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The Dearly Departed
Welcome to Seint Manor.
Where villains are created and devils are born …
My name is Abraham Crowley.
My friends call me Bram.
And I never wanted to be a bad guy.
From the moment I was born on the streets, the cards were stacked against me. And ever since, I’ve been forced to do things I never wanted in order to survive and protect those smaller and weaker than me.
Now, as a man, that need to save the people I care for has led to a deal with the devil. And with my identity hidden behind a plague doctor mask, I know my mountain of sins greatly outweighs any good I've managed to give to this world.
But there’s a yearning in my blackened heart for the woman I spent decades searching for-—a woman I can never have-—and with that longing, there’s hope that if I can hold tight to what I feel for her …
Then, maybe it'll be enough to keep me from becoming the devil hanging over my shoulder …
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series, a dark and romantic saga that should be read in order.
Where villains are created and devils are born …
My name is Abraham Crowley.
My friends call me Bram.
And I never wanted to be a bad guy.
From the moment I was born on the streets, the cards were stacked against me. And ever since, I’ve been forced to do things I never wanted in order to survive and protect those smaller and weaker than me.
Now, as a man, that need to save the people I care for has led to a deal with the devil. And with my identity hidden behind a plague doctor mask, I know my mountain of sins greatly outweighs any good I've managed to give to this world.
But there’s a yearning in my blackened heart for the woman I spent decades searching for-—a woman I can never have-—and with that longing, there’s hope that if I can hold tight to what I feel for her …
Then, maybe it'll be enough to keep me from becoming the devil hanging over my shoulder …
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series, a dark and romantic saga that should be read in order.
Unknown Binding
Published August 28, 2026
About the author
Kelsey Kingsley
32 books3,241 followersWhen I was a wee lassie, I was told by my preschool teachers that I was a natural at storytelling. When I was just a little older than that, an old friend's mother said to me, "Kelsey, one day your books are going to be on the shelves at the library."
Well, Diane, I don't know if my books are ever going to be on the shelves of libraries, but I'm sure as hell going to try.
When I'm not writing stories destined to be bestsellers, I enjoy devouring TV shows, listening to every type of music there is and going to concerts, reading pretty much anything (with a soft spot for romance and certain books located in 18th century Scotland), obsessing over makeup, and pretending to workout.
I also have a fondness for cats, my family, tattoos, and a really good French fry.
Well, Diane, I don't know if my books are ever going to be on the shelves of libraries, but I'm sure as hell going to try.
When I'm not writing stories destined to be bestsellers, I enjoy devouring TV shows, listening to every type of music there is and going to concerts, reading pretty much anything (with a soft spot for romance and certain books located in 18th century Scotland), obsessing over makeup, and pretending to workout.
I also have a fondness for cats, my family, tattoos, and a really good French fry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
August 28, 2026
WOW! What an incredible start to a trilogy. If you want yearning, angst, and a tortured MMC you have to pick this up!
Kelsey’s romance books are so unique as they are written solely by the male POV.
This one is dark, so check your TWs.
Abraham grew up in the foster system with his two brothers. In a house of horrors, he tried protecting a girl he was living with from being abused and was SA’d in place of her. He was her protector as much as a child could protect another child. When the system tore them apart, all he had of hers for over 20 years was her stuffed animal.
Speed forward to his adult life, he works as a funeral director under his chosen father who saved him and his brothers. Abraham gets caught up in a dark life as a hitman with no way out when he finds the woman he’s been looking for for decades. It’s Anna, the step-daughter of the man who has been keeping him in this underworld of crime and violence.
This is an EPIC slowburn. Expect stolen glances, very few words exchanged between Abraham and Anna in this first book, as Abraham tries to survive the high pressure danger as well as keeping his brothers —and now Anna—alive and safe.
There are so many sadistic villains in this book and I am here for the revenge plot coming our way.
I cannot wait for the second book. I just know Abraham is going to be the HOTTEST MMC. I love a touch averse MMC. He’s been through so much and I just know the day when it’s safe to love Anna, it will be absolutely mindblowing.
Kelsey’s romance books are so unique as they are written solely by the male POV.
This one is dark, so check your TWs.
Abraham grew up in the foster system with his two brothers. In a house of horrors, he tried protecting a girl he was living with from being abused and was SA’d in place of her. He was her protector as much as a child could protect another child. When the system tore them apart, all he had of hers for over 20 years was her stuffed animal.
Speed forward to his adult life, he works as a funeral director under his chosen father who saved him and his brothers. Abraham gets caught up in a dark life as a hitman with no way out when he finds the woman he’s been looking for for decades. It’s Anna, the step-daughter of the man who has been keeping him in this underworld of crime and violence.
This is an EPIC slowburn. Expect stolen glances, very few words exchanged between Abraham and Anna in this first book, as Abraham tries to survive the high pressure danger as well as keeping his brothers —and now Anna—alive and safe.
There are so many sadistic villains in this book and I am here for the revenge plot coming our way.
I cannot wait for the second book. I just know Abraham is going to be the HOTTEST MMC. I love a touch averse MMC. He’s been through so much and I just know the day when it’s safe to love Anna, it will be absolutely mindblowing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 Stars
The book starts with 12 year old Bram talking with his eight year old foster sister.
She's trying to tell him that their foster father is hurting her.
Bram would do anything to help his little siblings.
Fast forward through the years. New foster homes. New horrible people who are supposed to protect them. The girl is long gone.
When Bram is 16 he's had it with grown-ups running and ruining their lives and he takes his two little brothers and off they go.
They end up with the only decent human they have ever met.
Leonard. Who runs a funeral home.
It takes Bram a while to get used to having a real life and happy siblings.
He's still dreaming about his little foster sister. He hopes she ended up happy in a great adoptive family.
But Bram knows that happy is not really a thing he is likely to get or deserve and it's not long until he's more or less blackmailed into things that threaten to destroy everything. His life. His soul. His dream of ever finding her again and live happily ever after...
═════════════════
Bram.
We were already teased a bit in Finding Noah. But we didn't have the whole story.
And now we do. Well, the first part, at least.
I'm not the biggest fan of the morally grey / criminal hero in books. But...
Bram is adorable. The poor guy. He's so sad and broken and ugh. He's trying so hard to take care of his little part of the world and he's a bit in over his head. But he's also very good at it all.
I don't want to say too much.
Read it.
It's a beautifully written book about a guy who is just trying to keep his brothers alive while dealing with horrible people doing horrible things.
It's sad and heartbreaking and violent and sweet and adorable and dark and ugh. So many things. Just read it.
Can't wait to see where/how/if this will all end in the next book! I need that HEA for Bram and everyone! GIMME!
THE DEARLY DEPARTED was a beautiful first book in Bram's story. It was so very sad + dark + heartbreaking + dangerous + horrible + a bit mysterious... and so much more. READ IT!
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August 26, 2026
If you tell me that there's a story out there with a Funeral director that is also a masked hit man/ vigilante, you can just go right ahead and take ALL my money! The level of excitement that I had for this book was unheard of and I wanted nothing more than to dive into the murky waters of this dark romance.
Abraham(Bram) Crowley was given the short end of the stick and because of that, he's been forced to survive. Along with his little brother and best friend, these three formed an unbreakable bond that forced them to grow up quicker and have each other's backs. When a once in a lifetime opportunity comes around to give them stability, Bram takes it and makes his mark something good. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end and for Bram, he's going to learn that the hard way.
I have to say that I absolutely loved the first half of the book. Bram was brutally honest and you saw his internal struggles but also his little victories. I also really liked that the entire story was from his pov because it set a tone for the past and present.
With that being said, I had a few issues with the pacing of the story and some of the characters internal struggles. As much as I tried to have an open mind and understanding, I just couldn't see past the blatant manipulation for a lot of things. I also learned that this book will now be a duet which kind of explains the pacing and not having answers for anything but I wished that things were more clearer in this one.
This was my first time reading anything from this author and even though I didn't love it as much as I thought I would have, I'm still very curious to see how this series is going to go and I'm looking forward to reading more. If you're a fan of this author and you enjoy morally Grey stories, this one's for you.
August 19, 2026
“But even Hell needs Heaven in order to exist.”
If you enjoy masked men, slow-burn, hidden identity, blackmail, murder-for-hire, and a man that would do anything for the woman he loves, you absolutely have to read this.
The Dearly Departed is an incredibly deep and complex story with elements of forbidden romance, double-life, torture, and high stakes for life and love. This book is also the first in its series.
