Love You to Death: the perfect new swoony grim reaper romance

by Jenna Levine

'A DROP-DEAD DELIGHTFUL GRIM REAPER ROMANCE'
EMILY KREMPHOLTZ

A jaded grim reaper and a woman who wants another chance at life give 'til death do us part a new meaning in this paranormal romance from Jenna Levine, the bestselling author of My Roommate is a Vampire

He came for her soul. She left with his heart.

Lucy McKenzie's life has always been a disaster. So it should come as no surprise when one day she's hit by an inconveniently-timed bus - and dies. Unfortunately for the handsome grim reaper who shows up to take her to the afterlife, Lucy is not about to go quietly.

Daniel is tired of his job collecting souls. While working for the Agency beats the heck out of going to Hell, he's been doing this for literal ages. The drudgery has him yearning for more. Touched by Lucy's plea for more time on earth, he convinces the Agency to make a Lucy can have six more weeks of life if Daniel can observe her and report back on humanity.

But as Lucy and Daniel navigate the chaos of life and afterlife together, they discover that a second chance at living might be their real chance at love.

Praise for JENNA LEVINE

'A love story that will warm grim hearts everywhere . . . the perfect read for celebrating spooky season year round!' MALLORY MARLOWE

'Hilarious and heart-warming . . . mixes sparkling wit, poignant emotion and swoonworthy romance' SARAH HAWLEY

'A fun, swoony, spicy read' OLIVIA DADE

'As dazzlingly romantic as it is laugh out loud funny. A truly bewitching read' KATE GOLDEN

'Some of the best kissing scenes I've ever read' ISABEL CAÑAS

'Everything I want in a romcom' INDIA HOLTON

'Wonderfully weird and sexy as hell' ALICIA THOMPSON

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

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2026

About the author

By day, Jenna Levine works to increase access to affordable housing in the American South. By night, she is a USA Today bestselling romance novelist of humorous paranormal and contemporary romances where everyone always finds love, no matter who (... or what) they are.

When Jenna isn't writing she can usually be found imagining she is hiking somewhere beautiful, starting knitting projects she won't finish, or spending time with her family and small army of cats.

Instagram: jennalevinewrites
Web site: jennalevine.com

Reviews

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

jenna levine NEVER. MISSES.

i adored this with my whole soul (see what i did there). i read this in literally one sitting, not a single break to be had. this was so wonderful - i adore anything magical realism based, especially to do with the afterlife, so this hit all of my marks. the romance was incredibly sweet, the characters were so easy to root for, and it has the typical jenna levine charm woven into the writing. it made me giggle many times. highly, highly recommend checking this out once it’s released!!!

[DianaRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

i haven’t read jenna levine since her debut, but i do love a second chance at life romance… so i was overjoyed to have been approved for an arc of her latest romance novel! 🩵🙂‍↕️

love you to death is a fun bite of a romance novel with the increasingly popular second chance at life trope, and i got rather emotional at times when our fmc lucy was devastated with facing the reality she may have to go without seeing her sister get married, and for her grumpy cat wilfred to be forced into an unfamiliar home…

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love You to Death is exactly what it looks like: a fun, low-stakes paranormal romance. It’s nothing groundbreaking and honestly pretty forgettable, but it was a super easy weekend read.
Lucy and Daniel were cute despite the heavy insta-lust, and the conflict at the end was meh. But if you just want a comfort read, this is pretty charming!

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!

[Grace Quan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought a romance book about death would be so funny and heartwarming?

I was really impressed with this book; it was the first thing I’ve read from Jenna Lavine and I’ll definitely be checking out her other titles.

Lucy McKenzie feels like she’s failing at life. From her soul sucking job, to her chaos apartment, everything about her is a hot mess. So when she tragically gets hit by a bus and dies, it’s basically par for the course. On the other side she meets Daniel, a reaper in charge of collecting souls, and Lucy and Daniel’s love story begins.

· ˚ ⊹☁️ ⌇ thoughts.

I had the best time reading this book. It was the perfect balance of humorous, wholesome and high stakes. The characters really stood out to me the most. Lucy was a chaotic joy, and Daniel’s dry humor was so fun to read about. His puns about death had me giggling like a fool. Lucy and Daniel’s banter was top notch. Daniel was such an old soul (literally) and Lucy was a rambunctious one, so their interactions were always interesting. I was rooting so hard for them to be together, and the plot progression lead me there in the most satisfying way.

This was such a unique story, I loved the concept and the execution was better than I would have imagined. My only complaint is that the description of the afterlife was not very vivid. I wish the whole system of the afterlife was expand on a little more. I gleaned that there is not a simple Heaven and Hell, but a more complex system based on your behavior on earth. This was an interesting concept that I wish was explored more in depth. It felt a little bare bones and vague.

