Closer to Okay
By Amy Watson
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A ‘real life’ read.
How many people suffer with some sort of mental health problems?…..
How many people are struggling with one thing or another in their life?
Everyone?

I loved how real this book was.
Ok, we don’t all relate to being signed into a mental institution.
But, I think we all suffer with very real problems of our own and parts of the book may touch or effect you for different reasons….

This story speaks of a woman who has had it really tough, she feels alone, that she doesn’t fit in and things go scarily wrong when she hits a rock bottom of attempted suicide.
She gets signed into a hospital then to an institution. She has signed papers to give up her own rights for her own choices in life. (Done when she was at an all time low).
The doctor now decides for her whether she likes it or not.

With just two hours a day to get out into the real world (if she is lucky) she find that she starts to want to get out and start living her life but not sure how. Not sure what happiness is and how to do it.
She knows she is sick and needs help navigating how she will turn her life around.
But, has she got the strength is another thing.
Does she deserve it she wonders…

We also, hear of other patients in the institution too.
It’s scary just how common and normal it seems to read about them and their problems too as we hear of these things all the time with many going through them.

The book is not doom and gloom.
There is glimpses of ambition, love, friendship and hope. (The recipe to a happy healthy mind)?

A very interesting and inspiring read.

I would have loved to hear more about what happened in the end. It’s my only gripe!

The initial concept of this book really intrigued me, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed!

Every aspect of this book felt so authentic - Kyle's experience is one that I could find myself relating to a lot. I was hesitant when Jackson was introduced, as I really don't like the idea of male love interests being the saving grace of mental illness. However, I believe their relationship and communication throughout the book was genuinely authentic to real life experience. I loved how well they were able to communicate, even when times were difficult. They both were realistic in their expectations, and it didn't feel as though Kyle put her recovery on the backburner in the name of romance.

I loved the side characters, even Eddie. Every side character brought something different; Mary was a maternal source for Kyle. Joey was a genuine friend and Eddie was someone who, in his own way, would keep Kyle grounded. However, I really did not like Dr Booth. I felt that his approach of 'this is what's best for you even if you can't see it' was very ill-delivered. I know personally, I do not react well to mental health professionals who pose their treatments that way. However, I believe that was down to personal preference.

I thought the ending way slightly anti-climatic. The book up until the final chapter felt so harrowing and fast-paced, only for it to trail off at the ending. I was glad Kyle found her happiness however. The thought processes of Kyle struggling to go into the kitchen once she'd returned home really struck at me, and I thought that was executed beautifully.

Overall, a book I really enjoyed. I think checking trigger warnings prior to reading is essential, however the way to book explored mental illness recovery was realistic and really interesting to read about.

Eu gostei bastante do livro. Eu achei um romance, com temas pesadíssimos envolvidos que precisam ser mais abordados. Eu não achei que foram abordados da forma ideal ou da forma real, mas existe um medo tão grande de abordar esses assuntos que dar o seu melhor sobres assuntos às vezes é sim o suficiente. Esse livro tem uns profissionais bem questionáveis que não sabem realmente ajudar as pessoas claramente e estão em profissões de auxílio, mas infelizmente tem muito disso por aí. Pessoas que nem sequer gostam de seus empregos ou não vêem o quanto estão prejudicando as pessoas que estão servindo.

Eu queria muito conhecer alguns desses lugares fictícios e pessoas também. Principalmente poder tomar um dos famosos cafés do Jackson.🤤

Gostei muito de ter lido esse livro e recomendo.

This book entailed so much representation that it made me cry. These are the kind of books we need in society because even more people can find ways to personally connect with the characters and realize there are people out there that go through similar things. I personally really connected with Kyle, the main character, as I have anxiety as well. This put so much perspective on so many mental health illness that people tend to write off.

The story starts with Kyle. She’s in a home for people with mental health problems and suicidal issues , hope house it about her and her road to recovery . It’s one of the best reads I’ve read this year and is so real . It has every emotion you can feel. Some very difficult subjects tackled in this book and some of it is very difficult to read but done so well . I adored all the characters and loved how the story and relationships within the book developed.
Will recommend to everyone who likes this type of read. Thank you for the chance to read !

i received an ARC of amy’s watson’s “closer to okay.” this cover really peaked my interest and after reading this book, the cover makes a lot of sense.

kyle, the main character, is in a facility to help her with her mental health. she is really lucky to know that baking is her outlet. she has the privilege to go outside for 2 hours and when she finally decides to go out, she goes across the street to a coffee shop where she meets jackson.

a sweet relationship sparks between them and he is constantly there for kyle, even through the tough times. every relationship has its ups and downs and you can definitely relate to theirs. you so desperately want kyle to get better and you want their relationship to work where they are a part of each other’s lives.

this book does state the reasons as to why kyle is mentally unwell. i do wish they dove a little more into her recovery as it is a lot of hard work to manage life.

i also want to say that i really love the flow of this book. it made me really look forward to reading this book and also rooting for kyle.

