What do you think?
Rate this book
The Brink of Something Beautiful: A Novel
For readers of Miriam Toews and Claire Keegan, an immersive and deeply poignant new novel set on the Rock about female friendship and found family.
Ruby Nolan is a new widow. Hidden in her grief and guilt for her husband, Joe, is a sense that she is free from a marriage she never wanted. But how can she possibly begin again? An encounter with Maxine, a pregnant teen who reminds Ruby of her own sorry past, and a shocking revelation from her mother, Vera, send Ruby on a collision course with old truths and regrets and on a mission to help Maxine whether she wants it or not. While a friend warns Ruby that you can’t help anyone until you help yourself, it’s a lesson Ruby has to learn the hard way if she’s going to find any real peace.
Set over the course of one winter in 1990s St. John’s and infused with the rich culture and characters of the Rock, The Brink of Something Beautiful is the life-affirming, ultimately hopeful story about how women lift each other up and figure themselves out.
Ruby Nolan is a new widow. Hidden in her grief and guilt for her husband, Joe, is a sense that she is free from a marriage she never wanted. But how can she possibly begin again? An encounter with Maxine, a pregnant teen who reminds Ruby of her own sorry past, and a shocking revelation from her mother, Vera, send Ruby on a collision course with old truths and regrets and on a mission to help Maxine whether she wants it or not. While a friend warns Ruby that you can’t help anyone until you help yourself, it’s a lesson Ruby has to learn the hard way if she’s going to find any real peace.
Set over the course of one winter in 1990s St. John’s and infused with the rich culture and characters of the Rock, The Brink of Something Beautiful is the life-affirming, ultimately hopeful story about how women lift each other up and figure themselves out.
304 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Brink of Something Beautiful
Bobbi French
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
HarperCollins Canada | HarperAvenue
304 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Women's Fiction
This was a very emotional read for me. It's set in 1990s St. John’s, Newfoundland, during the winter, and it's about Ruby, who has recently become a widow. Ruby is feeling the grief of losing a loved one, and she feels a lot of guilt too. Ruby also has a secret; she also feels relieved that Joe is no longer in her life. She never really wanted to be married to him in the first place.
Then Ruby meets Maxine. Maxine is a pregnant teenager, and her situation reminds Ruby of her own past. Ruby feels protective of Maxine for this reason. What I took from the story was that Ruby finally understood that she can't help Maxine until she learns to help and forgive herself. I liked that the book wasn't melodramatic. Yes, there were emotional parts, but it didn't go over the top. Ruby finds her inner strength and is very empathetic. And the plot of found family felt real and was very moving.
I loved the setting of 1990s St. John’s. I have travelled the west of Canada, but never the East Coast, and this book put me there. I could feel the wind and smell the salty air. The author also uses Newfoundland dialect and culture. I have family that lives in Newfoundland, and it was very realistic. The book did a great job balancing heavy topics with a sense of hope. Ruby doesn't spend her time having a pity party, and the author didn't get too sappy with the joyful parts either. It's a story about women helping women. We all have difficult times to get through in life, so it's nice to know you have friends who aren't there just for the fair-weather days. This was an excellent character-driven story with lots of emotional baggage and little flicks of hopefulness. I can't recommend it enough. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Brink of Something Beautiful
Bobbi French
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
HarperCollins Canada | HarperAvenue
304 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Women's Fiction
This was a very emotional read for me. It's set in 1990s St. John’s, Newfoundland, during the winter, and it's about Ruby, who has recently become a widow. Ruby is feeling the grief of losing a loved one, and she feels a lot of guilt too. Ruby also has a secret; she also feels relieved that Joe is no longer in her life. She never really wanted to be married to him in the first place.
Then Ruby meets Maxine. Maxine is a pregnant teenager, and her situation reminds Ruby of her own past. Ruby feels protective of Maxine for this reason. What I took from the story was that Ruby finally understood that she can't help Maxine until she learns to help and forgive herself. I liked that the book wasn't melodramatic. Yes, there were emotional parts, but it didn't go over the top. Ruby finds her inner strength and is very empathetic. And the plot of found family felt real and was very moving.
I loved the setting of 1990s St. John’s. I have travelled the west of Canada, but never the East Coast, and this book put me there. I could feel the wind and smell the salty air. The author also uses Newfoundland dialect and culture. I have family that lives in Newfoundland, and it was very realistic. The book did a great job balancing heavy topics with a sense of hope. Ruby doesn't spend her time having a pity party, and the author didn't get too sappy with the joyful parts either. It's a story about women helping women. We all have difficult times to get through in life, so it's nice to know you have friends who aren't there just for the fair-weather days. This was an excellent character-driven story with lots of emotional baggage and little flicks of hopefulness. I can't recommend it enough. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
May 18, 2026
Cheers to this Canadian author read. 🇨🇦
4 🌟
This was an audio listen for me which I sailed through. I did not love the narrator but overall I really enjoyed this story.
