I could not stop thinking about this book and finished it so quickly. I’m not usually one for books with kids as a main character but Bean has my whole heart. And Lorna, too 😊 this book was much deeper than I expected and explores the effects of addiction on the family really beautifully. What a great book!

4.5 ⭐️

So everything is actually not fine. This book was one big spiral and i am not ok.

One of the most raw, invasive, gut wrenching and devastating books i've read in a long time. I love that it wasn't a glittery, shiny, happy ending because life just doesn't work like that. I like how not everyone forgave her because again, life just doesn't work like that. When Bean gave her the figurine of the mother, son and dog before she went into the facility to see Kristen? I was GONE. Such a beautifully captured scene.

I was not expecting Kristen to end up in a facility and it was quite difficult to read about.. i can't describe this book in any way besides that it reached into the most inner parts of my soul and strangled and hurt me from within. This story is an ode to older sisters & oldest daughters or anyone who has been thrown into those roles regardless.

Such a fantastic read.

Heart-tugging, occasionally hilarious, and refreshingly honest—Julia London serves up a “wellness-retreat” redemption arc that mostly sticks the landing.

Lorna Lott is that prickly, over-caffeinated colleague we all know (or maybe are). When a meltdown costs her a long-awaited promotion, she’s banished to a 30-day corporate zen camp to fix her “low-key rage thing.” What follows is a very un-relaxing journey through grief, sibling guilt, and—thanks to an unexpectedly wise eight-year-old neighbor—second chances that feel earned rather than sugary.

What kept me turning pages
An unflinching heroine. Lorna’s blunt, often cringe-worthy self-talk is equal parts funny and painful—but her growth feels authentic, especially as she unpacks the wreckage from her sister’s addiction.

Found-family charm. The father-son duo next door adds warmth without slipping into saccharine territory. Every scene with the earnest kiddo cracked my tough exterior the same way he does Lorna’s.

Corporate satire meets genuine pathos. Team-building trust falls, avocado-toast mindfulness sessions, and “apology-donut diplomacy” made me laugh even while the novel digs into heavier themes of forgiveness and self-worth.

Why one star stays in my back pocket
Pacing dips near the middle. A few wellness-retreat exercises drag, repeating lessons we already got.

Romance light. The neighborly spark is sweet but sometimes sidelined, so pure romance readers might crave a touch more swoon.

Verdict
Everything Is Probably Fine isn’t just about calming down—it’s about tearing down old defenses and rebuilding a life you can live with. For fans of messy, midlife reinventions and sister-wound stories that don’t shy from the ugly bits, this novel lands firmly on the “add to cart” list. It may not be a flawless journey, but like Lorna herself, it gets there—bruises, breakthroughs, and all.

A realistic portrayal of what happens when you confront and attempt to heal your past trauma, of the imperfect love of family, and the strength to be found in forgiveness.
This was an emotional read that brought both tears and laughter. The character development was stupendous. Lorna started off as an abrasive and unlikable character, one I couldn't imagine coming to like, but truly appreciated by the end of the book.

If there’s one thing Julia London is going to do, it’s write a devastating female character. I loved Nora November, but I fell head over heels with Lorna’s journey in anger management and grief at her relationship with her sister. Every character sung, every plot point rang poignantly. I may or may not have cried.

