This book was just darling. I've been loving easy spooky romances and this was so sweet and cute. I loved the characters and their respective love for their careers and morals, and the ending was heart wrenching but beautiful.

I wanted to love this one as I thought it was going to be quirky rom com set around death. Cause I mean what's not to love about a heroine who owns a casket business and a hero who works for death. It ended up not being quirky and the heroine got on my nerves from the beginning. To the point that I was rooting for the hero to end up with anyone but her.

I DNFd this pretty early on, because I could tell it wasn't going to be for me. Something in the writing didn't work for me, which became especially clear when I read the main characters' first date. A first date in a book needs to show a spark, a connection, banter, chemistry, and this date had none of that. It felt dry and boring, and their conversation lacked originality.

So sorry but this was not for me. This book needs to be buried… So aggressive and annoying I just couldn’t. DNF at 26%

While I wasn't a fan of the insta-love, I did like the job storyline for Garrett. The idea of someone working for death and being there to keep someone company as they pass on brought me a small, weird sense of comfort.

As someone who lost two people I loved dearly in the last few years, it was oddly bittersweet. Lately, when I read books that revolve around or had a theme of death, the books were almost too much for me to get through. But this aspect was endearing and had me hope that when my grandparents passed that they had a sense of calm like the characters in the book did. It was kind of reminiscent of the "Tale of the Three Brothers" from HP and the Deathly Hallows... where the 3rd brother greeted Death like an old friend.

Forgive me for the tangent, and you may wonder why I gave the book 3 stars. As well as the insta-love, I just wasn't a fan of the main female character. The pacing of the book just seemed off and I didn't believe the chemistry between the love interests. I didn't ding the book any stars for this fact, but the book is set in small-town Alabama and the FMC went to the University of Alabama. As a University of Georgia fan... just yuck. No offense to the "Roll Tide" fans out there.

I have a love-hate relationship with spooky-ish romance. I think it can be so much fun, but it can also be a little too silly and twee for me. Unfortunately, this was the latter. I’m confident other readers will feel differently, but Casket Case wasn’t for me.

~* 2 stars *~
Oh how I wanted to love this book. The overall concept is so fun - she runs a casket business, he work for death - but it just didn't land for me. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters and felt like they were a little cringey. I did like the little twist at the end but it felt like too little too late.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the author Lauren Evans, and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book so much but I made it about 20% of the way through and just couldn’t do it. The plot had so much promise which is why I gave it 2 stars. It seemed disjointed and I would get thrown off when it would randomly switch views in the middle of a chapter. I think it would have been better if it had been fleshed out a little more to me personally. I might try it again another time because like I said, I liked the plot idea. I just couldn’t get into it unfortunately

The characters were so monotonous and I did not feel any kind of connection between them. Super disappointing since the premise of this book was so promising and unique.

When Nora Clanton returns to the small town of Rabbittown, Alabama after her parents' death to continuing running the family business of selling caskets, love is the last thing on her mind. Enter Garrett Bishop, an attractive man with a less than attractive job.

Casket Case by Lauren Evans is an unexpected five star read for me. Filled with heart and humor, and just a few moments that left me sobbing, the novel is very reminiscent of the movie Meet Joe Black. Evans does a wonderful job of seeing the beauty of death in her writing, and handles the grief aspect of losing a loved one with grace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

DNF: 35%

Like so many reviewers before me, I <b>wanted</b> to like this book. The cover is cute, the title is quirky, and the premise is unique and interesting.

Unfortunately that's all there is to it. It's a pretty package hiding a dry, boring story.

In no particular order:

The pacing is way off. I read over 1/3 of the book and I still don't know what the conflict of the story is. Is it just that Garrett works for Death and needs to tell Nora? That's some low stakes for a story about death. And if the main conflict is something else, it needs to happen WAY SOONER.

If you're going to hang your entire plot on the relationship between your main characters, it better be a bulletproof relationship. That's not Garrett and Nora. It's a weird insta-love between the two most awkward, emotionless people. I have no idea what they see in each other or why they love the other person.

I liked the dual PoV: a chronological Nora with asynchronous Garrett moments. It works and it's interesting. But I quit shortly after the lazy bit of writing when Nora's in the coffee shop. The chapter opens with the PoV of a townsperson observing Nora then *blink* it's back to Nora's PoV.

