I am slowly becoming a huge Ashley Poston fan - I had heard nothing but great things about The Dead Romantics, and I honestly don't know why I waited so long to pick it up! A perfect autumnal read, with the cosiness and hints of spooky, and a charming love story like always.

A cute and heartfelt paranormal romance, touching on trauma but with plenty of humour too. Interesting characters and a definitely unique plotline, which is quite refreshing to read amongst so many other romance novels.

this was very different to the contemporary books i usually read with the paranormal twist. i fell in love with the characters and the story. It does have some sad parts but it is such a well rounded and heart warming book i just couldnt put it down

Oh, that was glorious!

God, I haven't read a romance this good since 'Seven Days in June'. It was beautifully written, with great and valuable quotes on every single page! The plot was incredibly captivating, I could not put this book down and that really means something because I LOVE reading bunch of books at the same time and switch them around during the day.

Honestly I don't know how to write this review. I'm filled with so many emotions because of 'The dead romantics', I'm genuinely speechless! I think I will give up on trying to make this review all proper and I'll just tell you all what this book did to me.

The thing is, this is not just a love story between a girl who believes true love does not exist, at least for her and a dead guy who's heart has been broken in million pieces and who believes it's all his fault. This book is more than that. It's a story about living in fear, with protective barriers around your heart and learning how to break these walls and let people who love you in. It's a story about putting behind all the demons of the past and the traumas we carry throughout life. It's about learning how to say goodbye to people and dealing with all the 'what if's and regrets we have about doing or not doing something when they were still with us. It's about learning to ask for help when we need it and realising that doing that doesn't make us weak. It's about feeling understood.

Gods, it's a story about love! Love, so deep and true and honest. Love between siblings and parents and two people who desperately need it but are scared of risking it all for it. It's also a story about death and its sadness and unfairness of it but mainly about the wonderful people and things that stay when we're gone.

Not gonna lie, this book really moved me. I'm not scared of death but I am scared of losing the people I love. I am scared of all the 'what if's and all the 'could have, should have, would have's that I'm left with when they leave. I think this book healed a part of that fear of mine, helped me reflect on it a bit more and realise that although death is inevitable it's not something we should fear. There were many quotes in this book that really gripped my heart and made me tear up because of how understood I felt. How much I could relate to Florence- the main character but also to every other character- Benji, Alice, their mom... Their relationships really spoke to me because of how similar they were in many aspects to my relationship with my family, with my mama and my sister. Their misunderstandings, their deep love, their hardships and regrets.

The ending of this book absolutely destroyed me. It was incredibly emotional and I think the resolutions of the main plot and subplot were so well-thought! Honestly, I found this book deeply cathartic.

Before I finish this review I just wanted to give you two of the quotes I found the most moving.

'Standing there in the middle of the dandelion field, looking up into Ben's soft ocher eyes, I began to realize that love wasn't dead, but it wasn't forever, either. It was something in between, a moment in time where two people existed at the exact same moment in the exact same place in the universe. I still believed in that -I saw it in my parents, in my siblings, in Rose's unabashed one-night stands looking for some peace. It was why I kept searching for it, heartbreak after heartbreak. It wasn't because I needed to find out that love existed-of course it did--but it was the hope that I'd find it. That I was an exception to a rule I'd made up in my head.
Love wasn't a whisper in the quiet night.
It was a yelp into the void, screaming that you were here.'

'I wanted to fold myself into his sharp angles and stay there. Exist there.
Because there--there I was sure I wouldn't fall apart, I wouldn't disassemble, I wouldn't feel broken.
Not because I couldn't exist on my own, but sometimes I just didn't want to.
Sometimes I just wanted to let my guard down, let the pieces of me fall to the ground, and know that I had someone there who could put me back together without minding the sharp
bits.'

This book was incredible and I think everyone should read it, even if you're not fans of romance because this book is just so much more than that.

3.5 stars

Florence Day ghostwrites for one of the most popular romance authors in existence, but Florence is stuck on her latest novel as she no longer believes in love after a bad break-up.
When Florence's new editor refuses to give her more time to finish the book, she doesn't know what to do, but then tragedy strikes when Florence's father dies.
Florence travels back home, a place she hasn't been in ten years, a place that Florence escaped from because of her ability to see ghosts.
When Florence's editor turns up at her family's funeral parlour as a ghost, they will have to work together to figure out what unfinished business is keeping him there, all while Florence is grieving for her father.

Adult romances are not my go-to genre, but I've been wanting to try and read books that I wouldn't usually pick up, and this one sounded like a fun read.
Florence was a very likeable and relatable protagonist. She had been treated badly by her ex-boyfriend and had some bad memories from her hometown, but was fun and the kind of person I would like to be friends with.
I really liked Florence's best friend, Rose, and it was interesting to read Florence's interactions with her family, who I also liked.
The concept of Florence being able to see ghosts was interesting, and it was sad to find out how it led to her leaving home.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention. It did surprise me a little, and it was quite a cute read, but I liked the family aspects as well as the romance.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

‘The Dead Romantics’ is the latest book by Ashley Preston.

