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Good at Being Alive
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Expected 16 Jun 26A party girl and a grumpy British CEO fake a dream European honeymoon for a reality TV show that could save their travel agency—and give them both a new lease on life (and love)—if only they’d take the chance.
Rebecca “Bex” Daniels has just lost everything: her father, stepmother, and beloved stepsister all died in a freak train accident, leaving her completely alone in the world and responsible for her family’s travel agency. Only a few months after the tragedy, her father’s UK partner, the straitlaced Theo Porter, reveals that the business is about to go under. Their only hope? A reality TV deal her father brokered before his death…with a slight rebrand: Now, Bex and Theo are to pose as newlyweds, exploring the world on an extended honeymoon.
Bex and Theo couldn’t be more different—but though they initially clash, once filming gets underway, Bex discovers he’s also amusing, protective, and kind, the sort of man she’d want to be married to in real life, if she thought for a second she deserved him. As for Theo, he can't help but be swept up into the brilliant whirlwind that is Bex, but ever since his brother died, a real relationship is the last thing he wants.
As Bex and Theo flit across Europe, from Capri to Paris, exploring sundrenched villas and remote fjords, they can't help but notice their walls coming down, and their arguments begin to feel a lot more like foreplay than fighting. But they each carry around more than enough emotional baggage, and they'll have to contend with public scandals, crushing grief, and their burgeoning fame before they can decide if they're ready to ride off into the sunset once the cameras stop rolling.
Rebecca “Bex” Daniels has just lost everything: her father, stepmother, and beloved stepsister all died in a freak train accident, leaving her completely alone in the world and responsible for her family’s travel agency. Only a few months after the tragedy, her father’s UK partner, the straitlaced Theo Porter, reveals that the business is about to go under. Their only hope? A reality TV deal her father brokered before his death…with a slight rebrand: Now, Bex and Theo are to pose as newlyweds, exploring the world on an extended honeymoon.
Bex and Theo couldn’t be more different—but though they initially clash, once filming gets underway, Bex discovers he’s also amusing, protective, and kind, the sort of man she’d want to be married to in real life, if she thought for a second she deserved him. As for Theo, he can't help but be swept up into the brilliant whirlwind that is Bex, but ever since his brother died, a real relationship is the last thing he wants.
As Bex and Theo flit across Europe, from Capri to Paris, exploring sundrenched villas and remote fjords, they can't help but notice their walls coming down, and their arguments begin to feel a lot more like foreplay than fighting. But they each carry around more than enough emotional baggage, and they'll have to contend with public scandals, crushing grief, and their burgeoning fame before they can decide if they're ready to ride off into the sunset once the cameras stop rolling.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 16, 2026
2302 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth O'Roark
31 books7,685 followersElizabeth O’Roark lives in Washington, DC with her 3 children. After many years spent writing scintillating brochures about amniocentesis and heart surgery, she is thrilled to have found a job that allows her to just make s*** up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
જ⁀➴ 𝟒.𝟐𝟓₊˚⊹🏖️ 𝟙𝟚/𝟚𝟛/𝟚𝟝—𝟙𝟚/𝟚𝟞/𝟚𝟝
the romance in this book was SCRUMPTIOUS!! i loved the characters and emotional trauma they had 😭!! this book handled the grief so well and the relationship was so beautiful 💕.
i am so happy that I got this arc to be introduced to this author because she seems amazing!! if you love sunshine x grumpy, definitely try this one!!
i will say—i was expecting more of a reality tv show feel. really, i feel like the book glossed over those bits and the fake dating. the focus was definitely more on their relationship rather than the plot. so if your looking for a reality tv show romance heavy on the reality tv—maybe try a different book. but if your just looking for a fun time with a hilarious and entertaining fmc and a grumpy mmc, try this one!!
👀 release date: June 16th, 2026
thank you so much netgalley and random house publishing group for this amazing arc 💙
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟒.𝟐𝟓 🎬
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
🏖️ sunshine x grumpy
🎬 fake honeymoon for reality tv
🏖️ forced proximity
🎬 opposites attract
🏖️ american x brittish
🎬 emotional grief
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
2nd arc of the day and this one sounds so interesting!! fake marriage, slow burn, likeable characters, fake honeymoon, and only one sled (I don’t even know how that’s supposed to play out)… 🤭
ignore that’s its winter and i’m reading a summer book!!
the romance in this book was SCRUMPTIOUS!! i loved the characters and emotional trauma they had 😭!! this book handled the grief so well and the relationship was so beautiful 💕.
i am so happy that I got this arc to be introduced to this author because she seems amazing!! if you love sunshine x grumpy, definitely try this one!!
i will say—i was expecting more of a reality tv show feel. really, i feel like the book glossed over those bits and the fake dating. the focus was definitely more on their relationship rather than the plot. so if your looking for a reality tv show romance heavy on the reality tv—maybe try a different book. but if your just looking for a fun time with a hilarious and entertaining fmc and a grumpy mmc, try this one!!
👀 release date: June 16th, 2026
thank you so much netgalley and random house publishing group for this amazing arc 💙
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟒.𝟐𝟓 🎬
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
🏖️ sunshine x grumpy
🎬 fake honeymoon for reality tv
🏖️ forced proximity
🎬 opposites attract
🏖️ american x brittish
🎬 emotional grief
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
2nd arc of the day and this one sounds so interesting!! fake marriage, slow burn, likeable characters, fake honeymoon, and only one sled (I don’t even know how that’s supposed to play out)… 🤭
ignore that’s its winter and i’m reading a summer book!!
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October 22, 2025Releasing June 16, 2026!
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Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon: http://bit.ly/43l5tb0
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/lvRanA
Apple Books: http://bit.ly/4nRgOrE
Nook: http://bit.ly/4n8Avdp
Kobo: http://bit.ly/3JfLmnX
Google Play: http://bit.ly/3Jelcls
Audible: http://bit.ly/4orWL3b
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/47ojRlk
December 9, 2025
There’s something so comforting about starting an Elizabeth ORoark book and this was everything I could have wanted. Top tier hilarious banter, a delicious slow burn, and dual POV that had pining and angst. This was such a beautiful story of grief and giving yourself again, wrapped in numerous moments and a fake relationship that never was really that fake.
I love Bec’s character and how much she had grown in this story. The things she endured and goes through and we get to see more and more of her as the layers are pulled back. I love that Theo sees her for who she really is and wants more of her, he helps her feel more comfortable in the version of her she was always hiding. And Theo, he was such a fun MMC the quiet and broody type but when he was around Bex he completely transformed and became a more free version of himself.
This book was so so good. The story was such an important own to be told. The layers and complexity of grief while also having the soonest romance and a hilarious plot.
I love Bec’s character and how much she had grown in this story. The things she endured and goes through and we get to see more and more of her as the layers are pulled back. I love that Theo sees her for who she really is and wants more of her, he helps her feel more comfortable in the version of her she was always hiding. And Theo, he was such a fun MMC the quiet and broody type but when he was around Bex he completely transformed and became a more free version of himself.
This book was so so good. The story was such an important own to be told. The layers and complexity of grief while also having the soonest romance and a hilarious plot.
January 16, 2026
4 ⭐
Thank you to Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for the e-arc of Good at Being Alive in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I love me an Elizabeth O'Roark book; she hasn't written a book that I haven't enjoyed, and let me tell you this didn't disappoint. One thing I love about Elizabeth's writing is the banter and charisma her characters have and how multi-layered they are. Going into this I was expecting for a light, summer read with how the cover and blurb gave the vibes of exploring Europe, and while it certainly had elements of that, this story is steeped in grief, vulnerability and heartache and Elizabeth done an incredible job of not only portraying that, but balancing it with the humour and romance.
This story that follows Bex and Theo is steeped in grief, as Bex lost her immediate loved ones in a train crash. Having always felt like an outsider within her own family and an identity crisis which was nurtured by her step-mother, who went to some extreme lengths of ostracising her and constantly putting Bex down; Bex plays into the narrative of the black sheep of the family, but when they all suddenly pass away, she is now left to save the family travel agency business, thus ensuing a marriage of connivence between herself and Theo Porter, her father’s UK partner.
Bex and Theo could not be more opposite from each other and I think they really balanced each other well with how polar opposite they were. Theo is also grieving for his brother, who tragically committed suicide. He has his own preconceptions about Bex, which was largely influenced by Bex's step-mother, but they are forced to spend time together and get to know one another, he realises that is actually a very vulnerable woman, who has been diminished for majority of her life.
It was actually quite sad how much Bex had suffered, and even without realising it, until Theo was able to show her otherwise, and that she was more than just the fake persona she put on and was made out to be.
They were a lot of fun, and enjoyed how they visited parts of Europe together, even if it was staged, their growing feelings for each other weren't. That said, Theo was holding back towards Bex, and his friends, they were an interesting group let's say, I'm not really sure why he was friends with them, they all felt different to what he was like and not genuine. There was a bit of miscommunication, just with how Theo was holding back some truths from Bex, which again, I didn't quite understand, but it didn't take too much away from them, as they were able to move past it.
