I throughly enjoyed this book. It was a really grwat read and I enjoyed the concept. It exceeded my expectations by a long shot! Highly recommend!

It is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching book and I absolutely loved it. It has loss, grief, depression and healing, with the perfect amount of slow-burn romance. The book mainly revolves around the loss of a family member and how the members of the family deal with this differently.

Cass, the FMC, was witty and so relatable - loved her dark humour. I felt so much empathy for her and my heart broke for her. The romance between her and Vince was so sweet. He didn’t sugarcoat things for her and was pretty straightforward and calm with her.

This was my first book by Sophie and I absolutely loved it. The story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you so much Sophie Andrews and Netgalley for this ARC copy!

Wow. This was one of the saddest books I’ve ever read. If you’re a crier, have tons of tissues.
This is my second @authorsophieandrews book and I loved it just as much as I loved the first one.
It’s raw and honest and heart wrenching. I haven’t lost a sibling but I’ve lost several friends and close family members as well as my ex.
This book tears you apart to put you back together only to tear you apart again and I loved every minute of it. I LOVE books like these so much. The way Sophie handles the stages of grief is perfect. She also nails the different ways people respond to grief. It very much brought me back to the grief I’ve gone thru in the past and how hard it was. This was so beautifully written. I highly recommend.

I was so surprised by this book! This was the first book I have read by Sophie Andrews. I thought this book would be more of a rom-com light hearted book and it was so much more than that. The books does a great job expressing the emotions of the main character and her family as they navigate the death of a sudden loved one. Having recently lost my father in law, this book gave me a lot to think about in how to process all of the emotion. I would highly recommend this book!

Is this the most realistic romance I have ever read? It think it just might be. It was amazing. I loved it so much.

Cass is a 27-year-old trying to deal with her older brother’s death and holding her family together. The book focuses on how she and everyone around her falls apart after this tragic and sudden event.

This book touched me deeply, but, unlike my fellow reviewers, not because of how it handled grief. The romance was what resonated the most with me. Cass’s anxiety and emotional roller coaster of healing spoke to me. It was touching, seeing my thoughts and struggles on the page. I also related to her wit and sense of humor. The dialogue flowed seamlessly, and I loved how we got to experience the minutiae of her interactions.

I loved reading her posts. They made the book more realistic and relatable. There were several laugh out loud moments for me which I valued greatly. I don’t know if the MMC Vince is at all realistic, but he was the best. He was there for her, supportive, and all-round amazing. I loved that he was making over his house. I loved this family.

This book also made me think a lot about how other cultures view death. How they deal with it makes it a lot harder.

I loved that Cass’s relationship with her parents was complicated. Her parents were more realistic than I would’ve liked 😅

My only problem with the book is that it’s too spicy for me. Also, beware of triggers concerning death and anxiety.

This book takes you on an emotional roller coaster through real life situations. Although this book is a romance novel it is far more then your average romance novel as it is strongly linked with death/grief. The tone of this book starts off sad and ends in a happy place. Everything in between is the journey to get there.
Don't be fooled by the cover of this book. It very much is a don't judge a book by it's cover kind if book. Although it meets the storyline, you could be fooled into thinking this is just another cheesy romance story and it is far from it. It is an exploration of real life human emotions at arguably the hardest time of your life (when you lose a loved one).

Great book and even if you aren't a romance reader you should give it a whirl.

I think I'm finally over whatever reading slump I was in because hello????

This book was so enjoyable! I feel like I mention this in every single one of my reviews, but one more time (or several) won't hurt.

I love anything romance related! It is my absolute favorite genre. I devour anything romance related, I can't help it. I'm a romantic at heart.

This book? Devoured.

I sat down on my reading chair, picked up my Kindle, opened this book, and the rest was history.

I loved the writing, the plot, the characters. Not to mention the book having one of my favorite tropes.

I just knew going in that I would enjoy this book, even if I was a little hesitant at first because of the slump I was in.

I'm so glad it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book! If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

5/5! Wow talk about eye opening. Don't let the cover of this book fool you. This story goes through all the different stages of grief and how different they are for everyone There is romance also but the main focus is the grieving process.

don't sleep on this story. it's well worth the read.


Review posted to GoodReads, Amazon, and Instagram.

LOVED this book! So many emotions so well written to make you laugh and want to cry all at the same time. The story of a young lady that loses her brother and all the deep emotions that come with it. Definitely pick this book up! You won’t be disappointed!

