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17 days and 14:30:16
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I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell
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17 days and 14:30:16
15 copies available
U.S. only
When staying late at the office leads to witnessing an exorcism, Brie Benson's mundane life takes a hellish turn…literally.
After her parents' death, twenty-seven-year-old Brie has mastered the art of compartmentalization to survive her mind-numbing routine as a receptionist at a life insurance company. But when she accidentally catches her hot, uptight boss, Luke, performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting, her carefully ordered world implodes.
Swearing Brie to secrecy, Luke reveals he's from a line of demon hunters and that demonic activity is spiking. But when her emotional support coworker vanishes, Brie is determined to find her. With nothing left to lose, she convinces Luke to let her join his rescue mission.
The problem? Their destination is hell. And the entrance is in Times Square.
Now Brie and Luke must navigate a corporate underworld of monsters and bureaucratic nightmares while racing to save their colleague and repair a tearing veil between worlds. All before their growing feelings become irrelevant and hell claims them forever.
After her parents' death, twenty-seven-year-old Brie has mastered the art of compartmentalization to survive her mind-numbing routine as a receptionist at a life insurance company. But when she accidentally catches her hot, uptight boss, Luke, performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting, her carefully ordered world implodes.
Swearing Brie to secrecy, Luke reveals he's from a line of demon hunters and that demonic activity is spiking. But when her emotional support coworker vanishes, Brie is determined to find her. With nothing left to lose, she convinces Luke to let her join his rescue mission.
The problem? Their destination is hell. And the entrance is in Times Square.
Now Brie and Luke must navigate a corporate underworld of monsters and bureaucratic nightmares while racing to save their colleague and repair a tearing veil between worlds. All before their growing feelings become irrelevant and hell claims them forever.
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 1, 2026
30 people are currently reading
9530 people want to read
About the author
Mackenzie Reed
4 books303 followersMackenzie Reed is the author of young adult fiction, THE ROSEWOOD HUNT and THE WILDE TRIALS, and her forthcoming adult debut, I HOPE THIS EMAIL FINDS YOU IN HELL. She cultivated her love of storytelling at Nazareth College, where she graduated with a BA in Communication and Media. A native and resident of Rochester, New York, she loves going for brainstorming walks when the weather’s behaving and spending time with her family. In the sparse moments she’s not writing or daydreaming about her next book, she’s usually winging her eyeliner and hunting for the best slice of pizza in town.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨🔥 I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell 🔥✨
Work Place Romance 🫱🏽🫲🏽 Demon Hunting
This paranormal romance hit the spot! And was definitely the best combo. Who knew co worker exorcisms could be the start of a love story 😂😂
The story starts off fast pace and jumps into the supernatural quickly. Honestly, this book was just so fun even while handling the sensitive topic of grief!
❤️🔥 What to Expect
• Demon hunter MMC
• Grieving FMC
• Exorcisms
• Portal to hell
• Rescue mission
• Office relationship
_ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.75 Stars
📅 Pub Date: September 1, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Work Place Romance 🫱🏽🫲🏽 Demon Hunting
This paranormal romance hit the spot! And was definitely the best combo. Who knew co worker exorcisms could be the start of a love story 😂😂
The story starts off fast pace and jumps into the supernatural quickly. Honestly, this book was just so fun even while handling the sensitive topic of grief!
❤️🔥 What to Expect
• Demon hunter MMC
• Grieving FMC
• Exorcisms
• Portal to hell
• Rescue mission
• Office relationship
_ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.75 Stars
📅 Pub Date: September 1, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a super quick and easy read. Engaging and fast paced with some genuinely funny moments. I liked the little plot twists sprinkled throughout, but the romance didn’t quite land for me as much as I hoped it would.
Sadly, the ending was a bit of a letdown and raised a huge question. I don't want to get into spoilers, but if the solution to fixing the veil was that simple, why did the demon need the sacrifices in the first place? They could have just achieved their goal the same way the leads did. The plot fell apart for me after that.
Overall, I liked it, but the romance and the ending left me wanting a lot more than what I got.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Sadly, the ending was a bit of a letdown and raised a huge question. I don't want to get into spoilers, but if the solution to fixing the veil was that simple, why did the demon need the sacrifices in the first place? They could have just achieved their goal the same way the leads did. The plot fell apart for me after that.
Overall, I liked it, but the romance and the ending left me wanting a lot more than what I got.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this book,
There was lots of action, comedy, twist and turns. It was funny and witty.
I liked Luke and Brie. They took a little while to warm up to each other but both had things hidden.
It was fast paced action, I couldn’t predict how the story would end up but I was happy at the ending.
Definitely one to add to the TBR.
There was lots of action, comedy, twist and turns. It was funny and witty.
I liked Luke and Brie. They took a little while to warm up to each other but both had things hidden.
It was fast paced action, I couldn’t predict how the story would end up but I was happy at the ending.
Definitely one to add to the TBR.
March 18, 2026
This was such a fun ride through hell and back! Demonic offices, witty banter, and a slow burn romance made this a delightful paranormal romance.
Brie’s office job seems completely ordinary. She changes water coolers, fights with an old fax machine, and dodges old Ted’s flirtations. All of that changes when she stumbles upon her boss, Luke, performing an exorcism in his office. Brie can’t stop thinking about what she saw when suddenly her best friend disappears. Brie knows it’s all connected and pushes Luke for answers. The only thing is that they need to travel to hell to find them.
First off, the title of this book is absolutely brilliant! It was the first thing that drew me in and then the humor hooked me completely. I found myself constantly reaching to pick this back up. The story was well paced and kept me engaged the whole time. Brie and Luke are both wonderfully complex characters navigating through their own share of personal demons. I loved their relationship and felt that they had the perfect mix of banter, vulnerability, trust, and spice.
The demonic world was so fascinating and it was so funny seeing what aspects made it hell. I just wish that there was more time spent in the corporations and office spaces. I would have loved to have seen how that operated a little more.
This reads as a standalone but I’m hoping for some sort of spinoff, perhaps for a certain devil. If you enjoy the Assistant to the Villain series, this should definitely be one for you to pick up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy.
Brie’s office job seems completely ordinary. She changes water coolers, fights with an old fax machine, and dodges old Ted’s flirtations. All of that changes when she stumbles upon her boss, Luke, performing an exorcism in his office. Brie can’t stop thinking about what she saw when suddenly her best friend disappears. Brie knows it’s all connected and pushes Luke for answers. The only thing is that they need to travel to hell to find them.
First off, the title of this book is absolutely brilliant! It was the first thing that drew me in and then the humor hooked me completely. I found myself constantly reaching to pick this back up. The story was well paced and kept me engaged the whole time. Brie and Luke are both wonderfully complex characters navigating through their own share of personal demons. I loved their relationship and felt that they had the perfect mix of banter, vulnerability, trust, and spice.
The demonic world was so fascinating and it was so funny seeing what aspects made it hell. I just wish that there was more time spent in the corporations and office spaces. I would have loved to have seen how that operated a little more.
This reads as a standalone but I’m hoping for some sort of spinoff, perhaps for a certain devil. If you enjoy the Assistant to the Villain series, this should definitely be one for you to pick up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy.
