Leaf You Hanging by Laney Hatcher

Laney Hatcher just keeps proving she’s an author you must read. With Leaf You Hanging, she delivers everything I crave in small-town romance: grounded characters, meaningful growth, crackling chemistry, and a community so vivid it feels like its own character. Kirby Falls isn’t just a setting—it’s a whole mood, and Hatcher brings it to life with charm, humor, and heart.

Bonnie Clark walks into this story fresh off a divorce.

She’s the kind of woman who takes care of everyone else first, even when she’s running on fumes. Watching her finally turn that energy inward—slowly, stubbornly, imperfectly—felt so real. Bonnie doesn’t chase reinvention; she earns it one vulnerable step at a time.

Then there’s Jack Ellis.

Tattooed bad boy with a heart of gold? Check. Motorcycle? Check. A bar he secretly owns but refuses to take credit for because he still sees himself as the angry screw-up teen he used to be? Big check. Jack’s emotional journey hooked me. He’s the kind of hero who hides behind quiet routines, convinced the town will never let him forget his past—even though everyone else moved on ages ago.

Their reunion?

Absolute chaos—in the best, “oops-I-made-bad-decisions-on-divorce-night” way. Their connection sparks instantly, but what follows is even better: two people slowly rewriting the stories they tell themselves. Their friends-with-benefits arrangement builds into something tender, messy, honest, and deeply satisfying. Bonnie and Jack bring out each other’s best pieces, even when they’re scared to see those pieces exist.

The emotional beats land. The spice hits. And the growth feels earned.

Laney Hatcher doesn’t miss.

If you love small-town stories with heat, humor, and characters who fight for their own healing, Leaf You Hanging (along with the rest of Kirby Falls) belongs on your TBR immediately.

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