Rating 5/5
Plot 5/5
Spice 1/5
Character Development 5/5

[I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book]

“The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston tells a paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romance. Florence Day is the ghostwriter for a well-known romance author, however, after a terrible breakup, Florence no longer believes in love and struggles to ghostwrite. When Florence’s new editor refuses to give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence is prepared for the end of her writing career. Florence also receives news that her father has passed away and leaves to help her family with the funeral. Florence has stayed away from her hometown for several years because the town didn’t truly understand her, and even though she misses the Southern nights, her loving family, and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. That is until she finds a ghost standing outside the funeral parlor The two are confused about how a human and ghost can interact, but they immediately feel a connection with one another.

This story was so unique! I loved the paranormal aspect and the banter and chemistry between Florence and Benji are elite. The book is filled with funny, sad, and all-around amazing moments!

This book gave me all the feels!! I loved it! It pulled at my heartstrings made me smile, cry and laugh!
Florence Day is 28 she lives in New York with her best friend Rose, and she just survived a horrible break up. Unknown to everyone she’s the ghostwriter for the the famous romance author Ann Nichols. Since her breakup she’s found it hard to believe in romance and believe it has died. Now she’s looking at the deadline to turn in the latest
book and she can’t seem to finish it. When she meets with the publisher Benji she’s shocked he’s handsome but informs her she cannot have anymore time, turn in the book or she will have to face their legal team. When she receives a devastating phone call her father has died, she rushes home. Florence left her small town and the funeral home her family owns behind named Days Gone Funeral Home ten years ago. She was horribly bullied after she shared ability she shares with her dad with the town, she can talk to ghost. Florence at the age of 13 helped solve a local murder by talking to the ghost and her face in the newspaper. When Florence answers the door of the funeral home shes shocked, she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is , it’s the handsome book publisher and she now needs to help him figure out why he’s there. Oh my gosh I highly recommend this book, all the characters were amazing and I couldn’t put the book down!

I finished The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston a few days ago, but I needed to process before I posted. Thank you @berkleypub for the free #giftedbook - this is definitely a book I need on my shelf for all of forever! Thanks to @letstalkbookspromo and @berittalksbooks for including me in the #berkleywritesstrongwomen buddy read, too.

Florence is a ghostwriter for one of the most popular romance writers, and is trying to finish her book. The problem is, she just dealt with a bad breakup and was starting to think romance is dead. She has an awkward meeting with her new editor, who basically says to finish the book - now. Then, Florence gets a call to return home (where she hasn’t been in ten years) because her dad passed away. Home - where her family owns the town funeral parlor - is not really where she wants to be, nor does she want to talk to the ghost that shows up on her doorstep. The ghost of her editor, to be exact. What is his unfinished business and why are things different with his ghost than others she’s helped in the past?

I adored this book so much! Florence was a great character, and I loved her and Ben together! She was so awkward with Ben at first, but they played off each other so well. I also enjoyed Florence’s return to her hometown and seeing her dynamics with her family and also the people living in the town. Her dad’s funeral requests were epic, and I can only imagine how varied the emotions were at the funeral.

I did figure out the ending very early on, but I still was engaged and loved every second of this book.

The Dead Romantucs is available now, so grab a copy for your #summerreading!

Ashley Poston is one of many authors on my list of authors I pay attention to for releases, and I’ve loved her YA books, so hearing about her adult debut…I was intrigued. Plus, come on, it’s a book about an author…who can see ghosts. I’ve actually read quite a few books this year that are about writers, editors, publishers, etc, and they’ve been pretty entertaining.

This was a good read. I enjoyed the time it took me to finish it, and it didn’t take me long, just a couple of days because of other obligations and such. The story was easy to read and follow, and the characters and set up were interesting.

Being introduced to Florence, and the Day family, and the citizens of her hometown, really helped to expand the story. There were some fun characters in this town and family, and it would be interesting to follow some of them in future stories. And the chemistry between Florence and her editor was clear even before he showed up as a ghost after she went home, which obviously made the romance one to be intrigued by. Plus with the inability to touch and everything, it only increased the longing and such. That development of the relationship, and watching Florence navigate dealing with this ghost in particular while also dealing with being home for the first time in a long time (and all the memories that go along with it),

My biggest issue, and it’s not even really an issue, is that I knew what the twist was very very early on. Why? Because it feels more like a common trope when it comes to ghost stories at this point. And I kept reading because I hoped that my thoughts would end up being wrong (and because I was enjoying the story aside from the one thought)…but I wasn’t wrong at all.

