While I do think that this is my favorite of the supernatural adult romances that have come out over the last year or so, it was unfortunately still just an okay read for me. This book was like a really fun mix of the Mediator series by Meg Cabot and the show Pushing Daisies all while being set in a Stars Hollow-esque small town. It had so much going for it, but I feel like the romance at the core of the story really took a backseat to all of the other things going on in the novel. We spent so much time focusing on the ghost-y elements of the story that I was never really able to buy into the romance between Florence and Benji, so the book ended up falling flat for me. With that being said, I do think that this was set up to be the first book in a series and I would not hesitate to read more in this world because I do believe that the next book might be following a queer couple and I need it *immediately*

CW: death of a parent

Florence is an author that works as a ghost writer, writing romances but she has a really bad case of writer's block because she no longer believes in love. She also has a really special gift that comes out when her editor dies and she’s the only one that can see him. 

I'm going to be honest. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it because I felt a little bit played. I was expecting a hilarious romcom and this book is more of a women’s fiction about finding yourself, family and grief. And I wanted more of Florence and her ghost gift, more of Florence and her ghost editor and I wanted to know more about the murder she helped solve when she was 13.

The Dead Romantics is a sweet and inspiring love story about a romance ghost writer (who just so happens to be able to see ghosts), who can no longer write about love, because she no longer believes in it.

Ashley Poston has a fun and humorous writing style. She writes such relatable and effective imagery and inserts clever asides throughout the book, which really helped me as a reader to relate to Florence Day as a character and to visualize the world that I’ve stepped into. Because of the imagery and heavy description, the story is a little slower paced, with more of a focus on setting and character development than plot.

This book deals with the theme of grief and loss in a few different avenues. Florence Day no longer believes in love, ever since her boyfriend of three years betrayed her in the worst way possible (at least, what I believe is the worst way possible, but I won’t state it here, because it’s a minor spoiler). She’s unable to write about love, and she’s dealing with the potential loss of her writing career because of it. She’s a ghostwriter for a famous romance author, and she can’t just switch genres. Florence can also see ghosts, and while she’s spent the better part of a decade ignoring them, in the past she’s helped them to move on, and suffered quite a bit in her home town from bullies and naysayers who didn’t believe in her gift. And finally, her father dies, and she’s forced to go back home and deal with the funeral, facing people she hasn’t seen in ten years, and trying to recover from the loss of the only other person in the world who could relate to her and her gift. Despite the darker theme of grief and recovering from loss, the book never feels too heavy, and it’s a perfect pick-me-up, especially for someone who’s experienced similar losses in their own life.

While the final twist was somewhat obvious, especially to those of us who have seen an early 2000s movie with the exact same twist (not naming it here, because that would be a major spoiler! But I will say that I watched that movie 10+ times), the journey toward that twist was extremely enjoyable and rewarding.

This book is heavier on the women’s fiction side, with a little less time spent on developing the romance between Florence Day and her handsome ghost editor. That said, the romance is very cute and swoony and I ate it all up!

All in all, this is a sad, yet hopeful romance story about loss and love and dealing with loneliness.

Florence, a ghostwriter for a romance author, has a looming deadline, which is a bit problematic because she no longer believes in love. When she returns to her small hometown for her father’s funeral and starts seeing ghosts, finishing her novel on time becomes the least of her worries.

How could you not adore a book about a romance writer with sixth sense abilities who scoffs at love, an eccentric family who runs a funeral parlor in a small town, and a super hot ghost!? Florence and her family were so quirky, charming, and lovable! This book was fun but also majorly tugged at my heartstrings! All of the emotions that go along with grieving came across through Florence in such a realistic and relatable way. She had a beautiful relationship with her father and my heart just went out to her. I also adored Florence’s interactions with Ben, her former editor turned ghost friend. Who knew you could have such amazing chemistry with a ghost! I don’t want to give spoilers but I was pleasantly surprised with the turn this took, and the ending was just perfection! Obviously, I absolutely loved loved loved everything about this book!!

Florence is a ghostwriter for a romance novelist. But after a bad break-up no longer believes in romance. It's dead to her. Which is why she can't finish her novel. Ben is her new editor. He's handsome and polite but won't give her an extension on her novel. When Florence receives news that her dad has died, she has to return home to the family funeral home to bury him. Except Florence left that small town that wasn't very kind to her ten years ago and never looked back. Imagine her surprise when she sees her hot, new editor in the doorway of the funeral home...except no one can see him but her.

What I loved most about this story was the underlying theme of how those we love never really leave us. Memories, moments, advice, stories, and talks with those who've passed live on and take on new meanings. Finding out that parents sometimes knew us better than we know ourselves. This book is a love letter to those who've gone before us, and a reminder that living is possible despite our losses.

Where to start - I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a beloved romance author, but she personally doesn’t believe in the happily ever after. Since her bad break-up more than a year ago, she has been struggling to finish her latest romance novel. Florence must face the consequences when she meets with her new editor to ask for an extension, only she’s denied. Her handsome editor is the happily ever after in everyones romance book.

For the past 10 years, Florence thought she was living her best life in NYC until she receives a call summoning her home - Her beloved father has passed away in South Carolina. In the town of Mairmont, her family owns and operates the local funeral home, and its where Florence learned she can see ghosts.

What happens next, well Florence suddenly sees her sexy, smart editor as a ghost….That’s it I can’t tell you anymore other than READ THIS BOOK!!

This novel is full of emotion, realness and authentictiy. This paranormal love story is truly haunting.

The Dead Romantics was such a surprise reading hit for me! I often struggle with books with ghosts, but this totally worked for me and I also love a book that takes you behind the scenes in the publishing world!!

Author Ashley Poston's writing flowed so well and I loved the myriad of eccentric characters and the unique storyline totally sucked me in.

This book is quirky, endearing, witty and full of hope and if you are looking for a unique romance read, I highly recommend adding this one to your summer reading list, ASAP!!

{@Berkleypub & @berkleyromance #Partner. Thank you for my gifted copy!}

Did I cry through the last quarter of this book because everything came together in such a beautiful sweep of perfection? Yes, yes I did. The Dead Romantics gave me Casper vibes, but make it sexy, funny, and heartwarming. I loved the meta feeling of a writer writing about a writer, and appreciated the shoutouts to popular books and authors throughout.

Romance is dead. This is what Florence Day announces after she strolls into her hot new editor’s office to try and get herself an extension on the romance novel she’s ghostwriting. How can you write a romance novel with a broken heart? She’s written several before, but after a deep betrayal from an ex, she can’t possibly right another HEA. Her extension is rejected, and while trying to drown her sorrows away at a bar, Florence receives a phone call from her mom telling her that her beloved father has died. She must return home to rural SC to help plan his funeral at the family funeral home. Florence is surprised to discover that her hot new editor has followed her home. And he’s a ghost.

Even though her name is Florence Day, she gave me a lot of cool quirky Jessica Day New Girl vibes. This is a pull-at-your-heartstrings romcom about grief, love, family, finding yourself, small towns, and forgiveness. I loved Poston’s Once Upon A Con books, and I loved this one just as much.

If you’re looking for a book to lift you up, give you hope, brighten your day, and maybe even pull you out of that reading slump, this is it friends. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Romantics - Ashley Poston
5/5⭐️

This was a change for me as I am not a paranormal reader, however, it was entertaining and light-hearted. The idea of a ghostwriter, an editor, and a kooky family kept me involved.

Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics is so much fun. It has it all—great characters, family drama, romance and humor. I loved the silly puns and the bookish references. The author’s wit, humor and sensitivity shine through in this lovely story.

Florence Day grew up in a funeral home and talking to the dead. While this might conjure memories of Six Feet Under, The Dead Romantics features a fun, loving, close knit family whose patriarch gave his children incredible life skills. I really enjoyed Florence’s journey, and it truly takes a village to help Florence get to where she needs to be. From her family, her best friend, her editor, and even her teenage nemesis, the secondary characters have a huge impact on the story. I enjoyed the banter and relationship between Florence and the shadowy ghost who chivalrously haunts her.

In addition to the comedy and romance, this book delves into family and grief in a very sensitive and touching way. The Dead Romantics is a quick, easy read because of the storyline and the fantastic characters. A #MustRead2022 book for me.

