"Everything Is Probably Fine" feels like a mantra. Poor Lorna has isolated herself in her suffering for way too long. When a misstep at work lands her on leave and in a wellness program, she is reluctant. The story follows her on her "apology tour" as she rebuilds a life she has always wanted.

Two things stand out to me in this book. First, watching Lorna's personal growth throughout the book. I love as Lorna confronted her past, she found that maybe her memories are not what she thought they were. She showed such bravery and determination. The second is her new best friend, Bean. He is the absolute cutest and stole the show multiple times with this sage wisdom.

Overall, a great book for lovers of found family, childhood memories and family dealing with addiction.

4.25/5 stars

Everything is Probably Fine releases August 12

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for this advanced reader. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lorna is a productive worker, but does not have much of a social life. Her goal is to make enough money to buy the house that she lives in, which used to belong to her grandmother. After accidentally sending an email mocking her coworkers Lorna is placed on leave and forced to participate in a wellness program. With her extra time at home, Lorna meets her neighbor, a boy Ben. She also realizes that she must meet her mother’s terms to access the money in her trust, which she plans to use to buy the house. These events forceLorna to reckon with her past and the anger that has held hr back for so long.

2⭐️| Everything Is Probably Fine follows Lorna Lott, a middle-aged saleswoman who's angry at the world. She's recently lost her mother, is estranged from her father and addict sister, and has almost lost her job for not working well with others. Now she has a mandatory month off where she has to heal and learn to lover herself and others again.

While I feel that this story tackled a lot of great themes and hard topics really well, I unfortunately did not have a good time solely because I found Lorna insufferable. She clearly started off with bad qualities that she was intended to work through, but at her core I found her personality to be so unlikeable that even when she worked through her problems, I still couldn't stand her.

Lorna did have very relevant trauma and I think had a very important story to tell as someone from the family of an addict and how that person can totally derail your life. She dealt with a lot of grief and rejection that she had to work through and while I thought her path to healing was very good for her, the way she went about it felt almost childish to me. As a 40 year old woman, her "apology tour" where she dropped in on people who knew her as a teenager felt weird and triggered my own social anxiety on her behalf. It's very possible that because I'm outside of this book's demographic that I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. The side characters were charming and the ending was very satisfying, I just couldn't get over my dislike for the main character. I was also able to listen to the audiobook from NetGalley, and I HATED the narrator that did this book. Her voice was so grating and i think that could have contributed to why I didn't like Lorna. If you do read this book, I would recommend sticking to the physical or kindle version.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for sending me this eARC

Very unpopular opinion, but I did not love this one. It was far from a DNF, but I often found myself skimming pages and rushing through scenes. I am struggling with the why though. It was not really the characters or their development or growth. I also liked the plot of the book. But everything about the story felt forced and overdone, instead of natural and smooth. In a book about a 43 year old woman who is coming to terms with her traumatic past, this just did not feel like an accurate portrayal of the healing process. Or even just how challenging and difficult loving someone with an addiction can be. A lot of the book just felt rushed through and forced instead of focused. There is nothing slow or easy about healing from past trauma, and I wish that the story gave more time to that. I liked the idea of this book and there were great parts - especially bean, the 8 year old neighbor, but given the sensitive topic of this book, I wished it did not feel overdone. I enjoyed the narrator of this book, more than my e copy. Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This was such a relatable and funny read part romantic comedy, part midlife chaos, and all heart. The story follows a woman trying to hold it all together after a breakup, a job she’s not sure she wants, and a life that looks nothing like she planned.

Julia London nails that feeling of “what now?” with humour and warmth. The main character is flawed, messy, and completely lovable, and I found myself rooting for her the whole way through. The plot has a few predictable beats, but it’s the voice and emotional honesty that make it stand out.

If you’ve ever felt a little lost but kept going anyway, this one’s for you. Funny, honest, and oddly reassuring.

“Family was funny that way. Either you were in it. Or you weren’t. There was no halfway.”

