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Dandelion Is Dead
Win a free print copy of this book!
17 days and 18:53:26
100 copies available
U.S. only
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.
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.
368 pages, ebook
First published January 13, 2026
181 people are currently reading
20992 people want to read
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January 21, 2026
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.
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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:
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January 13, 2026
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.
2.5 stars rounded up
AVAILABLE NOW
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.
2.5 stars rounded up
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Berkley for the gifted copy provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
January 16, 2026
It is amazing how sometimes we see a cover of a book, refuse to read the synopsis in order to go in “blind,” and yet have preconceived ideas about the content of the book from the cover alone. And that’s what happened to me here. I had it in my head that this was a romance (à la’ television show Pushing Daisies) and then had the jarring realization that it was anything but. I say all this to say, this is a much heavier book than I think the cover suggests, and depending on how you are as a reader, you may need to be in the right mindset to read a book this heavy. That said, it did not impact my reading experience once I fell into the swing of things.
Dandelion is Dead is very much a story of deep grief, learning to move on, and adjusting to life that may be different than what you would have chosen, but one that may be just as beautiful. The characters in this story, Dandelion, Poppy, and Jack, are all incredibly complex and flawed characters leading to quite a few very messy situations. Because they are so well fleshed out, it feels all the more messier as we see just what they are willing to do to themselves and one another.
Given the themes, this may not be a story for everyone; however, I think for those who love a good character-driven family drama, with a romance-adjacent subplot, this book offers a thought-provoking look at the ways in which we handle grief, especially when it involves the loss of a close family member. And the final scene, though perhaps not as nicely tied up as some would prefer, felt like the perfect summary of what the book itself was trying to illustrate.
If there is one aspect I struggled with, it would be the pacing of the story. It starts off with a bang, as we learn that Dandelion has died and that her sister Poppy, in deep grief over her death, finds a random message from a man named Jack who Dandelion seems to have had a flirtation with and whom she becomes very curious about. I was completely enthralled and anxious to see just where this story was going, especially given the fact that Poppy seemed to have a loving relationship with a man named Sam. But as the story continues, and we learn more about what Poppy is doing and where her head is at in doing it, the pace really slowed to a crawl. There were a couple of moments when I thought I might DNF it, though I was also convinced I would ultimately enjoy it. I wish the writing had been a little more even through the middle half, especially given that it picks up again near the end.
One other small issue I had is the verbiage during a couple of scenes that felt very off-putting to me, and even more so reading it via audio. I think that was a very specific strategy used by the author to convey the misery of the characters and how much it was impacting their emotional and physical experiences, but it did make me feel uncomfortable at times. I am unsure if I would have had this same experience reading the physical book only.
🎧 Narrators Laurence Dobiesz and Olivia Dowd do a terrific job of giving voice to these two very unique characters. While I think I prefer the physical book a touch more, I do think they did help to amp up more of the emotion these characters were feeling in the midst of their brokenness.
Read if you like:
▪️literary fiction
▪️debut novels
▪️character driven stories
▪️family dramas
▪️themes of self discovery
▪️overcoming grief
▪️dual POV
Thank you Berkley Pub and PRH Audio for the advanced copies.
Dandelion is Dead is very much a story of deep grief, learning to move on, and adjusting to life that may be different than what you would have chosen, but one that may be just as beautiful. The characters in this story, Dandelion, Poppy, and Jack, are all incredibly complex and flawed characters leading to quite a few very messy situations. Because they are so well fleshed out, it feels all the more messier as we see just what they are willing to do to themselves and one another.
Given the themes, this may not be a story for everyone; however, I think for those who love a good character-driven family drama, with a romance-adjacent subplot, this book offers a thought-provoking look at the ways in which we handle grief, especially when it involves the loss of a close family member. And the final scene, though perhaps not as nicely tied up as some would prefer, felt like the perfect summary of what the book itself was trying to illustrate.
