Publishers Weekly
05/31/2021
The limits of self-preservation and the giddiness of new attraction collide in Blackett and Gleichman’s sharp debut. Ava Simon designs boxes for a trendy Brooklyn furniture company, but her life barely extends beyond her workspace. Her girlfriend and parents died in a car accident the year before, and Ava has been compartmentalizing her grief and emotional needs ever since. But when charismatic corporate-bro Mat takes over the department, everything changes—right down to Ava’s sense of self. He insists Ava has been denying herself the joy she deserves and convinces her to work less, relax more, and allow herself to fully heal. Soon, a mutual attraction simmers between the two. Mat is not who Ava expected to love, and she initially resists his attempts to get her to open up about her grief, but he remains steadfast in encouraging Ava to be her truest self. But is something sinister lurking beneath Mat’s generosity and kindness? The authors play their cards carefully, balancing the buoyancy of infatuation with subtle red flags and red herrings. Blending comedy, thriller, and romance to great and surprising effect, this should have wide appeal. (July)
From the Publisher
A New York Times Editors' Choice One of Apple Books' Best Books of July A "Read Carolina" Book Club Pick One of Shondaland's "Best Books of July" One of Bustle's "Most Anticipated New Books of July 2021" One of LitHub's "New Books to Keep Your Summer Reading Going Strong" One of Alma's "Favorite Books for Summer 2021" One of LGBTQ Reads' "Most Anticipated" One of Beyond the Bookends' "Outstanding Reads" —
“Rather than boxing in queerness, the authors suggest queerness as a lens for seeing, reading, and, arguably, for their own storytelling, which refuses trite or stereotypical generic moments. The story charms, it entices, and it keeps the reader in their hands, wanting more.” — Los Angeles Review of Books
"If you are looking for something compelling, quirky, and different, this novel is your July pick . . . In a darkly funny, thought-provoking,and twisty novel, readers will be entertained and root for Ava, and for a life where grief and hope can coexist." — Shondaland, "The 5 Best Books of July"
“I loved this book. Original, unsettling, entertaining” — Marian Keyes
"The Very Nice Box is highly readable, full of twists and irony—inspiring deep belly-laughs with every sentence." — Vanessa Chan, BOMB
"In this bitingly funny thriller, a heartbroken woman takes a chance on love and gets more than she bargained for . . . This debut novel by the writing duo Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett takes on hipster corporate culture with biting wit while also balancing breezy romance and pulse-pounding suspense. The Very Nice Box will have you laughing and nodding along right up to the final shocking twist." — Apple Books, Best Books of July
"A dazzling and hilarious debut seeped in the ills of corporate culture and male entitlement . . . The Very Nice Box offers a little bit for everyone—blending rom-com, satire, and thriller . . . Witty and sharp." — Catapult
"A quirky, deeply satisfying, whip-smart debut that critiques corporate culture and male entitlement while also offering a heartfelt look at how to work through grief. Meticulously constructed and truly original—I inhaled it." — Jami Attenberg, author of All This Could Be Yours
"The Very Nice Box is a fascinating look at the ways people choose to compartmentalize grief. The writing is sharp and dynamic, the plot wonderfully compelling. It's a very fun read, but it's also a timely one: how does toxic masculinity in corporate culture restructure and rebrand itself in order to appear innocuous? The Very Nice Box is a very nice book, and Blackett and Gleichman have created something stellar here." — Kristen Arnett, author of With Teeth
"This debut has everything I crave in a novel: emotional intelligence, humor both subtle and satirical, pathos galore, and sentences that you could bounce a quarter off. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have managed to write a literary page-turner that is full of heart and scathing social critique, not to mention a surprise ending to rival those of my favorite mysteries. I absolutely devoured it." — Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood
“A satire of contemporary corporate culture. An exploration of how vulnerable we become in grief. A surprising romance. A cautionary tale. Somehow The Very Nice Box manages to be all of the above. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have a wicked sense of humor and a keen view on our current moment. This is a delightful and propulsive read.” — Helen Phillips, author of The Need
“What kind of box is this book? Is it a giftbox, or a memory box, or a coffin? It’s all of the above, a deftly packaged story that hinges on the way we organize our days, our work, and our love. I relished living in its perfect compartments. Gleichman and Blackett have engineered a narrative not only very nice, but exceptional.” — Hilary Leichter, author of Temporary
"This sharp page-turner is as well-constructed and pleasing as the titular Box, with a heroine whose affecting quirks lend heart and consequence to the headlong plot." — Emily Gould, author of Perfect Tunes
Los Angeles Review of Books
Rather than boxing in queerness, the authors suggest queerness as a lens for seeing, reading, and, arguably, for their own storytelling, which refuses trite or stereotypical generic moments. The story charms, it entices, and it keeps the reader in their hands, wanting more.”
Melissa Febos
"This debut has everything I crave in a novel: emotional intelligence, humor both subtle and satirical, pathos galore, and sentences that you could bounce a quarter off. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have managed to write a literary page-turner that is full of heart and scathing social critique, not to mention a surprise ending to rival those of my favorite mysteries. I absolutely devoured it."
Apple Books
"In this bitingly funny thriller, a heartbroken woman takes a chance on love and gets more than she bargained for . . . This debut novel by the writing duo Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett takes on hipster corporate culture with biting wit while also balancing breezy romance and pulse-pounding suspense. The Very Nice Box will have you laughing and nodding along right up to the final shocking twist."
Jami Attenberg
"A quirky, deeply satisfying, whip-smart debut that critiques corporate culture and male entitlement while also offering a heartfelt look at how to work through grief. Meticulously constructed and truly original—I inhaled it."
Vanessa Chan
"The Very Nice Box is highly readable, full of twists and irony—inspiring deep belly-laughs with every sentence."
Helen Phillips
A satire of contemporary corporate culture. An exploration of how vulnerable we become in grief. A surprising romance. A cautionary tale. Somehow The Very Nice Box manages to be all of the above. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have a wicked sense of humor and a keen view on our current moment. This is a delightful and propulsive read.”
Catapult
"A dazzling and hilarious debut seeped in the ills of corporate culture and male entitlement . . . The Very Nice Box offers a little bit for everyone—blending rom-com, satire, and thriller . . . Witty and sharp."
"The 5 Best Books of July" Shondaland
"If you are looking for something compelling, quirky, and different, this novel is your July pick . . . In a darkly funny, thought-provoking,and twisty novel, readers will be entertained and root for Ava, and for a life where grief and hope can coexist."
Kristen Arnett
"The Very Nice Box is a fascinating look at the ways people choose to compartmentalize grief. The writing is sharp and dynamic, the plot wonderfully compelling. It's a very fun read, but it's also a timely one: how does toxic masculinity in corporate culture restructure and rebrand itself in order to appear innocuous? The Very Nice Box is a very nice book, and Blackett and Gleichman have created something stellar here."
