Dearly Departed

by Chip Pons

'Burns with heart, humor, and spectacular heat. I'm obsessed with this!' Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception

'THE romance book of 2026' Sara Cate, New York Times bestselling author of the Salacious Players' Club

From the beloved author of Winging It With You, comes a deliciously sexy Hades-inspired gay rom-com perfect for fans of Heated Rivalry and The Entanglement of Rival Wizards.

Hope is a dangerous thing for gods. Even former ones.

Hayden Harlow, once the mighty Hades, has spent centuries quietly resenting his fall from immortality. Stripped of his godhood, he now runs Harlow and Sons Funeral Home - a front for his eternal sentencing among mortals, and a bleak reminder of the purpose he's lost. Still, he's determined to claw his way back . . . if only the Fates at City Hall would stop toying with him.

Enter Levi a florist with an artist's heart, an infectious smile, and a gift for finding beauty in life's messiest moments. When Hayden storms into Levi's shop to complain about a bouquet of sunflowers, their worlds collide. Hayden is all restraint and shadows; Levi is all sunshine and charm. But beneath the clash lies an undeniable spark neither can ignore.

As their connection blossoms, Hayden finds himself caught between the life he once knew and the bright future Levi dares him to imagine. But trusting Levi means risking the walls he's kept in place all these years . . . and one choice can change everything.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, M M Romance, LGBT, Paranormal, Queer, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published June 16, 2026

About the author

Chip Pons grew up in a small lake town in Northern Michigan, where he discovered the kind of stories that make you believe in magic, love, and second chances. Now based in Washington, DC with his dream of a husband and their pup, Margot, he writes romances rooted in queer joy and the belief that everyone deserves their happily ever after.

When he isn't writing, Chip can be found wandering through bookstores, daydreaming about new characters, or shouting about his favorite reads on Bookstagram. And snacking, like, all the time.

Reviews

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 🌟 DNF @ 46% when i started to skim read the entirety of the first sex scene. if i ever skin smut in a book i’m done, like so done, cause clearly i couldn’t care less about the characters if i am doing this. also the dialogue in this book, no one is speaking like this… or am i too old? 😬

here’s the thing, this started off okay - but alas, the more i read the more i started to feel completely disconnected from everything about this story. i truly wasn’t expecting this to end up being a DNF, i was kinda expecting a 3ish star read. but yeah, it just was not good & there is something about this book that simply just wasn’t vibing for me. it very quickly went from ok to not great. the lack of depth certainly didn’t help either. i honestly expected more from this from all the praise i’d been seeing. i’ll be honest, because when am i not… in my opinion, this was completely ridiculous.

sure, the concept is fun and i started this book off thinking i’d have a cute and enjoyable time. however, these two fell in love so quickly. i don’t even know how to describe their initial interactions, insta something. they met once and were instantly on each others minds 24/7, but not in a gross lusty way, so i just let it slide & hoped for the best, because i wasn’t expecting miracles or 5 star vibes here. however, they fell in love so quickly 🥴 so you lost me LOL.
i also think because we had no time to develop a deeper connection to these two, i then had no hope of feeling anything towards their developing relationship.
i honestly also couldn’t take this seriously. i’m not saying every book is that serious, we can have fun with silly things but this one just, i don’t know man - from the writing it felt like it was trying to be serious but it’s deeply unserious 😭 i’m truly not being fussy here either.

i also found it SO bizarre that levi found out that hayden was hades but didn’t really care? he’s literally mortal and just like ‘sweet as, your the former god of the underworld’ - urm ok? i think this is where i can pin point that i’d been lost. because who wouldn’t question this?!?!?!
also why did literally no one in this small town wonder why this dude never aged?? bruh. y’all dumb clearly.
honestly it all felt very surface level. it was definitely lighthearted but i wasn’t finding it comical, more just leaning towards superficial and cheesy at times. how did we get from finding out he was a former god to getting frisky at a soup cooking competition? 😅 yikes it was so cringe.

i appear to be in the minority so don’t let me put you off but i also wouldn’t recommend this to a friend. i mean i can totally see why someone would enjoy it, sure - but also it definitely has a lot of flaws i personally couldn’t ignore, & i really wanted too.

lols at me. about 20% in i was telling my friend it was decent enough and i couldn’t see myself giving it 1/2 stars cause it was alright, but you never know i could eat my words. here i am eating my words 🤣😵‍💫😭🤣💀✌🏻 the switch up came pretty quickly not gunna lie. blehhhh whatever. this really wasn’t giving anything for me sadly.
rating this one star cause if i forced myself to keep reading it would be 1 star, but i just can’t be bothered to read anymore when there is no saving it for me from here. the fact it was giving maybe 3 stars in the first 20% and at 30% i knew it was 1 star - yeah that tells me everything.
also just looping back to my opening statement- i’m not saying the book is dependent on spice but if a book has spice and you hate it then truly how can you expect to feel any connection to the mcs????

my only wonder is if hayden ever becomes mortal to live a happy life with levi… assume so 🤣

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like a little fantasy with your spicy romance, no to mention wit, sarcasm, and dark emotions... you'll love it! Hades is no longer a god but instead a funeral director in a small NJ town. A lovable florist with a very happy spirit pushes his buttons, and somehow over the course of a few chapters the walls break down and something more than a few petal blossoms. Pons wow'd me in his last book, and this is no exception. Even the coldest of hearts will melt at the romance between the Keeper of Hell and the boy who simply wants to fall in love.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

getting so emotional over sunflowers here (and queer joy)

listen if your man cleans house at death related trivia all while nonchalantly eating a burger you lock him DOWN and then force him to participate in more group activities

here for letting hades show you his collection of cool trinkets

thank you to edelweiss for providing the advance review copy. full review to come

Bookstagram | Blog

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dearly Departed is a small town MM romance following sunshiny florist Levi, and Hayden, the grumpy former god of death and current undertaker; as the two meet and form an instant connection. This was such a beautifully written romance, full of charm and emotion! I loved how Hayden and Levi fell into each other and couldn’t help but orbit around one another. Their romance was so full of tension and attraction, and I loved how that played out in their lusty relationship and slow burn commitment. Not to mention all the found family that surrounded the two, it was so warm and the perfect balance to the emotion that came with exploring the grief of loss woven throughout the book. Altogether, this tender and charming romance was well worth the read; every page is bursting with a magical blend of heart, humor, and steam.

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

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it doesn’t come out until June, but Chip Pons wove magic throughout this romance between a grumpy funeral home director and a sunshine flower shop owner. From the moment they meet in this cozy small town, Levi and Hayden are drawn to one another and just can’t stay away. They slowly start to unravel the missing pieces of each other, and see each other’s deepest corners where grief and darkness live, and this book explores those themes in such a thoughtful way. I loved the character growth and how both heroes finally wanted to put themselves and their happiness with each other before anyone else. The found family? *chef’s kiss* I just loved being in this charming down with these characters and I didn’t want to leave! Also, Hayden is actually Hades and has shadows?? Obsessed. Preorder this book RIGHT NOW and pick it up when it releases on June 16th!!

[Arunimaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Big fail. Seem to be one of the very few who did not enjoy the book at all.

I could not get behind the writing style. For me personally, it was too cheesy, full of hackneyed words and phrases throughout. I was so frustrated with the overuse of some of the words, like finding ‘ undone, undoing..’ in every second sentence. And I think I hate the word broody now. I do.
The dialogues felt extremely fake, trying to be snarky, witty and clever at the expense of coming off as completely manufactured and unnatural. And the overuse of figurative speech in dialogues, constant use of punchy, metaphor-laden one-liners made me physically cringe. Some examples:

“Make yourself comfortable. There’s plenty of cheese and cynicism to go around.”
“We throw this anti-Valentine’s party every year. Black hearts, bitter cocktails, possible regrets.”
“When I first imagined the community garden, it was just a patch of earth and a hopeful idea.”
“That’s why I believe in this project. It’s not just a garden, it’s…” I pause, searching for the right words. “It’s a promise.”
I groan, dragging a hand through my hair. “Ugh. I can’t believe I forgot. Thanks for saving my ass.” “Job description,” she says, eyes twinkling. “Right between ‘organizing floral arrangements,’ ‘grant babysitting,’ and ‘managing boss’s calendar.’  ”

No one talks like that.

I felt like these characters had boxes and they were somehow just fit into it- one hot grumpy, broody bloke, one rainbows and sunshine MC, a super efficient, can manage anything perfectly intern, two friends who did not seem to have any other job than being always around, always throwing winks, and the ever-ready ‘sarcastic and snarky’ comebacks.

And what a mess of Greek mythology. There was no Greek mythology. It was like taking a small piece of such a large, complicated and detailed mythos to somehow make a romance story out of it. There is so much more to that than the author even attempted to bring up. Zeus and Poseidon were also so difficult to read about, and completely unrealistic. The characters felt flat, and the grief element just did not make sense to me. Levi's resentment towards his parents did not seem to make sense, and if it was to be brought up like that, I would have liked more substance there. Nothing was realistic, just elements taken from everywhere, without making much sense- just put together for the sake of the plot, or lack thereof.

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a love letter to the readers 🩷 hayden and levi are everything to me 🥹.

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Chip Pons and it 100% won't be my last, actually as soon as I finish this review I'm running to get his other book. 
Dearly departed was wonderful, it had everything I could wish for in a romance book. It made me long for an open, supportive and loving community, even though I'm an introvert to the core and all these social gatherings would kill me inside. But that's how you know a book is good, when you yearn for something just because of how good it was described on page. It also takes the shadow daddy trope to a whole new level, it even has… shadow play?!(I won't elaborate, you'll have to find out for yourself just know it was HOT) 
I have only two little complaints that aren't really complaints: how dare you not give me more Seby!! I love grumpy characters with cute but nonchalant cats, it's a weakness of mine. And I thought it was a little too long for me, but that's a personal preference and many people will argue it's not long enough lol. 
The romance was so cute and if you have some type of family trauma this was so nice to read, I'd go as far as say it's healing.
I really enjoyed dearly departed and I highly recommend if you like mm romance! 

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC! 

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is with deep regret that I report that this book didn’t live up to my expectations. Most of my disappointment comes from the underdeveloped world-building. Honestly, I think the paranormal aspect could have been removed altogether, because it raises so many questions that the internal logic of the story starts to fall apart.

My biggest question by the end was Hayden himself. He turns out not to be mortal, but an immortal living in the mortal world. He has powers, shadows, and apparently doesn’t age (which no one around him seems to notice). After finishing the book, I still have no idea whether he simply remains this way forever. Is Levi supposed to grow old and die while Hayden stays the same? And where are the other gods, and more importantly, the goddesses?

The relationship between the main characters was fine. Everything was sweet, cute, and fairly predictable, although the third-act breakup felt completely forced, as if it existed solely to add some drama. The spicy scenes were hot, especially the involvement of the shadows (it almost felt like Hayden was made a former god just so they could be included), but the dirty talk sounded like it had been copied from every other romance novel. It was practically identical.

Overall, the book wasn’t bad, but there was no wow factor. I read it and, unfortunately, I’ll probably forget about it in a week. I was hoping for something deeper, but even the themes of grief, loss, and loneliness felt like they were only scratched at the surface.

I am curious whether this will become a series, though, because Hayden’s brothers definitely have potential as future protagonists, if we conveniently forget some of the absolutely unhinged things Zeus and Poseidon got up to in Greek mythology lol.

[Vito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy publication day! Resharing my review from last November.

Oh my, Hayden! Chip Pons’s “Dearly Departed” is sweet, fun, and spicy, spicy, spicy.

We follow Hayden, a seemingly ageless funeral director and the town’s curmudgeon, as he carries on with his life helping families plan and say goodbye to loved ones. After an odd bouquet of flowers is delivered for a funeral, Hayden has had enough and goes straight to the source, colorful and life-enjoyer, Levi, the owner of the town’s floral shop. The two throw a bit of shade at each other (though, Hayden has some help in that area given he’s the freaking (former) god of the underworld) and begin to run into each other more and more … and well, you know where this is heading. The banter is cute and the flirtation between the two is fun but it’s in the spicy section that Pons has only gotten better since “Winging it With You.” (Side note: That too was great.)

Without spoiling anything, Pons has deployed some CREATIVE writing in these more intimate scenes. I haven’t read scenes like these between Hayden and Levi ever before. He goes all out with [redacted] and [redacted]. There’s literal [redacted] love making. Woooooo.

There are some hiccups here but mostly minor — the (somewhat) insta-like between our two leads and the third act turbulence in the relationship are tropes I have a hard time stomaching but everything Pons has done here helps smooth out the overall enjoyment. You’re in for a treat.

I’m excited for more to check out Pons’s latest and hopeful this isn’t the last time we see these characters. Can definitely see another following a certain brother or two. My thanks to Pons for donating an ARC to the Unbound auction. Super honored to be one of the first to read it!

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Dearly Departed was my first read by Chip Pons, but definitely not my last!

Hayden and Levi's story was so sweet and fun. I'm a sucker for the grumpy x sunshine trope, and I loved their whole dynamic with Hayden being a former Hades and now a grumpy funeral director while Levi is this happy little ray of sunshine florist. Plus, the chemistry and banter between them had me kicking my feet and giggling while listening to this. 😂

Overall, this was a really sweet, funny, and spicy romance that also touched on grief in a really heartfelt way. I loved the mythology twist and the characters, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Chip Pons!

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- funeral director + florist
- Hades inspired romcom
- grumpy x sunshine
- small town
- found family
- all the banter
- shadow daddy
- queer joy

[Matthew Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHADOW. DADDY.

