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I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell
'We're not in the overworld anymore. Welcome to hell'
An incredibly fun paranormal romance about a down-on-her-luck receptionist who discovers her uptight boss is a demon hunter when she catches him performing an exorcism after hours, and then joins him on a chaotic road trip through Hell to rescue their missing coworker, save the world - and maybe fall in love, perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, Bride, and Buffy.
___________________________
What makes the underworld so dangerous is that it is just like the overworld.
And the longer you spend in hell, the less likely you'll ever leave . . .
Following the unexpected death of her parents, Brie Benson exists in survival mode, having picked up a mind-numbing job as a receptionist for a life insurance company (the irony). Life has taken on a soothing mundanity...until she stays late one night and accidentally catches her hot boss performing an exorcism on Deb from Accounting.
Beneath her boss's crisp button downs and managerial facade, Luke hides a chilling secret - he claims to come from a line of demon hunters, and with demonic activity suspiciously on the rise, he's working double time. Luke swears Brie to secrecy and to forget what she saw, but when her closest friend at work goes missing, Brie knows something's up. With nothing to lose and convinced she's the next target, Brie convinces Luke to let her join his recovery mission. He has a hunch as to where the victims are being taken - the problem is, it's in hell.
Brie and Luke descend on a road trip through a warped, corporate version of their own world, riddled with monsters, demons, and magic. But as Brie peels back the layers of her mysterious boss - and starts to fall for his carefully guarded heart - she realizes Luke is hiding more secrets than he's letting on. Worse yet, they discover that the fragile fabric that separates the overworld and underworld is tearing, and should it rip completely, the overworld will flood with monsters, creating literal hell on earth. Brie and Luke need to fix the veil and stay alive to see not only their journey, but also their budding feelings for each other through to the end - because the unnerving truth of hell is that the longer you're there, the less likely it is you'll ever leave.
An incredibly fun paranormal romance about a down-on-her-luck receptionist who discovers her uptight boss is a demon hunter when she catches him performing an exorcism after hours, and then joins him on a chaotic road trip through Hell to rescue their missing coworker, save the world - and maybe fall in love, perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, Bride, and Buffy.
___________________________
What makes the underworld so dangerous is that it is just like the overworld.
And the longer you spend in hell, the less likely you'll ever leave . . .
Following the unexpected death of her parents, Brie Benson exists in survival mode, having picked up a mind-numbing job as a receptionist for a life insurance company (the irony). Life has taken on a soothing mundanity...until she stays late one night and accidentally catches her hot boss performing an exorcism on Deb from Accounting.
Beneath her boss's crisp button downs and managerial facade, Luke hides a chilling secret - he claims to come from a line of demon hunters, and with demonic activity suspiciously on the rise, he's working double time. Luke swears Brie to secrecy and to forget what she saw, but when her closest friend at work goes missing, Brie knows something's up. With nothing to lose and convinced she's the next target, Brie convinces Luke to let her join his recovery mission. He has a hunch as to where the victims are being taken - the problem is, it's in hell.
Brie and Luke descend on a road trip through a warped, corporate version of their own world, riddled with monsters, demons, and magic. But as Brie peels back the layers of her mysterious boss - and starts to fall for his carefully guarded heart - she realizes Luke is hiding more secrets than he's letting on. Worse yet, they discover that the fragile fabric that separates the overworld and underworld is tearing, and should it rip completely, the overworld will flood with monsters, creating literal hell on earth. Brie and Luke need to fix the veil and stay alive to see not only their journey, but also their budding feelings for each other through to the end - because the unnerving truth of hell is that the longer you're there, the less likely it is you'll ever leave.
Audible Audio
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Mackenzie Reed
4 books344 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 698 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 ☆
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 17, 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.
September 4, 2026
*4.5 stars *
This road trip-through-Hell rom-com was so much fun - clever and zany and with a pitch perfect ending. If this were a movie it would be my favorite date-night film!
This road trip-through-Hell rom-com was so much fun - clever and zany and with a pitch perfect ending. If this were a movie it would be my favorite date-night film!
September 15, 2026
Brie works a boring corporate job and... unfortunately... I occasionally felt like I worked there with her.
Which is honestly SO frustrating because I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell has one of those premises that immediately made me go: YES. GIVE IT TO ME.
I mean...