So that was a bit disappointing, but sometimes stories have predictable elements to them. It doesn’t make them bad stories. In fact, sometimes I just really enjoy a story that is easy to figure out and to follow. In fact, a lot of romances all follow the same basic plot and structure. I still read a whole lot of romance stories because there is something comforting in the familiarity of it all, in the knowledge that everything will work out and the relationship will end in a happily ever after (or at least a happily for now)

All in all though, I enjoyed the book, and I look forward to seeing what Ashley Poston comes out with next.

Umm okay so where do I even begin??

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. There. I’ll start with that. I read it within a day. I couldn’t put it down! The story and the characters completely drew me in and I fell in love with everything and everyone.

Florence was the perfect MC. She believes that love is dead. She’s a ghostwriter and talks a lot about books, which I loved so much. Ben is her hunky new editor that’s demanding her latest manuscript right away. But they’re about to meet again under totally different circumstances…

And yes I am going to be super ominous about that because you just need to read it!!! I want to spoil it for you but I can’t!!!

Florence and Ben were perfect. Florence’s family was precious, especially her mom and dad. I cried several times.

Florence and her family grew up in a funeral home essentially, and I never thought I could find that endearing and beautiful, but omg, it made me nostalgic for this childhood that doesn’t even closely resemble my own. The writing is just that good.

Oh and the TWIST! It should’ve been obvious, but I didn’t see it coming and I was freaking out.

Okay, apparently I can’t get my thoughts lined up properly. I will leave it at this: go read this book right now. Thank you.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for my gifted copy! This has been posted on my Goodreads and my Bookstagram account (@janinesbookcorner).

Florence’s writing career never really took off, but her ghostwriting career as one of the largest romance authors around certainly did. Only problem is that Florence no longer believes in love after her ex took her life story and turned it into his novel without telling her. While she struggles to meet her next deadline, she is forced to return home to bury her father, the only member of her family that shared her gifts. When her new and handsome editor turns out to be the latest ghost she sees, Florence can’t figure out why he is there and what help he needs from her.

This book was so insanely weird that it was just perfect. Have you ever read a book like that? Where you are like wait what? But also really love it! Well…that’s this book. I absolutely adored Florence and Benji and their growing friendship. The aspect of Florence and her father being able to see and talk to ghosts and help them along on the last things they needed to do in life was just so heartwarming, but my heart broke for Florence as she searched for her fathers ghost around ever\y corner. The family dynamics worked so well here too. If you want a rom com thats something a little bit different, but still thoroughly enjoyable I highly recommend this one!

I will add that I got to join a webinar with Ashley where she discussed writing this book and holy goodness that woman is hilarious! If you ever have a chance to meet her and/or zoom in with her I highly recommend it!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After a bad breakup, Florence had stopped believing in romance and happily ever afters. This could be something sad for many people, but as a ghostwriter for a famous romance author, this was a disaster for Florence. However, a visit to the hometown she ran from and connecting with a ghostly spirit may help restore Florence’s belief as love finds her when she least expects it.

I was already a fan of Poston’s YA work, but she really wowed me with her adult debut. There was so much to adore and below are some highlights for me.

Florence was a star. I obviously connected with her on some level because I was feeling so much for her. I was enraged with the way people had treated her and would have loved to have given her ex a piece of my mind. I cried for her loss and the guilt she felt at having stayed away from home for so long. I hoped for her to heal, mend fences, and find love again. And I was filled with joy for Florence when I celebrated her victories.

Florence’s family was so lovely! They weren’t perfect, but there was so much love. It was beautiful seeing them all come together to celebrate their father. They were such a colorful and interesting bunch, and I had a wonderful time being with them. Though he was only there in memory, I felt like I got to know her dad, and my heart ached because he was a special person. When I learned of the small kindnesses he performed, it made my affection for him grow. I am so pleased that I got to share all those small moments with them.

