I heeded the warning at the beginning of this book, and still bawled through the whole thing. The story is raw and emotional and real. I think it does a good job being honest and real about how grief can be a real jerk (to put it mildly). Cassie is processing a loss, Vince is wanting to help her. The love story is definitely secondary, and certainly I got annoyed with Cassie when she inevitably panicked and bailed on him, but the romance blends perfectly with the story and Vince really is just the sweetest.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for review. Thank you to them and the publisher for the opportunity.

This book is one that I didn't expect to be such a genuinely heartfelt and honest representation of what losing a sibling is like and how it can impact the entire family.

Cass's brother unexpectedly dies and she is left to navigate everything needing to happen after a death, as her parents aren't emotionally available for her. All while drowning in her own grief. She gets some help from Vince, her brother's best friend, and a funeral director, so he's got experience in helping people deal with the details after a death.

There is a lovely romance that blossoms between them, but I was not prepared by how much this book would make me cry - this book is definitely centered on grief and its impact - it definitely brought up reminders of my own grief and how hard it was to navigate. It is so beautifully written and heartfelt.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions in my review are my own and freely given.

I just reviewed Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews. #LoveataFuneralandOtherAwkwardConversations #NetGalley

I adored this book.
It was a completely visceral experience from the utter devastation that was the beginning through to the happy ever after and how grief had the ability to form many bonds (not a trauma bond).
I’m super grateful to have received a copy of this and I’m also greatful for the ending because I truely couldn’t breathe from sobbing at the beginning.
I will be recommending this to everyone and anyway. Just divine.

Wow. I have no words for how emotional and realistic this book was. The story shows that everyone grieves in their own way and that it’s not easy for everyone. I would not pick this book up if you’re looking for a cute, fluffy romance read. I recommend this book if you want to read a realistic, emotional book about losing a loved one. Remember that you’re not alone and that there is always someone there for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this arc.

Phew.

This was a rollercoaster of all the feels, especially as someone who lost their brother recently. Don’t be fooled by the cover y’all- this is deep and real- I felt like I was healing with Cassie and … this is golden, guys.



All thoughts are my own
Thank you NetGalley for an arc

OK...let me take a breath before I get started. Do not let the cute fun cover fool you. This book is very much focused on the grieving process of a family in all its' forms. It is very detail centric in experiencing the aftermath of losing a loved one. As someone who has lost her mother at a young age, I could relate to a lot of it.

I would not classify this book as a romance. It is more centered on the loss and going through that process. There, of course, is a romance...but it is secondary. I liked the writing style and felt the characters were well developed. The MMC was a cinnamon roll and so likable and patient. I know some would say he allowed her to walk all over him, but until you deal with loss you never know how that would be expressed. I think he understood that in his profession. At times, I found the FMC unlikable but I feel like that was the point. When you lose someone you almost have to find yourself again. Some parts absolutely felt unnecessarily dramatic, but a good portion of it felt authentic. It may help people to know they aren't alone in their experience.

This book can be triggering for anyone who has experience a traumatic loss. Please keep that in mind.

3.5 stars

What an emotional rollercoaster?! Though it starts out slow and a bit melancholic, it was real, raw, emotional and an honest story. It had me sobbing one minute then laughing the next. I loved Cassie. She was such a phenomenal character. I don't know why I went in expecting a cute romcom but this was a story focused heavily on Cassie’s healing journey and self discovery after the loss of her brother. I did enjoy her love journey with Vince(despite his unfortunate profession), although romance was an auxiliary plot.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book although it was much heavier than I was expecting. The book does a good job showing how complicated grief can be, and how there can be hope within grief.

The romance is sweet and very genuine, but more of a subplot, don't go in expecting a typical love story romcom book. I felt the awkward conversations and the struggle to support her parents while coping herself were well written.

If you're up for a heartfelt read that balances sadness with a glimmer of hope, this one’s for you. Solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Love at a funeral and other awkward conversations, the book covers a loss of a sibling and the path of trying to get back to normal. I had a hard time getting into this book just due to the details of sibling loss and all that entails in the funeral process. Her parents grieve in their own ways leaving her to plan the funeral on her own, her father buried himself with work, while her mother shuts down, and is unable to function.

