Asher

The Lost Souls Chronicles #2

by D.J. Krimmer, Joe Arden

Does forever mean there’s always time for a second chance?

ASHER

I guide souls to the end of their journey. I’m good at my job. I don’t ask questions. Why would I when I believed my story ended long ago?
But memories laid to rest are awakening, drawing me toward a love I have never truly forgotten. With every revelation, the foundations of the afterlife begin to shift, and I am forced to confront a truth more powerful than fate itself.

MADDY

There comes a point when surviving no longer feels like living.
After a lifetime marked by loss, I chose The Bliss, an existence where grief could no longer reach me and every sharp edge of my past was softened into silence.
It was enough. Until it was not.

Some love refuses to die, no matter how deep it’s buried.
Some promises endure beyond death.
And some souls are destined to find one another, no matter how many lifetimes it takes.

A sweeping gothic fantasy filled with mystery, longing, and a love that echoes across centuries, ASHER is the unforgettable second novel in The Lost Souls Chronicles, where every ending is only the beginning of another chance to choose love.

Genres: Audiobook, Fantasy, Dark Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Second Chance, Dark Fantasy

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Crowned as the Queen of Banter, DJ Krimmer is notorious for her razor-sharp wit, emotionally feral romances, and smart-mouthed characters who refuse to behave. Her stories are a heady mix of heart, heat, and humor, all wrapped in a darkly addictive edge that’s unmistakably hers.
A chronic overthinker with a flair for chaos, DJ writes romances that feel a little wild, a little dangerous, and entirely unforgettable. Her characters are messy, magnetic, and always armed with a killer one-liner, proving that love is rarely tidy but always worth it.
When she’s not busy crafting banter that bites or love stories that hit you right in the feels, you can find her laughing at her own jokes, spinning new ideas faster than she can type, and reminding us all that imperfection is where the best stories begin.




Instagram @djkrimmer
TikTok @authordjkirmmer

Represented by: Amanda Wooden with SBR Media

Reviews

[Youssra {very busy-review slumping} · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Another pleasant surprise from this series! I enjoyed this one more than book one mainly because it was so angsty and I am a heaux for angst😌 I loved the way the second chance played out here with an added bonus of flashbacks which I am also a sucker for🫡
Asher and Maddie ughhh they were so sweet and scorching😭 forbidden love enduring for centuriess??? pls I am weak😔

Another thing I loved is the worldbuilding here.. it was actually very well done and I am loving this whole setting and the characters are all sooo interesting. Big D is still my favorite🤣 He's so sassyyyyyy I can't wait for his book!

Didn't know this would end in a PAINFUL cliffy but hopefully part 2 comes out soon😭

Also the audiobook was PHENOMENAL!!!!!! SEAN MASTERS NARRATE MY LIFE PLS😩

[GCR | Book Realm]

Edit to add ALC provided by Blue Nose review 10/21/26

ARC provided by Blue Nose

I was a little nervous going into Asher because I loved Grim and this world so much, and I wasn’t sure if this would live up to it. It did. I finished it in one sitting, the pacing was perfect for me, and I had forgotten how much I loved this world until I was right back in the OtherWorld.

The story was beautifully written. And Asher absolutely had a story worth telling. I loved getting more of his backstory and understanding more of what shaped him. The way the story moved between past and present was easy to follow, the struggles felt earned, and the plot kept moving the whole time. I never felt like I was waiting around for the story to get somewhere.

Seeing characters from Grim pop back in made it even better, and Big D still has the same humor I loved in the first book. At this point I am fully hoping his story is next.

The ending left me wanting book three, and now I cannot wait for the audiobook because my brain is absolutely not recreating whatever greatness I already know that cast is going to bring.

The multicast audiobook was absolutely phenomenal! Every single narrator did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. The emotions, the tone, the delivery, everything felt so natural and authentic. And the production as a whole was beyond spectacular. This is one of those performances where every element comes together beautifully, and I genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better listening experience. Blue Nose Audio absolutely delivered with this one!

I’d recommend this to anyone who loved Grim and wants more of this world, especially if you were already curious in Asher.

[Texa]

Dual v but he is in so much pain when he loses the fmc he has to fuck the ow and you all are calling the scene hot while simultaneously calling yourselves safety readers? you all lost your damn mind

[Marija Unkind · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ Grim set the bar ridiculously high for me, so I knew Asher had a lot to live up to. And while I enjoyed being back in this chaotic world, this one didn’t completely grab me the same way.

Asher and Maddy’s story is heartbreaking - centuries of love, loss and yearning 🖤 I loved getting more of the OtherWorld, seeing familiar characters again. I’m a huge fan of Big D!!!

The timeline structure was probably what held me back the most. I’m not usually a fan of jumping between past and present and here it kept breaking my connection with the story just as I was getting invested.

I also wonder if reading this physically changed the experience for me, because the Grim audiobook brought SO much life to these characters.

Still very much invested in this world though, especially after THAT ending! When’s the next book??

Thank you to D.J. Krimmer, Joe Arden and Blue Nose Publishing for providing me with an ARC 🖤
All opinions are my own.

[Hannah Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY HEART!!😩❤️📚 Listen…I ATE up Grim - loved it and I was SO excited when I found out this world was expanding! But ASHER!? I was NOT expecting to be all in my feels when reading this book - OMG🫣 I felt like it was a little slower paced but I also felt like this story needed to take its time so you REALLY felt these characters and their story.

And that ending!? Yeahhh I’m going to need the next book ASAP!😩😆


Thank you again to Blue Nose for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

[Megan Dodds · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

“Some love refuses to die, no matter how deep it's buried. Some promises endure beyond death. And some souls are destined to find one another, no matter how many lifetimes it takes."

💀 Paranormal Romance
🖤 Unhinged Audiobook Quality (like THEE best)
💀 Second Chance
🖤 YEARNING
💀 Forbidden Love

Welcome back to The Otherworld - you were missed terribly! We appreciate your patience and professional understanding.

I feel addicted to the Otherworld characters and the spooktacular whimsy. Big D is my favourite character (I’m sorry Mercy that man is mine). The sisters, Fate, & Time are delicious villains and portrayed by Maxine Mitchell & June DeBorahae FLAWLESSLY. The character growth we see with Big D standing up to the sisters, and start to come into his own power (and morals) has me frothing at the mouth for Big D & Mercy’s story… and I’m not afraid to beg for it. I didn’t know I needed to have our OG POV’s back from Rue & Kane but it felt like coming home. Not only was the old cast of ghouls back together but a new entrancing brother - are you feeling lucky?

