Such a sweet book. I aspire to be a veterinarian when in the future so this book touched my little animal lovers heart. The romance between Trixie and Bear was good! It felt like the right amount of flirting and tension. Bear isn’t my favorite male love interest from a book, and Trixie definitely has that “I’m not like other girls” attitude. It took me a long time to finish this book because it got repetitive. That being said, I still found it entertaining at points and Chick-Chick was very cute. It’s now on my bucket list to raise my own chicken!

This was a cute, fluffy romcom with a little bit of grumpy x sunshine on the side, but that’s about it.

The book starts with Bear (yes, that’s his name) and Trixie’s meetcute without them realizing. Trixie is trying to catch a chicken on a busy road and Bear helps her.
Then Trixie hears from her landlord that she can’t keep any animals at her place, so she starts looking around for a new place. Three guesses with whom she’s going to co-house? Yes yes, it’s Bear.
They are very attracted to eachother (insta-love), but don’t want to act on it as they don’t want to mess up their roommate-situation. But ofcourse, keeping their hands of eachother gets more and more difficult when they get to know eachother better and get to see eachother half-naked (forced proximity).
The chicken, who gets the name Chick-Chick, also plays a big part in their story.

This wasn’t by any means a bad book, it was just a little bit underwhelming.
I really liked the writing-style, as it read really fluently and I finished it quite quickly. I also liked some of the topics that this book handled (commitment issues, toxic parents, toxic masculinity). We read from a dual POV, both from Trixie and Bear, which was also a plus for me.
But the storyline itself was just a little bit too cliché for me. It was cute at times, but some other scenes felt quite repetitive.

But if you’re looking for a quick read with a cute romance with not too much depth, than this is the book for you.

I was enchanted by this book and its lovely, kind characters! Trixie is a ray of sunshine, effervescent and lovely, whose smile is masking deep insecurities. Bear is a quiet, brooding homebody, whose life is upended when he agrees to let Trixie rent a room in his house. Throw in a sick chicken (yes, a chicken!) and a meddling family and you get this heartwarming romance! I know how much I’m loving a story and its characters when I get literal tingles when walls come down, when feelings are revealed, and when tenderness and love take over—Trixie and Bear give me all those feelings!

I had some difficulty with this read. I think my issue was with what I felt was a lack of depth in the characterizations here? I think the main struggle that the protagonists had (Bear feeling insecure in his supposed femininity, and Trixie always having to be"on") was either not entirely fleshed out or simply didn't come across in a way to convince me. The romance here felt a bit insta-love to me, but that is just a personal distaste so I'll not lark on that. I think my issue is that I really did not feel connection to either of the MC's and so it was hard to find something to root for?

On a superficial level, my childhood trauma presents itself in extreme aggravation with irresponsible spending and for someone who is broke...Trixie spends an ungodly amount on a chicken. I am an animal lover, I swear, but I just could not make it make sense.

Cute concept, it was just a little underwhelming for me.

"To Get to the Other Side" is a standalone rom-com written by Kelly Ohlert. As is penchant for most rom-coms, this one starts with a meet-cute, where Bear (Barret) finds Trixie unexpectedly chasing a chicken to save her from ongoing traffic. After saving the chicken, Trixie uproots her life to keep her newest lost case. As an animal shelter worker, Trixie has a big heart and a tough time ignoring wounded animals. Bear is a construction worker, and much accustomed to staying in his house, alone... Well, as much as his intrusive sisters allow him to. Unbeknown to him, they devise a plan to get him a roommate that will help share the bills and luckily will also get him out of his comfort zone.  Of course, the roommate ad goes viral, and Bear has numerous candidates applying for the room! But one particular candidate gets his attention, as Trixie appears in his front step. How will this turn of events pan out?This was a funny and sweet read from chapter one! The first scene was straight-up hilarious, and there were more moments along the book that had me laughing out loud. The characters are all so rich and without any predictable clichés attached. All the moments with Chick-Chick (the chicken, obviously!) were so endearing. The only thing that irked me a bit was Trixie's trauma. I'm aware that how we move on from traumatic events depends mostly on the person's strength, but it just seemed to me that it took longer than necessary for her to get over it. Other than that, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and endearing rom-com.