Set in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the 90s, Ruby has lost her husband. Widowed, alone and questioning a marriage that was at times lonely and lacked intimacy. At her husband’s funeral she meets a young girl, Maxine who was touched by her husband’s kindness. Ruby befriends Maxine and learns about her dysfunctional past and learns she is pregnant with an abusive partner.
Ruby then delves into her own childhood filled with an alcoholic father and as she married young she had trouble conceiving.
This book highlights the importance of friendship in the many forms. From daughter to mother, and friends. Some of whom you meet early in life and others who come into your life just when you need them to.
Trigger warnings with this book. Abuse, SIDS
Also I really don’t think the author likes Alberta. Particularly Fort McMurray…. 🥶 💰 🤣 Listen
Bobbi, we are good people in Alberta.
4 🌟
This was an audio listen for me which I sailed through. I did not love the narrator but overall I really enjoyed this story.
Set in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the 90s, Ruby has lost her husband. Widowed, alone and questioning a marriage that was at times lonely and lacked intimacy. At her husband’s funeral she meets a young girl, Maxine who was touched by her husband’s kindness. Ruby befriends Maxine and learns about her dysfunctional past and learns she is pregnant with an abusive partner.
Ruby then delves into her own childhood filled with an alcoholic father and as she married young she had trouble conceiving.
This book highlights the importance of friendship in the many forms. From daughter to mother, and friends. Some of whom you meet early in life and others who come into your life just when you need them to.
Trigger warnings with this book. Abuse, SIDS
Also I really don’t think the author likes Alberta. Particularly Fort McMurray…. 🥶 💰 🤣 Listen
Bobbi, we are good people in Alberta.
June 21, 2026
The late 1990's setting sure took me back. I can still remember the New Year party I was at with friends, counting down to the year 2000. The good ol' Y2K Bug. The year technology was going to crumble. (Ok! Back to my review - ha ha)
Ruby's character was fantastic! A woman you would absolutely want in your corner. So tenacious!!
As someone who has experienced abuse, the portrayal of Maxine's character, her thought process and actions were heartbreakingly accurate. It isn't as easy as just leaving when you're building a life. You really do believe your partner can change, that they will do better. Domestic violence is never cut and dry.
Last thoughts, this would make a great book club read. There's lots to unpack and discuss. Highly recommend!
My thanks to the author herself for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ruby's character was fantastic! A woman you would absolutely want in your corner. So tenacious!!
As someone who has experienced abuse, the portrayal of Maxine's character, her thought process and actions were heartbreakingly accurate. It isn't as easy as just leaving when you're building a life. You really do believe your partner can change, that they will do better. Domestic violence is never cut and dry.
Last thoughts, this would make a great book club read. There's lots to unpack and discuss. Highly recommend!
My thanks to the author herself for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2026
Wow! This was such a surprise and from a Canadian author! How have I not heard of her before now? I just loved the story and the dialect was so authentic I felt like I was talking to my Step Mom who is from St.Vincents, Newfoundland. One of the characters actually had the same first and last name as her Mom! The ending was just perfect. I have now put her other book on request from the library and am really looking forward to it. What a talented writer! 🇨🇦 🍁
January 31, 2026
Found family, women helping women, grief, and middle age awakenings. I really liked this. Probably 4.5.
May 19, 2026
4,5 ⭐️
Wow, tellement une belle découverte! 🥹 J’ai adoré!!! L’histoire était belle, touchante, vraie et vraiment bien écrite. Je me suis attachée vraiment rapidement à Ruby et Maxine. Ce livre mérite tellement d’être plus connu!
Wow, tellement une belle découverte! 🥹 J’ai adoré!!! L’histoire était belle, touchante, vraie et vraiment bien écrite. Je me suis attachée vraiment rapidement à Ruby et Maxine. Ce livre mérite tellement d’être plus connu!
May 14, 2026
“The Brink of Something Beautiful” by Bobbi French
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🎙️ Narrator: Dawn Harvey
📚 Pub Date: 04.21.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
“The Brink of Something Beautiful” by Bobbi French is a thought-provoking and soul-searching novel that beautifully captures how complicated life can be - both the heartbreak and the joys.
