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Everything Is Probably Fine: A Novel
"Julia London's writing is heartwarming and true." --Lia Louis, international bestselling author
New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns with a story about forgiveness and second chances.
After forty-two years, Lorna Lott is ready to learn where she's going with her life--even if it means revisiting all the places she wishes she hadn't been.
It'll be fine. Probably. Maybe.
Lorna Lott has been leaning into the awkward side of things most of her life. Her intensity and drive haven't earned her any friends, but at least her sales team is meeting their quotas. Why should she care that they call her King Kong when her promotion to senior vice president is within reach? Or it was--until she made a mistake that even apology donuts couldn't fix.
Now she's been mandated to attend a thirty-day wellness program, and everything is on the line. If she can't get her low-key rage thing under control, stop her eyes from leaking, and figure out how to be more likeable, she won't get a promotion or raise. Which means she won't be able to buy back her grandmother's house and reclaim the happiness she hasn't felt since childhood.
Cooperating with the program means coming to terms with her past. Mainly, how her older sister's substance abuse ruined Lorna's life--and her many regrets about the way she handled things. With the help of her oddly endearing eight-year-old neighbor and his equally charming father, she throws herself into the process of making amends. But as she begins to accept that there is nothing she could have done to change the course of her sister's life, Lorna faces her most challenging task changing the course of her own.
"Funny and heartwarming, [for] readers who enjoy fish-out-of-water stories about people who learn how to connect with others to enrich their lives, like Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Abbi Waxman's The Bookish Life of Nina Hill." --Booklist
With the included discussion questions, it's the perfect book club book!
New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns with a story about forgiveness and second chances.
After forty-two years, Lorna Lott is ready to learn where she's going with her life--even if it means revisiting all the places she wishes she hadn't been.
It'll be fine. Probably. Maybe.
Lorna Lott has been leaning into the awkward side of things most of her life. Her intensity and drive haven't earned her any friends, but at least her sales team is meeting their quotas. Why should she care that they call her King Kong when her promotion to senior vice president is within reach? Or it was--until she made a mistake that even apology donuts couldn't fix.
Now she's been mandated to attend a thirty-day wellness program, and everything is on the line. If she can't get her low-key rage thing under control, stop her eyes from leaking, and figure out how to be more likeable, she won't get a promotion or raise. Which means she won't be able to buy back her grandmother's house and reclaim the happiness she hasn't felt since childhood.
Cooperating with the program means coming to terms with her past. Mainly, how her older sister's substance abuse ruined Lorna's life--and her many regrets about the way she handled things. With the help of her oddly endearing eight-year-old neighbor and his equally charming father, she throws herself into the process of making amends. But as she begins to accept that there is nothing she could have done to change the course of her sister's life, Lorna faces her most challenging task changing the course of her own.
"Funny and heartwarming, [for] readers who enjoy fish-out-of-water stories about people who learn how to connect with others to enrich their lives, like Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Abbi Waxman's The Bookish Life of Nina Hill." --Booklist
With the included discussion questions, it's the perfect book club book!
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2025
160 people are currently reading
13921 people want to read
About the author
Julia London
190 books3,140 followersJulia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews
August 23, 2025
We’re all products of our upbringing.
Lorna has anger issues. Bad enough that her boss sends her to a wellness center to learn how to manage her feelings. (I wish my supervisor would send me to a spa!)😉
Maybe they can help center Lorna and allow her to see herself as others see her.
Lorna has a goal in mind that she thinks will solve all her problems. She wants to buy back her grandmother’s house and restore it to the home she remembers. You see, when her mother sold the home it was divided into 4 separate units. Lorna currently lives in one, and if she has her way she will rid herself of the other three occupants. That is until she takes the time to meet them.
But in order for Lorna to have the money for this huge purchase she’ll need the trust fund her mother left her. Of which, included a few stipulations… an apology tour of sorts.
Oh my! Where do I start with my thoughts? In the beginning I found Lorna to be brisk and abrasive. That is until I got to know her. Then Lorna touched and captured my heart.
Her character spoke deeply to me, making me take a closer look at myself. There were so many lessons to take away from this book. And the best part was it became like a scavenger hunt finding these pearls.
My life lesson take-aways:
🌻You need to let go of the past in order to move forward.
🌻Learn to love yourself
🌻Things that appear to be enormous to you may only be a blip for those around you.
The audio version was performed perfectly by Marni Penning.🙌
This is one of those books/audios that I never wanted to end.
✍️ Julia London
🎧Marni Penning -11 hours +
🗓️ August 12 2025
💭 Contemporary, family drama
📈 5/5
👉 trigger- addiction
Thank you to Libro .fm and Harper Muse Publishing
Lorna has anger issues. Bad enough that her boss sends her to a wellness center to learn how to manage her feelings. (I wish my supervisor would send me to a spa!)😉
Maybe they can help center Lorna and allow her to see herself as others see her.
Lorna has a goal in mind that she thinks will solve all her problems. She wants to buy back her grandmother’s house and restore it to the home she remembers. You see, when her mother sold the home it was divided into 4 separate units. Lorna currently lives in one, and if she has her way she will rid herself of the other three occupants. That is until she takes the time to meet them.
But in order for Lorna to have the money for this huge purchase she’ll need the trust fund her mother left her. Of which, included a few stipulations… an apology tour of sorts.
Oh my! Where do I start with my thoughts? In the beginning I found Lorna to be brisk and abrasive. That is until I got to know her. Then Lorna touched and captured my heart.
Her character spoke deeply to me, making me take a closer look at myself. There were so many lessons to take away from this book. And the best part was it became like a scavenger hunt finding these pearls.
My life lesson take-aways:
🌻You need to let go of the past in order to move forward.
🌻Learn to love yourself
🌻Things that appear to be enormous to you may only be a blip for those around you.
The audio version was performed perfectly by Marni Penning.🙌
This is one of those books/audios that I never wanted to end.
✍️ Julia London
🎧Marni Penning -11 hours +
🗓️ August 12 2025
💭 Contemporary, family drama
📈 5/5
👉 trigger- addiction
Thank you to Libro .fm and Harper Muse Publishing
July 7, 2025
This book was truly inspiring in every sense of the word. It’s one of those quiet, powerful stories that stays with you not because of plot twists or drama, but because of the depth of the emotional journey.
The FMC’s path toward self-awareness was so raw and real. Watching her process her trauma and begin doing the inner work felt deeply personal like holding a mirror up to your own healing.
And can we talk about Bean and Aggie?? Iconic. But let’s be honest - Bean stole the show. Top-tier character energy.