Florence Day is a ghost-writer with one big problem. She’s supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author but, after a bad break-up, Florence no longer believes in love. And when her strict (but undeniably hot) new editor, Benji Andor, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. Although when tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost, however, but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor. As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost – even an infuriatingly sexy one. But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all?

It seemed only perfect to kick off October with ‘The Dead Romantics’, a witty and romantic story about love and grief.

The story is seen through the narrative of the wonderfully Florence Day who is a ghost writer for Ann Nichols, one of the most famous romantic novelists. But Florence is on deadline with the latest book and she’s finding it hard to write her happy ending after having her heart broken and no longer believing in love. It doesn’t help that her father has just passed home, she has to return to the town that she ran away from and her new handsome editor called Ben is now dead and stuck in a limbo with Florence.

I absolutely loved this book, I devoured it but also tried to drag it out as I didn’t want the love story between Florence and Ben to end. But their story made for poignant and also upbeat reading.

I loved Florence, she’s a unique and quirky character with an unusual power of seeing dead people which was the main reason that she left her hometown. She’s very similar father to her father, which makes her loss so painful as he understand her better than her brother and sister.

Her family run a funeral business and this is where the story is primarily set and this makes for atmospheric reading and each of the family members had wonderful personalities that added to the story perfectly.

I adored the interactions between Florence and Ben and also like Florence – I also like foremans!

A wonderfully original and uplifting story, ‘The Dead Romantics’ is full of hope, love and charm and Ashley is an author I’m definitely going to look into. Her writing is fresh, fun with lead characters that are only aspirational but also relatable!

You can buy ‘The Dead Romantics’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

I struggled with this book but that was due to personal reasons. With the theme of death being quite prominent in this book I was hard to ignore it. However the writing was really good and I enjoyed the romance.

Having recently read "The Dead Romantics" by Tim Westover, I was captivated by the rich and immersive storytelling. The novel is a historical fiction that follows the lives of three young men in 19th century England, and it explores the impact of the Romantic movement on their lives and relationships.

Westover does an excellent job of bringing the characters and setting to life, and the novel is full of vivid and well-researched historical details. The story is well-paced and engaging, and it explores complex themes of love, friendship, and the pursuit of artistic greatness.

The writing in "The Dead Romantics" is beautifully crafted, and Westover has a gift for creating rich and evocative imagery. The novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, and for anyone interested in the Romantic movement and its impact on literature and art. Overall, I highly recommend "The Dead Romantics" to fans of literary fiction and anyone looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

An absolute breath of fresh air of a romance book. If you need a break from the same old formula and fancy something completely heartwarmingly wonderful this is the book for you.

The Dead Romantics includes everything a good rom-com should, plus a lil something extra, because the love interest is… well dead.

You couldn’t help but route for all the characters in this book, they were all so unique and wonderfully written.

Who could have known that a ghost book boyfriend could be so lovable, I totally fell for Benji straight away, his character development was *chefs kiss*.

Overall a brilliant debut - (adds author to auto buy immediately).

i don’t really read romance books but i LOVED this book so much. i didn’t cry once (I SOBBED THREE WHOLE TIMES). the premise is so original and it was written so well!

Really enjoyed this book, it was different to others that I have read. I loved the unusual premise and was hooked immediately, devouring the pages within hours. Whilst it studies grief and life after the death of a loved one, it also encompasses love. Such a great read.

Life after death... love after death...
It's a compelling and attractive thought, and is the motor that powers this wonderfully poetic and gloriously heartwrenching story.

It's not a sweet read, but it's an uplifting and thought-provoking one, and combining a love story (or several) it ticks so many boxes that I don't have any left to be ticked. It made me cry (yes, really) and made me smile, and made me question love and life, and the ever after.

I forgo a whole day's work to read this, because once it had its hooks in me, it refused to let go until I'd read the last word.

Thank you Net Galley and HQ for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book - it was full of hope. I am not one for romance books but this had me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down.

Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a popular author, over the years she had written many successful novels. However, after a recent heartbreak she no longer believes in romance or love, so is struggling to write the book with a looming deadline. Another thing about Florence - she can see ghosts. One day, Florence meets Benji Andor, who works for the publishing company and the author; she is told that she must finish the book soon or she will lose her job, but things get worse when she has to rush home for a family emergency. One day, Florence sees Benji outside her house - but he is a ghost. In an extreme turn of events, will Benji help Florence believe in romance again so she can finish the novel?

The writing was brilliant, and flowed with each page. Not to mention, the character development was perfect, and the way the character deals with grief and heartbreak is fantastic. I would highly recommend this book, even if you’re not a big fan of fantasy as it is just wonderful.

I’m not a big romance reader, but the synopsis of this book caught my attention so I wanted to give it a shot, and I’m SO glad I did because it was amazing!

Florence is a ghostwriter for a huge romance author who no longer believes in love after being betrayed by her last partner. Ben is her new editor who refuses to give her yet another extension on her current manuscript.
When Florence’s father passes away unexpectedly, she’s forced to return to the town that drove her away a decade ago, and is surprised to find that Ben shows up there too… except, he’s a ghost. Did I not mention she can see those?

