DNF at 40% — unfortunately this just missed the mark for me. I LOVED Funny You Should Ask and wanted more of the flare and vibe but this was not it. The pacing felt way off and I did not feel any connection with our MMC. I plot didn’t grab me enough to keep reading —life is too short to trudge through a book you’re not enjoying so I’ve decided to DNF.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This is my third Elissa Sussman book and I think it’s safe to say that it’s my favorite! The first two were meh for me, but I FLEW through the first two thirds of this book. Could not put it down! I read some reviews saying that Lauren and Ben have no chemistry, but for me they were 🔥🔥🔥. I neeeeded to know how their arc was going to work out.

This book tries hard to tackle SO many things: Lauren’s grief over losing her husband (not a spoiler), her single mom life trying to handle a rebellious teenager alone, tons of family drama, addiction struggles, past trauma, consequences of fame, some mention of religion, romance, and sexuality. For me, the story lost itself at the end trying to balance and wrap up far too many plot points. It made me sad because I adored the majority of the book, but I sadly think Sussman just tried tackling too many topics, and then failed to wrap almost any of them up properly.

I still gave this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed a good portion of it! I think you just have to go into it expecting a romcom that also explores heavier topics.

This book is part of a series of interconnected standalones, and in my opinion, you absolutely do not need to read the others to enjoy this one. You will still be able to understand everything. The only benefit of reading Gabe’s story (Book one—Funny You Should Ask) is a little bit more depth on his current relationship.

Do I recommend this one? Maybe. I thought it was ultimately worth the read, but I think some people could be tripped up by too many subplots. I loved the romance aspect so much, though!

This was my least favorite of sussmans books. All plot points happened too quickly and were too unbelievable.

I did enjoy this book well enough, but it just didn't really do it for me. It was hard for me to remember the main character's name because it was not repeated enough early on for me to remember who she was, so bear with me.

Now I read "Funny You Should Ask" and LOVED it - I think I gave it five stars, so I'm a big fan of Elissa Sussman's writing. This story just didn't hit the same for me. Now, I will say that I think she handled grief (both immediate and long term) VERY well and I really enjoyed reading about the parts that weren't romantic, which is why this story still got a 3 star rating from me. But the romance?? You expect me to just believe that these two had a one night stand once, and that this movie star who could go out with anyone he wanted to (literally anyone since he's bi) basically fell in love with her from that moment and wanted to be with her for forever?

Don't even get me started on his choice at the end.
**********SPOILERS BELOW***********
Lauren works at a craft/bookstore combo and likes it but it's not her passion (she has no real passions other than her family) and she lives in small-town Montana around people who she feels like are constantly judging her... and Ben turns down JAMES BOND?!?!?!??! to stay with her even though they've gone on like 3 dates total??? I don't care if he was going to have to move to Australia for 4 years - he passed up on the opportunity of a lifetime (and he has said how much he loves acting in movies!!!) to move to Cooper, Montana and *checks notes* be in a play in a small theater? Okay. If this were just a romance book, I would have rated it 1 star, but because there was so much more not related to the romance, I will allow a higher rating. But it was just far too corny.

This book was a heartbreakingly beautiful representation of grief and love. I absolutely adored Lauren (our FMC) as well as her daughter, Lena. It's a dual timeline book with two MMC's, and luckily, they were written completely differently! Love adapts, someone you fall in love with when you're a teenager might be completely different from who you fall for when you're 40. It was refreshing to see that but also see the parallels between both MMCs as well.

The pacing was medium paced and I was captivated the whole time. I never felt that parts went too fast or too slow (an issue I often have with dual timeline storylines).

Overall, the characters were relatable, real, and lovable! I didn't know there was another book before this one when I applied to this ARC so I'm excited to pick that story up but it wasn't a necessary read to enjoy this one!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Elissa Sussman for the ARC copy!

As an familiar fan of Sussman's work, I was less fond of this entry. As an undeclared sequel to Funny You Should Ask, it feels like the less interesting story, with less punch, and more dialogue about the parts of the main character's life that no longer feel relevant to who she is today. It straddles two timelines, one prior to her husbands death, and one after, but neither of them seem to be making a statement about who she is without the opinions of all of the wrong people in her life. I was happy to see the storyline that was briefly hinted to, but I was disappointed in the execution, and wish that it would have felt more cohesive and less choppy.

