The title of the book best describes how I felt about it – it was fine.

Half the book is flashbacks following her relationship with her deceased husband, which ends up being the better romance story IMO. It does a huge disservice to the current timeline and getting me to feel anything between Lauren and Ben. They didn’t seem to have much of a connection beyond lust either.

The current timeline also seemed more focused on grief and identity than romance. I would categorize this book more as Women’s Fiction vs. Romance.

I really liked Funny You Should Ask, but it’s been so long since I’ve read it that it took me awhile to realize the two books were connected. I probably would have enjoyed the parts with Gabe and Chani more if I’d figured that out sooner and remembered the plot from Funny.

Overall, I didn't dislike the book, but it didn't do much for me either. It was totally and completely fine.

The chemistry between the main characters felt forced and pace was too fast/unrealistic. Liked the connection to Gabe from author's first book.

~NetGalley Arc~
I love anything Elissa Sussman writes, and this was the same! I enjoyed this read! Thank you!

3.5 stars rounded up. I really really loved Funny You Should Ask and this felt like a decent sequel to it. I don’t know that I would have enjoyed this book on its own. I did not really click with the MC, Lauren, but I fell in love with all the side characters in FYSA so I really enjoyed reading more about them.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I love Elissa Sussman and while this was not my favorite of hers, it was still enjoyable.

Lauren used to be a wild child...then she falls in love with her brother's best friend. They marry, have a family, then he is tragically killed. Now she is widowed and trying to find her way in this new identity. Her brother, Gabe, is a famous actor who is working with another super star actor, Ben.
Lauren and Ben (who is younger and has a reputation) hit it off. An instant connection and chemistry. What starts off as a fling turns into something more. But can the two bypass labels and small-town minds and all the gossip? The book is told in two timelines: one in the present day, and one with Lauren's relationship with her husband Spencer.

Most of this book I enjoyed, however, if I read one more time about Ben being bisexual...ugh. That did absolutely nothing for the story in my opinion and if I had my way it would not have been included. Other than that, it was totally and completely fine! I look forward to Sussman's next book as always.

4 stars

Totally and Completely Fine did the job of an easy and quick read. While there are elements of grief that several characters worked through, most of the storyline centered around the developing relationship of Lauren and Ben. I was hoping for more complexity and character development, hence a three star review. If you’re looking for an entertaining, easy read told in then-now interwoven timelines, this one is for you!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the romance in this story. The only issue is that the back and forth of the timeline felt confusing at first and it kept throwing me out of the story. The grief was handled with care and the side characters added to the story. I enjoyed

This author always delivers the depth and emotional substance to her romance. I loved this unique take on a celebrity romance,

This was one of my most anticipated reads for the summer! Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman is one of my favorite reads of the last few years, so I was so excited to get back into that world. One of my favorite tropes will always be celebrity dating a "normal person" and I think Sussman does a great job at telling these stories. I love the way she writes character development. I wish I personally related more to Ben and Lauren, and that's why I cannot give this 5 stars. I truly had a great time reading though and as always I will be looking forward to the next novel from Sussman.

Elissa Sussman has officially cemented herself in my top 10 list of must-read authors—I’ll pick up anything she publishes. I love how she consistently gives a strong, authentic voice to Jewish characters and sets her stories against the glitzy, messy backdrop of the entertainment world. Totally and Completely Fine brings us Lauren’s story—yes, that Lauren, sister of Gabe (the MMC from Funny You Should Ask). While Gabe and Chani make cameo appearances, you can absolutely read this one as a standalone. Lauren has been living a quiet small-town life in Montana while her brother thrives in Hollywood, until Gabe introduces her to his co-star, Ben. Their instant chemistry, tangled family dynamics, and Lauren’s journey of growth into the person she’s meant to be made this one of my favorite reads of the year.

#NetGalley #ElissaSussman #TotallyandCompletelyFine #RandomHouseBallantine #booktok #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookish #bookworm #reading #bookreview #bookaddict #booknerd #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #romancebooks #bookblogger #romance #bookshelf #bibliophile #reader #bookrecs #kindleunlimited #booksofinstagram #bookclub #bookphotography #booklovers #realtorreads #soldbyjori #livingonthehill

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & NetGalley for this e-arc.

I thought this book was amazing. The characters were wonderful, the pace of the book was excellent, and I had a great time reading this.

This novel was heartfelt and really dives into just how messy but amazing starting over, love, & grief are. I felt so many emotions throughout this read and it is one that will stick with me. If you plan on reading this baby, well make sure you have tissues handy. The water works were happening! I enjoyed Funny You Should Ask but Totally and Completely Fine really captured me. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

This was a read that made me feel all of the feelings; I hadn't had a good cry from a book in a while and this one got me. Elissa Sussman gave such a beautiful, real depiction of grief that somehow encapsulated something that seems so difficult to put into words.

