I think this might be my favorite of Elissa Sussman's books to date. This story tackled a lot of heavy topics surrounding unexpected family death and how to cope in the wake of tragedy. Meanwhile, all wrapped in a fun and quirky romance between a single mom in a small town and an up-and-coming celebrity 10+ years her junior who also happens to be her brother's coworker. While this book only had one character perspective, I loved that we got glimpses into Lauren's life growing up in a small town as a teenager, especially after the sudden loss of her father. It plays into these two timelines of how she fell in love with her first husband, Spencer(her brother's best friend), while simultaneously telling a new romance with Gabe in the present. I rarely cry in a romance, but I def got teary-eyed with the pizza dough scene towards the end. I just know that feeling. I've kept food in the freezer from people who've passed as a sentimental thing.

Note this is a companion book to "Funny You Should Ask" but can be read as a stand-alone. To be totally honest, I didn't put 2+2 together until after I read the book.

Read if you like a celebrity reverse age gap romance with a focus on family, love, and grief. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 7/8

I love all of Sussman's previous novels and it was fun to see some of those characters pop up again. In my head, this was romance based on Pedro Pascal, doesn't matter what the descriptions of our MMC were, he was who I was picturing and it was perfect. Celebrity/normal person isn't my favorite trope but Sussman does it so well that I might have to reconsider my opinions there. I found the banter funny, the tension palpable and the spicy scenes were hot! I am the tiniest bit sad that this doesn't 1:1 match her previous cover designs just because I thought they were awesome.

Can't wait to share on TikTok nearer publish!

Mixed emotions about this, since I went in blind, never having read this author or not reading the previous novel which apparently introduced the main character Lauren. It covered various topics. Not sure it will set well with ALL readers but apparently has several 5 stars already.

Read this if you like to read about:
1) LGBTQ+ including bisexual relationships, cavalierly referenced
2) Horny main characters (older woman with younger viral bisexual movie star)
3) Celebrity status romances
4) Grief and widow-hood
5) The cavalier attitudes towards pre-teens in a gay relationship
6) 13-yr old know-it-all daughter allowed to drop F-bombs when it “deems necessary”… of course if the parent sets the example, what can one expect? Seems to be the norm these days.

Dual time lines: Told in the past when Lauren was a wild child sleeping around and getting a bad reputation, and in the present when she is the mother of a 13-yr old daughter, has been a widow for 3 years and is sexually attracted to a friend of her brothers, an actor, Ben. Lauren and Ben’s relationship kept my interest for the duration, I must admit, though it frustrated me at times.

I was presented an e-arc for my honest opinion by the publisher through NetGalley. Release date is July 8, 2025. It may be right up your alley, but then again it may not.

I love Ben. That’s it that’s the review. Just kidding but he was my favorite character. The way he so easy slipped into Lauren’s life, earning the respect and approval (unknowingly) of everyone in her life so quickly and without even trying really was chefs kiss. Ben was the perfect anchor to Lauren’s somewhat seesaw emotions (understandably). Their chemistry was so real, it was easy to root for them.

I really adored the past and present timeline and getting to see the Spencer of it all while she’s working through the emotions of dating for the first time after his death. He was such a present part of the story even after he was gone which is so true of many loved ones after they pass. Death doesn’t mean you stop loving someone or being affected by them and their memories in daily life.

AND LENA. I don’t always love children in books but I connected with Lena so much and the struggle that is being a kid just trying to figure themselves out while battling grief.

Elissa Sussman’s characters are always so well written and developed and feel real. They are the stars of her stories and I would read many more books about them just to spend more time with them.

Totally and Completely Fine was everything I wanted it to be and more. I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- Ballantine for the arc!

Totally and Completely Fine is a story about finding love after loss. I enjoyed the dynamics between many of the characters. It was fun getting to see characters from a previous book! I do think I was looking for more depth with Lauren and Ben. Whenever I read an Elissa Sussman book I can’t put it down so I recommend to those who enjoy romance books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Totally and Completely Fine is a single POV, dual timeline romance. Lauren is a widow with a 13-year-old daughter, navigating single parenthood and life in a small town when she meets Ben, her famous brother’s co-star. Ben is 11 years younger, and up for the role of a lifetime, so Lauren doesn’t expect a brief fling to develop into so much more!

