Lauryn Harper is a dedicated employee on track to retire early. She doesn't have a life outside of work, but she doesn't really mind because tracking every penny and planning for her future keeps her plenty busy. One day at work, Lauryn's invisible disability causes a huge misunderstanding that gets her sent back to her hometown, where the charity arm of the company is based. While devastated by this shunning and the return to her past, rural life, Lauryn is determined to do such a great job that she'll quickly be able to return to the company's main office and with it, city life. However, before long, Lauryn remembers how much she once actually liked her hometown and its residents. She also remembers the way her company all but ruined the town decades ago and begins to question their commitment to it.

This is a cozy story with great small town, community vibes. I really enjoyed it. The audio narration was perfect!

Thanks to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for a review copy of this audiobook.

Lauryn Harper has been demoted at work all due to a misunderstanding. She is having a hard time and is sent to work in her hometown. This town has a festival that Lauryn takes charge of. She wants to really promote it and do a great job so that it brings people to her wonderful town. She comes up with a brilliant plan to have her company sponsor a lot of the festival, which includes a hefty expense. Except, Lauryn learns that she doesn’t have that kind of authority anymore and secretly foots the bill.

How will this festival turn out? Will this festival bring visitors to this town?

I enjoyed this book and loved that there was a small town feel, but no romance. I love the concept of the book, but there were parts that I felt were dragging a bit. I did enjoy Lauryn’s character, strength, and dedication to her job and to her town.

I enjoyed this novel and I felt the audiobook was great -- the narrator did a wonderful job. The story itself was feel-good but still had some mysterious parts and annoyance at characters that still gave it some interesting thoughts throughout the read. I also appreciated it kind of ended how you'd think but also not at the same time and that's the best way I can describe it. I would definitely read other books by Robinson.

Told with some humor and snark, this story follows a DC worker set on retiring early from her big pharma job only to get demoted and set to the ancillary office in her small hometown that's been damaged by the very company she works for. I liked the disability rep (Lauryn is deaf in one ear) and that she fights to revive the company sponsored fall charity festival for the town, but the story was a bit slow moving and overall kind of a yawn if I'm totally honest. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

LAURYN HARPER FALLS APART by Shauna Robinson is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for September 2025. It is a cute story about a confused young woman who finds her way after being demoted due to a misunderstanding at her workplace. I read portions of the ebook and listened to the majority of the Spotify audiobook which is excellent. The narrator, Deanna Anthony, perfectly captures the bewilderment and self-delusion that Lauren Harper exhibits as she repeatedly is her own best enemy, reluctant to rely on the collegiality of other disgraced and misfit corporate employees. They have all been sent to a rural outpost which hosts the charity arm, Ryser Cares, of a big and often controversial conglomerate. Together the group bonds as they attempt to resurrect the former Fall Festival in order to raise funds to support Greenstead's Community Center. I think Robinson's fans will enjoy this feel-good tale, even if it seems very predictable. My own issues are similar to those I expressed about her earlier work, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks: the financials just don't add up. If Lauren is set to retire in the next few years, what is keeping her from donating (or loaning) $10K to cover the festival costs? Surely, she has that amount readily available and doesn't need to subject readers to repeated musings about where she can find sources of funds. And, to me, Ryser's funding proposals and grants seem so inconsistent as shown by the wide disparity versus funds they eventually allocate. A heartfelt story evoking memories of local festivities.

Deanna Anthony's expressive narration would raise the audiobook rating to 4.5 stars overall.

In Shauna Robinson's latest novel, Lauryn Harper Falls Apart, readers follow main character Lauryn, a mid 30s woman who returns to her home town after being transferred from her successful Washington DC job, following a minor misunderstanding at work, to a satellite office for their... disgraced employees, if you will.

