How cute is this one?!
(The answer? So very cute!) 😁😁😁

I was unaware of this author but after finding the ARC opportunity from Netgalley, I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I am happy to voluntarily leave my review.

From the cover illustration, this starts exactly the way you think: a sweet, heart-in-the-right-place woman saving a wayward chicken from traffic.
Silly, right? Totally.

On Trixie's journey to save Chick-Chick, the author easily brings you along on these character's transformations and their struggles to find the HEA they both need. Bear deserves better than what he got in the past, but I think that just made more invested in these two. It is easy to become involved in their world and I enjoyed the family dynamics that support these two. While there aren't a lot of "steamy times" in this read, their connection is good and the relationship is easy to enjoy. A few of the underlying issues that the two main characters deal with are easy to empathize with and relate to, and it was great to read this HEA. I think we've all got a bit of Trixie in us! (I know I do...)

I found this book difficult to put down once I started reading. I was at the end much too soon for my liking.

I am glad I took the chance on this one. I recommend this book and will definitely be looking for her next release.

There’s nothing I love more than a grumpy sunshine romance! This book is adorable and light hearted. The foster chicken stole my heart my boyfriend owns chickens so it added that relatable side while being a bit over the top and hilarious. Great beach read!

I was very excited with the idea of this book, and couldn't wait to jump right into this story. I felt the storyline was great, but the writing was a bit lacking. I wasn't a big fan of Trixie, and her crazy swears.

Sweet & light, this read was a total delight. Trixie and her rescue chicken, Chick-Chick, end up roommates with Bear, a gruff man. Trixie and Chick-Chick end up turning Bear's whole world upside down. But is Bear really the tough guy he originally appeared to be? I look forward to reading more of Kelly Ohlert's work in the future. Highly recommend.


Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the eARC.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Netgalley and Alcove Press for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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This might be one of the hardest books to review for me. There were so many aspects of it that I really liked and many that I just didn’t like.
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Plot: 5⭐️
The plot was rather cute. The way the two main characters met was creative and the roommate ad was just hilarious.

Pacing: 3⭐️
I wish the pacing was a bit better. There were times that I felt it was dragging and other times I felt a scene was passed by rather fast.

Character Development: 3⭐️
The characters felt really flat to me and I had a hard time connecting to them. Which is really sad since I feel like there is a lot of potential here. I felt Trixi was just like a naive high schooler and that she has a long way to go to mature. I loved Bear’s family dynamic and how close and supportive his family were. I liked how Bear was able to stand up for himself, face his biological father and follow his dreams. There were times that I felt I needed to know more about Trixi and her family. Sure they were harsh on her but I felt there was a gap between why she really stopped all contact with them and just barely talked to her mother. There was definitely more room to explore Trixi and her families’ relationship. I also didn’t feel that Trixi had that much of a character development.

Writing Style: 3⭐️
The writing style was definitely not for me. I felt Kelly was trying too hard to be funny. There were times that I did laugh but I felt most of the jokes were too forced. There were many times that I felt I was reading a YA vs. contemporary romance (nothing wrong with YA as I absolutely love them. Though this is not the genre the author was going through so it threw me off.) The alternative swear word did not work for me. Reading random words like “Oh pumpernickel” or “Oh Pikachu” wasn’t cute at all.

Would you recommend it?
I would recommend this book to contemporary romance book lovers.

I found this book slow to get into that is until trixie moves in with bear. I then found myself totally drawn to the characters. This book is unlike any I have read before. Being drawn together over a chicken. It's well written and I felt like I could watch the book in my mind whilst reading it. I really enjoyed it. To top it off the one year later chapter really pleases me. I hate getting so invested in a story and not knowing how the couple ends up but in this book the last chapter tells you. This makes me very happy and makes my romantic mind very happy too.

To Get to the Other Side is a cute read, and perfect for a fluffy romance. Secondary characters in this book, including coworkers and sisters, add a delightful flair to the romance sizzling between Trixie and Bear. To make it even better, Trixie and Bear are brought together with the aid of a chicken. As a person who adores chickens, I did love that touch. However, I felt there were past complications added to give depth to Bear and Trixie that didn't necessarily add to the plot. While we frequently hear about Trixie's stances and past in dance, it distracts from the interactions and friendship she and Bear are building. The development of their relationship is fun to explore through both points of view -- as well as the care they both develop for the chicken!

