Totally Fine

by Nick Spalding

He’s fine. Totally fine. Panic attacks? Insomnia? Just stress. Probably. Maybe. He’s…totally fine!

Meet Charlie King. He’s doing great! Honestly. A fantastic job, two solid best mates and a girlfriend who might just be The One. Life is good. Perfect, even.

So why is he waking up in a cold sweat? Why does his heart keep trying to punch its way out of his chest? Charlie should probably see a doctor. That’s what everyone keeps telling him. But it’s not that bad. He just needs a decent night’s sleep. Other than that, he’s Totally Fine.

Except for that car crash a few months ago—the one he barely remembers. The one he hasn’t thought about at all.

Not even once. Not until now…

Can Charlie fix himself—and his two equally deluded best friends—before his job, love life and future unravel completely? Or will his relentless insistence that he’s Totally Fine be the very thing that breaks him?

Genres: Fiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2025

About the author

Nick Spalding is an author who, try as he might, can't seem to write anything serious.

Before becoming a full-time author, he worked in the communications industry, mainly in media and marketing. As talking rubbish for a living can get tiresome (for anyone other than a politician), he thought he'd have a crack at writing comedy fiction - with a very agreeable level of success so far, it has to be said. Nick is now a multimillion seller. This flabbergasts him every single day.

Nick is now in his fifties - and is rather annoyed at the universe about it, because it gave him no choice in the matter. He's also addicted to Thai food and roast potatoes (not together), loves Batman and Warhammer, and has a dreadful singing voice.

***

Find out more about Nick and his books at www.nickspalding.com

Reviews

[Lilli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie King has what looks like the perfect life - a stable job, close friends, and a girlfriend who might just be the one. The only catch? He’s not okay. Panic attacks, insomnia, and waking in cold sweats suggest something deeper - perhaps trauma from a car crash he can’t remember. As Charlie insists he’s “Totally Fine”, things begin to unravel. Can he face his fears, heal himself, and find a way forward before everything falls apart?

I’ve read five previous Nick Spalding books and usually love his blend of humour and heart. Most of them hit a 4 rating with me, so I was excited for this one.
But unfortunately, this time, it didn’t work. Here’s what felt off:
- A real struggle to read. I couldn’t stay hooked, and I didn’t look forward to picking it back up.
- Charlie King grated on me, especially with the constant self-reference by his full name throughout the book.
- Flat, one-dimensional characters beyond their explicit phobias and feelings, they felt underdeveloped and uninspired.
- Breaking the fourth wall felt jarring and unnecessary; it pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in.

Overall, I just couldn’t connect with the story or the characters. Men’s mental health is important and the topic is valuable, but this execution didn’t resonate with me.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have enjoyed all of Nick Spalding's books that I've read. He has a way of being humorous with having an underlying seriousness.
This book is a good reminder that we all have our struggles and it's important to get the help we need. Having supportive friends is definitely a must

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am literally the worst about saying I'm fine when I am totally not. I related so much to this book that it's honestly alarming! I had a blast listening to the audiobook! There are some serious laughs out loud moments. Mushrooms... that's all I'm going to say!


I think I need to add some more Spalding novels to my tbr!

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charlie Kirk is totally fine, apparently, Well, he says it so many times in this book that I imagine the author must have had it copied to paste it in at least at the end of every chapter!

I so badly wanted to love this book as I did with Nick Spalding's last book, but it was so repetitive and the characters were all like wet flannels, that I was desperate for it to be over. It even taunted me with an epilogue that turned out not to actually be the epilogue and so on it went!

Sorry, but not for me this time.

2 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[Mark Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed many of Spalding's books, but this one didn't hit the mark for me. His formula typically includes a sympathetic lead character put through several uncomfortable or silly situations, with a lot of funny moments and observations thrown in. This book had none of that.

Charlie King is a marketing pro and event planner who starts to have panic attacks. Although all of the people close to him realize that he is not totally fine, he soldiers on like an idiot and tries to maintain control of his life. If he had been a likable character, or even tolerable, the book might have taken a turn. But he is insufferable. And any comedic situation feels forced.

