Thank You so much to NetGalley, Natalie Sue, and William Morrow for the advanced copy! I leave this review freely!

I was pleasantly surprised by this sweet, fun, little office romance! I am a huge fan of the UK and US version of The Office, so this was a great little read for me!

Jolene, the office introvert, is hated by her co-workers and the feeling is mutual. She regularly leaves hidden insults in emails to them, until she gets caught and has to go through HR training with the quirky new HR guy, Cliff. An IT glitch on her computer, as they are installing software to monitor her, gives her an eye-opening look at the office politics she's not a part of, of her co-workers lives, and insight into herself.

What happens across the story is often sweet, funny, and makes you want to giggle into your warm blankie. But it also has moments of self-doubt, self-loathing, and touches on the dark side of how people feel about themselves and what they do to not feel so much pain.

I loved Jolene's story and how really all she wanted was to feel like she belonged somewhere. She carried so much guilt over the events of her past that it colored everything she did. So relevant to a lot of people who have suffered childhood trauma.

The cast of characters surrounding her are definitely reminiscent of the Office or the movie Office Space. Quirky co-workers, arch nemesis, and all! I loved it.

One of my favorite reads of the year! Well done!

I LOVED THIS ONE!!!! It is funny, awkward, sad, thoughtful, angsty, dramatic; it's a rollercoaster! I didn't expect to get emotional but I felt myself get a little teary at the end. YESSSS

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for early access to this amazingly wonderful story!! I loved every moment of it, you’re really cheering for the main character and loving her sense of humor but also her vulnerability. Just even the premise is enough to evoke more than a chuckle. I do recommend this book and the humor (as well as rawness) behind it!

Ok, I knew I was probably going to really like reading this snarky, funny and messy debut novel. What I didn’t realize is how multi-dimensional and emotional this read would be!

I heard someone discussing this book as an upcoming release they were excited for and the premise sounded so good! An introverted and insecure office worker mistakenly gets access to everyone’s email boxes. What could go wrong? Um…lots! So of course I ran to @netgalley to request a copy and was overjoyed to get a hard copy also.

This story stars Jolene, who is such a GREAT character! She is sarcastic and witty while carrying around heavy baggage from her teen years. That baggage is lightly alluded to throughout the beginning of the story and then is slowly revealed through the second half. I was not expecting the emotional depth this book held - and I LOVED that this author injected the right amount of humor to lighten the heaviness of some subjects.

Jolene’s coworkers, the HR guy, her young neighbor and her Persian parents rounded out this story perfectly. Her overbearing but well-meaning Mom was a hoot! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Persian traditions and culture. It felt really original to this genre of story. I read this book so much faster than I have been able to read lately. I was totally transported into to this outdated and unremarkable office and hated to put this book down.

One of the underlying themes I responded to was the ways in which we interact with each other to cover up what we don’t want to face. For some it’s gossip, for some it’s tearing others down, for some it’s bragging, and for some it’s shrinking into the background. It was a good reminder that we don’t know always know what’s going on in someone else’s life. Even someone you see and interact with every work day. Maybe kindness and patience are tools we all can utilize more. Me especially.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks @netgalley for the ARC to read and review. Highly recommend!

If you are in need of an office drama with a touch of romance this is your novel! I was intrigued by the premise and had to know all about this one.

Jolene is an admin with Supershops, Inc and has been for many years. She has coworkers who don't understand boundaries or her introvert ways. In order to survive her bullying coworkers she vents by sending emails with postscripts to air her grievances and then changes the text color to white so that they can't be seen. (I did my own testing on this and this could happen!!!) But then one of her secret messages is accidentally seen and she is found out!! So it's sensitivity training for Jolene complete with a super friendly HR named Cliff. She also has some email restrictions that are placed upon her. Buuuut.....an IT mess up lets her have unlimited access to her entire department's emails and messages. When Jolene goes to Cliff to report it, she almost gets the words out but Cliff is so encouraging that she never gets it out and she is left with all this access.

But who wouldn't want unrestricted access to their coworkers correspondence? Jolene finds out what her coworkers are really saying about her and other coworkers. She also finds out a future layoff. So she thinks she needs the chance to save her job and scope out her competition.

But as Jolene continues to spy, she finds out all sorts of things about her coworkers and even something involving herself. She tries not to like her coworkers, even Cliff, but she starts to break. As her attitude changes, her circumstances might also. And she might find some friends.

I loved the characters and the drama as it unfolded. I was turning pages so quickly on this one! Working in an office really gives me a unique look into this one and I laughed so much at this one. I was really rooting for multiple characters in this one. This is a good reminder that you never know what someone is going through in their personal life so always give the benefit of the doubt and be nice. I really liked this book. This was a 4.5 star book for me because of how much I laughed and even teared up at the end.

A special thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this funny & entertaining novel.

I first learned about I Hope This Finds You Well from an early review on my local bookstore's Instagram, describing it as "perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." As a huge fan of Eleanor Oliphant, I immediately added this book to my TBR list and was lucky to be granted an advance read by HarperCollins and NetGalley.

