To Get To The Other Side
4.5 Stars

Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because she knew that love had to exist between Trixie and Bear. Of course. What else did you think!?
I love this book! Romance books are hard for me to fall in love with but this one is a masterpiece! I loved almost every aspect of this book. The characters are well developed and fun. The world is welcoming, inviting, warm, and enjoyable. To Get To The Other Side has slow burn like qualities with minimal spice. On the spice scale id give it a 1 / 5. The love story that grows between our two main characters is absolutely perfect. I can feel their feelings grow and feel their trust levels elevate. I feel like the author did a great job at showing how love can infiltrate your head and heart. How it can cause walls to come tumbling down without any warning. The only negative thing I can say is that the characters both have a history of emotional and mental abuse from their parents and from friendships that ended in ultimate betrayal. The characters seem to milk this a bit much. I felt like the abusive background stories were constantly being repeated. It's hard to forget the background of characters when it's told over 5 times. Because of this, I am knocking off a .5%. Luckily the rest of this book is well written and thoroughly enjoyable.

We follow Trixie Ward. A bright, bubbly, happy, animal lover. Due to a recent infraction of trying to bring a rescued chicken into her apartment that doesn't allow pets, she has to find a new place to live in three days. Lucky for her an ad pops up with a room at some random stranger's house. Funny enough the stranger is the same exact stranger who helped her rescue the chicken off the streets. This stranger is none other than a man named Bear. A mountain of a man with the biggest soft side. Bear wasn't exactly looking for a roommate but when his sisters get annoyed with him explaining he doesn't need a woman, they create an ad for the free room that he has in his house. To Bears' surprise, Trixie shows up! Without second-guessing, Bear says yes to her moving in. ( we loved the close proximity trope!! )
Trixie and Bear find themselves quickly falling for each other. The tension between them is palpable and un-BEAR-able. Together they have to learn how to let walls down and trust each other. Trixie who has had to hide her feelings behind smiles and be essentially emotionally unavailable has to learn that it's safe to let her guard down and be herself around those that love her regardless of the feelings she expresses. And Bear has to learn that it's okay to be himself and not allow his mentally abusive father to control him. On top of all of this, he has to make a choice to take over his mom's floral business. A business he has always has loved but was told wasn't “manly” enough. The two will have each other to learn and grow all while having a chicken who needs constant care. Can they figure out how to let walls down and fake smiles be dropped? Can they heal and let go of the past to allow a love unlike any other to flourish? Who knew a chicken crossing the road would be such a task. Divine intervention if you ask me.

The chicken. Chick- Chick. Hands down my favorite part of the book. I feel like she really pulled the whole book together. All the smaller characters really made me smile. I adored all of Bears' sisters! They are so much fun and chaotic. I want to be friends with each of them. I honestly want a book about Zoey and her life. I deeply related to Trixie in so many ways. Her lack of self-esteem and her need to always hold it together even when she's going through hell. Her constant need for self-control and to push people out of her life because she feels she is unlovable if her feelings are shown is entirely relatable to me and it broke my heart. As someone who had to grow up putting on fake smiles, braving out the worst, and being mentally/emotionally unavailable this book really hit home for me. I really fell in love with Trixies character because of that. I loved this book. I'm rereading this as soon as it comes out! This is now going to be one of my comfort reads! Worth a read 100%! Definitely want this book on my shelf!
Thank you Netgalley and Alove Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Actual rating: 3.75 so I'm rounding up to 4

This was such a fun book to go through!

This book tells the story of Trixie and Bear, a literal human sunbeam and the grumpy hunk of a man who apparently resembles his namesake in his aversion to people.
After finding an injured chicken in the side of the road Trixie finds herself in need of a new place to live since her current apartment doesn't allow pets, and that's how she ends up as Bear's new roommate and tenant. One thing leads to another and they find themselves co-parenting Chick-chick among other things.

This was one of the funniest books I read recently! I really liked the writing style and humor, and as someone who despises puns I even found myself smiling at some of them!