I enjoyed this book and the light it shows on mental illness. This book wasn't rainbows and sunshine. Frankly, it was hard to read at some points. I was not a fan of Dr. Booth and his therapeutic techniques. However, I don't think we are meant to like him. Amy does a great way of showing the challenges of mental illnesses and the not so pretty of the institutions. I did enjoy the book, but wished for more depth of each character. I need a little more story line to help understand easier! I really liked Kyle and was rooting for her throughout the book!

I loved this book so much. This story is about Kyle, a professional baker, who’s currently residing at Hope House, a home for those who are currently having life struggles. Kyle attempted suicide recently. She has had a tough life stemming from childhood abandonment, depression, and struggling with loneliness and it has taken a toll on her. During her hospital stay, she turns over complete medical control to the Hope House doctor, Dr. Booth. Kyle wonders during her sessions with him if Dr. Booth has her best interest in mind or if he’s really an egotistical quack, which I grew to question as a I read.
Kyle sits by her window each morning looking at the coffee shop across the street and when she’s granted a 2 hour leave each day she finds herself visiting the shop where she meets snarky but loveable coffee house owner Jackson. Jackson soon becomes an important part of Kyle’s life as she gets to know him and they began to spend a lot of time together.
Each character had a unique story which I enjoyed reading when it was touched on briefly. Kyle and Jackson’s relationship was a joy to watch develop and the complexity in their lives were relatable. There were some definite tough reads in the book so the reader should be weary of this. I cried at some of the moments, many tore my heart up to read. Overall this was such a delightful story to read and I want to hug this book
This was a 5 * read. Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it!

This book was a quick, deep read that resonnated with me on multiple levels. I understand mental health problems, and it was refreshing to see the take that Amy Watson took on the recovery process. I enjoyed it and cried in the best way.

What a gut wrenching story about mental illness, survival and loving yourself first. I could empathize with Alex so much in this read, which drew me into the story even more than I’d expected. Her struggles were so raw and painful. The experiences she went through at Hope House were well very written. The authenticity of her disease was clear throughout the book and I really appreciated the author’s attention to detail and ability to write the heroine in a realistic and relatable way.

Jackson, the coffee shop owner across the street from the Hope House, was much harder to understand as a character. We didn’t get much insight into his personality and what made him tick. I felt like there needed to be more character development throughout the story for him.

The ending of the story left me wanting a little more. It was quite anticlimactic. I expected an explosive ending, given how tumultuous the entire book was. I’d become invested in so many of the side characters among the way that I felt a lack of closure in that aspect.

4 stars for Closer to Okay.

Closer to Okay really resonated with me. The main character is very relatable to anyone struggling with their mental health and i felt like this was a really important book for people to read. I really enjoyed reading it and would recommend to everyone. It could be triggering for some people, however, so I feel like trigger warnings at the start of the book would be helpful.

I will start this review with some trigger warnings., please keep these triggers in your mind before picking up this book:

Trigger Warnings include Self-Harm, Suicide, panic attacks, ptsd , drug abuse and so much more.

I will start off and say I was very intrigued when I saw the synopsis because I can relate to some of the trigger warnings that I have mentioned. The one thing that kind of through me for a loop was when the whole love aspect began.

Kyle and Jackson relationship as a whole kind of felt a bit rushed in my opinion.

Another thing was Dr. Booth I felt like he was just not fitting for me. He was too impatient and just didn’t go well.

Overall; this is a book worth checking out but once again watch for trigger warnings:

Thank you Net Galley for providing an eARC in return for a review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️2/5

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Themes: Mental Health

Trigger Warnings: Self-Harm, Talks of Suicide, Panic Attacks, PTSD, OCD, Depression, Drug Abuse

Everything about this book intrigued me until the part where the insta-love started happening. And that started around 27% in the book.

I was trying to be patient with the author, but I soon realised that the writing, and pacing needed some work.

I felt that Kyles relationship with Jackson was rushed, and did not make any sense. There was no chemistry. I felt no connection with any character, sorry.

Dr Booth – I do not understand this person. As someone who goes to therapy, it is hard to imagine getting better if I were to get help from someone like him. He was pushy, impatient, and it seemed like he just wanted to control everything. He was downright annoying, and aggravating.

This book has the potential to be something, it just needs extra work. (I know my review is all over the place, I am sick at the moment, but I just wanted to get this out before I forgot what I wanted to say. Will edit it once I am better).

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC in return for a review.

Until Next Time, Ariel ❤

I was hooked on this book in the beginning. I loved the care and understanding put into Kyle's depression and journey. I truly felt that the author had a deep connection with this character. I remember falling in love with Kyle when she was describing the coffee shop and watching the milk change the color of the espresso. It was such a beautiful scene. However, the book lost some of its strength for me where the relationship portions were. I didn't believe their love story and connection, and it felt as if we didn't have enough time with these characters together to truly feel them fall in love. I believe this book would have been stronger with Kyle on her own navigating depression and her life without the addition of Jackson.

