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Jen Michalski

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You'll Be Fine Kindle Edition

by Jen Michalski (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 46 ratings

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After her mother dies of an accidental overdose, Alex takes leave from her job as a writer for a Washington, DC, lifestyle magazine to return home to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. There, she joins her brother Owen, a study in failure-to-launch, in sorting out their mother’s whimsical and often self-destructive life.

Alex has proposed to her editor that while she is home she profile Juliette Sprigg, her former high school fling, owner of a wildly popular local restaurant, and celebrity chef in the making.

While working on the story and trying for a second chance with Juliette, Alex meets Carolyn Massey, editor of the town newspaper, and wonders if there’s more to life than reheating leftovers.

Enter Alex and Owen’s Aunt Johanna, who arrives from Seattle to help with arrangements. When Johanna reveals a family secret, Alex may have to accept her family for who they are rather than who she hoped they would be. And just maybe apply the same philosophy to her heart and herself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An enjoyable story about an adult tryingto grow up." - Kirkus Reviews

"You'll Be Fine is a highlyrecommended read for lesbian women, women struggling with diverse familymakeups and interests, and those who simply want a compelling story oftransformation and acceptance." - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, MidwestBook Review

"Quite simply: I fell in love with thisstory." - Bookvark

"You'll Be Fine is a painful and hilarious excavation of queerordinariness, the atomization and reconstitution of family, and the messinessof survival. I'll be thinking about Michalski's vivid characters for a longtime." - Rahne Alexander, authorof Heretic to Housewife

"Jen Michalski's finest novel todate." - James Magruder, author of VampUntil Ready

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09BG9F8MD
Publisher ‏ : ‎ NineStar Press (August 2, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 2, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 640 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 345 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,880,820 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #8,547 in Lesbian Fiction
- #10,815 in LGBTQ+ Genre Fiction (Books)
- #28,477 in Contemporary Women's Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.2 46 ratings

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Jen Michalski

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Jen Michalski was voted one of the best authors in Maryland by CBS News, one of "50 Women to Watch" by The Baltimore Sun, and "Best Writer" by Baltimore Magazine (Best of Baltimore issue, 2013). She is the author of the novels YOU'LL BE FINE (NineStar Press, 2021), THE SUMMER SHE WAS UNDER WATER (Black Lawrence Press, 2017), and THE TIDE KING (Black Lawrence Press, 2013; winner of the Big Moose Prize), three collections of fiction, THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS (forthcoming, Braddock Avenue Books), FROM HERE (Aqueous Books, 2014), and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS (So New, 2007), and and a collection of novellas, COULD YOU BE WITH HER NOW (Dzanc Books, 2013). She also edited the anthology CITY SAGES: BALTIMORE, which Baltimore Magazine called "Best of Baltimore" in 2010. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Literary Hub, Psychology Today, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and more. She is the founding editor of the online literary weekly jmww and now lives in Southern California

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

46 global ratings

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CharmCityBookie

A new direction

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2021

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Compared with Michalski's other work (mostly literary fiction and magical realism), she definitely goes in a new, lighter rom-com direction here (well, not completely light, as there are some heavy elements too, like the loss of a parent, sexual abuse [trigger warning]). Unlike the traditional family comedies, there's a not-so tidy ending, which feels realistic to me and makes you wonder how Alex is doing now, after it all. At the same time, though, you totally don't need a sequel to feel like you've gotten the gist of the Maas family dysfunction.

Helpful

Sally Feliz

Great LGBTQ contemporary fiction!

Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2022

I can't even remember the last time I read a book that wasn't horror or fantasy. But when I saw this cover of a sloth holding a martini and found out the MC was a lesbian, I felt like it called to me. So glad I took a chance and veered out of my comfort genres. I myself am a lesbian, that identifies with sloths and I very much enjoy alcohol (although I'm a beer girl). This book was very emotional, I connected with the MC Alex Maas completely. Alex is forced back to her hometown due to the unexpected death of her mother. She has fought her whole life to get away and stay away from this place because of heartbreak and other past trauma.