Ruby Nolan is a recent widow who has drifted into many decisions and choices in her life. While reading this book it was sobering to consider how few choices have been available to women, at times. After Ruby’s husband dies, her life changes so much that she begins to feel as though her life has just now begun. It’s only after being widowed that she is truly finally finding her own way in life.
This novel was an emotional read and it absolutely wrung my heart out - in the best possible way. I wanted to reach into the pages and have the ability to change some outcomes. And though we are all partly a product of our own experiences, that doesn’t mean that we don’t still have free will and the ability to choose. And the choices we make will absolutely impact the trajectory of our future.
“The Brink of Something Beautiful” is a bittersweet story about relationships and our capacity to develop resilience through adversity and hardship.
I listened to this book by Audiobook and the Narrator, Dawn Harvey, is simply fabulous, and she brought so much more to the story! I highly recommend “The Brink of Something Beautiful”.
This was the first book that I’ve read by Bobbi French, but I now plan to read “The Good Women of Safe Harbour”, also.
Thank you to Bobbi French, Dawn Harvey, NetGalley & HarperCollins Canada Audio for access to this Listener Review Copy. All opinions are my own.
#TheBrinkOfSomethingBeautiful
#BobbiFrench
#DawnHarvey
#NetGalley
#HarperCollinsCanadaAudio
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🎙️ Narrator: Dawn Harvey
📚 Pub Date: 04.21.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
“The Brink of Something Beautiful” by Bobbi French is a thought-provoking and soul-searching novel that beautifully captures how complicated life can be - both the heartbreak and the joys.
Ruby Nolan is a recent widow who has drifted into many decisions and choices in her life. While reading this book it was sobering to consider how few choices have been available to women, at times. After Ruby’s husband dies, her life changes so much that she begins to feel as though her life has just now begun. It’s only after being widowed that she is truly finally finding her own way in life.
This novel was an emotional read and it absolutely wrung my heart out - in the best possible way. I wanted to reach into the pages and have the ability to change some outcomes. And though we are all partly a product of our own experiences, that doesn’t mean that we don’t still have free will and the ability to choose. And the choices we make will absolutely impact the trajectory of our future.
“The Brink of Something Beautiful” is a bittersweet story about relationships and our capacity to develop resilience through adversity and hardship.
I listened to this book by Audiobook and the Narrator, Dawn Harvey, is simply fabulous, and she brought so much more to the story! I highly recommend “The Brink of Something Beautiful”.
This was the first book that I’ve read by Bobbi French, but I now plan to read “The Good Women of Safe Harbour”, also.
Thank you to Bobbi French, Dawn Harvey, NetGalley & HarperCollins Canada Audio for access to this Listener Review Copy. All opinions are my own.
#TheBrinkOfSomethingBeautiful
#BobbiFrench
#DawnHarvey
#NetGalley
#HarperCollinsCanadaAudio
May 10, 2026
Ruby is a recent widow grieving the loss of her husband but also feeling some guilt over his death as their's was a marriage that she had never wanted. As Ruby considers how to begin again in middle age, her elderly mother who is in a care home with dementia makes a shocking revelation and Ruby meets a pregnant teenager named Maxine who she is determined to help whether Maxine wants it or not.
Set over the course of one winter in St. John's, Newfoundland with Y2K looming on the horizon, The Brink of Something Beautiful is a heartfelt story of resilience, found family and female friendship. The subject matter is heavy but this is ultimately a hopeful story that handles intimate partner violence in a very sensitive manner. The authentic characters, the St. John's setting and the storytelling are all so well done - the author's debut novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour, is one of my all-time favourite Canadian books and I will read anything she writes!
Set over the course of one winter in St. John's, Newfoundland with Y2K looming on the horizon, The Brink of Something Beautiful is a heartfelt story of resilience, found family and female friendship. The subject matter is heavy but this is ultimately a hopeful story that handles intimate partner violence in a very sensitive manner. The authentic characters, the St. John's setting and the storytelling are all so well done - the author's debut novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour, is one of my all-time favourite Canadian books and I will read anything she writes!
April 30, 2026
TW for Intimate partner abuse and SIDS. The author, a former psychiatrist, writes with tremendous sensitivity and includes an acknowledgment to abuse survivors in afterward. Characters are richly portrayed. Setting of St John’s NL, impending Y2K, widowhood from a not-so-wanted marriage plus finding and fighting for your own family are uniquely woven together in this remarkably touching novel. Recommended. But guard your heart.
