I’m gonna keep this review short but I truly disliked this book. The way the FMC is written is super sexist. She goes on to describe women as annoying, their voice is annoying, the way they dress is never good enough, ect. I could go on. I just can’t finish this book, there’s clearly an agenda being pushed here.

This was not the book for me. I was excited by the premise but once I started reading, I felt like it was hard to stay engaged in the story. There was a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing (ie-'This action made me feel like this...', 'I found myself thinking about a specific character trait of this person..."). Also, I found the dialogue clunky and unrealistic and the constant jumping between house-cleaning clients made it difficult for me to find the plot of the story. So, overall, though I'm sure there are many people that will enjoy this story, it was simply not my style.

What a strange little book. First I was annoyed by the constantly cynical and pretentious inner monologue. Then I realized, oh, this is a (occasionally relatable) sociopathic kleptomaniac! Is she going to slowly become a serial killer? Could be interesting! And then nothing happened and it ended.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publishers, for this ARC. In my honest opinion, I struggled with this book. I strongly disliked the main character, making it hard to push through. The writing style was not for me, which may not be the same for you, but it was very pessimistic light on relationships and women that kept being pushed forward, which I struggled with. I am grateful for the opportunity and time I had in reading this ARC.

Leaving the entertainment industry, Jane works to help her clients rid themselves of items that no longer serve a purpose whether it be utility or emotionally. What she quickly comes to realize that these items are a character in and of itself as they serve to play a role that such client wants to viewed as. The majority of these items are never used nor forgotten about but a client such as Kelsey is determined to stay relevant. One client sleeps on a couch as her bedroom only has a huge desk because to her, the only thing that matters is work. These houses of grandeur despite the neighborhood really have such sadness within. It is not surprising that Jane is so regimented because she doesn't want to explore anything that could cause her to lose control nor explore that which could penetrate the walks she has put up. I was glad that she began a journal of which she started writing items of optimism. She opened herself up to Lindsey and Esme and let them see that she is not intimidating. She was open and honest with Teddy and what she wanted. Like her mom, she began to communicate love. This book left the door open to a sequel of which I would be happy to read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. That being said, I'm about to be really honest.

This was not good. It was 200+ pages of... nothing. Not a thing. The main character was insufferable for the entire book, and so was every other character. This didn't really resonate with me at all and I don't feel that it matches the description. I also couldn't tell you the plot because I don't think it had one. I couldn't take the cynicism of the main character, and she didn't grow out of that either. This was a big miss.

Mess by Michael Chessler is an unexpectedly profound exploration of the human condition. The novel dives into the chaotic lives of its characters, each grappling with their own personal demons and tangled relationships. Chessler's writing style is raw and unfiltered, making the reader feel deeply connected to the characters' struggles and triumphs. The story's strength lies in its candid portrayal of life's messiness. Chessler doesn't shy away from depicting the gritty realities of existence, yet he manages to find beauty in the chaos. His characters are deeply flawed but incredibly relatable, and their journeys towards self-discovery are both heartbreaking and uplifting. One of the most compelling aspects of "Mess" is its exploration of resilience. Despite the overwhelming challenges faced by the characters, there is an underlying message of hope and the possibility of redemption. Chessler's writing is both poignant and thought-provoking, leaving readers with much to reflect upon.

If only I had my own professional organizer, ;). I enjoyed the book and how the characters learned to embrace the mess. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!

Honestly I picked this book for the cover but I really liked the general plot! I thought this was a fun story that definitely can be read in a short sitting with a good plotline and characters to keep the reader interested.

I liked this book! I think it kind of hit hard to me because I tend to hoard some things and am in need of decluttering some items and parts of my home and also my mind and thoughts!! I like this book and how it felt like a reality TV show plus the clean decluttering themes!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I wanted to DNF this one within the first 20%, but I skimmed the rest. This book is not for me, despite being the perfect demographic for it: I love trashy television (real housewives!), I love the celebrity worship element, and I love the concept of a professional organizer being deep into their lives through their stuff. Our stuff tells us a lot about us. However, the writing style just isn't for me. There was far too much purple prose (overuse of complex words when simpler words are better suited to the narrative and meaning) as well as an incredible overuse of adverbs. I can usually push through writing that doesn't resonate with me if the story is compelling enough, but that simply wasn't the case here. There's an undertone of negativity around every female character. Jane wasn't fleshed out enough to be interesting to read. The concept here had so much potential, but the execution was severely lacking.

Plot: Jane is a professional organizer, but her rigidity and compartmentalization have made a mess of her relationships with others and herself.

Characters: The main character Jane is difficult to get to know throughout the story. Since the story is told from her perspective, it is also hard to get to know the other characters very well either.

Writing: Each chapter is titled after the client that Jane is working for. Readers are often given detailed backgrounds about each client but they are not necessarily relevant to the plot (of which there is little). If there is a connection between the client Jane is working for and the impression they leave on her it is subtle. The pattern of the boom is essentially Jane’s commute, Jane working, Jane having lunch, and Jane at different points in her relationship with her boyfriend Teddy.

Themes: self improvement, self acceptance

Other Thoughts: I feel like there were opportunities for a stronger plot and more closure that were missed. It didn’t seem like any of Jane’s clients taught her much about her life and her determination to be happier were only because she decided she wanted to be. The author worked in the entertainment industry and is a writer, so maybe this story would translate better on a tv show but as a book it felt repetitive and boring and I was left with feeling like it could have been a lot more.

