I adored this book. I loved that it is so unlike any romance plot I’ve read before yet it melded to many of my favourite tropes. This book managed to be comic and soft all the same time as it gives us a glimpse into the cut through world of publishing and also makes us think about the power of stories. How when we die we don’t get to be in control of the narrative but we can hope that those that knew us well can champion us. The romantic relationship in this being between two individuals with such a big history also made it great. I’d read more by Lily Chu in a heartbeat.

I read this last year and LOVED it. I loved all the silliness. I loved them being forced to live with each and I was dead set on rereading this eventually so why not request the arc and read it again. I still love these two and I love this story. It's such a feel good and fun experience.

I loved the story 💙 it was so cozy and cuute 💙🥹 I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers books 😭 so if you're into that too, then u should give it a try. Nadine and Wes are adorable 😭 and the epilogue was sooooo cuuuute 🥹💙🥹💙🥹 I'd definitely recommend it to my friends!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for an early copy of Drop Dead! 💖
I have had the Drop Dead audiobook on my Audible TBR for months and was so excited to get to read the book early! This book does have one of my favorite combinations: romance AND suspense/mystery! The main characters almost become detectives and (with forced proximity) have to live together to figure it all out! There are a lot of poignant moments that go alongside the personal and professional growth that occurs throughout the book! It almost feels like a coming of age story that occurs in the main characters 20s!
I did struggle a bit due to the fact that the pace of the book is a little slower than I prefer BUT there was a lot going on and it was very fun to unravel! I did in fact get goosebumps as the big moments were revealed and enjoyed the element of mystery.
I think this book is perfect for people who like romance books with mystery (maybe more a mystery book with a romance subplot), closed door romance, lots of growth in the main characters, and a lot of powerful sentiments!

This was such a fun read - which might be unexpected for a book about obits and more than a few deaths, but this book reminded me of the Westing Game and the relationship between Nadine and Wes is hilariously fun to follow. At times the book felt a bit heavy-handed and I felt like I was waiting for twists that didn't happen, but overall this was such a joy to read that I didn't really mind. I would say rather than there is one complex plot there seems to instead be multiple overlapping smaller plots which fun, but I did wish that the hunt in Dot's house was more involved and complicated than what it ended up being.
Because of the many subplots we learn a lot about Wes and Nadine and I appreciated seeing the growth in both of them throughout the story as they handled their various baggage and histories while also acting like adults and real people. The didn't handle everything well which was refreshing, but did the work to correct it when they realized they were wrong. This is really showcased in what could have been a third act breakup but was instead an argument that was not handled well, but eventually worked through like people who want to make a relationship work.
The writing is bright and had me laughing many times in a book that is really a fun delight to read. While not typically a fan of closed door romance, I will happily read more by Lily Chu in the future.

Drop Dead starts off with a colossal mistake, and I don’t use that term lightly. Our main character, Nadine, is an obituary writer who ends up accidentally reporting someone had died. However, the twist is that Miss Dot Voline is very much alive and well. From there, it becomes a whirlwind for Nadine. She ends up getting demoted and starts to question herself which is understandable.

To try to make things better, she goes to Dot’s house to try to apologize and ends up running into her former rival, Wesley. From there, it turns into a game in which the two try to gain Dot’s favor which at first seems unlikely. Eventually, Dot allows them to come inside and learn more about her. The only condition is that they can’t publish the story until after she’s dead.

In the midst of talking to her and trying to do their own research, Dot ends up dying and from there, it’s a race against time for the two to learn about Dot’s life and the secrets she’s been keeping. Unfortunately, her nephew wants to sell the house and they don’t have much time to look through Dot’s belongings and find what they need. Cue these two becoming unlikely roomates.

