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Dead Set on You
A woman wakes up as a spirit in her rival coworker’s apartment in this charming contemporary romance for fans of The Dead Romantics and The Hating Game.
As workaholic Evie Pope nears thirty, she’s determined to slow down and start enjoying the “life” part of work-life balance. With a major promotion—and the financial security that comes with it—on the horizon, she might finally have her chance. But when she wakes up as a spirit in her work rival’s apartment and learns her body is stuck in a coma, her plans are officially DOA.
Being a spirit is bad enough. Discovering that Rafael Vela—the man who used to be her friend and is now her biggest rival—is the only person who can help her? It’s a special kind of purgatory. In no position to negotiate, she strikes a desperate deal: He gets the promotion if he helps reunite Evie’s spirit with her body.
As they begin to spend more time together, Evie discovers there’s more to Rafael than his bedroom eyes and his hey-there dimpled smile. With only a week until Evie’s body is transferred to long-term care and out of Rafael’s reach, Evie must choose between trusting the man who betrayed her years ago and figuring things out the way she’s always done it: alone.
This contemporary romance with a paranormal twist blends heated banter, old grudges, and unfinished business, perfect for anyone who believes in second chances.
As workaholic Evie Pope nears thirty, she’s determined to slow down and start enjoying the “life” part of work-life balance. With a major promotion—and the financial security that comes with it—on the horizon, she might finally have her chance. But when she wakes up as a spirit in her work rival’s apartment and learns her body is stuck in a coma, her plans are officially DOA.
Being a spirit is bad enough. Discovering that Rafael Vela—the man who used to be her friend and is now her biggest rival—is the only person who can help her? It’s a special kind of purgatory. In no position to negotiate, she strikes a desperate deal: He gets the promotion if he helps reunite Evie’s spirit with her body.
As they begin to spend more time together, Evie discovers there’s more to Rafael than his bedroom eyes and his hey-there dimpled smile. With only a week until Evie’s body is transferred to long-term care and out of Rafael’s reach, Evie must choose between trusting the man who betrayed her years ago and figuring things out the way she’s always done it: alone.
This contemporary romance with a paranormal twist blends heated banter, old grudges, and unfinished business, perfect for anyone who believes in second chances.
336 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2025
11 people are currently reading
5049 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 11, 2025
What a wonderful debut! I hope the book and author get the recognition they deserve!
FMC had a very stressing bad childhood. Neglected by her mother who focused upon boyfriends and had crazy ideas about medicine being a scam. So when her oldest daughter got diabetes she did not buy insulin. FMC witnessed how her big sister got weaker and then died. She even planned her sister's funeral on her own at age 14!
That's why she grew up uptight! Focusing only on work thinking if she got a certain promotion then she can slow down and start to enjoy life. However her biggest set-back was her work rival/nemesis: MMC. He's the sunshine of the company and he wins clients with with and charm.
Something happened between MCs so they're friends no longer and FMC hates him with passion.
On the night of the big promotion: FMC gets in a huge fight with MMC. She doesn't let him speak or clarify any misunderstandings. She ended up on a car accident. But woke up as a ghost in MMC's apartment.
She's in a coma and she needs to set her hatred aside so MMC can hopefully help her get back to her body.
Had the pleasure to add this book to my Bingo Challenge of 2025 (A book with a green cover) (at least the half green of it!)
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13⭕┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45⭕┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85⭕┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2⭕┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96⭕┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70⭕┃15⭕┃38⭕
84⭕┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21⭕┃73┃28⭕┃46⭕┃90⭕┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18⭕┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8⭕┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61⭕
97⭕┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67⭕┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55⭕┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63⭕┃ 11⭕┃83
FMC had a very stressing bad childhood. Neglected by her mother who focused upon boyfriends and had crazy ideas about medicine being a scam. So when her oldest daughter got diabetes she did not buy insulin. FMC witnessed how her big sister got weaker and then died. She even planned her sister's funeral on her own at age 14!
That's why she grew up uptight! Focusing only on work thinking if she got a certain promotion then she can slow down and start to enjoy life. However her biggest set-back was her work rival/nemesis: MMC. He's the sunshine of the company and he wins clients with with and charm.
Something happened between MCs so they're friends no longer and FMC hates him with passion.
On the night of the big promotion: FMC gets in a huge fight with MMC. She doesn't let him speak or clarify any misunderstandings. She ended up on a car accident. But woke up as a ghost in MMC's apartment.
She's in a coma and she needs to set her hatred aside so MMC can hopefully help her get back to her body.
Had the pleasure to add this book to my Bingo Challenge of 2025 (A book with a green cover) (at least the half green of it!)
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13⭕┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45⭕┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85⭕┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2⭕┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96⭕┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70⭕┃15⭕┃38⭕
84⭕┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21⭕┃73┃28⭕┃46⭕┃90⭕┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18⭕┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8⭕┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61⭕
97⭕┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67⭕┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55⭕┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63⭕┃ 11⭕┃83
October 23, 2025
I had so much fun reading this book. It is around 300 pages, but it felt much shorter and I read it really quickly. The story follows Evie Pope, who is stuck in a coma but her spirit keeps waking up in her rival coworker Rafael’s apartment. Rafael is such a charming and sweet character, and the banter between him and Evie had me smiling more than once.
Evie is funny, but she is also anxious and dealing with some tough personal things. She is the grumpy one to Rafael’s sunshine, and their dynamic worked really well. The romance scenes are open door but mild.
My only small complaint is that the plot relies a lot on miscommunication, or really a lack of communication. And without giving spoilers, the reason for how Evie ended up in spirit form did not completely match with how she got out of it, at least from what I understood. Still, that did not take away from how much fun I had reading it.
Fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly sweet, Dead Set on You is the kind of book that makes you lose track of time while reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
Evie is funny, but she is also anxious and dealing with some tough personal things. She is the grumpy one to Rafael’s sunshine, and their dynamic worked really well. The romance scenes are open door but mild.
My only small complaint is that the plot relies a lot on miscommunication, or really a lack of communication. And without giving spoilers, the reason for how Evie ended up in spirit form did not completely match with how she got out of it, at least from what I understood. Still, that did not take away from how much fun I had reading it.
Fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly sweet, Dead Set on You is the kind of book that makes you lose track of time while reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
September 28, 2025
When workaholic Evie Pope wakes up after an accident to find she’s become a spirit, the only person who can help her is her work rival and former friend, Rafael Vela. I was drawn to request this book as it sounded similar to the rom com Just Like Heaven, although in this case the characters are not strangers.
I did find the pacing a little slow at the beginning, it seemed to take a while for anything to happen and I was almost tempted to DNF this. However, once I reached the 60–70% mark where they start to do things from Evie's bucket list, the story picked up a little so I carried on. By the end, I was glad I stuck with it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I did find the pacing a little slow at the beginning, it seemed to take a while for anything to happen and I was almost tempted to DNF this. However, once I reached the 60–70% mark where they start to do things from Evie's bucket list, the story picked up a little so I carried on. By the end, I was glad I stuck with it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
December 3, 2025
A very much enjoyed this super slow burn, enemies to lovers, workplace romance that has the FMC stuck in a coma and left to haunt her rival as a spectral ghost being. The banter between the two MCs was top notch, there was great emotional depth and the audiobook narrators did such a great job! Highly recommended for fans of authors like Kirsty Greenwood and Ashley Poston! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 11, 2025
Enemies to lovers and workplace romance are two of my favorite tropes, but this did not do it for me. I DNFed at 70 pages. The main characters were annoying. I would recommend if you are wanting to read something that only consist of two people bickering.
March 18, 2025
Lucky enough to have read the early drafts of this awesome book. You are all in for a treat! It has it all!
September 1, 2025
‘Dead Set on You’ is one that requires a huge dose of going along with the flow, even when it starts quite typically: an aggrieved and bitter woman who feels passed over in her career and trodden upon by her colleague-turned-enemy, finds herself in a coma and drifting as a ghost. Yet rather than drifting into the afterlife, her consciousness takes on an uncanny second self—one that only Rafael Vela, the very man whose effortless charm has undermined her professional ambitions, can see.
As disoriented as she is, Evie floats and hovers like a semi-vengeful ghost—constantly poking at Rafael, trailing him for information, and depending on him to influence the “real world” she can no longer tangibly touch.
As intriguing as the premise is however, the execution does lag. Progress is slow and quite a bit of the plot feels like blind fumbling in the dark with Rafael leading the way and she in tow. The question of why Evie finds herself that way isn’t exactly addressed however and I felt like I was dragged on that wild goose chase without a good-enough reason for why she couldn’t get back into her body, or why she could only appear to Rafael. There's just some vague connection to mental states or bucket lists that must be fulfilled perhaps, before things return to 'normal'.
Although billed as a romantic comedy, ‘Dead Set on You’ often feels too bumpy and cynical for it—as this is simply observed and narrated from Evie’s POV. She is prickly, hard to like, neurotic, and quick to assume the worst of everyone, which the single first-person POV amplifies. While her guardedness is rooted in a difficult past, it makes her a frustrating narrator because it simply boxes you in her own thorny and rambly self that doesn’t really get any better as the story goes on.
This excruciating growth-arc I think, of that the journey of finding her way back to her body is also a process of re-discovering that not everyone has it out for her, least of all Rafael Vela, whom she quite wilfully misunderstands on a constant basis. But my sympathy for her ran dry and I finished the read feeling somewhat unsatisfied that Evie was still too locked in her past to actually pull her head out of her arse—which translated to frankly, quite nasty behaviour that was inexcusable.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
As disoriented as she is, Evie floats and hovers like a semi-vengeful ghost—constantly poking at Rafael, trailing him for information, and depending on him to influence the “real world” she can no longer tangibly touch.
As intriguing as the premise is however, the execution does lag. Progress is slow and quite a bit of the plot feels like blind fumbling in the dark with Rafael leading the way and she in tow. The question of why Evie finds herself that way isn’t exactly addressed however and I felt like I was dragged on that wild goose chase without a good-enough reason for why she couldn’t get back into her body, or why she could only appear to Rafael. There's just some vague connection to mental states or bucket lists that must be fulfilled perhaps, before things return to 'normal'.
Although billed as a romantic comedy, ‘Dead Set on You’ often feels too bumpy and cynical for it—as this is simply observed and narrated from Evie’s POV. She is prickly, hard to like, neurotic, and quick to assume the worst of everyone, which the single first-person POV amplifies. While her guardedness is rooted in a difficult past, it makes her a frustrating narrator because it simply boxes you in her own thorny and rambly self that doesn’t really get any better as the story goes on.
This excruciating growth-arc I think, of that the journey of finding her way back to her body is also a process of re-discovering that not everyone has it out for her, least of all Rafael Vela, whom she quite wilfully misunderstands on a constant basis. But my sympathy for her ran dry and I finished the read feeling somewhat unsatisfied that Evie was still too locked in her past to actually pull her head out of her arse—which translated to frankly, quite nasty behaviour that was inexcusable.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
August 28, 2025
Evie Pope ha pasado gran parte de su vida persiguiendo metas, guiada por sus listas interminables y una disciplina que no le permite desviarse de su camino. Su mayor ambición es conseguir la ansiada promoción dentro de Media Lab, una de las agencias de marketing más importantes de Chicago. Para lograrlo debe colaborar con Rafael Vela, su exmejor amigo y actual rival en la oficina.
Rafael siempre ha sido todo lo opuesto a ella: encantador, espontáneo y con una habilidad natural para ganarse a todos, lo que lo convierte en el competidor directo de Evie por el puesto de directora. Lo que antes fue una amistad cercana terminó en traición y desconfianza, dando inicio a una guerra silenciosa que lleva años.
Mientras trabajan juntos en una cuenta millonaria, la tensión entre ellos crece, mezclando el resentimiento del pasado con una atracción que Evie se niega a admitir. Sin embargo, un accidente cambia por completo la dinámica: Evie queda atrapada en un estado entre la vida y la muerte, y descubre que su espíritu puede interactuar con Rafael.
Por primera vez en años, él parece dispuesto a escucharla, apoyarla y demostrar que todavía le importa. Pero el reloj corre, y cuando Evie despierte, deberá decidir si darle una nueva oportunidad a Rafael o continuar sola con sus sueños intactos.
