I DNF’ed this around chapter 6… I unfortunately did not enjoy the writing. It felt very monotone and straightforward, almost like I was reading a script for a movie instead of a book. The descriptive writing was not really there. While I loved the concept, it just seemed cheaply approached. The relationship between Garrett and Nora moved so quickly that it left me a bit hopeless for the rest of the book. Garrett was the most interesting character to me, and he didn’t seem to get much opportunity to show his personality or perspective.

A special thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eARC, making this review possible!

I loved the premise of this book, but I didn't like how it came together. I felt like there were aspects that a lot of time was spent on that could've been glazed over and then things that were glazed over that could've been delved far deeper into. Overall, it felt like the aspects of the book that were the most intriguing and interesting weren't given much space to really flourish. I also didn't love the pairing of Nora and Garrett. Something about how it was all portrayed felt incredibly love-bombing/toxic/codependent to me. I was actively rooting against them ending up together.

I wanted to like this book so much but everything was so basic and boring. I didn’t enjoy the plot or characters.

I was very intrigued with this book. It took turns in the plot that I was not expecting. It was an easy read, but it kept me guessing what was going to happen next. I absolutely loved this book.

This book had a super unique concept- the main character owns a casket shop, and the love interest works for Death. It was heartwarming and sometimes bittersweet, and I really enjoyed it. Some of the dialogue was a bit stilted for me, but overall, this was an interesting and quick read, and a nice twist on a contemporary romance!

I really loved the concept and plot of this story. At first, I thought it was going in a much different direction but that’s okay. This was a cozy read. Get to read as a palate cleanser. It was a pleasant surprise to read a duo pov story this way. I wish it was longer. I wanted more about the grandpa and the town. IYKYK. This story gave me Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vibes so if you liked that show, I highly recommend this book.

Death is a main theme in this story and I feel like you should know that going into it. As much as this is a romance book, it is also about grief and how it affects the living.

Tropes:
Obsessed boy
Small town romance
Instant love

A good debut book from Lauren Evans! I liked the premise a lot. I had a hard time with the insta-love and dialogue as others have mentioned, it may just not be for me. Because of this I did skip around a bit.

The Death concept here was quite intriguing, I would love to see a sequel or prequel on just lore, not even more romance. I think it'd be so cool lol Garrett's chapters were my favorite and I think they were so well done! Looking forward to what Lauren writes next!

I feel like there was a lot of potential with this story, but it was not very good. I almost DNF'd it, but I have a strict policy against not finishing ARCs. The writing and plot felt like a rough draft or something written by a very amateur writer. I did not expect this from Random House/ Ballantine.

Nora was very boring and the rest of the characters lacked any sort of personality. Nora and Garrett's relationship was so dull and honestly did not seem realistic. I actually liked the second guy way more than Garrett. Why didn't the author switch the characters? I wish Garrett had turned out to be the antagonist. Also, maybe Nora's drinking problem should have been addressed or had her drink less? I will say that the epilogue did make me cry, so there's that.

I feel so bad writing such a bad review, but I really did not like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity to read this title ahead of the release date.
Let’s start with the man of the hour - Grandpa. I loved, loved, loved his character, the way he was described, his Southern ways, the little remarks, the advice he gave - all of it. I’m typically a fan of morbid topics. The places the author described are close to the heart. You’re immersed into the small town, home feel with all of its history (life and death).
To try to describe some of my other thoughts.. I wish there was less dialogue. I found myself enjoying the character “thoughts” tremendously more than their conversations. Sometimes the dialogue adds to the missing parts of the character development and in this case the dialogue felt like unnecessary small talk. The story felt “dragged down” by it.
Although there was this connection built between the two main characters.. I’m not sure if the events (or emotions) that led up to that attraction would cause such a strong bond. It’s like the author connected their lives, but didn’t connect everything else needed to build up to such a bond. And this is a completely personal opinion - the main character's relationship "temper tantrums" did not leave me wanting to see what happens next.

I was so intrigued in this premise but I ended up DNFing about 55% through. The chemistry between the main couple in this just wasn’t doing it for me and I found the writing style in this to be pretty elementary.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me. The concept kind of reminded me of the show Dead Like Me (which I loved).

The romance was kind of instant love, which I dont always hate but it didn’t hit this time. Later on in the book, there is a love triangle of sorts and the FMC had more relationship depth with the “other man” than with the MMC.

I saw the “twist” with the MMCs job coming from a mile away. The FMCs issues with said job were absolutely ridiculous, given her own line of work. Also, a store that only sells CASKETS (and stays afloat? Without any of the funeral/cremation/other services?) was just too far fetched 😅

My other big complaint is the constant mention of the University of Alabama. My ex husband is an Alabama fan. So I might be biased lol. But that joke about “you know how you can tell when someone’s vegan? They will tell you before you even ask” - I felt like that applied to this book, with the whole Alabama thing. It got old.

Overall, it was a relatively enjoyable read and I feel like I’m nit picking.

Nora has recently moved back to her hometown and has taken over her family’s casket business after the sudden death of her parents. Over the last few months, Nora has spent her time between working, hanging out with her grandpa, and watching Cheers reruns. This all changes when a handsome stranger comes into her store asking for directions. Garrett seems to be perfect: he’s charming, kind, and has a steady job. It just turns out that he works for Death.

The premise of this book had so much promise, but ultimately did not come through. The pacing was off, being slow in some ways and rushed in others. The dialogue often felt stilted and robotic. The two main characters seemed to instantly fall in love with no build up. About 70% into the book, another love interest was brought in, and then was quickly shut down.

