Unfinished Business

by Clare Osongco

Perfect for fans of Kirsty Greenwood’s THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE and Ashley Poston’s THE DEAD ROMANTICS, Clare Osongco’s UNFINISHED BUSINESS follows a struggling 27-year-old office worker who realizes her recently deceased mother’s ghost is trapped in the Slack server of their shared workplace, and whose quest to free her mother leads her into a love triangle with two men at the company who might be able to help: the childhood friend her mom never approved of, and the hot but vaguely sinister new junior executive.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal

Paperback

Expected publication July 14, 2026

About the author

Clare Osongco is a mixed Filipino American author living in Los Angeles who likes to write about falling in love, messy family relationships, and ghosts. She is the author of the young adult romance Midnights With You. Her adult rom com debut, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, is forthcoming from Dell in summer 2026. You can find her on Instagram at @clareosongco.

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may think this is a book about a ghost haunting Slack. You may think it's a romance featuring a High Value Man™. It's actually about the horrors of capitalism.

I should backtrack. Ruby is a mixed race Filipina American whose mom died at work. After the funeral, Ruby moves home and takes a job with the same company. She uses her personal Slack channel to leave herself notes. One day, in doing so, her dead mother messages her back.

Enter leading men. There's Mark, her new superior. Very rich, very tall, very white. Mom approves. There is childhood bestie Greg. Mom does not approve. And I knew where this was going before we even got that explanation. Mom married white. She also wants daughter to marry white, for better opportunities. Even though white husband/dad left them. But I don't like to talk about sperm donors.

In between all this there is a corporate conspiracy occurring. Layoffs are looming. Unions are forming. And Ruby gets stuck between Mark and Greg. What is the right choice? What is the easy choice?

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is “mom’s ghost trapped in slack server” if not love persevering???

Grief and the things we leave unfinished perseveres most literally in Clare Osongco’s adult romance debut, Unfinished Business, a story involving mothers and daughters and the weight of carrying around our ghosts (of the literal and metaphorical variety). Not everyone wants to be haunted by the ghost of their recently departed mother on the company Slack server and Ruby Ocampo will do anything to resolve her mother’s unfinished business. Even going so far as to put her life into upheaval to satisfy the desires of the newly not-so departed. Life and legacy are complex things and Clare Osongco’s, Unfinished Business grapples with both while serving up an office romance triangle and corporate chaos. As her protagonist sifts through a complicated parental relationship, Osongco builds out an inventive love triangle. Will it be the new junior exec with a passing resemblance to Jacob Elordi or a second chance romance with a friend from childhood? Osongco lets the romance emerge where you’d never expect: Slack check-ins, trivia confessions, and food cooked in secret. Unfinished Business’s romance is perfection but so is its essential framing. Slack haunting as the vehicle for examining how parental expectations and control manifest how we view ourselves and what we are allowed to reach for is not only ingenious, but makes for a deeply moving character study. Unfinished Business is witty, romantic, and emotional and Osongco’s humor cuts through intense moments of grief and hardship with startling complexity. Osongco balances it all with such skill, crafting a multifaceted romance that mirrors life in all its minutiae. Ghosts included.

knew when i saw the thatcher biography that [redacted] was so over.

Bookstagram | Blog

[Azanta (azantareads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars // finally a workplace romance with stakes, except with more of an emphasis on the workplace drama and the romance takes a little bit more of a backseat in what shapes up to be a story that you would’ve NEVER expected from the description of this book. in fact, go into it blind! i would say if you love Sarah Hogle’s humor/style of writing, a little bit of magical realism in your romances, and a little bit of grief mixed in with your stories, then this is the book for you. the Ashley Poston comp is pretty spot on. what a delightful and strange time i had. i read this in pretty much one sitting, really could not put it down. and: shoutout to the unbelievably hardworking immigrant moms who love us in the best way that they can 🫶🏽

[Emily Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the great honor of reading an early version of this story and am SO excited for the world to get to read Osongco's adult debut. Fans of MIDNIGHTS WITH YOU will appreciate the emotional depth and true-to-life relationship dynamics (both romantic, familial, and platonic), but UNFINISHED BUSINESS brings a whole new level of unhinged humor and satirical commentary to her body of work. The love triangle will make you scream and cackle, there's an unhinged sequence in Vegas that I can't stop thinking about, and the ending is one of my favorites I've read in a long time—both surprising and so, so satisfying. Put it on your radar now!!!