__
Estuvo entretenido, pero el gran problema fue Rafael. Quedó a deber, y mucho. Durante tres años fue solo su amigo aunque le gustaba, pero nunca dio un paso para confesarlo. Después, pasaron dos años siendo enemigos y aun así no trató de explicar la traición ni de ganarse su confianza de nuevo.
Cuando Evie queda en forma de espíritu, Rafael por fin muestra un avance, la escucha, la apoya y logra recuperar un poco de lo que fueron. Pero todo se derrumba cuando ella despierta: ni una visita, ni un gesto, nada. Justo cuando era su oportunidad de conquistarla, y al final, es Evie quien tiene que ir a buscarlo.
Como romance, la historia se siente desequilibrada porque ella carga con todo el peso de la relación, mientras que Rafael resulta ser un interés amoroso gris, sin el esfuerzo ni la evolución que uno esperaría.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Rafael siempre ha sido todo lo opuesto a ella: encantador, espontáneo y con una habilidad natural para ganarse a todos, lo que lo convierte en el competidor directo de Evie por el puesto de directora. Lo que antes fue una amistad cercana terminó en traición y desconfianza, dando inicio a una guerra silenciosa que lleva años.
Mientras trabajan juntos en una cuenta millonaria, la tensión entre ellos crece, mezclando el resentimiento del pasado con una atracción que Evie se niega a admitir. Sin embargo, un accidente cambia por completo la dinámica: Evie queda atrapada en un estado entre la vida y la muerte, y descubre que su espíritu puede interactuar con Rafael.
Por primera vez en años, él parece dispuesto a escucharla, apoyarla y demostrar que todavía le importa. Pero el reloj corre, y cuando Evie despierte, deberá decidir si darle una nueva oportunidad a Rafael o continuar sola con sus sueños intactos.
__
Estuvo entretenido, pero el gran problema fue Rafael. Quedó a deber, y mucho. Durante tres años fue solo su amigo aunque le gustaba, pero nunca dio un paso para confesarlo. Después, pasaron dos años siendo enemigos y aun así no trató de explicar la traición ni de ganarse su confianza de nuevo.
Cuando Evie queda en forma de espíritu, Rafael por fin muestra un avance, la escucha, la apoya y logra recuperar un poco de lo que fueron. Pero todo se derrumba cuando ella despierta: ni una visita, ni un gesto, nada. Justo cuando era su oportunidad de conquistarla, y al final, es Evie quien tiene que ir a buscarlo.
Como romance, la historia se siente desequilibrada porque ella carga con todo el peso de la relación, mientras que Rafael resulta ser un interés amoroso gris, sin el esfuerzo ni la evolución que uno esperaría.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
September 20, 2025
2.25 Stars
The plight of Evie, the protagonist in Dead Set on You, is a familiar one… Someone unexpectedly ends up in a coma, and only one person can see their spirit, helping them to reunite their spirit and body to wake up. In this case, Evie is the spirit, and her workplace rival, Rafael, is the one to help her. Unfortunately, we never really learn why Evie finds herself as a spirit, nor do we get a satisfying answer for why she can’t return to her body or why Rafael is the only one who can see her.
This story is billed as a romantic comedy, but I found Evie to be too vengeful and mean for this to be an effective rom-com. Evie is “a fine line between love and hate” in character form. She has a difficult past, which makes her mistrustful, and she can’t get past Rafael’s decision to pull her off an account they shared years ago. For about 80% of the book, Evie pokes and prods at Rafael, makes snide comments, and willfully misunderstands everything he does. She has only one dimension, and it’s prickly and thorny. Around the 80% mark, Evie begins to let go of some of her vengefulness because she realizes she may be falling for Rafael. Her soft side, however, is short-lived, and her thorniness returns when Rafael opens up to her and explains why he pulled her from the work account. She does soften toward Rafael again, but by then, it felt like too little too late.
Rafael has more depth to his character. He has strong relationships with his family, and he supports Evie despite her harsh behavior. He is the bright spot in the story, and I would have loved to see things from his point of view. Maybe it could explain why he stayed for years when Evie was so vengeful toward him. I also really loved Lupe. She believed Rafael could see and interact with Evie and wholeheartedly jumped in to help. Everyone needs a Lupe in their life.
I think there are some entertaining storylines in this book. If a balance could have been found between Evie’s prickly and softer sides, it could have been a fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me the ARC!
The plight of Evie, the protagonist in Dead Set on You, is a familiar one… Someone unexpectedly ends up in a coma, and only one person can see their spirit, helping them to reunite their spirit and body to wake up. In this case, Evie is the spirit, and her workplace rival, Rafael, is the one to help her. Unfortunately, we never really learn why Evie finds herself as a spirit, nor do we get a satisfying answer for why she can’t return to her body or why Rafael is the only one who can see her.
This story is billed as a romantic comedy, but I found Evie to be too vengeful and mean for this to be an effective rom-com. Evie is “a fine line between love and hate” in character form. She has a difficult past, which makes her mistrustful, and she can’t get past Rafael’s decision to pull her off an account they shared years ago. For about 80% of the book, Evie pokes and prods at Rafael, makes snide comments, and willfully misunderstands everything he does. She has only one dimension, and it’s prickly and thorny. Around the 80% mark, Evie begins to let go of some of her vengefulness because she realizes she may be falling for Rafael. Her soft side, however, is short-lived, and her thorniness returns when Rafael opens up to her and explains why he pulled her from the work account. She does soften toward Rafael again, but by then, it felt like too little too late.
Rafael has more depth to his character. He has strong relationships with his family, and he supports Evie despite her harsh behavior. He is the bright spot in the story, and I would have loved to see things from his point of view. Maybe it could explain why he stayed for years when Evie was so vengeful toward him. I also really loved Lupe. She believed Rafael could see and interact with Evie and wholeheartedly jumped in to help. Everyone needs a Lupe in their life.
I think there are some entertaining storylines in this book. If a balance could have been found between Evie’s prickly and softer sides, it could have been a fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me the ARC!
October 20, 2025
4.5/5 stars
Here's something you should Know About Hallie: Just Like Heaven is one of her favorite rom-coms ever. So here we have a romcom novel inspired by Just Like Heaven, of course I'm going to read it. And this packed such an emotional punch. I definitely cried. The chemistry and angst was so powerful I felt my heart in my hands somehow (should I see a doctor?).
