A great debut novel that captures an amazing and emotional story. Not the predictable cubicle/office read I was expecting. The title incapsulates the feelings of responding to yet another email in corporate America. Overall, I was delighted.

4.5⭐️

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a heartwarming character-driven novel and a promising debut.

In the eight years thirty-three-year-old Iranian Canadian Jolene Smith has been employed at Supershops Incorporated, she has kept mostly to herself, limiting her interactions with her coworkers to work-related matters. Her method of coping with the stress of her job as an administrative assistant and tensions with her coworkers involves adding a text note in her emails in invisible white font wherein she vents her true feelings. Unfortunately, a careless mistake on her end gets her into trouble, resulting in mandatory sensitivity training with the new HR gut, Cliff and restrictions on her internet activity and office email. However, an IT mix-up grants her access to her coworkers’ emails and DMs – information that affords her insight into the goings on in the office and what her coworkers think about her and one another. Though she initially decides to inform HR about the mix-up, she eventually begins to use the information she garners to her advantage. Learning about the lives of her coworkers - their secrets and struggles-inspires her to take stock of her own life and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

The narrative is presented from Jolene’s first-person PoV along with email and DM transcripts. With complex characters and an interesting premise, this is a smartly crafted novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story. The author writes with humor and heart. The strength of this novel lies in the character development and realistic depiction of interpersonal dynamics both within the workplace and otherwise. The supporting characters are well thought out (even the unlikable ones) and realistic. The subplots are deftly woven into the primary narrative and I really liked how the author brings everything together. The author addresses sensitive themes, including mental health, trauma, addiction and terminal illness with sensitivity and compassion. Jolene’s journey is not an easy one and her backstory broke my heart. Though I didn’t always agree with Jolene’s actions, I was invested in her journey and sympathized with her plight ( and enjoyed her observations) as she navigated work pressures, workplace politics, familial expectations (and her Persian aunty network), her feelings for Cliff, past trauma and much more all the while conflicted over own decision to conceal the truth. I was happy with how the author chose to end the story and it was heartening to see how Jolene gradually opens up to new experiences and grows as a person. Please note that though the author balances the serious themes in this novel with a healthy dose of humor, this novel isn’t exactly a light-hearted read.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read and I look forward to more from this talented new author in the future!

Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I recently read another book that dealt with an email mishap that I adored! I think that led me to believe this would have a similar vibe. I would not classify this as a funny, w0rk place comedy even though there are some humorous moments. The entire office environment was so toxic and while I was hoping for good things for our main character, Jolene, I could not support her bad decisions and was actually hoping she would not keep her job by the end. There was some character growth and even some bonds that were established but the means to get to that point didn't feel healthy. I did enjoy Cliff and Jolene together...there were some sweet, fun times and moments that felt organic with their banter. But then there was the constant reminder that Jolene was reading private messages! Ugh.

Mixed feelings about this book, but the writing was solid even if the topic sometimes made me feel yucky...I would be willing to give this author another go!

3 stars

This book was like returning to work again, after being gone 19 years. All the petty, annoying people jumped off the page. But our main character, Jolene, was such a fresh reminder that we are not alone in the world, no matter how much we seem to be alone and feel like we are alone. This book was very fun but also, a little dark. Which is life. If you are both fun and dark, I highly recommend this! And if you’re a Caitlyn, you probably don’t realize it, and you will still love this book.

I wasn't head over heels for this one, though it did have its charm. It was a little too relatable for my taste, but I reckon that's more about me than the book itself. This is marketed as a 'dramedy,' but I Hope This Finds You Well leaned a tad too heavily on the drama side for my liking. I was hoping for a bit more humor to balance it out, but again, that's probably because of how relatable it felt. I'm all about diving into stories to escape, and this one didn't quite fit the bill. However, I can see how it might be a solid five-star read for some readers. The story focuses on Jolene, a Corporate America worker who decides to spice up her emails with snarky postscripts (changing the font to white so they can’t be seen) aimed at colleagues she can't stand. When she slips up and leaves one visible, she's thrown into workplace anti-harassment training. Then, due to an HR error, she gains access to everyone's emails and messages, leading her to uncover surprising truths about her coworkers while still using the information to save her job. The premise was so promising, but this selection just fell a bit flat for me.

I was very fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy from NetGalley but all thoughts are unbiased and my own!

The concept of this book was SO unique and I really enjoyed the whole storyline. It was unlike anything I’d ever read. I thought the author did a great job expressing the feelings of characters and what it can be like when you’re not a part of the “in the crowd” as an adult. There were parts of the book that were a bit predictable, but it didn’t take away from the fact I really enjoyed it!

The reason why this book is a three star read for me, is I feel like there was not enough time between the climax and the ending (which everything seemed to be tied together a bit too neatly at the end). Other than that, it was a great story with lots of heartfelt moments and moments that had me so stressed for the characters.

