From the title to the romance to all the shenanigans in between, I Hope This Finds You Well is a hilarious book about the mundane work and cultural pettiness of a corporate office. The protagonist is the perfect character to view this story in, Jolene doesn't fit in with her peers due to her severe anxiety and passive aggressive behaviors. It is her downfall at the beginning and through some not completely PC means, she works her way up to be liked enough to save herself from layoffs. She makes progress with all her former foes, at the office and outside. I would have liked to see more of her character development reflected in her internal self-talk, as it never seemed like she got more confident with herself even though on the outside she's always testing the boundaries of her comfort zone with other characters noticing the change for her.

Jolene's anxiety stems from a traumatic event turned into an awful high school rumor. It makes sense why she has low self esteem from that experience, but it doesn't really make sense why her office nemesis uses that rumor to beat Jolene down and get her in an HR meeting. Then again, none of the jobs I've ever worked for had a real HR department, so perhaps I am blind to what qualifies as a legitimate work complaint.

I also feel as though the love triangle mix up never really gets clarified to the hurt party. One minute it's the silent treatment and the next the two love birds are talking again, never really explaining what happened. I suppose the reason the characters move on from the fight is because they like each other enough to trust one another, but it would have been nice to get a closure chapter.

I Hope This Finds You Well manages to be both hilarious and deeply heartfelt. All of the characters are flawed and human and realistic and many of them are. The main character, Jolene, makes some questionable choices but I couldn’t help but root for her. This book deals with some heavy topics, but it was done in a way that was tasteful and added to the depth of the characters. I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t fit in.

I requested this one because my book club was reading it, and I was genuinely surprised at how much I liked it. As someone who works in an office environment for work, this was so relatable, and I swear I've worked with some of these characters before. If I did have one critique, it would be that there were too man subplots that didn't really get resolved in a satisfactory way BECAUSE there were so many of them. I think if the author had cut a few smaller plots, the main plot could have carried it just fine. But, I will be keeping an eye out for other books by this author in the future.

I had a hard time relating to the main character. I found her to be frustrating and I just wanted to yell at her for her choices. This would normally deter me from continuing the book. However I was drawn to the story and the author kept me invested throughout. I’m so glad I continued until the end.

When I first picked up this book, I was unsure what to expect, but it quickly proved to be an engaging read. The protagonist, Jolene, initially seemed challenging to relate to due to her unhappiness and abrasive personality at work. However, as the story progressed, I was pleasantly surprised by the character development and the evolving relationships between Jolene and her co-workers. The humor was a spot on, bringing genuine laughter with its sharp wit and clever observations. Additionally, the book’s incorporation of Persian culture added a refreshing cultural perspective.

Overall, while the book didn't quite reach the level of a standout read for me, it offered a compelling experience with its well-crafted characters and engaging humor. I’d rate it a solid 3.5 stars and recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction who appreciate a blend of humor and cultural insight.

Thank you to Natalie Sue, William Morrow Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced eBook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I thought this book would be a quick, funny read but instead, I Hope This Finds You Well was a funny and moving book about a woman who is very lonely and broken finding her place in her world and seeing the humanity of others.

In this book, our MC manages her irritation towards her incompetent coworkers by leaving snide remarks at the bottom of each email written in white font. After getting caught, Jolene has to do sensitivity training and through an IT mishap, she acquires access to all of her coworkers emails and documents. Naturally, she can’t resist from snooping and learns more about her coworkers than she ever wanted to.

I found the pacing to be a bit slow, but loved the character growth of Jolene and seeing her move through the book. There were many times I found myself actually laughing out loud and gasping as our MC made mistakes, learned about her coworkers, and as we made our way through a romance subplot.

recommend this book for those who enjoy books with a character driven story line, office drama, laugh out loud moments, witty characters, and mental health rep!

Read if you like:
🤨 Sarcasm & dry humor
📊 The Office
🌎 immigrant experiences

I loved this book. it was so much deeper than I expected and as someone that loved The Office, I highly recommend this one to others that love the show too!!!

This was laugh out loud funny, tender, and sometimes sad.

As a romance reader I also really loved the romance sub plot! It was very real and raw and sometimes awkward, more true to real life, just like the rest of the story!

If you want a book about the human experience with the range of emotions we all experience in life, definitely check this one out!

Thanks William Morrow for my ARC and finished copy in exchange for my review!

Jolene manages her irritation with her incompetent coworkers by hiding grievances in email postscripts that are written in white font. When her secret is exposed, she ends up in sensitivity training and receives email restrictions. But when an IT mix-up accidentally grants her access to her entire department’s private emails and messages, she can’t resist taking a peak. She soon learns more than she bargained for, and also finds herself falling for Cliff, the HR guy. Oh, I loved this debut novel by Natalie Sue. One of the most perfect encapsulations of the madness of office life and what it’s like to work in a cubicle farm that I’ve ever seen, this very funny, oddly moving book about a deeply lonely and broken woman figuring out how to adult and how to grow while also recognizing the humanity of the people around her was so satisfying to read. There’s not a ton of plot here - this is character-driven, contemplative, and slow-paced - but the emotional payoff is huge and I found myself thinking about the book and its characters even when I wasn’t reading it. One of my favorites of the year - highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of Rainbow Rowell's Attachments and any twisty, office-drama laden story and I Hope This Finds You Well absolutely fits that bill. Jolene, our MC, is stuck in a rut, professionally frustrated, and now realizes that a glitch has allowed her access to all of her coworkers emails. So begins a spiral downward for Jolene who can't resist reading all of the drama and personal revelations.