One of my favourite parts of paranormal stories is how I often end up examining life and am often taught new perspectives. Not only have I left each book in this series expanding my way of thinking but each detail of world building that is put into place, makes me infinitely more sad that I am not physically spiritually in the world alongside it. Asher may yearn for Maddy but I just yearn for The Otherworld.

I felt it took a bit to go to the plot of the book at the beginning but I loved how the chronology played out between Maddy and Asher’s OG story. Their love story is one of pain, never ending love, overcoming, & enduring. While we were introduced to Asher in the first book, I was falling head over heels for this man. As a certified yearner, this book had the most yearning to ever yearn. Give me a man who was yearned for a lost love for 2 centuries and I’m a puddle for him. Maddy our FMC was well rounded, witty, curious and fierce in her beliefs. My heart broke when theirs did and I was so captured by the story that I didn’t even realize until it was over that I finished the book.

Outstanding masterclass performance by the whole cast who truly left nothing on the table. The whole cast deserves their flowers. Yes they made me cry and I will keep coming back for more AND say thank you after. If anyone asks me why Bluenose Audio is my favourite production company I just show them this series.

Thank you to my long time favourites; DJ Krimmer, Joe Arden and Bluenose Audio for the ALC - I almost didn’t apply because I didn’t think I would be accepted & forever grateful to be a small part of the team 🖤

[Persephone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got the ALC and I loved it even more. Once again the passion and chemistry all these narrators have is phenomenal!

I LOVED Asher.

LOVE NEVER DIES.

I loved the new characters and the old characters from Grim. Asher is intense and possessive and I was completely invested at the way his story unfolded. Asher is unforgettable and this story was addictive. It was funny and heartbreaking. Just learning about his life and how he came to the other world is just so 🥹 this book was the true definition of the quote from Grim- “Love Never Dies” Once again DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden understood the assignment!

[Brenna · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
I went into Asher incredibly excited to finally learn more about the character we met in Grim. We got just enough of him in that book to make me curious about who he was, how he became a Reaper, and especially the pieces of his past that still haunted him.

At its heart, Asher and Maddy's story is one of star-crossed love. In his first life, Asher was a silversmith and Maddy was the upper-class girl, promised to a man she didn't love and born into a world where choosing Asher wasn't supposed to be an option. Some of the writing surrounding their history is incredibly poetic, and once Asher begins making his way back to Maddy, moving through the memories of his life along the way, the story finally started to pull me in emotionally.

Unfortunately, it took a long time to get there.

There are A LOT of moving parts in Asher. Time. Fate. Mercy. Chance. OtherWorld. Asher's past. Maddy's past. The present. The larger conflict being set up for the series. Chapters can move through multiple memories and timelines, and at times the transitions felt so abrupt that I had to stop and figure out exactly where I was again.
For a book with Asher's name on the cover, I also walked away feeling like I didn't get nearly enough of Asher. So much time is spent building the world around him and setting pieces into place for what is obviously coming next that his own story sometimes gets lost inside it.

The shifts in tone was another struggle for me. Some passages are beautifully written and almost lyrical, while others use much crasser language that felt jarring beside them. The difference in writing styles between the two authors was much more noticeable to me here, particularly in some of the sexual content. (There is also a sexual arrangement between Asher and Fate that initially felt unnecessary and disconnected from the story.) I eventually understood what I think it was establishing within the rules of these different realms, but it took me a while to see its purpose.

That's probably my biggest issue with Asher. I spent too much of the book wondering, Where is this going? Why is this here? What does this have to do with Asher and Maddy?

Where Grim felt like it had a very clear heart, purpose, and direction, Asher felt much more chaotic to me.
And then, after waiting until well past the halfway point for Asher and Maddy's story to truly come together, we're left with a cliffhanger.

There are SO MANY unanswered questions. Mercy's return, Chance's introduction, Fate, the child, the war that's clearly coming... It absolutely sets the stage for the next book in the Lost Souls Chronicles, but I really wanted Asher to have more resolution of its own before taking us there.

There are pieces of this book I genuinely loved. There are beautiful lines, heartbreaking moments, and an incredibly compelling idea at the center of Asher and Maddy's love story. I just wish the book had stayed closer to that heart. With fewer moving parts and more time focused on the two people whose names and history brought me into this story, I think it could have hit me so much harder.

Grim left me emotionally wrecked.
Asher left me with a whole lot of questions.
And apparently I have to wait for the next book to get my answers.

I was provided an advance copy of Asher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Novellaworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤🎧 ASHER — DJ Krimmer & Joe Arden
The Lost Souls Chronicles, Book 2

AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD AUDIOBOOK EXPERIENCE!

Well, DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden… WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!

I thought Grim was phenomenal. It was one of my TOP LISTENS OF 2025, and it left an impression that stayed with me long after I took my headphones off.

So naturally, I went into Asher excited.

What I wasn’t expecting was to be sitting in a dentist’s waiting room trying not to sob, then finding myself laughing out loud in a shopping aisle later that same day.

Apparently, emotional stability wasn’t included in my audiobook subscription.

Did I binge this entire book in a day? Absolutely.

Did I regret a single second? Not a chance.

🖤 THE STORY: LOVE, LOSS & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

At its heart, Asher is a story about grief, regret, redemption, second chances, and a love that refuses to surrender to time, death, or fate.

And goodness me, the emotions!

DJ and Joe explore the complicated realities of grief beautifully — the anger, the guilt, the longing, and the pain of wishing you could change things that can never be changed.

What I loved most was that the grief never felt simple or conveniently wrapped up. The characters’ pain felt real, their journeys felt earned, and the love beneath it all was utterly overwhelming.

Because sometimes love doesn’t end when a life does. And sometimes the hardest thing is learning how to live with everything that remains.

Asher’s journey genuinely got under my skin. There were moments I wanted to climb straight into this book, wrap these characters in the biggest hug imaginable, and tell them they deserved so much better than the pain they’d endured.

And woven through the heartbreak? Humour, tenderness, and characters who made me feel every possible emotion.

THE WORLD-BUILDING & THE CHAOS!

Reapers, deities, ghosts, the mortal realm, rock monsters the Otherworld, supernatural bureaucracy…

Because apparently, even the afterlife comes with management and administrative headaches.

The world-building is wonderfully imaginative, with vivid imagery and timelines that give real depth to the characters and the experiences that shaped them.

It feels atmospheric, beautifully constructed, occasionally terrifying, and completely immersive.

And the characters? OH, THE CHARACTERS!

Kane, Rue and Big D — MORE, PLEASE!

Getting to see more of Kane and Rue’s journey was such a treat, and their happiness brought another beautiful layer to the story.

