Devi Nair
š±š Read on Kindle š 328 pages ā± Duration: 5 hours š·ļø Publisher: William Morrow š Published: May 21, 2024
I picked this up on a whim from Libby's homepage because the premise sounded deliciously chaotic. Access to all my colleagues' emails would be so much drama. Except this book pulled a fast one on me. While I expected a breezy workplace romp with email scandals and petty office politics, I got a story that cracked me wide open and left me crying at my desk.
Yes, there's the fun stuff. Jolene's curmudgeonly inner monologue is comedy gold, and watching her navigate the minefield of forced workplace proximity while secretly reading everyone's thoughts is entertaining as hell. But there are also some deep layers that Natalie Sue sneaks in. What starts as a voyeuristic curiosity slowly turns into something much heavier and more human. Loneliness hums quietly under the surface of almost every character. There's insecurity, silent strugles, people reaching out in the smallest, almost invisible ways. It stops being about "what are they saying about each other?" and becomes "what are they not saying out loud?" Jolene's walls are sky-high for a reason, and watching them crumble as she realizes her coworkers aren't just annoying obstacles but actual humans with their own pain is devastating in the best way.
By the end, it hits harder than I was prepared for. There's something deeply unsettling about realizing how little we know about the people we see everyday, and how much we assume. I closed the book with that lingering ache and a quiet nudge to look up, pay attention, and maybe extend a little more kindness than usual.
Would I recommend it? This is one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud one moment and sob the next. It's a love letter to misfits, introverts, and anyone who's ever felt invisible in a crowded room. Natalie Sue has crafted something special here. It's funny, yes, but also quietly devastating in the most human way. If you ever felt like an outsider or hidden behind walls to protect yourself, Jolene's story will resonate deeply with you. Don't sleep on this one.
š±š Read on Kindle š 328 pages ā± Duration: 5 hours š·ļø Publisher: William Morrow š Published: May 21, 2024
I picked this up on a whim from Libby's homepage because the premise sounded deliciously chaotic. Access to all my colleagues' emails would be so much drama. Except this book pulled a fast one on me. While I expected a breezy workplace romp with email scandals and petty office politics, I got a story that cracked me wide open and left me crying at my desk.
Yes, there's the fun stuff. Jolene's curmudgeonly inner monologue is comedy gold, and watching her navigate the minefield of forced workplace proximity while secretly reading everyone's thoughts is entertaining as hell. But there are also some deep layers that Natalie Sue sneaks in. What starts as a voyeuristic curiosity slowly turns into something much heavier and more human. Loneliness hums quietly under the surface of almost every character. There's insecurity, silent strugles, people reaching out in the smallest, almost invisible ways. It stops being about "what are they saying about each other?" and becomes "what are they not saying out loud?" Jolene's walls are sky-high for a reason, and watching them crumble as she realizes her coworkers aren't just annoying obstacles but actual humans with their own pain is devastating in the best way.
By the end, it hits harder than I was prepared for. There's something deeply unsettling about realizing how little we know about the people we see everyday, and how much we assume. I closed the book with that lingering ache and a quiet nudge to look up, pay attention, and maybe extend a little more kindness than usual.
Would I recommend it? This is one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud one moment and sob the next. It's a love letter to misfits, introverts, and anyone who's ever felt invisible in a crowded room. Natalie Sue has crafted something special here. It's funny, yes, but also quietly devastating in the most human way. If you ever felt like an outsider or hidden behind walls to protect yourself, Jolene's story will resonate deeply with you. Don't sleep on this one.