The Dead Romantics by @heyashleyposton is not your typical romance. Florence Day is a ghost writer who can actually see—and has been trying to avoid—ghosts. She grew up in an eccentric Southern town where her family owned the only funeral home, but fled to New York to be writer as soon as she could. Her own book flopped, so she turned to ghost writing for a best-selling romance author. Now her last book is due, but Florence, who no longer believes in happily ever afters, can’t seem to write it. On the same day her gorgeous new editor, Ben, won’t grant her an extension, she gets terrible news that sends her home. Then Ben in ghost version shows up on her family’s doorstep, unaware that something happened to change his “among the living” status, and they must figure out what “unfinished business” is keeping him here.

I loved this book for a lot of reasons. One, I love books about writers. Two, I love books that are funny. And three, I love a good love story, even if it seems hopeless because one of the characters is a ghost. Grief is a major player in this book, but it’s handled with a lot of respect and joy and didn’t feel triggering like many stories exploring this theme do. Family and its importance are also huge components, and it was wonderful to meet the people Florence grew up with and see their relationships change as Florence becomes more self-aware.

In the end this was a really joyful, life-affirming book about grief and ghosts and finding your place in a world when you stand out a bit more than you’d like to and I’d recommend it to all romance lovers. I think if you give this one a try, you’ll be sucked in right away like I was.

I absolutely loved The Dead Romantics! It had everything that I look for in romance books: humour, family bonding, lovable heroes, romantic tension, character growth, and of course a happy ending. The setting and premise was whimsical and done so well that it made it seem believable, and both Ben and Florence were strong leads that made you root for both of them. I loved watching Florence progress through the story and figure out how to process and heal from old and new wounds, with Ben by her side. I really liked the simplicity of the ghost sightings being something that just occurs with no real explanation, and how Florence’s ghostwriting situation actually originated was genius. This book was a delight to read, and I will definitely be rereading this book soon!

First, I have to thank @letstalkbookspromo and @berkleypub for an early copy of this book. My God you guys, the hype is real. This book is a perfect romance with a lot of heart and some family drama (thought it's not really drama) thrown in.

Florence Day grew up in a funeral home. Death doesn't scare her and neither do ghosts but an incident as a kid makes it harder for her to want to go home. Until she doesn't have a choice. And when she goes home, she runs into her new editor. Except last she knew, he was still in NYC and alive.

The romance was wonderful and incredibly well done. I also really loved all the scenes with Florence's family. Sometimes the b plot in a romance novel takes away from the story but in this case, the parts with the Day family make the book more well rounded and a hell of a lot of more fun to read. I teared up several times, smiled a lot and overall was really upset when the book was over because I wasn't ready to leave this world and these characters.

The hype is real on this one and you do not want to miss it if you like ghosts, romance, family and just a damn good story. The Dead Romantics comes out on Tuesday, June 28 and should be at the top of your summer reading list.

#BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads

Please look out for content warnings on this one, especially surrounding grief and loss. And asshole ex-boyfriends. But mostly grief and loss.

Florence Day has always been able to see ghosts. Now working as a ghostwriter for a very famous romance author, Florence is anxious to leave that part of her life behind. But when her father dies unexpectedly, she returns home to South Carolina to the funeral home run by generations of her family. Florence hopes she will see her dead father, but instead finds the ghost of the editor of her latest book. Unsure of how he got there, Florence must help Benji sort out his unfinished business and finish her book before he disappears forever.

To be honest, I didn’t know if I would like this book when I first started it. Magical realism can be so hit or miss for me. Plus, stories involving ghosts can be handled so poorly. I’m happy to report that this is not the case with The Dead Romantics. I devoured it in a few days. It left me with that special kind of cozy feeling that only a good book is capable of.

The Dead Romantics is told entirely from Florence’s perspective in the first person. I loved Florence. She’s such an authentic character. I also loved her family, especially her dead father. The eclectic list of demands he leaves for her family for his funeral is completely priceless! It includes 1000 wildflowers and Elvis. Florence is tasked with sorting out the details and hunting down his list of demands and it becomes almost a scavenger hunt.

If you like emotional family stories with romance and a ton of magical realism, this one is for you!

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

A quirky romance peppered with a little bit of mystery, a lot of heartache, and a handful of miracles. Cute, but missed the mark for me personally on the account of some odd dialogue choices and wanting to throttle characters for not jumping on things sooner!!

I enjoyed reading this one. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I really enjoyed seeing how the author was able to handle such a difficult topic, (death of a parent), which is not always written very well, but did not disappoint. I am excited to see what else Ashley comes out with next.

