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I Hope This Finds You Well
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2024)12 hours, 3 minutes
In this wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job—a laugh-till-you-cry debut novel you’ll be eager to share with your entire list of contacts, perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
As far as Jolene is concerned, her interactions with her colleagues should start and end with her official duties as an admin for Supershops, Inc. Unfortunately, her irritating, incompetent coworkers don’t seem to understand the importance of boundaries. Her secret to survival? She vents her grievances in petty email postscripts, then changes the text colour to white so no one can see. That is, until one of her secret messages is exposed. Her punishment: sensitivity training (led by the suspiciously friendly HR guy, Cliff) and rigorous email restrictions.
When an IT mix-up grants her access to her entire department’s private emails and DMs, Jolene knows she should report it, but who could resist reading what their coworkers are really saying? And when she discovers layoffs are coming, she realizes this might just be the key to saving her job. The plan is simple: gain her boss’s favour, convince HR she’s Supershops material and beat out the competition.
But as Jolene is drawn further into her coworker’s private worlds and secrets, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble—especially around Cliff, who she definitely cannot have feelings for. Soon she will need to decide if she’s ready to leave the comfort of her cubicle, even if it means coming clean to her colleagues.
Crackling with laugh-out-loud dialogue and relatable observations, I Hope This Finds You Well is a fresh and surprisingly tender comedy about loneliness and love beyond our computer screens. This sparkling debut novel will open your heart to the everyday eccentricities of work culture and the undeniable human connection that comes with it.
In this wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job—a laugh-till-you-cry debut novel you’ll be eager to share with your entire list of contacts, perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
As far as Jolene is concerned, her interactions with her colleagues should start and end with her official duties as an admin for Supershops, Inc. Unfortunately, her irritating, incompetent coworkers don’t seem to understand the importance of boundaries. Her secret to survival? She vents her grievances in petty email postscripts, then changes the text colour to white so no one can see. That is, until one of her secret messages is exposed. Her punishment: sensitivity training (led by the suspiciously friendly HR guy, Cliff) and rigorous email restrictions.
When an IT mix-up grants her access to her entire department’s private emails and DMs, Jolene knows she should report it, but who could resist reading what their coworkers are really saying? And when she discovers layoffs are coming, she realizes this might just be the key to saving her job. The plan is simple: gain her boss’s favour, convince HR she’s Supershops material and beat out the competition.
But as Jolene is drawn further into her coworker’s private worlds and secrets, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble—especially around Cliff, who she definitely cannot have feelings for. Soon she will need to decide if she’s ready to leave the comfort of her cubicle, even if it means coming clean to her colleagues.
Crackling with laugh-out-loud dialogue and relatable observations, I Hope This Finds You Well is a fresh and surprisingly tender comedy about loneliness and love beyond our computer screens. This sparkling debut novel will open your heart to the everyday eccentricities of work culture and the undeniable human connection that comes with it.
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 21, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 16,716 reviews
July 7, 2025
emails never find me well.
i expected this to be a sarcastic dry funny edgy book. instead it is a kind sweet corny kinda cringey occasionally funny book. and it turns out i'll take that trade!
i caught myself teary eyed (?!) at the nice moments at the end of this, and even if it felt unrealistic and a bit much in parts, it's also the book kind of therapy where everything starts bad and then ends magically. so i'll take it.
bottom line: feeling: well.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
i expected this to be a sarcastic dry funny edgy book. instead it is a kind sweet corny kinda cringey occasionally funny book. and it turns out i'll take that trade!
i caught myself teary eyed (?!) at the nice moments at the end of this, and even if it felt unrealistic and a bit much in parts, it's also the book kind of therapy where everything starts bad and then ends magically. so i'll take it.
bottom line: feeling: well.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
May 21, 2024
I expected a light and predictable comedy about cubicle workers, but found a heartfelt, compassionate and smart story about very human characters.
This book is perfectly constructed and written, and felt so real.
I could not put it down and I highly recommend it.
This book is perfectly constructed and written, and felt so real.
I could not put it down and I highly recommend it.
March 7, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll get straight to it: I did not have a good time reading this. It’s marketed as an office comedy but it’s actually about a deeply traumatized, anxious woman navigating (what I felt to be) unrealistic and ridiculous office politics. This was truly a slog for me to get through. Jolene is obviously a sympathetic character, but I overwhelmingly felt frustrated with her. She consistently and constantly made bad decisions throughout the book. This book gets brownie points for mental health representation and diverse cultures, but that’s it - it was otherwise slow, very clearly written by a millennial with out of touch social media habits, and just not an enjoyable read.
I’ll get straight to it: I did not have a good time reading this. It’s marketed as an office comedy but it’s actually about a deeply traumatized, anxious woman navigating (what I felt to be) unrealistic and ridiculous office politics. This was truly a slog for me to get through. Jolene is obviously a sympathetic character, but I overwhelmingly felt frustrated with her. She consistently and constantly made bad decisions throughout the book. This book gets brownie points for mental health representation and diverse cultures, but that’s it - it was otherwise slow, very clearly written by a millennial with out of touch social media habits, and just not an enjoyable read.
May 29, 2024
I was totally mislead by the marketing around this book which played a large part in my disappointment upon finishing the novel.
"In this wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues' private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job-a laugh-till-you-cry debut"
..... Ummmm what?!?! This was not even close to what I found within the pages of I Hope This Finds you well. Jolene is a highly anxious introvert who is struggling with the death of her best friend and the guilt she feels around this tragic event. She consistently makes poor decisions, is overly critical of her workmates, and struggles to share her authentic self with her family. I guess some people might find her struggles "wildly funny" but I did not. I was a long slog and I struggled to finish.
⭐️⭐️ 💫 2.5 stars for this depressing and unrealistic office drama
"In this wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues' private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job-a laugh-till-you-cry debut"
..... Ummmm what?!?! This was not even close to what I found within the pages of I Hope This Finds you well. Jolene is a highly anxious introvert who is struggling with the death of her best friend and the guilt she feels around this tragic event. She consistently makes poor decisions, is overly critical of her workmates, and struggles to share her authentic self with her family. I guess some people might find her struggles "wildly funny" but I did not. I was a long slog and I struggled to finish.
⭐️⭐️ 💫 2.5 stars for this depressing and unrealistic office drama
January 29, 2025
You actually cannot begin to imagine how much I hate Jolene. I gave this book 2 stars* because I did really like the concept of being given access to everyone's communications at work, quite a funny and interesting plot-I wanted to know everyone's little work secrets! But that's literally the only good part about this book. I'd give it negative 9275438 stars for everything else. I wrote a whole essay on my notes app as I was reading this book just to air my grievances (something I have never done for any other book, ever!!), but I will shorten things up here.
First and foremost, I hate Jolene. She is a terrible person in every single way. You cannot convince me she has a kind bone in her body. Any nice thing she did in the book was out of the ulterior motive of not getting fired. This is evident from how she treated her young neighbor.
