Thank you NetGalley for this Arc ! I loved this book. I thought it was funny and cute, lighthearted. I’m really confused if this book is YA or adult romance but besides that it was good

To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a really amazing RomCom novel. And I love a book which has a male point of view along with the female, so I totally enjoyed it. The characters were all so lively and heartfelt.

Trixie is a very compassionate and animal-loving woman who stops her car in the middle of traffic to save an injured hen limping on the road. Her heart bleeds every time she sees a helpless animal and tries to sneak it into her "No Pets" apartment- a rule enforced because of her trying to sneak five wildly different animals. She works at a dog and cat rescue and adoption centre. Thanks to her childhood trauma by her parents and her ex-best friends, she is unable to open up to people and always keeps the pretence of a very cheerful person. She keeps smiling whenever she has an audience and has a whole lot of friends.
Bear is an introverted guy who has four sisters. Being with a house full of girls and an absent and asshole father, he started to cave into himself for liking things which are stereotyped to be 'girly' like liking wine, loving to work in his mother's flower boutique, cooking, etc. His sisters meddle in his life whenever they feel he needs their help. They gang up on him and annoy the hell out of him. Bear loves his sisters to the moon but they sometimes- most of the time, get under his skin. They put an ad in the newspaper that he's looking for a roommate- without his permission. He gets really frustrated at this but is surprised when he sees Trixie- the woman whom he saw saving a chicken, come to him asking about the room. He is more surprised when he lets her see the room and considers letting her stay.
Bear's family is heartwarming. His step-father is a perfect replacement for his biological father. His mom reads her children extremely well and has done a very good job raising them. His sisters, Zoey, Fawn, Lexie and Rosie are amazing too! I loved Bella, Owen and Chick-Chick! Gosh, awesome work with the characters.

The plot was pretty good and engaging. The emotions were nicely presented and developed among the characters. I felt both elated and sad reading the details about the animals and how they are treated.
I hope the ARC I got wasn't the final copy cause I found a few grammatical mistakes here and there. However, I'd love it if this story is continued with one of Bear's sisters. I'd like to read more about them!

Have you ever heard of an idiot plot, where the plot would be completely unnecessary if the characters weren't idiots? Well, I'm proposing a new category: The Therapy Plot, where the whole conflict wouldn't have happened if the characters had just gone to therapy, like, at least once.

But let's start at the beginning. Our two characters are Trixie, which rhymes with pixie, as in Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and Bear, which thankfully is a nickname and not something that his parents actually chose for him. Trixie and Bear meet when Trixie rescues a chicken off the street.

The chicken is the best part of the book.

The first-person POV switches between Trixie and Bear every chapter. The writing is charming, leaning towards humorful, and easy to read. The entire book (writing-wise) goes down smooth without any hiccups.
Other reviewers seem to have said that the characters are one-dimensional. I don't necessarily agree, however, they do fall into some tropes that are just overused and tired. Trixie, as said above, is a manic pixie dream girl like John Green could only dream of, and Bear is the grumpy one who is secretly a marshmallow inside. If you do read this book, prepare for descriptions of just how tiny Trixie is and how skinny and how graceful, but how she still has curves in all the right places, and how big and strong and tall and beardy Bear is in comparison to her.

Right. Forward with the plot: Trixie rescues Chick-Chick, her darling new animal companion, and that means she has to move out, because her apartment doesn't allow pets, and apparently there is no animal shelter or farm or household or anything in the greater Chicago area that will take one singular half-dead chicken. How lucky that Bear is (more or less) looking for a roommate.
That's about the extend of the plot, and it is done with in the first couple of chapters. Immediately when they see each other, they want to have sex. They are so obsessed with each other from the very first time they meet - it's a bit exhausting. Bear constantly looks at her ass. Trixie constantly imagines Bear's strong, manly, muscular arms around her. It's a little bit tiring, and a little bit too much insta-love for my tastes. It would have been so sweet to see them grow to love each other as they adjust to their new roommate situation, but no. They pretty much want to tear each others' clothes off from the very first night.

However, there's still 36 chapters left in this book after they realize how much they wanna do it. And that's where the therapy plot comes in - Trixie doesn't let anyone see her real emotions because one time her ex-roommate posted a video of her breaking down on the internet and it went viral. Bear wants to take over his mom's flower shop but - gasp! - he can't because that is unmanly and he has daddy issues.
Just - Therapy Plot. Ya know? It could've been so easy.

Let's consider target audience for this book. It's probably not me. I'm a mid-twenties gal who grew up with chickens, next to a goddamn chicken meat-plant. My aunts used to work there, cleaning out chicken carcasses on what was essentially a chicken disassembly line. However, if you are a mid-forties woman who picked up this book because of it's adorable cover, you would love it. Honestly, I can see my mom reading this and finding it incredibly charming. I feel like this book would appeal very much to casual readers, to moms and other women who just want to read a charming romance on a chair at the beach or something. Someone who can suspend disbelief about chicken care and who doesn't mind trope-y characters. I think this could be the perfect book for someone like that.

Alas, I am not that someone, but I still give this book 2.5 stars. It was a nice time, but it wasn't more than that.

