I’m sad to say this let me down. I think in all, I just didn’t enjoy the writing, and that’s all just personal opinion!

I found it to be too cliche for my preferences, and I was getting annoyed with the characters too easily.

To Get to the Other Side had a promising start. The premise was cute and we were introduced to interesting characters, but the book started faltering around the fifty page mark. I really wanted to like Trixie, but she started hitting too close to that pesky 'not like other girls' characterization for me to really root for her. As I was approaching the half-way point, I was starting to realize that nothing was really happening in the book. The only thing standing in Trixie's way from being in an awkward relationship with her new-found roommate Bear, was herself. When we first learn the reason for Trixie's severe trust issues, I was willing to let it slide—even if the betrayed-by-the-college-roommate scenario was slightly too ridiculous for me to take seriously and revealed way too soon for my liking—I like to stew in mystery for at least a chapter. When we were told for the fiftieth time, however, that Trixie couldn't get close to anyone because of this one encounter, I started to get annoyed. As a reader, I don't want to be straight out told every single thing that is going on in a character's head or be given an analysis of their choices every two pages. I want to deduct that for myself through their interactions on the page. I think that my biggest problem with this book was its inability to follow the 'show don't tell' rule.
We were initially introduced to a ton of promising side characters, but they all seemed to fade away as the story focused on the literal carousel that was Trixie and Bear’s relationship—constantly going up and down, and circling the same issues over and over again. I was dying for more of Bear's sisters, who were oddly enough the clearest and best developed characters even though they were criminally robbed of page time. I also found the random sexual moments in the book a bit disconcerting. Something about Bear’s initially constant obsession with Trixie’s ass didn’t sit quite right with me, and every time a forced "spicy" moment came up it felt so out of place with the rest of the book it was almost comical.
One thing I did love about this book was the way it checked off rom-com tropes like nobody’s business. I’m a sucker for a book that I have to remind myself isn’t an AU fanfic as I read it. It’s a very specific vibe which I kinda love. Despite having a lot to say about this book, I genuinely didn't hate it. It was fun. It was light. It had a ridiculously-named chicken, which was different. I enjoyed myself.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC!

This has such a cute cover and an engaging blurb. But I just did not get into it. After a good start, it went nowhere for me. I put the book down one night.. and never felt inclined to pick it up again.

Trixie stops her car in the middle of the road to save a chicken crossing the road. She ends up putting the chicken in her car with the help of a man who helps stop traffic. Her current housing situation does not allow for pets so she sets off looking for a new place to stay. Bear, the man who helped Trixie get the chicken out of the road, has three sisters who start scheming. He has a room open in his house and they list it in the newspaper for rent. Trixie is one of the many people who inquire about the room. They become friends and test the boundaries of that friendship. Overall, really sweet and corny! I loved it.

The romance is cute but in my opinion, the two characters have a lot to settle, communication is the key whatever the relationship. Trixie and Bear learn together over the days to live together, but it’s not easy to choose when the attraction is in the game.
Trixie is an independent young woman, with Chick-Chick they both form an unlikely duo. It’s not every day you meet the woman in your life chasing a chicken.
I loved Bear’s sisters. Each of them deserves a book.

There will always be people out there that will prey on weaknesses. And both of the characters experienced bullying & betrayal in their past.

They both had emotional scars. I just wish they talked about it to avoid the miscommunication between them.

The way the author introduce every character in her story is so unique.

Overall , it was a fun , cute and quick romance read. I enjoyed reading this book.

Meet cute
Grumpy x sunshine
Insta love
Meddling Sisters
Slow Burn
Forced proximity
Roommate


An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book will be available December 6, 2022.

#bookreview #netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To Get to the Other Side is an adorable grumpy/sunshine trope romcom that starts with a chicken. Chick-Chick, to be exact. I can guarantee that you will not find another love story that starts with a chicken on the urban streets of Chicago!

Bear, our grumpy Grey’s Anatomy-loving stud, and sunny Trixie, a newly-minted chicken mama, navigate their way through forced proximity and poultry parenthood.

The dialogue had me yearning for more in-depth conversations and I found myself often having to reread sections to remember who was narrating at the time. I’m a sucker for a good pun and a good dad joke, and this book delivered plenty of both.

Love at first "cluck" gosh this way so cute. Loved every minute of this. I did want to reach through and slap some heads at times but what is a good book without some issues? Solid 4⭐️

I DNF-Ed this one at 30%. I really wanted to give it a good try but it couldn’t capture my attention.

An instalove between a ray of sunshine and a guarded grump in this fun read. Trixie is not entirely sure why she stopped her car in the Chicago street to rescue a chicken, but there's no turning back now. especially when her Landlord turns her out into the street for one too many pet-smuggling attempts. Enter Bear, our hero who has worked hard for his solitude. Unlikely roommate's and Trixie tells herself to keep her heart under wraps But, who can say no to a sexy pancake-flipping, grey's anatomy-watching, flower-arranging smoke show with a secret heart of gold?

