I can honestly say I've never read a book like this before. The whole story was just so different and "new." I truly did enjoy reading it!
The book follows a man in his 30's named Andrew who is trying to navigate life all while wondering if he will die alone. Andrew works for the government in a position where he attempts to locate next of kin and/or funeral funding, for people who appear to have died with "nothing." No family, friends, funds, etc. Doing this day after day takes a toll on your mentality, as you are basically going through a dead persons things to invade their privacy, and hopefully find a link to someone. For the ones that have nothing/no one, he attends their funeral and the government pays for the basics.
Andrew is going through life on autopilot most of the time because of his past, but when he meets Peggy everything changes.
This is definitely a fast read, with a different story behind it. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Andrew works a public health job in which he tries to find family or friends of people who have, sadly, died alone. Depressing job. He’s led his co-workers to believe that he at least has a loving family to go home to.

A new co-worker, Peggy, comes along and Andrew becomes more and more drawn to her. But he’s trapped by his little white lies. Should he risk losing everything and tell the truth?

I loved every minute of this book! It was charming, sad, funny, and heartwarming, with a small element of mystery. And all those things were in perfect balance. The author created some great characters, especially Andrew. He’s a nice guy who’s had it rough and you just want to see him win at something.

This story is about loneliness, love, the guilt and regrets we carry, and taking chances that can make or break it all.

I definitely recommend picking up this book! Amazing debut novel and I hope to see more from this author!

How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
I received a free NetGalley preview e-book copy of this novel, and I requested it because the description said it was perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. After reading it, I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment! While I don't know that it will appeal to my high school readers, I am still going to purchase copies for my library because teachers are also my patrons, and we will definitely be using this title for a teacher book club one month next school year.

What I liked:
- Character development! Roper does a thorough job of shaping Andrew with plenty of show-don't-tell. The transitions between the present and the scenes from his past seem a bit abrupt at first, but a few chapters later, they start to make sense. The further into the story I went, the more I realized that this timing structure is even more intentional and appropriate for the plot than I first thought.
- The idea of lying about something so major for so long seems impossible to me because I am a terrible liar, but I kept reading anyway, and I'm glad I did. I love it when I think I have a character figured out, but then the author reveals something that makes me realize that I totally didn't at all.
- The humor is quirky! I loved it, great little one-liners and all.
- I love it when a book is not only a good story to read, but it also makes you think differently about how you interact with the real world around you. Do I really see the lonely people around me and reach out to them? Why and how should I do a better job with this?

What I didn't love:
- Poor Andrew's job sounds terrible. It is critical to the story, of course, and it's a job that someone has to do, but it is not one I would feel called to do! I do love that Andrew makes a point of going above and beyond the call of duty to attend funerals of complete strangers.
- I'm not okay with the fact that Peggy is still married, regardless of the situation. I should stay more impartial and try to avoid imposing my personal values on a book review like this, I know, but I'm being honest. It doesn't change my opinion of the author's style or the character development and plot structure, but it does bother me on a personal level.

I find it difficult to review How Not to Die Alone, because while this is a good book, it just wasn’t a good book for ME. The story follows Andrew, a 42-year-old man who works for a government agency that buries those who die without any relatives. He has led his co-workers to believe that he has a wife and two kids, when in fact it is entirely possible that he will need the services of the agency for which he works when he dies, since he lives alone in a dingy apartment and his best friends are people he knows only by their screenames in a train aficionado forum. When a new woman begins working at the agency, he befriends her and starts to realize just how depressing his life has been up to this point.

The book is very well written; I enjoyed Richard Roper’s writing style and there is a definitely some humor in the book - both dark and otherwise. The story inherently is dark, with prevalent themes of death and loneliness, but it is mixed in with romance. I would not consider this book to truly be a romance novel; it’s more of a reflection on life and loneliness than anything else - especially since our heroine is married (and she believes Andrew to be as well), so fans of romance novels probably won’t enjoy the prolonged emotional cheating that happens throughout the book. It’s done in a tasteful way, but it’s definitely there and will probably trigger some readers. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Though this isn’t the dark romance that I was hoping it would be, I enjoyed much of the book and appreciated reading a book with such depth.

I find the label of "women's fiction" to be a bit off-putting, as well as comparisons to other books that I haven't read. But once I got into the book, I understand the label and have to admit-- this will probably, most definitely(!) appeal to more women than men.
Andrew is in his 40s, single, and working a rather different job- he goes to the houses of the recently deceased to find clues about their life to see if there is any next of kin to contact and to determine how to pay for funeral costs. He is lonely at his job because he has lied to his co-workers about his family life.
I thought this was an interesting premise and was pretty excited to read it. It was a very slow start. So slow, in fact, that I happily made it to bed early for a couple nights. It picked up at about 40% though and ended up being a fun, interesting story.
Three-and-a-half stars rounded up to four for the slow start AND because I don't really like the main character. A lot of his relationship issues come from his personality and background (like every person ever, I know haha), but I just couldn't stand how clingy/needy he was. I guess I just prefer my main character male to have a little more backbone ;)

Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam's Sons for an ARC copy of this novel. I always enjoy reading books that I probably would not have otherwise picked up- I guess I need a bit more "women's fiction" in my life :)

I couldn't get into this one. The writing is fine, but for some reason it wasn't for me. I do see this being popular with patrons and book clubs, though.