I Hope This Finds You Well is a delightful novel about a girl who works in an office and finds herself in a pretty sticky situation regarding some HR mishaps. Working in an office myself, I found this book to be very humorous and laugh out loud funny at times. The main character is so likable but at the same time she is imperfect, so not a total Mary Sue character. Watching her growth and realization that not all people are totally bad or what you perceive them to be was refreshing. I definitely recommend you pick this one up! A page turner for sure and great for people who love sarcastic and dark humor.

I loooooooved this even though all the lies had me STRESSED. The web of lies. ALL THE LIES.

This is like a mix of The Office and Superstore, like the back office of Superstore. They show make this a show. I’d be all in.

All the characters are wonderful, they’re messy, but also real and you learn about them through Jolene’s eyes and the journey she goes through and how you watch her grow and change. And Cliff, since a sweet sweet man.

There is so much great humor, and I’ve you’ve ever worked in an office, you will probably relate to most of it.

I really enjoyed listening to/reading this. I highly recommend it!

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I had such high hopes for this one after seeing some initial great reviews. I knew going in there would be come content concerns but even with the warnings I finished the book a bit disappointed by the author's choice to include IMO content that didn't enhance the story. The main character is reprimanded for a work place incident that doesn't see her fired but redirected through HR. The shining star of this story is the MMC, Cliff, who really elevates this story beyond the juvenile narration of the FMC. I really wanted to like Jolene and while I did empathize with the traumatic effects of her past, she barely evolves from the pitiful self-absorption that has consumed her. Even at the end of the story when she recognizes this, it's the secondary cast of characters (most of whom are not self-focused in their behavior) and their transformation that really strengthen this story. In regards to content, there were just jokes, thoughts, and description details that felt forced and had more of an ick factor than humorous. I think this story is for a certain reader, I'm just not it.

I just finished reading I Hope This Finds You Well by @natwrotewhat and WOW.
This is my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. It deserves more than 5 stars in my opinion. Office drama, gossip, passive-aggressive plant murder, intrusive mothers….it’s all in here. Jolene was witty and incredibly entertaining. There were so many laugh out loud moments for me. But more than that, the characters are so incredibly human and tremendously flawed like the rest of us. I was rooting for Jolene and I was not disappointed. This book is hilarious, but it is also heart-warming---nail-biting---and my heart dropped into my stomach a few times. I couldn’t have pictured the end being any more perfect than it was. I just loved it so much, and I will eventually be reading it again. Definitely recommend a thousand times over.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @natwrotewhat for the pleasure of reading this delightful e-book via @netgalley
All thoughts are entirely my own.

I Hope This Finds You Well was an anxiety attack, a heartfelt letter to humanity, and a character piece all in one. I'm not sure if I should be concerned each time I relate to the character that is represented as a huge mess but Jolene was nothing if not relatable. Although her antics took control of her life and she stuck her foot in her mouth more times than I can count, Natalie Sue wanted Jolene to be human and that's exactly what we got.

"How can someone saying he knows me feel like everything?"

If Jolene Smith is the life-sized version of a dumpster fire, her counterpart Clifford Redmond is the life-sized version of a teddy bear. Their stark differences contrasted so well as characters and as part of the story itself. I loved watching them interact and grow together because they both had a lot to learn. Cliff is someone everyone deserves in their life and I hope people like him actually exist.

"He actually cares. So much. Did I lose that part of myself? I definitely had it once."

When I went into this, I was expecting something more lighthearted and silly and, don't get me wrong, it had plenty of that. But what I wasn't expecting was the gut punch of Jolene's reality as a 33-year-old who has no idea what she's doing with her life and floats through each day like it doesn't matter. This was such a compassionate, soul-searching narrative of what it's like to be a human in a world that doesn't allow you to feel human the majority of the time. We got a glimpse at not just Jolene but all of her coworkers and the complicated lives they hid behind their work facade.

"I gaze around at my mess and wonder how I was ever able to exist in the world as the person that I am."

Although I would like to say nothing but high praise for I Hope This Finds You Well, it wasn't without its flaws. Jolene's attitude and temperament, while understandable, were unbelievably frustrating. She somehow kept digging herself so deep into her troubles that I was concerned for my mental state just reading about hers. Sue's writing was brilliantly paced and captured the complexities of life with a casual-seeming outlook but Jolene's humor didn't always land with me and I was hoping for more interactions with Jolene and Cliff than we got. It's also one of my biggest pet peeves when the climax of a story happens with 20 pages left because I always need more time to process the ending with the characters.