Besides that, this book had excellent conflict and a satisfying resolution. The romance and sweet and just the right amount of spicy. Overall, this book was such a fun time! Perfect for fans of paranormal romance, with a touch of humor and heart.

4.5 stars
~•~•~•~
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

📆 Publication date: October 12, 2026

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I never imagined a book focused on death would be such a delight to read!! This was a lot more low-stakes and wholesome than I thought it would be and I loved it. It was both emotional and a comfort read, I read it in one breath.

Lucy always thought her life was one disaster after another, but when a bus hits her and she dies, that thought becomes a reality. Unfortunately for Daniel, the grim reaper in charge of taking her soul, she's not ready to let go.. Daniel is tired of taking souls and touched by her plea asks his employers to extend her life.. They accept and extend it by eight weeks, but he's instructed to watch her and report back about humans. The more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows, but how can it end well then they already have their destiny's decided? 

I adored Lucy, she was such a light, I wish she saw herself as others did.. She was brave, loyal and and such a joy, it made me sad that she always undersold herself. Her love towards her sister really shone through the story!!
Daniel was such a sweetheart, it broke my heart seeing the guilt and grief he carried, how lonely and touch-starved he was.. It made me tear up at certain parts, I just wanted to give him a hug. 
I also loved Jess, she was such a great sister and their bond was so special.

I never read a book with this concept and I truly enjoyed it!! It was unique, funny and incredibly charming. Death being surrounded with so much bureaucracy and with such a boring setting was honestly befitting.. I do wish we got more of it and more about other reapers too.
The love story, while insta-lusty, was also incredibly cute, filled with banter, spice and some beautiful moments. Seeing them get closer, even when they knew they shouldn't, the moments he was so protective over her and the lake trip, it was all so heartwarming.

The conclusion was satisfying, it was bold and kinda ridiculous, I absolutely loved it!! I do have some questions though..
Overall, I had an amazing time and I'll definitely check this author's other works, I quite enjoyed her writing!!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC.*

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Jenna Levine for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A Reaper and a human meet at a retirement party. This was funny, emotionally complex, consistently sweet, eventually steamy, and very heartfelt. A book about death and a second chance at life is naturally going to reflect on what makes us human, which I think the author handled in a fantastic way. Definitely had me teary-eyed in places and I loved the sincerity of these characters. They’re a lil messy and very overwhelmed at the circumstances they find themselves in, but there’s a lovely story that unfolds.

Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and both are experienced. The H hasn’t been touched in over a century and the h had some crappy relationships.

Some tropes/themes:
☆ Reaper MMC x human FMC
☆ Forbidden romance
☆ She’s technically his job
☆ Never hurts to ask, they can only say no
☆ She dies but gets a time-limited second chance
☆ MMC is supposed to be studying humanity, he just can’t take his eyes off her
☆ Sisterly bond
☆ Cute cat
☆ Ohhhhh the tension and the “we shouldn’t, but we want to anyway”
☆ Lower stakes feel
☆ Character driven
☆ Bureaucracy and red tape
☆ Depressed workforce/job discussions
☆ FMC brings color to the MMC
☆ They both remind the other of their value
☆ Paranormal bond

The story starts with Daniel (H) finding himself in a waiting room after death and being offered a way to avoid what his afterlife was supposed to be by becoming a Reaper. Then we jump to the present day, where Lucy (h) is a mess, lovable, but a mess. Unfortunately, despite her wishes to get things together and specifically be the best support for her sister’s upcoming wedding, her mortal time has reached its end. Daniel is the Reaper assigned to the job and even as he’s immediately entranced by Lucy’s light and brightness, he’s got to complete his task. He’s also baffled at some unusual occurrences in their interactions, such as Lucy being able to touch him. The job continues to be surprising when Lucy attempts to bargain and Daniel actually goes to bat for her. One short reprieve later, Lucy’s back in her body and Daniel’s dropping in, ostensibly to study humanity, but really to bask in Lucy mostly.

I enjoyed the focus on what the main characters were feeling and how rounded they ended up being. There’s depth to their characterizations that made them endearing and relatable. My heart hurt more for Daniel though, especially once he shared his past. Thankfully plenty of humor and cuteness is mixed in with the feels too. Romance-wise, this is a gradual progression and a slow burn. Although they’re both attracted to each other from the start, they’re in a tenuous position. Sure we have forced proximity and good chemistry, but neither sees a future together. The clock is also ticking down. When lines do get crossed, it’s well written and steamy, giving a couple of explicit scenes. The love declarations were also just right.

Despite the high emotions present, this was a pretty easy read. The story flows along well and never dragged. Sometimes it can get a bit repetitive in Lucy’s thoughts, but she’s also processing this enormous change still so I gave her a pass. Daniel wasn’t the most communicative at first so it was easy to misconstrue some of his reactions. Again, he gets a pass considering his world has been thrown for a loop too.

