All This Can Be True

by Jen Michalski

For fans of Modern Lovers and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo comes a tender queer romance about one woman’s rediscovery of choice, hope, and wild love in the wake of her husband’s coma.

When Lacie Johnson’s husband, Derek, suffers a stroke at forty-seven and falls into a coma, her plans come to a screeching halt—asking Derek for a divorce, going back to school to get her master’s, and starting over as a single woman now that their children have grown up. But what begins as a disaster brings an unexpected blessing in the form of Quinn, a kind stranger whom Lacie meets in the halls of the hospital.

This is just a stop-over for Quinn, who is traveling up to the British Columbia coast to live in a co-op of grief survivors on a remote island after the loss of her young daughter. She's also the former singer of a post-riot grrrl band who fled the group and the public eye more than fifteen years ago for reasons unknown. Lacie thinks she's discovered in Quinn the life and the person she’s always wanted. But Quinn harbors a secret that connects her to Derek. And if Derek wakes up, Quinn must come clean and risk destroying her growing relationship with Lacie.

Told in alternating points of view, All This Can Be True follows Lacie and Quinn as they make the journey to each other—and then grapple with the fallout.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Queer, Fiction, LGBT, Lesbian, Grief

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Jen Michalski is the author of the novels All This Can Be True (Turner/Key Light, June 2025), 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), a couplet of novellas called Could You Be With Her Now (Dzanc Books 2013), and three collections of fiction (The Company of Strangers, 2023; From Here, 2014; and Close Encounters, 2007). Her work has appeared in more than 100 publications, including Poets & Writers, and she's been nominated for the Pushcart Prize seven times. In 2013, she was named as “One of 50 Women to Watch” by The Baltimore Sun and “Best Writer” by Baltimore Magazine. She is editor in chief of the literary weekly jmww.

Reviews

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, very queer, fast paced kind of romance? Kind of story about mourning and loss? It’s got a lot going on, almost too much, but just shy. The characters grow on you over time and by the end I cared for them and admired their ability to adjust to life’s realities (even if they are a bit of a stretch - who would this actually happen to?) TW for child loss, infidelity, addiction. This was fun and I’ll recommend it to folks who love a queer page turner. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

[Lori]

Watch this space. I am teeming back up with Jen in 2025 to help promote this one! We will be seeking reviewers, interviewers, blog features, etc. DM me if you're interested!

[Not Sarah Connor Writes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to The Next Best Book Club for sending me this in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 - This was an incredibly tender story. Michalski has a talented for writing about complicated characters and grief and she excels at that here, but I don't think Quinn's voice was as believable as Lacie's, and the two time jumps at the end were a bit jarring.

Read the full review on my blog!

Also, I am more active on Storygraph now so if you want to see what I'm read right away, follow me there!

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have known Jen for years and would continue to read her books, even if we'd never met. her character and place descriptions are phenonmenal. and I love the storylines. can't wait for her next one. this story, of women who finally, when they're older, get what they want from life, resonates so well. and the ending - chef's kiss.

[Barbara Wilgus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now THIS was the summer read I wanted this summer! A fast read (I would have finished a week ago if I just had time to sit down), more fully drawn characters, complicated love, a touch of music. Jen is a wonderful writer as always and I could hear her voice throughout this.

[Lilly of the Library 📖🌿 · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨Queer Romance
✨Grief/ Loss
✨Found family
✨Self discovery

Thank you to GetRedPR for gifting me an advanced reader copy of this book.

This book had a premise that really intrigued me and I was overall interested in the journey of the main characters and how their relationship would grow and develop. I enjoyed hearing Lacey's inner dialogue fleshing out who she had lost and become in her marriage. This book captures the reality for many of us in life...that we often to not seek the change that we want for ourselves out of fear of the discomfort and consequences until life circumstances forces us to and we often don't end up regretting the journey, though it be painful. I was ultimately not sold on the insta connection that Quinn and Lacey had which detracted from my investment in they relationship, but I did enjoy hearing both of their POV's and their insights into each other that the other did not have. A quick read overall, but it mostly fell flat.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All This Can Be True
By: Jen Michalski
Pub Day: June 3, 2025
Publisher: Keylight Books
Tour: Get Red Pr

This novel will take you on an emotional journey into the self-discovery of the protagonist Lacie Johnson.