March 22, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
this was honestly so much fun!! it kind of reminded me a bit of a disney channel original halloween/monstober movie. very campy and really leaned into the whimsiness of it all.
i also really liked how this book tackled a lot of more serious topics, specifically grief and guilt. i enjoyed brie as our main character quite a bit and thought she was a lot of fun. however, the romance fell pretty flat to me and i definitely would have liked more build up/connection between the two characters (i also wanted some more office scenes before we got into the traveling aspect of the story, but that is just my preference).
though the beginning and end were fast paced, the middle definitley dragged a bit. also there was a bit of a plot hole (i think??) with the resolution of one of the plots and, while it was funny, i was like wait a damn minute… iykyk.
i will say i found it pretty funny, which is rare because i feel like a lot of times the humor in books has me not even cracking a smile. this one had well timed puns and jokes and the pop culture references did not make me cringe.
overall, super fun and this will be a great read for people looking for a fun spooky(ish) season book!
this was honestly so much fun!! it kind of reminded me a bit of a disney channel original halloween/monstober movie. very campy and really leaned into the whimsiness of it all.
i also really liked how this book tackled a lot of more serious topics, specifically grief and guilt. i enjoyed brie as our main character quite a bit and thought she was a lot of fun. however, the romance fell pretty flat to me and i definitely would have liked more build up/connection between the two characters (i also wanted some more office scenes before we got into the traveling aspect of the story, but that is just my preference).
though the beginning and end were fast paced, the middle definitley dragged a bit. also there was a bit of a plot hole (i think??) with the resolution of one of the plots and, while it was funny, i was like wait a damn minute… iykyk.
i will say i found it pretty funny, which is rare because i feel like a lot of times the humor in books has me not even cracking a smile. this one had well timed puns and jokes and the pop culture references did not make me cringe.
overall, super fun and this will be a great read for people looking for a fun spooky(ish) season book!
March 1, 2026
Wow! You want a book like this to live up to its title, so I’m happy to announce that this “dystopian paranormal romance comedy workplace roadtrip” novel was an absolute delight. (I am loving these “mashup” novels! Look at all those fun words together!)
This novel reminded me so much of Rachel Harrison that at one point I looked up the author on Goodreads to check whether it was indeed Rachel Harrison writing under a pseudonym. (It’s not! — the author, Mackenzie Reed, is another, real person who has previously written a couple YA novels. This is her adult debut, but I sure hope it won’t be her last book for adult readers.)
When I give a Rachel Harrison comp, that’s big accolades from me, because she’s on auto-buy status and I’ve read all her books. This book offers many things found in a typical RH book: creative, vivid, and fantastical-yet-relatable plots, settings, and characters; an at-times more lighthearted or “cozy horror” vibe, but things can also get serious too, and there are some thrilling and action/adventure scenes; feminist themes with an empowered female protagonist, often healing from some past family or relational trauma; and strong depictions of friendships or alliances.
This book also offers some special amped-up qualities, including more overt humor, romance, and some spice; absolutely excellent worldbuilding; diverse representation; and a very appealing FMC and MMC (though they are both confronting their dark pasts in this book, they are very likable). To throw out some comps with regard to the worldbuilding, this book integrates a sort of Stranger Things/The Upside-Down parallel world concept, and it also has a sort of The Hunger Games thing going on in which that world is divided into districts of sorts (and THG is directly referenced, too). But, it incorporates these elements while also making them its own thing. It also offers the reader an array of interesting “fantastic beings” to meet and learn about, and the whole roadtrip/quest portion had a little bit of a The Princess Bride feel to it. Overall, there is a lot of freaky, wacky, and even cute stuff to enjoy.
I admit that this book sort of had me at hello (AKA the title!), so I didn’t read much about it beforehand and therefore I don’t know if any of the descriptions give spoilers. I found myself pleasantly surprised a few times in this book, so I’d advise going in knowing as little as possible so you can have that experience too.
This was basically a one-sitting read. I was fortunate to stumble across it when I needed something really good to read because I was very sick, and this was just perfect. (I didn’t love it because I was sick; I was able to love it despite my being sick!) This book is just fun. And it could be the start of a series, which would be extremely cool. And while you can read this anytime like I did, I want to issue a light spooky season read alert!!
Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley Publishing Group for making this wonderful ARC available. This book is scheduled to release on September 1, 2026.
This novel reminded me so much of Rachel Harrison that at one point I looked up the author on Goodreads to check whether it was indeed Rachel Harrison writing under a pseudonym. (It’s not! — the author, Mackenzie Reed, is another, real person who has previously written a couple YA novels. This is her adult debut, but I sure hope it won’t be her last book for adult readers.)
When I give a Rachel Harrison comp, that’s big accolades from me, because she’s on auto-buy status and I’ve read all her books. This book offers many things found in a typical RH book: creative, vivid, and fantastical-yet-relatable plots, settings, and characters; an at-times more lighthearted or “cozy horror” vibe, but things can also get serious too, and there are some thrilling and action/adventure scenes; feminist themes with an empowered female protagonist, often healing from some past family or relational trauma; and strong depictions of friendships or alliances.
This book also offers some special amped-up qualities, including more overt humor, romance, and some spice; absolutely excellent worldbuilding; diverse representation; and a very appealing FMC and MMC (though they are both confronting their dark pasts in this book, they are very likable). To throw out some comps with regard to the worldbuilding, this book integrates a sort of Stranger Things/The Upside-Down parallel world concept, and it also has a sort of The Hunger Games thing going on in which that world is divided into districts of sorts (and THG is directly referenced, too). But, it incorporates these elements while also making them its own thing. It also offers the reader an array of interesting “fantastic beings” to meet and learn about, and the whole roadtrip/quest portion had a little bit of a The Princess Bride feel to it. Overall, there is a lot of freaky, wacky, and even cute stuff to enjoy.
I admit that this book sort of had me at hello (AKA the title!), so I didn’t read much about it beforehand and therefore I don’t know if any of the descriptions give spoilers. I found myself pleasantly surprised a few times in this book, so I’d advise going in knowing as little as possible so you can have that experience too.
This was basically a one-sitting read. I was fortunate to stumble across it when I needed something really good to read because I was very sick, and this was just perfect. (I didn’t love it because I was sick; I was able to love it despite my being sick!) This book is just fun. And it could be the start of a series, which would be extremely cool. And while you can read this anytime like I did, I want to issue a light spooky season read alert!!
Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley Publishing Group for making this wonderful ARC available. This book is scheduled to release on September 1, 2026.
March 30, 2026
Thank you to Berkeley publishers & NetGalley for the ARC! I enjoyed my time with this book and thought the plot was clever, although maybe a bit underdeveloped. Reed does a great job of diving into world building for the underworld. It was unexpected given the silly tone of the title, but I thought the character growth through grief and trauma was beautiful.
Want to Read
February 27, 2026This title is great! and this one sounds funny! can't wait!
Thank you, Berkley, for the E-ARC!!
Thank you, Berkley, for the E-ARC!!
Want to Read
March 27, 2026honestly the "nostalgic urban fantasy vibes" and the stunning cover sold me. i literally requested this book awhile ago thinking nothing of it, i mean it's berkley.., it's pure delusion atp lol. anyways the delusional manifestation worked and i have the arc sitting on my netgalley shelf rn. and i'm just so tempted to drop everything and read this rn...
March 2, 2026
★★★
i enjoyed this book! it was very entertaining to read about Brie’s boss performing an exorcism right in the beginning of the book. i loved the demon hunter aspect, and the main characters going to hell to find her missing friend. it was fun while also sprinkles of serious. honestly the demon hunting/fantasy aspects were a lot more entertaining than the actual romance. the romance to me just fell a bit flat. luke was an okay mmc but he just didn’t grow much from the beginning of the book. brie was a lot more likable and i loved seeing her growth from not really dealing with her grief to dealing with it and getting past her dark past. overall it was a cute entertaining read with great paranormal and comical vibes!
i enjoyed this book! it was very entertaining to read about Brie’s boss performing an exorcism right in the beginning of the book. i loved the demon hunter aspect, and the main characters going to hell to find her missing friend. it was fun while also sprinkles of serious. honestly the demon hunting/fantasy aspects were a lot more entertaining than the actual romance. the romance to me just fell a bit flat. luke was an okay mmc but he just didn’t grow much from the beginning of the book. brie was a lot more likable and i loved seeing her growth from not really dealing with her grief to dealing with it and getting past her dark past. overall it was a cute entertaining read with great paranormal and comical vibes!