When I 1st read the description of this book I didn't realise it was centered around Kyle's depression and I was pleasantly surprised about how well written and how well reflected depression was. I have suffered depression for 15 years and although it has never been at the level of what Kyle's was, I still felt myself feeling connected to the character. Mental health although it is getting more publicity it is still very under publicised and still a taboo subject and the more information there is and the more normalised it is the better it will be for everyone. I feel this way people won't be scared to come forward for help when it's needed and this book is a great help in doing that. It is nice finding a book that although it is essentially a romance book, it is about learning to love yourself too and it is true what they say, you can't love anyone properly until you learn to love yourself. I'm in 2 minds about the ending. I like that it ended the way it did so I can form my own opinion as to how Kyle and Jacksons relationship pans out but at the same time I feel a bit lost at not knowing the outcome. This however does not take away from how well written this book is and how much I was hooked on it from the start. This is definitely a book I could read over and over again

Thank you for the ARC @netgalley , in exchange for an honest review:

Unfortunately, this book didn’t hit for me. The dialogue was oversimplified, the characters without any depth, the relationships bland. I really wanted to like Kyle but could never form a true connection with her character.

Even more concerning than the writing was the lack of appropriate response to [extremely serious] mental health issues. The therapeutic technique used by the onsite physician was appalling (or should I say the lack of therapeutic technique …. ) and I found myself feeling extremely frustrated while reading.

This book could have been a winner if the author had applied more depth to her story. We need more background on each character, and more research into treatment of mental health disorders!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Alcove Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A quirky, enjoyable romcom many will enjoy. It’s a perfect book club read.

"I didn’t know it then, but looking back I must have been blind. How did I not realize you needed your armor as much as I needed mine?"

This book opens up to Kyle Davies- a professional Baker trying to get her life back in order after falling into depression by being lonely. For that she admits herself into Hope House to get treatment but months of being confined in her room, she starts to grow bored. Just then a surly coffee shop owner catches her attention. She starts to observe Jackson and when she finally gets the liberty to wander around, she lands up straight on his cofee shop's doorstep. Jackson was just such a cute grumpy bear, whenever Kyle hugged him, it just made me smile so wide! I really loved Kylie & Jackson's relationship. A harmless one sided crush that blossomed into friendship and then made my heart flip! The first half however was slow, emotional and dealt with some pretty heavy, sensitive subjects that were really sad. The last half picked up pace and Kyle was starting to get her life back on track. The last few chapters were just so cute and it's a bummer that the book didn't have an epilogue because I would've loved to see how things worked out between Kyle & Jackson in the future. There were some things that I feel were left unresolved which is why I'm a bit disappointed with the abrupt ending. Regardless, it was a good, emotional, soul wrenching and real book with side characters who had their own little stories and it would stay with me for a while! It's a must read for those who can relate with the core theme of the book.

Thank you Netgalley & Alcove Press for this ARC

A twist on the traditional rom com that balances the reality of life with the hunt for love. Giving a fascinating insight on how important it is to stick to your priorities and is a joyful journey, filled with plenty of heart-wrenching ups and downs. It is a comforting story of hope that addresses mental health head on from an interesting insiders perspective.

Book Review: https://drizzleofjoyblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/20/closer-to-okay/

4/5 ⭐️
I received eARC from Netgalley for an honest review. Thank you Amy Watson and Alcove Press.

I have to say that I was nervous for this book, just as much as I was intrigued. As someone who works in the mental health field, I was drawn to see how the author was going to depict the journey that Kyle Davies went through and from the description, I was a bit anxious to read that the love interest was depicted as “a jerk with a heart of gold.”

The story follows Kyle Davies at the inpatient facility called that Hope House, after a suicide attempt. Kyle finds herself staring out the window into a coffee shop wondering, while finishing comfort in her consistent routine at the Hope House. One day, Kyle find the courage to go to the coffee shop and meets Jackson.

Without giving too much away, this is how the story unfolds. We find ourselves in Kyle’s head while learning how she views herself and her place in the world as well as her relationships with those around her. I found this to be a beautiful rendition of what it’s like to go through the hardships of life while not losing yourself to them. There are a lot of things that a person can go through and a lot of ups and downs they will have to survive. Through this story we see Kyle go through that and learn to care for herself in order to care for those around her.

There were times throughout the story that I wanted more of her relationships with those around her, but realistically what we see from Kyle is how this would happen for many people in her situation. When depression or anxiety become too much, it is hard to form relationships with those around us and to acknowledge those relationships that are present. There were times where I wanted to shake Kyle and tell her talk to Mary or Rebecca she’s there, she’s willing to listen, but unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and in situation like that forming relationships could mean forming trauma bonds.

I think that through this book we were able to see a very beautiful journey and a realistic depiction of how someone’s struggling with their mental health views the mental health system as well as seeing the main character actually fight what they’re going through.

This book was the right touch of sweet and serious!