First off, Elissa Sussman truly is a very talented writer and I am extremely grateful to have received an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley. I went into reading, expecting to be met with some things that I don’t usually enjoy as a fan of clean romance and books more targeted to YA. As a Christian reader, I intended to read the book more objectively, but the main characters’ feelings towards Christians made it hard for me to continue and is what ultimately led to my decision to DNF the book. I appreciate learning from others perspectives and being invited to understand the root of their hurt, and I do not desire to invalidate others’ negative experiences— I recognize the extremist behaviors of the religious people described in the book and would absolutely hope not to be found guilty to have anything in common with them. All I can say is that I’m sorry for all who have had Jesus misrepresented to them. PS, I can’t stand people like Diana and Jennifer either! I’m sure the story that unfolds beyond the pages I stopped at is absolutely beautiful, intricately woven, and no doubt will be a tearjerker in the best way.

I think TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY FINE is my favorite of this author's work! When Lauren Parker is in the presence of the famous actor Ben Walsh who also happens to be her brother's friend, she is either babbling with nerves or aggressively bold and flirty. After being a widow for three years, Lauren finds herself brazenly asking Ben for a quick fling while she's visiting her brother on set in Philadelphia, thinking she'll never see Ben again. Months later, after some texting back and forth and just when she thinks Ben and her "fizzled out," he unexpectedly shows up in her small-town in Montana to work on a play with her brother. With her active past, she's worried that small town will hear of her shacking up with a celebrity which will then affect her book and craft store she owns and runs. But she can't deny how Ben is easily able to reconnect her to her wild side and free self. What's is going to take for Lauren to realize that maybe there is potential with Ben and that her happiness is worth exploring?

I enjoyed the emotional depth to the story and characters, the believable chemistry between them and the realness and vulnerability of grief. I really liked the dual timelines that also allowed the readers to see what Lauren's relationship was like with her now-passed husband Spencer and getting to know him as well. I thought they had a really beautiful and special relationship, which it made it all the more sweet and emotional to see Lauren open herself back up to love. As a kid, Lauren was trouble...wasn't afraid of boys in school and was called a slut by other students. Spencer was a goody two shoes who loved school and going to church.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Totally and Completely fine follows Lauren, the sister of famous movie star Gabe, as she navigates being a recently widowed mother of a teenage daughter. When Gabe invites Lauren and her daughter Lena out to his movie set, she doesn’t expect to connect with the his handsome and much younger co-star, Ben. What was supposed to be a one time fling turns into much more when Ben turns up in Lauren’s hometown with Gabe to open a new theatre.

I really enjoyed how this story intertwined with “funny You Should Ask” and did not expect it to be as emotional as it was. I teared up towards the end. Although I was rooting for Lauren and Ben, I was more interested in the story between Lauren and her daughter.

I enjoyed the short chapters and dual timeline- it was a quick read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit, written so well by Sussman. Rich characters with authentic situations and witty banter made this story enjoyable to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

5 stars - i had LOVED Funny You Should Ask so you can imagine the squeals when I discovered the author added a sequel, focusing on Gabe's sister. This has heart, challenges, love, laughs, grief and most importantly hope. my eyes are still weepy after reading the gorgeous ending. thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I absolutely love Elissa Sussman. Funny You Should Ask is one of my favorite books and remains excellent for a re-read, so I was thrilled to be able to revisit Gabe and Chani’s world with Totally and Completely Fine. And I loved this book, almost as much as Funny You Should Ask. I thought it was a beautiful representation of grief (and coming out the other side of losing a significant other); I also really enjoyed the secondary timeline of Spencer and Lauren’s relationship (the very last “then” chapter had the most beautiful final line, I teared up). Lena’s storyline was fantastic, as she discovered and advocated for herself. I thought Lauren and Ben’s relationship was great, sure, but this book was so much more than their romance. Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and look forward to devouring anything Sussman writes in the future!

I am a huge Elissa Susan fan, so I was really looking forward to her latest. While good, this is my least favorite of her recent books. I loved being back with Gabe and Chani in their world again, but just could not connect with the main couple of this book. Starting with insta-love, and a connection that comes out of nowhere and wasn't based on anything, to the dual timeline that didn't add anything to the story, I liked but didn't love this book. The writing is good, and the story is fine, but I didn't find it as compelling or interesting as her other romances. I will continue to read Sussman's books, as I do like the fame adjacent stories and background characters are great too.

