4.5/5 ⭐️

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton.

Well everyone, buckle up because we’re going on a journey through grief. Gracie Harris is such a well rounded character and seeing her grow throughout her summer in the idyllic town of Canopy kept me so engaged. I have never experienced grief like Gracie has, not a spoiler but her husband is dead and we join her one year into her journey. I felt for Gracie and I think people that have experienced deep, life-changing grief will get a lot out of this book.

The romance comes second to Gracie’s own journey of finding a new sense of self after loss. Josh is the picture perfect MMC. He’s there to fix Gracie both literally (her house) and figuratively (emotionally). I appreciated that this book was more closed/cracked door romance. I didn’t need all in this book.

The secondary characters make this book shine. Gracie has a fantastic support system and there were multiple times I was giggling and then crying. Kate Hash does a fantastic job of finding the emotional balance.

My only tiny gripe with this book is that it felt wrapped up too perfectly and it seemed unrealistic. I could only knock it down a half star for that though because it will be a book I recommend to most people.

This is Kate Hash’s debut novel and I can’t wait to read whatever she decides to write next.

While definitely not my usual kind of read, I really liked this one. Gracie felt so real — raw, messy, and just trying to hold herself together while her whole life is kind of crumbling. Single mom and recently widowed after the sudden death of her husband, it wasn’t always easy to watch her struggle, but that made her growth hit even harder. My favorite part was seeing her slowly find herself again and really embrace the happiness and love in her life. The romance with Josh was slow, sweet, and handled with so much care, especially with everything Gracie was going through. It never overshadowed her healing, which I loved. Quiet, emotional, and just really well done. (Josh was also a personal fav for me!)

I really enjoyed this one! I love the representation of an older woman, a mom, and grief and growth after losing one’s husband. These main characters are swoon-worthy and have depth… more than the typical romcom. If you enjoy romcoms, a little spice, a hea, and authentic characters, you’ll love this book.

Wow, I loved this book. Reading Gracie’s journey through grief and finding love again was truly beautiful. This book made me smile, laugh, swoon, and cry. Definitely top 5 of the year so far for me!

I didn’t know what I was walking into reading this book, expecting a cute rom-com at best. This is so much more. I cried with Gracie more times than I can count. The grief she endured throughout this book is relatable, and it’s raw. I couldn’t help but feel this author put words to some of my own grief. I just absolutely loved the plot driven story here. The romance between Gracie + Josh is ADORABLE ok don’t let me skip over that one. Their banter and flirting is just top tier. I really enjoyed the slow burn here but just know it’s sloooow. The end game is worth it! Their story will stick with me for a while. These books remind you of why you read.

Wow. Absolutely wow. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I was worried that after a strong start and middle, the ending would flag on but we started and finished strong. Congratulations to Kate Hash for a beautiful debut novel.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

Talk about a book with feels. Gracie Harris is navigating life a year after her husband, Ben, unexpectedly died. Between juggling her budding career as an author, her two adolescent kids, and attempting to grieve while moving forward, she has her hands full enough without the added stress of renovating a vacation home purchased shortly before Ben’s death. Enter Josh. Josh is on sabbatical and in need of a project to keep him busy, in this case fixing up the home Gracie owns in his small town.

This is a slow burn romance, but I’d argue it’s more a second act coming-of-(middle) age about Gracie growing into a new version of herself without the man she was with her whole adult life. I loved the strong, amazing support group she has in the form of friends, coworkers, and even her kids. I also enjoyed the respectfulness and cautious approach Josh took with her, becoming a great friend and letting Gracie set the pace.

This book is real and raw, and I’m unashamed to say I shed a few tears more than once as I followed along with Gracie’s journey.

This book was such a good read! The story pulled me in right from the start and kept me hooked the whole way through. The writing was smooth and easy to follow, and the characters felt real and relatable. I found myself rooting for them and wanting to know what would happen next. The pacing was just right—never too slow, but not rushed either. It had a nice balance of emotion, drama, and just the right touch of humor. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging story.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In case you’re wondering, this book made me cry FOUR separate times.

I’m genuinely impressed that this is Kate’s debut novel. The writing is well done, the book flowed smoothly, and there’s so much that readers can relate to throughout the storytelling.

This book is almost therapeutic—a journey through grief, written in such a real, raw, and honestly, mature way. I loved how much day-to-day life we got to experience. The emphasis on how normal and important therapy is. The support systems we would all love to have.

This isn’t a story with drama, messy third act break-ups, or toxic characters. There is no real trope I could classify this under. This is a grown, forty something year old woman, going through the worst thing you could possibly imagine, and trying to discover what life is going to be like for her now.

It’s slower paced. It’s emotional. It’s reflective. It’s inspiring.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I am absolutely in awe that this was a debut novel. It was phenomenal. So much more than I was expecting! Was it a romance? Well, yes, and a very slow burn, but it's really more about the evolution of Gracie after the unexpected loss of her beloved husband. The writing was so nuanced, one of those books where you don't want to miss a word, and where you can't wait to finish it but don't want to finish it at the same time. I loved how Gracie's writing was incorporated into the story. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. Can't recommend this enough. I hope this gets all the attention it deserves.

Grace Harris is Under Construction by Kate Hash is the story of our protagonist who is dealing with the death of her husband and the celebrity status she has gained as an essay writer and author since then.

Grace Harris is a recent widow and mother of two who temporarily moves to the small town of Canopy while her kids are at summer camp. She reached minor celebrity status when she published essays focusing on the grief she felt after the sudden death of her husband. In her attempts to write a memoir, she becomes close with her contractor, Josh. The plot of this story was intriguing and kept me interested throughout the entirety of the book. I felt the pacing was well done.