[labibliofille]

Dearly Departed was SUCH a good time! I’ve been looking forward to this release for ages now; it’s one of my most anticipated releases of 2026 and I’m so beyond excited that I received an early copy through Netgalley.

I love the character development both our MCs go through; Hayden learns how to let others in and experience true happiness and Levi learns that it’s okay not to be okay all the time (how relatable, am I right?). I love the found family, grief representation (heavy part of the plot – read with care, you know you best), and fantastical world. The side characters are also fantastic; I love the representation within the pages! The Fates, as much as I love them (I actually have a Fates inspired tattoo lol) truly drove me nuts, though. They had such good intentions, but they really were wildin for most of the plot hahaha. I ate Dearly Departed up – if I could have read it in only one day, I would have, but I unfortunately have IRL responsibilities that kept me from living in the pages like I would have preferred.

I think my only critique would be that Levi expects Hayden to be fully vulnerable and open with him, but does not extend the same courtesy. (Example would be after the club the first time when Hayden left early and Levi expected an apology and an explanation when he didn’t accept his accountability in the issue). I think he gets better about it as the plot goes on, but it was a little frustrating in the early days of the plot (at least for me, this could absolutely be a me problem, not one from the book, please take this with a grain of salt).

Needless to say, Chip Pons is now an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to read his backlist asap!

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

How was this was just my first read from this author?! I definitely need to read more from Chip Pons now! This was so so good. Small town, grumpy x sunshine, funeral director x florist, Hades-inspired!

Hayden is literally Hades and has been spending centuries grumpily as a funeral director after his (and the other gods) fall from immortality. One day he meets Levi, the local florist and immediately they are pulled to one another. This book felt like finding your person, learning things about yourself, and all the magic that both of those things bring. I loved the yearning, the characters, the way gods and fates were in this, the angst, the way grief is in this, their connection together, and just all the feels! So so good. Just like Hayden’s shadows, this book wraps around you in the most loving way and makes everything better. Highly recommend, audiobook was chef’s kiss too.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an absolute delight to read- easily 4.5 stars for me! I have always had such an interest in the Greek gods and though this didn't dive into the history of them by any means, I appreciated the twist on having Hades, Poseidon and Zeus all living on earth among us mortals. The man that Hayden Harlow AKA Hades is. His confliction on staying on the edge of society so as not to become attached and get feelings. How he tries to avoid Levi but realizes how futile it is, and then once he realizes this the way that he dotes on him was just so so perfect! Hayden was of course the town grump but more so because he was a recluse. I loved how Levi was a literal sunflower and how much they gravitated towards each other. I loved how slowly but surely Hayden opened up and peeled back his layers despite knowing how much more he would feel the grief of the people around him. I loved how much Levi was himself and how confident he was while at the same time recognizing the grief he hadn't ever really dealt with. I loved how being with Hayden helped him realize how much he had been holding and that it was ok to lean on someone with that weight. Ultimately, I loved watching Hayden embrace his humanity. These two were just SOOO perfect for each other, and I had a blast watching them fall in love.

Hayden has never really been a part of a friend group. He has learned the hard way that if he opens himself up to that, everything in his world becomes heavier. Until Levi Wilder decides to come into his life and ignore the brush offs that Hayden keeps trying to give him. The crazier thing is that Hayden finds himself NOT wanting to give him any brush offs. He finds himself completely captivated by everything about Levi. The way he exudes sunshine. The passion he has for his plants and his friends. The way he LIVES. And so Hayden decides to give in to Levi a bit. He decides to step out of his comfort zone and see what happens. And he starts to realize that hiding behind the scenes hasn't really been fulfilling. He realizes how much he has been missing out but also realizes that he may have unconsciouly been waiting for LEVI. Levi who makes him smile. Levi who he feels comfortable talking about who he really is with. Levi who his shadows respond to. Levi who makes him question the goal he has been working towards for years. Levi who breaks his heart when Hayden realizes the grief he has been carrying. The more time he spends with Levi the stronger their connection gets. And when Hayden's brothers come in town to finalize a way back to their lives as Gods, Hayden realizes his dreams have shifted. He just hopes Levi is on the same page.

Levi realizes how much he has been looking for more than the casual hookup. He wants true connection. So when Hayden Harlow, the recluse funeral director, catches his eye, Levi decides to push it a bit. Hayden tries to push him away, but there is something about him that Levi can't stop thinking about. And clearly Hayden has changed his mind because they find themselves kind of orbiting each other. So Levi makes the first move. Levi invites him out. He wants to push the grump to see what kind of reaction he can get out of him. And the more he is around Hayden the more he realizes how much MORE he hides behind his mask. How much he WANTS to feel but is scared too. Levi continues to push him slowly but surely. The connection he feels with him is so much more than he could have expected. And then when Hayden starts courting him in a way, all of his pushing is worth it. And then when Hayden lets him in even more, when he tells him he was the god of the underworld, it's like a key clicked into the lock. Somehow nothing about this scares him. If anything it makes sense. So when they finally have a night together, euphoria is what they experience. Hayden's shadows are what Levi experiences. It's unforgettable and cements Levi's feelings. But what Levi hasn't shown the world is his grief for his past. And though he tries to hide it, Hayden lets him lean on him during his time of sadness for what he misses. And though Hayden may not have told him all of his secrets just yet, Levi realizes he wants this man in his life forever.

This was such a wonderful book yall! I can't gush on it enough. As I said, I love greek mythology and I love hints of magical realism- this book had both. Hayden and Levi were so perfect together. The spice was OH SO HOT!! Shadow daddy to the core with a dirty mouth but also SUCH a sweet heart that was Hayden. And Levi just wanted someone to take care of him :) I also want to point out that this was my first Chip Pons' book, and his prose was so so pretty! Everything was so descriptive in a way that felt like a warm hug. I can't wait to read more of him and am secretly hoping that we will get stories about Poseidon and Zeus too???

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Frank Socha (franksforeword) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came for the hot god. I stayed for the emotional damage.

Dearly Departed is proof that sometimes the best romances involve a deity having an existential crisis because he accidentally caught feelings.

This book had everything I wanted: a cozy small-town setting, elite levels of flirting disguised as verbal combat, a cast of side characters I'd gladly commit minor crimes for, and enough sexual tension to power an entire electrical grid.

Hayden and Levi spent so much time roasting each other that I honestly wasn't sure if they wanted to kiss or fight. Turns out the answer was yes.

And listen. We need to have a conversation about the shadow play. Chip Pons knew exactly what he was doing, and frankly, so did I because I immediately highlighted it. Can confirm: I love shadow daddies, and maybe even a little more now.

But what really elevated this book for me was the emotional core. Watching a god experience the messy, beautiful, heartbreaking reality of mortal love was surprisingly profound. Beneath all the humor and swooning was a story about vulnerability, choice, and what it means to truly live when nothing lasts forever.

If you love queer romance with sharp humor, incredible chemistry, lovable side characters, and a healthy dose of emotional devastation wrapped in a very attractive package, put this book directly into your eyeballs.