I'll keep reading his work, but I don't recommend this one. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Catherine Victor Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book was not totally fine.
The humour was a total miss which is unusual as I tend to find Nick Spalding hits it well but this fell flat. It's a story about a man who like most men think they are fine. When things start to mess up he doesn't handle it well and his life starts to unravel. His partner keeps insisting he needs some help. Then he remembers something happened a while back that may actually have been bigger and deeper than he seemed to realise. His brain built a coping mechanism wall around the event and filed it away and thus a journey to discover the truth unfolds to help him heal.
While the message of men's mental health is all too relevant, the execution of it seemed to drag. I just didn't care enough about any of the characters. It did redeem itself slightly towards the end but was not enough to turn this around sadly. Shout out to Wayne the parrot.
Many thanks to Brilliance Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

[Andrea (mrsaubergine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie King is like many people I know who say they are totally fine when they absolutely are not. He's having panic attacks, making mistakes at work that mean his business is under threat, and alienating his new girlfriend and two best mates, the latter of whom also have issues of their own. This book is about him coming to terms with what has happened to him to cause the panic, and I enjoyed it because it was such a real situation. Men's health and mental health should be more in the spolight, and I applaud Nick Spalding for highlighting the topic.

This was my first Spalding book, and I'd be keen to read others. This was an easy, quick read with a good sprinkling of humour, and although for a while I thought Charlie would never get to the bottom of his problem, the ending was solid and nicely done. I'd love to read more about Jack and Leo too.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

[Rachel Gilbey]

A wonderful look into male mental health and why men are adamant they don't need a doctor and that they are totally fine, when the rest of the world can see them spiral.

Even with that as the main theme for this book, it is still a story filled with Nick Spalding's typical humour and some of the situations Charlie and his friends find themselves in are hilarious.

I was practically laughing out loud at their attempt to use a very small amount of magic mushrooms!

And some of the descriptions early on of the events that Charlie is planning are brilliant and so vivid I could see everything unfold.

While at the same time we gradually start to understand what is causing Charlies' health decline, which is revealed slowly, all the while he is adamant that he is totally fine.

And his girlfriend Annie is a stand up comedian and especially the one set we are treated to was intentionally very funny.

I feel like the characters although perhaps a bit over the top in what they do, are definitely relatable to.

This is another fabulous book from an auto read, don't even look at the blurb author for me!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bummer. DNF at 42%

Having read (and enjoyed) another book by this author I was excited to get this. It started off like the previous one with funny LOL comments (eg “the claustrophobic poodles”) and an interesting premise but then nose dived. It was too heavy for me and lacked the fun and funny I expected from this author. The narrator was a dream. Perhaps this type of story just isn’t for me…

SUMMARY: 30 something party planner is having a good life: many clients, new relationship, etc

He passes out at a party he was throwing and then a few weeks later makes a disaster of a mistake at one of his biggest parties/opportunities. He declines further (eg can’t sleep) and after seeking out a fortune teller, realizes he has anxiety stemming from a car accident

Instead of getting professional help, he talks to his mates who admit to having their own traumas. He decides to fix his friends and thereby himself. Again no therapy, no supportive chatter. Instead he gets them all high on magic mushrooms. I grew bored and gave up during his trip.

Thanks netgalley

[Ella · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried but I couldn’t finish it, totally shit x

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with an ALC.

I really liked the synopsis but the execution fell flat for me. The first 1/3 of the book was fun, I liked the way the author ended every chapter with Charlie saying he's totally fine. The second 1/3, I struggled to get through -- the part where they all go to some kind of group therapy/camp and his attempts to force them into facing their fear were quite boring. I understand how it adds to the plot but it could have been shorter. The last part was nice where he finally realizes what and how he's feeling and works on it. The characters themselves didn't resonate with me -- Annie and his friends felt like props just to further the story. The humor itself didn't resonate with me as much. This is a book that talks about important things, possibly dark. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a book talking about mental health, specifically for people overworked on a regular basis.