DNF-ed at 29%. I thought the concept for How Not to Die Alone was really intriguing, but I ended up just not being able to connect with the story. There were times were I found it relatable and funny and other times where I thought the humor fell pretty flat. I read 29% before it started to lose my attention. I decided to set it down to read something else and planned to come back to it, but after reading several other books I can't make myself pick this one back up. While I'm sure that there people who will enjoy this book, it's just not for me.

I was intrigued when I read the blurb for How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper and I love reading and supporting new to me and/or debuting authors. This story was fun and dark and original and will definitely be reading more of this author in the future.

Andrew is an interesting character. He has been alone for years. An introvert that is lonely but comfortable in his life. His job is to go into home of people who have died and have no one to find either long lost family or money to pay for expenses. Then one day a new person is hired that changes his world. Peggy begins to bring Andrew out of his shell; however, Andrew has been living a lie at work and does not know how to change it. On the flip side, Peggy has her own problems as well, but seems to be good for Andrew.

How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper was at times funny and at others emotional. It had many touching and sad moments. Though Richard is in his 40s, he has a lot of growth during this story. It was a story that makes you question so much and teach readers there is always hope.

Andrew is a forty years old, single, living in a small one room bed-sit, working for the council attending to those who have died with no apparent family or means to provide for a funeral. It's a grim and depressing job.

Due to a misunderstanding when he first got the job, his boss and co-workers think he has a wife and two children and he has never bothered to set them straight. 

Okay right here is where I started getting bored with wimpy Andrew and what may or may not have happened in his past. So much angst over a tiny lie that no one cares about. Maybe if he'd move his train collection to a warehouse he could have a life.

As it is I was bored to death by this book. There was no depth or logic to it.

NetGalley/ May 28th 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

3.5/4 Stars for this book. It definitely was a questionable start for me with this book, but once it got going, I found myself enjoying it. I can see why so many are comparing this to Eleanor Oliphant, but Eleanor was a bit more enjoyable to me. There was an abrupt ending to this book where I thought I’d accidentally missed something. Altogether I’d recommend this book and appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for approving my ARC!

I wasn’t sure about How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper when I first started it. It took a bit for me to become invested but when I did, I was hooked.

In the book, Andrew is a single, seemingly weird guy with a seriously morbid job: he goes to the homes of people who’ve died alone to search for clues/information that could help contact someone to pay for the deceased’s burial. Yikes, right? Andrew has no friends, and has told such a huge lie to his coworkers that it’s virtually impossible to really let anyone into his life. And it seems he likes it this way until a new coworker, Peggy, makes him wonder if being all alone always isn’t the way to go.

Andrew is essential the male Eleanor Oliphant. The similarities were so strong at first that I was turned off. Eventually though, I became attached to Andrew like he was attached to Ella Fitzgerald records and model trains. While some parts of the book left me wanting more (the darker bits that I feel Eleanor Oliphant addressed better), over all it was a good read with some depth, a lot of humor, and really likable main character. The musings and conversations related to his job and the people he “investigates” were especially poignant: no one should die alone or be left dead for long periods of time because they have no connections to the outside world. Watching Andrew slowly come to realize this while slowly making new friends, slowly confronting his past, made for a really good read. There were a few far-fetched and glossed-over parts, but nothing that made me want to stop reading. This book was not perfect and it didn’t have to be to be quite enjoyable.

For fans of Eleanor of Oliphant is Completely Fine- I think you will love this! A solid three star read. There were a few surprises in there and I enjoyed reading through Andrew’s journey. His job is fascinating and it was so interesting to think about what happens to people who die who have no next of kin. The journey for Andrew was a little slow for me but it was a good read.

"How Not to Die Alone" by Richard Roper has such an rom-com way-bigger-lie-than-anyone-would-get-away-with-for-so-long-or-even-tell-in-the-first-place premise that it feels tempting to dismiss it. But it actually has so much heart and while the MC Andrew has a very sad and tragic back story, the novel still maintains a deep sincerity that feels authentic but also has such sweet, light-hearted moments throughout. Andrew's job taking care of people who die alone is probably the most unique aspect of this book that was really interesting to think about. The relationship between Andrew and Peggy was so genuine and they had such fantastic but somehow actually realistic banter/dialogue. I was a little disappointed the ending didn't go further with the two of them, but it was probably for the best. Overall, Andrew's progression, his catharsis, was so well-done and heart-breaking and touching that I would recommend this book just for that, but there are plenty of other good things about it besides.

