4.5 Stars
Genre - women's fiction, relationship fiction / romance subplots, magical realism/speculative fiction, comedy/satire
Tone - whimsical, unassuming, satirical
Tropes & devices - time travel/alternate realities/do-over; second chance romance; "good for her"; coming-of-age
Reps - main character reads straight & white; one secondary character is queer/lesbian, another (Geeta) is vaguely "brown skinned" or "a woman of color" (possibly Indian).
CW - pandemic mention; cheating; sexism; some sexual content; mentions of dieting/body image; adult language; alcohol consumption; drug consumption.

Jenny has watched her two best friends from college outgrow and outshine her for years; it makes her wonder why she never got the memo, the secret to success and happiness they seem to know instinctively. Right before her 36th birthday, though, The Memo finally arrives - the specific daily instructions that have the potential to set her back on track to reach her full potential. But as she changes the course of her life's trajectory one regretful slip up at a time, she begins to ask questions about feminism, supporting other women, finding happiness, and having it all.

I had a hunch from the beginning where the plot was going - these sorts of narratives tend to follow a pretty formulaic pattern - but the ending pleasantly surprised me and the journey Jenny took was relatable (and full of secondhand embarrassment). It's a great read for anyone who feels stagnant, behind, or misfit in their career or relationship. For folks who like this one or want to explore similar themes, I'd suggest The Museum of Ordinary People or The Lonely Hearts Book Club; if this book was too simple and sweet for you, Corey Fah Does Social Mobility also explores themes of class and opportunity in an even more out-there way.

The Memo-a standalone

By Rachel Dodes &Lauren Mechling-debut authors

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐½

Publication 6/18/24, Read 6/16/24

Format: e-book, 336 pgs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this ARC🧡! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

✔️Time Travel
✔️ fantasy
✔️ Adult/Women's Fic
✔️ 2nd chances
✔️ romance

Summary: Jenny Green wanted more out of life from her career, her love life, and her overall happiness. She is unfulfilled at her nonprofit job, has a cheating boyfriend, and feels something's missing. At her college's 15th year reunion with BFFs Geeta and Leigh, she takes a walk down memory and meets a "career counselor" from her past-Desiree. Jenny never followed The Memo where she could be at the right place at the right time to get the most out of life. She missed out on a better life filled with potential- until now. She agrees to follow Desiree's meet cutes, and ends up successful and married with children. Will the cost be worth it?


Overall, I liked the concept but it felt like I read this already. Cassandra in Reverse had similar themes and it reminded me of the movie "Click." The female powers trying to elevate other women was inspiring, but could have been done more realistically. Clearly Jenny had self esteem issues and did the worst thing possible-comparing her life to others on social media. It never gives the whole picture of someone's life, and I can say with certainty it's not real.

Jenny Green is not looking forward to her upcoming reunion and hearing all her friends success stories. She doesn’t have much to say other than her boyfriend is cheating on her and she hates the way her life turned out. Why does her friends seem to have it all together? Jenny gets a weird text on her phone which leads her to a major life decision. If she could go back and change major events in her life would she want to? It kind of feels like she’s selling her soul to the devil. Jenny must decide if she wants things to continue the way they have been going or walk on the wild side and see what happens.
This story felt like a modern day “Back to the Future”. Definitely made me think about what decision I would make if given the opportunity!

I absolutely loved this debut novel co-written by Rachel Dodes. and Lauren Mechling. As a huge fan of “do-over” and magical realism type stories, this was a compelling read that I could not put down. Have you ever wondered if you missed “the memo” or “what if?” At her 15th college reunion, Jenny gets the chance find out, and the reader gets to go on that amazing ride with her. The comps to Rebecca Serle and Emma Straub were spot on, as I can totally see fans of these authors enjoying this book. Would make a great movie, aka Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow from back in the day. I hope to see more from this wriitng duo in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC.

This started off funny and irreverent but then it got just a bit too far-fetched to hold my attention. It was a touch too long and I didn't always understand the plot. Still, there were moments that some will enjoy a lot. Hope you have better luck!

The Memo comes out tomorrow on June 18, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

"Hey there," I said, "your old friend Jenny Green here. You remember me, the eco-chic econ major, raging against the machine, writing papers on Engels while dreaming of becoming America's favorite artisanal baker?" I paused and thought about what to reveal next. "You probably read about how I burned down an Italian bakery right after college. Not just any Italian bakery-an official UNESCO cultural heritage site. Impressive, am I right?

4.25 stars

How many times can I start a review by saying I love anything time travel adjacent? Has to be approaching double digits by now. But I am nothing if not consistent, so when I saw this book is about a woman who gets the chance at a do-over, going back in time to make decisions differently, I was all in.

