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. "This book is an anthem of women: women in strength, women in crisis, women in grief, women in love and most powerfully, women in solidarity with each other. Beautiful, thoughtful, layered. Brava, Bobbi French!" — Virginia Evans, author of The Correspondent "We meet Ruby Nolan on the day of her husband ’s funeral. What unfolds in this beautifully rendered novel is a portrait of a complicated woman caught between grief and freedom, duty and desire. Bobbi French understands the human heart." — Betsy Lerner, author of Shred Sisters "This is not a story of heroines or saints, but of women as they truly are: flawed, funny, tender and tough. Between laughter and loss, between what's said and swallowed, French finds the extraordinary in the ordinary. This book is a triumph of resilience and realism, and a necessary reminder of how remarkable the power every 'ordinary' woman has." — Georgia Toews, author of Nobody Asked for This "In Bobbi French’s second novel, women face complicated choices and their often catastrophic consequences. The Brink of Something Beautiful is a heart-wrenching, yet heartwarming, ode to the brave women who battle stormy waters and find ways to make it safely to the other side. French’s trademark powerful, lyrical storytelling is at play once again." —Jane Doucet, author of Lost & Found in Lunenburg "Intimate and tender, full of found family, hope, and brave and broken women who stand up for themselves and others with love, laughter and not a small amount of daring. Bobbi French doesn't shy away from the heartbreaking realities of life, while reminding us of the power of connection. This book is a joy." — Charlene Carr, author of We Rip the World Apart "A massively tender, heart-pounding take on family, gender-based violence, and the messiness of love . . . and how even the smallest kindnesses can cause people to step away from the brink toward something beautiful . . . . Clear-eyed, honest, unsentimental, and wise, this will be the best book you read this year." — Lisa Moore, author of This Is How We Love 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.