
Member Reviews

Everything Is Probably Fine was such a surprise, for Lorna Lott everything is definitely not fine. She’s bitter she’s angry and she’s self destructive, following a huge error at work, her boss enforces 30 days paid leave, but there’s a twist, she must attend a mandatory wellness program.
Lorna is furious, she’s amazing at her sales job, and she needed the pay rise that was coming with the promotion that she was a shoe in for, because she had big plans, she needed that money to help buy the building she lives in, it was once her Nanas house and has been split in to apartment’s. Her neighbours mean nothing to her anyway, nobody does. It’s just Lorna and her little dog Agnes.
As Lorna works her way through the program, everything begins to change, we witness a beautiful journey for Lorna, she learns to like people, particularly the little boy across the hall, Bean. She gets to know the other neighbours and she begins to forgive and she begins to live.
I enjoyed the flashes back in time to Lorna’s childhood, witnessing the building of the bunker she’s created for herself.
A really quiet yet powerful story of hope, forgiveness and self discovery, a lovely found family arc.
Marni Penning’s narration was a perfect fit for the story.
My gratitude to Harper Muse Audiobooks via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

This book is definitely one that gets a person thinking. "Everything Is Probably Fine" by Julia London is a thought provoking book about Lorna, a younger sister who has grown up with a sister (and also a grandmother) with addiction and has a lot of anger and hurt she's never let go of and can't move past. This book is definitely one that packs a punch and highlights the anger, broken family and broken relationships in general that come from being the family member of an addict. It highlights the ups and downs, the love despite hurt and a woman who hits her own emotional rock bottom and is forced to face a lifetime of hurt to get what she wants.
This is definitely a women's fiction story that is emotionally raw in so many parts. The alcohol & drug addiction, loss of a family member to cancer and broken family may be triggers for some readers. To balance all of that, the author created a wonderful character in Lorna's 8 year old neighbor Bean, who has had to deal with the death of his mother and a workaholic single father. Bean is the light in this story by far and brings joy to Lorna and those in her past she goes back to face to find her own healing.
The author did a great job of portraying different types of individuals and how they deal with their own hurt and this is one I didn't want to stop listening to. It is a well written story and the author doesn't shy away from difficult topics at all. There is a light, potential romance but overall this story is about Lorna's journey towards finding a lasting healing after a lifetime of hurt.
Thank you to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an ARC of this audiobook, All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book! It was really interesting to hear how addiction ruined the family members and their path to forgiveness.

Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London is a moving and heartfelt novel that explores the long-lasting impact of addiction on families and the difficult journey toward self-forgiveness. The story follows Lorna, who has spent her life feeling overshadowed by her sister's substance abuse and burdened by guilt she can't let go of. Through her unexpected friendship with Bean, a wise and endearing eight-year-old neighbor, Lorna slowly learns to open her heart and confront her past. The audiobook brought these characters to life, making Lorna's emotional growth and the book's themes of healing, connection, and acceptance feel especially vivid and relatable. London's writing handles heavy topics like grief, codependency, and personal growth with sensitivity and warmth, offering a satisfying and uplifting experience that lingers long after the final chapter.

This book is a journey of character development and how past trauma contributes to shaping a person.
Our FMC, Lorna, has had childhood trauma for days. Her family left an imprint on her that has taken its toll. Addiction to substances destroyed her family.
Lorna comes to the reader as a highly successful woman who has trouble connecting to her colleagues. She has a lot of anger that is kept bottled up and pent up inside. The problem with that particular attribute is that it's going to eventually come out. In Lorna's case, this happens in a mistakenly sent email meant for her sister's eyes only.
Her email mistake lands her suspended and going to mandatory therapy to work through her trauma for 30 days.
During her "retreat" Lorna goes through the difficult journey of learning to be open and learning to love again. Learning about herself and having self-awareness.
The characters in the book are well-developed and engaging. I am sure a lot of readers have been impacted by addiction and can relate to that type of trauma.
The plot of the book is well structured, and the pace worked for the story.
I think everyone should give this book a read. The journey Lorna takes to getting herself on track and dealing with her traumas was done so well in this book!
Kudos to Julia London for how well she wrote this character.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and the author for the opportunity read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

This story is about a hardworking, awkward, and driven women named Lorna Lott. Lorna works to get her sales team to meet their quotas... but at extent? She is mandated to attend a month long wellness program to help with her anger to keep her job and have the possibility of a promotion. If she gets her promotion, she might be able to buy back her grandmother's house. Grandma's house however, is now four apartments- which Lorna occupies one unit.
While she is going through her wellness program, she learns a lot about herself but also makes a friend with the 8 year old boy next door. He gives her advice and helps her on adventure to get her mother's inheritance.
I had the opportunity to listen to this book on Netgalley (Thank you). This motto is something I say often "Its fine, everything is fine"! This book created feelings of past families, making amends with your past,PRIORITIZING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, and looking for joys in places your wouldn't normally look! I love the progression, the spicy comments and the awkwardness of the Main Female character. (Some things I relate to) I will have to read/listen to more books by Julia London because I enjoyed this book!

