I enjoyed this debut novel so much! If you work in or have worked an office job, I believe you will, too! It’s funny, relatable, and also has deeper themes that give the book layers, and have you rooting for the main character. I highlighted so many lines that literally hit the nail on the head of office life and made me laugh out loud!

The story is about Jolene, an employee of Supershops who doesn’t have the best relationships with her colleagues, and starts with her getting caught sending hidden messages in her emails about how she really feels about them - honestly don’t we all want to do this at times LOL! After getting put in sensitivity training and having her computer slightly monitored by IT, she somehow gets access to everyone’s emails. From there, Jolene is able to get a leg up in hopefully saving her job in an upcoming round of layoffs. What could possibly go wrong?

The book highlighted the importance of mental health, belonging and connection, and how we don’t always know what others are dealing with. At the beginning, I was cringing at Jolene, but as her character developed I was rooting for her!

Thank you Net Galley and William Morrow Books for the Advanced Readers Copy!

I absolutely adored this book! It was highly relable but also had some serious insight into corporate culture. Sue writes grief and trauma well and expertly wove it into the plot. I love how Jolene’s character morphed throughout the story and she tried to use her inside information for the greater good. The office culture was fantastically flawed and it was enjoyable seeing everyone’s different priorities. This truly had a mix of so many things and would be a great read for anyone!

This was such a funny, sweet, well-executed book. I knew from the first couple of pages that I would love it. Jolene was an unlikeable FMC but I really enjoyed that and found myself being so amused by her personality and actions.

Cliff being the sunshine to her grumpy was also enjoyable to read. Their relationship had good pacing from beginning to end. It felt realistic and I supported all the decisions that were made by them both towards their futures.

I cackled throughout the story but I also liked the tender moments that arose as more was revealed about each character. The novel showed that people are really dynamic beings and we never really know what goes on behind the scenes.

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
If you are a donut lover, this book is for you.
If you were a weirdo in high school, or in the work place, or especially now, this book is for you. Seriously, all the people that feel weirdness in their hearts need to read this book.

This is a slower moving story with a deep dive into a character that feels completely and butterfly invisible and unseen. But when she is seen is deemed weird and unlikable. It takes place largely in the workplace and so many can relate.

“It shouldn’t be this hard to remain neutral with people. But trust Supershops Incorporated to turn a desk job into an air conditioned version of Survivor, complete with alliances and betrayals.”

The story is laugh out loud funny, like The Office, and also deeply heartfelt like Superstore.

4.5

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. I was initially really interested in this plot. I found the main character to be a little annoying at first, but it was nice to see how things ended for her. I was hoping for a little bit more office humor, but I liked the message at the end for all the coworkers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Willam Morrow Books for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5- I think this book does a great job of demonstrating how trauma impacts people and what happens when they get stuck. There were some very on the nose observations about office and corporate culture that I think anyone who has worked in a corporate environment can relate to. I think this book is falsely advertised as a comedy, it was not funny at all and was definitely more of a drama, so that changed my expectations going in. That being said, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would after getting over the fact that it was not funny.

I literally laughed out loud. I cringed. I cried. I loved this book SO much. 10/10

I’m also cracking up because I KNOW this won’t be for everyone… but it was most definitely for me. It’s like The Office meets The Mindy Project meets.. A Man Called Ove. And I am obsessed. SO witty. SO funny. SO awkward. SO heartfelt.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This one was a bit of a miss for me. While it 100% captured what it is like to work a cubicle job, especially with people you don't like or have any interest in getting to know outside of work (or even inside work) overall it was kind of boring.

The main character Jolene was 33 but felt more 18-19 with her being childish and awkward. I sort of wished the book focused more on her reading the emails and using them as the "cheat sheet" for her job because that was quite entertaining. I found parts of the book quite funny but unfortunately it did not find me well.

I could relate to Jolene though as I feel I am socially awkward at time and I felt that translated well in the book.