Trixie is an always-happy animal lover who carries a lot of emotional baggage that affects her relationships with others. Bear is a reserved construction worker who actually wants to take over the family business and be a florist.

I appreciated what the author was trying to do. She showed how gender stereotypes can be detrimental and how forcing ourselves to always be happy can prevent us from forming real connections.

I had many issues with the plot and storytelling. Switching narrators constantly made it hard for me to follow the story. If I paused mid-chapter, I'd have to look back to remember who was narrating. Their voices weren't distinct enough to make that style work. I wish the book had been written in third person. The narration style also made the book feel overly repetitive and like there was a lot more telling versus showing.

My biggest plot issue was that Trixie yells at Bear to leave. When he does, she spends a chapter whining about how he left her when he saw her crying. That whole section left me feeling completely annoyed.

While some of the characters' quirks were fun and fresh, they had too many. It was to the point that they felt bland and unrelatable. Their past traumas also felt forced.

While there were a few things I enjoyed in this book, there were many things I struggled with that made the book feel boring and like I couldn't connect with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute book! I loved how real these two were. They both came in with their own baggage and overcame their fears together. The addition of a rescue chicken was absolutely adorable. I found myself in tears at one point over the health of little Cluck Cluck. There were some cheesy moments of course but this book was overall so enjoyable.

This was a fun romcom with a few heavier moments toward the end. Funny storyline with the rescued chicken and a very close, quirky family dynamic. Loved the roommates-to-lovers storyline and, of course, I’m a sucker for a HEA.

I’ve managed to live for several decades and in none of those have I ever owned a chicken – rats, mice, hamsters, snakes, dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs – but no pets that I would usually define (incorrectly) as livestock.

However, having just finished To Get To The Other Side by Kelly Ohlert, I now – thanks very much, Ms Ohlert – have a deep and abiding need for a chicken. Yeah. Also, I really, really need my own Bear – large, bearded, grumpy, and lust-inducing.

This is quite a debut novel – funny, corny, and lovely. In brief, Bear’s sisters take charge of his love life by advertising a room for rent in his house without telling him. Trixie’s landlord kicks her out when Trixie tries to sneak Chick-Chick into the apartment. Bear and Trixie meet-cute through the ad but it turns out not to be the first time they’ve met.

Ohlert takes full advantage of this delicious setup. Her characters are fun and their relationship is swoony. You’ll root for them to overcome their obstacles and fight for their HEA. And you’ll fall in love with Chick-Chick.

No spoilers and no more description. You need to meet Trixie and Bear (and Chick-Chick) for yourselves. After you read it, you’ll wish you could read it for the first time all over again.

Can’t wait to see what Kelly Ohlert does next.

To Get To The Other Side has an expected release date of December 6, 2022.

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this cute cute cute ARC!!!!

Sweet~layered~YA romance!

The characters are very unique! Grumpy man loves flowers… what’s not to love about that?!?!

Quirky girl has a bleeding heart for animals!! Who doesn’t love that too?!?

Overall, this was a sweeeeet book that I would definitely recommend to a friend that wants a light hearted read, but still wants to relate to the characters and what they are growing through. (Desire to meet parental standards, search for the meaning of true happiness, journey to find their pet soulmate).

Bear and Trixie’s internal monologues did get a little repetitive at times, but I believe that makes them all the more relatable; we all have certain struggles that trap ourselves inside of our own minds and we are just waiting for the right people to come into our lives to say the right things to help us out! Bear and Trixie were that for each other and I loved seeing their relationship bloom and blossom (pun intended).

I really enjoyed this book. It was cute and silly. I also liked how it talked about more important things like not being comfortable showing your emotions and gender stereotypes. I’m glad I was able to read an ARC of this book. It made my heart happy.

To Get to the Other Side was a heartfelt and hilarious romance with a strong premise. Kicking off with a truly unique meet-cute between two delightfully flawed individuals, this book covers plenty of ground - family relationships, love, pets, and the expectations we put on ourselves.

I think my favourite thing about this book was the humour - there were so many laugh-out-loud pieces of dialogue that had me grinning ear to ear as I read. Trixie and Bear were both hilariously awkward and lovable in equal measure, leading to plenty of moments that would be perfectly at home in a classic romantic comedy.

I also thought the premise was really interesting - Trixie's passion for animals and the way she meets Bear was unlike anything I've read before! It certainly made the start of the book immediately gripping, and got me invested in the characters incredibly fast.