Romance is a simple but sweet sub-subplot (the real subplot is the relationship between Lorna and Bean, her eight year old neighbor). The best part is Lorna’s growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! I finished this book several days ago and it just doesn’t let me go. It touches on so much that I am sure all who read it will see some part of there own life. Lorna Lott is a work driven “tough cookie”. Her story tells us what brought her there. A long, hard journey! We start with her e-mail attachment mistake to her co-workers which is so filled with anger it earns her a 30 day mandatory leave with required therapy at Bodhi Bliss Retreat and Spa. I was a little unsure of this New Age sort of therapy which included things like yoga and sound baths. What an eye-opener! Wouldn’t mind going there myself. There are tears and laughs from this place. Speaking of tears, Lorna spends a lot of time in the book with “anger leaking out of her”. Probably a good start to everything being fine. Lorna’s life is literally a giant mess which she attributes to her sister Kristen’s addictions. From her father’s abandonment to her mother’s neglect and a million broken promises Lorna builds her very own “bomb shelter” inside to protect her from more pain. Along comes my very favorite character, Bean, an eight year old neighbor boy with so much charm and wisdom everyone needs a Bean in their life. He helps Lorna to see life differently. He’s working on his” helping an old person badge” even though Lorna is only in her forties. Lorna’s corgi Aggie brings a light, happy note into the book. Together with Bean they really steal the show. Seth is Bean’s father with issues of his own. His presence in the book moves Lorna forward as they help each other along with neighbors in the apartment building. This house has been Lorna’s sole purpose in life. It was only a single family home belonging to her Nana before her Mom had to sell it because of Kristen’s expenses. Lorna wants to return it to her happiest family memories. This has driven her at work for years. She believes going on an apology tour righting past wrongs will gain her the money for Nana’s house since her dying Mom left this task for her before inheriting her trust. Instead, Bean, Seth and the neighbors are really starting to look like a new found family. Slowly Lorna opens her bomb shelter and finds Everything can be Fine! If you like books that touch on all your emotions and leave you with feelings of hope you will love this one.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC. All opinions are strictly my own.

Lorna Lott embodies a bitter old cat-lady full of regret - except she's barely middle aged and doesn't own a cat... the bitter and regretful part is true though. Reminiscent of the characters in "Up!", Lorna befriends a precious young boy who begins to open up the past wounds and pour healing and love back into her. As she's confronted with her anger and dysfunction, she's forces to walk through the rooms full of memories that have haunted her life (both figuratively and literally) and find a way to move forward.

It's a great story of healing, self-actualization and forgiveness. It's the sort of book that makes you want to take stock of your life and what you've made of it. It's challenging, uplifting and heart-warming all at the same time. The story trails her life that's been full of grief, neglect, abandonment and addiction. It delves into some pretty weighty topics while giving them the space and the nuance they deserve. This book is very well done and has warmed my heart.

Emotional! A lot of folks can relate to this journey of forgiveness and navigating tough family dynamics. Deep, emotional story that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through

After accidentally emailing all of the people on her team a list with their names and how she describes them - one girl is listed as having a very punchable face - Lorna’s job mandates her to take a one month sabbatical and complete a wellness program. Although she’s completely against it, she has no choice if she wants to go back to work. Over the next four weeks she begins finally facing her past and fixing the relationships her sister’s addiction ended for her. Will she be able to come to terms with everything and move on or will she remain closed off and never let anyone in?

Although I occasionally found Lorna to be annoying, I understood why she was the way that she was & how both her sister’s addiction and her mother’s cancer could’ve changed her. Her character proved that it’s never too late to start fresh and that letting people in, while sometimes scary, is ultimately a freeing process. One of my favorite relationships was between her & Bean, her 8 (I think 8 or maybe 9) year old neighbor. He does what all tiny humans are great at, being a friend without judging which was something Lorna truly needed. Through her relationship with him she was able to face almost anything straight on & come out the other side better for it.

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did & truly recommend that anyone who has dealt with a sibling having addiction issues reads it. It doesn’t read like a self-help book but still allows you to reflect on your experiences and possibly even come to terms with things you never realized you were holding on to.

**Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an ARC**

Absolutely loved this book. Lorna, or Lolo to her friends and family, is sent on an employer mandated sabattical to a self help clinic for her anger issues. She is convinced that all of her problems stem from her sister's addiction issues and if she could only buy her grandmothers old house it would all be fixed. The only problem? The house is currently divided into apartments. Lorna rents one in the hope that she will feel closer to a time when her life was good. She reluctantly goes to the clinic every day where she learns how to let go of her anger and focus on the positive. She befriends a boy named Bean and his father who live in the apartments. In order to receive the trust set up by her mother Lorna must make amends for several past incidents and forgive her sister. She goes on her apology tour, along with Bean, and learns some things about herself along the way. Just a wonderful book about letting go of the past and forgivness of both yourself and others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story was emotional and layered. I really loved that Lorna represents the messy or 'ugly' parts of women when we go through trauma. She is not a traditionally likeable character. I like that she is in her 40s and is prickly, unrelenting, a bit mean, rude, and angry as all hell. She is also just trying to protect herself in the ways she knows how. I really loved seeing her disarm her 'bomb shelter' and we got to really see her grow as a character. We also got to see how her bomb shelter came to be in the first place.

