3.5 stars

The premise was really good, however I would've preferred that it focused on Kyle's recovery from depression and a suicide attempt with the romance being a subplot, but no, it turned out to be a romance novel with the battle against depression as the main side plot.

I liked Kyle's evolution and how she got better throughout the book, but around 50/60 ish percent of the book her relationship with Jackson started to become tiresome, they supposedly understood each other but they were making many things worse for the other, it really stressed me out. And when we reached the end of the book that ending felt so abrupt, I didn't got a sense of closure of this story or these characters.

Taking all that aside, I think this is a really good book to start introducing people to anxiety, suicide, depression and mental facilities in a non-judgemental way. Watson reflected very well this reality that we sometimes try to pretend it doesn't exist or isn't that common or we even romanticize (yes, TikTok and Tumblr, I'm talking about you). I hope she makes more books surrounding these themes in the future and makes the romance more of a subplot than the main plot.

Closer to Okay by Amy Watson. Pub Date: October 11, 2022. Rating: 3 stars. What to rate a book that has important themes of mental health? It's difficult to put a rating on a book like this, but overall I felt it was flat and lacked engagement. There was confusion about the main character and how did the main character get to be in a mental health facility, what all led up to this? The reader has minimal backstory, more here and now of a mental health journey in a mental health facility. I found the story confusing at times and could have probably benefited from more editing. Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #closertookay

This is a story that started being unbelievable from the start. Which is normally not a deal breaker if there is a purpose for that storyline to be committed to. I am sad to admit I tried a few time to pick this book up but I gave up halfway as I was not feeling invested in the characters nor where I assumed the plot was heading.
Thank you for the copy, I am certain it will reach its targeted audience but it was regrettably not for me.

Such an easy, great read! A happy ending is guaranteed and it kept me on my toes! 10/10 The characters are well written and the plot was easy to hang on to!

This one hits hard. I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings before reading. This deals with some heavy topics. I wasn't the biggest fan of the relationship development between Kyle and Jackson. All in all, as long as you're okay with the trigger warnings, this was an emotional book that touched on topics that aren't talked about that often.

“4.5 stars! Another great one. A million thanks to Netgalley for such a great collection of reads lately.”

This was my initial review after finishing the book. Though I read it quite some time ago, it still sticks in my head as being a powerful, entertaining, wonderful story. I may have to do a reread so that I can provide a more comprehensive review in the future, but for now I can say for sure that this was one of my favorite reads of 2022 and I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Kyle, a trained pastry chef, is battling her depression and after her fateful suicide attempt, she is living in Hope House, a mental institution, under strict rules and regulations, as she is trying to get better. The window sill of her room is her favourite corner as it overlooks a coffee shop, The Coffee Shop, located right across the street.

Jamie and Jackson run this coffee shop. Watching them work expertly in their coffee shop brings solace. While Jamie is jovial, always smiling, Jackson dons an intense, unsmiling visage, which attracts Kyle.

When she gets her off-site privilege, she visits the cafe and meets them in person, finally. She befriends Jamie instantly but it takes some time before Kyle and Jackson bond.

As their friendship burgeons, so many things happen in Hope House and Jackson's personal life. As much as they grow fond of each other, it's not going to be easy.

Closer to Okay is basically a sweet and sensible love story with a backdrop of mental health. I am not a mental health expert but I felt this subject has been handled thoughtfully.

I really like the writing style. It's engaging and helped me connect with the story and characters instantly. The story is told in the first person from Kyle's point of view. The narration is slow paced but it doesn't disrupt the flow of the story; in fact it creates a cosy ambience (and I am a very impatient reader).

The characters are interesting, with their own important roles. Kyle is so sweet. The author has expressed her emotions, dilemma and troubles really well. I really liked Jackson. He is really nice, understanding but a little flawed at the same time. It makes him real. Both Kyle and Jackson have their own past and personal lives and the author has used it very smartly. It tells a lot about their feelings and behaviour but it's not too much to distract the reader from the main plot.

There are several twists and turns; they aren't over the top but they are capable enough to keep the readers interested.

I liked the setting: I love the coffee shop setting (in general, I find it fascinating!). And Hope House, the mental institution, is an unusual setting. It was sad and heartbreaking at times but it has been handled well. Food description is a bonus.

Just two things bothered me:

I understand the need to tell the story from Kyle's point of view but I really felt that the story demanded Jackson's point of view once in a while.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt. I won't say it was unsatisfying but it would have been nice if there was a short epilogue (even though I am not a fan of prologue/epilogue).

Overall, I really liked this book.


Thank you, Netgalley.

Closer to Okay was a book that I requested on NetGalley without any hesitation. As a psychiatric nurse in the Canadian health care system, I was intrigued by how the mental health topics would be handled. That being said, I didn't place high expectations on the book, as I generally approach these books with caution, always careful to keep an open mind and reminding myself that this is a work of fiction. All that to say that I think Amy Watson did a laudable job of portraying some common realities.

