Fabulous Fiction Firsts #843, Second Chances

Sun, 09/01/2024 - 9:29am by muffy

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook),  a “delightfully quirky office comedy” (Publishers Weekly) 

33 year-old Jolene Smith, an administrative assistant at the regional office of Supershop, a Canadian supermarket chain, endures 8-hours of mind-numbing work alongside her insufferable boss and incompetent colleagues, sustained only by copious amounts of gin, vodka and wine, whatever is handy. 

A careless mistake lands her in mandatory anti-harassment training, under the supervision of the new (and very hot) HR guy Cliff. An IT mix-up that is meant to allow Management to monitor her every keystroke, instead grants her access to the entire office’s private emails and DMs. With layoff rumors looming, Jolene realizes this might just be the key to getting revenge and getting ahead in the company. 

“As Jolene gets to know her co-workers better, she sees that they all have their secret heartbreaks and struggles, just like her… A beautiful, honest, and often funny look at loneliness and the courage it takes to simply keep going.” (Kirkus Reviews)  Perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. 

The Love of My Afterlife (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by Kirsty Greenwood, is “a boisterous death-defying rom-com.” (Publishers Weekly)

27 year-old Delphie Bookham never expects to end up in the afterlife waiting room choked on a microwaveable burger. If that’s not embarrassing enough, she is standing in her 'shine like a star' nightie in front of the hottest man she has ever seen, and their chemistry is undeniable. Unfortunately, he is not meant to be there.  Without hesitation, Delphie makes an impulsive deal with her romance-obsessed afterlife therapist, Merritt: Delphie gets 10 days to return to life and find the mysterious man. If she fails, she will spend eternity as the guinea pig for Merritt's afterlife dating agency.

“Returning to her quiet apartment with only 10 days to change her fate, Delphie learns that finding one's soulmate in the busy streets of London is challenging. More surprising is how Delphie's temporary new lease on life causes her to see her job, her friends, and her neighbors in new ways.” (Library Journal) 

Fans of The Good Place should snap this up.” (Publishers Weekly)

BONUS PICK

Shortlisted for the 2024 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, Margo's Got Money Troubles * * by Rufi Thorpe  (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is “a story of friendship, love, and family set in a different part of the big world of cyber-storytelling.” (Kirkus Reviews)

19 year-old Margo Miller, raised by a beauty-obsessed, self-involved single mother has her sights set on being a writer. A very brief affair with her junior college English (married) professor leaves her pregnant. After being fired from her waitressing job, and on the verge of being evicted, she is glad to take in her largely-absent father Jinx, an ex-pro wrestler when he comes knocking, in exchange for childcare. To generate income, Margo explores online porn work by posing on an OnlyFans account. Before she knows it, she has turned it into a runaway success… until her popularity leads to scrutiny and eventually a custody fight. 

“Thorpe infuses the portrayal of Margo and Jinx's relationship with sweetness, and she makes Margo a character to root for as the young mother learns how to support herself with help from her unconventional family.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The title is the only bad thing about this book. Terrific characters, rich worldbuilding, deep thoughts about fiction and morality, a love story, and a happy ending.” (Kirkus Reviews)

* * = 2 starred reviews