Thanks so much to Putnam for the gifted advance copy!

[Carter Kalchik]

Reviews of books are optional on Goodreads and I’m taking that option

[Freefall (super inactive rn sorry)]

OHHH THIS IS THE SMUTTY GAY HADESXMORTAL ROMANCE THAT I WANTED TO READ LIKE 3 MONTHS AGO

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Levi is the kind of positive-energy friend we all need. His friends have the same vibe. And Hayden ("Funeral Guy") slowly reveals he has this within himself as true love with Levi pulls him into their orbit.

I liked the ages (~27) of the characters and how they were already fully out and comfortable. This allowed any people gatherings to not need to be 'cautious'. I liked the alternating POV chapters between Levi and Hayden. The pacing of their getting together was excellent.

The sex was excellent! And the added shadows accompanying Hayden were a treat ;)
Ch - Narrator
14 - Levi
16 - Levi
20 - Hayden
22 - Hayden
26/27 - Hayden starts, Levi concludes

I'm not normally a paranormal type of reader, but Hayden as Haydes was lots of fun here. It was not over-the-top-myth since Hayden was a mortal in this story, accompanied by some shadows. However it complicated the story to me needing to deduct a star.

So the gods realized mankind didn't really need them and forfeited their immortality. But when they all signed The Act, Haydes thought there was a loophole. So he was looking for it since it would restore his power/immortality. There were hints of his search for the loophole, but the other mythological characters never allowed this to be clearly defined (to me, anyway).

There needed to be multiple reconciliations at the end of the story, which were surely going to happen since the positive vibe/energy of this book was really strong.
- Hayden/Levi quarreled
- Levi's town project hit obstacles
- Hayden's two brothers who hadn't been seen in decades arrived
- The loophole in the immortality Act

While this all worked out, it took multiple happy-chapters + epilogue to wrap this all up, so the ending actually felt a bit too drawn out. It was necessary to resolve everything, but the simultaneity of all the resolutions felt too strong on the fairy-tale level of ending.

I shouldn't really complain, since the positive energy in this book makes it such a excellent 'recovery' story to read if you've recently finished one of those heartache/traumatic novels. Even with the paranormal in here, this book still mapped well to my desire for a feeling of reality in a novel. Congrats to the author for pulling this off! Makes me want to dive into another book by Pons.

Solid 4.25*

Very well read audiobook with separate voices for Hayden/Levi.

[Frida · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🖤 An almost perfect book, but a 100% perfect audiobook!

I think what surprised me most about Dearly Departed is that it never treats Greek mythology as something grand or untouchable. It strips it of the marble statues and the epics and themes until all that's left are questions that have always belonged to ordinary people. How long do you grieve? How do you keep living after loss? At what point do you stop searching for a version of reality that no longer exists? And beneath the mythological leitmotifs, symbols, the shadows and the Underworld there is a story about accepting that love was never meant to outsmart death. Only to make it worth facing. But before I lose myself in blah blah…

Hayden absolutely owned this book! If you've been around, you probably know how much I love Hades as a mythological and literary figure. There hasn't been a single version, retelling, or reimagining that did not make me fall in love with him.🤷🏻‍♀️

I mean, there is something almost painfully tragic about a man who spent millennia guiding souls toward acceptance while being completely incapable of accepting his own circumstances. Here, everyone around him has moved on. The world has forgotten its gods. His brothers have accepted their fate. Yet Hayden keeps showing up week after week, convinced there has to be one sentence, one forgotten clause, one tiny loophole hidden somewhere inside eternity that will undo everything. It isn't really about escaping the contract. It's bargaining. It's ALWAYS BARGAINING with this one.
The same bargaining grief has always done. If I search hard enough. If I ask one more question. If I refuse to stop looking. Maybe I won't have to let go.

Then Levi walks into his life carrying flowers. Sunflowers. Joyous and full of sunlight!

I loved that Levi never falls in love with Hades. I was wondering how Chip would make this work. But he falls in love with Hayden. He doesn't care about ancient power or mythology or worship. He argues with him about funeral arrangements, sneaks apology lilies into his office, builds community gardens, worries about grant applications and somehow chips away at centuries of loneliness simply by treating him like another stubborn man in town. There is something incredibly beautiful about that. Hayden has spent centuries being remembered as a god and forgotten as a person. Levi unknowingly does the exact opposite. Chip Pons made me fall in love with Hayden as well.

The symbolism throughout this felt wonderfully natural. Flowers become memories. Gardens become acts of hope. Shadows stop representing fear and slowly become something protective instead. Even the funeral home itself transforms from a place that only marks endings into somewhere grief is allowed to exist without becoming your entire identity. Nothing ever feels like symbolism for symbolism's sake (cause I was waiting for it🤓). Every recurring image grows alongside the characters until it becomes impossible to separate one from the other.

I also appreciated how the Admin Ladies were written😂. They felt frustrating in exactly the way life often is.

Now, allow me one profoundly Sisyphean complaint about something that barely deserves complaining about: the final conflict. I completely understood why Hayden couldn't let go of the loophole, and Levi's frustration felt equally justified. Psychologically, every beat worked. Narratively, though, I think that emotional stalemate lingered just a little longer than it needed to before delivering the resolution, which then felt like taking two steps at a time.

Now, on to the audiobook because I have to mention the audiobook!
Kirt Graves and Simon Dornet could not have been cast any better. Simon Dornet brings so much warmth and effortless optimism to Levi, but Kirt Graves completely disappeared into Hayden. Every sarcastic remark, every exhausted sigh, every emotional beat, every tiny crack in Hayden's carefully constructed composure landed exactly where it needed to. It is one of those performances that quietly elevates an already excellent story into something even more memorable.

It's funny. Out of all the mythology, gods, contracts, and the grief, the image that stayed with me most was a garden. Gardens aren't built because flowers last forever. They're built because someone believes they're worth planting anyway. I have a feeling I'll be carrying that thought around for quite a while… Excuse me while I am a little emotional in my little corner.

[alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 40%

I’m fully convinced this is, at least partially, AI slop. I’m shocked and beyond disappointed that this was published by a major publisher, and made it past an editor and a team of copyeditors (as the author thanks in the acknowledgments), and not one of them flagged this.

To preface, I preordered the physical copy of the book and have been excited to read it. I always want to support queer authors, and I don’t want to make baseless accusations, nor have I ever accused an author of using AI before or felt the need to (and I’ve read tons of books that have been published after 2022/23 and the surge of AI). However, in this case, it’s so blatant that despite my best efforts, I’m unable to even give it the benefit of the doubt that AI did not write some of the sentences and paragraphs in here.

I read Winging It With You (the author’s second book) and thought it was okay, but that was mostly cause the plot wasn’t grabbing my attention. However, Deadly Departed feels like it was not written by the same author at all. I just reread a couple chapters of Winging It to reference, and even downloaded and read a sample of his first book (You & I, Rewritten) to double check how he writes, and yeah, in my opinion, something is different here.