Lacie Johnson is planning on asking her husband Derek for a divorce and starting over. Sometimes plans change because of circumstances and life. That is the case when he suffers a stroke. Lacie has always done the right thing even if her mental health suffers. Their children are now grown and she wants to complete her masters.

She meets Quinn, who used to be in a band and is going cross country in a van heading to British Columbia. Quinn enters her life with a chance meeting at the hospital where Derek is in the ICU.

Their paths were not supposed to be crossed, but once they did both their lives are changed in ways they never imagined.

Thank you Get Red PR for this emotional novel with all the feels. People encounter situations ever day and you never know the impact you make on someone’s life.

[Claire Bartholomew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have such mixed feelings about this book. Lacie's life is turned upside down when her husband suddenly has a stroke and ends up in a coma. Their marriage has been through a lot over the years - her husband's many affairs, her struggles with addiction, her reckoning with her queerness - and she was gearing up to ask him for a divorce before his stroke. All of Lacie's plans are put on hold, but then she meets a stranger, Quinn, who used to be a singer in a girl punk band and is grieving the loss of her daughter. Lacie and Quinn have an immediate connection, but they both have secrets and complications.

This was a really promising premise, and there definitely aren't enough books about middle-aged queer women (or about middle-aged women in general), so I was excited for this one. But it just didn't work for me. There were times I leaned towards giving this book four stars - Michalski depicts Lacie's mental health struggles and identity crisis with deftness and compassion, Lacie's relationship with her adult daughters is intriguing and complicated, and Quinn's grief for her daughter is so raw. But the plot had several time jumps that felt both too abrupt and not big enough, and the characters were emotionally all over the place in a way that didn't feel real but rather contrived. I found myself bored a lot of the time, and sometimes things just didn't make sense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Company for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to BookSiren and author Jen Michalski for this ARC opportunity. I am happily leaving my honest review.

All This Can Be True is a gripping and emotional sapphic awakening story of love, loss, struggle and self discovery. This book followed such a profound and powerful journey and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Every now and then I really appreciate a more mature and emotional experience in the wlw stories I read and this provided me with just that. This was a really great read and I found myself pondering the story and characters within it long after I finished.

Lacie has two grown adult children and has been married to Derek for a lifetime. She’s miserable. With her children out of the house there’s no reason to kneel up the charade. She’s through with him and desperately wishes to leave him and live a life that’s truly her own. Lacie has struggled with anxiety leading to substance abuse and addiction but has found the inner strength to overcome. She finds the strength witting to remain sober and live her life with clarity and courage. With this resolve she decides to choose herself and to ask Derek for a divorce….unfortunately, he suffers a stroke and she feels trapped. She can’t just abandon him now. Afterall, the vows were to keep each other in sickness and in health and so she feels a sense of obligation. Damn shame that her husband didn’t feel the same sense of loyalty when he was out philandering around and having affair after affair…one in particular will knock your socks off. Lacie is a good mother and has remained a devoted wife. She has given everything to her family and put herself last. She is ready to start the next chapter of her life as her authentic self. While in this sort of limbo she meets Quinn and everything changes.

Quinn and Lacie meet at the hospital while Lacie is there with her husband as he remains in a coma from his stroke. Their meeting is by chance and it is unlikely they would have crossed paths in any other scenario but they do and what ensues is a sweet, messy and redeeming love affair. Quinn has been through the wringer and is grieving the loss of her daughter. Once a thriving musician, Quinn abandoned the band life to be a mother and now finds herself rudderless. Grief is overwhelming and truly awful. A parent should never outlive their child and the soul crushing loss of losing your child is a pain that rivals all others. She and Lacie meet and have an instant connection. They support one another and have a really wonderful rapport. Honestly, their chemistry is really off the charts and they begin to develop deep feelings quickly. Of course life is messy and chaotic and very rarely do things just work out. Quinn is hiding a pretty massive secret that can really wreck their burgeoning relationship. Ahhhh there is so much happening and it is just a lot. Lacie is navigating a new path to self discovery and exploring her long repressed feelings for women. So much of this story is emotional and messy and realistic because of it. This is not a story for someone looking for a light and funny rom com type of sapphic love. This is a deep and soulful story that deals with real feelings and real human emotions. Get ready for a bit of a roller coaster but one that I’d get back in line to ride again.

