What do you think?
Ghosted #2
Grim Tidings
11 hours, 23 minutes
From #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison comes a new whimsical, haunting romance. When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave.
Darcy Moore is tired of death. Which would be fine and good ... if she wasn’t a Grim Reaper. Determined to outrun her designation as the villain, Darcy decides she won’t be dragging her next assignment to the underworld. She’ll be saving him instead.
Unfortunately for Darcy, there’s a complication in her plan. Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos doesn’t tolerate threats to his little corner of the world, and a Grim Reaper showing up at his bar is as deadly as it gets. But when he realizes Darcy is not as she seems, Gabriel must decide if he can trust his growing feelings or hold on to his long-standing grudge.
But magic doesn’t come without consequences. And the Department of Hauntings & Spirits will eventually come calling for their missing Reaper.
A spooky yet simmering enemies-to-lovers tale to keep you warm this fall.
Tropes
• Enemies to Lovers
• Angel x Reaper
• Grumpy x grumpy
• Guy who likes everyone except her
• Death but make it corporate
• Star-crossed lovers
• Changing your fate
From #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison comes a new whimsical, haunting romance. When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave.
Darcy Moore is tired of death. Which would be fine and good ... if she wasn’t a Grim Reaper. Determined to outrun her designation as the villain, Darcy decides she won’t be dragging her next assignment to the underworld. She’ll be saving him instead.
Unfortunately for Darcy, there’s a complication in her plan. Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos doesn’t tolerate threats to his little corner of the world, and a Grim Reaper showing up at his bar is as deadly as it gets. But when he realizes Darcy is not as she seems, Gabriel must decide if he can trust his growing feelings or hold on to his long-standing grudge.
But magic doesn’t come without consequences. And the Department of Hauntings & Spirits will eventually come calling for their missing Reaper.
A spooky yet simmering enemies-to-lovers tale to keep you warm this fall.
Tropes
• Enemies to Lovers
• Angel x Reaper
• Grumpy x grumpy
• Guy who likes everyone except her
• Death but make it corporate
• Star-crossed lovers
• Changing your fate
Audiobook
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
B.K. Borison
15 books21.5k followersNew York Times, Sunday Times, and USA Today Bestselling author B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,927 reviews
June 21, 2026
if you know how much i loved good spirits (a lot) then i am here to say i loved this one EVEN MORE. b. k. borison quite literally never lets me down. this was sweet, funny, hot and cute all at the same time. i read this in one sitting as soon as i got home and opened the package with it in, and it’s definitely one of my favourite books of the year. OBSESSED
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE B K BORISON AT THE RIPPED BODICEEEEEEEEEEE
i don’t think i’ve ever cried as much reading a b k borison book as i have with grim tidings — i literally cannot go into depth for the sake of not spoiling the read for others excited about this book.
however, i will say grim tidings granted me a new outlook on death and the afterlife; as someone with extreme death anxiety, books that paint death as a beginning always soothe my anxiety and bring me hope.
the next book in this series is undoubtedly gideon’s — and im very excited as i enjoyed the parts of the book he appeared in!
not to mention, the cutie easter eggs from good spirits were nice to see🩵✨
——
update at 25% — if i know anything about b k borison, i just know that i’ve picked up on a possible plot twist. i’m calling it NOW
——
everyone... i fear it's time i dive into my ARC 🫂🫶
YAAAAA I'VE GOT THE ARC!
i don’t think i’ve ever cried as much reading a b k borison book as i have with grim tidings — i literally cannot go into depth for the sake of not spoiling the read for others excited about this book.
however, i will say grim tidings granted me a new outlook on death and the afterlife; as someone with extreme death anxiety, books that paint death as a beginning always soothe my anxiety and bring me hope.
the next book in this series is undoubtedly gideon’s — and im very excited as i enjoyed the parts of the book he appeared in!
not to mention, the cutie easter eggs from good spirits were nice to see🩵✨
——
update at 25% — if i know anything about b k borison, i just know that i’ve picked up on a possible plot twist. i’m calling it NOW
——
everyone... i fear it's time i dive into my ARC 🫂🫶
YAAAAA I'VE GOT THE ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 Stars ⭐️
I loved Good Spirits and knew that I would also love this one. This was perfect; B.K. Borison gave us all the fall vibes with this one, and I was here for it!
Grim Tidings is the second book in the Ghosted series. This is an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance that was cute and fun, had me giggling, and had all the fall vibes. There were also moments that had me sobbing, as it is a story about death, grief, a journey of healing, and the little things in life that have meaning.
Darcy Moore is looking for something different, as she's tired of death and is determined to save her next assignment. There's just one thing: she's a grim reaper. When she arrives in the town of her assignment, she ends up in the bar of Gabriel, a guardian angel who doesn't want her in his town. As they spend more time together, he realizes she's not as she seems.
Darcy Moore is stubborn in the best ways; she is strong, but she is also soft and wears her heart on her sleeve. I fell in love with her character the moment that she was introduced. She feels lost and lonely on many levels, and I just wanted to wrap her in the biggest hug. Gabriel Aetos is grumpy and I love it. He is broken in many ways and it shows at times. It's not a fault. In fact, it made me fall for him even harder. Deep down, he is kind of soft and sweet. I mean, the man yearns for and calls Darcy sweetheart. What's not to love?
The romance between Darcy and Gabriel was chef's kiss. They are opposites in most things, but the best was in the department of hauntings. This aspect was different and a fun time. I loved the push and pull between them. The slow falling for one another when it seemed everything was against them, and the soft moments in between the tension and banter. Let me just move them up to one of my favorite couples.
This may just be my favorite book by B.K. Borison, though I have a couple that I need to go read. I loved everything about it the cute moments, the ones that had me laughing, the moments of sobbing, and everything in between. A couple of side characters that I absolutely adored were Frank and Tater Tot. I'll be awaiting the next book, which I think will be Gideon's, and I can't wait.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.
------------------------------------
ᯓ★ Pre-read
I got the arc!!! I'm still in shock that I got it 🥹 This is one of my most anticipated reads this year. I'm sooo excited to be diving in! Let's gooooo 🤭💜💜
I loved Good Spirits and knew that I would also love this one. This was perfect; B.K. Borison gave us all the fall vibes with this one, and I was here for it!
Grim Tidings is the second book in the Ghosted series. This is an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance that was cute and fun, had me giggling, and had all the fall vibes. There were also moments that had me sobbing, as it is a story about death, grief, a journey of healing, and the little things in life that have meaning.
Darcy Moore is looking for something different, as she's tired of death and is determined to save her next assignment. There's just one thing: she's a grim reaper. When she arrives in the town of her assignment, she ends up in the bar of Gabriel, a guardian angel who doesn't want her in his town. As they spend more time together, he realizes she's not as she seems.
Darcy Moore is stubborn in the best ways; she is strong, but she is also soft and wears her heart on her sleeve. I fell in love with her character the moment that she was introduced. She feels lost and lonely on many levels, and I just wanted to wrap her in the biggest hug. Gabriel Aetos is grumpy and I love it. He is broken in many ways and it shows at times. It's not a fault. In fact, it made me fall for him even harder. Deep down, he is kind of soft and sweet. I mean, the man yearns for and calls Darcy sweetheart. What's not to love?
The romance between Darcy and Gabriel was chef's kiss. They are opposites in most things, but the best was in the department of hauntings. This aspect was different and a fun time. I loved the push and pull between them. The slow falling for one another when it seemed everything was against them, and the soft moments in between the tension and banter. Let me just move them up to one of my favorite couples.
This may just be my favorite book by B.K. Borison, though I have a couple that I need to go read. I loved everything about it the cute moments, the ones that had me laughing, the moments of sobbing, and everything in between. A couple of side characters that I absolutely adored were Frank and Tater Tot. I'll be awaiting the next book, which I think will be Gideon's, and I can't wait.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.
------------------------------------
ᯓ★ Pre-read
I got the arc!!! I'm still in shock that I got it 🥹 This is one of my most anticipated reads this year. I'm sooo excited to be diving in! Let's gooooo 🤭💜💜
August 27, 2026
࣪ ˖ ֪ꮽ᱖܄ 3.5 stars˚ִִ꒱꒱ ִ݂
⤻ no spoiler review .
་ 💭 ⊹ ࣪୨୧ preface. Darcy Moore decides that she she doesn’t want to follow the rules of being a grim reaper anymore, instead, she wants to save her next victim. along the way, she meets gabriel aetos, who is, coincidentally, a guardian angel, the polar opposite department. initially, gabriel is weary of her ( for reasons we later find out ), but as they spend more time in this picturesque fall town, they find out they aren’t as different as they thought they were.
𐑺゛🎃 general thoughts . this series is the my favorite holiday series that i’ve read so far. both of the books in the series were super fun and escalated my excitement for the respective holiday seasons so much, and honestly, that was my number one want going into this series.
･῾⌇ ⁺ the characters ⁺
𖦞.˖ ⊹ Darcy. i felt for her so much throughout the entire book! the moment that she responded in a self-demeaning way to when Gabriel first assessed her, i already knew that me and this woman were going to get along. i honestly think that she was a great main character for this plot because even though she lost her spirit sometimes ( as everyone is profiling her as a Grim Reaper ), she always gets back up on her OWN, and i loved that.
𖦞.˖ ⊹ gabriel. at first, i thought he came off as incredibly as he insulted Darcy quite a few times at the beginning, but over time, he eventually warmed up to me. i think his reason for being so weary of grim reapers was 1000% valid, and personally, it explained his behaviors. i loved how protective he was of darcy, specifically after he warmed up to her. both of them were such a cute couple and served the cute 80s autumnal vibes <3
﹏﹒✦ overall, this was such a fun and festive time! these books are the best versions of holiday books and i, so far, have enjoyed my time thoroughly with them. the chapters were a bit long in this book ( which i don’t remember from ‘ good spirits ‘ ), but if you’re looking for a cute Halloween book, this one is so good !! 🎃🕯️🥧
🐈⬛⊹ thank you to my beautiful best friend, mads, for reading this with me. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
ᝰ⋆ thank you to netgalley & avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
˒ 🌆 pre read ˒˒࿐・xxvi 𖦞.˖
ꕥ ⸺ 8/26 ⋆˚✿˖°
i'm deciding to start this now because apparently it now takes me over two weeks to read a single book, and i really want to get the review of this in before the pub date 🤞🏻 hopefully it's a good one!!