This story was full of soul-soothing moments, hard truths, and reflections that genuinely made me pause and think about people in my past that dealt with addiction. It beautifully captured how addiction affects everyone.
I also adored the “found family” vibe her neighbors and the supporting cast added so much warmth and depth. And that last 15%? Absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Tears. Everywhere. But also joy and hope.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨
April 2, 2025
This was a truly remarkable read. It was rather deep in the sense of the FMC having to become self-aware and process things in order to do inner work. I felt such a connection to her! It was sad to see what her and her family experienced at the hand of her sister's addiction issues. I loved Bean and Aggie! But Bean took the cake for the best character. It had so many great moments of life advice and eye-opening moments for anyone experiencing moments where you have to step back and see your own issues to fully understand them and try to do self-improvement. I loved the "found family" vibes as well with all of her neighbors and other characters in the book. The last 15% truly made me get teary-eyed due to the beautiful moments, happy moments, and sad moments. Absolutely remarkable and tons of great things to take away to use in your own life for your own self-improvement even though this is a fictional novel. Easily 5 stars, i loved it!
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
March 20, 2025
I thought this was the perfect book.
Lorna is a top sales executive but she is having trouble finding a way to connect with her team and come across as personable. Her manager sends her on a retreat for some self reflection after a disastrous office incident. Suddenly Lorna has a month of therapy and a lot of free time.
I thought this was a heartwarming journey of forgiveness and emotional healing. Lorna has dealt with a traumatic upbringing. Her sister is an addict, her grandma is an alcoholic and her mother is a single woman just trying to make ends meet.
I connected with this character and empathized with her. This book is for anyone that has dealt with addiction in their family. I thought it was incredible.
Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.
August 25, 2025
She’s found the best way to live, and she wakes up with hope every day.
I am blown away by this touching personal growth story. Lorna has self-destructed- she is a workaholic without any personal friendships or relationships. When she accidentally sends a scathing email to her sales team (and who of us hasn’t)- her boss requires her to attend an outpatient anger therapy program. There she does a lot of souls searching around her relationship with her sister Kristen, an addict, her mother who has recently passed away from cancer, and her father who started a new family and left when she was a child.
There is always a reason why people are the way they are. That is probably the central theme of this book, which follows an amends “apology tour” as Lorna and her precocious adorable neighbor child Bean visit the people in Lorna’s life whom she owes an amends.
It’s raw, it’s tender, it’s heartbreaking. Bean is the cutest, most perfect child character and at his young age teaches Lorna so much about loving people where they are. Not all of the amends end with forgiveness and embracing. Some of them are really tough. But Lorna is better for it each time.
I would like all of you to read this book. If you have ever been around addiction or addiction recovery, I am going to outright demand that you read it. We don’t get a lot of great alanon stories. Treasure this one.
I am blown away by this touching personal growth story. Lorna has self-destructed- she is a workaholic without any personal friendships or relationships. When she accidentally sends a scathing email to her sales team (and who of us hasn’t)- her boss requires her to attend an outpatient anger therapy program. There she does a lot of souls searching around her relationship with her sister Kristen, an addict, her mother who has recently passed away from cancer, and her father who started a new family and left when she was a child.
There is always a reason why people are the way they are. That is probably the central theme of this book, which follows an amends “apology tour” as Lorna and her precocious adorable neighbor child Bean visit the people in Lorna’s life whom she owes an amends.
It’s raw, it’s tender, it’s heartbreaking. Bean is the cutest, most perfect child character and at his young age teaches Lorna so much about loving people where they are. Not all of the amends end with forgiveness and embracing. Some of them are really tough. But Lorna is better for it each time.
I would like all of you to read this book. If you have ever been around addiction or addiction recovery, I am going to outright demand that you read it. We don’t get a lot of great alanon stories. Treasure this one.
August 12, 2025
Everything is Probably Fine by Julia London
Contemporary women’s fiction. Minor romance alluded to but not really on the page.
Lorna has anger management issues. She grew up in an alcoholic family with an older sister as an addict in an out of treatments her whole life. Lorna has had to fend for herself since she was a young child and learned early to not trust anyone.
She works hard at her job and is successful. After a late night error, where she sends an email to her team that makes fun of everyone, she gets a 30 day, mandatory leave with therapy. The health center has yoga, salt baths, sound bowl therapy and much more. Lorna remembers her mother begging her to forgive, and make amends.
Lorna agrees to the therapy. She doesn’t really have a choice. She is tired of being angry. She’s tired of blaming her sister. She tired of not being able to control her emotions and tears.
As Lorna learns yoga and talks to a counselor, she also spends time with a young neighbor boy who is filled with innocence and trust. She decides to make amends to the people she feels she failed. Bean helps Lorna find the fun, the innocence and forgiveness.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Marni Penning who gives a wonderful performance with different voices for the various characters. Voices were distinct and emotionally clear. I wouldn’t say the child’s voice was perfect, but it was joyful and exuberant and clear that he was happy to be with Lorna. Bean added a bit of fluff to the emotional journey.
I listened at 1.5 and higher to more closely match my reading and conversation norm.
My first instinct is to blame and be mad that this shouldn’t be her responsibility. And that’s a normal response. More telling, it’s a typical response of a child of an alcoholic.
This was a difficult and emotional book to read.
Lorna remembers things from her perception, of course. As she talks to others, she realizes her memories may be different from what actually happened. Most importantly, she needs to let go of the anger and resentment and forgive so she can be happy. It’s not for them. It’s for her. She gives the process her complete faith and cooperation. I admired that and her for going through the steps intentionally.
I received this from NetGalley and publisher Harper Muse audiobooks.
Contemporary women’s fiction. Minor romance alluded to but not really on the page.
Lorna has anger management issues. She grew up in an alcoholic family with an older sister as an addict in an out of treatments her whole life. Lorna has had to fend for herself since she was a young child and learned early to not trust anyone.
She works hard at her job and is successful. After a late night error, where she sends an email to her team that makes fun of everyone, she gets a 30 day, mandatory leave with therapy. The health center has yoga, salt baths, sound bowl therapy and much more. Lorna remembers her mother begging her to forgive, and make amends.
Lorna agrees to the therapy. She doesn’t really have a choice. She is tired of being angry. She’s tired of blaming her sister. She tired of not being able to control her emotions and tears.
As Lorna learns yoga and talks to a counselor, she also spends time with a young neighbor boy who is filled with innocence and trust. She decides to make amends to the people she feels she failed. Bean helps Lorna find the fun, the innocence and forgiveness.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Marni Penning who gives a wonderful performance with different voices for the various characters. Voices were distinct and emotionally clear. I wouldn’t say the child’s voice was perfect, but it was joyful and exuberant and clear that he was happy to be with Lorna. Bean added a bit of fluff to the emotional journey.
