Mess by Michael Chessler will open boxes and inspire many to start unpacking. This book follows the life of a professional organizer in Los Angeles. The clutter discussed in this book may be in containers or in your mind. This book will take you from house to house to clean up messes while offering opportunities to think about your own life. One item that was brought up again and again was books! They are often one of the hardest things to part with. Many will relate to the organizing mess in this book.

The premise is so interesting, but the character development fell short for me. I typically love a flawed, messy character, but it felt like the FMC, Jane, was stuck in a pattern of negativity, particularly when faced with other women characters. Rather than having Jane connect with her female clients as the plot progressed, she showed zero growth and remained cynical and off-putting.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! This one was not what I had expected it to be. The FMC was not it. She was hard to relate to, barely any growth, the fact she stayed with Teddy and resolved just about nothing. Also the fact she stole from clients felt very strange. She never made a trip to her parents. There’s just so much that fell so flat in this. Definitely left disappointed.

I really wanted to love this book! The premise and cover really hooked me and I thought I would really connect with Jane. Unfortunately, I really struggled to get into this book and I found Jane to be a hard FMC to relate to. I did not end up finishing the book despite multiple attempts to do so.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The summary of this book is what made me want to pick it up. Marie Kondo meets The Real Housewives?? Sign me up! But as much as I really wanted to like this book, I really struggled with it. Jane, the main character, is not a girl’s girl. She is judgmental towards her clients and has a pompous, know-it-all attitude. It is difficult to like and/or connect with her character. The dialogue between all the characters felt awkward and stilted, like they’re being forced together rather than experiencing a natural chemistry. Had the plot been more focused, this book could have had a more captivating story. While the premise of this book was interesting, the execution was not, and the story fell flat for me. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the eARC.

this sounded better than the execution of it. i wanted to love this but unfortunately this just wanted for me.

quick and easy read that was enjoyable! It was a little hard to pick up in the beginning but other than that I would recommend

I was attracted to the cover and promise of this book. Unfortunately, the main character was just too unlikable to make me want to keep reading her story.

Ｅｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟
Unfortunately, I DNF'd it at 20%, while the cover art and premise of this story caught my attention. This book just wasn't for me. Nothing against the author or writing style; I just couldn't get into the story and decided to stop forcing myself. Would I reattempt to read this book? Yes, I would, because I feel it might have something once I get past 20%.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I had to DNF this book. Unfortunately I could not get into the story. Absolutely no negativity towards the author or her writing style, the story just wasn’t for me.

I really wanted to like this as it was sold as a FMC that has her issues. Hateable characters piss me off but ultimately rub off on me...but this one just truly pissed me off. loved the cover though

I loved the cover and blurb of this novel, however, I struggled to connect with the characters and that lack of connection and relatability made it hard for me to get through this one. There were glimmers of the potential for something great, but unfortunately for me this one fell a bit short.

(3.5/5) If you liked Sophie Kinsella's 'The Burnout' - I think you'll like this one even more!!!

There's a trend in literature right now to talk about truly messy women who need work, and I'm all for that. I think we need more of these imperfect women working on themselves without overnight revelations! The real work takes time, and Chessler's 'Mess' made me feel pretty good about how far I've personally come.

Hihgly recommend if you're in any kind of situationship / feel like you're floundering a bit? Or maybe if you just need to understand that friend, co-worker, sibling whos just a litttttle bit of a mess.

**Removed stars because I found myself skipping through a bit. I feel that about 75 pages could've been edited out and still held onto the spirit of the novel.

**Thank you to Harper Perennial for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

I loved the cover and the book sounded fun, but I was so wrong. This gave me the ick and I just couldn’t get into it. I did not connect with the fmc and didn’t enjoy the book at all. I trudged through it, but I hated every minute then finally decided to DNF. I do not recommend it.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the e-arc. All opinions are my own and freely given.

DNF at 10%

As someone who loves cleaning and organization, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. We start with our FMC, Jane, who was extremely judgmental and seemed to hate other women. In just the first chapter alone, she judged her female client for her disorganization, the way she talks, and her parenting. It got to the point where she went past being jaded to being downright cruel. The final straw for me was when we learned that Jane constantly steals, and it isn't treated as if it's a problem, or even given an explanation. I feel like the description was completely misleading from what it truly was. As a result, it was unfortunately not for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Perennial, for the ARC!

DNF - this is not a novel that will do well with a female audience. It was too much ranting and gender bias, and it lacked plot and connection.

This book was funny. As someone with a chaotic mind that wants to be organized, this hit home. I related a lot to the main character. It was insightful and overall a good time.

The synopsis of this book sounded so good! I also thought the cover was cute! I thought I would really relate to the main character but she’s was honestly insufferable. It made it hard to get through the book. But I was able to finish. I don’t think this book was for me. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read it but I don’t think it’s one I’d pick up again.

Thank you NetGalley, Michael and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the eARC!

Publication Date: August 12 2025
Rating: ✨✨

#Mess #NetGalley

Unfortunately I struggled with this book. The concept sounds great and the book cover was cute but I just could not get into the main character.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.