If there is one aspect I struggled with, it would be the pacing of the story. It starts off with a bang, as we learn that Dandelion has died and that her sister Poppy, in deep grief over her death, finds a random message from a man named Jack who Dandelion seems to have had a flirtation with and whom she becomes very curious about. I was completely enthralled and anxious to see just where this story was going, especially given the fact that Poppy seemed to have a loving relationship with a man named Sam. But as the story continues, and we learn more about what Poppy is doing and where her head is at in doing it, the pace really slowed to a crawl. There were a couple of moments when I thought I might DNF it, though I was also convinced I would ultimately enjoy it. I wish the writing had been a little more even through the middle half, especially given that it picks up again near the end.
One other small issue I had is the verbiage during a couple of scenes that felt very off-putting to me, and even more so reading it via audio. I think that was a very specific strategy used by the author to convey the misery of the characters and how much it was impacting their emotional and physical experiences, but it did make me feel uncomfortable at times. I am unsure if I would have had this same experience reading the physical book only.
🎧 Narrators Laurence Dobiesz and Olivia Dowd do a terrific job of giving voice to these two very unique characters. While I think I prefer the physical book a touch more, I do think they did help to amp up more of the emotion these characters were feeling in the midst of their brokenness.
Read if you like:
▪️literary fiction
▪️debut novels
▪️character driven stories
▪️family dramas
▪️themes of self discovery
▪️overcoming grief
▪️dual POV
Thank you Berkley Pub and PRH Audio for the advanced copies.
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.
January 21, 2026
3.75 stars Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.
Poppy has been grieving the loss of her sister Dandelion. She is looking at her phone and responds to Jack on a dating app and agrees to meet him as Dandelion. Poppy keeps this up but should she continue her deceit or risk losing a lot to admit the truth.
Rosie Storey tells a story of two people who have hit rock bottom from loss and grief but have a second chance. The story is full of hope and reminds me of a coming of age story. I loved the premise although at times it slowed in the middle. Dandelion Is Dead is perfect for those who love quirky, broken characters who get another chance at happiness.
The audiobook performance by Olivia Dowd and Laurence Dobiesz is excellent and made the characters come to life. Many thanks to PRH Audio for an advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
Poppy has been grieving the loss of her sister Dandelion. She is looking at her phone and responds to Jack on a dating app and agrees to meet him as Dandelion. Poppy keeps this up but should she continue her deceit or risk losing a lot to admit the truth.
Rosie Storey tells a story of two people who have hit rock bottom from loss and grief but have a second chance. The story is full of hope and reminds me of a coming of age story. I loved the premise although at times it slowed in the middle. Dandelion Is Dead is perfect for those who love quirky, broken characters who get another chance at happiness.
The audiobook performance by Olivia Dowd and Laurence Dobiesz is excellent and made the characters come to life. Many thanks to PRH Audio for an advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
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.
January 13, 2026
Though, really, she knew, life without ever having her big sister would’ve been bland and joyless and it was better, now, to live with the searing pain of grief and the ragged scars of loss, because at least she’d got to stand next to her and laugh with her and learn from her.
Just like life, Dandelion is Dead is messy and glorious.
This is the story of two sisters, Dandelion and Poppy. Tragically, Dandelion has died, and six months later Poppy is still deep in the throes of grief. While going through Dandelion’s phone, Poppy discovers a message from a man named Jake in Dandelion’s dating app, and spontaneously, she decides to respond. When she meets Jake, their connection is immediate. There are only two problems: 1. Poppy has a serious, live-in boyfriend; and 2. Jake thinks she’s Dandelion.
Dandelion is Dead unfolds over the course of a couple of months and features the dual points-of-view of Jake and Poppy. Despite putting one of my least favorite tropes in fiction - the miscommunication trope - front and center, I enjoyed my time with this book so much. That’s largely due to the cast of characters, who are so flawed and vibrant and messy and real. Everyone in this book is struggling with something - grief, relationships, self-worth - and it made me empathize with them so much. The dialogue and character interactions are incredibly authentic. All of this made me really root for Poppy and Jake - despite the miscommunication, and despite the infidelity aspect of their relationship. Poppy’s character arc, her late coming-of-age in the wake of her sister’s death, was so rewarding to read.