ᝰ⋆ thank you to netgalley & avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
update: reading with my favorite person ever, madi 🤭 HOW BLESSED AM I?!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t cry very often in books but this one. This one made me send a sobbing voice note to its brilliant author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If there’s one thing B.K. Borison keeps proving to me, it’s the fact she could probably write a grocery list, tax report, or instruction manual for assembling a chair and I’d still kick my feet, giggle, emotionally spiral, and call it a five-star experience. And now after finishing Grim Tidings, I can officially say this series has become my newest guilty pleasure obsession. Honestly? Inject this paranormal chaos directly into my veins.
The first book Of Ghosted series already owned my heart, but this second one confidently marched in, spread its giant angel wings, wrapped me in grim reaper darkness, poured me a Sidecar, and whispered: “Oh sweetheart, we’re about to make you FEEL THINGS.”
And wow… the chemistry. THE CHEMISTRY!
That first bar scene alone? Someone call emergency services because the tension was practically setting furniture on fire. Darcy and Gabriel walked into the room carrying enough emotional baggage, unresolved resentment, suspicious side-eyeing, and accidental yearning to fuel an entire trilogy. A burned-out grim reaper who is exhausted from being viewed as the villain meets a grumpy guardian angel who trusts literally everyone except her? Oh B.K. Borison knew exactly what she was doing here. This enemies-to-lovers dynamic was outrageously good. Sharp banter, emotional vulnerability, simmering attraction, moments that made me laugh one second and stare at the ceiling emotionally devastated the next… perfection.
And can we discuss Darcy for a moment? Because I adored her with my entire soul. Underneath all her sarcasm, exhaustion, and emotional walls is someone desperately longing to experience life instead of constantly escorting people out of it. That hit hard. Really hard. She isn’t just “Death.” She’s lonely. She’s grieving pieces of herself she never got to keep. She wants joy, connection, warmth, messy human experiences. Watching her slowly open up felt beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.
Meanwhile Gabriel completely snuck up on me. At first he’s suspicious, overprotective, emotionally constipated in the most delicious way possible, but beneath all that grumpiness is someone carrying the weight of everyone else’s safety on his shoulders. And the way he slowly begins seeing Darcy instead of fearing what she represents? EXCUSE ME WHILE I SCREAM INTO A PILLOW.
Also, the humor in this book worked so incredibly well. The corporate paranormal department setup remains one of my favorite things about this series because it’s absurd in the best possible way. Death but make it office politics? Guardian angels acting like overworked customer service managers? Grim reapers having existential burnout? I ate every single second of it up.
But what truly surprised me was how emotionally layered the story became underneath all the paranormal whimsy and romantic tension. This isn’t just a cute spooky romance. It’s a story about loneliness, grief, purpose, identity, and the terrifying vulnerability of allowing yourself to be loved when you already believe you’re unlovable. The emotional intensity sneaks up on you when you least expect it. One minute you’re grinning at the banter, the next your chest hurts.
And honestly, the cozy autumn atmosphere? Elite. This book feels like cold October nights, dim bar lights, oversized sweaters, haunted little streets, cinnamon smoke in the air, and emotional support cocktails.
B.K. Borison somehow created a paranormal romance that feels magical, funny, sexy, whimsical, and deeply human all at once. The second installment absolutely lives up to the first and maybe even emotionally destroyed me more. Which apparently is now my favorite reading experience.
Now excuse me while I aggressively wait for the next book like an emotionally unstable ghost haunting Avon’s inbox.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sharing this perfect and one of the most anticipated paranormal romances of the year in exchange for my honest opinions.
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The first book Of Ghosted series already owned my heart, but this second one confidently marched in, spread its giant angel wings, wrapped me in grim reaper darkness, poured me a Sidecar, and whispered: “Oh sweetheart, we’re about to make you FEEL THINGS.”
And wow… the chemistry. THE CHEMISTRY!
That first bar scene alone? Someone call emergency services because the tension was practically setting furniture on fire. Darcy and Gabriel walked into the room carrying enough emotional baggage, unresolved resentment, suspicious side-eyeing, and accidental yearning to fuel an entire trilogy. A burned-out grim reaper who is exhausted from being viewed as the villain meets a grumpy guardian angel who trusts literally everyone except her? Oh B.K. Borison knew exactly what she was doing here. This enemies-to-lovers dynamic was outrageously good. Sharp banter, emotional vulnerability, simmering attraction, moments that made me laugh one second and stare at the ceiling emotionally devastated the next… perfection.
And can we discuss Darcy for a moment? Because I adored her with my entire soul. Underneath all her sarcasm, exhaustion, and emotional walls is someone desperately longing to experience life instead of constantly escorting people out of it. That hit hard. Really hard. She isn’t just “Death.” She’s lonely. She’s grieving pieces of herself she never got to keep. She wants joy, connection, warmth, messy human experiences. Watching her slowly open up felt beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.
Meanwhile Gabriel completely snuck up on me. At first he’s suspicious, overprotective, emotionally constipated in the most delicious way possible, but beneath all that grumpiness is someone carrying the weight of everyone else’s safety on his shoulders. And the way he slowly begins seeing Darcy instead of fearing what she represents? EXCUSE ME WHILE I SCREAM INTO A PILLOW.
Also, the humor in this book worked so incredibly well. The corporate paranormal department setup remains one of my favorite things about this series because it’s absurd in the best possible way. Death but make it office politics? Guardian angels acting like overworked customer service managers? Grim reapers having existential burnout? I ate every single second of it up.
But what truly surprised me was how emotionally layered the story became underneath all the paranormal whimsy and romantic tension. This isn’t just a cute spooky romance. It’s a story about loneliness, grief, purpose, identity, and the terrifying vulnerability of allowing yourself to be loved when you already believe you’re unlovable. The emotional intensity sneaks up on you when you least expect it. One minute you’re grinning at the banter, the next your chest hurts.
And honestly, the cozy autumn atmosphere? Elite. This book feels like cold October nights, dim bar lights, oversized sweaters, haunted little streets, cinnamon smoke in the air, and emotional support cocktails.
B.K. Borison somehow created a paranormal romance that feels magical, funny, sexy, whimsical, and deeply human all at once. The second installment absolutely lives up to the first and maybe even emotionally destroyed me more. Which apparently is now my favorite reading experience.
Now excuse me while I aggressively wait for the next book like an emotionally unstable ghost haunting Avon’s inbox.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sharing this perfect and one of the most anticipated paranormal romances of the year in exchange for my honest opinions.
medium blog
Want to Read
November 6, 2025I'm so ready to feel that ghosty,ethereally cozy vibe—curled up in my Rory Gilmore sweater with a warm coffee 🥺 The only problem? I have to wait until September 2026 to get it! 😭😭😭
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
๑ ₊˚ ◟ 3.75 ⭑ 🪽 ❝ My empathy is a gift but sometimes I feel the weight of it like a curse. ❞
—— spoiler-free review
✶ what to expect .ᐟ ꗃ
➴ enemies to lovers
➴ guardian angel x grim reaper
➴ destined soulmates
➴ grumpy x grumpy
➴ paranormal romance
📌 location: annapolis, maryland.
⋆ ݁♫ now playing .ᐟ francesca by hozier ‧₊ ♪˚⊹
ᰋ ׅ⋆ i'd go through it again. i would still be surprised i could find you. in any life, if i could hold you for a minute. darling, i would do it again ৎ ࣪ ⊹
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒🍁⊹ ꒰ thoughts ꒱ 𓏭
Reading B. K. Borison’s books always brings me so much comfort, it’s like being wrapped up in a cosy blanket whilst watching the precious rain falling outside. She creates characters with such depth that it feels as though they wear their hearts on their sleeves, which makes it very easy to love them and empathise with them. I also admire that she has created this supernatural world in which she explores the afterlife. Her concept is so unique and I always find it fascinating to discover different interpretations of what life after death might be like. And the fact that the central theme of her world is love. Essentially, a love so strong that it transcends lifetimes and centuries. It’s about soulmates and how, once you find your other half, not even death can separate you from them. This story was deeply emotional, yet at the same time funny and captivating. 🫂💌
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒🧸⊹ ꒰ quotes ꒱
“ The loneliness set in hard and fast, a hollow ache carved into my chest. I know what it’s like to crave something more. ”
“ I'm a look-on-the-bright-side kind of guy by nature, but I don’t know, lately it’s been hard to summon the energy. ”
“ I want so badly for him to understand. For this ache that lingers in my bones to be seen and understood. ”
“ All I’ve ever wanted is to feel like I’m part of something. To belong. ”
“ I’ve been naive, letting myself get twisted up in hope. Misreading every action. I'm looking for reassurance in all the wrong places, just like always. ”
📨 ⋆.ೃ࿔ Thank you sooo much BK Borison, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
౿ reading date : 19 august — 20 august
౿ publishing date : 15 september
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀꒰੭ ﾟpre-read 𑁯 🏹 ﾟ꒱
omg omg ahhhhhh i still can’t believe i got the arc, i’m super happy to be back here on gr and with a book by one of my favourite authors 💓💞💞
pre-release
THE COVER IS FINALLY HERE YAYYYYY lT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!! i loved good spirits and i can’t wait to read this one, soooooo excited 🥹💜
˚.⋆꒰১ ghosted series .ᐟ
i. good spirits review
ii. grim tidings
—— spoiler-free review
✶ what to expect .ᐟ ꗃ
➴ enemies to lovers
➴ guardian angel x grim reaper
➴ destined soulmates
➴ grumpy x grumpy
➴ paranormal romance
📌 location: annapolis, maryland.
