Gradually Grace

by Jamie Bennett

Grace Curran has a problem—no, she is the problem.
Starting back when she was a baby, things were always happening. Accidents. Mistakes. Misunderstndings. Her siblings did their best to take care of her, but somehow…somehow she never seemed to learn, because now at age twenty-three, those things are still happening. Plus, she can’t seem to hold down a job. Plus, all her friends are weird, and so is her apartment and so is her car.
And honestly? She’s getting tired of it all. Something needs to change in her life.
Then she meets Theo, due to an accident with an aquarium, and he seems to be everything that she’s not. He’s a hard-working doctor, a bill-paying homeowner, and a careful driver of a properly running vehicle. So obviously, he isn’t attracted to someone like Grace, someone who is always making a mess that others need to clean up.
But as it turns out, Theo isn’t as perfect as he might seem. Of course, he’s smart, handsome, and wonderful, but those things mask the problems in his own life that he struggles to resolve. And it also turns out that Grace, the woman who can’t walk by a puddle without falling in, might just be the person who can clean things up for him.
Something needs to change for both of them, but it won’t get done overnight. Gradually, they might be able to make it happen—and find love and happiness, together.

Genres: Slow Burn

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2025

Reviews

[Ellen]

Nah. Even for a Jamie Bennett character, Grace is too cartoonishly weird. And I don’t mean in overcoming her struggles stemming from neglect, I mean the life of silly chaos that’s just too impossible for a 23 year old to have lived. I kept waiting for the reveal that she’s a compulsive liar. And instead we just have a book trying way too hard to be funny.

[CeCe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jamie Bennett knows how to make me switch my opinions about characters very well!

[Ali. S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt uncompleted. I usually love Jamie Bennett books and I know she writes with somethings not fully addressed but I think this completely skimmed over the main issues.

I just wish Grace had at least had a conversation about the ways her parents failed her with them, they are shown to be truly awful in this book and seem to go on blissfully unaware of the damage they've done.

I know in real life we don't all get that big moment but usually if you're trying to work though that much resentment a conversation needs to happen or you need to go no contact. Honestly I would have even preferred if Grace chose not to address it all but also cut contact with her parents, that would have maybe been anticlimactic but consistent with her personality.

[Andrew R. McBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

This is my favorite JB book yet. Grace just was so literal that I practically barked with laughter a couple of times. She was her own worst enemy and it was a joy ride watching her tick items off her list. Great read.

[Felina Basmaci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favoe

I usually read Jamie Bennett books in one day, not so with this. I struggled to do finish this. Of all the Curran sisters Grace is the hardest to like, she's sweet but boy so unbelievably difficult.

[Karen Ruedisueli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from Grace. There were times I wondered if she was somewhat mentally impaired but then she'd use a vocabulary that showed intelligence. That job she had with a pervert was odd. Star off for that.

I enjoyed the growth and determination of Grace. She was willing to learn and grow.

[Larablair · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏚🏨🍂🐟🐠❄️🥡🍟🔪🐎🏖🌞🏡

[Isabel Griffiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

not her best

Big JB fan but this one was a struggle, didnt like the treatment of the main female character by her family or even the male lead.