March 25, 2026
It was a cute and fun read that's super fast. Felt like an extra insane episode of The Office, which is already insane as it is, mixed with a bit of Beetlejuice. Overall I enjoyed it.
I do think some aspects felt very surface level and I couldn't really get sucked in. I felt very aware I was reading a book, if that makes sense. A little bit corny but it was fine. I also didn't care much for the romance in this, mostly because there felt like there wasn't much chemistry.
Thank you to Berkley and netgalley for the arc.
I do think some aspects felt very surface level and I couldn't really get sucked in. I felt very aware I was reading a book, if that makes sense. A little bit corny but it was fine. I also didn't care much for the romance in this, mostly because there felt like there wasn't much chemistry.
Thank you to Berkley and netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3⭐️ - My rating for I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell bounced between 3 and 4 stars throughout the book. It's a quick read that I finished in one or two sittings but had a few things that stopped me from fully loving it.
Paranormal romances are pretty hit or miss for me, but I was drawn in by the premise. We're following Brie who is venturing through Hell with her corporate boss, Luke, to save her emotional support coworker. I've had a few emotional support coworkers I would have gone to Hell and back for and this premise sounded too hilarious to pass up.
The worldbuilding was a lot of fun, with plot twists, reveals, and clues scattered throughout that kept things interesting. There are also pieces of humor and irony built in, like Silicon Valley being the headquarters of Hell, that made me chuckle. That said, there were times when the worldbuilding got confusing or when reveals had to be overexplained because they seemed improbable based on worldbuilding from earlier. Maybe it's small, but having to follow convoluted explanations for a few of the reveals kept pulling me out of the story.
The focus is mostly on the quest to save Brie's friend, but there's also some commentary on grief, trauma, and humanity that I appreciated. Brie's backstory is one of personal trauma that made her abandon her old life to start fresh, and Luke is at a crossroads figuring out who he is and what his mission is. What they're each going through fueled their connection, which felt real and earned. That said, I do think the characters are a little underwritten, especially Luke. I wish we'd gotten his POV or more personality.
The ending solution was hilarious and tied back into the corporate hell theme really well. My main gripe is that we didn't spend enough time with the villains to merit how often they were referenced. It felt like they were written into the story because we needed a villain, not because they actually mattered to the story in the end.
Overall though, this a satisfying standalone but I wouldn't be mad if we got more of Luke and Brie's adventures. This is a great pick for fans of Bride by Ali Hazelwood or My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. I recommend this if you are looking for a twist on a roadtrip romance.
✧✧✧✧✧✧
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!
Burner Kindle Book Blog
Paranormal romances are pretty hit or miss for me, but I was drawn in by the premise. We're following Brie who is venturing through Hell with her corporate boss, Luke, to save her emotional support coworker. I've had a few emotional support coworkers I would have gone to Hell and back for and this premise sounded too hilarious to pass up.
The worldbuilding was a lot of fun, with plot twists, reveals, and clues scattered throughout that kept things interesting. There are also pieces of humor and irony built in, like Silicon Valley being the headquarters of Hell, that made me chuckle. That said, there were times when the worldbuilding got confusing or when reveals had to be overexplained because they seemed improbable based on worldbuilding from earlier. Maybe it's small, but having to follow convoluted explanations for a few of the reveals kept pulling me out of the story.
The focus is mostly on the quest to save Brie's friend, but there's also some commentary on grief, trauma, and humanity that I appreciated. Brie's backstory is one of personal trauma that made her abandon her old life to start fresh, and Luke is at a crossroads figuring out who he is and what his mission is. What they're each going through fueled their connection, which felt real and earned. That said, I do think the characters are a little underwritten, especially Luke. I wish we'd gotten his POV or more personality.
The ending solution was hilarious and tied back into the corporate hell theme really well. My main gripe is that we didn't spend enough time with the villains to merit how often they were referenced. It felt like they were written into the story because we needed a villain, not because they actually mattered to the story in the end.
Overall though, this a satisfying standalone but I wouldn't be mad if we got more of Luke and Brie's adventures. This is a great pick for fans of Bride by Ali Hazelwood or My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. I recommend this if you are looking for a twist on a roadtrip romance.
✧✧✧✧✧✧
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!
Burner Kindle Book Blog
March 14, 2026
What a fun story! This was the first book in months I was truly able to binge in one sitting. I enjoyed its humor and the portrayal of hell as one big dysfunctional corporation.
The chemistry between Brie and Luke is exactly the type of coworkers to lovers energy I look for in a workplace romance! I loved how they tried so hard to maintain professional boundaries while failing miserably. The progression of their relationship felt so organic, both appreciating the other for all of their quirks and faults.
I appreciated the story’s exploration of grief and the walls we erect to protect our hearts. The friendship between Brie and Krystal was especially touching - we all need that special person in our lives who makes the chaos a little more bearable. Reed struck the perfect balance between lighthearted humor and these more emotional moments.
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell is easily your next favorite read! It’s witty, full of adventure, and has top notch banter. An excellent adult debut from Reed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The chemistry between Brie and Luke is exactly the type of coworkers to lovers energy I look for in a workplace romance! I loved how they tried so hard to maintain professional boundaries while failing miserably. The progression of their relationship felt so organic, both appreciating the other for all of their quirks and faults.
I appreciated the story’s exploration of grief and the walls we erect to protect our hearts. The friendship between Brie and Krystal was especially touching - we all need that special person in our lives who makes the chaos a little more bearable. Reed struck the perfect balance between lighthearted humor and these more emotional moments.
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell is easily your next favorite read! It’s witty, full of adventure, and has top notch banter. An excellent adult debut from Reed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the chance to read this early!
If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to go on a date (hunt) with a Winchester brother, look no further. This book was equal parts hilarious and deep. I loved Brie. Her backstory was very unique but also relatable in so many ways. Watching her struggle with her grief and find herself once more on a roadtrip through literal Hell with a badass but not-with-the-times hottie demon hunter was quite the journey.
The thing I loved most was the worldbuilding. This was such a refreshing and humorous take on Hell. Not going to lie, I kind of wanted to never leave. There were so many small, interesting things and characters there.
Overall, the romance was steamy, the plot was action-packed, and there were several laugh out loud moments. May the fax machine remain forever in Hell.
Will definitely be reading more from this author!
If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to go on a date (hunt) with a Winchester brother, look no further. This book was equal parts hilarious and deep. I loved Brie. Her backstory was very unique but also relatable in so many ways. Watching her struggle with her grief and find herself once more on a roadtrip through literal Hell with a badass but not-with-the-times hottie demon hunter was quite the journey.
The thing I loved most was the worldbuilding. This was such a refreshing and humorous take on Hell. Not going to lie, I kind of wanted to never leave. There were so many small, interesting things and characters there.
Overall, the romance was steamy, the plot was action-packed, and there were several laugh out loud moments. May the fax machine remain forever in Hell.
Will definitely be reading more from this author!
April 14, 2026
If you’ve ever thought “corporate America must be what hell feels like,” this read is for you!
