Book Review: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a heartwarming character-driven novel and a promising debut.

In the eight years thirty-three-year-old Iranian Canadian Jolene Smith has been employed at Supershops Incorporated, she has kept mostly to herself, limiting her interactions with her coworkers to work-related matters. Her method of coping with the stress of her job as an administrative assistant and tensions with her coworkers involves adding a text note in her emails in invisible white font wherein she vents her true feelings. Unfortunately, a careless mistake on her end gets her into trouble, resulting in mandatory sensitivity training with the new HR gut, Cliff and restrictions on her internet activity and office email. However, an IT mix-up grants her access to her coworkers’ emails and DMs – information that affords her insight into the goings on in the office and what her coworkers think about her and one another. Though she initially decides to inform HR about the mix-up, she eventually begins to use the information she garners to her advantage. Learning about the lives of her coworkers - their secrets and struggles-inspires her to take stock of her own life and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

The narrative is presented from Jolene’s first-person PoV along with email and DM transcripts. With complex characters and an interesting premise, this is a smartly crafted novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story. The author writes with humor and heart. The strength of this novel lies in the character development and realistic depiction of interpersonal dynamics both within the workplace and otherwise. The supporting characters are well thought out (even the unlikable ones) and realistic. The subplots are deftly woven into the primary narrative and I really liked how the author brings everything together. The author addresses sensitive themes, including mental health, trauma, addiction and terminal illness with sensitivity and compassion. Jolene’s journey is not an easy one and her backstory broke my heart. Though I didn’t always agree with Jolene’s actions, I was invested in her journey and sympathized with her plight ( and enjoyed her observations) as she navigated work pressures, workplace politics, familial expectations (and her Persian aunty network), her feelings for Cliff, past trauma and much more all the while conflicted over own decision to conceal the truth. I was happy with how the author chose to end the story and it was heartening to see how Jolene gradually opens up to new experiences and grows as a person. Please note that though the author balances the serious themes in this novel with a healthy dose of humor, this novel isn’t exactly a light-hearted read.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read and I look forward to more from this talented new author in the future!

Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.