A source told PEOPLE that Cartwright and Hanson bonded over their "respective divorces and personal life changes."
The Valley star began dating Brandon Hanson after they bonded over their respective divorces. Cartwright teased to PEOPLE that she was in a new relationship in August, and a source later confirmed that her "new relationship comes at a time as they both are experiencing similar life changes."
Hanson marks Cartwright's first public relationship since her divorce from Jax Taylor. The Vanderpump Rules alums married in June 2019, but she announced in February 2024 that they had separated. Cartwright officially filed for divorce in August 2024, and their divorce has played out on The Valley.
In April 2025, Cartwright told PEOPLE that she had been on a "couple dates here and there" since her divorce but hadn't found anyone serious before meeting Hanson.
"I deserve to have butterflies again," she said at the time. "I just want somebody to be nice to me, and that's sad. I just really want somebody to take me on dates. It doesn't even have to be anything fancy. Something sweet, something small, will make my day."
Just like Cartwright, who shares son Cruz with Taylor, Hanson is also a father. However, he has kept much of his life private.
A source explained to PEOPLE that Cartwright and Hanson are helping each other endure their respective divorces.
"Like Brittany, he is going through a divorce, and he and his ex have been separated for the past seven months," the insider said of Hanson. "They reconnected well after he had already been separated."
"The two have found comfort in each other as they've been navigating their respective divorces and personal life changes," the source added.
While Cartwright is in the midst of her divorce from Taylor, Hanson is going through a divorce from his estranged wife, Jasina Stanko.
After one of Cartwright and Hanson's "date nights" was captured in a TikTok video, Stanko claimed in the comments section, "He's my husband!!!" She added in another comment, "That man is married." After one user saw the comment, they asked, "U dated him too?" to which she replied, "I married him. You know him?"
Cartwright brought Hanson as her date to Narwal's End of Summer Soirée in Los Angeles on Aug. 21. She teased the new relationship to PEOPLE at the event, and when asked if it was serious, said, "We'll see."
The Bravo star explained that she's "been through so much" with her divorce from Taylor that she's trying to focus on herself and her son, Cruz.
"I feel like I'm in such a better place than I was last year," she said. "I want to focus on me. I just want to have fun with my friends, have fun with my baby [Cruz] and just do fun positive things because I'm so past the drama that I had for so long in my life and I feel like I've grown so much and I've changed so much."
Cartwright added, "My outlook on everything with that toxic situation I was in has changed dramatically. So I'm excited to just have fun and explore this new me. Let go of the dead weight, let go of the drama and just enjoy my life and my family and my friends."
Cartwright's close friend and The Valley costar Kristen Doute gave her nod of approval while attending the same End of Summer Soirée with Cartwright on Aug. 21.
"She has someone in her life that's really amazing that I am head over heels for," Doute told PEOPLE. "She's dated people during her single years since her ex-husband [Taylor], and I have not approved of them. They've been fine, but not wonderful. This person is very wonderful and very cool. Very family-feeling."
Doute added, "He's a dad so it makes it really easy. A lot easier and understandable."
Both Cartwright and Hanson are parents. Since he keeps his social media profiles private, the names, ages and genders of his children are not available.
However, Stanko frequently posts TikTok videos of Hanson spending time with his children.