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| Calgary, Alberta – Present Day Jolene has worked for several years in the offices of Supershops, Inc., and barely knows her coworkers. It isn’t like she has even tried to interact much with them as she mostly keeps to herself. She has amused herself by adding “white text” to her coworkers’ emails that she sends them. This means changing the font color to white and saying snarky things that they can’t see. Unfortunately, she forgot to change the text to white one day, and she got caught. Jolene is reprimanded and ordered to work with the new HR person on sensitivity training and getting rigorous email restrictions. But a mix-up occurs, and Jolene soon discovers that she is seeing everyone’s emails and direct messages. She tries to tell Cliff, the HR guy, what is going on, but he misinterprets her explanation. Jolene decides to take advantage of what she can now see since she has learned that Supershops are going to soon lay off a few employees. What if she can manipulate or get ahead of issues in order to make herself look good and therefore not be laid off? It's not a stretch to say that I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL is an unusual read. It is more of a dark comedy than one that has you rolling with laughter. Jolene is haunted by the memories of the role she played in her best friend’s death when she was eighteen, even if she isn’t at fault. She is not a sociable person and being thrust into a working situation where she has to work closely with three other human beings is hard on her. By reading their emails, she is soon pulled into the private lives of her coworkers, and they don’t realize that she knows. It actually makes her start to look at them differently, whether that is a good or a bad thing, well, she will have to figure that out. Meanwhile, she sees opportunities to make herself look good after discovering one coworker is getting privy to info a day ahead of her. Meanwhile, Jolene spends time with Cliff (the HR guy), and he is a bit of a nerd but nice. She starts to like him, and the feeling is mutual. Turns out that he lives near her apartment, and he offers to drive her to work. But Cliff is still the perceived “enemy” because he is going to be grading her sensitivity training and help decide which employees will be laid off. Will Jolene suck up to Cliff in hopes of him recommending that she stay at Supershops? The deeper Jolene gets into the personal lives of her fellow workers, the more she begins to realize that they are leading deceptive lives. Will this change her views on them in I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL? Jolene soon comes face to face with a man from her past, and it is not a good reunion. She hates him for a reason, and he could tell her boss about what happened to her at eighteen. As Jolene sweats and wonders what is going to happen to her, readers will be rooting for her to pull herself out of her depression and seize the day. In I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL, you will laugh, and you will cry right along with Jolene. An intriguing read, and one that I highly recommend. Patti Fischer |
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I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL – Natalie Sue