⋆ ݁♫ now playing .ᐟ francesca by hozier ‧₊ ♪˚⊹
ᰋ ׅ⋆ i'd go through it again. i would still be surprised i could find you. in any life, if i could hold you for a minute. darling, i would do it again ৎ ࣪ ⊹
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒🍁⊹ ꒰ thoughts ꒱ 𓏭
Reading B. K. Borison’s books always brings me so much comfort, it’s like being wrapped up in a cosy blanket whilst watching the precious rain falling outside. She creates characters with such depth that it feels as though they wear their hearts on their sleeves, which makes it very easy to love them and empathise with them. I also admire that she has created this supernatural world in which she explores the afterlife. Her concept is so unique and I always find it fascinating to discover different interpretations of what life after death might be like. And the fact that the central theme of her world is love. Essentially, a love so strong that it transcends lifetimes and centuries. It’s about soulmates and how, once you find your other half, not even death can separate you from them. This story was deeply emotional, yet at the same time funny and captivating. 🫂💌
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒🧸⊹ ꒰ quotes ꒱
“ The loneliness set in hard and fast, a hollow ache carved into my chest. I know what it’s like to crave something more. ”
“ I'm a look-on-the-bright-side kind of guy by nature, but I don’t know, lately it’s been hard to summon the energy. ”
“ I want so badly for him to understand. For this ache that lingers in my bones to be seen and understood. ”
“ All I’ve ever wanted is to feel like I’m part of something. To belong. ”
“ I’ve been naive, letting myself get twisted up in hope. Misreading every action. I'm looking for reassurance in all the wrong places, just like always. ”
𐔌 📖 ⋮ if this book were a … ֹ ₊ ꒱
⌗ … celebration: halloween 🕯️
⌗ ... activity: pumpkin carving 🎃
⌗ … season: autumn 🍂
⌗ … film genre: thriller🔮
📨 ⋆.ೃ࿔ Thank you sooo much BK Borison, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
౿ reading date : 19 august — 20 august
౿ publishing date : 15 september
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀꒰੭ ﾟpre-read 𑁯 🏹 ﾟ꒱
omg omg ahhhhhh i still can’t believe i got the arc, i’m super happy to be back here on gr and with a book by one of my favourite authors 💓💞💞
pre-release
THE COVER IS FINALLY HERE YAYYYYY lT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!! i loved good spirits and i can’t wait to read this one, soooooo excited 🥹💜
˚.⋆꒰১ ghosted series .ᐟ
i. good spirits review
ii. grim tidings
Want to Read
November 26, 2025YAAAAA I'VE GOT THE ARC!
AAAH I LOVE THE COVER🥹🤭
manifesting for the yearning levels to be through the roof in this one💞
AAAH I LOVE THE COVER🥹🤭
manifesting for the yearning levels to be through the roof in this one💞
September 15, 2026
Damn, this was good! Stephen Dexters voice was 😍🤭
Going to leave a review on Tuesday!
Going to leave a review on Tuesday!
November 12, 2025
LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH🤩
this might actually be my fav book by bk (after my beloved mixed signals obviously). But this surprised me in a good way, I knew I was going to enjoy it but I didn’t expect to love it this way!!🤭
Darcy my girl, i love her! and now I’m on my knees hoping the third book is about Gideon with Isabella 😩🙏🏻
frtcmaybe
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
jumping up and down, doing cartwheels and bouncing off the walls over starting this book🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️ B.K used to be a hit or miss for me before but I have been loving all her release so much so my expectations are high for this one🙂↕️
_____
Grim tidings as the title is actually so perfect😋😋
this might actually be my fav book by bk (after my beloved mixed signals obviously). But this surprised me in a good way, I knew I was going to enjoy it but I didn’t expect to love it this way!!🤭
Darcy my girl, i love her! and now I’m on my knees hoping the third book is about Gideon with Isabella 😩🙏🏻
frtc
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
jumping up and down, doing cartwheels and bouncing off the walls over starting this book🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️ B.K used to be a hit or miss for me before but I have been loving all her release so much so my expectations are high for this one🙂↕️
_____
Grim tidings as the title is actually so perfect😋😋
September 16, 2026
"We’re a doomed, tragic pair. Two souls caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with not enough of it left between them. But it doesn’t matter. The minutes I have left belong to him." 💔
Thoughts
I'm not gonna lie I was sceptical when I saw people saying they cried over this but my God 😭 it hit me in my feels the most beautiful way😫 the most beautiful angel x reaper trope plot ever 🫠😍 as much as I loved Darcy and Gabriel together can we talk about the fact that Frank's character has genuinely scarred me 🥹 I'll never forget this character ❤️🩹
The only thing I wish the author could have done with this read is make it a tad longer so that we would get more time with Darcy and Gabriel in terms of romance, I mean we're talking about an angel and reaper it's literally limitless, not to mention the dialogues between them!! I just loved this book so much from start to end! I'm glad I decided to read the second book because even though book one was four stars for me and enjoyable this one was infinite stars
Plot Summary
Darcy is a Grim Reaper who decides to break the rules and save the person she’s meant to take. Things get complicated when she meets Gabriel, a Guardian Angel who doesn’t trust her. As feelings grow between them, Darcy must avoid being caught by the supernatural authorities.
My Bookstagram
Thoughts
I'm not gonna lie I was sceptical when I saw people saying they cried over this but my God 😭 it hit me in my feels the most beautiful way😫 the most beautiful angel x reaper trope plot ever 🫠😍 as much as I loved Darcy and Gabriel together can we talk about the fact that Frank's character has genuinely scarred me 🥹 I'll never forget this character ❤️🩹
The only thing I wish the author could have done with this read is make it a tad longer so that we would get more time with Darcy and Gabriel in terms of romance, I mean we're talking about an angel and reaper it's literally limitless, not to mention the dialogues between them!! I just loved this book so much from start to end! I'm glad I decided to read the second book because even though book one was four stars for me and enjoyable this one was infinite stars
Plot Summary
Darcy is a Grim Reaper who decides to break the rules and save the person she’s meant to take. Things get complicated when she meets Gabriel, a Guardian Angel who doesn’t trust her. As feelings grow between them, Darcy must avoid being caught by the supernatural authorities.
My Bookstagram
Review of advance copy received from Author
Truly, utterly perfect.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, this was the first time the acknowledgements of a book has ever made me genuinely weep, which caught me completely off-guard. I learned that this book was written for a beautiful reason, which is something I’d like to thank the author for (now I’m crying again, bah!). Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing a promotional copy of this wonderful book so I could provide my honest thoughts on it.
Both books in this series were such enjoyable reads, and I loved how different they were. After reading the first book, I had fully expected to move on to my next book and just forget about it, and yet every time I saw it pop up on my Goodreads, I would think, “Oh, I really loved that book!”
So, when I was approved for this book, I was thrilled, since I knew chances were good that I was going to be in for another lovely story…and I was right.
This isn’t really a “contemporary romance”, nor is it what I usually think of when I think of “paranormal romance”, and the stakes are just high enough that I wouldn’t 100% classify it as a “cozy romance”, either. If I had to describe it to someone, I guess I’d probably combine all three, and call it a “Contemporary cozy paranormal romance”?
Either way, this book (and the first book) got me thinking about death and the afterlife in a completely different way than I ever had before (in both a humorous way and a “Huh, I never considered that aspect of it” kind of way), which, when combined with that gut-wrenching afterword, is the reason I gave it an extra star—my rule for a 5-star book is it has to either change me (or how I view the world) in a permanent way, or else feel like an old friend I’ve been waiting my entire life to meet.
And, guess what? Both of those criteria: met.
Both main characters, Darcy and Gabriel, showed clear personal growth from who they were when we first met them, and just like with the first book, the “back office” scenes with their bosses was dealt with in a way that left me wanting to know more, and I also loved that we complete the full-circle (from book one) at the end.
I highly recommend this book, as well as the first book in the series, too.
Both books in this series were such enjoyable reads, and I loved how different they were. After reading the first book, I had fully expected to move on to my next book and just forget about it, and yet every time I saw it pop up on my Goodreads, I would think, “Oh, I really loved that book!”
So, when I was approved for this book, I was thrilled, since I knew chances were good that I was going to be in for another lovely story…and I was right.
This isn’t really a “contemporary romance”, nor is it what I usually think of when I think of “paranormal romance”, and the stakes are just high enough that I wouldn’t 100% classify it as a “cozy romance”, either. If I had to describe it to someone, I guess I’d probably combine all three, and call it a “Contemporary cozy paranormal romance”?
Either way, this book (and the first book) got me thinking about death and the afterlife in a completely different way than I ever had before (in both a humorous way and a “Huh, I never considered that aspect of it” kind of way), which, when combined with that gut-wrenching afterword, is the reason I gave it an extra star—my rule for a 5-star book is it has to either change me (or how I view the world) in a permanent way, or else feel like an old friend I’ve been waiting my entire life to meet.
And, guess what? Both of those criteria: met.
Both main characters, Darcy and Gabriel, showed clear personal growth from who they were when we first met them, and just like with the first book, the “back office” scenes with their bosses was dealt with in a way that left me wanting to know more, and I also loved that we complete the full-circle (from book one) at the end.
I highly recommend this book, as well as the first book in the series, too.
