In Everything is Probably Fine, Lorna Lott’s shot at a big promotion derails after a workplace meltdown lands her in a thirty-day wellness program. As she reluctantly confronts her past, including her sister’s addiction and her own emotional armor, unexpected connections help her rethink what success and happiness really look like.

I listened to Everything is Probably Fine on audiobook, narrated by Marni Penning, who did a great job bringing Lorna’s emotional layers and the story’s humor to life. It turned out to be a really endearing story with a quirky and lovable cast. Lorna’s gruff exterior starts to soften thanks to an unlikely crew that includes her sweet Corgi Agnes, a precocious neighbor boy who totally gives off Russell-from-Up energy, and his charming dad. There are plenty of light, funny moments sprinkled between the heavier beats of grief, unresolved anger, and the complicated heartbreak of growing up in the shadow of a sister’s addiction. Lorna’s emotional journey feels raw and real, especially as she’s forced to finally confront the pain she’s tried to bury. It’s heartwarming, heartbreaking, and a little bit messy in the most human way. It’s a story about second chances, healing, and learning how to be a little softer in a world that rewards hardness. 3.75 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

This book should not be compared to The Wedding People. It was one of my 5 star reads for the year. While both books deal with grief the execution of this one was much different. I found the MC to be annoying and full of herself with an outlook that everyone is out to get her and then she blames it all on her sister’s addiction. There was also a lot of miscommunication in this book which is my least favorite trope.

Ultimately this book was not for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for my ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest review.

5 out of 5 stars!!

At the beginning of this novel the main female, Lorna Lott, starts off as the co-worker /manager you absolutely can't stand working with and for. You know, the kind whose whole lives revolves around their job and who expect the same drive, intensity and focus from their co-workers/employees and doesn't care at all about work/life balance. And if you don't know what kind of co-worker I'm talking about, then you're probably that co-worker. If anyone reading this review is a fan of the MTV competition reality show "The Challenge", I pictured Lorna a lot like Lauren Stucky (not a compliment).
Due to an inappropriate - and very hilarious - e-mail that she accidentally sent to everyone in her office where she gave all of her co-workers superlatives (i.e. "Most likely to be a serial killer), she is forced to take a one-month paid leave where she must attend a thirty-day wellness program. The novel goes between the past and present. It visits the various stages of Lorna's life, from her childhood to her present circumstances. From these viewpoints, the reader/listener receives a better understanding of the various traumatic events that have occurred during her life and why she is the way she is.
This book was amazing! It was insanely well written and the plot was engaging from start to finish. I started off really disliking Lorna and about 25% of the way through, I found myself really rooting for her. The other characters in the novel and how they have an impact on Lorna's life in both the past and present are all well explained and expertly woven into the story. I also LOVED the narrator of this book, Harper Muse. She easily transitioned from narrating Lorna as a child to Lorna through her teen and adult years. Her narration added a lot to my love and enjoyment of this novel.
The only issue I had is that this novel deals with the very sensitive and triggering issue of addiction and how this illness affects one's family. The author has obviously done her research as this subject was handled very well and respectfully. But if readers/listeners are expecting a nice, light novel, this isn't it.
Despite the difficult subject matter, I highly recommend this book!!

This book truly captivated me. It pulled me right in, and I had no idea what to expect of it. Lorna was closed off in the beginning, and by the end was an inspiration to all. Bean and Auggy definitely stole the story, and your heart from time to time and I loved how the supporting characters really became Lorna’s found family.

If you’ve ever battled finding yourself after loss, grieving somethng you believed should be, or had experience with someone struggling with addiction - this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this book in advance of it’s release.

“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 really enjoyed this ALC.

I did not think I was going to like the FMC in the beginning, she was a lot, however, as her story progresses and you see flashbacks of her younger self you get to know how and why she is a certain way. I absolutely loved Bean. This is just such a beautiful story of friendship, growing and healing and I ended up getting sucked into the story and absolutely devoured this. It was emotional and heartwarming and frustrating and beautiful.

If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you will like this book.

The narrator was fantastic, she made listening so easy and seamless.

Audio format 🎧

This is a heavy book with a lot to unpack with themes of family trauma and addiction. It started off light and humerous then took a hard serious turn. At points in this book I wanted to scream at the main character of how she was coming to terms and apologizing for things that were not her fault. I wanted to give her hug and then smack her in the side of the head. Parts of the book made me giggle and parts made me sad.

It’s been a while since I have had a book that did this to me and wow so much to keep thinking about.

Although I think this book might not be for everyone I would recommend this in audioformat as the narration really added to the story for me. With all the emotions this book made me feel I am giving it a 4.5/5. I took off half a star as I did find it a bit longer than I think it needed to be.