Evie Pope has been working night and day at a marketing company in Chicago to secure a promotion and finally achieve that financial security she has been striving toward for so long. All that stands in her way is her work nemesis/former friend, Rafael Vela. The night of a client dinner where Evie tries to land the account, after being forced to work with Rafael, Rafael goes off the rails and disrupts Evie's plans. After too many tequila shots, Evie unleashes on Rafael, then runs away, only to get hit by a drunk driver. Next thing she knows, she wakes up in Rafael's apartment. And suddenly she's incorporeal. When she realizes that Rafael is the only one who can see her, she's desperate for him to help her get back into her body. It turns out that Evie is stuck in a coma and has only a week before she's transferred to a long-term care facility. As they work together to wake her up, Evie is forced to confront her unfinished business in life, and with Rafael.
If anyone speaks ill of Evie...you just don't get it you don't get her you don't deserve her. Once you learn about Evie's past...whew. It's a doozy. I would be the same exact way as her. The only reason I deducted this from five stars was the kind of abrupt ending. Like I needed more groveling from Rafael!!! I know it had to be Evie being brave, like it had to be her. But I still wanted him to be down on his knees!! Sorry! I need men to beg!!!
Netgalley and Alcove Press provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Here's something you should Know About Hallie: Just Like Heaven is one of her favorite rom-coms ever. So here we have a romcom novel inspired by Just Like Heaven, of course I'm going to read it. And this packed such an emotional punch. I definitely cried. The chemistry and angst was so powerful I felt my heart in my hands somehow (should I see a doctor?).
Evie Pope has been working night and day at a marketing company in Chicago to secure a promotion and finally achieve that financial security she has been striving toward for so long. All that stands in her way is her work nemesis/former friend, Rafael Vela. The night of a client dinner where Evie tries to land the account, after being forced to work with Rafael, Rafael goes off the rails and disrupts Evie's plans. After too many tequila shots, Evie unleashes on Rafael, then runs away, only to get hit by a drunk driver. Next thing she knows, she wakes up in Rafael's apartment. And suddenly she's incorporeal. When she realizes that Rafael is the only one who can see her, she's desperate for him to help her get back into her body. It turns out that Evie is stuck in a coma and has only a week before she's transferred to a long-term care facility. As they work together to wake her up, Evie is forced to confront her unfinished business in life, and with Rafael.
If anyone speaks ill of Evie...you just don't get it you don't get her you don't deserve her. Once you learn about Evie's past...whew. It's a doozy. I would be the same exact way as her. The only reason I deducted this from five stars was the kind of abrupt ending. Like I needed more groveling from Rafael!!! I know it had to be Evie being brave, like it had to be her. But I still wanted him to be down on his knees!! Sorry! I need men to beg!!!
Netgalley and Alcove Press provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2025
Dead Set on You is giving enemies-to-lovers, workplace rivalry, ghostly glow-up, and “I swear I’m not haunting you but also I absolutely am"
Just Like Heaven is one of my all time favourite movies so when I read the blurb for this, I just HAD to read it.
Evie Pope wakes up as a spirit in her rival co-worker's apartment, which is honestly the most relatable depiction of burnout I’ve ever seen. She wanted work-life balance, she got astral projection. The universe has jokes.
Rafael? The man is equal parts infuriating and irresistible. He’s got that “I’m professionally sabotaging you but also tragically handsome” vibe, and the dimple is completely unnecessary. The emotional weaponry! The audacity! Honestly, respect.
The book kicks into high gear once Evie realizes her body is taking an extended nap and that Rafael is the only person who can help her… which is chaos, cruelty, and incredibly entertaining.
Their forced proximity is basically spiritual handcuffs - he’s the only one who can see or hear her, and she is the worst houseguest imaginable. The banter is sparky. The grudges are juicy. The tension is slow-burn with a paranormal garnish.
But here’s the candid part: Evie is a lot. A prickly cactus queen. A stress tornado in human (and ghost) form. You can understand her, but liking her? That’s extracurricular effort.
The pacing drags in places but then the ending arrives like a romcom defibrillator. Sweet. Warm. Butterflies doing synchronised swimming in the stomach. Suddenly all the frustration aligns and you go: oh. Ohhhh. That’s the good stuff.
This was a quirky, slightly uneven rom-paranormal with a killer ending. It’s messy, heartfelt, occasionally exasperating, and ultimately satisfying - like eating a cupcake with too much frosting but the centre is perfect.
3.4 stars, rounded up to 4.
Just Like Heaven is one of my all time favourite movies so when I read the blurb for this, I just HAD to read it.
Evie Pope wakes up as a spirit in her rival co-worker's apartment, which is honestly the most relatable depiction of burnout I’ve ever seen. She wanted work-life balance, she got astral projection. The universe has jokes.
Rafael? The man is equal parts infuriating and irresistible. He’s got that “I’m professionally sabotaging you but also tragically handsome” vibe, and the dimple is completely unnecessary. The emotional weaponry! The audacity! Honestly, respect.
The book kicks into high gear once Evie realizes her body is taking an extended nap and that Rafael is the only person who can help her… which is chaos, cruelty, and incredibly entertaining.
Their forced proximity is basically spiritual handcuffs - he’s the only one who can see or hear her, and she is the worst houseguest imaginable. The banter is sparky. The grudges are juicy. The tension is slow-burn with a paranormal garnish.
But here’s the candid part: Evie is a lot. A prickly cactus queen. A stress tornado in human (and ghost) form. You can understand her, but liking her? That’s extracurricular effort.
The pacing drags in places but then the ending arrives like a romcom defibrillator. Sweet. Warm. Butterflies doing synchronised swimming in the stomach. Suddenly all the frustration aligns and you go: oh. Ohhhh. That’s the good stuff.
This was a quirky, slightly uneven rom-paranormal with a killer ending. It’s messy, heartfelt, occasionally exasperating, and ultimately satisfying - like eating a cupcake with too much frosting but the centre is perfect.
3.4 stars, rounded up to 4.
September 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Dead Set on You reminds me, at first, of the film Just Like Heaven (based on a book in my TBR). But if you’re familiar the plot there, while this book is also about a woman in a coma trying to get through with the help of a man she has definite chemistry with, the MC’s in Dead Set on You (Evie and Rafael) are coworkers with a lot of history which makes things even more fascinating and mysterious.