Unfortunately, the book lost a bit of steam for me after the first third. The plot slowed down a little, and Trixie and Bear were kind of stuck in a rut with little bearing to the overarching plot, and I found myself keen to get to a new progression in the broader story. Things picked up again towards the end of the book, but I would've loved a bit more development of the bigger picture during the middle portion.

My only other complaint was that occasionally, the writing was too explicit in expressing the character's emotional journeys. I thought both Bear and Trixie's personal and emotional barriers in this book were incredibly realistic and compelling, but the writing was at times very heavy-handed in conveying this to the audience. I wish it'd been a little more subtle, because I think the more nuanced elements did an excellent job of showing the reader their struggles, rather than explicitly stating them.

All in all, this rom-com is a solid read for anyone who loves the forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine tropes, and quirky, lovable characters.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me an e-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I had a ride on the roller coaster of emotions while reading this book. It will always be listed among those books that are close to my heart and that helped me in some ways.
The book talks about past traumas and the way people react to their traumas via the main characters Trixie and Bear.
Trixie was an interesting character, always cheery and happy despite going through her own struggles. No matter what she was facing, her smile never wavered. That seems a bit difficult but knowing her past, her reactions and her behavior would definitely make sense. I was annoyed with her several times. For instance, when she put the blame on Bear for something she was responsible for. I found that quite immature. I wanted to scream at her face at that time. But, maybe, I didn't do her justice because her personality was shaped by the influence of her past. Whatever her flaws were, I loved her. she was so selfless, that alone made me love her even more.
Bear was completely opposite to Trixie. He was shy and kind of introvert (and I love introverts). again, his personality was also shaped by his past relationship with his father. I don't know who had it worst, but there is no comparison when it comes to traumas. All traumas are painful and difficult to overcome. I loved the way he came in terms with his personality, and how he accepted himself regardless of the stereotypes.
The same goes for Trixie as she learned that it is okay to share her pain and suffering with the people she loved. That it is okay to cry in front of your loved ones. Crying doesn't make you weak or unlovable. It only makes you human.
This book talked about traumas in a way that didn't trigger my traumas. I loved this. Mostly, my traumas get triggered by books. Thankfully, this wasn't the case here.
Totally recommended and I am definitely going to get this book. I need its paperback in my hands (lol).

While this book had some moments of greatness, it read a bit long and could have used a bit more editing. Trixie and Bear (yes, their real names) come into each other's lives because of a chicken crossing the road. Instant sparks fly, but miscommunication and a healthy dose of trauma get in the way for about 80% of the book.

The character's individual issues were repeated in almost every chapter and I could have done without Trixie's refusal to curse, and instead say things like "Fish sticks!" and "Ohh snickerdoodles". I also was hoping for a far better sex scene! Give me some steam please! There was a lot of buildup and then little payoff in that sense. There were a few cute scenes, some very funny ones, and as with many romance novels, "are there really any men out here caring like this??".

I did appreciate how Bear seemed to come to terms with some of his issues and find ways to embrace who he really was. Trixie seemed to be headed down that path too, but she could definitely could have used a bit more time dealing with her trauma vs caring about a chicken.

Overall, this was probably more of a 2.5 from me, but I'll round up to 3. Thank you to NetGalley & Alcove Press for this e-ARC to read for my unbiased review.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. "To Get to the Other Side" is a sweet novel that follows both Bear and Trixie. As you get read more and more, you get to know that these characters aren't so simple and sweet as they may appear, Their issues and traumas from the past lead to a lot of miscommunication. This and the insta love situation in the book made me lose interest. The writing style was pleasing, but at times it felt like the author was trying too hard. I appreciate the dual POV as it generally makes the reading experience better, this case is not different. The chicken element was interesting, but also incredibly unrealistic. The book was way too long, many parts of it could be removed and it surely will be less shallow and plain. Overall, not a bad read, but it is in need of some serious editing.

While I found the beginning of this book to be charming, the middle and end dragged on a little for me. I found Trixie to be a fine main character, although her trauma and arc seemed extremely unresolved. Bear was also fine (although I don't think I can forgive his name being Bear), and I did like his arc towards being himself instead of being a "manly man," but something about his character felt undeveloped. The story was quirky and fun and lighthearted for the most part (the end got a little heavier), but a lot of it felt absolutely ridiculous. I get that the whole point of these books is that they're fun, but some of the scenes felt weirdly placed in this book (the one in particular I'm thinking of is Bear helping Trixie out at the kid's birthday party. What was the point?).

I liked the tension between Trixie and Bear, although the conflict keeping them apart dragged on for a little too long. But overall this story was charming and incredibly humorous at times, and I was able to fly through it in just a few hours. The chicken was my favorite character, and I liked that this book had that element to set it apart - it definitely made it more memorable and enjoyable!