This is a unique book in that almost all of it takes place in one location -- the store, Town Square, where all the characters work.

The store manager at Town Square is leaving, which means there is an opportunity for one person to be promoted. The workers quickly pick their sides and have reasons why one person over another should be picked -- which made for some funny scenes.

Each character is quirky and different and all their storylines were interesting. The plot moved seamlessly between them, and we got enough backstory on them to be invested in their lives.

It was fun seeing the inner workings of a big store, hearing about the online retailer who was impacting their business, and all the dynamics of the people that work there and their various departments.

I listened to this one and enjoyed the narrator as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I was predisposed to like this, but it just didn't work for me. It seemed like it wanted to be social commentary, but it fell flat as a book?


Review copy provided by publisher.

Thank you Spotify audiobooks for the review copy of Help Wanted. I really loved this story, it was a different in a good way from other fiction reads but also reminded me of so many ways I love a good character driven kind of found family cheer on the underdog kind of book, if that is a thing... I loved how the characters, all diverse and with different needs and goals but all working together at a costco like place to manage stocking/deliveries, come together, know each other, and really find ways to lift each other up even as changes come and some changes might mean less than great things for them. It is heartwarming and light, even with some fairly big themes underneath the story, and richly written with an affectionate style that lets the characters shine.
My one note... I think this audiobook might have been a bigger homerun with a multicast narration, which I know might be more challenging to produce and support.

This book delves into the intricate dynamics of workplace relationships, shedding light on how individual lives shape attitudes, opportunities, and perceptions within a retail logistics department. While the narrative ambitiously attempts to offer glimpses into each character's life, the lack of depth prevents a strong emotional connection. Presented from a third-person perspective, the story provides a comprehensive overview of the department's inner workings, highlighting workforce inequalities and the significance of shared goals or adversaries in fostering camaraderie.

Although the setting is compelling, the absence of a central character leaves the plot feeling somewhat detached. The conflicts presented lack the necessary urgency to fully engage the reader, despite their potential significance to certain characters. Perhaps anchoring the story around a central protagonist, while still incorporating other key perspectives, could have heightened the stakes and increased reader investment.

While the narrative may resonate more strongly with those familiar with the retail industry, it still offers an insightful portrayal of workplace dynamics. Despite its shortcomings, the book remains an enjoyable read, albeit one that falls short of its full potential.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this audiobook.

Help Wanted has an ensemble cast of characters working the early, early shift in a big box store, whose lives are pretty dreary overall, most expecting no change and devoid of hopes of opportunities. Their managers are an obtuse and ambitious woman, a thoughtful, insecure man, and an astute, charming, and completely competent general manager, who is being transferred to a new location. The potential for promotion that will be left behind in their normally stagnant working environment has all the players scheming on whether they want to compete for a promotion of their own, who they want to lead, and how to achieve this as a team. This motley group of characters is well developed, and you want each of them to have what they want, yet, as always with life, one's achievement means another's disappointment. This book is a departure from Waldman's The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., which was full of cringingly unlikeable characters.

Great audio narration.

Everyday in a small struggling town, members of Team Movement clock in at 3:55am and begin emptying the delivery truck at their big-box type store. When a promotion opportunity arises, the group bands together to sway the outcome of the decision and the affect it will have on their self-absorbed, annoying and rude boss.
A book about ordinary people in an ordinary setting becomes such an extraordinary character study of the internal struggles of the people we may walk by each day. Deeply character driven and presented with compassion and humor, I felt immersed in the stockroom, the breakroom and the smoking clutch outside. The book touches on the struggles of this diverse group of people, who have dreams and setback, coupled with the continued struggle within the retail industry.
I think the author did a tremendous job presenting the dynamics of working in the back room of a retail store. I got a feel for the politics, the hierarchy, the competition, the basic need for those often juggling more than one job, the reasoning behind someone working those difficult hours. Amanda Ronconi did a fabulous job of narration and giving voice to each of the characters, making this a very enjoyable and easy audiobook to listen to. I highly recommend listening to this one!

📖🎧HELP WANTED by Adele Waldman and narrated by Amanda Ronconi was a fantastic fictionalized revelation into the people who work in the invisible retail jobs, and who are harmed the most by online only stores.

I was thrilled to have #gifted the physical book by @bibliolifestyle @w.w.norton and then when I saw the audiobook available through @netgalley & @spotify audiobooks I had to grab it!

When I first started the book, it seemed like a lighthearted look into a more serious subject, and the more I got to know these characters and saw their stories, it became so much more. The narration really embodied these characters and brought them to life.

The night group, called Movement, gets together and tries to affect a promotion to help their collective. Through the book we learn more about them from each of their own perspectives and see what this job means to them and how changes affect them. I found myself so frustrated at how the "system" works and how none of the people who are actually involved are included in the big decisions. I see this regularly, but it hits different when you see the players as real people. Like me.

I really enjoyed this story. I think if you enjoy contemporary fiction that challenges you a bit while giving you absolutely wonderful characters, you should definitely grab this book when it publishes on March 26th!

I enjoyed this story- although it is fiction, it gives a real look at the corporate world and how it is in retail. Having tried to get into a leadership role myself, it was a real look at trying to get promoted as well!

Thank you for the ALC for my honest review

This is a story about working people, trying to make ends meet so they can pay for their kids to go to gymnastics or give them a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, or just put food on the table. They get up before the crack of dawn to clock in on time, whether they must walk, bike, borrow a “dingmobile” or bum a ride from a co-worker. They all have separate realities, motivations, ambitions, and reasons they ended up working there.

It's about the corporate hierarchy and what it takes to move up the ladder, whether that is obtaining eligibility with a GED or college degree or putting in years of longevity and building expertise.

When the rank-and-file workforce are informed by the Store Manager that he is being relocated to another town, they wonder what the trickle-down impacts will be on them. Their direct manager’s main aspiration is to make six figures before she turns forty no matter what it takes, so she rubs everyone the wrong way and comes across as selfish, harsh, and not a team player. If she is promoted to fill his role, would that be a good thing, so they don’t have to deal with her on a daily basis and open up her job for one of them, or a bad thing overall for the company to put someone in a position of power that does not care about doing things the right way and treating all people with respect.

I think the concepts in this book apply to any workplace, even though it takes place in a big box store. From personal experience, I know it is not easy to manage a team of people. This book demonstrates that to be successful, a boss needs to listen and care about their employees and try to understand the individual place each of their employees is coming from.

If you were a fan of Superstore, this book might make you feel nostalgic to go back and binge a few episodes. Definitely more serious (but not without humor), it did a really good job of covering a large group of characters without ever overwhelming you or confusing you with who is who. It also does a great job of showing everyone's POV, how one person sees a situation vs how another sees the same interaction in a completely different way. I really enjoyed it, especially the rarely-explored world of retail workers that the shoppers never see who make stores like WalMart and Target possible.

An insightful look at employee life and corporate culture in a big box store. Told from multiple alternating POVs we get to know both the members of management and the lower tier employees as things heat up when a promotion is up for grabs.

Highly relatable and an important critique of the present day labor economy, the challenges of being a manager and the woes of having a terrible manager. This was also great on audio and perfect for fans of the show Superstore. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!