Good Intentions is an impressive debut novel from Australia's Jessy Wu. This well-plotted story keeps readers engaged as we follow Jake and Nadia from college into adulthood. If you combined Sally Rooney's Normal People with HBO's Industry and added some investigative journalism, you'd get something similar to this novel.

Told in several parts, we start in college where the two meet and become involved in the worlds of politics and journalism. While they each have their own interests, they share a desire to understand how things work, expose abuse, and make a difference. Cue romance, only for their adult interests and responsibilities to diverge. Later, we see these two face off as grown-ups well into their careers, showing how much has changed and how much remains the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. In a time when claims of fake news is rampant, and journalism faces cuts, and with politics and capitalism raising urgent concerns, this story feels timely and compelling. I appreciate the complexity or grayness of the characters and situations. It engages without being preachy. It’s a coming-of-age story with a touch of romance and suspense. I would definitely recommend it to others. Thanks to HarperVia and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good Intentions is a sharp, compelling debut about ambition, journalism, and the compromises we make to get ahead. I really enjoyed the tension between Nadia and Jake, especially as their personal history becomes tangled up in their professional lives. It’s an absorbing look at power, loyalty, and what happens when doing the right thing becomes much more complicated than it seems.