Totally and Completely Fine is a companion book of Funny You Should Ask, which was Sussman’s debut novel. It is the story of Gabe’s sister Lauren, a single mom and widow, falling in love with a young actor. While it was nice to be in the same universe as Gabe and Chani for a while, I was not as taken with Lauren and Ben. I thought the commentary on the age gap, Ben’s sexuality, and Lauren’s regrets from her younger years were really interesting… and the author did a great job honoring Lauren’s marriage while still keeping readers rooting for her new relationship. All in all, I enjoyed this book— just not as much as its predecessor. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

This book did more of a number on me than I had anticipated. Elissa Sussman’s three books aren’t consecutive so much as overlapping with characters and even scenes spanning all three so it’s definitely worth reading Funny You Should Ask and Once More With Feeling prior to this one. I absolutely love how the books are connected and it’s so fun when you encounter an overlapping scene.

Lauren is Gabe Parker’s sister (aka hot movie star from Funny You Should Ask) and was a wild child when she was younger but is now a middle-aged mom of a moody teenage girl, a widow after her beloved husband (and Gabe’s childhood best friend) was tragically killed three years ago. Sensing his sister needs a change of scenery, Gabe invites her and his niece out to the movie set where he’s filming where she meets Ben Walsh, the extremely hot Irish/Hawaiian 30-year-old costarring with her brother. There’s an instant attraction but Lauren comes with a lot of baggage. When she leaves, they continue texting but it eventually falls off until he reappears in her Montana hometown, planning to act in a play at the new theatre her brother is opening. I was expecting a somewhat angsty but cute romance but this novel is so much more. It’s really a story about Lauren’s grief after her husband’s death, how she has to go on living long after he’s gone and be there for her daughter even when her daughter acts like she hates her. It’s very much about her both feeling an attraction that she could act on towards someone else while simultaneously missing her husband so much it hurts. There is A LOT of emotion in this book but it’s touched on really beautifully and, I think, very realistically and relatable. I loved Lauren and her budding romance with Ben who is just insanely hot and their chance at a happily ever after.

Thanks to Random House/Dell via Netgalley for this ARC.

I loved this. I was a big fan of Funny You Should Ask so it was great to visit with Gabe and all the rest again. It was a beaus story of grief and loving in a different way then you had a before. I also love a romance that has older main characters. This checked so many boxes for me. Highly recommend!

This is a painfully beautiful story of grief, growth, and second chances with a dash of Hollywood for some fun. I was not emotionally prepared for the last third of the book, but I found it quite a lovely read overall. What’s a few tears when your characters are working through the grief of losing loved ones after all.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

I devoured this book in one sitting. I’ve read several of the authors books and loved them. So, I didn’t even read the description before diving into this book.

I was a bit hesitant at first, as the beginning sets up the book to potentially quite sad. A grieving widow recounts the husband she had loved so much and had lost. While it was a story about her experience of grief. It also told the story of complicated relationships, overcoming fear, and lovable character's. This is a perfect book to just get lost in for a few hours.

I loved the characters and the relationships they have with one another. While the story includes Hollywood stars, the way it’s written makes it seem so relatable.

Thank you to #netgalley and #ElissaSussman for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Elissa Sussman has once again NAILED the famous person-regular person trope! I absolutely devoured Funny You Should Ask and Once More With Feeling, so I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Totally and Completely Fine and Elissa did not disappoint!

Ben Walsh is so dreamy and I loved following along with Lauren and Ben's journey. This book isn't all sunshine and rainbows and it was a really good glimpse into life after loss and how grief shows up in our relationships (romantic and not).

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I did enjoy this story, out of the three books this is the first one where I really felt the male POV was needed to really solidify and sell the romance between Lauren and Ben. While it's understandable on Lauren's hesitance with things casual and serious with Ben her "now' actions and thoughts start to become repetitive at times while the "then" storyline does help break that up, having Ben's POV would have further given additional context to the story and insight to their developing feelings and insight into why he stuck around when her actions would be contradictory and push him away. Enjoyed seeing Gabe and Chani again and him reconnect and repair his relationship with his niece and sister. Also enjoyed getting Lauren and Spener's lover story grieving along with her over her losing him and rooting for her, while shouting at her at times that it is ok for her to find love again preferable and thankfully with Ben.