Anyway, Jolene couldn’t make a good decision if her life depended on it. Every single opportunity she has to be a normal person, she makes a sharp left turn into some fuckery. I wanted to scream into her ear to grow up and get a life! Anxiety is not an excuse to be a piece of shit! Jolene is so, so tactless. A coworker requests donations for his mother who is dying of cancer, and she responds in SUCH a crass and careless manner. It doesn't matter if you're dirt poor and can't afford to donate any money, you can still respond with kindness. She is such a self-centered and tactless loser who was seemingly never taught manners (high possibility, judging by the fact that her mom has no boundaries or concern for basic decorum. Apple doesn't fall far blah blah) or just chose to ignore them. I mean sorry, you’re 33! It's time to grow up!!!! Every fucking sentence that comes out of her mouth is MEAN and she does nothing to fix it. She just constantly makes excuses for herself presumably to shirk accountability? She says ridiculous things like “I'm such a problem! I shouldn’t ever speak!” instead of just...owning up to her mistakes. Like yeah, you should absolutely shut up forever, but you should also just go to therapy! I acknowledge that she does eventually go to therapy, but it's about 15 years too late.
I genuinely feel like even sociopaths have better emotional function than Jolene. She is so deeply inconsiderate, emotionally stunted, and immature. And she seems to know it?? She makes comments about it constantly? Like she's soooo self pitying that I actually just started to agree with her. “I’m such a bad friend” “I don’t deserve an answer” “I’m not a good person” YAH! AGREED! Have you considered putting in even an ounce of effort to fix that about yourself? No? Just going to wallow and drink instead? She just does not know how to take accountability and cannot articulate even the most basic fucking feelings. She doesn't even consider the consequences of letting her mom and Armin's family book venues and food!! She just lets it happen! You're telling me you can't even find an excuse to get your mom to postpone things a bit? Even after Armin asked you to help him manage the parents?? They are wasting their money on non-refundable deposits?? You careless buffoon!!
Also, she is so fucking mean to a CHILD! A kid who's being raised by a pretty neglectful single mother! She knows Miley wants to talk to people and make friends and be loved and liked, but Jolene never ever tries to be remotely nice to her. God forbid you invite this girl into your home or speak to her with decency and kindness. God forbid you ask her some questions about herself or show any interest! We get it, you’re poor, but apparently so is Miley and her mom if they're living in the same building and there's TWO mouths to feed with one salary?? If you can afford all that liquor then you can spare some change to do something to cheer up this poor kid. I know it's not her responsibility but she's not even sort of nice to Miley. In fact, she's so rude! The same way she's rude to everyone! And then she has the audacity to be mean and then say "this is how it really is" (to herself, of course, she would never dare take an ounce of responsibility for her horrendous behavior). You're trying to teach her a lesson that the world is horrible by being horrible to her? Are you quite all right? (She's not!!!!!)
I cannot believe, cannot even remotely fathom that Cliff liked her! From the start! She is so awful I cannot imagine liking any part of her. If you like someone THAT awful, inconsiderate, snarky, and duplicitous, then you need some help!! Maybe they belong together after all.
And also, even after being found out for spying on everyone and manipulating them, she’s still unable to humble herself!!! She says things like “I’m the shittiest friend” to herself, but never goes out of her way to express that to the people she's hurt along the way?? If you know you're a god awful excuse for a person, why don’t you improve? Why don't you apologize!!! Why aren't you ashamed!!! Why are OTHER people trying to make YOU feel better! Why is Cliff at your door telling you that you deserve good things! You don't!!!!! Why does Jolene get SO much grace while giving none of it back to anyone in return?
My feelings about Jolene's awful behavior are also triggered by the fact that we don’t learn anything significant about Ellie! In essence, she’s just a little filler character to move this insipid main character's story along. I have NO connection to Ellie and therefore don’t really give a shit that she died?? We learn that she was bullied (or they both were? but for what?? what's the backstory? where's the emotion behind it all? how were they even wronged? I mean Jolene crashed a party and dragged Ellie along (after lying to her) am I supposed to feel bad for her??). Honestly it seems like Jolene was fake, inconsiderate, and manipulative even back then. We learn nothing of significance about their actual friendship and apparent love that Jolene and Ellie shared, so I cannot understand why Jolene's whole life is sooo fucked up from Ellie’s death when it wasn't even her fault!!! I understand being sad and feeling traumatized but why are those emotions manifesting into being the worst person alive?? She makes her friend's death all about herself because some random bully made up some rumors that she killed her friend? She knows she didn't (because she explains as much to Caitlin), the news didn't report it as such, she didn't get arrested...?? I don't understand why it ruined her family's life soooo bad when there's no mention of Ellie's family blaming her or anyone else, really. It seems like her friend died, Jolene was nearby when it happened, her whole life somehow turned upside down as a result (though there is no actual explanation or evidence to suggest why), and now she's a deeply insecure and ill-mannered person who has a mental breakdown if someone even remotely suggests that she's weird (she literally falls apart, like it's sooo haunting and detrimental for her to hear that about herself, but we never find out why. Like sure it sucks to have someone call you that, but to be fair, you ARE a gigantic weirdo. Maybe work on that). There's just some rumors made up by a kid but you're telling me an entire town is going along with this story when there was never any truth to it? Why did her family have to leave town I mean this is so ridiculous!!! Generational losers! Get a backbone! (Also, if your mom lost all her friends bc of this, why aren't you a bit nicer to her lmao like what the fuck is wrong with you). I get the feeling Jolene was always a self-centered asshole which is why she lives in a perpetual sob story. Her friend's death cannot have made her a bad person because that literally does not make any sense.
And finally! You're telling me that Jolene becomes a YOUTH COUNSELOR? The same Jolene who lacks critical thinking skills, empathy, and common sense? That Jolene? Because THAT Jolene is such a piece of shit that she certainly shouldn’t be counseling anyone. What's she going to teach them? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to avoid accountability, shirk responsibility, and become the most selfish versions of yourself? She used the death of her friend as a crutch to be a deeply unpleasant person, she manipulated all of her coworkers to keep a job she hated, and did not even bother to apologize to the people who were affected by her selfish scheme. She is just such an absolutely terrible person but everyone in her life is still so nice to her and somehow understanding of her atrocious personality.
Anyway, I hate Jolene so much. I've never experienced such an insufferable character who has almost zero redeeming qualities. I know they try to make her out to be a bit of a selfless hero with trying to help Caitlin escape her toxic boyfriend (slash Jolene's former bully so like, is there an ulterior motive here?), but it just does not stick. I find it so deeply unbelievable that while she's losing her job, she's MORE focused on Caitlin's wellbeing. There's no character development to suggest she'd go this far for a coworker (who's a pretty shitty person too) that she absolutely despises when she does not even have this much consideration for Armin, Rhonda, or Cliff! The people who were genuinely kind to her! She seems to just continue to suck all the way to the end of the book. I do not wish for anything to find her well.