I loved the characters. They all felt fully developed and fleshed-out and I was rooting for all of them (except Diana and Carl...they can choke) as the story unfolded. The depiction of Lauren and Lena's tumultuous mother-daughter relationship that was complicated by grief was cutting and grabbed right at my heart. I loved how unashamed Ben was at going after who he wanted and I also loved the inclusion of Allyson because adult female friendships are so underrated and I'm glad we got so much of her! Also, it was so nice to see Gabe and Chani again since it had been a minute since I read Funny You Should Ask.

The pacing felt truly medium. Nothing really dragged but I wish the conclusion had been little longer because it felt slightly abrupt. However, I am a sucker for a dual timeline so I LOVED that we got to see Lauren's story with Spencer intertwined with her story with Ben. It made every emotion feel so real and honest. And when we got the last chapter from Then where we finally got the confirmation that Lauren also said "I love you" back? I had to sit my Kindle down and cry for a minute. I was so glad we got to see that moment.

I'd recommend reading the content warnings but I will definitely recommend this when someone wants something deeply emotional and overall, very hopeful. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review!

3.5 ⭐️
I liked this book much better than Funny You Should Ask (which, weirdly, this is a companion book for– why did I not know that?) I thought the pacing was a little better and I liked the open communication between everyone. However, I found the level of open/closed door to be inconsistent throughout the book, and there were a few times where I left like there was simply way too much going on. That's life, I get it, but I was getting a little jumbled. Overall, though, if you liked FYSA (or even if you didn't), this is a good follow up.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🏍️

Loved Elissa Sussman and was really looking forward to this one! I loved the dual timeline and seeing her fall in love twice. This one really exceeded my expectations!

3/5 I wanted to love this book. I loved her past work and I was hoping for the same kind of connected story that made me not be able to put it down. But it fell a little flat for me. The characters felt hollow, and while the storyline had potential, it lacked the same kind of magic that her past books had woven for me.

I quite enjoyed this book. I think there were certain things that I didn’t really connect with but overall, I think this was a really lovely and heart-wrenching exploration of grief and love.

Going between ‘now’ and ‘then’, this book explores Lauren’s relationship with her late husband and her current romance with her brother’s friend and colleague, actor Ben Walsh. The flash back scenes really focus on the Lauren and Spencer (said late husband) of it all. I honestly really really enjoyed these scenes, there was just so much love and friendship and joy there and it really helped with understanding Lauren’s grief because honestly, I was wrecked too.

I really enjoyed the relationships in this book. I think the characters were all so interesting and well crafted and thought out. I do think that I would have liked to see some more development between Lauren and Ben, their relationship did seem a little bit more attraction driven but I did truly enjoy the moments they were vulnerable with each other.

I really enjoyed her daughter’s character, she was so sassy and interesting and I loved her character arc. I really loved Lauren and her best friend’s relationship, I really love seeing more of Lauren and Gabe’s relationship, I think their sibling bond is so cute and honestly finding out more about Spencer really made that all the more sweeter.

This was just a well thought out, really interesting look into how messy managing grief can be, I think it was handled really well and I loved all the LOVE in this book ugh. SO good.

Cute novel about a pair of siblings and neither is totally and completely fine! The sister is struggling in the wake of her husband's death and the brother is struggling with alcohol and his career as a movie star.

I looooooovvvveeeee Funny You Should Ask, so the bar going into this book was pretty high. And while it didn’t match the first book, I was still able to enjoy it as its own thing. Perhaps more women’s fiction than romance, this is the story of a widowed mother trying to find herself again amidst her grief.

I picked up this book expecting a lighthearted romantic comedy, but it quickly turned into an explicit recounting of a fling involving the FMC’s deceased husband. What made it even more uncomfortable was how openly they discussed their sex life in front of teenagers—it completely ruined the experience for me.

The main character, a woman in her 40s, behaves unrealistically around a younger male actor, acting as though she’s never interacted with a man before. Her immediate objectification of him, starting their first interaction by referencing his title as “People’s Sexiest Man Alive”, felt cringeworthy and inappropriate. If the roles were reversed, with a 40-year-old man speaking this way about a younger woman, it would likely face significant backlash.

While I support female empowerment and reclaiming narratives, this book crossed a line for me. Additionally, I found some of the language used about Christianity disrespectful. It’s possible to be inclusive and push for LGBTQ+ representation without dismissing others’ beliefs.