You're working late at your incredibly boring life insurance job when you accidentally discover your hot, uptight boss performing an EXORCISM ON DEB FROM ACCOUNTING.
COME ON.
That's fantastic.
Brie is already struggling after losing her parents and basically existing in survival mode when she discovers that Luke—her very attractive but rather mysterious boss, is secretly a demon hunter.
Then one of her closest friends at work disappears, demon activity is increasing, Luke has an idea where the missing people might be and suddenly...
ROAD TRIP THROUGH HELL.
I was READY.
The beginning was really strong. I was intrigued by Luke, I liked Brie, I wanted to know what was happening, and I couldn't wait for them to actually enter Hell and see what kind of chaos awaited them.
And then we got there.
And...
Why did Hell feel so... Plain Jane?
This is the part I'm struggling to explain because things DO happen. There are monsters. Demons. Danger. Different adventures. Magic. Problems with the barrier between the worlds. Brie and Luke are running around trying not to die while also figuring out how the hell they're supposed to save everyone.
On paper, there is absolutely no shortage of stuff happening.
But I don't know... I just was not feeling the excitement. I kept waiting for that feeling of OMG WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT?! and I didn't feel it completely arrived. The deeper we traveled into Hell, the more I realized that I wasn't as invested in the journey as I had expected to be.
And considering we're literally in HELL, that's... slightly unfortunate. :/
Thankfully, I did like Brie and Luke together.
Their bickering and banter were fun, I enjoyed watching Brie slowly discover there was considerably more underneath Luke's manager exterior, and I liked the way their relationship developed throughout their completely normal, everyday business trip to the Underworld.
You know... Team-building exercise. Very standard HR stuff... I'm sure there's a form for it somewhere.
And I think that's ultimately why I'm sitting around 3.75 rather than going lower.
I didn't dislike the book at all. There were things I genuinely enjoyed, I liked the characters and romance, and I still think the premise is fantastic.
I just couldn't completely click with it.
The beginning had me expecting a wild ride, but once the actual journey through Hell began, something about the story lost that initial spark for me. There was plenty happening, but weirdly, it never translated into the level of tension or excitement I wanted.
And I'm extra sad because...
cough
I may have already preordered the physical book.
With the swag.
BEFORE reading it.
Look, the premise sounded amazing and the swag was cool, okay?!
At least my shelf will look pretty while silently judging me.
3.75⭐
Thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
Which is honestly SO frustrating because I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell has one of those premises that immediately made me go: YES. GIVE IT TO ME.
I mean...
You're working late at your incredibly boring life insurance job when you accidentally discover your hot, uptight boss performing an EXORCISM ON DEB FROM ACCOUNTING.
COME ON.
That's fantastic.
Brie is already struggling after losing her parents and basically existing in survival mode when she discovers that Luke—her very attractive but rather mysterious boss, is secretly a demon hunter.
Then one of her closest friends at work disappears, demon activity is increasing, Luke has an idea where the missing people might be and suddenly...
ROAD TRIP THROUGH HELL.
I was READY.
The beginning was really strong. I was intrigued by Luke, I liked Brie, I wanted to know what was happening, and I couldn't wait for them to actually enter Hell and see what kind of chaos awaited them.
And then we got there.
And...
Why did Hell feel so... Plain Jane?
This is the part I'm struggling to explain because things DO happen. There are monsters. Demons. Danger. Different adventures. Magic. Problems with the barrier between the worlds. Brie and Luke are running around trying not to die while also figuring out how the hell they're supposed to save everyone.
On paper, there is absolutely no shortage of stuff happening.
But I don't know... I just was not feeling the excitement. I kept waiting for that feeling of OMG WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT?! and I didn't feel it completely arrived. The deeper we traveled into Hell, the more I realized that I wasn't as invested in the journey as I had expected to be.
And considering we're literally in HELL, that's... slightly unfortunate. :/
Thankfully, I did like Brie and Luke together.
Their bickering and banter were fun, I enjoyed watching Brie slowly discover there was considerably more underneath Luke's manager exterior, and I liked the way their relationship developed throughout their completely normal, everyday business trip to the Underworld.
You know... Team-building exercise. Very standard HR stuff... I'm sure there's a form for it somewhere.
And I think that's ultimately why I'm sitting around 3.75 rather than going lower.