I absolutely adored Florence and Ben and their blossoming romance. They’re both such sweet, realistic, slightly jaded characters who just need to find the right person to love them and my heart ached for them the whole time.
This book made me laugh and cry - at midnight while I tried not to wake my husband!

I don’t know how a story so rooted in death can be so heart warming and happy, but it was, and I can see myself coming back to it time and time again.

Even if romances aren’t usually your thing, I would thoroughly recommend The Dead Romantics and I can’t wait to see what Ashley Poston writes next!

This was a cute, cosy ghost romance set in a small town. I actually found myself loving the family dynamics in this story more than the actual romance - particularly Florence's reminiscences about her dad, her relationship with her little sister Alice, and the flashbacks to her upbringing in the funeral home. The family felt so real and loving, I just wanted to step into their world and let them all give me a big hug. And I definitely related to Florence being stubborn and not wanting to ask for help from anyone, too!

That's not to say that I didn't like the scenes between Florence and Ben, but [no spoilers buuut] I predicted what the ending would be REALLY early on in the book which I feel spoiled my enjoyment of their interactions a little as I kinda knew what was coming. I also think the author leaned a bit too hard on the "chaotic x stoic" trope when neither character actually seemed to fit those personality archetypes *that* well? Having said that, I did think they were sweet together, and I also LOVED all the publishing industry and fanfiction references in the book. All in all, it was a lovely cosy spooky season read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Romantics might be the most hyped book of 2022 and it manages to live up to every bit of it.

Meet Florence, she’s a romance ghost writer who sees ghosts. Cool right? Well she’s given up on love after her last break up, and is left completely unable to finish the last book in her contract. It gets even worse she visits her hot new editor, Ben, to beg for yet another deadline extension, only for him to refuse.

But then when she’s forced to return home to her family’s small town to bury her dad, the last thing she expects is to find the ghost of Ben there waiting for her.

For years she’s ignored the ghosts, both real and from her past. But now she’s forced to help her editor move on, as well as finally face everything she ran from.

This is a beautiful story, tissues may be required. As heavy as it is on her family and her fathers passing, the romance is given just as much attention and development. Absolutely a book I will be thinking about for years to come.

To me, this read very much like a grief novel with a side of romance, about trying to adjust to a world that seems to have lost its axis. Thus, I found I went in with ,,,, not the most accurate expectations due to the way this book was marketed, and I found that the contrast between the tone of the writing (and the romance bits) and the rest of it ended up with me overwhelmed by cognitive dissonance. Sadly this was very much a case of a concept speaking to me more than the execution.

"𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙠, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙠𝙖𝙮. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠, 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨. 𝙎𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨."

Loved it loved it loved it!

“ᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ—ᴏʀ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ—ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. ᴏʀ ɪᴛ’ꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ. ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ.”

This was my first Ashley Posten book and I've now gone to look up everything she has written.
This book was just what I needed. It was a bit creepy, funny, sad, romantic, swoony, and just wrapped me in a big hug at the end. I found the story totally unique and that captivated me. The characters were well developed and interesting and I adored the budding relationship with Florence and Ben. I went on such a rollercoster of emotions reading this and I didn't want it to end. An absolute belter of a story!

A romance story for halloween titled The Dead Romantics? Yes, sir! I have seen so many recommendations for this book and I am glad was able to get an ARC... thank you publishers and Netgalley

So, we have Florence who is a ghost writer for one of the greatest ever romance authors. Struggling with her writing deadlines (like me because that's how we function), she gets the most dreaded phone call from home about her father’s passing & she needs to go to her town after a decade to help bury him in their own funeral home. When she meets an unexpected “ghost” at the funeral parlour, their “dead romance” is a new beginning for her in every way.

This book deals with topics like death in family, grief, failure in career and love life and anxiety around it. It is lovely to see two different family dynamics which was sweet and cute and nice. I liked how ghosts were portrayed in the story and gives a while new perspective when we think of ghosts and death. The plot and the thematic idea of this book is refreshing and realistic which I loved!!! Not only does it celebrates love, family & self-discovery, but also looks at death, grief & loss with such depth, delicacy & sensitivity, that it just made me reflect and think on how I see things in my life.

Yearning? Yes! Endearing? Yes! Shows vulnerability and embracing failures? Yes!! Did I love it? HELL YES!!!! Do I recommend this one? A 10000% TO ANYONE AND EVERYOEN AND THAT RANDOM ANT WHO BITE ME WHEN I WAS 5 :)

I read The Dead Romantics last week and really enjoyed it! I found it pleasantly entertaining and to be honest at one point I couldn't put it down.

The premise reminded me of a cheesy movie. I loved that Florence could see ghosts and try to help them with any unfinished business. Her connection with Benji is so cute, their back and forth with puns was great and gave them a nice dynamic. Not only that, her relationships with her family were messy and I liked that it wasn't all so neat.

On the surface, this seems like an easy read but it does have some secrets to it and it definitely could be quite emotional for some viewers I think. It was my first from this author and I'd be interested to see what comes next.