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Reviews tagging 'Grief'
Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews
9 reviews
blklitmagic's review
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
readingbetweenthevines's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Child death
bookishbyjennaavh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As a person going through active grief I tend to gravitate towards books heavy in loss. But because I am grieving I am more critical of how it’s portrayed.
This. This. This. Was amazing. Done so beautifully and it healed a piece of me. My own grief felt lighter. This was raw and read and nothing was overdone over dramatized.
The way Cass lived, functioned and suffered was real. It was raw. And even more so her desire to love and be loved by Vince. Fuck man. Like that is hard. When I lost my dad a year ago I couldn’t even think of handing over a broken used and abused heart to someone. Because in my mind, no one would want it. But this? Maybe there is hope.
And the authors note?? Oh my love, I knew there was a reason this felt like reading someone’s diary. Please read this book. Be warned it’s heavy on grief and pain and trauma. But it’s amazing.
Off to go cry more.
Graphic: Death and Grief
wandering_seal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I feel like this book is maybe more romantic fiction than a romance novel? The romance was well told, and heartfelt, and Vince is definitely a keeper. But the main story here is about grief, and the different ways a family get (or do not get) through it. I'm not sure I've ever read a book that focused on the death of an adult sibling. Sophie Andrews told the story in a way that was both respectful and very, very sad. Cassie is put through the wringer sorting out the fallout of the death of her brother - her parents aren't coping, and her already falling apart life becomes an increasing mess. The only thing holding her together is her brother's school friend, a funeral director who is more than willing to support her through the process. This is where the romance lies, a slow slow burn as Cassie navigates feeling emotions for others when her brother is dead. There is some spice, but again its not the central focus. Cassie has a lot to do to get her life back on track. I appreciated that - it made the romance feel more realistic - but towards the end I think I would have enjoyed a bit more of the two of them together.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Alcoholism
Minor: Medical content and Panic attacks/disorders
basilreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Abandonment
dlrosebyh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny
laurenabayne's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
We are thrown into it at the very start, with police showing up at Cass's door: her beloved older brother collapsed and was found dead. Soon the rest of her family is thrown into disarray: her mom numbs herself with pills, her dad grows violent and leaves the house for days at a time, and Cass tries to keep everything together. With the help of Vince, the town funeral director and Cass's childhood crush, she navigates her grief and how to get through a life without the one who held them together.
There were so many positives to this story. It shows different facets of grief, including how it changes over time, especially how it can cause mourners to feel guilty about feeling happy. It stresses the importance of getting help and not facing things alone, and it never shames Cass for being emotionally unstable and for floating through life. I also loved how it did not portray Ray to be a perfect person; it talks a lot about martyrdom after death and how we tend to only remember the positives, even though Ray was not necessarily a good person. The uniqueness of sibling relationships is explored. The inclusion of Instagram posts is particularly strong, a unique spin on epistolary storytelling.
Honestly, the only thing that knocked this down a star for me is the romance itself. A lot of the development in their relationship was glossed over, and the ending was pretty rushed. He was an absolute gem and I wish I could have seen more of him. If this is being advertised as a romance, and not as a coming-of-age or meditation on loss, then give me some more romance!! Especially when the date and spice scenes are that good :)
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved this one!
Graphic: Grief and Death
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
bigolscrewup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.
Graphic: Grief
melly_book_review's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Alcoholism