I was not aware of the controversy around this book when I requested it - and it wasn't until I was halfway through and I was updating my progress on Goodreads I saw the negative reviews. It's important to note that the blurb I read before requesting is not the same that has been circulating online.

Jess is a liberal black woman and Josh is a republican white man, they both work in the banking - at Goldman Sachs to begin with - and it plays out very much as an enemies to lovers book. To begin with as I was reading it I enjoyed it, it was set in 2016 - it finishes on the night of Donald Trump's inauguration - but had flashbacks to their time at college, where they weren't friends but they knew each other.

The differences between them are, social economic, cultural, political and moral. I think it was as the book went on it became obvious that it wasn't a healthy relationship as much as you may have been rooting for them as a couple to begin with, as it went on you realised that he wasn't an ally for her and it seemed she backed down a lot more than him during their discussions and he was constantly gaslighting her.

Knowing what has happened between then and now totally changes the book, and I think if it had been written and released during the presidential campaign it may have been received differently, a time when no one thought that an extra from Home Alone 2 would win. But knowing what happened over those 4 years there were times I genuinely felt fearful for Jess. There's one particular discovery by Jess that I found hard to believe that she would've backed down from, that almost stopped me reading the book.

There's also a theme running through the book of Jess' relationship with her culture. There's a point where she realises that she only has one black friend and during a discussion with him her about this, he says "it's healthy for a soul to have some relationships where there's no need to explain anything" and I would've loved if this led to more of a journey for Jess, exploring her history and culture. Her relationship with her dad who raised her on his own after the death of her mother when she was a child was also really interesting, it's a very strong relationship but she doesn't tell him about Josh. I do wonder if towards the end of the book and after a particular event in Jess' family life she would've forgiven Josh for the issue I mentioned earlier?

I really enjoyed Cecilia's writing, and her insight into a woman working in a male dominated industry shows that she's drawing on her personal experience. I look forward to reading more from her and would love a book that catches up with a Joshless Jess.

I think this is a book that should be read and discussed in book clubs.

I can't do half stars but this is def 3.5 stars

Wow !!!! When I first read the blurb I presumed this was just another enemies to lovers rom com. How wrong I was. From the opening chapter I was simply gripped and I just couldn't stop reading. I loved how strong the female main character is and I loved the trader bank environment. Also made me think about class and racism.

Everything is not fine.

Hated everything about this book almost from the second I started reading it. The blurb seemed so promising but this is a book about two unbearably unlikable people and a message of 'at least it isn't you on fire."

I'd give 0 stars if I could.

Sharp and thought-provoking. There were times when I found Jess frustrating and would have appreciated a deeper exploration of how both she and Josh viewed themselves and how they would make their relationship work. God know’s how they would navigate 2016 to the present day as a couple. That would be very interesting to see.

** NB: The negative review bombing campaign was disgusting. I’m pleased to see that US edition has amended the blurb. Cecilia Rabess didn’t deserve to be the subject of the arrogance of people who rushed to judgement without taking the time to wait until they read the book. I wish her well.

This has a ton of one-star reviews on Goodreads because the American blurb is very very bad and makes it sound like an enemies-to-lovers rom-com where she's a bit untidy and he's a bit racist. I don't know why people rate books they haven't even read, because this book is absolutely NOT what the American blurb describes, and I thought it was actually really good. Everything's Fine interrogates a relationship between Jess, a black, liberal woman and Josh, a white, conservative man, during the last four years of Obama's presidency.

The writing was great: snappy, clever, very carefully controlled. And I thought the relationship dynamics were great too: Jess and Josh are obviously, overwhelmingly in love – the kind of couple who are constantly sneaking away at parties and buying each other meaningful gifts – but the difference in their political beliefs is a continual source of tension between them, a canker in the heart of their relationship. I think Everything's Fine does a great job of documenting such a relationship, where two people are drawn together but also fundamentally drawn apart, and the ways in which Jess feels like she's a hypocrite for attacking wealth inequality whilst also aspiring to a very wealthy lifestyle.