All that being said, I absolutely loved this. I think it is an important read for anyone in their 20s or 30s or for those who may feel like they're flailing, doing nothing with their life, or not accomplishing what they thought they would have by now. It will either provide you with perspective or it will let you see that you're not alone in this big, messy world.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a socially anxious girly and being very nosey, i loved this book! I’ve been in a reading slump and this gripped me from the start, i binged it in 2 days.
Jolene as a character was very real. I understood her character and her trauma. But being in her head stressed me out, at times the things she would say and do would physically make me cringe and take me out of the enjoyment of the book. This book did really well with developing side characters though! The author did a great job of giving all of the side characters unique personalities and background stories that i felt were fleshed out greatly. One of my favorite parts of the book was reading the emails and communications that Jolene was spying on. I binged this book because i knew what she was doing would blow up and i had to see how! Though the romance felt a little insta-lovey, i do feel that we got a good of relationship development as well but honestly i enjoyed reading about the friendship developments and parental more.

Natalie Sue did a great job with this one! I’ll pick up more of her books for sure.

Fresh, funny, and original. I couldn't put Natalie Sue's debut down and can't wait to see what's next!

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The beginning of the story was humorous and laugh out loud funny. I almost didn’t finish this one but I kept on because I wanted to see it through to the end. Jolene is the main character in the story. Like others have said, her background story didn’t really add up for a long time. This book showcases Jolene’s work life and her day to day interactions with her co-workers. Jolene and most of her co-workers have major issues going on in their personal lives. Jolene gets access to all of her co-workers e-mails and DMs after an IT mix-up. This becomes a downward spiral for Jolene. I really wish she would have gotten out of her rut sooner and made better decisions. This turned me off on her and the book a little. I enjoyed her interactions with Cliff, the IT manager but wanted to see more develop between them. Overall, I give this one 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This novel is told from the perspective of a woman in her early 30s named Jolene, who is unhappy both at work and outside of it too. She has channeled her unhappiness at her job as an assistant at a big company to putting hidden messages in her email in invisible font color, but when she forgets to do so in one email, that sets the plot in motion, as she both meets the nice new HR guy, and a mishap in them setting up her computer to monitor emails instead results in her being able to read everyone else’s emails instead. At first she just confirms to herself that everyone hates it, but she comes to realize that everyone else has their own problems as well.

I felt very similarly to this book as I did about Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and while to some people that would be a compliment without reservations, to me that means I had very mixed feelings. That is, both books were touted as funny, whereas I found them depressing and downright upsetting at times with their main characters who are not merely reclusive or awkward but also seriously troubled! I did read this book quickly, and there definitely were things I liked about it - but overall it honestly made me feel anxious and sad much of the town I was reading it. I did enjoy the writing and some of the humor and hijinks, especially with Jolene’s Iranian immigrant family - I just found overall it was more of a bummer than the lighter read I was expecting.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book. At first I didn't think I would finish it based on how down Jolene made me feel. I even stopped reading for a bit. When I return to it, I kept telling her to quit. Just. Leave. Alas, her antics caught up with her and there it was. HR. When Jolene had access to everyone's emails, it was amusing (to me) to see their interactions with each other. There's the lifer, the "do just enough," and the suck up. Everyone looked sad and pitiful working there. I did like it when Jolene gets to see that vulnerability later.
I found her backstory kind of thin and I guess you can put too much focus on it, just how it made her become who she is. Seeing her hit rock bottom was sad.
I thoroughly enjoyed her interactions with Clifford. There teasing and overall dynamic felt very natural. I think this is what helped Jolene become more open with her coworkers. Thank you for not putting her with Cliff right away. I liked that she chose to work on her issues first. Not many people will do that.
Overall, I thought this was well written and the characters personal stories/backgrounds well developed.

This was really good. It reminded me of the same dynamic as The Office, in terms of the setting and wit. I loved the tiny bit of romance involved. It was a good read. In terms of layout, love the chapters and the POV! Would recommend to any of my Women’s Fiction gals out there!

“It’s so obvious now: people show most of who they are up front. It just takes someone to really watch.” - Natalie Sue

Jolene is unhappy at her job, struggles to connect with any of her coworkers, and is holding onto a past that has her second guessing her worth. One day she forgets to change the font color to white on her standard snarky postscript to an internal email (one of the best oopsies I’ve read in forever). Feathers are ruffled and HR is called in. We meet Cliff who is the nicest of nice guys and the new HR guy. Jolene’s emails are supposed to be monitored to make sure she’s being professional but, in a snafu, she instead has access to all emails from every employee, and department, building wide. She tries to tell Cliff… but there’s a lingering thought that maybe this could benefit her. Although she tries- the whole Jolene’s dug just keeps getting deeper and deeper.

Although the cast of characters are often horrible to one another @natwrotewhat expertly negotiates the incremental shift in alliances between these coworkers as the storyline develops. The author’s dedication to honestly detailing mental health struggles in all the ways was so well done. (An Iranian lead and all the cultural details were a bonus.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for this #advancedreaderscopy -pub date was 5/21/24.

#lifegotinthewayofreadingthismonth

Thank you for the opportunity to review - this came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Excited to share this journey with more reviewers now that it's available!

I enjoyed the workplace setting. Jolene and Cliff were great and I enjoyed the side characters as well. Jolene's back story felt very incomplete and the resurfacing bully was odd. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy