Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the free copy. I posted the wrong review here and I can't delete it!!

DNF. This book did not catch my attention.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

This had everything to be perfect, the premise --- chef's kiss. I love a dark broody romance. Hell, I am the target demographic. I have a dark twisted sense of humor and I love morose stuff. However, I think it got a bit lost in the sauce. It's a great premise, a brilliant premise, maybe it was too fast, too hallmark. Something happened where it doesn't quite work. I wanted it to. So bad!

This book has romance, fun, and a twist. But, one of the things that I truly liked was the way that the book explores grief. Grief is often a hard subject to speak about or write about, but I felt that the author did it perfectly. It was done in a very real way, which I really appreciated. It’s a wonderful book that explores love, grief, and small town living, plus the paranormal. Definitely check it out!

I really enjoyed this book. Death is a hard topic for some and the gentle and unique way that Casket Case showcased death was beautiful and heart warming. Reading fiction helped me her through grief when I lost my mom and I could easily see this book being one that helps people dealing with grief and loss.

I was expecting this to be a one- or two-star review based on what other folks were saying, and I was pleasantly surprised. Is the romance crafted well? Not particularly. Is the Death world-building richly described? Also not particularly. But the dialogue is pretty funny, and I enjoyed learning about Rabbittown and its inhabitants.

Casket Case by Lauren Evans is a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery that blends small-town charm with a touch of the macabre. Set in a quirky Southern town, the story follows a feisty, no-nonsense heroine navigating funeral homes, family secrets, and a suspicious death that hits a little too close to home.

Evans writes with wit and warmth, crafting a cast of eccentric but lovable characters and a mystery that keeps you guessing without getting too dark. The dialogue is snappy, the pacing brisk, and the setting full of down-home flavor.

Some of the plot twists feel a little convenient, and a few side characters could use more depth, but overall, it’s a lighthearted yet satisfying whodunit perfect for fans of humorous mysteries with strong female leads.

Casket Case is the kind of book you read with a glass of sweet tea in hand—comforting, clever, and just a little bit cheeky.

Sadly I struggled with this book. I couldn't connect with the characters. The blurb sounded promising, but the characters lacked something special that made me feel connected to them.

This one was not what I was expecting. Sadly it wasn’t for me. Although it may be the perfect book for someone.
I love spooky season rom coms. This one just was a little too weird for me.

Casket Case is a quirky paranormal rom-com set in small-town Alabama. Nora, who runs her family's casket business, meets Garrett, a charming stranger with a mysterious job—he works for Death. Their romance unfolds amidst themes of grief and self-discovery. While the premise is unique and the exploration of loss is heartfelt, the pacing can be uneven, and some character developments feel underexplored. Nonetheless, it's an engaging debut that blends humor with poignant moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

I loved this book, it was my first time reading anything from this author, and it will not be the last.
This was such a fun and delightful book, I highly enjoyed it

Nora Clanton, a thirty-something woman who returns to her Alabama hometown to run her family’s casket business after a tragedy. Life is quiet—until a handsome stranger named Garrett Bishop walks into her shop and asks for directions… and a date.

Garrett seems perfect—until Nora starts noticing he’s always around when someone dies. Turns out, he’s a “logistics coordinator”… for Death. Hooked yet?

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for this ARC!

Casket Case was a cute concept of a story! It took me a while to figure out if the MMC was real or only if the FMC could see him because of her association with working with death and him working for death. There were parts of the book that were really fun sections to try to figure out how it was going to resolve like when she saw him at the nursing home before the old lady died. The book was a little bit long-winded in the conference section, I think I knew that Garrett was going to show up at the conference so I was waiting for the details of the conference to end so I could know when Garrett was back in the story. I also wish we heard who was with her parents when they died to maybe give her some further closure.

Overall it was a cute book and a good easy read.

Theater lovers will adore this behind-the-scenes rom-com. Witty dialogue and big personalities made it fun, though some romantic moments felt a bit rushed. Still, the energy and heart of the story made for an entertaining escape.

I was delayed getting to this book so I actually ended up reading it after it came out but WOW! This was such a good debut. It had an inventive premise and a lot of heart - loved all of the Southern references (felt like home to me!) and the death-forward theme, as someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about grief and dying. The final chapters were perfect. Loved it!

In the nicest way possible, I'm not really sure I understand the point of this book. Sure, it's a romance with a twist I've never read before but can it really be considered a romance if they're wholly in love with each other 20% into the book? I let it go for a long time because I thought it would have something to do with the plot (them falling in love so fast) but the longer it went on, the more cringey it got. They were like two teenagers, constantly fighting one minute (I don't even know about what half the time) and saying "I love you so much babe" the next. Nora is certified crazy though and I understand she lost her parents and everyone deals with grief differently but I cannot believe Garrett loved her after all of her insanity. Also, the ending? I did NOT like that. I honestly wouldn't recommend but gave it two stars because it wasn't awful, just awkward.

This started off decently, but just got worse as it went on. The fmc is kind of terrible- especially to the mmc. They say “I love you” after maybe two dates, but it’s impossible the entire rest of the book to tell what they actually like about each other (other than thinking the other is attractive). Every time Garrett tries to have any fun banter with Nora she snaps at him. I honestly end up just feeling bad for him and think he could do better. Her relationship with her grandfather redeems her a little, but mostly she’s just insufferable. For example, he takes her to a fancy dinner, where he’s asked for them to be seated somewhere quiet (obviously so they can have privacy). Her response to this is to say “She probably thinks you’re ashamed of me. Or that I’m a prostitute.” It’s possible that was actually a joke….but huh? I think this premise had potential, but it just wasn’t good. The dialogue was often wooden and the insta-love was especially strange. It looked cute, but was definitely not.

This was a cute seasonal read for me. I didn’t like all the characters but I didn’t hate them either. I enjoyed it for what it was though!

Thanks to Dell for the ARC of this one! I tried more than once to get into this book and I was just never excited to pick it up. Unfortunately, it was a DNF for me. Thanks for the opportunity.

I had a very hard time getting through this. Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.