Evie has lived a hard life growing up which makes her unhealthily focused on a big promotion at work, one in which her old friend and since sworn enemy (for reasons that are teased and eventually revealed) Rafael is her main competition. After a high stakes client meeting the two have to collaborate on, Evie goes into a coma and comes back a week later in Rafael’s apartment as a ghost spirit, with little time left to find her way to her body before the window closes. Evie, as the queen of checklists, believes her ever growing but forever neglected bucket list is the answer. I personally think her finding a way to cross the spirit divide to cuddle and more with Rafael is the answer because this man is amazing and their chemistry is 10/10.
I loved the story and am a fan of the central concept. I do think at points it was trying do a little too much and too often with Evie’s past when that time could have been spent adding some more complexity to the history between the two enemies, but this is such a charming story it’s easy to overlook. If you are a fan of some very light fantasy to your enemies to lovers stories, and some deeper emotional themes, this is a fun book to get lost in.
Dead Set on You reminds me, at first, of the film Just Like Heaven (based on a book in my TBR). But if you’re familiar the plot there, while this book is also about a woman in a coma trying to get through with the help of a man she has definite chemistry with, the MC’s in Dead Set on You (Evie and Rafael) are coworkers with a lot of history which makes things even more fascinating and mysterious.
Evie has lived a hard life growing up which makes her unhealthily focused on a big promotion at work, one in which her old friend and since sworn enemy (for reasons that are teased and eventually revealed) Rafael is her main competition. After a high stakes client meeting the two have to collaborate on, Evie goes into a coma and comes back a week later in Rafael’s apartment as a ghost spirit, with little time left to find her way to her body before the window closes. Evie, as the queen of checklists, believes her ever growing but forever neglected bucket list is the answer. I personally think her finding a way to cross the spirit divide to cuddle and more with Rafael is the answer because this man is amazing and their chemistry is 10/10.
I loved the story and am a fan of the central concept. I do think at points it was trying do a little too much and too often with Evie’s past when that time could have been spent adding some more complexity to the history between the two enemies, but this is such a charming story it’s easy to overlook. If you are a fan of some very light fantasy to your enemies to lovers stories, and some deeper emotional themes, this is a fun book to get lost in.
November 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and @AlcovePress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dead Set on You is such a fun mix of romantic tension, office drama, and a light paranormal twist. It feels playful but still has enough emotion to keep you invested, and I loved how fresh the setup felt. Waking up as a spirit in your rival's apartment is not exactly the kind of work/life balance Evie had in mind, but it makes for a very entertaining ride.
Evie is so easy to root for: ambitious, stubborn, and a little too used to doing everything on her own. Rafael, though, is the perfect blend of charming and frustrating. It's so cool how their shared history adds a real spark to their back and forth. Seeing them move past the hard feelings and get softer with each other was seriously satisfying to watch. The forced teamwork creates so many great moments, especially once Evie starts seeing who he really is.
I also enjoyed how this book mixed humor with real stakes. Evie is literally racing against the clock to get back into her body, adding a nice urgency without ever letting the story feel heavy. It stayed warm and romantic, with just the right amount of tension to keep you glued to the page.
If you enjoy the rivals to lovers trope, a little magic, and a sweet story about second chances, Dead Set on You is definitely the book for you.
4.25 Stars!
#DeadSetOnYou, #LexiAlexander, #RomCom, #NetGalley, #AlcovePress
Dead Set on You is such a fun mix of romantic tension, office drama, and a light paranormal twist. It feels playful but still has enough emotion to keep you invested, and I loved how fresh the setup felt. Waking up as a spirit in your rival's apartment is not exactly the kind of work/life balance Evie had in mind, but it makes for a very entertaining ride.
Evie is so easy to root for: ambitious, stubborn, and a little too used to doing everything on her own. Rafael, though, is the perfect blend of charming and frustrating. It's so cool how their shared history adds a real spark to their back and forth. Seeing them move past the hard feelings and get softer with each other was seriously satisfying to watch. The forced teamwork creates so many great moments, especially once Evie starts seeing who he really is.
I also enjoyed how this book mixed humor with real stakes. Evie is literally racing against the clock to get back into her body, adding a nice urgency without ever letting the story feel heavy. It stayed warm and romantic, with just the right amount of tension to keep you glued to the page.
If you enjoy the rivals to lovers trope, a little magic, and a sweet story about second chances, Dead Set on You is definitely the book for you.
4.25 Stars!
#DeadSetOnYou, #LexiAlexander, #RomCom, #NetGalley, #AlcovePress
September 16, 2025
The Hating Game meets Just Like Heaven meets The Dead Romantics in this workplace rivals romance with paranormal undertones. Evie and Rafael were at once friends but now rivals since Raf threw Evie under the bus with a client. They've been vying for the same promotion at work and Evie is sure she's going to get it until she wakes up one day in a coma. Well, she doesn't wake up, but her spirit does. And since the only person who can see and hear her is Rafael, she considers the fact she may actually be in hell.
I really enjoyed this story and found it quite funny, especially while Rafael was trying to figure out if Evie's spirit was real or if he was hallucinating. Evie's prickliness did get grating at times, but it's understandable based on her past and what she believes to be her present. Through the shenanigans that Evie and Raf get up to while attempting to get her spirit back to her body, we learn more about Raf and what makes him tick. The scenes with his family and friends were particularly interesting, and I thought the supporting characters were lots of fun, especially Lupe. The ending fell off a little for me, I was hoping for something a little more (more effort maybe, more oomph?, more in the future?), but overall I really enjoyed this romcom.
Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for an arc. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this story and found it quite funny, especially while Rafael was trying to figure out if Evie's spirit was real or if he was hallucinating. Evie's prickliness did get grating at times, but it's understandable based on her past and what she believes to be her present. Through the shenanigans that Evie and Raf get up to while attempting to get her spirit back to her body, we learn more about Raf and what makes him tick. The scenes with his family and friends were particularly interesting, and I thought the supporting characters were lots of fun, especially Lupe. The ending fell off a little for me, I was hoping for something a little more (more effort maybe, more oomph?, more in the future?), but overall I really enjoyed this romcom.
Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for an arc. All opinions are my own.
September 5, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ / 5
When I was younger , Just Like Heaven starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo was one of my favorite movies. When I read the premise for Dead Set on You, I immediately thought of that movie, the only difference is Evie and Raf actually knew each other, and they were rivals. The concept of this book was intriguing. The first couple chapters were promising but after that it drugged on up until there was a
about 87 percent of the book left. After the first few chapters, I had a hard time getting into it, and it seemed everything just ran together. The first 87 percent of this book was lackluster. The execution left more to be desired. . Evie went from focusing on her hate of Raf, and everything he did to wrong her. Then she went to focusing on ideas to get her back into her body, and then from there she went to being in love with Raf. There were no answers as to why Evie was a ghost / spirit and there was no closure on what got her back into her body . She was just slammed back into her body after a brief heavenly encounter. This book had so much potential , and had the execution been a bit better it could have been a four star .
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishe for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own honest thoughts.
When I was younger , Just Like Heaven starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo was one of my favorite movies. When I read the premise for Dead Set on You, I immediately thought of that movie, the only difference is Evie and Raf actually knew each other, and they were rivals. The concept of this book was intriguing. The first couple chapters were promising but after that it drugged on up until there was a
about 87 percent of the book left. After the first few chapters, I had a hard time getting into it, and it seemed everything just ran together. The first 87 percent of this book was lackluster. The execution left more to be desired. . Evie went from focusing on her hate of Raf, and everything he did to wrong her. Then she went to focusing on ideas to get her back into her body, and then from there she went to being in love with Raf. There were no answers as to why Evie was a ghost / spirit and there was no closure on what got her back into her body . She was just slammed back into her body after a brief heavenly encounter. This book had so much potential , and had the execution been a bit better it could have been a four star .
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishe for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own honest thoughts.
September 23, 2025
Evie is on a mission at her current job; she wants a promotion and the financial stability that will bring to her life. She is competing against Rafael, her coworker and arch nemesis, for the promotion. Evie and Rafael used to be friendly at work until Rafael stole an account from her. Since that time, Evie has not trusted Rafael and has in fact, played some pranks on him to foil his success at work.
Evie gets in an accident and her soul leaves her body, landing her in Rafael's apartment. He ends up being the only one who can hear and see her, leaving Rafael the sole person who can help Evie figure out how to get back into her body.
This is a fun contemporary romance, I love an out of body trope. I found Evie's annoyance and grudge towards Rafael a bit tedious at times. As some of Evie's past was made known, you can understand her character and actions on a deeper level. I though the pranks she played on him at work were funny but a bit bold. The unfinished business gets wrapped up very nicely at the end!
Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for this ARC copy!
Evie gets in an accident and her soul leaves her body, landing her in Rafael's apartment. He ends up being the only one who can hear and see her, leaving Rafael the sole person who can help Evie figure out how to get back into her body.
This is a fun contemporary romance, I love an out of body trope. I found Evie's annoyance and grudge towards Rafael a bit tedious at times. As some of Evie's past was made known, you can understand her character and actions on a deeper level. I though the pranks she played on him at work were funny but a bit bold. The unfinished business gets wrapped up very nicely at the end!
Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for this ARC copy!
October 15, 2025
I loved this story!!! Not gonna lie - I have a mad crush on Rafael! Lexi does a magical job of creating characters and a story that hits your heart. I found myself laughing out loud at their banter, pulling my hair out at Evie’s stubbornness, and swooning at the lengths Rafael would go to save this person he has come to secretly cherish. This story doesn’t slow down until the very end. It is full of humor, self-reflection, vulnerability, grief and a fragile blossoming trust between these two complex individuals. What I like so much about this book is that I felt like I knew both of them by the time I finished their story. You know those books you read and you get to the end and are like, nooooooo keep going?!!! This is one of them. I won’t spoil it BUT they have THE BEST kiss scene I’ve read in a lloonnnggggg time 😍😍😍😍😍. Overall, I can’t say enough good things about this story and all their shenanigans. I can’t wait to read more stories by this author - Well done Lexi, well done 💜
November 12, 2025
Rivals to lovers really is That Genre, but Dead Set on You takes it in such a fun new magical realism direction!!
When hard working marketing manager Evie gets hit by a car mid-argument with her work nemesis (or is he) Rafael and ends up in a coma, neither of them is prepared for her to wake up in his apartment - as a spirit only he can see!!!! With such a fun premise, delightfully imperfect characters, endless banter, and different experiments to snap her out of the coma, this book feels like it’s got all the hits baked right in!
Evie’s had a rough life and can’t tell when someone cares about her, channeling all her energy into planning and lists. So when she can’t control something, she has to let go and just surrender to the experience - and some deeply deeeeeeply buried feelings. She just makes so much sense as a person, and watching her find herself from that non existence existence was a really fun ride!
Thanks so much to Lexi Alexander and NetGalley for chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
When hard working marketing manager Evie gets hit by a car mid-argument with her work nemesis (or is he) Rafael and ends up in a coma, neither of them is prepared for her to wake up in his apartment - as a spirit only he can see!!!! With such a fun premise, delightfully imperfect characters, endless banter, and different experiments to snap her out of the coma, this book feels like it’s got all the hits baked right in!
Evie’s had a rough life and can’t tell when someone cares about her, channeling all her energy into planning and lists. So when she can’t control something, she has to let go and just surrender to the experience - and some deeply deeeeeeply buried feelings. She just makes so much sense as a person, and watching her find herself from that non existence existence was a really fun ride!
Thanks so much to Lexi Alexander and NetGalley for chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2025
Dead Set on You was a paranormal romance that I really enjoyed reading. Comparisons to The Dead Romantics are inevitable (if you haven't read that book, I won't tell you why), but I did appreciate that Dead Set on You is less interested in the mystery of how heroine Evie ended up in a coma and more interested in how her relationship with Rafe went wrong. The two are work rivals with sexy tension, but at some point, Evie felt burned by Rafe.
I really enjoyed that this book gave Evie a backstory that felt very believably shaped in trauma and poverty (I tried to remember the last time a romance book even acknowledged the opioid crisis) and I also appreciated that the book allows Evie to be focused on her career and respects how someone who grew up with a lot of insecurity could be really focused on economic stability.