All in all, this was a beautifully told story about two people healing after loss, finding love and themselves again.
Tropes
grumpy x sunshine
reformed playboy
age gap
fake marriage of convenience
reality tv show
Thank you to Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for the e-arc of Good at Being Alive in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I love me an Elizabeth O'Roark book; she hasn't written a book that I haven't enjoyed, and let me tell you this didn't disappoint. One thing I love about Elizabeth's writing is the banter and charisma her characters have and how multi-layered they are. Going into this I was expecting for a light, summer read with how the cover and blurb gave the vibes of exploring Europe, and while it certainly had elements of that, this story is steeped in grief, vulnerability and heartache and Elizabeth done an incredible job of not only portraying that, but balancing it with the humour and romance.
This story that follows Bex and Theo is steeped in grief, as Bex lost her immediate loved ones in a train crash. Having always felt like an outsider within her own family and an identity crisis which was nurtured by her step-mother, who went to some extreme lengths of ostracising her and constantly putting Bex down; Bex plays into the narrative of the black sheep of the family, but when they all suddenly pass away, she is now left to save the family travel agency business, thus ensuing a marriage of connivence between herself and Theo Porter, her father’s UK partner.
Bex and Theo could not be more opposite from each other and I think they really balanced each other well with how polar opposite they were. Theo is also grieving for his brother, who tragically committed suicide. He has his own preconceptions about Bex, which was largely influenced by Bex's step-mother, but they are forced to spend time together and get to know one another, he realises that is actually a very vulnerable woman, who has been diminished for majority of her life.
It was actually quite sad how much Bex had suffered, and even without realising it, until Theo was able to show her otherwise, and that she was more than just the fake persona she put on and was made out to be.
They were a lot of fun, and enjoyed how they visited parts of Europe together, even if it was staged, their growing feelings for each other weren't. That said, Theo was holding back towards Bex, and his friends, they were an interesting group let's say, I'm not really sure why he was friends with them, they all felt different to what he was like and not genuine. There was a bit of miscommunication, just with how Theo was holding back some truths from Bex, which again, I didn't quite understand, but it didn't take too much away from them, as they were able to move past it.
All in all, this was a beautifully told story about two people healing after loss, finding love and themselves again.
Tropes
grumpy x sunshine
reformed playboy
age gap
fake marriage of convenience
reality tv show
November 28, 2025
I’m convinced that Elizabeth can’t write anything bad because, guys, I loved this one. Each of her releases outdoes the others, and this one was truly a sweet, slow burn that made me B L U S H.
Not only are both characters extremely likable, Bex’s confidence is just what romcoms need. We love a strong female lead (one that refuses to take any shit from a man) and Elizabeth granted my wishes. Bex had this transparency to her that I’m not used to seeing in FMC’s, as they are usually watered down to be shy and moldable. Thankfully, this book blessed us with the most badass woman who embraced her sexuality and refused to submit to anyone.
Theo was also wonderful. The man that only a woman could write, as I should say. He was perfect. A yearner. Moving him up to the top of my book boyfriend list as we speak.
If you love a slow burn, fake marriage, enemies to lovers trope - this is for you. Don’t sleep on her!
Not only are both characters extremely likable, Bex’s confidence is just what romcoms need. We love a strong female lead (one that refuses to take any shit from a man) and Elizabeth granted my wishes. Bex had this transparency to her that I’m not used to seeing in FMC’s, as they are usually watered down to be shy and moldable. Thankfully, this book blessed us with the most badass woman who embraced her sexuality and refused to submit to anyone.
Theo was also wonderful. The man that only a woman could write, as I should say. He was perfect. A yearner. Moving him up to the top of my book boyfriend list as we speak.
If you love a slow burn, fake marriage, enemies to lovers trope - this is for you. Don’t sleep on her!
December 7, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC! 🤍
Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O’Roark follows a free-spirited party girl and a grumpy British CEO who agree to fake a lavish European honeymoon for a reality TV show—hoping it will save their struggling travel agency and maybe even change their lives along the way.
I loved the premise and the overall plot, but I struggled a bit with the characters—especially Bex. I just couldn’t fully connect with her, and I didn’t feel very invested in Theo either, or in them as a couple. I found myself skimming through the second half because of that. That said, I still enjoyed my time reading this and don’t regret it at all—it just wasn’t quite for me. I definitely think a lot of readers will love this one and connect with these characters way more than I did! ✨
Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O’Roark follows a free-spirited party girl and a grumpy British CEO who agree to fake a lavish European honeymoon for a reality TV show—hoping it will save their struggling travel agency and maybe even change their lives along the way.
I loved the premise and the overall plot, but I struggled a bit with the characters—especially Bex. I just couldn’t fully connect with her, and I didn’t feel very invested in Theo either, or in them as a couple. I found myself skimming through the second half because of that. That said, I still enjoyed my time reading this and don’t regret it at all—it just wasn’t quite for me. I definitely think a lot of readers will love this one and connect with these characters way more than I did! ✨
December 27, 2025
First of all, thank you NetGalley and Ballentine books for an advanced copy of this book!
4.5 ⭐️ I absolutely loved this book. The banter between the characters was so much fun to read. Theo and Bex had the kind of dynamic that makes you smile while reading, and once the book ended, I genuinely wasn’t ready to let them go. Honestly, Elizabeth could write another 500 pages about Theo and Bex’s life after this book and I would happily read every single one.
The only thing that held this back from a full five stars for me was the lack of communication. So much of the conflict could’ve been avoided with one simple conversation. That said, I understand every book needs a bit of drama, and it didn’t stop me from loving the story overall.
If you enjoy strong chemistry, great banter, and characters you don’t want to say goodbye to, this one is absolutely worth the read.
4.5 ⭐️ I absolutely loved this book. The banter between the characters was so much fun to read. Theo and Bex had the kind of dynamic that makes you smile while reading, and once the book ended, I genuinely wasn’t ready to let them go. Honestly, Elizabeth could write another 500 pages about Theo and Bex’s life after this book and I would happily read every single one.
The only thing that held this back from a full five stars for me was the lack of communication. So much of the conflict could’ve been avoided with one simple conversation. That said, I understand every book needs a bit of drama, and it didn’t stop me from loving the story overall.
If you enjoy strong chemistry, great banter, and characters you don’t want to say goodbye to, this one is absolutely worth the read.
February 9, 2026
I loved this so much! The banter is top-notch and I laughed out loud throughout the entire book. This story also explores heavy themes of grief that are balanced by the humor.
Bex has just lost her entire family in a tragic train crash that she only avoided because she missed her flight. They were supposed to be heading to London to film a reality TV series that would help save their family-friendly travel agency on the verge of bankruptcy. Now she is left alone to manage the agency with Theo, her father’s London-based business partner whom she has never met.
Despite never meeting before, Theo has heard plenty about Bex from her father and step-monster—all of it negative. Yet when Theo meets Bex he cannot reconcile the girl he has just met to the one her parent’s described. In just a few days time, Bex has managed to set up a meeting with a top reality TV network exec and completely rebrand the show. Unfortunately that rebrand features her and Theo getting married and traveling as newlyweds across the world. What could go wrong?
I absolutely adored Bex and Theo. Bex is so fun and brings humor and light to almost every situation. Theo is definitely more of a stick in the mud—but he does begin to develop a personality as the story progresses. Each burdened by their own grief, they begin to rely on one another as they develop a real connection. Both of them realizing they may have completely misjudged one another from the start.
I just thought this was excellent. The reality TV plot is definitely secondary to the romance, with a little less emphasis on the destinations than I expected. It is a slowww burn and on the longer side for a romance but I loved every second of it. I’m a huge Elizabeth O’Roark fan and this did not disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bex has just lost her entire family in a tragic train crash that she only avoided because she missed her flight. They were supposed to be heading to London to film a reality TV series that would help save their family-friendly travel agency on the verge of bankruptcy. Now she is left alone to manage the agency with Theo, her father’s London-based business partner whom she has never met.
Despite never meeting before, Theo has heard plenty about Bex from her father and step-monster—all of it negative. Yet when Theo meets Bex he cannot reconcile the girl he has just met to the one her parent’s described. In just a few days time, Bex has managed to set up a meeting with a top reality TV network exec and completely rebrand the show. Unfortunately that rebrand features her and Theo getting married and traveling as newlyweds across the world. What could go wrong?
I absolutely adored Bex and Theo. Bex is so fun and brings humor and light to almost every situation. Theo is definitely more of a stick in the mud—but he does begin to develop a personality as the story progresses. Each burdened by their own grief, they begin to rely on one another as they develop a real connection. Both of them realizing they may have completely misjudged one another from the start.