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to be trusted with reading an early copy of this book and I blew through it in like two days. Trust me when I say I still think about it ALL THE TIME. I laughed out loud. I had gut-clenching aches when reading certain lines that just made me feel seen. I marveled at the creative hijinks Clare put these characters through. My hand flew to my mouth at the passion. I just kept having to know what happened next, and when I got to the end, I cried?? Like I was watching a TV show I loved that just ended?? Clare is a generational talent who is brilliant, hilarious, and will make you fly through her pages like nobody's business. The only unfinished business I have is to read this again multiple times. Can't wait for the world to get their hands and eyes on this one.

[Ally Eldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC!

There was definitely a lot going on - a dead mom stuck in a server, love interests and business matters to keep straight, but it all tied together so well in the end. A great read, especially right before Valentine’s Day and right after Halloween. Definitely on my list of re-reads for sure, I could not put it down.

[carthi ♡]

⋆˙⟡ — 18/07/2025: ˙⊹

new clare osongco book!!!!! and its her adult debut?! AKDJDBJDCSJDCJDC I WONDER HOW MUCH I'LL BE CRYING THIS TIME AROUND hahaha... who am i kidding i'll be crying bucket loads lol. whatever it is, my heart is yours to break miss clare 🫡 also its similar to dead romantics?? EVERYONE ADD TO YOUR TBRS NOW!! only *checks calendar* 382 days to go!!

[Adelene Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, I should've DNF'd this 😢

[Rayo Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinion.

Your mom dies at work, a job she has spent almost her entire life at, underappreciated... and then she's stuck in the office's Slack! 😂 Her daughter ends up working at the same job, logs on to her personal Slack chat, sends a message, and surprisingly, somebody replies!

Ahh I love the concept!! It kept me on my toes, I wanted to know what's up buttt I didn't anticipate the way our FMC would react... did she ghost her own mother? 🙂

If you were given the opportunity to talk to your parent one more time after they have passed what will you say and what will you do? I felt she should've had something more to say, not just pushing her out of sight and mind like she didn't exist. In my opinion, she should've used that opportunity to stand up to her mother!

I love the way the author weaved in elements of mystery, the love triangle, and a second chance 😉. It was well done!! And as with Clare's books, they tackle heavy themes such as suicidal attempt, loss of a parent, attempting and failing to meet parental demands... not so healthy parenting dynamic, so do take care while reading.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! While I didn't really click with the love interest, every other thing was on point. The workplace drama was 🔥 and I laughed at the antics of the FMC's mother, like when she said she figured out how to take a screenshot 😂😂😂. Thank you once again for the e-ARC!

[pri · Rating 5 out of 5]

“big on pointing, this guy!”

UNFINISHED BUSINESS 👻💻 by clare osongco

if i told you that seeing the words “sampaguita”, “Ate”, “lumpia”, and “Tita” in a published novel would make me cry… would you judge me?

UNFINISHED BUSINESS is filled with heart, humor, grief, and a crazy glitch in the system (that, while i LOVE my mother, i’m unsure if i’d want her seeing how unproductive i am at work)! Ruby Ocampo is back home: working at the same company her mother raved about, working at the same company her ex-best friend (an unrequited crush) works at, working at the same company a new hotshot VP is in charge of, and working at the same company her mom… died at. when Ruby finds out that her private slack channel is haunted by her mother, the same Filipino mother that uses critiques as a form of love that had died barely four months before, this can get… a little crazy!!

notable characters you will love:
💜 Ruby Ocampo, commonly mistaken for the only other Asian girl at work; professional sleeper; makes lists and has “BE SOCIAL AND NORMAL”on her list
💜 Greg De Leon, her former best friend, son of her mother’s best friend, and the current recipient of Ruby’s unrequited crush. (talk about the past coming back to haunt you); owner of dimple
💜 Mark Winterson, new member at work; afraid of elevators; does not like people touching his stuff; gift giving as a love language (oh also, he looks like your resident 6’7 australian actor that is somehow in every movie)

