I Hope This Finds You Well is a contemporary novel following Jolene after she is reprimanded for sending her coworker a rude email. I expected this book to be akin to the Office, but I did not expect the character depth and sadder elements. You never know what someone is going through even if you sit next to them 40+ hours a week. Overall I really enjoyed I Hope This Finds You Well and look forward to future books by Natalie Sue.

I received an ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I Hope This Finds You Well was a cross between The Office and Office Space. It was an interesting and funny look behind office politics. I especially enjoyed the book as I could relate to HR Cliff as I'm also in HR. And learning about Jolene's culture was both heartwarming and hilarious (her Persian aunties and mom are the best!). I think the book was a little unrealistic in parts, but overall, a great debut novel by Natalie Sue!

I’ve been finding that I give less and less five star reviews. A book has to have depth, writing that is engaging and not redundant, and a story to carry it. This book started as a funny story about someone who was frustrated at her job and then grew into so much more. It was funny, ridiculous (in a good way), and then even heartwarming. It really proves the point that everyone is dealing with something and we should be kind to each other.

DNF at about 15%- I’m sure the whole point of this book is that Jolene will learn to treasure relationships and not be so pessimistic, but right now I am really not at a point in my life where I can read this, it’s making me too uncomfortable

I enjoyed this book which was surprisingly deep and emotional, a bit snarky, and towed the line between realistic and unbelievable.

At first, it is sassy and quirky, with lots of characters who appeared to be caricatures of people you might meet at work. But it morphs into a departed story, which makes the reader consider, yes, we may each be going through a lot, but what are the people around us also going through? And it makes you consider what life would be like if you always gave others the benefit of the doubt.

I appreciated the non-perfect ending, and while I didn’t particularly love any single character, as an ensemble, I thought they were just the right balance of quirky, annoying, endearing, and enjoyable

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I picked up this book for a good laugh and ended it in tears. Such a layered book that is not only hilarious, but also a look at the lives and feelings we keep hidden below the surface. I adored the main character Jolene, an Iranian-Canadian born to immigrant parents who suffers from severe social anxiety and depression following a traumatic childhood incident. Here, here for childhood traumas.

The book kicks off in hilarious fashion with Jolene being reprimanded and put on a HR anti-harassment training program after being caught sending rude emails to a coworker. After a monitoring program is installed on her computer, she quickly finds out that she was erroneously given access to all company emails. Thus begins the good ‘ol spying on her coworkers.

What begins with Jolene trying to save her job leads to her realizing her coworkers are real people with real issues, much beyond what they portray in the office. Jolene’s emotional journey was so funny and beautiful to read. And I really loved the sweet romantic subplot.

Highly recommend to all fans of books like Anxious People, A Man Called Ove, or Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

I Hope This Finds You Well ARC
GetLit: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

My first advanced readers copy!
Hilarious in that self deprecating/depressing office life this book depicts. The main character is reprimanded for an email she didn’t mean to send and has to go through an HR course. However in an attempt to lesson her computer permissions while she’s on probation a mistake is made and she has access to everyone’s emails and messenger messages.
Cringey and awkward moments made me laugh out loud and was a nice comedic relief to some of the more serious topics including Grief, Depression and a whole other slew of normal life issues. It’s a true depiction of the saying “Be kind, you never know what someone else is going through.”

I have to say that when I saw the title of this book, I couldn’t resist! I just had to read it! I was expecting some funny office comedy but I found it to be a lot more than that.

Jolene is an office worker who is quiet with quite a baggage from her past. She has never fully recovered from a trauma that occurred years ago, so she attempts to blend in with her strange and occasionally ruthless coworkers. Her coping mechanism is adding at the end of the emails her true thoughts hidden in the white font. Unfortunately she gets caught, when after getting into a heated argument with her coworker Caitlin, she forgets to use an invisible font and HR gets involved. While setting up a device to monitor her keystrokes the IT guy unintentionally provides Jolene access to all of her coworkers' emails and direct messages. That way Jolene learns more about her coworkers and employer, and she discovers that she is the object of not only office gossip, but Caitlin's intention to get her fired.