The chemistry between the two characters is clear, but the book does a great job of building trust and respect. Fans of Ashley Poston and Christina Lauren will enjoy this one. Thanks to Alcove Press for the early copy.
I really enjoyed that this book gave Evie a backstory that felt very believably shaped in trauma and poverty (I tried to remember the last time a romance book even acknowledged the opioid crisis) and I also appreciated that the book allows Evie to be focused on her career and respects how someone who grew up with a lot of insecurity could be really focused on economic stability.
The chemistry between the two characters is clear, but the book does a great job of building trust and respect. Fans of Ashley Poston and Christina Lauren will enjoy this one. Thanks to Alcove Press for the early copy.
November 12, 2025
Dead Set on You is a single POV rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity romance. Evie is hoping to beat out her workplace nemesis, Rafael, for a promotion, and everything seems to be going according to plan until she wakes up in his apartment one morning. That’s baffling enough, but even worse? Rafael is the only one who can see her, because Evie’s body is across town in the hospital, in a coma. The two are forced to team up to try and figure out how to get Evie’s spirit back to her body before time runs out, and the constant proximity to each other makes Evie start to see Rafael in a new light!
This was a fantastic debut! I loved the friends-to-rivals-to-lovers storyline and the slow burn romance! Evie’s determination and focus were admirable, and I liked the way Evie and Rafael both benefited from working closely together over the years. Very excited to read more from this author in the future!
This was a fantastic debut! I loved the friends-to-rivals-to-lovers storyline and the slow burn romance! Evie’s determination and focus were admirable, and I liked the way Evie and Rafael both benefited from working closely together over the years. Very excited to read more from this author in the future!
November 20, 2025
Dead Set on You by Lexi Alexander is a workplace enemies-to-lovers, paranormal romance. Evie is a workaholic, determined to focus on work, to-do lists, and getting a big promotion. After a business meeting and confrontation with her work enemy Rafael, she wakes up in his apartment. She is shocked to find out that she has been in a coma for the past week and the only person who can see and converse with her spirit with Rafael. Now, they must work together to find a way to get her back to her body and real life. This was a really fun take on an enemies-to-lovers read. It is told from a single POV (Evie), which really adds to the storyline and keeps you reading, having to know and understand how Evie and Rafi’s relationship came to be what it is. The banter, humor, and inner monologue of Evie really had me engaged and struggling to put this book down. This is a great book for those who enjoy a good paranormal read, reminiscent of Ashley Postan.
Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2026
The two stars are for the quality of the writing. The main character, and narrator is a hugely unpleasant character who spends 95% of the book as an awful person. Yes, shes had trauma in her life but she is irredeemably unpleasant, gaslighty, controlling and deceitful. Yet inexplicably has friends. The male character, despite being the victim of her vile behaviour is apparently in love with her. Why? Its worrying that someone with so much going for them and a loving circle of family and friends can have so little self respect. Its concerning that it is seen as 'charming' and a 'love conquers all' narrative that someone can be treated so badly by someone but thats meant to not matter because...love. No. If someone treats you awfully you dont put up with the abuse, sabotaging you at work and lying about you and still remaiin in love with them. If the sexes were reversed this would be a book written about an abuser who has a sad backstory to explain away their awful behaviour.
August 29, 2025
Evie Pope and Rafael Vela were once the perfect work duo—until everything fell apart. After feeling betrayed, Evie is determined to get her revenge, especially when Rafi undercuts her yet again as they both go after the same promotion. But just as she storms off, an accident leaves her in an even stranger situation—waking up in Rafi’s house, completely thrown off balance.
Now, with Rafi feeling responsible, he has no choice but to help Evie get back into her body. Forced to team up once more, Evie starts to see cracks in the version of Rafi she’s always believed—the one who coasted on charm and good looks (or as she calls it, being “Vela’d”). The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for her to deny that maybe she never knew him at all.
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy—I’m sharing this review voluntarily.
Now, with Rafi feeling responsible, he has no choice but to help Evie get back into her body. Forced to team up once more, Evie starts to see cracks in the version of Rafi she’s always believed—the one who coasted on charm and good looks (or as she calls it, being “Vela’d”). The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for her to deny that maybe she never knew him at all.
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy—I’m sharing this review voluntarily.
September 28, 2025
Think about The dead romantics and that one movie with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo where she’s a ghost and he’s the only that can see her but then also sprinkle some work rivalry chemistry from the Hating game.
So Evie and Rafael both work together and have been friends until Rafael suddenly steals an account they’ve both been working on together!
Betrayed and hurt all Evie can think about is winning the next big account and getting that promotion.
But as we all know there has a twist to the story!
Evie gets into an accident (right in front of Raf and she becomes a ghost- or was it spirit? Since those are used for dead people I’m not sure what the right terminology is for someone who’s walking a thin line between life and death. Evie couldn’t figure it out either😂.
Back to what I was saying, she becomes only viable to Rag and together they try to figure how to get her back into her body!
As a certified lover of romance books with the perfect mix of magical realism and comedy this hit all the right spots for me!
5/5 and definitely give it a try!
So Evie and Rafael both work together and have been friends until Rafael suddenly steals an account they’ve both been working on together!
Betrayed and hurt all Evie can think about is winning the next big account and getting that promotion.
But as we all know there has a twist to the story!
Evie gets into an accident (right in front of Raf and she becomes a ghost- or was it spirit? Since those are used for dead people I’m not sure what the right terminology is for someone who’s walking a thin line between life and death. Evie couldn’t figure it out either😂.
Back to what I was saying, she becomes only viable to Rag and together they try to figure how to get her back into her body!
As a certified lover of romance books with the perfect mix of magical realism and comedy this hit all the right spots for me!
5/5 and definitely give it a try!
October 11, 2025
I'm grateful for the opportunity to read this arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Evie and Rafael's rivalry made the first couple of chapters really interesting. I was expecting more character and relationship development in the first half of the book. It's really clear that Evie's grudge is blinding her to the obvious, which is more frustrating the longer it goes on.
Although, her distrust of Rafael is definitely wrapped up in her grief and trauma so it's understandable.
Watching their adventures together, trying to figure out how to help Evie, seeing her slowly begin to deal with her grief and learn to open up a little bit was really lovely.