*After thinking about it, I'm changing my rating to 1 star. I really hate Jolene and I do not like this book.
First and foremost, I hate Jolene. She is a terrible person in every single way. You cannot convince me she has a kind bone in her body. Any nice thing she did in the book was out of the ulterior motive of not getting fired. This is evident from how she treated her young neighbor.
Anyway, Jolene couldn’t make a good decision if her life depended on it. Every single opportunity she has to be a normal person, she makes a sharp left turn into some fuckery. I wanted to scream into her ear to grow up and get a life! Anxiety is not an excuse to be a piece of shit! Jolene is so, so tactless. A coworker requests donations for his mother who is dying of cancer, and she responds in SUCH a crass and careless manner. It doesn't matter if you're dirt poor and can't afford to donate any money, you can still respond with kindness. She is such a self-centered and tactless loser who was seemingly never taught manners (high possibility, judging by the fact that her mom has no boundaries or concern for basic decorum. Apple doesn't fall far blah blah) or just chose to ignore them. I mean sorry, you’re 33! It's time to grow up!!!! Every fucking sentence that comes out of her mouth is MEAN and she does nothing to fix it. She just constantly makes excuses for herself presumably to shirk accountability? She says ridiculous things like “I'm such a problem! I shouldn’t ever speak!” instead of just...owning up to her mistakes. Like yeah, you should absolutely shut up forever, but you should also just go to therapy! I acknowledge that she does eventually go to therapy, but it's about 15 years too late.
I genuinely feel like even sociopaths have better emotional function than Jolene. She is so deeply inconsiderate, emotionally stunted, and immature. And she seems to know it?? She makes comments about it constantly? Like she's soooo self pitying that I actually just started to agree with her. “I’m such a bad friend” “I don’t deserve an answer” “I’m not a good person” YAH! AGREED! Have you considered putting in even an ounce of effort to fix that about yourself? No? Just going to wallow and drink instead? She just does not know how to take accountability and cannot articulate even the most basic fucking feelings. She doesn't even consider the consequences of letting her mom and Armin's family book venues and food!! She just lets it happen! You're telling me you can't even find an excuse to get your mom to postpone things a bit? Even after Armin asked you to help him manage the parents?? They are wasting their money on non-refundable deposits?? You careless buffoon!!
Also, she is so fucking mean to a CHILD! A kid who's being raised by a pretty neglectful single mother! She knows Miley wants to talk to people and make friends and be loved and liked, but Jolene never ever tries to be remotely nice to her. God forbid you invite this girl into your home or speak to her with decency and kindness. God forbid you ask her some questions about herself or show any interest! We get it, you’re poor, but apparently so is Miley and her mom if they're living in the same building and there's TWO mouths to feed with one salary?? If you can afford all that liquor then you can spare some change to do something to cheer up this poor kid. I know it's not her responsibility but she's not even sort of nice to Miley. In fact, she's so rude! The same way she's rude to everyone! And then she has the audacity to be mean and then say "this is how it really is" (to herself, of course, she would never dare take an ounce of responsibility for her horrendous behavior). You're trying to teach her a lesson that the world is horrible by being horrible to her? Are you quite all right? (She's not!!!!!)
I cannot believe, cannot even remotely fathom that Cliff liked her! From the start! She is so awful I cannot imagine liking any part of her. If you like someone THAT awful, inconsiderate, snarky, and duplicitous, then you need some help!! Maybe they belong together after all.
And also, even after being found out for spying on everyone and manipulating them, she’s still unable to humble herself!!! She says things like “I’m the shittiest friend” to herself, but never goes out of her way to express that to the people she's hurt along the way?? If you know you're a god awful excuse for a person, why don’t you improve? Why don't you apologize!!! Why aren't you ashamed!!! Why are OTHER people trying to make YOU feel better! Why is Cliff at your door telling you that you deserve good things! You don't!!!!! Why does Jolene get SO much grace while giving none of it back to anyone in return?
My feelings about Jolene's awful behavior are also triggered by the fact that we don’t learn anything significant about Ellie! In essence, she’s just a little filler character to move this insipid main character's story along. I have NO connection to Ellie and therefore don’t really give a shit that she died?? We learn that she was bullied (or they both were? but for what?? what's the backstory? where's the emotion behind it all? how were they even wronged? I mean Jolene crashed a party and dragged Ellie along (after lying to her) am I supposed to feel bad for her??). Honestly it seems like Jolene was fake, inconsiderate, and manipulative even back then. We learn nothing of significance about their actual friendship and apparent love that Jolene and Ellie shared, so I cannot understand why Jolene's whole life is sooo fucked up from Ellie’s death when it wasn't even her fault!!! I understand being sad and feeling traumatized but why are those emotions manifesting into being the worst person alive?? She makes her friend's death all about herself because some random bully made up some rumors that she killed her friend? She knows she didn't (because she explains as much to Caitlin), the news didn't report it as such, she didn't get arrested...?? I don't understand why it ruined her family's life soooo bad when there's no mention of Ellie's family blaming her or anyone else, really. It seems like her friend died, Jolene was nearby when it happened, her whole life somehow turned upside down as a result (though there is no actual explanation or evidence to suggest why), and now she's a deeply insecure and ill-mannered person who has a mental breakdown if someone even remotely suggests that she's weird (she literally falls apart, like it's sooo haunting and detrimental for her to hear that about herself, but we never find out why. Like sure it sucks to have someone call you that, but to be fair, you ARE a gigantic weirdo. Maybe work on that). There's just some rumors made up by a kid but you're telling me an entire town is going along with this story when there was never any truth to it? Why did her family have to leave town I mean this is so ridiculous!!! Generational losers! Get a backbone! (Also, if your mom lost all her friends bc of this, why aren't you a bit nicer to her lmao like what the fuck is wrong with you). I get the feeling Jolene was always a self-centered asshole which is why she lives in a perpetual sob story. Her friend's death cannot have made her a bad person because that literally does not make any sense.
And finally! You're telling me that Jolene becomes a YOUTH COUNSELOR? The same Jolene who lacks critical thinking skills, empathy, and common sense? That Jolene? Because THAT Jolene is such a piece of shit that she certainly shouldn’t be counseling anyone. What's she going to teach them? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to avoid accountability, shirk responsibility, and become the most selfish versions of yourself? She used the death of her friend as a crutch to be a deeply unpleasant person, she manipulated all of her coworkers to keep a job she hated, and did not even bother to apologize to the people who were affected by her selfish scheme. She is just such an absolutely terrible person but everyone in her life is still so nice to her and somehow understanding of her atrocious personality.
