BOOK OF THE MONTH DECEMBER PICK * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BOOK CLUB FEBRUARY PICK * MARIE CLAIRE BOOK CLUB MARCH PICK * MOST ANTICIPATED BY ELLE, TODAY (ACCORDING TO GOODREADS), THE MILLIONS, SHEREADS, AND REAL SIMPLE * RECOMMENDED BY REFINERY29, SHONDALAND, GLAMOUR, ELECTRIC LITERATURE, BOOKRIOT, PARADE, HARPER’S BAZAAR, AND MOREA powerful, vibrant novel about the life-changing weekend shared between … SHONDALAND, GLAMOUR, ELECTRIC LITERATURE, BOOKRIOT, PARADE, HARPER’S BAZAAR, AND MORE
A powerful, vibrant novel about the life-changing weekend shared between two strangers, from the award-winning writer Roxane Gay calls “a consummate storyteller.”
On a rainy October night in Kentucky, recently divorced therapist Tallie Clark is on her way home from work when she spots a man precariously standing at the edge of a bridge. Without a second thought, Tallie pulls over and jumps out of the car into the pouring rain. She convinces the man to join her for a cup of coffee, and he eventually agrees to come back to her house, where he finally shares his name: Emmett.
Over the course of the emotionally charged weekend that follows, Tallie makes it her mission to provide a safe space for Emmett, though she hesitates to confess that this is also her day job. What she doesn’t realize is that Emmett isn’t the only one who needs healing—and they both are harboring secrets.
Alternating between Tallie and Emmett’s perspectives as they inch closer to the truth of what brought Emmett to the bridge’s edge—as well as the hard truths Tallie has been grappling with since her marriage ended—This Close to Okay is an uplifting, cathartic story about chance encounters, hope found in unlikely moments, and the subtle magic of human connection.
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This novel is a whole mood. Cozy, contemplative, compassionate, hopeful (even in moments of sadness and regret—oh, the regret), and ultimately forgiving. Leesa Cross-Smith has given us two characters thrown together by a chance encounter and shown us the hard, messy, and beautiful sides of trying to do the right thing. Which is what we’re all trying to do every day, isn’t it?
Enjoyed every minute of this book. Characters were very entertaining. Would recommend in a second.
Tallie Clark is a 40-year old therapist with her own practice in Kentucky. She’s recently divorced after a 10-year marriage to a man she thought she’d be with the rest of her life. But Joel is remarried to the woman he cheated on her with and they have the baby she thought they’d have together.
One rainy Thursday evening as she’s crossing the bridge over the Ohio River, she sees a man climb over the railing, clearly preparing to jump. She gets his attention and convinces him to stop and join her in her car. They go for coffee as she attempts to get him to talk, anything to disrupt his apparent plan to end his life. He’s not giving up much information but finally agrees to accompany her back to her house and tells her his name, Emmett. Tallie and Emmett spend the entire weekend together, she trying to give him a safe space and him grappling with the wreckage of his life.
What an extraordinary story this turned out to be! I was expecting it to follow some of the traditional patterns you’d normally find in these type situations but there’s nothing predictable here, not in the characters or in the telling. Both Tallie and Emmett share their most inner feelings with each other while harboring secrets about themselves, primarily what she does for a living and what really pushed him to the edge of that bridge. The writing is simply extraordinary, lyrical and poetic at times and deeply honest and raw at others. What’s abundantly clear is their finding each other was serendipitous, and that’s an understatement.
I had the hardcover edition but switched to the audio version when it became available at my library. I loved the narrators as their interpretations of their respective characters did justice to the eloquent writing. Tallie was a lovely, generous soul who was the sign Emmett was seeking and he did just as much to heal what was broken in her. This was a tender story that I could have listened to forever.
(Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
I found this book on BookBub’s recommended for me list and I bought it immediately, intrigued. It was in my summer reading stack, but it called to me. I read it in two days; didn’t want to put it down. I just had to know what happened to Tallie and Emmett. I was lost in their world and didn’t want to leave.
