Many thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Kelly Ohlert for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Trixie can’t help but rescue animals. When she sees a chicken in the middle of the road, she runs to save it. She does happen to notice the cute man who tried to help. When she gets kicked out of her apartment she ends up at Bear’s place. Bear is a quiet, stick to himself kind of guy and Trixie and her chicken are upsetting his balance. But that is just what Bear needs. As they start to fall for each other, they are afraid of ruining their budding friendship so they try to keep it casual. But, really, when did that ever work.

The story was cute enough, the characters likeable if not predictable. Trixie is the mess and Bear jumps in to save her every time. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a handsome guy who does nothing but help you out? It’s a dual POV so you get both Trixie and Bear’s perspective. There was a quirkiness to it, maybe because of the chicken? Overall, it was just okay for me.

It took me a while to get into the story but when I finally did I enjoyed it.

A really fun and easy read. The chicken was a good add to this story, something totally unexpected but which was a good add in.

I picked this up because chicken! And I"m glad our chickens are outdoors!

This was a fun, clean romance. I appreciated the mental rep! I love that it was dual POV so I got to see what makes Trixie and Bear tick. They both have some childhood traumatic experiences (must always be happy to be loved and toxic masculinity) they need to get through that leads to miscommunication. Sometimes the miscommunication trope is frustrating and hard to read but it's also the most realistic. How many of us are perfect at communication with those kinds of backrounds? I enjoyed Bear's family and hello binging Grey's Anatomy! Love it!!

Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for my review copy!

This was a quirky, clean and low-angst rom-com. There is a ton of miscommunication so unfortunately I liked the story, but didn't love it. I couldn't connect with the characters. However, I did like the authors writing and will definitely try to read her work in the future.

I want to thank NetGalley, Kelly Ohlert and Alcove Press for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

I love looking for new authors! When this author reached out to to last year to help with her cover reveal I knew I needed to add it to the tbr!

I love the dual POV and especially hearing Bear completely head over heals for Trixie from the beginning. This is a heavy case of guy falls first which is a trope I enjoy.

That being said, Trixie did not deserve it. She was not a likable character at all. She ran hot and cold and was giving mixed signals all over the place! We had hints of her back story and what she went through, but I sort of wish we dig deeper into it. Especially since it was such a motivator against her relationship to Bear.

I loved Bear and his family. I wonder if we’ll get another book about Ryan?

The chicken angle of the story was different/interesting. I wasn’t super sure what to think tbh.

I wasn’t obsessed with this book, but I would still be interested in reading more from this author.

3/5

Thank you to Netgalley, Alcove Press and Kelly Ohlert for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story had its quirky and funny moments, mainly in the beginning, but after a few chapters, it lost me.

What started off as comical soon became ridiculous. Not only did Trixie have to find a new living situation because she was determined to help an injured chicken (who she names ‘Chick Chick’ of all things), but she also goes into debt due to the vet bills. She has to work tons of extra jobs to make ends meet. I’m an animal lover myself, but the chicken subplot went from quirky and endearing to overboard and tiring really fast.

Trixie and Bear didn’t actually seem to have a lot of chemistry. Bear appeared to have the majority of the feelings all the way through. Trixie always seems to be anxious and/or on edge and just trying to figure things out. There wasn’t steaminess or spice, it was more of Bear being turned on by any little thing Trixie does.

The one bright spot in this story is Bear’s family. Bear is close to his mother and sisters and they really care for each other. They are kind and welcome Trixie with open arms. I love to see positive family dynamics.

Trixie has an angry outburst that was deeply concerning and I don’t feel it was ever properly addressed. The story kept referencing the fallout with Trixie’s high school roommate and the estrangement from her parents, yet those things felt far away.

The two main things that stuck with me after reading this book:
1) Trixie was in such emotional turmoil due to the tensions with Bear, as well as caring for Chick Chick, that it overshadows everything else.
2) Trixie should seek professional help and go to therapy to help address her issues.

This was not for me, but there will be readers who enjoy it. It has its quirky and funny moments in the beginning and shows some positive family dynamics between Bear and his mom and sisters. But overall, the execution was lacking.

**3.5 Stars**

!!NetGalley Review!!

I had the opportunity to both listen and read this book. I thought it was very cute and a unique storyline, but eventually Trixie's feeling of everyone only wanting her to be happy and her feeling of not being good enough to be loved kind of got old. It was kind of a toxic cycle between her and Bear of miscommunication. Trixie could benefit from some therapy! Overall, it was cute and I enjoyed the ending in Bear finding himself. Thank you: NetGalley, Alcove Press, Dreamscape Media, and Kelly Ohlert for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

📖My Thoughts📖

Rom-coms are in the top five of my favorite genres to read. There’s the every so popular meet cute, the funny moments, the part where the two main characters fall in love, then the falling out, followed by highly anticipated happily ever after. This one had all that, but how many do you know include a chicken? Yes, a chicken! I honestly thought this fit in perfectly with the quirkiness of Trixie’s character. I really loved this book! It had me laughing so much, which was exactly what I needed! I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Trixie and Bear unfold, as well as getting to know Bear’s amazing family. This was a fun and entertaining read. The quirkiness was what did it in for me! I’m a sucker for quirky rom-coms! If you’re looking for a funny feel good story, look no further and give this one a go!
Thank you Netgalley, Kelly Ohlert and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read and review this lovely gem! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was adorable, fun, and totally unique. A fun love story with an incredibly quirky plot and characters. I highly recommend this one! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a slow burn, close proximity second chance romance. The miscommunication sometimes was a bit jarring, but did add to the storyline. This ended up being a feel good romance for me with two unique characters I found myself rooting for.

Never would I have guessed a reason for a forced proximity romance would have started with getting a chicken for a pet. But here we are.