She has a dead end job living with her parents when they get visited by the police notifying her family her brother had passed away. The book follows her thru the grieving, the funeral and getting her life back to normal. She continues finding friendship in her brother’s friend, all while falling for him

If this book was dinner id be begging for seconds,beautiful writing amazing story line and Cassandra made me feel like I was her it was very well exiquted

I usually try to avoid books that include death and grief because these are things I experience in real life and try not to feel again - but I read this knowing I should give these feelings a go and immerse myself in it - and it did not disappoint. I don't even regret it! It made me cry and swoon and my chest ache in all the right places, good and bad, and it was so beautiful. Cass' journey through the loss of her brother, including her anger, self-doubt, and eventual self-discovery is so beautifully portrayed, and her romance with Vince is heartwarming. He supports her through her darkest days, broken pieces and all, and it was so sweet. A romance despite the heavy feelings of grief and loss.

The way grief is portrayed is realistic and nuanced, and Vince and Cass' love story only enhances rather than detracts from Cass' journey of self-discovery, and it was just...wonderful. Truly an impact that lingers.

I picked this book up on NetGalley thinking it would be more of a romance than it actually was. There IS romance, but I would say the majority of the book is about grief and how differently each person can cope with it. It follows Cassandra (Cassie) after the loss of her brother on Valentines' Day. Her life was already a bit of a mess, but the tragedy of losing her brother and trying to be strong for everyone around her kind of pushes her over the edge.

I lost my stepdad last year in the midst of getting divorced and I could really empathize with the feelings Cassie goes through. Her feelings are so real and so raw. I cried several times while reading this book and thought the author did an amazing job exploring this different stages of grief. Cassie's journey of self-healing was inspiring.

I loved her relationship with Vince and how he was there to support her through everything. I just wish there was more of their relationship in the book than the bits we got. I was disappointed he didn't play a bigger part in the story and the ending felt a little... too easy. This was the reason this book gets 4 stars instead of 5.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 ⭐️
It’s a bit of a slow burn, but this is a great little read for people who prefer more plot than smut in their romance novels. This book seemed to focus far more on Cassandra’s journey through grief, rather than the relationship and romance between her and Vince- but it was overall an enjoyable and fun read!

This isn’t just a book about romance, this is a book about grief and how different people can deal with it. But most of all, it’s a book about how people can still somehow find a way to live their own life after a death of someone they love, by allowing someone to take care of you.

Personally, this book touched a look of serious deep stuff and it was heartbreaking to read some of Cassies thoughts as she tries to navigate through life with her brother, who was like a rock in her life. But finds comfort with someone who is the definition of book boyfriend. Look up book boyfriend and you’ll find the name Vince there. He is everything!!!!

I devoured this book in a few days which is a good feat for me and I just think this book was well written!!

⋅⊰∙∘☽ Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations ☾∘∙⊱⋅

4★

I liked this book a lot; it addresses the theme of losing a relative, a complicated topic to tackle and understand. I think the author did an excellent job with this; the protagonist, Cass, is a powerful character but also occasionally ironic, and I loved the male lead, Vince Mancini.
Death is a complicated theme for me and a bit of a "trigger warning", but I stayed strong throughout this beautiful read about not only grief, but also love, and growth.
Don't let this stop you though; the love story within is truly tender and moving.

As for the editing, I realize there are just a few minor errors, for example in chapter 5 "to work me with a lot of days" instead of "to work with me a lot of days".
Nonetheless, I couldn't put this book down and can't wait for more people to read it. Thank you, Sophie Andrews, you did such a great job!!

➯ My review on GoodReads (posted on 19/05/24): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6444827995

⟡ Thanks to Victory Editing and Sophie Andrews for providing the ARC (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

First off I’d like to thank NetGalley & Sophie Andrews for an e-ARC copy of this book!

I went into reading this under the impression that it was going to revolve mostly around romance with a smattering of grief. Boy was I wrong but I am SO glad I was.

This story is absolutely beautiful. Cass is a strong, talented woman who was dealt a rough hand, losing her brother suddenly. Reading her battle through grief and seeing her develop made me cry, laugh, and feel SO PROUD of this character.

I typically am also not a fan of third act break ups but this one was perfect. It was needed to show Cass’s personal development, and it a strong believer that we can’t love another person fully if we don’t love ourselves first. Her personal journey as she truly comes to tend with her grief is stunning and beautifully written.

