You’ll Love It Here

by Natalie Sue

From the bestselling author of I Hope This Finds You Well comes a sharply funny, surprisingly tender novel about a woman stuck in place, her nosy neighbors, and the journey to find where she belongs—with all the heart of a grown-up The Breakfast Club.

Mona thought her living situation was bad… but the real mess is just beginning.

One day is all it takes for Mona’s life to implode. After years of climbing at her marketing firm, she was supposed to be getting promoted and finally moving out of her crumbling apartment building. Instead, she’s jobless, aimless, and still stuck in a space barely big enough for a yoga mat.

Then her eccentric landlady takes a tumble and asks Mona to step in as the building’s reluctant super. The deal is simple: help prep the place for sale, and she can secure the upgrade she’s been chasing. But that’s easier said than done when the neighbors treat “boundaries” as optional. There’s the shouting couple, the mysterious shut-in, a possible panty thief in the laundry room—and Sami, the relentlessly cheerful diner owner who keeps showing up with coffee and unsolicited ideas about community. As Mona gets pulled deeper into the building’s chaos—and closer to the people inside it—she’s forced to confront what, and who, she’s really been trying to outrun. Sometimes, the place you’re desperate to leave is the one that finally shows you who you are.

Wise, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny, Natalie Sue’s sophomore novel is a story about burning out, starting over, and finding your people in the most unexpected places—perfect for fans of The Wedding People and Anxious People.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Adult, Chick Lit, Literary Fiction, Womens Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

NATALIE SUE is the Canadian internationally bestselling and award-winning author. Her debut novel I Hope This Finds You Well was the winner of the 2025 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and the Alberta Literary Award for Fiction, and was a finalist for the Amazon Canada First Novel Award. She lives in Calgary with her husband, daughter, and dog.
You can find her on Instagram @natwrotewhat

Reviews

[MagretFume · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored it. It's a beautiful chronic of modern life in the city  and everyday adversity. 

It's deeply funny, full of feelings and growth, and never preachy. The characters are interesting, layered and colourful. 

The journey Mona goes through, both in her ambitions and her relationship with others, really resonated with me and I think will be really relatable to a lot of people.  

I loved I Hope This Finds You Well and this one is even better. Nathalie Sue is a genius. 

Thank you William Morrow for this ARC.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit from Natalie Sue!

I absoloutly loved Natalie Sue's last book, I Hope This Finds You Well. While it looked like just your basic office comedy, it ended up being about how misfits don't fit in, and all have stories to tell.

Natalie Sue’s latest novel, You'll Love It Here is a mix of the same. Itis a biting and soulful inventory of a life in freefall. It captures the vertigo of watching a meticulously planned future vanish in an afternoon, only to realize you are still standing in the exact same spot where you began.

Mona’s unraveling is an explosion. With her career aspirations on pause, she remains tethered to a living space that mirrors her internal state: neglected and stagnant. The story shifts when Mona is coerced into becoming the reluctant property manager of her own decaying apartment complex, with dreams of fast tracking into a much nicer complex. Thinking she will no emotional attachment to her neighnors, she does what she can, even if it means betraying them in the process.

The building acts as a vibrant ecosystem populated by a collection of misfits: The neighbors are a chaotic group of bickering couples and suspected basement thieves. A nice whodunnit which will make you laugh.
The decaying building itself is a labyrinth of leaky pipes that forces Mona to dismantle her own emotional defenses.

Along comes Sami, the resident hot local diner owner whose cheer serves as the perfect abrasive to Mona’s dry cynicism.

What begins as a tale of professional burnout deepens into an exploration of class and ambition. As Mona navigates the needs of neighbors she once dismissed, the novel questions if moving up is the only way to measure success.

Grounded by irony and fast paced prose, the story balances absurdity with emotional weight. It suggests that growth does not always require forward motion. Sometimes it comes from finally looking at what has been right in front of you all along.

Natalie Sue sure knows how to write books about misfits in the vein of Fredrik Backman.

[Marlaina Kaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely collection of characters in this book! I really loved Natalie Sue’s first book and this one is a nice follow up (though I Hope This Finds You Well is still my fav). Good balance of humor, tenderness, uncomfortable misunderstandings, self-realization, and a bit of romance — not easy to do!

