Grave Talk, the latest book by Nick Spalding, is a study of grief and loss that beautifully captures the emotion and loneliness endured by those who grieve. What sets this book apart, though, is how it deals with the 10 years after death and how life can change, love and happiness can reappear, and family doesn't have to be a birthright, but can be found by sharing stories, laughter, sadness and love with another. In the end, healing can happen, and life can be worth living again. Thankfully, Mr. Spalding puts his trademark dry wit, humor and expert writing skills on the table, resulting in a lovely story about death, self-awareness and living again.

Grave Talk is told through the alternating POVs of its two main characters, Ben and Alice. Both characters are dealing with very significant, "before-their-time" losses: Alice lost her 40-something husband Joe to an unexpected heart attack, and Ben lost his older brother Harry to a battle with leukemia. Though they first meet in a cemetery under the saddest circumstances, not all elements of their encounter are serious. Ben is dressed up like Kermit the Frog, green face paint and all. His deceased brother, ever the prankster, requested in his will that Ben visit his gravestone each year in a ridiculous costume of Harry's choosing. Connected by this initial absurdity and their shared losses, Ben and Alice strike up a conversation and an enduring friendship. Each year, they return to the cemetery—Ben in costume and Alice in anticipation of seeing said costume—to discuss the past, the future, and how they're each navigating the world without their loved ones.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, sadly. There wasn't much "oomph" to the characters or the plot. In general, I am not a huge fan of alternating POVs either. To me, they feel a bit cheap in terms of storytelling. Overall, I just wasn't impressed by the characters, plot, or writing. I think the whole thing would have made a much better movie. It doesn't work on the page but I think it could do better if adapted to the screen.

Based on the subject matter, I think this book would be most impactful for anyone dealing with a recent, significant loss in their adult lives. Even these readers may at times be frustrated by the (in)actions of the characters, though.

An utterly charming take on grief and new beginnings. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

Alice and Ben meet in a graveyard, while each are visiting their loved ones who have passed. They soon form an odd friendship and end up meeting on the same day, same time and same place every year.

This is a story about finding yourself and navigating life after loss and I really enjoyed how it was from 2 different age perspectives. Alice and Ben’s friendship and how they grew overtime together, helped each other through life’s challenges was lovely and each year I was eager to see who Ben would be dressed up as next.

While I didn’t find it super deep, I was fine with that, I enjoyed it being more on the lighter side and the ending bought a tear to my eye and was a great reminder that family isn’t always blood ❤️

This book is an intriguing exploration of grief. While it’s marketed as a humorous story, I personally didn’t find it all that funny. The humor just didn’t land for me, although it still has a charm to it. The author took a highly original approach to presenting themes of loss and healing. The interactions between Alice and Ben, and the unusual circumstances of their annual meetings, are very heartfelt and I enjoyed reading through them. It felt very authentic and touching. Though this wasn’t entirely my cup of tea in tone, the writing was strong, and I appreciated the fresh perspective the author brought to the subject of coping with loss. For a debut novel, it’s really impressive, and I’d gladly read more from this author in the future. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a reflective yet lighthearted take on grief and the unexpected ways we find connection and healing.

I love Nick Spalding's books! He is one of the very few authors who has me literally laughing out loud. This one was very funny at times, but also quite sad and poignant. Two bereaved people strike up an unlikely friendship and meet up at the graveside of their loved ones annually. The characterisation is brilliant, you can really empathise with both leads although they could both be far too stubborn at times.
I would recommend all of this author's books.

Love, loss, joy, understanding and acceptance....all old refrains but Grave Talk gave them new life.

Readers should be aware that Grave Talk deals with heavy themes of death and grief. Those sensitive to such topics may want to check their triggers before deciding to read this book.

The story alternates between two characters, Alice and Ben, who are each grieving the recent loss of a loved one. They develop an unexpected friendship, helping each other navigate the challenges of loss and the process of healing.

Given the delicate subject matter, critiquing the story feels challenging. While there are moments where Alice comes across as overly whiny and Ben occasionally frustrating, the emotions expressed in the book are raw, real, and deeply authentic. The story captures the irrational, unspoken aspects of grief and the feelings people rarely discuss, making it both a moving and relatable read.

Nick Spalding balances humour and heartbreak, blending laughable moments with emotional reflections. The alternating perspectives of Alice and Ben add depth to the narrative, highlighting the unpredictable and deeply human journey of mourning.

This is a compelling story, but its heavy themes won’t suit every reader. If you choose to read it, approach it with care and an open heart.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Note: Arc provided by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A good story with a neat concept. A little repetitive, even at the start, use of the same words over and over. But it's a cute idea, and quite warming.