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75 ⭐️
.

Usually if I finish a book I automatically give it 2 stars. But honestly I wanted to DNF this so bad I could not in my right mind give this a 2.
I cannot believe I had to sit through that many pages of an MMC trying to fight gender norms while the FMC is infantilized and might as well be wearing a 2011 wet seal t-shirt with the words ‘Not like other girls’ across it.
Also as someone who has probably eaten chicken only a handful of times since 2015 I wanted them to cook that thing just to put us all out of our misery.

I really struggled to get through this book. Not only are both Trixie and Bear really flat and annoying characters, the plot about 'Chick-Chick' the chicken got tiresome very fast. I didn't like the whole 'insta-love' aspect and didn't find it particularly funny how Bear's sisters wrote that ad about him without him knowing, just because they thought he needed a girlfriend. Furthermore, it really bothered me that whenever Bear looks at Trixie, he's alsways focused on her 'curves, ass or breasts' and is constantly talking about getting blue-balled, even though she's not even doing anything. Trixie's POV was just as annoying. I cringed when she tried to smuggle the chicken into her apartment and got caught.

If you want to read a funny romance, there are definitely better options than this book!

I'm just going to put it out there. I wasn't as much of a fan of this book as i was hoping i would be. Although I enjoyed the book. There was just something more i was wanting from it.

I found I lost interest in this book not long after startting it and it did get to a point where i considered DNF'ing. In the end i pushed through and can say this is not the book for me.

Story of the book-

Trixie is unsure of her exact thoughts when she pulled over in the middle of downtown Chicago, picked up a chicken trying to cross the street, and then took off. She is aware, however, that she and her new bird friend need to find a new home. Trixie’s landlord forbids pets in the apartment and has already caught her trying to smuggle critters in.

Bear enjoys the peace of living with his close-knit family and running his flower shop, but he gets a rude awakening when his meddling sisters place an ad to rent the spare room in his modest house without his consent. Despite his initial concerns about maintaining a platonic relationship, he nevertheless decides to allow Trixie to move in when she answers the post.

Trixie strives to keep her walls up and battle her amorous feelings for Bear. She is determined to stay in her new room, become friends with Bear, and take good care of her rescue chicken. Trixie and Bear soon begin to test the limits of their platonic ground rules due to the proximity of the two and their chicken parenting. If they want to discover the love that they all deserve, they must figure out how to salvage a family business, deal with growing vet expenses, and manage their mental baggage.

My review-

This was a lovely tale. Had me experiencing a wide range of emotions, including laughing, crying, and astonishment at the sweetness. Every page of this book was enjoyable to me! With all of her quirks and foibles, Trixie was nonetheless adorably real and endearing while also being incredibly approachable and entertaining. I spent the entire time waiting to see how this narrative would end in a complete trance due to the feelings I experienced between her and Bear. Flawless! Characters that are quirky, hilarious, and relatable! Because of their shared parental struggles, Trixie and Bear are essentially two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. This gives both of their characters and understanding depth. In this book, the supporting characters, whether they were human or animal, always made the reader laugh and show their support for the family.

I found myself identifying with the two of them since their friendship and connection overall were so well thought out and plausible. As these characters learn to be honest with themselves and each other, this book made me cry happy tears since it deals with self-esteem issues all over the place. I own and adore chickens, and the chicken in this novel is fantastic and nicely integrated into the plot. The storyline was interesting and well-written. The characters’ emotions were skillfully explored and displayed. Reading the information on the animals and how they are treated made me feel both happy and sad.

Along with the neighbor, there appeared to be hints for a second book involving one of Bear’s intrusive sisters. Both humorous and heartfelt passages in this book contributed to my growing affection for the characters. Simply said, I could easily relate to them. Once I got into this book, I found it hard to put it down. I concluded much too quickly. This a beautiful, quick read that’s perfect for those looking for an adult romance without steam that honors family and all the unique ways our quirks make us unique. Overall, I found this to be such a quick read that I didn’t want to stop. Anyone who enjoys sweet romances with suggestive content but not a lot of smut should read this book, in my opinion.