Jenny Green is 35 and feeling unfulfilled and left behind, in pretty much all areas of her life. Her boyfriend was a vacation fling she should have ended years ago, before he started cheating and she stopped caring, her job is unfulfilling and her boss is a nightmare, and her two best friends are excelling at everything, and she can't help but compare their lives, especially once they all meet up for their 15th college reunion. It feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing, and Jenny just didn't get the memo. Then she finds out that, lo and behold, she DIDN'T. Her best friends and other successful women she knows have been getting Memos--capital M--advising them on what paths in life to take in order to optimize their existence. Jenny didn't get hers, but now she's got a chance for a redo.

Bouncing back and forth between present day and past events that need to be changed, Jenny gets to see how even the smallest change can have a big ripple effect on her life. Her optimized existence is full of things she didn't even think to dream up, but there is no question that New Jenny is killing it. But as she goes back and forth between existences, Jenny starts to wonder why she doesn't immediately feel more fulfilled by her "better" existence. And that's on depression. But really, she has to evaluate all aspects of her life, and is faced with some harsh truths about herself and about society.

This is such a fun concept and was so well-executed. I loved the multiple timelines and all the various settings and events it showed us, and their larger impact on Jenny's overall life. The best part, in my opinion, was that the story's main focus was on Jenny at her core despite how plain or fancy her life was. It was a fun beach read but with a good message and a lot of heart. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

DNF @ 35%. I might eventually go back to "The Memo," but as of right now, I am just not feeling it. I can't quite put my finger on it. I have a feeling I know where this book is going, but it feels like it's taking a really long time to get to the point. Every single one of us will wonder "what if?" at one point in our lives. We will think about what would have happened if things went differently, if we had only just believed in ourselves, if we hadn't burned down that kitchen, if we had gotten a different job or chosen a different street, picked another lover, made other friends, studied harder, etc. Jenny, the main character of this book, thinks about that sentiment every day in her aimless, unfulfilled life. Jenny received a memo, which many other women in her college have gotten, but in order to have everything you want, you have to follow the memo to the tee, thus removing all of your own free will. I think this is a creative premise, but I feel like I have seen this implemented more successfully in other books. It all feels pretty flatly executed within this story. Like I said, I might pick this one back up at some point, but as of right now, it's not doing anything for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Dodes, Lauren Mechling, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This was a big miss for me. I love the idea of alternate timelines and choices, but this felt hollow to me.

This is a book about choices and female friendship, but there are books that do this better.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think this book boils down to one concept: whose opinion of what success looks like matters most? Jenny Green, at 36 years old, is not what she expected - in a relationship going nowhere and in a job she doesn’t particularly like all because she didn’t get THE memo, unlike her two college best friends. All it takes is one meet up at her college reunion and a few mysterious texts from an unknown number to learn what she missed out on and be given the ultimate do-over - a chance to go back in time and reach her full potential. Well, her full potential as described by a company who seeks the ultimate definition of success for their clients. Who and what is Jenny willing to sacrifice in the name of success?

I loved the premise of this book and felt overall it was a decent read and give it 3 stars. The first 30% of this book was a little tough for me to push through. All that to say, I really did enjoy the originality of the idea and that it puts you in the he main characters shoes, wondering what would I do if given this option.

DNF
With 2 hours and 24 minutes to go in this book, I finally admitted that I couldn't do it anymore.

I don't exactly know what it was about this book that so many others like, but I just couldn't read this anymore. I could not connect to Jenny, and I felt that the idea of memo controlling your life was not cute or funny - I felt it was horrible. If anything, none of those who got the "memo" lived their lives on their own terms. For instance, Jenny's best life should have had her being a baker...but no, it wasn't going to work that way. However, for all I know, she could have turned into the best baker in the world at the end of this book, but alas, I will never know. And frankly, I don't care.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.

Every once in a while, a book comes along out of left field and your world is better for having read it. That’s The Memo. This debut book is insightful and witty and really just makes you think. It is for anyone who has ever doubted the path they are on and the choices they make. It also has one of the most unique premises I’ve ever read. I will be recommending this five star read to everyone!

Jenny Green never got the memo. She is getting ready for her college reunion, and everyone around her seems to have it all figured out. Why can’t she seem to figure it out? But it turns out, in this world, everyone seems to have literally gotten the memo. And to Jenny’s surprise, she is finally going to get hers.

What follows is a story of revisiting ups and downs, righting wrongs, and second chances. Jenny has a front row seat to her life and is getting a second chance to fix some mistakes. She is asking herself the tough questions, and she is also really seeing herself for the first time. Her 36th birthday is nearing, and she has to decide what she really wants.

I absolutely loved the time travel aspect of this one! Even with that magical touch, the authors really gave Jenny the opportunity to be seen for the first time in her life. Jenny was truly an authentic character. I also loved the supporting cast of characters. They made me laugh, get emotional, and at times angry. I feel like this book is so relatable to anyone who has ever questioned themselves, and for anyone who wants to remain true to themselves.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this amazing book! It releases on June 18th. Preorder it now - it is the perfect read for a summer day or a day at the beach!