3.5/5 stars | ⭐⭐⭐½

The first half of this book had me full-on cathartic crying, something very few books have achieved. Sophie Andrews has a real talent for depicting earth-shattering grief, and it was incredibly moving to read. In addition, the start to the central romance was absolutely lovely.

Now, the last ~20-30% is where it fell off for me.

I think I've just grown incredibly weary of third-act-breakups in romance novels, especially since the heart-wrenching nature of this particular breakup was not, in my opinion, well balanced by the minimal amount of romance we received up until that point. Worse still, the fault of the breakup lies almost entirely with the FMC, who then ghosts the MMC for several months, then randomly shows up one day at his work to beg forgiveness. The makeup scene felt off, with the MMC caving a bit too easily, and it didn't feel like a satisfying continuation of their story.

Still, despite my disappointment with the final act, the non-romance elements of this book held incredibly strong, and I overall enjoyed reading about Cass's journey.

This book is for anyone dealing or has dealt with the complexities of grief and picking up the pieces. It was a bit all over the place at times, but that is what grief and coping is and Sophie Andrews captured it perfectly. Although it is a work of fiction, the author draws a lot on her own experiences which is probably why this book just feels so real. If you have lost someone suddenly I think you will especially connect to this book. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations eARC by Sophie Andrews — ★ ★ ★ ★

Tropes 🌷
- brother’s best friend
- slow burn
- coming of age

“I’ve spent so much time and energy fixing something that, in the end, is unfixable.” — Cassandra

This book is an emotional journey through the stages of mourning and healing. It’s not easy, but it definitely gets better. You don’t forget the loved ones you lost; they continue to live in our memories. 🥹

Cassandra excels in portraying the raw and emotional struggles that come with loss. Her grief over the death of her brother is palpable and deeply moving. 😭

Her story reminds us that even after the deepest sorrow, there is always a possibility for new beginnings and happiness.

If you’re looking for a moving read that handles grief with sensitivity and grace while also offering a heartwarming conclusion, “Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations” is a perfect choice! 💗✨

This book comes out tomorrow, May 31st, 2024! 🫶🏻 Thank you so much @victoryeditingngc @netgalley @authorsophieandrews for this e-ARC copy! 💗

As someone who doesn’t share this experience (so take my review with a pinch of salt), I did think this was a wonderful tale grief. At some point in time, I did get frustrated with every single character in the book but knowing that people react to such life changing news in different ways made it realistic. Acknowledging that we can’t romantise the dead and remember them solely as good people even if they’re not, but we continue to love them anyway, is in my opinion a very powerful message. I believe this was conveyed well. (Btw I’m all for open door romances but was it really necessary and appropriate for this book???)

Tw: death of sibling at beginning & mentioned heavily throughout story, alcohol use.
1st person single POV
Brothers best friend
Slow burn
HEA

Heartbreaking & heartwarming simultaneously. A well written story describing Cass's journey of grief, in her case an adult sibling sudden death - we follow the downs & ups & downs; the affect on the families, friends, colleagues; the confusing feelings; the pretending to be okay; & the supporting others before yourself sometimes.
Intertwined is a cutesy rom com brother's best friend situation with a hea. I laughed (author is actually a professional comedian, I'm sure of this ;) ) & I cried, I got angry alongside Cass & felt all the feels, but most importantly I healed a little. I hope that anyone who has struggled with, or is struggling with the death of a close person, can find this book & allow themselves to heal a little too. I applaud Sophie for having the strength to share a piece of her grief so we can help carry the weight together.

I've been thinking about the content of this book constantly since reading, & will be recommending to everyone I can & look forward to reading more by Sophie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Andrews for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy release day! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Cass heads straight to rock bottom when her brother unexpectedly dies, and unexpectedly his childhood best friend is the funeral director and the last person Cass thought would try to come to her rescue. This book is emotional, sweet and sometimes frustrating, but what is grief without some frustration?

Grief takes many forms, and I am familiar with all of them. Andrews does a great job depicting the different ways people grieve, and I found a part of myself in each character, especially through Cass. This is a roller coaster of character development (as it should be) and it is worth reading the highs and lows.

As much as I loved this book, Vince's character fell flat for me. While crucial to Cass's healing, I think he could have been fleshed out a little more instead of him just being used as an emotional punching bag. Again, loved the book but the romance didn't sell me. I would reccomend to anyone trying to find a connection in their journeys, silent mourners that needs something to tell them that their feelings are normal, and that it sucks but it'll be okay.

