This was overall a funny, heartwarming book with realistic and relatable characters.

However, this book needs to come with a TW for work ptsd and/or toxic workplace situations. After finishing the book, I felt anxious all day the next day, even though the book is a comedic rom com.

Also as a POC, why is her last name Smith if she’s Persian? Not sure if I missed the mention of a white dad. Threw me off.

i cannot go on any further. dropped this at 49% mark. “a laugh-till-you-cry debut novel”? “wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy”? “crackling with laugh-out-loud dialogues”? sorry but i disagree.

the whole time reading i either getting annoyed with the the mc or cringing from second hand embarrassment. i mean, come on. i have social anxiety too. but i would never commit jolene’s constant questionable decisions. i didn’t found any of the characters likeable. jolene’s coworkers (except for cliff) are all two-faced bitches who only truly care about themselves. and of course jolene herself was insufferable. sorry. i really wanted to like this book, but i can’t.

This was a fun and lighthearted read that I needed. I loved the story and thought it had elements that set it apart as a funny romance. I really enjoy this book and have a feeling many others will too.

I had SUCH a good time with this book, but boy did it have my anxiety on high alert. Jolene was such a fun character, but everything she did had me screaming at the book and hanging on the edge of my seat because she made every stress-inducing decision that she possibly could and I was sick of it!

The premise of being in a work place with coworkers that you tolerate, not like, with a boss who is unbearable is so relatable (I used to work in a bank that felt just like this). The concept of having to show a huge effort to get anywhere in a job even though you show up and do good work every day is crazy and yet all of us have to face this in almost any job setting.

The characters (besides her workplace rival and Gregory) were all so wonderful after we learn more about them (and while I feel for the rival because she does have good reason for the way she is... if you know, you know). Cliff was such a cutie, and honestly the fact there wasn't an extra plot twist involving him is shocking to me.

This felt like The Office but even more cringe/stress-inducing, and I loved it!

i expected this to be a sarcastic dry funny edgy book. instead it is a kind sweet corny funny book. and it turns out i'll take that trade!

i caught myself teary eyed (?!) at the nice moments at the end of this book, and even if it felt unrealistic and a bit much in parts, it's also the book kind of therapy where everything starts bad and then ends magically. so i'll take it.

TL;DR: fans of ELEANOR OLIPHANT, THE MAID, and ANXIOUS PEOPLE will find a lot to like in this workplace comedy, about a woman who is accidentally given access to all of her coworkers’ email inboxes, and all the secrets they’re hiding (including how they feel about her). It’s witty and sharply-written and a lot of fun, and the surprisingly heartwarming ending will leave you sunburned and satisfied when this one hits bookshelves in May.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but it exceeded anything I could have imagined. It’s laugh out loud funny at times, opens in the strongest fashion, and gives a serious insider view of what it’s like to live with depression. It gave me You’re the Worst vibes, the show on FX (which I absolutely loved). This is the kind of story where things are so unhinged you can’t actually believe someone could do the things she does, unless you’ve actually lived with or experienced major depression, and then you totally and completely understand how one’s life can spin THAT much out of control. I thought the author absolutely nailed it.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC!

This was a fun book, and I really appreciated the opportunity to read it! I will recommend this book.

This was a lot of fun and reminded me of the Office but with more depth and heartwarming. I found the main character to be relatable as well as the office environment.

I really, really enjoyed this one. Jolene is the perfect combination of likeable/unlikeable, and the workplace drama really did feel pretty true to life. The wish fulfillment aspect of being able to read everyone in the company's private messages is very, very fun. One teeny, tiny quibble - we never do find out what happened to make that happen - did Cliff do it on purpose? (it didn't seem like it!) Did IT just mess up? Hard to say, and maybe it doesn't really matter, but my brain got stuck on it.

Jolene works as an admin for the corporate side of Supershops, a big box store. She’s in a down period in life, mostly broke and hates her colleagues and the monotonous work, but her way of dealing with it is that she says everything she wants to at the bottom of emails and turns the font white. But then she forgets to change the color in one email and she gets in trouble with HR. She’s forced to undergo sensitivity training with a new member of HR, Cliff. Then one day there’s a glitch in her email and she can read all her colleagues email correspondence. She learns some deep secrets and uses this information to her advantage. She also reads about upcoming layoffs and thinks this is how she can save her job.

Jolene and Cliff become friends as their sensitivity training continues. But she can’t be interested in someone from her company! She also desperately needs a friend and Cliff is a great companion who also helps drive her to work when her only option is a very long commute on a city bus.

