The Brink of Something Beautiful

A Novel

By Bobbi French

On Sale: 2/24/2026

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.

ISBN: 9781443474375
Imprint: HarperAvenue
On Sale: Feb 24, 2026
List price: $24.99
No of pages: 304
Trim Size: 4.710 in (w) x 7.170 in (h) x 1.040 in (d)
BISAC 1: FICTION / Women
BISAC 2: FICTION / Small Town & Rural *
BISAC 3: FICTION / Family Life / General

Bobbi French

Biography

BOBBI FRENCH’s acclaimed debut novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour, was a finalist for the Dartmouth Book Award and the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and the Leacock Medal for Humour, and named winner of NL Reads for 2023. Born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Bobbi French lives with her husband in Nova Scotia.

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.

ISBN: 9781443474375
Imprint: HarperAvenue
On Sale: Feb 24, 2026
List price: $24.99
No of pages: 304
Trim Size: 4.710 in (w) x 7.170 in (h) x 1.040 in (d)
BISAC 1: FICTION / Women
BISAC 2: FICTION / Small Town & Rural *
BISAC 3: FICTION / Family Life / General

Bobbi French

Biography

BOBBI FRENCH’s acclaimed debut novel, The Good Women of Safe Harbour, was a finalist for the Dartmouth Book Award and the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and the Leacock Medal for Humour, and named winner of NL Reads for 2023. Born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Bobbi French lives with her husband in Nova Scotia.