This story wasn't what I was expecting but it's message was delivered in a fantastic way. I enjoyed getting to know Nora and Garrett.

I had the pleasure of reading an ARC copy of Casket Case by Lauren Evans. Overall this story was a sweet, fun romance, with some interesting ideas on death. I was initially drawn to it because of the supernatural aspect, but it almost seemed like Garrett could have been any type of salesman. I like how Lauren, the FMC, came to terms with the inevitability of death and how she wanted to move forward in her life. The story went into detail showing how she interacted with the people in her town and how her parent's death affected her.

I think some of the chapters were odd because they cut off abruptly and then switched to a different scene. I think some of that could be reworked so that it flows a little better. I was confused a few times because I wasn't sure what had happened between her and Garrett because it stopped with them making out and then went to a different topic. It's not a huge issue, but I was left wondering a few times if they consummated their relationship.

I also think Garrett's character could be fleshed out more because even though he had such an odd job, it didn't seem to affect him other than having to be out of town a lot so it made Lauren's rejection of him seem a little over the top (especially since she ran a casket store). The story jumped back and forth a few times to provide some background information on the two main characters, which was interesting.

Even with some of the changes, I thought could be made, I still enjoyed the story and wanted to know what happened to them. Lauren was quirky but her insecurities seemed real - although she did seem to drink a lot. Their relationship seemed to go at a quick pace, but I guess that could happen. The twist towards the end of the story made sense if you were paying attention and made it more touching (I don't want to spoil it).

Thank you to #NetGalley, #RandomHouse, and #LaurenEvans for an ARC of this book.

Pretty good after you get into it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. Very interesting spin on the romance genre. A pretty unique take on romance.

Casket Case by Lauren Evans is an engaging and charming Rom-Com. The comedic angle is fun in a gentle way. Anyone who is a fan of old sitcoms or dramas will appreciate this part of the novel. (I am a huge fan of Bones reruns.)
Nora came to understand herself and grow up. I came to care for her quite a bit. She's a great heroine.
Garrett was an endearing hero. I hope there really is such a job as Garrett's. There's comfort in that thought.
Grandpa and all the folks in Rabbittown are likeable - even good old boy, Johnny!
I would recommend this book.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #LaurenEvans for an ARC of this book.
#CasketCase#NetGalley#LaurenEvans#RandomHouse

A delightful rom-com and the perfect read for a summer holiday. It brings wit and freshness to the reader. Interesting plot but one that get you sucked into quickly.

I really enjoyed Casket Case - it was heartfelt and I thought the storyline was unique. I appreciated the gentle and realistic approach to grief (and I wish Nora had more help for her depression.) The depiction of small town life felt a little too close to home.

While it's a dual perspective story, I really feel like this is NORA's story more than Garret's. I wish the author dove a little deeper into Garret's work and the world he lived in. I do think the conflict with Garret and Nora ALSO could have been developed and worked with a bit more, and I also would have liked to see a little more development of the relationship. The author did a great job of showing the caring relationship between Nora and her Grandfather.

I was glad for Nora's flirtation with Johnny and I actually would love to see HIS story (as smarmy and annoying as he was - there is some depth in there that could be plumbed. No spoilers, but I thought the twist with Garret's job and who it employs was a great surprise.

All in all, I really enjoyed the paranormal twist to the book, the author's presentation of grief, and her use of setting. I'd love to see the main characters and their relationship fleshed out a little bit more, but I will definitely be looking for the author's next book!

Three-and-a-half stars, rounding UP to four (because I appreciate the clever twist on the storyline.)

I enjoyed this one after I got into it. It did take me a little bit, but I finally got there. I would recommend this one to others!

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I am not a big romance fan, but I do like paranormal-related books so I was hoping this book would have some. Here we see that working for Death isn't much different than any other travel-heavy job which makes it a bit of a downer. Nora has pretty much just given up on life since her parents died in a car accident a year ago. She lives in their house and keeps running the casket store, but seems too young to have given up all her own dreams. I see a lot of reviewers saying that Garrett and Nora's fast romance wasn't real, but if you think of it as lust instead of love, then it seems normal. A good book for romance aficionados.

At the beginning I wasn’t sure about this one BUT it took a turn and I was not ready for any of it. In this story we follow Nora, who is in charge of a casket store. One day a mysterious man shows up in her small town and her world is turned upside down. I didn’t like the instalove BUT I loved the twist about Garret’s job. The misunderstanding was silly and Garret was underdeveloped the first half of the book. I loved Nora’s dynamic with her grandfather and also Johnny. The small town atmosphere was great, reminded me of a murder in the mix. I want Johnny to get his own book. The end was not great but 2/4-3/4 has me kicking my feet.

NetGalley early release
Publishing date: September 2024
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

Solid 3.5 stars ⭐️ The story was very cute and the concept was super interesting and adorable. The writing was kind of meh though, especially when people were having conversations. The words would be in quotes like normal, but it would be one after the other. There was no “Johnny said” and “Nora replied” very often in the book during conversations. As a reader, that was kind of annoying and hard to follow sometimes especially with the banter that goes on in this book with the longer conversations that happen. Her “dating” Johnny to find out she really loved Garret was definitely something that I called from the beginning. I didn’t like that Nora’s grandpa had the same job for Death as garret did and we didn’t get to explore and dig into that more. Adding that to the story and maybe grandpa and grandma’s relationship and how they got through grandpa working for Death would have been nice for Nora to have and also just interesting in general to read about.