Florence is trying to live her dreams out in NYC, ghostwriting for a popular romance author as she tries to get her next big break in publishing. But still reeling from a messy ending to a serious relationship, Florence is convinced love is dead. On a tight publishing deadline from her new editor, Benji, she receives a phone call to return home for a family emergency. As she deals with a tragic loss and a strained family relationship, Benji shows up at her door. As a ghost. Florence helps ghosts pass to the "other side" but her and Benji aren't sure what he needs in order to move on. Together, it's possible they learn what it means to love again and that romance isn't dead after all - despite one of them being a ghost.

Thoughts: My review above does this book absolutely no justice. I love the originality of this story -- while it has shades of The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy Reichert, half of the romantic pair being a ghost is certainly something new for me. I enjoyed the banter between Florence and Benji, and I appreciated that they're chemistry was explored from the get-go. There was no hiding of feelings, more like ignoring seeing as they couldn't actually do anything about it. Benji was really sweet (I anticipated him being more standoffish and was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't) and while Florence was guarded it was with good reason. The family dynamics were realistic, and Poston's metaphors and commentaries about life, love, and grief were on-point and so well-written. I thought this was a beautiful book about love and loss, and the romance between Florence and Benji was heartwarming. One of my favorite romances so far in 2022 and I highly recommend for fans of Abby Jiminez, Amy Reichert, TJ Klune, anyone who enjoys unconventional romance.

**Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

When I was a child I feared death - after all, I believe we are all a bit afraid of what we can't explain. As I grew up and had to face the definitive loss of loved ones, I can't say I understand death, but there is a certain macabre beauty to it that Ashley Poston hits upon in The Dead Romantics.

While in the process of reading this book, I lost a friend to metastatic breast cancer. She was only 40 years old and she left quickly, right when we thought her treatment was making progress. While none of this may be helpful to anyone in understanding what this book is about, it has to be said that this novel helped me process the grief. There was a line that mentioned how the wind is just our loved ones singing to us, and I read it as the trees outside my window danced in the breeze. It felt like a sign that my friend was okay.

Yes, the protagonist, a romance ghostwriter who can <ahem> see ghosts, which should have outright haunted me, but it made me believe that after death, we are okay. We have others to guide us as we discover the what comes next part that is so elusive. There were also passages so insightful that you can't really say this is a romance novel - it is romance, but I adore the idea that love transcends time and space. Ashley Poston is one of my favorites right now - I have all of her Geekerella books in my library and YES, fans will love that there are some crossover moments from other stories. You'll find the sarcastic humor and abundant fandom, the 'you don't have to let a moment define your life' wisdom, and the 'get over yourself and fall in love already' outlet you need to remind yourself that anything might be possible. Read this book - there will be no regrets.

Thank you @berkleypub for the #gifted eARC of THE DEAD ROMANTICS!

Like many of you, I devoured and adored BOOK LOVERS in May. And then was left with a gaping hole in my life and craved more romance with a literary world twist. And then I heard about THE DEAD ROMANTICS and I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. And thankfully the @Berkleypub gods were kind to me and my request was granted!

I quickly fell in love with Florence Day and her quirky undertakers family. I loved that she was a ghostwriter for a famous romance author. And that she no longer believed in love. And that she could see and talk to ghosts. The whole setup was perfection.

And as Florence and Benji kept spending more time together, I was equally thrilled by their cute and bookish banter and left wondering how the hell Ashley Poston was going to give these characters an HEA.

No spoilers but I absolutely adored the ending!

Prediction: you are going to be seeing this one every this summer and you definitely are going to want a copy for your shelves!

THE DEAD ROMANTICS is out June 28!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4759809793?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfWrBVRL1NG/

Florence is a ghostwriter for a famous romance author. But after her latest breakup, she stops believing in happily ever afters affecting her inspiration to write her latest novel. On top of this, her dad has just passed away and left very precise instructions as to how his funeral needs to be done.

A love story centred around an author, a funeral home and ghosts? Sounds unique right? And I bet you're intrigued?!! I went into this one a tad bit skeptical and came out absolutely loving it. Florence's dad, although passed away, was such a memorable character. His stories and his funeral provided many funny moments (as weird as that sounds!) and I was all for it. All the stars for this one of a kind love story! Although I read a copy, I think it would be amazing to listen to on audio!