Book Summary and Reviews of This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

Book Summary

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.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. This Close to Okay alternates between Tallie and Emmett's points of view. How does this narrative choice affect your reading of the story and your understanding of the characters?
2. "She knew healing-if and when it happened-happened in increments, the same sneaky way the days got longer and shorter. Barely noticeable at times, slow" (page 137). What are some of the pivotal moments in this gradual healing process, for both Tallie and Emmett?
3. What are Tallie and Emmett's coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, and grief? What kind of support systems do they each have in their lives, both before and after the events of the novel? Where do these support systems fall short of their needs?
4. When Tallie says Emmett seems like ...