This book isn’t just one love story—it’s two. Told across past and present timelines, it follows widowed single mom Lauren; her late partner, Spencer; and her new love interest, Ben.

And honestly, it’s so much more than a romance. It’s the story of grief and spousal loss I didn’t know I needed.

I’ve read several books where the main character has lost a spouse or partner, but this is the first that fully tells both love stories while also exploring themes of parenthood, personal identity, and societal expectations.

It’s remarkable how many versions of ourselves we can become over the course of a lifetime. Lauren has been a rebellious wild child, the younger sister of a famous actor, a devoted wife and young mother, and a daughter watching her own mother endure the same kind of loss she now faces. In the wake of Spencer’s death, she’s left asking: who is she now? Is she someone who gives everything to her daughter and family—or is there still space for her own wants and needs?

Fair warning—this story arc deviates from traditional contemporary romance. While Ben is introduced early on, he doesn’t become a major presence until about halfway through the book. I found his character—and his chemistry with Lauren—absolutely worth the wait. He also serves as a thoughtful contrast to Lauren’s brother, Gabe (originally featured in Funny You Should Ask).

Speaking of which, I really wish the marketing had mentioned that this is a follow-up to Funny You Should Ask. While it can be read as a standalone, it works much better if you’ve read the first book. Gabe and Chani play a pretty significant role in the storyline here.

While the current-day romance occasionally takes a backseat to other topics, I still consider this a 5-star read.

Trigger warnings: spousal loss, parental loss, alcoholism, and themes of purity culture/sexual shame.

Thanks so much to Random House – Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This heartfelt follow-up to Funny You Should Ask shifts focus to Gabe’s sister, Lauren. The story explores Lauren’s journey through grief after the loss of her husband and Gabe’s bestfriend, Spencer, along with her strained relationship with her teen daughter. It forces on the slow, tender process of healing—and how love helped her find herself again.

Ben and Lauren’s love story was incredibly sweet, and I found myself flying through the book. Without giving too much away, this book is full of small, emotional moments and sizzling romance. I especially loved how much of a presence Lauren’s daughter, Lena, had in the story—her character added so much depth.

It was also a treat to get more of Chani and Gabe woven in. Elissa Sussman really knows how to write messy, real, and ultimately beautiful stories about love, family, and growth. This one was sweet, sad, and left me feeling totally and completely full

Totally and Completely Fine
3.5 ⭐️

This summer has so many big books coming out and this was another I couldn’t wait to pick up!

Three years after her husbands death, Lauren is coasting through as she raises their 13 year old daughter. When she has a chance encounter on her brother’s set, she somehow hits it off with a movie star. While never anticipating she’ll see him again, the two somehow both end up in her small town in Montana.

This book had so much grief and LGBTQ+ representation. While the first half was really slow, it did pick up a little in the end. Maybe not my favorite of hers, but I’d still try again!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

This was a good read overall! I personally could not feel the deep connection between the main characters. I am also all for representation but felt like this go round it was really thrown in the readers faces. We understand the MMC is bisexual, but just continuously reminding us was overkill when it could have been related to the plot more. Also felt rushed at the end.

Thank you to @RandomHouse and #NetGalley for the DRC of #TotallyAndCompletelyFine. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Romance is not a genre I read much, but this was an enjoyable read. Lauren is a fairly recent widow with a teenage daughter living in small town Montana. When her famous actor brother invites them to visit him on set, Lauren meets his co-star, Ben, and the attraction is instant. But the "will they/won't they" continues throughout the book and keeps you guessing on whether there will a happy ending for our protagonists.

This is NOT slow burn romance, so be prepared for short, descriptive bursts of intense action with saucy language. But Sussman builds a layered story that covers a lot of territory - grief, dating in middle age, single parenting, addiction, sexuality, family dynamics, fame. I'll likely be checking out more from this author.

Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman is a heartfelt and witty exploration of modern relationships and the messy journey of self-acceptance. The main character’s voice is sharp and relatable, with Sussman’s trademark humor shining through even in the more vulnerable moments. I loved how the story balanced laugh-out-loud scenes with genuine emotional depth, making the characters feel both flawed and lovable.

The pacing is brisk, and the dialogue sparkles, keeping me engaged from start to finish. While some plot points felt a bit familiar, the fresh perspective and clever writing more than made up for it. Sussman does a great job capturing the complexities of friendship, romance, and figuring out what it really means to be “fine.”

Overall, this is a charming, smartly written novel that’s perfect for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with equal parts heart and humor.

Loved this book so much! I adored Funny You Should Ask and Once More with Feeling. Rom com as much as women's fiction, but in the deepest, most thought provoking way. Imperfect characters who struggled and came out on top. I missed some of the advance on this book and had NO idea it was about the sister., Lauren. I was so happy to get back with a different member of this family and check in. I love 96% of this book, but I did feel like the ending was a little rushed. Overall 9/10!

Another sweet story from Elissa Sussman (queen of top notch book covers). This book does a great job helping you love absolutely every character. There are explorations of grief and love after loss and all the complications that come with that.