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Danielle D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved I Hope This Finds You Well, and somehow this book is even better. I laughed out loud multiple times, and despite how funny it was, it also managed to be emotional and genuinely heartwarming. All loose ends were wrapped up beautifully, making the whole story feel incredibly satisfying.

I received an arc of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky characters turned found family with a generous dose of humor seems to be Natalie Sue’s formula and it works for her. If you enjoyed her debut, I Hope This Finds You Well, I anticipate you’ll love this one too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayda Noelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so heartfelt! Like a warm hug.
Mona is seriously so witty and funny! She had me cracking up from the very beginning. I love that this was sort of chaotic with all the quirky characters of the building, but also slow moving in that Mona learns a new pace in life after her plans for her future changed so abruptly. I love a book with character development and self-realization.
Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the early eARC ❤️

[Jenny Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
This book completely exceeded my expectations. It was funny, heartwarming, and full of characters who felt so real and bursting with personality. I loved seeing so many different types of people come together and form meaningful friendships - it was exactly the type of story I needed. By the end of the book I felt myself wishing I could go visit the diner and even spend time in the apartment building! This book felt cozy, uplifting, and genuinely joyful to read.

[Alyssa Angell · Rating 4 out of 5]

** ARC copy review **

This was a fun little story - really enjoyed the set up and pace of this book! Predictable ending, but fun romcom vibes. The female lead is relatable and the cast of characters is quirky and fun. Less romance and more just a fun fiction story with a little romance. Friends to lovers, found family, a funky old building, and a fish that doesn’t quit.

Swears: High
Spice: None

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that if you wanna keep something, it’s worth a little extra love.”

I had an opportunity to arc read this book on Net Galley.

The setup of our story:
- Our main gal works in the rat race of the corporate world.
- Lives in an apartment building that has seen better days and has some unique tenants.
- Is forced to take a mental health leave of absence.
- Makes a secret deal (behind the back of the current land lady) to get the apartment complex ready to be sold in exchange for an upgraded place to call home.
- The dilemma = she has to keep it a secret, start talking to the neighbors she has avoided for 5 years, and get the tenants to cooperate.

I loved learning about all the quirkiness of this community and “not so fresh” building. There are quirky residents, weird smells, budding friendships, a cute love interest, and a lots of things to be sorry for (you’ll find out when you read!).

This is the first book I have read by Natalie Sue, and definitely won’t be the last.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Natalie Sue's debut I Hope This Finds You Well so I was really looking forward to her sophomore novel You'll Love It Here.

There were aspects of this story that I enjoyed. The beginning started strong and I was intrigued right away by Mona and her kooky neighbors. I adored the supporting cast of characters – this seems to be a strong spot for the author as also displayed in her debut. I loved getting to know them better throughout the story and seeing how Mona's relationship and impression of them each changed and evolved over-time.

Unfortunately, there were a few things that didn't work for me. I didn't get the chemistry between Mona and Sami. Something about the writing didn't feel as strong here as it did in the author's debut. I felt my attention starting to wane and I ended up skimming towards the end to finish. Maybe there were too many things going on? I'm not sure.

I'm bummed I didn't like this one more despite enjoying aspects of it. As I mentioned, I did really enjoy the author's debut so I will definitely check out whatever she writes next. Maybe this was just a blimp for me.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Meshari.m · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved I Hope This Finds You Well, so of course I had to read this ASAP.
One thing about Natalie Sue, she writes character development very well. Mona’s journey from being avoidant to bonding with the community and her mother was heartening, as well as navigating the grief she’s been holding for so long. One of my favorite things was the way she balances heavy topics with heartwarming and hilarious moments. I’ll definitely continue to read her next books <3

Many thanks to NetGalley providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Lilly Malardie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I tell you this book made me LAUGH out loud, I had tears streaming down my face throughout this book. This was such an easy, funny and at the same time, deep book that I will recommend to anyone. This was the first time reading a novel by Natalie Sue, and it certainly will not be my last.

Thank you Harper Collin’s and Netgalley for an opportunity to read this advanced copy!!

[Rachel Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cozy and fun, I couldn’t put it down. Loved it!