And then there’s THAT wonderfully unpredictable agent of chaos.

The mischief, the personality, the sheer entertainment! Every appearance had me grinning. DJ and Joe, whoever came up with this character deserves a bloody medal.

And Big D…

Bloody hell. I ADORE him. His character, his humour, his voice — EVERYTHING!

NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT AUDIOBOOK!

An ALC from Blue Nose Audio, and what an absolute privilege this was to experience.

THIS WASN’T JUST A NARRATION. IT WAS A CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE FOR THE EARS. 🎧🔥

The full cast. The performances. The accents. The immersive soundtrack. The otherworldly music that sweeps you right into the heart of the story.

EVERYTHING WORKED.

The soundscape wasn’t simply background music. It enhanced the atmosphere, heightened the tension, deepened the emotion, and made the world feel as though it existed all around me.

I wasn’t just listening to Asher.

I WAS THERE.

And as a British listener, I have to give a special mention to those accents.

Sean, darling, WE DO EXIST! 😂🇬🇧

The accents were superb. Absolutely superb. No notes from this Brit!

Sean Masters and June DeBorahae delivered phenomenal performances, drawing me into every emotion and making the heartbreaking moments hit even harder.

But this praise extends to the ENTIRE cast.

Gary Furlong deserves a special shout-out. He may be new to this cast, but he arrived and absolutely owned his moments. His agent of chaos was brilliantly performed, and every character he voiced felt distinct and memorable. He brought such energy, personality, and sheer entertainment to the production that I found myself looking forward to every appearance.

Gary, you were FANTASTIC!

Maxine Mitchell… oh, Maxine. 🖤

There is something about her voice that instantly captures my attention. She has such a gift for bringing emotion and personality to a performance, and her work here was another reminder of why I adore listening to her.

And the Sisters Time and Fate? Absolutely loved them!

Big D … aka James … you know you are fucking awesome!

Every performer brought something special to this production, creating an immersive experience that felt genuinely unforgettable.

The narrators didn’t simply tell me this story. They made me FEEL it.

The heartbreak. The laughter. The longing. The love.

All of it.

And when the final moments arrived, I was left wondering how on earth I was supposed to follow this with another audiobook.

DJ KRIMMER & JOE ARDEN — YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!

Grim was a masterpiece, and Asher absolutely stands alongside it.

The story reminded me that love isn’t always easy, grief isn’t always tidy, and sometimes the connections we make are powerful enough to defy everything standing in their way.

There was heartbreak. There was laughter. There was tenderness, tension, and enough emotional whiplash to leave me needing a strong cup of tea and a lie-down.

And through it all was LOVE.

Big, complicated, stubborn, impossible-to-kill love.

I feel incredibly lucky to have been awarded my first direct ALC from Blue Nose Audio, and I’m so glad I got to experience this story in a production that did it such justice.

🎧 MY VERDICT?

A beautifully layered paranormal fantasy, a deeply emotional love story, unforgettable characters, and an audiobook production that deserves to be experienced with headphones on and the world switched off.

If you loved Grim, you absolutely need to step through this portal.

If you’re an audiobook lover who craves immersive, full-cast storytelling, put this on your radar.

Just perhaps avoid listening in public if you value keeping your emotions — and facial expressions — under control.

DJ Krimmer & Joe Arden, thank you for another unforgettable journey.

And to that phenomenal cast: you didn’t just bring this book to life. YOU MADE IT LIVE.

And just when I thought I could catch my breath, the book ended on a CLIFFHANGER!

That final moment left me staring into the void, desperately needing answers and immediately wanting the next instalment. So, DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden, please know that I am now emotionally invested, impatient, and absolutely not okay until I find out what happens next.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to recover… and start campaigning for Big D’s book.

Because priorities, people. PRIORITIES. 😂🖤🎧

[The Bou · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, you need to read Book 1 (and remember it! I had hoped the author would have helped us remember the main parts).

That’s a complicated book that gave me conflicted emotions (from 🤣 to 😭 to 😤)

✅dual V ♥️
✅scene with OW 💔
✅pain/pleasure
✅multiple POV
✅humour and witty banter
✅past & present
✅amnesia
⚠️end on a cliffhanger
🌶️🌶️

Mind you, the MCs only reunited at 90%!!! That was really annoying. Okay, we got snippets of their life together in the past but still… hence the cliffhanger


Now, the OW scene and my opinion on it as the scene matters!!

When the story begins, our MFC (Maddy) has been ☠️ for centuries (literally).
The memory of her is sometimes too painful for Asher, so he’s been asking Fate (a deity) to forget, and in exchange, the evil woman wants 💦 🍆.
Even though Asher doesn’t enjoy it (he says he is dissociating), I will never understand why we need a descriptive scene with OW (and a very 🥵 one on top of it).

After finishing the book, I realise I couldn’t forgive Asher for what he did with Fate. The guy was all about pain, but only the physical one. He was not strong enough to withstand the pain brought by memories of Maddy. He chose to desecrate what he had with Maddy and f*** OW… and he did that for a long time. He basically had more relations with Fate than with Maddy. It broke my heart.
He even rubbed it in her face!! “Fate is a cruel mistress, my dove.” Asshole!!!
Maddy deserved so much better.

Song: ERA Ameno

[✨Wendy✨| downtherabbitholes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Editing to add audiobook review:
Yessssss! So, in my original review, I gave Asher 5 stars for the love, complexity, and the characters tragic journey of love. Now that I’ve listened to the audiobook, more like devoured, and once again the performances from the voice actors have turned a remarkable storyline into an unforgettable experience. Is it possible to rate higher than five stars?! This audio played out like a movie in my mind. The subtle sound effects further heightened the journey back into the OtherWorld and I was here for every single moment of it.

Each voice actor not only brought their signature talents but also a certain charisma, passion, and just something special to this audio. I can’t wait to see what comes next from the OtherWorld.

As always, thank you Blue Nose Audio for the ALC.

Format: Audiobook
Narrators: June deBorahae, Sean Masters, Maxine Mitchell, Andi Eloise, Joe Arden, James Cassidy, and Gary Furlong
__________________________________________

Wow… THIS right here is why I love romance stories so much.

I was completely captivated by Asher and Maddy’s tragic tale from the beginning. I thought I knew what to expect going in, but spoiler alert, I did not. It was so much more than I could have imagined. This is a true second chance romance. Imagine, the love of your life trying to find you after death in The OtherWorld, going against all odds and risking his eternal soul, just to get to you. I can’t think of a more romantic gesture… like EVER. If I don’t have a love exactly like this, then what’s the point.