I listened at 1.5 and higher to more closely match my reading and conversation norm.
My first instinct is to blame and be mad that this shouldn’t be her responsibility. And that’s a normal response. More telling, it’s a typical response of a child of an alcoholic.
This was a difficult and emotional book to read.
Lorna remembers things from her perception, of course. As she talks to others, she realizes her memories may be different from what actually happened. Most importantly, she needs to let go of the anger and resentment and forgive so she can be happy. It’s not for them. It’s for her. She gives the process her complete faith and cooperation. I admired that and her for going through the steps intentionally.
I received this from NetGalley and publisher Harper Muse audiobooks.
January 5, 2026
Wow, this book was so much more than I expected it to be. This story deals with the effect of one family members addiction on the rest of the family. The main character Lorna has lots of regrets and has closed herself off the world. She is befriended by her eight-year-old neighbor, Bean. Bean who is dealing with the loss of his mother and needs a friend just as much as Lorna. Lorna decides to revisit some past regrets with the hope of letting them go once and for all. Through this, Bean is her biggest cheerleader. There are other neighbors who come along side them and healing begins. This is a difficult story at times, but also includes some laugh out loud moments. My biggest regret is that I let this sit on my shelf way too long before reading it.
November 27, 2025
Everything Is Probably Fine is not entirely fine for me. I enjoyed reading Miss London's books before so I was excited to pick up this book. The plot is promising but the execution is off.
The writing is to much wording and I feel bored with it. I grew impatient.
2 stars
The writing is to much wording and I feel bored with it. I grew impatient.
2 stars
February 27, 2025
An emotional journey of forgiveness and found family
This was such a sweet but sometimes sad story of Lorna, a 43 yr old woman whose life has been dominated by her sister’s addiction and her toxic family dynamics. Lorna is full of rage and takes a mandatory sabbatical from work to seek help.
The family elements of this book were so well done and quite triggering for anyone who had to live in a house with a sibling with addiction and behavioural problems. The excuse making by the parents and the need to grow up and fend for yourself as an ignored child were palpable. I felt for Lorna, and was frustrated with Lorna for much of the book.
But when she started to let herself feel and opened herself up to trusting new people it was so sweet. She is befriended by her eight year old neighbour Bean who wants to help her because he can get a scout bad for helping old people. He was such a ray of sunshine in this. Dealing with his own loss of his mother and neglect from his busy father, these two were an unlikely pair, but they took care of each other. It was very heartwarming.
The only issues I have with this book were some of the set ups were trite, like she had to go forgive a list of people to fulfill part of her mother’s will, this could have been done differently and not in such a cliched way. Perhaps her mother merely left her a list or a letter asking her to move on from some things in her past rather than tying it to an illegal codicil. It made it seem too hallmarky for my liking.
The second thing is sometimes when I read these women’s fictions about white women healing themselves its always in relation to gimmicky versions of south East Asian or East Asian spirituality done by white men with man buns. More authenticity would be nice here. I know lots of middle class white women do this and get all granola and new age and trust me, they drive me crazy in real life too, but it could have been done better with more research into the meaning of the therapies.
But the found family, the personal journey and the open ended ending were hopeful and engaging and overall I enjoyed this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy, these are my honest thoughts.
This was such a sweet but sometimes sad story of Lorna, a 43 yr old woman whose life has been dominated by her sister’s addiction and her toxic family dynamics. Lorna is full of rage and takes a mandatory sabbatical from work to seek help.
The family elements of this book were so well done and quite triggering for anyone who had to live in a house with a sibling with addiction and behavioural problems. The excuse making by the parents and the need to grow up and fend for yourself as an ignored child were palpable. I felt for Lorna, and was frustrated with Lorna for much of the book.
But when she started to let herself feel and opened herself up to trusting new people it was so sweet. She is befriended by her eight year old neighbour Bean who wants to help her because he can get a scout bad for helping old people. He was such a ray of sunshine in this. Dealing with his own loss of his mother and neglect from his busy father, these two were an unlikely pair, but they took care of each other. It was very heartwarming.
The only issues I have with this book were some of the set ups were trite, like she had to go forgive a list of people to fulfill part of her mother’s will, this could have been done differently and not in such a cliched way. Perhaps her mother merely left her a list or a letter asking her to move on from some things in her past rather than tying it to an illegal codicil. It made it seem too hallmarky for my liking.
The second thing is sometimes when I read these women’s fictions about white women healing themselves its always in relation to gimmicky versions of south East Asian or East Asian spirituality done by white men with man buns. More authenticity would be nice here. I know lots of middle class white women do this and get all granola and new age and trust me, they drive me crazy in real life too, but it could have been done better with more research into the meaning of the therapies.
But the found family, the personal journey and the open ended ending were hopeful and engaging and overall I enjoyed this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy, these are my honest thoughts.
June 29, 2025
This book has the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
The overall plot line could have been good and I wanted to like it. But everything was so exaggerated, everyone was a caricature, it was obvious where it was going, and there was no nuance and no surprises.
The thing that bothered me most, though, is that the book seems to miss its own point. Each stop on the apology tour is supremely selfish and either completely misses the mark or actually leaves more harm in its wake. Don’t force information on someone who doesn’t want it, appeasing your guilt and stoking their grief! If you’ve inadvertently snubbed your best friend minutes after you are the first person she ever came out to, showing up and explaining why doesn’t magically repair that harm. The blanket of self righteous anger over the entire protagonist’s personality and life story is overboard and gets annoying about 100 pages in and just gets worse.
I don’t recommend reading this book unless you’re looking for a good cringe.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The overall plot line could have been good and I wanted to like it. But everything was so exaggerated, everyone was a caricature, it was obvious where it was going, and there was no nuance and no surprises.
The thing that bothered me most, though, is that the book seems to miss its own point. Each stop on the apology tour is supremely selfish and either completely misses the mark or actually leaves more harm in its wake. Don’t force information on someone who doesn’t want it, appeasing your guilt and stoking their grief! If you’ve inadvertently snubbed your best friend minutes after you are the first person she ever came out to, showing up and explaining why doesn’t magically repair that harm. The blanket of self righteous anger over the entire protagonist’s personality and life story is overboard and gets annoying about 100 pages in and just gets worse.
I don’t recommend reading this book unless you’re looking for a good cringe.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 11, 2025
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 🎧
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 🎧
September 20, 2025
Lorna is consumed by anger. Angry at her sister whose addiction took over their family’s lives. Angry at her mom for allowing it to and never putting Lorna first. Angry at her dad for abandoning them for a new family. Angry at the world for every slight, real or imagined. When her job makes her take a sabbatical to work on her anger, she’s forced to slow down and start reconciling her childhood and her work on forgiveness.