What I was not so thrilled about is that there are references made in the book that didn't sit right with me. They are flippant, unimportant moments, but I think it showcases perhaps a need for a more critical read through of the story, and perhaps some inner reflection on the author and team's part. For instance, near the beginning of the story, a child character Bean (who I love) asks '"Do you think there's treasure buried here?" he asked excitedly. "Because the Indians used to live here. They might have buried something!"', which is a train of thought that is rooted in anti-Indigenous racism. This line of logic relies on some really problematic stereotypes about Indigenous peoples. The use of the past tense contributes to this idea that Indigenous peoples are of the 'past' and thus are no longer on this land (their land, might I add). To locate Indigenous peoples in the past is a long-held colonial tool to erase Indigenous existence and continued resistance. In this moment with Bean, the author did not need the reference to Indigenous peoples for the plot, but instead it was used to amp up the 'whimsy' and 'charm' of the kid. Another example of a sticky moment is when Lorna is receiving treatment at the centre, and the only worker who is grumpy or short with her (as all the other workers are insufferably kind and understanding) is a woman who is made known to be overweight. Mentioning her weight (when no other side character's is throughout the story- thus they are assumed to be straight-sized) link her poor attitude with fatness. This is a classic example of fatphobia- the idea that people in larger bodies are inherently bad or negative. I imagine that this is just an unconscious bias that is shining through for a moment in the book, but these examples (and others like them throughout the book) were enough to take me out the story. Some may think that I'm being too precious or sensitive, but these seemingly small moments throughout a book rely and reify oppressive views and attitudes. I encourage the author and the rest of the team to think through how some of their unconscious bias's are present in the current and upcoming work.

In all this is a complex and raw book where we get to see a flawed and wonder character, Lorna, persevere in finding her own happiness.

Often, I’m not in the mood to read books categorized as “women’s fiction,” because the tale is deeper than I’m in the mood for. Give me a feel-good romance with a guaranteed HEA any day.

But Julia London is a go-to author, so I dove into “Everything is Probably Fine.”

And I am so glad I did.

I will admit, I didn’t really like Lorna Lott, our main character, when I started the book. She’s whiny and mean. I guarantee I would not want her as my boss, which is where our tale begins.

Lorna, however, is willing to put in the work to make changes in her life. Within a few chapters, I was hooked. Watching her discover how to let others into her life, which seems to happen when she’s not looking, was beautiful.

London tells Lorna’s story with the witty dialogue I’ve come to expect. London excels at well-defined characters are a delight to get to know.

Don’t let the term “women’s fiction” put you off. By the end of the book, I wanted to find myself lucky enough to be Lorna’s friend.

Julia London has done it again, creating a beautifullty crafted story that deals with a difficult subject in an empathetic and believable way. Everything Is Probably Fine is an uplifting and emotionally engaging story that I read in one sitting. Ace saleswoman Lorna Lott is central to this story, which is written in two timelines. The first timeline takes us through Lorna’s life from childhood to adulthood and we see the impact her sister’s addiction has on her. In the present time, we see Lorna stood down from her job and forced to undergo a month of emotional healing at the Bodhi Tao Bliss Retreat and Spa, an experience that she resists strongly. Lorna is totally driven to secure a promotion so that she can buy back her grandmother’s house, which her mother sold years earlier to fund treatment for Lorna’s drug-addicted sister. She currently rents a flat in the house, which has been divided up into four apartments. Lorna has felt rejected and abandoned since childhood, when her parents divorced and she’s reached the stage where she’s both lonely and yet unwilling to let others into her life. Her treatment of her sales team and the way she drives them to succeed is ultimately the reason why she’s been put on leave. When her neighbour’s eight year-old son Bean forms a friendship with her corgi Agnes, at the same time as Lorna begins her sessions at the retreat, she tries hard to ignore him, but Bean worms his way into her heart and she slowly opens up not just to him but also to her neighbours and her mentors at the retreat.
I loved the way Julia London handled the fraught issue of drug addiction and the conflict between caring for the addict and preserving oneself. We rarely see how family is affected when one of their own faces problems with addiction so this book is refreshing in taking the lid off that subject. I felt for Lorna from the start, but there are plenty of other characters who helped to make this a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable story.