I just thought this was excellent. The reality TV plot is definitely secondary to the romance, with a little less emphasis on the destinations than I expected. It is a slowww burn and on the longer side for a romance but I loved every second of it. I’m a huge Elizabeth O’Roark fan and this did not disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2025
How often do you actually giggle out loud while reading? Elizabeth O’Roark manages to make it happen every time. Her characters shine—especially her heroines, who always feel like chocolates with a caramel center: a tough exterior wrapped around a surprisingly tender heart. And her heroes? They may appear aloof, but they’re usually the ones who fall first, which is one of my favorite dynamics.
This story is packed with sharp, witty banter (including some genuinely funny British jokes), and the settings—Paris, Italy, and beyond—add so much charm that you can practically feel yourself being swept away. It’s one of those books you keep telling yourself you’ll put down or read more slowly… and then you never do.
I can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on this one. Elizabeth O’Roark never misses.
This story is packed with sharp, witty banter (including some genuinely funny British jokes), and the settings—Paris, Italy, and beyond—add so much charm that you can practically feel yourself being swept away. It’s one of those books you keep telling yourself you’ll put down or read more slowly… and then you never do.
I can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on this one. Elizabeth O’Roark never misses.
January 1, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for access to the advance reader copy of Good at Being Alive. I love anything Elizabeth O’Roark writes. Her humor, writing style, and ability to tell a story always pull me in. I am a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope, and I was obsessed with Bex and Theo. The story starts off very sad and does a great job navigating grief and difficult conversations.
My only complaint is the big secretive situation, which felt like it could have been resolved with an honest conversation. There were many chances for that conversation to happen. Miscommunication is usually my biggest frustration in books, but it did not take away from how much I loved this one. I would rate it 4.5 stars, teetering toward rounding up to 5. I was in a reading slump and not excited about much, and this book snapped me right out of it.
My only complaint is the big secretive situation, which felt like it could have been resolved with an honest conversation. There were many chances for that conversation to happen. Miscommunication is usually my biggest frustration in books, but it did not take away from how much I loved this one. I would rate it 4.5 stars, teetering toward rounding up to 5. I was in a reading slump and not excited about much, and this book snapped me right out of it.
November 29, 2025
This was the perfect amount of tension, quick witty banter, and spice! I always love Elizabeth O'Roark's work because of these things and this one was no different!
My only complaint is that at times I felt a little lost with some of the outlying characters. Because of this I felt that the plot was kind of just throw in at the end. I didn't quite understand the friend group (Theo's) until the very end which was disappointing. If I had grasped the friends and their importance I might have enjoyed the ending more! But, I still would recommend this especially for my KU people!
Trigger warnings: tragic death of family members, suicide
Thanks to Ballantine and O'Roark for this eARC!
My only complaint is that at times I felt a little lost with some of the outlying characters. Because of this I felt that the plot was kind of just throw in at the end. I didn't quite understand the friend group (Theo's) until the very end which was disappointing. If I had grasped the friends and their importance I might have enjoyed the ending more! But, I still would recommend this especially for my KU people!
Trigger warnings: tragic death of family members, suicide
Thanks to Ballantine and O'Roark for this eARC!
February 16, 2026
*ARC REVIEW*
I’ve read enough of Elizabeth O’Roark’s books that by now, when I start a new one, it feels familiar.
This book was not what I was expecting and still everything I love about Elizabeth’s writing. The romance was swoony and full of yearning, the self discovery Bex experiences was heartbreaking and hopeful. Theo was an idiot, but an a scared idiot in love so I’ll allow it.
The grief is heavy throughout the book so just be aware of that.
I’ve read enough of Elizabeth O’Roark’s books that by now, when I start a new one, it feels familiar.
This book was not what I was expecting and still everything I love about Elizabeth’s writing. The romance was swoony and full of yearning, the self discovery Bex experiences was heartbreaking and hopeful. Theo was an idiot, but an a scared idiot in love so I’ll allow it.
The grief is heavy throughout the book so just be aware of that.
January 6, 2026
Thank you to Dell Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and an opportunity to do an early review. I absolutely love Elizabeth O’Roark’s writing style and her latest, Good At Being Alive, proved to be another 5 star read for me!
This book deals with some darker themes around grief, infidelity and problematic blended families. I always appreciate how Elizabeth provides depth to her characters with challenges they wrestle with from their past, in order to find happiness in their future. Her trademark brilliant banter and witty humor manage to also make you, the reader, laugh out loud at some of their antics and conversations. The chemistry between Bex and Theo, our leads, is off the charts from the get go, even if they are both quite scared of letting anyone in at the outset. This one is a slow burn but when we get to the steam, it is WORTH the wait!
I love to travel and Elizabeth finds a way in so many of her books to take readers to epic destinations that come alive off the page. In this book, we get to visit Iceland and many locations throughout Europe including Paris and the Amalfie Coast. This was icing on the cake for me in an otherwise super enjoyable romance.
Overall, I loved rooting for a happy ending for Bex and Theo and flew through this one!
This book deals with some darker themes around grief, infidelity and problematic blended families. I always appreciate how Elizabeth provides depth to her characters with challenges they wrestle with from their past, in order to find happiness in their future. Her trademark brilliant banter and witty humor manage to also make you, the reader, laugh out loud at some of their antics and conversations. The chemistry between Bex and Theo, our leads, is off the charts from the get go, even if they are both quite scared of letting anyone in at the outset. This one is a slow burn but when we get to the steam, it is WORTH the wait!
I love to travel and Elizabeth finds a way in so many of her books to take readers to epic destinations that come alive off the page. In this book, we get to visit Iceland and many locations throughout Europe including Paris and the Amalfie Coast. This was icing on the cake for me in an otherwise super enjoyable romance.
Overall, I loved rooting for a happy ending for Bex and Theo and flew through this one!
November 21, 2025
I loved this book! Elizabeth does enemies to lovers so well and her banter had me laughing out loud. This was a deeper book for me and I loved how Bex grew overtime. Theo was annoying in his miscommunications but also such a cheerleader for her. I wish I could read it for the first time again! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5⭐️ Party girl Rebecca “Bex” Daniels has lost her entire family in a freak train accident, leaving her in charge of the family’s struggling travel agency. But when the strait-laced CEO, Theo Porter, offers her a solution to save the company in the form of a reality tv show in which they will pretend to be newlyweds exploring the world, she reticently agrees.
I was very honored to beta-read this book a while back, and like I always do, I absolutely devoured it. I am convinced there is no one who does scene setting, character building, swoony romance, or banter like Elizabeth O’Roark does. She is by far in a league of her own.
First and foremost, what I loved so much about this story is that it is not your typical rom-com, although it’s hella funny. It’s also not a tragedy, although it is quite sad at times. This story is where those intersect— it so perfectly represents the grey areas of life where we either sink or learn to swim (and by the way, you’ll notice how quickly you root for these characters to swim). And it is through this journey our MCs take that the reader is able to form such deep and meaningful connections, those far beyond your typical romance. And our main characters had terrific chemistry, that at times comes right off the page.
As always, the pacing is consistent throughout. There was no point where I felt it dragged or became repetitive. If we break the story into three parts, each is distinct, furthers the plot to where it needs to go, and leads perfectly into the next. Did I mention how immaculate the banter is, including when others are making fun of their intense dynamic…
“𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝓅𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝐼 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒮𝒶𝓂 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒾𝒶𝓃𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝑒𝓇𝑔𝓎. 𝒮𝒾𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝒶𝓃𝒸𝓎 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝒾𝓉.”
I was also drawn to the mystery element of a character’s very hidden secret. There were times I wanted to flip to the end to figure out what it was, and if you know me, this is incredibly rare. O’Roark would dangle a line here and there throughout until the big reveal, making it even harder to resist the temptation. While I kind of had a sense of what the secret would involve, it still came as a surprise.
Although not everyone has loved the reality tv angle, and I for one despise reality tv in reality, I found it really worked well here, as it offered a great juxtaposition to the sad, heavier moments of the story. There is a scene with a baby doll…well, let’s just say it left me in hysterics; it was so laugh-out-loud funny. And for those who don’t mind open-door romance, but don’t love the really explicit stuff, Elizabeth O’Roark is for you. Every single book is customized, tailored to fit the characters and the situations, never feels forced or gratuitous, and relies on the slow building tension that makes a spicy scene really good versus one that is more in your face.
The only very small issue I had was that I struggled to connect with either Bex or Theo at first glance. One of Bex’s decisions very early on completely threw me off, and I had trouble relating to her because of it. However, through their interactions, and as more and more of their backstories are revealed, it was hard not to fall in love with them wholeheartedly.
Read if you like:
-romance with emotional depth
-journeys of self-discovery
-witty banter
-forced proximity
-reality television
-open door (but not too open)
-dual POV
Thank you to Elizabeth O'Roark and Dell Romance for the advanced copies.
I was very honored to beta-read this book a while back, and like I always do, I absolutely devoured it. I am convinced there is no one who does scene setting, character building, swoony romance, or banter like Elizabeth O’Roark does. She is by far in a league of her own.