All of this builds to the climax, which was honestly surprising for me. I enjoyed the ballsiness of it. It’s funny and so human. Plus the resolutions to both Lucy’s situation and Daniel’s work circumstances was just the HEA needed to tie it all up with a bow. I still had some lingering questions on what things looked like a bit further out and some may consider this more of a HFN ending because of that. The last scenes with them are only a short jump ahead and they’re still working out what’s new and different themselves. I would love to see a bonus epilogue for them several years down the road. Still, both finding joy in their love and getting to savor that was a solid place to leave them.

Side note: I really enjoy these takes on the afterlife operating with departments and how different authors offer unique features. Don’t think because you’ve read one such take that they’re all the same.

[Eleanor · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Love You to Death is a tender and emotional paranormal romance following Lucy, a woman who suddenly finds herself in the hands of a grim reaper after she dies, and Daniel, said reaper, who has no idea how to deal with Lucy and her effervescent soul after she refuses to leave without a fight. I had such a good time with this warm and swoony read! I absolutely loved Lucy and Daniel together; the two were so sweet and just had the best communication. They were perfect for each other, and it was so lovely to see them fall for each other as they opened up and learned how to be there for one another. Aside from the romance, all the paranormal workplace elements made for such a fun time. I loved that we got to see into Daniel’s time as a reaper and how the afterlife bureaucracy worked; it added so much to the story!

What to expect:
☠️Grumpy x Sunshine☠️
📖Age Gap📖
☠️Hurt x Comfort☠️
📖Forced Proximity📖
☠️He Falls First☠️

~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Srivalli Rekha · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

One Liner: It was okay

Lucy McKenzie’s messy life seems to have an unsurprising end when she is killed by a bus. However, she is determined not to go with the handsome grim reaper without a fight.

Daniel is tired of collecting souls for the Agency in the afterlife, so when Lucy asks for more time on Earth, he makes a deal with the Agency. Six weeks of allowing Lucy to live while he observes her and reports back on humanity.

Little did they know that these six weeks would give them a second chance at life and love.

The story comes in Lucy and Daniel’s first-person POVs.

My Thoughts

This is not a bad book, but it wasn’t particularly good either. It is low-stakes with good pacing.

Moreover, the corporate version of the afterlife has lost its newness. It was interesting when I read it for the first time, but now, all afterlife worlds feel the same: white décor, corporate office structuring and terminology, an apathetic employee, aka the hero who collects souls, and never-ending manuals for do’s and don’ts. Think differently, please.

We get both POVs, though the FMC gets a greater %. She is your average American in her late 20s. Nothing really stands out, which is the point, I suppose.

The MMC is a walking cliché. Way too handsome and hot, weary of his eternal job as a reaper, but someone falls in love with this hot-mess FMC. He spent close to a century and four decades as a reaper, but no one captured his interest… until now.

While I like that it’s low-stakes, I didn’t like that it was surface-level too. Can’t see why he is attracted to her vibrant aura. I thought there were hints of some bigger connection, but nothing came of it. She is attracted to him because of his looks and that someone as handsome pays her attention.

There’s some mandatory spice, which was okay. I can’t enjoy spice without connecting with the characters, so it felt more like extra detail than a real bond strengthening.

The resolution is in line with the plot, so it wasn’t that surprising. But it was sweet enough, even if I have questions.

To summarize, Love You to Death is a decent time-pass read if you want a romance with some death and afterlife drama.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #LoveYouToDeath

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

”You are the only spark of light and joy I have known in one hundred and thirty five years. You are like finally seeing color after an eternity in black-and-white. It’s like that every time you touch me. Every time you smile.”

i’ve read a few grim reaper x human romances, so i’m definitely starting to notice a pattern. that’s not to say i didn’t still enjoy this book though, bc it was still cute!

Daniel and Lucy have a sort of awkwardness to them that i found endearing, i also love how much Daniel admired Lucy’s emotions and the way she expresses them since he’s supposed to be indifferent to things like that. the inclusion of sisterly bonds was sweet too, as the main reason Lucy wanted extra time was to spend it with her sister and help her with the wedding.

i will always live for the torment of a touch starved man, but Daniel’s backstory about why he became a reaper in the first place was a bit random to me. i just wasn’t 100% sold on their romance or the book itself, but i thought the way this wrapped up was a nice touch.

➷ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Berkley Publishing Group for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[Maeghan 🦋 semi-hiatus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to NetGalley & Berkley for a chance to review this arc! 💘

Love you to death follows two characters (human fmc & reaper mmc) as the fmc dies and the mmc tries to buy her time. They’re both bad at their respective jobs but the bureaucracies is also getting in the way so can they really be blamed?