This book had a lot of funny moments, a little he fell first moments, and the sisters were just the sweetest family members!

I loved the family meetings, our chicken friend of course, and all the sweet moments in between!

The narrative of this novel is so sweet and lovable and was a great easy read. The well rounded characters and well thought out glimpse in to their history made me root for them instantly. I was so desperate for them to see the chemistry between them that was so obvious to everyone around them. I also loved the family/friendship dynamics it gave all the characters a relatable depth.

Adorable and quick little romcom. Bear is great and I love his family. The chicken is stupendous. I just listened to it and I cannot recall the girl's name... she was annoying and the people around her were very supportive of her... what was her name. Trixie! It's Trixie. She could've used a little more depth and I loved her love for animals. Overall, enjoyable

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m making my way through my backlog of ARCs and finally got around to this book! I thought it was such a sweet romantic comedy that had me literally laughing out loud at times! The premise involves a super sweet meet cute involving a chicken crossing the road. The only thing I wish there was a little more of are glimpses into Bear and Trixie’s past memories of specific experiences. If you’re interested in romantic comedies with happily ever afters, check this book out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing both an eARC and advanced access to the audiobook of To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert in exchange for an honest review.

Trixie finds herself in a bit of a pickle when she stops Chicago traffic to save a chicken. The main problem is, her landlord doesn't allow pets. Through a series of serendipitous circumstances, she finds herself moving in with Bear, who unknowingly agrees to house Trixie and said chicken. The forced proximity and shared pet-parenthood lead Trixie and Bear down the path of romance.

CHICK CHICK!!! Ugh, all the heart eyes for this goofy dynamic. 4.25 stars, and the extra .25 is simply because I love Chick-Chick so much. Trixie's heart for loving and caring for this chicken just builds onto this romance, as she daily shows Bear her best qualities. The hijinx that Trixie and Bear get themselves into in order to pay for Chick-Chick's vet bills are so hilarious. I laughed out loud several times while listening to this audiobook. If you're looking for a book with minimal spice and good humor, this is the book for you!

This one was hard for me to judge. It was cute...sometimes funny. But it got a little weird near the end. The characters fell flat and the chicken thing got weird and strange.

This is a quirky and memorable romcom starring main characters with believable flaws and wonderful personalities. Trixie and Bear first meet when they witness a chicken being injured in traffic. Tthey reconnect through the influence of Bear's sisters, who advertise for a roommate on his behalf just at the time Trixie is forced to relocate to a pet-friendly apartment where she can continue to nurse the wounded chicken. The plan is to live together as roommates, but their attraction to each other soon blurs the lines between friendship and more.

The voices of the main characters come through very strongly in this book, and the author's writing is a pleasure to read. The supporting characters, especially in Bear's family, add such warmth and humor to the story, and it was also nice to have a hero that wasn't necessarily a macho guy, but who had the unique interest to run the family flower shop. The chicken is also an interesting part of the story. What starts out as a silly meet-cute grows into a situation where these two characters really care for and help each other with the chicken. It was fun to read about a different animal than the typical pet.

This is a great rom-com for anyone who loves animals, grumpy/sunshine couples, and strong family ties, but though there are no explicit sex scenes, there are some descriptions of sexual thoughts that might be offputting to readers who prefer a low heat level.

Oh my heart, To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert is the cutest of the cute, and I loved that there was a chicken in it!! This is Ohlert's debut, and I can't wait to see what her sophomore novel will be like after this unique take (the chicken) on a rom-com. Trixie is a super sweet and quirky character and I have to say that Bear is as well. He has the best family, and I was glad they got included one way or another in the story so much. Trixie brought out the animal lover in me to the max (she works in an animal shelter), and this book is filled with them which I loved!! It started out very humorous as well and I was a little sad that the humor kind of petered out about halfway in and then it moved into more serious territory without as many laughs. I love a good blend of both, so I would have loved it if it would have just been that way from start to finish.

I adored the audiobook and I thought Stefanie Kay & Paul Heitsch made for such wonderful narrators. They were both completely fitting for Trixie and Bear, and they made this a real treat to listen to. I would highly recommend the audio and I thought their reading styles brought the text to life in a way I wouldn't have gotten simply from reading the book. It is also a really quick listen at just under 9 hours, and I think the audio just made it more fun for me overall. To Get to the Other Side is a lighter read for the most part, and it basically blends a sunshine and grumpy trope with a miscommunication trope. Miscommunication can drive me crazy sometimes, but it didn’t really bug me here, and I just enjoyed seeing Trixie and Bear’s journey to being together. This is a happily-ever-after story without too much steam so if that is your thing, I would recommend it!

Thank you to @netgalley and @alcovepress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @dreamscape_media for a free download of the audiobook.

What was a chicken doing crossing the road in downtown Chicago? To get to the other side, duh! It’s none other than Trixie, saver of all animals who is chasing the chicken across the street upsetting all the other drivers. Trixie is then asked to leave her apartment due to said chicken and ends up living with Bear…They guy who saw her chase said chicken.

This was a cute story. It was funny and sweet. It was a bit cliché and lacked the connection the characters to really set it apart from others in this genre. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, light read. It was still entertaining.

3.5 Stars – Rounding to 4 stars for Goodreads

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #alcovepress #dreamscapemedia #ltbreaderteam #togettotheotherside #kellyohlert

Trixie is an animal loving happy to lucky girl who finds herself in a pickle. Bear is a quite keep to himself guy who has 4 sister 2 of which mettle in his life all the time. When trixie answers an ad in the paper for a place to live it happens to be near whose sister made the ad to help him with his money issues by renting out part of his house.

This is cute story that revolves around a chicken and opening up.

Thank you good reads for the advance copy