First and foremost, what I loved so much about this story is that it is not your typical rom-com, although it’s hella funny. It’s also not a tragedy, although it is quite sad at times. This story is where those intersect— it so perfectly represents the grey areas of life where we either sink or learn to swim (and by the way, you’ll notice how quickly you root for these characters to swim). And it is through this journey our MCs take that the reader is able to form such deep and meaningful connections, those far beyond your typical romance. And our main characters had terrific chemistry, that at times comes right off the page.
As always, the pacing is consistent throughout. There was no point where I felt it dragged or became repetitive. If we break the story into three parts, each is distinct, furthers the plot to where it needs to go, and leads perfectly into the next. Did I mention how immaculate the banter is, including when others are making fun of their intense dynamic…
“𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝓅𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝐼 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒮𝒶𝓂 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒾𝒶𝓃𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝑒𝓇𝑔𝓎. 𝒮𝒾𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝒶𝓃𝒸𝓎 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝒾𝓉.”
I was also drawn to the mystery element of a character’s very hidden secret. There were times I wanted to flip to the end to figure out what it was, and if you know me, this is incredibly rare. O’Roark would dangle a line here and there throughout until the big reveal, making it even harder to resist the temptation. While I kind of had a sense of what the secret would involve, it still came as a surprise.
Although not everyone has loved the reality tv angle, and I for one despise reality tv in reality, I found it really worked well here, as it offered a great juxtaposition to the sad, heavier moments of the story. There is a scene with a baby doll…well, let’s just say it left me in hysterics; it was so laugh-out-loud funny. And for those who don’t mind open-door romance, but don’t love the really explicit stuff, Elizabeth O’Roark is for you. Every single book is customized, tailored to fit the characters and the situations, never feels forced or gratuitous, and relies on the slow building tension that makes a spicy scene really good versus one that is more in your face.
The only very small issue I had was that I struggled to connect with either Bex or Theo at first glance. One of Bex’s decisions very early on completely threw me off, and I had trouble relating to her because of it. However, through their interactions, and as more and more of their backstories are revealed, it was hard not to fall in love with them wholeheartedly.
Read if you like:
-romance with emotional depth
-journeys of self-discovery
-witty banter
-forced proximity
-reality television
-open door (but not too open)
-dual POV
Thank you to Elizabeth O'Roark and Dell Romance for the advanced copies.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
a huge thank you to netgalley and ballantine dell for letting me read this arc in advance.
tropes:
enemies to lovers
fake marriage / marriage of convenience
forced proximity
grumpy x sunshine
age gap (12 years)
slow burn
the story starts with incredibly bad timing: rebecca “bex” daniels is the only one who survives her family, simply because, true to her reputation as someone who is always late, she misses the train everyone else was on. on top of her grief, she is left running her father’s travel agency, which is close to going under. this is where theo porter comes in, her father’s british business partner: a serious, no-nonsense man who offers her a deal. to fix the company’s finances, they have to honor a contract for a reality tv show where they will pretend to be newlyweds on their honeymoon. just imagine it: the two of them, who can’t stand each other, forced to travel between iceland and the amalfi coast, playing the role of a loving couple in front of the cameras. but what happens when the pain they both hide starts to come out, and the fake touches on set begin to feel a little too real?
bex is a character i truly loved. she is the classic “black sheep” of the family, labeled as shallow and messy, but she uses sarcasm as her armor. behind her sometimes inappropriate jokes, there is a girl who has been belittled for years and who needs to learn how to stop apologizing just for existing. on the other side, we have theo, the typical rigid and controlled british ceo, who seems to have a stick up his back. he also has his own demons, connected to the loss of his brother, which have turned him into an empty shell. at first, theo only sees bex through what he has been told about her, but watching him soften and become her first real ally is probably the best part of the book.
elizabeth o’roark has an incredible talent for making you laugh out loud on one page and then giving you a lump in your throat on the next, dealing with themes like grief and healing without ever feeling heavy. the dual point of view is essential, because it shows how fragile both characters are, despite appearances. don’t get me wrong, this is not a perfect book. i found there were a few too many harry potter references, but the chemistry between the two main characters is so intense that you almost forgive everything. it is a story about how to start living again when you think your life is already over, and it does so in such a compelling way that it will keep you glued to the pages until the very last line.
tropes:
enemies to lovers
fake marriage / marriage of convenience
forced proximity
grumpy x sunshine
age gap (12 years)
slow burn
the story starts with incredibly bad timing: rebecca “bex” daniels is the only one who survives her family, simply because, true to her reputation as someone who is always late, she misses the train everyone else was on. on top of her grief, she is left running her father’s travel agency, which is close to going under. this is where theo porter comes in, her father’s british business partner: a serious, no-nonsense man who offers her a deal. to fix the company’s finances, they have to honor a contract for a reality tv show where they will pretend to be newlyweds on their honeymoon. just imagine it: the two of them, who can’t stand each other, forced to travel between iceland and the amalfi coast, playing the role of a loving couple in front of the cameras. but what happens when the pain they both hide starts to come out, and the fake touches on set begin to feel a little too real?
bex is a character i truly loved. she is the classic “black sheep” of the family, labeled as shallow and messy, but she uses sarcasm as her armor. behind her sometimes inappropriate jokes, there is a girl who has been belittled for years and who needs to learn how to stop apologizing just for existing. on the other side, we have theo, the typical rigid and controlled british ceo, who seems to have a stick up his back. he also has his own demons, connected to the loss of his brother, which have turned him into an empty shell. at first, theo only sees bex through what he has been told about her, but watching him soften and become her first real ally is probably the best part of the book.
elizabeth o’roark has an incredible talent for making you laugh out loud on one page and then giving you a lump in your throat on the next, dealing with themes like grief and healing without ever feeling heavy. the dual point of view is essential, because it shows how fragile both characters are, despite appearances. don’t get me wrong, this is not a perfect book. i found there were a few too many harry potter references, but the chemistry between the two main characters is so intense that you almost forgive everything. it is a story about how to start living again when you think your life is already over, and it does so in such a compelling way that it will keep you glued to the pages until the very last line.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What you can expect in Good at Being Alive:
-opposites attract
-marriage of (in)convenience
-reality TV (married for real, but faking being happy for tv)
-age difference
-angsty
-grief
Good at Being Alive is a book filled with plenty of humor, but also heavier topics like grief. Rebecca also known as "Bex", has always felt like the black sheep of her family. Bex's mom passed away when she was young and her father remarried. The best part of that marriage is the step-sister that Bex inherited - one who she loves. So when in a freak accident Bex's entire family - her dad, stepmom and stepsister - dies on the spot she's left floundering. Unsure of what she should do and how to move on.
When Bex meets her dad's business partner, Theo sparks fly. But they're immediately extinguished when she finds out who he is and how rude he is. Since they now own a business together - him in the UK and her in the US they have to figure out a way to work together otherwise they'll be filing for bankruptcy. Bex has an idea...why not try to get a reality tv deal and fight their competitors (social media influencers) - what do they have to lose? A lot apparently when the show decides to spin their story as a happily married couple who is going through their shared grief together while they explore the world. But what starts off as a marriage of convenience slowly starts to turn into something more. How will Bex and Theo feel when their real feelings start to get involved even though they're supposed to divorce at the end of the show?
Once I started reading Good at Being Alive, I had a hard time stopping. Elizabeth O'Roark's writing has a way of hooking me in immediately and it was no different with Good at Being Alive. While I found the book to be humorous and filled with the angst that I love from Elizabeth O'Roark, I feel like I wanted more of a connection between Bex and Theo. While I felt for Bex, especially with how she was going through her grief, I had a harder time connecting with Theo.
Overall, I give Good at Being Alive 3.5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher
CW: death of loved ones, cheating, suicide (family member).
-opposites attract
-marriage of (in)convenience
-reality TV (married for real, but faking being happy for tv)
-age difference
-angsty
-grief
Good at Being Alive is a book filled with plenty of humor, but also heavier topics like grief. Rebecca also known as "Bex", has always felt like the black sheep of her family. Bex's mom passed away when she was young and her father remarried. The best part of that marriage is the step-sister that Bex inherited - one who she loves. So when in a freak accident Bex's entire family - her dad, stepmom and stepsister - dies on the spot she's left floundering. Unsure of what she should do and how to move on.
When Bex meets her dad's business partner, Theo sparks fly. But they're immediately extinguished when she finds out who he is and how rude he is. Since they now own a business together - him in the UK and her in the US they have to figure out a way to work together otherwise they'll be filing for bankruptcy. Bex has an idea...why not try to get a reality tv deal and fight their competitors (social media influencers) - what do they have to lose? A lot apparently when the show decides to spin their story as a happily married couple who is going through their shared grief together while they explore the world. But what starts off as a marriage of convenience slowly starts to turn into something more. How will Bex and Theo feel when their real feelings start to get involved even though they're supposed to divorce at the end of the show?