If Drop Dead sounds like it has a lot going on, it does. Regardless, Lily Chu makes you come to know and love these characters, especially Dot. Her death was such a huge part of the story, and it ends up affecting the main leads so deeply. The book is still hopeful as Nadine and Wes end up falling for each other. Chu talks so openly about death, and it feels so refreshing, as most books don’t even want to touch a topic like that.
For those who have read Chu before, you’ll know she gives some commentary on families, their relationships, and how it affects the main characters. At times, this was hard to read, but it showed why Wes and Nadine worked so well. They had so much to unpack, but they were motivated and wanted to do it together. While the romance wasn’t necessarily the central focus, it was a solid addition to the story.

Whether you’ve read Lily Chu’s books in the past or this is your first, you won’t be able to put it down. Her writing is so fun and easy to get into. Plus, these books are set in Canada, which feels like a rarity these days. Either way, Drop Dead feels like it’s going to be in many a beach bag this summer.

Lily Chu is enjoyable no matter what, and this book was no exception. I really liked how Nadine and Wes had a history and then had to work together again. At first it was hard for me to buy the romance, but then I really liked it. This book deals with parental relationships, loss, and so much more. Plus the cats in the book are amazing. This book also weirdly made me wanna read obituaries. A fantastic book!

This book was so cuteee!! I loved both of the characters and the story so muchh!

One of my favorite things in this book was the mystery and Dot herself. I loved how the story progressed and I was throughly enjoying the hunt through Dot's mansion. Just like Wes and Nadine, I fell in love with Dot and her charm.

The characters were so amazing and I their relationship was incredible. I love how you could tell how much they loved each other by the little things they did for one another. Nadine was such a strong character and I think she was very resilient with everything that was going on in her life. I also think that Wes was a charming and lovable character. I love how sensitive and caring he was.

Another thing that I appreciated a lot in this book was the fact that it had no third act break up or third act conflict. That was so refreshing to see since most of the books now include a third act conflict just so that the book can be longer.

Overall this book was amazing!! I would definitely recommend it as a lighthearted summer read!

Perfect cozy mystery romance.

I have been getting into cozy mysteries lately and this sounded fun (haunted house?!) so I gave it a try. I found this to be an enjoyable read.

It's a rivals to lovers romance which is one of my favorite tropes. I thought the trope was executed well. Their dynamic was entertaining and the romance developed nicely. I found this couple to be cute.

However, the hero is a big momma's boy which was off-putting at times.

The writing is easy to read and lighthearted. Easily read in a single sitting.

Drop Dead is a perfect beach read for cozy mystery lovers (or beginners like myself).

Rivals to lovers in a mysterious mansion? Yup, sign me up.

I love a professional competition, and this book does it really well. Our rivals - Nadine and Wes - are both journalists chasing a hot story. Both are good at their jobs, but neither will acknowledge they might be able to learn something from the other. The subject of their story, Dot, is a fun character and her life reads like a novel (haha). While being forced to work together, Nadine and Wes learn a lot about themselves, and about each other.

I really enjoyed this book.

Lily Chu offers a lot of fun with an elaborate concept. The setup took me a minute to get through, but then the characters got a chance to shine.

Drop Dead by Lily Chu follows Nadine Barbault, an obituary editor at the Herald and Wes Chen, a writer at a rival news company, the Spear. When they first met in school, it didn’t take long for them to become rivals vying for the best positions and the best scoops. Nadine and Wes both decide to look into a years old scandal, leading to them spending more time together than they have in years. Their rivalry weakens while the tension rises, leading to a stay in a star writer’s house uncovering the mystery she left them.

Frankly I sped through this book without taking many notes, but here are my personal thoughts: I absolutely love the description of the death desk, it is right up my alley with the cheesy hearse and skull paraphernalia. I absolutely hated Tyler and Wes’s mother, very well written annoying characters. I loved seeing them unravel the mystery of Dot Voline using all of her eccentric clues she left behind. The last chapter is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever read. I think my favorite part was the addition of the cats, all four of them.

This book is perfect for people who want a bit of unique mystery, and a banter-filled romance without descriptive intimate scenes. Thank you so very much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read this e-arc.

