Who knew dead actors could come out as gay? This is an odd but entertaining story about love and being honest with yourself and those around you. There are some laugh out loud moments, and also heartwarming moments.

As always, I love my LGBTQIA+ books. This was definitely a different premise than I have read in any other romance book. Some for the better. Parts of the story did feel rushed and so that is why I decided to rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.

I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. I enjoyed Patrica Wants to Cuddle but I didn't even notice it was the same author until halfway through. Despite this, I was constantly annoyed by Adam and felt like Zoya being a minimally-complicated bitch who wanted her own spotlight was a little bit of a cop out

Roland Roger’s Is Not Dead Yet has an intriguing premise and moments of genuine humor, but it didn’t fully deliver on its potential. The story follows Roland, a man presumed dead who finds himself navigating the absurdity of his “afterlife” while still very much alive. There are some clever twists and witty dialogue that kept me engaged, but the pacing felt uneven at times, and some characters lacked development.

While the book had its enjoyable moments, I found myself wanting more depth and emotional connection. It’s a fun read, but not one that left a lasting impression. If you’re looking for something light and quirky, it might be worth a try—but don’t expect anything too profound.

This was a great concept for this story, and although there are definitely places that it could’ve been improved, I overall liked it (even if I wasn’t a fan of its ending).

This book started with a campy, fun vibe that had me hooked right away. The premise of a ghostwriting gig with a literal ghost was quirky and engaging, and I was ready for a light-hearted romp. But then, it took a more emotional turn, and I thought it might lose me. Instead, it pulled me in even deeper, and by the end, I was in tears.

What’s interesting is that neither Adam nor Roland initially stood out as particularly compelling characters. However, under Samantha Allen’s skillful writing, they slowly grew on me, and I found myself genuinely caring about their journey. There’s a depth to their story that sneaks up on you, blending humor with heartfelt moments in a way that feels organic.

Without giving away spoilers, let’s just say there’s a moment that hit me hard, making the entire reading experience worth it. Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is a witty, emotional, and unexpectedly touching read that balances the camp with the profound beautifully. It’s a unique rom-com that leaves a lasting impression.

This is a hard one for me to rate, because I think in the end, I was not the intended audience. I was sucked in as soon as I started. The narrators were incredible and I was having fun from the first chapter. I love a bit of magic/paranormal/ghost material so I figured this would be a hit for me. It was, until about halfway through. At that point, it got a little too weird for me. But I know because of how. much I enjoyed it up til then, that there are people who will adore this. The writing was great, and the concept was very fun. And I love a weird book, I just think my weird preferences are a different vibe than this, which is what I love about reading. I would absolutely read more by this author, because I think there's potential for me to love one of their books.

First thing’s first: Thank you Netgalley for my ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book was interesting and I really liked the premise. I love that they were able to fall in love without ever actually knowing or seeing each other. However, I do feel like that developed rather quickly. I was definitely fully invested in the story, it was easy to listen to. I didn’t love the ending, but overall I did enjoy this one and recommend it!!

3.5⭐️

✨ Review ✨ Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet by Samantha Allen; Narrated by Chris Henry Coffey, Nick Mills

Thanks to Zando and Recorded Books and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Okay - first off, this book is kind of weird and definitely won't be for everyone!

I was intrigued by the premise though that Adam goes to write the memoir of Roland Rogers, famous Hollywood actor under some strange circumstances. When he gets there, he finds Roland died in a ski accident and his returned to his Malibu mansion as a ghost. This is such a wild premise that I was hooked before I even started.

I loved all sorts of things about this:
-that Roland and Adam found such a meaningful connection
-the wild way that Roland was able to communicate through electronics was a fun new twist on ghosts
-the addition of Roland's ex-gf into the mix
-the tackling of serious issues like coming out, Mormon identity and ex-communication, and disordered eating

Some of the other pieces were ... weird .. and I won't spoil them here, but also intriguing and so overall I found this interesting and unusual

🎧 I enjoyed the audio for this, and it kept the pace up more than reading the text I think.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: m/m romance, contemporary fiction
Setting: Malibu
Length: 7 hours 38 minutes
Pub Date: Dec 03 2024

If you too are a fan of Samantha Allen's previous lesbian Sasquatch-related work, well, I actually have no idea if you will like this or not. It's completely different. Instead of horror, we've got romance, instead of reality TV satire, we've got an aging movie star coming out of the closet (while being a ghost). And the "sex" in this . . . you've just got to read it. I cannot describe it you, and anyway I don't want to ruin the surprise.

As the title says, Roland Rogers is a ghost, but he's not fully gone. Having woken up dead in the snow and laboriously dragged his incorporeal self back to his house, learned to email with nothing but his lingering effervescence, and then contacted his agent, he's ready to tell his life story, and finally come out of the closet as gay—and he needs to do it before his body is found under the snow. Enter our main character, Adam, an ex-Mormon writer, most famous for having written a coming out memoir about being a gay Mormon. Roland read this book and liked it a lot, so he thinks of Adam first thing. Adam, who hasn't been having great luck with his career after his buzzy debut, and this would be a HUGE break for him.

