she returns to the vacation home in Canopy, North Carolina (Brevard or nearby) that she and her husband purchased mere days before his death. Her realtor sends over his brother Josh, a burnt-out contractor, who was supposed to take the summer off but is going stir crazy to help with her renovations.

Of course, Gracie and Josh are around the same age and have instant attraction. He helps her practice interview questions, and she gets him through his burnout. But they both have baggage, and this is just a summer romance, isn't it?

Told with a deep understanding of grief and with accuracy about North Carolina (huge personal pet peeve), Gracie Harris is Under Construction is a fantastic romance about love and grieving.

Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Group, and Dutton for the ARC. All opinions are my own!

When a viral essay on grief lands widow Gracie Harris a book deal, she retreats to her late husband’s fixer-upper for solitude—and a looming deadline. But when contractor Josh shows up, so do unexpected sparks. As their connection deepens, Gracie must decide if she’s ready to write a new chapter—one filled with hope, healing, and love.

Can grief feel comforting? I wouldn’t have thought so before this heartfelt romance. I don’t know if it’s Josh’s steady presence, Gracie’s hopeful honesty, or the companionships that grow around them, but this story just feels really warm. One of those “I would never want that to happen to me, but I feel special getting to glimpse the joy on the other side of tragedy” books. I feel the same way when I read the memoir When Lynn Died by Natasha Dongell (one of my college professors’ wives). Though hers is a true story she has achingly walked, there’s a hope in both stories that points to the beauty of learning yourself again.

Sorry—this review is making the book sound really mournful. It’s not. I usually try to stay away from grieving widows in women’s fiction for that very reason. And while grief is a theme, it’s not a character in Gracie’s story because of the light she radiates and chooses to see.

Yay, now I can talk about Josh!! Basically, all you need to know is the man can build, cook, and listen. You’ll love him long before he ever takes his shirt off in the North Carolina heat. What a beautiful summer in the mountains.

Perfect for you if you like:
Emotional healing
Steady golden retrievers
North Carolina mountain town charm
Hopeful stories about grief

Similar to:
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center (I have not read)
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
When Lynn Died by Natasha Dongell (memoir)

⛔️contains vague cracked-door romance scenes
⚠️explicit language, grieving widow

• arc review: gracie harris is under construction •
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This one is a bit of an emotional read as the fmc Gracie navigates the death of her husband and writes a memoir about the grief that she was experiencing. She ends up spending a summer in the company of a contractor named Josh, who helps her believe in second chances and renovate the house her and her late husband had purchased just before he died. I think that Kate Hash did a thoughtful job writing about grief and accurately captured the emotion of it all.
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However, I honestly had a bit of a hard time getting through this book, and normally, I could pull out a few reasons that this might be for you, but due to the nature of this topic I think this book is either for you or it isn't. I found the timing a bit unrealistic, and I didn't finish this book feeling like Gracie actually wanted to be with Josh.
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Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for an arc of this book and the opportunity to share my thoughts. It's available now if you want to check it out.
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Page & Pour Rating: 3✨️

This was sweet, heartfelt, and REALLY made me think. Hash knocked it out of the park! I loved all the conversations about grief. They rewired something in my brain! The romance was well done also: not overstated but memorable.

“Gracie Harris is Under Construction” is one of those contemporary romance novels that digs a little deeper than most. It tackles grief in a raw and honest way, and at times, it’s genuinely painful to read, but! Kate Hash has a light, elegant writing style that makes even the heavier moments feel accessible, and by the end, the story manages to feel uplifting and hopeful.

The characters feel real, the emotions are front and center, and the romance is sweet without being over the top. It’s definitely a little gem in a sea of similar books in the genre.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect for a debut from this author and it unfortunately ended up being just an okay read. I felt the book was rather stiff and didn’t evoke the emotions I was hoping from a book revolving around navigating and overcoming the grief newly widowed Gracie was experiencing. The overall flow of the book was good and chapters were a good length so it has that going for it. There was nothing inherently “wrong” with the book it was just pretty average and a light/fluffy filler book. I thought Gracie, her kids, and the entire town of Canopy were super cute which added to the enjoyment of the book. Overall, this is a decent read that showcases a nice FMC and her journey to figuring out her life after it was turned upside down.