The snippets of Lucy and Lara resonate with me so strongly. I was about 2 years old when I lost my mother, and as I read it found myself wondering how I reacted. Did I ask my dad the hard questions too?

Vince. What a man. First I swear every Italian family has a family funeral home business (I think each side of my Italian family has one😂). I love that something as simple as him as a funeral director brought them together. He is so patient and understanding but also never pushes Cass to feel or act a certain way after losing her brother.

Now what really got me was the authors note at the end. Full disclosure I’m a monster who almost never rats them, but this one caught my eye. Finishing this story knowing that the author I holds similar experiences to the characters written breaks my heart, but also makes me gain so much respect. I can’t imagine how hard it may have been to really meet grief head on and write a story that possesses similarities to an extremely difficult time.

Stories like these are so important and need to be told more often. I’m in awe of how beautiful this book is, and honestly I wish I could read it for the first time again.

First thank you to Netgalley, Sophie, and the publisher for sending me this eARC for review! I really really loved this book. It explores grief in the most real way I’ve ever seen before. It’s raw and relatable while simultaneously being uplifting and encouraging. I’ve dealt with my fair share of grief and the way Cass went through it felt a lot like my personal journey which is why it’s so relatable for me. She’s floating out in a sea of grief after her brother unexpectedly passed away with nobody to anchor her. Her parents are zoned out and not willing to come back to life for their daughter and she doesn’t have anyone she’s close with in her hometown.

Enter Vince, someone who she grew up with, someone her brother was close with, someone who sees the inner turmoil Cass is dealing with and tries to help calm it because she has nobody else. The romance was done in a tactful and respectful way since this is a book centered around dealing with grief. The romance also didn’t overshadow the healing that was done in the book and I really really loved that. It enhanced the story line, and really amplified how Cass was feeling about her life and herself.

Highly recommend reading this when it comes out.

Such a beautiful story about grief and how if affects every single person so differently. Sophie Andrews didn’t try to sugarcoat or red tint grief and showed it in all its chaotic and messy energy, which I really appreciated. I found myself laughing and sobbing in equal measure, and I LOVED the relationship and chemistry that built between Cass & Vince! Also, Vince’s golden retriever energy was 🥹

Definitely a top contender for book of the year for me!

I knew I needed to wait for the right moment to read this book and I am so glad I did. This story emotionally destroyed me (in the best and most cathartic way possible) - having lost a dear friend a few years ago the discussions of grief and sudden loss spoke to me on such a deep level. The way Andrews wrote about it, I was not surprised to find out it was somewhat based on her own journey with grief, providing such beautiful writing and heartbreaking character development. This book is raw and emotional, something that was tough to get through emotionally but so worth the end result. Starting off gut wrenching and ending on hopeful progress, it was a wonderful journey, so unique and special in the genre. Highly recommend if you want the not so average journey to the happily ever after!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Releases 5/31/24

“I would wait for you forever, but I’m glad you’re not making me”

Let me just say.. this is anything but what I expected but in the most amazing and fulfilling way. This is not a a story of love but rather a story of grief and loss that leads you to finding someone who truly understands. I love that this wasn’t a typical romance story but rather a romance sub plot!

Blurb 📖

Cass is faced with an expected loss that causes a hurricane of emotions through her family. Forced to be the strong one Cass must do what she can to mend the bond between her mother and father while also trying to balance her own grief. Could her brother’s childhood best friend be the answer to her pain?! Or is she not quite ready to fall head over heels for the undertaker

Thoughts 💭

This book blew me away. It left me utterly speechless, smiling, laughing and most importantly sobbing. As someone who’s lost a family member this book hits so close to home. Cass’s grieving journey was so similar to my own and this is the first time I’ve really felt like someone could relate to my grief. Sophie does an incredible job of bringing to life the pain and anxiety losing a love one brings. It’s unexpected, it’s excruciating and there’s nothing in the world like it.

Vince is so perfect for Cass. I like how we got to see how much her grief is affecting them starting a relationship and how much growth someone can have after losing a loved one and having to start your life without them all over again. Thank you so much Sophie and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading such a beautiful book.

I highly recommend you all go preorder this right now. It’s so beautifully written and it really brings forth all the emotions 🤍🤍