I loved so much about this book. Lorna was so relatable and real. She’s flawed and broken yet as she works through healing, you see her strength shine through too. The side characters were well-developed and the perfect complement to Lorna. The story is a perfect blend of emotions, humor, and depth. Highly recommend.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I loved so much about this book. Lorna was so relatable and real. She’s flawed and broken yet as she works through healing, you see her strength shine through too. The side characters were well-developed and the perfect complement to Lorna. The story is a perfect blend of emotions, humor, and depth. Highly recommend.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
November 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! The characters all felt authentic, and Lorna's emotions and story were handled with such care and depth. Bean was, of course, the showstopper. I love an intergenerational relationship, and watching how Bean helped Lorna tear down all her barricades was heartwarming. As a huge mental health awareness advocate, I loved how so many different forms of therapy were talked about and explored throughout Lorna's journey. I was gearing myself up the whole book for how I feared the third act conflict would unfold, and I was genuinely surprised and pleased with how it ended up being tackled.
🎙️ Marni Penning was the sole narrator. This was my 1st audio by her, and I thought she was fantastic. Her narration for Bean, in particular, was an absolute highlight. Doing a child's voice is a tricky feat to accomplish, but she completely brought his exuberance to life. She was also truly exceptional at conveying Lorna's inner turmoil and tones.
✨ Thank you to @librofm for this ALC from August!
🎙️ Marni Penning was the sole narrator. This was my 1st audio by her, and I thought she was fantastic. Her narration for Bean, in particular, was an absolute highlight. Doing a child's voice is a tricky feat to accomplish, but she completely brought his exuberance to life. She was also truly exceptional at conveying Lorna's inner turmoil and tones.
✨ Thank you to @librofm for this ALC from August!
June 28, 2025
DNF
Lots of glowing reviews for this book but the MC is too much for me. Having read reviews about where this is going I don’t think I’m the correct reader; very confused why this is being marketed to fans of wedding people and the husbands
Thanks netgalley
Lots of glowing reviews for this book but the MC is too much for me. Having read reviews about where this is going I don’t think I’m the correct reader; very confused why this is being marketed to fans of wedding people and the husbands
Thanks netgalley
August 10, 2025
Well, this was not AT ALL what I was expecting!
This one will make you mad! 😡 I mean… angry!
This will make you want to reach through the book and choke someone!
And then, you’ll find yourself tearing up… and then, bawling!
BUT, you’ll also find yourself totally drawn to all the main characters, and the dog!🐕
And the little boy!
And once you find yourself totally HOOKED, then you might just realize what a special book this is!
One that not only captures your mind, but your HEART as well!
Lorna (Lolo) has definitely NOT had it easy.
She had a rough time growing up, as her sister had a whole slew of problems on her own… and so, she took up most of the SPACE that there was in their house, and their parent’s hearts, for both of them!
But, as they got older, it only got worse.
And now, now that Lolo’s an adult, and has a real job… well, she has a hard time trying to keep everything JUST SO…
So that her world can go on and function, as it should…
But in order for that to happen, Lolo has to keep just about everything about herself locked up… with the key thrown away…
So one day when she makes a pretty big mistake at work, where she’s working really hard to get a promotion, well she just kind of shuts down…
And then her boss has an ultimatum for her…
Can she actually make this work?
Is there any way it might actually HELP her??
Is she willing to take that risk?
Well, you’ll have to pick this one up to find out!
#EverythingIsProbablyFine:ANovel. By @JuliaLondon. Narrated beautifully by @MarniPenning.
4 1/2 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 for me… happily rounded up to 5!!
*** This is DUE TO BE RELEASED in a few short days, on 8/12/25… so, look 👀 for it on shelves then! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperMuseAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
This one will make you mad! 😡 I mean… angry!
This will make you want to reach through the book and choke someone!
And then, you’ll find yourself tearing up… and then, bawling!
BUT, you’ll also find yourself totally drawn to all the main characters, and the dog!🐕
And the little boy!
And once you find yourself totally HOOKED, then you might just realize what a special book this is!
One that not only captures your mind, but your HEART as well!
Lorna (Lolo) has definitely NOT had it easy.
She had a rough time growing up, as her sister had a whole slew of problems on her own… and so, she took up most of the SPACE that there was in their house, and their parent’s hearts, for both of them!
But, as they got older, it only got worse.
And now, now that Lolo’s an adult, and has a real job… well, she has a hard time trying to keep everything JUST SO…
So that her world can go on and function, as it should…
But in order for that to happen, Lolo has to keep just about everything about herself locked up… with the key thrown away…
So one day when she makes a pretty big mistake at work, where she’s working really hard to get a promotion, well she just kind of shuts down…
And then her boss has an ultimatum for her…
Can she actually make this work?
Is there any way it might actually HELP her??
Is she willing to take that risk?
Well, you’ll have to pick this one up to find out!
#EverythingIsProbablyFine:ANovel. By @JuliaLondon. Narrated beautifully by @MarniPenning.
4 1/2 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 for me… happily rounded up to 5!!
*** This is DUE TO BE RELEASED in a few short days, on 8/12/25… so, look 👀 for it on shelves then! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperMuseAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
August 8, 2025
Everything’s Probably Fine by Julia London, narrated by Marni Penning
I don’t remember the last time a book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster. Honestly, this read is so fresh that I should probably wait to write this review…but nope, we’re doing this now at 11:37pm.
Seldom does a story have me wrestling with so many feelings…ranking who I loathe more in one moment, then being blindsided by sheer, tender-hearted kindness the next. The family trauma? Palpable. Brutal. Heart-wrenching. I swear my emotional pendulum hit record-breaking levels.
But let’s be clear, the way this book had me… whew. The love. The heart. The heartbreak. When I say this book is everything… it is everything. And Bean? Bean is literally an angel walking among us.
Next time someone asks me, “What’s the last book that made you cry?”—it’s this one. OMG. The tears.
Themes:
Found family
Sibling drama
Healing from trauma
Tender, quiet acts of love
The pet you’d give your life for
Would I recommend it?
Without question. But keep tissues handy, you’re going to need them.
Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. This book has attached itself to my heart.
I don’t remember the last time a book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster. Honestly, this read is so fresh that I should probably wait to write this review…but nope, we’re doing this now at 11:37pm.
Seldom does a story have me wrestling with so many feelings…ranking who I loathe more in one moment, then being blindsided by sheer, tender-hearted kindness the next. The family trauma? Palpable. Brutal. Heart-wrenching. I swear my emotional pendulum hit record-breaking levels.