The book did not disappoint. It was full of all the passive-aggressive thoughts we secretly harbor against our coworkers and the excruciating frustrations of office life. It was also a book that dared to explore our inner thoughts, anxieties, and hang-ups, such as what our coworkers really think about us, our trust/suspicions about HR, and who our colleagues are outside of work. I found myself questioning what I would do in main character Jolene's situation. The tension, at times, was cringe-inducing, but only because I was invested in the characters, and I could sense the turns that were forthcoming.

IHTFYW places an interesting spin on the idea of walking around in other people's shoes by putting Jolene and the reader into her colleagues' emails and messages so that we really begin to see them as three-dimensional, complex people, a sort of modern examination of the human condition. It's at the same time biting and clever, heartfelt and warm. Fans of "The Office" will appreciate IHTFYW for its ability to find the humanity in office life and uncover characters' depths in interesting and relatable scenes.

The dialogue and internal monologues are so real and well done that I felt like I knew Jolene, at times recognizing characteristics of close friends and also of myself. She has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor that kept me smiling throughout, but there is also an underlying loneliness and guilt that is undeniably human. Natalie Sue does a great job establishing characters' voices and making each stand out in their own way.

Without giving too much away, the book takes us on a journey that we've been on before, and we know how this is bound to end. However, the pacing and reveals kept me reading and trying to figure out exactly how and when the house of cards would come crashing down. The anticipation ratcheted as new dilemmas were posed and the stakes were raised. The payout was a little bit underwhelming, but it felt entirely believable and hit differently because of the investment made in the character development and rationale for the snowballing of decisions made.

Overall, I Hope This Finds You Well was a great summer read that was fast and interesting but also deeper than a typical beach read. It explored themes of individual identity and values versus the herd mentality and the lengths people go to in the name of self preservation, all while keeping the plot moving and entertaining. In a post-COVID world, it also reminds us of our own loneliness and need for human connection. It's a story about seeing people and being seen by people, and all of the complex emotions attached. As a debut novel, it introduces us to a fantastic, fresh new voice in author Natalie Sue, and I will certainly be looking forward to her next offering.

Was lucky enough to get a pre-release copy of the book from NetGalley and truly enjoyed the honest inside look of how a corporate office full of cubicles really operates. So much of how you survive in a corporate setting is more of who you know than what you know on top of that it also is if you have any dirt on anyone of power. The female main character was relatable, and I became truly invested in her, and while she was going through her HR training for the misconduct I found myself rooting for her well-being and hoping for her to have a positive outcome. The main catalyst of the book was easy to dislike even though she was a very relatable character.

I found myself feeling like I was reading a book about where I work and the office politics and how it’s who you’re friends with then if you’re really qualified for the job. Many of the statements of how HR is not for the employees, but therefore the company and protect the companies interest really struck a nerve and was eye-opening.

Genuinely enjoyed this book! I really couldn’t put it down once I got into it. You know it’s going to be messy and it’s like a car crash you just can’t look away. Then it got messier!?

All in all I enjoyed our main character, Jolene, even if she’s a bit of a mess. But I did find myself shedding a tear or two and relating to her.

Cliff was lovely (even if he’s a blond) and I really enjoyed his character, would love him to have a little more depth sometimes but solid nonetheless.

Our side characters were a bit over the top for me at first but became more believable the more we learn about them.

I recommend if you liked attachments by rainbow Rowell, Eleanor Oliphant, or The Collected Regrets of Clover. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I struggled getting into this book, it was slow. Once I settled in to it I enjoyed what I was reading.

You always want people to have a great arc and Jolene definitely did in this book. She's beyond flawed, and tries to make things right, but fails spectacularly. It's honestly refreshing to think about.

She needs therapy and finally gets it. Yes! That's so important, and I'm glad that was part of her outcome.

I would recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jolene tries to stay to herself at work. When an IT mix up gives her access to everyone’s private emails and messages, she discovers layoffs are coming and that this mistake may help her.

I love stories with fun office politics and characters. The cliches and recognization of office ridiculousness just cracks me up. On top of that, this one also has a budding romance and a sad backstory that allows for growth within the character. I really enjoyed this one and am bummed that it’s over.

“It shouldn’t be this hard to remain neutral with people. But trust Supershops Incorporated to turn a desk job into an air conditioned version of Survivor, complete with alliances and betrayals.”

I Hope This Finds You Well comes out 5/21.

I genuinely don't know where to start on this review. I've had a slow reading month, but this book hooked me from page one and I was OBSESSED. The main character was so well done and honestly as someone who has social anxiety in large groups of people we can be perceived as weird, but we're usually really friendly we just don't know what to say! I related to her off brand humor and the whole concept of the book was great. Imagine you accidentally get access to all your coworker's emails and IM chats and you start to realize everyone has problems they don't talk about. I 100% recommend this book and it just made it to my top lit fic book of the year spot.

I Hope This Finds You Well is about Jolene, and focuses on her mundane job as an admin assistant for a retail grocer office. She’s miserable in the office and takes satisfaction in saying what she really thinks in the end of her emails by turning the gripes to white ink before sending. Except one time she doesn’t. And she ends up in Cliff, the HR employee’s office. Cliff really cares and wants to help her save her job.