I’ve enjoyed each of her books. Specifically I liked how this story had connections to the characters in her previous book. I also found the conversations around grief meaningful.

Elissa Sussman’s Totally and Completely Fine is a heartfelt, thought-provoking novel that dives into the messy, beautiful, and often painful realities of grief, love, and starting over. It’s the kind of story that stays with you, not just because of its emotional depth, but because it feels so real and relatable.

Lauren Parker is the kind of character you can’t help but root for. She’s never been one to follow the rules—whether as a rebellious teenager, the sister of a Hollywood star, or now, as a widowed single mother trying to find her footing in a small town where everyone seems to have an opinion about her life. When she crosses paths with Ben Walsh, a charming actor working on her brother’s film set, there’s an instant spark. What starts as a spontaneous escape from her complicated reality soon turns into something deeper, pushing Lauren to face the ghosts of her past and the uncertainty of what comes next.

The story unfolds through dual timelines, weaving together Lauren’s past with her late husband, Spencer, and her present with Ben. It’s a beautifully layered exploration of how love changes over time—how it can endure, evolve, and sometimes surprise us when we least expect it. Sussman’s writing is sharp and full of heart, balancing humor and raw emotion in a way that feels authentic. Lauren is a wonderfully complex protagonist—strong yet vulnerable, fiercely independent but still grappling with the weight of loss and the expectations others place on her. Her chemistry with Ben is electric, and while their relationship moves quickly, it’s less about a fairytale romance and more about how connection can help us heal and grow.

But this isn’t just a love story. Totally and Completely Fine digs into so much more—single parenthood, the suffocating nature of small-town gossip, and the pressure society puts on women to fit into certain roles. Sussman tackles these themes with honesty and nuance, especially when it comes to Lauren’s journey of rediscovering herself outside of grief. Her relationship with her daughter adds another layer of depth, capturing the bittersweet process of rebuilding a life after loss.

If you’re looking for a traditional, slow-burn romance, this might not be it. Instead, Sussman gives us something richer—a story about love as a catalyst for self-discovery and healing. It’s contemporary fiction at its best, blending wit, wisdom, and moments that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even see a little bit of yourself in Lauren’s struggles.

Totally and Completely Fine is a beautifully moving novel that reminds us it’s okay to not have it all figured out. It’s about finding light in the darkest places and learning to embrace the messy, imperfect journey of life.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Dell for the chance to read this gem—it’s one I won’t forget anytime soon.

A very enjoyable read, definitely a slow paced novel but let you understand all sides of the main character. One of the best books showcasing grief I’ve read. I could def recommend

Picked this up & finished it in one sitting!! A sweet story about love, grief, and how they can beautifully intersect! Definitely recommend any romance written by Elissa Sussman!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I went into this book expecting to love it as much as Funny You Should Ask. After all, it’s a pseudo sequel about Gabe’s sister Lauren and Gabe’s co-star Ben. And overall it was fine. But I ended up not really feeling a connection with Ben and Lauren. I loved the flashbacks of Lauren’s developing relationship with now - dead husband Spencer. Ben and Lauren’s chapters felt like hormones on overdrive until the end. And don’t get me started on how badly Lauren treated Ben. I couldn’t fathom why he was still pursuing her. The last several chapters brought it all together and those I did enjoy. I just wish that those came sooner. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I will never turn down a celebrity romance, and it was fun to return to Gabe & Chani as secondary characters. I went back and re-read parts of FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK to compare and contrast. This story grew on me as it went along and I liked the exploration of grief and life in a small town - I think there's an interesting parallel to celebrity in the way you can't really escape your branding from high school in a small community. I have quibbles about the writing style and some of the choices around the depiction of Hollywood (I'm sorry, but I truly cannot get on board with a Philadelphia Story remake or an American Bond and I wish they'd talked about Ben being Irish with respect to that - Pierce Brosnan is and they never really discussed that factor), but it felt emotionally honest in terms of the challenges and sacrifices actors and the people who love them have to make.