Anyway, I hate Jolene so much. I've never experienced such an insufferable character who has almost zero redeeming qualities. I know they try to make her out to be a bit of a selfless hero with trying to help Caitlin escape her toxic boyfriend (slash Jolene's former bully so like, is there an ulterior motive here?), but it just does not stick. I find it so deeply unbelievable that while she's losing her job, she's MORE focused on Caitlin's wellbeing. There's no character development to suggest she'd go this far for a coworker (who's a pretty shitty person too) that she absolutely despises when she does not even have this much consideration for Armin, Rhonda, or Cliff! The people who were genuinely kind to her! She seems to just continue to suck all the way to the end of the book. I do not wish for anything to find her well.
*After thinking about it, I'm changing my rating to 1 star. I really hate Jolene and I do not like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2024
4.5⭐️
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a heartwarming character-driven novel and a promising debut.
In the eight years thirty-three-year-old Iranian Canadian Jolene Smith has been employed at Supershops Incorporated, she has kept mostly to herself, limiting her interactions with her coworkers to work-related matters. Her method of coping with the stress of her job as an administrative assistant and tensions with her coworkers involves adding a text note in her emails in invisible white font wherein she vents her true feelings. Unfortunately, a careless mistake on her end gets her into trouble, resulting in mandatory sensitivity training with the new HR gut, Cliff and restrictions on her internet activity and office email. However, an IT mix-up grants her access to her coworkers’ emails and DMs – information that affords her insight into the goings on in the office and what her coworkers think about her and one another. Though she initially decides to inform HR about the mix-up, she eventually begins to use the information she garners to her advantage. Learning about the lives of her coworkers - their secrets and struggles-inspires her to take stock of her own life and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
The narrative is presented from Jolene’s first-person PoV along with email and DM transcripts. With complex characters and an interesting premise, this is a smartly crafted novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story. The author writes with humor and heart. The strength of this novel lies in the character development and realistic depiction of interpersonal dynamics both within the workplace and otherwise. The supporting characters are well thought out (even the unlikable ones) and realistic. The subplots are deftly woven into the primary narrative and I really liked how the author brings everything together. The author addresses sensitive themes, including mental health, trauma, addiction and terminal illness with sensitivity and compassion. Jolene’s journey is not an easy one and her backstory broke my heart. Though I didn’t always agree with Jolene’s actions, I was invested in her journey and sympathized with her plight ( and enjoyed her observations) as she navigated work pressures, workplace politics, familial expectations (and her Persian aunty network), her feelings for Cliff, past trauma and much more all the while conflicted over own decision to conceal the truth. I was happy with how the author chose to end the story and it was heartening to see how Jolene gradually opens up to new experiences and grows as a person. Please note that though the author balances the serious themes in this novel with a healthy dose of humor, this novel isn’t exactly a light-hearted read.
Overall, I found this to be an engaging read and I look forward to more from this talented new author in the future!
Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on May 21, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a heartwarming character-driven novel and a promising debut.
In the eight years thirty-three-year-old Iranian Canadian Jolene Smith has been employed at Supershops Incorporated, she has kept mostly to herself, limiting her interactions with her coworkers to work-related matters. Her method of coping with the stress of her job as an administrative assistant and tensions with her coworkers involves adding a text note in her emails in invisible white font wherein she vents her true feelings. Unfortunately, a careless mistake on her end gets her into trouble, resulting in mandatory sensitivity training with the new HR gut, Cliff and restrictions on her internet activity and office email. However, an IT mix-up grants her access to her coworkers’ emails and DMs – information that affords her insight into the goings on in the office and what her coworkers think about her and one another. Though she initially decides to inform HR about the mix-up, she eventually begins to use the information she garners to her advantage. Learning about the lives of her coworkers - their secrets and struggles-inspires her to take stock of her own life and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
The narrative is presented from Jolene’s first-person PoV along with email and DM transcripts. With complex characters and an interesting premise, this is a smartly crafted novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story. The author writes with humor and heart. The strength of this novel lies in the character development and realistic depiction of interpersonal dynamics both within the workplace and otherwise. The supporting characters are well thought out (even the unlikable ones) and realistic. The subplots are deftly woven into the primary narrative and I really liked how the author brings everything together. The author addresses sensitive themes, including mental health, trauma, addiction and terminal illness with sensitivity and compassion. Jolene’s journey is not an easy one and her backstory broke my heart. Though I didn’t always agree with Jolene’s actions, I was invested in her journey and sympathized with her plight ( and enjoyed her observations) as she navigated work pressures, workplace politics, familial expectations (and her Persian aunty network), her feelings for Cliff, past trauma and much more all the while conflicted over own decision to conceal the truth. I was happy with how the author chose to end the story and it was heartening to see how Jolene gradually opens up to new experiences and grows as a person. Please note that though the author balances the serious themes in this novel with a healthy dose of humor, this novel isn’t exactly a light-hearted read.
Overall, I found this to be an engaging read and I look forward to more from this talented new author in the future!
Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on May 21, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
June 22, 2025
ੈ♡˳ rating: five of five stars
ੈ♡˳ summary: i hope this finds you well by natalie sue is a clever and engaging novel that follows an overworked employee who, after a bad day, accidentally sends a brutally honest email meant for the drafts folder. instead of disaster, it leads to an unexpected connection, self-discovery, and a journey of navigating workplace pressures, personal growth, and the power of saying what you really mean.
ੈ♡˳ thoughts: i did not expect to enjoy this book as much as i did, but wow, it completely won me over. it was such an easy, fun read, but at the same time, it had so much depth and heart. the writing was sharp and witty, and the story just flows—before i knew it, i had devoured the entire book in one sitting. the main character’s struggles felt so real, and the way the story unfolds is just so satisfying. it’s one of those books that sneaks up on you in the best way possible. if you’re looking for something quick, refreshing, and just genuinely enjoyable, this is it. definitely a new favorite for me!
and i want to read other books this author has!
— —-
post-read: wait i kinda loved this book. full rtc.
ੈ♡˳ summary: i hope this finds you well by natalie sue is a clever and engaging novel that follows an overworked employee who, after a bad day, accidentally sends a brutally honest email meant for the drafts folder. instead of disaster, it leads to an unexpected connection, self-discovery, and a journey of navigating workplace pressures, personal growth, and the power of saying what you really mean.
ੈ♡˳ thoughts: i did not expect to enjoy this book as much as i did, but wow, it completely won me over. it was such an easy, fun read, but at the same time, it had so much depth and heart. the writing was sharp and witty, and the story just flows—before i knew it, i had devoured the entire book in one sitting. the main character’s struggles felt so real, and the way the story unfolds is just so satisfying. it’s one of those books that sneaks up on you in the best way possible. if you’re looking for something quick, refreshing, and just genuinely enjoyable, this is it. definitely a new favorite for me!
and i want to read other books this author has!
— —-
post-read: wait i kinda loved this book. full rtc.