I didn't dislike the book at all. There were things I genuinely enjoyed, I liked the characters and romance, and I still think the premise is fantastic.
I just couldn't completely click with it.
The beginning had me expecting a wild ride, but once the actual journey through Hell began, something about the story lost that initial spark for me. There was plenty happening, but weirdly, it never translated into the level of tension or excitement I wanted.
And I'm extra sad because...
cough
I may have already preordered the physical book.
With the swag.
BEFORE reading it.
Look, the premise sounded amazing and the swag was cool, okay?!
At least my shelf will look pretty while silently judging me.
3.75⭐
Thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
September 18, 2026
Early thoughts: A little scary and a lot sarcastic so far. Enjoying it!
Feeling: Supernatural meets Bones
I’m curious about: The concept carried out by this fmc. The fmc is new to demon hunting, but she seems very comfortable with all of it!
"I’ve gone from teary-eyed gratitude at finally getting hired somewhere to needing to give myself morning pep talks in the bathroom mirror every day while getting ready. Moisturizer: It’s a new day. Make it a good one! Eyeliner: You’re the hottest receptionist (see also: only receptionist) in the place. Work it. Mascara: How lucky you are to get a biweekly paycheck! Thriving!" p9
Final thoughts:
My favorite element was the many lives of the faulty f**king fax machine.
I experienced this book much more as a sort of dark fantasy (no, not smut) than as a horror book. I also found it more funny than scary. This actually makes sense to me, in retrospect. I'm guessing this author is a Supernatural fan👻
Trauma bonding is something that happens between an indivial and their abuser. I thought I'd mention this in case the term is misused in this text.
What worked:
🌆 The story world version of hell is unique and often clever. Funny, absurd, ironic-- definitely a writer's hell.
What didn’t:
❓ It's very busy and hectic. Plot light stories can work but they require other elements to provide clarity.
Who this is for: fans of Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Content Notes:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
hell, death of a loved one, demons, nightmares, ableism, ableist language,
Feeling: Supernatural meets Bones
I’m curious about: The concept carried out by this fmc. The fmc is new to demon hunting, but she seems very comfortable with all of it!
"I’ve gone from teary-eyed gratitude at finally getting hired somewhere to needing to give myself morning pep talks in the bathroom mirror every day while getting ready. Moisturizer: It’s a new day. Make it a good one! Eyeliner: You’re the hottest receptionist (see also: only receptionist) in the place. Work it. Mascara: How lucky you are to get a biweekly paycheck! Thriving!" p9
Final thoughts:
My favorite element was the many lives of the faulty f**king fax machine.
I experienced this book much more as a sort of dark fantasy (no, not smut) than as a horror book. I also found it more funny than scary. This actually makes sense to me, in retrospect. I'm guessing this author is a Supernatural fan👻
Trauma bonding is something that happens between an indivial and their abuser. I thought I'd mention this in case the term is misused in this text.
What worked:
🌆 The story world version of hell is unique and often clever. Funny, absurd, ironic-- definitely a writer's hell.
What didn’t:
❓ It's very busy and hectic. Plot light stories can work but they require other elements to provide clarity.
Who this is for: fans of Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Content Notes:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
hell, death of a loved one, demons, nightmares, ableism, ableist language,
August 29, 2026
this was really cute & unique!! like a supernatural episode!!!
girl in a dead end job goes into the office late one night to print something & stumbles upon her hot boss conducting an exorcism on her coworker 🤠
A trip through hell to save her friend! Kissing! Vampires! Devil in a tux!
really fun & lighthearted
4.25
girl in a dead end job goes into the office late one night to print something & stumbles upon her hot boss conducting an exorcism on her coworker 🤠
A trip through hell to save her friend! Kissing! Vampires! Devil in a tux!
really fun & lighthearted
4.25
September 10, 2026
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell is a funny, emotional, adventure of a book. We follow the office secretary and a colleague to hell, fighting demons along the way, to free their captured office mate and other women who were abducted. DANG was this a fun, bingeable read! Very fitting for a work day towards the beginning of autumn (technically late summer, but it's officially autumn as of Sept 1 in this house lol). Everything about this one had me bought in; I loved the plot, the paranormal aspects, the mysteries in the plot and from our two MCs, and the romance thart built was *chef's kiss*. I'm so glad I picked this one up today!
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.