But let’s be clear, the way this book had me… whew. The love. The heart. The heartbreak. When I say this book is everything… it is everything. And Bean? Bean is literally an angel walking among us.
Next time someone asks me, “What’s the last book that made you cry?”—it’s this one. OMG. The tears.
Themes:
Found family
Sibling drama
Healing from trauma
Tender, quiet acts of love
The pet you’d give your life for
Would I recommend it?
Without question. But keep tissues handy, you’re going to need them.
Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. This book has attached itself to my heart.
September 20, 2025
What an endearing, precious, heartbreaking, heartwarming story. I’m in love with Lorna and the entire gang.
September 8, 2025
I love when stories feel like they are digging a little deeper in tone and theme and that definitely happens here in Everything is Probably Fine!
This is a story about forgiving yourself, learning from your mistakes and not being afraid to move beyond the past.
And while this book might seem lighthearted on the cover, it’s actually quite heavy. Our main character Lorna is dealing with years of coming second to her sister’s drug addiction and has a lot of angry and rage issues because of it.
This is a story of Lorna as she goes from place to place and tries to right her wrongs and learn that maybe…it was beyond her control in the first place. She has quite a lot of growth and realizes that her life long grief has been completely holding her back.
You’ll also get a cute little 8 year old sidekick, dashes of light humor along the way, and learn that our mistakes are not what define us. All in all a lovely, yet heavy kind of read that I think the right audience will find a lot of interest in!
*PS don’t go look for romance, it’s a very light vein and not really a part of the larger plot!
This is a story about forgiving yourself, learning from your mistakes and not being afraid to move beyond the past.
And while this book might seem lighthearted on the cover, it’s actually quite heavy. Our main character Lorna is dealing with years of coming second to her sister’s drug addiction and has a lot of angry and rage issues because of it.
This is a story of Lorna as she goes from place to place and tries to right her wrongs and learn that maybe…it was beyond her control in the first place. She has quite a lot of growth and realizes that her life long grief has been completely holding her back.
You’ll also get a cute little 8 year old sidekick, dashes of light humor along the way, and learn that our mistakes are not what define us. All in all a lovely, yet heavy kind of read that I think the right audience will find a lot of interest in!
*PS don’t go look for romance, it’s a very light vein and not really a part of the larger plot!
August 29, 2025
Story 4 stars. Narration 4.5 stars
This book surprised me-in a good way although in the beginning I wasn’t sure. It looks like a contemporary romance cover but, I wouldn’t consider it a romance. There is a romance but it’s really secondary to the rest of the story.
Lorna is a forty-something executive at a company with a team of people that work under her who do not like her. Things come to a head one day and rather than fire her she gets sent to a day spa place that works with anger issues among other things. Yoga, meditation and even acupuncture are just a few things she learns. Lorna doesn’t want to be there and she’s angry about it. She’s actually angry about everything in her life past and present. She’s led a pretty horrible life thanks to her once beloved older sister being an addict. And Lorna thinks that she personally is to blame for so much due to her sister’s mess ups. She’s lives in an apartment in her grandmother’s old huge house and plots to buy it for herself. Never mind that all her neighbors would have to move. She gets befriended by a little boy across the hall since she’s not working while being treated. I’m going to leave it there.
This ended up showcasing what addiction can do to ruin a family. It jumps back in time at some points to tell all the backstory, but does stay mainly in the present. In the beginning I just didn’t like Lorna as she was such an angry person with little in her life. But Lorna does so much growing in this story and I was there for it. I ended up liking Lorna and several other characters as well. The little boy put the story into the heartwarming realm at times and there’s even a lovable dog. No smut involved. Recommended to readers of women’s fiction. Narration was good.
This book surprised me-in a good way although in the beginning I wasn’t sure. It looks like a contemporary romance cover but, I wouldn’t consider it a romance. There is a romance but it’s really secondary to the rest of the story.
Lorna is a forty-something executive at a company with a team of people that work under her who do not like her. Things come to a head one day and rather than fire her she gets sent to a day spa place that works with anger issues among other things. Yoga, meditation and even acupuncture are just a few things she learns. Lorna doesn’t want to be there and she’s angry about it. She’s actually angry about everything in her life past and present. She’s led a pretty horrible life thanks to her once beloved older sister being an addict. And Lorna thinks that she personally is to blame for so much due to her sister’s mess ups. She’s lives in an apartment in her grandmother’s old huge house and plots to buy it for herself. Never mind that all her neighbors would have to move. She gets befriended by a little boy across the hall since she’s not working while being treated. I’m going to leave it there.
This ended up showcasing what addiction can do to ruin a family. It jumps back in time at some points to tell all the backstory, but does stay mainly in the present. In the beginning I just didn’t like Lorna as she was such an angry person with little in her life. But Lorna does so much growing in this story and I was there for it. I ended up liking Lorna and several other characters as well. The little boy put the story into the heartwarming realm at times and there’s even a lovable dog. No smut involved. Recommended to readers of women’s fiction. Narration was good.
August 14, 2025
Audiobook review.
I thoroughly enjoyed Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London, narrated by Marni Penning.
The protagonist's journey was captivating, and Bean's character stole my heart. The story tackled deep topics like grief with sensitivity, all while maintaining a witty and fun tone.
However, the true star of the show was Marni Penning's narration. Marni brought the story to life in a way that I think would be hard to replicate in a physical read.
As this is an audiobook review, I'm giving the narrator a well deserved 5 stars and the book 4 stars.
I will look out for more audiobooks narrated by Marni Penning.
Highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen and review this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London, narrated by Marni Penning.
The protagonist's journey was captivating, and Bean's character stole my heart. The story tackled deep topics like grief with sensitivity, all while maintaining a witty and fun tone.
However, the true star of the show was Marni Penning's narration. Marni brought the story to life in a way that I think would be hard to replicate in a physical read.
As this is an audiobook review, I'm giving the narrator a well deserved 5 stars and the book 4 stars.
I will look out for more audiobooks narrated by Marni Penning.
Highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen and review this book.
October 9, 2025
This one really hit me. Rarely do I think a book should be read by a certain age group but I think anyone over 40, maybe 35, will be most impacted by this story. You’ve got to be old enough to understand the loss of time, bitterness of regret, how destructive grudges are to yourself, self isolation based on fear of disappointment or being left behind. There’s so much to unpack with this one but it read so cohesively and I found Lorna to be insufferable and also completely relatable. Not sure what that says about me 😜 Anyway, I loved this. The addition of Bean was delightful!! And you have to love a book with a chubby butt corgi named Agnes/Aggie.
