YOU NEED TO READ THIS IF...

💻You work in an office
💻You have watched THE OFFICE
💻You can read

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥰THANK YOU to @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted advanced copy 🥰

📖Title: I Hope This Finds You Well
✍️Author: Natalie Sue
📆Pub date: May 21, 2024

💻I have SO MUCH TO SAY but first of all: a DEBUT?? I refuse to believe it! 😉

💻I don't even know where to start. This book was exactly what I needed and the exact time. It made me laugh so much and then all of a sudden I found myself all 🥺🥺🥺 (making that face)!

💻Basically this is a story about a socially awkward office worker named Jolene (think Eleanor Oliphant's twin sister). One day, Jolene accidentally gets granted admin access to alllllll communications in the office and can read EVERYTHING her coworkers say to EVERYONE including to each other and often about her! If you ever thought you'd want to read your coworkers' minds (you're crazy), you definitely don't.

💻Not only does Jolene learn A LOT about her coworkers from this accidental IT mishap, but she begins to discover more about herself including how her past helped shape her into the person she is today.

💻I'm not saying whether or not there's any love interest for Jolene (😉), but I am saying STEP ASIDE PAM AND JIM I HAVE A NEW FAVORITE OFFICE COUPLE!

If you're not sold yet, just know I

📧Was Instantly obsessed
📧Never wanted to stop reading it
📧Never wanted it to end
📧Will never shut up about it

💻Anyways in case I wasn't clear, I'm actually so serious, you need this book!

There were many things to love about this book. One of my favorite was that the protagonist was Iranian-American and how well that was incorporated throughout her character and the plot. I loved how it was used in a significant subplot and the inclusion of the aunties. The office setting was also well written, and was the perfect backdrop for these characters and the story.

The characters were all wonderfully written, but Jolene was the perfect protagonist. I loved her sass and how it got her into unexpected situations. I also enjoyed how complex she was and how her guilt was woven throughout all aspects of her personality and choices. Her growth throughout the book was excellent and unexpected, and resolved in a beautiful way. The secondary characters were just as well written, with unique personalities and motives that made them feel alive.

I also felt that the romance was perfect (surprise!). I very rarely find a romance that I can get behind, but this one felt realistic, the two characters involved were wonderful, and it was a perfect supplement to the main plot.

This read was surprisingly heartwarming, and when I finished it I just sat in silence hugging my kindle for a while. If you’re interested in a character-driven, slow burn romance with delightful characters in an office setting, then this is a must read.

As Jolene digs herself deeper and deeper into the deception that improves her work and interpersonal life significantly, she quickly finds herself unable to turn back when the lies begin to stack up and tangle together. The knowledge and guilt she carries from digging through work-related and increasingly personal emails weighs on her heavily, the threat of her house of cards falling down looming constantly in her mind and affecting her behavior. I loved the setting, stakes, and revelations that came with this novel. I felt Jolene’s thought process and actions, though frustrating at times, were refreshingly relatable as another anxious human being. Each character had their own carefully crafted projection of themselves pitted against their realities, and I enjoyed getting to know them along with Jolene, with all their eccentricities (except for maybe Gregory).
Natalie Sue’s debut novel is a sarcastic, sweet, and sometimes nerve-wracking read that spirals higher and higher until Jolene’s quickly accumulating web of deceptions dramatically falls apart. If you’re looking for a funny, absorbing read that involves unearthing secrets beneath the unforgiving fluorescent lighting of an office, this novel will be hard to put down.

Jolene’s the underdog. She’s the weird kid that grew up to be a weird adult. She doesn’t have any friends and she keeps people at arm’s reach. The one thing that is keeping her from having to move back in with her parents is her admin job at the western regional office of Supershops Incorporated. Her only reprieve from the mind-numbing drudgery of corporate office work? Writing deliciously petty comments in post-script statements to her coworkers, turning the text the same color as the background at the last second so no one can see. Then comes the day where she forgets to change the text color, and everything changes.

She is required to complete anti-harassment training and submit to increased monitoring as part of her performance improvement plan. But due to an IT mixup, she suddenly has access to the private servers for everyone in the office. Jolene sees a way not just to find out for real what others are saying about her, but also to save her job.