From the beginning, this book had me in a death grip and I genuinely could not put it down. There are so many twists and turns that keep you on edge and engaged. It never felt “overwhelming” or “overdone.” Everything just simply works and was done so well. This book was the kind of book that when you’re reading it, it’s so easy to see it play out as a movie in your head.
Since this book is the introduction to this series, there is a lot of world and character building. There are certainly elements of Dark Romance, but I think we will get more of that in the books to come (And, wow, do I feel it getting HOT in here already 🔥). However, as someone who primarily reads only DR, I didn’t feel this book was lacking in that department, but was just the lead up of what we will get in later books. It is definitely a slow-burn!
Spice Level: 🔥
If you’re into dark romance slow-burns, this is right up your alley!
If you enjoy masked men, slow-burn, hidden identity, blackmail, murder-for-hire, and a man that would do anything for the woman he loves, you absolutely have to read this.
The Dearly Departed is an incredibly deep and complex story with elements of forbidden romance, double-life, torture, and high stakes for life and love. This book is also the first in its series.
From the beginning, this book had me in a death grip and I genuinely could not put it down. There are so many twists and turns that keep you on edge and engaged. It never felt “overwhelming” or “overdone.” Everything just simply works and was done so well. This book was the kind of book that when you’re reading it, it’s so easy to see it play out as a movie in your head.
Since this book is the introduction to this series, there is a lot of world and character building. There are certainly elements of Dark Romance, but I think we will get more of that in the books to come (And, wow, do I feel it getting HOT in here already 🔥). However, as someone who primarily reads only DR, I didn’t feel this book was lacking in that department, but was just the lead up of what we will get in later books. It is definitely a slow-burn!
Spice Level: 🔥
If you’re into dark romance slow-burns, this is right up your alley!
August 26, 2026
This author is absolutely brilliant. She had me invested from page one, clutching my heart and becoming completely emotionally attached to these characters. I fell in love with them, hurt for them, and then, just when I thought I had a handle on where the story was going…she flipped everything on its head and gave me the best kind of whiplash.
I absolutely devoured this book. It had everything I could want: heartbreak, angst, suspense, action, tension, secrets, deception, and enough twists and turns to keep me completely glued to the pages.
And THAT ending?! 😭 I need the next book NOW. Five stars honestly doesn’t feel like a high enough rating for this one. This story completely wrecked me in the best possible way, and I am already desperate to see what happens next. An absolute must-read!
August 26, 2026
[ARC REVIEW 🐦⬛🩶] 25 Aug
I don’t even know where to start holy fucking shit this was so good.
Like no, genuinely, you guys don’t get how obsessed I am with this 😭😭😭😭 WHAT THE HELL!!!! I need book two like yesterday I’ve lost sleep over this and I need more. THE best dark novel I’ve ever read hands down.
The second I met Abraham in Finding Noah (you should read that duology too) and finding out his job I was gagged, obsessed. Vigilante shit? YES PLEASE. But holy was it served with copious amounts of angst and trauma. Let me just say, it always gets worse before it gets better with Kelsey’s book. And the best part is? I always eat it up. Such good writing, such amazing, complex characters and plot. Everything about this was just so good I won’t get over it. Abraham has quickly and so hilariously became one of my favorite characters of ALL time. No joke. I think of him and I might just implode from all the feels. He’s so well written. This story was just shock after shock after shock and I cursed at my kindle so many times and shouted at the screen like a madwoman. Just wow😭😭😭 The way Kelsey ties everything together is so so genius.
~~ spoiler-ish part of the review.~~
I absolutely adore the side characters as well. Oh, Anna. How I hope you get out of that situation asap and finally have your happy ending with Bram. The way I cheered when the kissed— I was a happy, happy girl (let’s not talk about what happened after). And his brothers!!! The brothers alone deserve a book on their own. I am SO intrigued by Issac, every time Bram’s inner monologue says something is wrong with him and that he’s a little cray cray in the head I’m like TELL ME MORE. I’m so excited to see them in the second book. Also, the visceral reaction I got when I realized who Benjamin is and what relation he has to Bram. Absolutely insane. I can’t wait to read what happens in book two. (Also, if the events somehow reach and retell what happened with Noah from Bram’s pov in the second book I genuinely might explode from excitement.)
I don’t even know where to start holy fucking shit this was so good.
Like no, genuinely, you guys don’t get how obsessed I am with this 😭😭😭😭 WHAT THE HELL!!!! I need book two like yesterday I’ve lost sleep over this and I need more. THE best dark novel I’ve ever read hands down.
The second I met Abraham in Finding Noah (you should read that duology too) and finding out his job I was gagged, obsessed. Vigilante shit? YES PLEASE. But holy was it served with copious amounts of angst and trauma. Let me just say, it always gets worse before it gets better with Kelsey’s book. And the best part is? I always eat it up. Such good writing, such amazing, complex characters and plot. Everything about this was just so good I won’t get over it. Abraham has quickly and so hilariously became one of my favorite characters of ALL time. No joke. I think of him and I might just implode from all the feels. He’s so well written. This story was just shock after shock after shock and I cursed at my kindle so many times and shouted at the screen like a madwoman. Just wow😭😭😭 The way Kelsey ties everything together is so so genius.
~~ spoiler-ish part of the review.~~
I absolutely adore the side characters as well. Oh, Anna. How I hope you get out of that situation asap and finally have your happy ending with Bram. The way I cheered when the kissed— I was a happy, happy girl (let’s not talk about what happened after). And his brothers!!! The brothers alone deserve a book on their own. I am SO intrigued by Issac, every time Bram’s inner monologue says something is wrong with him and that he’s a little cray cray in the head I’m like TELL ME MORE. I’m so excited to see them in the second book. Also, the visceral reaction I got when I realized who Benjamin is and what relation he has to Bram. Absolutely insane. I can’t wait to read what happens in book two. (Also, if the events somehow reach and retell what happened with Noah from Bram’s pov in the second book I genuinely might explode from excitement.)
Read
August 24, 2026DNFed at 90%
August 31, 2026
For years, I've said that Kelsey Kingsley is one of the best romance authors on the scene, but there was a time when I would not have put her name and 'dark romance ' in the same sentence. As with all of her books though, she sets her mind to writing something and she does it so very well.
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series and I am hooked already.
Abraham (aka Bram) Crowley had a rough start to life and it was those formative years that made him a protector. He protected his brothers as best he could, but he failed a little girl named Anna, and he's been searching for proof that she turned out OK ever since. Bram and his brothers were saved by the one good man that they ever knew and they started a new life running the Llewellyn Family Funeral Home. Life turned out so much better than any of them could have imagined, but their past was just waiting to catch up with them.
Now, I say that this book is a dark ROMANCE, but this will truly be the slowest burn ever. They kiss once. That's all you're going to get, but trust me when I say that it's enough. This book had me staying awake until I couldn't keep my eyes open and waking up early just to get in a few chapters before starting my day.
I am so anxious to see where this story is headed and I cannot wait for Bram to give some of these characters exactly what they have coming to them.
If you're new to this author, you can totally start this new series all on its own. If you'd like to see where Bram was first introduced, you might want to read Finding Noah first, but before that, I definitely recommend that you start with Saving Rain where you'll first meet Noah and Soldier (you really should meet Soldier!) Oh, and did I mention that all of these books are written entirely from the male POV? As a reader who has always found myself looking forward to the guy's POV, I absolutely love reading the entire story from the hero's perspective.
This book will undoubtedly be one of my top reads of this year and I'll be patiently waiting for book two.
Please note: There could be triggers, read with caution.
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series and I am hooked already.
Abraham (aka Bram) Crowley had a rough start to life and it was those formative years that made him a protector. He protected his brothers as best he could, but he failed a little girl named Anna, and he's been searching for proof that she turned out OK ever since. Bram and his brothers were saved by the one good man that they ever knew and they started a new life running the Llewellyn Family Funeral Home. Life turned out so much better than any of them could have imagined, but their past was just waiting to catch up with them.
Now, I say that this book is a dark ROMANCE, but this will truly be the slowest burn ever. They kiss once. That's all you're going to get, but trust me when I say that it's enough. This book had me staying awake until I couldn't keep my eyes open and waking up early just to get in a few chapters before starting my day.
I am so anxious to see where this story is headed and I cannot wait for Bram to give some of these characters exactly what they have coming to them.
If you're new to this author, you can totally start this new series all on its own. If you'd like to see where Bram was first introduced, you might want to read Finding Noah first, but before that, I definitely recommend that you start with Saving Rain where you'll first meet Noah and Soldier (you really should meet Soldier!) Oh, and did I mention that all of these books are written entirely from the male POV? As a reader who has always found myself looking forward to the guy's POV, I absolutely love reading the entire story from the hero's perspective.