The writing is mature, skill full and deep. Michalski offers herself up on the page with a sort of raw and real writing style. There is so much going on but I was never bored or confused. I really enjoyed the dual pov aspect where each chapter alternated between Lacie and Quinn. I much prefer this style to some others as we are able to get a better sense of the characters and their mindsets or feelings. The characters are flawed and kind of vulnerable or even broken. They feel like real people with thoughts and feelings that I can understand and empathize with. Lacie and Quinn are strong and resilient women with genuine kindness and sincere hearts. I really liked them and found myself truly rooting for them. I just wanted them to be together and build a new and beautiful life loving each other. I was most certainly rooting for them all along.

The entire book has themes of self discovery, hope, perseverance and love. I would definitely recommend this book for all lovers of sapphic romance that is more mature, emotional and real. This is no light hearted rom com but it is an uplifting story of self discovery, self acceptance and finding the courage to choose happiness. This book mirrors life in its complex issues and realistic obstacles. It is a really good read that will stick with you. Go ahead and give it a shot.

[SmallPressPicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we approach or make our way through middle age, many of us ask some difficult questions of ourselves: Are we truly living the life our earlier selves envisioned? What dreams, or great loves, did we abandon–or not even give a real chance? This perceptive, emotionally complex, and often-heartrending novel grapples with these questions and more, while also suggesting that new possibilities aren’t just for the young.

The novel is told through the points of view of two characters: Lacie Johnson and Quinn Greaves. At the start of the novel, Lacie is considering ending her 25-year marriage to a serial cheater, and finishing her master’s studies in architecture, which she’d put aside for marriage and motherhood. To Lacie, it feels like the right time to make a new start given that her daughters have reached adulthood.

Meanwhile, Quinn is living a rootless life on the road, part of trying to cope with the recent loss of her daughter, Liv, to a genetic disease. Quinn’s pregnancy with Liv ended Quinn’s shot at success as a member of the band The Clit Girls, part of the riot grrrl music movement. After becoming pregnant, she left the group a month before a major label released the band’s first full-length album.

Lacie’s and Quinn’s lives intersect after Lacie’s husband, Derek, suffers a stroke and then falls into a coma. At first, Quinn is just a stranger Lacie encounters in the hospital, where Derek may or may not emerge from his coma. But as Quinn offers comfort and support to Lacie, the two women become closer, and a romance begins to blossom. For Lacie, this seems like a chance at real, mutually felt love–something she never really had with Derek.

Yet there are complications. With the uncertainty surrounding Derek’s future, and his possible ongoing dependence on her, Lacie no longer feels as free as she once did to make a fresh start. An even bigger complication is posed by Quinn, who is holding onto a secret related to Derek. If he wakes from the coma, and if Quinn remains on the scene, there will be no way for her to keep the secret hidden, with potentially devastating consequences for her and Lacie’s burgeoning relationship.

Through Lacie’s and Quinn’s stories, Michalski paints a vivid picture of the lives and dreams the women set aside before meeting each other, not always by their choice. She also conveys other difficulties that have shaped who the two women have become, and that threaten their new relationship.

By thoughtfully weaving together Lacie’s and Quinn’s stories, and by showing how the pull of love can be as devastating as it is irresistible, Michalski has written an authentically complicated and perceptive novel about romance and second chances, a novel that in the end, doesn’t let go of hope.

You can read my full review of the novel here: https://smallpresspicks.com/all-this-....

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

Well, this was a book. I don't even know what to say except there was a reason why this one took me a while to get through and read. It was just dense. I got tired of the long winded chapters via Quinn and Lacie. I felt like there was just way too much going on and not enough at the same time. I think in the end the book jumps two years and I did not give a crap. The ending was a wash for me. I think some people will read it one way or the other and try to find a happy ending there, I just felt glad I was finally done. I just felt like most of the book was bloated and didn't really work.

