The Things we Mend

Leo has just retired, and the silence in his home is beginning to feel like a presence. Emma, his wife of forty years, moves through their shared life with quiet efficiency, but between them, something has grown that neither can name.

On a rainy morning, in a moment of restless impulse, Leo decides to bake bread-a small, unremarkable act that sets in motion a journey neither of them expected. From the coastal highways of Maine to the quiet corners of their own backyard, The Things We Mend is a tender exploration of what it means to build a life not through grand gestures, but through the patient work of hands and heart.

As Leo and Emma travel north in their aging camper van, they encounter breakdowns, unexpected detours, and the quiet beauty of the Maine coast. Leo finds purpose in restoring a small wooden skiff, while Emma learns to let go of her careful control. Together, they discover that love is not a feeling, but a form of attention-and that peace is found not in the absence of conflict, but in the tender, ongoing work of repair.

In the tradition of Kent Haruf and Anne Tyler, Junaid Iqbal's debut is a story about the things we fix, the things we let go, and the love that persists in the spaces between. It is a novel for anyone who has ever wondered if their ordinary life is extraordinary enough-and who has discovered that the answer is always yes.