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rickireadss's review
5.0
this was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. i laughed out loud SEVERAL times, but i also cried like a baby throughout. the story of grief was near and dear to my heart, and i think poston did a great job at writing florence's experience with it and making it easily relatable. i related to florence a lot and connected with her in both her position in the family (eldest sister) and her personality and struggle with anxiety & grief. i had such a great time with this book, so much so that i will definitely be picking up poston's other books. i think the part i loved most about this book, outside of how it made me cry and laugh, is that there were moments and plot points that were predictable, yet i was STILL thrown for a loop at the overall "plot twist".
⚠️: grief, death, death of parent (heart attack), bullying, panic attacks/disorder, car accident, murder, child abuse, child death, toxic relationship, infidelity
⚠️: grief, death, death of parent (heart attack), bullying, panic attacks/disorder, car accident, murder, child abuse, child death, toxic relationship, infidelity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Moderate: Car accident, Child abuse, Murder, and Child death
Minor: Toxic relationship and Infidelity
rachaelreadsalot's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol and Blood
Minor: Child death, Murder, Infidelity, and Child abuse
ronniethereader's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Child abuse and Murder
signeskov's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book had its ups and downs, its strengths and weaknesses. I’m not usually one for romance novels, but I had been in a summer reading slump and thought to pick up this new beach read - and the story definitely did help me out of that reading slump, so that’s a certain positive point! However, I also quickly came to realize that the novel is still of a particular genre relying on certain tropes and characters that are sometimes a bit too one-dimensional and serves a plot that is simply too predictable, which in the end, for me, took the excitement out of the novel already halfway through. A particular point of critique for the novel is also that it uses diversity as a placemat instead of fleshing out such characters and their stories. Representation is important when done right, but inclusion simply to superficially include is not the way to go. One black woman as town lawyer and queer personalities included all around the main character as random “quirky” sidekicks, and the ways in which these were only surface-level, random details about characters could have been executed so much better - or not included at all, if this is the way they are to be included.
The Dead Romantics was a little bit too cheesy for me, but overall enjoyable for the particular mindset I was in when I first picked up the book - recommended for those out there that want to crack through the pages a bit faster and turn off their brain for a few hours in the fictional world of romance and mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, Child death, and Death
haleybyman's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4.5 stars.
This book was a joyous surprise. The premise of falling in love with a ghost concerned me a bit (after watching Season 5 of Grey’s Anatomy, iykyk), but I ended up loving this one. As someone who’s lost their father recently, I felt especially connected to what the characters were going through, and comforted by their journeys. It was like a mini therapy session on grief after losing a parent. Thank you, Ashley Poston.
That being said, this is also a ROMANCE! At times it fell a little flat for me until the last third of the book which is why I knocked off a half star. The familial relationships took center stage for most of the novel, IMO. However, the romance plot line ties up nicely, and I love Florence and Benji together.
Overall, I loved the characters and the zany funeral business they run. The book managed to portray death not as something to be feared, but simply as a next step in our journeys, and served as a lovely reminder that those we have lost will always be with us.
A delightful read about family, life, death, friendship, and love that left me feeling hopeful.
This book was a joyous surprise. The premise of falling in love with a ghost concerned me a bit (after watching Season 5 of Grey’s Anatomy, iykyk), but I ended up loving this one. As someone who’s lost their father recently, I felt especially connected to what the characters were going through, and comforted by their journeys. It was like a mini therapy session on grief after losing a parent. Thank you, Ashley Poston.
That being said, this is also a ROMANCE! At times it fell a little flat for me until the last third of the book which is why I knocked off a half star. The familial relationships took center stage for most of the novel, IMO. However, the romance plot line ties up nicely, and I love Florence and Benji together.
Overall, I loved the characters and the zany funeral business they run. The book managed to portray death not as something to be feared, but simply as a next step in our journeys, and served as a lovely reminder that those we have lost will always be with us.
A delightful read about family, life, death, friendship, and love that left me feeling hopeful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse and Alcohol
headinthepages's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Child death, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship
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