The plot: After a tragic incident leaves her seeking a fresh start, Brie finds herself navigating a hellish work environment. The obstinate fax machine and incessant awkward flirting from her coworkers is bad, but the literal exorcism of her coworker by her boss, Luke, leaves her stunned. Luke reveals he is descended from a line of demon hunters, and local demonic activity is intensifying. When her best friend disappears, with supernatural causes to blame, Brie and Luke embark on a road trip to a literal Hell governed by corporate structure. Can they find the missing women and make it back through the veil before the office—and Hell—claims them forever?
My review: This tongue-in-cheek read was darkly funny; as a fellow corporate drone, the “office horror” and hijinks during the opening exorcism made me laugh out loud. The premise was strong, featuring two leads with mysterious backstories, but with the book only being a few hundred pages, I felt some themes were explored a bit shallowly. While I enjoyed the variety—from vampires to hellhounds to a vanishing market—the rapid pace left me wanting more depth regarding the mechanics of Hell and Luke’s secrets. The friendship between Brie and Luke felt natural, though I would have preferred more "showing" regarding their romantic pull. Ultimately, this was a fun, satirical escape, even if I was left craving a bit more gravity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
The plot: After a tragic incident leaves her seeking a fresh start, Brie finds herself navigating a hellish work environment. The obstinate fax machine and incessant awkward flirting from her coworkers is bad, but the literal exorcism of her coworker by her boss, Luke, leaves her stunned. Luke reveals he is descended from a line of demon hunters, and local demonic activity is intensifying. When her best friend disappears, with supernatural causes to blame, Brie and Luke embark on a road trip to a literal Hell governed by corporate structure. Can they find the missing women and make it back through the veil before the office—and Hell—claims them forever?
My review: This tongue-in-cheek read was darkly funny; as a fellow corporate drone, the “office horror” and hijinks during the opening exorcism made me laugh out loud. The premise was strong, featuring two leads with mysterious backstories, but with the book only being a few hundred pages, I felt some themes were explored a bit shallowly. While I enjoyed the variety—from vampires to hellhounds to a vanishing market—the rapid pace left me wanting more depth regarding the mechanics of Hell and Luke’s secrets. The friendship between Brie and Luke felt natural, though I would have preferred more "showing" regarding their romantic pull. Ultimately, this was a fun, satirical escape, even if I was left craving a bit more gravity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
March 26, 2026
y’all… this was so fun! we have a road trip through hell… but hell is corporate america, & they have to fight (or outsmart) demons. i mean it doesn’t get truer than that. genuinely one of the funniest books i’ve read in a long time, brie’s humor is actually unmatched. this whole book is just an interesting adventure & definitely unique
i love how the book started, & the action picked up quickly! luke is brie’s boss, one night she runs back to the office only to find luke doing an exorcism on debra from accounting 💀 and it takes off from there. brie’s reactions to things happening in the book gives me life, would love to be her friend irl LOLLLL. she’s smart, brave, and HOT. luke is kind of grumpy hehehe, the banter between the two is chefs kiss. usually the mmc carries the show for me but tbh brie carried this one for me
i would have LOVED to get at least a few chapters from the pov of luke tho, i think that would have made it better imo. the title is funny & i think this would make a great movie tbh. thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via netgalley. all opinions are my own <3
i love how the book started, & the action picked up quickly! luke is brie’s boss, one night she runs back to the office only to find luke doing an exorcism on debra from accounting 💀 and it takes off from there. brie’s reactions to things happening in the book gives me life, would love to be her friend irl LOLLLL. she’s smart, brave, and HOT. luke is kind of grumpy hehehe, the banter between the two is chefs kiss. usually the mmc carries the show for me but tbh brie carried this one for me
i would have LOVED to get at least a few chapters from the pov of luke tho, i think that would have made it better imo. the title is funny & i think this would make a great movie tbh. thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via netgalley. all opinions are my own <3
March 1, 2026
I received an eARC of this book and I actually really enjoyed it. It was a fairly quick read, and it was very dynamic in the world’s building and extremely well thought out in my opinion. You don’t see very many books that dive in to this genre so whenever I find one that does it always peaks my interest.
Absolutely loved the journey that the FMC and the MMC go on through their journey of love. There are lots of twists and turns throughout this book and by the time you get to the twist, your jaw is on the floor.
My only thing that keeps me from giving it a true five stars is, I wish there was more character development throughout all the characters. The FMC has a fair amount, but I wish I could’ve seen more between the side characters and the MMC.
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book and could recommend it if you like these genres/tropes!
4.5 🌟 2.5 🌶️
Absolutely loved the journey that the FMC and the MMC go on through their journey of love. There are lots of twists and turns throughout this book and by the time you get to the twist, your jaw is on the floor.
My only thing that keeps me from giving it a true five stars is, I wish there was more character development throughout all the characters. The FMC has a fair amount, but I wish I could’ve seen more between the side characters and the MMC.
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book and could recommend it if you like these genres/tropes!
4.5 🌟 2.5 🌶️
April 3, 2026
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a supernatural episode? Then this book is for you.
Brie and Luke go on a road trip through hell down route 666 to rescue her friend and a couple other ladies from being sacrificed to open the veil between earth and hell. It’s both funny and thoughtful. They both go through a journey of finding themselves after loss and betrayal while finding who they actually are. It’s a quick read that was enjoyable.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc from NetGalley and the publisher.
Brie and Luke go on a road trip through hell down route 666 to rescue her friend and a couple other ladies from being sacrificed to open the veil between earth and hell. It’s both funny and thoughtful. They both go through a journey of finding themselves after loss and betrayal while finding who they actually are. It’s a quick read that was enjoyable.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc from NetGalley and the publisher.
March 22, 2026
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review!
this book was a quick read. it grabbed me in and the beginning and i couldn’t let it go. i love me a little demon hunting roadtrip and i feel like this book hit the spot.
to me it felt extremely fast paced. it was pretty much boom boom boom once it got going. and some twists and turns were either underwhelming or hit the spot.
overall if you’re looking for a quick quirky read about going to hell to save some people this is the book for you!
this book was a quick read. it grabbed me in and the beginning and i couldn’t let it go. i love me a little demon hunting roadtrip and i feel like this book hit the spot.
to me it felt extremely fast paced. it was pretty much boom boom boom once it got going. and some twists and turns were either underwhelming or hit the spot.
overall if you’re looking for a quick quirky read about going to hell to save some people this is the book for you!
Want to Read
March 17, 2026Starting all my emails this way from now on.
March 10, 2026
Brie is an ordinary girl, working an office job, paying rent and… crying herself to sleep at night.
Luke is management at Brie’s office job- but he is far from ordinary.
A botched Exorcism of a co-worker, and a late night working- Brie catches Luke… and see’s a Demon. Fuck- are Demons real?
A trip to Hell, a blossoming friendship, a romance, and a hero complex- Brie and Luke find themselves on a journey to not only find her friend, but to also patch up Hell.
But in order to do that- Luke has to share some secrets of his own.
Is he a Demon? A Human? And… his brother…. Is also in Hell?
Follow along as Brie gets answers, Luke learns to beg, and Hell gets repaired…. By a fax machine?
This funny office- rom com (with a paranormal twist) is sure to leave you laughing and giggling all through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Berkley Publishing for this E-Arc- through Hell and Back.
Luke is management at Brie’s office job- but he is far from ordinary.
A botched Exorcism of a co-worker, and a late night working- Brie catches Luke… and see’s a Demon. Fuck- are Demons real?
A trip to Hell, a blossoming friendship, a romance, and a hero complex- Brie and Luke find themselves on a journey to not only find her friend, but to also patch up Hell.