I adored getting a blast from the past and a trip back to the OtherWorld. In addition to some of our favorite immortal beings and deities, new and intriguing ones are introduced, creating absolute mayhem and chaos. Side thought: If I could punch one fictional character in the throat, I’m choosing Alister.

Asher and Maddy’s love story is one that will continue to take space in your mind and heart long after you turn the last page. Getting both past and present timelines, allows us the privilege of not only knowing the characters’ mortal souls, but their immortal ones as well. Their love was once innocent and sweet, yet forbidden and dangerous. It was stolen moments, first touches, and unkept promises, turning tragic and heartbreaking…. and that’s just the beginning. While devouring this book, I giggled at the banter, smiled at antics and even cried over how unfair life could be. Asher has a darker, more serious vibe, but still keeping the same humor and charm we adored from Grim. *It was the finger guns for me.* I will say, it seems that DJ and Joe decided NOT to hold back, demanding all the feels and emotional damage from their readers. Asher is an incredible and unique love story full of betrayal, tragedy, obsession, and a love that’s all consuming. 5+ Stars!

Thank you to both authors, DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden, along with Blue Nose, for the ARC.

[Crystal Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Grim, I could not wait to get my hands on this book! I am completely invested in this series, and somehow it just keeps getting better and better. This is easily one of my top 5 reads of the year!

After getting to know Asher in Grim, I was so excited to get his story, and DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden did not disappoint. I loved getting to see more of Asher and what was underneath that sarcastic, guarded exterior. There is so much more to him than we saw in the first book, and I loved watching his story unfold.

This story had the perfect mix of emotion, humor, banter, and romance. There were moments that had me laughing, moments that broke my heart, and definitely moments where I was sitting there like, WHAT?! The characters have so much personality, and I was completely pulled into their story.

Asher and Maddy’s love story was truly one for the books. It was filled with love, loss, and so much yearning for each other. I also loved getting a glimpse of the Otherworld and seeing more of the characters I fell in love with in Grim.

DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden are such a great writing duo. They know how to create characters who are complicated, entertaining, and so easy to become attached to. And Asher? Yeah… he definitely stole a piece of my heart.

If you loved Grim and were waiting for Asher’s story, you absolutely need to pick this one up! It’s emotional, funny, romantic, and completely addictive. I cannot wait to see what comes next!

[Shes _Crafty_reader · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Beautifully Tragic 💔

Audiobook 4.5🌟

“For now—the pain. Forever—my love.” 🥺


This book was very different from Grim. I loved them both!


The pain, the heartbreak, the cruelty of it all!

This book was very different from Grim. I loved them both!

Every time you think these characters have reached their breaking point, there’s more hurt, more devastation, and more heartbreak. Asher and Maddy could never be together, their love was a forbidden one. This story will put your heart through the wringer and leave you feeling EVERYTHING.

THE CAST! 🤯🤯👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I am yet a mere mortal, and my words cannot possibly do this masterpiece justice. The voice acting was utterly transcendent!! Between the flawless accents and the raw, powerful emotion packed into every scene, the voice talent elevated this story into an otherworldly listening experience! Every single performance was phenomenal. The intensity, the delivery, EVERYTHING was perfection! They brought these characters to life in a way that made me feel every single moment. Absolutely incredible from beginning to end!!

[★*☆ Cheryl ☆*★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

How dare this book end on a small cliffhanger!!

I'm gonna predict now: Seek is Asher and Maddie's son.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝐴 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝘩𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝘩𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠,”

I loved this book just as much as I loved the first book, Grim! This one broke my heart in the beginning and had me desperately hoping for a happy ending by the end.

“𝑇𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛’𝑡 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠. 𝐵𝑜𝑡𝘩 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒. 𝐵𝑜𝑡𝘩 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑦.”

D.J. Krimmer always has a way with words and does such a fantastic job bringing these stories to life. Adding Joe Arden as a co-writer took this book to another level. These two together are incredible, and I absolutely loved what they created.

“𝑁𝑜, 𝑚𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑣𝑒. 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒. 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝘩𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠. 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝘩𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝘩𝑎𝑑 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑤𝑜, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦. 𝐼 𝑐𝘩𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑎𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.”

I also loved that we got a little bit of everyone in this book. It really helped bring everything together and gave us a chance to see the bigger picture while still getting more of the characters we’ve come to love.

“𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑤𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑖𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠. 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑟; 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑝.”

This book took me on such a roller coaster of emotions. My heart was breaking one minute, and I was holding my breath and hoping for a happy ending the next. I’m really hoping we get another book because I would love to see more of these characters and their stories.

“𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑤𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜 𝑤𝘩𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒, 𝑚𝑎’𝑎𝑚. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝘩𝑜𝑙𝑑 ’𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝘩𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝘩𝑜𝑙𝑑 ’𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛.”

This is definitely one I need to reread on audio because I know I’ll experience it all over again!

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥 Asher 🔥

Returning to the OtherWorld with Asher felt like coming home. 🖤

Following Grim, Asher by D.J. Krimmer and Joe Arden takes us back to the OtherWorld with a story full of heart, humor, friendship, hope, grief and a love story that proves some souls are destined to find their way back to one another, which I absolutely love.

At the center of it all is Asher and his determination to find his one true love, Maddy. To Maddy, he’ll always be Tommy, but the journey he takes throughout this story is about so much more than finding the woman he loves. What begins as a search for Maddy becomes a journey of self-discovery, forcing Asher to confront parts of himself, his past, and the choices that shaped him. Watching him grow and discover who he truly is was one of my favorite parts of the book.
Equally compelling is Maddy’s journey. Burdened by grief and heartbreak, she chooses forgetting over remembering, believing it’s the only way to survive the pain. Watching her slowly reclaim pieces of herself while their souls kept finding their way back to one another was both beautiful and emotional. Together, Asher and Maddy’s story is filled with longing, hope, heartbreak, healing, and a love that refuses to be forgotten.

And if there’s one thing the OtherWorld continues to remind us…

Love Never Ends.🖤

One of my favorite parts of Asher was getting to reunite with some beloved characters. Kane and Rue are back, along with Big D, Fate, Time, and Seek, and seeing them again felt like catching up with old friends. And then there’s ONE new character introduced… 👀 Chance and oh what a mischievous character he is!

And the banter… OH, THE BANTER! 😂

The back-and-forth between Kane and Asher had me absolutely cackling, but Big D definitely deserves some recognition here too! The banter between Big D and Kane had me laughing out loud, and some of the things they come up with are just freaking priceless.

Honestly, the one-liners throughout Asher are some of my favorite parts. DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden have a way of delivering those perfectly timed lines that make you stop, reread them, and laugh all over again. Some of them are going to live rent-free in my head for a very long time. 😂

But underneath all that humor is a beautiful story about love, loss, hope, friendship, self-discovery, and finding your way back to the person who feels like home.