Jolene is a relatable protagonist for anyone who felt the struggle to fit in, growing up - anyone who identified with Radiohead’s “Creep.” Fellow chronic over-thinkers will find the doubtful self-talk and the self-sabotage familiar. Her internal monologue is laced with deep-seeded shame from a life-changing traumatic event 15 years ago, the details of which are revealed to the reader in some of the best show-not-tell that I’ve seen in a novel told in the first person. Jolene constantly questions others’ true intentions, leading to near-manic behavior and causing her to take more risks with her new-found information from the email servers. Her desperation to keep her job is palpable. As her behavior escalates, it plays out like a horror movie - “No! Don’t do it! Don’t go into the conference room!” And you’re still rooting for her to come out the other side unscathed.

The book leans into the “liar revealed” trope, which may not be for everyone, but I do think it is handled well here. Jolene’s motivations are suitably laid out to where the reader can believe *Jolene believes* she has no other choice. And it helps the narrative that everyone else has secrets to keep as well.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed following Jolene through her journey of learning to let others in. This is an impressive debut from Natalie Sue - I will happily read anything else she releases in the future.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Natalie Sue, and William Morrow for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Thanks to @netgalley @harpercollins and @natwrotewhat for the chance to read a copy of Natalie Sue's debut, I Hope This Finds You Well. It releases on May 21, 2024.

This book had the vibes of The Office mixed with a heroine who reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. Natalie's voice is so snarky and delightful. It had me laughing at her observations, and she wrote such an amazing underdog heroine.

Jolene is a loner at her job, and she prefers it that way. Her irritating, incompetent coworkers engage in the type of psychological warfare that she'd prefer to avoid. But when her secret way of venting her frustrations (writing what she really thinks about her coworkers in white font) is discovered, she's assigned mandatory harassment training by a new HR flack, Cliff. An IT mixup gives her access to every email in the company, and she can finally learn what others think of her. But the more she learns other secrets, the harder it is to keep up her walls.

This book was super funny, had a central mystery, and was surprisingly heartfelt. It had a romantic subplot, but this was firmly commercial fiction in the vein of Remarkably Bright Creatures.

I highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for books that do a great job of leaving curiosity seeds and have a unique narrative voice.

Holy crow. I binged this book, quite literally - less than 24 hours passed from start to finish. There’s something about when a main character just resonates with you, and Jolene very much resonated with me. I loved her quirks and understood why she did what she did within the book. I also liked the descriptions and interactions of the other characters in the book as well. This was a great read and I’ve already recommended it to friends.

I compulsively read I Hope This Finds You Well. The employees of Supershops, Inc. are messy and often make terrible decisions and I could not look away. The book gives The Office vibes, but it has darker humor and tackles a few heavy topics. I laughed and I cried, but mostly I was obsessed with these imperfect characters who show up each day and try to make it from 9 to 5 in a pretty toxic work environment.

Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC. I Hope This Finds You Well will be out 5/21, so add it to your TBR now.

I can't help but sing praises for 'I Hope This Finds You Well.' It's not just a book; it's a journey that captivates from the very first page, weaving through the intricacies of culture and the rawness of human emotion with remarkable finesse. I was completely absorbed by the story of Jolene, a character whose battles with depression and anxiety are depicted with such authenticity that it's impossible not to feel a deep connection to her struggles and triumphs.The novel takes an intriguing turn when Jolene, through an accidental setup by Cliff, the office's new HR resource, finds herself with the ability to monitor everyone's emails and DMs. This leads to a rollercoaster of emotions, blending moments of humor with profound sadness in a way that's both thought-provoking and deeply moving. Watching Jolene navigate these revelations, and the impact on her personal life, including her relationship with a teenage neighbor and her complex feelings towards her mother, adds layers to her character that are both beautifully written and incredibly real.What struck me most was how Jolene's Iranian heritage was interwoven throughout the narrative. The subtle touches and deeper dives into her background not only enriched the storyline but also added a rich tapestry of cultural depth that made the book all the more compelling.In short, 'I Hope This Finds You Well' is a masterpiece of storytelling, blending humor, sadness, and cultural insights in a way that's both enlightening and utterly engrossing. It's a book that I found to be profoundly moving and endlessly engaging, making it a must-read for anyone in search of a story that both entertains and enlightens. Do yourself a favor and dive into this book—you won't regret it.