I really liked how effortlessly deep this was. It never felt heavy but it was emotional in a way that was relatable. The fmc gets an opportunity to live 8 weeks after her death, until her sister’s wedding. What I liked most is that she didn’t behave in a ‘cliché’ type of way (like wanting to travel the world in the time that’s left or do absolutely impossible activities or things) ; she just wanted to be a better sister. It made her so endearing and I liked how it all went. Especially since her sister never even thought she wasn’t a good sister to begin with, so it was just very wholesome to me.

There’s obviously romance between the mc’s but for me, this novel was more about making the most of the time we have (basically live like you were dying, like that Tim Mcgraw’s song that makes me bawl my eyes out every time) and sisterly love.
This novel also topples the feeling of never being good enough & low self esteem.

The work problems & solutions made me laugh a few times. The whole ‘play room’ and forcing colleague bonding made me cackle. It was a good depiction of one of those work places that thought colleagues could only be effective if they bonded outside of work.

Overall, I really enjoyed this! I thought it was only going to be a cute romance but it ended up being so much more, effortlessly.

[meggthereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun that I literally never wanted it to come to an end. Jenna’s books are an instant read after her Vampire series and this book has easily become my absolute favorite of hers. I easily read blew through this book in a day because I simply just couldn’t put it down. My hands were glued to my kindle.

From the first page I immediately fell in love with Lucy. She is just trying to get by in life without everything around her going up in flames. So it’s just her luck when she walks across the street she’s hit by a bus. When the grim reaper shows up to take her to the after life, it is none other than the same handsome stranger she was just talking to only moments ago. Well Lucy is not one to go quietly. This makes things a hell of a lot harder for Daniel who is just trying to get by. He is tired of collecting souls and being a grim reaper which has him yearning for more. When Lucy begs for a second chance, he convinces The Agency to give her six more weeks of her life in exchange, Daniel can observe her and what it’s like to be human. Seems easy enough right?

This really was the perfect book from beginning to end. Not only are you rooting for Lucy but you are also rooting for Daniel as well. If the banter and hilarious moments don’t make you stay, the spice alone will definitely.

*Thank you so much NetGalley and Jenna Levine for the ARC!*

[ahmeeka]

I heard the best way to store early copies of this is to send it to my postal address for safe keeping <3

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4 out of 5]

DANIEL! 🥵🥵🥵 New book boyfriend unlocked??

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
I am leaving my honest review thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley’s advanced reader copy. This book comes out October 13, 2026.
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– FMC: Lucy McKenzie (aka “lyusya” or “dorogaya” or “sweetheart”). 28-year-old admin who hates her job, is trying to be everything for her little sister, and wants to be an all around better human.
– MMC: Daniel Ivanov. A grim reaper who is just going through the motions until a chance encounter with one of his targets changes everything
– Location: Tennessee
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 2-3 open-door spicy scenes
– Tropes: paranormal romance, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, protective MMC, deadline, sister relationship, age gap (over a hundred years), he falls first and harder, complex workplace dynamics

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

This is my first (but not last) read written by Jenna Levine, and it is a great paranormal romance that I think many readers will enjoy.

What worked most for me was Daniel. As a grim reaper, you could feel that he had given up on the hope for change. He did his job, but that’s about it. And this quote about Daniel sums it up perfectly:
“𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚕𝚘𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚊 𝚋𝚊𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙷𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚢? 𝙷𝚎'𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎.”
Isn’t that the truth! But then here comes flawed, but optimistic Lucy who has the ability to touch him and suddenly you see Daniel “come to life”. His protective streak paired with his devotion to Lucy’s well-being during her last days was exactly how I like my MMCs.

I mean, c’mon:
“𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔-𝚊𝚗𝚍-𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎.”

And not for nothing, Lucy is Daniel’s right back. She just has a lot of other things to process--which at times took me out of the story. I understand that she felt inadequate, but I didn’t ever see her being treated like she wasn’t. I wanted there to be a little more reason for her to be so...lacking of self-confidence? But despite that, she finds her voice, her purpose and watching that unfold is a joy. I really enjoyed the “Dead Like Me”-adjacent aspect of Lucy’s timeline running short and how that all panned out.

Would I Recommend?: Yes! This is going to be a perfect spooky szn book for the romance readers who like their ghosts, demons, and reapers to be “down bad” instead of just downright “bad”




─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven————✧———————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy—————✧——————Heavy/Emotional



•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[mimi (catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got pretty invested in this story for a girl so terrified of dying.

I rarely get as eager to know what will be of MCs as much as I did with Lucy and Daniel, but I also am rarely so little frightened for them with such a worst-case-scenario-ending possibly happening.