WELCOME BACK LOVE TRIANGLES!!!! + welcome back YEARNING!!!!

this book is for every single person that puts too much pressure on themselves to be something their not for the people they love. the people that love you…love you for you. remember that. always.

signed, president of the I LOVE GREG DE LEON fan club

OUT JULY 14, 2026!

x pri

[Madison Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
3/5 stars

Unfinished Business follows Ruby, who unexpectedly loses her mother and moves back home, taking a job at the same company her mom worked for. While navigating grief, work, and old and new relationships, Ruby realizes her mom is replying in her Slack chats. At the same time, she reconnects with her childhood friend and former crush, Greg, and begins developing a romantic connection with the company’s new executive, Mark Winterson 👫👔

I really loved the concept behind this story. The office setting felt relatable, and I appreciated how grounded the work environment was, it’s easy to picture yourself in Ruby’s shoes 💼. I especially enjoyed the second half of the book once the plot settled into its rhythm.

That said, I struggled a bit at the beginning. I had a hard time rooting for any of the characters early on, as none of them felt especially likable at first.

There were also a lot of brand-name references throughout the book, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. I never realized how much more generic descriptions keep the focus stays on the characters and emotions.

Some moments felt rushed or and could have used some more build up, particularly instances where Ruby would snap emotionally without much buildup, which left me slightly confused 🗣️.

That said, I genuinely went back and forth on who I wanted Ruby to end up with, which kept me invested and curious to see how things would play out 💕

Overall, an enjoyable read with a creative premise, and a strong second novel 😊

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

[Doc Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be honest, when I first started reading and it clearly became a book where I had to suspend my own ideas of reality, I began to enjoy it so much. The story involves a young woman, raised by her single mom who instilled in her some really difficult life goals and lessons in which to follow. They have a complicated relationship, but everything changes in a blink of an eye, and Ruby needs to learn how to live without her mom, while simultaneously. living up to mom's difficult expectation, as well as finding her own way in the world. Ruby realizes that her mom is trapped between her live and her passing and sets out to unlock the code that will allow her mom to finally, totally, rest in peace. What is her mom still trying to say to Ruby? What does Ruby learn about her mom and about their relationship, that unlocks freeing information for them both? As Ruby navigates her grief, she revisits her life by moving home to the house she grew up in, gets a job at the same company where mom worked, and reconnects with her past... What does Ruby need to learn about her adult relationships? This book proved to be very surprisingly touching and fun to read. I was provided with an ARC by the author but the review is totally my own,

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

𝓐𝓻𝓬 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
📚𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
✍️𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝐵𝑦 𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑂𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑐𝑜
🗓𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆 : 14𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲
✨️𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 : 2.5 ★★

Thank you so much NetGalley for the E-ARC.

𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
It was not a bad book, but it did not fully meet my expectations. The premise is unique and engaging. A girl joins the same corporate company her mother once worked at and died in, only to discover that her mother’s spirit is somehow trapped in the company’s Slack. She decides to complete her mother’s unfinished business to help set her free, including dating someone in a higher tax bracket.

The story starts strong and is interesting in the beginning. The pacing improves after a few chapters, but around the middle it begins to feel slow and slightly dragged out. It picks up again later, though the overall structure feels uneven, especially with 57 chapters.

The romance was the main drawback for me. There are two potential love interests, her childhood best friend Greg and a new executive, Mark Winterson. I found more chemistry with Mark, while the connection with Greg felt flat. The relationship she ultimately ends up in was not very convincing, and the romantic development felt limited. It was also quite predictable.
I expected more focus on the mystery surrounding her mother’s unfinished business, possibly involving all the main characters, but the story takes a different direction. While it was not a bad choice, it was not what I personally wanted from the book.

The strongest part of the story is Ruby’s relationship with her mother. It feels realistic and relatable, especially within an Asian family dynamic. For an adult romance, it did not fully feel like one. The characters are adults, but the emotional and romantic depth did not reflect that strongly.

Overall, it is a decent and fairly enjoyable read with an interesting concept, but not very memorable. I would rate it around 2 to 2.5 stars.