The narrator did a great job expressing Charlie's conflicting and delusional feelings in the book.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review

I always love this author's books. They keep me laughing from start to finish. In this one, Charlie King is trying to convince himself, and everyone else around him, he is TOTALLY FINE. Even though he isn't sleeping, is having panic attacks every time he hears the song "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas, and he just made a mistake at work that could have tanked his reputation, if not his business. Charlie needs to fix himself—and his two equally deluded best friends—before his job, love life and future unravel completely. This had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and I was definitely rooting for Charlie to get his act together and get the help he needed.

[HeloReads98 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Like, I really, really loved it. Nick Spalding has such a way with words: his writing is clear, funny, and sometimes deeply emotional.

Our main character, Charlie King, is a people pleaser. He loves organising things (that’s his job, after all) and is always eager to help his friends. He needs to help them. Admittedly, his ideas aren’t always the best, but that only makes him more endearing.
Without really understanding why, Charlie begins to suffer from insomnia and panic attacks after hearing one (infuriatingly catchy) Black Eyed Peas song. His girlfriend is worried. His friends are worried. But Charlie is fine. Totally fine.
When his friends start opening up about their own struggles and traumas, he sets out on a mission to help them “fix” themselves. But he’s fine. Totally fine.
Until he’s not.

I really liked how Charlie’s moment of realisation came about, even though, in the process, he ends up hurting his girlfriend and his friends. How many times have we told ourselves that we’re fine, that it’ll all pass eventually?

It felt to me like a really great depiction of someone refusing help despite obviously needing it, because other people always seemed more important than himself (in his mind, not mine). Despite the light and humorous tone, the message is powerful and genuinely thought-provoking. It reminds us (if Annie’s sketch didn’t already make it clear) that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to seek therapy.

A great read that I would recommend to anybody.

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to review an ARC and an ALC of this book.

[Alli · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars but I’ll round up to 5!!! This book was incredible. It made me feel so many emotions, and it really left me thinking. This book did such a great job showing the truth of mental health. It’s not always a clear picture, and honestly sometimes it takes a while to realize you even have a problem… coming to terms with it is hard and can take a while. I loved Charlie’s story. I’m so glad he had an amazing support system to pushed him to seek help and never left his side… even if they were avoiding their own issues. I’m so glad Charlie didn’t kill Anthony. I’m so glad he did not have to live with that guilt forever. I love that this book focused on so much male mental health. It’s so often overlooked.

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a book you have to be patient with

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

it did kind of drag, the first nick spalding i haven’t laughed out loud

[Kayla Litke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie King is suffering from panic attacks and PTSD following a car accident he can't remember the details of. It's affecting almost every aspect of his life and instead of trying to get help he is instead in denial that anything is wrong and trying to fix everyone else's problems because he thinks he is "Totally Fine" (he's not).
I think I was more frustrated than his friends and girlfriend with how much I wanted him to just talk about his feelings and get help!!
But overall, I had a hard time connecting to this story and the characters. I liked the writing and felt it had an interesting perspective on men's mental health.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the e ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

[Diana Bascarau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to get the chance to read an ARC from one of my favorite authors!
As usual, Nick Spalding's characters are so realistic and have strong personalities. They are a joy to read about!
This particular story follows Charlie King, an event planner who finds himself having panic attacks with no possible explanation. As his mental health and sleep continue to suffer, he insists that he's "totally fine" and doesn't need to see a doctor. This escalates to the point where his relationship and friendships suffer, and Charlie is forced to face whatever caused his panic attacks.
The story is infused with Spalding's signature humor and the situations Charlie puts himself and his friends in get more and more ridiculous and funny as the story goes on. Of course, there are also tear-inducing moments, making this story a complete emotional rollercoaster.
And I loved every page of it!

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character in Nick Spalding’s new novel is Charlie King, who could be a really annoying person if he was in your life, if he wasn’t so well meaning. Obviously his girlfriend Annie sees this in him, as do his long-time buddies, Leo and Jack, but really, life with a Charlie King around would be exhausting.

Charlie makes his living planning events, all kinds of parties and marketing do’s for the middle classes. And he’s really good at it. The story begins with the birthday party he’s planned at a bowling alley for Annie’s young nephew, with a Jurassic Park theme, actors in costumes and fake dinosaurs, the works. A panic attack hits Charlie, triggered by an annoying song by the Black Eyed Peas – the same song that was on the radio when he had that car accident a while ago – something he’d never told Annie about. In fact he’s rather blotted it from his mind.