For context, I’ll paste a paragraph from each of the previous books below so it can be compared to the writing style/quotes from Dearly Departed:

You & I, Rewritten (2022):
“I pause at the entrance to Austin Publishing House-my new home-and stand in awe of the significance of this moment. At the age of twenty-seven, the path leading me to today hasn't always been easy or linear, but I try to live each day with a humility and appreciation that comes from a firm belief that nothing is guaranteed in this life and in the blink of an eye, everything can, and most undoubtedly will, change. So while this new change and risk terrifies me, I am ready to leap into the proverbial unknown and throw myself headfirst into whatever comes next.”

Winging It With You (2025):
“It was almost too easy to get this man with me onto the plane-which is probably why my palms are sweaty and every red flag in my arsenal is flying on high alert. The coin we'd flipped bounced off the bar's counter and skidded across the greasy restaurant linoleum between a few rolling carry-ons before settling near the host's stand. I thought he'd object when we both walked over and saw our fate, but instead, Theo put his hands in his pockets, shoulders raised and head cocked as if to say, Your move.”

Something that’s a stark difference to the previous two books is that on genuinely every single page in Dearly Departed, something is quiet, sharp, warm, bright, soft, heavy, effortless, or hums. Most often these descriptions are written in a way that doesn’t make any sense in relation to how people tend to use comparative language or adjectives. I’ve read my fair share of unique prose and verbose/overly descriptive writing, but this is different and feels genuinely uncanny in many places.

There’s a scene where the characters enter a deserted library and it’s described as “the hush of the space settling around us like a soft blanket” and two pages later “the quiet hum of the library settling around us”. So they’ve clearly established it’s quiet by using nearly the same description twice already and then 3 pages later the characters go into an alcove in the library that’s “a pocket of quiet washed in amber light”. To me, this makes no sense because how/why would there be “a pocket of quiet” in a building that’s already been emphasized as being quiet/hushed?

Also, between these few pages, another use of it: “The grief carved into the quiet spaces of his expression.” I’m sorry but what does that even mean? How can a space in an expression be characterized as quiet?

A few chapters earlier, quiet is used as an adjective THREE different times on ONE single page (80):
- “Well,” he says, voice low, edged in quiet amusement…”
- “Close enough that I notice the sharp line of his jaw, the quiet confidence in his posture”,
- “He studies me with a quiet intensity”
- it’s actually used a fourth time too, although this one reads a lot more naturally: “I say, quieter now”
This is maybe the most egregious/blatant repetition I’ve noticed in just one single page, but rest assured that this does happen in multiple other instances across scenes throughout the 40% of the book that I read.

I combed back through the book (mostly from about pages 50-140), and pulled just some of the numerous examples (I found over 50!) of other sentences that use the adjectives I listed above or metaphors in ways that feel like AI (all of the quotes are copied exactly as written in the book, including the ellipses):
- “The lamp beside me casts a warm glow, illuminating a room filled with jazz records and shelves lined meticulously with books. Quiet companions for endless evenings.” (59)
- “Levi’s effortless humor feels like forgiveness, reassurance that the small missteps between us don’t have to be permanent barriers” (62)
- “It churns low in my stomach, sharp and startling…” (64)
- “And his honestly feels unexpectedly gentle. Maybe that’s why it hits so differently coming from him” (64)
- “The wanting stays. The loneliness loosens. Not at all the same thing, but close enough to feel like weather changing.” (65)
- “Mortals forget you by dinner. Levi sends voice notes at midnight. The difference is startling.” (65)
- “Then, with a quiet kind of reverence, he begins tucking them into the bouquet.” (71)
- “He murmurs something under his breath as he adjusts the last one, nothing I catch, just a small note to himself in quiet satisfaction.” (71)
- “There’s something honest about the way he moves, like he believes in beauty for beauty’s sake.” (72)
- “…Naomi’s been quietly taking over the community garden logistics like she was born for it.” (74)
- “And Constance? She chuckles. Soft and delighted like she’s just watched a spark catch fire.” (94)
- “His voice is low, measured, but there’s something sharper there. Like he’s setting down a truth and waiting to see if I’ll pick it up.” (100)
- “Even his name, Hayden Harlow, a neat suit jacket thrown over a myth.” (102)
- “Want is loud, but respect is louder… which only makes it worse as his eyes search mine, lips parted, shadows finally quiet around us.” (104)
- “Our thighs find each other, a quiet, unspoken kind of closeness that could be brushed off if either of us moved.” (106)
- “The room feels still, though. Quiet in the way only the living can appreciate.” (107)
- “The joke lands light, but the truth beneath it hangs heavier.” (109)
- “It was…easy. Like exhaling after holding a breath in for too long.” (116)
- “His thumb brushes across my knuckles, a simple, steady motion that sends my heart into a quiet frenzy.” (117)
- “I realize they’re not going to offer me clarity or comfort, only knives disguised as riddles.” (120)
- “Hiding shrank me. Choosing puts me on record. Either way it’s a decision.” (121)
- “My world hums here. Sunlight filters through foggy glass, casting everything in a soft, magical glow. Everything here runs on chlorophyll and hope… and my heart can’t help but sync to it.” (122)
- “The crisis feels less like an avalanche now, more like a pebble we can kick aside together.” (124)
- “I’m still laughing when he nudges my arm, soft and intentional, a spark disguised as causal contact that sends a ripple down my spine.” (133)
- “Not in a tragic way. Just… quiet. The kind that creeps in until you realize they’re already gone.” (133)
- “They aren’t menacing. Not sharp or dark in a way that feels wrong. If anything, they seem… soft. Gentle.” (136)
- “Silence, of course. Though not empty… it carries the residue of a life just ended, lingering in the room with me.” (139)
- “Maybe it’s the weather, the hum of a street performer.” (140)

There are also other parts here that just do not read organically. From page 50: “And if I can help streamline grant applications, schedule volunteers, or even help plan your next event … I’d be thrilled. This project perfectly bridges sustainability and community outreach.” Later on that same page: “We finish the interview effortlessly, discussing day-to-day expectations and answering her thoughtful questions.” These to me reads like an AI response to how someone would talk in an interview, and an overview of what an AI would describe a “good interview” as looking like. In another case, a conversation between the two MCs is described in a similar way: “Questions about his past, stories from centuries I can’t imagine, peppered with my dumb commentary that makes him roll his eyes fondly.” (129)