Rosie Storey explores grief and the complexities of sisterhood in such captivating ways in Dandelion is Dead. Grief is never linear, memory is always subjective, and we can never truly know the inner hearts of those closest to us. No matter how much we may want to put them on a pedestal when they’re no longer here, we can’t deny their faults, because that’s what made them the person we love and miss. It really is a beautiful ode to sisterhood and loss.
Storey’s writing reminds me a lot of Lisa Jewell; her prose is lush and rich and decadent. And this cover! I know we’re supposed to assume the portrait is of Dandelion, given the flower in her hair - but the wistful sadness in her expression makes me think it’s actually Poppy. Either way, it’s absolutely gorgeous - as is the story itself.
Thank you to Berkley for the early reading opportunity. Dandelion is Dead is available today!
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.
January 21, 2026
Where do I even start with Dandelion is Dead? I was so looking forward to this book and went in hoping for something chaotic that turned into heartwarming - maybe something like Margot's Got Money Troubles - but instead got a deeply underwhelming slog.
Poppy is a 37-year-old still reeling from her sister Dandelion’s death. One day, she decides to use Dandelion’s phone instead of replacing her broken one. Unable to resist the urge to look through her sister's things, Poppy eventually sends a message random guy on who had matched with Dandelion on Hinge. Then she actually goes on a date with him on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday, even though she’s already in a relationship with a guy who’s basically waiting to propose. Enter Jake: a freshly divorced dad who immediately decides that “Dandelion” is The One and that falling in love with her will magically fix his entire pathetic life. Spoiler alert: it does not.
So I get that these characters are supposed to be messy and unlikeable, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn't be interesting. Their choices are largely illogical, and as a result I ultimately just didn't care what happened to them. I kinda understand Poppy’s impulsive nonsense, but Jake? He’s a mystery in the worst way. Pathetic without depth, unrelatable without being entertaining. And Jesus Christ, if you’re going to have huge conflicts, maybe don’t shove all the fallout off the page? Stuff starts to happen, the chapter ends, and the next chapter picks up the next day. This happened with like three big plot twists. Maddening.
Characters with this much drama shouldn’t be allowed to be so dull. Halfway through I switched to audio, hoping a different format would help, and it was still the same endless slog. Everytime I looked to see how much time was left in the audiobook, it seemed like only a couple minutes had gone by instead of the hour I was certain I had listened to. By the end, I genuinely felt like I missed whatever it was Storey was trying to do with this book. Two stars because it was original and occasionally coherent, but fuck me, I can’t recommend it unless you’re into being frustrated by boring people making stupid decisions for 350 pages.
Poppy is a 37-year-old still reeling from her sister Dandelion’s death. One day, she decides to use Dandelion’s phone instead of replacing her broken one. Unable to resist the urge to look through her sister's things, Poppy eventually sends a message random guy on who had matched with Dandelion on Hinge. Then she actually goes on a date with him on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday, even though she’s already in a relationship with a guy who’s basically waiting to propose. Enter Jake: a freshly divorced dad who immediately decides that “Dandelion” is The One and that falling in love with her will magically fix his entire pathetic life. Spoiler alert: it does not.
So I get that these characters are supposed to be messy and unlikeable, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn't be interesting. Their choices are largely illogical, and as a result I ultimately just didn't care what happened to them. I kinda understand Poppy’s impulsive nonsense, but Jake? He’s a mystery in the worst way. Pathetic without depth, unrelatable without being entertaining. And Jesus Christ, if you’re going to have huge conflicts, maybe don’t shove all the fallout off the page? Stuff starts to happen, the chapter ends, and the next chapter picks up the next day. This happened with like three big plot twists. Maddening.
Characters with this much drama shouldn’t be allowed to be so dull. Halfway through I switched to audio, hoping a different format would help, and it was still the same endless slog. Everytime I looked to see how much time was left in the audiobook, it seemed like only a couple minutes had gone by instead of the hour I was certain I had listened to. By the end, I genuinely felt like I missed whatever it was Storey was trying to do with this book. Two stars because it was original and occasionally coherent, but fuck me, I can’t recommend it unless you’re into being frustrated by boring people making stupid decisions for 350 pages.
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.
January 20, 2026
This was such a unique story. At least to me it was. I never read something like this. There were some weird points in the story I was like was that really necessary… but this book we follow the main characters who sister dandelion passed away and she breaks her phone so she borrows her sister dandelions phone and she’s going through her phone and sees her messages in her dating app. Dandelion was wayyy more outgoing and adventurous compared to her so she decides to text back one of the guys dandelion never replied to and they agree on a date! I was like whaaaatt. Lol yeah you have to read it!
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.
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!
January 12, 2026
4.75 stars
I think you need to go into this one knowing it’s going to be slightly off-beat and quirky. It’s not your standard heavier romance. It reads much more like literary fiction to me. I was a little thrown when I first started it because I just had something totally different in my mind and I *almost* DNFed because it was different than I was expecting, but I’m SO GLAD I kept reading! The characters are messy and flawed, yet also relatable. I truly had no idea what direction the story was going to go in because it was such a unique story. If you like coming-of-age stories, you’ll really love this one…even though the characters are in their late 30s! Highly recommend!
I think you need to go into this one knowing it’s going to be slightly off-beat and quirky. It’s not your standard heavier romance. It reads much more like literary fiction to me. I was a little thrown when I first started it because I just had something totally different in my mind and I *almost* DNFed because it was different than I was expecting, but I’m SO GLAD I kept reading! The characters are messy and flawed, yet also relatable. I truly had no idea what direction the story was going to go in because it was such a unique story. If you like coming-of-age stories, you’ll really love this one…even though the characters are in their late 30s! Highly recommend!
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.
January 9, 2026
4.25⭐️
Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the galley and ALC ♡
So hear me out on this one. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I ended up being really moved by the end.
Poppy is snooping on her dead sister’s Hinge [dating profile], and ends up chatting up Jake, one of Dandelion’s matches who she’d not yet met.
This is NOT a romcom. Everyone in this book needed to get therapy and there is much trauma, and feelings suppressed, emotions masked.
Abandonment and grief and also infidelity. Basically a whole lot of mess in all these relationships.
But it was real, it was raw in the same way that pain and loss often is, and Part 3 sold me on the potential for a love story. A compelling debut. 🌻
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 I started this on audio and I enjoyed the dual narration British accents, although I switched to written for my max enjoyment.
Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the galley and ALC ♡
So hear me out on this one. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I ended up being really moved by the end.
Poppy is snooping on her dead sister’s Hinge [dating profile], and ends up chatting up Jake, one of Dandelion’s matches who she’d not yet met.
This is NOT a romcom. Everyone in this book needed to get therapy and there is much trauma, and feelings suppressed, emotions masked.
Abandonment and grief and also infidelity. Basically a whole lot of mess in all these relationships.
But it was real, it was raw in the same way that pain and loss often is, and Part 3 sold me on the potential for a love story. A compelling debut. 🌻
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 I started this on audio and I enjoyed the dual narration British accents, although I switched to written for my max enjoyment.
January 19, 2026
There's a quote in this book that sums up my thoughts pretty well:
"'Shut UP!' Zoe shouted at him. 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself, it’s so boring!'"
Anyway, I hated this book. I read a sample in Buzz Books a few months ago and I thought it was solid plus the premise is pretty great, but holy shit.
The characters are simply intolerable, and not in the fun way. Jake in particular SUCKS, oh my god, rarely have I hated a male love interest this much and that's saying something. And unfortunately, the premise kind of really relies on you liking Jake. Poppy lying to him about being Dandelion is only a compelling conflict as long as the reader is anxiously awaiting the moment when Jake finds out and is crushed, but I don't care that Poppy is lying to Jake because I fucking hate Jake. He's a useless drunk, a creep, a cheater, and a horrible father. He projects Dandelion onto his dead mother to the point where he ends up telling Poppy what Dandelion was really like. Mind you, he's never met her, and Poppy is literally her sister. He also can't get through one conversation with Poppy without zoning out from whatever she's saying so he can fantasize about having sex with her. Not to mention the whole thing where Poppy (extremely kindly) let him move into Dandelion's old apartment on the stipulation that he not enter her room, and he ends up not only entering the room but laying in Dandelion's bed and jacking off while fantasizing about having sex WITH A DEAD GIRL...WHO HE NEVER MET...AND WHOSE SISTER HE IS IN LOVE WITH.