This is told in a present timeline and a past timeline where you get to see Lauren's love story with her husband Spencer. It genuinely made me cry a few times. It just jammed so much heart into one book.

Another story of a famous person falling for a non famous person which is always fun to read. Someone blindingly hot with an Irish accent lusting after a widowed mom. Good for her.

This was a cute and sexy story. There's a lot about grief in here, as the main character is dealing with her husband's death and being a single mom. Her brother is a famous movie star, and after meeting his hot co-star, she begins a secret relationship with him. I liked the main character-she was feisty and funny, but the ending was a bit unbelievable. Still enjoyed this!

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

Lauren is a 40 something widowed mother to a teenager and sister to a movie star. She’s working thru her grief as well as her daughters. She’s meets a younger man while visiting her brother and sets in motion a series of events that really changes her perception of being “totally and completely fine.”

I really enjoyed this book and I didn’t read the previous one about her brother Gabe, tho I do plan on it now. The story is told in dual timelines; one when Lauren is younger and falling in love with her husband and in present day where she’s just purely existing. The story really did a good job in blending humor with really powerful emotions. Especially with Lena and how she comes to terms with not only her father’s death but issues she has with her uncle. I also love a reverse age gap romance! We need more of those.

Overall this was a quick read that packed an emotional punch but was also quite funny. I did feel lost at a few points in the story but I attribute that to not having read the previous (interconnected) novel.

Looking for a book that will leave you crying on the subway, snotting into the hem of your T-shirt and itching to call all of your people and tell them that you love them? Look no further than Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman!

The story follows Lauren, a single mom in her 40’s in the wake of her Husband’s death as she stumbles through raising a tween, dysfunctional family dynamics and finding a real connection once more - especially when that connection is with Ben, a younger man who happens to be a movie star.

I enjoyed the read, but I will warn that the chapters oscillated between hot hot movie star romance fun and heartbreaking snap shots of the past. It gave me a bit of emotional whiplash - but left me feeling alive.

Overall this is a beautiful story about love, resilience, and the glorious imperfections of being human.

Oh, and I had not read the first book before hand, but that did not deter me from appreciating this story! If anything, I’ll be going back to read Funny You Should Ask next :)

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

Having heard wonderful praise for Elissa Sussman piqued my curiosity, but when I saw the title, I knew I HAD to read this. How many times have I said that I'm fine when I'm not? Too many to count and what an error on my part. I realized my mistake when I noticed one of my teens start to imitate my reaction and my immediate 180 probably gave everyone whiplash. It's funny how much clearer an issue becomes when it bleeds over. Anyhow I wanted to read the author's take. It was different than mine in a lot of ways, but grief feels customized and universal all at once. This novel takes on a lot maybe even a little too much to be effective, but I liked it because that's a true representation of life sometimes. When it rains it pours, and we are left with the water damage.

Lauren is widowed single mother living in a small Montana town. Her brother is a famed actor. Her teenage daughter Lena is struggling beneath the weight of her grief and misses her father in an unbearable manner. Lena is written brilliantly. I realize she comes across as a moody angry teen. Here's the thing though, kids do not have the words to convey the pain of a significant loss. Most adults don't; the pain boils over into behavior because it has to go somewhere. So, she yells, shuts down and slams doors because to show her anguish constructively is something that she doesn't have the skills for. 💔 Ben is an actor in town for a play along with, Lauren's brother Gabe, and Ollie their friend and director. Ben and Lauren had a one-night stand when she was visiting Gabe out of town and now, he's in Montana. She has complicated feelings about it. There's an age gap with her being older, she's still mourning, what about small town gossip and Lena's feelings. Ben is bisexual and it is announced repeatedly in the early chapters. A flashing neon sign would've been more subtle. This is never the way to incorporate characters because it runs the risk of their sexuality taking the place of their personality. Luckily, Ben's character got to show his lovely personality once the author stepped back from constantly labeling him.

Grief felt like a specter hanging over the story because many characters were dealing with both fresh and old versions. Finding love while maneuvering through sadness has to be difficult. Love and grief both evolve.

There is an alternating timeline that shows Lauren's relationship with Spencer her husband and how they met as kids and became more. It was heartbreaking. He was her love and Gabe's best friend. A doting father who made Lena feel special. Their relationship was incredible. I liked that the author included these chapters because it helped me feel his loss and better understand the characters.

This story takes a look at the expectation of women's roles, parenting, sexuality, religion wielded as a weapon, fame, and loss.

The further I read the more I appreciated this. Lauren growing from local rebel teen to a parent who wants to make the right decisions in starting over was relatable. Even though there are famed actors in this to build the 'fantasy' aspects there's enough grit in the story to make it connect. There are spicy scenes 🔥so take that under consideration whether you're yay or nay about that.