Currently Reading
August 21, 2026 ˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀ — preread
i actually can't believe i got accepted for this ARC! despite not liking the first book, i still want to give this series a chance... i mean like have you seen this cover?!!?!? it's STUNNING!! 🤩💜 i have higher hopes for this one!
big thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expected Release Date: September 15, 2026! (OUT NOW!)
i actually can't believe i got accepted for this ARC! despite not liking the first book, i still want to give this series a chance... i mean like have you seen this cover?!!?!? it's STUNNING!! 🤩💜 i have higher hopes for this one!
big thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expected Release Date: September 15, 2026! (OUT NOW!)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒚
𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆
The way this book didn't make me cry, I SOBBED 😭!!! This is such a beautiful book about grief and that sometimes life can get in the way of you experiencing the little things in life. I seriously am SHOCKED at how good this story was. The shock feeling isn't like I thought it was gonna be bad, like hello it is B.K Borison. It was that the way B.K Borison created a love story between a Guardian Angel and a Reaper so perfectly that I'm here like HOWWW ‼️ (well, you actually know how in the acknowledgements, but still)
Darcy is a reaper who finally has enough, and she wants to start living. Comes in her next assignment, where she has to collect a soul, but decides she wants to save it instead. Enters Gabriel, a guardian who protects his people, hates reapers, and will do anything to not have someone fall... so they make a deal hehehehe very simple yet for Gabriel is like a "really?? that's all we have to do??" making it so much more funny for the reader 🤪
I WAS OBSESSED with Gabriel's personality and the way he views the town as his only duty until Darcy 🥹 Then lines blur, and he gets to question everything. Don't we love a man who falls to his knees for his giiiiirlll? Yes pls 😮💨 I also love how Darcy tries, and that's it, just tries and keeps taking a step forward. I enjoyed how persistent she is about what she wants, and because of that, the book was SOOO intense. I loved it ALL from the romance, to the plot, to the kiss against the wall hmmm. I adored every second of it 🔥
This book, to be honest, has the perfect balance of having the reader enjoy the lightheartedness of Darcy and Gabriel just wanting to experience human life, to then having to look death and grief in the eye. I was very moved with how the author navigated that. This for me was a 5 star read because yes, you see them fall in love in a world where it is not the norm, but the way both characters have a strong past and then it all comes together at the end, full circle, has me tearing up again aaaaaaa 😭🥹
Anyway pls read it and then message me about it thanksssss
—————
This had no reason to go so hard on 80% 😭
➳ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 ᯓ★ don't come at me okay, I am a mood reader.
thank you Avon for my eARC
𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆
The way this book didn't make me cry, I SOBBED 😭!!! This is such a beautiful book about grief and that sometimes life can get in the way of you experiencing the little things in life. I seriously am SHOCKED at how good this story was. The shock feeling isn't like I thought it was gonna be bad, like hello it is B.K Borison. It was that the way B.K Borison created a love story between a Guardian Angel and a Reaper so perfectly that I'm here like HOWWW ‼️ (well, you actually know how in the acknowledgements, but still)
Darcy is a reaper who finally has enough, and she wants to start living. Comes in her next assignment, where she has to collect a soul, but decides she wants to save it instead. Enters Gabriel, a guardian who protects his people, hates reapers, and will do anything to not have someone fall... so they make a deal hehehehe very simple yet for Gabriel is like a "really?? that's all we have to do??" making it so much more funny for the reader 🤪
I WAS OBSESSED with Gabriel's personality and the way he views the town as his only duty until Darcy 🥹 Then lines blur, and he gets to question everything. Don't we love a man who falls to his knees for his giiiiirlll? Yes pls 😮💨 I also love how Darcy tries, and that's it, just tries and keeps taking a step forward. I enjoyed how persistent she is about what she wants, and because of that, the book was SOOO intense. I loved it ALL from the romance, to the plot, to the kiss against the wall hmmm. I adored every second of it 🔥
This book, to be honest, has the perfect balance of having the reader enjoy the lightheartedness of Darcy and Gabriel just wanting to experience human life, to then having to look death and grief in the eye. I was very moved with how the author navigated that. This for me was a 5 star read because yes, you see them fall in love in a world where it is not the norm, but the way both characters have a strong past and then it all comes together at the end, full circle, has me tearing up again aaaaaaa 😭🥹
Anyway pls read it and then message me about it thanksssss
—————
This had no reason to go so hard on 80% 😭
➳ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 ᯓ★ don't come at me okay, I am a mood reader.
thank you Avon for my eARC
September 7, 2026
This now has been changed in the released copy according to reviews that have been brought out. The only time a poc is mentioned its at the very end when the fmc complains that an asian character was put there directly to annoy her with microwave fish so that it stinks and it says tbat he stares at her balefully. I’m sorry but this honestly threw me off the story. Like I can’t be the only one who finds it weird that this is the only time a poc is mentioned and its to complain about food stereotype that it ‘stinks’?? I think the author was trying to make a butt joke out of it but it really doesn’t feel like it.
The book on the other hand was such a good read. It’s a cute read. I was invested from the first page onwards. I did feel bad for Darcy having to work as a grim reaper when she essentially doesn’t want to anymore since she would rather help people. Can I just say that Gabriel was so mean to her. Like I wanted to love him but he really said such hurtful words to Darcy that I just can’t bring myself to forgive it. Was it mostly saids in heat of time? yes. Still it doesn’t excuse on how mean he was to her just because she was a grim reaper. I do feel like Darcy forgive him to quickly. She should’ve made him grovel for her. He also kind of became in love with her quite quickly especially when he was so harsh but at the same time Darcy did feel like a child that hasn’t grown up. But nonetheless they belong with each other.
Also I will admit I did cry because of a certain scene that happened. It wasn’t initially that sad but it was a mixture of sad and happy. It can be looked both ways.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
————————————-
𐙚⋆°. preread
I was shocked when I was accepted for it but nonetheless I’m curious to see what I think of this one. I’ve been seeing mixed opinions.
The book on the other hand was such a good read. It’s a cute read. I was invested from the first page onwards. I did feel bad for Darcy having to work as a grim reaper when she essentially doesn’t want to anymore since she would rather help people. Can I just say that Gabriel was so mean to her. Like I wanted to love him but he really said such hurtful words to Darcy that I just can’t bring myself to forgive it. Was it mostly saids in heat of time? yes. Still it doesn’t excuse on how mean he was to her just because she was a grim reaper. I do feel like Darcy forgive him to quickly. She should’ve made him grovel for her. He also kind of became in love with her quite quickly especially when he was so harsh but at the same time Darcy did feel like a child that hasn’t grown up. But nonetheless they belong with each other.
Also I will admit I did cry because of a certain scene that happened. It wasn’t initially that sad but it was a mixture of sad and happy. It can be looked both ways.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
————————————-
𐙚⋆°. preread
I was shocked when I was accepted for it but nonetheless I’m curious to see what I think of this one. I’ve been seeing mixed opinions.
arcs-to-read
August 27, 2026I'll be damned. I got the arc. I've never been more shocked in my life lol 😂💜
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I got this arc a few days ago I can’t even tell you the amount of excitement I felt!! I had friends over and I told them but they were all like : oh exciting but what’s an arc??? And I said : that’s not the point! 😂
HUGEEEE thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager! You made a girl SO HAPPY🥹
Dedication ; « For the ones who feel trapped in the shadows. »
Darcy is a grim reaper and she’s fed up with death. She wants to be seen & understood… and she’s so fed up of people being afraid of her. She gets assigned to a cute little village and immediately clicks with her nemesis (well, to be fair, it’s more of a one sided hatred on his part) ; who immediately rejects her upon learning what she is.
Like every single romance BK Borison writes ; it develops in a natural way, they have flaws & it’s sweet and thoughtful. Remembering the little things was this romance’s strong suit. I just wanted them to be together & happy. (I’ve rated 3 out of the 4 books I read from this author 5 stars. I love her writing, ideas, execution & characters so much. What a gem this author is!)
« My empathy is a gift, but sometimes I feel the weight of it like a curse ; his hurts feel like my own. »
I sincerely absolutely fell in love with Darcy upon her introduction. She’s a softhearted fmc and I loved that she wore her emotions on her sleeves. It was just so endearing and I wanted to hug her. I loved the mmc as well (the way he remembered every little thing was sooo endearing) and the side character Frank. This story has a piece of my heart.
« She said if I loved flowers so much, maybe I should spend more of my time with them. But I don’t think she realized the only reason I ever loved flowers is because she did. » 💔
Now there is a section in the acknowledgement that really, really got to me. Like the author’s husband, I worked in palliative care for 2 years in the beginning of my career. I still remember the comments I would get from people (because death is difficult & still taboo, unfortunately. I teach a class about death & grief and it’s my favourite topic to teach. Breaking the taboos, one step at a time) and I would always say : how lucky am I to be with this human in their last moment? It’s so beautiful. There is something so heartwarming and yet gut wrenching about making this last little difference for them. And I loved that the author incorporated this in her story for her husband. It was just so sweet.
HUGEEEE thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager! You made a girl SO HAPPY🥹
Dedication ; « For the ones who feel trapped in the shadows. »
Darcy is a grim reaper and she’s fed up with death. She wants to be seen & understood… and she’s so fed up of people being afraid of her. She gets assigned to a cute little village and immediately clicks with her nemesis (well, to be fair, it’s more of a one sided hatred on his part) ; who immediately rejects her upon learning what she is.
Like every single romance BK Borison writes ; it develops in a natural way, they have flaws & it’s sweet and thoughtful. Remembering the little things was this romance’s strong suit. I just wanted them to be together & happy. (I’ve rated 3 out of the 4 books I read from this author 5 stars. I love her writing, ideas, execution & characters so much. What a gem this author is!)
« My empathy is a gift, but sometimes I feel the weight of it like a curse ; his hurts feel like my own. »
I sincerely absolutely fell in love with Darcy upon her introduction. She’s a softhearted fmc and I loved that she wore her emotions on her sleeves. It was just so endearing and I wanted to hug her. I loved the mmc as well (the way he remembered every little thing was sooo endearing) and the side character Frank. This story has a piece of my heart.
« She said if I loved flowers so much, maybe I should spend more of my time with them. But I don’t think she realized the only reason I ever loved flowers is because she did. » 💔
Now there is a section in the acknowledgement that really, really got to me. Like the author’s husband, I worked in palliative care for 2 years in the beginning of my career. I still remember the comments I would get from people (because death is difficult & still taboo, unfortunately. I teach a class about death & grief and it’s my favourite topic to teach. Breaking the taboos, one step at a time) and I would always say : how lucky am I to be with this human in their last moment? It’s so beautiful. There is something so heartwarming and yet gut wrenching about making this last little difference for them. And I loved that the author incorporated this in her story for her husband. It was just so sweet.
Read
September 7, 2026THIS WAS AMAZING | RTC
—
ᝰ.ᐟ🪦 ⌗ pre read┆started september 8 | finished september 12 ˎˊ˗
I’M SO HAPPY I GOT THE ARC!! my first book by b.k. borison was good spirits, so i’m very excited for this one! i’ve really loved what i’ve ready by her so far, plus this is a grumpy x grumpy… yeah i love that. I CAN’T WAIT!!!
