I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Let me preface that I do think it's important to read Funny You Should Ask before you read this book. Gabe Parker is the main character in FYSA and in T&CF we follow his older sister, Lauren, on her journey of grief, motherhood, new love, and in a way, coming of age.

Things I liked about this book:
Dual timeline of Now and Then, where the majority of the story is spent in the present, but there are flashbacks to the past that help give insights into character motivations, values, and blindspots.
Having a 40 year old FMC interested in a younger MMC.
Seeing how grief (specifically unresolved grief) can impact a family.
Seeing how everyone copes with grief differently (from very unhealthy to somewhat healthy).
Discussion of being LGBTQIA+ as a part of your identity
Small town vibes
Learning more about Gabe's character from the first book

Things I didn't like:
Not sure this is a dislike, but it was something I was a little frustrated by, even though I think it was honest to her character -- Lauren's grappling with whether she should consider Ben as something more than just a fling. It felt very thrashy and read a little bit immature. But I also think this is authentic to her character, given her past, motivations, and values.

Things I wish we had gone deeper on:
Gabe's relationship with alcohol
Spencer and Lauren's first love feelings

Overall, this is a great summer time read. It has some silly antics, good sex scenes, and depth (grief, alcoholism, struggles between self and others needs). If you like Funny You Should Ask, definitely read Totally and Completely Fine too! So glad to see Elissa Sussman write another great book -- she seems like such a bright, kind, and funny human, so I hope she has success here and in future works too!

3.5/5 - There were parts of this I really liked and other aspects I wish had been stronger. The emotions were so real as Lauren and Lena grapple with the loss of their husband/dad. I loved seeing their relationship grow and evolve and I was rooting for them so hard. I also liked the small town vibe and the setting of the book/craft store.

But there was also an element of feeling like I was missing something. There were bits of information that I feel like I missed, but I felt like I was reading pretty carefully? Firstly, we’re never REALLY given a reason why Ben is interested in Lauren in the first place. He seems super interested in her even as they’re just being introduced and I’m just not sure why?

And then the biggest missing element for me is the relationship with Spencer. I wanted more of the “Then” section to really learn about Spencer and his and Lauren’s relationship. I felt like I kept being told what a good guy he was and how in love he and Lauren were, but I never really saw it on the page. I wanted to connect with him as a character. I wanted to really grieve his loss with Lauren and Lena and Gabe. But I couldn’t get there with the information the book gave me. I also didn’t like how cartoonishly terrible Spencer’s mother was. I’d hoped that her and Lauren’s relationship could evolve as well, but some people really do be like that I guess.

Overall, there were some elements that really worked for me, but others that left me with big question marks. I wanted to like it more than I did.

Rating: 4 stars

Elissa Sussman delivers another emotionally rich, beautifully messy story with Totally and Completely Fine. While it’s technically a romance—and a steamy one at that—it’s also a moving exploration of grief, healing, and learning to open your heart again after devastating loss.

The novel follows Lauren, a widow still grappling with the death of her husband, Spencer, three years later. On the surface, she’s “totally and completely fine,” but beneath that is a woman struggling with loneliness, guilt, and the fear of moving on. Enter Ben Walsh—a charming, earring-wearing, 30-year-old movie star who’s also her brother’s co-star. Their chemistry is instant, and while their connection starts hot and fast, it deepens into something far more tender and meaningful.

Sussman masterfully uses flashbacks to develop Lauren and Spencer’s relationship, adding emotional weight and context that make Lauren’s grief—and her tentative steps toward new love—all the more powerful. The pacing is slow at first, with Ben not taking center stage until midway through, but once it picks up, it delivers an emotional punch that’s hard to shake.

This story isn’t just about romance; it’s about choosing to keep living, loving, and believing in second chances. Lauren is flawed, relatable, and deeply human—trying to be a good mother, sister, and woman who’s still figuring things out. And Ben? He’s an absolute sweetheart.

If you loved Funny You Should Ask or enjoy romances with emotional depth and real-life complexity, this one is well worth the read. Just have tissues handy—you might need them.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

📖 Title: Totally and Completely Fine-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Elissa Sussman- I've read Funny You Should Ask 3.5 ⭐ and Once More with Feeling gave 4⭐

📅Publication date: 7/8/25 | Read: 7/8/25

📃 Format: eBook 432 pgs.