September 17, 2026
Thank you to author Mackenzie Reed and Berkley for the eARC of “I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell”.
💭My Thoughts
This book was nothing like I thought it would be and it's in a good way. I liked how much grief our FMC has throughout the book. That grief seems to lesson in a way as the book goes on, but I really think it's cause Brie is forced to be present. Because our girl really goes through it, and without spoiling anything its a lot.
Luke.. I have such mixed feelings about him. Especially when you get to like 70% of the book and realize all the secrets he's still keeping.
❣️Tropes❣️
Fantasy
Small Town...
Demons
Demon Hunter MMC
Boss X Employee
Slow Burn
🩵RATING🩵
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️
Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: Berkley
💭My Thoughts
This book was nothing like I thought it would be and it's in a good way. I liked how much grief our FMC has throughout the book. That grief seems to lesson in a way as the book goes on, but I really think it's cause Brie is forced to be present. Because our girl really goes through it, and without spoiling anything its a lot.
Luke.. I have such mixed feelings about him. Especially when you get to like 70% of the book and realize all the secrets he's still keeping.
❣️Tropes❣️
Fantasy
Small Town...
Demons
Demon Hunter MMC
Boss X Employee
Slow Burn
🩵RATING🩵
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️
Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: Berkley
September 3, 2026
📚Arc Review 📚 I Hope This Email Finds You In Hell by Mackenzie Reed
Any time a book involves sarcastic corporate humour, count me in! I loved the premise of this one. Brie works as a receptionist at an insurance company. Everyday is the same mundane set up, asking Debra for that report and leaving at 4 p.m. on the dot. Until one day, she forgets something at work and backtracks into the office. Only to find her hot boss, Luke, performing an exorcism... On Debra!
Brie is sworn into secrecy and she finds out Luke's secret side hustle, demon hunting. When her bestie is kidnapped, Luke and Brie head into the underworld (Hell) to save her.... Brie finds out that Hell is also a corporate nightmare.
This was silly, with a side of romance. The beginning was definitely what hooked me in. The romance is pretty predictable, albeit a bit cheesy in parts. If you're looking for adventure laced with some corporate humour, you'll have a hell of a good time 😉
Rating: 4⭐
Release date: September 1
Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the arc!
Any time a book involves sarcastic corporate humour, count me in! I loved the premise of this one. Brie works as a receptionist at an insurance company. Everyday is the same mundane set up, asking Debra for that report and leaving at 4 p.m. on the dot. Until one day, she forgets something at work and backtracks into the office. Only to find her hot boss, Luke, performing an exorcism... On Debra!
Brie is sworn into secrecy and she finds out Luke's secret side hustle, demon hunting. When her bestie is kidnapped, Luke and Brie head into the underworld (Hell) to save her.... Brie finds out that Hell is also a corporate nightmare.
This was silly, with a side of romance. The beginning was definitely what hooked me in. The romance is pretty predictable, albeit a bit cheesy in parts. If you're looking for adventure laced with some corporate humour, you'll have a hell of a good time 😉
Rating: 4⭐
Release date: September 1
Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the arc!
September 7, 2026
I did not expect hell to have an HR department, and yet here we are, already filing a complaint about the benefits package.
Brie Benson is a 27-year-old receptionist at a life insurance company, quietly holding her whole life together with tape and denial (grief for her parents tucked in a drawer she refuses to open) until she catches her uptight boss Luke mid-exorcism in what I assume was a very awkward Tuesday. Turns out Luke comes from a whole lineage of demon hunters. When their coworker gets yanked straight into Hell (located, inconveniently, beneath Times Square), Brie muscles her way onto the rescue mission, and the two of them end up road-tripping through a bureaucratic underworld, sharing one bed they absolutely did not need to share, and trying very hard not to fall for each other while the veil between worlds tears open around them.
The corporate satire is the real main character here and it is unhinged in the best way. Hell as a dysfunctional company with paperwork, red tape, and middle management energy is exactly the kind of specific, weird premise that makes me feral. Brie's dry, done-with-everyone narration carried this book, Luke's slow-drip backstory reveal was paced well, and the banter between them genuinely earned the one bed instead of just using it as a prop.
Why not 5 stars: the middle stretch was trying to be a corporate comedy, a paranormal thriller, a road trip, and a slow burn romance all at the same time, and it occasionally tripped over its own ambition. A couple of threads (the missing coworker's arc especially) felt like they got sidelined so the romance could keep moving. The ending fully stuck the landing though.