3.5⭐️
this is a cute read about what it feels like to be in your mid-thirties, feeling like everyone else has their life figured out and you’ve missed “the memo”. it has a time travel element thrown in which i liked, but it inevitably adds some confusion when it comes to the storytelling. there were bits along the way i didn’t love as much (some of the main character’s decisions), but overall i was happy with the final outcome! recommend if you’re looking for a light read with a touch of existential dread.

thanks to netgalley and harper perennial for my ARC of the memo by rachel dodes and lauren mechling. all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars! I always enjoy books that involve time travel/time loops, and THE MEMO was a fun and fresh take on that concept. It follows 35-year-old Jenny Green, who's dreading her college reunion, where she'll reconvene with her friends, who all seem to have thriving careers and glamorous lives—they're sparkling successes, and Jenny is wondering if she just didn't get the memo. When she arrives on campus, she finds out that she didn't...and now she has another opportunity to receive The Memo, a comprehensive set of instructions that will give Jenny a second chance to getting life she wants. But at what cost?

Overall, THE MEMO was a great read, with such a creative premise! The smart, engaging writing style was a definite highlight for me, and I think so many readers will be able to relate to Jenny's character—I so enjoyed following her journey. However, I did struggle with the pacing a little bit, and some of the magical elements of the story didn't entirely work for me. Still, I thought it was a fun, fast read, and I think it will be super popular this summer! I'd be interested in seeing what these authors write next. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.

I always have fun with books that explore the "what if" - how would my life look if I made different choices?

This one does so in a creative way that I haven't seen before which was fun and refreshing. A bit out there but that's part of what makes it fun

I absolutely love the originality of this book! That is hard to find sometimes. The writing was very engaging. The character development was good, though the characters themselves fell flat for me with the exception of the main character. The plot was great and well executed.
I do not, however, like the cover. It made this book look lame. It isn’t lame, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Really great and engaging story. I enjoyed the characters, they were all interesting in their own ways, and I could relate to the main character. Really kept me reading, was a page turner and I didn't want to put it down. The premise was interesting and it kept me reading in order to find out what the memo was and what it was all about. Had good suspense and mystery elements as well. Ending wrapped up nicely and didn't leave anything unfinished. Would read more by this author in the future.

While the idea for this book is fantastic, it fell just a touch flat for me. It was really enjoyable at moments, but it just felt like it spent too much time bouncing around between timelines and not enough time developing the characters or the story. While Jenny was bouncing around lost and confused, so were we.

We don't get to dig too deeply into the characters and there were quite a few times where I just wanted to slow down and really try to understand what was happening to who. It never really made me care for any of the characters and everything just felt really disjointed.

That said, I did enjoy seeing characters face consequences and the book does a great job of showcasing that "butterfly effect" of seemingly small decisions which makes for a really interesting time travel story.

I actually would rate this at a 2.5 star, but rounding up.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gift NetGalley copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️From the publisher Harper Perennial: Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. All her friends seem to have it all figured it out. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants, but at what price?
****************
My review: I love a time loop/travel book. The premise of The Memo is great. Jenny never got her memo about how to proceed and succeed in life, and everyone else did. She gets to essentially do some things over once she realizes she is a Memo candidate.
While her two BFFs are pretty “surface-y” characters, and I had a hard time suspending disbelief regarding “The Consortium”, I enjoyed the book. The idea that one misstep or choice can lead or change a life is so interesting to me and Jenny had the chance to change her past actions or situations. I loved that she had a hard time keeping things secret and not blowing her time travel knowledge when she was in the past…now that’s realistic!
It got a little confusing with the timelines, I had to stop and reread in a few places. But I liked the ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A super fun and intriguing premise - what would happen if your classmates from college got the memo - in other words, what if you were the only one who didn't "get the memo" and didn't even know there was really a memo? I'm drawn in by sliding doors type stories about the path in life not taken and this is the concept here. Jenny at age 36 wasn't in a good place in life and it's time to go to her 15 year college reunion with all of her beautiful and successful classmates - those who it turns out got the memo. She reunites with Desiree who it turns out had offered Jenny the memo during college but Jenny stuck to her own path instead. Desiree offers Jenny another chance to see her pathetic life choices in contrast to what might have been. This happens about a third of the way into the book and it's where the book fell off for me. By taking the path of the memo, you need to follow it exactly without question and it removes your free will. I questioned everything in this book and the choices you make in life - both good and bad - make you what you are in life, for better or worse - who cares about perfection? I guess that was the point of the book but the entertainment factor diminished for me as the book progressed. Grateful to NetGalley for an advance copy and still glad I read this.

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. It wasn't bad at all, I just found it a little boring and the pacing was off for me. I felt like I didn't have time to get to know the characters.