Genre:
*Contemporary Romance
*Women's Fic

Tropes:
*brother's best friend
*single parent
*celebrity romance
*friends to lovers
*age gap 41/30
*family drama
*1-night stand
*LGBTQIA+ rep

👆🏾POV: 1st person, single. 2 timelines: Now (Lauren- post Spencer) and Then (Lauren meeting and falling in love w/ Spencer @ 17).

⚠️TW: death of loved ones, grief, therapy, infertility, town gossip, mental health, alcoholism


🌎 Setting: Cooper, Montana

Summary: Still mourning the death of her husband Spencer three years ago, Lauren missed connection and intimacy. When her brother Gabe invites her on the set of his latest movie, Lauren meets Ben Walsh. He's a young, handsome, and charming actor who is mutually attracted to Lauren. After a one-night stand, they go their separate ways but keep in contact where they decide to give "them" a chance or move on.


👩🏾 Heroine: Lauren Parker-41, works at a book and craft store the Cozy with her mother.

👨🏾 Hero: Benjamin "Ben" Walsh-30, an up-and-coming movie star

🎭 Other Characters:

* Spencer- Lauren's deceased husband
* Diana-Spencer's church going mother
* Gabe Parker-Lauren's younger brother, an actor
* Chani-Gabe's girlfriend and a reporter
* Lena-Lauren's 13 yr. old sullen and angry daughter
* Allyson-Lauren's BFF
* Oliver- Lauren's good friend, movie director


🤔 My Thoughts: I loved Lauren as a 40s heroine (about my age) and having a sex life. As a teenager, she had sex with multiple partners and the town vilified her for it. Going to church seemed to be for "good girls," and Spencer was a good old boy until he wasn't. Lauren had a hard time with her daughter Lena coming of age in the same small town where people pitied them for Spencer's death. Gabe was maintaining his sobriety, but he and Lauren needed to discuss why he started drinking and their father's death. They never talked about it, and both have unresolved feelings. Ben just wanted to get to know Lauren, but she made it hard. She didn't want to consider that she could be happy again with the young heartthrob while still being a present mother for Lena.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5 🌶️

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine-Dell, and Elissa Sussman for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Heartbreaking, deeply romantic, all of Sussman’s charm and vulnerability with a layered sense of emotion.

I have enjoyed other books by this author but I found this one harder to get through. It seemed like it wanted to be a rom com but just felt too heavy.

This made me SOB at the end (and it's been a while since that has happened). I went into this not totally knowing what it was about, but I enjoyed the first book I read by the this author and was excited to see what her newest release was about. I was very happily surprised to see that this was following the sister of the mmc from Funny You Should Ask, which made it really fun to see both characters from that book and some continuation of storylines from that. While having read that book definitely added to this one, I don't think you have to read that one to still fully enjoy this one, especially since it's been 2+ years since I read it.

This book deals with a lot of hard topics really really well, including grief, addiction, religious trauma, and being LGBTQ+ in a small town. All of these topics really felt important and integral to the story - none of them felt added in just to say that they were in there. Especially with the plot lines of grief woven so strongly throughout this, it really felt like such a realistic story. It almost felt like lit fic to me, but more so in the way that this felt like we were existing with these characters for this brief period of time, but they had lived before the beginning of it and would continue to live their lives afterwards, which isn't a feeling I get from most romances.

Thank you to Dell and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Totally And Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman was such a heartwarming story of grief and love and finding yourself after losing your other half. The story is told through flashbacks of Lauren and Spencer’s love story and present day with Lauren and her famous brother’s coworker. There’s an age gap and quite a few spicy open door scenes. We also see an update of characters from Funny You Should Ask.4 stars, Elissa Sussman is an auto buy author for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc and chance to read early!