It's great fun watching the two "meet" and learning to work with Roland's "condition" in order for Adam to get the story he's being paid a lot of money to write. The story is very, very silly at times, in a very weird way. And it will also resist giving you what you want, so just be prepared for that. I am not calling this a romance novel for a reason, because that comes with expectations. But even while it's being very weird, there is also a strong emotional core here. Even dead, Roland has some things to work through that he couldn't in life. And Adam hasn't exactly been thriving.

The only reason I didn't give this five stars is Roland's best friend, a woman he was fake dating for a very long time, and who views Adam as competition. I just felt weird about her and didn't quite get what the author was going for with her (besides providing conflict). Still, even with that complaint, this was a really good time.

I wonder what genre Samantha Allen will bring her weird to next.

Not what I was expecting - which isn't a bad thing. I don't know if the execution was fully what I wanted towards the end, but I really did enjoy the relationship between Roland and Adam.

This book was not for me.

I wanted to give it a shot, but it was too strange of a concept. I DNF'd at 20%.

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook!

I'd previously read Patricia wants to cuddle so I was excited to get another absurd queer story from Samantha Allen. This did not disappoint! The story has a lot of heart and touching moments and also a few laugh out loud moments with the whole having sex with a ghost plot. The narrators did a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing what wild tale Allen releases next!

For fans of:
- The Space Between
- Fated

This book is about a has been author who is hired to write a coming out biography for a movie star. When I started "Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet" I was very skeptical. The premise of the book sounded weird, not really supernatural, but not a classic literary fiction either. However, this book totally shocked me with its profundity.

This book includes:
- ex-mormon story
- coming out story
- a fabulous beard
- a ghost with a plan
- a fatal deadline
- a washed up writer
- Dual POV
- TW: off page hate crime against member of LGBT character

This book left me in tears. Somehow it was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, and I can't stop thinking about it. I have no idea how a romance between a loser and a haunted Amazon Alexa was so impactful on me, but here we are. If you're looking for a story about regret, new beginnings, honestly, longing, friendship, and true love - I highly recommend "Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet." With fantastic, emotive narrators and fantastic story crafting, this is a must read.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Allen, and RBmedia for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted to GoodReads check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863 and it will be posted to my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/ and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Roland Rogers isn’t dead yet by Samantha Allen

This book was weird AF and I loved every second of it.

So Roland needs a ghostwriter to write his memoir.. big screen actor.. he is ready to put pen to paper.. except he physically can’t. He’s dead and a ghost. He manages to get an email out to his team to get Adam Gallagher out to his house to write it but how is he going to explain the situation when Adam arrives?

This book was hilarious. It was really touching too. When Adam finally understands what is going on, he takes it in stride and manages to pull things out of Roland that Roland didn’t know he could talk about. A gay man, not out of the closet.. never took a lover. It was sad. It was really sad and Adam and Roland end up falling in love even though they can’t be together. My heart.

There was some really weird stuff in it though 🤣

Seriously thought it was a solid book, great narration and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

4.5 stars!

I have to say, I ended up enjoying this more than I expected. It was an unusual premise, but I found both main characters to be likable and believable.. This is a sweet romance that digs deeper into how we see ourselves, how the world sees us, and how much we let that govern our decisions. Good read.

This is unlike anything I've read before. I have mixed feelings about it. Unbelievable, yes. Entertaining, moderately. 3 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is a hilarious and heartwarming read that’s equal parts comedy, drama, and sheer originality. The story follows a washed-up, one-hit-wonder author hired to ghostwrite the biography of a famous actor. The catch? The actor is dead. When the author arrives at the actor’s seemingly empty home, he’s shocked to find the actor communicating through an Alexa—because, as a ghost, he can manipulate electronics.

With a tight deadline and a secret that’s bound to come out, the stakes are high, but the book delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, sweet “aww” moments, and just the right touch of drama to keep things moving. The quirky premise is matched by sharp writing and witty banter that makes the ghost-author relationship unexpectedly endearing.

If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted read with a unique twist, Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is an absolute delight. Perfect for fans of offbeat humor and feel-good stories with a splash of the supernatural. Highly recommended!

Despite the incredibly sad ending, this was such an uplifting book and one that will make people feel so seen. I love how it highlights the importance of not hiding the embarrassing parts of yourself because they can help you connect to others, but also because it helps pass on the bravery to stand up to others.

Alongside all this is a lovely romance story, even if it doesn't end with an HEA. It still has you laughing while you cry.

wow i was not expecting to feel this many feelings! I like to go into books relatively blind and this one was no exception to that rule. This was as heartwarming as it was devastating. I fell in love with these two men, and I’m sure readers everywhere will do the same. Samantha Allen, you've done it again!

rep: gay man MC & LI

spice: allusions to kinky ghost sex

tw: fall from a height, skiing accident, death of a major character