This book was really funny if you have ever had ridiculous colleagues. My favorite part was all the petty things they did to each other, but especially the one guy who kept trying to kill another woman’s plant by pouring Gatorade into it. I laughed many times during this book, but there were definitely many heartfelt moments too. Especially with regards to Jolene’s feelings of loneliness and her relationship with her Persian parents.

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever worked an office job. The different personalities and lack of work ethic can be applied to many people in previous jobs I’ve worked.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @natwrotewhat for my gifted ebook.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨ I enjoyed this book! The witty humor was quick and had me laughing out loud. The writing was very engaging and easy to read however slow in some parts. I wanted a bit more development with our characters but was happy with how it all wrapped up! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! :)

I really enjoyed this book, though I think the tone change was pretty major from the funny beginning to the somewhat depressing second half. If the book had been less funny, it wouldn't have been a noticeable shift, but I was laughing out loud for the first few chapters and somewhere along the way it lost that humor. I still highly recommend it. I will certainly read whatever this author does next

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy of this novel.

I have no clue what I expected from this book but I truly enjoyed the hell out of it. A mix of office chaos, personal introspection and healing, a study in humanity and relationships, and a dash of endearing romance, this book gave me way more feelings than I expected it to.

It is worth noting that there are certain scenarios that take place that feel absolutely absurd, and I kept scoffing and saying “Are we serious?” I’m realizing I talk to my books way too much, but that’s a conversation for another time. It is also worth noting that some of the characters (no, most of the characters) make you hate them intensely for at least one scene. The point seems to be that people are messy and imperfect, which isn’t wrong, but boy did the author go all in on making these characters FLAWED.

On the whole, this book made me think and feel more than I expected it to, and with some sporadic humor and vivid cast of characters, I give this one a hearty 4⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

We get a lot of romances in different settings, but a workplace romance within the cubicles of an office was so fun and reminiscent of one of the best shows of all time. At the same time it was so emotional and impactful. The cover is also gorgeous.

I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book in the beginning; the main character was self-deprecating and doing nothing to help herself but blame her circumstances and those around her. However, I’m happy with the way that character evolved, and I even found myself tearing up at the end. I recommend for those who enjoy a work place rom-com.

This wonderful debut is so relatable to anyone who has ever spent the majority of their waking hours working in an office with people who may (or may never!) be your friends in real life.
Natalie Sue's sarcastic, biting wit is so funny on the surface, yet as the characters are developed, their motives are understandable and they become real human beings whom you actually care about.
I felt that Jolene didn't need to have quite as tragic a back story, told by confusing flashbacks, and it was not necessary to have Jolene know her bitchy, yet vulnerable co-worker's fiancée from a previous life. But otherwise, I would highly recommend this book - It made me sneak reading this many times while I was supposed to be working on something else!

This was such a smart and innovative book, unlike anything I've ever read before.

That being said, I almost DNF'd like five times in the first 50% of the book. I was expecting a bit more humor, but dang the front half of this book made me really sad. I think it was just too realistic, and I'm a "fiction for escapism" girly - so I'm going to say it's a me problem! But if you're going into this expecting a workplace comedy, I might readjust expectations.

But I DID hang in there and I'm so glad I did. I cried over these characters, who are deep and complicated and messy and I was rooting for (almost) all of them by then end. (Sorry, Gregory.) This story helps to remind you that everyone is going through life carrying things we cannot see, and it encourages you that it's never too late to pursue the life you want. The ending is sweet and full of hope, and makes me forgive Sue for breaking my heart early on.

If you like realistic fiction with heart, this one is for you!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

How did Natalie end up in my office building…? I mean…. This is a work of fiction right? Because it read a little to non-fiction for me. Hilarious REAL HONEST and ultimately left me reflecting on years of life in my little cubicle. Perfect.

I hope this finds you well.

📧This debut novel is funny, heartwarming and beautifully constructed. The characters are flawed and relatable.
📧Jolene is an admin worker at Supershops Inc, she doesn’t talk with her coworkers and is annoyed by their attitudes but this job is all she has. She finds a way to vent her true feelings for them as a hidden ps in every email but a mistake puts her in sensitivity training with the new HR guy, Cliff. Then an IT mix up results in her having access to all of her coworkers emails and private chats, so she begins with her plan to save her job.
📧This is a comedic heart felt story that touches a variety of topics as work pressure, family expectations, her developing feelings for Cliff and past trauma.
📧This one had me laughing and so invested in Jolene’s journey. I’m amazed to find out is a debut novel, I’m eager to read what Natalie publishes next.
⭐️ My rating: 5 stars. Will surely be on my top this year.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!