Getting into this book was difficult. To be honest, I did not like the main character until around 40% of the way through. This book deals a lot with grief and addiction. After I realized all that our main character Lauren went through, I was able to see her through a different lens and understand her actions. The ending pulled on my heart strings. I was initially going to give this 3.5 stars, but I love how it wrapped up and I just had to raise it to 4 stars. There's not much of a plot, this book is more of a character study but I do highly reccommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for sending me this book!

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 stars

I think this might’ve been a better book if the author had really just focused it around their grief and how they navigate it. I don’t feel like any of the relationships in this book were great. There was no chemistry between Lauren and Spencer or Ben and they consistently talked about how she and Ben had such great sex, but that wasn’t super apparent. There was just way too much going on and not enough, of those strings tied up by the end of the book. Overall this book was just meh.

I wouldn’t recommend it, and I think this is probably my last book by this author.

This book is Elissa at her best! It has everything for everyone. Want a slow burn? Check. Insta-lust? Check. Witty banter? Check. Emotional prose? Check. Plus, some overall life lessons snuck within the story.

This book warmed my heart for many reasons, but some spoiler-free ones include that it tied Elissa's past adult works together with a lovely bow - her sophomore novel was even mentioned. It was also lovely to read about an FMC in her 40s. That isn't my stage of life yet, but it's comforting to step into the shoes of what may be down the road.

I cannot recommend this book more.

Totally and Completely Fine completely stole my heart. Elissa Sussman has written a story that is both deeply emotional and wonderfully uplifting, and I found myself laughing, swooning, and even tearing up all in the same chapter. Lauren Parker is such a vivid, relatable heroine that is strong, a little rebellious, and fiercely devoted to her daughter and yet completely human in her grief, doubts, and desires. I loved following her journey as she navigates the aftermath of loss while opening herself up to love again.

Her chemistry with Ben Walsh is electric, but what really made this novel special for me was how much heart and authenticity Sussman brings to every interaction and emotion. Alternating between Lauren’s past with Spencer and her present with Ben gives the story a depth that made me reflect on love, loss, and the courage it takes to move forward. I rooted for her every step of the way, and by the end, I was left with this warm, full-hearted glow that lingered long after I closed the book.

This is a romance that balances sweetness, humor, and real emotional stakes perfectly. It’s funny, heartfelt, and completely satisfying and a story about honoring your past, embracing the present, and taking a chance on love again. I can’t recommend it enough.

Thanks to Ballantine and Netgalley for this advance copy!

I have been loving the last two Sussman books and it was nice to have Totally and Completely Fine feel like a standalone, though connect to her first novel "Funny You Should Ask". Here was get Gabe's sister Lauren and also Gabe's costar Ben and ooo this is hot. But also incredibly sad. Lauren is a widow, she's got a teenage daughter, and she's trying to figure out how to live her life without her husband. Ben is, well, Ben. A happy guy who can't help but be attracted to Lauren. When he shows up in her Montana hometown, they can't keep their hands off each other even though Lauren is still processing why.

I think this is an incredible tale of grief and love and second chances at everything. Lauren has a past that Ben couldn't care less about and he is so deeply respectful of her loss. The cast of characters is pretty fantastic in this and I never felt like there were too many people to keep track of. Keeping it in one POV is helpful, but I really just love Sussman's writing and the humanity she gives her characters.

Can't wait for the next one!

Unfortunately, I liked this book significantly less than Elissa Sussman’s other books (which are great go read them!) though it was still a quick and engaging read. I’ve lately really tired of books that purport to be rom-coms (this book is terrible at being a rom-com) but are really meditations on grief. Enough! If you want to write a book about grief write a book about grief but don’t dress it up in a romance costume. I also could not abide by the character of Lena, the FMC’s 13 year old daughter. Lena truly makes it seem like Elissa Sussman has never met a 13 year old. Half of the time she acted like a 7 year old brat and the other half of the time she’s busy having adult-like relationships and being “in love.” Her behavior was just generally so horrific and disgraceful I literally could not understand how a parent could allow it without some heavy discipline (so maybe she acted like a huge brat bc her mother had no clue how to parent?) I will give Elissa Sussman at least one more try but it’s clear that no one had a clue what was going on with this book (and obvious why the book’s release date was delayed by almost a year.)
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for an advanced copy of this book.

This was my first Elissa Sussman book, and honestly? It really surprised me. I went in expecting a romance, and while it is that, it’s also so much more. It digs into grief, parenthood, addiction, and all those messy life things that don’t just vanish when you fall in love.

The story flips back and forth—one chapter about Lauren’s life with her late husband, the next about her present day and this new connection she’s slowly building. I actually loved that structure because it let me really feel the weight of her grief and see how complicated moving forward can be.