Funny, fast-paced, and the perfect summer read. I Hope This Finds You Well will speak to anyone who has ever worked in an office full of characters.

I Hope This Finds You Well
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you are looking for a drama version of the office? This is the one. You know, when you’re yelling at the screen, saying noooo, you can’t do that!!! Stop! You just don’t get the balance of comedic relief. I LOVED it. But it was so stressful! I was flipping the pages, cover to cover.
We meet our weird-girl protagonist Jolene, who works at a mundane office, her co workers walk all over her, they don’t respect her.
After each email she responds to their diddly requests, she writes how she REALLY feels, in white font… and gets caught, of course.
She is forced to go through HR training to keep her job, and her computer goes under probationary screenings and censoring.
But, something doesn’t go quite right, she suddenly gets full access to EVERYONE’s emails and chats. With work layoffs looming, she decided to take advantage of this glitch and devises a plan to secure her job.
Things happen, secrets come out, romance and digging up pasts.
This is the part where, if you don’t want a spoiler, scroll on, but I felt like the end was… kind of TOO tied off with a pretty bow. I get she got fired and that’s not so pretty but everything seemed TOO much of a happy ending, there was so many raw emotions and despair at times, the ending didn’t seem like it matched. Like it was the ending of a whole different story. I did end up liking the story, over all, just not what I expected.

Didn’t know I needed a workplace rom-com in my life but turns out I did!!

📧 REVIEW: I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL 📧

By Natalie Sue

📖 SUMMARY: Jolene can’t stand her coworkers, but she remains civil… to their faces. In secret, she writes passive-aggressive notes in white font at the end of her emails. When she mistakenly sends one without changing the font color, she is punished with an HR sensitivity training and a watchdog software downloaded to her computer. Well… turns out, the IT guy accidentally gave her access to all of her coworkers’ email accounts. She decides to use this as a gift to help her advance in her career, but things get tricky when she starts having feelings for Cliff, the HR guy leading her sensitivity course.

💭 THOUGHTS: I actually laughed out loud while reading this — Jolene’s borderline nihilistic view of life and her inner monologue were killing me. I was attracted to this because of the title and premise, but I was fully invested immediately because of the witty writing. Sometimes, a premise is great but the execution falls flat, and that is absolutely not the case here! I also liked that the romance aspect of this was very much not the main point of the book, but rather a little treat on the side. Jolene’s character growth takes center stage here, and I loved seeing her go from an ultra-pessimistic loner to a warm, loving person with friends. Go Jolene!

Thank you to @ net galley and @ William morrow for the ARC. This came out in May — go snag a copy!

✨ MADE ME FEEL: honestly, much better about my own job and coworkers. LOL

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you have ever had major beef with a coworker and contemplated violence (for legal reasons, this is a joke)

Anyone who works in an office will immediately see the (sometimes exaggerated) humor in Natalie Sue's debut novel I Hope This Finds You Well. We meet our protagonist, Jolene, as she's being disciplined for workplace misconduct—i.e. getting caught speaking her mind in emails to her colleagues ("Deep in my core, I find you insufferable."). In a twist of events, when IT tries to limit her communication privileges, they accidentally give her admin privileges so she can see all the emails and chats being sent between her colleagues. As she learns more about their private lives, she starts to sympathize with them and ultimately forms genuine friendships with the coworkers she previously resented.

I loved this book so much that I immediately re-read it the day after finishing it (re-reads are a rarity for me, as is). It's so funny and so smart that I can barely believe it's a debut. There's a good balance of humor, sadness—everyone loves a good cry, right?—and heartwarming growth and an excellent romance sub(ish)plot to boot. Highly, highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and the author for the digital ARC of this book. Introvert Jolene is an admin worker in a large Canadian company. Her weekdays consist of working quietly in her office cubicle while trying to avoid interactions with her coworkers. Her weekends consist of spending time alone in her small dark apartment and heavy drinking. A computer glitch gives Jolene access to all her coworkers’ electronic communication, both personal and office. With talk of layoffs, she has to decide whether to use her secret information to help or hurt her coworkers. This is definitely not a light book and deals with serious topics. That being said, it is also very funny, quirky and heartwarming. Very descriptive writing with well developed characters. The story flows smoothly and is definitely hard to put down. This is the debut novel for the author who is most definitely a very talented writer. I can see this being made into a film or mini series.