[Kasey Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Natalie Sue’s debut novel, I Hope This Finds You Well was one of my favorite reads of 2024. I honestly couldn’t believe it was a debut and I was so sad that there was nothing else by Natalie for me to dive into! I’ve been impatiently waiting for updates on a second novel and was so excited to be able to read an ARC for it. You’ll Love It Here, publishes this August. 
 
Mona never intended to stay in her current crappy apartment building (that she could barely afford anyways) long term, it was only meant to be a steppingstone until she advanced further career wise. In fact, Mona’s five-year plan DID NOT include: i) still living in said rundown building - which definitely needed some TLC; ii) still having to deal with the weirdo neighbors who also inhabited it and iii) stressing about said promotion, which now might be in jeopardy. When the current elderly landlord takes a fall, her niece asks Mona to help care for the building in her absence in exchange for free rent. Mona accepted the job as a business proposition, something to help advance her plans. But she never expected to actually get to know and care about the people in the building, the ones she used to think were a bunch of weirdos. Okay, to be fair …some of them are. She’s starting to realize the community she’s had behind her this entire time, and hoping it’s not too late to fight for the things that actually matter.  
 
✨Apartment Living
✨ Found Family
✨ Community
✨ Small Business Owners
✨ Work Burnout
✨ Grief
 
Mona is a character I think a lot of young working professionals can relate to. You graduate college and expect that you’re whole life is going to change – and it does, just maybe not in the way you’d expect it. I remember graduating college and still not really knowing what I really wanted to do with my life. On top of that, you now owe back a mountain of student loan debt while making the bottom of the barrel money starting your first adult job. For most, money is tight. Mona made a strict plan not to go over her budget until she got the promotion that would allow her the lifestyle upgrade she wanted. But sometimes we forget life still happens between point A and point B, and work shouldn’t be all consuming. For Mona it takes stepping away for a little while for her to understand that a work and life balance must coexist.
 
Mona’s storyline with her father won’t be relatable with every reader, but it was a reality that closely mimicked my own storyline with my dad. Speaking from my own experience, grief isn’t always an immediate thing, especially when the feelings surrounding a situation are so complex. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is, however, important, once the grief hits to allow yourself to grieve in proper and healthy ways.
 
The side characters in this story were all A+, which really played into the whole apartment living feel. Apartment living is NOT for the weak. For those of you that know, know. Honestly, it’s a different type of lifestyle living LOL. But at the end of the day, it’s also what you make of it. You can absolutely spend your entire apartment living existence hating everyone around you, or you can also make it a community – dealers’ choice!

This was a good second novel from Natalie Sue. I think personally for me it just didn’t deliver as much as her first. It felt like it was missing the humor and playfulness I enjoyed from her first book. Maybe it’s just me, but felt like I spent half of my time going back and forth deciding if I even liked Mona as a character. The chemistry between Sami and Mona was there, it just didn’t feel romantic. I think they would’ve been better off as friends. The one thing that also just kept picking at me the entire book was Sami in his decision between Mona and Irene. During that point in the book, Sami hardly knows Mona and has known Irene for basically his entire life. I don’t want to go into specific details and spoil anything - hopefully it makes sense if you’ve already read or come back to this after reading. Finally the ending felt rushed and fell a little flat because of it.
 
Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley and author Natalie Sue for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for my review.)

Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Spice Level: 1/5
Character Growth: 3/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Humor: 4/5

As Mona's carefully controlled working life spirals out of her control, resulting in a forced "vacation", she finds herself the interim superintendent of her apartment building—complete with quirky neighbors and their array of problems, a building needing some updating, and a guy with great biceps running the diner next door.

I enjoyed riding along with Mona as she got to know her neighbors and learned that climbing the corporate ladder isn't necessarily all there is to life. There were quite a few times I laughed out loud at Mona's inner dialogue because it was so dry and unexpected. I also really loved the cast of characters surrounding Mona. Everyone was introduced as quirky individuals with nicknames (like "Fighting Couple"), but as the story progressed and Mona developed relationships with everyone and learned their names and stories, it felt like the reader developed relationships with them as well. I was also pleased with how the author wrote Mona's relationship with her father—it was handled seriously, and I could definitely get a sense of how his alcoholism affected Mona into her adulthood, but it wasn't an excuse for every single one of Mona's actions.

