*spoiler-free*
The Dead Romantics is told from Florence Day’s perspective, a ghostwriter who is expected to write addictive romance books for famous authors but after a bad break-up, she is struggling to believe in love anymore. Benji Andor, Florence’s editor, refuses to give her an extension on her next deadline and so the pressure is on. The last thing Florence then expects is to see the ghost of her editor at her front door. Emotions develop from the offset which results in a series of complicated experiences and feelings.
I initially found the premise of this book a bit odd due to the ghost/supernatural aspect of it, but I’d seen how popular The Dead Romantics had been online recently and wanted to give it a go. My apprehension also came from reading a ghost/romance story very recently (Layla by Colleen Hoover) which is not my usual type of read. However, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I loved the modern book references throughout, especially the one to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne which was one of my favourite reads from 2022. I also have a soft spot for books set in the publishing industry and so this book was very enjoyable to read.
Publishing was all very romantic until you found yourself in publishing. Then it was just another kind of corporate hell.
p7
I really liked the constant romance theme throughout the book, even when more sensitive themes were introduced, such as grief. It made conversations around these topics not as depressing but still focused on how important it is to acknowledge and process grief. Poston’s writing also reminded me of Beth O’Leary’s books (e.g., The FlatShare and The Switch) which are books I always find comforting. I found all the main characters to be written well as Florence is a funny character but still sensitive and empathetic. Ben is a typical love interest, but this suited the book as he is caring and supportive. I also liked the relationships between some of the more minor characters, for example, between Carver and Nicki and Alice and Rose.
I did guess the main plot twist to the book very early on however I was happy that this actually transpired and so I didn’t mind that the book didn’t surprise me too much. The book was building up to this revelation and so I was glad Poston gave it justice. The supernatural and romance themes blend well overall; I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to.
Overall, this is a cute rom-com book that is very easy to read. It helped get me out of a reading slump after reading some quite depressing/dark reads recently. If you aren’t particularly into rom-com books, you may find it a little cringe, but it is such a wholesome story with a nice, happy ending.
4/5 stars
Soph's Library 