I’m in a rom-com mood and this book fit the bill! A grumpy/sunshine rom-com with forced proximity, a not so typical pet, and a meddling family!

Laugh out loud as Trixie finds a new place to live since she recently rescued a chicken, however, Bear, doesn’t technically need a new roommate, even though his sisters put an ad up in the local newspaper… Next thing you know he’s got two new roommates, one of which is a chicken named Chick-Chick!

A light-hearted quick rom-com that will definitely put a smile on your face!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

it took me so long to finish this book because I got bored halfway through it, I was really excited to read it because of the cover and the description but it turned out to be a disappointment.
it was hard to rate this one because there were parts that I found beautiful and funny and other parts that I found annoying or boring.

it took the two characters, Trixie and bear TOO LONG to admit their feelings to each other and I was getting really impatient and frustrated waiting for them to do it lol. I liked the characters, though I found Trixie annoying at times. I liked Bear's family and how supportive they were.

my least favorite trope in any book ever is the miscommunication trope- and this book has it😩 and it was so annoying. THEY JUST NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE AND WORK THINGS OUT WITH EACH OTHER and stop making a whole lot of issues out of noting.

overall, I think Trixie and bear need therapy😰. it wasn't a bad book tho I really enjoyed the first half of it and found many comments hilarious and I believe that other people might really enjoy it more than I did!!

I think this one just wasn’t my cup of tea, chalk it up to wrong book, wrong time maybe?! I though the first few chapters were cute and engaging but the more I got to know the main characters the less I liked the story and the harder it was for me to pick it up to keep reading. Add in what felt like unnecessary drama and a ton of miss communication/ lack of communication and I was pretty ready for the book to be over.

Overall I think the potential was there, the execution just wasn’t my favorite.

I’m still very appreciative of the opportunity I had to read this though in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars
I must admit what first caught my attention for this book was the cover - look! it's so pretty! - and then I read the synopsis and was completely sold. I mean, rescue chickens, hot roommates, and flower shops? I clicked the request button as fast as I could and was delighted when my request was approved.
Unfortunately, my expectations were not met, as I found the execution did not make the premise justice. Trixie was annoying, which I do not mind as long as there's character development along with the book that fixes that, but there wasn't. Bear was kinda bland and I did not feel the supposed chemistry between the characters, which made the whole insta-lust deal hard to bear (ha!). Also, the chicken shenanigans grew old much faster than I thought they would.
I know I'm complaining a lot, but it was not all bad, there were cute scenes and some funny moments that almost convinced me to look past all the flaws, but, in the end, I landed squarely in the middle.
I still recommend the book for a quick read, it comes out in December!

Although I had to overlook the absolute ludicrous decision making when it came to the chicken, this book was otherwise first class fun. It was quirky, feel good, ideal romance reading. It was mostly wholesome and I loved the emphasis on family bonding and love. Although not life changing, this book is escape reading at its best.

To get to the other side is a quick lighthearted and fun Rom- Com. Perfect for readers who love insta-love and fun quirky female leads and the grumpy/sunshine trope.

Unfortunately I just didn’t really connect with the characters and found Trixies made up curse words ridiculous at times.

Trixie is a classic manic pixie dream girl and most times I vibe with that and actually enjoy these quirky women but it just made it hard to get into the story this time. I’m an animal lover and have had pets my whole life but still found it hard to believe how she went into so much money trouble for her chicken. To the point of losing her flat.

I loved that Bear’s issues and trauma was somehow resolved and he grew as a character in the end. Becoming the man he’s always wanted to be no matter what others expected of him.

Would have given it one more star but didn’t appreciate the miscommunication trope thrown in the 3rd act. I love when people in relationships talk to each other and have conversations like adults without keeping important things from one another or letting the other assume one thing when it’s something else going on entirely.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for sharing an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Trixie and Bear become roommates after a meet-cute involving a chicken crossing the road. Literally.

The premise alone should give you some idea of what kind of book you're in store for. Outlandish things happen, and there is some serious cheesiness. The book was very often funny and is a really good escape, however it's not for the overly critical. The book has a lot of telling over showing, some pacing issues, a ~quirky~ main character, and under-explained yet somehow over-dwelled on backstory. But if you can get past its shortfalls, there's a lot of cute sister scenes, heartfelt chicken moments, and laughs to be had reading this book. I can see it being someone's 5 Star read, but for me it was 3.5 Stars.