The author obviously doesn’t have all the answers to my questions, as she decided to give us a HEA and explain what her imagination could muster, without straight-up lying.
Does it bother me? Yes.
Is it a clever way of saying that, even if this story revolves around a Reaper and what could happen after dying, no one can have all the answers and life must be lived at its fullest? Also, yes.

For real, tho, I'm not sure I’d have enjoyed it as much as I did without the medication I take every morning.
What I know is that this was addictive in a way I haven't felt in a while and, as much as I cringed at Lucy more than I’d have wanted, the storytelling was just *chef’s kiss*.

↠ 3.8 stars

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Larareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adore this book with my whole heart. It's my first Jenna Levine book and I can't believe I've waited so long to read her work. Literally read this in one sitting in about 4 hours and I had the best time!

Honestly can't wait to read more of her books and I'm really hoping this will be a series because I need more of these characters!

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Love You to Death by Jenna Levine
Paranormal romance.
Lucy McKenzie is scheduled to die via bus accident the night she meets Daniel, a reaper, at a party. Her life has been one mess after another but she needs to still prove to her worth to her sister at her wedding. When he collects her after the bus accident, she bargains with the Agency to have more time living. She needs to help her sister at her wedding in six weeks. Daniel doesn’t know why, but the Agency actually agrees conditional on his taking substantial notes on humanity and her life specifically.
Unsurprisingly, her life is still chaotic but Daniel finds himself enthralled. Yes, a lot has changed in the hundred plus years he’s been a reaper, but more than that, there is just something special about Lucy.

Filled with a lot of humor, Lucy is still accident prone, but so filled with exuberance and determination to do the best for her sister. It’s charmingly sweet. Daniel is under a lot of pressure to save her. She’s quirky and he falls a little more under her spell each day they are together.
Fun banter and growing love with an eye to living life to the max. A good reminder to choose happy.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

[Clare Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Jenna is doing something really special with bringing her readers in on the joke. I adore her stories, and this romance is possibly her most tender of all <3

[Steph ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun, I really enjoyed it!

[SHOMPA · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

Such a shame because this is exactly the kind of story I usually enjoy. I loved their chemistry and all the angst, it started off really well. Sadly the overall storytelling and especially the ending didn't quite live up to its potential. Left me pretty disappointed.

[Oleksandra · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4,5✨

🥹🤌🤌🤌💘

Я взагалі не очікувала, що настільки кайфану від цієї книги та так порину в сюжет, що прочитаю її за день (це подвиг для мене та мого равликового читання 😅)

І якщо чесно, спочатку мені було боляче її читати, відчувала себе мазохісткою в якійсь мірі. Через саму тему раптової смерті в мене постійно крутились думки «а що якби…». Але якось все було настільки легко написано, що я не впадала в апатію та прострацію.

Гумор, легкість та герої тримали мою кукуху на плаву та не давали зациклюватися і я продовжувала займатись ескапізмом.

Якщо коротенько про сюжет - жгг помирає абсолютно неочікувано (нещасний випадок на дорозі), чгг - жнець, який мав забрати її душу та допомогти перейти в інший світ. Але замість логічного фіналу вони укладають угоду - ще 8 тижнів життя, щоб завершити всі справи (основна задача для жгг: організувати дівич-вечір та весілля сестрі, яке буде через 6 тижнів) й прожити цей час по-справжньому (звільнитись з не улюбленої роботи як мінімум)

І весь цей сюжет чомусь постійно нагадував мені атмосферу фільмів початку 2000-х. У цьому було щось дуже тепле й трохи дивне - ніби історія не намагається бути геніальною, а просто дає тобі добре провести час.

Як завжди пару слів про чгг… Деніал… 🫠 Він взагалі моя окрема любов у цій книзі. Він не ідеальний книжковий чоловік, у нього є ця незграбність людини (чи не зовсім людини, бо йому вже десь 150 років), яка тільки вчиться розуміти чужі почуття. Але те, як він дивився на неї та вловлював її стан… Певно це той випадок, коли чоловік розуміє та «бачить» тебе без додаткових пояснень та підказок.

І мені ще дуже сподобалось, що книга не робить із «найкращого життя» щось грандіозне. Не обов’язково встигнути все. Іноді достатньо просто перестати жити так, ніби часу безкінечно багато.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a book focused on death it was so wholesome!! It was very sweet and I was very impressed by it! This is the first book by Jenna Lavine that I’ve read but I will absolutely be reading her backlist now!

I love Lucy and Daniel! This was a Reaper romance done incredibly well! There’ve been a few that have come out this year but this absolutely holds its own and brings some fun new ideas to the subgenre.

This book did a great job at balancing the funny moments with the serious ones. Like yes the FMC did just get squished by a bus, but it’s chill. 😂 I thought the stakes were really well thought out as well. I loved how badly she wanted to be there for her sister’s wedding and her whole relationship with her sister.

The banter is bantering in this book! And I loved Daniel’s puns. I feel like they were able to bounce off of each other very well that added that little something extra to the book.

Overall, I highly recommend this! The premise is fun and I think it would be a great book to pick up for spooky season!

👻Read if you like: 👻
Paranormal romance
Forced proximity
Grumpy (kind of) x Sunshine
Dual POV
Touched starved yearner boy MMC
He falls first

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was reallllllly cute

I’ve been loving ghost / grim reaper / defying death romances lately (shoutout grim tidings) and this one is no exception.

I’ve read Jenna’s vampire romances so I knew I’d love her writing style & lightness over a story that could’ve very easily turned super dark

HIGHLY recommend for anyone wanting an autumn transitional read that isn’t (a) 700 pages and (b) stressful - I don’t have it in me to deal with that when it’s still hot out!!!!

things to know:
- human x grim reaper
- he’s H.O.T. Lonely Boy
- shy x sunshine
- dual pov

4.5-5 stars

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna Levine literally cannot miss. I would love to give this 6 stars.
I am quite literally obsessed with the "My Vampire" series that this author has done in the past. So, when I saw this, I was basically over the moon.
I expected greatness- and I received just that. GREATNESS.

There are so many flawless aspects to this book.
The character development? I love it.
Lucy and Daniel are actually perfect, and I will not be convinced otherwise.

The plot and writing are both phenomenal too.
I mean, this reads SO insanely easily. It's interesting, romantic, and just a lot of fun.

I do desperately wish that Lucy would have gotten to see Daniel in his natural, grim reaper form!
I was awaiting that moment for the entire story honestly. (It does sort of come up, but not really in a way that I thought it would.)
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, just the teeniest bit of a let down for my personally. But not nearly enough to impact my rating.

Overall, this is exceptional!
I totally see it being a big hit for the halloween season.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and author Jenna Levine, for providing me with the eARC of "Love You to Death", in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: October 13, 2026

[Lina · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

2.75 / 5 Stars
I really enjoyed “My Roommates is a Vampire” and “My Vampire Plus-One” but this book didn’t work as well for me.

I’ll start with what I liked. I love a man who hasn’t felt anything in a long time and the FMC shows up and he’s like “UH OH, WHAT ARE THESE INSIDE THINGS THAT I FEEL NOW?” It is one of my favorite tropes and Daniel inhabited that perfectly. I also love the grumpy x sunshine trope and it was really fun here.

Jenna Levine’s style of writing is also very easy to read. It kind of just flows over you like water which is really nice.

I also really liked all of the silly bureaucracy of the afterlife. Of course, there is an Inhuman Department and an Accounts Receivable Department. Why not? Those were really fun treats.

I just felt like, for most of the book, the action felt really low stakes which was strange because it was literal life or death. But even so, ultimately most of the book was a slice of life look at Lucy’s life and that just didn’t really hold my attention.

I also had a hard time with details that felt like they should have been important but didn’t really end up with a pay off. For example, why do we learn that Daniel can’t go into water if there was no pay off (and he did end up covered in rain…). Maybe I missed something, but my brain latches on to those things thinking they’ll be important plot points after and then they aren't, which ends up being disappointing for me.

I think if you are looking for a lower stakes, paranormal romance, you might enjoy this.

You will probably like this book if you like:
⭐ Paranormal romance (he’s a grim reaper)
⭐ Grumpy x sunshine
⭐ Hurt / comfort
⭐ He falls first and harder
⭐ He’s touch starved
⭐ There’s a fun orange cat

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: October 13, 2026

⋆ ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆

[Aardvark Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s just another soul-sucking day at the office: slogging through endless paperwork, dealing with HR, and trying not to piss off the big boss, or there’ll be hell to pay…literally.

Because the boss is Satan, HR is actually IR (or Inhuman Resources), and you’re stuck poring over your Reaper’s Handbook to see if the gorgeous recently-dead human whose soul you’ve been tasked with ferrying to the afterlife is eligible for resurrection.

Love You to Death is a workplace comedy-slash-paranormal romance from the author who brought us the unforgettable My Vampire Plus-One, and honestly, we just couldn’t resist. Especially during spooky season—when we’re sipping apple cider and snuggling into fuzzy blankets and craving something light and romantic, we want to make sure we’re also getting a healthy dose of undead charm. This book is giving the same energy as skull-and-crossbones microfoam art atop your morning cappuccino: cozy and terrifying at the same time, just what October is all about.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 4 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Reaper x Human
➼ He Falls First
➼ Age Gap
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ She’s His Assignment
➼ Afterlife Bureaucracy
➼ Touch Starved MMC
➼ Her Cat Loves Him
➼ Paranormal Romance
➼ Narrated by Amanda Stribling & Nico Vail
➼ Dual First Person POV

This was really cute and it was fun to read something a little different by this author. I enjoyed this equally as much as My Vampire Plus-One, but this MMC was definitely my favorite! There was something very pure about him and his contradictory desire to protect her. I thought the whole premise was honestly very interesting. He was basically stuck doing a soulless office job in the afterlife which made me think a lot about how sad it is that we spend so much of our lives at work. He had been just numbly going through the motions until he met her. Love at first sight isn’t usually my favorite, but there was something so lovely about him putting himself on the line for her. Something about her stood out to him so much that he couldn’t stop himself from risking it all to make her circumstances even a little better.

Such a sweet read with a really lovely outcome. This was a perfect read for spooky season!

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 Squeezing in one more Spooky Season read in October!

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[Erin · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

☆ 3.5 stars

Love You to Death by author Jenna Levine is a a fun Paranormal Romance with an exciting premise and gorgeous cover to match that is bound to capture your attention. This was such an endearing and heartfelt tale capturing humanity in all its duality in moments of both mundane and significance. The contrast between the vibrancy of life and the apathy found in death felt well depicted and aptly utilised to help drive the purpose of the story forward. The writing felt easy to fall into as I found the chapters melting away before my very eyes with my unwillingness to put my kindle down. This is one of those cosy, romantic tales that is bound to make you smile whilst sitting in reflection about the message being communicated between the lines. The stakes somehow managed to feel very ‘low’ despite a literal human life being at risk which was interesting to come to terms with even in the end. This is a wonderful comfort read that can be consumed with ease which I personally enjoyed as a palette cleanser between two long, world-building heavy stories.

Lucy was a lovely character to learn about with the heart of the story centring around the life she has lived and all that she seeks to lose should Death come calling as planned. I really sympathised with the way her entire existence has been shrouded in feelings of self-doubt as Lucy continuously seems to berate herself for not acting upon the societal roles that she believes to be her responsibility. She fears failure above all else, especially when it involves the people that matter most to her, and it broke my heart to see how little belief and value she held in her ability to succeed. Whilst I do believe that Lucy’s journey was explored with great emotional depth in terms of her life and what more she wishes to achieve, I do also feel like by the end we had barely scratched the surface. I saw so much more potential in her character throughout and found myself consistently anticipating a revelation or a ‘spark’ that never truly arrived. Her bond with her sister is clearly strong and runs deeper than eyes could ever see… however I couldn’t help but note that the majority of their interactions revolved around Lucy’s innate need to make Jess ‘proud’ alongside Jess’s constant reaffirmations that her sister is perfect as she is. I would’ve loved to have seen more from that relationship alongside deep refraction into their difficult childhoods to better understand Lucy for who she is. I just found myself struggling to connect with her at times as moments of emotional depth also toed the line in coming across as surface level. With that being said I greatly enjoyed Lucy’s capacity for vulnerability and the way she learns how to embrace all that she is. I would’ve loved to have seen more of what comes of her character in the end, but overall I’m pleased with how her journey concluded.

Daniel is a Reaper (not the grim kind) who felt like a reliable presence from the very beginning with his likeable demeanour and capacity for yearning which is something that I will always fold for. It was apparent how ‘down bad’ he was for Lucy from early in the story and his unwavering commitment to spending as much time with her as possible until duty recalled him back. It was endearing to witness an over 100-year old undead man practically fall over himself and experience emotional states of crisis all because he had formed a crush on an unattainable woman. I enjoyed his character a lot in the way all of his interactions reflected in his earnest intentions without ever asking for, nor expecting anything, in return. I do wish we could have seen more about Daniel’s past life to better connect with the growth he has exhibited from then into the present version that we then get to know about. His yearning for life and human experiences felt written with great emotional impact in its harsh lesson that you don’t always appreciate what you have until it’s gone. Daniel felt like a great representation in this regard and I had a lot of fun getting to see him embrace humanity in all of its messiness… even when he didn’t necessarily want to. I do wish we had gotten to know more about his character as an individual outside of his budding romance and miserable career path as in the end I don’t think I could name five simple, mundane facts that help to shape Daniel as a person. However, there’s no denying that this is a sweet man whom is capable of so much vibrancy and love, and is very much deserving of the happily ever after that we get to leave him with.

The circumstances surrounding Lucy and Daniel meeting is far from a meet-cute with tragedy being implemented within their story from the beginning. I was really curious to see how Levine would manage to portray a romantic connection between the Reaper being sent to collect a human soul after Death, and the human who would do anything for another chance at life. The reality was entirely different from anything I could’ve ever imagined with Daniel being a mere cog in an ever-moving wheel with no power to make life-changing decisions as I had initially perceived. I had a lot of fun with the premise itself and I appreciated that their unexpected connection began with the foundations of friendship. Attraction between both characters is immediate, however I did enjoy that both Lucy and Daniel end up taking a more slow-burn approach as they take the time to get to know one another outside of that attraction. I adored the way that Daniel viewed Lucy and his ability to soothe her deepest worries with his heartfelt emotions. The way he wears his emotions on his sleeve matched perfectly with Lucy’s capacity to feel everything deeply which opened the door to meaningful and vulnerable conversations. Their connection felt effortless in its execution and inevitable in the underlying suggestion that they’re soulmates (should this universe have such magic.) I will say I wish we had been granted greater clarification in the bond that Lucy and Daniel share from the very beginning in the rareness of it. The way that she can touch and converse with Daniel without feeling that sixth sense that warms humans away from his presence alongside their ability to communicate telepathically is never really explained, which is why I’ve inevitably landed on the ‘soulmate’ theory. In the end I greatly enjoyed Lucy and Daniel’s relationship development as they evolve into such a sweet pair that couldn’t be more perfectly matched if they tried.

Overall, Love You to Death was an enjoyable and heartfelt tale about two emotionally tortured souls falling in-love despite the odds stacked against them. Being born in a different centuries and only one of them being in possession of a functional, beating heart meant nothing in a story that felt inevitable from the beginning. I had a few expectations and anticipations going in that hadn’t been met which had an impact in the reading experience for me, however this is not a reflection of the story in itself and is instead a very much ‘me’ problem. This is the perfect story to cosy up to in the colder months with a blanket to cuddle into and your favourite beverage set aside waiting to be consumed.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

[Nic & Ry Meltdownerz · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and author for send a copy of this book.

I enjoyed it overall, it's a really fun premise and more ambitious than I first imagined.

Fun characters and it was the perfect book for this time of year.

I would recommend this to anyone who already likes this genre of stories. Not my usual genre personally, but happy I got a chance to experience this.

[Kristina Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You are the only spark of light and joy I have known in 135 years. You are like finally seeing in color after an eternity of black and white.“

Jenna Levine’s “Love You to Death” is a paranormal romance about a reaper and the woman whose life he has come to claim.

Daniel Ivanov was born in Russia one hundred and thirty-five years ago and grew up to commit a multitude of crimes. When he died, he was sentenced to hell, but luck intervened, and the Agency offered him a chance to become a reaper instead.

Twenty-eight-year-old Lucy McKenzie works as an administrative assistant at a college in Tennessee. After her father abandoned the family when she was four, Lucy, her mother, and her younger sister, Jess, learned to rely on one another. Lucy often feels as though her life is spiraling out of control and sees herself as a disaster, with Jess frequently stepping in to save her. When Lucy forgets an award at a work function, she hides behind Daniel, unaware that he is there to claim her life. But when she touches him, Daniel, who has gone more than a century without human contact, finds himself unexpectedly affected by the encounter.

When Daniel attempts to claim Lucy’s life, she fights back and asks for an extension until her sister’s wedding, which is six weeks away. The Agency grants her eight weeks before her soul must be claimed. Meanwhile, Daniel is tasked with filing reports on Lucy’s daily routines to help the Agency better understand humans. With the clock ticking, Daniel and Lucy must learn to navigate both life and the afterlife, and figure out whether they can do so together.

Levine’s writing has evolved since her debut novel. The characters feel less caricatured, and the story relies less on silly quirks and catchphrases. The ending wraps things up a little too neatly for my liking, but romance readers will appreciate the happily-ever-after that the genre promises.

I found myself comparing “Love You to Death” to B.K. Borison’s Grim Tidings, which I read just before it. Although Levine’s novel wasn’t as emotionally powerful for me, it was still an enjoyable paranormal romance with a fun premise

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does every romance book I've read lately have the exact same type of MMC? The moment the FMC sees him, she's instantly swooning over his looks, like 'OMG he's so hot!'. And it's always the same description: blue eyes, long legs, broad shoulders, cheekbones so sharp they could cut glass. This book literally put all of that into a single paragraph, that was ... honestly, unnecessary.

Hot take: not every romance MMC needs to look like a perfectly sculpted statue.

On top of that, from the very beginning, everything felt way too easy. Why do Lucy and Daniel immediately get what they want despite dealing with reapers and all the complications that should come with after life? Who exactly is Lucy? Is she really that important? No, I don't think so.

Aside from that, I didn't find anything particularly fresh or original about the plot. The dynamic between the main characters wasn't engaging either. Neither Lucy nor Daniel managed to capture my interest, and I honestly didn't find myself invested in either of them. So, yeah, 2 stars.