July 6, 2026
4.5
What a great book. 📖 👏🏻🥰🤩🥰
What a great book. 📖 👏🏻🥰🤩🥰
July 13, 2026
I wanted to love this, but it just fell short.
June 12, 2026
This one came out of nowhere — a random Instagram post, a Netgalley listing, a leap of faith. I requested the audiobook through HarperCollins Canada not knowing a single thing about it, and honestly? It turned out to be one of the best reading decisions I’ve made.
Set in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the 1990s — which happens to be exactly where I grew up — this book felt like it reached right into my chest. Ruby is newly widowed and quietly unraveling, caring for a mother whose Alzheimer’s is tangled up in a lifetime of abuse. At her husband’s funeral, she meets Maxine: a young pregnant woman trapped in her own cycle of violence, who once knew Ruby’s husband as a child and carries the memory of a rare kindness he showed her. Their connection reopens wounds Ruby thought were long buried.
Bobby writes characters you don’t just read — you feel them. They settle into your bones and refuse to leave when the story ends. The novel moves through heavy, necessary themes: domestic violence, child and infant loss, the courage it takes to rebuild yourself in the middle of your life. But it also holds something warmer — found family, the fierce tenderness of women’s friendships, and the quiet radicalism of choosing differently than you were taught.
Maybe I’m biased. Newfoundland will always have a piece of my heart. But I don’t think you need that connection to be moved by this book — just an openness to stories that linger.
Set in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the 1990s — which happens to be exactly where I grew up — this book felt like it reached right into my chest. Ruby is newly widowed and quietly unraveling, caring for a mother whose Alzheimer’s is tangled up in a lifetime of abuse. At her husband’s funeral, she meets Maxine: a young pregnant woman trapped in her own cycle of violence, who once knew Ruby’s husband as a child and carries the memory of a rare kindness he showed her. Their connection reopens wounds Ruby thought were long buried.
Bobby writes characters you don’t just read — you feel them. They settle into your bones and refuse to leave when the story ends. The novel moves through heavy, necessary themes: domestic violence, child and infant loss, the courage it takes to rebuild yourself in the middle of your life. But it also holds something warmer — found family, the fierce tenderness of women’s friendships, and the quiet radicalism of choosing differently than you were taught.
Maybe I’m biased. Newfoundland will always have a piece of my heart. But I don’t think you need that connection to be moved by this book — just an openness to stories that linger.
May 18, 2026
The Brink of Something Beautiful - Bobbi French
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(4.5) rounded up to 5 stars
This was such a beautiful read. The writing style reminded me so much of The Good Women of Safe Harbour (and if you haven’t read that one yet… please do because it’s one of my all-time favourites 🩷).
Bobbi French has such a beautiful way of writing that completely immerses you into someone else’s life and emotions. She makes you feel like you’re walking alongside these characters, living in their shoes for a little while. The character development and descriptions were absolutely incredible. I honestly wanted to know more about every single person in this story.
This was such an incredible reading experience and I highly recommend it!!
Also, the audiobook narrator truly brought this story to life. I strongly recommend the audiobook for this one 🎧✨
Thank you to the author, Harper Collins Canada Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review 🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(4.5) rounded up to 5 stars
This was such a beautiful read. The writing style reminded me so much of The Good Women of Safe Harbour (and if you haven’t read that one yet… please do because it’s one of my all-time favourites 🩷).
Bobbi French has such a beautiful way of writing that completely immerses you into someone else’s life and emotions. She makes you feel like you’re walking alongside these characters, living in their shoes for a little while. The character development and descriptions were absolutely incredible. I honestly wanted to know more about every single person in this story.
This was such an incredible reading experience and I highly recommend it!!
Also, the audiobook narrator truly brought this story to life. I strongly recommend the audiobook for this one 🎧✨
Thank you to the author, Harper Collins Canada Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review 🩷
May 8, 2026
When you loved an author’s previous book it’s hard not to compare the two. Ruby is another Newfoundland woman who is living the life that happened instead of the one she wanted. So relatable for so many women. Again we have a focus on wonderful female friends/found family taking care of each other. However, I didn’t feel the same love and empathy for Ruby as I did for Frances from The Good Women of Safe Harbour. Ruby is definitely a distinct and more complicated character. Good Women ended in such a satisfying albeit sad way, while this one ends on the cusp of something, perhaps something that could continue in a sequel. I found the domestic violence hard to read about as it should be. A good read, I just didn’t love it quite as much as her first. Will definitely look for more work by this author in the future.
