2.5/5 Stars

This book had such promise with a very unique premise - someone that works for Death falls in love with the owner of a Casket Company - but it fell so flat.

There were parts that I enjoyed, but overall this just didn't do it for me. The romance didn't really make sense. I just never bought it because it was supposedly almost love at first sight, but there's no reason why.

I wanted to love this, but unfortunately it just didn't work. There's definitely potential here and I'm interested in seeing what this author does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Lauren Evans for the early copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of Casket Case, in exchange for an honest review.

"Casket Case" by Lauren Evans, follows Nora as she inherits her family's casket store and encounters the mysterious Garrett. While I had high hopes for this book, the overall vibes didn't quite live up to expectations. The romance felt rushed, and the pacing was a bit off, leading to a somewhat disappointing experience.
Inconsistencies in chapter length added an additional challenge, with some chapters being too short or unusually long. Moreover, small inconsistencies in the storyline, such as the mention of missing weekdays and conflicting actions, took away from the immersion in the story.

Despite these flaws, I still found myself completing the book, albeit with a sense of mild disappointment. It's worth giving it a read, but be prepared for some inconsistencies along the way."
3.5 Stars!

When Nora’s parents died, she took over their casket business. Her small hometown doesn’t have many prospects on the love front until a stranger wanders into her shop. Garrett might be the perfect man. But when he somehow ends up being at the scene of a series of deaths she wonders what he does for work. She finds out he’s a logistics coordinator for Death and Nora doesn’t know if she can move past that.

This storyline is a bit bonkers but was also perfect for spooky season. This was the type of quick read that I couldn’t put down, in part due to the wild ride it took me on. I’ve definitely never read anything like this and I am intrigued to see what else Lauren Evans writes.

Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Representation: Not much of note, a couple Black supporting characters that make brief appearances throughout.

Rating: 3.5/5 A story about a woman who runs her family’s casket business and falls for a man who works for Death. Sounds wonderfully morbid, but there’s surprisingly very little actual death, and more conversations about dying, what happens to people around the deceased, and mortality. Overall, this was a decent read and I did enjoy the banter among all of the characters, and parts of the romance. I was often reminded of the show Dead Like Me, which I really enjoyed, this just focused more on the character’s life outside of working for Death. However, there was more that fell short for me. I kind of wanted to see more of Garrett and what he did with his clients, we weren’t really shown anything until a good while into the book. We barely got to see that part of him, despite it being a huge part of his life, and a big part that formed his personality since he started this when he was fairly young. About the romance, it felt…lacking for me. Nora and Garrett fall for each other VERY quickly, they’ve barely met and already going on dates and declaring their love. It is acknowledged by the characters that it feels quick, so that’s something, but it still puts me off a little. I feel like the depth and knowing that they achieved was just not possible in that short span of time, it’s the kind you develop over months, even years. I also didn’t like the whole romance aspect with Johnny, the “rebound” during Nora and Garrett’s off period. It felt almost forced and put there simply to add drama. Yes, Johnny was being manipulative, but I feel like Nora is smarter than that and wouldn’t have fallen for Johnny that quickly. Again, the speed of love is the issue for me. One last thing that kind of bothered me, but I read the eARC so I don’t know if this was changed before it went to print and don’t have access to a copy to check. There were three points in the book where there was a strange point of view shift to characters NOT Nora or Garrett. The first was at around 33%, and the chapter started with Elaine observing Nora then shifted into Nora without a clear indication that it had shifted. It happened again around 85% with Nora’s grandpa, then closed out the book with the grandpa. I do think ending the book like that was interesting. I think that it really should’ve stuck to only two POVs, or at the very least, if the author really wanted those added in, make it clear who and add a break or something to clearly indicate when the POV has shifted back to the MC. This is probably not a book I would recommend, unless you’re looking for a simple easy romance that has the classic angst, with some Death thrown in there.

I really wanted to enjoy this book so I gave it two tries but after listening to about 45% of the book and still not being invested I decided not to finish the story. The premise of the story got my attention but I wasn't thrilled about the instalove in the story. I wasn't sold on the romance between the two characters, it felt like they were dating for the sake of dating and not because of actual feelings for each other.

