Review – The Dead Romantics

Synopsis

Local Girl Solves Murder with Ghost. That headline & a flop of a first novel were going to be Florence Day’s legacy. While she wasn’t lonely living in NYC writing books as a ghostwriter for a famous romance novelist – it was very hard to meet people when you were harboring the secret that you see ghosts on the subway. Florence had grown up with an eccentric family who owned a funeral home in a very small town. She had fled that city as soon as she could to escape all the bullying that came with her town knowing her secret. But now her dad had died & she had to go back. Only when she arrives there is Benji, her new editor & he’s a ghost. She only met him the one time (when he refused to give her an extension she needed for her next novel) & yet here he was in her hometown waiting to pass on to the afterlife. As they come together to help each other with grief, death & how to move forward they realize they both just wish they could move forward together. But as any writer knows, there can be no happily ever after with a woman & a ghost. Right?

Break It Down

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 – 5 Stars
God I loved this book. It was unique & quirky & just the right amount of cheesy. Florence & Ben’s love story bloomed so beautifully. I loved Florence. Her coming to terms with grief & anger was so relatable. It was heavy & consuming but as her moments of peace & joy grew it felt so uplifting. I adored all the kitschy dark family full of love in the memories of her siblings & parents. & Ben! *swoon* His character was developed so well. This book made me laugh & cry & swoon. The moment I closed it I wanted to read it again. That’s a good story.

Content: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 5 Stars
I basically inhaled this book. I read it in two sittings over 24 hours. The book is a single POV story which is not my favorite but the author did a good job with characters so I felt like I understood Ben even though we didn’t have his perspective. This book is fairly fast paced. I didn’t feel like it dragged on anywhere. I also loved all the death themed chapter titles. Well done.

Spice: 🔥🔥 – 2 Flames
This is not a spicy book. Admittedly that usually detracts for me but there is just enough tension that it feels a lot spicier than it is. There are a few sexy scenes but you could skip them easily if you wanted to. Not that I recommend that option because y’all Benji’s bedrom skills are 🔥🔥🔥 & definitely delicious.

Overall: ✨✨✨✨✨ – 5 Stars
Really I don’t know what more to say. This was a Top 5 read of 2022. The story & characters are so good. I loved Florence’s growth. Ashley did such a good job writing her inner monologues. Sometimes I was just right there experiencing the grief & anger too. Her dads funeral & her walk through the funeral home afterward frickin got me. Big ol’ fat tears. But the ending – sigh – I was so happy. Just so so good.