Lauren is still navigating her grief after losing her husband and is barely keeping it together for her teenage daughter. But when she visits her brother on his film set Lauren is not expecting the immediate sparks between her and devastatingly handsome actor Ben Walsh. Following their quick hookup Lauren goes back to Montana not expecting to see Ben ever again. But then Ben shows up to help her brother open a new local theater and the two are left to work out what kind of relationship they want-casual or more serious. Afraid of what her small town and daughter will think, Lauren tells herself Ben can only be a temporary fling, he is up to be the next James Bond after all. But the more time the two spend together with each other and Lauren’s family, the more Ben seems to seamlessly fit right into small town living. Will Ben end up leaving for his next acting job and that will be that?

As a Montanan I cannot tell you how much I appreciated a romance taking place in my state that was not a cowboy romance! This book deals with grief, identity and religion. The characters are very layered, dynamic and lovable. Not to mention the romance is HOT!! This book will forever hold a special place in my heart.

This book mirrors its title. It's fine. I think because of the dual timeline, there was a lack of detail about some characters.

Lauren is lonely. Her husband died 3 years ago and life as a single mom is tough. Her daughter, Lena, is always angry. When they visit Lauren's movie star brother, Gabe, on the set of his newest film, Lauren meets Ben, an up-and-coming star, and their chemistry is immediate. Their lives though are drastically different and Lauren doesn't know how this would ever work.

I think this book spent too much time on some details that added to the larger universe that this book lives in, but didn't move the romance along. Ben, the love interest, is hugely under-developed, but we spend a lot of time on Gabe and his past drinking problem without ever seeing the defining moment of his recovery. His current relationship (continuation of Funny You Should Ask) also is prominently featured. Lauren's flashbacks all focus on establishing her small town reputation and her relationship with Spencer, which depth adds to the grief issues but is disconnected from the present day story. The parent/child relationship was rough and as a parent, I would have issues with my 12 year old treating other people the way this child did. I think there's a lot you forgive because of grief, but there's also a need to raise a human being that is kind to others.

I guess if I think of this just as Lauren's story, I would rate it higher, but since it's supposed to be a romance novel, I was less impressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Elissa Sussman writes highly readable books. The story and style is accessible plus the chapters are short. I found myself flying through it. This particular story is very unique in that it deals with grief and shows us two love stories. I have found in my own life that not everyone understands how you can truly love two people at the same time even if one is in your past. The "then" and "now" back and forth show Lauren falling in love with Spencer and Ben. That being said I think the love stories take a backseat to the story of Lauren and Lena navigating their grief.

Loved seeing a glimpse into Gabe and Chani's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for this eARC!

Emotions. Mixed and all!

Romance and loss, dealing with grief. I love seeing it more in books.
This is an interconnected series
Single parent
Celeb romance
Dual timeline
Reverse age gap!
I enjoyed it. Their love story felt REAL so you will have all the emotions.

Elissa Sussman's "Totally and Completely Fine" is a refreshingly honest and deeply felt exploration of grief, family, and the messy process of figuring out life when everything feels shattered. It's not your typical lighthearted romance, but rather a compelling character-driven story that resonates with authenticity and offers a hopeful, if complicated, path forward.

The novel centers on a protagonist who is far from "fine," struggling deeply after a significant loss. What Sussman does so brilliantly is portray the multifaceted nature of grief – the anger, the numbness, the unexpected moments of humor, and the sheer overwhelming weight of it all. Our lead is wonderfully flawed and relatable, making mistakes and lashing out, which makes her journey of self-discovery feel incredibly real. You'll root for her, even when she's at her most frustrating, because her pain is palpable and her growth feels earned.

The supporting cast, particularly her quirky and equally grief-stricken family members, adds immense depth and humor to the narrative. Their interactions are raw and believable, showcasing the complicated dynamics that arise when a family unit is fractured. The focus on intergenerational relationships and shared trauma is particularly well-executed, highlighting how everyone copes (or doesn't cope) in their own unique ways.

While there are elements of romance woven into the story, it truly takes a backseat to the protagonist's internal journey and her relationships with her family. This is not a complaint; in fact, it's one of the book's strengths, allowing the deeper themes of healing and acceptance to take center stage. The writing is evocative and often poignant, with moments that will undoubtedly bring a tear to your eye or a genuine laugh.