Although I adored the office drama in this book, I found the character development to be even more delightful. The characters in Natalie Sue's work are incredibly well-developed and endearing. Even though they had all done terrible things, Sue gives them flaws and layers that made them likable.

Jolene is a really witty and realistic character. Jolene suffers at work, as you can see, even though she knows she shouldn't be doing what she is, since she is so anxious to stop feeling alone. And in the midst of it all, she understands that she isn't really alone and everyone faces some difficulties in their lives.

This book has a perfect balance of comedy, romance and some heart warming moments. And it’s hard to believe this is the debut! The writing style, the plot and characters are just so perfect! Highly recommend to everyone looking for some interesting contemporary romance, especially if you are the fan of the Office or Parks and Rec.

This book had a creative story-line. I loved how mental health was brought into it. Excellent job honestly portraying all we struggle with. I think it hit a chord with me because I’ve also dealt with depression and other mental struggles. Greatly enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this! It gave me quirky Office vibes. Jolene has a very interesting way of seeing the world and I enjoyed seeing her coworkers through her eyes. As someone who has worked in a similar setting there were many parts I could strongly resonate with.

Dynamic characters that I loved getting familiar to. Also a dynamic plot that offered more surprises than I expected!

Similar to the delightful first bite of a warm doughnut, this book is a true indulgence. Reading through its pages was an incredibly enjoyable journey, evoking emotions that led to three instances of shedding tears. The sense of melancholy that enveloped me as I approached the end was a feeling I hadn't experienced in quite some time. Natalie Sue has skillfully crafted a captivating story that stands on its own and could easily fit as the missing character in the show "The Office." If I could give this book ten stars, I would. This book is for anyone who enjoys a good laugh, surprising moments of tenderness, and, overall, anyone who has worked in a corporate environment. The humor and tenderness in the story are so well-balanced it's like a rollercoaster of emotions that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Not only would I recommend this book, but I have already bought a copy for my co-worker.

Jolene is a 33-year-old administrative assistant who works at Supershops. She has an exciting and complex relationship with her Persian family. The story takes place in Calgary, Canada, and most of the setting is between the office and her house. Jolene has aspirations. Jolene has aspirations. However, her introverted, overthinking personality sometimes gets the best of her. Yet, one day, she is mistookly given access to the administrator's view of all office communications, including instant messages and emails. This unexpected twist sets off a series of events that lead to both humorous and touching moments. As the story unfolds, you discover that Jolene lacks a strategic bone, and most of the time, she seeks approval from everyone around her. While she benefits from having access to the ins and outs of the business, she also develops a new sense of compassion toward her colleagues, who have sometimes been tormenting her existence.

I mentioned earlier that I had three instances in which I cried. The first one was Miley, the little kid neighbor who we learned had no birth parents who cared for her daily. While Miley is a little bit of an annoying little kid, she is also adorable and remembers Jolene's birthday with a zebra crochet, a moment so unexpected that I cried a little bit; her attention to detail and her warmness was so surprising that as a reader you couldn't help her but to fall in love more and more with Miley. I never entirely understood why her mother was always in a rush, but what is clear is that Miley is warm, bright, and receptive to her environment. She becomes a good escape from the insanity that sometimes takes place in the office. Miley is the refreshing zip of water after the sugar rush.

Rhonda, this is the second time that I cried when you learned about her back story with her son and how time can sometimes be so cruel and heartless. I couldn't help but feel for her in the bathroom scene, and I also wanted to hug her and never let her go.

The third time I cried was at the end, when Jolene received the letters omg, what a wholesome moment! Natalie Sue delivered an outstanding book that automatically made me her fan! The story is so relatable for anyone who has navigated the madness that sometimes the corporate world can be.