August 24, 2025
Julia London has a new fan in me after reading this book. It reminded me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and that’s always a good comparison. I found myself sympathizing with Lorna but also wanting her to get out of her own way. I loved her relationship with her neighbors and finding her own found family. I would happily read another book from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 6, 2025
Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming, this was another emotionally heavy, character driven story about a woman in her 40s who is forced to go on a wellness retreat after accidentally sending an email critiquing her coworkers.
Lorna is a workaholic who has never dealt with her grief and rage over losing her mother to cancer and growing up with an addict sister. As part of the stipulation of her mother's will, she has to make amends with a number of people from her past before she can have access to the trust with her mother's finances.
What follows is an apology tour in which Lorna visits different people who she let down over the years. It's a healing journey that is helped along when she befriends the single dad and his young son who live in the apartment next to her hers in the building her grandmother used to own. With flashbacks from the past we see how Lorna's sister and parents continually let her down and why her anger is so justifiable.
This book is for anyone who has had to struggle with watching a loved one who has addiction issues and the emotional toll that takes. Great on audio narrated by Marni Penning and highly recommended for fans of books like The brilliant life of Eudora Honeysett or Blue sisters by Coco Mellors. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
Lorna is a workaholic who has never dealt with her grief and rage over losing her mother to cancer and growing up with an addict sister. As part of the stipulation of her mother's will, she has to make amends with a number of people from her past before she can have access to the trust with her mother's finances.
What follows is an apology tour in which Lorna visits different people who she let down over the years. It's a healing journey that is helped along when she befriends the single dad and his young son who live in the apartment next to her hers in the building her grandmother used to own. With flashbacks from the past we see how Lorna's sister and parents continually let her down and why her anger is so justifiable.
This book is for anyone who has had to struggle with watching a loved one who has addiction issues and the emotional toll that takes. Great on audio narrated by Marni Penning and highly recommended for fans of books like The brilliant life of Eudora Honeysett or Blue sisters by Coco Mellors. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2025
Lorna Lott, a driven, rage-prone 43-year-old woman, is forced to step away from her high-stress job to confront the trauma of growing up with an addicted sister and toxic family dynamics. I appreciated the novel’s intent: to show the importance of facing your past and learning to let go in order to move forward.
There are powerful, poignant moments—particularly the flashbacks to Lorna’s childhood and her sister Kristen’s heartbreaking cycles of addiction and recovery. Those scenes felt raw and real, showing how trauma shapes the anxious overachievers we become.
But some parts didn’t work for me. Some of the plot setups felt overly contrived or “Hallmarky”—like the will-forgiveness checklist, the retreat funded by her job, or the over-the-top wellness spa run by spiritual white men with man buns. The novel leans heavily into therapy-speak, sometimes oversimplifying trauma as something that can be fixed with a checklist and a few yoga sessions. Healing isn’t that tidy. (Also, she found her corgi at a RESCUE? Really? a purebred corgi? That she lets run outside with just a doggy door? A corgi?!?!)
I was also frustrated by how Lorna, while on her path to emotional freedom, ended up mothering not just an 8-year-old neighbor (Bean), but also his frequently absent single dad (Seth) who eventually becomes her love interest. I wanted to cheer for Lorna, not watch her do all the emotional labor AGAIN. She deserves forgiveness, and a partner—not another project. Instead of Seth stepping up and learning how to be a good single dad, it's basically a woman having to do all the work. He drops the ball on so many of Bean's things and it's Lorna wo picks it up. Teaching him to bake. Making his little explorers vest. But come on. It's 2025, let's stop making woman responsible for men's failures.
Still, this book has heart. The themes of second chances and the complexity of forgiveness are important and handled with care, even if the execution didn’t fully resonate with me. I appreciate what the book set out to do—it just didn’t quite land in the way I hoped.
There are powerful, poignant moments—particularly the flashbacks to Lorna’s childhood and her sister Kristen’s heartbreaking cycles of addiction and recovery. Those scenes felt raw and real, showing how trauma shapes the anxious overachievers we become.
But some parts didn’t work for me. Some of the plot setups felt overly contrived or “Hallmarky”—like the will-forgiveness checklist, the retreat funded by her job, or the over-the-top wellness spa run by spiritual white men with man buns. The novel leans heavily into therapy-speak, sometimes oversimplifying trauma as something that can be fixed with a checklist and a few yoga sessions. Healing isn’t that tidy. (Also, she found her corgi at a RESCUE? Really? a purebred corgi? That she lets run outside with just a doggy door? A corgi?!?!)
I was also frustrated by how Lorna, while on her path to emotional freedom, ended up mothering not just an 8-year-old neighbor (Bean), but also his frequently absent single dad (Seth) who eventually becomes her love interest. I wanted to cheer for Lorna, not watch her do all the emotional labor AGAIN. She deserves forgiveness, and a partner—not another project. Instead of Seth stepping up and learning how to be a good single dad, it's basically a woman having to do all the work. He drops the ball on so many of Bean's things and it's Lorna wo picks it up. Teaching him to bake. Making his little explorers vest. But come on. It's 2025, let's stop making woman responsible for men's failures.
Still, this book has heart. The themes of second chances and the complexity of forgiveness are important and handled with care, even if the execution didn’t fully resonate with me. I appreciate what the book set out to do—it just didn’t quite land in the way I hoped.
August 20, 2025
EVERYTHING IS PROBABLY FINE by Julia London absolutely blew me away, book friends. This book exceeded my expectations in so many ways, and truly surprised the heck out of me. It made me feel allllll the feels! It follows Lorna Lott, a woman in her early-forties who is forced to take a leave of absence from work and attend a thirty-day wellness program in order to get her anger and rage under control. It deals with some heavy issues from her past regarding her sister’s substance abuse and addiction, along with the childhood trauma that stemmed from that.
I absolutely loved Lorna and all of her quirks. She’s a character that you can definitely root for. I cheered for her from start to finish as she revisited moments (and even people) from her past, peeling back layers, discovering new things about herself, and coming to terms with her difficult past. It was a pleasure to witness her growth.
As someone who grew up with a similar situation/sibling, I must say that I found Lorna’s experience very relatable. Without airing out my family’s dirty laundry too much, I gotta admit that it stirred up a lot of emotions and memories for me. I know what it’s like when one sibling sucks out the energy of the entire the family, and there’s nothing left for anyone else. The author describes this experience so incredibly well.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Memorable characters
- Family drama and dynamics
- Found family storyline
- Unlikely friendships
- Forgiveness and acceptance
- Second chances
- Self-reflection and improvement
- Emotional reads
- Character-driven novels
I really can’t recommend this novel enough. If you do plan on reading it, be prepared for some serious subject matter, but also a lot of heart and humor. London finds a perfect balance to tell Lorna’s unforgettable story. EVERYTHING IS PROBABLY FINE is available now! 5/5 glowing stars!