A romantic, funny and emotional story. Tricia and Bear are a mismatch couple, but can they fight their feeling while living together, trying to save a chicken and keep afloat the family business? Sweet

Synopsis:
Trixie isn’t exactly sure what she was thinking when she stopped her car in the middle of downtown Chicago, scooped up a chicken struggling to cross the road, and drove off… but she does know that she has to find a new home for herself and her new feathered friend. The landlord at her apartment doesn’t allow pets and has caught Trixie in one too many pet-smuggling attempts in the past.

Bear likes his quiet life with his close-knit family, who own a flower business, but he’s in for a rude awakening when his meddlesome sisters post an ad to rent the spare room in his simple home, without asking his permission. Still, when Trixie responds to the ad, he agrees to let her move in, despite immediate worries about keeping things platonic.

Determined to keep her new room, befriend Bear, and give her rescue chicken the care she deserves, Trixie fights to keep her walls up and resist her romantic feelings for Bear. However, it’s not long before the pair’s proximity and chicken parenting ignite flames that have Trixie and Bear testing the boundaries of their platonic ground rules. They have to figure out how to save a family business, pay for mounting vet bills, and navigate their own emotional baggage if they want to find the love that they all deserve.

Review:
I really enjoyed Trixie and Bear's stories. They were well rounded and flawed and utterly human while trying to make the best of their lives in the midst of trauma and hurt.
I enjoyed their individual stories and found a lot of the aspects of their relationships funny, heart warming, and adorable. That all being said, Chick-Chick the chicken was one of the best parts of this book and she doesn't talk so that goes to show how diificult I found it listening to Bear and Trxie rehashing their trauma and feelings inside their own heads without every talking to each other, their friends, family, or certified professionals about it.
It was a cute story with some hilarious parts and a wonderful ending, but the middle felt flat for me. There wasn't a lot of richness in their growth together - until the end when everything is resolved.

Animal advocate and shelter worker Trixie literally stops traffic to rescue an ailing chicken, as it is crossing the road. A handsome stranger comes to her aid. To her surprise, the handsome stranger Bear happens to need a room mate (the chances right?) and the rest becomes the basis for our story.

There's alot of ground work and for mind this was a little slow moving, but it is really sweet. Trixie and Bear form a friendship whilst there's a soft simmering of desire between them. Neither present as wanting to rush into a relationship, for fear of upsetting their living dynamic. Trixie is also always so up and careful not to let Bear witness her moments of sadness.

In To Get to the Other Side Trixie grapples with showing her whole self to Bear, who struggles with Trixie not letting herself be loved by him. He questions what is the point of loving her when she won't allow him to be with her on her darkest day. He questions her need for noise in her life, and challenges that she has acquaintances rather than friends that don't know the real her. He questions whether the person he loves is the mask or the reality. But he wants her to let him in, and he worries he's not enough .... and that's the beauty of this story right there. It's underpinned by Bear's own struggle to determine his professional future which provides a glimpse into Bears family life.

It's a little weird and a little eccentric, a little cobbled together but it's a nice story.

Loved this is book! I will definitely be picking up more of this authors work in the future and I would recommend it to friends!

A cute read with a insta-love aspect. Throw in a injured chicken and you get a pretty ridiculous story. Was it a fun read? It did have some ok moments but not a read I overly liked.
All in all….I’m glad I picked the book up from the library and not the bookstore.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
To begin, what caught my eye was the cover and the title. The little chicken on the cover in the city and the simplistic name was giving Abby Jimenez- which is an absolute compliment since she’s one of my favorite authors. Then I saw she had left a glowing review for ‘To Get to the Other Side’ and I knew that I absolutely needed to get my hands on this ARC.
I have mixed feelings about this entire thing. It felt like Kelly Ohlert was trying to write like Lyssa Kay Adams, Sarah Adams and Abby Jimenez but just didn’t quite get there. The authors voice either just didn’t come through on this one or is something that I don’t vibe with.
The chicken concept was quirky and very much set the tone for the book- weird sayings in place of swear words, quirky-manic pixie girl FMC, weird character names, and super horny but poorly executed insta-love trope. The chicken’s health is also a large driving plot factor which wasn’t doing the story any favors in my eyes.
Some of the stuff that came out of their mouths made me cringe so hard I need to go get a message to work out the tension in my neck and shoulders. An example being below:
“Or?
My core clenched in reaction, Pikachu, he was going to make me say more.”
This is another case of ‘not for me but maybe it’s for you.’