Sussman wrote about grief like someone who's experiencing it. I appreciated the brave candor she wrote with.💗

Thanks to Random House | Ballantine for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My first Sussman was a bit of a mixed bag. Totally and Completely Fine is an exploration of grief, much more than a romance, but that isn't why I struggled. The conversations surrounding Lauren's grief were quite incredible and moving. I also really enjoyed the small-town Montana vibes and the writing. Unfortunately, this suffered from the dual timeline syndrome. There is always one timeline you would rather be in, and here I wanted to be in the past. I cared so much more about Spencer and Lauren. Their love story stole the show for me. I never felt that Ben and Lauren had chemistry, and I felt like their timeline was overwhelmed by a specific list of tropes that "had to be" included.

Thank you to Random House for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the format of the "then" and "now' chapters so we get to see the full relationship of Lauren and Spencer. I did feel like there was a bit of lack of chemistry between Lauren and Ben, and I didn't totally by the whole insta-love that happened between them. The lust part, yes, but the falling love part? Nope. I still feel like I didn't really get to know the big superstar Ben that much, so I didn't really get him as love interest for Lauren. He just didn't feel like a fully developed character to me.

I appreciated how Lauren's grief was reflected in the book. It's portrayed very well and I felt that Lauren was a very relatable character.

It's interesting that this isn't being marketed as a sequel to Funny You Should Ask, as it takes place almost right after that book ends. And if you didn't read Funny You Should Ask, you're missing a lot of character background for Gabe and Chani that isn't fully explained in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this read but didn't totally buy the relationship between Lauren and Ben.

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

I loved this book. It was so good—cute, funny, and the kind of quick read that completely pulls you in before you realize you’ve blown through it in one sitting. Elissa Sussman nailed the balance of charm and emotional depth. I went from laughing out loud to crying actual happy tears. The characters felt real, the banter was perfect, and the whole thing just left me smiling. This was such a feel-good read, but still had heart and substance. Definitely one I’ll be recommending over and over.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was fortunate to receive the ARC yesterday. I started it after work… and today, I consumed the remaining 65% in one sitting.

I don’t love reading book blurbs beforehand, so I went in with no expectations. I vaguely remembered that Gabe and Chani were making a comeback—but I had forgotten until I started. And wow… I missed them. Just like I missed them way back in 2022.

BUT. THE. GRIEF.
I didn’t expect that part. I didn’t think I was going to like it (as someone who wishes they didn’t have a soul/cry), but I loved it.

The grief was written so beautifully—realistically, and through such different lenses and perspectives. It hit my heart hard, in the best way.

Totally and Completely Fine releases on July 8. If you loved Elissa's other work, particularly Gabe and Chani's story, pick this one up!

A special thanks to @dellromance and @netgalley for the advanced copy! #gifted

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of the book!

'I wasn't going to say anything, but I couldn't help myself. "But why does it hurt so much?"
Ben gave me a sad smile. "I don't mind the pain," he said. "It reminds me that I still have a heart to break."'

Oh, man. Where do I begin? This book was beautiful. In my opinion, you should read Funny You Should Ask, first, before reading this. It gives you background on Lauren's younger brother, Gabe, and his girlfriend, Chani.
This book was something I had never really seen before- telling two different love stories. Going from the past, with her love story with her husband, Spencer, who was Gabe's best friend; moving to the now, where she is falling in love with Irish actor, Ben Walsh.
You really understand Lauren and Gabe as people within this book, starting with when their dad died to the now, and everything that made them who they are as people. If you enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, you also get more into Gabe and Chani's love life now that they're back in Cooper, Wyoming.
While I was glad to read about Lauren and Gabe, the character that shines the most in the book, is Lena- Lauren and Spencer's heartbroken 13 year-old daughter. Lena was only ten when Spencer died, and the grief pouring off of her is immense. You can tell Lauren is struggling with the grief- as someone who lost their dad young, and as well as losing Spencer- and they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Lena is a force to be reckoned with and I loved all of her moments.
I loved Ben as a character, and also Elissa including that he's bisexual. It felt like a good move to introduce more queerness to the book, and it also helps other characters in the book.
I really enjoyed that the whole family learns from each other and how to actually work through their feelings. From losing Spencer either as a friend, husband, or dad; to the effect Gabe's drinking had on his family; and how do you really move on from losing someone you loved so much?
I can't wait to get my hands on this book when it comes out in July.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House- Ballantine for the E-ARC! Actually enjoyed this! Liked the characters & the banter. Glad I gave this author another chance.

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. This is the story of Lauren. She is a young widow with a teenage daughter, a mother in law who has never accepted her, and a brother who is an actor.There is a lot going on in this story. However, it doesn't seem over crowded or cluttered. Lauren meets Ben, another actor and a friend of her brothers. He is handsome, and sexy and young. She knows it would not make sense to get involved with him. But yet:) It is a good story, about grief and dealing with it, as well as dealing with family, work and life. I really liked this book.

was i TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY FINE while reading this book? No! I just wanted give Lauren the biggest hug!!

as expected, I absolute loved every single thing about this book. Elissa Sussman has such a unique tone and voice and there is something about it that makes it near impossible to put her books down.

TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY FINE is a real and raw story filled with overcoming grief and moving forward in addition to being a romcom.

It’s also told in NOW and THEN parts and I’m such a sucker for those 🥹