What do you think?
Rate this book
Dandelion Is Dead
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 26“Dandelion is Dead is breathtakingly original. A brilliant premise, smart, funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. I adored it.”
—Clare Leslie Hall, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Country
Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.
When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister's dating app, she makes an impulsive She'll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion's fortieth birthday. It's exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward.
Jake is ready to find something real—and not least because his ex-wife's twentysomething boyfriend has moved into their old family home. When he meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else.
As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric, and totally right—despite the fact they're tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a keep her sister's memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness?
With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.
—Clare Leslie Hall, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Country
Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.
When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister's dating app, she makes an impulsive She'll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion's fortieth birthday. It's exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward.
Jake is ready to find something real—and not least because his ex-wife's twentysomething boyfriend has moved into their old family home. When he meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else.
As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric, and totally right—despite the fact they're tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a keep her sister's memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness?
With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 13, 2026
14487 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 26, 2025
What the hell did I just read—in the most astonishing way possible? This book is gloriously, unapologetically messy, and that’s exactly why it works so brilliantly. The characters are cracked open, raw, flawed to the core, and in some cases even morally damaged. They repeat mistakes, sabotage themselves, and stumble through life because they are carrying grief, trauma, and heavy baggage that no human being could shoulder without breaking. And yet—because of all this imperfection—the story becomes achingly real.
It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that refuses to sit neatly in one category. At times it’s sad and devastating, at others hilariously funny and painfully awkward. It’s sharp and smart, yet sentimental and heart-wrenching. One page makes you teary, the next makes you laugh out loud. This isn’t just a romance, a rom-com, or even a rom-dramedy. It’s a slice of life—messy, chaotic, and honest—filled with the contradictions we all know: joy and despair, hope and heartbreak, light and darkness. That’s what makes this novel so special. It doesn’t pretend to be perfect—it embraces imperfection and turns it into art.
Honestly, it deserves to be made into an independent film. It’s the kind of tragic, funny, deeply human story that deserves to be on screen rather than another forgettable, formulaic rom-com. Rosie Storey has created something bold and authentic here, the kind of fiction that reminds us why we read in the first place.
The characters are unforgettable case studies in grief, identity, and the search for love. Poppy is a mess—grieving her sister, confusing stability with love, clinging to a controlling partner who doesn’t fulfill her. She doesn’t know where she’s headed in life, and in her grief she slips into her sister’s shoes—literally—by pretending to be Dandelion on a dating app. Jack, meanwhile, is newly divorced, spending weekends with his sweet son Billy, awkwardly navigating his ex’s quirky new yogi boyfriend, and trying to survive the digital dating world. He’s charming in a broken, bumbling way—a mix of Nick Miller from New Girl and a younger, messier Jason Sudeikis.
When Poppy and Jack meet—under the messy, drunken lie of Poppy pretending to be Dandelion—something clicks. There’s attraction, vulnerability, and an honesty beneath the dishonesty. Poppy leaves quickly, weighed down by the guilt of her secret and the pressure of her current relationship. But when she and Jack cross paths again, the pull between them is undeniable, even as the web of lies grows tighter. Watching them fall into connection while trapped in grief and deception is heartbreaking, funny, and completely addictive.
The supporting characters add so much richness. Jetta is the kind of fierce, loyal, badass friend you wish you had by your side. And though she’s gone, Dandelion’s presence is everywhere—erratic, chaotic, and selfish at times, but also luminous, reminding everyone around her to seize life even if imperfectly. She embodies both joy and destruction, light and darkness, and her absence becomes the haunting heartbeat of the story.
Rosie Storey’s writing is unflinching. She doesn’t sugarcoat grief or loss, nor does she glamorize it. Instead, she shows how it shapes, bends, and breaks people, and how even in that pain, there’s room for humor, connection, and growth. The pacing is masterful—the story gives space for both wild, laugh-out-loud moments and quiet, devastating reflections.
By the end, I felt like I’d lived inside these characters’ lives, sharing their highs and lows, their tears and their laughter. It’s rare for a novel to feel this alive, this brutally honest, and this emotionally affecting. Rosie Storey is now firmly on my auto-read list. I cannot wait to see what she creates next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this perfectly messy, beautifully imperfect, tragic yet entertaining digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter
It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that refuses to sit neatly in one category. At times it’s sad and devastating, at others hilariously funny and painfully awkward. It’s sharp and smart, yet sentimental and heart-wrenching. One page makes you teary, the next makes you laugh out loud. This isn’t just a romance, a rom-com, or even a rom-dramedy. It’s a slice of life—messy, chaotic, and honest—filled with the contradictions we all know: joy and despair, hope and heartbreak, light and darkness. That’s what makes this novel so special. It doesn’t pretend to be perfect—it embraces imperfection and turns it into art.
Honestly, it deserves to be made into an independent film. It’s the kind of tragic, funny, deeply human story that deserves to be on screen rather than another forgettable, formulaic rom-com. Rosie Storey has created something bold and authentic here, the kind of fiction that reminds us why we read in the first place.
The characters are unforgettable case studies in grief, identity, and the search for love. Poppy is a mess—grieving her sister, confusing stability with love, clinging to a controlling partner who doesn’t fulfill her. She doesn’t know where she’s headed in life, and in her grief she slips into her sister’s shoes—literally—by pretending to be Dandelion on a dating app. Jack, meanwhile, is newly divorced, spending weekends with his sweet son Billy, awkwardly navigating his ex’s quirky new yogi boyfriend, and trying to survive the digital dating world. He’s charming in a broken, bumbling way—a mix of Nick Miller from New Girl and a younger, messier Jason Sudeikis.
When Poppy and Jack meet—under the messy, drunken lie of Poppy pretending to be Dandelion—something clicks. There’s attraction, vulnerability, and an honesty beneath the dishonesty. Poppy leaves quickly, weighed down by the guilt of her secret and the pressure of her current relationship. But when she and Jack cross paths again, the pull between them is undeniable, even as the web of lies grows tighter. Watching them fall into connection while trapped in grief and deception is heartbreaking, funny, and completely addictive.
The supporting characters add so much richness. Jetta is the kind of fierce, loyal, badass friend you wish you had by your side. And though she’s gone, Dandelion’s presence is everywhere—erratic, chaotic, and selfish at times, but also luminous, reminding everyone around her to seize life even if imperfectly. She embodies both joy and destruction, light and darkness, and her absence becomes the haunting heartbeat of the story.
Rosie Storey’s writing is unflinching. She doesn’t sugarcoat grief or loss, nor does she glamorize it. Instead, she shows how it shapes, bends, and breaks people, and how even in that pain, there’s room for humor, connection, and growth. The pacing is masterful—the story gives space for both wild, laugh-out-loud moments and quiet, devastating reflections.
By the end, I felt like I’d lived inside these characters’ lives, sharing their highs and lows, their tears and their laughter. It’s rare for a novel to feel this alive, this brutally honest, and this emotionally affecting. Rosie Storey is now firmly on my auto-read list. I cannot wait to see what she creates next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this perfectly messy, beautifully imperfect, tragic yet entertaining digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
October 1, 2025
This book may speak to YOUNG WOMEN who have felt INVISIBLE or UNSEEN next to a more VIVACIOUS sister or best friend…but it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for when I picked it up.
Poppy is wallowing in her GRIEF after losing her free spirited older sister Dandelion to a fast moving illness which claimed her life. So when she finds unanswered messages from a guy named Jake who seemed to really “get” her sister in Dandelion’s dating app, Hitch-she does something impulsive and very out of character for her-she responds to Jake, as if she is Dandelion.
She’ll meet him-just one time- on what would have been Dandelion’s fortieth birthday-living the day as Dandelion would have-perhaps as a way to honor her or maybe as a way to feel close to her on what would have been a milestone day.
When Jake finally meets “Dandelion” in person for the first time-the connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else becoming borderline obsessive too quickly for me. Poppy finds herself more entangled in the double life she never meant to lead, prompting her to question her own relationship choices, as Jake’s attention makes her feel much more alive than she has for the last 231 days since Dandelion died.
But, how can she now admit the truth?
