What happens when a romance writer stops believing in love? For Florence Day, ghostwriter for a beloved romance author, heartbreak and betrayal have left her creatively paralyzed. She’s long past her deadline, her new editor refused a deadline extension, and the words that once flowed so easily have dried up completely. Love? She’s done with it.

Then her father dies, and Florence returns home to say goodbye—only to discover that her very handsome, very demanding editor, Ben, is also there. The catch? He’s dead, and she’s the only one who can see him.

Like her father before her, Florence can see spirits. Now she finds herself in an impossible situation: helping Ben find peace and move on, even as she prepares to release her own father into whatever comes next. But the more time she spends with Ben, the more she wants him to stay.

I’ll be honest—the narrative starts off a little slow. But stick with it. As the pages turn, the story grows in complexity and depth, particularly as we uncover the secrets behind Florence’s creative paralysis alongside Ben. Ashley Poston weaves grief, family, and the vulnerability of putting your heart on the page into something that feels both achingly real and wonderfully supernatural.

The turning point in this book absolutely wrecked me. I won’t spoil it, but bring tissues. The heartache is real. Thankfully, Poston doesn’t leave you there—she guides you through it with gentle hands toward a conclusion that feels both earned and satisfying.

The Dead Romantics is a love story about letting go and holding on, about grief and hope, and about finding your voice again when you thought it was lost forever. It’s a book that understands that sometimes the most romantic thing we can do is allow ourselves to believe again.