This book will undoubtedly be one of my top reads of this year and I'll be patiently waiting for book two.
Please note: There could be triggers, read with caution.
September 13, 2026
There is literally not one redeeming quality about any of these characters. The brothers’ relationship wasn’t believable to me at all. I just didn’t buy their bond.
And Ana and Bram? They had like a handful of interactions, and one of them was her touching him and feeling him up after he repeatedly said no. Like WHAT?! After everything they’ve both been through, you would think she would understand consent. That really bothered me. I just didn’t like any of these characters. There was nothing about the story or the characters that made me actually care about what was happening. there was just nothing likeable about this book for me.
And Ana and Bram? They had like a handful of interactions, and one of them was her touching him and feeling him up after he repeatedly said no. Like WHAT?! After everything they’ve both been through, you would think she would understand consent. That really bothered me. I just didn’t like any of these characters. There was nothing about the story or the characters that made me actually care about what was happening. there was just nothing likeable about this book for me.
August 29, 2026
After the glimpses of that mysterious, masked vigilante at the end of Finding Noah, I was hooked and dove headfirst into his story here in The Dearly Departed, both written by the multi-talented Kelsey Kingsley. If you don't mind darker themes in your stories (trigger check!), this one might be right up your alley. It's part atmospheric thriller, with elements of forbidden longing, and an anti-hero and his brothers who will no doubt yank on your heartstrings. Keep the tissues handy.
Kelsey Kingsley gives her readers Abraham 'Bram' Crowley's angst-ridden history in his own POV, beginning as a young boy with foggy, traumatic memories, to his unpredictable adult years. He's had a rough life and endured so much: foster care where no one really cared, and losing a good friend and his innocence early on, among other things. Even when they were scared and on the run, he kept his little family together, doing what he had to and protected them with his life.
The unusual setting where much of Bram's story takes place was an interesting choice I was excited to see. I loved how they came to live in the rambling, old funeral home, owned by a kind, lonely older man, sharing what he had to give in the quaint little town where bad things can happen...and often do, if you look below its deceptive surface. Bram's dark vibe and morally grayish-black persona blended right into this world.
His mind is a dark place where regrets and ghosts from long ago still haunt his thoughts. He feels unworthy of happiness and is certain love could never be in the cards for him... but, I kept on hoping. Just when Bram thinks he and his rag-tag family are safe where they've been hiding for years, someone from his past is itching to ruin his future, trapping him in a web so tangled and twisted there's no hope to cling to and escape seems impossible.
This author showed me where Bram's been and who he is now through the gamut of his emotions and choices- good or bad, and of course, in the 'family business'. Is he a loose cannon with no moral compass or a good man who's doing what he has to with the hand he's been dealt all of his life? I loved his one sided conversations- sad, funny or creepy, depending on the day, but definitely never boring. I think I know exactly who Bram is and who he was meant to be: a fierce protector of those he loves, no matter what happens to him in the process.
The Dearly Departed sets the scene, with all its dark and dangerous corners, developing the characters I either loved, or loved to hate in Bram's twisty and unpredictable story. Whether villains, vigilantes, friend or foe, or somewhere in between, trying to figure out everyone's place, purpose and angle in the story is part of the ongoing edge-of-your-seat suspense that has been woven into this story so well.
Beware the cliffhanger, the ending is not the complete story for Bram and his found family just yet, but you'll want to stick around to find out what happens next. They've gotten themselves in a bit of a jam, but I'd pay to see them punch, kick and slice their way out of it any day of the week.
So far, Bram's life has not been easy by any stretch, with fear of the unknown and unwanted truths coming at him from all sides- sort of harrowing, definitely not the usual and I wondered at times what could possibly be next. This is a really good story so far...BUT, I need more!! I want him to get the girl!! And that's just the magic of Kelsey Kingsley- she makes you crave it all...the good, the bad and oftentimes, the ugly.
* I was given an early copy of this book to read and review. These are my honest and freely given thoughts after reading The Dearly Departed.
Kelsey Kingsley gives her readers Abraham 'Bram' Crowley's angst-ridden history in his own POV, beginning as a young boy with foggy, traumatic memories, to his unpredictable adult years. He's had a rough life and endured so much: foster care where no one really cared, and losing a good friend and his innocence early on, among other things. Even when they were scared and on the run, he kept his little family together, doing what he had to and protected them with his life.
The unusual setting where much of Bram's story takes place was an interesting choice I was excited to see. I loved how they came to live in the rambling, old funeral home, owned by a kind, lonely older man, sharing what he had to give in the quaint little town where bad things can happen...and often do, if you look below its deceptive surface. Bram's dark vibe and morally grayish-black persona blended right into this world.
His mind is a dark place where regrets and ghosts from long ago still haunt his thoughts. He feels unworthy of happiness and is certain love could never be in the cards for him... but, I kept on hoping. Just when Bram thinks he and his rag-tag family are safe where they've been hiding for years, someone from his past is itching to ruin his future, trapping him in a web so tangled and twisted there's no hope to cling to and escape seems impossible.
This author showed me where Bram's been and who he is now through the gamut of his emotions and choices- good or bad, and of course, in the 'family business'. Is he a loose cannon with no moral compass or a good man who's doing what he has to with the hand he's been dealt all of his life? I loved his one sided conversations- sad, funny or creepy, depending on the day, but definitely never boring. I think I know exactly who Bram is and who he was meant to be: a fierce protector of those he loves, no matter what happens to him in the process.
The Dearly Departed sets the scene, with all its dark and dangerous corners, developing the characters I either loved, or loved to hate in Bram's twisty and unpredictable story. Whether villains, vigilantes, friend or foe, or somewhere in between, trying to figure out everyone's place, purpose and angle in the story is part of the ongoing edge-of-your-seat suspense that has been woven into this story so well.
Beware the cliffhanger, the ending is not the complete story for Bram and his found family just yet, but you'll want to stick around to find out what happens next. They've gotten themselves in a bit of a jam, but I'd pay to see them punch, kick and slice their way out of it any day of the week.
So far, Bram's life has not been easy by any stretch, with fear of the unknown and unwanted truths coming at him from all sides- sort of harrowing, definitely not the usual and I wondered at times what could possibly be next. This is a really good story so far...BUT, I need more!! I want him to get the girl!! And that's just the magic of Kelsey Kingsley- she makes you crave it all...the good, the bad and oftentimes, the ugly.
* I was given an early copy of this book to read and review. These are my honest and freely given thoughts after reading The Dearly Departed.
August 26, 2026
My brain is still processing everything I just read because WHAT?!?! I need book 2 ASAP!! I absolutely loved Abraham Crowley! His brothers too!
Seriously there is not a male POV that Kelsey cannot writer! You are a literal queen of male POVs lady and this one did not disappoint!!
This book is as 5 ⭐️ for me!
Abraham Crowley was given a crap hand of life. In and out of foster homes, being sold for others to get their fix (not on page), always on guard. Shawn & Ike are his two brothers who eventually run away together and find themselves in a situation where they have to learn to trust.
I want these brothers to find peace but I don’t know if that’s in the cards for them. But this book hooked me and I didn’t want it to end. I need the next one immediately!!
Seriously there is not a male POV that Kelsey cannot writer! You are a literal queen of male POVs lady and this one did not disappoint!!
This book is as 5 ⭐️ for me!
Abraham Crowley was given a crap hand of life. In and out of foster homes, being sold for others to get their fix (not on page), always on guard. Shawn & Ike are his two brothers who eventually run away together and find themselves in a situation where they have to learn to trust.
I want these brothers to find peace but I don’t know if that’s in the cards for them. But this book hooked me and I didn’t want it to end. I need the next one immediately!!
August 20, 2026
Kingsley gets me every single time 😮💨
So heavy
So dark
So angry
So heavy
So dark
So angry
Read
September 6, 2026- dark romance (please check TWs)
- he's yearned for her for 20+ years
- he works at a funeral home AND as a hitman!
- no spice
- TBC ending
- single male pov
- he's yearned for her for 20+ years
- he works at a funeral home AND as a hitman!
- no spice
- TBC ending
- single male pov
August 30, 2026
3.5⭐️
Full rtc
Full rtc
September 19, 2026
that one hurt.. when’s the next one come out
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 Stars✨
It's imperative to read the trigger warnings before diving into this book, as this story is not for the faint-hearted.
Some versions of a character leave you wondering what could have been. That has been the first thing that came into my mind after reading this book.
Profoundly dark, unhinged, suspenseful, and heart-stopping. All the factors that I'd like to see in a dark novel, and The Dearly Departed didn't disappoint in delivering. Another solid masterpiece from Kelsey.