I absolutely loved Lorna and all of her quirks. She’s a character that you can definitely root for. I cheered for her from start to finish as she revisited moments (and even people) from her past, peeling back layers, discovering new things about herself, and coming to terms with her difficult past. It was a pleasure to witness her growth.
As someone who grew up with a similar situation/sibling, I must say that I found Lorna’s experience very relatable. Without airing out my family’s dirty laundry too much, I gotta admit that it stirred up a lot of emotions and memories for me. I know what it’s like when one sibling sucks out the energy of the entire the family, and there’s nothing left for anyone else. The author describes this experience so incredibly well.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Memorable characters
- Family drama and dynamics
- Found family storyline
- Unlikely friendships
- Forgiveness and acceptance
- Second chances
- Self-reflection and improvement
- Emotional reads
- Character-driven novels
I really can’t recommend this novel enough. If you do plan on reading it, be prepared for some serious subject matter, but also a lot of heart and humor. London finds a perfect balance to tell Lorna’s unforgettable story. EVERYTHING IS PROBABLY FINE is available now! 5/5 glowing stars!
July 14, 2025
4.5 stars from me!
This was a real, raw, emotional, wonderful read! I liked Lorna from the start, though she was rough around the edges, and I was rooting for her to succeed through the entire story.
This had great mental health representation and covers difficult topics in a way that’s easy to digest. I loved Lorna’s character development and how the author balanced the ongoing story with her wellness journey. It wasn’t all about her wellness retreat, but we were able to see obvious growth as time went on. The pacing was well done and I felt that this story moved exactly as it should’ve.
Dual timeline is sometimes hit or miss for me but it worked incredibly well in this story. I loved how as Lorna opened her “bomb shelter” we got more pieces of her past. It was so clever and kept me on the edge of my seat!
This was a beautiful representation of how hard and how long you have to work to forgive and grieve others in your life. As Lorna moved through her list, I was struck by how much her healing journey and her apology tour meant to her and meant to me as a reader.
Bean was such a great counterpart for Lorna and I loved how much fun he brought to the story. His encouragement to see things in a more simple and loving way meant just as much to Lorna’s character growth as her wellness retreat.
I listened as an audiobook and loved the narrator. I would honestly highly recommend as an audiobook. The narrator’s different tones and character voices brought Lorna to life and made it so much easier to connect with the story.
This is a seriously solid read you don’t want to miss, especially if you love audiobooks!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
This was a real, raw, emotional, wonderful read! I liked Lorna from the start, though she was rough around the edges, and I was rooting for her to succeed through the entire story.
This had great mental health representation and covers difficult topics in a way that’s easy to digest. I loved Lorna’s character development and how the author balanced the ongoing story with her wellness journey. It wasn’t all about her wellness retreat, but we were able to see obvious growth as time went on. The pacing was well done and I felt that this story moved exactly as it should’ve.
Dual timeline is sometimes hit or miss for me but it worked incredibly well in this story. I loved how as Lorna opened her “bomb shelter” we got more pieces of her past. It was so clever and kept me on the edge of my seat!
This was a beautiful representation of how hard and how long you have to work to forgive and grieve others in your life. As Lorna moved through her list, I was struck by how much her healing journey and her apology tour meant to her and meant to me as a reader.
Bean was such a great counterpart for Lorna and I loved how much fun he brought to the story. His encouragement to see things in a more simple and loving way meant just as much to Lorna’s character growth as her wellness retreat.
I listened as an audiobook and loved the narrator. I would honestly highly recommend as an audiobook. The narrator’s different tones and character voices brought Lorna to life and made it so much easier to connect with the story.
This is a seriously solid read you don’t want to miss, especially if you love audiobooks!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
September 24, 2025
This book is a touching and heartfelt story of self-growth and healing. The chapters felt a bit long for my personal reading style because I usually prefer shorter, fast-paced chapters; this did not take away from the messages at the heart of the story. The dual timelines, moving between the present and the past, were sometimes challenging for me to follow, but that was due more to my own attention span than to the writing itself.
As a child and a young adult, Lorna Lott always had to play second fiddle and felt less important within her family because of her older sister Kristen's addiction and all of the problems that came along with that addiction. This has made Lorna rigid and untrusting. The essence of this is the story of a woman learning to finally forgive herself for not being able to save her sister from lifelong drug abuse. This was interesting to me because Lorna was the younger sister she still felt responsible for her older sister.
With the help of a little charming eight-year-old neighbor from across the hall, nicknamed Bean, she begins a journey toward acceptance, healing, and opening herself to connections again because she has been a loner for a long time. Bean, with his unfiltered honesty and humor, was an enjoyable character who brought joy to the story. I often found myself smiling at many of the things that he would say.
The book beautifully weaves together themes of grief, forgiveness, acceptance, love, family, addiction, anger, and ultimately, letting go. The author tells a story of complex characters and facing painful realities while still leaving room for humor and compassion. The struggles that Lorna experiences are depicted with raw honesty, especially the lifelong impact of her sister’s addiction and how it shaped her sense of self and trust in others. Overall, this is a funny, heartwarming, and sentimental story. I am happy that Lorna did the hard work that it took to truly live fully again.
As a child and a young adult, Lorna Lott always had to play second fiddle and felt less important within her family because of her older sister Kristen's addiction and all of the problems that came along with that addiction. This has made Lorna rigid and untrusting. The essence of this is the story of a woman learning to finally forgive herself for not being able to save her sister from lifelong drug abuse. This was interesting to me because Lorna was the younger sister she still felt responsible for her older sister.
With the help of a little charming eight-year-old neighbor from across the hall, nicknamed Bean, she begins a journey toward acceptance, healing, and opening herself to connections again because she has been a loner for a long time. Bean, with his unfiltered honesty and humor, was an enjoyable character who brought joy to the story. I often found myself smiling at many of the things that he would say.
The book beautifully weaves together themes of grief, forgiveness, acceptance, love, family, addiction, anger, and ultimately, letting go. The author tells a story of complex characters and facing painful realities while still leaving room for humor and compassion. The struggles that Lorna experiences are depicted with raw honesty, especially the lifelong impact of her sister’s addiction and how it shaped her sense of self and trust in others. Overall, this is a funny, heartwarming, and sentimental story. I am happy that Lorna did the hard work that it took to truly live fully again.
