Look out world, there's a new romance author on the block. Wow wow wow. I cannot sing this book's praise enough! Ashley Poston has written one of the best romance novels I have ever read. I have long been a fan of Emily Henry, Jasmine Guillory, and Christina Lauren and my bar for romance has been set quite high because of it. But this book was clever, fresh, and a lovely new take on romance tropes. A ghostwriter and a ghost? Falling in love?? YES please. A daughter who hasn't been home in years and struggling to discover her own voice as an author? That's a yes from me too. This book made me laugh out loud and actually made me cry. Ashley Poston's humor was top notch, and the romance scenes managed to be a perfect blend of steamy and heart-wrenching. Get this book the moment you can!

This book was not for me. I read it because so many people gave it great reviews, but I don't like ghosts in books, so I should not have read it.

It's about a woman whose family owns a funeral home, she and her father can see ghosts. Her father dies and she goes home, she has a lot of baggage and feelings of failure to deal with, she has been unlucky in love and has given up on it. But then she meets a ghost that she starts to have feelings for...

3.75 easy enjoyable read.

Two lonely people meet on a chance encounter and then re-meet on a chance extra-sensory encounter (?).

As a long time spooky girl, I enjoyed the funeral home setting and the family's memories of growing up in that environment. The was a good mix of family and relationship issues.

While this is definitely a romance, it was a bit light on its focus. I gave it a pass because I wasn't sure how the author was going to overcome falling in love with a ghost.

Minor niggle - alllllll the name dropping. It felt like the author had to reference every single of her fave romance authors and it did take me out of the story a time or two.

Easy to sell.

Five Star Review | @berkleypub {partner}

Genre: Romance
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.28.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"..the wind is just the breath of everyone who came before us. All the people who've passed on, those who've taken a breath. They're still in the wind. And they'll always be in the wind singing."

Well, first of all, I loved this book. I love books that are different or make me think outside the box. I usually find something to relate to in a book about grieving the ones you've lost because it's something we've all encountered or will encounter in our lives. So, if I can find a story that gives me the faintest bit of hope that the people I love most are still with me, I will gladly read that book.

The Dead Romantics was one of my most anticipated summer reads, and it lived up to all the hype I had given it. Also, I'm so happy to be chosen as a GMA July Book Club Pick! The book contains beautiful quotes about life, death, and what it means to grieve and love between those two. Once I started reading it, I had to force myself to put it down so I could savor the story. I plan to reread it.

I loved the chemistry between Florence, the ghostwriter, and her ghost; it was full of love and respect. They may be my favorite "couple" for 2022. But, I can't go into too many details without giving away essential story parts.

Ashley Poston's writing was beautiful and full of all the wit and humor I find in Emily Henry's books. Poston created characters that I loved, ghosts and all. I most certainly cried on several pages, especially the ones towards the end of the book. I didn't know which direction Poston would take her readers, and I was nervous to say goodbye to the characters I'd come to love. But, she did a marvelous job; The Dead Romantics is one I'll keep close to my heart.

🥰 Witty & delightful
💖 Romance genre at its finest
👻 Hauntingly romantic
🤩 Fun & quirky characters

If you enjoyed reading Emily Henry's books, I recommend reading The Dead Romantics.

What was your last five-star read?

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#gmabookclub #thedeadromantics #fivestarread #bookstoread #romance #romancegenre #berkleypublishing #ashleyposton #mustread

Death and a little magic are also found in THE DEAD ROMANTICS (Berkley, 345 pp., paper, $17), as is a ruthless eye for the dark side of the publishing world. Ashley Poston tells an adept story about a romance author’s ghostwriter who also talks to ghosts. Florence Day can’t seem to finish her latest manuscript after a devastating heartbreak — and that is before she has to travel home to help arrange her father’s wake at the family funeral home. And before the ghost of her new, superhot editor, Benji Andor, shows up, insisting he can’t rest until he helps her get over her writer’s block.

It’s “While You Were Sleeping” meets “Six Feet Under,” and I need to yell to everyone about how good it is.