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series exploring the themes of abuse, trauma, betrayal, trust, and absence of choice.
Abraham "Bram" Crowley's life has always been surrounded by violence, pain, and loss. Until that fateful night, when he, together with his best friend, Shawn, and younger brother, Isaac/Ike, found a place that provided them security and a better life. But as the saying goes, "Nothing lasts forever", he's been catapulted back years later to his old life with zero choices and tons of manipulation.
He carries the weight of responsibility while trying to hold on to the people he loves by protecting them. Behind the mask he wears when he works for his controlling and ruthless father is someone who gets hurt, makes bad decisions, loses his dignity, and still chooses to remain determined to keep going even when his own life is falling apart. That is what makes his character relatable.
His journey of finding Anna is a symbol of the hope and freedom he's been longing for. But the question remains...is Anna his salvation or his demise?
Kelsey has crafted a raw, tragic, and poignant story that serves as a reminder of the strength that can be found within someone who has suffered so much in a brutal and oppressive environment while attempting to gain the freedom to make their own decisions. Although there are challenging sections in Bram's story, Kelsey handled them tactfully.
Ending on a suspenseful note, The Dearly Departed is essentially a story about love, identity, survival, dignity, and finding hope when life has given you nearly nothing.
If you love masked vigilante-at-night heroes and a dark plot with angst and drama, then this book is for you.
I seriously cannot wait to read the next part of Bram's story.
What to Expect:
🖤Dark Romance
🥵He Falls First
🔥Morally Grey Hero
🔥EPIC SLOW BURN
💔Forbidden
🧍♂️ALL Male POV
🎭Masked Man
⚰️Funeral Director
🔪Hitman/Vigilante
💀Touch Her & D!e
🥰Found Family
🤫Family Secrets
Receiving a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was an honour, and I'm presenting my candid opinion based on my own experience. I am eternally grateful to Kelsey Kingsley and Wordsmith Publicity for entrusting me with the opportunity to read this book beforehand.
It's imperative to read the trigger warnings before diving into this book, as this story is not for the faint-hearted.
Some versions of a character leave you wondering what could have been. That has been the first thing that came into my mind after reading this book.
Profoundly dark, unhinged, suspenseful, and heart-stopping. All the factors that I'd like to see in a dark novel, and The Dearly Departed didn't disappoint in delivering. Another solid masterpiece from Kelsey.
The Dearly Departed is the first book in The Patron Seints series exploring the themes of abuse, trauma, betrayal, trust, and absence of choice.
Abraham "Bram" Crowley's life has always been surrounded by violence, pain, and loss. Until that fateful night, when he, together with his best friend, Shawn, and younger brother, Isaac/Ike, found a place that provided them security and a better life. But as the saying goes, "Nothing lasts forever", he's been catapulted back years later to his old life with zero choices and tons of manipulation.
He carries the weight of responsibility while trying to hold on to the people he loves by protecting them. Behind the mask he wears when he works for his controlling and ruthless father is someone who gets hurt, makes bad decisions, loses his dignity, and still chooses to remain determined to keep going even when his own life is falling apart. That is what makes his character relatable.
His journey of finding Anna is a symbol of the hope and freedom he's been longing for. But the question remains...is Anna his salvation or his demise?
Kelsey has crafted a raw, tragic, and poignant story that serves as a reminder of the strength that can be found within someone who has suffered so much in a brutal and oppressive environment while attempting to gain the freedom to make their own decisions. Although there are challenging sections in Bram's story, Kelsey handled them tactfully.
Ending on a suspenseful note, The Dearly Departed is essentially a story about love, identity, survival, dignity, and finding hope when life has given you nearly nothing.
If you love masked vigilante-at-night heroes and a dark plot with angst and drama, then this book is for you.
I seriously cannot wait to read the next part of Bram's story.
What to Expect:
🖤Dark Romance
🥵He Falls First
🔥Morally Grey Hero
🔥EPIC SLOW BURN
💔Forbidden
🧍♂️ALL Male POV
🎭Masked Man
⚰️Funeral Director
🔪Hitman/Vigilante
💀Touch Her & D!e
🥰Found Family
🤫Family Secrets
Receiving a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was an honour, and I'm presenting my candid opinion based on my own experience. I am eternally grateful to Kelsey Kingsley and Wordsmith Publicity for entrusting me with the opportunity to read this book beforehand.
September 29, 2026
4 ⭐️ .5 🌶️
This was such a dark, wild ride. It was emotionally gripping and so tense at times that I was completely hooked. This story spans over thirty years, from growing up in a broken system to the present day, exploring the effects of protecting loved ones, blackmail, and survival. I didn’t know what to expect going in I went in blind but it was such a thrilling read. Just be mindful picking this up as it has some dark contents and themes.
Abraham is a complex man, but he is doing what he has to do to survive and protect the people he loves. He is a morally grey hero who is longing to find Anna, the girl he tried to protect while they were growing up in the system. Now, at thirty-five, after finding a place to call home and employment at a funeral home over the years, he is sucked back into the grasp of his flaky, powerful father.
This is an extremely slow burn, and because so much was happening especially with the dark plot line I’m excited to see what comes next because I need Abraham and Annalise to be together. The gazebo moment really hit me hard, especially when she expressed that she felt like she knew him. However, because of the events that unfolded, this story isn’t over, and I need to know what happens next.
I will say that this did take me a while to read. Unfortunately, I’ve been quite sick and started a new job this past month, but if I’d had a little more free time, I would have finished it within a week. I did want more moments between Abraham and Annalise, though. I felt the distance between them, and we only got a few passing moments throughout the story. I would have loved to see more longing to build that feeling of soulmates or the need they have for each other. Since we only get the MMC’s perspective, I just wish I knew what Annalise was thinking.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It felt refreshing to read something so different from what I’ve read recently very dark and raw. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Genre/Type: Dark Adult Romance 18+
APK: Kindle Read ARC
Pages: 387
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: .5
Series or Standalone: Book One In The Patron Saints Series
Tropes or Themes: Forbidden, Hidden Identity, He Falls First, Found Family, Slow Burn, Funeral Director, Foster System / Homeless, Past Memories, Family Secrets, Lost Time, Tension, Yearning, Longing, Masked Men, Protective MMC, Touch Her and Die, Morally Grey Men, Black Mail, Manipulation, Violence, Past Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Cliffhanger Violence, Murder, Blood, and Sexual Content.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
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This was such a dark, wild ride. It was emotionally gripping and so tense at times that I was completely hooked. This story spans over thirty years, from growing up in a broken system to the present day, exploring the effects of protecting loved ones, blackmail, and survival. I didn’t know what to expect going in I went in blind but it was such a thrilling read. Just be mindful picking this up as it has some dark contents and themes.
Abraham is a complex man, but he is doing what he has to do to survive and protect the people he loves. He is a morally grey hero who is longing to find Anna, the girl he tried to protect while they were growing up in the system. Now, at thirty-five, after finding a place to call home and employment at a funeral home over the years, he is sucked back into the grasp of his flaky, powerful father.
This is an extremely slow burn, and because so much was happening especially with the dark plot line I’m excited to see what comes next because I need Abraham and Annalise to be together. The gazebo moment really hit me hard, especially when she expressed that she felt like she knew him. However, because of the events that unfolded, this story isn’t over, and I need to know what happens next.
I will say that this did take me a while to read. Unfortunately, I’ve been quite sick and started a new job this past month, but if I’d had a little more free time, I would have finished it within a week. I did want more moments between Abraham and Annalise, though. I felt the distance between them, and we only got a few passing moments throughout the story. I would have loved to see more longing to build that feeling of soulmates or the need they have for each other. Since we only get the MMC’s perspective, I just wish I knew what Annalise was thinking.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It felt refreshing to read something so different from what I’ve read recently very dark and raw. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Genre/Type: Dark Adult Romance 18+
APK: Kindle Read ARC
Pages: 387
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: .5
Series or Standalone: Book One In The Patron Saints Series
Tropes or Themes: Forbidden, Hidden Identity, He Falls First, Found Family, Slow Burn, Funeral Director, Foster System / Homeless, Past Memories, Family Secrets, Lost Time, Tension, Yearning, Longing, Masked Men, Protective MMC, Touch Her and Die, Morally Grey Men, Black Mail, Manipulation, Violence, Past Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Cliffhanger Violence, Murder, Blood, and Sexual Content.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Margins | Pagebound | Pinterest | Facebook | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kelsey Kingsley has such an incredibly palatable writing style. I raced through Saving Rain when I read it last year, and even without an audiobook for The Dearly Departed, I still found myself flying through this one. Her books are always well written page turners.