This could've been a lovely exploration of grief, death, and the people left behind. It could've explored themes of compassion, community, and life's next great adventure. But it didn't do any of that so I had to stop.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Dell, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

🏘️ small town
⚰️ family business - FMC
☠️ death helper - MMC
🥰 cute dates
😨 relationship tension
🌀 twists and surprises

Wow. I wasn’t expecting this to get me in the feels. I was expecting a fun, Halloween-ish vibe, but that’s not what I got. Loved it anyway. This sweet read was full of humor and relationship triumphs. I felt Nora’s emotions in this one related to family, relationships, life and death.

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a quirky read but is prepared to face Death head-on.

In this warm-hearted debut rom-com, a young woman returns home to run her family's casket business and falls in love with a seemingly perfect stranger. But there's just one problem . . . he works for Death!!

Casket Case is the heartfelt story of a small-town girl who feels surrounded by death—literally and figuratively. This clever, endearing, and romantic debut explores how love and loss are forever intertwined . . . but death might not be as scary as it seems.

My first time reading from this author and I enjoyed it.

Casket Case was an enjoyable debut novel, and I'm excited to see what Lauren Evans does next.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

• small town romance
• supernatural vibes
• sad epilogue

This book has a unique premise, but the characters felt flat to me. Have I mentioned before that I don't love "instalove"? 😅 I enjoyed the paranormal vibes and how grief was approached. I wish we could've gotten more of Garrett's backstory! This is a debut, so I look forward to what's next for this author.

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Random House/Dell for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Have you ever stumbled into a relationship when you least expected it? Have you felt an undeniable connection with someone you’ve known so briefly it seems impossible?

Nora has returned to her tiny hometown of Rabbittown, Alabama - something she thought she’d never do - in the midst of tragedy and upheaval. She’s running the family casket business, living in her childhood home, and socializing almost exclusively with her grandfather. When Garrett Bishop, undeniably good looking, interesting, and maybe a little mysterious, comes to town for work - whatever “logistics” is - Nora is gobsmacked and thrilled that he is as attracted to her as she is to him. Their connection is strong, and perhaps just what they each need. But can love flourish surrounded by Death?

Oh, this book. I eagerly began reading this because the quirky concept, setting, and singular characters tickled my brain in all the right ways. I was not prepared for such an amazing contemplation of grief, family, death, and happiness. A beautiful love story not just between two characters trying to navigate loss and love and purpose, but also a beautiful love story to death and the witnessing of all stages of life.

I read this immediately after helping a close family member through their hospice journey to death, and Lauren Evans’s thoughtful ruminations and fully realized characters comforted me, guided me, and validated so much of what I was feeling and processing. I giggled, I swooned, and I ugly cried. I want everyone to read this book. I want us to have a better relationship with death and dying. I want us all to find love and purpose and peace.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

dnf at 60%

i just didn’t care for the characters anymore. though 30 years old, Nora had the mannerisms of a 5 year old child. Inexperience in dating is one thing, but immaturity is another. Garrett was one dimensional to me. The plot developed wayyyy too slow and i think more detail was given to the small town than was given about the actual plot.

i did enjoy the quirkiness of it all. deep south Alabama small town living is as true as this book writes it.

The premise of this book immediately drew me in! However, I do think more could have been done with Garret’s profession and who else we learns had the same one. Overall, the conflicts became repetitive and I sadly ended up being annoyed by Nora. I still enjoyed my time in Rabbit Town, but wish the plot was more dynamic.

Great premise, poor execution. Couldn't stand the clingy FMC and just overall was disappointed with this one.
ARC via netgalley

Great premise. Disappointing execution.

When I first read the blurb for this story, I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

The characters did nothing for me. I never felt their chemistry. I did not care about them as individuals. I did not understand why they even liked each other and why it was so instant.

The pacing was choppy, and I wouldn't say I liked the writing style.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Clanton has found herself unexpectedly back in Rabbittown, Alabama after her parents' sudden untimely deaths. She's running the family casket company, drinking too much wine, comfort watching Cheers and other reruns, and occasionally venturing out socially with her 85-year-old grandfather. When a handsome stranger wanders into the casket store one afternoon seeking directions--and more surprisingly, asking her on a date--Nora could not be more surprised. Garrett Bishop seems too good to be true. Nora's only concerns are his caginess concerning his mysterious "logistics" job and his tendency to show up where people are dying.

When Nora finds out who Garrett really works for, she calls off the relationship. Can she not get away from Death?

It turns out, she can't. But she can learn to accept its inevitability and learn to appreciate the fleetingness of life. This is a very unusual romance and while it seems like it could be morbid, it's actually hopeful. #CasketCase #NetGalley