When I sat down to read this book, I thought I was getting myself into another of my beloved romcoms. And while there was romance in this book, it's very deep and brought me to tears at moments. Cassandra is dealing with the shocking loss of her brother, and is reconnected with his high school best friend - turned funeral director.

It was an authentic look at life after the death of a loved one, and the healing that slowly takes place. The romance is there, but it's secondary to Cassandra healing from her trauma.

Note: this book may be triggering for anyone who has experienced traumatic loss of a loved one.

This book really got to me. It just makes me think about losing my brother and how devastating that would be. Cass’s brother has passed away and then we meet Vince, his old high school best friend. Vince is now a funeral director and is going to help get Cass through this!

Sad but predictable romance. Death,, forgiveness and love show us there is always a way out and back again

Good storyline, kept my attention.

#netgalley
#sophieandrews
#loveatafuneralandotherawkwardconversations

This book absolutely wrecked me.

I am not a big crier, but for the first third of the book I was sobbing. Cass acknowledges in the book (and Sophie Andrews mentions in her note that this was something she noticed as well) that there isn’t much literature about the loss of a sibling, and this depiction and narration by her was just about as visceral as I think the loss could be. I even stopped a few chapters in to text my siblings to tell them how much I love them and that they better not leave me in this situation (only half joking…). I really do caution readers that this book could be extremely triggering. However, it is ultimately a story about grief overall, which means we see Cass eventually come around to a stage of healing.

All this to say, that as devastating as it was, I still couldn’t put it down no matter how many tears came. Cass’s romance with Vince was beautifully woven in, but I still wouldn’t classify the book as a romance. It is a drama with a romance subplot in my opinion (with some great bits of dark comedy thanks to Cass’s humour).

I also really enjoyed Aunt Joanie - a somewhat unsung hero who was a great support for Cass.

Overall, a beautiful and heartbreaking story that will continuously rip your heart out from page one but piece it back together by the end ❤️

An emotional read, the story of Cass following the loss of her brother. Everything around her seems to rely on her not falling apart, and Vince is there fr her, but will she let him in. Looking forward to more books from this author.

I absolutely loved this book. I went into this thinking it would be a bit more on the romcom side from the description and cover but it was so much more. Cassie's process of grief was so raw and very close to what many people experience. Reading about Cassie struggling between taking the lead on funeral decisions and balancing this idea of having to share your deceased loved one with so many others when you're one of the few people who truly knows them best felt very profound. One of the moments I felt most connected to Cassie was when she was choosing her brother's clothing since I was in a similar position a few years back when my cousin passed. Anyone who has lost a loved one can see a part of themselves in Cassie and most importantly can walk away with making peace of there not being a "right" way to mourn.

I was expecting Vince to play a more central role based off the description. I appreciated that his character wasn't just some "knight in shinning armor" but actually held space for Cassie to grieve and talked her through her emotions. I also appreciated Cassie recognizing that being with him could be an easy way out instead of actually finding a way to heal the deep wounds within her. I'd recommend shifting the focus from Vince in the description since the book overall did a beautiful job of processing Cassie's grief, healing, and balancing difficult family dynamics after the death of her brother.

I'd rate this a 4.5/5

This book was sad in the most beautiful way possible. As someone who experienced the death of a loved one a couple of months ago, this book was like a hug. I love how the author depicts grief in so many different ways because everyone grieves differently. I enjoyed reading about the sibling POV of what it's like to lose a sibling. This book was powerful and touching, raw, and emotional. I cried so much because I only have one sibling and it's a pain I never want to experience of losing them. Cass and Vince's relationship is pure gold, they are sweethearts, and their relationship feels so real and raw during grief.

Thank you to Sophie Andrews and NetGallery for the ARC!

I was already crying from the beginning. There were so many beautifully written words in here. Fortunately I’ve never lost someone close to me before. But with this book I could really feel everything! Everything was so beautiful and raw and real! I was flabbergasted when I read at the end that the author went through this!