PSA: This book has a (surprising due to language prior) fade to black scene. This is my personal preference for romance books, but it may be a deterrent to those who want some spice.

I don't love this sort of romance. I have my reasons. I want my characters with more build-up, or maybe a meet-cute. But a lot of coincidences can ruin it for me. Like what are the chances of someone getting to live in the same house as they meet for a second over a chicken.

To Get to the Other Side was a quirky, joyful book that has me looking forward to what Kelly Ohlert does next.
Trixie rescues an injured chicken and needs somewhere to live where her new pet won’t get her kicked out. Bear’s meddling sisters place an ad to rent out his spare room, and it’s pet-friendly! Ensue instant chemistry between the new roommates, heartwarming friendship, and some of the best character development I’ve ever seen in a rom-com. An ex-dancer, Trixie hides behind her stage persona, and Bear struggles with the toxic requirements of masculinity forced upon him by his birth father. Watching them get to know who each other really are and begin to embrace it- even when it involves less beer and more flowers for Bear- was nothing short of true romance. The perfect summer read.

This was a fun, quirky romance that I truly enjoyed all throughout. Funnily enough, the whole love story was centred around an adopted chicken. Very unique indeed. I often laughed out loud at the witty banter, at the same time felt wholesome whenever the characters talked about their feelings. I also loved Bear’s family— I honestly wish I had the same.
Toward the end, though, I found it a bit dragging bc the same thing happened over and over again, concerning the question of “Will he love me even if I show him my true self?” and by the end I just kind of got tired of it and wanted them to just get it over with.
I teared up happily at the ending tho; this was a good light read. 💖

It was a nice, lighthearted instalove rom-com that was entertaining and short. If you want grumpy/sunny with Disney themes, this book is for you! Trixie is the eternally cheerful heroine with a penchant for animals, while Bear is her grouchy rescuer/landlord. Unfortunately, it was not my style of the book. I was not too fond of the characters, and I thought it was too repetitious. There was little character development. I didn't feel as connected to the plot as I wanted. Overall I would say it's a decent story, and I enjoyed reading it, but it's not for me.

I'm so glad I requested this book on @netgalley !! 'To Get To The Other Side' by @kellyohlert was such a delightful and cute read. The book comes out on December 6th, this year and I can't wait for you all to read it too.

*book review: 'To Get To The Other Side' by Kelly Ohlert is a beautiful roommates-to-lovers rom-com, perfect of those who love this trope.

Trixie works in an animal shelter and has unsuccessfully tried multiple times to smuggle in rescue pets in her apartment, even after knowing that her landlord has a no-pet rule. But one day when Trixie finds a chicken struggling to cross the road, she stops her car, picks it up and drives off with the chicken; knowing that she'll have to move if she decides to keep her new feathered friend.

Meanwhile, Bear's sisters have put up his spare bedroom up for rent without his knowledge. When Trixie responds to this ad, Bear let's her rent the space out wishing to keep the roomate relationship strictly platonic. But things change rapidly when they start taking care of Chick-Chick together, the chicken Trixie saved from the middle of the road.

I loved the co-parenting angle to the story, it was easy, fun and heart-warming, all at once. I did like Trixie a lot, but to be honest I liked Bear more! He's a perfect grumpy/sweet sunshine, with the kindest heart. In a nutshell, this is a light and predictable romance, just the kind that warms your heart and makes you happy reading it.

Thank you to Head of Zeus/Aria and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

This seems to be a Marmite book, reviewers either love or hate it. I fell in the latter category.

$10,000 vet bill for the chicken! I'm guessing the author put the decimal point in the wrong place and the error wasn't picked up in editing. I'm sure there are unscrupulous vets around, but sunshiny, smily Trixie seemed a bit dim agreeing to pay such a huge amount which she couldn't afford. The initial medical care with an overnight stay at the vet’s surgery for a chicken costing $900 also seemed outrageous. I don't expect truism in my fiction but this is outright farce.

Trixie's landlord gave her a week to re-home the chicken or move out. That's generous considering her rental contract stated no pets and Trixie had previous history of sneaking in animals. I had no patience with Trixie, she was narcissistic, irrational, grinned constantly, not a pleasant person at all, plus ridiculed and teased Bear who seemed a gentle giant.

The sister's advert was ingenious, with Bear's emotional damage he could still be the perfect hero. It was Trixie who spoilt the book for me, I found her irritating with no redeeming qualities. I'm guessing she improved, I wasn't interested enough to find out. DNF.