November 12, 2025
Finished this book in a day. I absolutely love characters that have a hard shell and come off strong then work through their issues throughout the book. I have a special soft spot for this topic since my brother struggled with addiction for years and years before coming clean, and though he was clean he passed away suddenly this year (reasons why aren’t clear, but he had many health issues due to years of drug addiction). I haven’t read many fiction books about the sibling of an addict, it felt too close to home. Though this was incredibly sad and the main character had a much more dramatic family life than me, I absolutely related to the struggles of a sibling of an addict. Thankfully I had my faith, better coping skills and a strong support system (including my incredible parents), but I relate to wanting to isolate and the impact addiction has on an entire family. I felt the seriousness of the topics were so well balanced by the unexpected relationship with her 8 year old neighbor who also lost his mom, and some other humorous and light moments and hopeful ending. Truly this was such a wonderful book for me specifically, and I would love to discuss with anyone else who read the book.
Read
September 1, 2025Julia London’s new novel, "Everything is Probably Fine." follows Lorna Lott, a high-achieving sales executive who throws her anger around nearly indiscrimately, leading to an ultimatium from her boss: attend a month-long, company-funded wellness retreat, or lose her job. While navigating her way through the retreat, Lorna begins to confront her past family trauma, befriends her 8-year-old neighbor, and even finds a potential romance.
The story has heart and explores real themes of forgiveness and healing that will be meaningful for many readers, especially those who have been touched by addiction. Three things held me back from delivering a five-star rating, however:
• Lorna’s anger feels more like a constant distraction than a believable reflection of past trauma. I just couldn't quite connect the dots between the two convincingly.
• The healing process is presented in ways that aren’t realistic — few people get a luxury, all-expenses-paid retreat courtesy of their boss, for example. Fiction can be outlandish as long as it sticks the landing, and I just didn't necessarily feel that was the case here.
• I found it interesting that Julia London introduced the side plots of caring for a child and becoming romantically entangled. I felt there was enough for Lorna to sort out on her own without needing to carry this extra emotional weight for others.
I felt the audiobook was professionally produced, but the narrator’s abrasive tone in delivering Lorna's lines made the character's volatility even harder to sit with, and I found myself reluctant to return to it.
Bottom line: "Everything Is Probably Fine" delivers warmth and optimism, but if you’re looking for a realistic take on healing from trauma, this one may feel more polished than authentic.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse Audiobooks, and Julia London for an advance copy for honest review.
The story has heart and explores real themes of forgiveness and healing that will be meaningful for many readers, especially those who have been touched by addiction. Three things held me back from delivering a five-star rating, however:
• Lorna’s anger feels more like a constant distraction than a believable reflection of past trauma. I just couldn't quite connect the dots between the two convincingly.
• The healing process is presented in ways that aren’t realistic — few people get a luxury, all-expenses-paid retreat courtesy of their boss, for example. Fiction can be outlandish as long as it sticks the landing, and I just didn't necessarily feel that was the case here.
• I found it interesting that Julia London introduced the side plots of caring for a child and becoming romantically entangled. I felt there was enough for Lorna to sort out on her own without needing to carry this extra emotional weight for others.
I felt the audiobook was professionally produced, but the narrator’s abrasive tone in delivering Lorna's lines made the character's volatility even harder to sit with, and I found myself reluctant to return to it.
Bottom line: "Everything Is Probably Fine" delivers warmth and optimism, but if you’re looking for a realistic take on healing from trauma, this one may feel more polished than authentic.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse Audiobooks, and Julia London for an advance copy for honest review.
April 8, 2025
Everything is Probably Fine was not what I expected— and it was perfect.
I’m so happy to be able to give this one five stars because somewhere along the way I realized that it would be five stars or one. What will happen to the dumpster fire that is Lorna Lott’s life?? Lorna is a 43yr old very successful business woman who is out of step with people and a constant threat of bubbling over with pent up rage. In a mortifying misstep involving the wrong email attachment, Lorna’s personal issues are laid excruciatingly bare for her whole team and leaders which lands her in a mandatory 30 day suspension with paid daily therapy at a snazzy new health clinic in town. She begrudgingly agrees to a self help month, and along the way, she meets unlikely friends and learns to open herself up to love again.
This book was so well done— the author projected Lorna so well off the page that while she was burning in self loathing, the reader couldn’t help but loathe her too. In the first two chapters, I nearly put down the book because Lorna was so unlikeable. I’m so glad I kept going. As someone who has gone through the hard process of addressing childhood trauma, it would be nearly impossible to do all the work of that in a thirty day sabbatical from work (even if it were your full time job), BUT the content rings true in a way that allowed me to suspend my disbelief. The self loathing before, the messy middle, and the expansive after were all so clearly described by the author that it didn’t matter how long she was suggesting it happened, the experience Lorna went through felt so very real to the reader. The growth was so palpable and beautiful to be part of.
I would caution readers who are dealing with unresolved childhood trauma. If the healing felt real — the childhood trauma passages felt doubly so. This would have been such a difficult read for me prior to years of therapy- the trauma descriptions were particularly realistic and would have triggered the heck out of me.
I would like to thank Harper Muse and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m so happy to be able to give this one five stars because somewhere along the way I realized that it would be five stars or one. What will happen to the dumpster fire that is Lorna Lott’s life?? Lorna is a 43yr old very successful business woman who is out of step with people and a constant threat of bubbling over with pent up rage. In a mortifying misstep involving the wrong email attachment, Lorna’s personal issues are laid excruciatingly bare for her whole team and leaders which lands her in a mandatory 30 day suspension with paid daily therapy at a snazzy new health clinic in town. She begrudgingly agrees to a self help month, and along the way, she meets unlikely friends and learns to open herself up to love again.
This book was so well done— the author projected Lorna so well off the page that while she was burning in self loathing, the reader couldn’t help but loathe her too. In the first two chapters, I nearly put down the book because Lorna was so unlikeable. I’m so glad I kept going. As someone who has gone through the hard process of addressing childhood trauma, it would be nearly impossible to do all the work of that in a thirty day sabbatical from work (even if it were your full time job), BUT the content rings true in a way that allowed me to suspend my disbelief. The self loathing before, the messy middle, and the expansive after were all so clearly described by the author that it didn’t matter how long she was suggesting it happened, the experience Lorna went through felt so very real to the reader. The growth was so palpable and beautiful to be part of.
I would caution readers who are dealing with unresolved childhood trauma. If the healing felt real — the childhood trauma passages felt doubly so. This would have been such a difficult read for me prior to years of therapy- the trauma descriptions were particularly realistic and would have triggered the heck out of me.
I would like to thank Harper Muse and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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