I thought this book would be similar to Eleanore Oliphant, I Hope This Finds You Well, Summer Romance, or even A Man Called Ove - but all of those books have stronger plots and characters that are more endearing.

once i started this i could not put it down! wow, such a thoughtful read. i had a great time on this journey with our fmc, every obstacle, every roadblock, we found a way through with a little bit of laughter too! 3.5 stars, my first by this author but definitely not my last! thank you netgalley for the arc.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. Given the description and cover, I expected a fairly lighthearted romcom of sorts. Instead, “Mess” is an incredibly pessimistic take on women, on relationships, on occupation. I pushed through in the hopes that it would come to a gratifying point of self-awareness but alas there are too many books in the world for me to keep reading one that I had to convince myself to pick back up. DNFed at 59%, something I never, ever do.

I appreciate the ARC, nonetheless.

I really enjoyed this “messy” book! I liked how the main character was sorting through her own life while working as an organizer, helping sort messy lives of others! Quick read, had me laughing a few times.

I am not sure what to say about this one. It is a random snapshot of a few random, unimportant days of a random, not-very-interesting girl's life. Not very big on plot, but for some reason, very well written and descriptive. I enjoyed coming into the world of a professional organizer, especially one in southern california that caters to billionaires and others in the entertainment industry.

Jane has a boyfriend, Teddy, who is a generally happy and satisfied person, she is not. Jane weighs herself every day and measures her self-worth based on what the number says. She is in excellent health and pretty much is satisfied with her job, she just has this general sense of malaise. I am wondering if I missed something, like, did her coworkers and clients and friends have some sort of common thread that I didn't notice? Her mother is pretty critical and she has this negative self-talk. Every once in awhile she helps herself to something that her clients are getting rid of in their closets. Am I supposed to be angry about this? Is this supposed to make me like her less or more?

I am kind of ragging on this book, but it somehow was enjoyable to read. Again, it is really well written even though it was a bit boring. A solid 3.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC. Book to be published August 12, 2025.

While The Mess by Michael Chessler was not my favorite read of the year so far, I definitely think others will enjoy it.

Rating: 2.5 (rounded down)

Jane Brown is a Mess. Sort of.
And in many ways, so is this book.

Personally, I struggled a lot with this book from the first chapter. (Prepare for some intense, albeit therapeutic, ranting.)

Firstly, I genuinely believe Michael Chessler should have written a nonfiction book rather than disguising an unnecessary number of cynical worldviews as the main character’s experiences. It came off as an excuse to share personal thoughts rather than development of the character.
Because of this, it was difficult for me to get lost in the story when every other paragraph consisted of a long-winded (courtesy of a heavily used thesaurus) attempt at a “profound” observation of the world. And this would have been tolerable if the rants weren’t accompanied by off-handed comments of the same nature.

Secondly, I noticed a pattern of negativity surrounding only the women in this book. When Jane’s clientele was male, her judgments turned toward her female co-worker. Or, she turned to self-loathing. Whether this is Jane’s own insecurity/internal misogyny, or the author’s, I’m not sure. Truthfully, it became frustrating to read.

Now that I’ve laid a metaphorical dump on this novel, I’ll mention that there were some twinkling stars through the clouds.

The differences between Jane and her boyfriend, Teddy, were showcased incredibly well. Teddy, the laid-back and spontaneous boyfriend. Jane, the Type A, glued to routine counterpart. Every time she thought about him or was near him, it felt like opening a window in a stuffy room (though, this does feed into the aforementioned issue of women put in a miserable light.) And it was quite refreshing for them to have been in their relationship at the very start of the book.

As for the mother-daughter relationship, the complexity was well done and established from the very beginning. I do, however, wish it was shown more than it was told.

A lot of Jane’s inner turmoil represents many common struggles women face in real life. She debates having children, experiences insecurity about her weight (from both her mother and the world), and describes feeling as though time is running out because she’s in her thirties.

In summary, this book, to me, seemed to be less story than it was societal observations from a self-proclaimed “sardonic-realist.”

The premise drew me in and I loved the structure of the novel - each chapter features a different client Jane is working with. However, we don’t really get insight into why Jane is the way she is (wishy-washy regarding her long-term boyfriend and whether she actually likes him, taking little mementos from each of her client’s closets, etc.) and she doesn’t demonstrate much growth throughout the novel so it was hard to connect to her or to feel invested in her relationships. Overall, a promising plot that is let down by a lack of discernible character development. Still, I enjoyed reading a story about a messy character with an interesting job.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Mess by Michael Chessler

The official blurb sounded fun! Jane (FMC) is a professional organizer (think: The Home Edit) and realizes her personal life needs “re-organizing.” The description suggested this story is “heartfelt, charming, and hilarious.” At the beginning, I thought wow, a FMC who is a chronic overthinker, and perfectionist, who thrives on structure, and will encounter her emotional growth journey? Sign me up, this is going to be relatable!

Spoiler alert, that was wrong.

The FMC was off-puttingly cynical, judgmental, and a thief. There is zero backstory about why she is the way she is, so there was never any reason to sympathize. And her growth journey was completely lacking (I don’t even know if I can call it that, to be honest).

This book was simply not for me. While the idea was good, the execution was not it. The wording was off-puttingly pretentious, and it seemed that the author was trying very hard to show how smart their writing style is when it did not help the story nor likeability of the characters.

I was glad that it was a short/quick read!

Either way, I appreciate the opportunity for an e-ARC from the publisher (Harper Perennial & Paperbacks), viaNetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!

(review posted on Goodreads)