A fun and sweet story between two roommates, the idea of co-parenting a chicken seemed very original to me, the beginning made me laugh out loud, despite the fact that Trixie and Bear are polar opposites as the story progresses, they begin to fall in love, slow burn is my jam and this is perfect.
If you like grumpy/sunshine, slow burn, roommates or lovers this is perfect for you
A must read!

Big thank you to Net Galley and the author, Kelly Ohlert, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start off with what I enjoyed. I'm a big fan of books I can finish in one sitting and I was able to do that with this book which is plus in my opinion. I loved Bear, out of all the characters he was my favorite. I read books where the hero is typically a grump with a chip on his shoulder so it was nice to read about a sweet and wholesome mmc.

Now for the parts I didn't enjoy as much. One of my least favorite tropes is the insta-love trope. It's a personal problem, definitely not the authors fault, so Trixie and Bear being into each other so quickly was an ick. I was also sad that I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters by the time I finished the book. I felt like there were so many opportunities where I would have loved to learn more about the main couple and why they acted the way that they did but we never got to read about that.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read! I would recommend it to friends if they were looking for a quick, rom-com with a HEA.

I was drawn in to this book by the cover and title. It was a cute rom-com with a fun male love interest.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

To Get to the Other Side
By Kelly Ohlert

Thank you @netgalley @kellyohlert and @alcovepress for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC of To Get to the Other Side.

It began with a chicken. Began no love story ever. Until now. This dual POV story begins with a meet cute when Trixie (animal shelter worker) stops in Chicago traffic to rescue a chicken attempting to cross the road. Here she has her first meeting with Bear.
Bear a construction worker (who hates his job) has a meddlesome close knit family. Who concerned that Bear enjoys the quite life to much place an ad in the paper for a roommate for Bear.
Trixie who can’t keep her new pet chicken at her apartment of course answers.
Without getting into spoilers. The sparks are instantaneous between Trixie and Bear. This isn’t a super light and fluffy love story though. Both are apprehensive about giving into their feelings. Both characters have some work to do before they can fully embrace themselves and each other. If this sounds like a story you’d be interested in then please consider checking it out on release day on 6th December 2022. 4/5⭐️

If I had to sum up To Get to the Other Side in one word it would be "adorable"!

From start to finish there were so many cute moments that brought a smile to my face. This story is a lovely slow burn, sunshine/grump, love story, with plenty of pining, corny jokes, and lovable animals.

Hidden beneath all the cotton candy sweetness is a story about vulnerability. This story is not only a love story but shows the growth of two people who are trying their hardest to heal from old wounds that haven't ever had the space to heal correctly. Getting to watch Bear and Trixie come into their own and fight for what they wanted, was an absolute joy and felt like a special gift.

I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future, and hopefully getting more of Bear's sisters!

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars (rounding up)
The premise of this book is super adorable. I mean, a meet cute involving a chicken crossing the road? And having said chicken be the catalyst for most of the important moments in the relationship, so stinking cute! I love that the male MC is battling his insecurities over stereotypical gender roles. I feel like that isn't a topic that isn't covered much in romcoms, so it was refreshing to see. Being from the Chicago suburbs myself, it was nice to see the city feature some in the book as well, but I would've loved to see more of it!
The biggest downfalls for me were that there was just a bit of a disconnect in a few of the more romantic scenes with how the female MC seemed to be acting out of character, but not distracting enough to stop reading. There's also just some awkwardness that's a little cringey, but I bet some readers would find that endearing. The only other thing that bugged me was a few times where the story jumps from place to place without explaining how they got there, ike when Bear drives Trixie home from the vet, and she left her car behind. But then the next day she drives herself to work in her own car. How'd she get her car back? Again, not really important to the story line, but something that nagged at my brain for a bit while reading.
Overall, this was super cute, and I'll be crossing my fingers that perhaps a certain sister and neighbor will be getting their own story next!

A pet chicken solves all problems.

Gumpy/sunshine✔️
Roommates to lovers✔️
CHICKENS✔️
Animal co-parenting✔️

Who would have thought a story starting with a chicken crossing a road would turn into such a cute novel. I really loved how the two main characters, Trixie and Bear, were able to keep their lives and personalities even when they fell in love. I find that with novels with romance, the couple's lives seem to merge into one, and the relationship becomes their identity. While I loved how light and fun the story was, I couldn't help but want a bit more of a plotline as the characters were so fun, and it almost seemed too good to be true. Overall such a fun book!!!

*I received an ARC from Alcove Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely. Quotes used subject to change with publication.