That being said, for me this felt much more like a suspense/thriller with a romantic subplot than a typical romance book. Outside of the prelude in the beginning of the book, the interactions between the male and female main characters don’t really become a significant part of the story until around the 70% mark. The Dearly Departed, the first book in a series, is very much about setting the scene and creating suspense: establishing the characters, their past trauma, the criminal world they’ve found themselves in, and how all of that influences the choices they’re making (or somewhat forced) to make now.
And it is a page-turner.
Abraham, the MMC, continues to find himself further and further in over his head in the criminal underworld, largely under the control (or perhaps blackmail) of his manipulative father. Although the more we learn, the more it seems his father may actually be a puppet himself, with his wife Virginia potentially being the real person pulling the strings. And I am VERY interested in Virginia.
Abraham is certainly not perfect, but his actions make sense in the context of his past. His fierce loyalty to his brother and his best friend makes him incredibly easy to fall for. You know he would do absolutely anything for the people he loves, even when his behaviour doesn’t always make that immediately obvious.
We’ve only had small glimpses of the heroine Anna so far, but we know she has also found herself trapped in a situation she desperately wants out of and is beginning to look to Abraham for safety. I’m really intrigued to see how that develops in the next book.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, so there are definitely a lot of unanswered questions, and I feel like saying much more would venture firmly into spoiler territory.
If you enjoy suspense, thrillers and criminal-underworld stories with romance slowly building in the background, I’d definitely give this one a go. Kelsey’s writing makes it very, very easy to keep turning the pages.
That being said, for me this felt much more like a suspense/thriller with a romantic subplot than a typical romance book. Outside of the prelude in the beginning of the book, the interactions between the male and female main characters don’t really become a significant part of the story until around the 70% mark. The Dearly Departed, the first book in a series, is very much about setting the scene and creating suspense: establishing the characters, their past trauma, the criminal world they’ve found themselves in, and how all of that influences the choices they’re making (or somewhat forced) to make now.
And it is a page-turner.
Abraham, the MMC, continues to find himself further and further in over his head in the criminal underworld, largely under the control (or perhaps blackmail) of his manipulative father. Although the more we learn, the more it seems his father may actually be a puppet himself, with his wife Virginia potentially being the real person pulling the strings. And I am VERY interested in Virginia.
Abraham is certainly not perfect, but his actions make sense in the context of his past. His fierce loyalty to his brother and his best friend makes him incredibly easy to fall for. You know he would do absolutely anything for the people he loves, even when his behaviour doesn’t always make that immediately obvious.
We’ve only had small glimpses of the heroine Anna so far, but we know she has also found herself trapped in a situation she desperately wants out of and is beginning to look to Abraham for safety. I’m really intrigued to see how that develops in the next book.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, so there are definitely a lot of unanswered questions, and I feel like saying much more would venture firmly into spoiler territory.
If you enjoy suspense, thrillers and criminal-underworld stories with romance slowly building in the background, I’d definitely give this one a go. Kelsey’s writing makes it very, very easy to keep turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Masked Man
Hidden Identity
Slow Burn
Painful Pasts
Morally Grey MMC
🌶
I liked it but it's not as strong as a few of her other books. Bram is wonderful though overall, always wanting to do the right thing even though he was a bit of a wilder one as a boy with his brothers. But he had an especially tough and abused childhood.
Leonard, funeral director, takes them all in but Bram's birth father is a manipulative and mean man who keeps coming into Bram's life at the worst times.
His father confuses me though... where and how is this former drug addict so easily able to marry another manipulative woman, who's also rich. What does she see in him? Also how Bram allowed himself to be manipulated so easily by both of them irks me, had me not believing how this went on for 3 years and his siblings not knowing he was carrying out their dark deeds and what was he doing all this time about Anna... really avoiding her? That's hard to believe.
Also why does his father need so many people k1lled? None of what the father does or what the wife does is explained. So, all that was unclear, I know there is another book coming but a bit of that should've been explained .
The abuse to Bram is difficult stuff but also, I just don't see how he allows it. The woman he pines for and keeps his identity from, Anna, she's sweet but honestly not in this that much, so I didn't connect with her much as a result. He's also described as a v1rgin early in but he really isn't and his touch aversion hadn't really come into play at all even though it's mentioned as a point in trope...I wouldn't call it one here. Also the handling of his s3xual encounters are not described at all other than high level of what happens and how often it does. It's not talked about much at all, which surprised me since it's a very affecting part of causing psychological damage to someone.
This is more about Bram's manipulative relationship with his father, him carrying out the unaliving at his behest and me just being confused why, what purpose?
I'm still interested to know where this goes though, I think having it as one larger book and a few character choices be more believable, some details fleshed out, gaps explained woulda made this a stronger read.
Hidden Identity
Slow Burn
Painful Pasts
Morally Grey MMC
🌶
I liked it but it's not as strong as a few of her other books. Bram is wonderful though overall, always wanting to do the right thing even though he was a bit of a wilder one as a boy with his brothers. But he had an especially tough and abused childhood.
Leonard, funeral director, takes them all in but Bram's birth father is a manipulative and mean man who keeps coming into Bram's life at the worst times.
His father confuses me though... where and how is this former drug addict so easily able to marry another manipulative woman, who's also rich. What does she see in him? Also how Bram allowed himself to be manipulated so easily by both of them irks me, had me not believing how this went on for 3 years and his siblings not knowing he was carrying out their dark deeds and what was he doing all this time about Anna... really avoiding her? That's hard to believe.
Also why does his father need so many people k1lled? None of what the father does or what the wife does is explained. So, all that was unclear, I know there is another book coming but a bit of that should've been explained .
The abuse to Bram is difficult stuff but also, I just don't see how he allows it. The woman he pines for and keeps his identity from, Anna, she's sweet but honestly not in this that much, so I didn't connect with her much as a result. He's also described as a v1rgin early in but he really isn't and his touch aversion hadn't really come into play at all even though it's mentioned as a point in trope...I wouldn't call it one here. Also the handling of his s3xual encounters are not described at all other than high level of what happens and how often it does. It's not talked about much at all, which surprised me since it's a very affecting part of causing psychological damage to someone.
This is more about Bram's manipulative relationship with his father, him carrying out the unaliving at his behest and me just being confused why, what purpose?
I'm still interested to know where this goes though, I think having it as one larger book and a few character choices be more believable, some details fleshed out, gaps explained woulda made this a stronger read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
While writing Finding Noah, Kelsey Kingsley was inspired, and what she originally intended as a minor character ended up having a lot to say, which is why The Patron Seints series will consist of three books. Those who don’t like waiting for the next book should keep this in mind.
Abraham “Bram” Crowley was a runaway whose life began on the streets after his mother died of a drug overdose in an alleyway. Together with his baby brother, Isaac, they were put into the Massachusetts foster care system and ended up moving from one house to another. At one of these homes, he met Shawn, who then became their “brother”; the shared experiences and trauma of their lives have kept the two bonded for life. The three boys ran away together and lived on the streets doing what they had to do to survive until they broke into a funeral home to get a night’s sleep and were spotted by the owner, Leonard Llewellyn, who took them in, fed them, gave them clothes, educated them, and later employed the boys. Until their biological father, Gerald Crowley, found them and tried to persuade Bram to enter into business with him.
Bram risks everything to protect his brothers and ensure their safety from Gerald Crowley. At the same time, Bram is haunted by a memory of a little girl called Anna, whose face he sees everywhere. However, when he actually sees her face and smile, the entire world comes to a standstill. Her name is now Analise, “Lisey” Seint; she has been adopted and now lives at Seint Manor. Her mother, Virginia, is now Gerald’s new wife, and his Ana is to marry his cousin Ben.
Do you think “devils" are born like that, or that they become that way as a result of the things that happen to them in life?
The Patron Seints series promises a compelling exploration of trauma, redemption, and the bonds that shape us. With nuanced characters and a gripping storyline, Kingsley leaves readers eager for the next installment. This series is a must-read for those who appreciate emotionally resonant and character-driven fiction.
Abraham “Bram” Crowley was a runaway whose life began on the streets after his mother died of a drug overdose in an alleyway. Together with his baby brother, Isaac, they were put into the Massachusetts foster care system and ended up moving from one house to another. At one of these homes, he met Shawn, who then became their “brother”; the shared experiences and trauma of their lives have kept the two bonded for life. The three boys ran away together and lived on the streets doing what they had to do to survive until they broke into a funeral home to get a night’s sleep and were spotted by the owner, Leonard Llewellyn, who took them in, fed them, gave them clothes, educated them, and later employed the boys. Until their biological father, Gerald Crowley, found them and tried to persuade Bram to enter into business with him.
