The Memo
A comedic time travel novel by Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling
“Dodes and Mechling have come up with a great concept—the elevator pitch writes itself!—and filled it with insight, wit, and perfectly chosen details of life among a segment of the population that might once have looked at Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In as a guide. They explore issues of love, work, friendship, ambition, and fulfillment that feel timeless yet particularly pertinent in the social media era, when it's so hard to see past the surface of other people's high-powered facades. So sharp, so funny. You might feel better or worse about your own life, but you'll definitely be laughing.”
—Kirkus Reviews, 🌟 Starred Review 🌟
PRESS
NEW YORK MAGAZINE: THE APPROVAL MATRIX
The Memo landed squarely in the middle of our favorite quadrant–Lowbrow and Brilliant–as a “saucy new beach read.”
ESQUIRE: THE BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER
“Like Sliding Doors crossed with A Christmas Carol, this winsome and bittersweet novel will get you thinking about the roads not taken in your own life.
AIRMAIL: BEST BOOKS
“Dodes, a freelance writer and journalist, and Mechling, an editor at The Guardian, deliver the perfect summer read: a novel both quick and funny.”
ELLE: THE BEST SUMMER READS 2024
“This is a friendship-focused midlife-crisis novel told with a wink and a grin.”
8 GREAT FICTION BOOKS FOR SUMMER DAYS (AND NIGHTS):
Kirkus included The Memo on their list of the best summer reads of 2024.
TV ADAPTATION NEWS:
Deadline: Wiip To Develop ‘The Memo,’ Upcoming Book By Former Wall Street Journal Staffers, With Lean Machine
—Booklist, 🌟 Starred Review 🌟:
“Mechling and first-time novelist Dodes have created a cast of characters that feels grounded and likable (with some unlikeable but distinctly entertaining ones too) despite the zany, darkly comic premise. A fresh and intriguing—and surprisingly deep—take on the second-chance trope, this one is for anyone who’s wondered what would have happened to their life if only they had made a different choice.”
—Vogue Magazine, best books of 2024 so far
“Do you ever wonder if everyone else somehow got a secret leg up, insider knowledge, or even just a map to navigate the proverbial lay of the land? Such is the premise of Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling’s charming new novel. . . . A modernized Sliding Doors set amid a delightfully specific milieu, this is a paranormal parable with a very relatable heart.”
AVAILABLE FROM THE FOLLOWING RETAILERS:
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More Praise
“Don't miss The Memo. A unique and riveting novel about a chance to redo your ‘what ifs.’ You will love this narrator and be pulling for her.” — Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
“Insanely entertaining, hilarious, and ingenious! The Memo had me cry-laughing so hard that my husband had to move to another room. My only complaint about The Memo is I wish I'd gotten my hands on it sooner. To think of what could have been!” — Jenny Mollen, actress and New York Times bestselling author of City of Likes and Live Fast Die Hot
“Smart, sharp, darkly funny, and every woman’s fantasy: the chance to course-correct a life full of flawed decisions with the help of a memo. What could possibly go wrong?! I loved The Memo and the brilliant imaginations of Lauren Mechling and Rachel Dodes that created it.” — Laura Zigman, bestselling author of Animal Husbandry and Small World
“A total joyride of a novel. The Memo is a funny, fascinating exploration of love, friendship, ambition and what it truly means to live a good life. I loved it.” — J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of Commencement, Maine, and Friends and Strangers
“A hilarious romp through the space-time continuum.” —Kelly Cutrone, New York Times bestselling author of the memoir If You Have to Cry, Go Outside
“This book is hilarious! It had me cackling and reading sentences out loud to my pet rabbit.” — Nell Freudenberger, New York Times bestselling author of The Newlyweds and The Limits
“Easy to read, hard to put down.” — Kate Young, Hollywood Stylist
EVENTS:
FRIDAY June 14
pre-release celebration at Picture Book Bookstore, Dobbs Ferry, NY
TUESDAY June 18
(SOLD OUT) Launch party at Books are Magic, Montague Street, Brooklyn
WEDNESDAY June 26
Bryant Park Reading Series, Manhattan
FRIDAY September 27
Books and Books, Coral Gables, with Wall Street Journal columnist Elizabeth Bernstein