-5 stars-


Spice:
1/5

Yes just yes.
This book was amazing!! It had me laughing, it had me crying, and most of all it had me wanting to stare at a wall and just process what I just read.
I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this book, but I'm just going to come out and say it: I loved it. When I say I cried. I can't even tell you. This book had some really heavy topics while integrating amazing humor that made me laugh.
I loved Lorna and just her personality!! I freaking loved the way she and Bean developed such a close relationship. That whole thing just made my heart warm so much. I think Lorna had just the right amount of sass, humor, and trauma. When I say trauma, I mean a BUNCH of crap things she had to deal with, with her sister, Kristen.
I loved the strong mental health rep in here! It was such an amazing element to this book that just made it better! The way Julia London wrote this book just spoke to my soul. The writing just was so good and made me feel like I legit needed to stare at a wall for a couple of hours.
I will warn you, Everything Is Probably Fine, is heavy... And I wouldn't actually necessarily classify it as a romance. Sure, there was a cute romance twist but don't go into this book thinking it's Romeo and Juliet.
Overall, this was just such a good read all around. After reading Everything Is Probably Fine, I can really see why Julia London is a best selling author. She made the characters come alive in the book. I loved every single second of it!

“She tells herself everything is probably fine but then...”

I did not enjoy this book, and only finished it because it was a netgalley book. The premise and the main character (and most of the other characters) were all unrealistic and/or one dimensional. The book read like an edgier Hallmark movie.

I really enjoyed this story! It follows Lorna Lott, a really angry woman in her forties who has endured many major traumas throughout her life. When an incident happens at work and she is forced to take some time off to confront her past, she sets off on an "apology tour" to work on forgiving herself and others. She realizes that she may not actually love the life she has created for herself and has a lot to overcome. This book has a cast of imperfect characters all dealing with their own issues - except Bean. Bean is perfect. - and while Lorna started off as annoying, irritating, and closed off, she grew on me through the story as she grows and changes. I was surprised to like the story as much as I did. It was heartwarming, sad, hopeful, and sweet. I think this story is perfect if you like books about family trauma (trigger warning: addiction), found family, self-actualization, humour, and overcoming grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read an ARC of Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London, in exchange for my honest review.

Exceptional! I loved everything about Lorna's "Apology Tour"! The characters were extremely well written, relatable, and realistic.

We all have baggage, and we all deal with it in our own (but not always the best) way. It was refreshing and empowering to see Lorna come to terms with her past and grow into her future.

"Everything is probably fine" is my new mantra!

Ok so let me start by saying, this was an incredible read! I would like to put some trigger warnings though.

* addiction/drug abuse
* death of a parent

I think it was really refreshing to read a book with such a profound story. The FMC could be any one of us, on our own paths of grief, healing from trauma, and self acceptance. It’s easy to shut everyone out and to close yourself off, but true forgiveness takes a huge amount of effort and needing to be really ready.

I also need to get into the relationship between Lorna and Aggie/ Lorna and Bean.
Our animals are truly members of our family, they love us and provide unconditional love. They also have a way of bringing people together. And don’t even get me started on Bean. Children are so innocent. They don’t look at us and see the flaws we see in ourselves. They are pure. They are love. They can teach us so much about accepting and loving others.

I think this book with stick with me for a while.

A big thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I think I’m gonna be in the minority here but I didn’t care for this. The main character grated on my nerves. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

this book crawled up into my heart and settled there for the duration. what. a. read.
it was harsh, loud, or with twists and turn and story line calling from the rooftop at you. but there lay its beauty. it was calm,quiet and let itself do the talking. let you do the thinking. let us all do the reading. and then we stop. we take a breath and wow it shouts louder in your heart. and lingers there for a long while to come. this book is the emotional journey. its not overdone. but its done just enough to make you feel, to make you want to read on and to make you care about this book.
our main character had me wanting to stand there alongside he with gentle hugs on her journey. she had a lot of healing to do and that meant facing an awful lot.. both of what she went through and all how she portrayed things at the time. she had to face some things that perhaps weren't as he thought and some things that were. time, healing, and inner work was what she had to do. and Julia wrote it out for us all so well. the storytelling behind the whole things was wonderful.
and im sorry. there are a few little standouts that you will find in this book also. you'll know who i mean as soon as you are introduced. but Bean and Aggie you have been brilliant can you step into my life too please?
my soul was searched in the best of ways in this book and it was also deeply moved and soothed.
the supporting cast and side characters were top tier brilliance. they bounced around the pages and all had their importance.
i know ive gone with some deep reviewing here. but dont you worry, this book doesn't ring you down once. and infact i felt joyous throughout. like it was helping me too. or just was a really really well told book. you wont feel down but filled with hope.

it does obviously from the blurb touch on particularly issues. so if this is something you haven't healed from either directly or not then dont think you need to be strong or prove something but being able to read 'a book'. you dont. your head is way more important and who gets to say what triggers or feels too much. not us. but if you do feel there is a time for this conversation to enter into your world again then i'd say this book is on your side with it. and might feel gentle on you too rather than drudge hard things up.