The surprises Poston built into the story had me giddy and made my heart soar. I had some suspicions, but there were a few things I did not guess. There may have been cheering and that cry-laughing thing going on a few times which is always a sign of a winning story.

The romance was of the slow burn sort. There was a good reason for it, so it actually worked for me. It was fantastic to see these two grow closer and closer, and he played a very important role in Florence’s healing process. The sparks and soul bearing conversations help me become invested in this couple even if I had doubts about their future.

This was a beautiful story of love and loss which touched my heart. Vibrant characters, zippy dialog, sparkling humor, and a sweet romance combined to produce a story that elicited a wide array of emotional responses from me. In the end, I was left with a happy heart and smile on my face.

A "ghost" writer takes on new meaning when the writer can communicate with ghosts! This was not my normal genre, but it was so entertaining, I couldn't put it down. The cover is eye-catching and the characters are so lovable. Loved it!

I loved this weird little ghost story so much. I devoured it. Who knew long walks in a cemetery with your ghost crush while you plan your dad's funeral could be so good?

This is a part My Girl, part Addams Family, and part While You Were Sleeping. In the best possible way.

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most popular romance authors in the market. Unbeknownst to the reading public Florence is actually the person behind the last four successful books. The fifth book is overdue, but after a terrible break-up, Florence just doesn't believe in love and happily ever after anymore. Unfortunately, her frustratingly hot new editor will not give her an extension on the book. With only one day to turn in the manuscript, Florence is ready to call it all quits when she gets a devastating phone call from home. Her father has passed away.

Now, Florence is headed back to the hometown that never seemed to understand or accept her. She has to deal with the family that she left when she basically ran away from those who would torment her, and she has to bury her dad. Then, a ghost shows up on her doorstep and it's none other than Mr. Frustratingly Handsome. Ben has no idea why he's there, and Florence only knows one thing: Ben has died and she's now tasked with helping him with his unfinished business.

And his unfinished business begins to change Florence's perspective on love.

I've read Ashley Poston's YA books, and I was very excited with her first adult release. Still, I was totally surprised and blown away by this book.

It's such a bittersweet story with the potential to be bleak - what with the subject matter an all, but Ashley Poston writes such hope and possibility into this story. Seeing Florence grappling with her beliefs in life and love and seeing her get pulled out of the despair in which she finds herself was wonderful.

I really liked the magical realism element in that Florence is able to see and talk to ghosts. It's the things about her which other kids growing up didn't understand and therefore ostracized her for. It's a gift inherited from her father and one that she's suppressed ever since moving away to New York City. Going back home and almost stepping into her father's shoes in that regard and acknowledging the void that has been in her life by not embracing her gift is like clouds parting to reveal a sunny day. I loved when we got to the point where Florence was comfortable with herself because once she's there, she's able to deal with the breakup that threw her professional life off kilter and destroyed her belief in love.

Along the way her editor Ben is there to guide her. I loved seeing this male character that unabashedly loves romance stories. It's not one that's seen often enough which is a shame because romance is so uplifting and I hate the fact that there's often a gender bias when discussing it. Ben, through his love of romance and belief in true love, really helps Florence not just in dealing with her feelings about love, but in dealing with the death of her father. Florence's father's ghost is noticeably absent. So even her gift won't help her gain closure in that regard, but Ben shows up in the recently deceased category and offers a bit of a shoulder to cry on as the case may be.

There's a lot more to the story, but going into too much would give some precious things away. I'll say that I figured out some things happening before they were revealed, but I was good with that because the story played out exactly as I wanted it to which made for a happy reader.

I was really impressed with Ashley Poston's first foray into an adult novel. I hope we get more books in this same vein that are infused with a bit of magic to go along with the realism.

Wow I hated this. I went into not knowing a single thing about the plot and was pleasantly surprised by the ghosts bit, until I realized that the ghosts bit was hidden underneath more millennial nonsense than I've read in my entire life. I will highlight the only example needed: ZOOM-ZOOM JUICE. (Yes, she means coffee.)

We really could have had something with the pining ghosts/embittered writer but we got.... whatever the hell this was.

I just... this is the most mediocre thing I've ever read in my life. I came onto GoodReads thinking I would surely find several other one- or two-star reviews. Did we read the same book??

Nothing could have prepared me for how vehemently I disliked Florence, a woman in a mess of her own making because her ex did something shitty. Madam I HATE to break it to you but that is, in fact, quite common. And Benji is the space where characters go to die, and the most interesting thing he did was also have an ex who the FMC spends a rather bizarre amount of time convincing Benji that this woman is Satan incarnate.

Themes of grief and family couldn't come close to making this book a worthwhile read for me, I'm sorry.

This book is nothing short of magical! Once I started it, I did not want to put it down. Ashley Poston is a poetic genius, weaving a story of love, loss, and finding the person of your dreams in the most unconventional way.

From the quirky characters to the offbeat love story to the normal-for-them family dynamics to the glimmering thread of impossible love, she takes you on an emotional journey that will have you laughing one minute and reading through tears the next.

After escaping her closed-minded small town for New York, Florence has given up on the notion of true love even though she is a ghostwriter for a beloved romance author.

Her deadline is looming, she can’t write a story without killing off the hero, and her editor just denied her extension request. Things aren’t going well at all, but then Florence gets a call from her family that will change her life forever.

Ben is Florence’s new editor, and while he’s nice to look at, he’s also become her most recent nemesis. When he unexpectedly shows up at Florence’s family’s funeral home—not quite alive, mind you—Ben’s journey with Florence takes an unexpected and personal twist.

Chock full of witty banter, the small-town charm and unique plotline are good enough to eat with a spoon.

Florence and Ben each experience traumatic events that force them to examine their lives and grow from what they learn. Their development is fantastic and the plot twists are amazing.

Poston has given us a richly layered piece of literary gold and I can’t wait to read more from her. If you enjoyed the humor, subject matter, and family dynamics of Six Feet Under, you will love The Dead Romantics.

This is the kind of book I want to have in every format and revisit often.

This book made me feel an array of emotions from happy to poignant. It made me laugh and cry. It was perfectly quirky, and had a great plot with characters and dialogue that made this a fast read. I loved the main setting of a small town, the mayor is a dog-how perfect is that, and it had a few nice twists along the way.

It discusses writers, ghosts, death, family relationships, and romance. It blends these elements which don’t seem like they would go together into an original read.

The Author’s note in the Reading Guide at the end of the book is fantastic.

I had no idea what I would think of this. It reminded me of the show Pushing Daisies a little bit. Unique and heartwarming. There is a balance of family, loss and love in this. I loved the quotes and thoughtfulness when the author was writing of life and death. The romance was so sweet! Once I got into it, I was very worried about the HEA (but should I have doubted Berkley romance - no!). There is a HEA- don’t worry romance fans!

First, a huge thank you to Berkley Romance and Ashley Poston for sending me an eARC to read and review! 🥺 I so thoroughly enjoyed myself, and this really got me out of my reading slump!

“you don’t ever lose the sadness, but you learn to love it because it becomes a part of you, and bit by bit, it fades. And, eventually, you’ll pick yourself back up and you’ll find that you’re okay. That you’re going to be okay. And eventually, it’ll be true”

Knowing just how much I LOVED Ashley’s Geekerella series, as soon as I heard she was debuting her adult RomCom, with speculative elements, I knew I had to read it! And she did not disappoint. Ashley Poston knows how to handle grief so beautifully in her stories. It’s real, and it’s raw, while also so hopeful. I feel like grief is often portrayed as this heavy, terrible thing that weighs us down, keeping us from life. And yes, that is a part of it. But through this story, Ashley shows us how much more to it there is. Grief is love. Love for the people who have left us—which doesn’t end when they’re gone, we take it with us. Love for the people we still have—who make it easier to get through. Ashley shows also how joy and grief can live simultaneously, and it’s ok to feel all these things at once. That death is sad, but it’s also a celebration of life.

“Love wasn’t a whisper in the quiet night. It was a yelp into the void, screaming that you were here.”
This was also, of course, at it’s core a love story. Florence and Ben are honestly just so perfect for each other! I loved how their relationship developed. Their banter and wit, their chemistry. Do you know how engaging chemistry has to be when they LITERALLY CANT TOUCH BECAUSE HE’S A GHOST?! 🤣 It is not easy to do, but Ashley made it seem easy. I was hooked on them from their first meeting, and I absolutely loved the way it ended. I will be dreaming of Ben and Florence for a long time to come.