There are books that have writers in them and there are books about writers: This is one of the latter. It’s full of harsh publishing realities and drops more current romance names than I’ve seen in a while (Nora Roberts, but also Christina Lauren, Casey McQuiston, Rebekah Weatherspoon and Courtney Milan). It’s also a book where people can’t truly die until they’ve tied up the loose threads; ghosts linger because their narrative is unfinished, because, in Poston’s world, narrative is life.

Fiction reveals truth in ways Florence can’t control: She is unable to finish her manuscript because she keeps writing people who feel as despondent as she does; she is also dreading the upcoming release of an ex’s much-hyped book whose main character is based on Florence and her family. Of course, she feels as if the genre of her life story is a vital question for her future. No wonder a hot editor looks especially attractive, even if he is a little bit dead.

Ghost romance is a god-tier subgenre because it lets love conquer death, semi-plausibly — such a tempting challenge for an author, and an irresistible gift for the reader. The result is an antidote for despair, a romance that is frank about the fact that life ends and time marches on but that nevertheless insists: We aren’t a gothic horror novel. We’re a love story. This is a book to make you laugh during the funeral scene and cry when the dance party begins.

3.5 stars rounded up!

As someone who lived above a funeral home in college, this brought back some weird sort of nostalgia. I really enjoyed the family aspect of this story (although I wanted to punch some of the family members!) and the idea of being able to see ghosts was such an interesting storyline!

Man - this was excellent. I really enjoyed the initial books in the GEEKERELLA series but still have to finish the series off. I haven't read Poston's fantasy books or anything else but I think I'll have to. I believe this was her adult debut as well? 

This story is about Florence and her family as they navigate the loss of their larger-than-life father. She escaped her small town to NYC 10 years prior without ever returning, and now she's forced to face it all head-on. The Day family has run a funeral home for many generations in their community and Florence and her father even have a special connection to the dead - they both can see and communicate with ghosts. They're able to help people with unfinished business pass into the afterlife. When Florence heads home for the funeral services and to help out her mom and siblings, she encounters the ghost of Ben - a man she just started working for at the publishing house. The two of them can't figure out why he's there but he helps her get through the difficult week at home.

There are lots of things going on in this story that I loved. I mean, is she really going to fall in love with a ghost? This can't end well! The family vibes were excellent - I loved reading about Florence's mom and two siblings. (There may even be a hint of a companion novel involving her sister...?!) Funeral homes definitely creep me out but this story made me see them in a slightly different light. 

Aside from the dead-guy-romance, there wasn't a lot of relationship drama, which I enjoyed. I've seen some reviews feel like there was too much focus on the romance and not enough on the family stuff, but I personally found there to be a good mix of both. 

In a time where my reading life is crap, I really NEEDED this book. I started it on vacation and then didn't have time to keep reading, but the second time I picked this up, it was the last. I couldn't put it down and read it all evening to completion. I loved Poston's writing style and she has clearly proven she can write stories for all ages and genres.

Well, this one is at the top of the list for one of my favorite books of 2022! The Dead Romantics is funny, sarcastic, grief-ridden, romantic, and a wonderful concept. It explores grief and death in an entirely different way, while never feeling truly "sad." Sure, there are sad parts, but what book featuring death wouldn't.

This is such a unique idea for a book and it was simply a lot of fun to read. I love how Ashley intertwined the characters and the entire cast was so interesting and diverse. Ultimately, the last 80% of the book was my favorite as it wrapped up the story and filled my heart with so much love. This is one I'll be running out to add a copy to my shelf so I have it forever.

Highly recommend. It's an incredible book. I look forward to many more stories from Ashley Poston!
5/5 stars!

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

After years of ghostwriting for a famous romance author, Florence is faced with a new editor who won't budge on the deadline. What the new editor doesn't know is compounded by Florence's crisis over love itself giving her a good case of writer's block.

Things get more complicated when circumstances have Florence returning home, where her reputation in the family business has everyone just a bit leery of her. She has a gift that allows her to talk to the dead -- which comes in handy with the family funeral home business. I liked this little paranormal twist. It was really why I picked this book to read. When her editor turns up as one of the dead Florence communicates with, her view of romance gets the jolt she needs.