I am glad that Berkley is calling this a LIFE story-not a LOVE story because for most of the book, I couldn’t root for Poppy and Jake as a couple. Sure, he was better than Sam, the man that Poppy was actually in a relationship with, BUT I felt that both characters needed therapy more than a relationship with each other that has been built on a lie.
And, once the TRUTH does come out-will Jake be able to distinguish his feelings for the Dandelion he THINKS he knew with those for Poppy, the woman he has actually met?
Told in Three Parts: The Lie, More Lies and The Truth, this was a unique premise with a fresh way to explore GRIEF but the premise was stronger than the execution. At times, the writing in this DEBUT lacked polish, and was too CRASS for my personal taste, though many other reviewers are scoring this higher.
Available January 13, 2025
Thank You to Berkley for the gifted copy provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
Poppy is wallowing in her GRIEF after losing her free spirited older sister Dandelion to a fast moving illness which claimed her life. So when she finds unanswered messages from a guy named Jake who seemed to really “get” her sister in Dandelion’s dating app, Hitch-she does something impulsive and very out of character for her-she responds to Jake, as if she is Dandelion.
She’ll meet him-just one time- on what would have been Dandelion’s fortieth birthday-living the day as Dandelion would have-perhaps as a way to honor her or maybe as a way to feel close to her on what would have been a milestone day.
When Jake finally meets “Dandelion” in person for the first time-the connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else becoming borderline obsessive too quickly for me. Poppy finds herself more entangled in the double life she never meant to lead, prompting her to question her own relationship choices, as Jake’s attention makes her feel much more alive than she has for the last 231 days since Dandelion died.
But, how can she now admit the truth?
I am glad that Berkley is calling this a LIFE story-not a LOVE story because for most of the book, I couldn’t root for Poppy and Jake as a couple. Sure, he was better than Sam, the man that Poppy was actually in a relationship with, BUT I felt that both characters needed therapy more than a relationship with each other that has been built on a lie.
And, once the TRUTH does come out-will Jake be able to distinguish his feelings for the Dandelion he THINKS he knew with those for Poppy, the woman he has actually met?
Told in Three Parts: The Lie, More Lies and The Truth, this was a unique premise with a fresh way to explore GRIEF but the premise was stronger than the execution. At times, the writing in this DEBUT lacked polish, and was too CRASS for my personal taste, though many other reviewers are scoring this higher.
Available January 13, 2025
Thank You to Berkley for the gifted copy provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
October 3, 2025
This is a book that just draws you in from the cover. It is a story about love, grief and deception. Dandelion is a beautiful person who looks out for her little sister Poppy. Poppy is devastated of Dandelion’s death. She lived in her shadow all her life. She discovers Dandelion’s phone and an unanswered message from a man named Jake. She contacts him pretending to be her sister. One lie leads to another. She really likes Jake, but she has a boyfriend who’s looking for marriage.
This is a beautifully written story. Poppy’s grief to meet Jake on the anniversary of her sisters birthday is mesmerizing. But Jake is also grief stricken as his marriage is falling apart. Sounds like a match made in heaven. But will the truth be known. “Oh what a tangled web, we weave, when we practice to deceive”
It is a compelling story about grief and how we hold onto it.
A wonderful debut novel.
Thank you to Book Browse and NetGalley and Berkeley Publishers for this advanced readers copy.
This is a beautifully written story. Poppy’s grief to meet Jake on the anniversary of her sisters birthday is mesmerizing. But Jake is also grief stricken as his marriage is falling apart. Sounds like a match made in heaven. But will the truth be known. “Oh what a tangled web, we weave, when we practice to deceive”
It is a compelling story about grief and how we hold onto it.
A wonderful debut novel.
Thank you to Book Browse and NetGalley and Berkeley Publishers for this advanced readers copy.
June 23, 2025
This was not at all what I expected it to be and am pleasantly surprised by the depth here.
I anticipated a sarcastic book much in the vein of Julie Chan is Dead, with unlikable characters that we cannot wait to see their upcoming demise. While Dandelion is Dead started in this way, the character growth and love I developed for these characters was wholly unexpected.
This is not just a silly take on complicated characters but a book that delves into grief, mistakes, and the choice to rise above them. Taking contemporary fiction to a literary form, the character arcs and total decimation of pride was something that kept me glued to this book. The writing was fluid and easy to read and had me continuously guessing what my new favourite people were going to do next.
I anticipated a sarcastic book much in the vein of Julie Chan is Dead, with unlikable characters that we cannot wait to see their upcoming demise. While Dandelion is Dead started in this way, the character growth and love I developed for these characters was wholly unexpected.
This is not just a silly take on complicated characters but a book that delves into grief, mistakes, and the choice to rise above them. Taking contemporary fiction to a literary form, the character arcs and total decimation of pride was something that kept me glued to this book. The writing was fluid and easy to read and had me continuously guessing what my new favourite people were going to do next.
December 28, 2025
It had tons of potential but the story fizzled out midway through. Enjoyable and slow moving. Audio has a dual narration.
October 20, 2025
This was such a messy book but in a good way!
Poppy is still mourning the death of her sister Dandelion (what a great name) and after breaking her phone she starts to use her dead's sisters as a replacement. Looking through the phone, she realises her sister was on dating apps and, as Dandelion's 40th birthday approaches, she decides to go on a date, as Dandelion, with Jake.
Although only intended to be a one-off date, there is instant chemistry between them however can a relationship which is built on a lie ever work out? Read on to find out......
Now, this sounds like a rom-com that would feature Julia Roberts on screen and would be funny, full of mishaps etc. however this is not that type of novel. There are some incredibly funny moments (and I do think it would work on screen) however this is a complex, deep, tender, powerful novel about grief, love, siblings, family and a whole lot more.
Definitely a book that will long remain in my head and one of my favourite books this year.
Poppy is still mourning the death of her sister Dandelion (what a great name) and after breaking her phone she starts to use her dead's sisters as a replacement. Looking through the phone, she realises her sister was on dating apps and, as Dandelion's 40th birthday approaches, she decides to go on a date, as Dandelion, with Jake.
Although only intended to be a one-off date, there is instant chemistry between them however can a relationship which is built on a lie ever work out? Read on to find out......
Now, this sounds like a rom-com that would feature Julia Roberts on screen and would be funny, full of mishaps etc. however this is not that type of novel. There are some incredibly funny moments (and I do think it would work on screen) however this is a complex, deep, tender, powerful novel about grief, love, siblings, family and a whole lot more.
Definitely a book that will long remain in my head and one of my favourite books this year.
September 25, 2025
* thanks to Berkley for the NetGalley review copy. (pub date: January 13, 2026)
I read the first few chapters of this in the NetGalley Fall/Winter Buzz Books preview compilation, and I was super excited about it -- a young woman (Poppy) deeply mourning the loss of her sister (Dandelion) impersonates her dead sister on a dating app and ends up feeling feelings for a man she meets, but he thinks her name is Dandelion and is justifiably furious with her for lying. And that's kind of the whole story? I think? I had to DNF at 50% because Poppy was too annoying, and I just couldn't make myself care how this turned out. I do think people with a stronger tolerance for a slower burn/relationship dilly-dallying and manufactured strife that could be resolved with one very honest conversation will like this more than I did.
I read the first few chapters of this in the NetGalley Fall/Winter Buzz Books preview compilation, and I was super excited about it -- a young woman (Poppy) deeply mourning the loss of her sister (Dandelion) impersonates her dead sister on a dating app and ends up feeling feelings for a man she meets, but he thinks her name is Dandelion and is justifiably furious with her for lying. And that's kind of the whole story? I think? I had to DNF at 50% because Poppy was too annoying, and I just couldn't make myself care how this turned out. I do think people with a stronger tolerance for a slower burn/relationship dilly-dallying and manufactured strife that could be resolved with one very honest conversation will like this more than I did.
December 4, 2025
4/5 ⭐
I honestly don't know how to rate this book, since it made me physically cringe and gag at some words used. I am most certainly not a fan of the word "jizz" in a literary novel...
That being said, if you're looking for an easy but literary read, something with the themes of loss and grief, finding your own path and facing your own issues, themes of healing and what it means to be "in love" - make sure to check this one out!