In the story, Jolene also falls in love (In my words, not her) with Cliff, the HR guy. Cliff provides a journey of his own that, at times, you are also wondering, like Jolene, what is going on? Does he like her or not? The story between them is lovely, and the end is not forced and realistic, which I love.

Overall, this is a great read, full of awkward moments, laugh-out-loud instances, touching moments, and a great story. At least I was sad when it came to an end. Similar to when you finish a doughnut, you feel satisfied and joyful. You can't wait for the next time you can treat yourself to another sugary delight.

My Summary:
A woman’s inner monologue as her past catches up with her present. The ‘The Office’ vibes in this book are huge. Funny narrator + office vibes + all the things you’ve wanted to say to your coworkers but never got the chance to.

My Review:
Holy cow this was hilarious. To be fair, I have a very dry and very odd sense of humor. I felt kinship with the character and some of the things that go on inside of her mind. If we all got the cheat codes to life, I think the world would be a much better place. By the end of the book, I was so proud of the character growth our narrator went through as well as her positive impact on those she previously thought she had no impact on at all. I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this book!

You’ll like this if you like:
-‘The Office’ series
-Crude Humor
-Found family/second-chance family

Similar titles/vibes:
-Young Rich Widows (audible exclusive — unhinged in a totally different way, but unhinged nonetheless)
-The Woman in the Window (if you like funny inner dialogue)
-Nothing — this is so original I think you have to read this!!!!

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue was a great read that reminded me of a cross between Office Space and The Office. This was also Natalie Sue’s debut novels and what a brilliant debut!!

Jolene is an introvert who doesn’t like to get close to people. Her co-workers hate her they think she is a weird loser, and she feels the same way about them. She writes or responds to company emails and at the bottom of the email she leaves hidden insults in them written in white ink. One day she forgets to write the hidden message in white, gets caught and reported to HR. Her punishment is to either go to HR training or get fired but if she does the training she has to pass or get fired. Her training is with the quirky new HR guy, Cliff who she finds attractive, gets along with and he gets her. One condition of her punishment is that IT installs software on her computer that monitors what she does and catches keywords to ensure she doesn’t send insulting emails. However, there is a glitch on the software, she has access to everyone’s email and messages. She soon learns how everyone not only feels about her but about each other among other things. She also learns that’s it’s not always good to know everyone thoughts and opinions, or all of the goings on in the office.

Jolene went through a traumatic event when she was in high school that still affected her life today. As much as she wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere she struggled trying to. She carried so much guilt over the events of her past that she struggled letting go. It even affected her relationship with everyone around her including her parents. The story was written so well as were the main and side characters. The mental health representation in this book was well written because who doesn’t feel like they don’t belong, have a hard time dealing with and letting go of traumatic events, and just struggle in life. I could not recommend this book enough. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Anyone who has ever worked in an office will relate so well to this book! I loved Jolene's voice and was rooting for her all the way, even when she was clearly making questionable choices. Such a beautifully written story of how we never truly know what someone is going through - and also a good reminder to never to put anything in an email that you don't want everyone to know.

This is one of the most depressing, painful books I’ve ever read. So many times, I wanted to quit, but I kept going only to see how everyone’s redemption arc would play out. Ultimately, at a time when the ugliness of human beings is on full display on social media and in the news, with wars raging, human rights being attacked, and the threat of fascism way too real, the last thing I want is to read about a bunch of colleagues backstabbing each other. I abhor dishonesty, and this book was rife with it. With the exception of Cliff, who is a truly kind and caring person, I just couldn’t care about any of them, including Jolene. I give it 2* because it isn’t poorly-written, but it’s not a book I would ever recommend.

