In a community council office the job is to go into dead peoples' homes and figure out if they have any family or loved ones who would bury them. They have died alone, but have they lived a solitary life? This is the question that haunts Andrew as he and his new partner, Peggy, search through bed mattresses, kitchen cupboards, and boxes of old cards to find someone who cared about the deceased. Yet Andrew has his own dark secrets, one that has led to him creating a family of his own that does not truly exist, covering up his solitary life in a lonely bedsit in London amidst his model train set. What does one do when a simple white lie turns into a huge white whale that just won't go away? This lovely little book combines elements of The Rosie Project with A Man Called Ove and is utterly delightful.

How not to die alone tells an insightful and endearing story about the life of Andrew. The plans that Andrew and Peggy come up with will make it possible that people don't die alone are interesting.

This book is so charming, in the only way a book about a lot of dead people can be. While the deceased play a major plot point, this book is actually about a lonely man making friends and falling in love. Throughout the whole book you can kind of guess what happened is Andrew's past, but that doesn't make the big reveal any less enjoyable and the ending is still satisfying and fulfilling. Richard Roper has a way with words and a knack for explaining awkward situations in a way that will make you understand fully and cringe. I loved this book

The blurb describes How Not to Die Alone as a quirky, humorous story: "A darkly funny and life-affirming debut novel for readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." Having recently read and enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine as well as similarly-themed The Kiss Quotient, I thought I'd take a chance on this debut author.

IMHO, this novel starts out very slowly and is initially way more dark than funny. However, as Andrew works with and gets to know Peggy, the new employee, his quirky, neurotic personality breaks free. The badinage between the two of them is cleverly written and makes for enjoyable reading. Eventually, we learn more about Andrew and what makes him tick. There are ups and downs in Andrew's world (both past and present) which eventually force him to make a decision on whether or not to come clean and tell the truth. The conclusion is satisfying even though it doesn't resolve all plot-lines.

I was glad I read this on my Kindle as I could easily look up the definitions of the numerous British terms and jargon used throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Andrew is a lonely 42 year old man working at a job which seems oddly fitting, given his life's circumstances. He arranges (and then attends, our first clue that he is at heart a genuinely good man) funerals while seeking out next of kin for those who have died alone. Andrew has concocted an imaginary family, whom he shares stories about with his work colleagues, never quite knowing how to get out of the lie that grows day by day. Instead, he settles into the semi comfortable life he's made for himself like an old, patchy blanket that should really be thrown out. It is only when the new arrival, Peggy, begins working in the office that Andrew begins to seriously consider divulging the truth.
Throughout the book, death and its aftermath are dealt with using a combination of dark humor and brutal honesty. I laughed out loud more than once, sometimes uncertain if I should feel guilty for doing so afterwards. Andrew makes many spot on observations, not just about himself, but about others as well. Some of my favorite parts of the book involved his spoken out loud voiceovers while he was in the middle of cooking a mundane meal at home.
Some readers may take umbrage with Andrew for steadfastly continuing to live a lie, but I found his reasoning for it plausible, if not understandable. As Andrew's lie becomes more and more tangled up in his everyday life and harder to sustain, his relationship with Peggy deepens. Without giving too much away, readers will find the ending poignant, charming, and highly satisfying. As another reviewer remarked, the comparisons to Eleanor Oliphant are justly deserved (though I actually preferred this book despite my love of EO). A solid 4.5 stars as this is a book I'll be thinking of years after having finished it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy, which did not affect my review.

How Not to die alone is a warm and refreshingly honest book about awkwardness, lies and feeling vulnerable. I was rooting for Andrew to get it together and to find a way to not die alone. Did he do it? You’ll have to read it to find out.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and unbiased review of this book.

3.75 stars

This is a quirky and appealing novel about a very decent (but neurotic) man named Andrew. Andrew is 42, and works in London for the government looking for next of kin or assets for those who have died alone and unattended. The descriptions of his actual day to day job are gruesome, poignant, and darkly funny as he actually dons rubber gloves and wades through the homes and death sites for his late clients.

Andrew lives alone, kept company by Ella Fitzgerald records and an elaborate train setup complete with website and online members. It's a pretty solitary existence until a new co-worker, Peggy, begins to become friends with Andrew.

He has a huge awkward secret that he begins to regret more and more as he and Peggy spend time together. When he was first hired, he made up a wife and family on the spur of the moment and now, years later, his deception has become so elaborate he can't find his way clear to confess.

If this sounds pathetic, there are certainly elements of that here. But the novel never sinks to the maudlin level, kept afloat by humor and wonderful characterizations. And we do finally learn enough about Andrew to appreciate his dilemma and how he came to be trapped by his fabrications.