[Lra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby Ocampo juró que nunca terminaría atrapada en TKCORP como su madre. Por eso se fue lejos, construyó una vida en Nueva York y trató de ignorar la culpa que siempre la seguía de regreso a casa. Pero después de una tragedia inesperada, vuelve a California y acaba trabajando en la misma corporación que consumió a su mamá durante décadas.

Rodeada de oficinas grises, compañeros que la miran con lástima y recuerdos que no dejan de perseguirla, Ruby intenta sobrevivir a un empleo que ya la está agotando. Lo último que necesita es reencontrarse con Greg, el chico que le rompió el corazón en la preparatoria o llamar la atención de Mark Winterson, un ejecutivo nuevo demasiado carismático para ser de confianza.

Entonces empiezan a aparecer mensajes extraños en su cuenta de Slack. Mensajes que nadie debería poder escribir. Mensajes que conocen secretos de su infancia, pensamientos que jamás dijo en voz alta y detalles que solo una persona podría reconocer.

____

Desde la primera vez entendí el nombre de Mark Winterson, no se tenía que repetir una y otra vez.

[Jovdb · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging story of a mother’s death and the unresolved issues between her and her daughter.

When Ruby’s mother dies, Ruby returns home. She lives in her old home, gets a job at the same company where her mother had worked. Ruby is shocked, stunned, surprised, when her mother responds to Ruby's texts on the company’s Slack programme.

As her mother continues to enter texts, criticisms of Ruby’s choices, Ruby turns to her aunt Wendy, a psychic, and Wendy’s son, Greg, an old flame.

Wendy says that Ruby’s mother has unfinished business and that is why she still lingers. Ruby tries to discover just what is keeping her mother in the present. As she evaluates her life choices, and those that have disappointed her mother, her life gets very interesting. Just what is it that Ruby needs to do, achieve, or change, to help her mother take that next step?

A quick, quirky, read.

[Addison Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

I’ve had the pleasure to receive this arc from Net Galley, and I promise to write a honest review!!

I truly loved this story! It made me laugh, and the concept of a haunted workplace and slack channel intrigued me! It’s a story about finding yourself, making mistakes, love, and family! The ending with her Mom was everything I needed and I loved it!

However, this book was pretty slow in the beginning and heavily focused on work. Huge Mark hater and I love Greg! It was a “always been you” and “second chance” love and they are everything to me! I also loved all the friendships Ruby made with her co workers! Halfway through I was rooting for Sarah and Ruby to just run away because both boys were sucking! 😂

I recommend this book for a fun time and a heartwarming story! Thank you Net Galley and Clare! 💞

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I heard the premise of Unfinished Business, I knew that I had to read it and it absolutely did not disappoint. Ever since I read I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue, I wasn't sure if I would ever find another humorous workplace book, but Clare Osongco really hit the mark. There was a lot going on in the book but I felt that everything tied up nicely in the end and I really loved the FMC's quirkiness. She sometimes drove me crazy, but I still loved her. If only we could all talk to our deceased loved ones through a Slack server. 3

You don't want to miss this one when it releases on August 4th! I need at least one person to read this so I have someone to talk about it with.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the gifted ARC!

This was such a fun and unique read. A mom’s ghost stuck in a company Slack? Such an entertaining premise. I laughed more than I probably should have.

Ruby did frustrate me at times. She was a really poor communicator and kept running away to avoid conversations instead of just dealing with things, which made her come off a little immature. I wanted her to handle things differently so many times. It was also hard to watch how she kept treating Greg. I loved him, and he deserved better. I understand she had a lot to work through because of how she was raised, and I was glad to see that growth, but it was still frustrating in the moment.

I did really like how it balanced humor with heavier themes like grief, family expectations, and just figuring out your life. The relationship with her mom felt messy but real, which I appreciated.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and how everything came together. I appreciated the flawed, messy characters, even if they tested me a bit.

[Helen Wu ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

I finished Unfinished Business in two days. This reminds me so much of Black Mirror plus Annie Knows Everything plus Moderation. It is so witty and so gripping. I had to know why, and I had to find out now.

I love the bi racial representation. I think the part that gripped me the most was how relatable it felt. We basically live in Slack at work, with endless Zoom meetings. If I had a choice to Slack my dead dad, I think I would appreciate that opportunity very much.