˖᯽ ݁˖· ─ 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
⟢ 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: september 15
—
ᝰ.ᐟ🪦 ⌗ pre read┆started september 8 | finished september 12 ˎˊ˗
I’M SO HAPPY I GOT THE ARC!! my first book by b.k. borison was good spirits, so i’m very excited for this one! i’ve really loved what i’ve ready by her so far, plus this is a grumpy x grumpy… yeah i love that. I CAN’T WAIT!!!
˖᯽ ݁˖· ─ 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
⟢ 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: september 15
Currently Reading
September 18, 2026⛏ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 ⋆˚࿔ 💜 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
me + bestie cat are about to be absolutely UNHINGED over a grim reaper x guardian angel enemies-to-lovers situation 😏😛
p. s. cat is the queen of arc reviewing 👑
p. p. s. we have both never read book one 😏
me + bestie cat are about to be absolutely UNHINGED over a grim reaper x guardian angel enemies-to-lovers situation 😏😛
p. s. cat is the queen of arc reviewing 👑
p. p. s. we have both never read book one 😏
September 10, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and the author for an advance copy of this ebook. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as are the tears I shed for this book
This is probably going to be my favorite book of the year. The story focuses on a couple of specific jobs in the afterlife intersecting with humanity and jam packed with living and love. BK Borison has some kind of magic herself, I swear. She’s written high stakes with cozy, soft charm and it WORKS. I loved the main characters so much and this is one of those cases where the HEA is hard-fought and earned because of the emotional toll the characters paid. I highly recommend Grim Tidings, just grab some tissues and be prepared to feel the feelings.
This is a standalone. There are some itty bitty Easter eggs to Good Spirits and some of other BK’s other books, which warmed my heart even more. Also, while Good Spirits was a Christmas themed story, Grim Tidings takes place around Halloween.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and both had some past degree of experience with only one small mention. Both had said it had been a while.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Reaper x Guardian angel
☆ Opposing sides of death
☆ Antagonism but there’s a draw
☆ Bucket list and negotiations
☆ Trouble as a nickname
☆ Surprising even centuries old beings
☆ Loneliness and longing
☆ Fighting for something different
☆ The TENSION
☆ The goodest boy cute animal sidekick
☆ The Afterlife run like an office
☆ Human and not human supporting cast
☆ Yes, death is a theme
☆ Self-sacrifice
☆ Hurt/comfort
☆ Fate
Darcy (h) is a Reaper working in the afterlife. She has to deal with annoying co-workers, management, and the burden of feeling like she sees people in their worst moments. Darcy wants something different and she decides to reach for it. On her newest assignment, she ends up in a bar with a beautiful man who’s charming and flirty. They have a spectacular moment of attraction with some light groping before the realization comes that he’s a Guardian angel, effectively the work enemy of the reapers. Guardians are trying to protect humans at all times, while reapers are the “bad guys”, calling them to death. Gabriel (H) is suspicious of why Darcy’s there and as unwelcoming as you can get.
The juxtaposition of these two jobs that have high impact on humanity (and also highly wear on the job holders) was fascinating. How Darcy and Gabriel viewed themselves and each other at the start vs the end when they’ve been changed by being with each other, it was thought-provoking and heart aching. I’m getting teary typing this. I don’t want to spoil the beauty in their stories, because it was a journey even though it also felt kind of slice of life like. I don’t know how this story balanced such heavy, important themes with smaller, every day moments of being human.
As I said, I loved Darcy and Gabriel. They’re both tired and they both have ideas about their meaning and their jobs that get challenged. They start as strangers attracted to each other and then become sort of enemies while still being drawn to the other. Gabriel is kind of mean in moments, because this is high stakes for him and you find out why as the story continues. Darcy is always soft, her softness was such a strength and a struggle. Then Gabriel also starts softening and putting aside his misconceptions. They start seeing each other more fully and begin to be vulnerable and take chances on letting down their guards. It’s slow and tension-filled and glorious. There is some spice, worked in well and in moments that add more connection between them.
The supporting characters added to that feeling, offering sparks of joy or humor or weightiness. The inclusion of Tator Tot the dog was phenomenal. I also want so many more stories in this series and I don’t know what the author’s plans are but I hope there are 1000 more.
The climax is heart breaking but healing and it fit in a lovely way with who the characters were. I was crying in a YMCA lobby while waiting for my family to finish at the gym lol. Then the ending left me with the biggest smile. I desperately want my hands on the paperback copies of this book that also include the bonus content. I would have loved to have seen an epilogue that showed them further out, but the final scene of Gabriel and Darcy together also gave the satisfying closure and love and belonging that they deserved.
This is a romance, but it also felt more. Death is a theme that’s always going to feel like that, even in a romance. Also, please, please read the author’s note at the end. Thank you BK for writing this. In short, I loved this story y’all and I hope that any of my friends who give it a chance also love it.
ETA: I did get the indie paperback that has a special scene from Tater Tot's POV and it was beautiful. Also answered a question I had about their HEA.
This is probably going to be my favorite book of the year. The story focuses on a couple of specific jobs in the afterlife intersecting with humanity and jam packed with living and love. BK Borison has some kind of magic herself, I swear. She’s written high stakes with cozy, soft charm and it WORKS. I loved the main characters so much and this is one of those cases where the HEA is hard-fought and earned because of the emotional toll the characters paid. I highly recommend Grim Tidings, just grab some tissues and be prepared to feel the feelings.
This is a standalone. There are some itty bitty Easter eggs to Good Spirits and some of other BK’s other books, which warmed my heart even more. Also, while Good Spirits was a Christmas themed story, Grim Tidings takes place around Halloween.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and both had some past degree of experience with only one small mention. Both had said it had been a while.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Reaper x Guardian angel
☆ Opposing sides of death
☆ Antagonism but there’s a draw
☆ Bucket list and negotiations
☆ Trouble as a nickname
☆ Surprising even centuries old beings
☆ Loneliness and longing
☆ Fighting for something different
☆ The TENSION
☆ The goodest boy cute animal sidekick
☆ The Afterlife run like an office
☆ Human and not human supporting cast
☆ Yes, death is a theme
☆ Self-sacrifice
☆ Hurt/comfort
☆ Fate
Darcy (h) is a Reaper working in the afterlife. She has to deal with annoying co-workers, management, and the burden of feeling like she sees people in their worst moments. Darcy wants something different and she decides to reach for it. On her newest assignment, she ends up in a bar with a beautiful man who’s charming and flirty. They have a spectacular moment of attraction with some light groping before the realization comes that he’s a Guardian angel, effectively the work enemy of the reapers. Guardians are trying to protect humans at all times, while reapers are the “bad guys”, calling them to death. Gabriel (H) is suspicious of why Darcy’s there and as unwelcoming as you can get.
The juxtaposition of these two jobs that have high impact on humanity (and also highly wear on the job holders) was fascinating. How Darcy and Gabriel viewed themselves and each other at the start vs the end when they’ve been changed by being with each other, it was thought-provoking and heart aching. I’m getting teary typing this. I don’t want to spoil the beauty in their stories, because it was a journey even though it also felt kind of slice of life like. I don’t know how this story balanced such heavy, important themes with smaller, every day moments of being human.
As I said, I loved Darcy and Gabriel. They’re both tired and they both have ideas about their meaning and their jobs that get challenged. They start as strangers attracted to each other and then become sort of enemies while still being drawn to the other. Gabriel is kind of mean in moments, because this is high stakes for him and you find out why as the story continues. Darcy is always soft, her softness was such a strength and a struggle. Then Gabriel also starts softening and putting aside his misconceptions. They start seeing each other more fully and begin to be vulnerable and take chances on letting down their guards. It’s slow and tension-filled and glorious. There is some spice, worked in well and in moments that add more connection between them.
The supporting characters added to that feeling, offering sparks of joy or humor or weightiness. The inclusion of Tator Tot the dog was phenomenal. I also want so many more stories in this series and I don’t know what the author’s plans are but I hope there are 1000 more.
The climax is heart breaking but healing and it fit in a lovely way with who the characters were. I was crying in a YMCA lobby while waiting for my family to finish at the gym lol. Then the ending left me with the biggest smile. I desperately want my hands on the paperback copies of this book that also include the bonus content. I would have loved to have seen an epilogue that showed them further out, but the final scene of Gabriel and Darcy together also gave the satisfying closure and love and belonging that they deserved.
This is a romance, but it also felt more. Death is a theme that’s always going to feel like that, even in a romance. Also, please, please read the author’s note at the end. Thank you BK for writing this. In short, I loved this story y’all and I hope that any of my friends who give it a chance also love it.
ETA: I did get the indie paperback that has a special scene from Tater Tot's POV and it was beautiful. Also answered a question I had about their HEA.
pre-reads
April 22, 2026・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
september 18th- spooky season, here we come 👻🪦🪽
me + bestie angelina are about to be absolutely UNHINGED over a grim reaper x guardian angel enemies-to-lovers situation 😏😛
april 27th- HELLO THERE GORGEOUS 💜💜💜
I can’t get over B. K. Borrison’s book covers 😭 they are all top tier 🫶🏼😍
september 18th- spooky season, here we come 👻🪦🪽
me + bestie angelina are about to be absolutely UNHINGED over a grim reaper x guardian angel enemies-to-lovers situation 😏😛
april 27th- HELLO THERE GORGEOUS 💜💜💜
I can’t get over B. K. Borrison’s book covers 😭 they are all top tier 🫶🏼😍
September 15, 2026
i did NOT expect bk to make me cry like that
September 17, 2026
I’ve been waiting for this release for almost a year (ever since I read Good Spirits) and it did not disappoint! 😭👏🏽
The second book in the Ghosted series delivers an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance in the same whimsical style as the first book. Brimming with fall vibes, witty banter, and precious moments, this story takes us on an unlikely journey between a beautiful runaway grim reaper and a handsome guardian angel… ☠️💖🖤😇
Get ready to laugh and cry, as B.K. Borison weaves together a beautiful tale about death, grief, love, and what makes life meaningful 🥲 A wonderful balance between lighthearted adventure and heart-aching loss ♥️
"They say you shouldn’t make a deal with the devil, but they never said anything about Guardian Angels." 😈
Darcy Moore, Grim Reaper, is looking for something different. She is tired of death and is determined to break the mould and save her next assignment. However, when she turns up in town, she comes head to head with a complication - Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos. His worth is defined by saving people; the polar opposite to Darcy. By rule, he doesn’t trust Reapers. He stands to protect his town. But as they spend more time together, striking up a deal, they might just come to realise they aren’t as different as it first seemed…can growing feelings stand up against a long-standing grudge? Or will their magic bring doom upon them both?