This manages to be entertaining and funny and sweet. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever accidentally told a lie? During a job interview Andrew accidentally says "yes" without listening to the question. The question was asking if he had children. When Andrew is hired for the position with the council he doesn't know how to fix this problem so he creates a family, a wife and two children. It doesnt seem like a big deal at first but eventually he realizes that he cannot continue with this charade.

This is a charming story about someone who is very content with being a loner until the day he meets someone special at work. Andrew has no family and no friends. He has an interest in trains and a dedication to his work. Through his work he sees people who die alone every day. When he meets Peggy at work he realizes that something has to change in order for his life to be more than trains and work.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Romance
Women's Fiction
Release Date: May 28, 2019

I really enjoyed this book! Andrew accidentally leads his coworkers into believing that he has a family at home, and watching him maneuver this white lie is fun. However, discovering the connection between his real life and his made up one is what gives the book some real sustenance, and in my case, surprises the reader! The only reason that I didn’t give the book 5 stars is a purely personal one - it was way WAY too British for me!! Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC - I predict that it will be a well liked book when it comes out!

A book that shows you can't ever really know the truth about someone else's life. The whole premise was intriguing. There were a few spots that went a little slowly for me in the beginning (hence the 4 stars) but I grew to really care about the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the book.

DNF at 25% - I had a difficult time getting into this book, which may have been a result of my own reading mood, not the book itself. I was going to stick it out but I saw this was a May BOTM selection so I felt comfortable knowing it would get the attention it deserved.

I received an ARC through NetGalley. I loved the characters in this story. I think it would make a great movie. Readers who enjoyed, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, will enjoy this read as well.

Andrew is the male version of Eleanor Oliphant. He is socially awkward and emotionally damaged but incredibly kind and endearing. He works for the British Council and his job is to go to the homes of people who have died alone to try and determine if there is any next of kin and/or funds to pay for a funeral. Due to a misunderstanding during his job interview, Andrew’s co-workers all think that Andrew has a wife and two children. It started out as a simple mistake but grows into a complicated and comical web of lies especially after Peggy starts working with him and reminds him what it feels like to have a social life that exists outside of an online chat group. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, touching, dark and calamitous.
Ugly cry potential: Med-Low
LOL: High
Character development: Good
Unputdownable-ness: Medium-high
Originality: Medium
Quality of Writing: Good
Intellectual Depth: Medium
Emotionally Trying: Med-Low

Thank you to #netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Popular fiction doesn't get any better than this! Loved the prose, the plot & the characters. I would recommend this novel highly to all sorts of readers. I gobbled it up~!

Andrew is a middle aged man who works for the city council and has to go to the homes of the deceased to search for clues in hopes of finding their relatives and any money to pay for the funeral. Sometimes he is the only attendee at the funeral. Andrew himself has lived alone for 20 years and essentially has no family since they all passed away. His "friends" are fellow train enthusiasts from an online forum that he converses with on a regular basis. One of his biggest fears is dying alone.

But a misunderstanding during his job interview five years ago became a huge lie and has spiraled out of control. It got harder to hide once he started befriending the new employee Peggy, who is going through a rough time with her marriage.

I can see why this book is often compared to Eleanor Oliphant but I actually like this book more! It's so witty and British - the humor, the slangs! I enjoyed the story a lot and it's a very quick read but I didn't love the ending - wish there was some closure in their relationship.

How Not To Die Alone is Richard Roper’s debut novel. This contemporary novel follows a middle aged man, Andrew, who works for a death registry and is offered a second chance at life and love when he develops an unlikely friendship. I started reading this book a couple of months ago and dismissed this book a bit too quickly. I initially didn’t finish it quite simply because I thought it wasn’t a right fit for me. The book was a bit depressing for my taste as the main character works for a death registry. After seeing this book as a May BOTM selection, I decided to pick it up again to see what I was missing out on. I’m glad I decided to read it again because even though the book is a bit depressing, there are moments where it’s funny, sweet, and touching. I liked the characters in the book as they were pretty lovable and realistic. The story was intriguing even though the death registry part was a bit morbid and I wasn’t a big fan of the British terms/jargon. I recommend you pick it up if you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant.

Unusual setting for a book which made the story more appealing to me. Story of a man who is caught up in a "misunderstanding" about his family while also coming to grips with his past life. Heartwarming story of a lonely quirky man and those around him.

This is a little different than my normal everyday read, but I was excited to dive into it. There were times in the book where I had to stop and think about what I would do in that situation. It was definitely begging some introspection. The humor was dry, my favorite kind! And I thought the writing was very well done. Would definition recommend to a friend.

I loved this book, Andrew is an odd character at first but you quickly get to understand him more. This book is qirkly, a bit morbid at times but a good reminder to keep a social circle and to make peace with family. I loved it!

Thank you to Penguin Group, Putnam, and NetGalley!

I tried. DNF. Can we please stop comparing books to Eleanor Oliphant? That book was a gem. This book was not. There were moments, but not enough to keep me reading it. Sorry. I tried.