Once I started reading Good at Being Alive, I had a hard time stopping. Elizabeth O'Roark's writing has a way of hooking me in immediately and it was no different with Good at Being Alive. While I found the book to be humorous and filled with the angst that I love from Elizabeth O'Roark, I feel like I wanted more of a connection between Bex and Theo. While I felt for Bex, especially with how she was going through her grief, I had a harder time connecting with Theo.
Overall, I give Good at Being Alive 3.5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher
CW: death of loved ones, cheating, suicide (family member).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The banter!! Elizabeth O'Roark fell off my radar this past year and I am so glad this book brought me back into the fold. Good at Being Alive is a slow burn, fake marriage romance that delves into the depths of grief and expectations.
Bex is the black sheep and bad egg of her family, with her stepmom constantly reinforcing a narrative of her being a 'problem'. Bex misses her flight, saving her life when the train her father, stepmom and beloved sister are in crashes. Theo, her father's business partner, works with Bex to save their family travel agency by taking part in a travel reality show. Throughout filming, they bond over shared grief, similar sense of humor and an undeniable attraction.
Bex was a wonderful female lead. She was so funny and confident. Theo was equally funny and I enjoyed how his perception of Bex shifted as he learned more about her. They had firecracker chemistry and the mental foreplay in this book was incredible. I love great banter and it is done so well. They have so much sexual tension and it pays off wonderfully once we get to their intimate scenes.
I think for me, where this story lost some points, was at the beginning. Even though I love the humor and Bex's incredible wit, it was a bit jarring at the beginning with the recent tragedy and loss of her family. It took me a little out of the book until we had a bit of distance from the death. The other part is just the background storylines. I hated Theo's friends and we never really learned why he still had them as friends. He never stands up for himself to them for the things done in the story and I was frustrated that it was never resolved. It was just introduced for added complications. The other part was the third act conflict. I wanted Theo to have a whole monologue about the reason he was so closed off. Even though we know from his POV chapters, Bex deserved more groveling.
With all that said, I really loved this story. I will definitely be reading more from the author's blacklist because her banter and chemistry is unmatched.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bex is the black sheep and bad egg of her family, with her stepmom constantly reinforcing a narrative of her being a 'problem'. Bex misses her flight, saving her life when the train her father, stepmom and beloved sister are in crashes. Theo, her father's business partner, works with Bex to save their family travel agency by taking part in a travel reality show. Throughout filming, they bond over shared grief, similar sense of humor and an undeniable attraction.
Bex was a wonderful female lead. She was so funny and confident. Theo was equally funny and I enjoyed how his perception of Bex shifted as he learned more about her. They had firecracker chemistry and the mental foreplay in this book was incredible. I love great banter and it is done so well. They have so much sexual tension and it pays off wonderfully once we get to their intimate scenes.
I think for me, where this story lost some points, was at the beginning. Even though I love the humor and Bex's incredible wit, it was a bit jarring at the beginning with the recent tragedy and loss of her family. It took me a little out of the book until we had a bit of distance from the death. The other part is just the background storylines. I hated Theo's friends and we never really learned why he still had them as friends. He never stands up for himself to them for the things done in the story and I was frustrated that it was never resolved. It was just introduced for added complications. The other part was the third act conflict. I wanted Theo to have a whole monologue about the reason he was so closed off. Even though we know from his POV chapters, Bex deserved more groveling.
With all that said, I really loved this story. I will definitely be reading more from the author's blacklist because her banter and chemistry is unmatched.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Bex is the black sheep of her family, who constantly lives up to their low expectations for her. But when her father, stepmother, and stepsister all die in a freak train accident on the way to the airport, she is left alone...and as the co-owner of an international travel agency.
In the age of social media and influencers, the agency is flailing. To gain a stronger following and generate more interest in the business, Bex and the company's co-owner, the dashing British playboy, Theo, enter into a marriage of convenience and film a reality TV series about traveling as newlyweds. Along the way, the two's antagonistic relationship morphs into something more playful. But can the two of them withstand the family traumas they've faced or the public scandals waiting for them with fame?
If you've read previous books by Elizabeth O'Roark, you'll be familiar with the way she paints her characters with trauma and the relationships between the main characters with angst. And that's entirely true in this upcoming release, as well. Bex, especially, contains multitudes...there is more to her than meets the eye.
Two concerns bumped this from a 4 star read to a 3...
We spend about 90% of the book wondering what is Theo's big secret and why he is so emotionally closed off...and once the reader (and Bex) find out, there resolution happens so quickly. I wanted more time for the couple to work though the conflict.
The biggest con for me, though, and it made me almost DNF the book at 10%, were the several casual jokes about deportation and deporting people the FMC didn’t like. Yes, they were jokes but it felt a bit tone-deaf, given current events. I hope, given the release of this book isn't for several more months, that the author will reconsider these jokes, as they don't contribute in anyway to the narrative or the overall development of Bex's character.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In the age of social media and influencers, the agency is flailing. To gain a stronger following and generate more interest in the business, Bex and the company's co-owner, the dashing British playboy, Theo, enter into a marriage of convenience and film a reality TV series about traveling as newlyweds. Along the way, the two's antagonistic relationship morphs into something more playful. But can the two of them withstand the family traumas they've faced or the public scandals waiting for them with fame?
If you've read previous books by Elizabeth O'Roark, you'll be familiar with the way she paints her characters with trauma and the relationships between the main characters with angst. And that's entirely true in this upcoming release, as well. Bex, especially, contains multitudes...there is more to her than meets the eye.
Two concerns bumped this from a 4 star read to a 3...
We spend about 90% of the book wondering what is Theo's big secret and why he is so emotionally closed off...and once the reader (and Bex) find out, there resolution happens so quickly. I wanted more time for the couple to work though the conflict.
The biggest con for me, though, and it made me almost DNF the book at 10%, were the several casual jokes about deportation and deporting people the FMC didn’t like. Yes, they were jokes but it felt a bit tone-deaf, given current events. I hope, given the release of this book isn't for several more months, that the author will reconsider these jokes, as they don't contribute in anyway to the narrative or the overall development of Bex's character.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Good at Being Alive is a book about wanting to save a travel agency and rediscovering how to be good at living, even after experiencing unexpected losses. While this is a romance, I felt that the romance between Theo and Bex was very slow burn. I could feel that there was sexual tension between the two of them but it wasn't outright obvious until later in the book. I honestly felt that that this book was more about Bex rediscovering who she is as a person after tragic loss of her parents and sister rather than romance, though it is a perk.
When it comes to Theo, I really wanted to love him, but he was so closed off. I feel that there could have been more emotion from him, but he was going through his own problems with work and trying to keep the company afloat. Due to this, it is understandable for why he was so serious and not as willing to share his personal life. Bex, on the other hand, was so down to earth and hilarious even with her dry, dark humor. Their banter, when they were living in the moment, made me laugh and smile. I do also like the fact that they traveled to various locations to film their show because it helped me see Bex and Theo in a natural state where they actually connected despite being in front of the cameras.
I felt that despite the events that led to Theo and Bex connecting in person, they did get to know each other quite well. While I would have initially given this a 5/5, the ending was a bit lackluster for me but Theo was honest in what he wanted from Bex. I do wish we could have seen more from Theo's side but I suppose the small gestures and physical touches were a way of showing that he did care for Bex.
Overall, 4/5 stars. 1.5/5 for spice. Highly recommend to readers who like the fake marriage trope, traveling around the world, and trying to save a company. Also recommend to readers who like slow burn romance and grumpy billionaire CEOs who find their spark in a down to earth woman who is just trying to find her happiness again after tragedy.
Thank you Ballantine | Dell for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
When it comes to Theo, I really wanted to love him, but he was so closed off. I feel that there could have been more emotion from him, but he was going through his own problems with work and trying to keep the company afloat. Due to this, it is understandable for why he was so serious and not as willing to share his personal life. Bex, on the other hand, was so down to earth and hilarious even with her dry, dark humor. Their banter, when they were living in the moment, made me laugh and smile. I do also like the fact that they traveled to various locations to film their show because it helped me see Bex and Theo in a natural state where they actually connected despite being in front of the cameras.
I felt that despite the events that led to Theo and Bex connecting in person, they did get to know each other quite well. While I would have initially given this a 5/5, the ending was a bit lackluster for me but Theo was honest in what he wanted from Bex. I do wish we could have seen more from Theo's side but I suppose the small gestures and physical touches were a way of showing that he did care for Bex.
Overall, 4/5 stars. 1.5/5 for spice. Highly recommend to readers who like the fake marriage trope, traveling around the world, and trying to save a company. Also recommend to readers who like slow burn romance and grumpy billionaire CEOs who find their spark in a down to earth woman who is just trying to find her happiness again after tragedy.