And can we talk about the writing for a minute? The way D.J. Krimmer and Joe Arden weave between timelines is absolutely masterful. Every piece falls into place at just the right moment, revealing bits of the story exactly when you need them. The imagery is so vivid that I could picture every scene unfolding in front of me. I wasn’t just reading the OtherWorld—I was there. That’s the kind of storytelling that pulls you in and refuses to let go.

Asher reminded me why I love the OtherWorld so much. One minute I’m laughing, the next my heart is breaking, and then I’m swooning right along with them. This world has so much heart, and these characters have a way of pulling you in and making you feel like you’re part of it.

Asher and Maddy’s story is a reminder that some souls are simply meant to find each other—no matter the obstacles, no matter the distance, and no matter the lifetime.

I laughed. I swooned. I held my breath. I may have shed a few thousand tears. And then I got to the ending…

Let’s just say Asher leaves you with a serious case of WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! 😳
—that ending definitely has me sitting here thinking, Okay… I need to know what happens next now! 👀
DJ, Joe… respectfully, I’m going to need answers. 😂

All the stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Never Ends 🖤
Thank you Blue Nose and OtherWorld Management 😉for this ARC it truly is an amazing opportunity to have been part of the assignment.

🎧ALC from Blue Nose Audio🎧
🖤🎧 ASHER ~AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧🖤
DJ Krimmer & Joe Arden | The Lost Soul Chronicles

Some stories are beautifully written. But when extraordinary voices breathe life into those words, something magical happens. The story no longer lives solely on the page… it begins to live within you.

And that is exactly what happened with Asher.

This extraordinary cast didn’t simply narrate a story. They breathed emotion into every word, turning OtherWorld into a place where heartbreak, humor, love, and longing felt beautifully, devastatingly real.

🎙️ June Deborah as Maddy and Fate
absolutely stole the show! As Maddy, her performance was breathtakingly raw, vulnerable, and emotionally captivating. She gave a voice to heartbreak that words alone could never fully capture, making every moment of Maddy’s pain, strength, and fragile hope resonate deep within the soul. There was such delicate beauty in her vulnerability and such quiet power in her resilience. As Fate, June showcased her remarkable versatility, effortlessly transforming her voice into something commanding, mysterious, and otherworldly. 😉Two vastly different characters, each brought to life with extraordinary depth and emotion. June didn’t just give these characters a voice; she gave them a presence.

🎙️ Sean Masters as Asher, aka Tommy, was nothing short of extraordinary. He brought a beautiful complexity to a character torn between love, longing, and the weight of everything he had lost. Every shift in his voice carried emotion, from the tenderness of a love that refused to fade to the raw desperation of a soul willing to defy the impossible. But Chapter 34 was where Sean truly shattered me. The moment Tommy finally finds the grace to forgive himself was delivered with such heartbreaking vulnerability that you could almost feel the years of guilt and sorrow beginning to loosen their grip. Sean captured the quiet, overwhelming beauty of a soul finally allowing itself the forgiveness it had been denied for so long. It wasn’t just a moment of healing; it was a moment of liberation. His performance was hauntingly beautiful, profoundly human, and utterly unforgettable.
“I belong to this moment
I am reborn
Forgiven
Absolved
And loved…By the man in the mirror.”

🎙️ Gary Furlong as Chance (and others 😉)
What an incredible performance! Gary was absolutely captivating, bringing remarkable depth, nuance, and authenticity to Chance. His subtle emotional shifts and expressive delivery made every scene memorable. He truly elevated an already extraordinary production and I could not think of anyone more perfect than Gary to capture Chance.

🎙️ James Cassidy as Big D
Phenomenal, again! James effortlessly balanced Big D’s irresistible humor with a newfound vulnerability. Beneath the banter was a character struggling to become a better leader than his father, and James captured that internal conflict beautifully. And that mysterious history with Mercy? I NEED MORE! DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden, please explore their past in the next book!

🎙️ Maxine Mitchell as Time and Mercy
Maxine was mesmerizing, bringing ethereal authority to Time and captivating intrigue to Mercy. Her ability to create two distinctly compelling personalities was nothing short of brilliant. Maxine never ceases to amaze me with her versatility and the effortless way she brings every character she voices to life.

🎙️ Andi Eloise as Rue & Joe Arden as Kane
Hearing these beloved voices again felt like coming home. Joe slipped effortlessly back into Kane, bringing that familiar charm, wit, and perfectly timed banter with Big D that delivered some much-needed laughter amid the emotional intensity. Andi brought such warmth and tenderness to Rue, beautifully capturing the strength, compassion, and emotional depth that made us fall in love with her in the first place. Together, they reminded us just how special these characters are and why their voices continue to hold such a meaningful place in this story.

🖤 And that ending?!

The performances made an already devastating cliffhanger absolutely UNBEARABLE.

I laughed. I cried. I sat in stunned silence. And I desperately NEED MORE.

This wasn’t simply an audiobook. It was an emotional journey brought to life by an ensemble whose talent deserves every standing ovation.

Some voices tell a story. Others make sure it never leaves you.

🖤 LOVE NEVER ENDS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars will never be enough.

# Asher#TheLostSoulsChronicles #LoveNeverEnds #AsherandMaddy

[Emily ✨ Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Grim, so I had high hopes going into Asher, and I was NOT let down. It was perfection! The yearning. The heartbreak. The kind of love that endures for centuries and even follows you into the afterlife. 😭 I loved getting the flashbacks into Asher and Maddy’s lives and slowly uncovering more of their story, but I especially loved getting to explore more of the Otherworld this time around.

One of the many things DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden do SO well is balance the heavier parts of this story with humor. There’s grief and heartbreak, but also regret, living with the choices you’ve made, facing yourself, and how all of that can shape the way you see yourself and your own worth. Those emotions felt so relatable too. We’ve all experienced grief, lived with regrets, or questioned our own worth at some point, and being able to connect their emotions to experiences of my own made those moments hit SO much harder. Obviously, I didn’t live in 1800s London and fall desperately in love with a stable boy 🤣 but we all have our own version. And somehow, amongst all of that, they had me laughing as often as my heart ached for these characters. That balance was SO well done!

We also got to see characters from Grim again, which I LOVED, and I really hope they continue to be part of the story as the series goes on. And BIG D!! I NEED MORE BIG D. 😂 I cannot get enough! He is hands down one of my favorite characters, and I’m already hoping we get even more of him in the next book.

