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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
I have to admit that I'm always a little sceptic when it comes to "same story, different perspective" books. Especially when the original book was a cozy mystery. I'm always wondering what the new perspective will add and why the book would be worth reading. However, I really love this series. Jane is one of the most amazing characters I've ever encountered and therefore I was curious what Conrad thought when meeting her for the first time. I'm therefore really glad I got an arc!
Since this book is basically the same story, and therefore also the same mystery, as the first book in the series the focus of the book has shifted. The mystery is taking more of a backseat. We do get to see what information Conrad gathers and how he's interviewing people, but it's clear that his head isn't fully in the game. His head is clearly with our favorite gravekeeper and how she changes up his entire life by simply being her unique self.
I love how Conrad is basically falling for her from the very first moment he sees her. He doesn't need to get used to her way of thinking, her way of talking and her way of looking at the world. He sees her and all of a sudden he realizes that his entire life is about to change and that the main reason he wants to have this case solved as soon as possible is that he's then finally free to start dating the gravekeeper (since she's then no longer a suspect).
And since the focus is mostly on Conrad's feelings and how he reacts to hurricane Jane coming into his life the book has a really light and cozy tone, even more so than the original book. And it's also sort of refreshing to read about a guy experiencing this feeling. Especially because he shows very soon that he's truly willing to go and fight for this girl. And I can't blame him. I already loved Jane when she was the heroine. I loved her even more through Conrad's eyes.
I might not be a fan of same stories from a different perspective, but in this case I do like more!
Since this book is basically the same story, and therefore also the same mystery, as the first book in the series the focus of the book has shifted. The mystery is taking more of a backseat. We do get to see what information Conrad gathers and how he's interviewing people, but it's clear that his head isn't fully in the game. His head is clearly with our favorite gravekeeper and how she changes up his entire life by simply being her unique self.
I love how Conrad is basically falling for her from the very first moment he sees her. He doesn't need to get used to her way of thinking, her way of talking and her way of looking at the world. He sees her and all of a sudden he realizes that his entire life is about to change and that the main reason he wants to have this case solved as soon as possible is that he's then finally free to start dating the gravekeeper (since she's then no longer a suspect).
And since the focus is mostly on Conrad's feelings and how he reacts to hurricane Jane coming into his life the book has a really light and cozy tone, even more so than the original book. And it's also sort of refreshing to read about a guy experiencing this feeling. Especially because he shows very soon that he's truly willing to go and fight for this girl. And I can't blame him. I already loved Jane when she was the heroine. I loved her even more through Conrad's eyes.
I might not be a fan of same stories from a different perspective, but in this case I do like more!
naomilane's review
5.0
Focus on the dead body, not the brunette.
I really enjoyed this book. Falling for the Gravekeeper tells the story of Romancing the Gravestone (the first book in the series) exclusively from Conrad's point on view, and I think that Gena & Jill did a brilliant job with it.
I don't believe it's easy to rewrite the same story from a completely different POV. You have to create new scenes, but also revisit scenes we've read about from a different angle, and honestly just thinking about it gives me a headache, but Gena & Jill nailed it!
I loved being in Conrad's head, he was—and still is—a pretty mysterious character so it was so fun to hear what he had to say and see his reaction to Jane. Falling for the Gravekeeper is much more romance-centered than Romancing the Gravestone in my opinion, just because Conrad has his sights on Jane almost from the start and knows what he wants. I also really enjoyed seeing his relationship with Beau, it gives us a new perpective on that character as well.
Another thing I really liked was the fact that, unlike the infamous Jane Ladling, Conrad is actually a real detective/special agent, so it was fun to follow his thought process while trying to solve the murder and seeing the other side of things. Don't get me wrong, I love Jane's terrible (but effective) ways of solving a case, but again, I think the authors did a great job in showing a different take on the whole case and how he managed to solve it.
Can you read this book if you haven't read the others? Yes, you can! This is the first book told from a different perspective, so you can absolutely read it first. I think having read Jane's first makes it more fun because you know her reactions to certain things already and it makes reading this one even better, but if you want to start with this one, you totally can.
All in all, I think this is another big win for the Showalter & Monroe duo. I wouldn't mind reading more books from Conrad's POV. I really enjoy this fun cozy mystery series. The books are easy to read and make for a super enjoyable time. Plus, I think everyone should experience the chaos that is Jane Ladling at least once.
Disclaimer: I was able to read an early copy of this book as I work for the author.
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