But in order to do that- Luke has to share some secrets of his own.
Is he a Demon? A Human? And… his brother…. Is also in Hell?
Follow along as Brie gets answers, Luke learns to beg, and Hell gets repaired…. By a fax machine?
This funny office- rom com (with a paranormal twist) is sure to leave you laughing and giggling all through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Berkley Publishing for this E-Arc- through Hell and Back.
March 13, 2026
Thank you for the eARC copy. Who knew taking a road trip through Hell to retrieve a kidnapped colleague and friend could be so fun? I thoroughly enjoyed writing style of the author. The descriptions of Hell were vivid and painted a picture. I loved the FMC’s resilience and strength. This book will grab you at the beginning with Brie walking in on her boss, Luke, performing an exorcism on one of her colleagues. Brie has a sassy mouth and the tension between Brie and Luke is fantastic. This is definitely a slow burn romance, but it’s worth the wait.
March 11, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
If you like Percy Jackson and Supernatural, you’d love this book! It’s a literal road-trip through hell, fighting demons, meeting creatures of the underworld, and falling in love with your boss through it all. I enjoyed this so so much, and hope it gets adapted for TV someday.
It was funny, well-written, descriptive. I was able to really immerse myself in their journey and came to love these characters. Also loved that the “bury your gays” trope never came to surface! Yay for that.
Only noticed one typo:
Page 71: “The words die in my throat as I turn to Luke, startling at the person next to me.” Startling should be staring.
If you like Percy Jackson and Supernatural, you’d love this book! It’s a literal road-trip through hell, fighting demons, meeting creatures of the underworld, and falling in love with your boss through it all. I enjoyed this so so much, and hope it gets adapted for TV someday.
It was funny, well-written, descriptive. I was able to really immerse myself in their journey and came to love these characters. Also loved that the “bury your gays” trope never came to surface! Yay for that.
Only noticed one typo:
Page 71: “The words die in my throat as I turn to Luke, startling at the person next to me.” Startling should be staring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2026
Thank you Berkley for my free ARC of I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed — out Sep 1!
» READ IF YOU «
📧 have ever felt like your job is sucking your soul away
😈 love a slow-burn romance with a broody demon hunter
🔥 want a road trip through hell (entrance: Times Square)
» SYNOPSIS «
Brie is just trying to survive her mind-numbing receptionist job when she catches her hot, uptight boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Turns out demonic activity is spiking, and when her emotional support coworker gets abducted, she convinces Luke to let her tag along on the rescue mission. The destination is hell. The feelings are inconvenient. The bureaucratic nightmare is extremely apt.
» REVIEW «
Okay, the premise alone! Corporate hellscape? Makes perfect sense. And Reed delivers on every single bit—Hell as a corporate underworld of middle management and red tape is genuinely so clever, and the whole story has this infectious chaotic energy that made it impossible for me to put down.
Brie is so fun—sassy, scrappy, and carrying more pain than she lets on—plus the slow burn between her and Luke (my husband's name lol) absolutely kept me engaged. What I didn't expect was how much the emotional undercurrent would actually get me, as there's real heart underneath all the demon-hunting mayhem.
The pacing was maybe a little uneven in the back half as the stakes pile up, but this was a wildly fun adult debut and I'll be standing in line for whatever Reed does next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
» READ IF YOU «
📧 have ever felt like your job is sucking your soul away
😈 love a slow-burn romance with a broody demon hunter
🔥 want a road trip through hell (entrance: Times Square)
» SYNOPSIS «
Brie is just trying to survive her mind-numbing receptionist job when she catches her hot, uptight boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Turns out demonic activity is spiking, and when her emotional support coworker gets abducted, she convinces Luke to let her tag along on the rescue mission. The destination is hell. The feelings are inconvenient. The bureaucratic nightmare is extremely apt.
» REVIEW «
Okay, the premise alone! Corporate hellscape? Makes perfect sense. And Reed delivers on every single bit—Hell as a corporate underworld of middle management and red tape is genuinely so clever, and the whole story has this infectious chaotic energy that made it impossible for me to put down.
Brie is so fun—sassy, scrappy, and carrying more pain than she lets on—plus the slow burn between her and Luke (my husband's name lol) absolutely kept me engaged. What I didn't expect was how much the emotional undercurrent would actually get me, as there's real heart underneath all the demon-hunting mayhem.
The pacing was maybe a little uneven in the back half as the stakes pile up, but this was a wildly fun adult debut and I'll be standing in line for whatever Reed does next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read
April 15, 2026Why had I not heard about this book until I saw it availed for request on Netgalley?
Mackenzie Reed gave me everything I love, demons, hell, Debra from accounting’s exorcism. Seriously the internet needs to talk about this book.
Brie is a receptionist at an insurance firm and whoops one day she accidentally stays late and sees her boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Fast forward and now they are on the ultimate heroes journey to hell to save her best friend and coworker from the clutches of a demon intent on performing a sacrificial rite.
What. A. Ride. I couldn’t put it down, Brie was such an unsuspecting badass (makes sense being the only one to tame the fax machine) and Luke our mysterious and broody demon hunter. Absolute perfection. No notes. How had I not heard of this book.
The fact that hell is organized in like factions is ridiculous - oh so our demon lives in California? The department of shipping? Absolutely wild.
I loved this so much, I was not expecting it- felt pretty blindsided by how invested I got in the story. But Mackenzie delivered the perfect bleed of mouthy humour, emotional journey and inevitable romance. Luke and Brie both absolutely trauma bonded.
I need to shout out Brie’s obsession with Katniss and her proficiency with a bow and arrow because nothing has ever been more relatable to me ever.
I don’t know what else I can say to convey to the world that this book needs to be read and thoroughly discussed on every platform we talk about books. Definitely going to be one of my top books this year.
Mackenzie Reed gave me everything I love, demons, hell, Debra from accounting’s exorcism. Seriously the internet needs to talk about this book.
Brie is a receptionist at an insurance firm and whoops one day she accidentally stays late and sees her boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Fast forward and now they are on the ultimate heroes journey to hell to save her best friend and coworker from the clutches of a demon intent on performing a sacrificial rite.
What. A. Ride. I couldn’t put it down, Brie was such an unsuspecting badass (makes sense being the only one to tame the fax machine) and Luke our mysterious and broody demon hunter. Absolute perfection. No notes. How had I not heard of this book.
The fact that hell is organized in like factions is ridiculous - oh so our demon lives in California? The department of shipping? Absolutely wild.
I loved this so much, I was not expecting it- felt pretty blindsided by how invested I got in the story. But Mackenzie delivered the perfect bleed of mouthy humour, emotional journey and inevitable romance. Luke and Brie both absolutely trauma bonded.
I need to shout out Brie’s obsession with Katniss and her proficiency with a bow and arrow because nothing has ever been more relatable to me ever.
I don’t know what else I can say to convey to the world that this book needs to be read and thoroughly discussed on every platform we talk about books. Definitely going to be one of my top books this year.
March 4, 2026
2.5, rounded up. The first 30% is hard carrying this book, and I also enjoyed the writing. Otherwise, it would've been a hard 1.5.
When I tell you guys this book was not even 300 pages but took me 5 days to read it... (I typically cut out ~8 hours for 300/400 page books and read them in one sitting, so this was really odd for me).
We'll start with the positives:
The premise of this is SO COOL! Like hello??? It literally begins with our FMC walking on her boss EXORCISING HER COLLEAGUE. And then they GO TO HELL!!! The first ~30/40% of this book had me absolutely hooked.