May 3, 2026
This was an audio read . The setting is Newfoundland and the book evolves the recent widow Ruby who gives us insight into her upbringing, her marriage to Joe , her struggles to become a mother and her caring personality which enabled her to help nineteen year old Maxine . Ruby’s life seems to blossom after becoming a widow but as she relives portions of her life this new energized Ruby has her husband to thank for the woman she became. A refreshing read about women finding solace and strength from other women in their lives.
May 15, 2026
An important story about the strength of women and a reminder that it's never too late to find family among friends.
I loved how Ruby's deceased husband wasn't just a character to point her finger at for all her problems. She learned to appreciate what they had, even if it wasn't perfect, and move forward with purpose. Maxine brought so much heart to the story and I loved reading her youthful POV. They both had distinct voices!
Three stars because it's hard not to compare with Bobbi French's previous novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour. That novel deeply affected me and the ending made me sob!
I loved how Ruby's deceased husband wasn't just a character to point her finger at for all her problems. She learned to appreciate what they had, even if it wasn't perfect, and move forward with purpose. Maxine brought so much heart to the story and I loved reading her youthful POV. They both had distinct voices!
Three stars because it's hard not to compare with Bobbi French's previous novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour. That novel deeply affected me and the ending made me sob!
May 6, 2026
This is by no means an easy read but it’s an important one.
It’s a book about women, broken and brave.
It’s about the power of resilience and strong connections that help us thru the very heartbreaking realities of life.
It’s beautiful and tender, full of found family and hope!
Trigger warnings:
SIDS, intimate partner abuse.
It’s a book about women, broken and brave.
It’s about the power of resilience and strong connections that help us thru the very heartbreaking realities of life.
It’s beautiful and tender, full of found family and hope!
Trigger warnings:
SIDS, intimate partner abuse.
May 25, 2026
I really liked this book and also struggled. It was heavy and emotional and not an easy read. The characters were sometimes unlikeable and infuriating and confusing. But also very human. Aren’t we all sometimes unlikeable and infuriating and confusing?
The dialogue is perfectly small town in the maritimes.
The dialogue is perfectly small town in the maritimes.
August 2, 2026
My Rating: 4.75/5
Bobbi is such a talented writer and once again she knocked it out on the park with this beautiful book. The writing was rich and immersive. I really liked The Good Women of Safe Harbour but dare I say I loved this one even more! I loved the subtle nods to Safe Harbour.
Bobbi is such a talented writer and once again she knocked it out on the park with this beautiful book. The writing was rich and immersive. I really liked The Good Women of Safe Harbour but dare I say I loved this one even more! I loved the subtle nods to Safe Harbour.
May 13, 2026
4.25
May 15, 2026
Grief, growth, women, life cycles. I enjoyed the story, how it unfolded (especially for Ruby and her discovered truths) and the 1990’s setting. I’m not sure if I liked the ending.
May 26, 2026
4.5 stars. Libby. Family comes in many forms! Here’s to strong women! Thoroughly enjoyed!
May 10, 2026
4.5 stars ⭐️
April 27, 2026
Readers who enjoyed the author’s previous novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour, will also like this one.
It is 1999 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Fifty-year-old Ruby Nolan is newly widowed. She is battling mixed emotions: she grieves the loss of her husband Joe but she also feels a sense of freedom from a marriage she never wanted. Ruby meets 18-year-old Maxine who knew Joe through his job as a penitentiary guard. The pregnant Maxine reminds Ruby of herself when she too was pregnant at a young age. She makes it her mission to help Maxine but it’s questionable whether she is trying to help the young woman or herself. Both her mother Vera and a friend tell her she must first take care of herself and deal with her own issues before helping someone else deal with hers.
Ruby is a likeable character. From the way she tries to help Maxine and the way she cares for her mother, who is suffering from dementia, it is obvious Ruby is loving, kind and compassionate. She is intelligent; not only did she earn the position of director of medical records at a hospital but she has a wide breadth of knowledge as shown in her excelling at trivia. She is a believable character because she has flaws which she acknowledges as the novel progresses. She speaks of being tied to her husband by grief and guilt and pity and penance. She knows that she is too concerned about the judgments of others.
Dynamic characters always appeal to me and Ruby is that. The novel shows her on a mid-life journey of discovery. She learns about herself and others. For instance, she seems focused on her unhappiness in her marriage but comes to realize that there was joy and that she underestimated and undervalued her husband. She also comes to see her mother in a different way and to view a family tragedy as not her fault.