⭐ 4.5

Let's say I was in tears from the first chapter, starting to read this book on the anniversary of my grandfather's (paternal) death was a bad idea, but let's say it was masochistic.

This whole book is about Cassie's journey with grief for losing her brother and that is the main thing to keep in mind, everything tells her journey with her feelings, dealing with her family's feelings, her brother's friends and okay, my eyes are filling with tears because what happened to Cassie just happened to me with the death of my grandfather (maternal) I was the one who had to deal with everyone: my mom, my uncles and my grandmother, I was the one who couldn't sit down to think that I wouldn't see him when I got home and to see all that reflected in Cassie's thoughts left me with a crushed heart, the author says that this is part of her story with grief and she knew how to write it, everyone deals with it differently but as the author portrayed it you feel every raw emotion, every thought and yes in some cases I just wanted Cassie to open her eyes, to defend herself but that was part of her process.

I only had tears the 80% of this book, the story throughout everything that happens to Cassie with her parents is something I didn't see coming, everything that happened with Vince and here if I may say: yes there is romance and a beautiful one but I think it is not the main focus of the story and at least for me it was good because Vince was the only one who was there for Cassie in good times and bad and that is what makes him a special being for this book.

A story that made me feel a lot, made me remember moments that although they were gray, were the ones that made me the person I am today, a story that touched something very deep inside me and if you are going to read it (which you should) be prepared for that whole journey.

thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I gave this book 3.5 stars. I felt like this book displayed dealing with grief in beautiful ways. The parents in this book really got on my nerves about how they could not be there for their other child. I wish that there was the resolve with her parents sooner in the book. I really like the brother's bff trope with her and Vince but I felt like the smut was very cringey at times. When Vince said "I would cut some of my p**** off to not hurt you" that gave me major ick and honestly ruined the rest of the smut scene.

4 stars.
**Thank you NetGalley & Sophie Andrews for this beautiful ARC**

The name of this book and the cute cover called my attention initially but this book was so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. This is a story of grief and how it tears through a family through the POV of his sister.

The way this described grief felt so real and raw and after reading the author’s note I understood why. Although this was a story about losing a sibling, everyone can find some relatable parts if you have ever experienced grief or if you have ever felt the need to hold other’s emotional stability in your hands.

I wouldn’t consider this a book a romance but more about how romance and good is still possible even if everything else seems terrible. Throughout the story we see how finding a little love, a little happiness, and a little light is possible at the end of a dark tunnel.

Love At A Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews is my second book of hers and... now that I finished it, I definitely need to take a deep breath first.

When Cassandra suddenly loses her brother, everything around her falls apart. She has to deal with grief, her parents, herself, and the funeral of her brother.
Then there's Vince. A school friend of her brother and also a funeral director. He's there to help her - not just with the loss of a loved one.

Oh boy.
Honestly? I didn't know what to expect at first. I thought this would be a love story with the funeral in the background. It's more like a side note or something like.
⚠️ BUT BE PREPARED! This book is really heavy!
I cried so much because the loss of a family member is the main topic of this book and so intense!
This isn't a criticism. Just a warning notice! ⚠️

I know how it feels to lose a family member, and it's absolutely the worst. One day everything’s okay and the next it's not. Nothing will be the same. If you ever felt the same, you definitely can relate to the main character, Cassandra.
OMG. I cried so much while I read her story... 😭 She deals with the loss of her brother. But there's not just that. As if this wouldn't be enough, her family falls apart, too. Her parents deal with the death of their son differently... and then Cassandra also has to deal with her personal life. Her feelings and so much more. Phew.
Even writing this review, I'm getting teary again. 😢

But besides that heavy topic, there's some kind of hope there too.
His name is Vince.
Awwwww... be still my beating heart. This guy deserves a medal for EVERYTHING! He definitely stole my heart.
The way he treats Cassandra? PERFECTION! 🥰 He's such a special guy. I can't even describe him. You've to experience him for yourself!
He's like the light of the end of a tunnel. The hopeful angel who supports her along her way. ❤️

Actually, I'm totally glad that there was this kind of love story too. Without it, I'm not sure I would have survived.