Poppy I mostly found boring, probably because she's characterized in opposition to her interesting sister and therefore rendered as boring, but I came to dislike her more as the book goes on. I had sympathy for her pretending to be Dandelion but later on she starts acting like she's 12...actually 12 might be generous. I was more mature at 12. Honestly, the thing that made me hate her the most was the fact that she forgave Jake for the aforementioned jacking off in her dead sister's bed while fantasizing about her.
The other characters are also all annoying, mostly being new agey 40 year olds that won't stop talking about microdosing and threesomes and cultural appropriation-y rituals. There's also Billy, Jake's son, who is only there to make poop jokes and as such contributes nothing to the story other than being annoying. I respect Jetta and Zoe for being there to tell Jake that he's the most infuriating human being in existence because I can't, but I don't actually like or care about them.
Also, that whole thing where Poppy pretends to be her dead sister to catfish Jake? You know, the whole premise of the book? That entire thing actually happens and Poppy gets exposed before we're even 40% of the way into the book, with the reveal being extremely anti-climactic. What happens for the rest of the book? Great question. Not much.
I can't imagine what was going through the heads of the 51 people who gave this book 5 stars. There are so many good books out there, please spare yourself.
"'Shut UP!' Zoe shouted at him. 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself, it’s so boring!'"
Anyway, I hated this book. I read a sample in Buzz Books a few months ago and I thought it was solid plus the premise is pretty great, but holy shit.
The characters are simply intolerable, and not in the fun way. Jake in particular SUCKS, oh my god, rarely have I hated a male love interest this much and that's saying something. And unfortunately, the premise kind of really relies on you liking Jake. Poppy lying to him about being Dandelion is only a compelling conflict as long as the reader is anxiously awaiting the moment when Jake finds out and is crushed, but I don't care that Poppy is lying to Jake because I fucking hate Jake. He's a useless drunk, a creep, a cheater, and a horrible father. He projects Dandelion onto his dead mother to the point where he ends up telling Poppy what Dandelion was really like. Mind you, he's never met her, and Poppy is literally her sister. He also can't get through one conversation with Poppy without zoning out from whatever she's saying so he can fantasize about having sex with her. Not to mention the whole thing where Poppy (extremely kindly) let him move into Dandelion's old apartment on the stipulation that he not enter her room, and he ends up not only entering the room but laying in Dandelion's bed and jacking off while fantasizing about having sex WITH A DEAD GIRL...WHO HE NEVER MET...AND WHOSE SISTER HE IS IN LOVE WITH.
Poppy I mostly found boring, probably because she's characterized in opposition to her interesting sister and therefore rendered as boring, but I came to dislike her more as the book goes on. I had sympathy for her pretending to be Dandelion but later on she starts acting like she's 12...actually 12 might be generous. I was more mature at 12. Honestly, the thing that made me hate her the most was the fact that she forgave Jake for the aforementioned jacking off in her dead sister's bed while fantasizing about her.
The other characters are also all annoying, mostly being new agey 40 year olds that won't stop talking about microdosing and threesomes and cultural appropriation-y rituals. There's also Billy, Jake's son, who is only there to make poop jokes and as such contributes nothing to the story other than being annoying. I respect Jetta and Zoe for being there to tell Jake that he's the most infuriating human being in existence because I can't, but I don't actually like or care about them.
Also, that whole thing where Poppy pretends to be her dead sister to catfish Jake? You know, the whole premise of the book? That entire thing actually happens and Poppy gets exposed before we're even 40% of the way into the book, with the reveal being extremely anti-climactic. What happens for the rest of the book? Great question. Not much.