Now, the audiobook… 😱 SO. FREAKING. GOOD.

Every single narrator absolutely smashed it. I loved the entire production, the performances, the sound effects, the music, ALL OF IT. The production never felt like too much or distracted me from the story, it enhanced it and made the whole experience even more immersive.

Honestly, no notes… If Blue Nose Audio makes it, I’ll listen to it. If DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden write it, I’ll read it. And if this cast is narrating it, I’M SO IN! 🎧🖤

Thank you, Blue Nose, for the ALC! Getting that email made my day!

[storieswithsuzie · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ 3🌶️

After absolutely falling in love with Grim, I couldn’t wait to jump straight into Asher, and I’m so happy to say that D.J. Krimmer and Joe Arden have delivered another beautiful, emotional story. 🥹

I loved getting to explore more of the OtherWorld and learning about Asher’s past and everything that shaped him. His journey of healing and growth was beautifully written, and while the pacing was a little slower than Grim, I think it allowed us to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

Getting to spend more time with familiar faces was another highlight, especially the humour they brought to some of the heavier moments. Although this didn’t quite reach the same emotional heights as Grim for me, I still loved how it balanced grief, love and hope. And THAT ENDING?! I’m going to need the next book immediately. 😭

🎧 Once again, the full-cast narration was absolutely phenomenal. The performances brought every emotion to life so perfectly, from the grief and vulnerability to the humour and quieter moments. There’s something so special about experiencing this world through audio, and I genuinely couldn’t imagine listening to this series any other way.

Another beautifully written and wonderfully narrated story. After listening to both books back to back, I’m nowhere near ready to say goodbye to this world! 🖤

[TarynXO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, damn. I was not prepared for this book to break my heart so beautifully. 🖤

I'll admit, going into Asher, I had certain expectations after Grim, and when I realized this was going to be something completely different, I wasn't exactly feeling it. But once I got out of my own head, let go of what I thought this book should be, and started appreciating it for what it actually was? Oh. My. Heart.

This was a heartbreakingly beautiful, Romeo and Juliet-esque love story, wrapped in haunting atmosphere, impossible choices, and the kind of yearning that physically HURTS. The stakes were high, the emotions were raw, and the love? Absolutely devastating in the best possible way.

I don't say this lightly, but this was one of the best second-chance romances I've read in a very long time. The kind of story that makes you ache for two people who just cannot seem to catch a break.

Haunting. Heartbreaking. Beautifully tragic.
And now you're telling me TO BE CONTINUED?!

Excuse me while I leave my heart frozen in time until the next book comes along to hopefully thaw it out. 🥀🖤

[Steph · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Sooo.. WHAT WAS THAT? After Grim, I was so excited for this one, especially the audiobook. Do not get me wrong, Asher and Maddies story is good. Heartbreaking, heartwarming and the yearning is top tier. I loved the concept in this book, how Asher had to go through the things he did to get to the point where he might get to Maddie once more. Big D, still a BIG fan of him 😆

HOWEVER! Who the f.. gave anyone permission for a CLIFFHANGER?! I. Was. Not. Ready.

Asher is a good story, in the Other World where we get to meet all the characters from Grim again. I do think that Grim was a better and more complex story, but Asher was good.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I wish to devour you like a proper gentleman before I ruin you like a brute.”


Sadly this didn’t hit as hard as Grim. Although I’m not sure anything could.

I never connected with Asher…even in Grim. I would have loved D story if I’m being so honest.
Or even new characters. I do love this world and I’ll read anything in it. But Asher’s story just didn’t hit as hard.
It felt less poetic and more modern in a weird way?

That being said I still enjoyed my time reading this story. And I did love the pop ups.

[Marieta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Asher" delivers everything that you'd expect from a "Grim" sequel and then expands the world and tells its own incredible story. It feels more like a fantasy book, with a lot of the main action and adventures taking place in the magical OtherWorld.

Asher's story is told in two timelines, that are revealed parallel to each other. Right from the start you know the ending of the part of the story that takes place in 1860s England. So while the present timeline pushes forward, the one in the past reveals in flashbacks what led to that ending. For me that was a very engaging way to tell the plot, I couldn't wait to piece together the past story and see where the present story was going.

In this book the OtherWorld gets expanded and a lot more detailed. There are no long descriptions though, or big parts with explanations. Everything is revealed naturally and gradually, as part of the story. The worldbuilding is very easy to follow, but it also creates an unique atmosphere. The Other World is alive, and vivid, with sounds, and sights and even smells, with magical creatures, and fantastical landscape, and it's interesting and so very beautiful and haunting. The 1860's England is just as immersive.

This incredible world is filled with wonderfully developed characters, every one of them as memorable as the main ones. I loved the new characters and I loved seeing again some of the characters from Grim. The dynamic between Kane and Rue has changed, and I loved that I got to see how. I also loved that the dynamic between Kane and Big D has stayed the same. Chance was a fantastic new addition. He was very entertaining, but also had a deeper, philosophical side, that I am still thinking about. Time and Fate are also developed further and I am very curious where their stories are going to go.

I was so intrigued to get to know Maddy, in the present and in the Bliss, and in the past. She is fascinating, brave and smart, and funny, with a heart filled with love. And Asher... Him I loved even in Grim, because of the glimpses of his true character. But after really getting to know him and the darkness that he carries, seeing what he's been through and what he is ready to do for love, Tommy, Thomas, Asher, he's my favorite male character from the series. At least for now.

The love story between Asher and Maddy is very beautiful. It starts with a friendship, filled with understanding and acceptance and develops into an unbreakable connection. It's tragic, it's hopeful; there's so much longing, and pain, and simply ... feeling.

The audiobook is another masterpiece. The way it was recorded, with the actors together in the same studio, really shows and makes the performance a lot more dynamic.

This is easily my favorite performance from both Sean Masters and June deBorahae. There's so much detail in what they are doing. There are several versions of Asher in this story, each one with a slightly different voice, and the transitions between them, as well as which voice Sean chooses in each moment makes the experience so much richer. The same can be said about June because Maddy also has several versions. On top of that, June plays both the warm loving Maddy and the cruel selfish Fate and to hear her go from one personalty to the completely opposite is incredible.

The rest of the cast is also fantastic. Maxine Mitchell is both Time and Mercy and they are as different as black and white, but she brings them to life with the same ease. Big D gets more and more layers, and James Cassidy's performance does, too. Joe Arden and Andi Eloise return as Rue and Kane, and also lend their voices to several other characters. Both of them are amazing. One of Joe's most interesting voices is in this book, and it's so interesting that most likely you won't even recognize him. Gary Furlong has several very distinct voices as Chance and a few other characters and fits perfectly with the rest of the cast.