Ultimately, there were a few things I struggled with that prevent me from giving this a full 5/5 rating. Personally, I found the Sami, the romantic interest, to be to saccharine, goody-two-shoes sweet (and *not* because everybody likes a bad boy!). Mona had more spark with Sami's hilarious father, Abu, than she did with Sami. However, I didn't pick up this novel expecting it to be about a romance, so I'll let this slide (a little). The pacing of the story was also a little too jerky: the first chapter or two dragged on while the six weeks Mona spent off work developing a relationship with everyone flew by, all followed up by a couple of confusing time skips throughout the story. Finally, and most critically, I'm sorry to say that I just didn't like Mona enough to care about her part in the story. She fell into that tricky gray area of existing to narrate and drive the plot line without connecting to the reader. It took too long to even learn what her name was, and, to be honest, I forgot her name a couple of times until another character said it. The book might have benefitted from being written in third person with a bit more expository writing: What was the weather like? How was Mona's apartment decorated aside from her whiteboard? Smells? Sights? Sounds? A lot of this information was lacking that would have brought the reader into the story on a deeper level and helped connect us to Mona.

This was an enjoyable read, and I loved all of the side characters (Ernest the Wiener!) and getting to know everyone. The author developed them really well. If you're looking for an easy, relatively light read with a happy ending, this is for you!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish to express my appreciation to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an advance e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.



Expected publication date is August 11, 2026.



I enjoyed reading You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue. This is a heartwarming read with a lot of heart.



Mona, the protagonist, is working at a soul-crushing marketing job when she makes an inappropriate aside during a business meeting, resulting in a forced leave from work. As if that were not enough, her day continues to unravel when a false fire alarm in her apartment building leads to her landlady taking a fall. Mona may have had something to do with the alarm, which prompts her to make amends by stepping in as the temporary super.



Mona has always viewed her living situation as temporary, keeping her neighbors at arm’s length and even assigning them mocking nicknames. Now, as the interim super, she is forced to interact with them. Ever focused on getting ahead, Mona also sees an opportunity. When the super’s niece, a successful real estate professional, offers her a path to a new apartment in exchange for helping prepare the building for sale, Mona agrees. She also manages to finagle an additional benefit, securing the niece as a potential business client, which she hopes will boost her standing at work. Mona, who has long wanted a better place but is financially stretched due to supporting her mother, eagerly accepts. She knows the current tenants may lose their homes if the building sells, but rationalizes it as business.



What I especially enjoyed was how the author created quirky, sensitive, and interesting characters. At the beginning, Mona comes across as entitled and somewhat dismissive. Through her role as super, she begins to see the humanity in her neighbors. As she gets to know them, she looks beyond their quirks and starts to appreciate them. In some cases, she even admires qualities she once overlooked.



This book is marketed as laugh-out-loud funny, and it delivers. Sue has a talent for creating humor through character and situation. My only small criticism is the use of profanity in places where it felt unnecessary. It did not take away from my overall enjoyment, but I do think the story could have been just as effective without some of the stronger language. I may not be the target audience, but I suspect it could appeal to an even wider readership with a lighter touch in that area.



Nonetheless, I give it a solid 4 stars. It is an engaging and entertaining story that explores community, grief, and self-realization.

[Veronica Salib · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a book that reminds you of Only Murders in the Building, minus the murders, you’ll love it here (pun intended).

I’ll be honest, I had a really hard time starting this book up. I think the first couple of chapters were really slow, but once I got into it, it was hard to put down.

This book follows Mona, a powerful and hardworking marketing manager who is living in, well, a crappy apartment building as a byproduct of having to pay off some of her parents’ debts while saving money and working toward a director position.

Mona lost her dad a few months ago, and their rather complicated relationship meant that the grieving process was pretty much nonexistent. One day, the pent-up grief or tension (or whatever it was) gets the best of he,r and she makes a snappy remark to a client at a meeting, prompting her boss to make her take a leave of absence………which promptly sets Mona off to get drunk and vandalize her apartment lobby, tripping off the fire alarm, and injuring her elderly super in the process.