Although this book brought back a lot of sad memories, it also made me smile many times because of the banter between Cassandra and Vince.

I loved the whole mood and speed of this unique story. It's a quiet and intense and really, really sad story but so beautiful too. ❤️

Thank you so much to Sophie Andrews and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

I went into this expecting your typical romcon and got blindsided by a ton of grief and heartbreak.
This book was beautiful, but was a hard read if you’ve ever lost someone. I’ve read some reviewers say they didn’t like the main character very much because of how she was reacting in certain situations or how negative she could be, but I could relate to her thoughts and reactions. I remember feeling so angry in my head whenever anyone dared to be happy around me, after my mother passed. I knew it wasn’t a fair reaction and I kept it to myself, but grief can make you feel a lot of unexpected emotions.

The romance was beautiful and very realistic. Vince is an absolute cinnamon roll and I love him to pieces. He can take me to the underworld whenever he wants to 😏
Also, fuck her father. He’s the actual worst father I’ve read in a book in a really long time.

Random thoughts of mine while reading:
- The book cover reminds me that in nature, pretty equals deadly. Don’t let the cute fool you 😒
- I don’t think a book has ever actually made me cry until the funeral scene in this one. How dare you make me cry my own tears
- I want to punch her dad in the nose
- I need more Vince
- The most unrealistic thing in this entire book is that she can somehow make a phone call while still at work actively waiting tables and is somehow able to get off work 20 minutes later. The author has OBVIOUSLY never heard of side work
- Dad is a whole bag of dicks
- Stop RUNNING
- Fireworks, Cass. FIREWORKS £%#^¥•£
- Oh, you selfish prick
- Dad is actually the worst human. I haven’t been this angry at a book character in a long time
- Wow, I actually read the author’s note. What is this book doing to me?


Many thanks to Netgalley for providing the DRC and allowing me to provide my honest review

Thank you so much to the author Sophie Andrews for an advance copy of the book & the complimentary audio.

This book will be published on May 31st, 2024.

Content Warning from Author:
(view spoiler)

I was warned by Sophie that this was quite sad and she herself calls this her sad girl romance. And whewww she was not wrong. This was way different compared to the other books I have by her.

“The past couple of days, I’ve learned a lot about the heart. I’ve learned it’s the strongest muscle in the body. And that it can break into a million pieces, yet the body will still go on. I’ve learned one second, the heart can work perfectly normally, and the next, it stops.”

Andrews has been sharing her experience with her grief leading up to the book release (I recommend go to her IG page to watch). And you could feel every ounce of pain, release and the path of healing throughout the pages of the book. Grief is not linear no matter who in your life you have loss.

My heart broke for Cassandra. There was just so many changes happening at once and it is only natural for her mind to spiral. I just could not imagine being in her shoes and getting hit on all sides. Some could argue this is fiction and things like that wouldn't really happen. I beg to differ. I feel like in real life when one domino falls other follow right behind.

As I mentioned above that the author called this her sad girl romance, but I would say romance takes a backseat to grief and finding herself once again. The romance between Vince and Cassie was very sweet and felt organic. Vince was so empathic to Cassie's situation. He had done everything he possible could to make Cassie know that what she was feeling was normal. I know she felt that like she was no good and that he didn't deserve her but I was glad she had walked away at that point. She needed to seek help and get her brain settled before she could be in a relationship. Granted how she got to that point was extreme but sometimes that is what needs to happen to truly have your wake up moment.

I paired my reading with the audio that was provided by the author. I thought the narrator Rachanee Lumayno did a great job with all the characters especially Cassie. She brought her vulnerability and even the angst when Cassie was being not herself.

I am a forever fan of Sophie's work and I am glad she was able to get this story out. I know a lot of people will be able to find comfort in this story. Words are a powerful tool and has a way to heal.

PS - Her parents especially the dad was the worst.

Just finished Sophie Andrews’ latest, and I’m all in my feels! “Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations” is the kind of book that sneaks up on you with its depth and humor, all while tackling the messy beauty of grief.

