Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review“This smart, jaunty novel takes the lid off a small company’s faltering human resources department to reveal intrigue and backstabbing that only intensify when the boss gets sick. But, as Medoff deftly reminds us, decency can find a way of surfacing even among the filing cabinets.” — People “Uplifting and hilarious.” — Real Simple “A smart, sympathetic dramedy. . . . It’s like a New York novelization of The Office—with less winky, fourth wall-breaking satire and more heart.” — Entertainment Weekly, “Best New Books” “A sweet, sharp, funny tale.” — Parade “[A] smart novel of corporate life.” — Newsday “Medoff delves into the working and personal lives of those who work for Rosa and creates layered characters rather than clichés. . . . This Could Hurt is a very enjoyable read and Medoff moves between the characters and their stories seamlessly. If there is a silver lining within the financial crisis, This Could Hurt might be it.” — Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA) “A delicious, satisfying book. . . . This Could Hurt is a worthy follow-up to Medoff’s bestseller I Couldn’t Love You More. Filled with heart and humor, it will ring true to anyone who’s experienced both the cruelty and the camaraderie that make up the modern American workplace.” — BookPage “Set within the cogs of corporate America, This Could Hurt tells the story of five colleagues struggling with professional tumult, uncertainty, and ambition. Jillian Medoff unfolds these characters’ daily lives, the hours spent at the office, with precision and a strong dose of humanity.” — Southern Living “Bitingly relatable and unexpectedly touching.” — The Daily Break “A thoroughly satisfying character study and exploration of the social microcosm that is the modern workplace. Medoff . . . is a master of the small, telling detail that completely nails a person’s psyche, delivering a cast of characters flawed yet struggling to redeem themselves. An ultimately hopeful, completely inventive tale.” — Library Journal (starred review) “Witty. . . . wry and ironic. . . . a sharp and moving read.” — Publishers Weekly “Incisive. . . .Medoff’s scenarios will be familiar to everyone employed everywhere, no matter the company size, and she cogently captures the angst and celebrates the camaraderie of coworkers committed to group success while struggling with personal demons.” — Booklist “Shrewd and deeply affecting. . . . Sharply drawn intimate details about the lives of each character add even greater depth and broaden the timeless appeal of this very smart, thoroughly absorbing story.” — Shelf Awareness “A penetrative novel about how work—even the work we might resent or despise at times—forges strange and wonderful relationships and forces difficult choices.” — Bookreporter “Corporate America has been trying to stamp out individuality for decades but Jillian Medoff brings it back to fresh, sexy, sharply funny life again. This Could Hurt is a missive to everyone who feels stranded in an office: You are not alone.” — Katherine Heiny, author of Standard Deviation “Clear your Outlook calendar and have tissues at the ready for this huge-hearted page turner that reaffirms the healing power of plain old human kindness.” — Courtney Maum, author of Touch and I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You “You wouldn’t expect a corporate HR department to house a thrill-ride of a novel, but Jillian Medoff pulls off the impossible here. Funny, searing and wholly original, THIS COULD HURT illuminates an ordinary American workplace and the characters who animate it. With a sharp eye for the absurdities of modern office life, and even deeper compassion for her characters, Medoff knocks this one out of the park.” — Darin Strauss, author of More Than It Hurts You and Half a Life “Searing, sexy and surprisingly funny, Jillian Medoff’s This Could Hurt burns through the pages. No one is safe in this cruel but compassionate take on corporate America. I loved it.” — Marcy Dermansky, author of The Red Car