Alex is a mess, she's emotionally repressed, easily annoyed and makes horrible decisions. There was a point in this book when I wanted to shake some sense into her and yell "you're doing the wrong thing!! Stop it!". But, she is human and going through grief and trying to figure out what she wants from her life. There are also some fantastic side characters that I grew to love, and hate throughout the book. Her little brother Owen, a case study in "failure to launch", her absent father's sister Johanna who comes to help out after their mother dies, and her mother whose personality we learn about through Alex's memories. Also Carolyn, Juliette and Lewis, characters that I don't know how to talk about without spoilers.

This book is a journey through grief, acceptance, love, and all of the emotional turmoil that goes along with those things. I would highly recommend this one.

My only critique on the story itself is I would have liked just a bit more at the end, I had been through such a journey with Alex I wanted a bit more after the last page. I was actually shocked when I turned the page and that was the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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PH

A good story with interesting characters!

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2021

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The overall story is a well written take on modern-day relationships that centers on Alex, who is a flawed, but likable, protagonist. Alex doesn’t exactly face dilemmas—she falls feet first into one stupid decision after another about love and sex and fidelity, and we get to witness her assessing the repercussions afterwards. The main character is chaotic, but there are great observations throughout the story about how people handle difficult situations and doses of humor added in time to lighten the mood. It was a fast two day read.

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Pat R.

Wow! A Recommendation for a Pretty Good Read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2022

Wow! This kinda felt like a rollercoaster ride, not one of the giant world famous ones, more like the hometown county fair thrilling in a rattletrap is this gonna hold together sort of way ones. The setting, death of a central family figure with more than their share of faults with all the interconnected uncomfortable family baggage attached; the characters, each a richly nuanced stew of issues and situations as lifelike as my own family members; and the plot, a meandering coming of age slaying of past mistakes and all too real emotional monsters of the present. This tale is quite well told and although a bit slow to start it soon snags you with it's richly descriptive allusions and sincerely delivered pathos. Definitely and Positively recommend this book and will be looking forward to more by this author! Thank-You!!

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021

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Jen Michalski is one of my favorite writers. She has a gift for saying complicated things about families and relationships in almost deceptively straightforward language. This book is a departure, seemingly lighter than her others, but it still lands in a place of deeply felt and earned self-honesty. Alex's story is funny, but it ultimately reflects something serious and useful about how people who are struggling through life come to terms with the struggle itself. Great book!

Helpful

susana

Family relations and other complexities

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022

The unexpected death of her mother brings successful urbanite Alex Maas to the home town she flew when she finished high school. But maybe she’s got a last chance to reconnect with her stranded brother, or make peace with her traumatic past. If only it was so easy…
This is a story about family and your place in it. Alex has many problems getting over her past. As a teenager, she realised being clever was her way out of a dysfunctional family with an erratic mother, an extremely shy brother, and a missing father figure. Her journey back to her hometown implies a journey to revisit her past, which gives her a chance to find out truths and reveal secrets about her family. And also, a chance to forgive and forget. Reencountering her first crush, finding out about her father, understanding the reasons behind her mother’s behaviour or rebuilding her relationship with her brother are some of the challenges Alex has to face when coming home.
There are many things going on in this story. There is a bit of romance, plenty of humour, some drama and even tragedy… It is complex like most family relationships are, but also easy to read and very entertaining. The characters are interesting, not only Alex but also Owen, Johanna, or the absent but very present figure of Adeline. They are all equally fascinating
In short, I really liked this story. It made me smile, it made me hurt, but above all, it gave me plenty of things to think about
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Emily Spiller

Cute cover & some great thoughts

Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2022

I enjoyed this little book but there was just something missing. I think if it would have been longer, it would have been more impactful and memorable. Special cheers for the sloth on the cover :)

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Slim Readerman

A very entertaining, high quality book.

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2021

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Michalski is a very good writer. The book is entertaining and moves well.

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