Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee started off a bit wobbly for me—the voice is too much IMO at first—but by the end l was cheering for this heartfelt book that’s a bit women’s fiction, a bit romance, with some quality steam & a definite HEA.

At the beginning of the book Hannah is a mom to baby Bowie & in a long-term relationship with his dad, who routinely calls her a “mess” (supposedly affectionately). But they soon break up & she takes Bowie to her mom & step-dad’s mountain cabin, despite her reservations about taking on the stress they inevitably cause her.

Newly fired & single, Hannah Tate has plenty of motivation to decide what she wants to do with her life. Helping her renovate her mom’s horror AirB&B is River, a relaxed, kind, & very attractive contractor who prefers to live outside of society’s dictates.

This book delves into some big topics—inadequate parenting, technology reliance, not respecting FMLA in the workplace, & more are covered in this book—& on the whole it’s skillfully done.

I ended up leaning into the quirky, adorable, & imperfect characters, the theme of renewal & finding joy, & the love & acceptance that permeates the book.

There are things in this one that I wouldn’t enjoy as much written by another author in a different style, but I think Laura Piper Lee writes it successfully & with obvious heart & good intentions.

If you can get past the beginning chapters, which come across a bit too aggressively IMO, I think you’ll find a shining story about a woman who drops the shitty things in her life & chooses happiness.