Doing his best to put the incident at the birthday party behind him, He gets back to work. But something isn’t right and he makes a big mistake at a gender-reveal party, which sees his business suddenly going south. Charlie decides the time out this offers is the perfect opportunity to confront his issues. But when he realises that his best mates Leo and Jack are also suffering from anxiety, Charlie decides they can all fix their problems together. Because that’s what Charlie does – fixes things up and makes everything perfect. If he can do that with events, he can do that with personal problems, right?

The story follows Charlie’s harrying his friends into different therapeutic options, from magic mushrooms, to navel-gazing in the wilderness. This creates plenty of amusing and visually interesting scenes. Throughout everything, he ignores Annie’s advice to consult a doctor, or his friend’s growing resentment. He seems unable to see what’s under his nose or understand his own problem. Why is he so afraid to see a doctor?

"Totally Fine" is an entertaining look at some of society’s ills – the pressure to perform, the endless distractions demanding our attention, the need to seem strong to the ones we love when inside we need help. Nothing really new but maybe ramped up here for the digital age. This is shown through one man’s problems, and as a professional tasked with providing his clients with the perfect social media opportunities, Charlie is the perfect protagonist for this. Perfectly imperfect, that is.

It’s a light, fun read, if you don’t mind a bit of schoolboy humour from time to time. It’s touch and go whether everything will turn out “totally fine” for Charlie and his friends, but you can bet there will be lessons learned. I read this after some darker novels, and it was a relaxing read that was just right. Nick Spalding is the author of around 20 books, mostly humorous fiction about modern life with his new book, "Totally Fine", just released this week. I read it courtesy of Netgalley, and it’s a three-star read from me.

[Dubi · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the opening set piece of Totally Fine, Charli King, our protagonist, has a panic attack so overwhelming that he thinks he is having a heart attack (as is often the case IRL). He continues to have more panic attacks, can't sleep, strains his relationships, ruins his business, falls into a deep depression, and (as a first person narrator) tells some alarmingly unfunny jokes (which is unusual for the usually hilarious Nick Spalding).

He tries to help himself, despite continuously telling himself and everyone else that he is totally fine, by seeing a new age seer (check!), taking magic mushrooms (check!), doing a boot camp that ends up with him sitting on a platform on top of a pole (check!), hiring a troupe of child actors to stage an attack dressed as the Fellowship of the Ring (check!), and I'm sure there was more in the same vein.

But he absolutely, positively, resolutely, irrevocably, indubitably, unflinchingly (well, you get the idea) refuses to see a doctor.

Apparently, this is what men do. They insist that they're totally fine and refuse to seek medical attention. Sorry, but you had me (NOT) at "I'm totally fine, I don't need to see a doctor." I'm alive today because I went immediately to the ER, realizing immediately that I wasn't totally fine, when I woke up one morning feeling totally not fine. So I couldn't relate.

Nor apparently could Nick Spalding relate, because he never explained Charli's medical aversion. It even took most of the book for Charli to explain his aversion with an unconvincing "I don't know why." Well, of course the reason is to give the author an excuse to put Charli and his inner circle through a series of comic set pieces.

Which would be TOTALLY FINE, since this is meant to be a comedy, if it was funny. But it's not funny. Yeah, an occasional turn of phrase that elicited a chuckle. But mostly, a non-stop whinge-fest (for us American's, that would read whine-fest). Sorry to be that blunt about it, since I've enjoyed many of Spalding's books, but the deal was for an honest review in exchange for an advance copy of the audio edition (thanks, NetGalley!).