I can't imagine what was going through the heads of the 51 people who gave this book 5 stars. There are so many good books out there, please spare yourself.
January 24, 2026
I CHEWED through this. It’s not the most unpredictable novel ever written, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless and I of course cried a lot. Sisters! From Devon!
January 2, 2026
Thank you, Berkley, for my ARC!
PUB DATE: January 13, 2026
DANDELION IS DEAD by Rosie Storey took me completely by surprise in the best way. Storey layers complex emotions throughout in a story told in alternating POVs, and the result is an incredibly moving book that will make you laugh and cry. DANDELION IS DEAD examines grief, how it impacts us, and its lingering effects. It's also an examination of heartbreak, what happens when we become complaisant in our relationships, and the impact our families can have on us, and how generational trauma is a cycle that ultimately, we have to choose to break.
DANDELION IS DEAD is for those of us who have asked ourselves who we are, and what we would be if we removed others' expectations, if we stepped out of the shadow of those around us. It's beautifully written, and Storey does an exceptional job laying her in humor throughout. It also feels real - we know these characters; we may be these characters, and DANDELION IS DEAD will make you feel seen and understood.
PUB DATE: January 13, 2026
DANDELION IS DEAD by Rosie Storey took me completely by surprise in the best way. Storey layers complex emotions throughout in a story told in alternating POVs, and the result is an incredibly moving book that will make you laugh and cry. DANDELION IS DEAD examines grief, how it impacts us, and its lingering effects. It's also an examination of heartbreak, what happens when we become complaisant in our relationships, and the impact our families can have on us, and how generational trauma is a cycle that ultimately, we have to choose to break.
DANDELION IS DEAD is for those of us who have asked ourselves who we are, and what we would be if we removed others' expectations, if we stepped out of the shadow of those around us. It's beautifully written, and Storey does an exceptional job laying her in humor throughout. It also feels real - we know these characters; we may be these characters, and DANDELION IS DEAD will make you feel seen and understood.
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.
January 14, 2026
"For one night only, Poppy would be Dandelion."
What an addictingly messy story!
This character-driven novel explores Poppy's messy and grief-ridden life as she struggles with the recent death of her older sister, Dandelion. In her grief-addled state, she does something completely out of character - she goes on Dandelion's Hinge profile and responds to a message and ends up agreeing to a date.
For one night (incidentally, on Dandelion's birthday), Poppy will pretend to be Dandelion as a way to celebrate Dandelion's life and spirit and to keep her memory alive.
Meanwhile, Jake is a divorced 40-year-old man with a three-year-old son. Jake is depressed and desperate for love. When Dandelion, a girl who had ghosted him on Hinge for a year, finally messaged him, he felt like it was a sign that something good was finally going to happen in his life. He was instantly smitten, and the chemistry between the two was undeniable. And so, what was supposed to be just one date turned into another, and another as Jake started falling head over heels for Dandelion.
The problem, of course, is that Dandelion is dead. Oh, and Poppy has a boyfriend.
Obviously, this 'relationship' is a trainwreck waiting to happen. Both Poppy and Jake have a lot of personal issues to deal with. Poppy is still mourning, and her grief is pushing her towards making a lot of poor decisions. Jake also has a lot of unresolved issues stemming from his own family and divorce.
Poppy and Jake are both deeply flawed human beings who are trying their best to cope with the messiness of life. Their awkwardness and sadness, punctuated by moments of humour and vulnerability, endeared me to them. Together, they make quite a pair, and I couldn't help but root for them.
Another main point of this story is, of course, Dandelion. Although we never meet Dandelion in this book, her presence was prevalent throughout the story. I found it fascinating to see how Dandelion's life and death had shaped and influenced all of Poppy's decisions, as well as the relationship between Poppy and Jake.
Overall, this was a very compelling story that explores grief, lies, mistakes, and well, the awkwardness of using dating apps and being catfished... (I'm so glad I never had to use dating apps!)
On a side note, I would never want to be Dandelion's friend. Actually, as likeable as all the characters were, I don't think I could be friends with any of them.