Ruby is the narrator, but interspersed are some first-person chapters from Maxine’s perspective. I found myself frequently being frustrated with Maxine’s choices, but I had to keep in mind that she is in her late teens. Seeing her point of view means that though I did not agree with her decisions, I understood her motivation. However, is it realistic that she wouldn’t know about dementia or that she calls a concussion a percussion?
The characterization of Cory, Maxine’s partner, is well done. He’s not an admirable person, but the author makes an attempt to not portray him as totally villainous. For instance, Maxine believes that he is scared about the birth of his child and Ruby notices that he seems beaten down with “sad, lifeless eyes [which] hinted at suffering that had begun long before.” Cory’s life, as well as those of Ruby and Maxine, emphasizes the theme of intergenerational trauma.
Intimate partner and gender-based violence are a focus in the book. More than one character is a victim. However, I did find that sometimes there is a heavy-handedness to the message. Ruby thinks about “the dangerous lives of women” and how women must learn “how to bob and weave and cajole and soothe the ego of the weakest creature on the planet.” Ruby and her friends discuss the importance of women helping women because “Who else had boots on the ground? Not the cops and the judges. Not the politicians and priests. All those brave, righteous men, standing around holding their dicks while we were dying in droves.”
Besides actually referencing the village of Safe Harbour, the novel has thematic similarities with The Good Women of Safe Harbour: intergenerational friendships, found family, and the power of female friendship. The message of French’s first novel is that one should live the life of one’s own choosing and that too is a message in The Brink of Something Beautiful. At the end of the novel there is hope that Ruby, unbound from duty, can make her own choices for her life and salvage some of what she believes she lost because her life was constrained by time and place and circumstances and her own personality.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
It is 1999 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Fifty-year-old Ruby Nolan is newly widowed. She is battling mixed emotions: she grieves the loss of her husband Joe but she also feels a sense of freedom from a marriage she never wanted. Ruby meets 18-year-old Maxine who knew Joe through his job as a penitentiary guard. The pregnant Maxine reminds Ruby of herself when she too was pregnant at a young age. She makes it her mission to help Maxine but it’s questionable whether she is trying to help the young woman or herself. Both her mother Vera and a friend tell her she must first take care of herself and deal with her own issues before helping someone else deal with hers.
Ruby is a likeable character. From the way she tries to help Maxine and the way she cares for her mother, who is suffering from dementia, it is obvious Ruby is loving, kind and compassionate. She is intelligent; not only did she earn the position of director of medical records at a hospital but she has a wide breadth of knowledge as shown in her excelling at trivia. She is a believable character because she has flaws which she acknowledges as the novel progresses. She speaks of being tied to her husband by grief and guilt and pity and penance. She knows that she is too concerned about the judgments of others.
Dynamic characters always appeal to me and Ruby is that. The novel shows her on a mid-life journey of discovery. She learns about herself and others. For instance, she seems focused on her unhappiness in her marriage but comes to realize that there was joy and that she underestimated and undervalued her husband. She also comes to see her mother in a different way and to view a family tragedy as not her fault.
Ruby is the narrator, but interspersed are some first-person chapters from Maxine’s perspective. I found myself frequently being frustrated with Maxine’s choices, but I had to keep in mind that she is in her late teens. Seeing her point of view means that though I did not agree with her decisions, I understood her motivation. However, is it realistic that she wouldn’t know about dementia or that she calls a concussion a percussion?
The characterization of Cory, Maxine’s partner, is well done. He’s not an admirable person, but the author makes an attempt to not portray him as totally villainous. For instance, Maxine believes that he is scared about the birth of his child and Ruby notices that he seems beaten down with “sad, lifeless eyes [which] hinted at suffering that had begun long before.” Cory’s life, as well as those of Ruby and Maxine, emphasizes the theme of intergenerational trauma.
Intimate partner and gender-based violence are a focus in the book. More than one character is a victim. However, I did find that sometimes there is a heavy-handedness to the message. Ruby thinks about “the dangerous lives of women” and how women must learn “how to bob and weave and cajole and soothe the ego of the weakest creature on the planet.” Ruby and her friends discuss the importance of women helping women because “Who else had boots on the ground? Not the cops and the judges. Not the politicians and priests. All those brave, righteous men, standing around holding their dicks while we were dying in droves.”
Besides actually referencing the village of Safe Harbour, the novel has thematic similarities with The Good Women of Safe Harbour: intergenerational friendships, found family, and the power of female friendship. The message of French’s first novel is that one should live the life of one’s own choosing and that too is a message in The Brink of Something Beautiful. At the end of the novel there is hope that Ruby, unbound from duty, can make her own choices for her life and salvage some of what she believes she lost because her life was constrained by time and place and circumstances and her own personality.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The fabulous new releases of Spring 2026 continue with this incredible novel from Bobbi French. An absolute masterpiece of character, place and time, with classic Newfoundland "what-li'l-old-me" understatement on every page.