Thank you Harper Muse Audiobooks and Net Galley for an ALC of this book. Opinions are my own.

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

There are times when books find you when you need them. This was one of those boos for me. I haven't read this author before and it isn't my typical specific read, yet I found myself utterly annoyed when I had to stop listening.

Everything is Probably Fine as a saying and a title tells us right away that no, things are not fine, but the "probably" helps us embrace that they could possibly become fine. This book is not a disappointment for living up to that sentiment. Not an altogether unreliable narrator, the heroine, but decidedly delightful in her awkwardness and unlikability. Incredibly refreshing to have a less than perfect character to root for! The actual narrator is one hundred percent reliable in relaying the story with all of its angsty insecurities and improbable hope.

I appreciated that the story went to unexpected places, it didn't bend over backwards to find the good in everyone even when it delivered it to those reading between the lines. I enjoyed the journey to true self discovery veiled in a means to an end that also incorporates so many other character's lives and journeys as well. Every character was believable and I was absolutely cheering every single one of them on- especially the dog!

If you find yourself at a point in your life when you are ready, or even feel the need to face something or some things join Lorna Lott and her unbeknownst (even to her) tribe and you will not only not feel so alone or isolated in your personal evolution you might just cushion the path by letting these fictional characters help.
Sincerely, sm for the BB

The book is a heartfelt read about healing from a traumatic past. Lorna earliest memories include her young sister getting drunk (think elementary school age) while their parents fight nonstop. This pattern continues throughout and her life until it comes to a crossroads where she is forced to deal with her toxic past.

An eight year old neighbor boy makes Lorna his friend and unknown to her she starts to heal - this was a slow start for me but am great story and one of my favorite reads of 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review of the book.

Thanks to Harper Muse & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If stories about overcoming one's traumatic past and letting go of anger in order to get a new lease on life are appealing to you, then you will like this book!

If this sounds like a glurge-fest, then you might want to skip this one.

This is not my usual fare, I'll be the first to admit, but it was rather charming in its way. London doesn't shy away from the damage done to MC Lorna's life at the hands of her addict sister, and her anger and shut down-ness is understandable. It's very rewarding to watch Lorna move, step by step, away from her small, angry life to an existence with friends, generosity, and sound baths. Could it have been shorter? Sure. But Marni Penning does a great job with the material, so it's probably not as annoying as it would've been on the page (I'd've almost certainly skimmed some paragraphs). She's even pretty good at voicing a very precocious 8 year old who is obsessed with Lorna's dog, Agatha. She only drops the ball with Mr. Contreras, a Hispanic minor character who, in Penning's hands, presents more as The Count from Sesame Street.

If new age therapy, acupuncture, yoga pants, and float tanks are objects of derision for you, I repeat, stay away. I don't have strong feelings either way, so a little crystal healing didn't put me off. Hey, Lorna is skeptical too, at first.

Solid 3 stars, mostly, but not completely, thanks to Penning.

Everything Is Probably Fine" by Julia London is a touching and uplifting story that stayed with me long after it ended.

Lorna has carefully constructed a quiet, solitary life—but when circumstances push her in an unexpected direction, she begins to uncover possibilities she never imagined. The story unfolds through her perspective, blending present-day events with poignant flashbacks that deepen our understanding of her journey.

Marni Penning's narration adds another layer of depth, capturing Lorna’s emotions beautifully and bringing the entire cast of characters to life, especially Bean!

This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2025. I fell in love with the characters and didn’t want the story to end. It had the same emotional warmth and gentle humor that reminded me of A Man Called Otto.

Highly recommended for fans of heartfelt, character-driven fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC.

What starts out for Lorna as an employer-forced 30 day stint in an anger management program turns into a healing, transformative and life-changing journey of forgiveness and change. Dealing with deep-seeded friend, family and life hurts, experiences and issues, this book drives home just how harmful bottling up feelings and holding grudges and anger can be.

Lorna's "Apology Tour" leads to healing and restoring old relationships, new friendships, a more fulfilling life, and quite possibly a new romance. This book was so good - filled with humor, honesty and emotion this story of the life-changing power of forgiveness and letting go is not one you'll want to miss.

The audio narration was excellent making this an easy listen and an all-around reflective and enjoyable experience. Definitely a five-star hit!

Holy emotional ride batman. This was so well written and the complexities behind difficult family relationships, drug use/abuse, and family trauma was handled so well. This book is one that will absolutely stick with me.

More of a 3.5 for me.

The first half of the book was not my favorite. I even considered stopping. The main character was do obnoxious - angry and irritated by every tiny thing. I listened on audio and even the narrator was grinding on my nerves. I didn’t like how she sounded as 9 year old Bean either.

