This Close to Okay: A Novel
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Description
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.
Longlisted for the 2022 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award
Longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Awards
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, She Reads, and Real Simple
Recommended by Refinery29, Shondaland, Oprah Daily, Washington Post, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Electric Literature, Bookriot, Parade, Harper's Bazaar, and more
Book Information
Posts
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death
Description
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.
Longlisted for the 2022 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award
Longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Awards
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, She Reads, and Real Simple
Recommended by Refinery29, Shondaland, Oprah Daily, Washington Post, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Electric Literature, Bookriot, Parade, Harper's Bazaar, and more
Book Information
Posts
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death
I listened to the audiobook and finished this in one sitting. Somehow I didn't really know what bothered me about the book, but after reading some reviews I think I'll be able to put it in words. To start with the positive things, I really liked that it talked about suicide, mental health and therapy as I'm working with clients who suffer from mental health issues as well. But I'm not a therapist - maybe that's why something about Tallie and the descriptions of her work felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. I also liked that it wasn't the typical romance story - at some point I was afraid it would exactly be that. Also I normally don't read/listen to books in one sitting, so this is an exception and shows that I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Like I said - something about Tallie, but also Emmett, felt off. I didn't like the invading of privacy and especially Tallies chapters didn't feel like she was 40 years old. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy the ending. I didn't like the big reveal regarding Emmett (I wasn't very suprised and it didn't do anything for me emotionally). I didn't like the pacing and the way the ending was told. I didn't like how the romance situation ended, it feld kind of too easy? I just didn't like it and it felt very unsatisfying to me. ~3.5 Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, mental illness death of loved ones, child death