The characters felt real, with their contradictions and nonsensical actions sometimes, it was a good change from the usual rom-com characters who have ONE defining trait and that's it.
I liked how the book focused on them getting to know each other through a prolonged period of time rather than going straight to pound-town. We go through the journey with them as they slowly open up to each other and that was great.
I absolutely adored Bear's family! His sisters and their dynamic was so adorable and funny.

That being said, I think both Bear and Trixie desperately need therapy. They both have their own traumas that need to be worked through and I don't really love the implication that just because they got together everything was magically fixed, I wish the author included even the smallest mention of therapy even in the epilogue to show that they at least were working through their issues not simply ignoring/burying them.

Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

I was excited about the plot of this story and was super into it at first. But it just turned out to be both very slow and very fast at the same time. The chemistry didn't really come through from the characters and I would have liked at least one steamy scene. I feel like this could have been a super fun book but things just didn't hit home for me.

This was sweet and kind of silly, but I struggled to connect. With the characters, with the story, with any of it. I think the main issue for me is that we’re not exactly sure where the focus of the story is. Is it on Bear and Trixie’s budding relationship? Is it on the chicken they’re trying to raise in a major city? Is it on their relationships with their families? Or is it on their difficulties being honest with each other and true to themselves? The story struggles to pick a lane. While I do love that Bear and Trixie seem absolutely suited for each other, and they help each other navigate through some challenges while eventually finding their way back to one another, their relationship is chaotic, and once again, I struggled to connect with it. The main characters give off major Nick and Jess from New Girl vibes, and while I love a quirky main character, I couldn’t seem to get on board with Trixie’s brand of quirky. Despite my inability to connect with the story it was a fairly easy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much for the eCopy of this book! I really enjoyed reading this one. It's been a while since I read a good romcom but I really love this one. The plot was good and so are the characters. I love the flow of the story and I really enjoyed this one.

I felt like the story had a great beginning, but then it became uneventful and too predictable. I didn’t fully understand why the MCs were so against becoming a couple and didn’t quite get the conflict in the story.

It was a cute story and I did like all the characters (especially Bear’s sisters).

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Alcove Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Laugh out loud enjoyable. Trixie’s a unique character you’ll love and cheer for.

"Leave it to a chicken to throw my life into a tailspin." This novel has the most unforgettable meet-cute —in the middle of the street, chasing a chicken across the road to rescue it! The whole story is a true delight! We get (loving) meddling siblings, missed connections vibes, sweet family relationships, sublime sexual tension, and lovely character development. There's an ice-cream truck mission, pancake-making, intriguing side-characters —and the potential chicken name Hennifer Lopez! but they go with Chick-Chick in the end.

♡ She's a former-dancer who works at an animal shelter; He's in construction, and "built like mountains". Because of their ages and the economy right now, they both have side gigs. When Trixie and Bear move in together and need to earn some more money to pay for Chick-Chick's vet bills, shenanigans ensue! (Featuring spandex off-brand superhero costumes, chaotic dog-walking, and wholesome neighbourhood lemonade stands.) Ohlert integrates this into the narrative so easily that you hardly notice it, yet it helps ground the story firmly in a familiar reality. (I know that it's skillfully done because I recently had to stop reading two other books because I could not connect with the romance when I was so saddened by the characters' drowning in hustle culture and the desperation of late-stage capitalism. I felt nothing but enjoyment of their adventures here!)

♡ I loved all Trixie's quirky, colourful outfits (and mismatched socks!) and I love how much Bear loves them too. I love that Bear is a Grey's Anatomy fan! and that he knows Jeopardy episodes by heart! (They spend a lot of time watching reruns on the couch together. He's more of a homebody, which is relatable, but he also injures himself and ends up in a cast.) He makes her food, they go grocery shopping and cook together, help when they're running late for work in the morning, but there's also awkwardness and arguments, so we get a lot of the roommate moments you probably hope for.

♡ There's HEAT between them! Do not be fooled by all the pastel on the cover! The sex is off-page, but the important capital-R Romance moments —the longing stares, the forearms, fantasizing, the pulling bodies onto laps, rough hands tugging down hips, faces buried in chests, steamy dancing and near-kisses— that's alll there, and it's brilliantly done! I love that most of the time, Trixie is the bold one who makes the sexual advances. Ohlert gives us the always-dreamy "How did you get him to do that?" "I asked." moment! And complimentary silliness like this: "The sexual tension between us was as thick as Tom Selleck's mustache."

