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I requested and received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and then realized I never actually read “Funny You Should Ask,” so I read that quickly first and I’m so glad I did. I love the way the stories intertwine and then this book builds out the “after” of the first one.

This book is so strongly about grief and happiness and is incredibly emotional while still holding so much humor and joy. I really loved it, I love this little world and family that Elissa Sussman built, and I hope to see more of them.

First off - I think it is weird that this book isn't being marketed as part of a series with Funny You Should Ask because I think if you tried to read this as a standalone, you'd be missing a lot. There is a lot of timeline and character overlap between this book and FYSA. So yeah, definitely read FYSA first, then this book.

Ok, so Totally and Completely Fine is the story of Lauren's life in two alternating timelines (Then vs. Now). The Then portion details Lauren's life from childhood with all the ups and downs and grief and love through her marriage to Spencer, until his death three years prior to the Now timeline. In the Now timeline, Lauren is still numb from her loss and dealing with an angry teenage daughter when she meets Ben, a handsome, charming actor.

While this book does meet the genre conventions of a romance novel, this book is more about Lauren growing and developing from a grief-stricken preteen, to a wild teenager, to happy wife and mother, to struggling widow, to... well that's the question. I didn't walk away from this book knowing and understanding Ben or Spencer as well as I would have liked from a romance novel, but I still think it works with the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and also it made me cry a bunch, but in a cathartic way. There's a good cast of characters with a lot of depth, and the story is engaging. If you liked FYSA, you should definitely pick this one up.

This is a good summer beach read. She explores the limits we put on ourselves when we care what other people think or may say about us and how we can only be ourselves and happy when those limits are put aside. I will recommend this book to all my friends.

It has been three years since Lauren Parker lost her husband, but the grief is something that Lauren and her daughter are dealing with every day. While visiting her brother, Gabe, on set of his new movie Lauren is introduced to co-star Ben Walsh and sparks instantly fly. Is this something that could last or are the complications of small towns, fame, and grief going to keep this as a fling. I loved how realistic and honest the family dynamics and grief were handled. Although there was instant chemistry between Lauren and Ben, the development of their relationship felt authentic. This book was both fun and had a lot of depth to it. I loved this and want to go back and reread Funny You Should!


Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you asked Lauren Parker, she would tell you that she were totally and completely fine, but she really wasn't. Three years after the death of her husband, Lauren finds herself confronting her past and processing her grief and other feelings in an attempt to move her life forward.

I am always here for a good grief books, and I thought Sussman did an amazing job with that aspect of the story, but this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I cannot quite put my finger on why, but I do know that there were way more good than bad which lead to an overall positive reading experience.

- As with Sussman's other books, this book was packed with humor. I know, you're thinking - this is a grief book, but there really was a lot of funny moments. This resulted in a great balance for this story.

- I adored every character! Each character in this tale was well developed, and I found it easy to care for them. I especially loved Ben. He was like champagne bubbles in human form - totally effervescent. If he hadn't already won my heart during the set visit, I would have been unable to resist his charm during his Montana trip. He just had this huge heart and went all out to make everyone feel special.

- I was excited to catch up with old friends. Characters from Funny You Should Ask are very present in this story. It was such a treat to catch up with Chani, Gabe, and Oliver. This also presented parts of Gabe's story from a different point of view.

- Though this was Lauren's story, it was a healing journey for almost everyone involved. Lauren and Gabe never really processed their father's death, and none of the Parkers ever confronted Gabe about his addiction. With the death of Spencer, Gabe's best friend and Lauren's husband, it all seems to come to a head, pushing them to finally unpack that baggage.

Overall, I enjoyed being back in Cooper and accompanying the Parkers on their healing journey.

Totally and Completely Fine was okay! I sort of had mixed feelings about this book. I felt like there were a lot of things that weren't elaborated on. The story starts off very compellingly with Lauren discussing her grief. Lauren and her daughter's grief are a focal point of their character arcs; however, that storyline just didn't feel as developed as it should have been. The story is also told in then and now chapters. I enjoyed the mix of past and present and thought the chapters flowed nicely. I liked how Spencer and Lauren's timeline was shared in the past chapters. The present chapters focus on Lauren's relationship with Ben. Their relationship wasn't super developed. I wanted more relationship building between them. I wanted to see more conversational scenes between them. Individually, Lauren and Ben were fine! I thought the mentions of Ben being bisexual were overdone. Like jeez, we get it. You don't have to mention it every other chapter. Over time, I did find myself getting frustrated with Lauren's wishy-washy behavior towards Ben. As someone who didn't grow up in a super small town, I tried not to be too judgy on Lauren's reluctance to date Ben in town. The small Montana town setting was another one of those things that didn't feel developed. I still didn't understand Lauren's reasons for wanting to stay in a place she often thinks negatively on. The theater storyline was a creative way to bring Ben and Lauren together. I wish that storyline was expanded on more. It felt pretty non-existent until the 80% mark. The writing was decent and easy to follow. The only complaint I have about the writing is the use of "molesting" to describe things. Going into this novel, I didn't realize it was a companion novel to Funny You Should Ask. Readers don't need to read that book to follow along with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC.