Finding love after loss.. rebuilding yourself, and finding the light in the dark.. that’s what Gracie Harris does in Gracie Harris is Under Construction🩷

Wow, what a read. Gracie loses her husband Ben suddenly and her and her kiddos have to figure out how to move forward. After his death Gracie finds herself famous after writing an essay about grief that goes viral. She decides to write a memoir and hires a handsome and kind contractor to fix up her and her late husband’s summer home while she writes.. and the sparks slowly begin to fly.

The story follows Gracie’s grief and heartbreak over Ben, but also new beginnings, resilience, finding another love and honouring the old parts of yourself, and the new.

I loved this book. It was raw, real, emotional and fun. I teared up, I felt the loss and anger all too well, and laughed and smiled along with Gracie. A great emotional, slow burn romance with a heavy focus on grief and loss, and healing🩷🩷

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book.
Gracie Harris is Under Construction was a beautiful representation of the stages of grief and how it’s really learning about how to live with this change and not “get over it.” This book definitely made me think hard about more than just grief as well. There was an underlying plot of understanding that even when life gets tough, sometimes we need to lean on other people and not belittle our emotions and hide behind something else. This was a sweet romance, not only about the love Gracie had for her husband, but also the love she has for their children and opening herself up to romantic love again. A heartwarming story that still has me thinking about it days after finishing.

I’m still in awe that this is a debut novel. It is a beautiful love story about tenderhearted Gracie Harris—a mom of two and recent widow—as she navigates the unexpected curveballs that adulthood throws and takes her second chance to find love.

I was so emotional reading Gracie’s story. It was so beautifully written. The characters all feel wonderfully real. The connection between Gracie and Josh was so special. Their love story is sweet and was born through friendship. And while this is a love story, it was truly so much more than that. Seeing Gracie’s growth and transformation while she is in the heavy stages of grief was beautiful. Not moving on…but moving forward. Married to my high school sweetheart, I can’t even begin to imagine the heartbreak of losing your spouse, especially when it’s so sudden.

Highly recommend this emotionally rich story. One of my faves of the year.

Thank you, Kate and @netgalley for gifting me an advanced copy of this incredible book. I look forward to reading mode from you, Kate!😍

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Gracie and Josh are couple goals! This was a beautiful story about grief and moving forward while honoring loss. The writing was beautiful and thought provoking. I definitely shed tears as I cheered for Gracie and Josh. I loved how they organically got to know and trust one another. I loved how she developed relationships around town and became part of the community. Josh was such a good guy and his consideration of Josie, her late husband, and her kids was really touching. I liked that Gracie and Josh brought out the best in each other and helped the other become the best versions of themselves. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Wow, what a beautiful emotional journey! It's hard to capture the layers and nuances of grief after losing a loved one. Still, Kate Hash does so in such a masterful way—Gracie's healing journey and moving on perfectly balance heartbreakingly sad and happily optimistic.

I loved the small town setting and the close-knit community of characters that support Gracie's journey. I was also impressed by the way the author introduced a new love interest for Gracie. Without spoiling too much, Gracie finds someone who can love her for who she is - grief and all - while still honoring her husband's memory.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to more work from this new author.

If you liked Emma Grey's The Last Love Note or any books by Annabel Monaghan, you'll love this novel by debut author Kate Hash. It's equal parts women's fiction and romance-- a story about working through the grief of losing a spouse as a late-30s mom of two, and moving forward with a new romantic relationship.

My Impressions: Kate's writing style is excellent, and it is hard to believe she's debut author! I will definitely be watching for more of her books. She did a great job with a hard topic, and balanced it well to where the book is not too dark/depressing, but doesn't brush off the hard parts of grief either.

The setting was unique (North Carolina) and a nice change from the overused big city settings of many novels. Gracie and Josh were well-written main characters that felt realistic and relatable. I identified a lot with the issues Gracie faced as a mom in her late 30s with two pre-teen kids.

I took off one star for two reasons. I thought Gracie's kids were a little too accepting of Josh right away to be realistic. I think it would be more believable to see the kids work through their grief and challenges accepting a new dad-figure into their lives. The timeline for that was a little rushed and idealistic. Also, I felt like the 65%-85% mark had a different tone than the rest of the book, and was more self-absorbed and focused on Josh's and Gracie's physical connection. I didn't personally agree with their glorified sexual relationship before marriage due to my Biblical worldview; they laughed about their "fornication" a few times.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and really liked the way the author handled Gracie facing her grief and working through it in a healthy way.

Content Considerations: Sparse profanity (maybe one f-- and a handful of light words scattered in the book), a few sex scenes between an unmarried couple that are fade to black or vague open door (akin to Annabel Monaghan's style and mostly focused on emotion not descriptions), grief themes related to loss of spouse, a few innuendos, mention of previous one-night-stands.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley and for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

Man, what a debut. Talk about smashing heartbreak and love out of the park. A woman who has lost her everything and writing it for the world, can she find it again? Can she believe she's worth it all again? This one got me in my feels and if you saw me sobbing aggressively on the train last week, don't worry it was just the heartbreak and beauty of this book.

This was really well written, bringing the reader through the different stages of grief and all the emotions that come with the perspective of meeting someone new.
While moving slowly through the dense fog of death, Gracie Harris wrote about the passing of her husband. Now that time has fluttered on — like the sun through a tree's seasonal branches — she is starting to come alive again, albeit in a different way. Life now looks like an alternate reality without the man she thought would always be her other half. The romance is sweet, and Josh is a great character.
This is like a blend of women's fiction and romance, with a slow build to the relationship and a realistic look at grief, shame, anger, and adjustment. Recommended.