November 13, 2024
OK, WOW, did not expect to love this book as much as I did. Jolene is the office loner. She hates her administrative job at a mega-corporation and copes by including secret, snarky messages in emails to her most hated coworkers. (She types them at the end in a white font so no one sees them.) When her secret snarking is discovered, HR sets up a filter on her computer to monitor her emails. But when they reprogram her inbox, they accidentally give Jolene access to EVERYONE’S email accounts and instant messages. Suddenly, she can see what everyone is saying about her…and about each other. She decides to use her new secret spy powers to win over the boss and save her job. But as she learns her coworkers’ deepest secrets, she also begins to…kind of like them?
So I correctly predicted that this book would be laugh-out-loud funny, but I didn’t expect it to also pack an emotional gut punch. As we learn about each character’s secret problems, these people who were once one-dimensional bad coworker stereotypes become fully fleshed out humans, and along with Jolene, we learn the deeper motivations for their annoying behaviour. This book honestly inspired me to be more empathetic in my own daily life, which was not something I was expecting from a workplace comedy! That, combined with Jolene’s snarky wit and a surprisingly fast-paced, twisty plot, made this an unforgettable read.
This one’s perfect for everyone who devoured Harriet the Spy as a kid!
(Also, I loved that it was set in my hometown of Calgary, Canada, because that city does NOT get nearly enough literary representation 😂)
So I correctly predicted that this book would be laugh-out-loud funny, but I didn’t expect it to also pack an emotional gut punch. As we learn about each character’s secret problems, these people who were once one-dimensional bad coworker stereotypes become fully fleshed out humans, and along with Jolene, we learn the deeper motivations for their annoying behaviour. This book honestly inspired me to be more empathetic in my own daily life, which was not something I was expecting from a workplace comedy! That, combined with Jolene’s snarky wit and a surprisingly fast-paced, twisty plot, made this an unforgettable read.
This one’s perfect for everyone who devoured Harriet the Spy as a kid!
(Also, I loved that it was set in my hometown of Calgary, Canada, because that city does NOT get nearly enough literary representation 😂)
June 21, 2024
If you identify with Jolene, that’s a major red flag
August 2, 2024
This book could've been an e-mail.
May 26, 2024
It wasn’t that this book was bad, so much as that it didn’t know what it wanted to be. Structurally and emotionally, it’s a romance. It’s got the typical scatty heroine who hasn’t got her life together and follows her as she simultaneously finds love and a better job, because the two are intermingled goals in nine out of ten modern romance novels. Which is fine – romances are IRL fantasies, and a lot of modern women, myself included, fantasise about finding a male cheerleader who’ll support us as we make a necessary but difficult life change. I have absolutely no fault to find with this plot programme.
However, the book is marketed and positioned in a growing genre of ‘sad-girl millennial’ books, where a lot of the focus is one how us millennials can’t buy houses or afford nice lives because capitalism fucked us over. Which is also not a bad subject matter to mine, although it wouldn’t be one I’d rush to read repeatedly. However, the through-line seems to be that work is universally terrible and people who attempt to make the experience more tolerable are chumps and suck-ups.
Now, I don’t have experience working in the corporate sector, but work in the public sector brings its own unique fatigues and inertia of pointlessness. And at the end of the day, if you don’t have generational wealth, and if you aren’t one of the lucky other one percent who has a job doing something they genuinely love, then yes: work is a huge part of your day and your life, and the people you work with can impact your wellbeing more than your family and partner. My takeaway from that is not to repine and rend my clothes but to accept that getting along with my colleagues is a big priority, even if that means eating my words and taking Ls at times.
The problem in the book lies mostly in Sue’s inability to make a convincing person out of Jolene. Jolene experienced the traumatic death of a friend in school, but the story goes out of its way to clear her of any wrong-doing or real responsibility for this; her trauma really resides in the bullying after the event. It skips over what she did in college in order to land her corporate job, and makes her an alcoholic. Which – fine. It’s a dark book, those are important too. But she’s also as quippy as Buffy Summers when the hot HR guy happens along, even though she’s unable to talk like a human to her colleagues of eight years. She doesn’t understand the concept of socialising at work or out of it, yet is able to break down walls with Rhonda and Armin when she gets accidental access to their work emails. Not their personal ones – their work emails.
The narrative asks for a lot of latitude from the reader, especially when the fact of Jolene’s meddling is revealed. This isn’t just career-ending, it’s relationship-ending, yet everyone is fine with it to the point that her relationship with not just Cliff but Rhonda, Miley, and her parents improves. I’m not saying hitting rock bottom isn’t a turning point for a lot of addicts, just that it didn’t land in this story, because the writing simply wasn’t there. The story of the conniving weirdo who takes advantage of a data breach and the white-knight HR guy who unaccountably finds her extensive problems appealing is a way darker one than Sue lets it become, and it jostles uncomfortably with the romcom skeleton on which it's built. Overall — incoherent and unconvincing.
However, the book is marketed and positioned in a growing genre of ‘sad-girl millennial’ books, where a lot of the focus is one how us millennials can’t buy houses or afford nice lives because capitalism fucked us over. Which is also not a bad subject matter to mine, although it wouldn’t be one I’d rush to read repeatedly. However, the through-line seems to be that work is universally terrible and people who attempt to make the experience more tolerable are chumps and suck-ups.
Now, I don’t have experience working in the corporate sector, but work in the public sector brings its own unique fatigues and inertia of pointlessness. And at the end of the day, if you don’t have generational wealth, and if you aren’t one of the lucky other one percent who has a job doing something they genuinely love, then yes: work is a huge part of your day and your life, and the people you work with can impact your wellbeing more than your family and partner. My takeaway from that is not to repine and rend my clothes but to accept that getting along with my colleagues is a big priority, even if that means eating my words and taking Ls at times.
The problem in the book lies mostly in Sue’s inability to make a convincing person out of Jolene. Jolene experienced the traumatic death of a friend in school, but the story goes out of its way to clear her of any wrong-doing or real responsibility for this; her trauma really resides in the bullying after the event. It skips over what she did in college in order to land her corporate job, and makes her an alcoholic. Which – fine. It’s a dark book, those are important too. But she’s also as quippy as Buffy Summers when the hot HR guy happens along, even though she’s unable to talk like a human to her colleagues of eight years. She doesn’t understand the concept of socialising at work or out of it, yet is able to break down walls with Rhonda and Armin when she gets accidental access to their work emails. Not their personal ones – their work emails.
The narrative asks for a lot of latitude from the reader, especially when the fact of Jolene’s meddling is revealed. This isn’t just career-ending, it’s relationship-ending, yet everyone is fine with it to the point that her relationship with not just Cliff but Rhonda, Miley, and her parents improves. I’m not saying hitting rock bottom isn’t a turning point for a lot of addicts, just that it didn’t land in this story, because the writing simply wasn’t there. The story of the conniving weirdo who takes advantage of a data breach and the white-knight HR guy who unaccountably finds her extensive problems appealing is a way darker one than Sue lets it become, and it jostles uncomfortably with the romcom skeleton on which it's built. Overall — incoherent and unconvincing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2024
Normally I dislike books that are pure entertainment and don't give me something to think about. I need my faux meat and veggies, not empty calories.