"Totally and Completely Fine" isn't a quick fix or a neat happy ending, and that's precisely why it feels so impactful. It’s a messy, often uncomfortable, but ultimately hopeful look at what it means to be human and to find your way back to yourself after being utterly broken. If you're looking for a character-rich story that tackles grief with honesty, heart, and a touch of dark humor, this one is definitely worth your time.

“Totally and Completely Fine” is a vibe that I just couldn't feel.

If we focus on the grief aspect of the story, then this is a good book.
Not only for the classic “it’ll hit you when you least expect it”; you can sense it between the lines that, behind this, there is someone who experienced grief and knows what she's talking about.

And that alone would have excused the predictable plot and even more predictable outcome, if it wouldn't be for Lauren.
Yes, our FMC will move on from the death of the love of her life, and she will learn to finally break the wall of silence that rule in that family, but I won't waste my time witnessing a person just ignoring whatever is wrong until she can't finally take it anymore — because it’s your daughter we’re talking about so, especially if you know what's wrong, you shouldn't wait THREE YEARS to talk to her because “you don't know how to do it”.

Personal feelings aside, I can't see this book as romance at all.
Lauren and Spencer, for how much I've enjoyed the story of their lives, have no chemistry; Lauren and Ben could have worked out as a “friends with benefits” thing but, the moment Ben is supposed to make her realize she can still love and whatnot, it just doesn't make any sense for me because it’s not love, it’s lust from the very first chapter — which is okay, but not if you're trying to sell me this thing as a big love story.

The narration doesn't help neither: loved the short chapters and the flashbacks, but everything else is a constant remind of things — she's a widow, how difficult it is to live without her husband, her husband will know what to do, she's so lonely, she was reckless once but no more, her daughter hates her, his brother had problems but now he's fine, and, my personal favorite, Ben is bisexual.
The new guy she finds so, so, so attractive is bisexual.
But everyone finds him attractive, because he is attractive.
Boys. Girls. Whatever, it’s cool. It’s modern. He's so brave.
Because he's bisexual, you know?

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I’m torn! There were moments of this book that felt real and raw and a joy to read. And then there was a lot I felt just didn’t work. There are a lot of moving parts, characters, focuses, but none of them feel complete. I think a lot of the flashback chapters were just too much, and sure maybe gave some insight into Lauren, Gabe and Spencer, but ultimately I felt they took me out of the overall story. It was all a little bit too much, while simultaneously not being enough on any one thing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

In Cooper, Montana, we meet Lauren.

Cooper is where she grew up, raised hell, got married, lost her husband, raised her daughter, and just might fall in love again.

Though she’s never cared what people thought of her - and oh the things they’ve thought - as she faces the unthinkable grief of losing her husband, she finds herself adrift.

It doesn’t help that her preteen daughter is a tightly packed ball of hormones and fury.

But then, while visiting the set of famous actor brother, Gabe’s, latest movie set, there’s electricity like a thin wire connecting her to Ben, Gabe’s costar. And though it’s sex she wants - but is afraid to let herself have - there’s a real connection between them as well.

Besides, he’s a star on the rise and she’s a bookseller in a small town, so why give it a chance?

Oh Lauren, you silly fool. Why give it a chance? Have you never read a romance novel?
__
Told in dual POV, I’m not sure which timeline enchanted me more.

In the past, we meet teenage Lauren, Gabe, and Gabe’s best friend, Spencer, an oddball with a super Christian mom. Initially annoyed by this boy who is always around, their story morphs naturally into one of love, marriage, baby, and untimely death.

In the present, we learn about forty year old Lauren, Gabe, and (ten years younger) Ben, a sexy leading man with a complicated past. Initially annoyed by him - he flirts with her constantly - their story morphs into one of exploration, trust, found family, and love.

I ate this up in a day.

Ostensibly about how grief overshadows so much of your life when you’re deeply in it, it also explores the capacity for love - not only for others, but also for yourself. Everyone is a little broken, a little messy, but everyone deserves a second chance.

I don’t gravitate toward celebrity romance, but Sussman, once again, does it in a way that feels right. That said, I was infinitely more interested in the complexities of her relationship with Spencer, younger Gabe’s struggle and its impact on their sibling relationship, and the impact their dad’s death had.