Ruby escaped her difficult home by marrying Joe, who she liked enough to fuck but not necessarily enough to marry, but there you have it. They rub along over the years until death releases him from chronic pain. Who's the waif at his funeral? Just Maxine, aged out of foster care with minimal expectations for life. She explains to Ruby that Mr. Joe, the prison guard, was nicer to her than anyone when her mentally ill mother took her to visit her father. Ruby is touched, and sees a path to make sense of the hard knock life by being a surrogate mother to Maxine. But Maine's horrible partner has some opinions about that.
The plot is excellent but it's the word perfect writing that will have you, as my bookstafriend @readerbythewater says, finding more places to clean in your house just to keep listening. This one will be a strong contender for prizes and should definitely be on Canada Reads.
I listened to the audiobook. Dawn Harvey does amazing working-class/ under-class narration, though I wish it was in a true NL accent. Hope Bobbi French comes to my town and gives a reading.
Comps are About A Boy, featuring a man who doesn't realize he needs his found family until he's at their whacked-out Xmas; SNAP by Susin Nielsen about an intergenerational crew at anger management training -- so much found fam (so good!), and Elizabeth Strout for literary rendering of life reckoning.
Thanks to the author, publisher Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for this advance copy in return for an honest review. Out April 21. #strongsenseofplace #atlanticcanada
Ruby escaped her difficult home by marrying Joe, who she liked enough to fuck but not necessarily enough to marry, but there you have it. They rub along over the years until death releases him from chronic pain. Who's the waif at his funeral? Just Maxine, aged out of foster care with minimal expectations for life. She explains to Ruby that Mr. Joe, the prison guard, was nicer to her than anyone when her mentally ill mother took her to visit her father. Ruby is touched, and sees a path to make sense of the hard knock life by being a surrogate mother to Maxine. But Maine's horrible partner has some opinions about that.
The plot is excellent but it's the word perfect writing that will have you, as my bookstafriend @readerbythewater says, finding more places to clean in your house just to keep listening. This one will be a strong contender for prizes and should definitely be on Canada Reads.
I listened to the audiobook. Dawn Harvey does amazing working-class/ under-class narration, though I wish it was in a true NL accent. Hope Bobbi French comes to my town and gives a reading.
Comps are About A Boy, featuring a man who doesn't realize he needs his found family until he's at their whacked-out Xmas; SNAP by Susin Nielsen about an intergenerational crew at anger management training -- so much found fam (so good!), and Elizabeth Strout for literary rendering of life reckoning.
Thanks to the author, publisher Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for this advance copy in return for an honest review. Out April 21. #strongsenseofplace #atlanticcanada
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I became a huge fan of Bobbi French after her debut novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour. Her second novel, The Brink of Something Beautiful, does not disappoint! The reader is taken to St. John's, Newfoundland where we meet recently widowed Ruby Nolan, as she prepares for her husband's funeral. I devoured this novel in under 24 hours and I will be thinking about it for a long time to come. French is a master at creating well-thought out characters through description and dialogue. I was immediately taken by Ruby's contemplation of next steps in her life, her caretaking for her mother Vera, who has alzheimers, and her compassion towards the young and pregnant Maxine. There were moments that I wanted to yell at Maxine and insist she listen to Ruby. I laughed along at the well placed humour in a book on difficult topics every time Colleen entered a scene. And my heart broke several times as I grew to love these women and wanted and hoped for the best outcome for them. French gave a proper voice to these characters from Newfoundland through their various sayings and dialect (I hope the audiobook will get this right). I could picture the beauty of the island, the colourful homes and the damp air. Most importantly, the topic of domestic violence is handled with care and portrayed realistically through these strong female characters. I continue to be a huge fan of Bobbi French and I hope you will be too.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
We need more books about ordinary women doing extraordinary things!
This new-to-me author explored female friendship and found family and set her narrative in the Maritimes. She examined how the child welfare system and domestic violence shape people and encouraged us to foster empathy.
Ruby Nolan was at a crossroads in life, not knowing whether to feel grief at the loss of her husband or allow her feelings of freedom to strengthen her and climb out from a life she didn’t want. Society’s expectations around grief don’t take into consideration people such as Ruby.
