I really enjoyed this book! It was very raw and I could feel her grieving while reading it. I wish there would’ve been more on the happy ending of Cass and Vince because they deserved it so I give it 4 stars!

This book was a difficult yet cathartic read for me. Not long after my 12-week pregnancy scan, we found out my father's best friend passed away following complications from a stroke. Much like R.J., it was a huge shock to all of us who loved him.

It's taken me a lot longer to read this book because of that, as I kept delaying it due to seeing signs of my grief for my uncle in Cass' grief. Cass is a very relatable main character and it's very easy to put yourself into her shoes.

I had been hearing so much about this book so I figured I would give it a chance! This was so heartfelt, but so so painful. You could tell that the author had experienced a similar type of grief (which was confirmed in the author's note at the end). I couldn't imagine what it must have been like to write this story after going through her own loss.

I loved that the story was split up with the online posts/entries. Those are always a nice break from the typical storyline.

I typically prefer romance books as a dual POV, but this was the only book where I felt it wasn't needed. I was excited to see that a bonus chapter is available from the MMC's view ◡̈

I am on a streak right now where every book I read features a man built with more patience than any one human should be allowed, and I am swooning for them all.

Let me rewind. When I started this book, I fell for the way it was pitched as a romance with a side plot following grief, as FMC Cass loses her “perfect” older brother suddenly on page 4. But reader, I must warn you (in the best way), that this book is the opposite. An exquisite exposé on grief and how it just simmers below the surface, as well as the unique positionality of losing a sibling, this novel had me crying both at the beginning and the end, and I wasn’t expecting to shed a tear at all. Perhaps it is that I am a sister who can’t imagine losing her own brother, perhaps it was the way Cass watches her family splinter and fall into the darkest of chasms, perhaps I just empathize with her grief. Or maybe it was all of the above. Regardless, I was bowled over at the beauty of the writing; the author’s writing is much like Cass’s herself: “honest and sad but funny.”

The romance, side plot though it was, was great as well. I adored Vince, and his unwavering support of Cass was so beautiful. I hope that we should all be so lucky to have someone so stalwart in their support of us through our hardest and darkest days.

I am so grateful to Sophie Andrews for writing this book, and I recommend it most heartily to everyone who wants to feel something. An incredibly easy 5⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Sophie literally had me balling my eyes out through out the entire book. The huge amount of empathy that she makes you feel is alluring because I did not put this book down once; I literally stayed up all night to finish it. Definitely a book Contemporary Fiction with a lot of sexual tension

Triggers / Themes
Family Death
Loss & Grief
Mental Heath
2nd Chance
Brothers Best Friend


Cassie’s Brother RJ dies on Valentine’s Day and it absolutely devastates her family and home life. As family starts to arrive and console her mom and day - the family that runs the local funeral home stops by - low and behold its - Vince and his dad (her brothers best friend whom she had a crush on in school.
While Cassies tries to hold her family together, she finds now help on how to grieve the loss of a brother; so she takes to her social media and uses that to post her frustrations, her pain and struggles. She has to be the strong person through all of this but who can Cassie rely on?

Cassie's life is flipped upside-down when her older brother suddenly passes away from a heart attack. This leads Cassie to reconnect with Vince Mancini, her brother's childhood best friend, and owner of the local funeral home. Due to their grief, Cassie's parents leave all funeral planning to Cassie. Fortunately, she has Vince to help her navigate this horrible time. Through her grief, Cassie's realizes her childhood crush on Vince has turned into real feelings as an adult, and turns out, Vince feels the same.

This book explores grief in such a beautiful way. Readers see grief represented in so many ways through so many different characters. The story truly made my heart ache for Cassie and her family.

The tropes in this book were some of my favorite -- brother's best friend, grumpy x sunshine, sport themes. Overall, the story was fast-paced and gives readers a roller coaster of emotions. Definitely would recommend this to anyone who is looking for more of a somber, romantic story.

While this book was not what I thought I was getting, it was a pleasant surprise. There are some heavier topics as the FMC goes through the losing her brother. I honestly loved taking the journey with her!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews.
Cass's brother suddenly dies unexpectedly and throws her life into turmoil. She is helped through her grief by one of her brothers' good friends who she has been in love with since she was a teenager, turns out he had the same feelings but due to bro code, he could never date his friend's little sister! Cass needs to deal with her grief, and her own issues and learn to love herself before she can love someone else.
This book had me in tears from the first page! It's hard to lose a loved one! Cass has to plan a funeral while trying to hold the family together and arrange a tribute fundraiser to honour her brother. All the while trying to deal with her grief, but there is no self-help book for losing a sibling!
Phenomenal writing and from the author's notes some parts of this are pulled from her real-life experience of losing her own brother. A beautifully written story of love and loss!