**I received a free physical copy of the book from the publisher for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
January 19, 2026
Dandelion is Dead is a contemporary fiction novel about a thirty-something Londoner who poses as her dead sister on a dating app and the divorced dad who falls for her.
When Poppy borrows her dead sister’s phone, she stumbles on Dandelion’s dating app profile and replies to one of her matches, Jake. Even though she’s in a long-time relationship with her boyfriend, Sam, Poppy feels an immediate connection to Jake. But when Jake finds out what she’s done, he ends their burgeoning relationship and finds himself grieving for a dead woman he’s never met. And as the one-year anniversary of Dandelion’s death approaches, Poppy discovers some things about her sister she never knew and finds herself along the way too.
This is a funny and thoughtful book about sisters, grief, and finding love. I enjoyed the messiness and Poppy and Jake, and some of the situations Jake got himself into had me laughing out loud. I was really impressed by Rosie Storey’s writing, especially since this was a debut, and I’ll definitely be checking out more from her!
Rating: 4 stars
Disclosure: An advanced listening copy was provided by Penguin Random House for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Poppy borrows her dead sister’s phone, she stumbles on Dandelion’s dating app profile and replies to one of her matches, Jake. Even though she’s in a long-time relationship with her boyfriend, Sam, Poppy feels an immediate connection to Jake. But when Jake finds out what she’s done, he ends their burgeoning relationship and finds himself grieving for a dead woman he’s never met. And as the one-year anniversary of Dandelion’s death approaches, Poppy discovers some things about her sister she never knew and finds herself along the way too.
This is a funny and thoughtful book about sisters, grief, and finding love. I enjoyed the messiness and Poppy and Jake, and some of the situations Jake got himself into had me laughing out loud. I was really impressed by Rosie Storey’s writing, especially since this was a debut, and I’ll definitely be checking out more from her!
Rating: 4 stars
Disclosure: An advanced listening copy was provided by Penguin Random House for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 6, 2026
▪️Read this if you like:
▫️contemporary literary fiction & romance
▫️some grief & some self-discovery
▫️messy & morally gray characters
———
3.5⭐️ Kicking off my 2026 reading with a very memorable book!
I’m typically a fan of morally gray characters, and boy did I get that here. Both Poppy and Jake were hot messes, but I couldn’t help but root for them, both individually and together. They were each dealing with their own grief (acute and long term), and even though they weren’t always doing that in a healthy way, it felt raw and real, because grief can be messy!
I wouldn’t say this is a romance book in the typical sense, but it still has a romance plot. Poppy and Jake had a very untraditional relationship, and at times I had a hard time getting behind them as an item. They both made mistakes (some larger than others), but were still there for each other, and supported one another through challenges. There were moments where things felt a little too chaotic between them, but in the end I think it worked out well.
This book was a wild ride, and I was happy just to be along for the ride.
Thank you Berkley for the free copy!
▫️contemporary literary fiction & romance
▫️some grief & some self-discovery
▫️messy & morally gray characters
———
3.5⭐️ Kicking off my 2026 reading with a very memorable book!
I’m typically a fan of morally gray characters, and boy did I get that here. Both Poppy and Jake were hot messes, but I couldn’t help but root for them, both individually and together. They were each dealing with their own grief (acute and long term), and even though they weren’t always doing that in a healthy way, it felt raw and real, because grief can be messy!
I wouldn’t say this is a romance book in the typical sense, but it still has a romance plot. Poppy and Jake had a very untraditional relationship, and at times I had a hard time getting behind them as an item. They both made mistakes (some larger than others), but were still there for each other, and supported one another through challenges. There were moments where things felt a little too chaotic between them, but in the end I think it worked out well.
This book was a wild ride, and I was happy just to be along for the ride.
Thank you Berkley for the free copy!
January 17, 2026
Witty, tender, and touching!
Dandelion is Dead is a layered, perceptive tale featuring the heartbroken, grief-stricken Poppy who has been contemplating her life and masking her sorrow after the loss of her big sister, and Jake the single dad who seems like the perfect mate except for the fact he doesn’t know her true identity and she happens to have a fiancé at home.
