Books › Attachments
Attachments
368 pages
A warm, witty exploration of loneliness and connection set against the dial-up hum of a 1999 newsroom.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like wrapping yourself in an oversized sweater while listening to the dial-up hum of a late-nineties computer. It is a deeply cozy, effortlessly brisk experience driven by the voyeuristic thrill of reading someone else's hilarious, unfiltered emails. The narrative strikes a delicate balance between laugh-out-loud workplace banter and a quiet, aching exploration of millennial loneliness. You sit inside an atmosphere of intimate, slow-burn longing, watching isolated people slowly fumble their way toward genuine connection. The prose is snappy and conversational, making the pages fly by, yet it leaves a lingering warmth. It will absolutely delight readers who crave character-driven, low-stakes romance anchored by sharp wit, deep female friendship, and the tender vulnerability of a gentle, late-blooming protagonist.
- Mood
- cozy
- intimate
- hopeful
- slightly melancholic
- Tone
- wry
- earnest
- warm
- humorous
- nostalgic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- workplace loneliness · digital intimacy · female friendship · late-bloomer coming of age · unseen connections
- The writing
- Snappy, dialogue-heavy, and effortlessly conversational, blending epistolary banter with tender internal monologue.
- The arc
- Moves from isolated stagnation and quiet longing to vulnerable connection and joyful romantic resolution.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love slow-burn, character-driven romances with a heavy dose of witty banter and late-nineties nostalgia.
Content notes
- mild anxiety
- workplace surveillance
About the book
"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you... "
Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.
Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.
When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.
By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.
What would he say...?
Description from Open Library.
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