Lorna Lott is really feeling like everything is against her. She can’t understand why her team can’t just work all the time and do everything she says. When her job sends her to work on herself for a month, Lorna is not happy. She finally has to look inward and see why she feels so much rage and where these pesky tears keep coming from. She starts and unlikely friendship with the kid across the hall Bean who teacher Lorna more than she ever thought possible.

I found Lorna to be hard to like for most of the book. She seemed so against change and then suddenly she embraced all of the skills. Bean was so sweet and really was so resilient even though he went through his own trauma. I understand Lorna’s sister Kristen was to blame for much of her rage, but for a woman in her 40s who had previously been to therapy, she really was immature. I also do not think this book should be categorized as a romance, she barely loved herself.

" Everything Is Probably Fine" is the heartwarming story of Lorna Lott, 42 year old software sales person that has become "a bit snappish" as of late. When Lorna is given mandatory leave from her job to attend Bohdi Lao Bliss Retreat to develop life coping skills, Lorna slowly realizes she has unintentionally closed herself off from everyone in her life. With a rag-tag team of neighbors and friends from the past, Lorna is able to learn how to forgive those from her past and eventually herself. "Everything Is Probably Fine" perfect for those looking for a humorous, cozy read that explores second chances and the resilience of the human heart.

This was such an emotional, honest read. Lorna’s journey of healing after years of living in the shadow of her sister’s addiction was moving and raw. I loved the slow unraveling of her past, and how Bean helped her begin to see herself differently. It’s a quiet but powerful story about forgiveness, grief, and finally choosing to live for yourself.

Would I recommend this book to you? YES!

Expected Release Date: 08/12/2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This was different from what I would normally pick up, but I really enjoyed it!

The main character is someone who at first seems like she may be insufferable to read a book through, but we very quickly see how endearing she is. As we follow along on her journey of working through her pasts and righting her perceived wrongs, a whole story unfolds

This was told in third person, mostly in present day, with every few chapters flashing back to sometime earlier in her life.

The characters in this book were really well flushed out, and it was fun to see their stories develop alongside the main chatacter’s!

Big thank you to Harper Muse for the gifted ARC of this heartfelt novel.

Everything Is Probably Fine explores the lasting impact of addiction on families with sincerity and care. The bond between Lorna and young Bean is a highlight, and the themes of grief, guilt, and healing are handled with compassion.

That said, the pacing felt slow, and I struggled to fully connect with the characters and their emotional journeys. While this story didn’t resonate with me personally, I think readers who enjoy quiet, introspective, character-driven fiction may find it moving.

Here is a contemporary book that doesn't rely on any superfluous stuff to make it a great. Its just about a woman who has to find and forgive herself.
There are so many things I loved about this story. The dialogue was so spot on. Just the words used gave so much insight into the characters. And it wasn't just for a couple of characters. Each one had their own unique voice.
The reality of dealing with addiction - whether your own or those close to you - was so real and accurate. You can really start to understand how addiction affects everyone and how there are no good ways to deal with it.
The wellness program was the highlight and humor of the book. It makes you want to go to these sessions and try these therapies.
There is a love story in this book. Its about loving yourself. Which opens you up to love others.
I hope this author continues to write these types of stories. I eagerly wait for the next one!
Enjoy!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Lorna stands to lose everything after a mistake at work fueled by her anger over unresolved trauma and grief. Initiate the apology tour to see if she can pull her life out of the nosedive.

I found this book very slow to begin with and the main FMC is not very likeable at the start. This a story of healing. Others may love it but I just thought it was OK and skimmed read most of it. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for ARC.