A widow, a young man in a Kermit costume, and an annual graveside meeting evolve into a heartwarming, laugh-out-loud tale of healing and hope. Tender, quirky, and utterly original, this story will have you crying and smiling—sometimes at the same time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Alice and Ben have both lost people - they meet on the graveyard one day when Ben stands in front of his brother Harry's grave wearing a green Kermit outfit. Alice's husband Joe's grave is right next to it and so they start talking. The next year they meet at the graveside again, and from then on every year for ten years, through Ben's marriage and Alice's move to Sydney.

The book is told in dual POV, with Ben and Alice helping each other overcome grief, self-loathing and hiding away from relationships, not deterred by distance and lockdowns. This isn't a romance but they form a friendship based purely on their shared experiences.

There are some absurd situations, with Ben having to wear a different silly costume to the graveside each year as stipulated in his brother's will, Jobbers the annoying kookaburra making mischief and Alice's fifth date with Grant not going to plan, to mention just a few.

But they are both messed-up people and I felt the grieving and self-loathing took way too long. I mean, ten years, come on! Plus, I had to struggle through an entire rugby game that ended in utter chaos, just because Ben had never learned to say no to his overbearing family.

This is a story with raw emotions - love, loss, grief and friendship is being dealt with in an honest way. Given that the book spans ten years, not much of note is happening but I don't think it is meant to - we just accompany two bereaved people's struggle to carry on living and find meaning in their life. Grief is a strange beast, and it doesn't run in a straight line. But the morale of the story is that we all need people around helping us deal with it. Read if you like a gentle, sometimes bizarre story about grief.

"The people we love die. But the people we love live, too. And so should we.”

3.5 stars

This is not my typical read, but I absolutely loved it. I loved the idea of seeing the main characters through the years, this was a five-star read.

Two people encounter terrible personal tragedies - the death of a husband and the loss of a sibling - and encounter each other in, of all places, a cemetery.

As they meet every year, they become companions in the journey of grief that each of them is undertaking.

Offering equal measures of humour and sadness, this story is about how to live with sorrow - and perhaps even more importantly, how to live meaningfully even after loss. It gets 3.5 stars.

Grave Talk by Nick Spalding is about two grieving strangers who meet and become close friends in the most unlikeliest of places- the cemetery. The story follows Alice who lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack and Ben who has lost his brother Harry to Cancer after not long being diagnosed. One day they meet as Ben comes dressed as Kermit the frog a practical joke requested by his late brother in his will to the cemetery where Alice’s husband is laid to rest next to Harry.

They both form a bond over time as each year Ben comes dressed as something ridiculous, as requested by his late brother. Each year they set each other a challenge as they navigate their way through these difficult times.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I was going to find this book as I started reading but the more I read the more I wanted to keep reading. It was both emotional and funny at the same time, I loved the relationship that Ben and Alice had struck up.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this book for review. This is a book about grief and loss, but it also a book about what comes after and how a person moves on. I have read a Nick Spaulding book before, but just reading the blurb, I figured going in that it would be quirky. Not as funny as I expected starting off with a giant, talking frog at a gravesite, but also not at sad as I would have expected with a book about grief. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would read another Nick Spaulding book in the future.

I think when it comes to approaching a new Nick Spalding novel you need to expect the unexpected, especially if like me you don't tend to read the blurbs of books by authors you know you already enjoy.

This at its heart is a story about grief, set in a graveyard at yearly intervals between Alice and Ben who's loved ones are buried next to each other.

In typical Spalding manor though there are many incidents throughout the book that make me laugh out loud, with some hilarious turn of phrase or images.

Oh and in Harrys (Ben's brother's will) he is asked to visit the graveyard at midday on his birthday each year, and to wear the already organised fancy dress - starting with year one as Kermit the Frog.

Alice is grieving her husband and her story and emotion really does tug the heartstrings.

It is though a hopeful book and it did leave me smiling with a fabulous finale. Another winner for me from this talented author.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Nick Spalding has another hit on his hands with this one. Brilliant writing style, a captivating plot and characters who you will love, hate and want to protect all at the same time.

Wow. What a book. Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.
I ABSOLUTELY loved this book. Nick Spalding…..what a beautiful, heartfelt sad but wonderful book. I 100 % will recommend this to all my friends.
It’s a story of how two people meet and their sadness is interlinked, We follow them for a some time and learn what road grief takes them on together.
Loved it!

I love books with some quirkiness to them, books that refuse to take themselves one hundred percent seriously. The more over-the-top the better. It takes some real talent to pull this off without it being too much. Nick Spalding is an author who has pulled this off spectacularly. When I read the synopsis about a woman at her husband’s grave running into a giant, talking frog…well, needless to say, I was on board.

Now don’t get me wrong, Grave Talk covers some very serious human emotions. We are talking about death and grieving here, it doesn’t get any more serious than that. You could say as far as human emotions go, death is the end all, be all. It needs to be given the respect and reverence that it deserves. But a doom and gloom, we-are-all-going-to-die-and-it-is-horrible-for-everyone-left-behind is not the kind of book that Nick Spalding writes; and really, who wants to read that book?

Nick Spalding walks that line, making me laugh at the situation, while at the same time connecting me to his two characters that are unable to come to terms with their respective losses. This book is about life and death and how the two intertwine. It is a book about relationships between the dead and those they leave behind; between the survivors and anyone who has ever lost anyone; which is really everyone.

