Book Review: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

I can’t tell you why I didn’t pick up The Dead Romantics when it was initially released, despite knowing that it was much loved by many other readers and generally being an Ashley Poston fan (having read quite a few of her other novels). But I can tell you that I picked it up at exactly the right time for me when I impulsively decided to start it this year. And that experience? It’s one of the most precious things that can happen for any reader, and I treasure the way that this novel was exactly what I needed to read when I finally did so.

The Dead Romantics centers around Florence Day, a ghostwriter for a well-known romance author, who no longer believes in love after a terrible break-up. While that’s already a terrible circumstance to be in, it doesn’t help that she’s contracted to complete one more ghostwritten romance novel and can’t get an extension from her new editor to try to find her way to a written happily ever after. On top of all that, she receives a phone call that changes her life: her beloved father has died and she must return to the town she never wanted to come back to help bury her dad. Her return to the small town goes as expected (read: not great on a lot of fronts, but surprisingly good on others), but things get turned on their head when she finds the ghost of her editor standing at the door of her family’s funeral home with no idea why he’s there. Will Florence be able to help her editor figure out his circumstances? Will she be able to make peace with her own feelings about this small town, her family, her father’s passing and love?

I only needed to read one chapter of The Dead Romantics to know that I was going to enjoy it. Florence’s voice, conveyed through her inner monologues and actual dialogue, was so clear right from the get-go. I immediately found her likable, and while I didn’t necessarily always agree with her impressions or her choices, I did feel quite invested in her circumstances. She’s surrounded by characters that were quirky and flawed in a way that made them feel very human, and I enjoyed getting scenes with a great many of them as well.

I really appreciated the duality of my experience with the actual story. There were elements that were fun and lighthearted, with moments that called to mind the way I feel watching Hallmark movies or classic romantic comedies. And, of course, the magical aspect to the tale does require one to just go with the flow – and I had no issues or hesitations in doing so. But there were also aspects to The Dead Romantics that tugged hard on my heartstrings, making my chest ache and causing me to sob through a good chunk of the novel. Of course, this has a lot to do with the similarities between Florence’s experience with heartbreak, grief and loss and my own. But I really appreciated the catharsis of having an author be able to write about these things in a way that felt pulled straight out of my own brain and heart. Poston was able to honor the pain, while also showcasing hope and healing, and that really resonated with me.

The Dead Romantics is a charming, emotional read that found its way onto my reading radar at just the right time in my life for me to really enjoy and appreciate it. I’m so glad that I was finally able to read this beloved title this year, and that I liked it as much as many other readers have.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Release Date: June 28, 2022

Publisher: Berkley | Format: e-ARC

Source: e-ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)

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