In an attempt to quell her own guilt and hide the fact that she is responsible, Mona decides to take over the responsibilities for her super, Irene. When Irene’s niece approaches Mona about helping get the building ready to sell to a big real estate company behind Irene’s back in exchange for a nicer apartment and a new work client, it seems like the answer to all of Mona’s problems. But, as Mona gets to know her neighbors and the community, the deal she struck with Irene’s niece feels worse and worse.

The story is filled with eccentric characters and complicated dynamics. It felt like a peek into multiple universes, and I truly enjoyed it. Not only was it funny, but it was heartfelt, emotional, romantic, and poignant. I laughed alongside the crazy personalities in the building, felt the anticipation as the relationship between Mona and Sami evolved, and cried as Mona navigated the grief and anger she felt around her father’s death.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for giving me an eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Alvira Frish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mona, who works at an advertising agency, is forced to take leave from work following a personal loss and finds herself stuck in an apartment in a building she hates, surrounded by neighbors she would much rather avoid. When an unexpected opportunity arises that could bring her closer to her dream apartment elsewhere, it seems like a new path is finally opening up for her. At the same time, she’s required to take responsibility for her current building and get to know all the neighbors she’s spent so long trying to avoid.

This book strongly reminded me of the writing style in the author’s first novel. Once again, at its center is an imperfect heroine - someone who tries to do the right thing even when she doesn’t always succeed, is fully aware of her flaws, and somehow still keeps finding herself in one mess after another.

I really loved the book’s central concept. It felt fresh and original, and the decision to set the story in an apartment building works beautifully. The characters are well written and feel vivid and engaging, and their variety keeps the story compelling through to the end. As in the author’s previous book, the romance here is developing slowly but with confidence.

That said, I felt there were several actions and plot developments that happened without fully satisfying explanations. More than that, the speed and ease with which characters forgive one another still didn’t feel entirely authentic to me. The book builds a genuinely interesting and layered dilemma, and I was very invested in seeing how it would resolve—but when the resolution came, I felt it could be better.

Overall, if you loved the first book, I see no reason you won’t love this one too. The two books share a very similar overall structure and tone. Once again, a strong female lead stands at the center, trying to navigate problems, some of which are of her own making. Expect plenty of humor, emotion, and friendship.
Trigger warnings: Parental loss.

Thanks to Netgalley William Morrow books for the ARC!

[Ariel Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel was extremely predictable; from the opening chapters I felt confident I knew exactly where it was headed, and unfortunately the story unfolded precisely as expected without offering anything particularly interesting or fresh along the way. One of the most distracting elements was the gratuitous use of the f-word—so many sentences followed a repetitive “word, f-word, word” construction for no real reason. Most of the time it wasn’t emphasizing anything that needed emphasis, and instead it made the main character come across as unintelligent and poorly written. Much stronger editing was needed. The main character herself was difficult to tolerate, as she remained relentlessly judgmental through the very end. While she softened toward the other tenants she interacted with, she continued to judge nearly everyone else around her, and if this was meant to make her relatable, it did not succeed for me.

The pacing was another major issue. The story moved painfully slowly, taking a long time to develop, yet paradoxically failing to develop its characters and plot in any meaningful or satisfying way. For all the time spent, very little felt earned, and I found the reading experience genuinely boring—something I don’t say often. The protagonist’s backstory, which should have added emotional depth, felt tacked on and underdeveloped, lacking the emotional weight it clearly aimed for. It felt more like a box being checked than an integral part of the story.

The ending was the strongest section of the book and did manage to hit a few emotional notes that worked reasonably well. However, those moments weren’t enough to compensate for the flatness of the overall experience. In the end, while the conclusion was decent, it couldn’t overcome the predictability, weak character work, and sluggish pacing that defined most of the novel.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it’s something I’m a sucker for, it’s heartfelt, funny stories involving unlikely friends that are just cheesy enough to make me smile without rolling my eyes, and Natalie Sue is showing she’s getting that formula down. Her debut I Hope This Finds You Well was one of my favorite reads of last year, and checked all those boxes, so I was greatly looking forward to her sophomore novel.