This is the perfect book for animal lovers who also happen to love sweet romance novels. The characters were unique, the storyline was different, and I can truthfully say that I've never read another book like it. I really enjoyed reading 'To Get to the Other Side' and will be recommending it to my friends when it is published!

Cover: ⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐
Character Building: ⭐⭐⭐
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

It all starts with a chicken running around a very busy road. Two strangers, and love at first sight. They become roommates after Bear's sisters intervene in his love life.

A really fun and easy read. I liked how Bear figured out were his life is going once Trixie started opening his eyes. The chicken was a good add to this story, something totally unexpected but which was a good add in. I loved how Bear's family was dominant in his life and really showed love and concern towards him. The ending was obviously predictable but still a delightful end.

I did wish for a bit more drama or topics in this story, it felt like it only revolved around 2 or 3 major topics. It needed a "big bang". Still an enjoyable and fun read!

Incredible. The kind of romance book that is not only fun but also wholly captivating. Ohlert is a master at her craft, she takes the readers hand and pulls them towards this beautiful book that they cannot help fall in love with. An absolutely stunning read.

This title was not for me. The story was a little on the boring side and could not keep my attention.

The story was not as relatable as I'd normally like. Unfortunately just not for me. I did not finish this title.

From the beginning I was hooked. I had to see how things would play out with the chicken. Trixie and Bear both have a way of making you fall in love with them. Their personalities are just the sweetest. Trixie keeps a smile on her face always to hide any pain she may feel, meanwhile you have this quiet, grouch like man who doesn't like people. They both are suffering from their pasts and it shows throughout the book through different interactions. I absolutely loved this book and will be picking a copy up for my shelf when it comes out!

I found the plot predictable (which is to be expected in rom-coms) but what put me off the most were the characters .I found them shallow and unlikable.
Bear's character comes off as controlling and angry.
I love a good grumpy/sunshine story but this felt more like I was reading about a person with anger issues than a sweet grumpy person.
I liked the side characters more than the MCs but even they did not have any personality traits.
the chemistry between the MCs was nonexistent. I was told it was there by the characters but could not see it for myself and as a result the climax of the story did not feel like one at all.
It was boring and although it started picking up once I hit 40 percent , I felt like I already knew the characters' backstories and anything else they'd have to offer. and not actually liking or relating to the characters led to me being bored most of the time.
Trixie's character comes of as independent enough to be different that other 'quirky' characters at first but then everything that she does or says contradicts that and she comes off as the quirky female lead who cannot take care of herself.
The characters actions do not match the few personality traits that they actually have. Even Trixie moving in with bear which is the whole point of the book does not sound like something that a person with her backstory would do.
overall , this story did not work for me.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Let me start by saying that I LOVED this book and flew through it. I never would have guessed that it was Kelly Ohlert’s debut rom-com. It had all of my favorite tropes - grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, roommates to lovers, meddlesome siblings, and a “one-and-done” moment (but we all know that never works out).

Trixie and Bear were such wonderful characters and I loved how they were developed throughout the story. They were both hilarious and with the dual-pov, you really got inside both of their heads to see how they were really feeling. Sometimes I was screaming at the book just for them to admit to each other what they already knew themselves. Their humor and sarcasm was perfect and just the right amount.

“…the mouthwatering way his jeans framed his butt did not escape my notice.” Girl 💀 Trixie was down BAD from the first moment she met Bear but I mean, so was he so it works out 😂

“If she were the superhero coming to my rescue, I’d have no problem maiming myself on the daily.” BEAR. YOU NAUGHTY MAN. Prime example of a man thinking with his, ya know, instead of his head 😂 Gotta love him for appreciating her, though!

Now let’s talk about THE night. You know the one.
“You’re the sexiest damn man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
“You’re killing me, woman.”
I was on my knees begging for more during this scene and the fade-to-black definitely hurt me a little 😭 But knowing it happened brought me peace.

I loved Chick-Chick but I absolutely couldn’t care for a chicken the way Trixie (and even Bear) did. And I have chickens!! So you KNOW that girl cared. Bear making the wheelchair for her?? Sobbing. Will literally never recover. Raising my standards one book boyfriend at a time.

The ending was amazing, show-stopping, jaw-dropping, cry happy tears INCREDIBLE. I loved every moment of this story and am so happy for my sweet sunshine and mr. grumpy (and his chaotic good family).

I enjoyed this book, it was super easy to read and enjoy. I wasn’t a big fan of the no communication plot however i understood and it was somewhat relatable. This was a super sweet read, fast paced and I think a little jumpy in places and chaotic with some character development other than that it felt like a pretty fun read (:

#ToGettotheOtherSide #NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. It’s a very silly romantic story about 2 lonely people. They meet when Trixie stops her car to rescue a chicken caught in traffic and a handsome stranger (Bear) rescues her from the anger of people stuck in traffic behind her. Trixie tries to sneak the chicken into her apartment but when her landlord sees her, she is evicted. Bear is a single man from a large family living alone and lonely until his sisters intervene and place a “roommate wanted” ad in the local papers. Trixie answers the ad and as they say, the rest is history!