And I wanted there to just be more there between Lacie and Derek. He felt like a cartoon villain of a husband and I just didn't get why no one ever really seemed to call him out for what he was doing and saying.

There was no there there between Lacie and Quinn. The latter relationship felt really tacked on and so not believable. I think even Netflix wouldn't try to bring this book to life because it just started to read more and more absurd after a while. And I think I should have felt something for these two characters when you read everything they go through, but I just found both characters to be so flat I just didn't care how things ended.

"All This Can Be True" well that title is said not once, not twice, but I believe four times by the two characters. This book follows Lacie Johnson. She's flying back with her husband Derek and realizes after 20 something years, she wants a divorce. Unfortunately, Derek has a stroke and Lacie is left in limbo and trying to hold things together for her two daughters. While waiting on news about her husband, she runs into a former musician, Quinn. Quinn has a connection to Lacie's family, and just doesn't know it. The book follows the two women as they find themselves needing each other more and both dealing with the grief they are both respectively feeling concerning their pasts and presents.

Eh, I said enough about this two above. There's no there there.

The book flow was pretty bad. It jumps back and forth between Lacie and Quinn and then of course their points of views about each other and their other friendships/relationships/etc.

The ending takes a while to get to. I think if I was invested I would have cared more, but instead just felt over it at the 25 percent mark of this book.

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ All This Can Be True by Jen Michalski
Rating: 3.5, rounded to 4

For those who know me, picking up a book that opens with infidelity might raise eyebrows—You?! But lately I’ve found that when infidelity is used not as the focal point, but as a catalyst for personal exploration and self-discovery, it can carry emotional weight that defines women’s fiction. Jen Michalski has written a work of Queer Fiction that marries women’s fiction with a touch of romance in a way that deserves more attention.

The road trip structure here is iconic and deeply American, but also emotionally resonant. Quinn and Lacey are navigating grief and self-definition after loss, and the partial isolation of the road invites introspection. When shared, it becomes an act of vulnerability and conversation—questions asked, experiences shared, and always, a discovery waiting at the end.

Michalski’s writing is strong, and her characters speak with voices that feel real and authentic. This is a book of realities—cold and hard, sweet and painful. There are truths that must be contended with and new realities that must be acknowledged. How Quinn and Lacey face these and move forward showcases the grit and courage we all have to claim.

⚖️ What Walked the Line Between 3 and 4 Stars

InstaLove: For me, this felt rushed.

Dual POV Disorientation: While necessary, the narration sometimes felt disjointed.

Compressed Transitions: The book tackles a lot, and while concise, some emotional beats needed more breathing space.

🧠 Personal Note
This is a real book. Under Michalski’s deft hand, serious and emotional topics are explored with compassion and empathy. Themes like child loss, grief, infidelity, coming to terms with your truest self, mental health, and addiction are handled with care—but they will ask a lot of you as a reader. Please take care, know your limits, and treat yourself as gently as you would others.

[Mary Polzella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacie Johnson sits on a plane with her husband Derek, going over in her head what she plans to tell him - she's leaving him now that their children are grown up and planning to start a new life including going back to obtain her Master's Degree. As the plane prepares for landing, Lacie can't wake Derek and when he's examined, it appears he has suffered a stroke.

In the chaos that ensures, Derek is hospitalized and in a coma and Lacie sits by his side, waiting on their daughters to arrive and wondering what this now means for her. At the hospital, she meets a kind stranger named Quinn who she immediately connects with and who provides her with the support she needs. Quinn has recently lost her daughter and is visiting her sick friend in hospital. Quinn and Lacie share a mutual attraction, however Quinn carries a secret she fears will destroy her fledgling relationship with Lacie, should she find out.

There's a lot happening in this story - the ending of a long term relationship following years of unhappiness and infidelity, loss and grief, addiction issues, secrets people carry and the burden they place on them, the power of self-discovery and a second-chance queer romance. The characters are complex and their difficult journeys are thoughtfully explored. The story asks the questions - are we ever truly happy with who we are, and where our life has taken us?