Personally I didn't really buy that Josh would vote for Trump – maybe I'm being naive but to me Trump signifies complete incompetency and a rampant disregard for humanity, and Josh was such a logical, empirical character that I can't quite believe he would ever see Trump as a tenable leader. Unlike those Goodreads reviewers, I don't think Everything's Fine excuses or panders to conservatism – although people might disagree with me, that's fine! Jess absolutely sees Josh for who he is, and as a reader I never felt for a second that we were supposed to agree with or empathise with Josh's views – the complete opposite actually. And while the thought of going out with a Tory or a Trump voter personally makes me queasy, I don't know how supposed left-wing people could even reconcile it to their beliefs, this is a novel and I do not need characters to make sane sensible choices. All that to say, I really liked Everything's Fine and I am v interested to see what people think when it's out in June!

"Everything's Fine" by Cecilia Rabess is a thought-provoking and emotional story about family, relationships, and mental health. The novel follows the lives of three sisters: Emma, who is struggling with depression and addiction; Liv, who has always been the responsible one but is now facing her own challenges; and Chloe, who is trying to find her place in the world.

The book is a poignant exploration of the impact of mental illness on individuals and their families. Rabess skillfully portrays the complexity of the sisters' relationships, showing the love and support they have for each other, as well as the challenges they face in understanding and communicating with one another.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own unique personality and struggles. Emma's journey, in particular, is heart-wrenching and raw, as she battles with addiction and tries to find her way back to herself.

Rabess also touches on important social issues such as mental health stigma and the pressure to conform to societal norms. The book is a powerful reminder that it's okay not to be okay and that seeking help is a sign of strength.

Overall, "Everything's Fine" is a touching and insightful read that will resonate with anyone who has experienced mental health struggles or has been affected by someone else's. Rabess has written a compelling story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

A DNF for me. I didn't want to the character s and I really wanted to. I found it confusing, the racism discussed one way when there was so much more that could be explained better. Other people will love this book, sadly not for me.

Unfortunately had to DNF. I just couldn't get into it, but others would love it - the plot is intriguing and original, and the writing style is very interesting. Just unfortunately not for me.

Everything's Fine by Cecilia Rabess is a novel about race and romantic relationships and friendships.

Everything’s Fine; except it’s not. Jess and Josh are enemies turned lovers. They are both very clever, have had chemistry since they locked eyes but have totally opposing values.

This book was not for me. I did not enjoy the long sections of discussion of math and finance, and often the arguments felt like being on twitter. To me, it made Josh impossible to fancy and I couldn’t get into the tension between Jess and Josh (except in the sense that I was like nooo girl don’t!!). At times their pattern veered from realistic to repetitive.

There were parts that were done well. The sex scenes were well written (not easy!) and the character of Jess was a messy millennial woman that was both real and an original take on the trope. It was a page turner and I certainly will be interested in what Rabess writes next.

Pick up this book if: you’re a more morally ambiguous, not totally happy ending love story

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF.

10000% a racist undertone and the book hasn't even been written in a way where it has been done delicately/professionally?

No idea how this has been allowed to be published - the description states "she’s Black, he’s white; she’s liberal, he’s conservative; she thinks he’s a racist jerk, he finds her extremely immature". I didn't know we compared immaturity to racism.

This is the story of Jess and Josh:s relationship set in New York. They work together at Goldman Sachs but Jess, a black woman gets marginalised while Josh, a white man, is hugely successful . The theme continues throughout the book set in the period during the Obama presidency to Trump's election. Jess and Josh have different political views and beliefs so this is a challenge although they love one another.

This book wasn't great - the two main characters, Jess and Josh, weren't particularly interesting and I couldn't tell you much about any of the supporting characters. I didn't really believe that they had chemistry, as most of their dialogue seemed to be insulting each other with zingy (but ultimately empty) comebacks. Rather than being an "enemies to lovers" novel, it felt more like a "people who have very little in common and don't even have a passion in the form of hatred to lovers who also don't really seem to like each other" and that just didn't make sense. I do wonder if, not being from the US, I missed some of the cultural context that would have made this book more interesting to me.

The second half of the book was a little bit more interesting (hence 2 stars rather than 1), as it explored the dynamic between Jess and Josh a bit more in terms of their differences and how their relationship is affected by said differences. I know this book has gotten a lot of flack from people on TikTok and I reckon a big part of this is because the blurb reads like a classic, cute, light-hearted romance novel, when that couldn't be further from the truth. Still, that doesn't make the book good, it's just not the weird, racist novel that people are portraying it as.

All in all, I wouldn't recommend this to my friends.

I loved this - a superb novel for a modern generation about two people, Josh and Jess, who have a somewhat turbulent, tricky relationship. Rabess has a great skill of combining scientific jargon with a funny, lively plot, making it an engaging read. Without labouring the point too much, she deals with societal issues in modern-day New York, making 'Everything's Fine' a very readable and thought-provoking novel throughout. This is definitely one to watch out for and hopefully it will be a success.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this, it’s a very zippy read although it does deal with some very serious topics. I was frustrated by the ambiguity of the ending but in the right way, I think it was a good place to leave it. Highly recommended and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is my first book that I have started and finished in 2023 and I hope this is a sign of things to come. What a brilliant start.

Jess and Josh meet at college, she a black, liberal young woman and he a white, conservative young man. At college they clash over numerous political and societal issues, being on different sides of almost all debates.

Forward onto work, Josh becomes a rising star in the same company that Jess joins. At work they also clash but there are clear undertones of romance and attraction there bubbling under the surface.

Their relationship is examined here against the backdrop of Obama/Trump/Black Lives Matter/MAGA etc. and their love hate relationship is played out beautifully.

This is one of those novels which lives and dies with the two main characters, if you don't like them then this book may not work for you however I thought they were both very real characters that I understood completely (but didn't agree with either at all times).

One thing I would say is that the ending may not be for everyone,.if you like things tied up at the end then you may be disappointed however, for me, the ending was so in keeping with the book as a whole I thought it was perfect.

Massive thanks to Pan Macmillan, Picador and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun and thought-provoking.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is an unusual book - it took a while for me to get into it, but eventually I was hooked. I didn't quite believe in either of the main characters, which I think is ultimately what made me feel slightly distanced from it, but the writing was strong and the last third of the book was particularly good. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the inconclusive ending, but I think that's a matter of personal preference.

Everything's Fine by Cecilia Rabess

Opposites attract... or do they? Jess and Josh are opposites - she's black, he's white... she's liberal, he's conservative, he fits in at the prestigious university they both attend and then at the investment bank they work in after graduation, whereas Jess is subject to blatant racism and sexism. And the course of true love never did run smooth...

This book deserves to be HUGE! An amazing, thought-provoking story which delights, enrages and everything inbetween. Compelling characters and a real page-turner. I absolutely loved it - very VERY highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Everything's Fine by Cecilia Rabess
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
 #EverythingsFine #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Picador for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Jess and Josh are polar opposites—she’s black, he’s white; she’s liberal, he’s conservative—whose mutual hatred transforms into mutual attraction and love. Opposites can certainly attract, but ultimately can they work?
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I really enjoyed this and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. This is a debut novel and an absolute page-turner. The writing is confident and compelling, the characters are well fleshed-out and despite their profound differences, I became attached to them both. I also wanted to slap them both upside the head as they can be very frustrating characters.

I am not a romance reader, and the miscommunication/misunderstanding trope - which this book relies on a lot - makes me roll my eyes but this romance had teeth and it was thought-provoking and sometimes enraging: Jess' struggle to make her mark in a male-dominated field, the battle between her heart and her mind, how much she's willing to compromise for someone she loves, the "It's just a hat" argument (iykyk; I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall! 😖)

If you like endings that are neatly tied up in a bow, you will not find this ending satisfying. I loved it even though my jaw dropped and I was left whimpering "oh sh*t...."

This is out in June 2023; I predict it's going to be big and I highly recommend you read it.
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