While I found her debut immediately laugh-out-loud funny, You’ll Love It Here took more time to grow on me. I enjoyed it, but mostly as an easy, slightly amusing read and it was not until the second half where I became emotionally invested and charmed. It took more time than I would have liked for us to peel back who our misfits like Jane, Carmen, and Norman really are, and I would have liked to see more crumbs dropped earlier on to care about them. However, once Mona started to get to know them more and have one-on-one interactions with them, I was immersed in this world and building of quirky humans.

Something that made me have trouble connecting with Mona was how she did not realize she is burnt out and doing a job she does not love until very far into the book, and goes on and on about how much she seemed to genuinely love the grind of her job, even though it was clear she did not. Still, I loved seeing her come to care about her neighbors and the building, and reassess her life, and the storyline of her slowly processing the grief from her father’s passing was poignant and well-done. The romance subplot was also sweet and cute without taking from the overall story.

Stories like these are of course going to be predictable. However, Sue does a wonderful job of balancing absurd hijinks, quirky and layered characters, humor, and emotion to make them so enjoyable and entertaining. While this was not a new favorite, it still touched me in the end.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

[Sara M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad... I just didn't really enjoy this book very much. I loved "I Hope This Finds You Well" so I was excited to read a new book by Natalie Sue, but this one just didn't hit for me. I found the story to be predictable and boring. The main character never really redeemed herself to me by the end of the book. The romance subplot was non-existent.
Mona Bucket (I do love her name though) lives in a "crappy" apartment building in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Calgary. She is a marketing executive forced to go on a leave of absence due to an unfortunate interaction with a client. Through a series of events, she becomes the temporary landlord for her apartment building while the current landlord is healing from an injury (that Mona herself had a role in creating). Predictably, she judges everyone in her apartment and thinks she is better than them. Throughout her tenancy as landlord, she learns that the other residents she regularly interacts with have varied and complicated lives and aren't just caricatures of people. BUT she is ready to sell out her building to a developer - so she has to decide which she cares about more... her life and the other tenants at the apartment building or her flashy executive job that she misses so much. Also, there is a lil romance subplot that is very so-so/not interesting to me.
I don't know, this book just wasn't for me. I did like most of the writing style. I thought Mona at least had several funny quips throughout the book. I also liked the animal characters, Ernest the dog and Alice the fish. I would like to read a book from Sami's point of view, he seemed to have had an interesting backstory. I think because I liked "I Hope This Finds You Well" so much, this one just didn't live up to my (probably pretty high) expectations.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Hope This Finds You Well was a top read for me in 2024 so I was so excited for the opportunity to read Natalie Sue's newest book. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a charming story with the same wit, a touch of dark humor, character growth, romance and a fun supporting cast of characters as I Hope This Finds You Well.

Our main character Mona is having a rough go of it. She recently lost her father who she had a complicated relationship with and now she's being forced to take bereavement leave at work which could definitely set back her career. In a wacky turn of events, Mona has the opportunity to help the landlady of her somewhat decrepit albeit full of character (and CHARACTERS) apartment building. The problem? She'll have to interact with the building's many eccentric residents while simultaneously hiding the fact that she's prepping the building for sale. What could go wrong?

This was a charming, funny and heartwarming story. I love unexpected friendships and I think a lot of people will relate to some version of having a seemingly odd neighbor - and maybe even a funny nickname for them! I also loved having a main character of Canadian Iranian descent and learning more about the culture, food and her perspective as a part of the book.

While the main conflict of the book was a little frustrating for me because I honestly didn't think anything Mona did was truly bad so the consequences she faced felt unfair to me, I still enjoyed following along on her journey. This book is fun and quirky and reminded me a bit of a Fredrik Backman novel. I really enjoyed getting to know all the unique characters and was rooting for Mona from the jump. While you are waiting for this August release, be sure to check out I Hope This Finds You Well if you haven't already!!

[Megan Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley

3.75⭐️ I absolutely loved Natalie Sue’s debut novel, I Hope This Finds You Well, so I was very excited for her new novel, You’ll Love It Here.

I will say I didn’t really start enjoying this book until about 40% and the rest of the book flew by for me. It was a slow start for me personally. I feel like some of the character development and some of the character relationships could’ve been moved a little bit quicker and then doing so it could’ve given us a slower end, as the end felt a bit rushed. However, at about 40%, we truly get to see these characters come to life and really get to know them and when you do, you will adore them! They’re witty, and have so much depth. We get to see them go on these hilarious adventures and really develop friendships in the most unusual ways.. you also get a very sweet, calm and loving romance in this, which gave me a very a 90s romcom feel and I appreciated that so much.