Bram risks everything to protect his brothers and ensure their safety from Gerald Crowley. At the same time, Bram is haunted by a memory of a little girl called Anna, whose face he sees everywhere. However, when he actually sees her face and smile, the entire world comes to a standstill. Her name is now Analise, “Lisey” Seint; she has been adopted and now lives at Seint Manor. Her mother, Virginia, is now Gerald’s new wife, and his Ana is to marry his cousin Ben.
Do you think “devils" are born like that, or that they become that way as a result of the things that happen to them in life?
The Patron Seints series promises a compelling exploration of trauma, redemption, and the bonds that shape us. With nuanced characters and a gripping storyline, Kingsley leaves readers eager for the next installment. This series is a must-read for those who appreciate emotionally resonant and character-driven fiction.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow! The Dearly Departed took me on an emotional, addictive, and completely unpredictable roller coaster ride from beginning to end. Once I started reading, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Every chapter left me desperate to know what would happen next, and before I knew it, I was completely immersed in this world and these characters.
Abraham is an incredibly complex, flawed, and morally gray character, yet that is exactly what makes him so compelling. Even when he makes questionable decisions, you can't help but empathize with him and understand the circumstances that have shaped his life. His struggles, motivations, and emotional journey felt authentic, making every triumph and heartbreak hit that much harder.
The forbidden romance was absolutely captivating and added another layer of tension to an already gripping story. Combined with the mystery surrounding the his alternate life, the story is packed with angst, betrayal, secrets, lies, and shocking revelations. The suspense never lets up, and I genuinely never knew what was coming next.
And then there's that ending. I am still reeling from it. The final pages left me completely stunned and desperately needing the next book. I have so many questions and am far too invested in these characters to wait patiently for answers. I need to know what happens next.
If you've read this author before, then you already know her stories are not for the faint of heart. She has a remarkable ability to put both her characters and readers through an emotional wringer, breaking your heart into pieces before carefully putting it back together again. The journey is often painful, but it is always worth it.
The Dearly Departed, the first book in The Patron Saints series, is an addictive, emotionally devastating, and unforgettable read. It's filled with romance, mystery, heartbreak, and twists that will keep you hooked until the very last page. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and I am already counting down the days until book two.
Abraham is an incredibly complex, flawed, and morally gray character, yet that is exactly what makes him so compelling. Even when he makes questionable decisions, you can't help but empathize with him and understand the circumstances that have shaped his life. His struggles, motivations, and emotional journey felt authentic, making every triumph and heartbreak hit that much harder.
The forbidden romance was absolutely captivating and added another layer of tension to an already gripping story. Combined with the mystery surrounding the his alternate life, the story is packed with angst, betrayal, secrets, lies, and shocking revelations. The suspense never lets up, and I genuinely never knew what was coming next.
And then there's that ending. I am still reeling from it. The final pages left me completely stunned and desperately needing the next book. I have so many questions and am far too invested in these characters to wait patiently for answers. I need to know what happens next.
If you've read this author before, then you already know her stories are not for the faint of heart. She has a remarkable ability to put both her characters and readers through an emotional wringer, breaking your heart into pieces before carefully putting it back together again. The journey is often painful, but it is always worth it.
The Dearly Departed, the first book in The Patron Saints series, is an addictive, emotionally devastating, and unforgettable read. It's filled with romance, mystery, heartbreak, and twists that will keep you hooked until the very last page. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and I am already counting down the days until book two.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Tragically beautiful and hauntingly brutal, Kelsey manages to gouge out my heart with a blunt spoon in this scathing story. Four innocent lives get lost in foster care system. While one girl is lost forever, the three brothers of sorts ~ Abraham Crowley, Isaac and Shawn survive....but at enormous cost. They've been victimized, manipulated, abandoned by their biological father. It hurt my heart to see these angels in the claws of monster feeding on their flesh and drinking their misery.
“ “Just remember something, Abraham,” he said before I could exit the room. “Hating the devil isn’t enough. The more you let his claws sink into your soul, the more like him you’ll start to become.””
Life gives them a respite in a funeral home, where a benevolent old man- Leonard Llewellyn gives them food, shelter and a safe space.
I wouldn't say they thrived, but they just went by.
Circle comes to completion when all are under one roof, but barely breathing.
This is book one, so ends on an unfinished note. It's a romantic tragedy that is still looking for closure of any sort.
“4 stars for becoming your monster ”
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“ “Just remember something, Abraham,” he said before I could exit the room. “Hating the devil isn’t enough. The more you let his claws sink into your soul, the more like him you’ll start to become.””
Life gives them a respite in a funeral home, where a benevolent old man- Leonard Llewellyn gives them food, shelter and a safe space.
I wouldn't say they thrived, but they just went by.
Circle comes to completion when all are under one roof, but barely breathing.
This is book one, so ends on an unfinished note. It's a romantic tragedy that is still looking for closure of any sort.
“4 stars for becoming your monster ”
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻 TikTok 🌻 StoryGraph 🌻 YouTube 🌻
August 28, 2026
I had the absolute honour to receive this book as an ARC.
I don't think this contains spoilers but just a little warning just in case lol
I love that Kelsey's books are from the male POV. That is one of the main reasons I was drawn to her books. I find the female POV to be annoying at times and find myself preferring the male POV in a book.
When I saw what this was about I was Yes & Please I need to read this book.
What I was not expecting was to have my heart broken practically every other chapter.
Another thing I love about the writing I have noticed in the books I have read from Kingsley, is that she likes to start the characters story from a young age and work through the years and this was no different. I feel like that gives us more insight to the character. So with Bram you get to see why he is the way he is when he is older from his experiences with his parents and the foster system with his brothers.
I also think it is good to highlight that it is not only girls that get abused but boys too and with this book you see 3 boys who were abused and how each of them was as adults as a result.
No one person is the same and dealing with trauma is no different. That is a unique take on dealing with past trauma I haven't seen.
Given their pasts it makes sense why they wouldn't trust Leonard. Even after everything he did for them you could see they, especially Bram, still felt like it could end at any day. That was one of the things that hurt my heart. I love Bram and his character I can see will just make me love him even more with each book we get of him.
This book also has a character that I hate with every fibre of my being, Gerald, I really hope Kelsey has a hideous death in store for him. Using Annalise like that to get to Bram made me so sad and angry at the same time. It is lucky this was being read on a device because if it was a physical book it would have been thrown at the wall with the aftermath of Gerald's party and basically every chapter after that!
I would definitely recommend this book but just know it will break your heart for 70% of the book then end on a cliffhanger. So you have been warned.
I don't think this contains spoilers but just a little warning just in case lol
I love that Kelsey's books are from the male POV. That is one of the main reasons I was drawn to her books. I find the female POV to be annoying at times and find myself preferring the male POV in a book.
When I saw what this was about I was Yes & Please I need to read this book.
What I was not expecting was to have my heart broken practically every other chapter.
Another thing I love about the writing I have noticed in the books I have read from Kingsley, is that she likes to start the characters story from a young age and work through the years and this was no different. I feel like that gives us more insight to the character. So with Bram you get to see why he is the way he is when he is older from his experiences with his parents and the foster system with his brothers.
I also think it is good to highlight that it is not only girls that get abused but boys too and with this book you see 3 boys who were abused and how each of them was as adults as a result.
No one person is the same and dealing with trauma is no different. That is a unique take on dealing with past trauma I haven't seen.
Given their pasts it makes sense why they wouldn't trust Leonard. Even after everything he did for them you could see they, especially Bram, still felt like it could end at any day. That was one of the things that hurt my heart. I love Bram and his character I can see will just make me love him even more with each book we get of him.
This book also has a character that I hate with every fibre of my being, Gerald, I really hope Kelsey has a hideous death in store for him. Using Annalise like that to get to Bram made me so sad and angry at the same time. It is lucky this was being read on a device because if it was a physical book it would have been thrown at the wall with the aftermath of Gerald's party and basically every chapter after that!
I would definitely recommend this book but just know it will break your heart for 70% of the book then end on a cliffhanger. So you have been warned.
Review of advance copy received from Author
We first met Abraham Crowley in Finding Noah, and I was definitely curious to know more about the mysterious man behind the plague doctor mask. The Dearly Departed by Kelsey Kingsley gives us exactly that, taking us all the way back to Bram’s childhood and showing us how he became the man we met in Noah’s story.
And let me tell you, Bram never really stood a chance.
