This is my second book this week with a trans MC. I wanted to like this more but honestly I had issues with the plot and writing. Kelly is at nursing school when she gets the word her father has passed away. Wanting to support her mother, she travels the two hours home for the funeral. At the services she runs into Teresa who was her high school girlfriend before she transitioned. Kelly actually broke things off between the pair as she knew she was more interested in dating women.

I thought it odd that Kelly was going to propose to Teresa but they hadn’t discussed his plan for joining the military right after high school. Teresa thought joining was a result of the breakup. And all this was only seven years ago. I had to laugh a little at the contrivance of Teresa being at the funeral to cover it and write an obituary for the newspaper she works for. For at least thirty years my city's newspaper’s obituaries, cost by the word and are written and paid for by the family, unless you are a public figure. I actually double checked to see if the story was set in an earlier time period. It is not. It is realistic to me that they would want to catch up with one another.

There was time to hike and get meals together but more words were spent on what was being ordered instead of building a relationship. It was like the story was fine with, we liked each other in high school and now we both like women. I was also disappointed to not get more details on the physical side of transitioning, are they on medications, how it impacts intimacy etc. The emotional side is covered somewhat by how Kelly has had to deal with her family’s reaction. I thought there was a missed opportunity to make better connections with both siblings after the passing of their dad. And lastly so much time was spent on can they make long distance work and what his future career path would be and then it was left very open ended. I like my romances tied up more than that. An epilogue or something down the road may have helped me believe these two were compatible for the long haul. When I get nit picky like this I know the book didn’t work well for me. But it may work better for others.

The premise of the book sounded good, but as I began reading, this book was not what I thought it was about.
Therefore I did not finish. What I read was well written.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kellys father has died, she was very close to him, she wants to reconnect with her mother. this is about a trans person. story might not be right for some people.

The powers that be tell me if I read a book I should at the very least try. I’m sure for some this would probably be the best book they’d read in a long time, at least I hope so. I know writing a book isn’t easy, I admire those that can do what I can’t. The problem with this book is something I personally can’t stand so I just skim to see if there are any words I haven’t seen yet. I’m talking about the back story, every story needs one but when the whole book has nothing but repeating the same lines as before. I really shouldn’t say the whole book, I made it to chapter eight. Not my cup of tea.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

It's my first book with a trans woman, and the premise of getting back with her ex, who broke up with her (him at the time) because she was gay, was so promising.  Promising of some kind of second chance, discovering each other again, and promising of learning what it is like to transition for a trans woman. O'Malley did bring up the hardships of transitioning. I was expecting some talk about intimacy with a trans woman, probably because I am a bit ignorant and had genuine questions, but I did not find it. The book didn't work for me for several reasons: First, 27 % for the second MC to appear is way too long m, then there was too much internal musing; it was very often repetitive, like the fact that Kelly is thinking about going back to the army and wants to be at the top of her class to become a nurse practitioner. Then, the development of the relationship between Kelly and Teresa felt mechanical and almost robotic. I didn't feel any chemistry, between the characters and I didn't feel with the characters, because there was just no descriptions of how they feel. There was so much potential with the second-chance trope, with them getting to know each other again, given the huge change of Kelly being a woman, but there was no real development. They just picked up where they left off, assuming seven years is a detail as long as Kelly is a woman and it solves everything. I was wishing for Kelly to still hold some grudge, after someone she was planning to marry left her, and for Teresa to learn to know Kelly as a woman. The timing felt wrong and weird; like them having a date on the funeral day. They had barely reconnected for five minutes that Teresa was already thinking of getting back together. There were also several times when the author contradicted herself, like saying one minute that Kelly hadn't thought of Teresa for seven years, then saying she missed her the last few years. For them to reconnect so quickly, feelings must have been dormant, in my opinion, like they hadn't gotten over each other. In the end, the characters lacked depth and were hard to like. Once they got together, they were on a loop with discussions about long distance and Kelly going back into the army. The last point that was so frustrating was that I suffered through repetitive talks and thoughts about going back to the army and the future, without getting answers to my questions. An epilogue would have been necessary. The premise was good, but the execution didn't work at all for me.

I didn't realise from the blurb that one main was trans. This gave an interesting perspective to the second chance. Since this is an own voice novel, it added an authenticity to the story. However, for me the writing could have been a bit tighter….. Less words to say more…….(I know I’m one to talk!)

I found this to be a very hard read. The overall structure was lacking and I just couldnt connect. However, I would recommend as this might connect to other audiences.

Thank You Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

Heather K. O’Malley’s Goodbye, Hello is a tender, emotionally resonant second-chance romance that thoughtfully explores the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ couples—both in love and in life. With heartfelt prose and fully realized characters, O’Malley delivers a story that is as healing as it is hopeful.

At its core, this novel is about reconnection—two people trying to find their way back to one another while navigating the emotional complexities shaped not just by their shared past, but by societal pressures and identity-based struggles that many couples never have to face. O’Malley handles these themes with grace, honesty, and deep empathy, creating a narrative that feels authentic and powerfully relatable.

The emotional depth is beautifully balanced by a sense of quiet optimism. Readers will find moments of recognition, vulnerability, and ultimately, healing—making this story not just a romance, but a reflection on growth, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to love again.

Goodbye, Hello is a beautifully written, deeply moving novel that will resonate with anyone who has ever longed for another chance—especially those who’ve had to fight harder for love simply because of who they are.

Well, I didn't think I would finish reading the book. I really had my problems with it. The start was very rocky, but it didn't get much better over time either. Just the fact that it took 24% of 264 pages for the main characters Kelly and Teresa to meet. This caused so much time to pass that was lacking for the relationship to develop. Kelly and Teresa had no chemistry, no spark. It felt much more like a chance meeting of two ex friends who decided to give it another go after two afternoons together. There was no building tension or attraction. The plot faltered in many places, as the content of conversations in particular was repeated over and over again. A real pity as the story had potential, but it just wasn't thought through to the end and the writing took some getting used to. I really rarely write this, but I can't recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

The premise of Goodbye, Hello immediately intrigued me: a reconnection romance between two women who dated in high school before one came out as trans, set against the backdrop of grief and family tension. I appreciated the representation and the unique setup, especially how Kelly’s journey as a trans woman is interwoven with themes of loss, identity, and reconnection.

However, I struggled to stay engaged with the story. The structure was difficult to adjust to. For example, spending ten chapters fully immersed in Kelly’s POV before an abrupt shift to alternating perspectives made the pacing feel off. While I usually love dual POV romances, the transition didn’t feel smooth, and it took me out of the rhythm of the story.

Unfortunately, the writing itself felt inconsistent. Some of the dialogue came across as repetitive or unnatural, and certain anachronistic phrases (like referring to an audiobook as a "book on tape" when the protagonists are in their 20s) pulled me out of the contemporary setting. There were also moments where editing could have tightened the writing significantly, particularly with repeated lines or ideas in quick succession.

As a romance, I had a hard time feeling the chemistry between the leads. Kelly and Teresa clearly care for each other, but the spark just wasn’t there for me. Their dynamic felt more platonic than romantic, with very little in the way of flirtation, tension, or emotional build-up that I look for in a love story.

On a positive note, I appreciated that the book avoided the typical third-act breakup, which is refreshing in this genre. However, I was uncomfortable with the choice to include an entire early chapter in which Teresa misgenders Kelly before they reunite. While I understand the intention may have been to show character growth, it felt jarring and unnecessary, especially since readers are already aware of Kelly’s identity from the start.

I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t come together for me in the ways I’d hoped.

Kelly, a nursing student in college, travels home from school to attend her father's funeral. She's fearful of her family's reaction to her as a trans woman, given past issues with her mother, brother and sister. But her mother seems to be coming around. At the funeral, Kelly sees her ex-girlfriend, Teresa, who she dated in high school before her transition. Teresa has come out as a lesbian. The book is focused on Kelly's relationship with her mother, Kelly grieving the loss of her father, and a possible relationship with Teresa.

It's strange that the blurb for this book doesn't mention the fact that Kelly is trans since that's an important aspect of the book. Overall, I wish this had been a better book. The writing is subpar and I just can't understand how these issues weren't addressed by the editor.

It was difficult to get through the book. The author repeated herself consistently. The dialogue was bland and there was so much more I wanted to understand about Kelly and her transition. Also, Teresa had no issues with Kelly being trans. I don't mean that Teresa should have been transphobic, but she asked very little, especially about Kelly's physical transition. The book seemed not all that realistic and the two MCs lacked chemistry.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

kelly and teresa had been school girls partners but at one point teresa had finished with kelly and had not really told them why... kelly went off to join the army and though teresa felt bad she also thought she had been the one to put kelly on that road

so at kelly dad funeral teresa went to tell kelly she was sorry for any hurt... so you can imagine the shock that teresa had when she finally saw kelly

kelly for the most part was happy to see teresa after all their relationship was something they had often thought about and acknowledged that teresa had done the right thing by ending it between them...

but now kelly was training to be a nurst and teresa was starting to get established in her field of journalism ....so could a long distance relationship work between them....

its not a bad storyline i really kept reading to see how kelly and teresa sorted out their lives ... the beginning of the book was very much and i did skip paragraphs just to get into the storyline quicker

The plot is what attracted me to the story because I love second-chance romance, and with a very interesting MC as a trans woman even more so.
It started off very promisingly, but unfortunately it lost some of the intensity pretty quickly.
The development of things is both slow and relatively fast for Kelly and Teresa at the same time.
I'm not sure which aspect irritated me while reading. Also, many moments were just a bit too much of everyday life and it didn't really contribute to the story.
At least in my opinion.
That's why some things were too much and others not enough.
Like the physical reconnection between the two. It was a good pace and quite quick, but not enough was written about it. It just happened.
Anyway, it was still a sweet story and the topic of Kelly's transition has an importance that I really liked.
That was the real topic of this story: how the world deals with it and how Kelly herself really went through with it and can finally be herself.
This aspect is very well written and convincing.
A certain normality about that was incorporated that I haven't read before with a MC. I really liked that.
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and, of course, the author for the ARC.

i havent read a book with this plot before. the additions of a different relationship read was really interesting to me. i would love for one day thee books not to be marked as different. they arent a separate genre kind of thing. but for now they simply arent in the mainstream. but in a way this is good sometimes, because i can actively pick them out. and im really trying to do so.
this book was about love at the end of the day. and it was love like any other. if anything the gay and transitioned part of it only added more to its emotional depth. because we had family acceptance and also a new but old relationship that might look different now. i really appreciate how it was handled. it never felt gawsh or cliched.
it was at the end of the day about love. and whether it can work for people if their lives look differently and are indeed located differently.
a good book. im glad we are seeing more. lets make them just part of our bookshelves please.

The book started really promising with Kelly coming home for her father’s funeral. She talks with her mom and this is the first time she is told that come home as herself after her transition. Her relationship with her mom and siblings strained but at the same time better than ever in their shared sorrow. At the funeral Kelly comes across her old high school girlfriend Teresa that broke up with her since she realized that she was into women not men, Kelly being the only man she has ever been with. Now Kelly is a woman, so Teresa starts to look at her differently and Kelly has never really lost her feelings.

Until here all is the book good and enjoyable to read then I have some issues with Kelly’s and Teresa’s relationship. They start talking about potential issues in the future with a long-distance relationship even before then even have kissed again or for sure not fallen in love again.

Overall the book gets way to detailed and wordy. I rate it high though since it is one of the first books I have read that really normalize a trans woman and her relationship with a woman, it is not a big deal at all.