Sussman brings the reader a story of love, grief and a found family in Totally and Completely Fine. The authenticity of this love story, and the steps it takes to embrace the ability to love again tore at my heart. I rooted for Ben and Lauren in this reverse age gap romance. The small town in Montana is not immune to the trials of life - addiction, loss and family drama.

Both siblings, Lauren and Gabe, find their happily ever after as each overcomes the demons blocking their path to love. Ben's wise beyond his years and his patience to let Lauren find her way to him had me clutching my heart. His thoughtful words resonated throughout the book.

"I don't mind the pain," he said, "it reminds me that I still have a heart to break." - gosh grab the tissues during this scene!

HUGE fan of this author as I've had this book on preorder January '24. It will adorn my shelves with her other books.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell

First things first, I really do love Elissa Sussman. I really liked her other two books and kinda had a bias that I was going to enjoy this one going into it and I did.
Unfortunately though, I liked her other books a little bit more.
My main reason for this one falling a bit short was just the relationship between Ben and Lauren. There was definitely chemistry, but it didn’t always feel genuine. I like them together but wish there was a bit more of a slow burn. It seems like the parts of this story I enjoyed the most were the parts about Gabe and Chani, the two main characters in Funny You Should Ask (which was a five star read for me)

But I will give the author praise for the way she does dual timelines. They’re always done well, in an interesting manner, and I appreciated getting to see the beginnings of her relationship with Spencer, rather than just the aftermath of his passing. I love the touches on grief and being a widow and single parent, and I truly loved all the characters in this story as well, which is something I seem to say about every Elissa Sussman book I read.

Ultimately, it was a good read and I would recommend it. I smiled, laughed, and cried, which is really all you can ask for out of a book, but it just fell ever so slightly flat for me.

This story follows Lauren as she grapples life and relationships after the death of her husband Spencer while alternating a timeline to show us their love story before the tragedy.
I felt like this book really had some beautiful lines about what it feels like to grieve. I felt like the insta-love for Ben was way too much and felt unrealistic. What I really valued was the Lauren and Spencer timeline. I almost wished this book excluded the Ben timeline and just left us with Spencer.

I loved the brief bit of Lauren we got in Funny You Should Ask, so was so excited for the chance to read TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY FINE early. This delivered on what I’ve come to expect from an Elissa Sussman novel — well-drawn character inferiority, strong interpersonal relationship development, and a swoooony hero. I loved Ben and Lauren’s relationship, but the real star of the show here was her relationship with her daughter and meditations on grief and moving on after the death of a spouse.

This story goes down easily, the writing is smooth and the story line is generally relatable and enjoyable. I enjoyed various settings and thought the mother-daughter relationship to be especially well drawn. I know Elissa Sussman's fans will be pelased.

I started this book with the intention of finishing it over a few days of vacation, but Totally and Completely Fine totally sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. This is the first novel I've read in one sitting in a long time.

Sussman deftly handles the topic of grief in a way that feels authentic and true, while still establishing a sense of hope and romance with her main characters, exploring the relationship between parent and teen, and revisiting favorite characters from Funny You Should Ask.

I laughed, I sobbed, I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. finishing it.

Lauren is a widow raising her teenage daughter in a small Montana town, her brother also happens to be a famous movie star. While visiting him on set she meets and connects with a younger up and coming actor. I really wanted to love this book I loved her last novel but this one was a bit of a miss for me. I didn't really connect with the main character and didn't really get into the relationship between the two main characters. I did enjoy the dual timeline showing her relationship with her deceased husband and I enjoyed their relationship more than the one that was the focus of the book. Would still recommend and I will continue to read what Elissa Sussman writes this just wasn't my favorite. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing this e-arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own 🩷

GUYS. RUN don’t walk to this book. This is definitely my favorite book of Elissa Sussman by far. I loved all of the depth of the story with Lauren, her daughter Lena, Ben, and GABE! I loved that she expanded on the world from Funny You Should Ask (Gabe was from her first book and Lauren is his sister)

Overall, I highly recommend this book and other Elissa Sussman books as well!

very fun and interesting book with some awesome plotting and some very good vibes. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

So yeah, you’re gonna cry at this one. It’s very grief-forward so you really need to be in the right mindset going in. Initially I wasn’t and had to set it down but the prose is Sussman at her best and the characters are wonderful. You’ll recognize more than a couple If you’ve read her debut, Funny You Should Ask.

I also think that while this is marketed as a romance it’s more of a women’s fic with strong romantic elements. Those looking for steam or lots of romance may find this focuses more towards the internal arc of healing and wading through grief with a side of hot movie star hero.