This was very sad but very beautiful. I feel like the grief shown was very realistic and as annoying as the fmc could be at times, I felt like I would be her if I were in that situation. Great read!

A bittersweet novel about a journey of grieving.

It doesn't shy away from difficult moments of depression moments in the midst of grief. Consider this a fair warning before you read this book. But don't be discouraged with the ugly moments, it also shows the beautiful side of losing someone you love.

Cassandra's journey is inspired by the author's (Sophie Andrew) real life story of losing her brother. While it's not an exact copy of Sophie's journey, I think this is a beautiful tribute to the journey of grieving itself. It's an encouraging and reassuring story that it's okay to be at your lowest point, it's okay to lost your way, it's okay not to be okay. In a way, Cassandra's story is very relatable to a lot of people. Struggling is a part of life, you have to live life and make peace with it. But it also shows that when you acknowledge your shortcomings and seek help, it'll make you feel much better. Life would be so much easier.

This fast-paced novel offers a surprisingly heartwarming journey through grief. While the main plot tackles the challenges of loss, a sweet side love story blossoms, offering a touch of optimism. If you enjoy tales of self-discovery woven with a touch of romance amidst difficult times, this book is for you!

An emotional honest depiction of grief, love, and growing up.

Cass is in a little bit of a rut. She moved home from NYC after her writing aspirations never quite picked up steam. She's living in her parents basement, waitressing at a bikini bar, and doesn't really have friends. Well one way to break out of routine is some good ole fashioned trauma in the form of her older brother, and best friend, dying unexpectedly. In a single moment her world comes crashing down. Her mom becomes catatonic, her dad decides to opt out of being a parent, leaving Cass in charge of planning her brother's funeral. Cass finds comfort and help from the funeral director Vince, who also happens to be her brother's best friend from high school and her childhood crush. As Cass learns to navigate this new world without her brother she is able to lean on Vince through the ups and the downs.

This is such an honest tale of grief and all its emotions, despair, jealousy, and hope. Andrews does such a great job balancing some of the hardest aspects of losing a loved one with the hope of a better tomorrow. I cried, giggled, and "awwwed" all the way through this book.

While the story delves into grief, it also offers a journey of healing and resilience.

A story I felt connected and related too

Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations is Sophie Andrews’ latest Women’s Fiction/romance. It’s very different from her previous romantic comedies, especially her previous novel, How to Ruin a Wedding. This story is primarily about how a young woman struggles with grief after her beloved brother dies suddenly and includes a gentle romance with his high school best friend. It is told in first person by Cass, with some short chapters being her online posts.

28-year-old Cassandra “Cass” St. George is living in her parents’ basement, trying to figure out how to use her journalism degree from Columbia while she works as a cocktail waitress at a Hooters-like bar, Sassie Lassie. Cass previously worked as an assistant for a celebrity in New York City, but she is bound by a non-disclosure agreement to not discuss it. She makes a little money writing articles for online publications and has 10,000 followers on her own blog. Cass admits that she struggles with in-person relationships but does well on social media.
Cass is closest to her 30-year-old brother, Ray, a middle school teacher who has a lot of secrets. When he collapses outside his gym one evening, her family is devastated. Cass is considered the “unsuccessful child” whereas Ray was the “golden son”. He was a star athlete and coaches the high school baseball team. He is married with four-year-old twin daughters, but only Cass knows that he has filed for divorce and is living in his basement with his new girlfriend. Cass’ father is a successful businessman in Manhattan and emotionally abandons his family. Her mother is a type-A personality who, shattered by Ray’s death, stays in bed while her many friends come over to cook and clean. So Cass is left to make the arrangements with Mancini Funeral Home.

Vince Mancini works at his family’s funeral home. He was best friends with Ray during high school and promises to help Cass as she navigates the loss of Ray. He is handsome, steadfast, and loyal, reminding Cass of why she had a secret crush on him as a young teen. Cass really leans on Vince and falls in love with him but is conflicted by the timing of it all. Vince is a perfect supportive romantic hero; no grumpy or broody billionaires here.

Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations is an excellent and realistic love story about an awkward, grief-stricken young woman who comes into her own. Cass really develops as a character and person, and the reader cheers her on. This story is different from other novels with themes of loss because the dead character is a sibling. I would rank this story up there with Debbie Macomber and Kristan Higgins’ books about loss, because Sophie Andrews’ writing is so genuine and vivid. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I requested this book off of NetGalley I had such strong hopes for it and it ended up COMPLETELY blowing me away. I read this book at work and I'm glad that I was alone while I did because so much of this book had me tearing up. It was raw, it was beautiful, it was funny. Most importantly, it was so real.

