I think I can safely say I have never read such a tender story involving a printer before. I really enjoyed this strange little book. I did have a issue with the italized text, it was hard to read but it might have been becuase it was on the Kindle. I kept wanted to skip it but it was important so I forced myself to but a clearer font would have been nice.

A strange little book about a girl and the love of her life- that being her office’s printer. I’m a sucker for a good “unhinged woman in an office setting” story, and this one definitely delivered. Some of the writing style feels very alienating, which works throughout most of the story as it adds to the strangeness and emphasizes the narrator’s mindset throughout. I especially enjoyed the section from the perspective of the printer- never thought I’d write those words in a book review, but this isn’t a conventional book. Overall, very enjoyable.

“It’s only human to be constantly looking for something good, but rarely be able to find it.”

This was such an unexpected treat! From the description, I thought it was a girl-printer romance and wanted to read it for the shock value. This book ended up being not that and so much more. It was a slice of life story that dealt with the difficulty of anxiety and made poignant commentary about society.

It was beautifully written and so unique and odd in the best way possible. I could fill a notebook with all the highlights I have from this book.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Hard Copy. I hope people are able to past what it appears to be in order to find the richness within.

An office romance between a printer and a lowly worker.

We follow two POVs

-Office Lady: (I’m calling her this because she does not share her name.) She works at a job that doesn’t pay her enough, and is haunted by something she did in her childhood. She talks to the printer, tells “him” stories, her grievances, perspectives. She becomes infatuated with her friend that only talks back in the form of beeps and error messages.

-The Printer: Surprisingly sentient. All knowing. Fills in a ton of gaps for the reader.

This is a story about survival and being a cog in the corporate machine. Are you truly living? Shouldn’t you have a hobby? Why is work so important to you when you can be replaced instantly?
The Office Lady is full of paranoia, judgements, and in search of a package that may or may not be for her. She has an allergy to stress that only an epipen can fix. She is unlikeable and unreliable. Oh, and she loves that printer - that’s something I know for sure.
This is one of those weird girl books that I usually devour and savor. But, this one just didn’t live up to the hype I had in my head. Office Lady is unlikeable - which I usually enjoy - but had no redeeming qualities other than a justified revenge in the past. She has no friends, nothing nice to say, and zero ambition.
I found the meat of the story interesting, but it fell flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this book but I didn't really find a point to it. It felt very rambling and there were sections that didn't tie into the main plot at all. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was one of the few times that a “weird girl” book didn’t hit for me. It just felt a little flat and messy for me, normally I love stream of consciousness, but nothing about it really grabbed me. I do think a large part of it might have been my own ignorance, there was definitely some sociopolitical commentary that went over my head, and I didn’t quite understand until I researched it. Objectively speaking, I still think it is worth the read and many people will enjoy it, it just wasn’t the right book for me.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I loved this one so much.

I am so thankful to Bloomsbury Books, Fien Veldman, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this supportive yet unique love story before it hits shelves on June 6, 2024. Our unnamed FMC is experiencing a lot of pressure at work, who isn’t, and is on the verge of burnout, but the only thing getting her through each monotonous work day is her corporate crush, no one other than the printer. Yep, you read that right. Oh, the scandal, NO! This is one of the most wholesome relationships I’ve ever read of and I simp them so hard.

But no seriously, her boss is starting to get a bit worried about her obsession, especially as she seems to be talking to either herself or the printer about personal life matters during working hours. Our FMC gets placed on a temporary leave while she “figures out” her mental blockage. What may come off as a paid vacation to some is a nightmare for her as she is separated from her one true companion and wants nothing more than to be reunited with her dear printer.

Readers almost feel compelled to fall in line with the rest of her workplace, not knowing what or who to believe, BUT that’s until we hear from the POV of the beloved printer, that we can settle our insecurities about this partnership. This is a match made in heaven, and I’m not even being delusional, and I’m totally feeling a type of way about my household appliances… ARE YOU SENTIENT?!? LET ME KNOW!!! I WILL LOVE YOU.