Everyone can relate to the storyline. A person wants to impress others but somehow loses themselves in the process. Sometimes it’s not always good to be the odd woman out where you have to prove yourself to coworkers you’re not interested in interacting with. Who doesn’t wish they could write anonymous messages to coworkers detailing their gripes? Overall an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I hope this finds you well
This book was amazing! It was incredibly well written and funny. I hope this finds you well felt like I was reading a sitcom in the best way possible. The main character Jolene gets new software on her computer that allows her to read all her coworkers emails and the story takes many twists and turns from there. The characters in this book are incredibly well written, I felt like I was working in the office too. Jolene showed alot of growth throughout the book as well which was fun to read. The book is highly character driven which I really like in a book. At the beginning you see Jolene as an unreliable narrator who has many faults so it was nice to see her clean up her act by the end. I also loved Cliff's character and the relationship between him and Jolene.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

"I Hope This Finds You Well" mixes workplace humor reminiscent of "The Office" with a story about Jolene, who detests her job and colleagues. Her only joy comes from sending snarky emails—until a glitch grants her access to everyone's messages. As she delves into their lives, Jolene discovers hidden depths and vulnerabilities among her coworkers, revealing unexpected truths about herself and the workplace dynamics. The novel offers a nuanced exploration of work relationships, social anxieties, and the complexities of second-generation immigrant experiences, featuring well-developed characters and insightful storytelling.

Wow! Honestly, please pick this book up. From the witty sarcasm, amazing personalities, and intriguing story lines - I loved every single aspect of this book. I've already picked up a physical copy and given it to a friend as well. From anyone who has felt like they can't move from the past to someone who works in an office space - this book is for you. Jolene is incredibly relatable and the further you get in the book, the more you personally grow with the characters.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy! Super excited to have a new copy on my shelf as well :)

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a delightful debut that drew me in from the first page and had me rooting for her main character Jolene throughout!!

Jolene has worked at Supershops Inc for eight years and in that time she has remained mostly hidden away in her cubicle isolating herself from her co-workers and the daily office “goings-on” that you might find in any large corporate office today. When her annoying office mates become too much Jolene will add a “PS” to the end of her office emails where she tells the coworker exactly how she feels. She then changes the font color to white thus making it invisible before she hits send! Unfortunately she forgets to change the font color one day on an email post script and that gets her in hot water with her coworkers and HR. Jolene will now have to submit to mandatory sensitivity training with the new HR guy Cliff and have restrictions put on her office computer. When IT sets the restrictions they commit a total screwup and it allows Jolene to see all her coworkers emails and interoffice messaging. Jolene has always felt like an outsider and she has been worried about rumored layoffs so she decides to use this access into her coworkers private correspondence to give her a leg up in her career. All she needs to do is get Cliff in HR to like her, impress her oafish boss and beat out the competition. But Jolene soon learns that people aren’t always what they seem, many are hiding personal struggles, and she isn’t the only one in the office who is hanging on by a thread. Plus the guilt of what she is doing is starting to get to her!

I loved Jolene’s quirky personality! Although the people she works with may think she’s a dud, she is far from it. She has a quick wit and dry sense of humor and longs to make more of her life. So what’s holding her back? We learn about her difficult past, the expectations of her strong willed mother and Persian aunties, and her inability to overcome past trauma. I felt so sad for Jolene as I saw her try to push past her difficulties and then fall back into negative thought patterns and self sabotage. Can she rise about these challenges? This is what had me rooting for Jolene!!

Add to this a wonderful cast of interesting and well developed supporting characters with stories of their own. Even the few that were rather unlikeable at the beginning experienced personal growth that caused me to rethink how I felt about them. The relationships and dynamics between the characters and their storylines felt very real and relatable. I enjoyed the dialogue and how the story progressed. I loved the interest Cliff took in Jolene and their banter back and forth. I loved watching Jolene grow and adapt.

The novel moved at a good pace. There was humor, and sadness, and I felt the author did a fantastic job depicting Jolene’s struggle to become the person she truly wanted to be. There were times I worried how the story would end and if I would be satisfied. I am happy to say I was quite satisfied with how things wrapped up and I’m so glad I read this! I believe anyone who enjoys a character driven story with personal growth, witty dialogue, some humor and some warmth, with some crazy office shenanigans will enjoy this book! Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the chance to read this digital copy.

This is a well written book. It has some fine lines, amusing snark, an engaging narrator, a few well-conceived set pieces, and a fair share of perceptive and insightful observations. It's also good, sharp fun. I would encourage inquisitive readers who like playing with genre conventions to give the book a try.

I had a hard time suspending my disbelief for a lot of this novel. I think the author has a lot of interesting and relatable things to say about office culture and what needs to change, and I get that the main character is supposed to be self-sabotaging in her grief. But the way she behaves is just so beyond the realm of normality as to feel unrealistic, as is the sudden appearance of a fake dating trope (in a rom-com, this can work...in a litfic it feels totally out of place) and the resolution feels really unearned. I'd be interested to see what else this author comes out with in the future because the writing kept me interested but the plot and characters were just not well-developed/realistic enough for this to really work for me.