Cass's grief was just...it made me feel some things. I (thankfully) haven't lost either of my siblings, but over the years I have lost a number of people in my life. I have felt the hurt, the anger, the lingering behind it all and I think that's what made this book one of the absolute favorites that I've read this year. It's what made me love her as a character.

I loved the romance behind this book as well. Normally I'm an advocate for dual POV but this book was about Cass and her grief and how her brother's life affect her. There were parts where I wish we got Vince's perspective but I'm also glad that we didn't have it at the same time. Speaking of Vince, I loved that man right away. I just want to put him in my pocket and keep him around. He just felt so warm and comforting.

I'm not usually one for a third act break up, but it was so necessary for this book. As someone who has fallen into the pit of depression that grief can lead to, I loved how that was touched upon. My only wish was that at the end, I kind of wanted more than just a quick apology. I kinda hoped it showed more of a building up of trust again between the two. But to quote Martha Dunnstock in Heathers the Musical, "I'm a sucker for a happy ending."

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for providing me an ARC copy of the book for my honest opinion.

💐Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC💐

4.5/5 ⭐
2/5 🌶️

⚾ Brother's friend.
⚾ Grief and healing journey.
⚾ Second Chance.
⚾ Found Family.
⚾ Mental Health Rep.

I'm trying to figure out how to approach this book review other than to be candid about it. The author crafts a narrative in which she infuses parts of her own grief.

This entire book is a grieving journey, one with which you might identify with or, if you have experienced it, perhaps your grief differed. That's the thing with grief: it's yours. Nobody can hold it for you. Nobody can take it away. And no one will have the same exact experience as you. However, one thing is certain: grief is terrible to those touched by it.

This is the best way in which I can describe grief and what to expect if you choose to read this book. As someone who has experienced grief several times at a young age, even reading the first two pages was difficult; moist eyes and a knot in my throat accompanied me throughout the story, and I had to put this book down so many times that I lost count.

Is there romance? Absolutely. This book is full of love; different kinds of love, and if you are expecting a novel that focuses solely on the romance aspect between the female main character and a male lead, I would advise you to forget about that and dive into this book with an open mind because, while you will find a soothing, challenging, and hard-edged romance...there is a bigger love here—the one of a female heroine who loves her older brother and whom she lost.

But gosh, when you're ready, dive into this book. You will weep, ponder about life, hug those you love, cry some more, mourn those who are no longer here, be captivated by Cassie and Vince's romance (I loved him!) and then cry some more; sometimes from grief, frustration, and even rage, and sometimes from relief, happiness, and hope.

Books about grief are always immensely difficult for me to read. I have had so much loss and grief in my life that I often stay as far away from the topic. I had decided on a whim to request this book, and I’m so glad I did.

Grief is raw and different for everyone. We all react differently, and come out of it differently. While I didn’t have the same journey as Cass and her family, I still feel so connected to this story.

Cass is the anchor of this book, as much as she would argue that the anchor is actually Vince. Her journey throughout this book was what really kept me together while reading it. Of course, I am a romance girlie at heart; so I truly did love her bond with Vince. But Cass was the shining by star. She was the root of this book.

(I love Vince. He literally makes me so angry because he’s not real. His steady, quiet love for Cass was extremely emotional and real. He was so tender and sweet and caring. And I actually think I would’ve liked a few more scenes with him.)

This story, while extremely difficult to read, was exceptional. I think it’s worth a read.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a raw, emotional look at a type of grief that is often overlooked - the loss of a sibling. It's a unique position, as the MC constantly battles with - you may not have lost a child, or a spouse, or a parent, but "I lost someone too." I thought this would be more of a quirky romance that an emotional roller coaster, but the romance subplot is really not the focus.

This did lost momentum for me toward the end, as it felt rushed to wrap everything up neatly.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an arc of this book.

I’m going to keep this short and sweet.

Read the book! And get your tissues ready.

This book isn’t your typical romance, but more about grieving, and finding love through grief. The book is wonderfully written, and it makes you feel every emotion.

[3.75] Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book. This was a great short read full of ups and downs. Although I don't typically enjoy a self-sabotaging FMC, I think it made sense in relation to the overall theme of grief throughout the novel.

Sophie Andrews' *Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations* is a heartfelt and compelling novel that beautifully portrays the multifaceted nature of grief. The author excels in capturing how different people cope with the loss of a loved one, making the story deeply relatable. Cass is funny but sometimes you just want to jump into the book and shake her. Her journey through grief is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she strives to find herself amidst the chaos of her emotions. The writing style is engaging and evocative, making it easy to get lost in Cass's world. The dialogue is sharp and often humorous, reflecting the awkward conversations that arise in the wake of tragedy. This balance of humor and pathos makes the book a compelling read from start to finish. This is definitely a book I will continue to recommend. 🖤