I loved this book so much! I loved the care in which Sussman handled Lauren's past with her brother, her husband and frankly, Lauren herself, through flashbacks and then switching to the present tense. I love the daughter's role in the book and how real she felt. All of the characters felt fully fleshed out and real and the book was funny and sad and sexy at the same time. I think this is Sussman's best book yet!

I haven’t read Funny you should ask, so I had zero expectations going into this one. I’m not a big fan of insta love and I feel that’s what happened with Lauren and Ben.. overall it was an okay book

I tend to gobble up Elissa Sussman’s books and this one was no different. It felt like it moved along well and didn’t spend too much time lingering in any given moment. I thought we’d get more “you’re not my dad” scenes with a single mom situation but thankfully the characters moved through their various feels relatively quickly. The grief felt very raw and believable (which after reading the Author Note makes sense.) I wish I had reread “Funny You Should Ask” immediately before reading this one as it feels more like a continuation than a straight up sequel. Different main characters, but the storyline is overlapped from what I can remember of the first book. We get lots of the same characters (particularly Lauren’s brother Gabe,) and I kind of wished we didn’t 😂 I wanted more of Lauren & Ben, because I honestly felt like Ben ended up being slightly one dimensional because we didn’t spend much time with him. The way Sussman weaves Lauren’s love story with her husband Spencer into the storyline is lovely, and I appreciate seeing Lauren’s past so thoroughly. A lovely nuanced story, but some heavy themes in this one. I love forward to future books from Elissa Sussman! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

I loved every second of this newest one from Elissa Sussman! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a hilarious and beautiful look at finding love again even after a devastating loss. I found Lauren incredibly relatable, and loved the dual timeline of getting to see her relationship with her late husband unfold as well as how she handles unexpectedly getting involved with another of her brother’s friends (who just so happens to be an incredibly handsome movie star).

Because we are getting the flashbacks of her relationship with her late husband and her family’s grief in the wake of the loss, we do get a little less time to see the current-day relationship between Lauren and Ben unfold, so be aware if you’re going into this with classic rom-com expectations. Overall, I loved this one, and highly recommend to anyone who wants to feel hopeful that things can get better after everything falls apart.

I’ve read and enjoyed both of Sussman’s other books but this blows the other two waaaaay out of the water. There’s such a beautiful story of grief and family and community, and you can tell that there’s something different about Sussman in writing this one. The new romance was a little hard to buy into at times but I had a good time overall. Tbh totally didn’t connect until reading other reviews that this was tied to Funny You Should Ask, so you can definitely read this as a standalone.

Some books sneak up on you...slowly pulling you in and leaving you breathless by the last page. Totally and Completely Fine is one of those books. It’s not just a love story—it’s a deeply moving, beautiful exploration of grief, love, and the complicated act of starting over.

Lauren Parker has always been a little bit rebellious. First as a teenage troublemaker in her small Montana town, and now as a widowed single mom just trying to keep it all together. Her husband Spencer died years ago, and while Lauren tells everyone she’s “totally and completely fine,” when the actual truth is—she’s not.

Enter Ben Walsh, a charming rising movie star working on a film with Gabe. When Lauren and Ben meet on set, it starts as nothing more than a fling, a brief escape. But soon, Lauren is forced to confront the unexpected feelings and the deep-rooted grief she’s been avoiding. The novel unfolds through dual timelines, weaving Lauren’s past with Spencer and the present with Ben. Elissa Sussman’s writing is witty, and warm. Lauren’s dynamic with her daughter adds another layer to the story.

This book doesn’t promise a neat, fairytale love story—instead, it gives us something even better: a story about healing.
A beautifully written novel that will stay with you long after the last page.

#TotallyAndCompletelyFine #ElissaSussman #RandomHouse #GriefAndLove #MustRead

One word describes this book - Feels. This is a book about grief, and it's also a story about love, and it's so beautiful and wonderful how both exist in this story. The book is in a Then/Now format. Then tells the history of the love story of Spencer and Lauren. Spencer has died, and Lauren is now a widowed single mom. Now tells the story of Lauren trying to figure out life. As part of this, she goes to visit her brother Gabe (and part of this story is also about the ebbs and flows of their relationship) on a movie set and meets Ben, a famous actor. They have a connection, but Lauren isn't sure what this unexpected connection might/could/should be. The storytelling between Then/Now is perfect, and I was emotionally connected to both. The way these thread together had me so captivated. This is obviously a heavy dose of feels, and because of that, it's a book I had to wait to be in the right headspace for. And when I got there and was ready, I absolutely loved it. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this July 2025 release.

I completely and totally loved this. It was such a cute celebrity brothers best friend romance. Elissa Sussman hit it out of the park with this one.

3.5⭐️ I really have enjoyed all of Sussman’s books, and this book is no exception. This felt like a prequel to Funny You Should Ask, as we get more details in Gabe/Chani’s relationship. I sort of wish we didn’t spend so much time with Gabe/Chani/Oliver because it felt like we got so little time to fall in love with Ben. His relationship with Lauren felt physical and quick and I liked them together but I was not emotionally invested. So when he took that huge leap at the end it was kind of shocking, to give up so much for what felt like a fling.