Grief is a tough topic to tackle in a romance or women's fiction novel, and I've read two fantastic examples recently - Gracie Harris is Under Construction and Good Grief by Sara Confino Goodman. I'll review Sara’s soon, but first let me convince you to pick up Kate Hash's debut. Many thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Gracie and her husband Ben bought a second home in the small mountain town of Canopy, NC, a real fixer-upper, and they have a huge to-do list of home renovations. But then Ben died from a heart attack, leaving Gracie and their two children behind. Gracie writes a beautiful essay about grief that gets picked up by the New York Times, leading to a biweekly column where she tackled her grief process. After being nicknamed the queen of grief, Gracie is offered a big deal to write a memoir. Her writing deadline coincides with her relocation to Canopy to oversee the work on the house while her kids attend sleep away camp nearby. What follows exploring the town are beautiful new friendships, a gorgeous home renovation, a new romance, and Gracie truly coming into her own self post-Ben.
Tears were rolling down my face for the last hour I read this one - they felt cathartic. While losing my cat earlier this month was in no way the same as the main character losing her husband, I realized my own coping mechanisms while reading about hers. This book released yesterday, and even if you don't have a death you're still processing, I think the story and emotions conveyed are worth reading. I'm so glad I did! Congrats to the author on a beautiful debut book - I can't wait to read more from her.

🏡🛠️🪜FIVE STAR AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🪜🛠️🏡

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥰Thank you so much to @duttonbooks for the gifted book!

📖Title: Gracie Harris is Under Construction
✍️Author: Kate Hash
📆Pub date: July 29, 2025

🚧Is there anything I love more than a 5 star debut? NO!

👷🏼‍♀️Finally a romance that I can truly say I LOVED! Mature characters, multi-layered plot, not overly tropey at all! Just a sweet and believable love story with two actually nice characters!

🧡In a way, this was two love stories in one. As the main character shares her grief over the death of her husband, their strong love for each other was so evident and beautiful. Then we watch as she finds new love after loss that is equally as beautiful. This book really pulled on my heart strings and had me tearing up several times.

🛠️If you read and loved THE LAST LOVE NOTE by Emma Grey, then you will definitely love this book!

Gracie Harris’s life looks a lot different than she imagined it would. When her husband dies suddenly, she uses writing to help process her grief and ends up going viral. Now, one year later, Gracie’s kids are off to camp and she is working on her memoir while also fixing up the summer house her husband never got to enjoy. One summer in a small town can change a lot and it doesn’t take long for Gracie to find her way forward.

I’m not going to lie, it took me a little while to connect with this book, but once I hit the 30% mark I was all in and read the rest in one sitting. This is not an easy romcom to read, especially as someone who has been with her partner for almost 20 years and can’t imagine going through what Gracie does. We see so much of the main characters in this book and share so many of their experiences. We see every side of Gracie, flaws and all, and the writing felt so authentic. It was easy to root for her as she navigates this new chapter of her life and moves forward. As I mentioned this book tackles some heavy topics and working through grief is one of them. There are so many sweet and funny moments as well that manage to add levity to balance out the sadder moments. Josh is one of my favorite MMCs I’ve read this year.

This reminded me a bit of books by Annabel Monaghan, who I LOVE, so if that is your kind of romance you will adore Gracie Harris. I’m seriously impressed by this debut and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for a review copy.

This will easily be one of my favorite books of the year. It was the most beautiful story of love after loss🥹

Gracie Harris is a mom of two and a recent widow. When one of her essays about grief goes viral, she lands a book deal. While her kids are away at camp, Gracie spends the summer at the mountain home she bought with her late husband.

🛠️ Josh, the contractor hired to renovate her home, helps Gracie find herself again.

I loved every moment of this novel. Gracie Harris is a strong FMC that is incredibly likable. I loved her kids and the sweet letters she sent to them while they were away at camp.

I loved how Josh helped Gracie prep for her interviews by asking her questions that she might come across. These moments between the two of them were so sweet 🫶 Josh was patient, understanding, and kind at a time when Gracie was still healing.

I loved it all, and I will be recommending this book to as many people as possible! I think it’s going to land on my staff recs shelf at the bookstore 🧡

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. This is such a sweet, well executed romance!

Heartwarming and hopeful, Gracie Harris is Under Construction is about finding love and life again after unspeakable grief. Gracie Harris is an essay writer, made famous for her the pieces she wrote after her husbands unexpected death. Now, Gracie is spending the summer at their ramshackled cabin while her kids are at camp so she can write her memoir about the first year after loss.

What she didn't except was to find herself and her confidence again, to find companionship with the contractor helping her renovate her house, find friendships in the people of this small town and maybe even find love again?

Gracie Harris is Under Construction comes out today, and I highly recommend readers picking this one up this summer!

Thank you so much to @katehashwrites @duttonbooks @prhaudio @netgalley and @britpressley for my #gifted galley and audiobook copies of Gracie Harris Is Under Comstruction! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“We’re grieving the future we were supposed to have. Meant to have. We’re grieving the end of one life and trying to figure out how the hell we start a new one. A new one we never expected to have. One we never asked for. And we need a new version of ourselves to do that.”