I loved the love interest and I loved the friendship. I think the ending was a bit rushed, but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just such a fun and funny and unique premise that I just had to read it.

This is a workplace sort of romance, but the FMC's mother's ghost is trapped in the company Slack.

And she needs help to pass on.

This was quick and easy to read.

And I found this super funny. I don't really know if it was supposed to be, but I thought so. I got a little chortle at every mention of the mother in the Slack. I just thought that was so funny and unique. I did think her passing on was cartoonishly funny, a little ridiculous, but I was entertained. And that's what matters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Skye Lynn Montesano · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed unfinished business and it probably would’ve rated it 5 stars but I did get a little bored with the union plot. Mostly I was here for the love triangle and the ghosts! I love the idea of a haunted slack and I’m going to be super disappointed tomorrow when I send myself a DM on retail Zipline and the ghost of a dead relative doesn’t message me back. I went back and forth between rooting for Greg and Mark… yes I know there is a clear right choice here but I would have absolutely fallen for Mark if I was in Ruby’s position. Overall a really quick and fun read! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

[Catherine Koep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this early through NetGalley and absolutely loved it. The FMC’s struggle with living up to her mother’s expectations felt incredibly real, and I was fully invested in her journey as she began questioning what she truly wanted for herself. Watching her step outside her comfort zone and grow into her own perspective was both emotional and satisfying.

While a few moments were frustrating, they felt intentional and made the payoff even stronger. The character growth was well done, and the resolution felt earned. This was a thoughtful, engaging read that I’d highly recommend.

[SuzieQuzie7973 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine and Clare Osongco for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest opinions and thoughts.

Unfinished Business is phenomenally written. It's a hilarious, quick, chaotic workplace Rom-Com. The concept is deliciously unique. The character development and world building are excellent. Our FMC, Ruby, is very relatable, even with all the shenanigans. Everything ties up so eloquently by the end.

I highly recommend that y'all get y'alls hands on this book. Trust me, y'all won't regret it.

[Ann Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfinished Business is exactly the kind of magical realism I love—one that takes something painfully mundane and elevates it into something just absurd enough to expose the emotional truth underneath. A dead mother haunting her former company’s Slack channel is such a sharp premise, but Clare Osongco uses it to tell a story that’s funny, cutting, romantic, and genuinely moving. With humor that slices cleanly through the grief and plenty of razor-sharp commentary on capitalism and work culture, Unfinished Business completely won me over.

[zai · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh OH

i went in having a specific idea about the plot but the way this did a whole 180, blew my mind, i love clare's writing style, how well fleshed out all her characters are, and how beautifully she portrays mother-daughter relationships (various kinds, at different ages), i will review it properly, in a few days, or maybe closer to the release, but you definitely want to add this to your tbr !!

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for allowing me to receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Honestly this book hit a bit closer to home than I thought it would. I loved the witty dialog and the smooth pacing. Maybe a bit spoilery, but the analogy she used for depression and grief were spot on for me. I really enjoyed this and will definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually a fan of magical realism but this book was a hoot! Ruby works at TCKORP when she begins getting "messages" online from her dead mother.Torn between two men: Mark, the new head of sales, and Greg, her old high school boyfriend, she is confused as her mother favors one but Ruby isn't sure who to trust as mom is clearly dead! It's a fun and fast novel that moves quickly but with grace and I laughed out loud several times!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Jessica Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written mix of rom com with paranormal, Unfinished Business was a good time. The main character, Ruby, feels like she has a lot to prove to satisfy her mom’s ghost dwelling in her work’s server, while discovering herself in the process. Ruby also uncovers secrets of everyone around her, putting herself in some serious predicaments.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Dell and the author for the opportunity to review this book.

[Fabs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was really good in the beginning, and then as it started to develop, it felt like it got really wild, especially towards the end. Overall, I enjoyed the read just wish it didn’t feel so frantic and rushed at the end.

[Carolyn Huynh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the honor of reading a very early draft and was swept away by the humor, tenderness, romance!!, grief, and corporate girlie ennui. Can't wait for this to come out.