I honestly don't know how to rate this book, since it made me physically cringe and gag at some words used. I am most certainly not a fan of the word "jizz" in a literary novel...
That being said, if you're looking for an easy but literary read, something with the themes of loss and grief, finding your own path and facing your own issues, themes of healing and what it means to be "in love" - make sure to check this one out!
Want to read
December 20, 2025One of my most anticipated books of 2026. Thank you Berkley for both my eARC and gifted finished copy.
August 12, 2025
This book definitely changes a lot throughout the narrative. At around 50%, I thought this would be a 2 star read, even a DNF. The story becomes a very dark, dramatic and deep one as the plot progresses. So if the first half is 2 stars, the second half is 4 stars. I also changed my category on this from a romance to a litfic, as this is truly litfic with some triggering content and some deeply unlikable characters.
Jake and Dandelion match on hinge, Dandelion never responds. She then passes away, unbeknownst to Jake. He is recently divorced single dad. Dandelion's sister Poppy inherits her flat and all of her information, and one day, she breaks her phone and picks up Dandelion's old phone. Out of grief she goes through the phone and finds Jake's message to her, "I can feel your heat." I find that incredibly icky, but Poppy did not, and she started messaging him as Dandelion. Soon starts dating him as Dandelion, although she has a terrible boyfriend Sam.
That is about as much as I can tell you spoiler free.
Again, the ending is disturbing in a very dark/litfic way. The challenge here is that there is no one in this book you like, that you are rooting for. In a romance, you would be rooting for the couple to get together, and you aren't. Jake is really immature for his age and doesn't have a ton of redeeming qualities. Poppy is pretty conflict averse and her dishonesty comes from this. Once she gets honest with herself she uncovers a bit of growth. Even what we learn about Dandelion is really....complicated. By the ending, these characters are really very complex. If you like thorny family dramas, you may really love this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkeley for the ARC. Book to be published January 13, 2026.
Jake and Dandelion match on hinge, Dandelion never responds. She then passes away, unbeknownst to Jake. He is recently divorced single dad. Dandelion's sister Poppy inherits her flat and all of her information, and one day, she breaks her phone and picks up Dandelion's old phone. Out of grief she goes through the phone and finds Jake's message to her, "I can feel your heat." I find that incredibly icky, but Poppy did not, and she started messaging him as Dandelion. Soon starts dating him as Dandelion, although she has a terrible boyfriend Sam.
That is about as much as I can tell you spoiler free.
Again, the ending is disturbing in a very dark/litfic way. The challenge here is that there is no one in this book you like, that you are rooting for. In a romance, you would be rooting for the couple to get together, and you aren't. Jake is really immature for his age and doesn't have a ton of redeeming qualities. Poppy is pretty conflict averse and her dishonesty comes from this. Once she gets honest with herself she uncovers a bit of growth. Even what we learn about Dandelion is really....complicated. By the ending, these characters are really very complex. If you like thorny family dramas, you may really love this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkeley for the ARC. Book to be published January 13, 2026.
August 22, 2025
I like that this book is everything that I was really looking for in a literary fiction novel. It was very deep, very heartwarming and had a little mix of humor from Jake, who reminded me so much of Hugh Grant. Accent and all. The book left me wanting more. I wish there were a few more chapters. This was a beautiful debut that is definitely worth checking out.
November 9, 2025
This is a book about grief, identity crises, and messy choices, with a premise that grabbed me right away; none of us are immune to these life hurdles. While the bright, eye-catching cover had me expecting a fresh, twisty take on modern relationships, what I found instead was a healthy dose of immaturity and characters that just didn't sit right with me.
In "Dandelion Is Dead," main character Poppy is still reeling from the death of her sister, Dandelion, long after others feel she should have been able to move on. When she breaks her phone and begins to use Dandelion's phone instead, she finds herself slipping into her sister's dating apps and messaging one of Dandelion's previous matches, Jake. This one small choice of course snowballs into full-blown in-person impersonation, and when sparks fly between the two, Poppy must navigate how she will come clean with the truth of her identity. Orbiting the fallout are Jetta (Poppy and Dandelion's steadfast friend) and Sam (Poppy’s boyfriend).
While this story wasn't a home run for me, there are some positives that will likely resonate with other readers. I appreciated how the story profiles and normalizes mental health struggles — particularly in the fog of grief. Jetta’s actions carry a clear, positive message about dedicated friendship, which will be uplifting for any reader who is finding themselves a bit lost. The writing is easy to read and the pages move quickly. The concept was great and I was immediately intrigued going into it. Storey does a great job of engaging readers right off the bat.
Ultimately, this just wasn’t the right story and characters for me. I could see, from Poppy’s recent trauma, why she would behave the way she did: impersonating Dandelion as a way to dodge the emotional reality of her life. I struggled more with Jake, however. I found it extremely irritating that Jake was reluctant to forgive Poppy for her deceit, despite telling his own lies under emotional strain. His insistence that Dandelion was the woman he had fallen in love with made no sense given he had never spoken with the true Dandelion online or in person, while he had emotionally connected with Poppy. It read as immature, unbalanced, and a little repulsive, which made it hard to root for him. I even ended up feeling bad for Poppy’s boyfriend, Sam. He’s not very likeable — his overzealous need to coerce and control was grating — but he’s nonetheless treated badly in ways that left me wincing. By the end, the only character I truly enjoyed was Jetta.
Read this if you like: identity-driven contemporary fiction, morally gray choices, and friendship arcs that try to hold people together when their lives are coming apart. This is also a good choice for book clubs if you’re in the mood for feisty discussions about the consequences of telling yourself a story you wish were true.
Content notifications: drug use; infidelity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Rosie Storey for an advance copy for honest review. 3.5 stars rounded down.
In "Dandelion Is Dead," main character Poppy is still reeling from the death of her sister, Dandelion, long after others feel she should have been able to move on. When she breaks her phone and begins to use Dandelion's phone instead, she finds herself slipping into her sister's dating apps and messaging one of Dandelion's previous matches, Jake. This one small choice of course snowballs into full-blown in-person impersonation, and when sparks fly between the two, Poppy must navigate how she will come clean with the truth of her identity. Orbiting the fallout are Jetta (Poppy and Dandelion's steadfast friend) and Sam (Poppy’s boyfriend).
While this story wasn't a home run for me, there are some positives that will likely resonate with other readers. I appreciated how the story profiles and normalizes mental health struggles — particularly in the fog of grief. Jetta’s actions carry a clear, positive message about dedicated friendship, which will be uplifting for any reader who is finding themselves a bit lost. The writing is easy to read and the pages move quickly. The concept was great and I was immediately intrigued going into it. Storey does a great job of engaging readers right off the bat.
Ultimately, this just wasn’t the right story and characters for me. I could see, from Poppy’s recent trauma, why she would behave the way she did: impersonating Dandelion as a way to dodge the emotional reality of her life. I struggled more with Jake, however. I found it extremely irritating that Jake was reluctant to forgive Poppy for her deceit, despite telling his own lies under emotional strain. His insistence that Dandelion was the woman he had fallen in love with made no sense given he had never spoken with the true Dandelion online or in person, while he had emotionally connected with Poppy. It read as immature, unbalanced, and a little repulsive, which made it hard to root for him. I even ended up feeling bad for Poppy’s boyfriend, Sam. He’s not very likeable — his overzealous need to coerce and control was grating — but he’s nonetheless treated badly in ways that left me wincing. By the end, the only character I truly enjoyed was Jetta.
Read this if you like: identity-driven contemporary fiction, morally gray choices, and friendship arcs that try to hold people together when their lives are coming apart. This is also a good choice for book clubs if you’re in the mood for feisty discussions about the consequences of telling yourself a story you wish were true.
Content notifications: drug use; infidelity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Rosie Storey for an advance copy for honest review. 3.5 stars rounded down.
August 17, 2025
Dandelion is dead caught my eye with the cover, piqued my interest with the title, and grabbed my full attention with the synopsis.
Jake matches with Dandelion on a dating app. His message 'I can feel your heat' goes unanswered and that is that. Until a year later when Poppy, Dandelion's sister, breaks her phone and decides to use her late sister's device. Poppy is devastated by her sister's death, and the message from Jake speaks to her, reminding her of Dandelion. Before she knows it, she has replied to Jake and set up a date, all under her sister's profile. What could possibly go wrong?