This was a fantastic book about love, family, and grief. The “Then” chapters told the story of Lauren’s life with her first love, Spencer, from childhood friends through marriage and parenthood. The “Now” chapters focus on the present day and her relationships with Ben and her daughter Lena.


Read dates: 06/16/2025- 06/18/2025
Goodreads review: 06/18/2025
Instagram review 06/18/2025
Blog review: 07/08/2025

This book is a follow up of sorts to Funny You Should Ask!

We follow Lauren, a single mom and widow as she navigates love, life, parenting, grief, and opening herself up to new possibilities after her husband passed 3 years ago. She’s wrestling with her own grief while also trying to navigate the grief of a moody 13 year old.

She is the sister to Gabe, from Funny You Should Ask. Getting more of Gabe and Chani’s story was so fun!

A lot of this story is told through “Then” and “Now”. You get to know more about Lauren, Gabe, and Spencer, Lauren’s late husband. At first the flashbacks feel a little slow and disjointed in the story which is partially why I didn’t rate the story higher.

As you get to know Lauren’s past it is nicely woven into her processing her grief and letting herself live again. She meets Ben, another movie star, while visiting her brother in Philly. After some tension and a night of passion, she’s surprised they keep in contact. Suddenly, he’s in her town working on a project with Gabe and she’s having a hard time finding reasons to not keep seeing him.

Their love story is sweet, patient, messy, and vulnerable. They’re both navigating a lot of baggage. I loved the character development of Lauren and her daughter Lena. The side characters were fun and interesting and the grief aspect was very well written. The romance gets a slow start but overall this book was a lovely surprise!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for granting me the ARC of this book!!

One thing about me is that I love celebrity Romances. Elissa Sussman writes them so good. I loved that this is interconnected with her other book Funny you should ask which I also loved and that you could see a lot of Gabe and Chani in this book.

I really liked this book! It was so fast paced, I was flying through it. The mix between the now and then chapters was good. I liked that you could get to know Spencer a bit.
I also really loved that the FMC is a mom to a 13 year old. It was so real to see the struggles on both sides of their relationship. A big part of this book is the grief. I (luckily) never really came in contact with grief so I don’t know what it’s like but I could feel that the FMC and the daughter griefed.
The daughter - Lena - was such a refreshing touch to this book. I don’t read much books where the Characters have an older child.
Lea felt like a real person to me I loved her so much. I loved how the Author portrayed the feelings of a teenager going through puberty.

The Romance was interesting it wasn’t the typical formula of a Romance novel. It was refreshing.
I’ve read reviews saying that it gave nothing to the Storyline that our MMC is bisexual and I strongly disagree. It was well executed and gave plot to the book.

The only critique I have is that the ending was a bit too fast. It could’ve been drawn out a bit longer because for me the ending conflict came to quick and was executed quickly.

Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman

I really enjoyed this book! I LOVED Spencer and how he loved Lauren and ugh!!!!!!! I love how Spencer wasn’t forgotten or put into the past as soon as she met Ben. I also adored Ben, of course lol, he is such a sweet character and I love how seen he made Lauren feel. The dual timelines of her falling for Spencer and their marriage and then her falling for Ben was ✨gorgeous✨

Lauren is such a real FMC, and she was my favorite part of this book. The way that she loves, how she is refreshingly honest, and how she continues to try through it all. Her character growth and reflection throughout was really sweet to read about🥹

The support characters; Lena, Eve, Ollie, Gabe, Chani, and Allyson, bring in more complexity than a typical romance read, in my opinion. I don’t know how else to describe it other than saying it felt very honest. The way they challenge and support Lauren and Ben’s story brings such warmth to the book.

I didn’t read Gabe’s book. I feel like if I had I would have enjoyed this one even more!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC copy!