However, I have been loving some of these first person narratives with quirky or even downright weird characters. Peeking in their bedroom while they're masturbating or in the bathroom sitting on the toilet sniffing their own underwear.
I don't know if there's something seriously wrong with me but if there is, then some of y'all have got serious problems too. The best of you will admit it.
Miranda July and Ottessa Moshfegh are two authors of these books who I've come to love and when I started I Hope This Finds You Well, I thought Natalie Sue would join them.
Jolene was fun at first, with her insecurities and disgruntled thoughts about her coworkers.
Unfortunately, it ended up getting way too feeling-y and self help-y for me, too much of Jolene caring about being different and working to change that.
And what was a fun character in the beginning bored the shit outta me by the end. I wish there'd been a computer glitch and the last 150 pages of my Kindle version had been deleted. That Jolene had just stayed weird.
Plus there's romantic feelings and those of you who regularly read my reviews (shout out to all of you) know that romantic, mushy feelings and I are not friends.
Nor am I friends with the new and improved Jolene. I'm sure a lot of people will be enchanted with this novel and to those of you who do and want to comment on this review telling me how wrong I am to not love the book just because you do - your time will be better spent sniffing your own panties.
Move along now.
However, I have been loving some of these first person narratives with quirky or even downright weird characters. Peeking in their bedroom while they're masturbating or in the bathroom sitting on the toilet sniffing their own underwear.
I don't know if there's something seriously wrong with me but if there is, then some of y'all have got serious problems too. The best of you will admit it.
Miranda July and Ottessa Moshfegh are two authors of these books who I've come to love and when I started I Hope This Finds You Well, I thought Natalie Sue would join them.
Jolene was fun at first, with her insecurities and disgruntled thoughts about her coworkers.
Unfortunately, it ended up getting way too feeling-y and self help-y for me, too much of Jolene caring about being different and working to change that.
And what was a fun character in the beginning bored the shit outta me by the end. I wish there'd been a computer glitch and the last 150 pages of my Kindle version had been deleted. That Jolene had just stayed weird.
Plus there's romantic feelings and those of you who regularly read my reviews (shout out to all of you) know that romantic, mushy feelings and I are not friends.
Nor am I friends with the new and improved Jolene. I'm sure a lot of people will be enchanted with this novel and to those of you who do and want to comment on this review telling me how wrong I am to not love the book just because you do - your time will be better spent sniffing your own panties.
Move along now.
July 14, 2024
honestly I can’t blame her if I had access to everyone’s messages and emails you bet your ass I’d be snooping
November 2, 2024
Unfortunately didn’t enjoy reading this book. I thought the writing and execution of the plot were shallow and superficial. It’s a story about loss and loneliness; even though I usually enjoy novels about those topics the prose in I Hope This Finds You Well was too corny and clunky for me to get into. The office setting was also rather bland. It’s not like I was expecting a super incisive takedown or satire about corporate environments, though Natalie Sue could have done more with the office angle IMO. Hoping to be able to write a more positive review for my next read!
October 18, 2024
wow. i went through so many emotions while reading this book and it hit me way harder than i was expecting. the pacing was slow but it worked perfectly for the story and let me ponder on all my feelings and think back on them when more information was presented. just a very surprisingly moving book and one i'm glad i decided to read.
August 9, 2024
4.5 stars! read this on a whim at the recommendation of one of the attorneys at my work and ended up really enjoying it! it definitely made me anxious as heck at times bc i am a paranoid parrot and could never even dream of doing half the things jolene did lol but i genuinely had such a great time in between these pages. i also feel like this reading experience will stick with me for a long time bc it was the first time in ages that i have found out about a book, picked it up from the library, and read it all within the same 24 hour span. so memorable! so fun!
edit--my glowing review notwithstanding, i feel like i do need to say: while i had a great time overall with this one, it definitely has a much heavier tone than my glowing review & the cover may lead you to believe. definitely tread with caution if you're sensitive to any of the content warnings i've listed below
cw: grief, ptsd, death of a loved one, addiction, emotional manipulation/abuse, bullying, terminal illness, adultery, panic attacks (on page)
edit--my glowing review notwithstanding, i feel like i do need to say: while i had a great time overall with this one, it definitely has a much heavier tone than my glowing review & the cover may lead you to believe. definitely tread with caution if you're sensitive to any of the content warnings i've listed below
cw: grief, ptsd, death of a loved one, addiction, emotional manipulation/abuse, bullying, terminal illness, adultery, panic attacks (on page)
May 19, 2024
Great premise, awful execution.
August 12, 2024
Jolene works in an administrative role at a corporate office and to vent her grievances against coworkers, she adds additional text to her emails, changing the font to white so it’s not visible… until she’s caught, then forced to complete a mandatory training with Cliff, the new HR guy.
There is an IT mixup in the training setup process, and Jolene now finds herself with access to all her coworkers’ emails and chats. She knows it’s wrong but maybe this is a chance to use the information to her advantage, to save herself and her job. While doing so, Jolene contends with her overbearing family, her feelings toward Cliff, and, she begins to realize her coworkers aren’t necessarily who they seem on the surface.
With its dry humor, I Hope This Finds You Well has vibes of “The Office”, though as a huge fan of the show, I must say this book isn’t quite as funny, yet I still found it enjoyable. I didn’t agree with all of Jolene’s behavior but I appreciated her growth and found elements of the story relatable.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
There is an IT mixup in the training setup process, and Jolene now finds herself with access to all her coworkers’ emails and chats. She knows it’s wrong but maybe this is a chance to use the information to her advantage, to save herself and her job. While doing so, Jolene contends with her overbearing family, her feelings toward Cliff, and, she begins to realize her coworkers aren’t necessarily who they seem on the surface.
With its dry humor, I Hope This Finds You Well has vibes of “The Office”, though as a huge fan of the show, I must say this book isn’t quite as funny, yet I still found it enjoyable. I didn’t agree with all of Jolene’s behavior but I appreciated her growth and found elements of the story relatable.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2024
3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I Hope This Finds You Well mixes the most interesting aspects of The Office with its cast of weird and wonderful employees, with the social anxiety of the lead character from Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Jolene hates her job, and hates her colleagues even more. All of them are soul suckling, effortlessly annoying individuals and the only pleasure she gets in life is sending emails to them with secret hateful addendums. However when her work nemesis Caitlin finds one of these messages and takes it to HR, Jolene is forced into an antiharrassment management course and her computer is set up for monitoring. Except a glitch makes it so that Jolene can read everyone's emails and messages, and soon realises that there's more to the people she sits in an office with every day.
