You'll Be the Death of Me: A Novel

by Holly Michelle

Cole is spending the rest of his eternity as an overworked Afterlife Clerk, reaping souls for the Afterlife Administration. But when he accidentally reaps the wrong Verdella Rodgers, Cole and Verdella must race to fix his cosmic blunder—and try not to catch feelings along the way. A swoony and whimsical romp, You'll Be the Death of Me is a romance to die for.

Verdella “Dell” Rodgers is at the top of her game. As the chef de cuisine at San Francisco’s hottest new restaurant and on the cusp of marrying the mayor’s son in the social event of the season, her life is perfect. That is until the week before her wedding when she wakes up and find herself very much dead.

Enter Cole, a charming but bumbling entry-level clerk in the Afterlife Administration who accidentally confuses Dell for a 95-year-old woman in Kansas with the same name, reaping the wrong soul. When Cole tries to fix his mistake, their worlds collide in life- and death-changing ways.

Now walking the city as a ghost only visible to Cole, Dell is frantic to get back to her perfect life but soon learns that it wasn’t what it appeared to be, particularly when it came to the man she was about to marry and his high-profile family.

Meanwhile, Cole has no memory of who he was before working for the Afterlife Administration. As they try to uncover Cole’s past and remedy Dell’s future, they realize the mistake that brought them together might just be a twist of fate. With time running out to bring Dell back to the land of the living, she’ll have to decide if the life she left behind is truly what she wants, or if Cole’s untimely appearance could lead to an unexpected change that she didn’t know she needed.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary Romance

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Sarah]

OMG!! YAY I GOT THE ARC!! I am so excited to read this...when I'm able to, of course 😆💖🤭

[Kaitlyn]

once again sucked in by beautiful cover art

[heba]

RCT

Thank you to NetGalley and the Avon and Harper Voyager team for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ll Be the Death of Me was a fun, short and sweet romcom that was delightful to read. I give it a 4/5 stars.

Cole Lewis, overworked Afterlife Clerk who’s in charge of reaping souls for the Afterlife Administration, makes his work complicated after accidentally reaping the wrong Verdella Rodgers. He’s determined to right his wrong and then get back to work. Cole was a nerdy, passive, follow the rules, character who was lovable. Verdella “Dell” Rodgers was his exact opposite. She was a badass type A, ultra-competitive, take charge and stubborn woman who is intent on making sure she achieves each and every goal set for herself. They couldn’t have been more different from each other and yet they fit with each other so effortlessly.

The journey they go on to fix Cole’s mishap was so entertaining. They uncover some hard truths about themselves all while going through a few unorthodox events. I mean, how sweet is it that they both work together to “haunt” someone (who totally deserves every bit of it by the way)??

The last 15% of the book was so entertaining and I could not stop reading. I just had to find out how and/or if they were even gonna get their happily ever after.

My one gripe about the book was I felt like there wasn’t enough romance overall. It had enough but I think there could have definitely been more. I think it was obvious there were feelings for each other from when they first meet but because the time span in the book was short, we didn’t even get to experience something simple like a first date.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading You’ll be The Death of Me. This book was different and lighthearted. It was easy to read and able to keep my attention throughout. It had romantic moments, emotional moments and a lot of comical moments. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun, easy and unique romcom to read.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[chelseabrookelikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is such a unique take on fate, death, and second chances. Cole works for the Afterlife Administration (yes, like there is literal paperwork involved in reaping souls and I loved every second of that detail), and when he accidentally reaps the wrong Verdella Rodgers (aka Dell), everything spirals in the most entertaining way.

Dell is not the kind of woman who accepts mistakes quietly. She’s strong willed, fiercely determined, unapologetically Type A, and has absolutely no problem breaking rules if it means taking control of her own story. Watching her growth throughout the book was genuinely one of my favorite parts. She starts off sharp and rigid, but as the story unfolds, you see her soften, question, and expand.

And then there’s Cole. Sweet, gentle, patient Cole. The contrast between his steady, careful nature and Dell’s rule breaking intensity works so well. He isn’t loud or overbearing. He’s thoughtful. He listens. He gives her space to feel, to fight, to process. Their dynamic feels balanced.

The blend of afterlife bureaucracy, existential stakes, and emotional growth made this feel fresh and different from anything else I’ve read lately. It’s witty, heartfelt, and layered with deeper themes about control, purpose, and what it really means to live.

If you’re looking for something that steps outside the typical romance formula while still delivering heart and connection, this one absolutely deserves your attention.



Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Holly Michelle for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

I was initially drawn in by the intriguing premise and the beautiful cover. Cole is a bumbling but kind-hearted transitional specialist who makes a life-altering mistake by accidentally reaping the wrong Verdella “Dell” Rodgers. Dell appears to have everything going for her: a successful restaurant and an impending marriage to the mayor’s son. But becoming a ghost forces her to gain perspective on the life she’s been living. With Cole’s help, she sets out to figure out where things went wrong so she can return to the land of the living.

Cole and Dell are complete opposites, yet there’s an undeniable attraction between them. Cole is shy and risk-averse, while Dell charges headfirst into everything, refusing to let anyone or anything hold her back. That said, their connection felt a bit rushed, especially given that the entire story takes place over less than three days. Along the way, Dell also helps Cole find closure from his life before death, and together they uncover an unexpected shared connection in their past.

Overall, their journey felt chaotic and somewhat all over the place (with possessions, hauntings, etc), with nearly everything Dell does seemingly breaking some rule in the ghost rulebook. Still, these misadventures ultimately push her to reevaluate her life and what truly makes her happy. This turned out to be a very cute, enjoyable read—just don’t think too deeply about the supernatural mechanics of it all.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Portia Citlali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun supernatural adventure! and a 3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨

This rom-com was short and sweet, and I really enjoyed the premise and the dialogue between the main characters.

I loved Cole’s nerdy, scholarly vibe. He’s more on the reserved side but equally funny and eager to experience life. Dell, on the other hand, is a type-A rule breaker, determined to achieve her goals regardless of who stands in her way.

Together, they venture between life and death to figure out what’s keeping them in limbo, uncovering hard truths while learning more about themselves along the way. If only we could all be so lucky!

I would have loved to get more from Cole, at times, he felt more like a sidekick in Dell’s one woman show. Regardless, it was a great palate cleanser, especially if you find yourself in a reading rut.

⭐🤍📚✨

I wanted to thank Netgalley for the ARC

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5


Verdella Rodgers tiene la vida perfectamente ordenada: un restaurante exitoso, una boda elegante a la vuelta de la esquina y un futuro que cumple con todo lo que su familia espera de ella. Lo que no estaba en el plan es morir antes de tiempo por un error administrativo del más allá. Atrapada en un estado donde puede ver y sentir, pero no tocar ni ser escuchada, Dell se enfrenta a la realidad de su propia vida mientras el responsable de su muerte, Cole, recibe una última oportunidad para arreglar su desastre. Con solo unos días para cambiar el rumbo de las cosas, ambos deberán enfrentarse a decisiones incómodas, verdades que habían evitado y a la pregunta más difícil de todas: ¿qué pasa cuando la vida que construiste no es la que realmente querías vivir?


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Saray · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I love me a pretty cover which is what drew me in. The premise of the story sounded so good, like a cute romcom and it really was just that! A quick and pleasant read. I absolutely loved the dynamic of the two mc, Dell and Cole. This is definitely an opposites attract trobe and I enjoyed how well they kept balancing each other throughout the story.

Their journey was definitely a bit chaotic and energetic but lowkey, I'd do the same thing if I accidentally died and had been given only 3 days to figure out how to come back to life. Loved it!