"To Get to the Other Side" has a goofy premise with a sparkling execution; Trixie has to find a new place to live because she adopted a malnournished chicken she found on the side of the road. She finds herself moving in with stoic Bear, a construction worker with four sisters and a secret love of flower arranging. I really enjoyed this romance. Trixie was just the right amount of whimsical and Bear was deeply endearing.

To Get to the Otherside is a contemporary rom-com with the grump and sunshine installers trope. I wanted to love this book, the premise involving rescuing a chicken really had me interested. This started out good and there was definitely funny parts, but ended up fizzling out when we got to the last part of the book.

We're constantly told about Trixies childhood trauma and the betrayal of her boyfriend which lead to her being unable to show emotions other than what's on the 'happy scale', and how she keeps everyone at arms length, but yet we see no development to get over this. Trixie also became very whiny in this last bit and unreasonable which I didn't enjoy. Overall neither of the charctersnhad great development for me. I wasn't attached to either of them.

The comedy in the book was good and I loved what we saw of the family dynamics in Bears family.

2.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Very good book, I enjoyed it.

✨ Original Rating : 3.8/5 , rounded up to 4.

The moment I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book because Trixie matches my level of crazy. Not a lot of people will run after a wounded chicken stopping car in the middle of a road and almost go broke trying to afford its medical bill. After reading the book, I wish she had matched my level of pragmatism too. It is a pretty good book, entertaining and quirky while also talking about traumas inflicted by parents and the dire consequences that follow shortly after, emotionally damaging the children for rest of their lives. I think parents often get away with being abusive because they and the society believe that as they have given birth and raised the child, spent money on it mean they've the right to do anything to it. Even when the witnesses know that what's happening is wrong, they hardly do anything to protect the child since they can't be bothered with extra responsibilities. It is a sensitive topic which should be discussed more often. I'm glad Trixie and Bear acted as bright examples that just because you are broken, doesn't mean you have to stay broken. They had each other and people who cared about them to rely on and heal from suffocating experiences. I could totally get Trixie, how she hides her true self behind her cheerful facade and Bear's urge to be a 'Proper man' . It's always easier to pretend than to unpack complicated emotions. However, they seemed too naive at times, almost borderline irritating. Man, I wanted to punch them in the faces so many times that I lost count. Also I know Bear's sisters are supposed to be funny but they are so disturbing, going behind his back, never giving him any privacy. If I had sisters and they tried to pull such stunts against me, I would have filed a case against them. Near the end, the story was stretched without any reason which made it boring. Otherwise it's a pretty good read. Really. I liked that there were dogs involved and the ending was good too. Give it a try.

I loved the concept of this book, but it fell flat in a few different ways. I usually eat up the grumpy-sunshine trope, but I didn't realize it was more of a manic pixie girl. Trixie just was exhausting to me as a main character. I think there was a lot of potential for this book, but it just fell flat and dragged on. I did love the chicken though. Even if it felt like the chicken was forgotten halfway through the book.

The premise of this book is so promising. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

This book had a lot of potential but ultimately took too many swings and missed.

Trixie stumbles upon a poor lost chicken in the road, and tries to save the chicken. Bear is a solid 6'4 man of muscle and happens upon Trixie when she's rescuing the chicken. He helps her, but both parties fail to exchange information. Trixie brings the chicken to the animal shelter she works in, and goes about getting care for the chicken. At the end of the day, she's agreeing to pay significant sums of money to treat and the chicken out of pocket, and has to home the chicken as the animal shelter is not able to house the chicken. Trixie is given a week to either get the chicken a new home, or get out when her landlord finds the chicken.

Bear is a struggling construction worker who is very lost, both personally, and professionally. His well meaning sisters (who are probably the best characters in this book) take out an ad to get Bear a roommate with romance potential. As luck would have it, the sisters include his home is pet friendly.

Trixie is approved to become Bear's new roommate, despite the fact that these two are incredibly attracted to one another. Throughout the story, we learn more about both Bear and Trixie's past traumas, and how that has impacted the people they are today. Trixie does not allow people in easily, as her parents and former best friend have convinced her that people are only good to you when you're happy. Bear struggles with aspects of toxic masculinity and is constantly at war with himself for what he wants vs what his father expects of him.

There was a lot of potential but the ending did not feel satisfactory. I would have loved more insight into Trixie's past, and Bear's growth with slightly less concern about ChickChick.