I really enjoyed this one. Lorna’s life is kind of a mess after she accidentally sends a ranty email about her coworkers to the entire office. Her boss puts her on a 30-day sabbatical, which completely derails her plans to get a promotion and buy her grandmother’s old house—the one her mom sold and is now chopped up into apartments.
She’s dealing with a lot: anger toward her sister who’s struggled with addiction for years, frustration about how the past played out, and a general tendency to keep everyone at arm’s length. But everything starts to shift when she meets Bean, her new neighbor—a sweet kid she finds playing with her dog one day. His dad, Seth, is a widower juggling way too much, and Lorna slowly gets pulled into their little world.
There’s a lot going on emotionally in this book, especially with the twist in her mom’s will that forces Lorna to face people from her past and apologize. She’s so convinced her sister ruined everything, but those conversations show her that things aren’t as black-and-white as she thought.
It’s a story about forgiveness, family messiness, and slowly letting people in. Lorna’s character growth felt really genuine, and the relationship with Seth and Bean was sweet without being overly perfect or cliché.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This was just the type of book that I was needing after multiple thrillers in a row.
Lorna Lott’s life is falling apart. After having a major whoopsie at work, she is given a one month sabbatical with a mandatory wellness retreat to deal with her issues. Hesitant, Lorna goes and then embarks on a journey of self-reflection and an apology tour to those people who had been done wrong by her as a result of her oldest sister’s drug addiction. In her apology tour, she befriends her neighbor’s son, Bean, who is so full of heart. And that’s what this story is: full of heart and it was just what my heart needed.
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Oh how I loved this book! Everything Is Probably Fine is full of heart, humor, and love. I was fully invested in Lorna's journey to find forgiveness and happiness. The story follows our main character being forced to enter a 30-day wellness program due to a mistake she made at work that impacted all those around her. She has to understand the reasons for her behavior by visiting the ghosts of her past while dealing with the uncertainty of her future.
This book is about found family, self-discovery, second chances, and finding forgiveness for those that may not always say they're sorry. It includes laugh out loud moments coupled with tear jerking recollections that are all beautifully detailed with heart and emotion. I thought the relationship with Lorna and Beans was top tier and gave me allll the feels! The characters had depth and intent, and the dynamic between them all was executed perfectly.
Solid 4.5 out of 5 stars read for me. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced copy.

2.75 stars
*** Some Spoilers***
Everything Is Probably Fine attempts to explore themes of guilt, grief, and long-term emotional fallout from a sibling’s addiction, through the eyes of Lorna, an emotionally distant woman trying to reconcile with some family trauma.
The early chapters set the tone for what ultimately becomes a somewhat predictable narrative. Lorna is very much in her own head, and she seems to hold a deep, unexplained resentment for nearly everyone around her—particularly her coworkers. Then, out of nowhere, her boss offers her an all-expenses-paid self-help retreat to sort out her issues. This gesture felt completely unrealistic, especially in the kind of high-stress, corporate environment Lorna works in. I think the stakes would've been higher if she had been giving temporary leave and then for her to seek help on her own. It was hard not to see it as the start of a fixed redemption arc.
The story leans heavily on feel-good tropes. The over-the-top wellness retreat run by a white guy felt disingenuous. In the retreat there are other things, like finding a pure bread corgi that also was quite strange. Lorna’s healing journey was more like a completed checklist, but when it comes to emotional/family trauma, healing is never that simple or straightforward. This took away from character and plot depth.
I really wanted to like this one, given the themes it tried to explore, but it just didn’t work for me. I only wish the execution had taken more risks instead of wrapping everything up in such a tidy, rose-colored package.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the advanced listening copy. The narrator did a fantastic job—her expressive delivery truly brought the story to life and added warmth to the characters.

I listened to the audiobook version and found myself thinking about the story and characters in times I wasn't listening. The story is one that provides a glimpse into what healing can look like when embraced and when it's not embraced. I thought I knew how things would end up, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was slightly wrong. I enjoyed this book and the characters within.
The book does deal with heavy topics, most especially what it's like living with someone else's addiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperMuse Audiobooks for the advanced copy.