This story really is the definition of 'everyone has their own stuff going on'. On the surface Jolene's colleagues all seem to be awful, selfish suck ups to management. All except the sunshine that is Cliff, the new HR guy who's desperate to please everyone. But when Jolene looks deeper and starts engaging with those around her, she sees them all in a new light and begins go realise that the face people present at work can be completely different from the face we have at home. I liked how all the characters around Jolene felt well developed - all of them had a life and a backstory that complimented Jolene's own journey. Caitlin was particularly interesting, as someone who comes off as deeply unlikeable and a bully, but underneath is incredibly insecure and beat down. I wouldn't say I grew to like her, but there was certainly a redemption of sorts.
I also really liked the inclusion of Jolene's family and her Persian roots. To see the love that her mother has for her, with all its criticisms, was a nice touch and added some much needed reality to Jolene's character. Same for Miley, who could coax the gentler side of Jolene from herself and stop her spending her weekends drinking into oblivion. I do wish we'd got a bit more time with Cliff and Jolene and exploring more of their relationship and the obvious tension created from feelings arsing between the two on the workplace. I think the author missed out on adding some great angst moments - but that's just a personal preference on my part.
A really good, character driven novel that explores work relationships, social anxiety induced by childhood traumas and the pressures of being second generation immigrants.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I Hope This Finds You Well mixes the most interesting aspects of The Office with its cast of weird and wonderful employees, with the social anxiety of the lead character from Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Jolene hates her job, and hates her colleagues even more. All of them are soul suckling, effortlessly annoying individuals and the only pleasure she gets in life is sending emails to them with secret hateful addendums. However when her work nemesis Caitlin finds one of these messages and takes it to HR, Jolene is forced into an antiharrassment management course and her computer is set up for monitoring. Except a glitch makes it so that Jolene can read everyone's emails and messages, and soon realises that there's more to the people she sits in an office with every day.
This story really is the definition of 'everyone has their own stuff going on'. On the surface Jolene's colleagues all seem to be awful, selfish suck ups to management. All except the sunshine that is Cliff, the new HR guy who's desperate to please everyone. But when Jolene looks deeper and starts engaging with those around her, she sees them all in a new light and begins go realise that the face people present at work can be completely different from the face we have at home. I liked how all the characters around Jolene felt well developed - all of them had a life and a backstory that complimented Jolene's own journey. Caitlin was particularly interesting, as someone who comes off as deeply unlikeable and a bully, but underneath is incredibly insecure and beat down. I wouldn't say I grew to like her, but there was certainly a redemption of sorts.
I also really liked the inclusion of Jolene's family and her Persian roots. To see the love that her mother has for her, with all its criticisms, was a nice touch and added some much needed reality to Jolene's character. Same for Miley, who could coax the gentler side of Jolene from herself and stop her spending her weekends drinking into oblivion. I do wish we'd got a bit more time with Cliff and Jolene and exploring more of their relationship and the obvious tension created from feelings arsing between the two on the workplace. I think the author missed out on adding some great angst moments - but that's just a personal preference on my part.
A really good, character driven novel that explores work relationships, social anxiety induced by childhood traumas and the pressures of being second generation immigrants.
May 30, 2024
This was just such an amazing story and I was emotionally invested from the very beginning. So, this is OBVIOUSLY a MUST READ!!
ALSO… How is this book a debut!?! It reads like a story that should be receiving awards and on every single book club list out there! I’m betting is going to be “THE” debut book for 2024, cause it sure is for me.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
Bring on the best IT mishap, and you have the makings of a story full of insight, growth, and a heck of a lot of humor! Then, add in an office full of of hot messes, and it all combines to make this book an emotionally addicting experience.
BUT, Jolene’s character is where the heart of this story was for me. She has her own problems from a past traumatic event that she was still unable to work through, and the rawness made her so real. As Jolene began to realize her own mistakes in interacting with others, and realizing her personal issues were starting to unravel further, she found herself connecting more with others. There was no fluffy and easy fix for Jolene nor the other characters in the story, and adding in those real life layers made me feel like I was attached to her and the whole cast the same way I would be in a Fredrik Bachman book.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Office Drama
Mental Health Rep
Laugh Out Loud Moments
Witty Characters
Nosey Moms
Slow Burn Romance
Sarcasm
Very Real and Raw Moments
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast! I just could not put down this book from the minute I started it and finished in less than 24 hours.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
You do not want to miss out on reading this book, so get your booty to the store or a website and get it now!!
Thank you, WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
ALSO… How is this book a debut!?! It reads like a story that should be receiving awards and on every single book club list out there! I’m betting is going to be “THE” debut book for 2024, cause it sure is for me.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
Bring on the best IT mishap, and you have the makings of a story full of insight, growth, and a heck of a lot of humor! Then, add in an office full of of hot messes, and it all combines to make this book an emotionally addicting experience.
BUT, Jolene’s character is where the heart of this story was for me. She has her own problems from a past traumatic event that she was still unable to work through, and the rawness made her so real. As Jolene began to realize her own mistakes in interacting with others, and realizing her personal issues were starting to unravel further, she found herself connecting more with others. There was no fluffy and easy fix for Jolene nor the other characters in the story, and adding in those real life layers made me feel like I was attached to her and the whole cast the same way I would be in a Fredrik Bachman book.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Office Drama
Mental Health Rep
Laugh Out Loud Moments
Witty Characters
Nosey Moms
Slow Burn Romance
Sarcasm
Very Real and Raw Moments
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast! I just could not put down this book from the minute I started it and finished in less than 24 hours.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
You do not want to miss out on reading this book, so get your booty to the store or a website and get it now!!
Thank you, WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
July 28, 2024
Touching and moving ! Kind of a mix of Iona Iverson’s rules for commuting, everyone in this room will someday be dead, and the very nice box. So a good time all around! You have to be okay with the main character’s voice and self-talk being really depressing and self-loathing though. So many hijinks ensue and everyone’s (except the boss’s, of course) humanity becomes evident and important to us, as well as the narrator. Very sweet!! But also very sad
May 6, 2024
Juvenile and dull.
February 3, 2025
a woman going through a hard time, making a lot of questionable decisions, needing to work through her baggage and unpack past traumas, characters that go from being horrible people to layered people who just have their own crap going on… yup. even in the goofy way it was all articulated in it was exactly what i needed when i needed it and i ate that up
started lukewarm and doomed but evolved to be a lovely, silly, stressful, reallyyy fun story. i love how it’s chaotically packed with each character having their own mess. maybe it unfolded bits corny but boy was i emotionally invested in each crazy little complication.
so much that i keep finding myself reminiscing and missing the fuzzy cozy reading experience and this chaotic universe
she’s insane and i WAS banging my head against the wall while simultaneously rooting for her and at the end of the day i get her, every little thing, i understood her completely.
started lukewarm and doomed but evolved to be a lovely, silly, stressful, reallyyy fun story. i love how it’s chaotically packed with each character having their own mess. maybe it unfolded bits corny but boy was i emotionally invested in each crazy little complication.
so much that i keep finding myself reminiscing and missing the fuzzy cozy reading experience and this chaotic universe
she’s insane and i WAS banging my head against the wall while simultaneously rooting for her and at the end of the day i get her, every little thing, i understood her completely.