"My entire existence is defined by the end. I want the beginning back."
Darcy has such a special place in my heart ♥️ I felt for her so very much. Like myself, she spent her ‘life’ (before dying and becoming a Reaper) in and out of hospital making it very easy to relate to the motivation behind her actions. She was soft, and heartfelt, yet so incredibly strong. She’s had a lonely life and wants nothing more than to be seen, and accepted by others. I wanted to give her a big hug and be her bestie. But despite her challenges, she is a determined, stubborn young woman who fights for her rights, and that only made me love her more 🥲
Gabriel - a grumpy guardian angel? Who would have thought? But it totally worked, tattoos and all 😍 Again, I felt for his character so deeply. He is so pure and genuine, just wanting to help people. He carries so much hurt and guilt, yet he does so much. The way he protected Darcy and cared for her was so beautiful. Underneath that grumpy exterior is a soft heart of gold 💛
This romance was the PERFECT balance of lighthearted fun and deep meaningful moments of dealing with grief and heartache. In a way they are the definition of opposites attract - life vs death - yet there was a deep emotional connection between them that was a match made in heaven ( 😉 ). I absolutely adored the fun bucket list adventures they went on. There were so many heartwarming scenes that either made me laugh or almost brought me to tears. Between the simmering tension and the high-stakes scenario, this couple formed a genuine and moving connection as they battled against the odds of life and death. Darcy and Gabriel have moved up my list of favourite fictional couples 🥹
"I kiss him, and I give him all the things I wish I were brave enough to voice aloud. My gratitude, my frustration, my adoration, and my—my love. Because that’s what this brilliant, terrible thing is that glows in the middle of my chest. I love him and I think—I think I was always supposed to." 💖 ✨
Overall, I loved everything about this book. It was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, yet also thought-provoking and meaningful. There is nothing more satisfying than fun coupled with emotion 🥲 The characters really made this book special - including some great supporting characters like Frank and Tator Tot. Moreover, I really appreciated how Borison brought this story to life in a paranormal world, it all felt totally natural and effortless. All in all, a fantastic sequel! I can’t wait for more of what Ghosted has to offer 🙇🏻♀️
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
The second book in the Ghosted series delivers an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance in the same whimsical style as the first book. Brimming with fall vibes, witty banter, and precious moments, this story takes us on an unlikely journey between a beautiful runaway grim reaper and a handsome guardian angel… ☠️💖🖤😇
Get ready to laugh and cry, as B.K. Borison weaves together a beautiful tale about death, grief, love, and what makes life meaningful 🥲 A wonderful balance between lighthearted adventure and heart-aching loss ♥️
"They say you shouldn’t make a deal with the devil, but they never said anything about Guardian Angels." 😈
Darcy Moore, Grim Reaper, is looking for something different. She is tired of death and is determined to break the mould and save her next assignment. However, when she turns up in town, she comes head to head with a complication - Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos. His worth is defined by saving people; the polar opposite to Darcy. By rule, he doesn’t trust Reapers. He stands to protect his town. But as they spend more time together, striking up a deal, they might just come to realise they aren’t as different as it first seemed…can growing feelings stand up against a long-standing grudge? Or will their magic bring doom upon them both?
"My entire existence is defined by the end. I want the beginning back."
Darcy has such a special place in my heart ♥️ I felt for her so very much. Like myself, she spent her ‘life’ (before dying and becoming a Reaper) in and out of hospital making it very easy to relate to the motivation behind her actions. She was soft, and heartfelt, yet so incredibly strong. She’s had a lonely life and wants nothing more than to be seen, and accepted by others. I wanted to give her a big hug and be her bestie. But despite her challenges, she is a determined, stubborn young woman who fights for her rights, and that only made me love her more 🥲
Gabriel - a grumpy guardian angel? Who would have thought? But it totally worked, tattoos and all 😍 Again, I felt for his character so deeply. He is so pure and genuine, just wanting to help people. He carries so much hurt and guilt, yet he does so much. The way he protected Darcy and cared for her was so beautiful. Underneath that grumpy exterior is a soft heart of gold 💛
This romance was the PERFECT balance of lighthearted fun and deep meaningful moments of dealing with grief and heartache. In a way they are the definition of opposites attract - life vs death - yet there was a deep emotional connection between them that was a match made in heaven ( 😉 ). I absolutely adored the fun bucket list adventures they went on. There were so many heartwarming scenes that either made me laugh or almost brought me to tears. Between the simmering tension and the high-stakes scenario, this couple formed a genuine and moving connection as they battled against the odds of life and death. Darcy and Gabriel have moved up my list of favourite fictional couples 🥹
"I kiss him, and I give him all the things I wish I were brave enough to voice aloud. My gratitude, my frustration, my adoration, and my—my love. Because that’s what this brilliant, terrible thing is that glows in the middle of my chest. I love him and I think—I think I was always supposed to." 💖 ✨
Overall, I loved everything about this book. It was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, yet also thought-provoking and meaningful. There is nothing more satisfying than fun coupled with emotion 🥲 The characters really made this book special - including some great supporting characters like Frank and Tator Tot. Moreover, I really appreciated how Borison brought this story to life in a paranormal world, it all felt totally natural and effortless. All in all, a fantastic sequel! I can’t wait for more of what Ghosted has to offer 🙇🏻♀️
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Currently Reading
September 21, 2026I'M SO EXCITED FOR AUTUMNAL VIBES 🤭🤎🧸🍂☕️🪽
I haven't read Good Spirits yet but hopefully that's ok 🥹 I just desperately need a cosy book to pull me from the depths of my slump, and also just make me feel ✨something✨ in general
I haven't read Good Spirits yet but hopefully that's ok 🥹 I just desperately need a cosy book to pull me from the depths of my slump, and also just make me feel ✨something✨ in general
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
★ ★ ★ | 2.75 stars
i really cannot tell you if I liked this one or not. it was cute enough, and it def delivered on the cozy fall vibes I was hoping for. but there were also a lot of parts I hated
my biggest problem was Darcy. this girl acts like a 10-year-old who is constantly trying to prove her worth to everyone around her. she’s always crying, feeling sorry for herself, or getting caught up in how horrible she thinks she is, and after a while, I just wanted to shake her and tell her to LOCK IN. i could sympathize with some of her struggles, but the CONSTANT self victimizing started to get reallyyy annoying. I needed her to have a little more emotional maturity because some of her behavior just didn’t match her age.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was my saving grace. I liked him so much more because he actually acted his age and brought a more grounded energy to the story. but also, he was constantly switching up on Darcy. like, why was he hating on her one second and then making out with her the next? pick a side dude. he was hot tho so I'll forgive him.
i also freaking HATED the insta-love. They were kissing by like the THIRD CHAPTER, and I was sitting there like… how do you guys already want to jump each other’s bones?? 😭 this went way too damn fast. it honestly made me mad.
I didn’t fully hate the book tho. there were moments where I was entertained, and I think the cozy atmosphere carried a lot of the experience for me. It’s the kind of book I could see someone really enjoying if they love cute, cozy fall romances and don’t mind a little insta love
thank you to Avon & BK Borison for giving me the opportunity for an ARC! all opinions are my own
i really cannot tell you if I liked this one or not. it was cute enough, and it def delivered on the cozy fall vibes I was hoping for. but there were also a lot of parts I hated
my biggest problem was Darcy. this girl acts like a 10-year-old who is constantly trying to prove her worth to everyone around her. she’s always crying, feeling sorry for herself, or getting caught up in how horrible she thinks she is, and after a while, I just wanted to shake her and tell her to LOCK IN. i could sympathize with some of her struggles, but the CONSTANT self victimizing started to get reallyyy annoying. I needed her to have a little more emotional maturity because some of her behavior just didn’t match her age.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was my saving grace. I liked him so much more because he actually acted his age and brought a more grounded energy to the story. but also, he was constantly switching up on Darcy. like, why was he hating on her one second and then making out with her the next? pick a side dude. he was hot tho so I'll forgive him.
i also freaking HATED the insta-love. They were kissing by like the THIRD CHAPTER, and I was sitting there like… how do you guys already want to jump each other’s bones?? 😭 this went way too damn fast. it honestly made me mad.
I didn’t fully hate the book tho. there were moments where I was entertained, and I think the cozy atmosphere carried a lot of the experience for me. It’s the kind of book I could see someone really enjoying if they love cute, cozy fall romances and don’t mind a little insta love
thank you to Avon & BK Borison for giving me the opportunity for an ARC! all opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well, I'm going to piss off the Netgalley gods for what I'm about to say, but fuck it because--guess what, sometimes one of us has to take one for the team, right? Say what needs to be said? And no amount of free ARCs is worth not speaking up.
This book was a consistent five-star read for me, until near the end.
In 2026, I cannot and will not support an author, or a book where the only instance of a person of color, someone belonging to a marginalized group being featured is when the author wants to use them as the butt of a joke, with the joke being a racial stereotype.
Near the end of Grim Tidings, Darcy's (FMC) punishment is to share an office with a new Asian coworker who microwaves stinky fish every day at lunch. This is the only instance in the entire book where a POC is featured. The choices in descriptive wordings for this character are interesting, too, like, "He stares at me balefully."
I spent a year working with a White man who microwaved boiled cabbage and broccoli daily. DAILY. The entire office smelled like methane. Gas. Flatulence. Fart. Pick your poison. But nobody said anything. And the one instance someone talked about the smell, it was only the smell they talked about.
