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A review by amym84
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
3.0
3.5
Nearly every day Andrew is faced with sorting through the personal belongings of people who have died alone hoping to find a next of kin or just someone to remember the person who has passed. Happening more frequently, Andrew is the sole person attending the funerals. His colleagues would be worried except Andrew has a loving wife and two kids (a boy and a girl) at home to balance the happy and the sad.
Except, that's not entirely true. Andrew doesn't have a family, but after telling his boss at his hiring interview all about his family, Andrew has kept up the ruse fearing he's lose his job otherwise, and also not wanting to admit to the fact that he's lonely. Now it's getting so out of control Andrew can barely tell where the lies end and the truth begins.
Then, Andrew meets Peggy - a new hire in the office. As Andrew trains Peggy the two connect almost immediately and start forming a lovely friendship that has the potential to blossom into something more. Now Andrew is faced with coming clean about his made up family. But will Peggy, or anyone, still look at him the same once they learn his secret? The problem with coming clean is that Andrew will finally have to start living his life, that means moving on from a past that he has tried really hard to keep from dealing with.
I have to say that I was surprised with the depth of the exploration of life and death and the ways in which the loss of someone can change your life. I felt like I was prepared for the surface level, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that Andrew is facing something deeper than initially presented. I don't want to talk about it too much because I felt like seeing the pieces fit together is all part of the journey - both Andrew's and the reader's - and I enjoyed going in a little unprepared.
But, while the Richard Roper presents a deft hand at the topic of life and death, I just felt like the story as a whole dragged a bit too much. While I sympathized with Andrew, there were a few times I felt like we were going around and around in a circle in regards to him moving forward. Which is a shame because if you're someone else who feels the same and decided to give up early you'd miss the satisfying ending to Andrew's story. So, all I can say is if we are like me and felt a lull in the drive of the story, don't give up because it's worth it.
Truly, it's the relationship between Peggy and Andrew that really makes the story pop. They have such a great chemistry. While Andrew's personal development (around which the whole story is centered) at times dragged, I enjoyed the slow development of Andrew and Peggy's feelings for one another. As Andrew says throughout it's complicated and Mr. Roper certainly presents all the complications that come with being a responsible adult and then some for Peggy and Andrew. But seeing them, together and individually, work through their complications only makes their connection with one another brighter.
I feel like Richard Roper took a subject that could have easily been too morose and gave us hope and light, and a bit of laughter.
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Nearly every day Andrew is faced with sorting through the personal belongings of people who have died alone hoping to find a next of kin or just someone to remember the person who has passed. Happening more frequently, Andrew is the sole person attending the funerals. His colleagues would be worried except Andrew has a loving wife and two kids (a boy and a girl) at home to balance the happy and the sad.
Except, that's not entirely true. Andrew doesn't have a family, but after telling his boss at his hiring interview all about his family, Andrew has kept up the ruse fearing he's lose his job otherwise, and also not wanting to admit to the fact that he's lonely. Now it's getting so out of control Andrew can barely tell where the lies end and the truth begins.
Then, Andrew meets Peggy - a new hire in the office. As Andrew trains Peggy the two connect almost immediately and start forming a lovely friendship that has the potential to blossom into something more. Now Andrew is faced with coming clean about his made up family. But will Peggy, or anyone, still look at him the same once they learn his secret? The problem with coming clean is that Andrew will finally have to start living his life, that means moving on from a past that he has tried really hard to keep from dealing with.
I have to say that I was surprised with the depth of the exploration of life and death and the ways in which the loss of someone can change your life. I felt like I was prepared for the surface level, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that Andrew is facing something deeper than initially presented. I don't want to talk about it too much because I felt like seeing the pieces fit together is all part of the journey - both Andrew's and the reader's - and I enjoyed going in a little unprepared.
But, while the Richard Roper presents a deft hand at the topic of life and death, I just felt like the story as a whole dragged a bit too much. While I sympathized with Andrew, there were a few times I felt like we were going around and around in a circle in regards to him moving forward. Which is a shame because if you're someone else who feels the same and decided to give up early you'd miss the satisfying ending to Andrew's story. So, all I can say is if we are like me and felt a lull in the drive of the story, don't give up because it's worth it.
Truly, it's the relationship between Peggy and Andrew that really makes the story pop. They have such a great chemistry. While Andrew's personal development (around which the whole story is centered) at times dragged, I enjoyed the slow development of Andrew and Peggy's feelings for one another. As Andrew says throughout it's complicated and Mr. Roper certainly presents all the complications that come with being a responsible adult and then some for Peggy and Andrew. But seeing them, together and individually, work through their complications only makes their connection with one another brighter.
I feel like Richard Roper took a subject that could have easily been too morose and gave us hope and light, and a bit of laughter.
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review