I cried…grief is hard. I thought this was written well, and it moved me to tears because I could relate. There was no doubt Lauren’s love for Spencer. I know Lauren was seeing a therapist but I feel Lena should be seeing one as well. She said some things that were brushed over and not handled properly and I found it hard to overlook her behavior.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy to review!

Got my hands on an early copy thanks to NetGalley. Thank you, NetGalley!

I read both “Funny You Should Ask” and “Once More With Feeling” and really enjoyed both. I loved that “Totally and Completely Fine” took us back to the world of Chani and Gabe and gave us Gabe’s sister, Lauren. I loved the dual timelines and getting to explore Lauren’s grief that Gabe had alluded to in “Funny You Should Ask.” I also really like how the timelines overlapped between the two books, it felt like a fresh way of meshing the worlds. It’s a book about love in all forms, new love and love in grief and love in motherhood and love in a family.

Girl you get me every time from laughing out loud to ugly crying. I appreciate the way you can put me in the story and pull at my heart strings.

Lauren has lost her husband and while she’s dealing with her loss she is trying to help her daughter navigate her feelings. However she’s closing up not just to her but her Uncle Gabe who she was close to. Gabe is a famous actor and Lauren and her daughter go on a trip to Philly. Where Lauren meets Ben this steamy actor and all hell breaks loose in her life. Even though everything was totally and completely fine.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy

The intertwining storylines connected to "Funny You Should Ask" drew me in right from the start. Loved seeing Gabe and Chani further in their relationship while also getting to connect with Lauren, her complex and loving daughter and Ben. Great read.

I haven't read any of Sussman's other novels and am not familiar with her work except by online reputation (in short, highly recommended on socials), so I didn't know what to expect going in to this, but I absolutely loved this story.

The themes of grief and new beginnings were handled so well in both the main plot and all the subplots, and I wish I had more time to spend with this cast of characters. I felt like I knew the Parker family so well, and had been there for all their ups and downs. I also loved the small town of Cooper, and the setting felt familiar and cozy. I definitely cried at the end!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes their romance stories to come with realistic family complications and deep emotions, and to anyone who has suffered loss.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Dell for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide an honest review!

thank you so much for the approval- i cannot wait to dive in, this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! i will be sure to leave a review on GR/retailers to come! 💞

I really enjoyed Elissa Sussman's other books so I was thrilled to get an advanced reader copy of this one. It's loosely connected to her Funny You Should Ask.

There are a lot of trigger warnings in this one: death of a spouse, alcoholism, loss of a parent.

It was sadder than I expected and on the longer side. I enjoyed it but it wasn't one of my favorites.

3.5 stars but rounding down. I can't wait for another book by Sussman!

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the advanced reader copy.

I’m a little scared because I think Elissa Sussman plucked this out of my brain? Should I be worried?

Rarely has a book ever been so For Me™️.

This has everything I like in a romance. Lauren and Ben are obviously lovely but everyone is lovely. I love Lauren and Lena. I loved (and hated because it tore my heart apart) learning about Spencer.

I cannot recommend this enough.

Thank you Dell and NetGalley for the eARC!

There is a special feeling when you finish a book that leaves you both a smile and a sense of sadness—but in a good way! Totally and Completely Fine is a gem. It explores the transition from grief to new love. I loved the complexity because it balanced tragic memories with the newness and chemistry of a budding relationship.

Thanks @netgalley @dellromance and @elissa_sussman for the chance to read an early copy of Totally and Completely Fine. It releases on July 8, 2025.

I have been dying to read Elissa's latest. I am a huge fan of all of her books, and loved the chance to learn more about Gabe's big sister, Lauren, who we met in Funny You Should Ask. This book was unexpectedly emotional and a very real exploration of grief and finding love again after loss. Elissa's beautiful writing had me tearing up. This is a special book told with incredible care and empathy.

Told in alternating timelines, the book charts Lauren's past love story with Spencer, her childhood love and the father of her teenage daughter whom they lost three years earlier, and Ben, a sexy, bi heartthrob who makes her feel reckless in a way she hasn't experienced since high school. As Lauren navigates her daughter's unpredictable moods and missing her late husband, she tries to figure out whether she can explore something with Ben. Is she allowed to want something just for herself?

Steam: 🔥🔥
Tropes: small town, celebrity-normal person, widow, bad boy with a heart of gold

3.5 stars. Oh boy the insta lust with this one was off the charts with this one (but in a way that I was like uhhhhh am I missing something?) It had been so long since I've read Funny You Should Ask that I did get confused at the beginning portion of the book before I realized that the books overlap timeline wise.

But this was a fun read. I think all the flashbacks of showing Lauren's character development were interesting. It does feel like you don't get a good sense of Ben at times though since he obviously isn't in those moments.

Thank you Dell and NetGalley for an ARC of Totally and Completely Fine.

4.5 stars

This really was the full package. Romance, grief, family, addiction, queer community, etc, this book tackles so many different topics deftly and with supreme care. It was so well-rounded that the romance almost fell a bit flat compared to the vivacity of everything else going on — but that’s a nitpick and not an issue. I really loved this & extra points for any book that has a Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead mention.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title has a publishing date of July 8, 2025.