This was such a fun book!!! A plot twist in the middle. Adventure and great description!! I loved both main characters, but Dot was my favorite. You never knew where the story was taking you but it all turned out in the end! A fun wild ride with twists and turns everywhere plus a little love story thrown in there too! Would highly recommend! Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

Alot of twists and turns and plots in this enemies to lovers romcom read! It is a bit of a longer book, so bunker down and prepare to keep your mind switched on otherwise you may lose your way like I did a few times 😊

If you're looking for a light hearted, but touching on a few deeper subjects, type of romcom, this one is for you!

This is more like a 3.5, but Lily Chu's work keeps scratches a specific itch for me, so I'm rounding up. I really liked Nadine and I was super interested in her growth and how her viewpoint changed. I did mostly like Wes, but there were a few too many times where I went "For real, Wes?" at some of his bone headed actions. He loved those cats though and I'm not totally immune to a man who loves cats. Nadine and Wes' relationship was sweet and I'm happy that they worked through problems mostly as they came instead of stuff being book length misunderstandings.

The mystery is kind of where this book isn't the best. Ultimately, it's kind of vague in how they were going about using the information. Like I'm not sure they had the best evidence they thought they did if this was real life. The middle of the mystery while they were searching the house dragged a little and the ending was a bit too quick and neatly wrapped up.

With this, I am caught up on Lily Chu books and I can't wait for The Library of Flowers.

Lily Chu is always a delight to read. Nadine and Wes are an irresistible couple offering deep connection and hilarious banter. Their chemistry is undeniable. I read the whole book in a day. The mystery and romance had me turning pages furiously. Tender topics of trauma, violence, race, sexism, and healing are brought up but done so thoughtfully. The book is significant without ever feeling heavy or insensitive. Lily Chu's characters are real and impossible not to love.

Big thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!

Nadine and Wes are both journalists for rival newspapers, and old rivals from university. Through an editorial error of Nadine's, they both end up interviewing Dot Voline, renowned author, and after her death, investigating a mystery that she left behind.

I'm glad I stuck with this! There was a period of time that I considered DNFing, but after I got into it, I got into it. The "enemies" to lovers is at a reasonable scale, the characters were compelling (both have challenges with their parents and families that are relatable and realistic), and once the mystery got going, that interested me almost more than the romance! Both characters acted realistically about situations, and weren't overdramatic, which was nice!

All in all, I'd entirely recommended this book, both for a fun romance and for an interesting mystery along the way!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Not really my favorite book lately. It was hard to get into, and the middle was kind of slow, but it had an overall good ending. I loved the cats!

I enjoyed the characters in this novel and how they grew as characters and as a couple. I enjoyed the search for clues and the house and the cats. I enjoyed the wrap-up at the end.

However, I found the beginning extremely slow. The first third of the book was setting up the book and it was a drag. I also had a hard time caring about a mystery involving a crooked politician. Once I got the full story at the end, it was more interesting, but while they were searching, I didn't care. If it was a non-crooked politician it would have at least been unique.

i got an arc for this, and if i hadn't... would i have finished this? probably not.

this is a massive departure from any of the other lily chu books i've read. it's much more fiction vibes with a smattering of romance than a romance novel, so i definitely feel a bit duped.

i also had a hard time caring about anything - the characters, the romance (ok so there's aesthetic and sexual attraction as well as some professional admiration and banter, but is that romance? i think not), the friendships (erm why are lisanne and nadine friends? idgi), their work, the sleuthing. i mostly stuck around for what dot was trying to tell nadine and wes, but that kind of comes together 75% of the way through, and the last bit is them trying to figure out what to do with that info, while i was trying to figure out if i could skim faster.

i would have loved some more romance scenes (like they lived together for 3 weeks? enemies to lovers?? hello?!) but we really get...none. i'm also not used to closed door romances so that felt abrupt to me (though that might be because i'm used to getting a pot's worth of steamy moments in my books).