Also, the whole concept of hell being a mirror of corporate, and Silicon Valley being the head of hell, just tickles me. I thought that was so creative of the author, and it actually made me lol.
And the scene with the fax machine!!! It took me out lmao.
But then the negatives:
First, I want to talk about our MCs, Luke and Brie. Luke simply existed in this book. Frankly, I didn't care about him or his lil sob story. The part where he's reached the headquarters of hell and is talking to the devil actually had me rolling my eyes; it's so cheesy, dumb, and overused.
I'm still trying to understand why she fell in love with him, and him her. From her POV, all we've gotten about Luke is that he's hot and fights demons. Zero personality. He might as well be a self-insert Y/N. Also, it pissed me off so bad when they were running from the demons, who were actively hunting them, and he decided now was a good time to kiss her??? Bro bffr.
Brie??? My gosh I HATED Brie. Y'all know how toddlers are always insisting on doing shit themselves, but then they obviously fail, cause they're a toddler? Well Brie is just a grown-up version of that. Except it's worse, cause yk... they're doing something life or death, while the toddler is just spilling some milk or something. Luke, who was actually experienced with fighting demons, would be all "hey, stay back," and she'll be all "BUT I DON'T WANT TO!!!" and do what he tells her not to do, and then fuck everything up and put their lives in danger. When you call a firefighter to your fire, do you try to help them put it out and then get mad when they don't let you? NO. Because they're trained and you're not. Same concept. Like, he literally didn't want you there in the first place, but you insisted, and now you're being a burden??? Grow tf up. Also, I didn't care about her 'lil sob story either. I was genuinely actively rooting against them.
HOWEVER! My biggest problem is this book had me scratching my head. Because tell me why they needed to get from NYC to SF, and decided the best idea was to... take the subway??????? And then drive when they couldn't take the subway anymore?????
1. There's literally demons and hell beings on the train, and Luke tells her "Oh don't let other people know you're mortal". So you knew it was dangerous being on that subway (and mind you, they had to be on that subway for a long time, considering they're going CROSS COUNTRY), but you decide to take it anyways? You know what doesn't have demons/dangerous beings that want to kill you? A plane.
2. They're supposedly in this time crunch, but decide to take a subway and a car? A cursory google search shows it takes a day and 20 hours to get from NYC to SF. Doesn't seem like you're in a time crunch to me. You know what'll get you there in a quick, ~7 hours? A plane. And don't say you can't find a flight... NYC is a. one of the busiest airspaces in the world and has a whopping three whole airports serving it. SF is also an extremely busy airspace. You can find a flight. And even if you couldn't find a flight, you couldn't get off the subway in a city partway through and take a plane from there to SF? IDK it just doesn't make sense, and the author never addresses it.
Honestly, all I can say is I'm so glad I'm done with this book... it was so hard not to just DNF it.
Thank you to NG, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.
When I tell you guys this book was not even 300 pages but took me 5 days to read it... (I typically cut out ~8 hours for 300/400 page books and read them in one sitting, so this was really odd for me).
We'll start with the positives:
The premise of this is SO COOL! Like hello??? It literally begins with our FMC walking on her boss EXORCISING HER COLLEAGUE. And then they GO TO HELL!!! The first ~30/40% of this book had me absolutely hooked.
Also, the whole concept of hell being a mirror of corporate, and Silicon Valley being the head of hell, just tickles me. I thought that was so creative of the author, and it actually made me lol.
And the scene with the fax machine!!! It took me out lmao.
But then the negatives:
First, I want to talk about our MCs, Luke and Brie. Luke simply existed in this book. Frankly, I didn't care about him or his lil sob story. The part where he's reached the headquarters of hell and is talking to the devil actually had me rolling my eyes; it's so cheesy, dumb, and overused.
I'm still trying to understand why she fell in love with him, and him her. From her POV, all we've gotten about Luke is that he's hot and fights demons. Zero personality. He might as well be a self-insert Y/N. Also, it pissed me off so bad when they were running from the demons, who were actively hunting them, and he decided now was a good time to kiss her??? Bro bffr.
Brie??? My gosh I HATED Brie. Y'all know how toddlers are always insisting on doing shit themselves, but then they obviously fail, cause they're a toddler? Well Brie is just a grown-up version of that. Except it's worse, cause yk... they're doing something life or death, while the toddler is just spilling some milk or something. Luke, who was actually experienced with fighting demons, would be all "hey, stay back," and she'll be all "BUT I DON'T WANT TO!!!" and do what he tells her not to do, and then fuck everything up and put their lives in danger. When you call a firefighter to your fire, do you try to help them put it out and then get mad when they don't let you? NO. Because they're trained and you're not. Same concept. Like, he literally didn't want you there in the first place, but you insisted, and now you're being a burden??? Grow tf up. Also, I didn't care about her 'lil sob story either. I was genuinely actively rooting against them.
HOWEVER! My biggest problem is this book had me scratching my head. Because tell me why they needed to get from NYC to SF, and decided the best idea was to... take the subway??????? And then drive when they couldn't take the subway anymore?????
1. There's literally demons and hell beings on the train, and Luke tells her "Oh don't let other people know you're mortal". So you knew it was dangerous being on that subway (and mind you, they had to be on that subway for a long time, considering they're going CROSS COUNTRY), but you decide to take it anyways? You know what doesn't have demons/dangerous beings that want to kill you? A plane.
2. They're supposedly in this time crunch, but decide to take a subway and a car? A cursory google search shows it takes a day and 20 hours to get from NYC to SF. Doesn't seem like you're in a time crunch to me. You know what'll get you there in a quick, ~7 hours? A plane. And don't say you can't find a flight... NYC is a. one of the busiest airspaces in the world and has a whopping three whole airports serving it. SF is also an extremely busy airspace. You can find a flight. And even if you couldn't find a flight, you couldn't get off the subway in a city partway through and take a plane from there to SF? IDK it just doesn't make sense, and the author never addresses it.
Honestly, all I can say is I'm so glad I'm done with this book... it was so hard not to just DNF it.
Thank you to NG, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Team, I wanted to like this and the first 30% was really good! Like my favorite part was the start of the book where they actually work at an office, it had me lol'ing and "so true!"ing it up; butttttt the longer this book went on the further my enthusiasm waned. And it waned for very specific reasons related to the plot synopsis (and also the romance aspect but we'll get there). I don't want to spoil anything for anyone else, but nor do I want anyone else to be misled as I was. But I'll indicate the parts of the synopsis I found to be particularly untrue:
Swearing Brie to secrecy, Luke reveals he's from a line of demon hunters 👀
With nothing left to lose, she convinces Luke to let her join his rescue mission 👀
Now Brie and Luke must navigate a corporate underworld of monsters and bureaucratic nightmares 👀
Simply put: there was not enough demon hunting, not enough corporate underworld monsters and bureaucratic nightmares, and the climax of the book happened at like, 70% for ONE chapter, and then you had to slog through the rest of the book where nothing interesting really happens (aside from an unnecessary plot twist to force the corporate underworld part of the synopsis to be true, I guess) and there's a fax machine. I guess that was the "bureaucratic nightmare" I was so excited about? I'm so bummed because when I picked up this book I was envisioning like, idk, the torture of filling out DMV paperwork (which I have to do for my job all the time, UGH), dialed up to an 11 where Brie and Luke are actually fighting their way their hell's bureaucracy and they NEED A BLUE PEN, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BLUE PEN?!?!?! Like they're dealing with impossible office hours, two receptionists where one always lies and one always tells half truths, the department they need is only open from 11 am - 1 pm on Tuesdays, you need to stand in line at 6 am to get a spot for a "walk in appointment" that you have to return for at 4 pm, they forgot to fill out the back page of a certain form that you can only see in the light of a waxing moon and now they have to start the process over again. And I did not get that and now I'm cranky.