Everything is Probably Fine was an inspiring and compulsive read. I loved the premise - the way that the catalyst for Lorna’s journey was the people in her life who truly cared for her enough to challenge her to face her demons.
London took me on the journey of understanding Lorna that creatively mirrored Lorna’s own path of self-discovery. The reader is positioned firmly in Lorna’s perspective, often seeing the world through her more limited understanding. From the title, I was expecting a more tongue-in-cheek read, but this was authentic, heartfelt, and genuine. There’s some heavy subject matter, which is handled respectfully.
I loved the cast of characters around Lorna who accepted and celebrated her, while also challenging her. There was a beautiful subtlety to their relationships, especially with Bean and Seth. Likewise, Lorna’s relationship with her mother and sister captured the complexity of their perspectives and lot in life.
I read this as both an ebook and audiobook, and thoroughly enjoyed both. The production of the audiobook was excellent and I was easily immersed in the story. The narrator did a wonderful job of capturing the humanity and quirks of this warm cast of characters.
I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for an emotionally rich and overall uplifting read. 4.5⭐️
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Lorna has spent her entire life in the shadow of her sister’s addiction. She learns that she cannot trust anyone, herself included, because betrayal is all too common. While trying to get her grandmother’s home back, Lorna begrudgingly develops a sidekick in the 8-year-old next door, Bean. Bean seems to be the only one not impacted by Lorna’s standoffishness, and through their shared love of Agnes, Bean unwittingly helps to guide her through a journey of acceptance.
I love a Contemporary Romance just as much if not more than most (just look at my Goodreads for the receipts), but I truly think calling this book a romance novel does it such a disservice. Sure, there’s a touch of romance, but that’s not even the secondary, tertiary, or quaternary plot line. I quickly readjusted my expectations, which was truly for the better because this book was absolutely beautiful as Literary Fiction. It is a novel about reclaiming the narrative of one’s childhood while dealing with the heartache of betrayal from a loved one living with addiction. In such a rare move, the novel actually doesn’t feature Lorna’s sister much in the present tense, and only rarely shows up in the past to set the scene of Lorna’s heartbreak. For the first time, I was reading about a story of the aftermath of addiction that wasn’t about the caregiver or the dependent of the person with addiction, but rather a sister who served as collateral damage. The storytelling was so rich and deeply moving, and I cannot praise Marni Penning's narration enough! She absolutely captured the essence of Lorna’s tough exterior that hides a terrified and lonely interior, and how Lorna interacts with others in the world through detachment, wit, and occasionally warmth. With the winning combo of Julia London’s storytelling and Marni Penning's narration, I couldn’t put this one down.
Reviewed as part of #ARC from NetGalley. Many thanks to Harper Muse Books for the opportunity to read and review.
Read this book if you like:
🫀 heart, healing, and hope
🏡 messy family relationships
🎈Russell and his Wilderness Explorer patches from Up
===
This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

The narration by Marni Penning was phenomenal. She brought a lot of emotion to Lorna’s story and made the characters feel real and recognizable. The pacing was solid, and the emotional moments landed well.
I’m around the same age as Lorna and have carried a lot of the same grief and frustration, so her story felt personal. After a mistake at work involving some pretty harsh superlatives about her coworkers, she’s sent to a wellness program and has to finally face the pain she’s been pushing aside.
I really loved Lorna’s relationship with her neighbor, Bean. Their bond felt meaningful and added a softer layer to her healing. I also loved the bond Bean had with Agnes.
I’d absolutely recommend this audiobook. It’s honest, emotional, and is a book I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. Big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the listen. All opinions are my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.
I was not really sure when I first started reading this book. I found the MFC completely unhinged and on the verge of annoying me with her constant complaining and anger issues. But then the book got about half way through and I started really liking it. This book is about a women's journey to find where her anger issues come from. It was also about forgiving and asking for forgiveness. The ending really got to me when she got to her last person. I think this hits home for everyone and I really think you will find this book inspiring to find forgiveness in yourself and people from the past... don't get me wrong when I was on my own personal journey in forgiving myself I went to the Lord and asked him and through him my past sins are forgiven and reading my Bible and prayer I became less angry and depressed with myself and past transactions. This book though I think helps with that and is moving and you will not be disappointed.