To help Ruby with her choice, the author (1) introduces her to Maxine and (2) creates an opportunity for Vera, Ruby’s mom, to share advice. Both women show Ruby that she can’t move forward or help others without first taking care of herself.
You’ll love the camaraderie of women helping women, the vivid Maritime setting, the authentic and richly crafted characters, and the themes of hope and healing.
We all have to make peace with something and/or live with difficult consequences and it’s nice to have a friend to lean on when facing these difficult choices, so I know this will resonate with many.
I was gifted this book and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This new-to-me author explored female friendship and found family and set her narrative in the Maritimes. She examined how the child welfare system and domestic violence shape people and encouraged us to foster empathy.
Ruby Nolan was at a crossroads in life, not knowing whether to feel grief at the loss of her husband or allow her feelings of freedom to strengthen her and climb out from a life she didn’t want. Society’s expectations around grief don’t take into consideration people such as Ruby.
To help Ruby with her choice, the author (1) introduces her to Maxine and (2) creates an opportunity for Vera, Ruby’s mom, to share advice. Both women show Ruby that she can’t move forward or help others without first taking care of herself.
You’ll love the camaraderie of women helping women, the vivid Maritime setting, the authentic and richly crafted characters, and the themes of hope and healing.
We all have to make peace with something and/or live with difficult consequences and it’s nice to have a friend to lean on when facing these difficult choices, so I know this will resonate with many.
I was gifted this book and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was drawn to this book because of the setting: St. John’s, Newfoundland. Newfoundland is my favourite place in the world. I have visited many times, love the people, love everything about it.
This is the story of a newly widowed woman in her 50s. Ruby. And a young lady with a rough background, now pregnant, with an unsavoury man as the father. Maxine.
Women helping women. This is one of my favourite themes. Ruby has had a lot in her life that she needs to come to grips with, but she is determined to help Maxine find her way too.
There is a lot of introspection for both Ruby and Maxine. I got familiar with them through each of their internal dialogues. While Ruby is Maxine's main support, Ruby builds her own circle of support through rekindling an old friendship. Both ladies benefit from it.
Great character building, a wonderful vision of Newfoundland. I enjoy a setting when I have some firsthand knowledge of it. I love that the Newfoundland speech pattern was evident.
I appreciated the ending. It wasn’t a storybook ending but there was a lot of positivity and hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
This is the story of a newly widowed woman in her 50s. Ruby. And a young lady with a rough background, now pregnant, with an unsavoury man as the father. Maxine.
Women helping women. This is one of my favourite themes. Ruby has had a lot in her life that she needs to come to grips with, but she is determined to help Maxine find her way too.
There is a lot of introspection for both Ruby and Maxine. I got familiar with them through each of their internal dialogues. While Ruby is Maxine's main support, Ruby builds her own circle of support through rekindling an old friendship. Both ladies benefit from it.
Great character building, a wonderful vision of Newfoundland. I enjoy a setting when I have some firsthand knowledge of it. I love that the Newfoundland speech pattern was evident.
I appreciated the ending. It wasn’t a storybook ending but there was a lot of positivity and hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
June 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
I didn’t read anything about this prior to listening so I actually thought I was listening to a memoir. I was not understanding how she could be admitting to some possible criminal behaviour. More than that, I wondered why this book was popular given that we were hearing about someone who purposely moved slowly while her husband died, whose mother may have pushed her husband off the roof.
Then I checked and realized it’s fiction, I like the character much more as a fictional character than a real person.
I really like the motherly attitude she took toward Maxine. I see this in connection to the many difficulties she had with her own pregnancies. I love how defensive she is of Maxine towards Cory. I appreciate the story of abuse and the difficulty with getting out of it. I mean, I hate the story of abuse, wish it were gone, but in this book it was well done and very realistic. The latter part of the story had a bit of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
At least the part of running from your problems to a new place and nothing changes.
I didn’t read anything about this prior to listening so I actually thought I was listening to a memoir. I was not understanding how she could be admitting to some possible criminal behaviour. More than that, I wondered why this book was popular given that we were hearing about someone who purposely moved slowly while her husband died, whose mother may have pushed her husband off the roof.
Then I checked and realized it’s fiction, I like the character much more as a fictional character than a real person.
I really like the motherly attitude she took toward Maxine. I see this in connection to the many difficulties she had with her own pregnancies. I love how defensive she is of Maxine towards Cory. I appreciate the story of abuse and the difficulty with getting out of it. I mean, I hate the story of abuse, wish it were gone, but in this book it was well done and very realistic. The latter part of the story had a bit of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
At least the part of running from your problems to a new place and nothing changes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews