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 🥹

This was a spin-off of Funny you should ask and features Gabe's older sister, Lauren who is a 40 year old widow with a 13 year old angry queer teen daughter. Told through flashbacks between the past and present, we get to see how Lauren fell in love with her husband (her brother's best friend) and how she's struggling to move on in the present while being a single mother and newly single woman.

When her movie star brother invites Lauren to visit him on the set of his latest film she ends up falling for Ben, a bisexual Irish-Hawaiian actor ten years her junior. Full of great mental health rep (depression, alcohol addiction, grief) and amazing chemistry between the two leads, this story is both moving, life-affirming and spicy.

I loved it the most in the series and really enjoyed the small-town Montana vibes and the cameos from Gabe and Chani! Highly recommended for fans of books like The bodyguard by Katherine Center. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I really appreciated the complex depiction of grief, especially through vignettes to Lauren's life growing up and with Spencer. Also, great payoff for fans of Funny You Should Ask, though maybe too focused on characters who are secondary to this narrative. A bit gratuitous with the "edginess" of Ben, making bisexuality and non-dominant ethnicities seem like "rebellious" traits for Lauren to re-experience her youth. Loved the mother-daughter relationship, and that really stayed with me after the read!

⭐️ 2/5

And these two like each other why…. ?

40 something year old widow mom who enjoys books and baking ends up hooking up with an up and coming movie star in his early 30s and a relationship blooms. (?)

I didn’t mind the chapters on her childhood and meeting her first husband and their journey, but I genuinely did not understand the connection/romance between these two. There was NOTHING there and (spoilers) he declines his first huge movie for their relationship. This reads like bad fanfiction to me.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I think it will be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Funny You Should Ask so I was very excited to dive into this book. Unfortunately this one ended up being a miss for me. Alternating timelines is usually a hard sell for me and insta lust can be tough too.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the opportunity to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. I really appreciated that this book is a complete stand-alone yet has characters from her previous novel. I love a good celebrity/normal person romance and this didn't disappoint-I felt like the main characters handled grief in very relatable ways. I also enjoyed the fact that the main character is a mom who has a real body and talks about it and a teenager who acts like it-it was refreshing!

Totally and Completely fine is not complex, its not hard to understand. It brings you into an emotion we have all had, grief, love and excitement. This book looks into the truth many of us have felt, but try not to think about it as often because well its sad. Losing someone and trying to go on with life after they are gone, the thought that in some way you are sullying their name, you feel guilt because how can you move on when they can’t.

Lauren is a newly single mom who has to live life without the man she grew up with. Not only that but the worst is she has to parent a preteen, if I know anything from my preteen years, its hard out there for her. But soon she not only is being a single mother trying to navigate through grief and loss she remembers she is also a woman who loves and she deserves it. Through it she questions her life without her husband who was kind and caring. The question is “ am I allowed to move on so quickly?” Then it became "what will people think when I move on?” Lauren has been there for those she loves and the answer is everyone deserves to be loved and to love. No one should feel shame or guilt for wanting to give their hearts another chance, because one of the worst pains can be losing someone you once thought you’d get the chance to grow old with. We sometimes think death is the end of life, but what if it's just the beginning of a new one.

Elissa Sussman really put me in my feelings with this one, I didn’t lose a spouse but a mother of sorts. I questioned a lot of things when I lost her, I gave up trying, and sometimes I know she wouldn’t have been happy with me about it. This book put it into perspective that life continues and those we no longer can see may still be there cheering us on. We can still stop every now and then and drop of flowers and talk to them. Some way there will be a sign, or a person who can give us a new meaning. Also the fact that they man she fell for is of the LGBTQIA+ community and it wasn't a deal breaker or she became harmful to him. She knew who he was and he still taught her to love again, that part was magical.

3.5!

oh boy, where to start. i am feeling very conflicted. i loved funny you should ask, but wanted more from once more with feeling. this one falls somewhere in the middle.

i thought the premise and exploration of love, grief, family, and addiction were well done and added a lot of depth to the story. i also really liked the then and now timeline. however, it felt very insta-lusty between the two mcs, and i didn't feel anything more than that from either of them until the very last chapter, so by then it wasn't believable to me. also, their "banter" was lowkey just bedroom talk and that is not banter to me. i think this book could have benefited majorly from multiple povs because i was often left wondering what other characters were feeling or why they were behaving a specific way.

however, i did fly through this. the short chapters and quick, fun writing is always well done by elissa sussman.

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this e-arc!

Absolutely loved this story of love and life after loss. Sussman always write such funny, quick witted characters that you can’t help but fall in love and empathize with.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Overall I really enjoyed this book. Strong characters, drama, family dynamics, and enough flirting and a little spice to keep it interesting. The dual time lines also keep me going. I like a book that tells you a little at a time so you can guess, theorize and wonder.

Some things did get lost in the time shuffles though, I was literally unclear about Gabe and Ollie's relationship for the first third of the book. And this was yet another book where someone is related to "the biggest star in Hollywood". That trope gets used a lot and it's pretty unrealistic.

Lauren and Lena's grief was palpable and very realistic. The fact that losing someone affects every bit of your life for the rest of it (even though you keep going) is dramatically but understatedly shown in the novel.

It's a romance so you know where things are headed, as off the charts unreal as it is, but I enjoyed the journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

This book was clever, witty, and humorous all wrapped up in a heartbreakingly emotional romance. I loved the back and forth timelines and the main characters journey into trusting love once again. Bravo!