There's plenty of humor here while still examining the themes of death, dying and mortality which works at times and sometimes not for this reader. I did find that I had to let the things I just couldn't quite believe go and just read without thinking too deeply about this content.

Overall, this was a interesting concept for a romance that was a bit too uneven to capture me completely. It was somewhere in the middle of the road as a reading experience. There were things I liked and somethings I questioned. Your experience may vary.

The Dead Romantics is a fresh, humorous, feel-good romance that you will not be able to put down.

Oh boy, is this book fabulous! I just ate up every word in this story, and all I wanted to do was sit down and read it all over again. The Dead Romantics follows Florence Day, a romance ghost writer who can no longer write romantic stories because she no longer believes in HEAs. The story starts with Florence having a no-good, rotten day, her new (and very hunky) editor won’t give her another extension for her book, and she receives a call from her mother telling her that her father died of a heart attack. Florence finds herself returning home to help her family with the funeral. Things become weird when Florence opens the front door at her family’s funeral house to find her new editor standing in front of her; the only problem is that he is a ghost. Oh, did I forget to mention that Florence can see and talk to ghosts. Such a fun twist to a romance story.

The Dead Romantics has a delightful and unique story, and it kind of reminds me of a more romantic version of The Mediator series by Meg Cabot (one of my favourite book series as a teen). This book has a wonderful blend of paranormal, family, death, romance, friendship, and humour. You wouldn’t think all those elements would work together, but Ashley weaves them all together and creates this story that captivates and entertains you. There are definitely moments in this book that will tug at your heartstrings. The heartwarming relationship Florence has with her father had me smiling and close to tears at times.

The characters in this book are so well-crafted. The Day family is super quirky and just so much fun. I loved that relationship that they had with each other but also death. The Day runs a local funeral home and is constantly surrounded by death. I love the attitude towards death; they aren’t this up-tight grim family. They embrace life and celebrate death. They make cheesy jokes about death and have family outings to graveyards. I loved Florence; she has one wicked sense of humour. She is one of those characters that you just fall in love with. She is relatable and real, and I could connect with her as she struggles to figure out her life.

Now let’s get to the gushy romance-y stuff! As you can imagine, with a unique story, the romance that plays out in this book will not end up being your typical love story. Florence and Ben’s first meeting did not go well. The sparks were there, but Florence was not happy that Ben wouldn’t give her an extension, and harsh words (and a cactus, LOL) were exchanged. The bulk of the interactions between these two is when Ben is a ghost. Florence thinks Ben’s unfinished business is her finishing the book; Ben thinks he is still around because he is meant to show Florence that romance isn’t dead. The moments between these two are sweet, heart-racing, and swoon-tactic. Because they couldn’t have a physical relationship, Ashley used their conservations as a way to build that chemistry and sexual tension. And boy, some of their conversations got a little spicey. Some moments might remind you of the Ghost movie (don’t worry, there is no pottery scene in this book).

If you are looking for a different romance story with lots of fun, I would highly recommend reading The Dead Romantics.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, moving and original story. Very unexpected and it stirs up all the feels - from dealing with grief, to loneliness and family dynamics to chances lost and won again. Florence and Ben were flawed and layered but so lovable and my only wish was that we got to see more of them together. I really wasn't sure which way the book would end and it was such a great story that had great pacing, character development and unique plotlines. I definitely recommend it!

I’m gonna go ahead and kinda comp The Dead Romantics to Book Lovers meets Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by way of Sixth Sense (but make it straight). Stick with me here. Despite the main characters being completely different, there is the small southern town vibe, and the love interest is a snarky book editor. Florence has a past in her small town and hasn’t returned in ten years after she was horribly bullied throughout high school for solving a murder at thirteen…because a ghost told her. Anywho, there’s a lot going on, but it’s really, really good.

4.5🌟

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleyromance for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this! The writing was so effortless and the plot felt so quirky and unique. The dialogue and style of writing felt so cozy and made it easy to get swept away by the story.