And then there’s Ben. Oh, Ben. The famous actor who crashes into Lauren’s world and just… stays. He’s charming, stubborn in the, and I loved the way he cared for her without trying to “fix” her. Their relationship felt tender and real, and it made me root for them so hard.

At its heart, this book is about more than romance—it’s about family, love, loss, and finding a way to carry joy and grief together. It felt honest in a way that stuck with me.

I did see some reviews saying it helps to have read Emma Sussman’s earlier book, Funny You Should Ask. Maybe if I had, it would have added a little something extra—but honestly, Totally and Completely Fine still worked beautifully as a standalone.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the eARC 💜📚

I have loved Elissa Sussman's last few books and was so excited to receive an early copy of this one. I really loved it too, and felt very attached to the characters, especially Lauren and her daughter Lena.

This book does deal with some heavy topics -- Lauren is still grieving for her husband, who passed away three years prior. I feel like this is handled well, and I really loved how Ben was open about it and wanted to hear about Spencer.

Lauren's brother Gabe is a main character in one of Elissa Sussman's previous novels, Funny You Should Ask, along with his girlfriend Chani. I do think that reading that one first makes it more fun to get to see the characters in this book as well.

Definitely more than a light rom com, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sweet romances, especially ones that have a touch of Hollywood and real life. I am excited to read more by Elissa Sussman in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Wow! I was so insanely emotional for the last 20% of this book. One of my favorite things about this book is how gritty and raw it felt. There was so many emotional moments that weren’t pretty, but they were REAL! That family experienced so much trauma. Lauren didn’t know her worth, and kept Ben at a distance to keep him from her mess, but seeing him constantly show up for her was so sweet. I really really enjoyed this, and all the side characters just made me appreciate it more.

Honestly loved every minute of this. I didn’t realize how connected it would be to Funny You Should Ask.

I also found the focus on Gabe’s addiction to be so heartbreaking and moving. I almost feel like this and Funny You Should Ask could have been written as a duet of some kind.

While Ben and Lauren have a very insta-lovey relationship, I felt like the real focus of their story was about Lauren’s journey through grief and what that looked like the closer she got to Ben, which I really loved.

• small town
• celebrity romance
🌶️🌶️/5

If you liked Funny You Should Ask, you need to pick up the follow up Totally and Completely Fine.

This book is adjacent to FYSA, focusing on Gabe’s sister and her grief 3 years after losing her husband in a car accident. Gabe and Chanti are main characters in this book and it was so fun to see where they ended up. Do you need to read FYSA first? Nope! But it does make it more fun to see the characters again.

I love a romance with a little more substance and this one was done so well. The characters were messy and relatable and I was rooting for them from the beginning. I also loved that this was an older woman with a younger man, something we don’t see a lot of. Also, I’m a sucker for a romance with a celebrity and normal person.

I love the author’s writing, she really sucks me into the story. I can’t wait to read her next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Totally and Completely Fine follows Elissa Sussman's usual formula for a then and now love story! This one seemed more serious in nature as the female main character is still grieving the loss of her husband 3 years later but falling in love with someone new. I had ebbs and flows of being engaged in this story, but really liked certain parts. I will still check out other books by this author but still love Funny You Should Ask best. If you haven't read Funny You Should Ask, I recommend reading it before this one as they are companion stories and not having that background could make this one confusing or feel extra incomplete.

3.5 stars rounded up

I picked up Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman because Sussman is a must-read for me, but I didn't actually read the blurb and went into it not knowing what to expect. I certainly didn't expect for it to pack such an emotional punch from the first chapter -- but it did.

Lauren Parker is a widowed mother living a normal life in Montana, far different than her movie-star brother. But, when she visits her brother's set and meets handsome actor Ben Walsh, their chemistry leads to a fling....which (you guessed it!) leads to a whole lot of conflicted feelings.

Lauren is such a relatable character, living with the complexities of grief and motherhood, all while trying not to lose her own unique sense of self. This is a book that will hit you in the heart but also make you laugh out loud -- it's honest, messy, and surprisingly funny despite tackling the heavy nature of grief. You can't help rooting for these characters! If you’re in the mood for something heartfelt but not heavy-handed—this one’s worth picking up.

This was such a good book, and I really enjoyed it. Watching Lauren and Lena grieve and heal truly hit home for me. It did take me a bit longer to read because it stirred up my own grief, but in the end, I found it comforting. I also loved seeing them find their new normal and happiness. Ben was fantastic for Lauren, and I adored how Lauren was simply there for Lena whenever she needed her.