Thank you Ballantine | Dell for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is an amazing love story, that has humor, and tears, and will pull on your heartstrings only to let it soar. I absolutely loved Bex and Theo as they navigated their grief, and found joy and love together. Bex was the rebel of her family, so when she lost them suddenly, she struggled with survivors guilt. Theo is her father's UK business partner in their travel agency that was going under. They decided to shoot a reality show with them pretending to be married and traveling the world on their honeymoon, to hopefully save their business. Carefree Bex and self-controlled Theo couldn't be more opposite. The trip starts off with a few clashes but they soon learn to care for each other. Theo only knew Bex from what he heard from her father, but the more time they spend together, the more he sees how smart, charming and self deprecating she is. Bex was used to hiding her light to make others shine, so as she starts falling for Theo, she doesn't feel she deserves the funny, protective man. When their trip comes to an end, will he choose to stay married to her, or will they go back to living on different continents, breaking both their hearts? This fake marriage road trip adventure was so much fun, and their journey to each other was poignant, and heartfelt. I loved Bex and Theo, who felt real and authentic, their relationship was so moving, and hard fought, and I loved their hilarious dark humor and banter. My heart broke for Bex as she struggled with her grief and rectifying the hurtful secrets she learned along the way. She was strong and resilient and swoony Theo saw who she was beneath her walls, helping her become the vibrant, intelligent woman worthy of love. They were so perfect together and their passion and chemistry leaped right off the page! This is such a beautifully written story and I was totally captivated by this journey through love, laughter, guilt, anger, heartbreak, hope, healing, and joy!
December 22, 2025
Good at Being Alive is one of those rare romances where the ambition of the premise is matched by the execution on the page. Warm, funny, courageously authentic...and powerfully emotive. From the start, Elizabeth O’Roark builds something wholly original: a fake relationship formed through a travel agency and a Netflix-style reality show. A premise juxtaposed with a deeply existential and immersive character journey...one of profound personal loss. It sounds like a lot, yet the story weaves these elements together with remarkable precision. The structure creates natural stakes, compelling pacing, and an intimate, emotionally charged environment that keeps the characters in constant orbit around one another. The jet setting does more than provide beautiful backdrops. It allows distance and closeness to coexist, giving the romance room to breathe while deepening the tension and connection in equal measure. The result is a story that feels fresh, dynamic, and completely absorbing. And one that is so profoundly emotionally affecting that it lingers in your heart as much as your mind. Not only is this a profound love story between Theo and Bex, but it's a loving, but raw, exploration of grief.
The opening is breathtaking. Going in blind, the emotional impact hits hard and without warning. The loss that anchors the story is delivered with restraint, which makes it feel all the more devastating. We experience the shock exactly as Bex does, numbed and disoriented, until her grief finally breaks through. The funeral scene is both heartbreaking and quietly stunning, serving as an unforgettable introduction not just to the story’s emotional core, but to the relationship itself. That first meeting between Bex and Theo, a deeply tragic meet cute, captures microcosmically everything their bond will become: safety, recognition, and the freedom to be fully seen at your most undone.
At its heart, this is a novel about grief and the way it reshapes identity. O’Roark explores mourning in all its forms, from the public and performative to the private and consuming. Bex’s journey is especially powerful. Losing her family means losing the version of herself that existed in relation to them, and that unraveling sparks an existential reckoning that is both terrifying and strangely liberating. Elizabeth captures the paradox of grief with extraordinary insight. In losing everything, Bex gains access to her truest self. Her growth does not erase her pain, but it transforms it into momentum. Painful momentum. Jolting momentum. But also catalytic. Placing her grief alongside Theo’s creates a striking juxtaposition. Where Bex leans into feeling and change, Theo retreats, allowing his loss to calcify into emotional distance. Their parallel journeys make the story richer and more resonant, showing how differently grief can shape us, and how connection can become the catalyst for healing.
Elizabeth always excels at character voice. Her stories are richly character driven. And Bex is perhaps a master class in her deft ability to create characters in deeply unique and specific strokes...but also with a lot of universality. Bex is a wonder She is vivid, magnetic, and achingly vulnerable, a character who feels fully alive on the page. Her humor, warmth, and self awareness are balanced by deep insecurity and longing, making her incredibly relatable. And human. She is a character who feels misunderstood by the world, yet deeply known by the reader. Her voice captures that universal way we feel about the way we shape ourselves to be palatable to others, what we thin we need to do to be loved, and how often that leaves us feeling disconnected from who we truly are. Watching her reclaim herself is both moving and empowering. A bit devastating too.
The romance between Bex and Theo is a case study in slow burn tension. Their chemistry is immediate, but the narrative wisely resists rushing it. Of course, we have Elizabeth's trademark humor and banter. But there's also deeper layers to these characters. The longing builds through quiet moments, shared understanding, and the way they instinctively see and interpret each other with generosity. Which is brilliant considering their relationship is literally under a microscope for the world to see. But it's within the loudness of their absurd adventure that the quite moments shine. They recognize each other’s flaws not as failures, but as survival mechanisms. Theo sees Bex’s exhaustion as devotion rather than weakness. Bex understands his rigidity as a need for safety. Their attraction is as much emotional as it is physical, and when the romance finally ignites, its explosive. Life altering. The fake relationship adds another layer of complexity and tension, forcing both characters to confront what is real, what is performative, and what it means if the feelings are genuine. And if they are READY for that.
Both character arcs are beautifully realized. Bex’s growth is nuanced and honest, allowing space for contradiction and complexity. She learns to hold love and resentment, grief and gratitude, accountability and compassion all at once. Most importantly, she learns to demand more, even when doing so risks losing what she wants most. Theo’s arc is equally compelling, as he learns that protecting his heart by settling for less is not the same as living. Together, they model a love that does not save them, but encourages them to choose bravery, vulnerability, and a fuller version of life. How they inspire each other to DARE TO LIVE.
Good at Being Alive is emotionally rich, psychologically astute, and profoundly romantic. It is a story about daring to live, daring to love, and daring to ask for more than survival. Elizabeth O’Roark has crafted something truly special here, a romance that lingers long after the final page. One that changes you as much as it absorbs you. One of her most meaningful works to do, and easily a favorite.
The opening is breathtaking. Going in blind, the emotional impact hits hard and without warning. The loss that anchors the story is delivered with restraint, which makes it feel all the more devastating. We experience the shock exactly as Bex does, numbed and disoriented, until her grief finally breaks through. The funeral scene is both heartbreaking and quietly stunning, serving as an unforgettable introduction not just to the story’s emotional core, but to the relationship itself. That first meeting between Bex and Theo, a deeply tragic meet cute, captures microcosmically everything their bond will become: safety, recognition, and the freedom to be fully seen at your most undone.
At its heart, this is a novel about grief and the way it reshapes identity. O’Roark explores mourning in all its forms, from the public and performative to the private and consuming. Bex’s journey is especially powerful. Losing her family means losing the version of herself that existed in relation to them, and that unraveling sparks an existential reckoning that is both terrifying and strangely liberating. Elizabeth captures the paradox of grief with extraordinary insight. In losing everything, Bex gains access to her truest self. Her growth does not erase her pain, but it transforms it into momentum. Painful momentum. Jolting momentum. But also catalytic. Placing her grief alongside Theo’s creates a striking juxtaposition. Where Bex leans into feeling and change, Theo retreats, allowing his loss to calcify into emotional distance. Their parallel journeys make the story richer and more resonant, showing how differently grief can shape us, and how connection can become the catalyst for healing.
Elizabeth always excels at character voice. Her stories are richly character driven. And Bex is perhaps a master class in her deft ability to create characters in deeply unique and specific strokes...but also with a lot of universality. Bex is a wonder She is vivid, magnetic, and achingly vulnerable, a character who feels fully alive on the page. Her humor, warmth, and self awareness are balanced by deep insecurity and longing, making her incredibly relatable. And human. She is a character who feels misunderstood by the world, yet deeply known by the reader. Her voice captures that universal way we feel about the way we shape ourselves to be palatable to others, what we thin we need to do to be loved, and how often that leaves us feeling disconnected from who we truly are. Watching her reclaim herself is both moving and empowering. A bit devastating too.
The romance between Bex and Theo is a case study in slow burn tension. Their chemistry is immediate, but the narrative wisely resists rushing it. Of course, we have Elizabeth's trademark humor and banter. But there's also deeper layers to these characters. The longing builds through quiet moments, shared understanding, and the way they instinctively see and interpret each other with generosity. Which is brilliant considering their relationship is literally under a microscope for the world to see. But it's within the loudness of their absurd adventure that the quite moments shine. They recognize each other’s flaws not as failures, but as survival mechanisms. Theo sees Bex’s exhaustion as devotion rather than weakness. Bex understands his rigidity as a need for safety. Their attraction is as much emotional as it is physical, and when the romance finally ignites, its explosive. Life altering. The fake relationship adds another layer of complexity and tension, forcing both characters to confront what is real, what is performative, and what it means if the feelings are genuine. And if they are READY for that.
