Losing someone you love is incomprehensible pain, the feeling of loss wrecks you and breaks you. This story deals with grief, loss, love, and coping with the loss, it is a very realistic story filled with humourous banter and the hopelessness of dealing with loss. I could feel the raw emotions just by reading and loved the writing.

I was eyeing this book for several weeks, something about the cover and the title called to me, finally, couldn't resist anymore and asked for the arc.

I read the blurb of the book, I saw the title, and still didn't expect it to be so emotional and so heavy and so focused on grief. I bawled through the first third of the story, then again and again, and when it seemed that there were no tears left, I cried some more. And I loved it. It was unexpected, raw and honest. And though the love line was secondary, it blended beautifully within the story. BTW, Vince, despite his name, is a perfect book boyfriend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This book made me feel SO many emotions!!!

Twenty-something Cass is feeling lost. She’s living in her parent’s basement after moving home from NYC. Working a shitty service industry job while trying to find herself and figure out her next move, her only real friend in her home town is her older brother… until her world is turned upside down by his sudden passing.

This story follows Cass and her process through grief (obviously), but it also reads as a coming of age story— A young woman coming home to herself and growing through a mountain of obstacles. It also follows one of the sweetest love story’s that had me giggling, swooning, screaming with frustration, and smiling like an idiot. (Although this isn’t to say that this book isn’t heavy, because it definitely is! But the romance was a beautiful addition and a positive light sprinkled into discussion of death, grief and mourning.)

I saw a lot of myself in Cass and could really relate to her character (as I’m sure many others will too!) which really made this book hit hard for me. The only reason it wasn’t quite 5 stars for me is because I was hoping for a little more in the ending, it felt kind of… rushed?

But still LOVED this book and will be ordering a copy for my collection as it feels like a book that I will want to come back to ❤️

What an emotional ride! I really enjoyed this romance and the way it explores grief, healing, and the way you never really get over the loss of a loved one, you just learn how to live without them. This gained points with me right away with that Andrew Garfield quote because what he said is one of the most poignant, beautiful things I've ever heard about grief. I can tell that this was a personal work because the author relied on her own experience of loss, and it shows. This felt authentic and that's what made this so compelling and moving, so I enjoyed it very much. It's very well done.

I was completely swept away by this novel.

When Cass's world is shattered by the sudden loss of her brother, she's left to navigate the aftermath while her grieving parents struggle to cope. Enter Vince, the funeral director and Cass's brother's old high school best friend – a figure from her past whom she once harbored a massive crush on but hadn't seen in years.

While at its core, this story delves deep into the complexities of grief and the journey toward acceptance in the wake of profound loss, the love story that unfolds between Cass and Vince adds an enriching layer to her path of healing. Vince's character, a true gentleman with a heart of gold, brings a sense of warmth and understanding to Cass's world, his patience and kindness serving as a beacon of light in her darkest moments.

The way the love story intertwines with Cass's journey is nothing short of masterful. It's tender, it's genuine, and it's beautifully woven into the fabric of the plot. And amidst the emotional depth, there are moments of levity sprinkled throughout, offering a refreshing touch of humor that I found both delightful and relatable.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a sweet love story. This book is about the grief we heal from. The authors note at the end made the book a beautiful testimony. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I needed this story. I needed it to mirror my emotions and experiences, to help me feel seen. Death isn’t something you can talk about with everyone. Especially the loss of a sibling - your only sibling. Their Raymond, my Rammona. My best friend called her Ray. No one understands. You grew up together. You lose a piece of yourself.

Until I read this novel, I didn’t know how much I needed to experience someone else’s grief. To be able to separate it from my own. To recognize everything I have felt and all I am feeling is absolutely normal.

I could situate myself inside the pages of this book - inside those early scenes. No one talks about these moments. The need to adopt a new vocabulary, past tense. The realization that nothing new will happen again. These are the only photos we’ll ever have. That was the last text she’d ever send. “Thank you.”

Grief…it throws itself at you, and you carry it. I’m still not sure if it ever lets go. I adored the main characters: Vince & Cass. Their love for each other. His capacity for forgiveness and her penchant for being self aware. It was dripping from every scene, yet she still failed to fully see herself.

I adored this story. And I very much appreciate Sophie Andrews for translating her feelings and experiences into an evocative work of fiction, for people like us to experience the collective truth of loss and grief with the added comfort of a happy ending.

I received this book for free from Netgalley.

Cassie's brother dies at the beginning of the book. This isn't a book where you get to know and love a character and then the character dies. We don't know him at all when he dies.

Despite that, the writing is so raw and emotional that I still felt the loss.

I felt every bit of Cassie's emotional rollercoaster. I haven't lost my brother, but I did lose my husband so I definitely can relate to the grieving process.

I would definitely read more by this author.

this book made me feel a load of feelings.
didn’t expect it to impact me so much but the way that she described her feelings after the death really hit.
The scene as she was saying goodbye to her brothers body really hurt.
Brought Back a load of memories from losing my special someone.

Her finding Vance and their relationship flourishing was perfect for her and i do wish we could have seen a bit more of their chemistry and relationship coming together.

My dad just died, but I felt compelled to read this book. While the people we lost aren't the same, much of the grieving process is. I adored how Andrews wrote this story. It felt like a close companion as I stayed up late reading page after page. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This is a memorable book for me and I have a feeling other people will relate. Five stars.