This was a beautiful ode to love, loss, and the beauty in both, but is not your next frothy beach read. This is the type of book that should be consumed in a cabin in the woods with moody grey clouds, a weighted blanket, and a warm beverage.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
My favorite part of this book was the way Elissa Sussman portrayed grief and how she showed the grieving process through her characters. For me, the love story actually took a bit of a back seat. I enjoyed the reverse age gap dynamic between celebrity star Ben and widowed single mom Lauren, and while their relationship was sweet, I wished we got a little more backstory on Ben. Their chemistry wasn’t off the charts, but it was still enjoyable. One of my favorite characters was Lena, Lauren’s daughter, a young teen navigating both loss and her identity as a young queer girl. I also loved the crossover with Gabe and Chani from Funny You Should Ask. I got really emotional toward the end and highlighted so many beautiful quotes. Pick this one up when you’re ready for an emotional romance and don’t forget the tissues.

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
🎥Celebrity romance
💕Second chances
⏪Reverse age gap
❤️‍🩹Navigating grief
😢Emotional
🏳️‍🌈LGBT rep
🏠Small town vibes
🔄Dual timelines

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: Death of a spouse, Death of parent.

❤️‍🩹𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾❤️‍🩹
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕Q U O T E: “𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃'𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹. 𝐼 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓂𝓎𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝑜𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝑒.”

🙏 Thank you NetGalley, Dell Romance, and Elissa Sussman for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

Lauren Parker is weighed down in grief having lost her husband in a car accident three years ago. She’s struggling to parent her teenage daughter, Lena, and discover who they are as a family on the other side of loss. Then enters Ben, the first spark of attraction she’s felt since her husband died. The only issue? Ben is much younger than Lauren and also a famous movie star. Surely he’s not interested in moving to Montana to help Lauren run her bookstore and parent her daughter?

I’m a big fan of Elissa Sussman. I loved her last novel Once More with Feeling. Like in her previous two novels Sussman really shines when she writes chemistry — even as I struggle with Lauren and Ben’s somewhat unbelievable immediate attraction because “we both like cooking,”their chemistry is frothy and so fun to read. The story alternates between their budding romance and flashbacks to Lauren’s childhood and falling in love with her now deceased husband, Spencer. In this way, the story is a lot more about Lauren‘s grief, having also lost her father when she was a teenager.

Lauren’s progress through grief is so compelling and central, I don’t feel as invested in the love story between her and Ben. Sure, I want them to be together and I enjoy Ben’s “I-wear-all-black-and-drive-a-motorcycle-while-making-friends-with-everyone-in-town” vibe, but I feel like the story was built to answer the question— will Lauren be able to move on, to keep growing and changing as she accepts her husband’s death? The flashbacks of her love story with her husband pull me out of the present day so much that it is hard to really root for Lauren and Ben. I see how opening herself to love again allows some part of Lauren to heal, but even in that sentence it’s more about Lauren growing than her specifically loving Ben.

Another big aspect of the story is Lauren’s relationship with her daughter Lena. Lauren is struggling to solo parent her teenage daughter, and those were difficult scenes to read. Lauren is almost entirely reactive to her daughter and doesn’t seem to think proactively. Maybe this is also because of her grief, but her stubbornly independent and unemotional exterior really work against her clear desire to be a good mom at times.

Also, it was an unexpected surprise to me that Lauren‘s brother is Gabe Parker, the Chris Evans celebrity stand-in from her first novel (Funny You Should Ask). And the events of both novels take place at the same time. I don’t think you need to read her first novel to enjoy this one on its own, but the crossover was a fun addition.

In the end I enjoyed this risks this novel took, even if I’m left feeling more sad and conflicted than how I usually feel at the end of a romance. My warning would be to any fans of her previous books that this one is very different. A book that feels in a similar in the way it deals heavily with grief would be “How to Write a Love Story” by Yulin Kuang.

Thank you so much to Random House and Ballantine and NetGalley for the chance to read this much anticipated novel! I received an ARC for my honest review.

"If I've learned anything, It's that the heart is a miraculous, resilient thing. It's capable of so much. It can even expand if we give it the chance."

Elissa Sussman is incredible at writing romance and drama filled stories, that keep me hooked. This one was no different, only in the way that the tears I shed made this book so special to me. With the not so fresh cuts of grief Lauren has, she doesn't know what her life is now, full of just mindless day to day living, until her brother invites her to a shoot, and it's when she meets Ben Walsh, a famous actor, in which awes Lauren in more than his good looks.

Ben brings such a light to Lauren and her daughter Lena who were struck by grief and I just think that Sussman did more than an incredible job at writing grief and a second chance, not of love, but life.

With being struck with grief myself, this book was real and visceral feelings, this story was so real and touching in so many ways, and I am so happy to have read Elissa's most recent work.

Thank you to PRH Ballentine for an early review copy.

In "Totally and Completely Fine", Lauren Parker is a grieving widower trying to juggle having a teenage daughter. When she's invited to her brother's movie set, she meets his co-star, Ben Walsh. The book follows their romance as they navigate Ben's younger age and successful career, with Lauren's small town life. The book is a good examination of grief and growing up. Readers will enjoy the queer elements.