Additionally, I understood there was going to be a romance subplot between the main characters, and I was really leaning on the rest of the plot to get me through the romance which I knew wasn't going to be my favorite part of the book. I knew there was going to be romance, but I did not realize it was going to be so insta-lovey. Which I suppose I could have bought, I'm sure those two are trauma bonded but??? The thing that made the romance so unbelievable to me was I felt like I didn't really know Brie OR Luke, you learn their damage but not really anything else? Like I can't tell you anything about either character except the stuff that makes them sad, that's kind of it.
I don't necessarily mean to be harsh, I just wanted to read the book the synopsis promised me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Swearing Brie to secrecy, Luke reveals he's from a line of demon hunters 👀
With nothing left to lose, she convinces Luke to let her join his rescue mission 👀
Now Brie and Luke must navigate a corporate underworld of monsters and bureaucratic nightmares 👀
Simply put: there was not enough demon hunting, not enough corporate underworld monsters and bureaucratic nightmares, and the climax of the book happened at like, 70% for ONE chapter, and then you had to slog through the rest of the book where nothing interesting really happens (aside from an unnecessary plot twist to force the corporate underworld part of the synopsis to be true, I guess) and there's a fax machine. I guess that was the "bureaucratic nightmare" I was so excited about? I'm so bummed because when I picked up this book I was envisioning like, idk, the torture of filling out DMV paperwork (which I have to do for my job all the time, UGH), dialed up to an 11 where Brie and Luke are actually fighting their way their hell's bureaucracy and they NEED A BLUE PEN, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BLUE PEN?!?!?! Like they're dealing with impossible office hours, two receptionists where one always lies and one always tells half truths, the department they need is only open from 11 am - 1 pm on Tuesdays, you need to stand in line at 6 am to get a spot for a "walk in appointment" that you have to return for at 4 pm, they forgot to fill out the back page of a certain form that you can only see in the light of a waxing moon and now they have to start the process over again. And I did not get that and now I'm cranky.
Additionally, I understood there was going to be a romance subplot between the main characters, and I was really leaning on the rest of the plot to get me through the romance which I knew wasn't going to be my favorite part of the book. I knew there was going to be romance, but I did not realize it was going to be so insta-lovey. Which I suppose I could have bought, I'm sure those two are trauma bonded but??? The thing that made the romance so unbelievable to me was I felt like I didn't really know Brie OR Luke, you learn their damage but not really anything else? Like I can't tell you anything about either character except the stuff that makes them sad, that's kind of it.
I don't necessarily mean to be harsh, I just wanted to read the book the synopsis promised me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, this book had me from the title alone. “I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell” by Mackenzie Reed sounds chaotic, and thankfully the story completely delivers on that energy. It’s basically a mashup of paranormal adventure, rom-com, workplace comedy, and a literal road trip through Hell, and somehow it all works.
The story follows Brie, who is basically just trying to survive her boring job as a receptionist at an insurance company. Her biggest daily accomplishment is keeping the office fax machine alive until one night she accidentally stays late and discovers her boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Yes, really.
Things spiral pretty quickly from there. When women, including Brie’s coworker and best friend Krystal, start disappearing, Brie ends up teaming up with Luke, who turns out to be a demon hunter. Their mission? Go into Hell itself and rescue the missing women before a demon can complete a dangerous ritual.
What follows is an absolutely wild adventure. Hell in this book is surprisingly organized, with different factions, districts, and all sorts of bizarre supernatural creatures running around. The worldbuilding is creative and weird in the best way with a lot of demons and sarcastic office humor.
Brie is a really fun main character. She’s snarky, stubborn, and way braver than she thinks she is. She also has some real emotional depth; she’s dealing with past trauma and grief, and the story doesn’t magically fix those things overnight. Instead, it shows her slowly finding strength while still being messy and human. Plus, her obsession with Katniss and her random bow-and-arrow skills are genuinely hilarious.
Luke, on the other hand, is the classic broody demon hunter with a mysterious past. At first he definitely gives off the “grumpy guy stuck on a mission with a chaotic civilian” vibe, but as the story unfolds you start learning more about him and why he knows so much about Hell. The chemistry between him and Brie builds slowly, and their relationship ends up being surprisingly sweet.
One of the best things about this book is the tone. It’s really funny, but it also balances that humor with darker emotional moments about grief, trauma, and healing. The mix of ridiculous demon encounters and genuine character growth keeps the story feeling both entertaining and meaningful.
That said, the pacing can feel a little uneven at times. The beginning and ending are packed with action, but the middle section drags a bit in places. Still, overall this book is just a lot of fun. It’s weird, adventurous, romantic, and full of chaotic energy. If you like paranormal stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still have heart you’ll probably have a great time with it.
Basically: if the idea of a sarcastic office worker road-tripping through Hell with a hot demon hunter sounds appealing, you should definitely pick this one up.
Honestly, this book had me from the title alone. “I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell” by Mackenzie Reed sounds chaotic, and thankfully the story completely delivers on that energy. It’s basically a mashup of paranormal adventure, rom-com, workplace comedy, and a literal road trip through Hell, and somehow it all works.
The story follows Brie, who is basically just trying to survive her boring job as a receptionist at an insurance company. Her biggest daily accomplishment is keeping the office fax machine alive until one night she accidentally stays late and discovers her boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting. Yes, really.
Things spiral pretty quickly from there. When women, including Brie’s coworker and best friend Krystal, start disappearing, Brie ends up teaming up with Luke, who turns out to be a demon hunter. Their mission? Go into Hell itself and rescue the missing women before a demon can complete a dangerous ritual.
What follows is an absolutely wild adventure. Hell in this book is surprisingly organized, with different factions, districts, and all sorts of bizarre supernatural creatures running around. The worldbuilding is creative and weird in the best way with a lot of demons and sarcastic office humor.
Brie is a really fun main character. She’s snarky, stubborn, and way braver than she thinks she is. She also has some real emotional depth; she’s dealing with past trauma and grief, and the story doesn’t magically fix those things overnight. Instead, it shows her slowly finding strength while still being messy and human. Plus, her obsession with Katniss and her random bow-and-arrow skills are genuinely hilarious.
Luke, on the other hand, is the classic broody demon hunter with a mysterious past. At first he definitely gives off the “grumpy guy stuck on a mission with a chaotic civilian” vibe, but as the story unfolds you start learning more about him and why he knows so much about Hell. The chemistry between him and Brie builds slowly, and their relationship ends up being surprisingly sweet.
One of the best things about this book is the tone. It’s really funny, but it also balances that humor with darker emotional moments about grief, trauma, and healing. The mix of ridiculous demon encounters and genuine character growth keeps the story feeling both entertaining and meaningful.
That said, the pacing can feel a little uneven at times. The beginning and ending are packed with action, but the middle section drags a bit in places. Still, overall this book is just a lot of fun. It’s weird, adventurous, romantic, and full of chaotic energy. If you like paranormal stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still have heart you’ll probably have a great time with it.