Was reading a story about a woman who spies on her colleagues in an office setting on my 2024 bingo card? Absolutely not. Was I actually surprised to really enjoy this book by the end? Absolutely.
At the beginning of this book, I couldn't really stand Jolene, and she was making me not want to read this book. I kept going though because I hate not finishing a book, I need to know how it turns out. I'm so glad I didn't let my distate for her stop me, because this was a great book overall and I really enjoyed it. Jolene became such a a great character, and it shows you just how much you don't know what's going on in another's life. Great read for sure!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was such a fun read and I felt like I was experiencing the office gossip right along with the characters. It had a little bit of everything; personal and professional growth, love story, office life, drama, and mystery all in one. I think most people can connect in some way with the story. The drama kept me so engaged and I blew through this book so quickly wanting to know what would happen next.

I loved this book! Easily one of my top reads of 2024 so far.
And what a surprise it was -- a snarky, witty comedic take on office culture that gradually evolves into the story of a young woman who must face her own demons of anxiety and depression as she learns to see the pain in the people around her.
Both a funny AND emotionally deep book that shows you the secrets we all hide from those around us - and ourselves.
Quick synopsis: 'An admin worker (Jolene) accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job.'
Author Natalie Sue beautifully writes Jolene. You empathize with her difficulty navigating social situations and how she copes with the trauma of her past. As Jolene learns more about her coworkers that she detests, she begins to realize the power of people connecting and sharing their lives with each other. I felt my heart expanding as the secrets her coworkers kept were revealed; this book impacted my personal life, reminding me that every person I interact with is fighting their own battle.
Highly recommend!

The publisher's recommendation for fans of The Office drew me in but unfortunately also threw me off. The tone of humor and Canadian setting I think align this more with the UK original than the American version the comparison brought to my mind.

What really made this hard to get into, however, was the protagonist. She is so severely antisocial, it's not relatable... even with my own anxiety disorder, I struggled to sympathize with her. I was prepared for Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute-like antics... not for someone who believes coworkers saying "good morning" is a capital offense. She goes through some much needed character development, but I question whether these traits needed to be so extreme in the beginning.

The latter half of the book is both more entertaining and more heartfelt. The whole story is a very fast read. But its attempt to stand in both the workplace satire camp and the very serious mental health issues camp make it struggle with both — I can think of better examples in both categories. This is sadly not a star.

This is a hilarious yet serious take on what it means to work in a place where you barely get along with your coworkers. Add in the hilarity of immigrant culture, quasi-matchmaking, fake engagement and you are in for a jolly ride.

This is a deep yet humorous read where things are not what they appear to be and where everything should not be taken at face value. I loved the mental health representation and the diversity.

Jolene had me from hooked from start to finish with her antics, thoughts and how often she was misunderstood by others.

I love how relatable the characters are. We have all probably worked with one or two of them. I enjoyed the office politics, gossip, backstabbing and corporate shenanigans.

2.5 stars rounded up.

I Hope This Finds You Well follows Jolene, an office assistant who is failing at her job, has no interpersonal relationships and sits home and drinks at night. She has suffered trauma from high school and has not dealt with that trauma yet. She gets put on a performance plan after management finds out she is writing nasty messages on her emails in white print to her colleagues. She has to take a HR course with the new HR guy who slowly becomes her friend.

People have raved about this book, but it was not for me. I did not find it funny, nor did I find the premise interesting. The book is filled with cliche after cliche and you know where everything is going to go. To be fair, I found it YA in style, even though it was about someone in their early 20s. YA does not work for me. A book that is getting a lot of love, so it might be for you, especially if you are OK with YA.