As much as this is a story about love, it’s also a story about grief and life and all the moments in-between.

The way the book developed and came together at the end was just perfect!

I just wish we could of gotten to more of their relationship sooner, but once it did it was so cute!

This is the @gmabookclub pick this month, and I hope everyone loves it too!

So. Much Fun.

OK. That's sounds so weird when reviewing a book about grief. And death. And loss.

There is so many themes around death in this book. But don't let that deter you. It's sweet, it's romantic - but it's also so cleverly and uniquely done that you can't help but being caught up in all the emotions and feels that swirl around in your heart while reading it.

Florence is a ghostwriter. But she's struggling writing romance after being duped hard by someone she thought loved her. Deadlines are now looming, and in the midst of everything falling apart - she finds herself having to return home - to a place she purposely left behind - to bury her own father.

Florence also, can see ghosts. So when a particularly handsome ghost shows up at her families funeral home, (YES, there's definitely a theme here) she struggles to commit to her 'romance is dead' mentality. And she struggles to not fall, for a ghost.

I highly recommend if you're looking to get all misty-eyed and swoony while simultaneously cackling at witty banter and deadpan humor. Read this one if you're craving originality - cause it's one of the most creative and smart romances I've read in a very long time!

Supernatural romances are just the sweetest thing to me and it is so nice to see Ashley Poston in the adult realm of things now. There is something about Poston's writing that is familiar in an adoring campy way.

This cleverly written book was an absolute delight! What’s not to love about a ghostwriter who grows up living on the top floors of a funeral parlor (called Days Gone), sees ghosts, and believes romance is dead?

I had never read a paranormal romance before and I actually went into this one blind, thinking it was a rom-com. So I was totally surprised by the turn of events and had NO IDEA where this story was going (in a good way)! I kept reading because I was curious about how in the world the author could possibly work out the ending!

The author handled the topics of death and grief really well. In spite of taking place around a funeral, this story was full of laughs. The chapters had names like: “Dead Romance,” and “Dead on Arrival.” The author also skillfully wove everyday terms that refer to death, such as “gravely mistaken”, “dead giveaway”, and “die of mortification” into the characters’ conversations! I adored Florence’s zany family, the supportive town, and the handsome ghost who had no idea why he was there! Also, for my romance lovers, there was an element of spice, but it was not overdone! This one will go on my Top Reads of the Year list for sure!

My sincere thanks to @berkleypub and @netgalley and @letstalkbookspromo for my eARC and for including me in this buddy read! My thoughts are my own.

I first became a fan of Ashley Poston’s after loving her YA Once Upon a Con series, so I was thrilled to hear she has her adult debut, The Dead Romantics, coming out this year. I was so intrigued by the premise that the protagonist is a romance ghostwriter who no longer believes in love. I couldn’t wait to dive into this one and I’m pleased to report that I now have a new favorite Ashley Poston novel because The Dead Romantics is an absolute gem of a book!

The story follows Florence Day, a young woman who is the ghostwriter for a very popular and prolific romance author. Florence’s next deadline is looming but she just can’t seem to finish the book. Why the writer’s block? Because after a terrible breakup, in Florence’s mind, romance is now dead so every time she sits down to write a happy ending for the book, she instead ends up pouring out her heart and writing doom and gloom. After butting heads with her new and very sexy editor, who refuses to give her another extension on her deadline, a family emergency sends Florence back to the hometown she hasn’t visited in a decade. Although Florence is reluctant to go home, at the same time, she’s hoping for inspiration to finish this book before her career is dead.

I adored Florence. As we learn more about her, it’s clear she has been through a lot in her life and she’s an easy character to feel sympathetic toward. It also becomes clear why she hasn’t come back home even though she loves her family dearly and that returning home reopens some old wounds. Florence’s family runs the local funeral home and because of this, Florence realizes early on that she has the ability to see ghosts and to communicate with them, to help them finish up any unfinished business they still have. Florence’s ability to see ghosts is what drove her away from home, but when she comes face to face with her editor, who has apparently died since she last saw him in his office, it may also be just the thing she needs in order to restore her faith in love and romance and get her career back on track. Now I’ll freely admit that you’ll probably have to suspend disbelief a little to fully embrace Florence’s gift and how it plays out in the book, but if you let yourself just accept it and roll with it, you’re going to love the journey that Florence’s gift allows her to take.