Loved it. If you’re a fan of her work, don’t miss out.

Vibe check: Under Your Spell and Nora Goes Off Script

Another Elissa Sussman banger! There’s something about her books that I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around but still can’t quite figure it out 🤔 Early in the book, I honestly thought the FMC was going to annoy the crap out of me, but the more I read I had a mind blowing realization that she actually reminded me a little bit of myself 🤭 and not in an annoying self-inserting type way. I loved how not only the FMC was aged up, but her child/daughter as well. I almost never see a reverse age gap done as tastefully. I think specific topics like grief, navigating new relationship(s) after loss, and the effects of alcoholism/addiction in relationships were done so well. But overall, I think what I love most about Elissa’s books (and this one specifically) was that it was perfectly seasoned (🌶️-wise). It was steamy and just the right amount of sizzle. 😌

When it debuted in 2022, Funny You Should Ask was one of my favorite books of the year. Sussman writes her characters with such frankness and humor that it’s easy to fall right back into the familiar world of the Parker’s, this time with heartthrob Gabe’s older sister Lauren as the heroine of the story. Lauren hasn’t had it easy; she’s recently widowed, mom to preteen Lena, and living in the same small town in Montana where the ghosts of her past stay fairly in the present. Regardless, Lauren has a pretty upbeat attitude and rolls with the punches thrown at her from Lena’s attitude, her mother-in-law’s petty Bible-thumping remarks, and her fears about dating in general.

Lauren never imagines Ben Walsh with his damned eyes(!) IYKYK, to be anything more than a quick fling while on the set of Gabe’s latest movie. And this is what I loved so much: neither Ben nor Lauren expect each other, and that lack of expectations throws the door wide open to possibilities. Ben could not be any more different from Lauren’s husband Spencer. She doesn’t even want to actively pursue him, but screw him? Hell yes! He was Sexiest Man Alive™️, and you don’t turn down that kind of attraction. This is the perfect example of a one-night-stand to lovers that works and Ben’s patience and steadfastness are what make Lauren start to believe that maybe she can get a happily for now even while still being completely in love with her deceased husband.

The story is written in dual timelines of the past and present. Through the past story we see what has shaped Lauren, from her so-called slutty high school years to her childhood brother’s best friend love interest to her and Spencer struggling to make ends meet, to her relationship to Gabe. This gave so much clarity to “present” Lauren and how she sees her attraction to Ben. Family plays a huge part in shaping the love interests (be that good and bad) and I especially loved Lena’s character arc as a moody preteen. This is a slowburn with semi-closed door scenes although fairly descriptive lead ups, but the intimate scenes are openly described once Ben and Lauren finally go on an actual date (the wait is well worth it). Although it can be read as a standalone (and it has been years since I read Funny You Should Ask), readers may get more out of Gabe and Chani’s roles if read in tandem with the first book. I would love to see more small-town famous person/non-famous person romances from Sussman. This is her sweet spot and I’m excited to see what’s next. I received an early copy from Dell. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭.5️⃣

Elissa Sussman was one of the very first romance writers I ever read, and her work will always hold a special place in my heart. Her writing is sharp, her titles are modern, and she knows how to capture what it means to live and love through complexity.

Her latest novel, Totally and Completely Fine, is exactly that: a story that blends romance with grief in a way that feels both tender and accurate. This isn’t a quick fling of a book—it’s emotionally resonant, layered, and grounded in the stakes of real-life. Widowhood, dating again, suddenly becoming a single parent of a teenager, navigating career upheaval—it’s all there.

This is a poolside read for the millennial soul: deep enough to feel like a true companion, but still breezy enough to keep you turning the pages. It’s us, for us, by one of us—and it’s totally and completely worth your time.
--Cole Imperi, thanatologist
Author of "A Guide to Grief"

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.
This is a story of love, grief and figuring out how both can coexist at the same time. I like how the dual timelines show us Lauren’s rebellious teen years dealing with the death of her father and past love story with her husband Spencer, her present day dealing with being a windowed single mom and falling in love with her brother’s costar Ben, and how one has influenced the other. This cast of characters are raw, a little messy and each dealing with their own griefs in a way that felt authentic.