♡ There's parental heartache that's lingered from childhood in how both these characters cope with emotions, and in how they treat themselves. Trixie's parents made her feel like she had to be polite and friendly and "perfect" at all times, and Bear's dad made him question anything not "masculine" behaviour. I found the portrayal of their struggles very real, and even more understandable and natural to the characters as the story progresses.

♡ Note on the animals: I'm a person who legit will not watch a movie if there's a dog involved at all, because I simply cannot handle the emotional impact of an animal potentially being hurt —even if it ends up being perfectly fine in the end! I will not cope, my world will be shattered. And I was fine reading this! Be aware that when the chicken is rescued, it is not as smooth and fluffy as the cover depicts, its health has deteriorated from being out in the street, and there are some ups and downs with its treatment and recovery at the vet, but somehow Ohlert manages to make the descriptions both evocative and emotionally manageable. I've been in those situations with pets before (treatment cost is more than I can afford, staying up all night and all day with a sick animal, feeling helpless, the sickening guilt and worry of seeing your animal limping when injured) and so I could see the reality in them, but To Get to the Other Side stays light enough —or maybe keeps the difficult moments brief enough— that it isn't weighed down. And did you know chicken wheelchairs exist? Bear hand-makes one for Chick-Chick, and it's the sweetest!

Content warnings: memories of bullying and public humiliation, toxic masculinity (challenged), Trixie's got trauma from strict, judgmental, manipulative parenting and a toxic roommate who betrayed her trust. Bear's dad is rude and mean and cruel, but only appears briefly once or twice.

Loved this book!
Trixie and Bear meet when she is chasing a chicken, and then once she comes to view a spare room in his house. He had been wanting to see her again, but is reluctant to share his space or let any one too close, thanks to a fairly toxic relationship with his Dad.
Bear's interfering family are trying to help, but will they make things better or not?
Looking forward to more books from this author.

An adorable romance that tugs at your heartstrings. I loved the dynamic between the two main characters and how relatable some of their insecurities were. I wish we would've gotten a bit more of Trixie's backstory, but it was a fantastic read, regardless. Highly recommended!

Another ARC from NetGalley and Alcove Press for a review. This book was a great light-hearted rom-com read! I really enjoyed the puns, jokes, and banter in this book. I thought it featured great character development and relatable characters that made me love this story. It was a fun read that went by really quickly.

Book tropes: grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, strangers to roommates to lovers, angsty.

Trixie finds herself homeless after rescuing an injured chicken in Chicago. She responds to an ad for a room for rent and encounters the burly man named Bear who helped her rescue the chicken. Trixie works odd jobs to help pay for ChickChick’s extensive vet bills while still working full time at an animal shelter. The forced proximity to Bear in their shared home is the catalyst for both Bear and Trixie admitting their shared feelings.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found some details repetitive at times, like Bear’s bullying in the past and Trixie’s problems with her parents. Their problems were somewhat superficial and could have been addressed had Bear and Trixie openly communicated their feelings instead of letting it snowball. Ultimately, I would recommend this book.

So hoped right now this read because I needed something funny. This was super funny and cute the whole chicken thing was just a bit much for me. They are co parenting an injured chicken. This was an adorable meet cute but it wasn't a favorite for me.

This book didn't suck me in like I hoped it would. I wanted to like it so bad! I will still purchase for the library, as I'm sure others would enjoy reading it and decide for themselves. Still thankful I was given the opportunity to read and review it.

I really wanted to love this book. It was cute and I was drawn in by the puns and a sweet meet. From there it was downhill. I was so confused by this story that went back and forth. The characters traumas were unusual and not fully unpacked. It just wasn’t the book for me. Thanks to netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

ARC provided by NetGalley 🤍

This book was such a light read and i’ve definitely laughed a lot throughout.