This book would've been so much better if we focused more on Garrett and his job; his sections were the most focused and enjoyable ones. Nora just wasn't a compelling female lead and I didn't understand why Garrett came back solely for her (bc she was so invested in the TV she didn't hear him? That was so odd). Given that the relationship is the focus of the book, and Nora having one is the focus of this entire town, the book putters around between funerals and their dates. It just lacked direction and a compelling plot. It's a mashup of Dead Like Me and Six Feet Under although both had a lot more nuance and depth. I hope the author does another spin at this world focusing on the employees of Death.

I’m not a big reader of this genre but this is a charming story that I so enjoyed. Nora Clanton returns home to Rabbittown, AL to run the family business of selling caskets when her parents die. She settles into a quiet, uninspiring life until Garrett Bishop, a logistics person for Death walks into her door. Nora’s life gets upended in the most delightful way.

The author leads you through settling for a life and living a life. The realizations and tensions between Nora and Garrett are sweet and filled with just enough angst. The supporting characters such as her Grandfather, friends who have known Nora her entire life and even her business rival are great additions to the story. This story will make you smile, enjoy it.

“Is there anyone on the planet who doesn’t have Death lurking around somewhere? Isn’t Death a part of everyone’s life?"

After graduating from the University of Alabama, Nora had plans to move away from the Rabiittown, the very small town in Alabama where she was born and raised. Until tragedy stuck and her parents were both killed in a car accident. One year after their deaths Nora is still struggling. Not only does she miss her parents but she has inherited their home - which they have never update and their business - they were in the business of selling coffins (not the funeral, just the coffin). They were sensitive, caring people who did their best to help their customers through one of the most difficult times of their life. Nora is trying to be like they were but it’s hard when she’s not sure Rabbittown is where she wants to be.

When a handsome, well-dressed man about Nora’s age walks into her workplace to ask directions, Nora is nearly speechless. When he asks her out on a date, she is thrilled. Garrett is kind and thoughtful and obviously successful (he has many beautiful suits and he drives a Mercedes), even if he is a little vague about what work he actually does. His only downside is that he travels a lot for work.

When a local teenager is killed in a car accident Nora is shocked to learn that Garrett was spotted at the scene. What exactly was it that Garrett said his work entailed? When she pins Garrett down and gets a full explanation of his job, Nora is not sure that she can live with his answer. Cans he walk away from the man of her dreams?

A delightful debut. Fun and funny, romantic, touching. Lighthearted and sincere. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am definitely looking forward to Evans' next book!

Special thanks to Lauren Evans and NetGalley and Dell Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for a fair, unbiased review. Publication Date: September 10, 2024

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I couldn’t stop reading this book. While I do think the main characters got together way too quickly, I loved their story. This book really goes into how we respond to death and how we approach death. I don’t want to put any spoilers but I appreciated how death is treated here. There were a couple of twists and turns that I liked (and one I didn’t). This was heavier than I thought it was going to be but I enjoyed it.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher.

As far as the technical side of this book goes, with the funeral industry, I feel so much of my own story depicted into it. While I’m not apart of a family owned death-legacy business, I do work for one. One that has in fact been bought out by a major corporate entity. In a situation where it was thought to be going to friendly competitor as well, only to be bamboozled, just like Nora. I’m currently working hard to restore the regional family’s legacy and turn things around for them. So much of Nora’s story made me emotional for those reasons.

As far as the emotional side, I relate to Garrett and his sense of loneliness where his job is concerned. It’s hard to find acceptance in certain ways because loving your assistance in death care is taboo. I also love like Garrett does. I almost docked a star because Nora was so un-relatable to me in that way. She was frustrating in her decisions and the bold remarks she would make based on assumption. I really had to take notice of the fact that not all characters have to be like me for me to enjoy them.

I will say, I think the chapters could use the addition of chapter titles with character pov references. It got a little confusing when grandpa started getting thrown into the mix.

In Rabbittown, Ohio Nora inherits the family business selling caskets and the home that she grew up in and now is the owner' By chance Garrett stops by the store for directions and meets Nora. They become very close. Story goes back and forth between them about their past and present lives. A very turn of events when discovering Garrett's job that keeps him traveling. They go through ups and downs in their relationship until a very surprising ending!

Normally, I try to write reviews without any spoilers, but the main spoiler has already been revealed in the blurb about this very inventive and realistic novel about a very modern relationship. She has inherited her family business, and falls in love with a handsome gentlemen. What saves this from being another romance is that the business is a casket showroom, and he is actually a representative of Death. His job is to visit someone who is about to die and comfort them in their final moments. It is an interesting conceit, and his business doesn't get revealed to her until halfway through the novel, at which point their love affair has fully blossomed. The book nicely deals with mutual trust, sharing one's feelings, and one's place in the family in a way that is fresh and interesting. This novel could border on the trite or the macabre, but doesn't. And the topic of death for me personally is a tough one, having lost my adult son a few years ago to cancer. But Evans treats the topic with a great deal of sensitivity and verve, and I won't give away the ending but this is a book that is interesting and well worth your time as well as well-written. Highly recommended.

I really wanted to like this! The premise is exactly the kind of thing I’m usually into but this just fell flat for me. It all felt entirely too forced and the fmc wasn’t really likeable. It took me way too long to get through this book.

I do however appreciate the conversations on grief, mourning, etc.

Garrett works for Death. Nora now runs her family's casket company.

This book was a really interesting idea and I wanted to love it, but I struggled with Nora's character. Grief is a big part of the book and I understand people handle grief differently. But the way it played out was difficult for me.

I think this might have been a case of a good book that simply wasn't for me.