This book was a cute, fun romance! There was a touch of supernatural but nothing super out there. I really enjoyed the characters and the way they handled grief was very well thought out.

Casket Case had so much promise to it. The premise of the book was so good. However, the plot lines seemed a little sporadic. The FMC and MMCs love interest did not feel genuine to me, it felt very forced with no chemistry.

I started off liking the characters but I kind of got bored with them by the end. The whole relationship felt so rushed. I like a little bit of a slow burn

3.5/5 ⭐️

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book.

Nora inherits her parent’s casket store and Garrett works for Death. There was so much that I constantly guessed and this book surprised me multiple times. Throughout the book, Garrett won over my heart and I wanted him and Nora together.

This was pitched as a rom-com about a young woman who returns home to run her family’s casket business and falls in love with someone who works for Death. It sounded like the perfect read for spooky season. It sounded right up my alley. Man, do I wish that had been true.

The FMC was so freaking insufferable that she made me want to throw my Kindle across the room every time I started to read the actual book. There was a point shortly after Nora started dating Garrett, and she throws a fit about his coworker being a female. What are we, 17 year olds? It was so GROSS>

The premise was everything. The execution was garbage. The writing was super choppy. The characters were so cookie-cutter and basic. This is a major skip. I really hope her future books are better.

Thank you for the opportunity to read/review this book ahead of publication. This was/is a super cute concept but it wasn't for me. I will recommend to friends who I think it might be better suited for.

This was a cute story, but I was left wanting so much more. I am happy that I got to read it and I will recommend it to others, but I’m hoping we get a second book that fills in all the plot holes that came along with this book

This is a fun little rom-com with a paranormal twist and would make a good beach read. The main character, Nora, thinks too hard. She's been hit by a lot in the last year and her life has changed rather dramatically. She's trying to make a go of it in her small hometown, running her family's business of selling caskets. The timing in this one is a little off, with seemingly love at first sight and then snowballs from there. It was a quick read and a good one to pick up on a lazy day.

This is a slightly bizarre premise that ended up being really sweet! I don't always go for a "love at first sight" kind of trope but I actually felt their connection together really strongly. A very cute read!

This ended up being a pretty good book. I wasn't sure about it at first but I loved the idea of it so I kept going and I'm glad I did.

This was a cute debut about a woman who runs her family's casket business and falls in love with Death's assistant. It was a cute story, but not necessarily my thing. Overall, it was a cute book.

So much fun. Super unique setting in particular. It really made it stand out. Charming characters and conflict that made sense.

I didn't really enjoy this one. The characters basically fell in love with each other and were all about each other by the 20% mark. I loved the concepts of this one, but it just wasn't executed well in my opinion. I was hoping that I would love this one, but I just ended up underwhelmed.

The sweetest of sweet treats.
In *Casket Case*, Lauren Evans serves up a quirky, heartwarming rom-com that’s as fresh as it is fabulous! When Nora Clanton returns to her small-town Alabama home to run the family casket business, she never expects to meet Garrett Bishop, a dreamy stranger with a knack for logistics. But here’s the twist—his logistics involve working for Death!

This charming tale beautifully intertwines love and grief, all while keeping a lighthearted tone. Nora’s chemistry with Garrett is electric, even as she grapples with the weirdness of his job. The supporting cast adds delightful humor, making Rabbittown feel like a cozy haven.

With its clever premise and endearing characters, *Casket Case* is a must-read for anyone who loves a story where love conquers all—even the afterlife. Grab this book for a fun, heartfelt escape that proves romance can blossom in the most unexpected places!

Promising premise, not very well executed. I thought it would be the perfect fall season read but didn’t really enjoy the story and the dialogue seemed forced and boring at times. I was hoping for more witty banter. May be the right read for someone that likes paranormal, insta-love, love triangle tropes.

Thank you to Net Galley, author Lauren Evans and Dell Publisher for my eARC