Thank you @bookclubgirl and @harpercollins for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow books for this advanced reader's copy. This book was so much more than expected. Jolene works at a normal office called, Supershops, and doesn't interact or want to get to know anyone in her office. Until she is put on probation and has to meet with the new HR rep, Cliff who is super friendly to everyone and a technical glitch on her computer, means she is able to see and read all the inter-office emails and private DMs. Jolene can now see what her co-workers really think about her. Who wouldn't want to know about all the little secrets in the office and what your co-workers REALLY say about you? Jolene sees this as a way to save to her job, but as time goes by, she also learns more about the people she works with. Jolene starts to connect with Cliff, the HR rep she is working with, and the others in her office, but as Jolene soon learns, with finding out more about others, you have to let them find out more about you to really be open to friendship and the possibility of love. This book was deeper than I expected, and I really enjoyed it. I read it in one sitting and will definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

Cute summer read

Jolene's life isn't going as well as she liked, and definitely not how her Persian immigrant mother thinks she should be living. She has a clerical job at an office similar to the TV show "The Office". There is an older woman who has fallen behind in technology changes, a pretty but narcissistic woman with a mysterious boyfriend, a boorish boss, and a nice but underachieving man who is also the child of Iranian immigrants. When Jolene makes a mistake that causes her to get reported to the new HR man, she finds that she finally has found a friend in the office.

There are a few issues of medium depth, like meeting parents' expectations, but this is pretty much a beach read. I found it quite enjoyable. I also learned a little about Persian foods. I may have to look up a few recipes.

The story follows Jolene, a secretary at Supershops Inc, who has to endure “sensitivity training” after her secret messages about her grievances to her coworkers gets exposed. After an IT accident gives her access to the entire department’s private communication channels, Jolene knows to report it, but couldn’t resist the temptation to read what her coworkers are saying (sadly, not good things). When she learns that the entire department is on the brink of layoffs, she tries her best to save her job - she helps her office mate with computer stuff, she tries her best to form a friendship with the new HR guy, Cliff, and overall, she tries to convince her boss and HR she’s Supershops material.

The overall vibes of the book are similar to that of The Office, which was entertaining. At times, I felt bad for Jolene - she has some low moments, but every so often has some good moments too. I thought it was interesting to see her interact with her Persian family - even though they (especially her mom) disagrees with some things, everyone still loves and cares for each other. The other characters were very well written - Jolene’s coworkers seem to hate her, based on what she reads in the private chats. However, I got a sense that everyone has their own stuff going on outside of work. Most of the characters had somewhat of a “redemption arc” towards the end, which was quite satisfying. The whole book was well-written and often funny, focusing on relationships at work and personal life, while still touching on more relatable things such as social anxiety and the pressures one has while being an immigrant in the US.

What an incredible story -- snarky and relatable in the best of all possible ways. Natalie Sue's I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL is the story of downtrodden, miserable Jolene who is suddenly put on notice that her job is in jeopardy unless she changes her attitude and becomes more palatable and likable for the office staff. From the first lines, I was totally captivated by the disgruntled. unlikeable Jolene and also equally fascinated by her self-awareness, acute observations, and view of the world. Ultimately, I fell squarely into her camp and enjoyed the ride with a woman who thinks for herself and changes the world around her. In a way, the story felt like a natural for those of us addicted to THE OFFICE and any other show featuring a diverse group of individuals brought together to work in the same place. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

This was an absolute hoot to read. The story was funny while still full of serious moments. If you like the office, rom-coms, or heartwarming tales then this is the book for you. I seriously think this is great for tons of audiences. I laughed, cried, cringed, etc. This was one of those books that read like a movie in your head. I seriously recommend you check it out!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an early copy of this book.

Jolene is socially awkward with a traumatic past that contributes to her keeping her quirky co-workers at a distance with minimal interaction. She suffers their irritating eccentricities silently in the Supershops office, but behind her keyboard she confronts them with diatribes written in white ink at the bottom of official emails.

That is, until she is caught and sentenced to HR remedial behavior courses and limited computer access. Yet she somehow is able to see everyone’s emails. Reading their emails, Jolene covertly discovers the personal lives of her co-workers and their individual traumas. This is where the story really gets going.

Natalie Sue has created unique characters with well-developed back stories that make for interesting reading. Her debut novel is funny, yet heartbreaking; relatable, yet startling. The situations and dialog keep you reading and guessing. A very enjoyable read for the summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.