Thank you to netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC. I can't wait for you all to read this wonderful book in May!

Overall, I enjoyed the story. though i found it to be a bit of a slow read, I think some of it could’ve been shortened.
I liked reading the work-drama unfold and of the main characters life as well.

Sweet, hilarious, and touching, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL follows Jolene, a lonely office employee who is frustrated with her irritating and inept coworkers. To relieve her grievances, Jolene secretly uses snarky email postscripts to vent, then changes the text color to white so no one can see them. Things are going smoothly...until she gets caught. As part of her punishment, Jolene is forced to have strict email restrictions put in place, but in the process, a mix-up grants her access to her colleagues' private emails and messages. Jolene knows she should report the mistake, but she's quickly drawn into a scheme to use the mishap to her advantage instead. However, she just might discover that her coworkers are keeping some secrets too, that sometimes people can surprise you...and that you may even surprise yourself.

I flew through this book! I tried to savor it, but just could not put it down. I thought the observations on office culture, depictions of Iranian culture, complex family and coworker relationships, and central themes of self-discovery and of allowing yourself to be known and loved (despite the flaws you may have), were all so fascinating to read about, and Natalie Sue does a fantastic job of balancing them throughout her debut. The relationships between Jolene and her family members, work colleagues, and neighbor Miley were all so well-done! I absolutely loved the romance between Jolene and the new HR guy, Cliff, and wanted even more of that aspect of the story. I did have one qualm, despite really enjoying this one overall—I felt like the depiction of Jolene's anxiety, particularly socially, became a little unrealistic as the book went on. I thought it was spot-on at the very beginning, but that later on, it didn't completely ring true that she would just be able to connect with her coworkers and be able to open up so quickly. Still, I would definitely recommend I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Quick read with dark humor. Think the show the "Office" but someone is clairvoyant by way of accidental administrative email access. As Jolene navigates work relationships in the face of upcoming layoffs, she learns to appreciate her coworkers from a different perspective.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I will preface this by saying that I'm still looking for a romcom-type book that doesn't annoy me, but if you like that kind of thing, I'm sure you'll enjoy this more than I did. Possible spoilers ahead.

Jolene was annoying. Her tragic backstory wasn't well-integrated and didn't add a lot. The biggest qualm I had with her, though, was how her anxiety was portrayed. She seems to have anxiety especially in social situations, but guess what- she realizes she can just turn it off when she needs to! How convenient. If only the rest of us had stumbled upon this solution.

I guess the workplace comedic aspect was that literally everybody there, except the nice new guy, are all just annoying and suck in some way. Plus the usual misunderstandings. So you need to like corny humor, basically.

Plenty of tropes. I will admit, although it seemed over the top, I thought the Armin thing was a bit amusing. And I haven't often read books with a Persian plot line.

Overall, I just didn't find this to be particularly funny nor heartfelt. The only character I liked was Cliff. Everyone else were just kinda clichés. I guess my main takeaway was supposed to be that even people that suck are actual people with backstories of their own. But anyone not as self involved as Jolene would've already known that.

Lonely office worker Jolene relieves her on-the-job frustrations by adding rude notes to the end of her emails in invisible white font. In one moment of forgetfulness, Jolene does not hide her caustic comments and gets caught. After a scolding and a mandatory anti-harassment course with new HR employee Clifford, Jolene's IT department installs spy tech on her office computer to track her behavior. But she soon discovers a hidden flaw in their punishment — Jolene can now see all her colleagues’ emails and private messages. In the beginning, Jolene decides to use her forbidden knowledge to become the very best employee. However, as she witnesses her coworker's silent struggles, Jolene gathers the courage to make connections. This office story is both funny and heartfelt. It immediately reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Both books have lonely protagonists steeped in their own despair who gradually find the courage to let themselves be known by others. Worth a read for the zingy, on-point observations of that office life.