This was a slow building book for me. It just didn't grab me the way I had hoped it would. It's possible that I was just not in the mood for it

okay next time i see helpless pet in the street am helping look how that turned out love their love story and this book i have learnt a lot..the fact that you dont have to hide your feelings from people around you get it off your chest and let them in after today trust me i have changed and am going to do better and i also learnt love comes in the most mysterious ways ..thank you to the author and her team,,looking forward to reading more of her books

I enjoyed every second of this book. Trixie, Bear, Chick Chick, and Bear’s family captured my heart. I laughed out loud plenty of times as I scurried through this book. I cannot WAIT to read more from this author!

I had absolutely no idea that this charming story written by Kelly Ohlert was a debut rom-com but it was definitely worth reading. This story was too cute. I will definitely be purchasing this story when. It becomes available December 2022. If you love stories with opposites attract and loveable characters then this is the story for you.

Tricia is someone who people know and gravitate towards due to her sunny disposition. She loves to help those who cannot help themselves, so when one day she sees a chicken struggling to cross the road she cannot help herself and helps out the chicken, thus changing her life. After too many attempts of smuggling pets (animals) who need some extra TLC into her apartment complex with a landlord who doesn’t allow pets Tricia knows she will have to move.

Bear is someone who likes having a peaceful and quiet life. He has a job he is only settling in and a close knit family full of meddling sisters who just want to see him happy. Little does Bear know that his life is about to change when Trixie answers a room for rent advertisement that his sisters set up for him without his knowledge.

Both Bear and Trixie have their walls up and are very guarded hoping to live together peacefully but when lines start to blur and become crossed their relationship may become more than either of them expected.

To Get to the Other Side is absolutely adorable. Readers will love this charming story. It is a definite must read.

A big thank you to the publishers for sending me this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved the story. 4.5 stars ✨

I absolutely loved this book!! It was so funny from the very first chapter and had me laughing out loud while I was reading it. I loved the concept and how Bear and Trixie ended up as roommates. Chick Chick was an essential character of course! But most of all, I loved the journey of growth and self-discovery that Bear and Trixie went on together. They were able to work through some of their past baggage together, and I loved how vulnerable they eventually became with one another. A really enjoyable and fun read!!

To Get to the Other Side
Summary:
Trixie didn’t realize how much her life would change when she decided to save a chicken that was struggling to cross a bustling street in downtown Chicago. She just scooped the chicken up and drove off….Now she has a pile of vet bills and has to find a new place to live because her landlord doesn’t allow pets, and she’s caught Trixie trying to smuggle pets in way too many times.

Bear enjoys his quiet life with his close-knit family. However, his life is thrown for a loop when his sisters decide to post an ad to rent his spare room without his permission. When Trixie shows up at his door wanting to move in, he’s hesitant at first. Still, he finally agrees, ignoring his worries about keeping things platonic and hiding his immediate attraction. Trixie is determined to keep her room, befriend Bear, and take care of her chicken. It’s not long until Trixie and Bear start testing the boundaries of their platonic ground rules. They must now determine if this relationship is something they want while trying to save a family business, pay vet bills, and keep a chicken alive.

Review:

I can honestly say that this book’s premise is definitely the strangest one I’ve ever seen. Overall, it was a cute, light-hearted instalove rom-com that was funny and a quick read. If you are into cute and fluffy romance books, then I would definitely recommend this book. It has multiple good tropes such as grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, roommates, etc.

Unfortunately for me, it just wasn’t my type of book. I didn’t connect with the characters, and I felt it was too repetitive at times. Especially with Trixie and the chicken. There wasn’t really any character development, and Trixie was all over the place. I honestly just think my favorite part of the book was when she mentioned the potential names for the chicken. The name Henrietta literally killed me.

Just in case someone is looking for this, there was no spice. Just lust and pining.

Overall, I didn’t really like the book, but I would still recommend it to people who love a fluffy rom-com. It’s just not my preference :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

Am I tempted to google “pet chicken” after reading this, yes. Yes I am. I love a book that is set in my home, Chicago, though I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this one, but I enjoyed it! The storyline felt sort of random but also unique. Our protagonist, Trixie, stops in the street after seeing a chicken literally crossing the road and she meets a handsome man. She then takes the chicken home to care for it, I mean how sweet! Handsome man, Bear, is not out of the picture though because they run into each other again and so much happens after that!

This is super cute rom-com with a strangers to lovers trope. A lot of mention of past hurt and trauma though, which I felt was essential to the characters personal development. Chapters were pretty short, which made the story flow smoothly and easy to want to keep reading for hours. I fell in love with the characters pretty fast, which made me get annoyed with them when they weren’t doing what I wanted them to do! This book has the romance, comedy, bit of heartache and a chicken, who you will fall in love with instantly!