I wasn't sure where this story was going to go. It was interesting enough although neither Jake nor Poppy are particularly likeable characters. Despite this I still found myself invested in their story. The writing tackled topics of grief, owning mistakes, and personal growth well. I struggled with how to rate it as I deeply disliked many of the characters but ultimately the writing did pull me in and the characters had depth, I just didn't like them 😂
Jake matches with Dandelion on a dating app. His message 'I can feel your heat' goes unanswered and that is that. Until a year later when Poppy, Dandelion's sister, breaks her phone and decides to use her late sister's device. Poppy is devastated by her sister's death, and the message from Jake speaks to her, reminding her of Dandelion. Before she knows it, she has replied to Jake and set up a date, all under her sister's profile. What could possibly go wrong?
I wasn't sure where this story was going to go. It was interesting enough although neither Jake nor Poppy are particularly likeable characters. Despite this I still found myself invested in their story. The writing tackled topics of grief, owning mistakes, and personal growth well. I struggled with how to rate it as I deeply disliked many of the characters but ultimately the writing did pull me in and the characters had depth, I just didn't like them 😂
August 6, 2025
i was pleasantly surprised by this book! super strong start but i felt the characters were completely ruined by the end of the book
August 20, 2025
Blazed through this gorgeously crafted story in a handful of days. Dandelion haunts this book like a modern Rebecca DeWinter, chasing well-wrought characters through the madness of grief and the confusion of love. It's everything you could want from a summer read: delicious flirtation, unthinkable scandal, and contemporary London captured at its finest. It's your next book club book for sure.
June 27, 2025
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for inviting me to read and review Dandelion is Dead. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Poppy is grieving the loss of her sister Dandelion on the anniversary of her death. When Poppy goes through Dandelion's things and finds her phone, Poppy connects with Jake, Dandelion's matched-pair on a dating app. Poppy messages him out of the blue and pretends to embody Dandelion. Jake is head over heels with Dandelion, but he doesn't know that she had passed away and is actually falling for Poppy. Both Poppy and Jake are trying to find something real in their lives while dealing with their own set of issues and grief. Poppy never meant to lean into this double life, as their relationship deepens into something more, and Jake feels a genuine connection to who he thinks is Dandelion. As the lies and truth begin to blend, will their friendship and relationship survive when Jake eventually finds out the real truth?
Poppy and Jake are very realistic characters with feelings anyone could relate to their every day lives. Grief is such a complex emotion and everyone deals with it differently than the person next to them. Jake is still grieving the loss of his mother, who took her own life when he was younger. Poppy's sister Dandelion passed due to an unexpected illness a year before. For both of them, their loss is still real to them and finding each other has helped them face their grief and insecurities. Dandelion was never a perfect character. She was a 'you only live once' kind of person and didn't care who she hurt to be herself. She was different from Poppy's personality, which is more reserved and awkward. Jake is also an awkward character trying to navigate dating as a single father. He and his ex have a good co-parent relationship when it comes to their son, Billy.
Dandelion is Dead is written in the dual point of view during early spring to late summer of the same year. I liked the back and forth chapters as they help develop both sides of their story. I think it helped the character development, and you never feel like you are going to choose sides between Poppy and Jake. Both are wrong in how they handle their situations. It feels so relatable, like you're watching your friends figure out their own stuff while also trying to be together. There's an instant attraction for Jake and Poppy, especially Jake since he's meeting Poppy as Dandelion on a dating app. They start to fall for the other and you want to root for their success and love, but you also want to tell them to figure their shit out first before things go downhill. Both characters are imperfect and flawed, which makes me like them more.
Dandelion is Dead is a solid contemporary debut.
3.5 stars rounded up.
#BerkleyPartner
Poppy is grieving the loss of her sister Dandelion on the anniversary of her death. When Poppy goes through Dandelion's things and finds her phone, Poppy connects with Jake, Dandelion's matched-pair on a dating app. Poppy messages him out of the blue and pretends to embody Dandelion. Jake is head over heels with Dandelion, but he doesn't know that she had passed away and is actually falling for Poppy. Both Poppy and Jake are trying to find something real in their lives while dealing with their own set of issues and grief. Poppy never meant to lean into this double life, as their relationship deepens into something more, and Jake feels a genuine connection to who he thinks is Dandelion. As the lies and truth begin to blend, will their friendship and relationship survive when Jake eventually finds out the real truth?
Poppy and Jake are very realistic characters with feelings anyone could relate to their every day lives. Grief is such a complex emotion and everyone deals with it differently than the person next to them. Jake is still grieving the loss of his mother, who took her own life when he was younger. Poppy's sister Dandelion passed due to an unexpected illness a year before. For both of them, their loss is still real to them and finding each other has helped them face their grief and insecurities. Dandelion was never a perfect character. She was a 'you only live once' kind of person and didn't care who she hurt to be herself. She was different from Poppy's personality, which is more reserved and awkward. Jake is also an awkward character trying to navigate dating as a single father. He and his ex have a good co-parent relationship when it comes to their son, Billy.
Dandelion is Dead is written in the dual point of view during early spring to late summer of the same year. I liked the back and forth chapters as they help develop both sides of their story. I think it helped the character development, and you never feel like you are going to choose sides between Poppy and Jake. Both are wrong in how they handle their situations. It feels so relatable, like you're watching your friends figure out their own stuff while also trying to be together. There's an instant attraction for Jake and Poppy, especially Jake since he's meeting Poppy as Dandelion on a dating app. They start to fall for the other and you want to root for their success and love, but you also want to tell them to figure their shit out first before things go downhill. Both characters are imperfect and flawed, which makes me like them more.
Dandelion is Dead is a solid contemporary debut.
3.5 stars rounded up.
#BerkleyPartner
July 16, 2025
I really liked this book about Poppy, who finds unanswered messages from a man named Jake on her late sister Dandelion’s dating app. On what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday, she decides to meet him pretending to be her sister. The story is both sad and funny, with moments that really stay with you.
December 14, 2025
Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey. Thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Poppy discovered unanswered messages on his late sister’s dating app and answers as her sister. What’s the harm in one date? She feels it’ll be an adventure to act like her vivacious and outgoing sister. This decision leads her on a confusing relationship with Jake, who thinks she’s Dandelion.
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one. While I found it a great portrayal of grief and our complicated reactions, there was things about it that just annoyed me. I always dislike a miscommunication trope, and why this wasn’t quite that, it was lie after lie. Two of the three chapters are called “The Lie” and “More Lies”, for example. I couldn’t sync with Jake’s seeming obsession with Dandelion. I get the point was that the original lie caused him to be confused on who his feelings were for, but it was just a little odd to me. I did like the history of Dandelion and Poppy’s relationship and how Poppy learns more later on that changes things.
“This was life. It was shocking, and in the end it would kill her - but before that - it would blaze.”
Read this if you like:
-Complicated romances
-Stories about grief
-Sister relationships
Dandelion is Dead comes out 1/13.
Poppy discovered unanswered messages on his late sister’s dating app and answers as her sister. What’s the harm in one date? She feels it’ll be an adventure to act like her vivacious and outgoing sister. This decision leads her on a confusing relationship with Jake, who thinks she’s Dandelion.
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one. While I found it a great portrayal of grief and our complicated reactions, there was things about it that just annoyed me. I always dislike a miscommunication trope, and why this wasn’t quite that, it was lie after lie. Two of the three chapters are called “The Lie” and “More Lies”, for example. I couldn’t sync with Jake’s seeming obsession with Dandelion. I get the point was that the original lie caused him to be confused on who his feelings were for, but it was just a little odd to me. I did like the history of Dandelion and Poppy’s relationship and how Poppy learns more later on that changes things.
“This was life. It was shocking, and in the end it would kill her - but before that - it would blaze.”
Read this if you like:
-Complicated romances
-Stories about grief
-Sister relationships
Dandelion is Dead comes out 1/13.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐ (rounded up)
True to the titles of the three parts of this novel, Dandelion is Dead is full of lies, more lies, and the truth. Poppy and Jake are two individuals who are wrestling with a type of grief that has led them to make a series of questionable decisions. Decisions that, ultimately, led them to each other.