Both character arcs are beautifully realized. Bex’s growth is nuanced and honest, allowing space for contradiction and complexity. She learns to hold love and resentment, grief and gratitude, accountability and compassion all at once. Most importantly, she learns to demand more, even when doing so risks losing what she wants most. Theo’s arc is equally compelling, as he learns that protecting his heart by settling for less is not the same as living. Together, they model a love that does not save them, but encourages them to choose bravery, vulnerability, and a fuller version of life. How they inspire each other to DARE TO LIVE.
Good at Being Alive is emotionally rich, psychologically astute, and profoundly romantic. It is a story about daring to live, daring to love, and daring to ask for more than survival. Elizabeth O’Roark has crafted something truly special here, a romance that lingers long after the final page. One that changes you as much as it absorbs you. One of her most meaningful works to do, and easily a favorite.
November 11, 2025
Elizabeth O’Roark’s Good at Being Alive is a sharp, emotionally layered romance that blends dry wit, heartache, and just the right amount of wanderlust. It’s everything you’d want from a grumpy x sunshine, fake honeymoon romance—packed with chemistry, banter, and unexpected depth.
Bex is one of O’Roark’s most compelling heroines to date. Branded a mess by those around her, she’s messy in the way that’s honest—smart, loving, deeply wounded, and working hard to survive after tragedy. The way the story unpacks emotional abuse, grief, and self-worth is poignant and at times painful, but it’s balanced beautifully with Bex’s biting humor and vibrant spirit.
The hero… well, let’s just say he’s a tough nut to crack. He has his own grief and trauma, and while it gives context to his closed-off nature, his emotional distance and judgmental tendencies early on are hard to overlook. I wanted more from him—more emotional presence, more vulnerability, more growth on the page. Bex gives so much, and his journey toward deserving her felt a little rushed in the final act.
Still, their dynamic is addictive. The setting—a dreamlike travel show honeymoon across Europe—makes the perfect backdrop for two people learning to open themselves to love, even when it scares them. The banter is top-tier (the wizard jokes alone made me laugh out loud), and O’Roark’s writing, as always, cuts with precision.
This book touches on big themes—grief, healing, self-worth, and the long, messy path to real connection—and though I wanted a bit more balance in the emotional arcs, it’s a read that stays with you. It’s about choosing to believe that you’re worthy of love, even when the world has convinced you otherwise.
Bex is one of O’Roark’s most compelling heroines to date. Branded a mess by those around her, she’s messy in the way that’s honest—smart, loving, deeply wounded, and working hard to survive after tragedy. The way the story unpacks emotional abuse, grief, and self-worth is poignant and at times painful, but it’s balanced beautifully with Bex’s biting humor and vibrant spirit.
The hero… well, let’s just say he’s a tough nut to crack. He has his own grief and trauma, and while it gives context to his closed-off nature, his emotional distance and judgmental tendencies early on are hard to overlook. I wanted more from him—more emotional presence, more vulnerability, more growth on the page. Bex gives so much, and his journey toward deserving her felt a little rushed in the final act.
Still, their dynamic is addictive. The setting—a dreamlike travel show honeymoon across Europe—makes the perfect backdrop for two people learning to open themselves to love, even when it scares them. The banter is top-tier (the wizard jokes alone made me laugh out loud), and O’Roark’s writing, as always, cuts with precision.
This book touches on big themes—grief, healing, self-worth, and the long, messy path to real connection—and though I wanted a bit more balance in the emotional arcs, it’s a read that stays with you. It’s about choosing to believe that you’re worthy of love, even when the world has convinced you otherwise.
November 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth O’Roark, and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy of this book. If Elizabeth O’Roark has no fans than I am sadly dead. Her writing just works for me every single time.
Good at Being Alive is an emotional, contemporary romance that deals with grief, past mistakes and how they can haunt us, as well as the scars our childhood can leave behind. We meet Bex while she’s traveling to see her family. As usual she has missed her flight and disappointed her family. Tragedy comes her way quickly and she is left dealing with grief and complicated feelings around her memories of her childhood. Theo comes in to the picture with an epic meet cute at the worst time. The two end up hatching a plan to save Theo and Bex’s family’s business. This involves a reality tv show and of course a fake marriage. The show will take them around the world and create a bond they never saw coming between Bex and Theo.
I had a bit of trouble getting into the first 20% of the book. I believe some of the issues I had will be corrected before publication. It was difficult to discern if they were in NJ or LA a few times. Just slight inconsistencies that took me out of the story but I have faith they will be corrected. After 20% it really picked up for me as the travel started and reality show begun filming. A hallmark of Elizabeth’s writing is witty banter and fighting between the main characters. Good at Being Alive was full of this and I ate it up! The romance, banter, and the travel aspects of the story made up for some potential plot shortcomings. In particular the big reveal of Theo’s secret seemed a little silly. All in all I really enjoyed it and had a great time!
Good at Being Alive is an emotional, contemporary romance that deals with grief, past mistakes and how they can haunt us, as well as the scars our childhood can leave behind. We meet Bex while she’s traveling to see her family. As usual she has missed her flight and disappointed her family. Tragedy comes her way quickly and she is left dealing with grief and complicated feelings around her memories of her childhood. Theo comes in to the picture with an epic meet cute at the worst time. The two end up hatching a plan to save Theo and Bex’s family’s business. This involves a reality tv show and of course a fake marriage. The show will take them around the world and create a bond they never saw coming between Bex and Theo.
I had a bit of trouble getting into the first 20% of the book. I believe some of the issues I had will be corrected before publication. It was difficult to discern if they were in NJ or LA a few times. Just slight inconsistencies that took me out of the story but I have faith they will be corrected. After 20% it really picked up for me as the travel started and reality show begun filming. A hallmark of Elizabeth’s writing is witty banter and fighting between the main characters. Good at Being Alive was full of this and I ate it up! The romance, banter, and the travel aspects of the story made up for some potential plot shortcomings. In particular the big reveal of Theo’s secret seemed a little silly. All in all I really enjoyed it and had a great time!
December 10, 2025
I would like to start by saying I love Elizabeth O’Roark’s books. They are quick reads because you just want to know what’s going to happen next.
She often writes female main characters who are smarter than they appear to be . I don’t love that aspect of it and wish she would’ve been more confident. It helped that Bex was funny which made her more likable to me but definitely not my favorite Elizabeth O’Roark character.
However, for me I have to be in a certain mood to read her books. They’re so dark and angsty.
The cover of this book doesn’t match the vibe of the actual book and story. It appears like it’d be a light fun romance book which it is not.
This is a slow burn, they don’t truly hook up (not under the influence) until 70%. I didn’t mind that, the chemistry was off the charts. However Theo did say some stuff that was rude to Bex but then he’d be nice. It was all over with him in regard to the insults vs nice ratio.
Also it takes until 92% for the reader to finally learn what is Theo’s secret which ends up falling flat. He slept with his friend Wendy while she was still married but telling Theo she was leaving her husband when she really didn’t. He immediately ended it but kept hanging out with her with their group of friends. Which really didn’t make sense to me but I guess that’s one of his toxic traits is allowing people who have hurt him to continue being friends with him.
This issues gets resolved almost immediately at the 97% mark.
There is a happily ever after but I found something to be missing. This book just didn’t land for me like her others. However I’m glad I read it because I love her and her writing! I would definitely recommend.
I received this as an ARC from Netgalley.
She often writes female main characters who are smarter than they appear to be . I don’t love that aspect of it and wish she would’ve been more confident. It helped that Bex was funny which made her more likable to me but definitely not my favorite Elizabeth O’Roark character.
However, for me I have to be in a certain mood to read her books. They’re so dark and angsty.
The cover of this book doesn’t match the vibe of the actual book and story. It appears like it’d be a light fun romance book which it is not.
This is a slow burn, they don’t truly hook up (not under the influence) until 70%. I didn’t mind that, the chemistry was off the charts. However Theo did say some stuff that was rude to Bex but then he’d be nice. It was all over with him in regard to the insults vs nice ratio.
Also it takes until 92% for the reader to finally learn what is Theo’s secret which ends up falling flat. He slept with his friend Wendy while she was still married but telling Theo she was leaving her husband when she really didn’t. He immediately ended it but kept hanging out with her with their group of friends. Which really didn’t make sense to me but I guess that’s one of his toxic traits is allowing people who have hurt him to continue being friends with him.
This issues gets resolved almost immediately at the 97% mark.
There is a happily ever after but I found something to be missing. This book just didn’t land for me like her others. However I’m glad I read it because I love her and her writing! I would definitely recommend.
I received this as an ARC from Netgalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Being the Black sheep and the scapegoat of the family worked out in Bex's favor.
An evening of recklessness saved her life when she missed the train that took the lives of her family.
Now, she co-owns the family business with a British man who she knows very little about.
However, they must get married and convince the world they have found true love amidst life's tragedies in order to save her family's legacy via a reality television show.
This story does start out with sadness but do not let that shy you away from this read.
Most of the banter between Bex and Theo is a hilarious good time. Their banter is what made the story so enjoyable for me.