I loved this book!

The story is told from the two viewpoints of Trixie and Bear who become roommates after Trixie rescues a stray chicken and needs a new place to live.

This was a light-hearted and funny rom com with witty dialog that kept me thoroughly entertained. The book has similar vibes to Christina Lauren - would recommend to fans of romcom novels.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC. The opinions on this review are of my own and honest.
This book was exactly what I needed this spring! Such a cute story and characters drew me in.
The story is about Bear and Trixie who meet while rescuing a chicken. Yes, a chicken. Looking for a new place to live, Trixie rents out a room at Bear's house.
Like all cute romantic books, there is a huge attraction that they fight until they can't any more. Add some meddling but amazing sisters into the story and you have a great read.
I def rate this book a 5/5. The cover is cute, characters are relatable and engaging. The rom com story kept me laughing and turning pages quickly to finish.

A fun romantic comedy with a unique meet-cute. Trixie and Bear make an adorable opposites-attract couple and their friends-to-lovers story has some lighthearted moments; but the stumbling blocks on the path to romance include some toxic parenting, childhood trauma, and trust issues. Chick-chick the rescued chicken is as much a character as anyone else, which is charming but quirky. I could easily see this in my mind's eye like a movie--vivid descriptions and bumbling secondary characters that I want to know more about.

From the publisher:
Trixie isn’t exactly sure what she was thinking when she stopped her car in the middle of downtown Chicago, scooped up a chicken struggling to cross the road, and drove off… but she does know that she has to find a new home for herself and her new feathered friend. The landlord at her apartment doesn’t allow pets and has caught Trixie in one too many pet-smuggling attempts in the past.

Bear likes his quiet life with his close-knit family, who own a flower business, but he’s in for a rude awakening when his meddlesome sisters post an ad to rent the spare room in his simple home, without asking his permission. Still, when Trixie responds to the ad, he agrees to let her move in, despite immediate worries about keeping things platonic.

Determined to keep her new room, befriend Bear, and give her rescue chicken the care she deserves, Trixie fights to keep her walls up and resist her romantic feelings for Bear. However, it’s not long before the pair’s proximity and chicken parenting ignite flames that have Trixie and Bear testing the boundaries of their platonic ground rules. They have to figure out how to save a family business, pay for mounting vet bills, and navigate their own emotional baggage if they want to find the love that they all deserve.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to rate and review this e-ARC title.

A sweet romance story that follows Tricia and Bear. It switches between their two narratives which was easy to follow. The two character are so realistic to me in the way that they have real life issues and traumas to get past before they can make love work.
Spoiler: What I loved most about this book was how Trixia has to learn to let herself be who she is, the good, the bad, the ugly and it’s okay to let other people see that! Bear also had to get past some of his hang ups from his childhood to find out what life he wants to lead.

1/5 ⭐️
this book was not it for me. the synopsis said it has abby jimenez vibes and it definitely did NOT have that. it was just boring. no climax. the fights and problems were just so shallow. no spice at all. like it just did NOT give in any way whatsoever. like miss girl was gonna risk it all for a whole chicken? nah. not the vibe. also bear is NOT cute at all. ALSO, i hate their names. like why trixie and bear.

Such a kind hearted story that involves chasing after a chicken and meeting someone who excepts you as you are. The first half of the story will make you laugh out loud while you read about how Trixie saved a chicken and has to moving in with Bear who didn't know she was moving in with a chicken. Pretty funny.
But the best part of the story is both Trixie and Bear help each other get through the story that they have been telling themselves for years and that has stop them from being in relationships and careers they really want. I absolutely love Bear's family, he has four sister who are always meddling in his life and it a riot.
Very well written story that you won't want to put down and the story will make you chuckle.

I want to thank Alcove Press and NetGalley for this advance copy of this funny book.

*I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

If you're looking for grumpy/sunshine with Disney vibes, this book is for you! Trixie is the perpetually sunshine-y heroine with an affinity for animals, and Bear is her grumpy savior/landlord. But neither character is exactly how they seem, and there's a lot more depth to their personalities than what you see.

This book was slow to start for me, and for the first few chapters I really wasn't sure if I would like it. It ended up picking up quite a bit, and became the fluffy chicken-filled novel I was hoping for. Ultimately, it ended up being a good read.

This book is just not for me. The writing and characters fall flat, each love interest has a max of two personality traits, the plot doesn't make any sense, and there is a concerning amount of misogyny sprinkled in. Additionally, many aspects of the story seem more suited for a YA romance novel than adult, such as the "cute" pet names and replacement swear words.

The main character is a "not like other girls" girl who for some reason decides to go into debt over a chicken, which is basically the entire plot. Then, big, buff Bear comes in and insta-love occurs. Why do they like each other? Where is the chemistry? I don't know. Bear also gets so horny basically anytime Trixie breathes that it borders on being both ridiculous and concerning.

I can tell what the author was going for--unique characters, an interesting plot, and lots of sexual tension. Unfortunately, it was not executed well and, as it is now, I can't say I recommend this book.