I wasn't entirely happy with some of the decisions made by the characters, nor in a way, with the book ending itself; however it is true that we don't always make the right choices when we're faced with the fork in the road. ⭐⭐⭐.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Company for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC of All This Can be True by Jen Michalski. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the story of a family thrown into chaos when the young patriarch suffers a debilitating stroke on an airplane. Derek Johnson has not been a great husband to Lacie, nor a good father to their children Sam and Rachel. His stroke brings out many family secrets.

We've all been told many times to communicate with one another and it seems like this family could have done with more of that over the years.

Lacie is one of the two main protagonists. Clearly she has stayed with her husband even though she doesn't truly love him. Quinn Greaves is the other protagonists. She was in a post-riot grrrl band back in the 90s and when she found herself pregnant she quit the band. Lo and behold the father of Quinn's baby is none other than Derek Johnson.

There's a lot of drama that goes on while Derek is recovering from his stroke. Lacie thinks back on all the mistakes she's made over the years while Quinn plans on moving in her camper to British Columbia.

The first 3/4 of the book were a bit slow. Then the ending felt kind of rushed. There are a few things that need editing. (How many times does Lacie put the Klonopin back in the bottle?)

And the title is repeated many, many times in slightly different ways.

I liked the plot very much but feel it could be tightened up and not so rushed at the end.

[Emma Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Jen Michalski and NetGalley for this ARC.

Throughout this whole book I was sitting at a 4⭐️- 5⭐️ rating. Now I know, what could possibly make me change my rating from 5 starts to 3???? Let me tell you.

This book had the opportunity to be so much more but also less at the same time??? I felt that there was too much going on and too many different storylines that it was hard for me to stay focused. With that, every plot point/storyline felt surface level, insubstantial if you will.

However, I will always be a sucker for a book with a queer fmc finding herself. This felt real. I truly could put myself in Lacie’s shoes (which is a terrifying place to be tbh). If you would’ve told me this book was a memoir I would’ve believed it.
I’m not saying it’s so common but we can all agree that many women are placed into societal boxes and forced to live lives that don’t truly suit them which in turn leads to later in life epiphanies. I think this book was a cool take on that notion. It wasn’t like Lacie had never had romantic thoughts about women until BOOM her husband had a stroke and now she wants to bang the first woman she sees. No, it was a true life story featuring suppressed homoerotic feelings for YEARSSSS. Even leading to an *almost* affair and how it just compounded on itself.

I think in all this book was a nice read but I was never really truly invested.

[Noell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really curious about the premise of this book, but I did not enjoy the execution. I didn’t really like any of the characters, or find the connections between them believable.

Mostly, I was annoyed by the timeline, it seemed off, like the math didn’t math and I kept trying to figure it out in my head, but couldn’t make it work, which made me wonder if the author had a clear timeline written out or not. The book needed editing in several places, where the text just got confusing, such as an exchange that seemed to be through Instagram DMs but was then written as if it were a phone call.

The idea that you can fall in love with someone after interacting with them a handful of times is ridiculous. In lust? Sure. The were hints of the stereotypical uhauling floating the suggestion that the penniless one could move into the rich one’s mansion, or the rich one could leave her life and join the penniless one in the road in her camper— neither ended up happening.

The second half of the story, where the timeline jumped forward was odd. It doesn’t feel realistic that someone would pine over someone for literal years that they’d only known for a couple of months.

I would have one starred this, except the ending was the best part, somewhat unexpected and a glimmer that maybe the characters could finally move forward in their lives and stop being chained by the what ifs.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I love this book or hate it. I guess all things can be true.

Quinn lost her daughter Liv and is currently going through the motions of living while not feeling alive. She lost a part of herself after losing her daughter and is in such deep depth her only solution seems to flee the country.

Lacie's husband Derek gets a stroke and suddenly her future is not as sure as it seems. Having so many doubts about which way she wants her life to go, she's doing everything to keep her family and life from falling apart.