I also loved how this story was a nice balance between Florence’s journey, her close relationship with her family as they came together to grieve the loss of a loved one, as well as a slow burn romance that surprised and delighted me. The Dead Romantics is one of those stories that both tugged at my heartstrings and made me laugh throughout as I was reading. I flew through the pages because I was just having such a wonderful time watching these characters interact and was so invested in how things would play out for Florence.

If you’re looking for a unique story that perfectly straddles the line between romance and women’s fiction, I highly recommend The Dead Romantics.

Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just crying and swooning and screaming into the abyss over this melancholic story about love and life and death.

I’ve never read anything like The Dead Romantics. It was unapologetically unique. True to itself from start to finish in an unflinching way.

Benji and Florence. My angels. My babes who deserve their happily ever after.

I couldn’t stop reading! I had to know what happened! And beyond that? I felt so called in and held by the writing.

Yes, I wanted to know how it all wrapped up, but the journey was just as lovely. Just as special.

And THAT ENDING. STFU. A wonderfully crafted dagger right to my heart.

Florence is an author and her last 3 books have been bestsellers…just no one knows she wrote them. She is a ghostwriter for one of her favorite romance authors and it’s time to turn in the last book of her contract. She is on her way to meet her new editor to give him the bad news. She has nothing. Then in some unexpected events she is back home. Where she has to confront her past, write a book, and deal with her ghosts..literally…because oh yea Florence has been talking to ghosts since she was a child.

•𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦•
I really enjoyed this one. If you’ve ever seen the movie Just Like Heaven with Reese Witherspoon it has similar vibes. So in some ways it may be predictable, but it was still surprised by some twists at the end! Florence has a lot of family issues to wort through after leaving town 10 years ago, thankfully her little ghost friend (or will he be something more) is there to help. She also wants to figure out what happened to him. This is a sweet romance of becoming friends despite weird circumstances, realizing you have to let the past go, and accept who you are even when others do not.

I haven’t read a lot of romance books featuring ghosts, The Dead Romantics kinda reminded me of The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. From the very start, I was intrigued and I found it easy to connect with Florence’s character.

Having been traumatized by her previous relationship, Florence believes love and romance is dead. I can quite relate to her cynicism, but I also appreciate how her backstory gave us a peek at why and how she no longer believed in love.

And I also loved how Florence was able to grow out of it, despite being involved with a drop-dead gorgeous ghost (pun intended) who is also her editor. I absolutely love Ben, and his personality just screams a sweet cinnamon roll! A hot cinnamon roll who loves to read romance.

Florence and Ben were adorable. Their interactions are just so lovely and I love how Ben always reassures Florence, especially during times when she’s second-guessing herself.

The romance, along with the comedic elements, just brings enough fluff and lightheartedness to the otherwise heavy-hitting elements in the story. I loved how well-balanced these elements are and they really made the story feel fleshed out.

Now onto the heavy topics, The Dead Romantics also dealt with grief and death as the main elements. Somehow, the book reminded me of The Haunting of Hill House, minus all the scary stuff and jump scares, as Florence’s family owns a funeral parlor.

I’m so happy I got to read this book because I finally got the 5-star read I was hoping for. The Dead Romantics was just the perfect book I needed!

I definitely recommend The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston, especially if you’re looking for a well-balanced and well-rounded story that highlights grief and family.

Ashley Poston’s writing style really stuck out to me. I can’t believe this was the first book of hers that I’ve read. I love how lyrical her words are, especially during the scenes where Florence was dealing with the loss of her father. I could really empathize and resonate with Florence’s emotions, especially since I’m also the eldest sibling.

Florence reconnecting with her family was delightful to read. It was an eclectic mix of emotions, really. Her family has a fair share of hilarious dynamics and very heartfelt interactions that tug my heartstrings. I just really loved how the themes of grief and family were tackled in the book!