A review by laurynsmith
This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.25

I received an arc of this book from NetGalley around a year ago and never picked it up (oops), but I am so glad that I finally did. This was such an original yet powerful premise. From page one, my heart was heavy, but I will say that it wasn't as sad and difficult to read as I anticipated it being. Leesa Cross-Smith writes about a difficult subject matter so effortlessly and I appreciated that we continued to learn more and more about Tallie and Emmett throughout the course of the novel. I also thought the author did a great job shedding light into the intersection of racism and mental health. I'll admit that the middle kind of lost me there, but the ending certainly made up for it and felt realistic in my opinion. I would definitely recommend you pick this up if you are looking for a character-driven book that makes you think, though make sure you are in the headspace for it!
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