Trope Chaos Check
✨ Coworkers to lovers (deeply against HR policy, we support it anyway)
✨ Forced proximity (a literal road trip through Hell will do that to two people)
✨ One bed (obviously)
✨ Grumpy demon hunter x scrappy, done-with-this receptionist
✨ Slow burn with an actual body count
★★★☆ (and a half), funny, chaotic, and workplace-appropriately horny, docked a little for trying to be five genres in one book but never docked for the vibes.
Brie Benson is a 27-year-old receptionist at a life insurance company, quietly holding her whole life together with tape and denial (grief for her parents tucked in a drawer she refuses to open) until she catches her uptight boss Luke mid-exorcism in what I assume was a very awkward Tuesday. Turns out Luke comes from a whole lineage of demon hunters. When their coworker gets yanked straight into Hell (located, inconveniently, beneath Times Square), Brie muscles her way onto the rescue mission, and the two of them end up road-tripping through a bureaucratic underworld, sharing one bed they absolutely did not need to share, and trying very hard not to fall for each other while the veil between worlds tears open around them.
The corporate satire is the real main character here and it is unhinged in the best way. Hell as a dysfunctional company with paperwork, red tape, and middle management energy is exactly the kind of specific, weird premise that makes me feral. Brie's dry, done-with-everyone narration carried this book, Luke's slow-drip backstory reveal was paced well, and the banter between them genuinely earned the one bed instead of just using it as a prop.
Why not 5 stars: the middle stretch was trying to be a corporate comedy, a paranormal thriller, a road trip, and a slow burn romance all at the same time, and it occasionally tripped over its own ambition. A couple of threads (the missing coworker's arc especially) felt like they got sidelined so the romance could keep moving. The ending fully stuck the landing though.
Trope Chaos Check
✨ Coworkers to lovers (deeply against HR policy, we support it anyway)
✨ Forced proximity (a literal road trip through Hell will do that to two people)
✨ One bed (obviously)
✨ Grumpy demon hunter x scrappy, done-with-this receptionist
✨ Slow burn with an actual body count
★★★☆ (and a half), funny, chaotic, and workplace-appropriately horny, docked a little for trying to be five genres in one book but never docked for the vibes.
August 28, 2026
This was such a good time!!!!!
This is a paranormal romance where Brie finds her boss performing an exorcism after hours and then it turns into a trip to hell! 🔥
This was extremely fun and witty. I loved the comparisons from the “overworld” to the underworld, Our FMC is SO funny and I love how we just went with the flow, plus the action and twists! I literally found myself laughing out loud 🤣
The romance is patient and sweet, I loved it!
This is very fast paced and a fabulous time ✨
Definitely worth the read and PERFECT for fall 💜🖤
This is a paranormal romance where Brie finds her boss performing an exorcism after hours and then it turns into a trip to hell! 🔥
This was extremely fun and witty. I loved the comparisons from the “overworld” to the underworld, Our FMC is SO funny and I love how we just went with the flow, plus the action and twists! I literally found myself laughing out loud 🤣
The romance is patient and sweet, I loved it!
This is very fast paced and a fabulous time ✨
Definitely worth the read and PERFECT for fall 💜🖤
September 16, 2026
Funny, fast paced and full of hellish adventure.
I love a good office setting comedy and this one had plenty of moments that had me laughing out loud. I loved this author’s quick witted humor and silly imagination. A great book to transition out of summer and help kick off the spooky season!
I love a good office setting comedy and this one had plenty of moments that had me laughing out loud. I loved this author’s quick witted humor and silly imagination. A great book to transition out of summer and help kick off the spooky season!
September 9, 2026
This one got me on the title alone, but I was quickly hooked.
I really liked Brie and Luke. She's dealing with a traumatic past and is trying to find her way out from under it. He's a seemingly strait laced manager who is more than meets the eye. Together they have an odd partnership, loads of button pushing, and a delightful sort of imbalance.
Plot wise, it's pretty much full speed from the first chapter. There are layers to the story and I do wish the world building would have been explained just a bit more; however I was really invested in these two and was fine just going with it. I loved the imagery, the excitement, and the epilogue was perfection.