Told from a dual point of view, we learn about Poppy and how she is struggling to come to terms with her vivacious older sister Dandelion’s death the year prior, while also feeling stagnant and generally lost in life as a woman in her late thirties. When she picks up one of her sister’s old phones, she discovers Jake through one of Dandelion’s dating apps. Against her better judgement, Poppy acts under the guise of Dandelion, and a relationship built on a foundation of half truths forms between Poppy and Jake.
This is one of those novels where the two main characters can’t seem to stop making poor decisions. This affected not only themselves, but others around them. After some time, the self destruction by both main characters became repetitious, and it seemed that both of them were stuck in this endless cycle of misery, unable and, at times, unwilling to break the cycle. While these parts could be frustrating and tedious to read, this was an excellent portrayal of what grief does to a person. It can make one do uncharacteristic things, make poor decisions, choose to turn inward instead of leaning on others who are suffering too.
While love and loss are the major themes of Dandelion is Dead, forgiveness is also a key focal point. Poppy and Jake each go on a journey throughout the course of the novel where they must decide whether or not coming to terms with the truth is worth the pain and suffering they will inevitably have to endure.
💐 Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
🌻 Literary Fiction
🌻 Contemporary
🌻 Grief Representation
True to the titles of the three parts of this novel, Dandelion is Dead is full of lies, more lies, and the truth. Poppy and Jake are two individuals who are wrestling with a type of grief that has led them to make a series of questionable decisions. Decisions that, ultimately, led them to each other.
Told from a dual point of view, we learn about Poppy and how she is struggling to come to terms with her vivacious older sister Dandelion’s death the year prior, while also feeling stagnant and generally lost in life as a woman in her late thirties. When she picks up one of her sister’s old phones, she discovers Jake through one of Dandelion’s dating apps. Against her better judgement, Poppy acts under the guise of Dandelion, and a relationship built on a foundation of half truths forms between Poppy and Jake.
This is one of those novels where the two main characters can’t seem to stop making poor decisions. This affected not only themselves, but others around them. After some time, the self destruction by both main characters became repetitious, and it seemed that both of them were stuck in this endless cycle of misery, unable and, at times, unwilling to break the cycle. While these parts could be frustrating and tedious to read, this was an excellent portrayal of what grief does to a person. It can make one do uncharacteristic things, make poor decisions, choose to turn inward instead of leaning on others who are suffering too.
While love and loss are the major themes of Dandelion is Dead, forgiveness is also a key focal point. Poppy and Jake each go on a journey throughout the course of the novel where they must decide whether or not coming to terms with the truth is worth the pain and suffering they will inevitably have to endure.
💐 Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
🌻 Literary Fiction
🌻 Contemporary
🌻 Grief Representation
November 24, 2025
it's more of a 2.5 but i can't bring myself to round up
thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
i simply could not care about these characters. i understand they were supposed to be messy and terrible but i could not find a single thing that redeemed them to me. i was literally just annoyed for most of it - jake was a dick and poppy was kind of a brat and the attempted redemption for both fell flat to me. i truly had to sludge through the entire back half of this and it took forever because nothing about it mattered to me at all. but to each their own! props for trying to tell a complicated story but it just felt so surface level to me. oh well
thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
i simply could not care about these characters. i understand they were supposed to be messy and terrible but i could not find a single thing that redeemed them to me. i was literally just annoyed for most of it - jake was a dick and poppy was kind of a brat and the attempted redemption for both fell flat to me. i truly had to sludge through the entire back half of this and it took forever because nothing about it mattered to me at all. but to each their own! props for trying to tell a complicated story but it just felt so surface level to me. oh well
December 29, 2025
Probably about 2.5-2.75, rounded up.
Sigh. Unfortunately this one just didn’t work much for me.
This is definitely more of a lit fic, life, grief based novel than romance.
I just was bored most of the time and found both characters (poppy and Jake) insufferable, despite sympathizing with poppy’s grief.
You may like this if you enjoy messy characters and family dynamics. And miscommunication. I do like novels with this theme, but again, didn’t work for me this time.
Sigh. Unfortunately this one just didn’t work much for me.
This is definitely more of a lit fic, life, grief based novel than romance.
I just was bored most of the time and found both characters (poppy and Jake) insufferable, despite sympathizing with poppy’s grief.
You may like this if you enjoy messy characters and family dynamics. And miscommunication. I do like novels with this theme, but again, didn’t work for me this time.
September 18, 2025
I received this book as an ARC. I thought this book was good and covered hard topics such as parent and sibling loss as well as grief.
The first part of the book was slow but it helped develop the whole story. I couldn’t put it down after the second part as I had to know how Poppy and Jake’s story ended. I have to say I’m happy it ended how it did.
The first part of the book was slow but it helped develop the whole story. I couldn’t put it down after the second part as I had to know how Poppy and Jake’s story ended. I have to say I’m happy it ended how it did.
October 1, 2025
I really enjoyed the plot of this book and the characters were very endearing in their own ways. Poppy fascinated me with her actions and I was stunned by Jake’s responses. This book was heavy on the theme of secrets never staying secret for very long. The themes of grief and tough choices were very relatable. Things truly a modern day love story! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 20, 2025
Author Rosie Storey holds a Master’s degree in creative writing and works as a writing coach. Around 2018, she left her corporate career “and trotted into the darkness, naively believing I was about to become a novelist. I went on to write nine drafts of a book that would never be published.” When she finally let that book go, she was inspired by the idea of remaining true to oneself when people lie so readily. Dandelion Is Dead “opened up in my mind like a wildflower.”
Dandelion Is Dead is a unique, imaginative, and contemporary story about surviving loss, grieving, and finding happiness again in a world that a loved one no longer inhabits. It is also an exploration of the complex and mysterious relationship of two sisters with vastly different, distinct personalities.
Storey has crafted a charming, deeply touching story populated with flawed, empathetic — if not always likable — and believable characters The conclusion may be foreseeable from the very first page, but discovering how Storey steers her characters toward it is a captivating and enjoyable experience.
As the story opens, Dandelion has been dead for two hundred and thirty-one days. A hedge fund manager by age thirty-five, she willed her London flat to Poppy, her younger sister. So far, Poppy has locked the door of the bedroom that was Dandelion’s and contemplated getting the flat ready to rent. But she’s really not ready to do that yet, as evidenced by the fact that she spends time there by herself, frequently carrying on conversations with the departed Dandelion. At thirty-seven, she is a successful photographer and has been in a relationship with Sam for five years. She anticipates an engagement soon, although Sam has not yet proposed. He is apparently waiting until after the first anniversary of Dandelion’s unexpected and devastating death.
When Poppy’s cell phone is destroyed, she goes in search of Dandelion’s — which has never been restored to its factory settings. All of Dandelion’s texts, photos, and apps are as she left them, and Poppy begins perusing them for the first time, her “grief . . . a starvation.”
Looking through the dating app Dandelion used, Poppy realizes that “her sister lied a lot, which was no surprise.” She finds a message that was sent to Dandelion by Jake more than a year ago. Dandelion never responded. Jake wrote, in part, “I can feel your heat.” Jake’s photos are unusual. In one, he is seen playing with his three-year-old son. She feels Dandelion nudging her and before she knows it, she is replying to Jake as Dandelion, rather than herself, concluding the message with “I’m back.”
Jake and Poppy, posing as Dandelion, agree to meet. She tells herself it will be a one-time occurrence — “an escapade” on what would have been Dandelion’s fortieth birthday. Of course, they are attracted to each other – there is “undeniably a vibe.” But Poppy is playing the role of Dandelion, adopting her style and personality, which causes her to wonder which sister Jake is really attracted to. And Poppy knows she can’t continue the charade. It isn’t fair to Jake, Sam . . . or her. She isn’t Dandelion and never will be. All her life she has felt as though she lived in Dandelion’s exceedingly long shadow – less confident, less mischievous, less successful, less vivacious, less desirable. And Dandelion did not like Sam, finding him “snide and basic,” which was a source of conflict in the sisters’ relationship. Of course, “the only person whom Poppy would be able to discuss Jake with was Dandelion. Her silent coconspirator. Poppy would do anything to be able to call her sister. To hear her actual voice out loud in the world again on the other end of the phone.”