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed several Nick Spalding books but this one really did not do it for me. I found the main character Charlie to be incredibly irritating and not that likeable. His refusal to consult a Dr without being able to articulate any real reason for not doing so, may supposed to have been a feature of the PTSD or other issues that he had, but it seemed excessive. Charlie, who has started having panic attacks and struggles to sleep, has two best friends who also have traumas that they are dealing with. Given that Charlie won't go to a Dr it seems fairly ridiculous that he would consult a psychic, take magic mushrooms, and go on some kind of out door course to try and remedy his issues. One of Charlie's friend seems to be suffering from some kind of agorophobia and the other was traumatised by an assault - something that anyone who has been violently assaulted can probably tell you can have distressing and longterm effects. Charlies approach for helping his friends by taking them to Dartmoor and getting a bunch of children to dress up like the people that assulted one of them again seems fairly unlikely. I don't have the expert knowledge to know whether the 'memory rewrite' that Charlie experienced for his traumatic incident is that likely. Whilst there is some kind of useful message here in the danger of refusing to get help and insisting you are 'totally fine' - this is slightly lost in all the unlikely happenings. Without the realism or sympathy for the characters the humour did not work for me, and multiple 'endings' did not help.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Satire exploring how far a man will go to avoid going to therapy.

Premise - Charlie King is an overworked event planner who's teetering on the edge of a mental health crisis. When he gets involved in a car accident on the way to a gig, he's tipped over the edge. Now a creepy version of a silly pop song is stuck in his head, he's having panic attacks he refuses to get medical attention for, and his girlfriend is getting increasingly frustrated with him not handling his ish. 

So what does he do? Not therapy! Together with two guy friends (who should also be in therapy) he tries to tackle his issues in the least head-on way possible.

The humor wasn't quite for me, so it was a little slow to engage me and never quite sucked me in, but the satire is very well done. I think anyway who's been trying to get a guy in their life to talk more, communicate better, etc. would get a kick out of this, as would any guy who's ever wondered why guy friends don't chat about deep stuff the way girl friends do.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Laurence Dobiesz. He did a great job capturing the essence of the book. Even though he has a very pleasant voice, he managed to make it a pretty high-anxiety listen (especially towards the beginning - don't worry, the hectic lets up a bit and/or you acclimatize).

Thanks, NetGalley and Brilliance Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jonita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie King is......Totally Fine. That is- until he starts having panic attacks, is unable to sleep, and messes up at work so catastrophically that he may be out of his line of work for good. His friends and his girlfriend Annie insist that there is something going on that he isn't telling them but Charlie is used to being in control and- yes- Totally Fine!

What follows is the story of Charlie coming to terms with the fact that he is most certainly not Totally Fine. As he tries every weird and wacky thing he can think of that will help him to avoid admitting that he is not Totally Fine, taking his friends and girlfriend down with him, Charlie tries to claw back some semblance of control of his life.

I liked this book but didn't love it. The first half earned a solid 3 stars from me and I almost gave up about half way through, but the last half was better than the first and I'm glad that I stuck with it. The conclusion was satisfying and there were certainly some funny and relatable moments, but this didn't "wow" me in the way that I had hoped. All things considered this was a decent read and I'm still happy to recommend it as light reading.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie King looks like he has everything sorted — a solid job, good friends, and a girlfriend who really could be the one. But behind the surface he’s falling apart, waking in the night with panic, pushing away the things he doesn’t want to face, and telling himself it’s just stress. He convinces everyone, including himself, that he’s “totally fine,” even when it’s clear he isn’t.

I found the idea of the story very relatable, because so many of us keep going on autopilot, juggling work and life while pretending we’re coping. It was also refreshing to read this struggle from a male point of view. We often hear about women carrying the emotional load, so it was interesting to see that men wrestle with the same pressures, even if they’re less likely to admit it.

What held the book back for me was Charlie himself. His behaviour was often irritating, and I didn’t find him particularly likeable, which made it harder to really invest in his journey. There are moments meant to be funny, but for me the humour felt a bit forced rather than natural.

