Elissa Sussman has crafted something remarkably honest in Totally and Completely Fine, a contemporary romance that refuses to sugarcoat the complexities of grief while still delivering the emotional satisfaction readers crave. This isn’t your typical meet-cute romance—it’s a raw, authentic exploration of what it means to rebuild your life after devastating loss, wrapped in the warm embrace of small-town Montana charm and undeniable chemistry.
Lauren Parker is a masterfully drawn protagonist who feels refreshingly real in her imperfection. As a widowed single mother running a craft store in tiny Cooper, Montana, she’s been sleepwalking through life for three years since her husband Spencer’s death. Sussman captures the particular exhaustion of grief with stunning accuracy—the way it makes you feel disconnected from your own body, how it can make even simple decisions feel monumental. When Lauren meets the devastatingly charming actor Ben Walsh on the set of her brother’s movie, she experiences something she thought was lost forever: genuine desire.
The Magic of Sussman’s Prose Style
What immediately strikes you about Sussman’s writing is her ability to balance humor with heartbreak in the same breath. Lauren’s internal monologue crackles with wit even in her darkest moments. There’s something deeply comforting about her voice—sarcastic but never cruel, vulnerable but never pathetic. The author has a gift for creating dialogue that feels utterly natural, filled with the half-finished thoughts and comfortable interruptions that mark real relationships.
The dual timeline structure works beautifully, allowing us to understand Lauren’s relationship with Spencer without drowning in flashbacks. Sussman knows exactly when to pull us into the past and when to thrust us back into the present, creating a rhythm that mirrors how memory actually works when we’re grieving—unpredictable but ultimately purposeful.
Romance That Feels Earned
Ben Walsh could have easily been another too-good-to-be-true book boyfriend, but Sussman gives him genuine flaws and realistic responses to Lauren’s emotional walls. Their chemistry is electric from the first meeting, but more importantly, their emotional connection develops organically. Ben sees Lauren—really sees her—in a way that makes his interest feel authentic rather than convenient for the plot.
The steamy scenes between Lauren and Ben are particularly well-crafted, balancing heat with emotional vulnerability. Sussman understands that good romantic scenes aren’t just about physical attraction but about characters choosing to be vulnerable with each other. When Lauren allows herself to want Ben, it feels like a genuine breakthrough rather than a plot device.
Small-Town Life Done Right
Cooper, Montana, emerges as almost a character in its own right. Sussman avoids both the trap of making small-town life overly quaint and the opposite extreme of making it suffocating. Instead, she captures the real complexity of living somewhere where everyone knows your business—how it can be both comforting and claustrophobic, especially when you’re trying to heal from trauma.
The supporting cast enriches the story without overwhelming it. Allyson, Lauren’s best friend, provides the perfect sounding board with her sharp observations and unwavering loyalty. Thirteen-year-old Lena is written with remarkable authenticity—she’s genuinely struggling with her own grief while also being a typical teenager, a balance many authors struggle to achieve.
Where the Story Stumbles
While “Totally and Completely Fine” succeeds on many levels, it occasionally feels rushed in its resolution. The transformation of Lauren from emotionally shut-down to ready for love happens perhaps a bit too quickly, even with the groundwork Sussman lays. Some readers might find Ben’s near-perfection slightly unrealistic, though his genuine care for both Lauren and Lena helps ground the character.
The therapy subplot feels somewhat underdeveloped—while Lauren mentions attending sessions for three years, we don’t see much of this therapeutic work paying off in concrete ways. Given how central healing is to the story, this feels like a missed opportunity to show more of Lauren’s internal process.
The Heart of the Matter
What elevates Totally and Completely Fine above typical romance fare is its unflinching look at grief’s impact on every aspect of life. Sussman doesn’t shy away from showing how trauma affects parenting, friendships, and self-image. Lauren’s relationship with her mother-in-law, her complicated feelings about her late husband, and her struggles with her daughter all feel authentic and emotionally resonant.
The book’s title becomes meaningful as Lauren learns to accept herself as she is—messy, imperfect, still healing—rather than waiting to become some idealized version of herself before she can be worthy of love. It’s a powerful message wrapped in an engaging romance.
Sussman’s Place in the Romance Landscape
Following her previous successes with Funny You Should Ask and Once More with Feeling, Sussman continues to establish herself as a voice for authentic, character-driven romance. Her books consistently feature complicated women figuring out their lives, and she has a particular talent for writing about grief and healing without making the process seem easy or linear.
Readers who appreciate authors like Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, or Jasmine Guillory will find much to love in Sussman’s approach to contemporary romance. She writes with similar emotional intelligence while bringing her own distinctive voice to the genre.
Final Thoughts
Totally and Completely Fine succeeds because it trusts its readers to handle complexity. This isn’t a book about magically healing from trauma through the love of a good man—it’s about learning to live with loss while remaining open to new possibilities. Sussman has created a romance that feels grown-up in the best possible way, acknowledging that real healing takes time, work, and community.
While it may not reach the emotional heights of some romance classics, it offers something equally valuable: a story that feels true to the messy, complicated, ultimately hopeful reality of human resilience. For readers looking for romance that doesn’t shy away from life’s harder moments while still delivering genuine joy, this book delivers exactly what it promises.
Similar Reads You’ll Love
If Totally and Completely Fine resonated with you, consider these similar titles:
- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey – Small-town romance with emotional depth
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – Witty dialogue and genuine character growth
- Beach Read by Emily Henry – Writers finding healing and love
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang – Authentic characters navigating relationship challenges
- The Outcast Mage by Anna Campbell – Historical romance with grief themes
- The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – Healing from trauma through new relationships
- One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London – Body positivity and finding love as yourself
Sussman has delivered a romance that’s exactly what its title promises—totally and completely fine, in the most beautifully imperfect way possible.