At forty, Jake is divorced and living in a flat that can generously be described as modest, even though he could afford a nicer home. His ex-wife, Zoe, lives with their son, Billy, to whom Jake is completely devoted, in the house they once shared as a family. He carries the guilt and remorse of being responsible for the failure of his marriage, and is lonely. “I certainly failed at being the man I hoped to be,” he admits. After just that one date with Poppy, Jake is enchanted . . . and hopeful that their initial meeting can blossom into something more.
As the “will they or won’t they” story proceeds, Storey examines the demons that complicate Jake and Poppy’s ability to fully commit to nurturing, honest relationships. In addition to being disappointed in his own behavior, Jake is still dealing with childhood trauma. He was abandoned by both of his parents — for different reasons and under vastly different circumstances. He believes he has forgiven his father, and they have re-established their relationship, largely because his father dotes on and adores Billy and being a grandfather. But Jakes’s complicated, tangled emotions fuel his outward ambivalence and inner still-simmering anger and resentment toward his lascivious father.
Poppy met Sam when she was photographing a wedding and they fell into a relationship quickly and easily. He was “sure of himself” and Poppy found it “easy to go along with him,” so she “let him carry her over his shoulder into a relationship.” Poppy has, until recently, deferred to Sam’s decision-making, letting him have his way and believing “she wanted his way, too.” Within their relationship, Jake is “the patriarchy,” a fact Poppy has recently recognized and begun railing against, angering Sam in the process and initiating arguments.
Storey illustrates how an unexpected life change – in Poppy’s case, Dandelion’s death, and for Jake, the dissolution of his marriage and family life – destroys equilibrium and calls core beliefs into question, inspiring reevaluation of choices made up to that point. Storey’s compassionate depiction of her characters makes their journeys compelling and relatable. They are both adrift. The foundations of their lives have been ripped away from them, and they are both searching for a new normalcy that will bring them happiness and satisfaction.
Poppy impetuously responded to Jake’s message, not realizing that by doing so she would hurl herself further into an abyss of grief, mourning, longing, and having to confront the sad truth about her relationship and future with Sam. Can she summon the strength to finally step out of Dandelion’s shadow, strive for what she really wants, and be herself, unapologetically? Jake continues to flounder and make unfortunate choices that jeopardize any shot he might have at a future with Poppy. Can he correct his course and salvage their fledgling romance?
Storey says, “Don’t let the title of my debut novel fool you – Dandelion is Dead is a story about life. Although I wasn’t going to be able to give Poppy back her sister, I could show her that she could still be surprised by the heat and humor of her own life.” And despite all of the entertaining back-and-forth, on-again and off-again, dishonesty, and emotional upheaval her characters endure, Storey manages to do just that through crisp, sometimes hilarious dialogue and a perfectly paced narrative. Every character is fully developed and vividly authentic, and brings dimension and depth to the story. That is especially true of Jetta, Dandelion and Poppy’s best friend. Poppy was mystified by the last disagreement Jetta and Dandelion had. It was particularly and uncharacteristically venomous. Through a surprising plot twist, Storey reveals the depth of Dandelion’s devotion to her sister, and demonstrates how uncomfortable and painful a test of true friendship can be. It constitutes a breakthrough for Poppy, and a seminal juncture in the story.
Ultimately, Jake and Poppy learn a great deal about forgiveness, reconciling the past in order to move forward, and standing in one’s power. Dandelion Is Dead is an accomplished and poignant debut in which Storey relates an achingly sad story about two damaged people whose lives have been transformed by tragedy and mistakes, yet manage to find each other . . . along with hope and love. Dandelion Is Dead is an engrossing and memorable reminder that, as Storey, who lost her best friend at just twenty-years of age, notes, “Love doesn’t end with life.”
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book in conjunction with the BookBrowse First Impressions program.
Dandelion Is Dead is a unique, imaginative, and contemporary story about surviving loss, grieving, and finding happiness again in a world that a loved one no longer inhabits. It is also an exploration of the complex and mysterious relationship of two sisters with vastly different, distinct personalities.
Storey has crafted a charming, deeply touching story populated with flawed, empathetic — if not always likable — and believable characters The conclusion may be foreseeable from the very first page, but discovering how Storey steers her characters toward it is a captivating and enjoyable experience.
As the story opens, Dandelion has been dead for two hundred and thirty-one days. A hedge fund manager by age thirty-five, she willed her London flat to Poppy, her younger sister. So far, Poppy has locked the door of the bedroom that was Dandelion’s and contemplated getting the flat ready to rent. But she’s really not ready to do that yet, as evidenced by the fact that she spends time there by herself, frequently carrying on conversations with the departed Dandelion. At thirty-seven, she is a successful photographer and has been in a relationship with Sam for five years. She anticipates an engagement soon, although Sam has not yet proposed. He is apparently waiting until after the first anniversary of Dandelion’s unexpected and devastating death.
When Poppy’s cell phone is destroyed, she goes in search of Dandelion’s — which has never been restored to its factory settings. All of Dandelion’s texts, photos, and apps are as she left them, and Poppy begins perusing them for the first time, her “grief . . . a starvation.”
Looking through the dating app Dandelion used, Poppy realizes that “her sister lied a lot, which was no surprise.” She finds a message that was sent to Dandelion by Jake more than a year ago. Dandelion never responded. Jake wrote, in part, “I can feel your heat.” Jake’s photos are unusual. In one, he is seen playing with his three-year-old son. She feels Dandelion nudging her and before she knows it, she is replying to Jake as Dandelion, rather than herself, concluding the message with “I’m back.”
Jake and Poppy, posing as Dandelion, agree to meet. She tells herself it will be a one-time occurrence — “an escapade” on what would have been Dandelion’s fortieth birthday. Of course, they are attracted to each other – there is “undeniably a vibe.” But Poppy is playing the role of Dandelion, adopting her style and personality, which causes her to wonder which sister Jake is really attracted to. And Poppy knows she can’t continue the charade. It isn’t fair to Jake, Sam . . . or her. She isn’t Dandelion and never will be. All her life she has felt as though she lived in Dandelion’s exceedingly long shadow – less confident, less mischievous, less successful, less vivacious, less desirable. And Dandelion did not like Sam, finding him “snide and basic,” which was a source of conflict in the sisters’ relationship. Of course, “the only person whom Poppy would be able to discuss Jake with was Dandelion. Her silent coconspirator. Poppy would do anything to be able to call her sister. To hear her actual voice out loud in the world again on the other end of the phone.”
At forty, Jake is divorced and living in a flat that can generously be described as modest, even though he could afford a nicer home. His ex-wife, Zoe, lives with their son, Billy, to whom Jake is completely devoted, in the house they once shared as a family. He carries the guilt and remorse of being responsible for the failure of his marriage, and is lonely. “I certainly failed at being the man I hoped to be,” he admits. After just that one date with Poppy, Jake is enchanted . . . and hopeful that their initial meeting can blossom into something more.
As the “will they or won’t they” story proceeds, Storey examines the demons that complicate Jake and Poppy’s ability to fully commit to nurturing, honest relationships. In addition to being disappointed in his own behavior, Jake is still dealing with childhood trauma. He was abandoned by both of his parents — for different reasons and under vastly different circumstances. He believes he has forgiven his father, and they have re-established their relationship, largely because his father dotes on and adores Billy and being a grandfather. But Jakes’s complicated, tangled emotions fuel his outward ambivalence and inner still-simmering anger and resentment toward his lascivious father.
Poppy met Sam when she was photographing a wedding and they fell into a relationship quickly and easily. He was “sure of himself” and Poppy found it “easy to go along with him,” so she “let him carry her over his shoulder into a relationship.” Poppy has, until recently, deferred to Sam’s decision-making, letting him have his way and believing “she wanted his way, too.” Within their relationship, Jake is “the patriarchy,” a fact Poppy has recently recognized and begun railing against, angering Sam in the process and initiating arguments.