These two women meet each other in the hospital hallway and hit it off. Between their own drama and their growing attraction is a lot of room for self doubt and guilt.

This book will keep you wanting more, both from a reader's perspective but also for Quinn and Lacie. They both have their struggles and hopes and don't always make the right choices. But the fact that they are both so flawed is what makes this book great. Was I annoyed at some of the things they did and said? Yes, definitely. Do I get it? 100%!

Not sure how I feel about the ending of the book so I'll have to let it sit with me for a while which is actually ok.

An ARC was given to me via Edelweiss in return of an honest review.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still sorting through my feelings, so I may revisit this later, but here are my initial thoughts.

The plot is unique in that Quinn and Lacie are two women, grieving for very different things, who cross paths by chance and become attracted to one another. How it gets complicated is that Lacie is married to a man who is in a coma, and Quinn knows a secret about that man. This story is full of secrets, infidelities, and grieving, as well as new loves, yet many of the characters seem to be trying to discover or rediscover their path in life.

Throughout the narrative, I felt this sense of melancholy, and, at the end, I didn’t feel as if Quinn’s and Lacie’s journeys were over. I wanted to have more closure and a greater sense of hopefulness. But that’s just my personal preference.

I did enjoy all the references to Quinn’s musician lifestyle, and several of the secondary characters, including Lacie’s daughters, added a rich dynamic to the story.

3.5 🌟

Thank you getredprbooks and jenmichalskiauthor for the gifted book.

[eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacie wanted to start her life over; get a divorce, go back to school. But her plans come to a screeching halt when her husband, Derek, suffers a stroke and falls into a coma. When she meets Quinn in the hospital halls, she feels she's met the person she's always wanted. What she doesn't know is that Quinn, who's there as a stop on her journey ro a co-op of grief survivors after losing her daughter, has a secret that ties her to Derek.

Definitely a page turner. So engaging, and so so tender. There's so much drama and hurt, but also so much healing. The characters took a while to fully grow on me, but they were very written, and so fleshed out they felt very real. There is definitely a lot of things that frustrated me, but at the same time I get it, and it all makes sense. It was a really fun read overall, a little slow to get into, but definitely worth it.

Many thanks to Turner Publishing Company & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lacie's husband Derek has a stroke, her life is turned upside down, leaving her to pick up the pieces and navigate an uncertain future, one that's filled with doubts and difficult decisions.

Quinn is heartbroken after losing her daughter Liv. She's feeling lost and empty, like she's just pretending to live. The pain is overwhelming, and she's thinking of fleeing the country to escape it all.

A chance encounter in a hospital hallway sparks a connection between two women, but as they navigate their feelings, they must confront the drama and guilt that threatens to tear them apart.

The beauty of this book lies in its well-crafted, flawed characters, Quinn and Lacie. As you follow their journeys, you'll find yourself drawn into their worlds, empathizing with their struggles, and rooting for their triumphs. With its engaging storyline and authentic characters, this book will leave you eager for more.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quinn is dealing with a lot of loss and decides to take a cross country trip, stopping on the way to tell the father of her deceased child that she has died. Lacie is struggling with her feelings for her husband when he suffers a stroke and goes into a coma. The two end up coming together to provide each other with support and sparks fly. This book offers a lot and is a good read as is. But, I kept getting snagged on the feeling that Lacie only turns to women when she is disappointed in men. Like they are her second choice. I don't care what gender my partner is, I don't want to be their back-up plan! I did like how after all the turmoil, the story ended. The characters all grew and became better people. This made the book a worthy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Keylight Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[Meghan ReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to GetRedPR and Keylight Books for the review copy—I'll definitely be recommending this to anyone craving an emotional, queer-forward, character-driven read.

All This Can Be True by Jen Michalski is a tender, chaotic, very queer page-turner that somehow pulls off being both a fast-paced romance and a layered story of mourning, loss, and emotional survival. There’s a lot going on—infidelity, addiction, child loss, reinvention—but it mostly lands just shy of feeling like too much. Take your time to warm up to the characters, as by the end I found myself genuinely caring about them and admiring their ability to adjust. The drama and heartbreak are balanced by moments of unexpected joy and healing. Quinn and Lacie, in particular, are so flawed and beautifully human that they linger long after the final page.