Basically: if the idea of a sarcastic office worker road-tripping through Hell with a hot demon hunter sounds appealing, you should definitely pick this one up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 stars
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell starts off with a bang. Brie, a receptionist at Corporate Cares life insurance, is working a dead-end job, numbly going through the motions to distract herself from memories of her tragic past. Once a promising medical student with loving parents and a doting fiance, the highlights of Brie's day now consist of changing out the empty water cooler and nagging Debra from accounting for her overdue weekly reports. However, Brie's carefully-constructed routine is shattered one fateful night when she pops back into the office to fax said overdue reports. Though she's prepared to do battle with the fax machines, she's definitely *not* prepared to find her mysterious new boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra. He reveals that he is a demon hunter and swears her to secrecy, and Brie is desperate to forget about everything she saw that night. However, when her closest friend at work goes missing, Brie convinces Luke to take her along on the (literal) rescue mission to hell. As Luke and Brie find themselves on a road trip across the underworld, they must race against the clock to stop the veil separating the two worlds from being destroyed forever - all while dealing with the pesky feelings growing between them.
I absolutely adored the exorcism at the start of the book; I'm sure everyone has encountered at least one coworker in their lives who was so bad that surely demonic possession was involved. The premise of a road trip across hell was also great, and left a lot of opportunity to fully explore the underworld and its inhabitants (demons, devils, souls, vampires, etc.). However, once Brie and Luke set out on their journey, things started to fall apart. It almost seemed like the author had a set list of "standard urban romantasy" plot points that they wanted to hit (including word-for-word trope-y dialogue) and then filled in the rest with...filler. The action jumped around so much that I am still confused as to how the underworld actually works, so the "twists" that were revealed about Luke's background never really hit with much impact because I had no idea what they actually meant in the grand scheme of things. There was also minimal character development outside of Brie, so the romance between her and Luke fell flat for me (especially since most of the book followed a pattern of her demanding to be involved, getting herself into trouble, and then getting mad at Luke for not being forthcoming with her *even though he didn't want her there in the first place*). However, I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell was a very quick read with a fun premise, so if these shortcomings aren't a deal-breaker, this is probably worth checking out for anyone interested.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell starts off with a bang. Brie, a receptionist at Corporate Cares life insurance, is working a dead-end job, numbly going through the motions to distract herself from memories of her tragic past. Once a promising medical student with loving parents and a doting fiance, the highlights of Brie's day now consist of changing out the empty water cooler and nagging Debra from accounting for her overdue weekly reports. However, Brie's carefully-constructed routine is shattered one fateful night when she pops back into the office to fax said overdue reports. Though she's prepared to do battle with the fax machines, she's definitely *not* prepared to find her mysterious new boss Luke performing an exorcism on Debra. He reveals that he is a demon hunter and swears her to secrecy, and Brie is desperate to forget about everything she saw that night. However, when her closest friend at work goes missing, Brie convinces Luke to take her along on the (literal) rescue mission to hell. As Luke and Brie find themselves on a road trip across the underworld, they must race against the clock to stop the veil separating the two worlds from being destroyed forever - all while dealing with the pesky feelings growing between them.
I absolutely adored the exorcism at the start of the book; I'm sure everyone has encountered at least one coworker in their lives who was so bad that surely demonic possession was involved. The premise of a road trip across hell was also great, and left a lot of opportunity to fully explore the underworld and its inhabitants (demons, devils, souls, vampires, etc.). However, once Brie and Luke set out on their journey, things started to fall apart. It almost seemed like the author had a set list of "standard urban romantasy" plot points that they wanted to hit (including word-for-word trope-y dialogue) and then filled in the rest with...filler. The action jumped around so much that I am still confused as to how the underworld actually works, so the "twists" that were revealed about Luke's background never really hit with much impact because I had no idea what they actually meant in the grand scheme of things. There was also minimal character development outside of Brie, so the romance between her and Luke fell flat for me (especially since most of the book followed a pattern of her demanding to be involved, getting herself into trouble, and then getting mad at Luke for not being forthcoming with her *even though he didn't want her there in the first place*). However, I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell was a very quick read with a fun premise, so if these shortcomings aren't a deal-breaker, this is probably worth checking out for anyone interested.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Following the unexpected death of her parents, Brie Benson is stuck in survival mode, going through the motions in a mind numbing job as a receptionist at a life insurance company, which feels a little too ironic. Life has settled into a dull but strangely comforting routine, until one night she stays late and accidentally catches her very attractive boss performing an exorcism on Deb from Accounting.
Beneath Luke’s crisp button down shirts and composed managerial exterior lies a much darker truth. He claims to come from a long line of demon hunters, and with demonic activity on the rise, he is busier than ever. Luke makes Brie promise to keep what she saw a secret and to forget about it altogether, but when one of her closest colleagues suddenly goes missing, she knows something isn’t right.
With nothing left to lose and convinced she could be next, Brie pushes Luke to let her join him on his mission to find the missing victims. He already has a theory about where they have been taken, but there is one major problem. It is in hell.
What follows is a surreal road trip through a warped, corporate version of their own world, filled with demons, monsters, and unexpected dangers. As Brie starts to peel back the layers of her mysterious boss, and finds herself drawn to him in ways she did not expect, it becomes clear that Luke is hiding far more than he has admitted. At the same time, they uncover something even more alarming. The barrier between the overworld and the underworld is beginning to tear, and if it breaks completely, the world as they know it will be overrun with monsters.
Brie and Luke must find a way to repair the veil while also surviving long enough to make it back. And with every moment they spend in hell, the chances of leaving start to slip further away.
I absolutely loved this. I went in not entirely sure what to expect, and it ended up delivering in ways I hadn’t even anticipated.
The premise alone was so much fun, and I really enjoyed how everything connected as the story progressed. Some parts were a little predictable, but others genuinely caught me off guard, which made for a really engaging read. It also felt refreshingly original and was much funnier than I expected. It leaned far more into romcom territory than I thought it would, which I ended up loving.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and would happily pick up more of her work. I’m almost reluctant to say too much more in case I accidentally spoil anything, because this is definitely a book that is best experienced without knowing too much going in.
Tropes
Workplace romance (if you squint?)
Forced proximity
Only one bed
IT'S LITERALLY SET IN HELL, GUYS
Beneath Luke’s crisp button down shirts and composed managerial exterior lies a much darker truth. He claims to come from a long line of demon hunters, and with demonic activity on the rise, he is busier than ever. Luke makes Brie promise to keep what she saw a secret and to forget about it altogether, but when one of her closest colleagues suddenly goes missing, she knows something isn’t right.
With nothing left to lose and convinced she could be next, Brie pushes Luke to let her join him on his mission to find the missing victims. He already has a theory about where they have been taken, but there is one major problem. It is in hell.
What follows is a surreal road trip through a warped, corporate version of their own world, filled with demons, monsters, and unexpected dangers. As Brie starts to peel back the layers of her mysterious boss, and finds herself drawn to him in ways she did not expect, it becomes clear that Luke is hiding far more than he has admitted. At the same time, they uncover something even more alarming. The barrier between the overworld and the underworld is beginning to tear, and if it breaks completely, the world as they know it will be overrun with monsters.
Brie and Luke must find a way to repair the veil while also surviving long enough to make it back. And with every moment they spend in hell, the chances of leaving start to slip further away.
I absolutely loved this. I went in not entirely sure what to expect, and it ended up delivering in ways I hadn’t even anticipated.
The premise alone was so much fun, and I really enjoyed how everything connected as the story progressed. Some parts were a little predictable, but others genuinely caught me off guard, which made for a really engaging read. It also felt refreshingly original and was much funnier than I expected. It leaned far more into romcom territory than I thought it would, which I ended up loving.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and would happily pick up more of her work. I’m almost reluctant to say too much more in case I accidentally spoil anything, because this is definitely a book that is best experienced without knowing too much going in.
Tropes
Workplace romance (if you squint?)
Forced proximity
Only one bed
IT'S LITERALLY SET IN HELL, GUYS
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