“The hardest thing for me is that all this happiness that I feel is the result of you losing the love of your life.”

This beautiful, tender, vulnerable gem hit me right in the heart and never let go. While the overarching theme is working through grief after the unexpected happens, there is just so much love, heartache, self-discovery, messiness and growth that comes with it. Hash crafts this story with such masterful sensitivity and grace that it’s hard to believe it’s a debut novel.

The banter and wit between Gracie and Josh is top notch, and their gentle chemistry is ever present from the moment they meet, steadily simmering in the most delicious of slow burns, with some of the most touching gestures from Josh sprinkled in 😍

Gracie’s relationships with Ben’s mom, Cecily, her best friend Jenny, her kids, and even Dr. Lisa melted my heart, and I loved watching her develop new friendships with so many of the Canopy residents 💗

Mostly though, I appreciated Gracie’s grief journey. Losing my spouse suddenly is a big fear of mine, but reading about how Gracie handled it as a newly single mom gave me confidence that I would persevere and carry on to give my kids the best life I could. Gracie is such a flawed and relatable character, and I adored her.

Friends, this book hits shelves Tuesday, and I guarantee you that every ugly cry and teary smile it will give you is absolutely worth it 💗 And @britpressley will absolutely make you cry!!

Words cannot begin to describe the feeling coursing through me at the moment. For anyone who knows the intense tango with grief, Gracie Harris is Under Construction will speak to you in ways you wouldn’t imagine. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s relatable - and it doesn’t matter if you lost someone a day ago or ten years ago. This book will take you back, force you to reflect, and, most of all, remind you that wherever you are on your journey, it is okay. There is no set timeline, no universal expectation, no standard checklist - your path is uniquely yours.

Life can change in an instant. One minute, Gracie Harris is standing in her dream home away from home with her husband Ben, pondering all the adventures they’ll have while the kids are away at camp and of the family memories they’ll make in Canopy. Ten days later, the unimaginable happens. Coping with her grief in the only way she knows how, Gracie pens an essay that will change her life. One year later, now dubbed the "Queen of Grief" with a biweekly column in the New York Times, Gracie finds herself at a crossroads. With her highly anticipated memoir due by the end of the summer, she has two options: push through in a house full of memories, sorrow, and the ghost of what was and what will never be, or spend the summer in Canopy, in the dream house she bought but never had the chance to share with Ben. Deciding not to sell the fixer-upper just yet, Gracie enlists her realtor James to find her a contractor to make the home livable. Enter his brother Josh, currently on a forced sabbatical due to overworking. In an effort to keep himself from going crazy with far too much time on his hands, Josh agrees to fix up Gracie’s home. Instantly comfortable with each other, Gracie finds herself drawn to Josh - but she only lost Ben a year ago. It’s one thing to “grief date,” but to fall in love?

This isn’t a love story about overcoming grief; it’s about learning to accept how it intertwines with your life. Kate may have focused on Gracie’s experience after losing Ben, but anyone who’s lost a piece of their heart - be it a friend, a parent, a child, a partner, or even a dream career ripped away by a tragic accident - can connect with this story. There’s the unbearable ache, the moments when life just doesn’t seem worth it, and the gradual convincing (whether by yourself or those around you) to take it minute by minute, day by day. For those who have lost a significant other, there’s also the weight of outside judgment - are you moving on too fast, or not fast enough? And for everyone, there always seems to be someone telling you how long is too long to grieve.

In Gracie Harris is Under Construction, Kate illustrates these realities from all angles - from those grieving alongside Gracie, to her support system (personal and professional), and the outside world’s perspective. Through both warranted and unsolicited input, and through Gracie’s own internal and therapeutic reflection, Kate’s story speaks to so many readers who will hear Gracie’s voice and think, “Yeah, I get it” - whether through their own story or through someone close to them.

Now, don’t get me wrong - this is also a beautiful love story. But it’s wrapped in a delicate layer of self-growth, self-preservation, understanding, letting go, and acceptance.

That’s why I loved that in Kate’s story, Gracie let herself be supported. She had her group she could text in moments of need, a therapist, and a best friend she could lean on. No one told her to get over it or move on. They met her where she was, with only the gentle insistence that she care for herself (hello, dreaded survivor mode). The story also beautifully highlights the cracks - and eventually, the sinkhole - that can appear when you constantly push away pain, hiding it from yourself and from others.