From the beginning, life dealt him one shitty hand after another. He was forced to grow up way too quickly, and so many of the choices he made weren’t because he wanted to be the bad guy, but because he was trying to survive or protect someone who couldn’t protect themselves. Seeing his story from childhood into adulthood added so much context to his character and made me look at everything he did in Finding Noah differently.
Bram is absolutely a morally gray character, but he’s the kind where you understand how he got there. He does terrible things. He knows he does terrible things. But underneath all of it is someone who has spent his entire life wanting to protect the people he loves, even when doing so costs him pieces of himself.
And then there’s the woman he spent decades searching for.
I’m not going to say much about that because this is definitely one of those books where you need to discover things as they happen. But the longing this man carries? DECADES?! Sir. The relationship and history between them added another layer to Bram that I wasn’t expecting after meeting him in Finding Noah.
Kelsey Kingsley has a way of writing incredibly damaged people without making their trauma their entire personality. Her characters are messy. They make questionable choices. They love fiercely. And sometimes the line between the villain and the person trying to do the right thing gets very, very blurry.
And let me tell you, Bram never really stood a chance.
From the beginning, life dealt him one shitty hand after another. He was forced to grow up way too quickly, and so many of the choices he made weren’t because he wanted to be the bad guy, but because he was trying to survive or protect someone who couldn’t protect themselves. Seeing his story from childhood into adulthood added so much context to his character and made me look at everything he did in Finding Noah differently.
Bram is absolutely a morally gray character, but he’s the kind where you understand how he got there. He does terrible things. He knows he does terrible things. But underneath all of it is someone who has spent his entire life wanting to protect the people he loves, even when doing so costs him pieces of himself.
And then there’s the woman he spent decades searching for.
I’m not going to say much about that because this is definitely one of those books where you need to discover things as they happen. But the longing this man carries? DECADES?! Sir. The relationship and history between them added another layer to Bram that I wasn’t expecting after meeting him in Finding Noah.
Kelsey Kingsley has a way of writing incredibly damaged people without making their trauma their entire personality. Her characters are messy. They make questionable choices. They love fiercely. And sometimes the line between the villain and the person trying to do the right thing gets very, very blurry.
August 20, 2026
Warning: this book deals with heavy topics including rape and is part of a trilogy, so it is not complete.
I loved this book so much and Abraham is right up there with Dylan Pierce for me of Kelsey’s MMC’s being my favorite. Abraham is a protector at his core and he would do anything for Leonard, his brothers and Anna in this book. I just cannot wait to keep going in this trilogy.
The journey Kelsey takes us on is from when Abraham is 12 til he’s in his 30’s. We get to see his background and what made him the man he is, that we got to see in Finding Noah. The book does not end where we first see him in Finding Noah but I loved that we got his backstory and how him and his brothers found safety with Leonard at the funeral home.
I felt like Abraham was hit from every angle in life and the fact that he held onto who he was at his core was everything to me in this book. I wanted to hug him and fight along side him at the same time. And the yearning for Anna in this book. He loved his brothers and Leonard but the way he spoke and felt about Anna, he was so poetic in how he talked about wanting to just be with her and how he would treat her. Also, holding on to her stuffed bunny for over two decades, swoon.
I loved the darker themes in this because of how realistic they were at the same time. This kind of stuff happens around us without evening knowing. Another reason it took me a minute to write this review. I read this in one sitting because the writing and the story sucked me in, I needed to know all the things.
Thank you to Kelsey Kingsley and Wordsmith Publicity for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Dark romance
✨He falls first
✨Morally grey hero
✨Epic slow burn
✨Forbidden
✨All male POV
✨Funeral director
✨Hitman/vigilante
✨Touch her and die
✨Family secret
✨Found family
I loved this book so much and Abraham is right up there with Dylan Pierce for me of Kelsey’s MMC’s being my favorite. Abraham is a protector at his core and he would do anything for Leonard, his brothers and Anna in this book. I just cannot wait to keep going in this trilogy.
The journey Kelsey takes us on is from when Abraham is 12 til he’s in his 30’s. We get to see his background and what made him the man he is, that we got to see in Finding Noah. The book does not end where we first see him in Finding Noah but I loved that we got his backstory and how him and his brothers found safety with Leonard at the funeral home.
I felt like Abraham was hit from every angle in life and the fact that he held onto who he was at his core was everything to me in this book. I wanted to hug him and fight along side him at the same time. And the yearning for Anna in this book. He loved his brothers and Leonard but the way he spoke and felt about Anna, he was so poetic in how he talked about wanting to just be with her and how he would treat her. Also, holding on to her stuffed bunny for over two decades, swoon.
I loved the darker themes in this because of how realistic they were at the same time. This kind of stuff happens around us without evening knowing. Another reason it took me a minute to write this review. I read this in one sitting because the writing and the story sucked me in, I needed to know all the things.
Thank you to Kelsey Kingsley and Wordsmith Publicity for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Dark romance
✨He falls first
✨Morally grey hero
✨Epic slow burn
✨Forbidden
✨All male POV
✨Funeral director
✨Hitman/vigilante
✨Touch her and die
✨Family secret
✨Found family
August 31, 2026
If Kelsey Kingsley writes it i will read it!
When i read 'Finding Noah' (another amazing book BTW) and i was introduced to a dark and mysterious funeral director i really hoped i would be able to read more about him and when i found out he was getting his own book, god i could not wait.
Her books are mainly in the male pov, the dearly departed is obviously included in that. it’s a dark romance, full of secrets, a forbidden romance where he falls first. Abraham “Bram” Crowley is a dark and broody man with a very dark past that comes back to haunt him. throughout the book we see details of his past and how they affected him. kelsey really knows how to write a book showcasing a morally grey hero and being able to read his thoughts is just chefs kiss. the writting was gramatical and easy to follow. i usually dont love a book that goes back in time too much because most of the time i feel its too much but the details in the dearly departed were just enough, not too much and not to little. i got a deep dive on what made Bram who he is. a 6’6 man with the only goal being to protect his brother and anyone else he loves. Also dont get me started on the yearning, its just sooooo good, i couldnt get enough. The found family aspect is so wholesome, it healed some part of me, having someone in your life to love you not because they have to but because they want to. Overall i expected nothing less from Kelsey and she did not dissapoint. if you want a taste of a book written in the male POV Kelsey is your girl and if you want a dark romance with a masked hitman/funeral director i 10/10 recommend The Dearly Departed.
The Dearly Departed
When i read 'Finding Noah' (another amazing book BTW) and i was introduced to a dark and mysterious funeral director i really hoped i would be able to read more about him and when i found out he was getting his own book, god i could not wait.
Her books are mainly in the male pov, the dearly departed is obviously included in that. it’s a dark romance, full of secrets, a forbidden romance where he falls first. Abraham “Bram” Crowley is a dark and broody man with a very dark past that comes back to haunt him. throughout the book we see details of his past and how they affected him. kelsey really knows how to write a book showcasing a morally grey hero and being able to read his thoughts is just chefs kiss. the writting was gramatical and easy to follow. i usually dont love a book that goes back in time too much because most of the time i feel its too much but the details in the dearly departed were just enough, not too much and not to little. i got a deep dive on what made Bram who he is. a 6’6 man with the only goal being to protect his brother and anyone else he loves. Also dont get me started on the yearning, its just sooooo good, i couldnt get enough. The found family aspect is so wholesome, it healed some part of me, having someone in your life to love you not because they have to but because they want to. Overall i expected nothing less from Kelsey and she did not dissapoint. if you want a taste of a book written in the male POV Kelsey is your girl and if you want a dark romance with a masked hitman/funeral director i 10/10 recommend The Dearly Departed.
The Dearly Departed
August 23, 2026
Dearly departed we are gathered here to say this author never ceases to amaze me. I say dearly departed because I had an extremely hard time separating myself from this book.
If you’re looking for that HEA in a fairytale setting sent from heaven above then don’t pick this up. This is more like a fractured fairytale from hell. However, if you’re willing to venture out into waters unknown that will rock and throw you into uncharted territory this is the book for you. I will say gird your loins, and strap yourself in because you’re in for a bumpy ride.
Abraham, is part Michael the archangel and part Satan. He is both sides of the same coin Protector and avenger but for very good reasons. Remember even Lucifer was an angel of the highest caliber. He just got enamored with himself Abraham never seems to get that smug. He does what he does out of love, loyalty and protection
I don’t want to say too much. This is the first book in this series There are many questions still unanswered. Don’t fret there are questions that are answered. Having said that, every time one question gets answered another one pops up. It’s like Whack A Frog or a thread you keep pulling at. It’s intense but I couldn’t put it down. It’s the ultimate do the wrong thing for all the right reasons. It will make you scrutinize your own morals and have you thinking how far can you move the line. Unless you’ve walked a mile in someone’s shoes can you truly judge them? Are we really judged by a jury of our peers if we don’t know the whole story?
