This Close to Okay By Leesa Cross-Smith
Sistah Girls, This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith opens with a recently divorced Tallie driving home on her way home from work.
It’s a regular Thursday night, it’s raining hard so she has to drive slow, and while driving across a bridge she notices a man is on the opposite side of the rails about to jump to his death.
Tallie is also a therapist, her instincts kick in and she pulls over to stop this stranger from ending his life. She learns that Emmitt is his name and he has nowhere to go so she invites him to come to stay with her for the weekend at her home. This all happens in the first few pages–Sis if you need a reason to read this novel I have five of them…
This Story Will Make You Think Deeply
From the very first page, you’re pulled into the story and you can’t help but wonder if you saw someone who was about to jump to their death what would you do?
Would you pull over? What if it’s a setup and they planned it so they could rob the person who came to help? If you call the police but don’t say anything to the person it might be too late?
There are so many times where I stopped and questioned what I would do while reading this story.
The Writing
Let me tell y’all something, the writing is like a fine wine–it got better with each page. Leesa Cross-Smith was able to capture sadness, grief, love, anger, heartbreak, and forgiveness in such a gentle way. She made room for both Tallie and Emmett to fully express themselves without making the reader choose.
Mental Health
We talk about mental health a lot but we rarely dive into what someone (especially a Black man) looks like when they are in crisis. Cross was able to show the full scope of what someone battling mental illness looks like on a regular day.
She humanized and took down the barrier that so many people put up when discussing mental illness due to stereotypes.
Secrets
There are so many secrets, while reading I was sitting on the edge of my seat trying to figure out when everyone was going to discover the truth. Everyone was holding a secret and nobody was innocent. As you read you begin to realize that what might be a small secret to you is very big to someone else.
Emotional Rollercoaster
From the very first page until the last page you are on an emotional rollercoaster. Two complete strangers are trying to mend their hearts while also trying to save each other.
Every time I thought I was safe something else happened that made my heart skip a beat. You will be pulled into Tallie and Emmett’s world and once the story is over you will find yourself thinking about them and wondering if they are okay.
Sis, I’m telling you this book is worth reading! If you take the journey be sure to tell me if you enjoyed the story in the comments.
Click HERE, to read our full book review.
![Interview With Author and Executive Producer Miasha Coleman [Audio + Video]](https://shareehereford.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/YouTube-Pics--45x45.jpg){kind=small}