There were a few moments when Bex was immature even for her character's age. Those few moments were a bit cringe and annoying. They felt like comments a young teenager would make, not a young woman.
Also, I understand everyone grieves different and that she lost her whole family but to use that as a quip to get her way irked me. Loss is Loss and all grief is valid.
Bex has survivors guilt. However, her constantly bringing up that Theo was meant for her sister was unnecessarily repetitive. Especially, when the sister and Theo only knew each other among the family circle.
Overall, this book was a good time and it includes a few of my book favorites.
✅️Fake Dating
✅️British Male Main Character
✅️Honeymoon Destinations
✅️Reality Television (I do not like watching reality television. Yet, I love reading it in books.)
✅️Protective Hero
If the list above is some of your bookish favorites as well, I highly recommend adding this to your June TBR!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
An evening of recklessness saved her life when she missed the train that took the lives of her family.
Now, she co-owns the family business with a British man who she knows very little about.
However, they must get married and convince the world they have found true love amidst life's tragedies in order to save her family's legacy via a reality television show.
This story does start out with sadness but do not let that shy you away from this read.
Most of the banter between Bex and Theo is a hilarious good time. Their banter is what made the story so enjoyable for me.
There were a few moments when Bex was immature even for her character's age. Those few moments were a bit cringe and annoying. They felt like comments a young teenager would make, not a young woman.
Also, I understand everyone grieves different and that she lost her whole family but to use that as a quip to get her way irked me. Loss is Loss and all grief is valid.
Bex has survivors guilt. However, her constantly bringing up that Theo was meant for her sister was unnecessarily repetitive. Especially, when the sister and Theo only knew each other among the family circle.
Overall, this book was a good time and it includes a few of my book favorites.
✅️Fake Dating
✅️British Male Main Character
✅️Honeymoon Destinations
✅️Reality Television (I do not like watching reality television. Yet, I love reading it in books.)
✅️Protective Hero
If the list above is some of your bookish favorites as well, I highly recommend adding this to your June TBR!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Summary:
Good at Being Alive is about Bex, a woman dealing with grief and a deep-seated belief that she’s basically destined to screw things up. The story follows her as she navigates messy relationships, avoids vulnerability, and tries to convince herself she doesn’t deserve better. Even with the heavier themes, this was a compulsively readable book that I flew through, even as my feelings about it became more complicated.
Tropes:
Grumpy / sunshine
Fake marriage
Messy FMC
Navigating grief
Road trip (sort of. They traveled a lot)
My Thoughts:
This honestly could have been a five-star read for me, which is what makes the final rating such a disappointment. The foundation is there: strong banter, some genuinely humorous moments, and Elizabeth O'Roark's writing style kept me fully invested. I was hooked and had a hard time putting it down.
Unfortunately, a few choices pulled me out of the story. The overuse of Harry Potter references became distracting, but more importantly, the jokes about deportation early in the book were uncomfortable for me as a reader. Even if the joke was framed around deporting a white male character—and perhaps that’s why it was considered acceptable—it still felt tone-deaf and unnecessary given the current US climate..
That’s what ultimately makes this a three-star read for me. I’m genuinely sad to be dropping the rating, because the banter and the underlying story are there, but those elements significantly lessened my enjoyment.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Good at Being Alive is about Bex, a woman dealing with grief and a deep-seated belief that she’s basically destined to screw things up. The story follows her as she navigates messy relationships, avoids vulnerability, and tries to convince herself she doesn’t deserve better. Even with the heavier themes, this was a compulsively readable book that I flew through, even as my feelings about it became more complicated.
Tropes:
Grumpy / sunshine
Fake marriage
Messy FMC
Navigating grief
Road trip (sort of. They traveled a lot)
My Thoughts:
This honestly could have been a five-star read for me, which is what makes the final rating such a disappointment. The foundation is there: strong banter, some genuinely humorous moments, and Elizabeth O'Roark's writing style kept me fully invested. I was hooked and had a hard time putting it down.
Unfortunately, a few choices pulled me out of the story. The overuse of Harry Potter references became distracting, but more importantly, the jokes about deportation early in the book were uncomfortable for me as a reader. Even if the joke was framed around deporting a white male character—and perhaps that’s why it was considered acceptable—it still felt tone-deaf and unnecessary given the current US climate..
That’s what ultimately makes this a three-star read for me. I’m genuinely sad to be dropping the rating, because the banter and the underlying story are there, but those elements significantly lessened my enjoyment.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 4, 20264/5⭐️
🌶️🌶️
I think I’ve read nearly everything by Elizabeth O’Roark and I was so excited to get this book! The author is so good at angst and slightly forbidden stories - this is no different!
Bex and Theo are both dealing with grief in different ways when we start the story and end up needing each other to save the business their families started years ago. While neither has any true interest in working together it’s the only way to avoid losing the last pieces of their loved ones so they do something crazy: agree to have a fake honeymoon filmed for a reality show! It’s kind of a wild, outrageous plot but she makes it work.
Bex is feeling a lot of guilt with her loss but she was such a good FMC to read! She was so funny and even without realizing it was such an optimistic, bright person. Her love for her sister was so relatable and I felt her grief as if it were my own at times. Theo is a reserved former playboy who has never come to terms with the loss he endured years ago. It wouldn’t seem like it because of how the story starts, but their banter was hilarious! Bex knew just how to get under Theo’s skin because he was so buttoned up all the time, which led to some great tension between the two. I was just waitingggg for everything to fall into place with them!
If you’re looking for a slightly forbidden marriage of convenience, grumpy x sunshine with a unique twist on the reasonings for it all then this book is for you! Fun but emotional, it was a great read to end the year.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
🌶️🌶️
I think I’ve read nearly everything by Elizabeth O’Roark and I was so excited to get this book! The author is so good at angst and slightly forbidden stories - this is no different!
Bex and Theo are both dealing with grief in different ways when we start the story and end up needing each other to save the business their families started years ago. While neither has any true interest in working together it’s the only way to avoid losing the last pieces of their loved ones so they do something crazy: agree to have a fake honeymoon filmed for a reality show! It’s kind of a wild, outrageous plot but she makes it work.
Bex is feeling a lot of guilt with her loss but she was such a good FMC to read! She was so funny and even without realizing it was such an optimistic, bright person. Her love for her sister was so relatable and I felt her grief as if it were my own at times. Theo is a reserved former playboy who has never come to terms with the loss he endured years ago. It wouldn’t seem like it because of how the story starts, but their banter was hilarious! Bex knew just how to get under Theo’s skin because he was so buttoned up all the time, which led to some great tension between the two. I was just waitingggg for everything to fall into place with them!
If you’re looking for a slightly forbidden marriage of convenience, grumpy x sunshine with a unique twist on the reasonings for it all then this book is for you! Fun but emotional, it was a great read to end the year.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Big Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for the ARC! I discovered Elizabeth O’Roark books for the first time last year and I was excited to get an early copy of her newest release. Her books are always fun and cute romcoms that are quick and easy to read. Good at Being Alive definitely fits with the cute romcoms vibes but it wasn’t my favorite by Elizabeth.
Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O’Roark follows a free-spirited party girl and a grumpy British CEO who agree to fake a honeymoon for a reality TV show—in the hopes it will save their struggling travel agency. This book also deals with heavier topics of grief and loss.
I will admit the synopsis and overall plot have the songs of being everything I love in an Elizabeth O’Roark story. And don’t get me wrong the overall plot was good. My struggle and the reason I gave it 3 ⭐️ falls with the characters. I struggled a bit to connect to both of them. Bex is dealing with the loss of her family so she’s a bit of a hot mess (rightfully so in her position). She makes a lot of mistakes, which I’m fine with. However, when you keep making the same ones over and over again is where I start to have some issues. Then we have Theo who at times felt too cold and secretive to truly be 100% likeable. Thankfully they eventually had their redeeming moments but it took longer than most romcoms for me to fully ship them.
Overall, event though this isn’t my favorite Elizabeth O’Roark book I still enjoyed my time reading it and would recommend it.
Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O’Roark follows a free-spirited party girl and a grumpy British CEO who agree to fake a honeymoon for a reality TV show—in the hopes it will save their struggling travel agency. This book also deals with heavier topics of grief and loss.
I will admit the synopsis and overall plot have the songs of being everything I love in an Elizabeth O’Roark story. And don’t get me wrong the overall plot was good. My struggle and the reason I gave it 3 ⭐️ falls with the characters. I struggled a bit to connect to both of them. Bex is dealing with the loss of her family so she’s a bit of a hot mess (rightfully so in her position). She makes a lot of mistakes, which I’m fine with. However, when you keep making the same ones over and over again is where I start to have some issues. Then we have Theo who at times felt too cold and secretive to truly be 100% likeable. Thankfully they eventually had their redeeming moments but it took longer than most romcoms for me to fully ship them.
Overall, event though this isn’t my favorite Elizabeth O’Roark book I still enjoyed my time reading it and would recommend it.
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