Trixie is the sweetest girl and she is like this ball of happiness everywhere she goes. Bear is like the complete opposite. I love grumpy/sunshine books so that’s what immediately drew me toward this! The chicken was definitely interesting to read about - i mean, not many people save stray chickens !

This book was very heartwarming and super cute. I liked the forced proximity that was also added and i think everyone needs a friend like Trixie!

I was immediately hooked by this book and thought the meet cute was amazing. I'm not sure at what point the book lost my interest but before long I was skimming through just to and finish it. It felt like the book was a lot longer than it needed to be b/c the main characters didn't communicate well with each other.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Alcove Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Alcove Press.

OMG! Who dares to say no to a roommate: who’s freaking hot, bicep flexing, a great pancake flipper, chicken wheelchair builder, flower arrangement designer, Grey’s Anatomy binge-watcher, wine gourmet: yes, dear Bear is my dreamy combination for book boyfriend!

That sweet guy saved the damsel in distress Trixie from traffic monsters as she tries to save a chicken’s life in the middle of highway!

Trixie, who always smiles,social, friendly, carrying polka dotted dresses proudly, working at animal shelter, may be the kindest human being who can risk her living situation to help saving the life of a chicken ; including struggling with depth to pay her hospital bills!

When her landlord gives her notice to find another place to live with Miss Chick Chick, she starts looking for a new house ! Luckily dear Bear, a homey guy, also a man in few words, suffering from antics of four demanding sisters, realizes his sisters posted a hilarious ad attracting tenant candidates like bees to honey: informing that he’s looking for a roomie!

When Bear storms out from his bathroom to chase after that poor army of people who ask questions about his home, he realizes the girl he chickened out to ask her phone number is just standing there to rent his room!

Well, both of them have their own financial issues! So they promise themselves to keep in their pants and resume their platonic friendship even though the chemistry is palpable and entire sisters of Bear do everything to bring them together.

Bear only wants to help the gorgeous woman in quirks he can’t get enough of and keep Miss Chick Chick alive ( yes: he has two different roommates! Trixie didn’t mention she would bring her healing chicken and Bear was too kind hearted to kick them out!)

They have so many up and downs because of their emotional baggages. Mostly Bear was the patient and caring one who always gave the space Trixie needed and Trixie was a little irritating with her emotional turmoil but I still liked her a lot. She was quirky, generous, vivid, lovable!

I was planning to give 4 stars to this read but I fell in love with Bear and his entire clan ( I loved family meetings time) so I gave extra half star: rounded up 4.5 stars to 5 extra sweet, entertaining, spandex wearing super hero stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert

I was so excited to get this ARC from Netgalley and Alcove Press. I’ve been following Kelly on TikTok for a while and have seen her talk about this book. It definitely did not disappoint.

Trixie works at an animal shelter and makes it her mission to save every animal she can. So when she finds a chicken who was unable to cross the road, she scoops it up and takes it home. But with a landlord who has a strict no-pet rule, and a hurt chicken, Trixie decides she needs to find a new place that is pet friendly.

Bear is a grump. He enjoys keeping a low profile and staying out of the spotlight. That is until Trixie ends up being his roommate. The two could not be more opposite, yet, Bear finds himself captivated by Trixie's sunshine personality, and smile. Being roommates may be harder than Bear thought, and throw a pet chicken in the mix and all rules get thrown out the window.

A great debut novel! The banter was SO great and all the puns and jokes had me laughing throughout this book. If you enjoy grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, and roommates to lovers, then this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

The premise of this book was something that really gripped me. Our main protagonists Trixie picks up a chicken from the side of the road and due to the fact that her landlord doesn't allow pets she has to find another place to live. Insert Bear's house and the fact that his sister put up a room for rent without him knowing. When Trixie applies he desides to give her the room and that's basically where our story stars.

The character development was something I really liked about the book and I also think it's the book's strong suit, however I could not connect to the story as I would have liked. It dragged, especially in the middle, and felt a lot longer than it actually was. Overall I would say it's a decent story and I enjoyed reading it, but it's not the absolute best I've read.

An interesting rom com with a chicken. A chicken who was trying to cross the road. Didn’t see that one coming. But it was fun.