Kate intentionally kept the book closed-door and squeaky clean, expressing the intimacy between Gracie and Josh without losing the story’s sweetness. Even the buildup to a kiss, a moment, or a journey to the bedroom was layered with emotional impact.

I will warn you - if you’ve experienced deep grief, this book will hit hard. Kate was so spot-on that, for once, I read the acknowledgments just to see if she was writing from her own experience or if her Google search bar had gotten an extraordinary workout, because she nailed it. For those who have walked through grief, it’s a powerful reminder that the path is anything but linear. There’s no tidy beginning or end; it’s a cycle of ups and downs, good days and hard ones. That’s what I most appreciated about Gracie’s journey: it was honest. There’s no “love conquers all” moment that makes her magically “over” Ben’s death. Instead, we witness the struggle, the setbacks, the fear, the symbolism - everything.

This story was absolutely beautiful and, honestly, emotionally exhausting. For those who haven’t experienced grief, you’ll find yourself sympathizing with Gracie. For those who see themselves in her story, I apologize in advance and advise you to grab some comfort food. Gracie Harris is Under Construction will make you smile, laugh, think, and - most of all - show grace for those who are still on their own grief journey

Really good romance that deals with heavy life issues. Love the older protagonists and the slow burn of a romance.

Kate Hash's debut novel, GRACIE HARRIS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, is a beautifully written story of grief and happiness and love.

It's been a year since Gracie's husband, Ben, died suddenly. While in the throes of grief, Gracie wrote an emotional essay that went viral, earning her a new career as a newspaper columnist and a book contract. A mother of two, she is sending her kids off to camp and decides to finish her book over the summer at the house she and Ben bought ten days before his death. She's in need of a contractor to fix up the house, and her realtor recommends his brother, Josh.

This is a romance. Josh falls for Gracie very quickly, but he respects where she is in her journey and is content to stand with her as a friend. It's an absolutely beautiful slow burn. As Gracie works through her book and Josh renovates her house, you can feel their growing feelings for each other.

Beyond the romance, though, this is a story about personal growth and moving forward in a life that was unexpectedly shattered. Gracie went from grieving Ben and the life she was expecting with him--playing with their grandchildren, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary--to being open to accepting new relationships with new milestones to celebrate.

Hash took the time to build a great cast of supporting characters. Gracie's circle of friends, family and colleagues is supportive and loving, and Josh nudges her to get out and make friends in the community. Josh wasn't the sole reason for Gracie's growth, he was part of the village that helped her to heal.

What a debut! I can't wait to see what Kate Hash does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton imprint for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Oh, I loved this book! Such a tender, beautiful, honest, and hopeful look at grief. I have always loved stories of women healing after going through a “canon moment”, and I was so moved by Gracie’s story of healing after suddenly losing her husband of almost 20 years. I loved the small town community as well, and her relationship with Josh had so much chemistry but always developed at a beautiful speed. Such a fantastic debut!

Gracie’s husband died almost a year ago and she has been writing about her grief as a coping mechanism. She has two young children and became a viral sensation with her Modern Love story in The NY Times about widowhood. Now that almost a year has passed, she has to deal with the summer house she and her husband bought in Canopy right before he died. She decides that she will spend the summer there while her kids are at camp and find a contractor to fix up the house in order to get it ready to sell it while she finishes her memoir and continues to do interviews on the subject of grief. The real estate agent who sold them the house, James, suggests that his brother Josh help Gracie out, he’s a general contractor who is taking a break from his extremely profitable business because he has burnt himself out. Josh does everything at cost and also helps Gracie get better at interviews by spending their lunches asking her hard questions as prep. As the two get to know each other better, each helps the other move forward. But in order to really move forward you need to know how you got where you are, and that is a difficult thing to do.

I loved this book, I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened it but I read it all day and couldn’t put it down (like room full of people talking and me in my book). Yes, it is a rom com but it has so much depth or emotion and insight into grief that I honestly don’t know how to characterize it or push it into a single genre. I loved Gracie, her kids, Josh, all of the Canopy denizens - everyone. Grief is obviously a difficult subject to treat delicately and well but I think this book really succeeded in helping the reader understand grief while be able to keep a light handed approach to it - it never felt too heavy. I had the audio and happily listened while prepping dinner for my in-laws, but I read a lot of it and I’m glad I sat down and really read it (crying with AirPods in is never a great look). This is a debut novel and I cannot wait to see what the author does next!

4.25 stars

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I absolutely loved this story! The characters are real, raw, and complex and the storyline authentically represents so much of the grief journey.

Kate Hash's writing is so smooth and emotional without being cliche or trite. I can not wait to read ANYTHING else she writes!

What a gem of a book!