Without giving too much away, I appreciated the descriptions Watson provided of the "home" that Kyle is living in, and the varied personalities of her housemates. I was reminded, repeatedly, of the importance of "client-centered care", and how easy it is for professionals to forget that recovery is about the client, not the professional's sense of what needs to be done. Add to this the descriptions of the food, and the coffee, and I put this book down feeling overcaffeinated and hungry. My only hesitation with the book is that I still don't have a sense of how old Kyle is. The writing left me feeling that this book is aimed at a YA audience, but some of the info provided about Kyle left me wondering. I will recommend this book to readers that appreciate an honest appraisal of mental health concerns and community treatment.

Many thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

It is a powerful tale and so realistic with it's approach to mental health issues, and the emotional romance between the main characters is well written. There is trigger warning for suicide and I liked the idea behind the book more than the book itself.

DNF- I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would. It was very hard for me to get into, I just kept wanting to put It down.

An intriguing and emotional read that delves into the complexities of mental health and relationships.
The idea of exploring whether falling in love can be detrimental to one's mental health is a thought-provoking premise that could resonate with many readers.

Four complete strangers each one suffering from their own mental illness. To Kyle this place was her jail cell. After being transferred from the hospital to Hope House, this mental institution would assist in the start to healing her depression, anxiety, self doubt, With her daily walks to the coffee shop and acquainting Jackson, Kyle tries to restore her old life just better.

The storyline was deep and emotional, however I feel that the story could have been more cohesive. I loved the MC and her relationship with the barista, I also feel that it had a few gaps in it too.

DNF - Thank you for approving me but I won’t be posting a review as this wasn’t for me. There is definitely an audience for it, but I’m not that person.

I liked that the book approaches the topic of mental illness both lightly and realistically, making it easy to relate to, but not too heavy at the same time.

I would love to read more by this author.

This was a lovely and compassionate story that touches on mental health struggles and how there is hope and the possibilities of moving forward in life when dealing with them. I absolutely loved how Kyle was portrayed and how realistically and sensitively her journey was handled. While I also really enjoyed the relationship between Kyle and grumpy Jacksons, there just wasn't enough of it there for me to buy into it and completely feel that connection. I just needed a bit more with them.

DNF - I like the idea of this book, but the execution of it was lacking and I couldn’t keep reading. Maybe I’m not in the mood for this type of book right now, but ultimately I don’t think it’s for me.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Our protagonist Kyle is living in a facility called Hope House while she navigates a tricky time with her mental health. When she begins to use her allocated daily two hours outside the facility, she gets to know Jackson and Jamie, the two owners of the coffee shop across the street.

The descriptions of food and coffee were often really pretty, and I wish the rest of the novel had that same depth. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t love the rest of the prose; the dialogue was stilted and unnatural, and the attempts at humour didn’t land for me personally.

I was expecting to read a story about Kyle handling her mental health struggles, but realised pretty quickly that this is actually a love story, and if I’m honest, not a particularly compelling one. I felt no chemistry between Kyle and Jackson and found lots of Kyle’s behaviour kind of strange — it’s very much instalove, which is not my vibe. I love finding a new book boyfriend as much as the next person, but Jackson was so bland and their relationship so unsubstantiated and borderline melodramatic that for once in my life I would’ve preferred a story without romance. Shocking, I know.

It was also as if Kyle’s mental health issues — which were extremely severe, as the reason she’d been sent to Hope House in the first place was because she had attempted suicide — were simply an afterthought; a way to make her seem interesting or quirky. Yes, we saw her live in Hope House, and for a very short period she relapses into depression, but the reader doesn’t actually experience how she feels, we’re just told about it in passing. On top of this, her housemates were super underdeveloped and felt like stereotypes used to fill space.

I do appreciate the intention of the novel, especially seeing as the author has struggled with her own mental health (I think?), but it wasn’t well executed. I think there’s potential though, so I’d be interested in reading more from the author to see how she improves.

Lots of trigger warnings to note, including moderately graphic depictions of a suicide attempt.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted e-copy!

Closer to Okay was an emotional and dark (at times) novel that follows Kyle, who is adjusting to life in the Hope House, after her suicide attempt and trying to navigate everything required to put her life back in order and improve her mental health. She connects with Jackson, the coffee shop owner across the street.

I enjoyed the deep connection that Kyle and Jackson shared--you can tell that they sincerely cared for one another, and their relationship is the "real deal".

One part of the story that didn't fit for me was the almost "insta love" aspect to Kyle and jackson's relationship. It seemed to happen too quickly and progress at an exponential speed. I didn't think that was always realistic.

But overall, this was a good romance novel, with great food references throughout!

This one really hit deep as I am one who also struggles with a lot of what this book talked about. It really helped me process and it was truly an amazing story and I think helps a lot of people.