While this book started slowly, I stuck with it and by the end I really cared about what happened with Andrew. The online train forum he belonged to reminded me of my knitting friends and how people who start out as online only acquaintances can become your closest friends.

However, the mysterious deaths in the book were distracting from the story. You never really hear what caused the deaths of Andrew’s family, just unlikely references to where the blame lies.

So while I enjoyed the last chapter or two, I would otherwise skip this one.

I was scared about being disappointed by this book. I really wanted to read it as I kept seeing how amazing the reviews were of those who had ARC. I will confess, it wasn't until I was 50% into the book, that I started to actually like this book. The heartbreak is momentarily and your faith is renewed almost at the same time. The book did not fail me but just took longer than expected to hit my heart.

This is my introduction to Richard Roper, and I have Netgalley to thank. It seemed as if I couldn't turn a page without finding some gem, whether it be a profound observation or a witty turn of phrase, but it was the unusual metaphors that truly impressed me. I know I'm not supposed to quote the text, but with such rich material, I haven't the strength to resist. I’ll try to minimize it.

Some things made me burst out laughing, like when Peggy describes Keith as “a health warning on a pack of cigarettes” and Meredith as “the result of a dog being asked to draw a horse.” And there's a point in chapter 15 where Andrew is trying to edit an obituary and what he decides not to include is hysterical. I'm sure I looked ridiculous laughing out loud after that. There's also a bit about a chicken wearing a prosciutto bikini that was so inventive and explicit that I could not wipe the image from my mind, and it kept making me laugh.

Chapter 28 contains a description of Peggy's earrings which seems unnecessarily detailed at first, but turns into the perfect metaphor for all that Andrew has experienced. Truly, there were so many highlights in my book by the time I'd finished reading that I felt like reading it all again just so that I could enjoy it once again.

Roper's observations of Andrew's discomfort and awkwardness around others seems somehow omniscient and unwavering, yet also compassionate. He is the benevolent, all-knowing creator, and he knows all of us. He drills down to the ineptitude we've all experienced at one time or another. Even as we chuckle at the foibles of Andrew, we realize it could just as easily be us. We feel sympathy, and in a way, camaraderie.

There are many events in this novel designed to make the reader reconsider life, death, truth, grief, love, and forgiveness. It’s an intense read disguised as something light and amusing. It is also those things, but they serve to make the meaning more palatable.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy of How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper. For Roper's debut book, I thought this was so charming and Roper did such a nice job of focusing on anxiety, loneliness, regret, and moving on. This is similar to fans of Eleanor Oliphant, but I enjoyed this book so much more - thank you again!

This book really made me sit down and appreciate what I have in life. Though funny at times, perhaps morbidly so, this novel was a poignant look into loneliness, companionship, and finding your purpose in this world. I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

When I read Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I THOUGHT I didn’t really like it, but because I kept thinking about it, I came to realize it was very effective, even if the actual read wasn’t happiness-inducing. So reading the blurb that said Richard Roper’s How Not To Die Alone was “for fans of Elinor Oliphant…” made me look forward to receiving an advance copy from Penguin Group Putnam/NetGalley in exchange for writing an honest review.

As soon as I started this book, I felt like it might not be for me. A recent health “incident” has made me more aware than ever that without children or family living nearby, I am very much at risk of…well, here’s the thing: the protagonist in this book, Andrew, works for the death registry, and his job is to go to homes where someone has recently died and determine if they have next of kin and/or funds to pay for a funeral. If there is no one, Andrew goes to their funerals. When he started his job, he lied and told his co-workers he had a wife and kids…but, in reality, he could die completely alone, like many of his “clients.” And, of course, since IT’S ALL ABOUT ME, this made me a bit uncomfortable.

Andrew’s workplace hires a new employee named Peggy, a married woman with children, and she and Andrew become friends. As expected, their friendship blossoms and it turns out that (spoiler alert!) Andrew likely won’t die alone, after all. The story is a bit touching and never veers into being precious or cute, and there is a lot of thought-provoking material, but I kept resisting being drawn in too deeply. I kept wondering if there are jobs like Andrew’s in the U.S. and thinking about how I really need to organize my crap so when an Andrew or Peggy starts digging around in my stuff, it won’t be such a mess. <sigh>

It’s a bit of a downer in some ways, but it also is kind of positive as the growth in Andrew and Peggy (both as individuals and in relation to each other) is pretty heartening. Good messages about loneliness and the possibilities that can arise if a lonely person takes a risk. In, the end, it felt a bit like Eleanor O: not a fun experience for me to read, but I did keep thinking about it, so it was effective. Four stars.

I didn’t connect with any aspect of this book. The only character I enjoyed was Peggy but, for me, she couldn’t balance the boredom and lack of things happening

Special thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC copy. ARC was given in exchange for an honest