Jolene has avoided any sort of relationship with her co-workers since starting her job at Supershops corporate office. For her, there was no value in getting to know them. A job is a job. While they think she is unfriendly, she is okay with that because she is just trying to survive the day. Her one stress release : when she emails her coworkers she hides insults within them as a p.s. in white text until one email to her office rival Caitlin. She forgets to change the text color and is reported. Cliff, the new HR guy, starts her on an anti-harassment course and by accident gives her access to everyone's emails and instant messages. Through these messages, she realizes just what her coworkers think of her and how inauthentic they present themselves within their workplace.
I Hope This Finds You Well pairs humor, emotion, and late-onset self discovery to tell Jolene’s story. Although there were slow moments throughout the book, I felt that the continued humor carried me through. Jolene’s emotions related to her past so heavily influenced her whole life. It was enjoyable to see Jolene work through these emotions as she navigated her job at Supershops, her relationship with her parents, and an unexpected new love interest. There was not a character (except Gregory) I didn’t grow to love. I do wish Jolene’s romantic relationship was explored a little more. I enjoyed getting to see that side of her and longed for more depth. Overall, Natalie Sue made a corporate office into a hilariously dramatic tale of finding yourself and being okay with who that is even if someone else (or the whole office) thinks you’re a little weird.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced readers' copy of this title.

I hope this review finds you well because this book found me and had me hooked. I really could not put this down until I was finished it and I wish I never had to finish the book. It was a great read and I am excited to share it with my patrons.

A dark, romantic comedy about a young woman who accidently gets access to her co-workers email and learns a lot more than she bargained for. At times a bit cringy but generally fun. 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I Hope This Finds You Well is a book I would highly recommend to readers for both its engaging premise and the cultural elements so well woven in. I loved every chapter and found this to be one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read recently.

Jolene is depressed, has high anxiety, and only airs out her resentments in white out text in her email to colleagues. When she gets caught out the office’s new HR resource, Cliff, accidentally sets up her computer not only to be monitored but to give her access to monitor everyone’s emails and DMs in the office. What follows is sometimes funny, sometimes supremely sad, but well worth the journey of self realization and self improvement this takes Jolene down. Jolene’s minimal personal life also feels the effects, from her teenage neighbor who just needs a friend to her mother that Jolene both adores and resents.

I loved the well done and subtle depiction of Jolene’s Iranian culture throughout the story and the slow revealing of her past, and how it impacted her. This was light at times but also dove deep, and balanced this perfectly. Pick this up, it’s well worth it!

I typically speed read contemporary novels, but Natalie Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well is one that I found myself taking my time reading. Too often I felt like I was reading my own thoughts and watching my own experiences play out.

It's the hallmark of good writing when you can see yourself in a character and so many times I saw myself in Jolene, Armin, Caitlin, Cliff and Rhonda. Each member of this office was someone I have worked with or was someone that held a little piece of what makes me me.

Witty and snarky, but also intimate, sweet and tender - Sue takes her reader on a guided tour of contemporary office life. Many of us will never get to experience the true insight into our coworkers that Jolene gets, but I Hope This Finds You Well is a stark reminder that life happens to all of us - anxiety is not something that only happens to one person, that the smile on your co-workers face may be hiding a frown, that sometimes, all it takes to turn a day/week/month/year around is to be open to possibility. It's also important to remember that some people are exactly who they show the world and that too will never change.

I do have to point out that calling this an "office comedy" is a little off the mark. Yes, there is humor in it, but the humor is drastically tempered by the portrayals of family life, trauma and anxiety that take major front seats in the lives of the characters. It doesn't change how much I enjoyed it, but "comedy" is not something I'd call this book, unless you want to emphasize that a lot of it is dark/gallows type humor.

This book was a delight from start to finish! I loved Jolene's dry wit and pitch-perfect observations of office life -- the voice reminded me a lot of Halle's Butler's The New Me. For all its acridity, It ended up being a surprisingly heart-warming read with some smart things to say about the child-of-immigrants experience.

I Hope This Finds You Well enjoyably sits somewhere between Joshua Ferris’s Then We Came to the End and Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. It held my interest, and I couldn’t help but root for Jolene, Cliff, Rhonda and Miley. I did feel the plot dragged a bit about halfway through, but it picked up speed again to a satisfiying conclusion. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this entertaining debut.