[Marta Block · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Big life transitions can be difficult - losing a child, losing a parent - they drive people to make changes and decisions they might not have otherwise. Being empty nesters and realizing one doesn’t really love their spouse? Another time for big changes. When the two collide (and you throw in a major medical event), things get dicey. There are some sweet and tender moments here, connections between mother and daughters, as well as ace representation, which were all nice to read. I’m not a fan of reading about infidelity in general and even more so when one’s spouse is hospitalized (major ick factor). There were some characters I loved and some I loved to hate with their questionable choices!

[Country Mama]

-Lesbian Romance
-Grief/ Loss
-Found family
All this Can be True by Jen Michalski is a book about two women with very different lives who intersect with each other. The story is told from both of the women's pov's, which is interesting to the reader. Our story starts with Lacie and her story involving her husband Derek and what happens to him and how he is on the way to the hospital! Then we flip to Quinn's pov, who is involved in knowing Derek, Lacie's husband. Quinn lost her daughter a little over a year ago. Quinn is Derek's secret daughter! She meets Quinn and the two fall in love with each other and also enjoy each other's company in general. The story is a good queer romance if you are looking for one along with an emotional page turning book.

[Krystal Kraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! So this book I was able to relate to in some of the most sad ways. The struggles Lacie felt as a mom, MAN I felt those in my core. Brought me to tears a few times. Parenting is HARD, and the internal struggles are so real- and even more so when you don’t feel fully connected with your significant other and then health situations just 360s it all. This book was simplistic and peaceful to read but at the same time it carries depth for days. So much going on! It felt like a reminder that we all deserve to have the life we want and stand up for what we need knowing things can still turn out okay even if it all feels messy.

We are diving into lots of stuff in this one…understanding, self reflection, coping, acceptance, mental health, dreams and reality, and lots of realigning. This book felt like a whole vibe.

Really enjoyed it🖤

[Rina B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All views and opinions are my own.

“Sometimes the only way to love people is to stay out of their lives completely.” I think this quote (among many others) resonated with me the most while reading “All This Can Be True.” Lacie’s and Quinn’s emotional journeys of grief, love and healing were well-written and relatable. I appreciate how the author wrote their respective points of view of each character, and retained their unique voices that allowed the reader to truly empathize with them, but not without glossing over the flaws and imperfections.

[Sarah Bowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lacie's husband Derek suffers a stroke, she will meet Quinn who's visiting a friend in the hospital and who will change Lacie's life in many ways.... mostly in a mistake from the past that binds these 3 together.

This was a good read for June's Pride month as there is queer love represented in many ways.... through Lacie and Quinn and even Lacie's daughter Rachel and Derek's hospital caregiver Ben. It was great of Lacie to figure out what she wanted eventually for her life and who she spent it with, even though it came at the most inopportune time.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacie’s husband Derek has had a debilitating stroke at the age of 47. Now her life is on hold. But she ends up meeting Quinn in the hospital. Quinn becomes her friend and someone she relies on.

Quinn is fabulous. She is a bit of a hippy and she has had her share of trauma. She truly breaks your heart and at the same time she shows her amazing strength.

But don’t think she doesn’t have a big secret…she does and it could tear Lacie’s life apart.

Need a story of secrets…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I truly enjoyed this book as it highlighted the realistic complications that people can face when it comes to relationships and secrets from their past. I really enjoyed Lacie and Quinn’s characters and the relationship the 2 had. I could actually feel the emotions they both felt throughout this book. It is very well written and the plot is very easy to follow and had me feeling a range of emotions at any given time.

[Charlotte Loper · Rating 3 out of 5]

“We all make mistakes. But we’re human, and we deserve understanding and love. All this can be true.” Michalski does a great job developing each character and really making you care about their individual stories. I was less drawn to how they interacted with each other and thought the story at times to be too coincidental and serendipitous. Overall, I found this to be a quintessential contemporary fiction book with some added rockstar flair.

A big thank you to Turner Publishing Company and NetGalley for the copy.