One thing I really loved about this book is our main character, Mona. She is probably one of the most relatable characters you can find in a book. We follow her as she navigates major grief of a loved one that really hurt her due to addiction, we follow her while she’s figuring out if her career is worth the fight, we also follow her through friendships and figuring out who are her real friends and who are going to stab her in the back, we get to follow her while she finds love and truly taking the time to find herself and what she believes in. Mona has so much growth in this book and I applaud the way she’s written.

I do recommend this book, it’s worth it!

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vibrant and purely tender hearted sophomore novel from Natalie Sue. As a big fan of her debut novel, I jumped at the chance to preview her latest and I am so glad I did. I found these characters to be very original and the ensemble cast to be delightful.

Mona’s alcoholic father died a few months ago. They had a strained relationship and never made things right, so she didn’t think she needed any time to grieve. But when one of her biggest clients makes a rude remark, she snaps right back at him. Her boss thinks she should take her leave and all of her back PTO, so this workaholic had some time on her hands. She takes up an offer to be a stand in super at her apartment. It’s always because she has always tried hard to avoid the people in her apartment building, but suddenly she finds herself getting by to know them as she helps the owner prepare the apartment for sale.

It’s a sad but common tale of gentrification, delayed grief, and reconciling how her workaholism is her way of avoiding her father’s alcoholism. Mona was frightfully a bit of a mess, but we learned along with her and rooted for her journey. There is also a love story with Sami at the diner, an almost obligatory storyline that is really overshadowed by the residents. It’s about how we think we know people we see every day, but how we see them is just a reflection of how we see ourselves. Just like in real life, there is more to each complicated person than meets the eye.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. Book to be published August 11, 2026

[Samantha H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie Sue just really gets me, I think. I enjoyed her debut novel, I Hope This Finds You Well, tremendously, and her follow-up did not disappoint. Mona is such a perfectly imperfect main character, who I may not always like, but I absolutely understood well. She has everything on track to finish out her 5 year plan with a new promotion and (hopefully) new apartment, when an unexpected loss disrupts her world and throws her off her game, resulting in those well-laid plans getting derailed. She instead finds herself on a 6-week sabbatical and (sort of) forced to engage with the motley crew of apartment neighbors that she has tried her best to ignore for the last 5 years. I loved Mona's journey of self-discovery and struggle to cope with the things she buried deep under the surface. I loved getting to know all the weirdos and misfits that seemed so easy to judge at first glance but had many interesting and wonderful layers underneath. There is a bit of a love story interwoven (no spice), but it is much more a tale of a woman allowing a shitty turn of events to lead her to where she was meant to be. I absolutely connected with the personality, humor, and character of this story. Highly recommend to anyone who understands what it means to be anxious, insecure, and often disillusioned with the world but also find space for hope to sneak in.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Steph Leeson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
The writing of Natalie Sue has improved a lot in this novel, her 2nd novel. Last time, there were a lot of repetitive crutch phrases that irritated me to no end. There are not as many in this one. There is a lot of white-knuckling and fist-clenching, but it was tolerable. That doesn’t mean I give the green light for reuse of phrases in stories just to add to the word count.
I liked more than 1/2 the characters in the book. They were lighthearted. Though not nearly as funny as the characters in her previous book, I would not mind having a group of neighbors/friends like this in my life. I have noticed, one of Sue's strong points is creating unique characters that stand out.
Mona (the main character) was okay. It was nice following her throughout this story. Some of her characteristics didn't seem to align in some areas. She is built to be this organized, well-attention to detail, watches what she says and does all of the time, go-getter of a woman, yet her use of profanity doesn't match up with what the author was trying to sell.
Obviously, the mismatch was not working, because it's noticeable in the first couple of chapters and is distracting.
Besides the few light opinions given by me, I did enjoy this book. It was a quick read. I am still on the Natalie Sue book train and will read the next one that comes out. Ages 16+ Mild sexual content, Moderate profanity.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

I really enjoyed You’ll Love It Here. It’s a sweet, engaging, and very readable novel. Not especially deep or complicated, but sometimes that’s exactly what I’m in the mood for, and it worked really well for me.