Lauryn left her childhood home behind as soon as she could, fleeing to Washington DC for college and taking an internship with a company who is NOT well-liked amongst the locals due to a mustard incident years ago (yes, I did say mustard). Now, thanks to that work mishap in DC, Lauryn is now a part of the Ryser Charity Department, or as far as Lauryn can tell, where "problem" Ryser employees end up. Now back, Lauryn has to face her family and friends after years of absence and judgement for taking a job with public enemy number one. When Lauryn's ex-BFF asks the company to help boost the town again with a festival, Lauryn can't say no. Working so closely with her former friend proves to be difficult at first, but as they work to get the festival off the ground on Ryser's dime, Lauryn finds that home might not be a bad place to be after all.

This novel had full on fall and small town vibes, which I loved. It also had Robinson's signature humor, hijinks, and endearing characters. I think "The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks" is still my favorite of hers, but this one did NOT disappoint. Narrator Deanna Anthony also did a great job of bringing Lauryn Harper and characters to life.

"Lauryn Harper Falls Apart" will definitely be high up on the list of my fall recommendations for library patrons this year. Lots of fun with lots of heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks.for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

Here we meet Lauryn, a 30-ish woman who got herself into a bit of a pickle at work due to a misunderstanding and ended up at the flop house where the executives go when they make a big mistake, but know too much to be fired. So now she’s back in the hometown she tried to escape with the best friend she’s missed for so many years and has a goal to get back to the way things were so she could retire at 40 and finally start her real life. This is a book about friendship, about family and found family, about what is really means to live your life and how small steps can remind you who you really are inside.

Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks for the ARC

A story of friendship, redemption, and finding oneself. Lauryn Harper's biggest wish as a teenager was to escape the confines of her small town, following in her mother's footsteps. The opportunity final comes about when she sets off to college in DC and gets an internship, then a job, with a company called Ryser. The one caveat? Ryser is the company responsible for destroying the town she grew up in. She is working for the enemy. On top of it all she and her best friend had a falling out when Lauryn took the internship and no longer speak to one another. Flash forward to the present time when Lauryn has decided that even though Ryser is despicable, she is buying her time to make enough money to retire young and then make a difference in the world. Unfortunately when she is misunderstood do to a miscommunication her plan is up ended and Lauryn is transferred to the Ryser Cares office, conveniently located in the town she ran away from. Lauren meets a ragtag group of other former Ryser employees who for one reason or another weren't fired, just transferred. (Could it be because they knew too much about what Ryser was really up to?) Lauryn spends her time looking for a purpose and a way to get back into her boss's good graces. It appears when her former best friend wants to revitalize the fall festival. Lauryn is convinced she can get Ryser to support the endeavor, but it comes at a price. If you enjoy a book about second chances, good-hearted intentions, and finding your way, then Lauryn Harper Falls Apart is the book you are looking for.

Shauna Robinson always manages to write books that speak to my millennial soul, and Lauryn Harper Falls Apart is not different. This is a perfect fall read, jam packed with growth, friendships (new and old), caramel apples, fall festivals & taking on corrupt corporations. I thoroughly loved this book and will forever read any book Shauna Robinson writes!

Shauna Robinson knows how to write characters you want to be besties with! This is a recommended purchase in all formats for collections where women's fic is popular.

SO glad I got to read and review this one before its release! I feel like I will forever be buying and recommending Shauna Robinson's books because they're so thoughtfully crafted. I was first attracted to reading it when I heard it would include a mustard flood in a small town, and the way that tidbit is woven into this story is so seamless. I loved that this book focuses more on friendship and community, and, of course, SHauna's books always make me laugh and this one did not disappoint. I think this is a perfect fall read.

This is a good choice for readers who enjoy Hallmark movies. Told in the first person voice of Lauryn Harper, an employee of the disreputable Ryder Food corporation Public Relations Dept. Lauryn is demoted after a misunderstanding and transferred back to her home town, where she will work in the company’s charity office, amongst other disgraced employees. Once back in her hometown Lauryn reconnects with her childhood best friend and they work through old grievances to rebuild their friendship while trying to save their towns community center.