But then I started to get over the hump and realized that it all contributed to the redemption of Lorna later on. She is working on herself and the author and narrator do a great job of making you feel why it deeply needs to happen. She’s on a journey to forgive people in her life and herself for being human. Once I got about mid-way, I started to actually enjoy her process.

Trigger warning for people who have experienced addiction or have lived with addicts.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This book is very heavy, especially with the themes that it contains. The beginning of the book was super interesting and made me excited to continue reading on, I liked the idea of the FMC “finding herself” and fixing all her traumas and the things she went through in her past .

You get a switch of timelines - present and past moments from the FMC’s life ranging from childhood to adulthood (young-adult).

One thing that I really enjoyed was the kid (Bean) he was sooo cute and wholesome I loved him so much.

Despite these things, around 50% ish it started to get boring and somewhat repetitive like it seemed very predictable with what the FMC was going to or what is about to happen. Also, she is a very stingy character and isn’t open-minded about anything which is something I hated the most. She’d be fixed on “not likening” soemthing and when she did that thing she would enjoy it or odd bring her some sort of peace or clarity. You’d think after this happening several times she’ll start to become more open-minded but no. Unfortunately this was what was preventing it from going into a higher rating.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for the e-ALC.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and the message it was trying to send. But there were a lot of issues with the way we got through the story for me. I'm ok with suspending reality while reading, but there's just too much of that for me with this book. I grew up in a household where addiction was an issue and I could relate to Lorna's need to grieve and her overall feelings. But the path getting to that point was just - odd. I find it hard to believe that her employer would send her on a month long retreat like that - I just can't see any way for that to be realistic.
For as important the character of Bean is to the story, I really kind of hate the way it was introduced. As another review stated, it's 2025, can we please not have it be the WOMAN'S job - on her time off for growth and healing - to take over watching the child and do all the 'woman's stuff' - baking, sewing. Bean and Seth are needed for the overall story, but I'm kinda mad at Seth for his parenting / lack of parenting of Bean.

For the audiobook, the narration was ok, but I didn't care for the voice given to Bean, it was difficult to listen to and didn't seem to really fit his character. I don't think I've listened to another book narrated by this person, so I'm not sure if the voice and tone is natural for them or if it was a tone affected for this book.

It's a nice story, it has a message and is worth reading. But maybe read it in a similar mindset as Aesop's Fables rather than a fiction, 'this could really happen' rom-com.

3 stars.

A tender and heartfelt story of grief, guilt, and second chances. Everything Is Probably Fine follows Lorna, a woman grappling with the long-term effects of her sister’s addiction and her own emotional walls. With the unexpected friendship of an insightful 8-year-old neighbor, Lorna begins to rediscover connection, healing, and the possibility of a new beginning. 💔🛠️🐶🏡

———

Vibes:
💭 Emotional healing
👩‍👧 Found family
💬 Heartfelt and witty
🐾 Animal companionship
📘 Women’s fiction with depth and warmth

———

This book was a breath of fresh air. 💕 The author did a phenomenal job handling the difficult subject of addiction and showing what it’s like to have a sibling struggling with something so consuming. It really captured the ripple effect addiction has on families.

Even though the story tackled heavy topics, it still made me laugh out loud at times. I adored the little boy, Bean.. he brought so much heart and levity to the story. His compassion, his sweet relationship with his dad, and his wise little insights were some of my favorite parts. 🙌🏽 You could really feel how much he helped Lorna come out of her shell.

The ending was incredibly satisfying. Watching Lorna grow throughout the story was beautiful, and the conclusion, especially the twist about her grandmother’s house—was just perfect. I absolutely adored this book.

The narrator did such a beautiful job with this book, her voice seamlessly moved between each character, capturing their unique tones and personalities. She truly brought the story to life. I absolutely adored this book.

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC!

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.

Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London

I absolutely loved this book. There was so much heart, hurt, grief, and forgiveness in this story. Everything Is Probably Fine is an incredibly thought provoking book that will have you evaluating yourself and the way you view your past.

As someone who has witnessed addiction take a toll on people in my life and my family, I can relate and empathize with the FMC, Lorna, as well as her mother. It is beautiful how much growth you see Lorna go through throughout the entirety of the book. To get to a place to have the space to forgive and ask for forgiveness from those you've hurt is just so beautiful and inspiring.

Let's not forget the adorable Bean, Lorna's 8 year old neighbor who becomes her bestie and biggest supporter. This book has taught me the importance of the innocence of a small child and the way they view the world and forgiveness. Bean's character added so much depth to the book and definitely added in some humor and lighter moments.

I will be HIGHLY recommending this book to all my people, including you.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Read if you love stories with:
- Found Family
- Forgiveness
- Second Chances
- Self Growth
- Slow Burn Romance

Trigger Warnings:
- Addiction
- Death
- Grief
- Anger