June 3, 2024
I was hoping the irreverent vibe and romance in this would elevate it above usual chick lit but I didn’t think it was funny and the romance is a small part. Meanwhile, I had to endure all the same irrational decisions made by the protagonist that you would find in a melodramatic romance. I like unethical anti-heroes but this wasn’t written that way, she’s just an average person struggling and being dumb. I didn’t really get anything out of that. I was curious enough to want to see how it all played out though.
May 15, 2024
AMAZING FUNNY INCREDIBLY SMART AND ADDICTIVE READ. 100000000 STARS. I LOVED IT SO SO SO MUCH. I CRIED.
March 16, 2025
Why was this book SO cute?? God I really enjoyed this
May 26, 2024
I have to say that when I saw the title of this book, I couldn’t resist! I just had to read it! I was expecting some funny office comedy but I found it to be a lot more than that.
Jolene is an office worker who is quiet with quite a baggage from her past. She has never fully recovered from a trauma that occurred years ago, so she attempts to blend in with her strange and occasionally ruthless coworkers. Her coping mechanism is adding at the end of the emails her true thoughts hidden in the white font. Unfortunately she gets caught, when after getting into a heated argument with her coworker Caitlin, she forgets to use an invisible font and HR gets involved. While setting up a device to monitor her keystrokes the IT guy unintentionally provides Jolene access to all of her coworkers' emails and direct messages. That way Jolene learns more about her coworkers and employer, and she discovers that she is the object of not only office gossip, but Caitlin's intention to get her fired.
Although I adored the office drama in this book, I found the character development to be even more delightful. The characters in Natalie Sue's work are incredibly well-developed and endearing. Even though they had all done terrible things, Sue gives them flaws and layers that made them likable.
Jolene is a really witty and realistic character. Jolene suffers at work, as you can see, even though she knows she shouldn't be doing what she is, since she is so anxious to stop feeling alone. And in the midst of it all, she understands that she isn't really alone and everyone faces some difficulties in their lives.
This book has a perfect balance of comedy, romance and some heart warming moments. And it’s hard to believe this is the debut! The writing style, the plot and characters are just so perfect! Highly recommend to everyone looking for some interesting contemporary romance, especially if you are the fan of the Office or Parks and Rec.
Jolene is an office worker who is quiet with quite a baggage from her past. She has never fully recovered from a trauma that occurred years ago, so she attempts to blend in with her strange and occasionally ruthless coworkers. Her coping mechanism is adding at the end of the emails her true thoughts hidden in the white font. Unfortunately she gets caught, when after getting into a heated argument with her coworker Caitlin, she forgets to use an invisible font and HR gets involved. While setting up a device to monitor her keystrokes the IT guy unintentionally provides Jolene access to all of her coworkers' emails and direct messages. That way Jolene learns more about her coworkers and employer, and she discovers that she is the object of not only office gossip, but Caitlin's intention to get her fired.
Although I adored the office drama in this book, I found the character development to be even more delightful. The characters in Natalie Sue's work are incredibly well-developed and endearing. Even though they had all done terrible things, Sue gives them flaws and layers that made them likable.
Jolene is a really witty and realistic character. Jolene suffers at work, as you can see, even though she knows she shouldn't be doing what she is, since she is so anxious to stop feeling alone. And in the midst of it all, she understands that she isn't really alone and everyone faces some difficulties in their lives.
This book has a perfect balance of comedy, romance and some heart warming moments. And it’s hard to believe this is the debut! The writing style, the plot and characters are just so perfect! Highly recommend to everyone looking for some interesting contemporary romance, especially if you are the fan of the Office or Parks and Rec.
May 20, 2024
If you have ever worked in an office you are going to enjoy this book. It was scarily relatable at time and it made me laugh. Office politics, gossip, issues with management, it is all here.
Jolene is not an easy character to like. She just wants to do her job and ignore everyone and everything around her. But things change when an IT glitch means she can now access the emails of everybody she works with. With rumours of redundancies going around, she thinks this can give her an advantage. But do you really want to know what people are saying about you?
I could see so many of the scenes in this book happening. People stealing your lunch, not changing the water bottle, really silly things like that. We all know these happen in offices everywhere.
It is not all humour though. There are moments in this book that were sad and confronting. You really don’t know what other people are dealing with in their lives.
I read this book in a day, getting really caught up in the lives of these characters.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins Australia and Book Buzz for my advanced copy to read.
Jolene is not an easy character to like. She just wants to do her job and ignore everyone and everything around her. But things change when an IT glitch means she can now access the emails of everybody she works with. With rumours of redundancies going around, she thinks this can give her an advantage. But do you really want to know what people are saying about you?
I could see so many of the scenes in this book happening. People stealing your lunch, not changing the water bottle, really silly things like that. We all know these happen in offices everywhere.
It is not all humour though. There are moments in this book that were sad and confronting. You really don’t know what other people are dealing with in their lives.
I read this book in a day, getting really caught up in the lives of these characters.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins Australia and Book Buzz for my advanced copy to read.
August 2, 2024
I Hope This Finds You Well is truly one of the best books I've read recently—both hilarious and deeply touching.
I had a limited time to read it before passing it on to the next library patron (I started it a bit too late), but that wasn’t an issue because I couldn’t put it down. Every spare moment was devoted to devouring its pages.
While I won’t delve into the plot—since the publisher’s summary covers that—I will say there’s so much more beneath the surface. The book is filled with humor, heartfelt moments, genuine friendships, a fake engagement, a touch of blackmail, some trauma mixed with a hint of mystery, rich Persian culture, and plenty of decadent donuts, all wrapped up with just the right amount of romance.
It's hard to believe this is Natalie Sue’s debut novel! I’m excited to see what she has in store next. Keep an eye on this author! – Diana F.
I had a limited time to read it before passing it on to the next library patron (I started it a bit too late), but that wasn’t an issue because I couldn’t put it down. Every spare moment was devoted to devouring its pages.
While I won’t delve into the plot—since the publisher’s summary covers that—I will say there’s so much more beneath the surface. The book is filled with humor, heartfelt moments, genuine friendships, a fake engagement, a touch of blackmail, some trauma mixed with a hint of mystery, rich Persian culture, and plenty of decadent donuts, all wrapped up with just the right amount of romance.
It's hard to believe this is Natalie Sue’s debut novel! I’m excited to see what she has in store next. Keep an eye on this author! – Diana F.
May 27, 2024
The book is bad. The story behind is quite shallow, and the ups and downs of the story become quite quickly repetitive and unfunny.
I was hoping somehow more wit and sassiness from the main character who becomes a bore real quick
I was hoping somehow more wit and sassiness from the main character who becomes a bore real quick
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