Vince Mancini, the funeral director with a heart of gold (and the patience of a saint), has officially joined my book boyfriend hall of fame. And our heroine? She’s as real as they come—flawed, fierce, and fabulously relatable.

This book had me laughing through my tears and nodding along to the awkward moments we’ve all faced. It’s a story that reminds us that love can be found in the most unexpected places—even at funerals.

So, if you’re looking for a read that’s as heartfelt as it is witty, give this book a go. It’s a perfect blend of romance and real-life, served with a side of life’s awkward moments.

Oh my god. First off thank you Netgally and Sophie for this ARC. This was life changing.
As a person going through active grief I tend to gravitate towards books heavy in loss. But because I am grieving I am more critical of how it’s portrayed.
This. This. This. Was amazing. Done so beautifully and it healed a piece of me. My own grief felt lighter. This was raw and read and nothing was overdone over dramatized.
The way Cass lived, functioned and suffered was real. It was raw. And even more so her desire to love and be loved by Vince. Fuck man. Like that is hard. When I lost my dad a year ago I couldn’t even think of handing over a broken used and abused heart to someone. Because in my mind, no one would want it. But this? Maybe there is hope.
And the authors note?? Oh my love, I knew there was a reason this felt like reading someone’s diary. Please read this book. Be warned it’s heavy on grief and pain and trauma. But it’s amazing.
Off to go cry more.


Over all feedback I am a life long reader now for this author. It was amazing and it was written so well and so articulate. No notes!!

When my brother suddenly passes away, shattering my family, I’m left to pick up the pieces. Then Vince Mancini knocks on my door. My brother’s best friend from high school—and the boy I loved—is a funeral director, and he promises to answer whenever I call.

With his steadfast nature and warm smile, he becomes the anchor in the storm, willing to hold me up as everything falls at my feet. He sees through all my bluster, and it’s easy to remember why I’d hung on his every word when I was younger. Now, he thinks he can fix me, even though there’s a lump of clay where my heart used to be. Which makes the fluttering in my chest all the more disconcerting.

(A note to publisher/author, this book might be better marketed as fiction. I would be hesitant to market it primarily under Romance.)

Nourishment for my soul. This book deals heavily with the topic of grief and how different people go through the process differently. As someone who's dealt with this too often, this just hit me in the gut, in a good way. It's weird, because grief hits all of us—it's a part of life, not only grief of someone dying, but of other pieces and parts of our lives.

This was a quick read—I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this to a select group of my reader friends, but with the caveat that it is less romance and more general fiction dealing with hard topics. Personally, I loved it. ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! I was expecting a light rom-com, but was in for so much more. Sophie Andrews captures the deep despairs of grief and sprinkles it with humor and sarcasm, making the characters so relatable. I cried, I laughed and I found myself content as I watched this story come full circle,

This book felt realistic, and I appreciated that a lot. There are definitely moments of romance, but this is mostly following the FMC's journey of grief after her brother's sudden death. This book became a solid 4 star read towards the end. While I didn't LOVE this book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I appreciated the fresh topic (grief), and I think the author did a good job of describing the ins and outs of that process, while also showing the variation in it, through the characters surrounding the main character. I also loved the romantic storyline. It felt very natural, even amid the completely opposing storyline.

I did not like the social media posts at the beginning of the chapters. They were odd to me, too long to be Instagram posts, too long to be Twitter posts, but also not blog posts (which would have dated the book too much anyway). And I found her writing in the book at large much better than her writing in these passages, where she was trying to be witty or wise. They seemed forced and were ineffectual.

I it also seemed odd to me that the brothers wife and children weren’t more part of this story, especially in the beginning when all the drama was happening. In real life they would be more central.

Minor note, I also think more details about the main characters’ physical appearances would have helped the romantic storyline build. I couldn’t picture either of them, really. I actually pictured the main character as African-American for the first third of the book. I still don’t really have a great picture of her.

Still, solid book, worthy of a read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc.