Reviews with content warning for Child death - This Close to Okay

What's stellar is the immediate sense of living in the moment of each protagonist's story. Both leave a visceral mark on the reader's investment of how they came together and what that leaves behind. This is a book one might take delight in devouring over a slow weekend, unpacking the complexities of the human mind and spirit. Leesa Cross-Smith has the ability to place you into the world she's created, as if you are a neighboring character witnessing the development of the story as it unfolds.

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jennastopreading's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I received this book in a giveaway shortly after it published and my biggest regret surrounding it was waiting so long to read it.

This book is mostly set in Louisville, KY, the city I spent the first 23 years of my life in, and this helped me connect to the story right out the gates, but the characters and their soul did the rest. Tallie has to be one of the most uniquely intriguing fictional women that I've ever read. She's emotionally intelligent, kind hearted, independent, and successful. In another life, maybe I could be more like her when I grew up. On a rainy night in October, she stops when she sees a man about to jump off a bridge into the Ohio River, and in turn, her world changes forever.

Instead of calling 9-1-1 or giving up, she brings the man she affectionately starts off referring to as "Bridge" into her home, and he makes his way into her heart. As a reader, this was a lyrical story of respect, connection, and mutual adoration unfolding between two strangers. As Tallie and Bridge get to know one another, and the layers of the onion of each of their stories are peeled back, I grew more and more attached to both of them.

A fantastic story by Leesa Cross-Smith that left me with goosebumps and a lump in my throat. I will absolutely be reading more of her work in the future!

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kwurtzel3's review

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

3.0

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kwestlovee's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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scorttarius's review

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. It had all my emotions out on front street and I loved every second of it. I wasn’t too excited about the ending but I think it was a good ending for the book.

I was immediately wrapped up and fell in love with the characters (except Joel he can choke😂🤭) it definitely makes you think about how we operate life and makes you kind of wonder what would you do?

My big take away from this is just to love life even if it’s the little things because they can become the big things

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