This one started out a little hard for me. Jolene made me literally cringe but as the book goes on you realize she is just a hurt woman who needs help and a good friend. I felt for her through the book, through every mistake. This was a good portrayal of real life and how we each are fighting our own battles but how sometimes we just need a hand to reach out and how it can really make a difference.

I really truly LOVED this book! What an amazing debut. The writing was so well crafted and the storyline was engaging. I love Jolene and can truly relate to her and how she felt in a stifling work environment. Sue captured the stereotypical office work culture and relationships perfectly.

I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely loved it. Definitely will be recommending this to others as a top read for the year!

Really looking forward to anything else Natalie Sue writes!

Lonely Jolene works in an office with lots of different personalities, and lots of looming layoffs. She discovers some potential for office deviousness and she goes for it. Along the way, she starts hanging out with the HR guy, and she sort of befriends a few of the other office staff members. Ultimately, she finds her peace.

I did not really like this story. Jolene is awful, and it was hard to me to have sympathy for her. There was a lot of love and support around her, but she just kept making poor decisions. I wanted to abandon the book at about 30%, but I stuck with it, and I did find the ending to be satisfying. Maybe that was the whole idea - to see Jolene in her misery, and then to see what she did with all that pain and suffering.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review I Hope This Finds You Well.

I would like to introduce you to the quirky office comedy that is definitely a top 5 book of 2024. Grab a copy folks, this one is really effing good.

Jolene has no interest in knowing her coworkers. The closest she comes to being social is writing her frustrations at the end of work emails and putting them in white font so they won’t be seen. When she forgets to change the color one day she is forced to take sensitivity training with the new HR guy, Cliff, and have email restrictions set up. What Cliff and her boss don’t realize is that there was a glitch, instead of restrictions IT gave her access the emails and DMs of everyone in her office. Jolene realizes that people are about to be laid off and having this insight could be to her benefit. Jolene begins reading emails and messages to get a leg up on her competition and keep her job. What she didn’t expect was to actually start seeing her coworkers as people and caring about them. Caring about people isn’t something Jolene does, not anymore, not after losing her best friend in high school. But she might not have a choice anymore.

I Hope This Finds You Well is hilarious. It has a dark and dry wit that is infectious and some of the dialogue is spit take funny. Jolene is so jaded and isolated and blunt, yet so innately comical. Natalie Sue does an incredible job of creating a MC who toes that line between unlikeable and eccentric. Jolene’s interactions with Cliff, who is a human teddy bear, are especially spectacular. This book is just amazing, I was glued to the screen and can’t wait to own a physical copy! Pub date in one week folks, pre-order asap!! And seriously, keep an eye on @natwrotewhat. If this is her debut I can’t even image what bangers we’re in store for in the years to come. Absolutely a new favorite author for me. 5 stars and more!!

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC, this was really special.

Oh, I really loved this one!! It gave me major “The Office” vibes- this book was full of sharp, quick, witty prose, petty office politics, and surprising emotional moments that remind you of your (and other’s) humanity. All of the characters really jumped off the page, and I especially loved getting to know sassy but socially awkward Jolene. Her commentary on people and the traditional office workplace had me cracking up multiple times throughout the book! I also appreciated Jolene’s character growth throughout the book. It felt extremely earnest and completely believable. I was rooting for her and was so happy with how the story resolved!

Overall this was a fun and meaningful office dramedy I absolutely devoured. I highly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself when it comes out next week!!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Ahhh the familiar feeling of secondhand embarassment. This book was a wild ride from start to finish. After reading about 40 bad decisions back to back, I considered putting it down. But then I had to see what happened! Reading this book was like watching a car crash in slow motion, and from the point of view of a drunk driver, careeing into a crowded intersection. What a mess! (in a fun-ish way).

The main character was sort of irritating at times, but I have enough reading comprehension to know that was sort of the point. She's supposed to be anti-social, awkward, anxiety ridded, and we, as readers, are supposed to watch her get less anti-social, awkward, etc. as the book goes on. However, she still was odd. I thought her growth went from 0 to 100, and there was a bit too much telling instead of showing.

I think this is an okay debut, but I would've liked this book to just be tightened up around the edges, if you will. This was an interesting read, but not necessarily something I'd rave about.

I expected this to be a light, snarky satire. It was actually so much more. It went above and beyond workplace drama to highlight family dynamics, unique friendships and even a bit of romance. If you are a fan of the Show Super Store, you'd probably like this book as well. I Hope This Finds You Well was an interesting read that is worth checking out.

Thank you to William Morrow and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An engaging and bingeable story that has humor and heart in equal measures. Although the novel is formulaic, its strength lies in the depth of its characters — as flawed as she is, Jolene is lovable and a rewarding protagonist to read. Highly entertaining and a well earned 4 stars.

I love, love, loved this book! I picked it up mostly for the kickass cover and it turned out to be sweet, hilarious, and touching! I laughed, I cried and I cringed (hard).

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!