This is one of the most depressing, painful books I’ve ever read. So many times, I wanted to quit, but I kept going only to see how everyone’s redemption arc would play out. Ultimately, at a time when the ugliness of human beings is on full display on social media and in the news, with wars raging, human rights being attacked, and the threat of fascism way too real, the last thing I want is to read about a bunch of colleagues backstabbing each other. I abhor dishonesty, and this book was rife with it. With the exception of Cliff, who is a truly kind and caring person, I just couldn’t care about any of them, including Jolene. I give it 2* because it isn’t poorly-written, but it’s not a book I would ever recommend.

I received an ARC from William Morrow through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are strictly my own.

I really enjoyed this quirky, cute book about office politics and relationships (with coworkers, family, potential mates, and one ignored child), and the drama that can unfold with both.

I found the writing to be really easy and enjoyable to read. It has a conversational tone to it, even when we are hearing Jolene's (the FMC's) thoughts. We get to understand how she thinks and what makes her tick, but in a really approachable way.

Joelene is not the most likeable character. If you like your characters to be morally grey, then you'll have no problem with Jolene at all. However, if you want your characters to be mostly good people without any ugly thoughts, this book might not be for you. I personally don't think Jolene is a bad person. I think she's got a lot of baggage to work through, and I think she's honest and relatable, even if you might not like what she has to say. To me, she's a very real person; flawed like the rest of us.

This book had me laughing out loud repeatedly. Not just at Jolene's snark and wit, but also some of the random phrases used in this book (which I've admittedly never seen used elsewhere). I'm sure some of the phrases will be off-putting to some people, but I am not someone who is easily offended - so even while they are things I might not say myself, I can still find the humor in them.

I mostly liked the plot but it did feel a bit drawn out...until the end, where it suddenly felt really rushed. There was so much attention given to Jolene's relationship with her officemates, but then when we finally got to the "payoff", it was only a few pages long and some of those issues that weaved through the course of the entire book were wrapped up with just a paragraph or two. While I didn't need multiple chapters dedicated to this, there are certain conversations and situations I would like to have seen a little more fleshed out. I would've liked to gain a better understanding of some characters and their motivations.

The only thing I didn't care for was how Jolene treated the lonely neighbor girl, Miley. Miley was brought up consistently throughout the book, and I kept thinking that plot line was really going to go somewhere and that they were going to form this heartwarming friendship. While ultimately there was a "resolution" (if you could call it that) to that situation, I just expected something more from that based on how much focus was given to it throughout the book. And while I didn't care much for how Jolene treated Miley, I can at least say it was true to her character. I just think that based on Jolene's history, I would've expected her to be a little more friendly towards Miley.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was surprised and impressed to see that this is Natalie Sue's debut novel. I look forward to reading whatever she comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a very good workplace drama with a side of family drama. The MC had a great dry wit but also had some serious issues that at times were troubling for me. But her evolution bit by bit kept me invested and warmed/won me over.

I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL is called a "laugh-till-you-cry" debut novel by Natalie Sue. It received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and is indeed a humorous take on an office work situation involving Jolene, a 33 year old, single, and very unhappy woman. Initially, Jolene is not a likeable character at all - she actively dislikes her coworkers, often leaving hidden messages in emails to them. When one of her messages is discovered and reported, she must take HR classes and have her computer monitored. That mistakenly results in a new ability to see private messages and emails of all other employees. The extra information helps Jolene to get ahead and to begin to appreciate that her co-workers have their own issues. Frankly, the humor is an acquired taste; be ready to read – ewww- about a boss who "often discreetly touches his penis," for example. Certainly not entertaining for everyone, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL may appeal to anyone who has struggled with office politics in the past.

Potentially the best book I’ve read this year. It was SO funny, I actually laughed out loud - and at 1AM since I made the mistake of starting this around 10PM and then had to stay up as late as possible (on a Thursday no less!) to get as much in before I simply had to sleep.

I loved the narration, the casual style/internal monologue was incredible. And all of the side characters became so fleshed out in a way I wasn’t expecting when I started the book. And the lesson was clear without hitting you too aggressively over the head.

Would HIGHLY recommend, and can’t wait for future books from Sue.