This was just ok for me. I had a little trouble getting into it. Had read one other book by the author that I really loved. This Jon just didn’t quite hit it for me.

Addiction. Julia London's, Everything Is Probably Fine, shines a spotlight on addiction, grief and loneliness with broad strokes. She delivers a story that is heartfelt, tragic, yet with just enough sprinkles of humor to have you smiling.

Lorna's childhood and adulthood has been shaped by family members battling addiction and an overwhelming feeling of being alone and misunderstood. At one pivotal point in this story, Lorna finds herself focused on her well-being, forgiving others and forgiving herself. She's on a difficult, reflective journey. She's a work in progress, and we have a front row seat as we watch that progress lead to more. But...the secondary characters deserve a round of applause! I found them likeable and relatable, with Bean stealing my heart. You are in for a sweet, heartwarming treat!

Thank you to Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this story in advance via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are entirely my own. Keep an eye out for this one!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This book surprised me. I expected it to be a cozy, fun read. And while i loved it, it was more emotional and real than i expected. And i mean that in the best way. It showcases mental health and addiction, and its so well written. I love a good story that highlights things that people consider a stigma.

I love Lorna as a character. I love that she was a woman in her 40s as opposed to earlier in her life, and she was navigating things in the best of her ability while realizing that things may be out of our control more than we prefer.

This was my first by this author and i will definitely be reading more.

What a complicated and intense women’s fiction book by Julia London. I’m sure each of us in life have issues that we sometimes don’t want to address but reading this story had me looking inward and evaluating my life’s decisions. The book really made me think outside the box when it comes to all the important relationships of family, friends and coworkers. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advance copy. I recommend it highly.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. It is a sweet and sometimes sad story of Lorna as she grapples with the aftereffects of his sister's addiction. It was rewarding to witness Lorna's growth as she learned to trust others and herself again.

This book is quietly powerful and emotionally honest. Julia London doesn’t just tell a story—she reveals truths that can hit hard, especially if you’ve ever felt stuck. But it’s not just about struggle; it’s about growth. And Bean—the wise, big-hearted neighbor kid—brings light and hope. It’s a messy, meaningful journey, and in the end, maybe everything is fine.

This book really spoke to my soul as I identified strongly with the character of Lorna. As I approach the big 4-0, I find I relate more to books featuring somewhat older protagonists, forever endeavouring to strike the right balance between their home-life, work-life and personal-life.

Lorna is a complex, flawed yet eminently likeable protagonist, who lives a very insular life and doesn't always know how to interact with the world around her. Whilst some reviewers report they found her unlikeable, I found her to be endearing and I just wanted to give her a great big hug and tell her everything is going to be OK. I wish this world had more sympathy for people who do not conform to perceived societal norms, as this world can be a very lonely place.

I loved Lorna's character development as the novel progressed and felt all the peripheral characters added much needed heart and warmth to the overall narrative. Lorna's mandated attendance at the Wellness Retreat provided cathartic relief from the emotional heft of this novel, with fish-out-of-water humour present in abundance. I had some real laugh out loud moments thanks to each beanbag scene!

I would recommend this book to fans of novels such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. This book is also reminiscent of the works of Fredrik Backman, with great emphasis on empathy, found family, redemption, and the transformative power of kindness.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 on NetGalley

Trigger Warnings: Mental Health / Addiction / Parental Loss / Grief / Childhood Trauma

Many thanks to the team at NetGalley and the team at Harper Muse, for granting me access to this ARC, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.