This was a beautiful book. The author really wrote a gut-punching story that surrounds loss. It made sense when I read that the author also lost her brother at a young age. The story focuses on Cass from the moment the family discovers the tragedy to much further down the road of grief and healing. Cass was already struggling with her stage in life having moved back home with her parents, is working as a waitress, and has a mountain of student loans. The death of her brother results in her reconnection with his childhood best friend, Vince. The story chronicles the many stages and responses to grief, as well as Cass's growth as a person, in addition to the love story between her and Vince. I felt for Cass, seeing many characteristics in her that I find in myself.. I didn't agree with all her choices, but that was ok, as people work through grief differently and at varying rates. And I really enjoyed the long building love story between her and Vince. Thank you for to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC to reivew, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

★★,5

love at a funeral and other awkward conversations ARC review

The title and cover of this book really intrigued me.
This book is about 27 year old cassandra who loses her brother at the beginning of the book. The boy she once loved is the funeral director. Will Cass find love? How will she handle her grief?

At the beginning of the book raymond dies and the writer does a wonderful job displaying all the different ways people deal with grief. It was hard to read at times but i feel like the representation was very accurate.

Cass is such a funny character and i liked her immediately.
Vince is a patient and sweet mmc and there’s nothing not to love about him.

The love story in this was a bit slow for my liking.
It felt like the romance was more of a subplot to this story and even though I understand why I do think I’d have enjoyed this book more if the romance had a more prominent role in the story.

This book was not my cup of tea and I would definitely not categorise it as romance, but i was very beautiful to read about Cass her journey.

⭐️5/5
🌶️3/5

It’s real, raw, honest, angsty, and authentically beautiful. As the reader, you can see how much of Andrews’s heart and soul she poured into this book.

The themes are incredibly down-to-earth and applicable to families and communities navigating grief. To make it that much better, the MMC’s (Vince) character is seriously book-boyfriend-goals—the wholesome epitome of safe space and affection!

Highly recommend it as a change of pace or for anyone who’s moving through grief and is looking for a book with text-to-life relatability.

Let's face it, in romance (as in most genres, I guess), the narrative pattern is often the same. A meeting (or re-meeting), characters getting to know each other, a love story born, the trials and tribulations that threaten to tear the budding couple apart, passion, tenderness, and a happy ending. And that's all you want when you open a romance, so that's fine.

But sometimes you come across a book that turns these codes on their head, and that's why I wouldn't call 'Love at a Funeral...' a romance as such.

First and foremost, it's Cassandra’s story, who is confronted with a loss she never imagined, and faces consequences she never expected. It's the story of a family destroyed by sudden grief, and how they come to terms with it (or don't). So, yes, it's a love story, since through the horror of this loss, Cass meets her childhood crush again and rekindles a very strong bond with him, but this love story is ultimately placed in the background. This novel is above all the story of Cassandra's grief and the stages she goes through to move on.

Sometimes you meet the perfect person at the wrong time, and that's very much the story of Cass & Vince, who fall in love with each other while the foundations that should allow Cassandra to stand on her own two feet have crumbled.

So that's what you'll find here: very raw, very deep emotions. A very endearing female main character who questions herself deeply and goes through hell. A magnificent love story that doesn't happen at the right time. An incredible male character who will make your heart skip a beat. A happy ending (because you can't break all the codes either). All so beautifully written, it’ll make ou cry.

When Cass's brother dies, she is left to pick up the broken pieces of her family. Her father is angry, her mother is depressed, and Cass is completely lost. Amid making funeral arrangements, she finds solace in the company of the funeral director and her former crush, Vince Mancini. Despite the crushing waves of grief, resentment, and loneliness, Vince is the only thing that keeps her afloat. For Cass, they can be nothing more than friends. She is a mess, and her life is in shambles. Who would love someone like that?

This book blew me out of the water! I felt like it was a raw but beautiful representation of grief and how everyone processes it differently. I went in expecting a romance/ romcom story, but I was surprised to see that the main storyline was following Cass and how she was processing her grief. For some, that may have been disappointing, but for me, I found it very refreshing and honest. This book had me in tears, especially when I found out the owner wrote this book based on her personal experience of loss. Don't worry, it's not all tears and heartbreak. There is some romance with a side of spice.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for providing this ARC.