A list of three adjectives is used so many times in the book as well, and while obviously, yes, people use these in their writing naturally all of the time, the way it’s done here feels detached and clinical, often as its own sentence fragment when it would’ve flowed more had it been part of the previous one. Examples include:
- “Naomi Kapoor is the missing puzzle piece. Organized, passionate, competent.” (50)
- “I think I want to sleep with him. Uncomplicated, sweaty, possibly ill-advised sex.” (59)
- “The decadence of Rome; the passion of the Renaissance; the reckless, booze-filled haze of the 1920s. Polyamory was common. Threesomes? Expected.” (60)
- “Warm, teasing, inviting … it does something to me” (61)
- “Without thinking, my hand finds his forearm… soft, cautious, electric” (99)
- “City to city like I could outrun what followed me. The grief. The loneliness. The shadows.” (112)
- “A bone-hilted dagger, a faded amphora, a cracked compass that never points north.” (114)
- “Confusing, overwhelming, impossible… it doesn’t matter.” (127)
- “It’s an illustrated manuscript, and there, in faded ink, is a depiction of the Greek gods. Dramatic poses, flowing robes, all muscle and intensity.” (130)
- “Sharp cheekbones, an imposing stance, obedient shadows curling around his feet.” (130)
- “The drawing is dramatic for drama’s sake, but Hayden… Hayden carried it without trying. Effortless. Understated. Gravity just bends toward him out of habit.” (130)
- “He’s close enough now that I can’t stop thinking about what he’d taste like. Something dark, slow, and impossible to forget.” (131)
- “Hungry, afraid, and wanting.” (134)

There’s also a ton of the structure or some variant of: not _. not _. it’s_.
- “Then he closes the final inch and the world just… ignites.
Not tentatively. Not sweetly.
Like a match to gasoline.” (135)
- “No suit, no polish. Just Hayden, devastatingly real in one hundred percent cotton.” (98)
- “Not just Hayden. Not just a man. But exactly who he says he is.” (102)
- “No do-overs. No apparent loopholes. Just…this” (109)
- “We need that grant desperately. It’s not just a formality, it’s crucial to breaking ground by spring.” (123)
- “Standing beside him now, I’m beginning to glean it’s not arrogance. It’s defence.” (130)

Even when considering the context surrounding these quotes, they just read so unnaturally or they’re entirely nonsensical. I didn’t get as much of a strong sense from the first chapters that there was AI use as I did as the book went on, so I didn’t bother to check those early pages for evidence. I believe that the AI use heavily ramped up after about page 50.

I also felt that the characters voices were fully indistinguishable from each other (the story is told through alternating POV chapters of the two main characters), and the descriptions from their povs as well as their dialogue has no variation in which language they’re using, how they’re expressing themselves, and what tone they’re taking. The minor characters’ dialogue consists mostly of brief comments and banter, so it’s a bit harder to gauge, but interactions with them also feel interchangeable. Of course, this could simply be poor characterization and bad writing, but the particular flattening and inability to have any distinction between the writing in the two povs leads me further to my conclusion that AI was responsible for a lot of the writing.

Obviously, the author has not admitted to using AI, and these are just my personal opinions and the conclusions I’ve reached after reading and rereading this, plus reading his previous book, reading a sample of his first book, and reading online two pieces of other written work by him: one, an author interview from 2022 where he wrote out the responses, and the second, a personal essay from 2026. There’s an extreme, marked difference between his writing from 2022 and from 2026, and it doesn’t feel like the natural result of growing as an author, it just reads to me like a completely different writer.

I’m upset that I lost my money on a book that, in my opinion, was full of AI slop, but I’m taking this as a lesson and will not be preordering new releases anymore or buying them at all until I can read a sample, even from authors I’ve read in the past.

[Jason Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 stars - Rounded up.

This is Chip Pons' first foray into the fantasy genre ... and what a debut in that realm. Well-executed concept? Check. Uniqueness to the premise? Check. World building? Check. All the elements are here, and they work. I loved that this was a departure for him, because it really paid off.

If there's one thing Chip is going to do, he's going to give you 2 fully formed male main characters who are lovable, human, and complex. He will make you grow attached to them, empathize with them, and root for them. Readers will adore Levi and Hayden.

Lots of important topics explored here -- with grief being at the center of the story. Watching the characters learn what grief means and how it has impacted their lives for years really adds a human quality to the entire plot. It highlights the complexity of emotions related to death and loss, and I loved that.

It will be hard to top Winging It With You, so this book had its work cut out for it -- and while that remains my favorite of Chip's 3 novels, Dearly Departed really gave it a run for its money!

Thank you to NetGalley / Chip Pons for an eARC of this lovely book!

[cee · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Careful, Levi. You're starting to become a habit."

I enjoyed Winging It With You by this author for the most part, so I have no idea what the hell happened here. This book was bad. I really didn’t like the pacing of the romance—they were basically obsessed with each other after one interaction. When Levi finds out Hayden is Hades, it happens pretty early on and he’s so infatuated that he barely has a reaction, and it was very underwhelming. He also doesn’t bring up his very close experience with grief until like halfway through the book, which struck me as odd because this is first person perspective. You’d think it would have come up earlier, especially considering who his boyfriend is.

I also just wasn’t invested in the romance, I don’t see why these two like each other except Levi being a ray of sunshine and Hayden being hot and broody. It felt like they loved each other just because it was dictated by the trope that they had to.

My biggest issue with this book was the writing style, though. It’s awful, and it was incredibly frustrating to read. Almost every action is followed by a metaphor in an attempt to make it sound deep, and the metaphorical language just didn’t work because the writing beats you over the head with it.

It’s also extremely repetitive to the point of being ridiculous. Did an editor even go through this? There’s so many repetitions of the same sentence structure (Not [x], but [x], or No [x], just [x]) and once I noticed I started highlighting every instance of it and I ended up with ten pages of notes. TEN. At one point I had four pages of notes from reading 8% of the book.

I’m disappointed because I expected better based on my previous experience with this author. I only finished this book because it was a bookclub read and because I wanted to see how many repetitions I could catch.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to give this a shot, honestly.

I nearly quit when it was revealed that Hayden had been living in this itty bitty little town and working as possibly the only funeral director for 40 years, and yet people still did not question why he didn't age and claimed to know absolutely nothing about him, to the point of comparing him to Big Foot because he was so elusive and mysterious. Okay, but has no one in this town had someone close to them pass away and, therefore, need the services of a funeral home? Maybe none of the other people in the town have ever experienced this particular tragedy before, if we overlook that Hayden starts the book working on a funeral and then quickly meets another woman who needs to arrange services for someone.

Strike two was that this alleged slow burn had the characters meet (apparently for the very first time, even though one is a funeral director and the other is a florist who provides flowers directly to the funeral home) in the very first chapter and then they spent literally every chapter after that thinking of each other. In the middle of a conversation with your best friend? Better think about that hot dude who reprimanded me that one time. Trying to speak to your only employee about your actual job? Sorry, too distracted thinking about flowers and sunshine all of a sudden. It was like their only personality trait was daydreaming about the other one. But fine, this is a romance book, they're trying to fall in love or something.

But honestly, the killer for me was on page 78, where I had to read the phrase "magical little bussy" with my own eyeballs. No, absolutely not, you're done and now you're first on my Did Not Finish shelf.

[Erin (erinsreadingroom) · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆ 4.5 stars

“Stars wouldn’t shine without darkness to hold them,” I whisper gently. “Maybe darkness isn’t emptiness. Maybe it’s what makes the light matter.”