Still, it was an easy read that highlighted some important themes around mental health and denial. I didn’t love it, but I did connect with parts of it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return of an honest, unbiased review.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a hit and miss relationship with this author. Some of his books I find blindingly brilliant, others leave me cold. Sadly, this one falls into the latter group.
I just think that I am not the target audience and also, it probably didn’t help that I really didn’t get on with the MC at all. I can’t really say what I thought of him as my review will be rejected but to put it mildly, I thought he was a bit of an idiot.
I know that sometimes you can dislike an MC and still get on with the book, but in this case I think our relationship was over before it ever began. Maybe I didn’t give him a chance…
That said, there was some, many, good things going on too - I wouldn’t have finished the book had there not been! There was some great humour, other characters didn’t irk me as much and it wasn’t too long or taxing to read. I mean, even with my complete failure to connect to the MC, I never actually contemplated sacking it off.
Anyway… bottom line is that this book just probably wasn’t the book for me, or indeed I wasn’t the reader for it. Doesn’t mean that I won’t love his next one.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Sharon M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK | Lake Union Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both an audio and digital ARC of the latest novel by Nick Spalding, with the audiobook narrated wonderfully by Laurence Dobiesz. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Charlie King is totally fine. Really. He has a great job, a girlfriend, two best friends. So why is everything going wrong? He's fine. Except for that car crash a few months ago. His girlfriend wants him to see a doctor, but he's totally fine. He can fix himself and his friends while he's at it.

I always look forward to a new Nick Spalding book because they are always fun, yet filled with worthwhile messages. This one centers around men's mental health issues and their reluctance to seek help, which is probably relatable to anyone involved with a male. These characters are relatable, although they certainly put themselves in some crazy situations, but it's also touching and sweet.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a solid Nick Spalding fan! I always know I am going to have some good chuckles and end a book feeling better than I started it. But, this one was a bit too on the serious side. And for an author who states he can't write anything serious, this was an uncomfortable development for me. Sure our intrepid hero, Charlie, gave us a lot of humor in his fight against PTSD, but it was overshadowed by the real issue of the trauma. And yes, we get that satisfactory uplifting ending, but I think the humor felt a bit too desperate. I am not completely sure how to explain it. As Charlie was grabbing at straws, the humor lost the funniness and was depressing. So maybe the author is getting a bit more serious with his writing and his readers need to change with him? I am willing to take the ride because at the foundation, the characters and the situations are things we can all relate to in some manner. I'll be a better prepared reader next time!

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[Donna Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old Charlie is everyone's guy to run events and get stuff sorted. Until all of a sudden he isn't. Not that Charlie is going to admit it to anyone - he's 'totally fine'.

This is a really funny story. Until all of a sudden it isn't. No, actually, mostly it's really funny - it's just that part way through we find out the reason for Charlie's pain, which is the not funny part. The funny parts are Charlie being convinced he's totally fine when everyone else can see he's not (this is so me), a weird fear of going to the doctor and all kinds of lengths he gets in to avoid going to the doctor.

This author is new to me, despite being established. I'm now well into the back catalogue and glad I stumbled across him. One for fans of some of my other favourite Nicks (Nick Earls, Nick Hornby).

Read via an ARC from net galley.

[Crooked Eye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally Fine by Nick Spalding
Narrated by Laurence Dobiesz
Provided by NetGalley

This is my first outing with Nick Spalding. Totally Fine is a satire about the lengths the ‘stereotypical’ man will go to not to seek help. Unfortunately, even knowing it was a satire, I found it difficult to put up with Charlie’s constant refusal to see a Dr. I think part of it was that we weren’t given much reason for Charlie’s refusal. He just didn’t want to because he was embarrassed, which I just couldn't relate to. In addition, Charlie the people-pleaser, wasn’t a very likeable character.

I liked the narration. Laurence Dobiesz did a great job with the story and delivered the humour with appropriate wryness. Although there were some funny moments, for the most part, I found it little more than mildly amusing.

[Ginger W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie King is TOTALLY FINE. Except that he's clearly not. A successful event planner, Charlie has a panic attack at a young boy's birthday party (triggered by the song "My Humps"...totally understandable), and totally botches a huge gender reveal party. His girlfriend, Annie, just wants him to go to the doctor, but he's sure that he can take care of himself—and his two friends—without a doctor visit. But as the ridiculous "solutions" that he subjects he and his friends to actually knock loose more of the memories of a car crash that he has suppressed, he realizes that he really isn't totally fine.

I enjoyed this story about the blocks many men put up instead of taking care of their physical and mental health. The heavy subject is balanced with humor and engaging writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK | Lake Union Publishing for an eARC. Opinions are my own.