Grave Talk is an achingly beautiful and quirky exploration of grief, healing, and human connection. Heather Cooper manages to weave humor into heartbreak, creating a story that feels as light as it is profound. The premise is wonderfully odd—a grieving widow meets a man in a Kermit costume at a graveyard—but what unfolds is a heartfelt journey of two people trying to navigate life after loss.
While the story’s pace slows in a few places, it’s a poignant reminder that grief isn’t linear. Readers looking for a quick-moving plot may need patience, but the emotional payoff is worth it. Grave Talk is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on the ways we cope with loss. It’s a reminder that the hardest part of death is indeed learning how to live—and that we don’t have to do it alone.

GRAVE TALK is a sweet, feel-good story about a friendship found in an unexpected place through grief. I really enjoyed the premise of both a brother and a widow struggling with loss who meet at a cemetery, only to meet again at the same place, same day for the next ten years. I loved how the characters have each other to understand what the other is feeling and how on maybe the hardest day of the year for them emotionally, they don't have to go through it alone. It was interesting to see how the characters process their grief throughout the years and how they change and heal and their friendship grows.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

you know it’s a good book when you finish the last sentence and turn to the person sat next to you and say ‘ you need to get this book, it’s one of the best books i have ever read’
and i mean it, it’s such heartfelt raw book about grief, love and everything inbetween,
i loved it

Grave Talk by Nick Spalding is a poignant story about love and loss and friendship.
A really enjoyable read I read in one sitting totally recommend

Grave Talk by Nick Spalding wasn’t what I expected, in a good way. The main female character Alice has lost her husband Joe and she visits his grave every year on his birthday. The main male character Ben has lost his brother Harry and also visits his brother’s grave on the same day every year. However, Ben is dressed as a different ridiculous character each year, per his brother’s last requests. They meet on one of these visits while Ben is dressed as Kermit the Frog. Their friendship begins as they reminisce about their lost loved ones and their grief. They form a bond of sorts, and meet every year on the same day, at the same time, and place.

The format of this book is unlike any I’ve read before. It is structured around the two characters meeting at the grave sites, one chapter per year and meeting. Each chapter has a section devoted to Alice and one to Ben. We are privy to their inner thoughts and their outer conversations. I liked this aspect of the book. I thought this would bother me, but the more I read, the more comfortable I became with it. The characters were very well written and there were moments I laughed out loud. The book seemed slow in parts and I thought the ending was slightly rushed. However, it was still a wonderful read!

Overall, I rated this book a 4 out of 5 stars. It was beautiful, sad, funny, and real. I will recommend it to others. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

I always love a Nick Spalding and this one was no exception. He tackled sad issues with his trademark humour and laugh out loud moments.

Alice visits her husband's grave on his birthday every year, following his early death. On the same day of each year Ben visits his brother's grave too, always dressed in the fancy dress of his dead brother's choosing. The two form an unlikely bond as they come to terms with their grief and try to get on with their lives. This develops into setting each other a challenge each year to try to help them on their journey through grief.

This tore at the heart strings at times but was warm, funny, kind and moving. Absolutely loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I know that part of the reason that I loved this book so much is because I am at a season in life very similar to the main characters....I lost a brother when we were in our early 40's...slightly older than the people in the book, but not by much. I loved seeing the way the characters dealt (and didn't deal) with their grief and appreciated the ultimate hopefulness of it.

This is a cute feel-good story about two strangers who meet at the graves of people who are important to them... only one of them is dressed as Kermit the frog. The two characters meet each year, tell the other how their year went and set each other a challenge for the year ahead.

It's a really sweet novel, exploring friendship, loss, and grief and how we all navigate these in our own ways. If you're looking for a feel-good book that also feels like it could easily be a film - this is perfect. For me it was a little bit too fanciful, if you read it you'll probably see what I mean but I can't really say why without spoiling a big part of the novel.

All in all, this is a really good read - it just isn't quite a brilliant one.

Grave Talk by new to me author N. Spalding, published by Lake Union Publishing is a read that had me intrigued just from reading the blurb. And what can I say, I was so not disappointed from this novel. Witty and fun, gives all the feels, has everything I love in a good book.
Blurb: The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband’s graveside on his birthday is a giant, talking frog. On closer inspection, it’s a grown man dressed as Kermit.
Turns out Alice’s husband is buried next to Ben’s older brother Harry, who—as a parting practical joke in his will—insisted that Ben visit his grave each year, on this specific day, dressed in an as-yet-undisclosed pageant of embarrassing fancy dress.
With little but their grief and this one day in common, Alice and Ben form a very special, very strange friendship, meeting just once a same day, same time, same place—different silly costume. As the years pass and grief alters, can their unique bond help them cope with the hardest part of life?

This is such a lovely story. More heartfelt than his previous books but with the undeniable humour that Nick Spalding manages to encompass in all of his novels. This story had echoes of Ricky Gervais' Afterlife show in terms if a friendship made at a graveside. Told from the pov of both main characters, this lovely story will stay with me gor a long time.

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. This was a good story and very moving. A first read for me by this author.