Dearly Departed by author Chip Pons is an achingly tender queer romance that masterfully highlights the fragility of life and the importance in searching for your joy amidst the shadows in the dark. Grief is an ever present theme throughout the entire story and I really appreciated the emphasis that was put into the reality that we cannot love in life without experiencing loss. One cannot exist without the other and this story was a gentle reminder that we cannot shelter ourselves from experiencing great love out of our fear over what is perceived as an ending, whereas instead could be recognised as the beginning of something anew. We cannot predict what life has in store for us but what truly makes life worth living is the people and the connections that we get to meet throughout our journey. The found family elements were a huge highlight to me as I found myself in awe at how greatly each individual side character shined through the pages in their distinction and significance. I loved that each side character wasn’t reduced as decoration but instead served a clear purpose that added so much depth and vitality to the story. Dearly Departed was unputdownable from the very first page and I had the best experience getting to explore how the inspiration taken from Greek mythology could correlate into a seemingly mundane, modern day human experience. This is a not only a story built on budding love and connection… but also in the exploration of self-identity and vulnerability. Everything about this beautiful tale felt innately human and relatable to me as a reader, and I cannot wait to read more works from this author after this unforgettable experience.

Levi Wilder is a botanist enthusiast and florist shop owner whose soul-deep kindness and love for nature shines through the pages. His entire personality and demeanour is sunshine personified which makes perfect sense with the assumption that his character is inspired by the myth of Persephone, goddess of spring and queen to the underworld. Levi exudes warmth and a rare sense of openness that felt refreshing to experience as he is unafraid of authenticity and often wears his emotions on his sleeve for the entire town to see. I adored getting to explore his character on a much more emotionally intimate level as his experience with grief allows us to recognise just how much of his persona is a facade as a means to shelter others from his own pain and suffering. My heart broke for Levi as the truths of his burdens comes to light and we are forced to bare witness to the breaking down of his character before inevitably being built back up with the helping hand from the community that adores him without condition. Levi’s love of community is at the core of his character which we see come into effect time and again with his refusal to give up on the hope that he harbours when doors are slammed in his face. His ability to adapt and willingness to lean upon his peers for support was wonderful to see, and I adored getting to experience just how loved and respected this treasure of a man is. Levi gives so much of himself to the people around him, often to his own detriment, so I was relieved to see him find a partner that would willingly step in to fill the gaps and stand at his side as an unwavering presence of strength and stability.

Hayden ‘aka Hades’ Harlow is the retired god of the underworld turned funeral director who has spent centuries existing in a self-imposed solitude as a means of denial and protection. My intrigue was immediately piqued by his character and the mysterious origins surrounding what brought him (and his two brothers) to the mortal plane after living a life being revered as gods. Unfortunately this wasn’t properly explored nor explained with any sense of finality for me… which has me hoping in my delusion that we will get the opportunity to return to this universe for the love stories of the other two brothers where this will also be expanded upon more fully. Outside of this I absolutely adored Hayden and the ultimate unravelling of his character as he finds his spark of light within the dark. I found it really interesting to witness how grief has been his closest companion for centuries due to his profession and the softness that he exudes for those in need of it as a result. Hayden is gruff and broody on the outside, but internally? That’s a secret softie if I’ve ever seen one. His capacity for both gentleness and searing passion felt well balanced as we witness Hayden step up for Levi as a romantic partner time and again. He’s a caretaker at heart and I adored getting to witness Hayden begin to step out of his shell and realise that there is a full life waiting to be lived should he feel brave enough to let go of the past and embrace the present. Hayden’s personal battle with grief was really interesting to explore as it was rooted in the loss of identity and familiarity. I really appreciated the conversations surrounding his time as ‘Hades’ as this highlighted how he essentially mourns what was taken from him and the abandonment he feels from his brothers in the aftermath of what led to towards living amongst humans. Hayden was a wonderfully rich and compelling character that found himself on an impactful journey of recognition and healing, and I adored getting to see him find a community of people that loved and respected him after spending so long hiding within the shadows. The way that they also sought to remind him how wanted he is as an individual and not just as Levi’s partner? That nearly had me sobbing. Hayden’s journey was emotional from beginning to end and I couldn’t be happier with the conclusion to his story.

Only the greatest of love stories begin with a disagreement surrounding a flower bouquet intended for a funeral service… as proven by both Hayden and Levi when their first proper interaction involves said disagreement in Levi’s place of business. Immediately I was swept away by their addictive dynamic and electric chemistry that was fuelled by quick wit and longing glances. The development of their relationship felt steady and written with purpose as both characters take the time to emotionally connect alongside the acknowledgement of their mutual attraction. Hayden and Levi both undergo deeply emotional and personal developments as individuals and I loved getting to witness the respective support and compassionate approach that both characters take for one another. I loved that they not only began to grow as a budding romantic pair but also in friendship. The trust that was forged felt unshakeable and it was beautiful to recognise how hard earned this development was worked towards. Their chemistry as a couple had me fanning my face on multiple occasions, especially when Hayden’s shadows came out to play, and I was especially thrilled to see a ‘prep scene’ included prior to an intimate scene as this added another layer of relatable realism for the reader to connect with. Most of all my favourite aspect to Hayden and Levi’s relationship was the recognition that life is so much fuller and hopeful when they spend it together. They truly invest the time and patience needed to make their relationship work, and I adored getting to witness both characters learn how to better communicate and strengthen as a couple overall. Hayden and Levi’s story was a delight from beginning to end and I couldn’t be happier with the conclusion to their story.

Dearly Departed was my first book by author Chip Pons and it will most definitely not be my last. This was an unputdownable delight that had me feeling every kind of emotional possible in such a short space of time. I was smiling and cheering, swooning and squealing, and wiping away tears all within the one book. I was gripped by not only our two main characters but also the endearing cast of side characters, even Hayden’s loyal feline, and I would be morose to learn that we will never see them again. I cannot wait to go back and read Pons earlier works… but I also sincerely hope that the introduction of Porter and Zane is an indicator that there is more love stories still to be told.

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

[Shelly’s Kindl3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review - NetGalley

I enjoyed this story about grief and loneliness. I love the continuous reminders that the characters didn’t have to carry it alone. Levi is a ray of sunshine while Hayden lives with and in the shadows. A broody grumpy shadow daddy who got to experience love with Levi. Hayden was a God who has been existing among humans but not truly living. Levi strives to be everyone joy while drowning in his own grief. I loved the found and chosen family dynamics between Levi and his friends. The greenhouse spicy scene is going to stay with me for a long time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves and support queer love. I gave this book 4 stars because it was entertaining and yet emotional.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Abby R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The concept of this story is that the former god of the underworld is living as a funeral director in New Jersey. He is a sort of town mystery because he never goes out and always wears black, blah blah blah. He meets Levi, owner of local flower shop and a very sunshiny personality. Grumpy/sunshine to the max. In my eyes, their relationship escalated pretty quickly. There were long passages and conversations in this book that felt really unrealistic and like real people would not be saying those things. I understand that grief was a big part of this book but overall it was taking itself too seriously. Like, Hades is living in Jersey? That’s silly and fun. Not a bad story, but it was too long and the tone didn’t feel quite right.

