Melanie’s Reviews > The Dead Romantics > Status Update

"It had been 3 months, and if Ben remembered me, if he missed me, then he would've found me. He knew how."

OK...I think this is my ONE "miscommunication trope" style issue w/ this book. Bc Florence, YOU know that him coming to you as a ghost while he was comatose is real. But isn't it MUCH MORE REASONABLE that he thought it was a coma dream? Onus is on you to subtly try to feel out if he remembers/how he feels!

LOL I feel dumb that I didn't clock that Rose OR Alice were gay.

I hate the “didn’t have X on my bingo card” cliche and I think this book has had it twice now

“And for me to read this letter - because he knew I would try to do these impossible tasks alone.
Carver covered up a laugh, and Alice elbowed him in the side. He hoped I asked for help because asking was not a weakness - but a strength. He hoped that I would ask more often, because I would be surprised by who would come into my life if I let them. Not all of my companions would be ghosts.”

What were you writing to attract Annie’s attention…

“Had to be something off the cuff. Alien barbarian erotica?”
"No, but I'd read that."
"Omegaverse?"

Hahahaha. Now I know Ashley’s read the same unhinged shit as me. Yeah girl love this journey for us.

“All of my heartache could have been circumvented — all of his pain could
have been mended. What kind of people would we have been if he had found me in that library? Or if I had mingled with Rose and found him instead?

“I wish we had met instead," I whispered.

“I would've been terrible for you,” he replied, shaking his head.”

I actually really appreciate that he had to grow before this working.

“Over the past few days, he had slowly unwound in front of me, first his hair becoming disheveled, his shirtsleeves rolled up, his trousers cuffed, his tie lost somewhere in the netherworld between Friday night and here, and now-ever so slightly-there was the shadow of a beard crossing the strong angles of his chin. I'd never seen a ghost change before.”

Ok so he’s def brain dead/in a coma somewhere.

“But to be honest, I became an editor because I'm chasing this feeling I felt when I read my first romance." “Which one?" Ben shifted. He didn't say anything for a long moment… “The Forest of Dreams.” “Seriously? An Ann Nichols novel?”

Ok - I am just impressed bc I was sure he was going to name drop her one unknown book.

“I tried not to linger too much on his forearms. He had a tattoo on the underside of his right arm, halfway up toward the elbow, though his arms were folded so I couldn't see the whole thing. Though I really wouldn't mind. Some people were shoulder people, some people were back people, some people were butt people - I, for all intents and purposes, was a forearm kind of girl.”

🙌🏻

I’m definitely suspicious of the fact that he keeps hearing voices and kinda going in and out, and there’s NO obit or funeral info online? Maybe he’s like in a coma or in and out of death? Or brain dead but still technically alive? Like even if he had no living family the man’s gotta have SOME death info online.