The book is so much more than the description. It’s about humanity, love, caring, and empathy. It’s an example of what could be if only we took care of each other, despite our flaws. It’s honest, raw, and poignant.
Tallie is a role model for women and girls, compassionate, full of emotions, and strong. She is unwaveringly her own person. Yet, she’s vulnerable and sweet. And hurting.
This Close to Okay is written from two points of view, which is not easy to do. It’s done well. Having a window into both worlds gives us insights that allow us to see Tallie’s and Emmett’s hurt, vulnerabilities, and perspectives. I came to appreciate them both.
I savored the book, the slow way it unfolded secrets, lies, and truths using vivid, tantalizing descriptions. The characters – all of them – are so real, their interactions brought to life with such imaginative writing that I felt like I was right there with them.
The ending is satisfying, offering hope and anticipation. It wasn’t what I hoped for or expected, but that’s great, because it’s even better.
May is mental health awareness month. I 100% recommend reading this book in May. I’m glad I didn’t wait until summer.
And, I’m recommending it to my family and friends. It now holds a dominate spot on display in my bookcase, too.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4
This was an interesting story about two people who needed someone to talk to and help get through some issues. It started off a little slower, but I was intrigued to see where this would lead! It picks up a little after halfway, and what I was imagining was the reasoning for everything was not what I was expecting!
I enjoyed reading from both perspectives, and I thought this really added to the telling of this story. I wish we knew more about Emmett’s background sooner, but I guess the reader finding out when Tallie did made it more dramatic!
I don’t know how I feel about the ending. I’m not sure where I wanted this story to go. Even though it was a little slower paced for me, it was still an easy (language and writing level) read. It may take some longer to read due to the heaviness of the theme of the book and may need to take breaks to read.
I loved this book from the beginning to the end. The story of Tallie and Emmett touched my heart.
Tallie is on her way home from work, when she notices a man on a bridge in the rain about to jump. She is a therapist and stops to help him. She invites him for coffee to talk and then to her home for the weekend. His name is Emmett. This book alternates between Tallie and Emmett and I feel you get the whole story that way. I didn’t agree with how Tallie was portrayed. Some of her thoughts were on the teenager side of things. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
This Close to Okay is a compelling and heart-wrenching story of two people who accidentally meet when they are at their lowest and help each other heal. Tallie and Emmett meet when Tallie while driving home, sees Emmett on the bridge poised to jump. She jumps out of the car and starts talking to him, trying to stop him. She ends up inviting this stranger to her home. They spend three days together, getting to know each other and learning each other’s secrets. This Close to Okay is an emotional and moving novel about loss, grief, and human connection. It was my first book by this author, and I am looking forward to reading more from her.
TW: mental illness, suicide, suicidal ideation, death of a loved one, infertility, infidelity, racism.
Leesa Cross-Smith has written an intensely moving story about two strangers who meet under odd circumstances at just the right time for both of them. It’s a chance meeting that will change both of their lives in ways they both desperately need. These two couldn’t be any more different, but at that moment, they are two souls who need the acceptance each can offer. I literally read this book in one sitting; I could not put it down. Smith’s writing style was easy to follow, and I felt her characters’ pain in each word. I felt the hope and joy as they realized that possibly there was more to be had in this life.
The story is told in dual POV by Tallie and Emmett. Tallie is a therapist who finds Emmett about to jump off the bridge into the Ohio river on her way home from work. She stops and talks him down, and he leaves with her. They end up spending a weekend together that changes their lives forever. Much happens in the weekend, and I couldn’t stop reading because I was eager to find out what would happen. It didn’t end the way I was hoping, but the author chose an ending that was better and right. This is all I will say so as not to give anything away.
This is a story about losing everything you’ve ever wanted and having the strength to reach out for help. It’s a story about offering a hand to strangers when they need help, even when you need help yourself. And finally, it’s a story about letting go. I will be thinking about this for a long time. I gave it four and a half stars, rounded up to five. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this touching book. #netgalley #ThisCloseToOkay