Def not my usual go-to kinda book - but I ended up REALLY enjoying it!
My heart ached for Maggie!!! I mean, I can't say that I would want to be saddled with a family business such as this - but when it came down to it - she took the reigns and handled it like a champ!! Her brother is a jerk. Her ex and his mom are jerks. Her kids are pretty awesome. Her friends are pretty awesome. There are times where I felt that I could SEE what was coming - and was WRONG (thankful for that one lol). I really enjoyed this tale and was rewarded by all the emotions - sadness, weariness, happiness, heart break, new love, life & death - so yeah - it's all here. :) I was given a digital copy of Death Actually by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great read. Everything was well written. The writing made you feel like you were a part of the story and you actually cared about the characters. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

Death Actually is a book of several intertwined stories, centred mostly around death and dying. I enjoyed all of the characters and found them on the most park likeable, and the entire book was a pleasant and enjoyable read. The only downside was there wasn’t really so much of a climax or peak of the plot point, the story plateauing throughout until the reader reached the end. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Rosy Fenwicke’s writing style, and so would highly recommend.

Death Actually does an excellent job of weaving together the stories of Maggie, her two children Nick and Kate, and their friends and neighbors. Rosy Fenwicke crafts characters who are interesting and complex, from the funeral director and single mother, Maggie, to her German and cancer-stricken best friend Elka, to the Hollywood actor Tim Loomis who is both irritating and charming at the same time. Overall, this novel was a fast and enjoyable read, and I was sad to say goodbye to many of the characters by the end. I look forward to reading more works by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Death Actually"
by Rosy Fenwicke. The book felt all over the place to me. There seemed to be so much going on and it was hard for me to keep track of what was going on, This may be the right book for someone else, it just wasn't for me.

I received this as a digital ARC from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I agree with the reviewers who commented about the number of characters in this book. To me, there seemed far too many, that were not all relevant or necessary to the plot. This was very confusing initially and I almost didn't finish this book. I had to push past the 20% mark, and skim read chapters which were just involving the "unnecessary characters". However, that said it wasn't a bad read. It won't be one I want to read again, and it definitely won't be a book that stays with me for weeks afterwards. I think I will pretty quickly forget about the characters and this story.

This is the second book I've read by Rosy Fenwicke, and I really enjoyed it. It made me laugh and cry at the same time. Great summer read.

Death actually: Death. Love. And in between by Rosy Fenwicke
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 2½/5 stars

**Mini-Review**

The Bottom Line: I can’t say I liked or disliked this book, but I can say I finished it. How’s that for a rousing recommendation?? This is one of those reads that attempts to integrate several disparate stories/lives into one read. Unfortunately, that integration isn’t as successful as I would have liked it to have been. In truth, this book reads like a collection of stories all playing out in a single location with some feeble/tenuous connections between the characters. By the end of the novel, all the characters have finally come together through a series of events, none particularly happy, which have led them to truly knowing one another.

Lest you think I liked nothing about this book, let me assure you, I did like something. I liked and rather enjoyed the somewhat prolonged ending which gave me a better understanding of the characters and what happened to them in the time since all the tragedy. I am always a fan of knowing what has happened to a cast of characters and this book does an excellent job of laying out the aftermath. The ending, though prolonged is more carefully constructed and informative than This prolonged ending is what I wish the rest of the book had been.

Set in Queenstown, New Zealand, Death Actually is an omniscient third-person narrative that tells the story of Maggie, a strong independent woman who has had to be both a mother and father to her two children, Kate and Nick. As a funeral director, she is far from stereo-typical, adding to her well-rounded and three-dimensional characterisation.

This well-written story is full of different characters; there is plenty of action and the author doesn’t shy away from some real gritty issues. As well as being both sad and funny, this is also an inspirational tale of making the best out of life before it’s too late. Whilst there is plenty going on, its linear structure makes for an uncomplicated and chillaxy read and I would recommend this for anybody who likes Jill Mansell or Carole Matthews.

I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars within its genre of Women’s contemporary fiction.

What a satisfying, interesting and very well written book! I loved this story and all of this characters. I strongly recommend this to absolutely anyone! This will be a terrific beach read, but you might not want to put it down to go in the water!

This book sensitively examined the life of Maggie as a funeral director and her children,
Naturally there were some deaths, but also some success stories. The romance was a bit cliched and didn't lend much to the story. I enjoyed the book and would look for others from this author

"Observe, Remember, Compare. It can be applied to almost anything."
This is an amazing book of family, love, hope, grief and resilience.
The Main character Maggie Porter is a funeral director. She has two children who are finding their ways as they approach adulthood, and Maggie has friends who help her find her dreams.
I loved the characters, the descriptions and the real life dilemma's in each chapter.
Tissues are needed at times, but laughing is included and you won't want to miss this novel!

I was hopeful when I started this book with it having 2, 5 star reviews but I didn’t get it. There are too many characters to keep track of and i couldn’t keep track of all stories going on throughout the book, DNF at 20% even though I tried to stick with it. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This lovely book is written by another former Wellington GP, although I never met her, and have not read her previous novel, but will be looking out for it.

Maggie Potter, fortyish, is an undertaker - excuse me, funeral director, in Queenstown, New Zealand (for my overseas friends, it’s a resort town in the South Island, probably one of the most beautiful towns in the world.)
Maggie has had a tough life, married too young, she was left with two very young children when her husband skedaddled, having to take over the family funeral business when her parents were killed in an accident. Now settled into her role, with good friends and a comfortable life, she is quite content, but life, and death, keep getting in the way. First her daughter returns from working as a chef in London, and won’t get out of bed. Her son is working as a food delivery driver, visiting an old friend who is a morbidly obese recluse following an injury, and a movie star is in town, causing chaos. Then a close friend dies, followed by a stranger who appears to have drunk herself to death, and Maggie has to hide her feelings under her professionalism. Her other good friend, Elka, is having an operation, and she keeps running in to, or being nearly run over, by the town’s hunky doctor...

Despite the focus on death, in all it’s forms, this book is neither too dark and heavy, nor too light and fluffy. I really liked the characters - Maggie is realistically flawed but sympathetic, Nick a brave and kind yet cheeky young man, Lizzie believable in her battle with depression and chronic pain. While not particularly funny, there are some clever in jokes and amusing moments. I loved the thinly disguised parodies of a well known NZ broadcaster (even the name rhymes) and movie star (and again, part of the name is similar.)
There are enough subplots to keep it interesting without becoming confusing, and some serious issues are dealt with sensitively. I was interested in the details of the funeral industry, which one doesn’t often read about, and loved all the NZ details.

My only criticism is that the romance (which to me was unnecessary) was terribly cliched - did it have to be with a handsome rich doctor, and followed the same course (antagonism, attraction, misunderstanding, shared drama, true love, yawn...) I understand that the plot needed a doctor, but it would’ve been great to see a less conventional love story. Even so, am giving it 5 stars as it’s well written and a great read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Is one ever allowed to say that a book was honest if they know it's a work of fiction?
Well, the details, dialogues and characters were so real and vivid in how they went about their lives that I couldn't help but empathize with Maggie when her longtime friend chooses to take her own life instead of Cancer taking it. Or, when the new doctor-Ben, comes into town and she cannot help but be hot and cold around him. There are also Kate and Nick who in their own way model her strength as a single parent.
So, thank you NetGalley for the eARC, this was a heartfelt read anyone who's ever loved, lived and cherished a moment or two with great people would enjoy this book.