These are just a couple questions I had while reading.
I am looking forward to the next book. It can’t come soon enough. I’ll most likely be saying this again because this author keeps me on my toes.
If you’re looking for that HEA in a fairytale setting sent from heaven above then don’t pick this up. This is more like a fractured fairytale from hell. However, if you’re willing to venture out into waters unknown that will rock and throw you into uncharted territory this is the book for you. I will say gird your loins, and strap yourself in because you’re in for a bumpy ride.
Abraham, is part Michael the archangel and part Satan. He is both sides of the same coin Protector and avenger but for very good reasons. Remember even Lucifer was an angel of the highest caliber. He just got enamored with himself Abraham never seems to get that smug. He does what he does out of love, loyalty and protection
I don’t want to say too much. This is the first book in this series There are many questions still unanswered. Don’t fret there are questions that are answered. Having said that, every time one question gets answered another one pops up. It’s like Whack A Frog or a thread you keep pulling at. It’s intense but I couldn’t put it down. It’s the ultimate do the wrong thing for all the right reasons. It will make you scrutinize your own morals and have you thinking how far can you move the line. Unless you’ve walked a mile in someone’s shoes can you truly judge them? Are we really judged by a jury of our peers if we don’t know the whole story?
These are just a couple questions I had while reading.
I am looking forward to the next book. It can’t come soon enough. I’ll most likely be saying this again because this author keeps me on my toes.
August 29, 2026
**Happy Release Day!! **
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Dearly Departed, and gosh… this book pulled at my heartstrings. Please please please check the trigger warnings on this book. It is pretty heavy and touches on topics that are not for the faint of heart.
The things these three boys and Anna had to endure absolutely broke my heart. There were so many moments where I felt anxious reading this because you just know things are going to get worse before they get better. And after that ending?! I have a feeling Book 2 is going to put me through it.
Also, I seriously HATE Bram’s dad and his new wife. My gosh, these two are awful!
I actually loved the way this book ended because it left me with that feeling that something good is finally on the horizon. It definitely made me excited to see where the story goes next!
Overall, such a good read! If you’re just starting your journey into Kelsey’s world and want to dive into all these interconnected stories, I highly recommend reading them in this order:
1. Saving Rain
2. Warrior Blue
3. Indigo Sky
4. Crashing Waves
5. Spider and the Storm
6. Ebbing Tides
7. Saving Noah
8. The Dearly Departed
You can read these as stand-alones, but they are all interconnected, and I personally think reading them in this order makes the overall world and character connections so much more meaningful.
If you’re looking for an emotional read with characters you’ll become invested in, complicated relationships, and just enough heartbreak to keep you turning the pages… add this one to your TBR!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Dearly Departed, and gosh… this book pulled at my heartstrings. Please please please check the trigger warnings on this book. It is pretty heavy and touches on topics that are not for the faint of heart.
The things these three boys and Anna had to endure absolutely broke my heart. There were so many moments where I felt anxious reading this because you just know things are going to get worse before they get better. And after that ending?! I have a feeling Book 2 is going to put me through it.
Also, I seriously HATE Bram’s dad and his new wife. My gosh, these two are awful!
I actually loved the way this book ended because it left me with that feeling that something good is finally on the horizon. It definitely made me excited to see where the story goes next!
Overall, such a good read! If you’re just starting your journey into Kelsey’s world and want to dive into all these interconnected stories, I highly recommend reading them in this order:
1. Saving Rain
2. Warrior Blue
3. Indigo Sky
4. Crashing Waves
5. Spider and the Storm
6. Ebbing Tides
7. Saving Noah
8. The Dearly Departed
You can read these as stand-alones, but they are all interconnected, and I personally think reading them in this order makes the overall world and character connections so much more meaningful.
If you’re looking for an emotional read with characters you’ll become invested in, complicated relationships, and just enough heartbreak to keep you turning the pages… add this one to your TBR!
August 30, 2026
As a non dark romance reader but an avid Kelsey Kingsley reader I wasn’t sure if I would be able to do this story I’m happy to report that I finished and enjoyed it.
As with the authors recent work the story is told exclusively from the MMC’s point of view and within the first few chapters I was met with another complex, tortured and compelling character that I wanted to know more about.
Abraham aka Bram grew up in the foster system. Experiencing the absolute worst the system has to offer he runs away with his brothers and they stumble into a safe haven at The Llewelyn Family Funeral Home and for a while Abraham lives and works along side his brothers and Leonard Llewelyn.
Willing to do anything to protect those he loves Abraham’s life spirals out of control when he is drawn into a twisted world he never expected by his biological father. As he falls further into a world of murder and darkness he becomes enchanted by the beautiful woman who reminds him of the girl he has never forgotten.
As the connection between Abraham and Analise intensifies secrets are revealed and risks are taken leading to new dangers.
This is a slow burn that sets up future books where Abraham is going to scorch the earth to bring down the world he’s been drawn into. I enjoyed being exclusively in Abraham’s head as he had to work through all the feelings of responsibility, betrayal and love.
I imagine things are going to heat up in the next instalment and I’m looking forward to the journey.
As with the authors recent work the story is told exclusively from the MMC’s point of view and within the first few chapters I was met with another complex, tortured and compelling character that I wanted to know more about.
Abraham aka Bram grew up in the foster system. Experiencing the absolute worst the system has to offer he runs away with his brothers and they stumble into a safe haven at The Llewelyn Family Funeral Home and for a while Abraham lives and works along side his brothers and Leonard Llewelyn.
Willing to do anything to protect those he loves Abraham’s life spirals out of control when he is drawn into a twisted world he never expected by his biological father. As he falls further into a world of murder and darkness he becomes enchanted by the beautiful woman who reminds him of the girl he has never forgotten.
As the connection between Abraham and Analise intensifies secrets are revealed and risks are taken leading to new dangers.
This is a slow burn that sets up future books where Abraham is going to scorch the earth to bring down the world he’s been drawn into. I enjoyed being exclusively in Abraham’s head as he had to work through all the feelings of responsibility, betrayal and love.
I imagine things are going to heat up in the next instalment and I’m looking forward to the journey.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The protector, The Plauge Doctor and the innocent little boy, be prepared to meet and fall in love with all sides of Abraham Crowley.
When i read Finding Noah and met Abraham his character stood out immediately as someone i needed to know more about. His presense really was that big. Some characters are meant to stay in the background and thats absolutley fine but he was never one of them.
It turns out Bram did have story to tell afterall. A dark turbulent tale of sacrifice and survival.
The Dearly Departed tells the harrowing back story of a young boy who never really stood a chance, he was dealt a shitty hand from the minute he was born. Instead of crumbling he endures, refusing to fail those he loves. He becomes their protector doing whatever it takes to keep them safe.
This book drew me like a moth to a flame, it was everything i was hoping it would be and more. I'm a sucker for a detailed back story where you really get a feel for a characters personality, their strenghts and weaknesses.
My emotions have took a beating for sure and they won't recover untill scores are settled Bram gets vengeance and hopefully a little slice of happiness too.
Bram broke my heart as a boy and he stole it as a man. The way he tries to look after the innocent and always places his brothers safety above his own shows exactly who the man beneath the mask really is. 🖤
Can't wait for the next book in Patron Seints series.
When i read Finding Noah and met Abraham his character stood out immediately as someone i needed to know more about. His presense really was that big. Some characters are meant to stay in the background and thats absolutley fine but he was never one of them.
It turns out Bram did have story to tell afterall. A dark turbulent tale of sacrifice and survival.
The Dearly Departed tells the harrowing back story of a young boy who never really stood a chance, he was dealt a shitty hand from the minute he was born. Instead of crumbling he endures, refusing to fail those he loves. He becomes their protector doing whatever it takes to keep them safe.
This book drew me like a moth to a flame, it was everything i was hoping it would be and more. I'm a sucker for a detailed back story where you really get a feel for a characters personality, their strenghts and weaknesses.
My emotions have took a beating for sure and they won't recover untill scores are settled Bram gets vengeance and hopefully a little slice of happiness too.
Bram broke my heart as a boy and he stole it as a man. The way he tries to look after the innocent and always places his brothers safety above his own shows exactly who the man beneath the mask really is. 🖤
Can't wait for the next book in Patron Seints series.
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