Overall, this was a lot of fun and exactly what I was in the mood for.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Brie and Luke. She's dealing with a traumatic past and is trying to find her way out from under it. He's a seemingly strait laced manager who is more than meets the eye. Together they have an odd partnership, loads of button pushing, and a delightful sort of imbalance.
Plot wise, it's pretty much full speed from the first chapter. There are layers to the story and I do wish the world building would have been explained just a bit more; however I was really invested in these two and was fine just going with it. I loved the imagery, the excitement, and the epilogue was perfection.
Overall, this was a lot of fun and exactly what I was in the mood for.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
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.
September 14, 2026
What a fun book!
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!!
September 7, 2026
This was exactly what I was looking for. Humor mixed with a little bit of cozy fantasy, and low stakes.. Enjoy enjoyed this way more than I thought I would definitely would recommend.
September 14, 2026
really fun but it felt ridiculously long 😅
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...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐ 2.5 | ❤️ 3/5
I picked it up due to the fun premise: as someone who worked in Silicon Valley tech in middle management, I thought it would be right up my alley. This felt like a great premise that could have been a fun short story rather than a ~350 page book. For such a short book, it had a lot of filler including within the dialogue itself. It’s high camp (which I normally enjoy), but felt forced and didn’t land for me with its jokes feeling repetitive.
What I liked about the book was that it had a bi MMC and that he is a middle manager who loves spreadsheets (so very relatable).
The reading level reminded me of Middle Grade, while the dialogue read as YA at best but often younger than that. Imagine a 90s sitcom meets a direct-to-video Disney sequel but add some curse words, open door steam, and frequent references to millennial pop culture. Jokes get explained right after they’re told, and the banter reads more like a script leaning heavily on what’s said, what’s done, and exposition and light on interiority.
The world building had some holes (e.g. no explanation for why a Devil is needed in hell even though the whole plot structurally relies on this fact). I was often told rather than shown what characters felt but also how the world worked, and it felt we were just meant to accept what was told. Then there were rules of the world that were inconsistently applied (E.g. losing your humanity means that you can’t leave hell).
The romance didn’t feel earned. It felt performative and forced and at the worst of times, cringey. It’s how I imagine teenage first love might be.
A core aspect of the plot exists due to miscommunication / lack of communication between two characters that could have been resolved with one conversation, which is not to my taste.
It struggled to hold my attention and was not a fit for me, but if you’re looking for a quick, easy read and enjoy camp in a paranormal setting, maybe this could be for you if you don’t mind miscommunication and a juvenile FMC whose personality is her trauma.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Berkley via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I picked it up due to the fun premise: as someone who worked in Silicon Valley tech in middle management, I thought it would be right up my alley. This felt like a great premise that could have been a fun short story rather than a ~350 page book. For such a short book, it had a lot of filler including within the dialogue itself. It’s high camp (which I normally enjoy), but felt forced and didn’t land for me with its jokes feeling repetitive.
What I liked about the book was that it had a bi MMC and that he is a middle manager who loves spreadsheets (so very relatable).
The reading level reminded me of Middle Grade, while the dialogue read as YA at best but often younger than that. Imagine a 90s sitcom meets a direct-to-video Disney sequel but add some curse words, open door steam, and frequent references to millennial pop culture. Jokes get explained right after they’re told, and the banter reads more like a script leaning heavily on what’s said, what’s done, and exposition and light on interiority.
The world building had some holes (e.g. no explanation for why a Devil is needed in hell even though the whole plot structurally relies on this fact). I was often told rather than shown what characters felt but also how the world worked, and it felt we were just meant to accept what was told. Then there were rules of the world that were inconsistently applied (E.g. losing your humanity means that you can’t leave hell).
The romance didn’t feel earned. It felt performative and forced and at the worst of times, cringey. It’s how I imagine teenage first love might be.
A core aspect of the plot exists due to miscommunication / lack of communication between two characters that could have been resolved with one conversation, which is not to my taste.
It struggled to hold my attention and was not a fit for me, but if you’re looking for a quick, easy read and enjoy camp in a paranormal setting, maybe this could be for you if you don’t mind miscommunication and a juvenile FMC whose personality is her trauma.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Berkley via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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!
August 27, 2026
Honestly, this book had me almost immediately. I was maybe 10 minutes into I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell when I thought, “Oh yeah, I’m going to love this,” and I was absolutely right. Office humor? Horror? Fantasy? Demons? Romance? Apparently, throwing all of those things together was exactly the recipe for a book I couldn’t put down. I ate up every second of it and genuinely did not want it to end. By the time I finished, I was already missing these characters and wishing I had another 300 pages with them.
And then our female main character walked in on her boss conducting an exorcism after hours in the office, and I thought, “Yep. This is the book for me.” 😂 There was something so ridiculously fun about taking the everyday awkwardness and absurdity of office life and casually mixing it with demons and supernatural chaos. It worked SO well.
I was able to predict where the romance was heading, but that honestly didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. The way the relationship developed, and especially the specifics surrounding everyone’s true identities, turned out to be such a great surprise. I don’t want to say anything more because it would be way too easy to spoil some of the best reveals, so I’ll just leave it at that!
One of my absolute favorite parts, though, was how immersive the journey through hell felt. I genuinely felt like I was traveling alongside these characters. The descriptions of the different demons, environments, and the world itself were so expertly written and vivid without making the story feel overly heavy. It was immersive and atmospheric while still incredibly fun, which was exactly what I wanted from this book.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and #NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! I will definitely be getting a physical copy for my bookshelf.
And then our female main character walked in on her boss conducting an exorcism after hours in the office, and I thought, “Yep. This is the book for me.” 😂 There was something so ridiculously fun about taking the everyday awkwardness and absurdity of office life and casually mixing it with demons and supernatural chaos. It worked SO well.
I was able to predict where the romance was heading, but that honestly didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. The way the relationship developed, and especially the specifics surrounding everyone’s true identities, turned out to be such a great surprise. I don’t want to say anything more because it would be way too easy to spoil some of the best reveals, so I’ll just leave it at that!
One of my absolute favorite parts, though, was how immersive the journey through hell felt. I genuinely felt like I was traveling alongside these characters. The descriptions of the different demons, environments, and the world itself were so expertly written and vivid without making the story feel overly heavy. It was immersive and atmospheric while still incredibly fun, which was exactly what I wanted from this book.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and #NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! I will definitely be getting a physical copy for my bookshelf.
September 8, 2026
I had a perfectly good time reading this, but after finishing I have so little to say about it. That's why it's been two days since I've been able to settle on a three or four star rating or put my thoughts into a review.
It's a little bit of everything: office comedy, demons, exorcisms, fantasy, romance, friendship, family drama, secrets, and a corporate version of hell. Throw it all together and, well, here you are. Despite the premise, I wouldn't personally put this in the horror category. There are obviously horror elements and I see why it's a tag but this is much more paranormal romantic fantasy. While I expected plenty of humor from the title alone, the romance took center stage more than I'd expected. That's fine, I'm all in for the occasional romance, it just wasn't where I thought the story would go.
That said, though, it was a quick and entertaining read. My only gripe would be that the sibling dilemma never really felt resolved, and the issue was kind of glossed over. I expected a little more emotional impact from discovering Brie's trauma and, to not give anything away, the Devil's deals. So, ultimately I think there are so many fun ingredients, and while I'm not blown away, I'm also not disappointed. Brie and Luke made sure I enjoyed my journey through hell.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
It's a little bit of everything: office comedy, demons, exorcisms, fantasy, romance, friendship, family drama, secrets, and a corporate version of hell. Throw it all together and, well, here you are. Despite the premise, I wouldn't personally put this in the horror category. There are obviously horror elements and I see why it's a tag but this is much more paranormal romantic fantasy. While I expected plenty of humor from the title alone, the romance took center stage more than I'd expected. That's fine, I'm all in for the occasional romance, it just wasn't where I thought the story would go.
That said, though, it was a quick and entertaining read. My only gripe would be that the sibling dilemma never really felt resolved, and the issue was kind of glossed over. I expected a little more emotional impact from discovering Brie's trauma and, to not give anything away, the Devil's deals. So, ultimately I think there are so many fun ingredients, and while I'm not blown away, I'm also not disappointed. Brie and Luke made sure I enjoyed my journey through hell.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
September 13, 2026
As a fax machine hater, hell yeah.
September 10, 2026
When I started this book, I thought it was a thriller/horror. Much to my surprise when it turned out to be a paranormal romance! I had a great time reading this. Really good balance of funny, graphic and entertaining.
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