This book is definitely more of a love story than I imagined it to be. The description of the book has some raw themes; complicated family dynamics heightened by a death and loss of a dear one. These feel like weighty topics, but the book doesn’t read as weighty to me at all. I feel fully invested in and enjoyed the raw storytelling.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for sharing a digital copy of this book with me.

4/5 ✨

Even surrounded by family, I’m completely alone in my grief

I’m tired of being tired

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought it would be a lighthearted romance ( and I still think they should change the plot description a little bit ) It's more drama than romance but because the author explored Cass's grief uncompromisingly direct and honest ( which makes Cass unlikable at times ), it makes all the romance parts hard earned, which I absolutely loved. Also it's really fascinating that I haven't seen any books that dig into a loss of a sibling before this book. I could relate to Cass the way she self destructs handling everyone's grief instead of her own, not taking care of her own well being, not taking time of her own to grieve. There is no right or wrong way to grieve and it was great to see her make mistakes, own up to it after realising that the only cure for grief is to grieve. I love the way the author drew us into Cass's world which is filled with pain, anger and despair in the absence of her brother, but also had people like Vince and her followers who throws a lifeline to her, almost telling her, not everything is lost and she can still find happiness at the end of it all. I also feel for all the characters that didn't get a lot of time in this novel, like Nell, Shayna and especially Cass's dad, who I hate. I'm going to think about this book for a long time. I also found few typos which could be insignificant since it's an ARC.

I loved this book! It had me crying and laughing. Cass deals with the death of her brother and then everything that goes with it, parenting her parents and falling in love with an old flame. You go through every emotion with her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This was a 4.5/5 star read. It was hard and heavy but worth it. Sophie beautifully writes about the journey of loss and grief while intertwining it with a meaningful and heartfelt love story. I grabbed the tissues way more than I expected during this read because it was so emotional. Although there is a beautiful love story, the book is mostly about grief so it's a very intense read. You will hurt and laugh with Cass (FMC) but you also grow with her and her story is so unique. 
TW: death/loss of a family member

Absolutely loved this book. It is a year since I lost my grandad and this touched me but I could relate in so many ways. I loved the character growth of Cassie throughout the book. Thank you for sharing this book with us all.

I originally thought this was going to be a light hearted read about a woman losing her brother and coming to terms with it by finding solace in her late brother's best friend.
It reminded me of 'the dead romantics by Ashley Posten' based on the cover, the title and the synopsis.
Although that was the main premise of it, it was so much more. Depicting grief and showcasing the various ways people grieve their loved ones, or come to terms with the fact that someone they talked to and knew on a personal level isn't around anymore. Everyone grieves differently and this was beautifully shown with the way all the characters reacted and went on with their lives. It did feel a little bit unrealistic when everyone around the FMC moved on so quickly but that just goes to show the complexity of humans.

There was a little bit of romance intertwined with it to keep it interesting, I really liked the soft way she fell in love with Vince, he deserves the world, but their romance didn't feel rushed and it was sweet seeing her find someone she found comfort in.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

TW: death/grieving - go ahead a grab a box of tissues, you’re going to need them!!

I finished this book and immediately, within minutes, messaged Sophie on Instagram to thank her for writing it. I know it couldn’t have been easy to write because she drew from her own personal experiences for this story.

This book captures the complete essence and experience of grieving for someone you love unconditionally and how difficult it is to figure out your new normal. And until you experience it, you can’t understand it. It’s so hard and I didn’t know how much I needed this read!

It’s sad, emotional, raw but also funny (if you have a morbid sense of humor, I do, it’s a coping mechanism, ya know?!) It’s a brother’s best friend romance at its heart and I think Vince could fix any broken heart. It’s finding hope and love after hitting rock bottom and it tore my heart apart and put it back together again.

Sophie - thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC but thank you even more for the book itself. I’ll never be able to explain how meaningful it was to me.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op as well.

ARC review: Releases 5/31/2024

I don’t know how it happened, but I ended up reading two books at the same time dealing with the death of a sibling. I’ll be honest, I’m a little shattered. 😭

This one written by Sophie Andrews and based somewhat on her actual life where she lost her brother far too soon is more a story about the grieving process than a straight-up romance. It feels so real to go through this process with Cass. She’s struggling to keep her parents afloat and the only person keeping her afloat is her brother’s high school friend and current funeral director, Vince.

Cass was already in a negative place mentally even before her brother dies suddenly. After that she’s floundering. She doesn’t know how to be alive without her only true friend.

Vince steps in and he’s just quietly waiting to help her. He lets her fall in love with his dog, takes her to the batting cage to release some rage, and kisses her (and more) when she can’t take the tension anymore. He’s basically perfect as all book boyfriends should be.

If you’re looking for something to pull your heart out of your chest, then put it back and stitch it up, this is the book for you. ♥️♥️♥️

#romance #contemporaryromance #contemporaryfiction #grief #arc #sophieandrews #pomegranateseeds #queenoftheunderworld

Reading about death can sometimes feel perhaps too morbid, but this books feels more like closure when looking at death and gives a new perspective on it.

well fuck me. did i stay up until almost 3am to finish this? absolutely. did i basically cry the entire time? obviously. i’m a wimp but also it’s a depressing topic. i really loved cas, i felt her emotions and her journey dealing with the grief of losing her brother. i loved vince too guys. this is less of a romance book than it is about cassie and her grief. while i do wish it had more of vince and cassie together, i am not really complaining either. the scenes they had melted me. he is everything she needed im crying. i’m glad they got their peaceful happy ending <3 this is a 5 star book to me in ashley nation. others can disagree, but i flew through it.