The setting was one of my favorite parts. The Canadian location was refreshing, and I liked the Farsi cultural elements woven into the story. The historic apartment building itself almost felt like a character, especially with all the interesting, slightly quirky people who lived there. The details really stood out, things like the dog named Ernest, the fish named Alice, and all the small touches that made the building and its residents feel real.

The characters felt honest and grounded, and I stayed invested the whole way through. Mona’s redemptive arc gave the story a strong emotional center, and the writing had great descriptions without ever feeling heavy. It’s definitely a quick, enjoyable read.

My one hesitation is that there’s almost too much going on at times. There are a lot of side plots, and I occasionally felt like the story could have been a little tighter. Still, it kept my attention throughout and never felt like a chore.

Overall, this was a warm, easy, and satisfying read with memorable characters and a strong sense of place. I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for something comforting and engaging.

[Shawna Briseno · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve all made mistakes at work, right? But when Mona’s mistake leads to trouble with an important client, she finds herself being put on leave to “get her head straight”. And in all honesty, she probably does need some time to herself so she can finally grieve the recent death of her father. The problem is, she’s only ever known the corporate side of herself. What in the world will she do for six weeks? Single, no kids, not an especially close relationship with her mother, and only a judgmental fish named Alice for a pet…so she does the only thing that makes sense. She gets drunk. And then trashes the lobby of her apartment building. Desperate to keep that embarrassing night a secret, she begins a friendship with Sami who works at the diner across the street. And she gets to know her neighbors who up until now have only been known by the unfortunate nicknames she’s bestowed upon them. She’s never really actually cared for her apartment but it’s all she’s got. And then an opportunity presents itself, a chance to finally upgrade her living situation. Surely it’s okay if she doesn’t let her neighbors know what she’s really up to. She’ll be out of that building soon enough anyway. The thing is, she’s only ever didn’t count on actually growing to care about the people around her. This was a really good story, full of fun characters. Lots of little lessons along the way!

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Natalie Sue's first book "I Hope This Finds You Well" and this book is more of the same. Sweet, heartfelt, and honest with lots of room for main character growth.

Our protagonist Mona has not had the easist path to a sucessful career. A child of troubled adults, she spends more time taking care of them then they do taking care of her. However, when her father dies abruptly, deep seated feelings comes to surface during an important client meeting. She is required to take some time off work and sort herself out. This is the last thing work-a-holic Mona wants. The time off feels more like a curse than a blessing, but when an accident leaves her landlady in the hospital, Mona steps up to help around the building. It's not as altruistic as it looks though, because she has made a deal with the niece of her elderly landlady to spruce up the building in hopes of selling it off. But she just might regret that decision as she gets to know and love the people in her building ... and especially the cute friendly diner owner who has been helping out too.

What I enjoy about her books is that while being very uplifting, they are not cheesey. Her main characters are honest and flawed human beings who have real life challenges. Not everything goes smoothly, but there is always a path to redemption and an option to start again.

Thank you #netgalley for the digital ARC!

[Jackie Steel · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue is a warm, funny, and heartfelt novel about a woman named Mona whose life goes sideways and then strangely right. After years of trying to climb the corporate ladder and escape her old apartment, Mona suddenly finds herself jobless, still living in a tiny space, and stuck helping her eccentric landlady prepare the building for sale — which means dealing with a whole cast of quirky neighbors.
What makes this book special is how it blends humor with real feelings about community, belonging, and starting over. Mona isn’t perfect — she’s sarcastic, overwhelmed, and definitely stubborn — but that’s part of why her story feels real and relatable. The side characters are fun and unpredictable, and the way Mona slowly opens up to people around her gives the story a sweet, hopeful vibe.
A quote that really captures the spirit of the book is:
“Sometimes, the place you’re desperate to leave is the one that finally shows you who you are.”
Overall, You’ll Love It Here is surprisingly tender, laugh-out-loud funny in spots, and really about finding your people in unexpected places. I’d give it four stars — it’s a comforting, fun read with heart, perfect if you like character-driven stories that are as funny as they are thoughtful.