Totally and Completely Fine is one of the many romance titles making the rounds lately, and while I’ve long thought of myself as “not a romance person,” I’m beginning to come around. That said, this book didn’t quite land for me—or, more accurately, it may not be a great fit for my particular audience of high school readers.

The story blends classic rom-com beats with heavier topics—grief, identity, and the weight of expectations—which makes it more layered than your average romance. Lena, the teenage character dealing with the loss of a parent, is a strong point of connection for young adults and gives the story emotional depth that will resonate with some readers. The short chapters are a definite plus for attention spans shaped by the rhythm of TikTok and social media.

However, the book feels a bit long overall, and its critique of Christianity as an oppressive force might spark some concern in a school setting. Additionally, the grief storyline surrounding the loss of a beloved spouse may not hit home for most high schoolers, even the older ones.

In the end, this is an emotionally aware, somewhat unconventional romance that may be Totally and Completely Fine for the right reader—but probably not the best fit for mine.

4.5/5

what a great way to start my day, SOBBING

a couple years ago i read, and loved, funny you should ask which is a book by this author where we meet the main character for this book. lauren, our main character, is a widowed mother and sister of a movie star. she's also like really cool and amazing and talented and creative!! i usually don't pick up books where one of the main characters has lost a spouse because i just don't find them enjoyable. i usually get too stuck on the old relationship and can't support the new one. i should have trusted miss sussman though because this was so sweet and so beautiful.

ben, a movie star who is besties with lauren's movie star brother, meets lauren and they have such an instant connection but she's going back to montana and he's shooting a movie. when ben shows up in montana for a play, thats when their relationship stars for real. honestly before ben showed up in montana i wasn't loving this book. i was enjoying getting to know everyone but i felt completely out of the story. ben being where everyone else was made the story so much better and i adored his connection with lena. yes, the romance was lovely and it was so heartwarming to see lauren fall in love with ben and this new stage in her life. but ben and lena forming a bond took the cake for me. the way he was so soft with her and opened a line of communication about death and their sexualities... i'm in love!!!

this book is told in alternating timeline, one with lauren's husband and one with ben. while reading i didn't fully appreciate the past timelines. it was really hard to go from rooting for ben and seeing them kiss, to seeing spencer and being sad for lauren and lena, their daughter. but once i finished the book i realized how the past chapters made the story richer and they made me more connected to the two girls. i was sobbing when i finished the epilogue and then i went to get coffee and sobbed some more in my car. this book would probably be five stars but the first 15/20 percent was weird and hard to get into. i highly recommend you pick this up in july, also read funny you should ask first for the full experience!!

*thank you dell and netgalley for the arc!!*

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Totally and Completely Fine" is the latest novel from Elissa Sussman. This book is a companion to "Funny You Should Ask" but you don't really need to read that book prior to this one; however, it would enhance your knowledge of some characters. I've loved Sussman's previous books, so I had high expectations, but this one fell a bit flat for me. Our main character, Lauren, has dealt with grief and adversity since she was young and she's emotionally at rock bottom when the story starts. She's often hard to root for, but that didn't entirely turn me off; she's a complex and real character whose problems aren't always magically resolved. If you're not a fan of the insta-lust or insta-like tropes, then this may not be for you but, if you enjoy stories with a lot of emotional depth and some typical romance tropes, this could be a good book to pick up.

I love Elissa’s writing style!! Not a man in sight yet and I’m already engaged in the story? Good. Book.

By chapter 3 I was hooked. BUT WHOA I wasn’t ready for the heat!! OH MY GOOD LORDY 🥵 … Ben. Oh the quotes I would quote for you! But no, you must read it for yourself!

WOW what a beautiful story about grief, healing, love, and relationships. Told from the POV of Lauren, you really feel her emotions along with her, and the feeling of being lost and alone. When a huge part of your life changes… it can feel like you can’t trust the future. We get to walk with Lauren through it all, and watch her wrestle with her feelings and what she wants for herself.