But I had two Asian coworkers, and if either of them had done that even just once, their ethnic background would have been brought up in a hush-hush way during office gossip sessions, with their backgrounds being equated to their food choices. My coworkers were conscientious and never brought anything with a strong smell. After we became close, they expressed to me their food anxieties at different times. Once, one of them packed a simple cold vegetable dish for lunch. It was just chopped veggies tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. And she asked me anxiously, "It doesn't smell, does it?"
MY HEART FUCKIN' BROKE WHEN SHE ASKED THAT.
She was anxious not because she believed the vegetables objectively smelled bad, but because she understood that people often racialize Asian food and Asian bodies differently from White people’s equivalents.
Even if the office did talk about my cabbage-broccoli coworker, it would have been "Bob microwaves smelly food,", and not "Bob eats smelly food because he's White."
Bob would have been individualized.
My Asian coworkers would have been generalized.
If you aren't a member of a marginalized group, imagine the burden of not only having your actions held against you, but also against everyone else who may look like you. And—likewise—you’re blamed for the actions of the people you don’t even know, because you look like them.
What bothered me wasn't that the character was unpleasant while also being a person of color. Fiction absolutely can and should contain flawed, rude, hostile, or irritating characters of every background.
However, in Grim Tidings, the sole POC character is introduced only as a punishment, a source of sensory disgust, and a social irritation. This makes it different than having a hostile character who just happens to be POC, because here the character's Asianness is the joke.
But most damning of all is the fact that Borison writes this scene based on a stereotype that she likely assumes the audience will immediately recognize... which indicates that it is a belief that she subscribes to. You know, like when racists assume that you'll agree with them because you happen to look like them, so they share their little "hint-hint, wink-wink" "jokes" with you?
If the joke lands because readers already culturally understand “Asian coworker + fish smell = unpleasant office experience,” then the humor is drawing power from an existing racialized stereotype, not merely from “food that smells bad.”
That’s the issue.
That’s what makes it so WTF.
Like, is the author for real? Does she not have one friend or even a passing acquaintance of color?
Well, I do, and I will use my privilege to speak up whenever I must, because if I stayed quiet, then marginalized/targeted/under-represented people will feel that they're in this uphill battle alone, that nobody else cares about them.
Dear Ms. Borison,
As an author, you have readers from all walks of life, not just ones who look like you and your characters. Since you want your readers to care about your White protagonists, please extend the same courtesy and care to your non-White readers. Your characters aren't real, but your readers are.
Sincerely,
A reader
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a consistent five-star read for me, until near the end.
In 2026, I cannot and will not support an author, or a book where the only instance of a person of color, someone belonging to a marginalized group being featured is when the author wants to use them as the butt of a joke, with the joke being a racial stereotype.
Near the end of Grim Tidings, Darcy's (FMC) punishment is to share an office with a new Asian coworker who microwaves stinky fish every day at lunch. This is the only instance in the entire book where a POC is featured. The choices in descriptive wordings for this character are interesting, too, like, "He stares at me balefully."
I spent a year working with a White man who microwaved boiled cabbage and broccoli daily. DAILY. The entire office smelled like methane. Gas. Flatulence. Fart. Pick your poison. But nobody said anything. And the one instance someone talked about the smell, it was only the smell they talked about.
But I had two Asian coworkers, and if either of them had done that even just once, their ethnic background would have been brought up in a hush-hush way during office gossip sessions, with their backgrounds being equated to their food choices. My coworkers were conscientious and never brought anything with a strong smell. After we became close, they expressed to me their food anxieties at different times. Once, one of them packed a simple cold vegetable dish for lunch. It was just chopped veggies tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. And she asked me anxiously, "It doesn't smell, does it?"
MY HEART FUCKIN' BROKE WHEN SHE ASKED THAT.
She was anxious not because she believed the vegetables objectively smelled bad, but because she understood that people often racialize Asian food and Asian bodies differently from White people’s equivalents.
Even if the office did talk about my cabbage-broccoli coworker, it would have been "Bob microwaves smelly food,", and not "Bob eats smelly food because he's White."
Bob would have been individualized.
My Asian coworkers would have been generalized.
If you aren't a member of a marginalized group, imagine the burden of not only having your actions held against you, but also against everyone else who may look like you. And—likewise—you’re blamed for the actions of the people you don’t even know, because you look like them.
What bothered me wasn't that the character was unpleasant while also being a person of color. Fiction absolutely can and should contain flawed, rude, hostile, or irritating characters of every background.
However, in Grim Tidings, the sole POC character is introduced only as a punishment, a source of sensory disgust, and a social irritation. This makes it different than having a hostile character who just happens to be POC, because here the character's Asianness is the joke.
But most damning of all is the fact that Borison writes this scene based on a stereotype that she likely assumes the audience will immediately recognize... which indicates that it is a belief that she subscribes to. You know, like when racists assume that you'll agree with them because you happen to look like them, so they share their little "hint-hint, wink-wink" "jokes" with you?
If the joke lands because readers already culturally understand “Asian coworker + fish smell = unpleasant office experience,” then the humor is drawing power from an existing racialized stereotype, not merely from “food that smells bad.”
That’s the issue.
That’s what makes it so WTF.
Like, is the author for real? Does she not have one friend or even a passing acquaintance of color?
Well, I do, and I will use my privilege to speak up whenever I must, because if I stayed quiet, then marginalized/targeted/under-represented people will feel that they're in this uphill battle alone, that nobody else cares about them.
Dear Ms. Borison,
As an author, you have readers from all walks of life, not just ones who look like you and your characters. Since you want your readers to care about your White protagonists, please extend the same courtesy and care to your non-White readers. Your characters aren't real, but your readers are.
Sincerely,
A reader
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Happy Release Day!!
4.5 stars
This rating is all about the vibes.
I've had a lot of reads lately that are just OK, and my enjoyment factor on this one was through the roof. The characters really did for me in this one. Two great MCs and the mutual struggles they were going through and a very beautiful ending.
I did have some smaller issues with the pacing and some things like the FMCs magic and never really understanding what it could do.
But the emotions in this one were top notch and it was a really good love story 💜
I'm also SUPER excited for Gideon and Isabella, so if we could get that book next year that would be 👌🏻
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
This rating is all about the vibes.
I've had a lot of reads lately that are just OK, and my enjoyment factor on this one was through the roof. The characters really did for me in this one. Two great MCs and the mutual struggles they were going through and a very beautiful ending.
I did have some smaller issues with the pacing and some things like the FMCs magic and never really understanding what it could do.
But the emotions in this one were top notch and it was a really good love story 💜
I'm also SUPER excited for Gideon and Isabella, so if we could get that book next year that would be 👌🏻
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
September 15, 2026
જ⁀➴ 5 stars
Thank you so much to Avon Books and B.K. Borison for the eARC! All opinions are my own. Grim Tidings will be officially published on September 15th, 2026!
༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.
Okay, I get the hype. I was honestly shocked I got approved for the ARC, considering how long my request was pending on NetGalley for lol (about 5.5 months, in case anyone was wondering). I honestly went in with no expectations for this, other than the fact that everyone who already read it was raving about the book. I finished the book feeling almost...empty, like I wish there was more to their story, but in the best way possible. I feel like I've been on a roll lately with a lot of highly-rated reads, and I'm so happy to report that this is the second book in about a week that I've given five stars.
I loved Darcy's character development and her desire to want more. She wanted to experience life (okay, well, her afterlife) through a different lens, and she wanted a different path for herself. I think there's something symbolic in that, knowing that it's literally never too late to want something different in your life. I loved reading her POV and watching her experience the things she never got to when she was alive. I thought the concept of "a Reaper who doesn't want to kill people" was an interesting twist to the story.
And Gabriel...oh, Gabriel, the man that you are. He is a (literal) angel to Darcy. I know the book has the "he likes everyone except her" trope in the marketing, but seriously, that man was down bad for her as soon as he laid eyes on her. I loved reading about the cognitive dissonance Gabriel was going through as he was juggling his feelings towards Darcy and his duty as a Guardian Angel who's supposed to protect people. I mean, I'll admit I liked watching him suffer and try to hold back what he wanted to maintain his status as a Guardian, which I also feel could speak so much to real life and resonate with a lot of people as well. How far would you go to get to the top? How far would you go to keep your status and notoriety in your field of work, school, etc.? What happens when we lose sight of ourselves in the process and deprive ourselves of what we truly want?
Darcy and Gabriel's relationship was so soft and gentle. While I loved their banter when they initially met, I love how their relationship grew to something that stood the test of time and fate itself. It was the concept that they'd always be there for each other, no matter what the afterlife wants them to do and their roles as Reaper and Guardian. Gabriel was so quick to shoulder some of Darcy's pain and burdens and I love that so much about them.
I'm also glad we got to see not only Darcy experiencing new things for herself, but we also got to see a unique perspective on the concept of death and dying. If you've read You'll Be the Death of Me by Holly Michelle, you'll know that it also deals with the idea of death and dying, but I need to talk a little bit about this (or maybe I'll talk about it a lot, considering this is what I liked about the book the most haha). I guess the concept itself is a somewhat common theme this year? Or maybe it's just all the books I've been reading recently where someone's either lost a loved one or died themselves, and it's all one giant coincidence lol.
This isn't a spoiler for anything, but in the acknowledgments, B.K. Borison talks about how her husband is a palliative care doctor, and as someone who works in long-term care pharmacy, I've had my fair share of experiences with hospice patients, end-of-life patients, and palliative care patients. Grim Tidings brought a new perspective on death and dying that I didn't really get to think about before, and this is what made it a five-star read for me. Sure, these concepts are still somewhat taboo and a bit of a touchy subject for so many people, depending on where you are in life and what you've been through and your personal experiences with death and dying. For me, working in an area of healthcare where death is unfortunately something I see on a daily basis, I've grown almost...desensitized to it because, as many healthcare professionals will tell you, we don't really get the time to grieve and mourn patients after a code blue or when they leave this life and move onto the next one. We spend a lot of time compartmentalizing our feelings because the show must go on no matter what.