The soundscape in the book is done so beautifully. It's so delicate that it doesn't get in the way of the performance but enhances it instead. The moments with background sounds and the moments without are so perfectly chosen. There are moments that hit harder without sound or music because before that there were sounds and music.

Even though there's humor and banter in this story, it's darker than Grim. It is also just as heavy as Grim was, beautiful, heartbreaking. Meaningful. There's a chapter (34) that I am going to reread again, and again, and again.

Grim is so special to me, because there were parts of the story that meant something important to me, that changed my own perspective. I didn't expect it but Asher did the same. It is a very interesting story, entertaining, and also heartbreaking. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I hated. I fell in love. And now, after the end of the book, I am left looking at myself, because it is more than just a fascinating story.

[Kelsie · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This is very character driven instead of plot driven. It also features a “past” and “present” way of story telling. And my critique of Grim is valid for Asher too, the end feels rushed. 90% of the book felt like they were trying to over explain and describe things, but the last 10% they keep it brief. Big D continues to be my favorite!

[Taryn Call · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t think I could like Asher as much as Grim, but I think this just bumped the series up to one of my all-time favorites. The way the humor and heartbreak work together is amazing. Chapter 36 broke me. No notes!

[Whitney Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew that I was going to love Asher and Maddy's story! Their story was beautiful and heartbreaking. I actually think I loved this more than Grim!

As always, the audiobook is casted to perfection!

Huge thank you to Blue Nose Audio for the ALC!

[Rachel Dane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ones really hard to put into words. What i can say is this, if you loved Grim? You will absolutely love Asher. As a woman who is weak for first loves and soul mates/star crossed lovers? This gives you all of it. Every memory of their love from the past, those who tried to keep them apart. My pooooor heart.

And getting to come back to our favorite characters? Big D right off the rip knowing hes always been that cocky attitude of him we all love? Its like coming home to family.

This book was even better than the first in my opinion. Buckle up friends.

[Jen Strimbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think often people look at reviews in the lens of what did you like and dislike. You know that a book is absolutely spectacular. Absolutely incredible. When the best critique that you can give the book is that you don’t have more of it to read. I adored Grim. It was my favorite read out of the 331 books I read last year, so my expectations for Asher were set so high.

Somehow, DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden exceeded them. This is easily my favorite read of 2026.

At its core, Asher is about grief, love, regret, resilience, and what happens when you simply cannot let someone go. There were pieces of the grief in this book that were genuinely hard for me to read because they hit home. Sometimes grief makes you angry. Angry at the person you lost. Angry at the circumstances that took them from you. Angry because anger can be an easier burden to carry than the coping with the loss of someone so crucial to you.

Then comes the guilt.

You know they would still be with you if they could. You know the anger is not necessarily fair. But grief is not fair either, and I thought this book did such an incredible job showing the complicated, destructive, ugly, contradictory parts of it without making those emotions feel wrong.

That was probably one of the things I loved most about Asher. It never tried to make grief simple.

Asher carries so much pain, regret, emptiness, and self-hatred, and reading as he moves through those emotions while still loving as deeply as he does made his journey feel incredibly human despite the paranormal setting. There are moments that hurt, moments that made me angry for the two of them, moments where I wanted to just reach into the book to hug the characters, and moments where I completely understood where the characters where coming from but I wished I could have changed the pain that led them where they wound up.

And then somehow, while emotionally wrecking me, this book also had me laughing.

Seek, Kane, Rue, Big D? 10/10. I already loved so much of this cast going into Asher, and getting more of them was one of my favorite parts of the book. Kane beginning this book was so broken without Rue as we got more of a glimpse of what happened before she was assigned to the Lost Souls Division. However the book soothes this hurt by bouncing around the timeline nicely by also showing you them further ahead happily with each other. This also felt so beautifully thought out to bounce between timelines as it allows the reader to go from seeing the outcomes of certain things but then bounce to the part where you got to see the love blooming. You get to see the parts that drove these characters to have love make them irrevocably bound to one another. There is an idea from this book series that goes, “ Love is the only thing more enduring than death.” As someone that has had grief and loss break me in a way that 23 years later it still takes my breath away from time to time, this gave me a measure of comfort to lean into remembering the love that made the other side of that coin. 

There are also new characters you are going to both love and loathe in equal measure. One in particular completely stole my attention every time they appeared. Chaotic, unpredictable, entertaining, constantly keeping everyone guessing. The personality gave me Loki mixed with Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians, and I loved every second of it. Every single scene with this character really showed how well and truly dedicated the authors were to creating both the most compelling and memorable characters but also being mindful of how to weave their stories together to create this incredible tapestry.

The world itself is just as incredible.

You have reapers, deities, ghosts, the mortal realm, the Otherworld, supernatural middle management, second chances, and yes, a very dirty, sweaty blacksmith.

But what makes the worldbuilding work so well for me is that it never feels like a collection of paranormal elements thrown together. There is structure to it. There are rules, expectations, jobs, consequences, relationships, and this bizarrely relatable feeling that even the afterlife has bureaucracy.

You can feel how much work went into making the past timeline sections feel like they belonged to another time. The language changes. The expectations between people change. The societal structure changes. The relationships and betrayals feel rooted in the period rather than simply being modern characters placed into an older setting. Furthermore, I love how in this book and Grim, you can see how, Kane and Asher were forged in their past experiences and how the pain they endured turned them into the characters they were.

And the imagery throughout this book is fantastic. Whether a scene was warm and loving, whimsical, heartbreaking, or genuinely alarming, I could picture exactly what was happening.

There are several moments in this book where the setting itself added so much to what the characters were experiencing. The Otherworld feels vivid, strange, beautiful, and occasionally terrifying in exactly the right ways.

The romance also was absolutely perfect because the love underneath everything feels enormous. This is not a light second chance. There is history here. There is pain, guilt, longing, resentment, devotion, and the question of what love looks like when so much has happened between two people and everything has stood in the way of that love blooming the way it should have.

That emotional foundation made every moment between them matter more to me.

Asher broke my heart, had me giggling, made me sob, gave me hope, made me angry, made me fall in love with characters I did not expect to love, and then left me desperately wondering how soon I’m allowed to start asking about book three.

I went into this expecting to love it because of how much Grim meant to me.

I did not expect it to surpass it.

DJ and Joe, you did it again. The two of you are such astounding authors and I hope to always get to enjoy the stories you create.