The pacing was a little slow at times but I definitely enjoyed reading Evie's story. The ending was really satisfying, it made me tear up!
Evie and Rafael's rivalry made the first couple of chapters really interesting. I was expecting more character and relationship development in the first half of the book. It's really clear that Evie's grudge is blinding her to the obvious, which is more frustrating the longer it goes on.
Although, her distrust of Rafael is definitely wrapped up in her grief and trauma so it's understandable.
Watching their adventures together, trying to figure out how to help Evie, seeing her slowly begin to deal with her grief and learn to open up a little bit was really lovely.
The pacing was a little slow at times but I definitely enjoyed reading Evie's story. The ending was really satisfying, it made me tear up!
November 26, 2025
Evie, meticulous and planned to the minute, and Rafael, charming and rule breaking, are work rivals that enjoy pranking each other as revenge for stealing clients and credit. When Evie is involved in an accident, she is surprised to wake up at Rafael's apartment...over and over again. They realize quickly they need to work together to get her back into her body if he doesn't want to be haunted forever.
Was this yet another story of a person in a coma that can be seen only by a love interest? Yeah, sure. Did I absolutely love it anyway? Heck yeah. This was a really fun story about living life to the fullest, not just living to check items off a list. The short chapters made it really easy to zip through quickly, and the characters and their growth were super easy to love.
Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the chance to read this early :)
Was this yet another story of a person in a coma that can be seen only by a love interest? Yeah, sure. Did I absolutely love it anyway? Heck yeah. This was a really fun story about living life to the fullest, not just living to check items off a list. The short chapters made it really easy to zip through quickly, and the characters and their growth were super easy to love.
Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the chance to read this early :)
October 9, 2025
Growing up, one of my favorite romcoms was Just Like Heaven. It was one of those movies I watched over and over again until my parents got sick of it and I could recite every single line by heart. Reading this book made me feel like that little girl again, watching Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon’s characters fall in love.
This story follows Evie, who, after a tragic accident, wakes up as a spirit in her rival’s apartment, only to discover she’s actually in a coma. This book is cute, funny, and unexpectedly emotional. The writing is beautiful, and I found Evie’s guarded nature so relatable. The way Rafael stood by her, even through her worst moments, was everything. I loved their chemistry, their enemies to lovers dynamic, and realizing that Rafael wasn’t the villain we all thought he was.
This book is heartwarming, moving, and it made me cry a lot, so I definitely recommend it. I rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars. It comes out December 2nd, so make sure to add it to your TBR and keep an eye out for it!!
Thanks you so much NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to read this arc.
This story follows Evie, who, after a tragic accident, wakes up as a spirit in her rival’s apartment, only to discover she’s actually in a coma. This book is cute, funny, and unexpectedly emotional. The writing is beautiful, and I found Evie’s guarded nature so relatable. The way Rafael stood by her, even through her worst moments, was everything. I loved their chemistry, their enemies to lovers dynamic, and realizing that Rafael wasn’t the villain we all thought he was.
This book is heartwarming, moving, and it made me cry a lot, so I definitely recommend it. I rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars. It comes out December 2nd, so make sure to add it to your TBR and keep an eye out for it!!
Thanks you so much NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to read this arc.
December 19, 2025
As a lover of the movie "Just Like Heaven", I knew I'd be a goner for this book. I am definitely more than a teensy bit biased!
I LOVED THE CHARACTERS HONESTLY THE MMC IS SO SWEET. LITERALLYYY.
Gahhh misunderstanding hurt so bad but damn!
I love how well the FMC's trauma is discussed as an explanation for why she behaves the way she does. The two characters severely balance each other out, they were written so well!
I wish the supernatural element was more explained/highlighted but this is the beauty of such books, no explanation is needed so long as the story is served well in the end. I guess the point was that she got a second chance and I adore that.
I have a bucket list, here's to doing more on that list! Thank you Ms. Lexi <3
I LOVED THE CHARACTERS HONESTLY THE MMC IS SO SWEET. LITERALLYYY.
Gahhh misunderstanding hurt so bad but damn!
I love how well the FMC's trauma is discussed as an explanation for why she behaves the way she does. The two characters severely balance each other out, they were written so well!
I wish the supernatural element was more explained/highlighted but this is the beauty of such books, no explanation is needed so long as the story is served well in the end. I guess the point was that she got a second chance and I adore that.
I have a bucket list, here's to doing more on that list! Thank you Ms. Lexi <3
December 16, 2025
“I hate you for making me want something I can’t have,”
« How you could pull me out of my head and make me slow down. How you could calm me down or make me laugh. You were there in more ways than I knew I needed »
« You’d never been a threat to anything. You were it—somehow you’d become stability and survival. »
“I prayed for you to stay. Even if you hated me, even if you never spoke to me again. I just needed you here.”
“Truth is, despite your anger and your vengefulness, you made me want to be better. You made me want to work harder, to fight for what I wanted.” His voice is hoarse. “And in the end, it was you.”
“You didn’t have unfinished business, E.”“You were mine,”
« How you could pull me out of my head and make me slow down. How you could calm me down or make me laugh. You were there in more ways than I knew I needed »
« You’d never been a threat to anything. You were it—somehow you’d become stability and survival. »
“I prayed for you to stay. Even if you hated me, even if you never spoke to me again. I just needed you here.”
“Truth is, despite your anger and your vengefulness, you made me want to be better. You made me want to work harder, to fight for what I wanted.” His voice is hoarse. “And in the end, it was you.”
“You didn’t have unfinished business, E.”“You were mine,”
December 19, 2025
I had the joy of meeting Lexi at a book launch event and she was so kind, I knew I had to read this quickly and not let it die a slow death on my bookshelf—especially because The Hating Game got me into romance and The Dead Romantics is one of my favorite books I read this year.
I think Lexi handled the ghost/spirit/apparition perfectly and somehow managed to raise tension between Evie and Rafael, despite them not being able to touch. I fell in love with both characters and can’t wait to read everything Lexi writes.
I think Lexi handled the ghost/spirit/apparition perfectly and somehow managed to raise tension between Evie and Rafael, despite them not being able to touch. I fell in love with both characters and can’t wait to read everything Lexi writes.
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