[Zach · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 - Yeah…this wasn’t for me. I liked Winging It With You from Chip Pons, but this missed the mark for me. The romance started off great, and I enjoyed the main characters. However, the love was instant and I wish there was more angst and yearning. I’m someone where if there is instant love and no conflict, that makes logical sense, it will lose me. The plot was basically nonexistent and I truly didn’t see a point to the story. This, unfortunately, felt like a chore finishing this. Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[charisse ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 4 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .

i'm so mad that i didn't pick this up as soon as the arc hit my email..

this was my first chip pons' book and definitely not the last! i'm defo going to go read his entire backlist when i have the time~

anyways i love them sm!! when hayden got every question right at trivia night, you just know he's the one. also he's got shadows! as expected, loved the greek mythology aspect and all that jazz!

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶

₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
umm okay you're telling me i got the arc?? assdfghjk- i just now i'm going to eat this shit up bc of the greek mythology loll

[Nadja]

DNF

I was thrilled when I got approved for this ARC. Like, actually excited, kicking my feet, ready to eat this up. The premise sounded good, the vibes were there, I went in fully prepared to have a great time. And now here I am, emotionally exhausted, spiritually confused, and personally victimized by sunflowers.

Because I need someone—anyone—to explain to me how we went from “one mildly hostile interaction” to “I have never felt so seen in my entire life.” They meet ONCE. One time. They argue about flowers like they’re in the final round of a competitive botany debate, Hades storms in all offended like “I hate you, never do this again,” and Levi is immediately like… wow. The love of my life. My soulmate. The man who understands me on a molecular level. Be serious. Be so unbelievably serious right now.

This is not insta-love. This is teleportation. There is no build-up, no tension, no actual reason for either of them to be this obsessed this fast. Hayden is out here thinking he’s never felt so seen—by WHAT, exactly? The attitude? The customer service complaint energy? And Levi is already convinced Hayden has “hidden depths” like sir, you had one conversation and it was negative. What depths did you explore, the emotional Mariana Trench of passive aggression???

And it never improves. That’s the problem. If it was just a shaky start and then the relationship developed, I could’ve recovered. I could’ve forgiven. But no. The entire relationship is built on that same nothing foundation, so the stakes are nonexistent. I wasn’t rooting for them, I wasn’t invested, I was just watching this unfold like… okay. I guess we’re doing this. Meanwhile, all of Levi’s friends are acting like they’re witnessing the greatest love story of our generation. “GO GET YOUR MAAAANNN.” WHAT MAN??? We met him five pages ago. You don’t even know him either???

And just when I thought I was adjusting, just when I thought okay maybe I can ignore the romance and focus on literally anything else—the book said no ❤️

Because we need to talk about the “daddy” situation. No, actually, we need to have a serious conversation about it. Because it’s not just one cringe moment you can power through. It is a recurring motif. A lifestyle. A personality trait. Funeral daddy. Tax season daddy. Probably emotional support daddy lurking somewhere in there too. And the worst part? They come at you RAPID FIRE. Back to back. No breathing room. No recovery time. I felt like I was in a psychological endurance test to see how many times a person can read the word “daddy” in increasingly bizarre contexts before losing their grip on reality.

And the tone of the book overall just feels like it’s trying to do everything at once and not quite succeeding at any of it. There are so many elements thrown in—humor, emotional depth, quirky character moments, heavier themes—and none of them are given enough space to actually land. So instead of feeling layered and complex, it just feels… cluttered. Like the book is constantly switching lanes without signaling and you’re just in the passenger seat gripping the handle like please pick a direction.

The dialogue is another thing that had me fighting for my life. It feels so forced. Like every single line is trying to be either deeply profound or cleverly funny, and most of the time it lands somewhere in the awkward middle where you can see what it was going for, but it just doesn’t hit. The jokes especially feel like they’re still being workshopped. Like they almost fit the scene, but not quite, and instead of letting them go, the book just shoves them in anyway and hopes for the best.

And don’t even get me started on the metaphors. Because oh my god. These men cannot have a normal conversation to save their lives. Everything turns into a TED Talk about loneliness, predictability, life, existence—like please. Please. I am begging you. Just order coffee like a normal person. Not every interaction needs to spiral into an extended metaphor that sounds like it was pulled from a Pinterest quote board titled “deep thoughts at 2am.” And the worst part is the other character always reacts like they’ve just been fundamentally changed as a person. Like wow. Thank you for that groundbreaking insight. I will never be the same. Meanwhile I’m sitting there like… that was just a slightly reworded version of “life is hard.”

And here’s the thing—this kind of writing can work. In the hands of a more experienced author, it can feel profound and layered and genuinely moving. But here it just feels unearned. It’s trying to skip the part where we actually build connection and go straight to the emotional payoff, and it just doesn’t work like that.

Also, I need to address the fact that these are supposed to be grown adults. Because I did not believe that for a single second. The dialogue, the humor, the way they’re written—it all reads so young. Like fresh-out-of-high-school, still figuring out how conversations function kind of young. I genuinely kept forgetting they were in their mid-to-late twenties because nothing about the way they act or speak supports that.

And just when I thought I had seen everything. Just when I thought the book had already thrown everything it possibly could at me. It said, wait. There’s more.

The random scene.

You know the one.

The ASS BLEACHING SCENE.

I’m sorry, I will never be the same after this. I was just sitting there reading, minding my business, already struggling, and suddenly I’m being confronted with a full scene of a main character bleaching his asshole like this is a normal, necessary addition to the narrative. For WHAT. For WHY. What did this contribute. What did it develop. What thematic purpose did this serve. Was I supposed to come out of that with deeper insight into his character??? Because all I got was emotional whiplash and a desperate need to close the book and stare at a wall.

At that point I wasn’t even mad anymore. I had transcended anger. I was just… confused. Numb. Questioning my life choices.

And that kind of sums up the whole reading experience, honestly. It’s not that there’s absolutely nothing here—there are glimpses of potential. You can see what the author was going for. But it all feels underdeveloped, like it needed several more drafts to really figure itself out. The romance needed actual build-up, the characters needed more depth that’s shown instead of told, the humor needed refining, and some… editorial decisions needed to be made. Strong ones. Firm ones. Possibly involving the complete removal of certain scenes that will haunt me forever.

I wanted to love this. I really did. Instead, I got instant soulmates via sunflower argument, philosophical monologues in place of actual connection, a barrage of “daddy” in contexts that should never involve that word, and one deeply unnecessary scene that will live in my brain rent-free against my will.

And honestly? I’m still processing. I might be processing forever.