I enjoyed Elissa’s writing and storytelling so much that I bought another one of her books to read next!

Thank you Dell for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It dealt with love, grief, healing and love again. Partially going through some grief and healing myself right now, this novel hit home. Sorta makes you believe again.
The adventures of Lauren with Spencer and then Lauren with Ben make for a very truthful experience. This is a definite worthwhile read. thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and then realized I never actually read “Funny You Should Ask,” so I read that quickly first and I’m so glad I did. I love the way the stories intertwine and then this book builds out the “after” of the first one.

This book is so strongly about grief and happiness and is incredibly emotional while still holding so much humor and joy. I really loved it, I love this little world and family that Elissa Sussman built, and I hope to see more of them.

First off - I think it is weird that this book isn't being marketed as part of a series with Funny You Should Ask because I think if you tried to read this as a standalone, you'd be missing a lot. There is a lot of timeline and character overlap between this book and FYSA. So yeah, definitely read FYSA first, then this book.

Ok, so Totally and Completely Fine is the story of Lauren's life in two alternating timelines (Then vs. Now). The Then portion details Lauren's life from childhood with all the ups and downs and grief and love through her marriage to Spencer, until his death three years prior to the Now timeline. In the Now timeline, Lauren is still numb from her loss and dealing with an angry teenage daughter when she meets Ben, a handsome, charming actor.

While this book does meet the genre conventions of a romance novel, this book is more about Lauren growing and developing from a grief-stricken preteen, to a wild teenager, to happy wife and mother, to struggling widow, to... well that's the question. I didn't walk away from this book knowing and understanding Ben or Spencer as well as I would have liked from a romance novel, but I still think it works with the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and also it made me cry a bunch, but in a cathartic way. There's a good cast of characters with a lot of depth, and the story is engaging. If you liked FYSA, you should definitely pick this one up.

This is a good summer beach read. She explores the limits we put on ourselves when we care what other people think or may say about us and how we can only be ourselves and happy when those limits are put aside. I will recommend this book to all my friends.

It has been three years since Lauren Parker lost her husband, but the grief is something that Lauren and her daughter are dealing with every day. While visiting her brother, Gabe, on set of his new movie Lauren is introduced to co-star Ben Walsh and sparks instantly fly. Is this something that could last or are the complications of small towns, fame, and grief going to keep this as a fling. I loved how realistic and honest the family dynamics and grief were handled. Although there was instant chemistry between Lauren and Ben, the development of their relationship felt authentic. This book was both fun and had a lot of depth to it. I loved this and want to go back and reread Funny You Should!


Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you asked Lauren Parker, she would tell you that she were totally and completely fine, but she really wasn't. Three years after the death of her husband, Lauren finds herself confronting her past and processing her grief and other feelings in an attempt to move her life forward.

I am always here for a good grief books, and I thought Sussman did an amazing job with that aspect of the story, but this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I cannot quite put my finger on why, but I do know that there were way more good than bad which lead to an overall positive reading experience.

- As with Sussman's other books, this book was packed with humor. I know, you're thinking - this is a grief book, but there really was a lot of funny moments. This resulted in a great balance for this story.

- I adored every character! Each character in this tale was well developed, and I found it easy to care for them. I especially loved Ben. He was like champagne bubbles in human form - totally effervescent. If he hadn't already won my heart during the set visit, I would have been unable to resist his charm during his Montana trip. He just had this huge heart and went all out to make everyone feel special.

- I was excited to catch up with old friends. Characters from Funny You Should Ask are very present in this story. It was such a treat to catch up with Chani, Gabe, and Oliver. This also presented parts of Gabe's story from a different point of view.

- Though this was Lauren's story, it was a healing journey for almost everyone involved. Lauren and Gabe never really processed their father's death, and none of the Parkers ever confronted Gabe about his addiction. With the death of Spencer, Gabe's best friend and Lauren's husband, it all seems to come to a head, pushing them to finally unpack that baggage.

Overall, I enjoyed being back in Cooper and accompanying the Parkers on their healing journey.