Wednesday, January 6, 2021

This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith






Rating: 5+ of 5 stars
Pages: 320 pages
Published: February 2021

I'll say it again: Welcome to 2021! Now, this is how to start the year reading. This Close to Okay is my first read by author Leesa Cross-Smith, and I think I am in love. In this deeply-moving novel, she shares a story about two strangers who meet at a pivotal time in both their lives. Both Tallie and Emmett are struggling with some demons and attempting to deal with them mentally and physically. A chance meeting leads to them spending a three-day weekend together and learning about each other and more about themselves. 

This is one of those books that you have to enjoy the journey. At only 320 pages, the book may seem short, but there's so much to unpack, it is best to consume it slowly and let it sit with you a while. I found Cross-Smith's writing to be thoughtful, thorough and descriptive. Some passages were so vivid I could truly picture the scenes and the characters as she proffered them. To me, this is a wonderful talent. And I must say she wrote in such a descriptive way, not to sell movie rights (although I'd love to see it on screen), but rather to truly ignite a reader's imagination. 

Recommendation: This book was wonderful. You want to learn how it all ends, but the prose is too beautiful to rush. I savored this book like a rich piece of cheesecake. Its purchase pushed me into BFF status with BOTM, and it was a good buy. I highly recommend it - so much so that I plan to re-visit it, something I rarely do with books but often with cheesecake! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.









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