Grave Talk made me laugh, it made me care, and it made me cry. Damn you, Nick Spalding! What more could you ask of a book. This could very well be my best read of the year.

*5 Stars

I saw all the great reviews this book was getting but imagined it was just another of those wacky romances that are so popular lately. Then I saw the blurb which includes the sentence "The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband's grave site on his birthday is a giant talking frog." I could not resist that.

The book turned out to be very funny, very sad, a story of friendship and recovery from loss, not a romance at all. Parts of it were set in Australia which was very nice for readers like me. It was also totally absorbing, the kind of book you want to curl up with and read straight through to the end.

Speaking of which the end is just perfect and leaves you with happy feelings. Highly recommended.

Grave Talk, the latest book by Nick Spalding, is a study of grief and loss that beautifully captures the emotion and loneliness endured by those who grieve. What sets this book apart, though, is how it deals with the 10 years after death and how life can change, love and happiness can reappear, and family doesn't have to be a birthright, but can be found by sharing stories, laughter, sadness and love with another. In the end, healing can happen, and life can be worth living again. Thankfully, Mr. Spalding puts his trademark dry wit, humor and expert writing skills on the table, resulting in a lovely story about death, self-awareness and living again.

Grave Talk is told through the alternating POVs of its two main characters, Ben and Alice. Both characters are dealing with very significant, "before-their-time" losses: Alice lost her 40-something husband Joe to an unexpected heart attack, and Ben lost his older brother Harry to a battle with leukemia. Though they first meet in a cemetery under the saddest circumstances, not all elements of their encounter are serious. Ben is dressed up like Kermit the Frog, green face paint and all. His deceased brother, ever the prankster, requested in his will that Ben visit his gravestone each year in a ridiculous costume of Harry's choosing. Connected by this initial absurdity and their shared losses, Ben and Alice strike up a conversation and an enduring friendship. Each year, they return to the cemetery—Ben in costume and Alice in anticipation of seeing said costume—to discuss the past, the future, and how they're each navigating the world without their loved ones.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, sadly. There wasn't much "oomph" to the characters or the plot. In general, I am not a huge fan of alternating POVs either. To me, they feel a bit cheap in terms of storytelling. Overall, I just wasn't impressed by the characters, plot, or writing. I think the whole thing would have made a much better movie. It doesn't work on the page but I think it could do better if adapted to the screen.

Based on the subject matter, I think this book would be most impactful for anyone dealing with a recent, significant loss in their adult lives. Even these readers may at times be frustrated by the (in)actions of the characters, though.

An utterly charming take on grief and new beginnings. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

Alice and Ben meet in a graveyard, while each are visiting their loved ones who have passed. They soon form an odd friendship and end up meeting on the same day, same time and same place every year.

This is a story about finding yourself and navigating life after loss and I really enjoyed how it was from 2 different age perspectives. Alice and Ben’s friendship and how they grew overtime together, helped each other through life’s challenges was lovely and each year I was eager to see who Ben would be dressed up as next.

While I didn’t find it super deep, I was fine with that, I enjoyed it being more on the lighter side and the ending bought a tear to my eye and was a great reminder that family isn’t always blood ❤️

This book is an intriguing exploration of grief. While it’s marketed as a humorous story, I personally didn’t find it all that funny. The humor just didn’t land for me, although it still has a charm to it. The author took a highly original approach to presenting themes of loss and healing. The interactions between Alice and Ben, and the unusual circumstances of their annual meetings, are very heartfelt and I enjoyed reading through them. It felt very authentic and touching. Though this wasn’t entirely my cup of tea in tone, the writing was strong, and I appreciated the fresh perspective the author brought to the subject of coping with loss. For a debut novel, it’s really impressive, and I’d gladly read more from this author in the future. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a reflective yet lighthearted take on grief and the unexpected ways we find connection and healing.

I love Nick Spalding's books! He is one of the very few authors who has me literally laughing out loud. This one was very funny at times, but also quite sad and poignant. Two bereaved people strike up an unlikely friendship and meet up at the graveside of their loved ones annually. The characterisation is brilliant, you can really empathise with both leads although they could both be far too stubborn at times.
I would recommend all of this author's books.

Love, loss, joy, understanding and acceptance....all old refrains but Grave Talk gave them new life.

Readers should be aware that Grave Talk deals with heavy themes of death and grief. Those sensitive to such topics may want to check their triggers before deciding to read this book.

The story alternates between two characters, Alice and Ben, who are each grieving the recent loss of a loved one. They develop an unexpected friendship, helping each other navigate the challenges of loss and the process of healing.

Given the delicate subject matter, critiquing the story feels challenging. While there are moments where Alice comes across as overly whiny and Ben occasionally frustrating, the emotions expressed in the book are raw, real, and deeply authentic. The story captures the irrational, unspoken aspects of grief and the feelings people rarely discuss, making it both a moving and relatable read.

Nick Spalding balances humour and heartbreak, blending laughable moments with emotional reflections. The alternating perspectives of Alice and Ben add depth to the narrative, highlighting the unpredictable and deeply human journey of mourning.

This is a compelling story, but its heavy themes won’t suit every reader. If you choose to read it, approach it with care and an open heart.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Note: Arc provided by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A good story with a neat concept. A little repetitive, even at the start, use of the same words over and over. But it's a cute idea, and quite warming.