This was a cute romcom! The meet-cute involves an actual chicken crossing the road, so the name is incredibly appropriate. I enjoyed this story; both main characters had their own problems and struggles to overcome, but they’re also kind and care for others (both people and animals).

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
•grumpy/sunshine
•forced proximity
•complicated family relationships
•chickens
•fade-to-black romance

"What in the name of hiccupping hippos...?" This book was definitely a good surprise! I love the terms used!

Why did Chick-Chick cross the road? To Get to the Other Side? No. To change Trixie's life completely.

One day, Trixie Ward was living her life when a chicken passed in front of her moving car. She loves animals and immediately goes to the rescue. One good-looking gentleman offers his help to calm the other drivers. Yes, she just stopped the car in the road and went to grab the chicken.

Fast-forwarding to Trixie's landlady having given her one week to get rid of Chick-Chick or find a new house, Trixie finds an ad in the paper where four sisters are looking for a renter for their brother's spare room. What could go wrong?

Well, maybe him being Bear Ross, the nice, and nice-looking man who helped her when she was grabbing Chick-Chick. The one she was attracted to but never asked for his number. Also, Bear feels the exact same way.

So, why not give it a try? Probably because she has lots of emotional baggage, he does as well but less, and if it goes wrong she'll be homeless with a sick chicken to take care of and an enormous amount of health bills to pay.

One of my favorite parts was the family meetings. They are a fun and loving family and welcomed Trixie right away. I don't think every book needs to end like this one but it made some sense when we have so many family meetings throughout the story and bad family dynamics.

Another is how this book shows that men are allowed to have feelings and to show them. That, and that a person can be and do whatever makes her happy, no matter the sex and all those old gender stereotypes.

Last, there's a chicken! The book goes around a cute little sick Chick-Chick that is trying to survive against all the odds.

I don't see why someone could not be interested in reading this wonderful book... Enjoy!

This was such a cute and different romcom! The main characters have a great chemistry and they fit together really well. It was fun and romantic, but at the same time serious and had some very deep moments.

One of my favourite things about this book was how it handled the topic of toxic masculinity. The way that our main character, Bear, struggles with it throughout the whole book and finally finds peace with himself, despite it, was amazing.

The whole thing with the chicken only made the book even more fun. It’s not something you see in a lot of romance books. If there’s pets involved it is almost always a dog or a cat, so to use a chicken was really refreshing and hilarious.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 3.5 stars

If cute and quirky rom-coms are your jam, then this is probably a book for you.

It's fun and easy-to-read making it a perfect lighthearted escape with just enough complex emotion to give it a little depth.

Chick-Chick the rescue chicken was a breath of fresh air and her humans aren't half bad either.

It got a little repetitive at times, like with mannerisms of the characters, but it was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and the author for this digital Advanced Reader Copy.

4 stars! a quirky little romcom!

this one tugged at my heartstrings and was just a little bit of silly with a chicken involved. i was not so sure about it but the mutual pining in the synopsis was promise enough for me and it did not let me down.

bear and trixie were fun characters with issues they were able to work through the book. trixie was a sweet, thoughtful heroine while bear was big and strong with a gooey interior. both their traumas as characters were forefront with who they were today and who they were falling in love with. it was something i was sympathetic to and it was delightful to see them grow and understand the steps they needed to take.

this was a sweet, fun and easy read. it was packed with silly moments as well as emotional ones that made me fall in love with the characters more. they were just very relatable to me. i adore them!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for sending an ARC my way in return for an honest review!