While yes, someone passing away is a sad event, Grim Tidings made me think about it from a different perspective that I didn't really think about before. We always say that the person who passes is now in a better place, and I think Grim Tidings helped me visualize that a lot easier in my head moving forward, especially with Darcy's "penance" and what she ends up doing towards the end of the book. I'm not going to go into what exactly that is to avoid major spoilers, I thought it was such a beautiful gesture and it honestly made me cry. Yes, you read that right. I never cry while reading books, but that made me cry.
Also, I need to take a moment to shoutout Tater Tot the dog, because he's so freaking cute. I know he looks nowhere close to him, but he reminds me of Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
(Another side note: to all the Good Spirits fans out there, Harriett and Nolan may or may not have a few cameos in the background or mentions here and there hehe)
If you're looking for a heartfelt paranormal romance, PLEASE pick up this book. I promise you don't even need to read Good Spirits because it's an interconnected standalone. Just read this book and then thank me later.
༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.
Update (9/17/26): Upon reading the finished copy, it looks like the name changed from Minjin to Seth regarding the line mentioned below. I know there’s been a few reviews here on Goodreads and other people on Book Threads right now with some ruffled feathers trying to cancel B.K. Borison over this line in the ARC, which was altered in the final copy. The general consensus I’ve seen among other Asian American ARC readers also seem to have the same take as me on the line, which I explain below if you want my take on it. (Also, I’ve seen someone say this on Threads and they haven’t even read the book, just saying they got their information from a “reliable source.” The fact that many Asian American reviewers have come out to say they weren’t offended by the line and that context matters says a lot, in my opinion.)
I think this is a better time than ever to remind people that ARCs ARE NOT FINISHED PROOFS! They are UNCORRECTED PROOFS. They’re 95% of the way to becoming the final product, barring changes like grammatical and spelling errors, formatting issues, and things that beta and ARC readers have brought up as suggestions—things exactly like this that are edited out in the final copy.
My statement below:
Something of note that I want to discuss a little bit: I have seen some people express concern over a certain line towards the end of the book regarding a POC character (specifically Korean) heating up fish in the breakroom and, basically, stinking up the entire place. I felt like this needed to be addressed with my take on the entire situation. While this was a line in the ARC, I'm not sure if this will be edited out in the final copy, so take this with a grain of salt.
As an Asian person, albeit not Korean but still Asian (Vietnamese), I personally didn't take offense to this line at all, as the whole "microwaving fish in the company breakroom" is a running joke/stereotype in offices/corporate workplaces and has been for quite some time (and this is coming from someone who works in an office/corporate environment) and, at least in my experience, is generally basic office etiquette. Additionally, the limes in question never explicitly stated that it was an Asian dish with fish or some other sort of ethnic dish, it simply just said fish. This is solely based on being more mindful of people/coworkers who get migraines from strong odors, etc., and the fact that the chemicals being broken down when fish is microwaved are what makes it smell so strong (trimethylamine for anyone who's curious) and makes it linger for so long in small spaces like an office breakroom. With that said, I do NOT speak on behalf of all Asian readers when it comes to this line, and there may be some individuals who are offended, while others may potentially share the same opinion as me. The entire reference was essentially said in passing in about 2 sentences, and then it was never mentioned or brought up again. If I were the editor, I would've erred on the side of caution and just had the author delete it entirely to avoid controversy like this, but I didn't take offense to the line.
Thank you so much to Avon Books and B.K. Borison for the eARC! All opinions are my own. Grim Tidings will be officially published on September 15th, 2026!
"I like the idea of that. Fate handing me something for once, instead of taking it away."
༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.
Okay, I get the hype. I was honestly shocked I got approved for the ARC, considering how long my request was pending on NetGalley for lol (about 5.5 months, in case anyone was wondering). I honestly went in with no expectations for this, other than the fact that everyone who already read it was raving about the book. I finished the book feeling almost...empty, like I wish there was more to their story, but in the best way possible. I feel like I've been on a roll lately with a lot of highly-rated reads, and I'm so happy to report that this is the second book in about a week that I've given five stars.
I loved Darcy's character development and her desire to want more. She wanted to experience life (okay, well, her afterlife) through a different lens, and she wanted a different path for herself. I think there's something symbolic in that, knowing that it's literally never too late to want something different in your life. I loved reading her POV and watching her experience the things she never got to when she was alive. I thought the concept of "a Reaper who doesn't want to kill people" was an interesting twist to the story.
And Gabriel...oh, Gabriel, the man that you are. He is a (literal) angel to Darcy. I know the book has the "he likes everyone except her" trope in the marketing, but seriously, that man was down bad for her as soon as he laid eyes on her. I loved reading about the cognitive dissonance Gabriel was going through as he was juggling his feelings towards Darcy and his duty as a Guardian Angel who's supposed to protect people. I mean, I'll admit I liked watching him suffer and try to hold back what he wanted to maintain his status as a Guardian, which I also feel could speak so much to real life and resonate with a lot of people as well. How far would you go to get to the top? How far would you go to keep your status and notoriety in your field of work, school, etc.? What happens when we lose sight of ourselves in the process and deprive ourselves of what we truly want?
Darcy and Gabriel's relationship was so soft and gentle. While I loved their banter when they initially met, I love how their relationship grew to something that stood the test of time and fate itself. It was the concept that they'd always be there for each other, no matter what the afterlife wants them to do and their roles as Reaper and Guardian. Gabriel was so quick to shoulder some of Darcy's pain and burdens and I love that so much about them.
I'm also glad we got to see not only Darcy experiencing new things for herself, but we also got to see a unique perspective on the concept of death and dying. If you've read You'll Be the Death of Me by Holly Michelle, you'll know that it also deals with the idea of death and dying, but I need to talk a little bit about this (or maybe I'll talk about it a lot, considering this is what I liked about the book the most haha). I guess the concept itself is a somewhat common theme this year? Or maybe it's just all the books I've been reading recently where someone's either lost a loved one or died themselves, and it's all one giant coincidence lol.
This isn't a spoiler for anything, but in the acknowledgments, B.K. Borison talks about how her husband is a palliative care doctor, and as someone who works in long-term care pharmacy, I've had my fair share of experiences with hospice patients, end-of-life patients, and palliative care patients. Grim Tidings brought a new perspective on death and dying that I didn't really get to think about before, and this is what made it a five-star read for me. Sure, these concepts are still somewhat taboo and a bit of a touchy subject for so many people, depending on where you are in life and what you've been through and your personal experiences with death and dying. For me, working in an area of healthcare where death is unfortunately something I see on a daily basis, I've grown almost...desensitized to it because, as many healthcare professionals will tell you, we don't really get the time to grieve and mourn patients after a code blue or when they leave this life and move onto the next one. We spend a lot of time compartmentalizing our feelings because the show must go on no matter what.
While yes, someone passing away is a sad event, Grim Tidings made me think about it from a different perspective that I didn't really think about before. We always say that the person who passes is now in a better place, and I think Grim Tidings helped me visualize that a lot easier in my head moving forward, especially with Darcy's "penance" and what she ends up doing towards the end of the book. I'm not going to go into what exactly that is to avoid major spoilers, I thought it was such a beautiful gesture and it honestly made me cry. Yes, you read that right. I never cry while reading books, but that made me cry.
Also, I need to take a moment to shoutout Tater Tot the dog, because he's so freaking cute. I know he looks nowhere close to him, but he reminds me of Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
(Another side note: to all the Good Spirits fans out there, Harriett and Nolan may or may not have a few cameos in the background or mentions here and there hehe)
If you're looking for a heartfelt paranormal romance, PLEASE pick up this book. I promise you don't even need to read Good Spirits because it's an interconnected standalone. Just read this book and then thank me later.
༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･🎃༄˖°.🍂.
Update (9/17/26): Upon reading the finished copy, it looks like the name changed from Minjin to Seth regarding the line mentioned below. I know there’s been a few reviews here on Goodreads and other people on Book Threads right now with some ruffled feathers trying to cancel B.K. Borison over this line in the ARC, which was altered in the final copy. The general consensus I’ve seen among other Asian American ARC readers also seem to have the same take as me on the line, which I explain below if you want my take on it. (Also, I’ve seen someone say this on Threads and they haven’t even read the book, just saying they got their information from a “reliable source.” The fact that many Asian American reviewers have come out to say they weren’t offended by the line and that context matters says a lot, in my opinion.)
I think this is a better time than ever to remind people that ARCs ARE NOT FINISHED PROOFS! They are UNCORRECTED PROOFS. They’re 95% of the way to becoming the final product, barring changes like grammatical and spelling errors, formatting issues, and things that beta and ARC readers have brought up as suggestions—things exactly like this that are edited out in the final copy.
My statement below:
Something of note that I want to discuss a little bit: I have seen some people express concern over a certain line towards the end of the book regarding a POC character (specifically Korean) heating up fish in the breakroom and, basically, stinking up the entire place. I felt like this needed to be addressed with my take on the entire situation. While this was a line in the ARC, I'm not sure if this will be edited out in the final copy, so take this with a grain of salt.
As an Asian person, albeit not Korean but still Asian (Vietnamese), I personally didn't take offense to this line at all, as the whole "microwaving fish in the company breakroom" is a running joke/stereotype in offices/corporate workplaces and has been for quite some time (and this is coming from someone who works in an office/corporate environment) and, at least in my experience, is generally basic office etiquette. Additionally, the limes in question never explicitly stated that it was an Asian dish with fish or some other sort of ethnic dish, it simply just said fish. This is solely based on being more mindful of people/coworkers who get migraines from strong odors, etc., and the fact that the chemicals being broken down when fish is microwaved are what makes it smell so strong (trimethylamine for anyone who's curious) and makes it linger for so long in small spaces like an office breakroom. With that said, I do NOT speak on behalf of all Asian readers when it comes to this line, and there may be some individuals who are offended, while others may potentially share the same opinion as me. The entire reference was essentially said in passing in about 2 sentences, and then it was never mentioned or brought up again. If I were the editor, I would've erred on the side of caution and just had the author delete it entirely to avoid controversy like this, but I didn't take offense to the line.
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