My problem with this book was that the issue which caused Lauryn to be demoted would never have stood up to any HR investigation. Lauryn had a known hearing loss in one ear. She misheard a question posed to her. No HR manager would have allowed a demotion for such a ridiculous misunderstanding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not finish this book. It was so dry...the narrator was a big hurdle for me. She sounds very unnatural, almost AI-like. No inflection or emotion really made it so difficult to read. I did not finish this audiobook.

Lauryn Harper Falls Apart is a sweet story about second chances and returning back home as an adult. It’s refreshing to read a story that doesn’t involve romance among the main characters. This story is about rebuilding a a lost friendship and coming to terms with the loss of the career the MC has built her life around.

The narrator does a wonderful job bringing this story to life. I both read and listened to this book and preferred the audiobook.

4 stars

I enjoy this author so much, and this newest effort, though I read it on the hottest day of the year (so far), is giving real Fall vibes. If you are ready for cider, pumpkin everything, and colorful leaves - along with the grossest sounding dessert I've heard of in a minute - crack this book.

The titular Lauryn Harper is sort of falling apart, but relative to actual life, things are pretty mundane and the falling apart is for the better! After an entertaining misunderstanding at work, Lauryn experiences some upheaval, and this leads her to her hometown, lost connections, and new possibilities.

Lauryn's story comes with some food for thought and some challenges, but overall, this is just a pleasant reading experience. The dramas are not too severe, the atmosphere is charming, and The Man is manning but there's hope to counteract that nonsense. I enjoyed this (for me) change of pace and recommend it as a great palate cleanser.

lauryn harper falls apart is a cozy, heartfelt story about second chances, self-discovery, and the beauty of coming home—literally and emotionally. after a career setback, lauryn finds herself back in her small hometown, reluctantly reviving a dying apple festival with her ex-best friend. the story blends humor, community charm, and emotional depth as lauryn slowly unravels what really matters. i loved the layers of identity and representation woven into her journey, especially her experiences as a biracial, partially deaf woman navigating both personal and professional worlds. while the middle dragged a bit, the ending left me warm and smiling. perfect for fans of small-town stories with heart. 🍎✨

Could’ve been a little shorter but overall very cute story!

⭐️ 3.75 stars!!

This was a heartwarming book of second chances, finding home, and friendship and I LOVED it!

Lauryn Harper has a scandal at her corporate job and is transferred as punishment. Now, she is working at the Ryser Charity Department in her hometown, a place she spent so much time trying to distance herself from. Everyone who works in her new office has had some sort of work mishap working with Ryser, causing them all to be practically exiled. Lauryn knows that the reason she was transferred was a complete misunderstanding, so she will bide her time here until they allow her to return.

Her childhood (ex) best friend sweeps back into her life, bringing unresolved feelings up, as well as a potential answer to Lauryn's problems. If this Ryser team can work together and bring back the town's beloved Greenstead Fall Festival, injecting some love and hard work into their dying town, this could prove to Lauryn's old boss that she is a valuable employee who deserves her old job back. It is not fully lost on Lauryn that the company that she has dedicated her adult life to is the reason for the downfall of the town... Everyone knows it. The longer she is back in Greenstead, the harder it is to ignore. She is getting to know her new co workers, becoming friends with them, and even starting to heal the rift with her childhood friend, making it more and more obvious that she needs to reevaluate where she wants to be in life.

I adored this book so much. There is partial deaf representation in this book and I enjoyed the author's portrayal. Ableism is a big problem that Lauryn deals with from others and I felt it with my whole heart! I also loved that there is nary a romance plot in sight. It was refreshing to have a story focus solely on friendships and self growth, which Shauna Robinson did so well! I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator gave Lauryn a perfect voice to convey the humor and depth of the story.

4.75 stars