Overall, I liked the morbid premise, I just wish the characters had more chemistry.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Dell for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I dislike DNFing ARCs but I just could not get through this one. Although I was initially intrigued by the premise, and the comparison to The Dead Romantics, I found this book to be a drudge to read. I understand this is a debut book, but I couldn’t ignore how basic and formulaic the plot was, featuring main characters that lacked both chemistry and charm and side characters that came across as generic, stock characters in a small town story. The pacing on the romance was too fast and the relationship was all over the place to the point that I didn't really care about them at all. Plot aside, right from the start I had trouble with the writing. Present tense is hard to pull off as it gives a very telling-not-showing cadence to the writing, then add on how stiff and clunky all the dialogue was and it really felt like this needed several more rounds of editing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet rom com! I really enjoyed this book and it was a great read.

Review of uncorrected eBook file

Garrett Bishop, who works for Death, is in Rabbittown, Alabama, looking for directions. He figures to find it in a casket shop.

Nora Clanton, running the shop since the sudden death of her parents in an automobile accident, is helping Marilyn Atkins who has decided she wants to choose her own casket. When she leaves, Garrett comes in, surprising her. She gives him the directions he needs and he heads toward the café.

When Garrett returns to ask her for a date, does Nora have any idea that this man will change her life?

=========

Although the premise for this sometimes-sweet tale is unique and intriguing, this doesn’t quite have the feel of a rom-com. There’s a strong sense of place with a well-defined small-town feel. Death and grief, both integral to the telling of this tale, is handle in a thoughtful and comforting manner while reminding readers that grief is a process.

The characters are interesting, but Nora cannot find her way out of the grief she feels over her parents’ deaths and although Garrett’s backstory is revealed in several chapters focused on his past, his instant attraction to Nora seems a bit out of place; the almost instant-love between Nora and Garrett is not quite believable.

Nora often seems to be her own worst enemy; readers never see what attracted Garrett to Nora. Overall, the story is well-executed [although the mid-story conflict between Nora and Garrett seems forced]; readers who enjoy unconventional stories may appreciate the telling of this tale.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Dell and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#CasketCase #NetGalley

This is a light, hopeful read with underpinnings of grief. I was drawn in by the premise of this book, but at first I found the relationship between the two main characters to be too flat, <spoiler>mostly because they got together so fast without knowing anything about each other. <spoiler> But to the author's credit, the story overcame my initial disinterest, and I was fully drawn in in the last 1/3 of the book. I still wish there would have been more of Garrett's story- which I felt was more told than seen-- the chapters from his point of view (especially about his own grief) disappear the further you get into the book. It would have given the book some welcome depth and would have elevated it. But I enjoyed the book as it is-recommend for fans of Katherine Center and Abby Jimenez.

Thanks to the author, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy for review.

I absolutely LOVED THIS! Perfect for upcoming spooky season! The first page was the most interesting first page I have ever seen. Love this book and love story. Great quick read and cute title page! Definitely recommending this to my followers!

Spoiler Free Plot Overview:
Set in a small Alabama town, Nora returns home to manage her family's casket business. Her life takes an unexpected turn when Garrett arrives asking for directions, sparking an instant connection between them. However, as their whirlwind romance unfolds, she soon discovers a surprising truth about his job that challenges her beliefs.

Pros:
What drew me to this book was the title itself. There’s just something unique about a main character with a morbid career working at a funeral home, casket company, cemetery, etc. The concept of working with “death” stayed consistent throughout the novel which I really enjoyed. I was also a big fan of Garrett’s character. He stands up for himself and is patient and respectful despite the situation.

Cons:
My biggest issue with this book is Nora. She is borderline insufferably negative and lacks any depth of personality other than complaining or moping about something. I truly wondered why Garrett was even interested in her in the first place. There are a few points in the story where her banter is funny, but 95% of the time it’s her being rude or whining about her life to someone else. I would have given this book 5 stars if she had been a bit more likable or relatable.

Additionally (this is a minor issue), there are many mentions of God, church, etc. As the book is set in Alabama, I understand why it was included. However, I am not a religious person, and there were multiple times when I stopped to question whether I was reading an undercover Christian novel or not. I think if the dialogue improved, these mentions wouldn’t have stood out as much.

Recommendations:
If you’re looking for an easy romance read for fall or spooky season, this should definitely be on your TBR. The concept of someone working for death and the “forbidden” romance kept me hooked until the end.

Tropes:
- Insta Love
- Hidden Identity
- Minimal Spice/Closed Door
- Second Act Breakup
- He Chases Her

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This a cute little novel about love and death. Nora finds herself back in her hometown running the family business after her parents die in a tragic car accident. As cheerful as Nora tries to be, she is inevitably surrounded by grief . . . both by the loss of her parents and by the fact that the family business just happens to be selling caskets to the locals of Rabbittown. A larger franchise has expressed an interest in buying her store, but she is still undecided and conflicted about her direction in life. Should she stay and maintain the roots of her upbringing, or set out on a new adventure? Bored and disillusioned, Nora perks up when a young man named Garrett Bishop enters the shop seeking better directions to a nearby location. Garrett is instantly intrigued by Nora. Shaking off stagnation, Nora needs to let go of her fears, weigh all of her options, and decide what path her life will take from here. I highly recommend this book to those who love dark humor and rom-coms.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Casket Case for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

I really wanted to like this story but there was just zero chemistry between the main characters. I tried to push past that but the writing was formulaic and repetitive.