Storey illustrates how an unexpected life change – in Poppy’s case, Dandelion’s death, and for Jake, the dissolution of his marriage and family life – destroys equilibrium and calls core beliefs into question, inspiring reevaluation of choices made up to that point. Storey’s compassionate depiction of her characters makes their journeys compelling and relatable. They are both adrift. The foundations of their lives have been ripped away from them, and they are both searching for a new normalcy that will bring them happiness and satisfaction.
Poppy impetuously responded to Jake’s message, not realizing that by doing so she would hurl herself further into an abyss of grief, mourning, longing, and having to confront the sad truth about her relationship and future with Sam. Can she summon the strength to finally step out of Dandelion’s shadow, strive for what she really wants, and be herself, unapologetically? Jake continues to flounder and make unfortunate choices that jeopardize any shot he might have at a future with Poppy. Can he correct his course and salvage their fledgling romance?
Storey says, “Don’t let the title of my debut novel fool you – Dandelion is Dead is a story about life. Although I wasn’t going to be able to give Poppy back her sister, I could show her that she could still be surprised by the heat and humor of her own life.” And despite all of the entertaining back-and-forth, on-again and off-again, dishonesty, and emotional upheaval her characters endure, Storey manages to do just that through crisp, sometimes hilarious dialogue and a perfectly paced narrative. Every character is fully developed and vividly authentic, and brings dimension and depth to the story. That is especially true of Jetta, Dandelion and Poppy’s best friend. Poppy was mystified by the last disagreement Jetta and Dandelion had. It was particularly and uncharacteristically venomous. Through a surprising plot twist, Storey reveals the depth of Dandelion’s devotion to her sister, and demonstrates how uncomfortable and painful a test of true friendship can be. It constitutes a breakthrough for Poppy, and a seminal juncture in the story.
Ultimately, Jake and Poppy learn a great deal about forgiveness, reconciling the past in order to move forward, and standing in one’s power. Dandelion Is Dead is an accomplished and poignant debut in which Storey relates an achingly sad story about two damaged people whose lives have been transformed by tragedy and mistakes, yet manage to find each other . . . along with hope and love. Dandelion Is Dead is an engrossing and memorable reminder that, as Storey, who lost her best friend at just twenty-years of age, notes, “Love doesn’t end with life.”
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book in conjunction with the BookBrowse First Impressions program.
June 14, 2025
Poppy is a successful photographer with a steady boyfriend. She is also grieving the passing of her sister Dandelion. When she breaks her phone and decides to use her late sister’s w old phone it starts a chain of events she couldn’t have foreseen. She decides to look through her sister’s phone and sees her Hinge app she scrolls through her matches and messages. On impulse she messages Jake as her sister Dandelion. In an attempt to feel closer to her. Jake is a divorced father of one who thought his life would be far different at 40 than it is. He and who he believes to be Dandelion hit it off through their messages and he asks to meet her. Poppy wishing to honor her sister’s fortieth birthday agrees to meet him. She dresses herself in her sister’s clothes from the flat she still keeps. They have dinner and there is a definite spark between them. Poppy tries but can’t resist seeing him several more times. She knows it is wrong to allow him to believe she is Dandelion but is happier and more alive than she has ever felt before. She knows that this happiness is precarious as a house of cards. She must either find a way to tell him she is actually Poppy or walk away from him forever. Through this strange humorous and strangely tender journey Poppy will learn more about her sister her family and what it means to truly live. At the same time Jake will learn to let go of the past embrace the future. Together they both will learn that an ending has to happen before you can have a beginning. This is a book about family sisters learning to let go while holding on and it is a sweet and unusual love story. But above all it is about the messy confusing wonderful things that make up a life and a love . I enjoyed this story and loved this cast of messy wonderful and wonderfully flawed characters.A beautiful story that is all about a celebration of life. Mark your calendars for January this book is not to be missed. I received this ARC copy as a Goodreads giveaway win.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dandelion Is Dead is an absorbing, funny, and moving exploration of family, grief, regret, and the ways these forces shape our loves and our lives.
Months after her sister’s death, Poppy discovers unread messages in Dandelion’s dating app and, on an impulse her sister would have applauded, replies to one. Just once. Just to see. What’s the worst that could happen? She goes on a date as Dandelion.
Jake, bruised and drifting after his divorce, is ready—almost despite himself—for something real. When he meets the woman calling herself Dandelion, the connection is immediate and unsettlingly right.
What begins as a spontaneous, loving tribute to Dandelion’s colourful spirit slides Poppy—already in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend Sam—into a double life that is tender and dishonest in equal measure.
I loved this book.
Poppy has never quite seen her own splendour, living in the long shadow cast by her sister. She knows Dandelion was far from perfect—her behaviour often scandalised, thrilled, or appalled those around her—but Poppy remained somewhat in awe of her. Stepping into Dandelion’s skin allows Poppy to stretch into unfamiliar spaces, and to her surprise, she likes it.
Jake, meanwhile, has almost given up on himself. Carrying grief of his own, he believes himself fundamentally unlovable. Being seen and wanted by this remarkable woman rekindles a fragile hope for a different future.
Storey brings these characters vividly to life, giving them rich inner worlds and revealing backstory with a light, confident touch. It’s obvious Poppy and Jake are perfect for each other—and just as obvious how the choices they make mean that a shared future is nearly impossible.
This is a remarkably accomplished debut: complex, layered, as funny as it is devastating. I especially loved spending time with characters who’ve already lived a good stretch of adult life and are asking, quietly, what comes next.
Storey puts the tenderness, fear, and bravery of loving again straight onto the page, and I proper cried at the end.
Months after her sister’s death, Poppy discovers unread messages in Dandelion’s dating app and, on an impulse her sister would have applauded, replies to one. Just once. Just to see. What’s the worst that could happen? She goes on a date as Dandelion.
Jake, bruised and drifting after his divorce, is ready—almost despite himself—for something real. When he meets the woman calling herself Dandelion, the connection is immediate and unsettlingly right.
What begins as a spontaneous, loving tribute to Dandelion’s colourful spirit slides Poppy—already in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend Sam—into a double life that is tender and dishonest in equal measure.
I loved this book.
Poppy has never quite seen her own splendour, living in the long shadow cast by her sister. She knows Dandelion was far from perfect—her behaviour often scandalised, thrilled, or appalled those around her—but Poppy remained somewhat in awe of her. Stepping into Dandelion’s skin allows Poppy to stretch into unfamiliar spaces, and to her surprise, she likes it.
Jake, meanwhile, has almost given up on himself. Carrying grief of his own, he believes himself fundamentally unlovable. Being seen and wanted by this remarkable woman rekindles a fragile hope for a different future.
Storey brings these characters vividly to life, giving them rich inner worlds and revealing backstory with a light, confident touch. It’s obvious Poppy and Jake are perfect for each other—and just as obvious how the choices they make mean that a shared future is nearly impossible.
This is a remarkably accomplished debut: complex, layered, as funny as it is devastating. I especially loved spending time with characters who’ve already lived a good stretch of adult life and are asking, quietly, what comes next.
Storey puts the tenderness, fear, and bravery of loving again straight onto the page, and I proper cried at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wasn’t sure where this debut novel was going when I first started it, but I was pleasantly surprised by the journey it took me on. The story follows Poppy Green, who is still deep in the fog of grief after losing her vibrant, free-spirited sister, Dandelion. She hasn’t fully accepted that her sister is truly gone—she still visits Dandelion’s flat, still talks to her when the world feels heavy, still clings to the pieces of her that remain.
After accidentally smashing her phone, Poppy digs out Dandelion’s old one and stumbles across her sister’s Hinge profile… along with an unanswered message from a man named Jake. On a whim—and on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday—Poppy responds and agrees to meet him, pretending to be her sister.
Jake, a single dad ready to settle down, is instantly smitten with the woman he believes is Dandelion. What Poppy intended as a one-time adventure slowly becomes something deeper and more complicated. Through Jake, she begins to rediscover parts of herself she thought she’d lost, and she’s forced to confront the truth about her own stagnant relationship and the life she’s been sleepwalking through.
