I Hope This Finds You Well

I Hope This Finds You Well is a 2024 romantic office comedy novel by Natalie Sue. The novel follows a disgruntled employee who is assigned to take an anti-harassment course, even as she falls in love with the human resources analyst who teaches the course. Meanwhile, she gains access to her coworkers’ private emails, allowing her to better manipulate and, eventually, understand them. The novel explores themes of Judgment Versus Empathy, Alienation and Dehumanization in the Modern Workplace, and Trust and Authenticity in Parent-Child Relationships.

This guide is based on the 2024 HarperCollins hardback edition.

Content Warning: This guide mentions addiction and domestic violence.

Plot Summary

In Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Jolene Smith works as an administrative technician at a regional office of retailer Supershops Incorporated. On her 33rd birthday, Jolene is summoned to a meeting with her boss, Gregory Hall, and a newly hired human resources analyst, Cliff Redmond. Due to an insulting email Jolene sent to one of her colleagues, Gregory and Cliff assign Jolene to take an anti-harassment course. As Cliff installs monitoring software on Jolene’s computer, he accidentally gives her administrative access, allowing her to read everyone else’s emails and messages. From reading Gregory and Cliff’s emails, Jolene learns that Supershops is planning a round of layoffs.

Outside of the office, Jolene spends most of her time home alone, drinking heavily. Jolene is still haunted by the death of Ellie, her best friend in high school, at a party Jolene pressured her to attend. Though Ellie’s death was an accident, Jolene was ostracized by her peers afterward and continues to blame herself. Jolene also maintains a strained relationship with her parents, even lying to them to make her life seem better than it is. Jolene’s mother regularly shows up unexpectedly and asks prying questions about Jolene’s life, while her father remains distant. Jolene also develops a guarded friendship with Miley, a lonely preteen neighbor who reminds Jolene of her younger self.

As Jolene begins the anti-harassment lessons with Cliff, she finds herself growing increasingly fond of him; the two also begin to carpool to and from work after she runs into him at a grocery store and learns that he lives near her. On one occasion, Jolene and Cliff stop for milkshakes together. On another, Jolene joins Cliff, his sister, and his grandmother in a game of bowling.

As she continues to read others’ emails, Jolene learns new details about the three coworkers with whom she works most closely: Armin Habib, a young man who is often bored; Rhonda Staples, a woman who is nearing retirement; and Caitlin Joffrey, Jolene’s rival. Jolene learns that Armin’s mother is terminally ill, Rhonda’s adult son Carl is estranged from her, and that Caitlin is not as emotionally secure as she pretends to be. Hoping to ingratiate herself to others and improve her job security, Jolene teaches Rhonda basic technical skills and joins the party-planning committee that Rhonda leads.

From emails that Armin sends to his parents, Jolene discovers that he has been telling his parents that Jolene is his fiancée, in an attempt to cheer up his mother before she passes away. Jolene surprises Armin by showing up at a bakery where he is meeting his parents. To Armin’s relief, Jolene goes along with the lie, posing as his fiancée. A few days later, when Armin realizes that Jolene can see everyone’s emails, he confronts her and agrees to keep her secret so long as she continues to pose as his fiancée.

When Caitlin becomes engaged, Jolene reluctantly helps Rhonda set up decorations for a surprise party. As Caitlin arrives at the party with her fiancé, Jolene is shocked to recognize him as Kyle, a man who bullied Jolene in high school and spread rumors about her after Ellie’s death. Seeing Jolene’s distress, Cliff comforts her and gives her a ride home. The two briefly kiss before Cliff pulls away, saying that their behavior is unprofessional.

Following their kiss, Jolene and Cliff’s relationship becomes strained and awkward. To make matters worse, Cliff overhears Jolene’s mother commenting about Jolene and Armin’s engagement, even as Jolene spots Cliff on a date at a local movie theater.

Under Rhonda’s direction, Jolene helps decorate for a party to celebrate Gregory’s work anniversary. Referring to one of Gregory’s emails, Jolene lists a woman named Sheila as his wife on a printed toast. As the party begins, however, Gregory has the toast removed, and Jolene learns that Gregory is having an affair with Sheila; his wife’s name is Madeline. Gregory offers Jolene job security in exchange for keeping his affair secret.

When Jolene and Caitlin are forced to stay at the office late to correct an error Caitlin made, Jolene overhears a call from Kyle that leads her to conclude that he is abusive. Jolene encourages Caitlin to leave Kyle, and Caitlin appears to agree.

The next day at work, however, Jolene is summoned to a meeting with Caitlin, Gregory, and Cliff, who finally realized that Jolene was reading everyone’s emails. She is fired immediately and returns home, where she spends the next few weeks moping. Cliff stops by, and the two apologize to each other before agreeing to be friends.

Jolene’s parents also visit her, and she admits that she lost her job and that her engagement to Armin was fake. They express their love for her despite these setbacks. She moves back in with them temporarily but plans to make her decisions independently. She also begins attending therapy. Seeking career advice, she meets with Cliff, who has a new job in employee advocacy.

A year later, Jolene and Cliff, now dating, attend a Supershops retirement party for Rhonda. Ever since Jolene introduced them to each other, Rhonda is now friends with Miley, who helps her teach crocheting classes. As Jolene reconnects with her former coworkers, she feels grateful for her experiences and optimistic about the future, including her career path as a youth counselor.