The writing is heartfelt and direct. The characters are lonely, quirky, and adrift. And the plot is a lighthearted, touching blend of life, love, loss, introspection, friendship, grief, guilt, awkward situations, sweet moments, dating woes, misunderstandings, communication, intimacy, deception, and moving on.
Overall, Dandelion is Dead is an astute, moving, sincere novel by Story that is the first book I’ve read by this author, but certainly won’t be my last.
Dandelion is Dead is a layered, perceptive tale featuring the heartbroken, grief-stricken Poppy who has been contemplating her life and masking her sorrow after the loss of her big sister, and Jake the single dad who seems like the perfect mate except for the fact he doesn’t know her true identity and she happens to have a fiancé at home.
The writing is heartfelt and direct. The characters are lonely, quirky, and adrift. And the plot is a lighthearted, touching blend of life, love, loss, introspection, friendship, grief, guilt, awkward situations, sweet moments, dating woes, misunderstandings, communication, intimacy, deception, and moving on.
Overall, Dandelion is Dead is an astute, moving, sincere novel by Story that is the first book I’ve read by this author, but certainly won’t be my last.
January 8, 2026
Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
When Poppy’s sister, Dandelion, dies, Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a man named Jake on her sister’s dating app. On what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday, Poppy decides to meet him, intending it to be a one-time thing.
Annnnd it all gets real complicated from there.
The story is told in three parts: The Lie. More Lies. The Truth.
What I liked: - Strong premise that initially kept me curious.
-Thoughtful exploration of grief and how it can shape our actions and decisions in complicated ways.
- I sympathized with Poppy’s emotional journey.
What didn’t work for me: - The pacing felt uneven. I often found myself bored, then briefly interested, then bored again.
- Both Poppy, but especially, Jake felt insufferable to me at times.
- The execution didn’t fully live up to the premise for me, and some moments and language felt a bit heavy-handed, which pulled me out of the story.
Who I’d recommend it to: You may enjoy this if you like literary fiction with messy characters, miscommunication, family dynamics, and introspective stories centered on grief and healing.
I do enjoy books with these themes, and I can see this working for some readers, but it just didn’t work for me this time.
When Poppy’s sister, Dandelion, dies, Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a man named Jake on her sister’s dating app. On what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday, Poppy decides to meet him, intending it to be a one-time thing.
Annnnd it all gets real complicated from there.
The story is told in three parts: The Lie. More Lies. The Truth.
What I liked: - Strong premise that initially kept me curious.
-Thoughtful exploration of grief and how it can shape our actions and decisions in complicated ways.
- I sympathized with Poppy’s emotional journey.
What didn’t work for me: - The pacing felt uneven. I often found myself bored, then briefly interested, then bored again.
- Both Poppy, but especially, Jake felt insufferable to me at times.
- The execution didn’t fully live up to the premise for me, and some moments and language felt a bit heavy-handed, which pulled me out of the story.
Who I’d recommend it to: You may enjoy this if you like literary fiction with messy characters, miscommunication, family dynamics, and introspective stories centered on grief and healing.
I do enjoy books with these themes, and I can see this working for some readers, but it just didn’t work for me this time.
January 13, 2026
Well, this didn’t work for me. We have a bunch of near-40 year olds who act like teenagers and can’t process their emotions which is seriously infuriating.
I really was hoping for a great tale of grief and humour but everything just felt flat and I felt myself dreading opening this novel. Not to mention (idk maybe this is the point) Dandelion doesn’t seem like a great person. I was hoping this would be revealed as Poppy figures it out? But instead I just didn’t find myself caring about these sisters or the grief process.
I really was hoping for a great tale of grief and humour but everything just felt flat and I felt myself dreading opening this novel. Not to mention (idk maybe this is the point) Dandelion doesn’t seem like a great person. I was hoping this would be revealed as Poppy figures it out? But instead I just didn’t find myself caring about these sisters or the grief process.
January 27, 2026
One big whining session published to make us feel the same way as the characters. No thanks.
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 😂
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