This book felt incredibly genuine in its portrayal of grief—the ache of missing someone, the betrayals that surface in the aftermath, and the messy, nonlinear path toward healing. It’s a story about finding yourself again, about the choices we make when we’re hurting, and the truths we uncover when we finally stop running. The writing is beautiful and poignant, and while the pacing starts a bit slow, it eventually finds its rhythm and held my attention through the end.
Side note: this book is packed with British references, and I always have fun looking them up and learning more about other cultures.
After accidentally smashing her phone, Poppy digs out Dandelion’s old one and stumbles across her sister’s Hinge profile… along with an unanswered message from a man named Jake. On a whim—and on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday—Poppy responds and agrees to meet him, pretending to be her sister.
Jake, a single dad ready to settle down, is instantly smitten with the woman he believes is Dandelion. What Poppy intended as a one-time adventure slowly becomes something deeper and more complicated. Through Jake, she begins to rediscover parts of herself she thought she’d lost, and she’s forced to confront the truth about her own stagnant relationship and the life she’s been sleepwalking through.
This book felt incredibly genuine in its portrayal of grief—the ache of missing someone, the betrayals that surface in the aftermath, and the messy, nonlinear path toward healing. It’s a story about finding yourself again, about the choices we make when we’re hurting, and the truths we uncover when we finally stop running. The writing is beautiful and poignant, and while the pacing starts a bit slow, it eventually finds its rhythm and held my attention through the end.
Side note: this book is packed with British references, and I always have fun looking them up and learning more about other cultures.
October 15, 2025
3* I had to force myself to read this, not liking Dandelion, nor cheater Poppy, nor cheater Jake, and then right at the very end, getting moved to near tears when BFF Jetta explained Dandelion's twisted M.O. that seemed to come from a place of love for Poppy.
This is quite a twisted tale from the three characters. All come across as selfish, self-serving and though Dandelion wasn't much in the tale, her presence was everywhere in Poppy. She was described as a sociopath at one point by Jetta, but in a very matter-of-fact way, with no one disagreeing. But, she still had people who loved her like mad and who saw only the good parts, it seemed.
As mentioned, both leads are cheaters. For me, that doesn't a romance make. Jake's dad muddying the sexual waters with Jake's ONS just felt a tad unnecessary. His sexual awakening at 70ish felt not very believable, on top of keeping the ONS satisfied, something that Jake hadn't managed to.
I didn't like the leads, the premise of the tale nor what I read about Dandelion. But Jake's little boy and his name-changing dolly, his ex-wife and her new BF, were decent. He didn't deserve them. The ending where a horrendous betrayal of Poppy by her nearest and dearest, gets clarified as an act of love, actually worked with the Dandelion reveal, smd her twisted take on things. I suspect this book will get a lot of hype, might even make it to the big screen but it was hard work and I wasn't rooting for the leads.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, for my reading pleasure.
This is quite a twisted tale from the three characters. All come across as selfish, self-serving and though Dandelion wasn't much in the tale, her presence was everywhere in Poppy. She was described as a sociopath at one point by Jetta, but in a very matter-of-fact way, with no one disagreeing. But, she still had people who loved her like mad and who saw only the good parts, it seemed.
As mentioned, both leads are cheaters. For me, that doesn't a romance make. Jake's dad muddying the sexual waters with Jake's ONS just felt a tad unnecessary. His sexual awakening at 70ish felt not very believable, on top of keeping the ONS satisfied, something that Jake hadn't managed to.
I didn't like the leads, the premise of the tale nor what I read about Dandelion. But Jake's little boy and his name-changing dolly, his ex-wife and her new BF, were decent. He didn't deserve them. The ending where a horrendous betrayal of Poppy by her nearest and dearest, gets clarified as an act of love, actually worked with the Dandelion reveal, smd her twisted take on things. I suspect this book will get a lot of hype, might even make it to the big screen but it was hard work and I wasn't rooting for the leads.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, for my reading pleasure.
December 8, 2025
Okay, so the first thing I’ll say is the premise sounds right up my alley, and the cover is absolutely beautiful. This sounded like something I would usually love, and I am glad I requested this on NetGalley! I’m grateful I was able to read it.
That being said, this book felt like it really struggled choosing a narrative. You think it’s going to be one thing, but then by the 50% mark it’s something completely different, and then by the end, it’s something totally different AGAIN. It felt all over the place. It’s a book that is supposed to be about grief, identity issues, messy (MESSY) decisions, and relationship issues. It is about that, but the underlying trope/theme, is miscommunication and a lie that lasts too long. I cannot stand miscommunication. It is honestly insane how quickly I get turned off by a book once I realize I’m going to be dealing with communication issues. Soooo much could’ve been solved with just a good ole conversation.
Another issue: I didn’t like any of the characters. I didn’t find any of them redeemable, and I didn’t find myself rooting for any of them. I did like a couple side characters, though. If you like incredibly messy family dramas, I think you’ll like this. It was just a tad too messy for me. And if you hate cheating tropes, do not read this.
I will say, I appreciate this was told in dual POVs. I love when more than one POV is included because I love getting more sides of the same story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!
That being said, this book felt like it really struggled choosing a narrative. You think it’s going to be one thing, but then by the 50% mark it’s something completely different, and then by the end, it’s something totally different AGAIN. It felt all over the place. It’s a book that is supposed to be about grief, identity issues, messy (MESSY) decisions, and relationship issues. It is about that, but the underlying trope/theme, is miscommunication and a lie that lasts too long. I cannot stand miscommunication. It is honestly insane how quickly I get turned off by a book once I realize I’m going to be dealing with communication issues. Soooo much could’ve been solved with just a good ole conversation.
Another issue: I didn’t like any of the characters. I didn’t find any of them redeemable, and I didn’t find myself rooting for any of them. I did like a couple side characters, though. If you like incredibly messy family dramas, I think you’ll like this. It was just a tad too messy for me. And if you hate cheating tropes, do not read this.
I will say, I appreciate this was told in dual POVs. I love when more than one POV is included because I love getting more sides of the same story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!
August 11, 2025
💛 ARC REVIEW 💛
PUB DATE: Jan 12th 2026
My Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ 3 Debut Stars
If you’re looking for a gripping visceral read filled with tenderness, then skip this book because you won’t find it here .
Dandelion is Dead is a debut novel by Rosie Story that is rich with satire and juvenile behaviour that questions your every moral …infidelity ! 👀
Told between two POV , we find Poppy a morally grey 30 year old in a stagnant relationship with Sam who has recently lost her sister to an illness and is grieving her loss …and Sam wants to pin point a wedding date .
Jake is our 40 year old single dad who is just as equally morally grey and is head over heels over Dandelion, but everything is not quite as it would seem …because Dandelion is dead !!😵
I think I was bamboozled by this Cover , I was expecting a breathtaking and sweeping tender read, but instead it was filled with sloppy writing, very childish behaviour for grown adults and I had ZERO connections with either character.
I really think this book had so much potential if she had focused on more raw and real complex characters versus the narrative the author chose .
In the end it was just ok for me , but thankful for the opportunity to read it 🙏
Thank you NetGalley , Berkeley Publishing Group and Rosie Story for this ARC!
Respectfully Another Read by Angie 🖤
PUB DATE: Jan 12th 2026
My Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ 3 Debut Stars
If you’re looking for a gripping visceral read filled with tenderness, then skip this book because you won’t find it here .
Dandelion is Dead is a debut novel by Rosie Story that is rich with satire and juvenile behaviour that questions your every moral …infidelity ! 👀
Told between two POV , we find Poppy a morally grey 30 year old in a stagnant relationship with Sam who has recently lost her sister to an illness and is grieving her loss …and Sam wants to pin point a wedding date .
Jake is our 40 year old single dad who is just as equally morally grey and is head over heels over Dandelion, but everything is not quite as it would seem …because Dandelion is dead !!😵
I think I was bamboozled by this Cover , I was expecting a breathtaking and sweeping tender read, but instead it was filled with sloppy writing, very childish behaviour for grown adults and I had ZERO connections with either character.
I really think this book had so much potential if she had focused on more raw and real complex characters versus the narrative the author chose .
In the end it was just ok for me , but thankful for the opportunity to read it 🙏
Thank you NetGalley , Berkeley Publishing Group and Rosie Story for this ARC!
Respectfully Another Read by Angie 🖤
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews