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Everything's Fine
Table of Contents
About The Book
They say love is all you need...
“Extraordinarily brave...plain funny as hell, too.” —Zakiya Dalila Harris, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Black Girl
When Jess lands a job as an analyst at Goldman Sachs, she’s less than thrilled to learn she’ll be on the same team as Josh, her preppy, white, conservative sparring partner from college. Josh loves playing the devil’s advocate and is just…the worst.
But when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, overlooked and underestimated, it’s Josh who shows up for her in surprising—if imperfect—ways. Before long, an unlikely friendship—one tinged with undeniable chemistry—forms between the two. A friendship that gradually, and then suddenly, turns into an electrifying romance that shocks them both.
Despite their differences, the force of their attraction propels the relationship forwards, and Jess begins to question whether it’s more important to be happy than right. But then it’s 2016, and the cultural and political landscape shifts underneath them. And Jess, who is just beginning to discover who she is and who she has the right to be, is forced to ask herself what she’s willing to compromise for love and whether, in fact, everything’s fine.
A stunning debut that introduces Cecilia Rabess as a blazing new talent, Everything’s Fine is a painfully funny, poignant, heartfelt novel that doesn’t just ask will they, but…should they?
Why We Love It
“At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Everything’s Fine is one of the best novels I’ve read in years. I fell so much in love with Jess (and, to our surprise, with Josh) that I knew I had to acquire this book.
Cecilia Rabess’s debut has it all: a one-of a kind character in the form of the brilliant and very funny Jess, who is fine-tuning her moral compass in the midst of one of the most divisive times in our history; a breathtaking romance between polar opposites who we’d never thought we’d root for, but who we truly shed tears (of laughter and of sadness over); and rich social commentary on our polarized times and current culture war. At a time when many of us are in our separate silos, when we can’t imagine having a civil conversation with someone on the opposite side of the political aisle, we were shocked to find the romance at the heart of this novel not only believable, but also heart-shattering. But ultimately, Everything’s Fine is a smart, hilarious, emotionally resonant look at how much we can (and should) sacrifice for love.”
—Carina G., Senior Editor, on Everything’s Fine
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (June 6, 2023)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982187705
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Raves and Reviews
“Everything's Fine poses incisive questions about love, identity, and the countless ways these things can both bruise and bolster one another. Cecilia Rabess has crafted an extraordinarily brave debut that's painfully real--but plain funny as hell, too.”—ZAKIYA DALILA HARRIS, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Black Girl
“A fascinating, complicated, discussion-worthy debut…. It would be easy to label this book an enemies-to-lovers rom-com of the Hepburn-Tracy genus, but that doesn’t capture the unconventional aspects of Rabess’ depiction of her characters…. A hot book on a hot topic, well worth reading and arguing about.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Could this be the bittersweet, sexy, painful, fully embodied romance for our tumultuous American decade? Cecilia Rabess brings a microscope, a scalpel, a mordant sense of humor, a virtuosic feel for scene, and a tender heart to the will-they-won't-they of Jess and Josh. Everything's Fine is a romance, but it's also an astute analysis of elite workplaces, politics, and social mores, and a serious exploration of the way that two people can move so differently through the very same space. I devoured this novel, a bold, singular debut from an extraordinary writer."—LYDIA KIESLING, author of The Golden State
"This blurb could be a string of heart-eyes emojis. Everything’s Fine manages to be funny, felt, and riveting, all at once—a story for anyone who’s ever fallen in love that’s less than straightforward. Cecilia Rabess is equal parts comedian and sorcerer, reminding us that none of us are (only) as we appear."—RACHEL KHONG, author of Goodbye,Vitamin
"A subtle, ironic, wise, state-of-the-nation novel, sharp enough to draw blood, hidden inside a moving, intimate, sincere and very real love story--or vice versa. Either way, it's a wonderful book by a fantastic new talent."--NICK HORNBY, New York Times bestselling author of High Fidelity
“I could not put this brilliant book down. Rabess’s writing is so sharp and funny, and her observations so attuned to our times, that the pages absolutely flew. Everything’s Fine is the love story our world needs right now, and Rabess deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for giving it to us.”—RACHEL BEANLAND, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House Is On Fire
“I love this timely and clever debut! Cecilia Rabess is a skilled storyteller who offers up perfect observations and delightful details about working in finance, being in your 20s, and navigating romance. This book is both entertaining and wise, a page-turner that explores race, class, sex, and ambition and how love and compromise work (or don’t) in our current political climate.”—JENNIFER CLOSE, bestselling author of Girls in White Dresses
“I could not put this book down. Everything's Fine is smart, sexy and surprising, with an ending that truly made me gasp. I loved it!”—NORA MCINERNY, author of Bad Vibes Only and host of Terrible,Thanks for Asking
“A stunning debut” — MEG MASON, bestselling author of Sorrow and Bliss
“A brilliantly observed novel about what it means to lose yourself as a young woman. So funny but also incredibly true”— NINA STIBBE, author of Love, Nina
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