The first couple chapters had me ready for a stereotypical story of a career driven woman who meets someone who helps her find the *true* meaning of life. And I was right, in a way, but there's so much more to the story.
The reader follows Lorna as she goes on a work mandated sabbatical to address her anger issues, but this is just the beginning of her journey to healing. Along the way, she meets the other half of her "grumpy/sunshine" trope, but it's not your typical romantic relationship that usually fits this trope (the dynamic between these two I found to be quite endearing!).
The narrator was a solid pick for the majority of the characters. Her child's voice grated on my ears a little bit, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story overall.
This novel is definitely not a RomCom, or even a Romance in my opinion; I would call this more Contemporary Fiction. Romance is not a central piece of Lorna's story here - her story is about letting go of the past and finding forgiveness for both her sister and herself. The theme of addiction and how it so deeply affects the lives surrounding the sufferer is central to this story. And while this theme can be very emotionally heavy, the author navigated it in a way that doesn’t detract from its seriousness but also doesn’t leave the reader feeling depressed.
Pick this up if you want a story about healing and letting go of the past, complicated family relationships, and a main character you want to see thrive!

This book hit me in the heart in all the best ways. I wasn’t expecting it to move me so deeply—I cried more than once, and not just from sadness, but from the way healing, grief, and hope were woven together so honestly. The emotional depth caught me off guard, and just when I thought I knew where things were headed, a twist landed that completely floored me.
The narration was pitch-perfect, capturing the voice and vulnerability of the main character with such nuance. I can’t quite put my finger on why I loved this book so much, only that I absolutely did. It was the kind of story that lingers with you, not because of one standout element, but because everything—voice, emotion, pacing, character—worked so seamlessly together. I’ll be eagerly watching for whatever this author writes next.

As someone who has experience family trauma from addiction, this book felt familiar in so many ways. Lorna is a successful and driven 43 year old who works to improve corporate productivity. She is excellent in this sales role, but isn't likeable. The first few chapters felt reminiscent of "I Hope This Finds You Well" by Natalie Sue. I loved that book and wad excited to find something akin. As the story devolves, the story develops into a totally different journey than IHTFUW; however, the trial of letting go of control is similar. Lorna spends most of her childhood and adulthood caught in a tornado whirlwind of her sister Kristen's addiction. I loved Lorna's experience with unpacking her grief, trauma, and self-loathing. Her apology tour helped me relate to her character more. Addiction can fracture and even wreck a family. This narrative accomplished both healing and character development for our FMC. It felt tender and somber in all the right places. Kristen's story unraveled me, emotionally. I'm glad books like this exist to give weight to the disease of drug addiction.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for this ARC!

Wow! This book tackles the very difficult subject of substance addiction with amazing clarity and warmth. Lorna’s sad childhood and past causes her to suffer from self- destruction pent -up anger which is affecting her job as a top software salesperson. She has been directed to take 30 days off and attend a wellness program at a posh Austin spa. Getting to the root of her anger is no easy task for Lorna
whose sister Kristen disrupted the girls family life for many years in ways typical of addicts. The tragedy of addiction is not white washed in Everything Is Probably Fine, and yet somehow London conveys the pain as well as the path out of regret, grief, and guilt that family members live with daily. While some may categorize this novel as romance, it is truly a deep dive into the emotional trauma that many family members suffer due to the addiction of a loved one.
With time off work to focus on herself, Lorna befriends her eight year old nextdoor neighbor Bean, who helps Lorna begin to live in the future. Honestly, if you don’t fall in love with Bean there might be something wrong with your heart. Bean and the Corgi Aggie win best characters of the year.
This book is truly time well spent and I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, publisher Harper Muse, and author Julia London for the digital galley.

Thank you so much Harper Muse for the gifted book!
4.5 Stars
Wow- this was such an unexpected read. I felt the widest range of emotions while reading this!
Lorna Lott finds herself in a lot(t) of trouble when a note trash-talking her coworkers meant for her sister ends up in the wrong hands. Her consequence? She is mandated to attend a thirty-day wellness program! Meanwhile, she's also working through her own grief journey after the death of her mother and her rough childhood.
She's trapped in her own headspace where she's convinced herself that everything bad in her life and the lives of those around her has been a result of her actions. Therefore, she spent much of her life pushing everyone away, until she's challenged to work to open up old wounds in order to bring healing.
This book dealt with extremely heavy topics while maintaining a lighter feel, which is something I am always appreciative of. I love watching how much Lorna evolved throughout the story and never stopped rooting for her! This will absolutely be a win for many when it's released in August!
This reminded me of another one of my favorite books, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL by Natalie Sue! If you loved that one, you'll most likely love this one as well!