Tropes: paranormal romance, love lost, second chance romance, elements of the afterlife, ghosts, grief and loss, spicy reads, dark romance, fantasy, gothic, paranormal suspense, redemption stories, grumpy × sunshine, forced proximity, forbidden romance, slow burn, opposites attract, romantasy, death personified, afterlife romance, protective MMC, touch her and you die, he’s only soft for her, who did this to you?, found family, chosen family, second chance at love, limited time together, countdown romance, love against the rules, rule breaking for her, impossible love, fate vs. free will, love transcends death, soulmates, life after death, death and dying, emotional damage, hurt/comfort, witty FMC, broody MMC, banter, morally gray MMC, centuries-old MMC, cliffhanger, supernatural bureaucracy, ghosts and spirits, one last adventure, happily ever after

[Jamie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Arden and DJ Krimmer, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?! Because Asher was just as freaking amazing as Grim, and I am officially OBSESSED with this series!

We’re back in a world where death isn’t the end, souls have unfinished stories, and apparently love is stubborn enough to survive EVERYTHING. 😭🖤

Asher has spent so long believing his own story was already over, guiding other souls through the end of their journeys without questioning his own past. But when those buried memories start coming back and he finds himself drawn toward a love he never truly forgot, everything he thought he knew begins to unravel.

And then there’s Maddy. After a lifetime of loss and heartbreak, she chooses The Bliss, an existence where grief can’t reach her and the sharp edges of her past finally soften. But what happens when the very thing she’s trying to escape is tied to a love that refuses to stay buried?

THE ANGST. THE LONGING. THE SECOND CHANCES. THE IDEA THAT SOME SOULS WILL FIND EACH OTHER NO MATTER HOW MANY LIFETIMES IT TAKES?! COME ON! 😭

I absolutely loved how these characters and their stories intertwine. There’s something so special about a series where the characters aren’t just existing in their own little bubbles, but their lives, choices, and connections make the entire world feel bigger. Every piece adds something to the story, and I was completely invested in seeing how everything would come together.

And can we PLEASE talk about the AUDIOBOOK?! 🎧🔥

Joe Arden, DJ Krimmer, and this entire cast understood the assignment. Maxine Mitchell, Andi Eloise, June DeBorahae, Joe Arden, James Cassidy, Sean Masters, and Gary Furlong brought this story to life, and the performances made the emotional moments hit even harder. The narration was SO GOOD, and honestly, this is exactly why I love a full-cast audiobook. When the performances pull you deeper into the story, you know you’ve got something special.

Grim set the bar, and Asher absolutely lived up to it. I love when a sequel expands the world, gives us more to think about, and leaves us wanting to spend even MORE time with these characters.

BUT NOW I HAVE QUESTIONS. I HAVE FEELINGS. AND I AM NOT READY TO LEAVE THIS WORLD. 😩

I NEED A THIRD BOOK. And listen to me very carefully: BIG D BETTER GET HIS TIME TO SHINE!!! I have not been this invested in wanting a character to get his own story just to be left waiting. Joe and DJ, PLEASE HEAR US OUT! 😂👏🏻

Five freaking stars for the story, the characters, the emotional journey, and an audiobook performance that was absolute perfection.

If you’re listening to this series, do yourself a favor and listen to it in order. Start with Grim, then dive into Asher. Trust me, you want to experience these connections for yourself!

FINAL VERDICT: Give me more Lost Souls, more interconnected characters, more emotional damage, and BIG D’S STORY. I AM BEGGING. 🖤💀🎧

[Cennet · Rating 5 out of 5]

TL;DR: A love that outlasts death, a cast that makes you feel every moment, and an ending I’m still taking personally.

Apparently reading this book once wasn’t enough emotional damage, because I came back for the audio. I knew what was coming. That did not help.

Asher and Maddy’s love is what makes this story hurt so much. Going back to their stolen moments in the 1800s, when he was a blacksmith and they were two people desperate for a life together, makes the centuries of grief and yearning feel enormous. There’s so much tenderness between them, and I wanted them to have every ordinary little thing they never got the chance to share. Some of the ways DJ Krimmer and Joe Arden explore love and loss caught me completely off guard, even when I thought I was prepared.

Thankfully, Big D is here to be ridiculous, because I needed the laughter. The banter was already hilarious on the page, but hearing the cast deliver those lines with exactly the inflection I’d imagined made me love them even more. Being back with this crew is such a huge part of the appeal. I care about their friendships just as much as I care about the romance.

And Blue Nose absolutely delivered on this audio. Sean Masters and June deBorahae brought so much feeling to Asher and Maddy, and the full cast—Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell, Andi Eloise, James Cassidy, and Gary Furlong—made returning to the OtherWorld such a treat. The emotional delivery made the painful moments hit harder, while the comic timing had me laughing all over again. The production is immaculate. If you enjoy GraphicAudio but want something toned down a little, this is very much worth a listen. I listened at 1.75x and loved the experience.

The story does move frequently between past and present, so keep that in mind if timeline shifts aren’t usually your thing. And yes, there is a cliffhanger. Knowing it was coming this time did nothing to make me more accepting of the words THE END.

Thank you to Blue Nose Audio, DJ Krimmer, and Joe Arden for the ALC and another chance to fall apart over these characters.

[Kelly's Sound Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asher audiobook review 🎧

As expected, this audiobook is beautifully performed and executed. The sound effects and music are so crisp and clear. The entire production is absolutely masterfully done!

The performances from the entire cast were phenomenal. I had so many moments of laughter and tears, which is a testament to how well the narrators brought these characters and their emotions to life.

As for the story, this was a hard transition for me after Grim. I felt like there was an extreme shift in mood, and I struggled to feel fully engaged from beginning to end.

Stylistically, the heavy use of flashbacks and the way things gradually became clearer as the story progressed didn't hit the way I had hoped. I think this is a personal preference, and the intention was for us to discover things as the characters did. It just didn't land the way I wanted it to.

I actually had to go back and listen to the first half of the story again to really connect with the characters. During my first listen, I didn't find myself caring much about Asher and Maddy's story until around the 60% mark.

That being said, listening to the first half again opened my eyes to so many little details I missed the first time around, and I absolutely loved that! It's already making me appreciate the story more.

There's also a huge cliffhanger, along with some moments and unanswered questions that I'm hoping will pay off in future books. I have faith that Joe and DJ can bring everything together in a way that feels cohesive, and I'm confident that things will make more sense as we continue through the series.

My rating: 4/5 ⭐

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those stories that grows on me the more I reflect on it. I can already tell that's happening after revisiting the first half, and I'm really curious to see how everything comes together in the next book!

Also, I did receive the ALC but did have the book pre-ordered for months! So, thank you Otherworld management. 🖤🔥