“Worth wasn’t dependent on someone else’s love for you, or your usefulness, or what you could do for them.”
Lastly, in this story, Ashley just so eloquently put to words so many things I struggle with myself. Learning how to unlearn that your worth depends on what you can do for other people, rather than just *being*. Learning how to let others in, let others help you, let them love you. Even if you feel you don’t deserve it, because you do. Learning not to let people walk over you, or use your kindness and your love against you either. I loved all the little tidbits about the publishing industry, and the things no one likes to talk about. Authors who are amazing writers but don’t “make it” because they don’t have the right recourses. How so many writers define their worth by their success, but the only thing that matters is their words finding the people who need to hear them. I truly cannot wait to read whatever comes next to Ashley, because I know I will love it.

“…we popped champagne and played Dad’s favorite burned CD and danced through the parlors to all the good goodbyes, because endings were just new beginnings.”

As one of my highly anticipated reads heading in to the summer, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to this audiobook a little early. It hit all the notes I expected and I adored the ending. The amount of fantastical elements played out in a perfectly imaginative way.
Florence is at a crossroads with her career. Meanwhile, her father, the only person who seems to get her has passed away. They shared a mutual ability to see ghosts that most question and all find unrelatable. She goes home to take care of familial duties and finds inspiration and hope for closure.
I think I would have enjoyed the beginning a little bit more had I physically read it rather than listened to the audio as a whole. Nothing against the narrator - Eileen Stevens - as I did enjoy the majority of the book, but I had to restart it because I struggled to keep two of the characters straight. It's definitely a "me" problem. Once I got past my confusion, I found myself invested in the story and hopeful for the ending.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Well, I was really hoping that this book was as good as the author's young adult books, but it just kind of fell flat. For me, anyway. I'm so glad some people have loved this book. It just seems like the young adult books she writes are so sweet and adorable and I love that. And this book had ghosts and romance and that is something I would love to read but I'll have to look elsewhere. I will try and finish this book at a later time. I got 36% in and put it down and never picked it back up. Maybe I didn't give it enough time. I'm so sad about it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest opinion.

This was a delight! I've been a fan of Ashley Poston since her debut YA novel, and her debut adult novel did not disappoint. The magical realism elements really set this apart from all the other romance novels I've read lately. I loved the storyline and the character development. It's been a while since a book has made me so emotional while reading, and I think Poston conveys Florence's emotions so well.

The Dead Romantics é uma comédia romântica que trata a morte e o luto de uma forma tão delicada e bonita que deixou o livro leve. Eu chorei bastante porque sou chorona mesmo, mas não chorei de tristeza. Florence e Ben precisavam se encontrar naquele momento, ele como uma figura fantasmagórica e ela como a mulher que acha que não consegue mais ser a autora que um dia sonhou ser. Esse tempo que eles passam juntos é essencial para que eles aprendam coisas muito importantes sobre si mesmos, e fiquei suspirando mesmo com medo de que no final eu fosse sofrer. Ashley Poston escreveu um livro primoroso, é lindo, tocante, tem plot twists maravilhosos, me fez dar risadas e chorei com o coração quentinho.

I think if I had known more about this before I started it, I might not have picked it up because I usually steer clear of anything paranormal - and you know what? That would have been a damn shame because I loved this book.

By the time I realized there were ghosts - I was beyond hooked and I just went with it. Even if ghosts/paranormal isn’t your thing - give it a try - you might be pleasantly surprised like me.

I would say this is more contemporary fiction than romance - there is a romance element but it’s a pretty slow burn and really only takes place the last 15%.

Things I loved:
-Florence’s family owns a funeral parlour. I thought this was such a unique aspect to a book
-the family’s dark humour and each family member has their own shining personality
-focus on grief and death/dying in a way not many books talk about it
-Florence is a ghostwriter for a romance author and truly believes romance is dead. Benji is her new editor - this came with surprises I wasn’t expecting
-funny, endearing, original and emotional
-this is a book I’ve been thinking about often since I finished

4.5 stars