The Love of my Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood BLOG TOUR #TheLoveofmyAfterlife @KirstyStories @PenguinUKBooks @RandomTTours #BookReview

 

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. She’s entered the afterlife wearing the sort of pyjamas you don’t want anyone to see and finds herself face-to-face with the most handsome man she’s ever encountered. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise – until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth.

In a twist of fate, Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to her previous life and reconnect with the mysterious man she’s sure is her soulmate.

The challenge? She only has ten days to find him.

Ten days to make him fall for her.

Oh, and he has no recollection of them ever having met…

The Love Of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood was published on 20 June 2024 by Penguin. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour 

This is such an uplifting, unusual novel, beautifully written with a nod to the author's love of romantic fiction, it's a book that I loved filled with characters who seem to leap from the pages. 

Delphie, age twenty-seven hasn't had an exciting life so far, she's missed out on romantic relationships, she was bullied at school. Delphie feels generally unloved and is loathe to get close to anyone. Her only friend is her elderly neighbour Mr Yoon. Delphie has nobody to call on when she gets a piece of food lodged in her throat. It's the end for Delphie .... well, for the time being. 

Delphie is now in Evermore, a kind of lauderette waiting room for the afterlife. Jonah also arrives there but it's not really his time so he's sent back to Earth. However, Merritt - an afterlife therapist in Evermore notices a spark between Delphie and Jonah and bends the rules just a bit. Delphie is going back to her life, but there is a condition; when she's there, she must find Jonah and get him to kiss her within ten days. If she fails, it's back to Evermore for Delphie. 

This is certainly one of the most unusual plot lines that I've come across for a long time, and to be honest, it could have been a little too sweet for me. It wasn't!  Kirsty Greenwood has created a story that is really down to earth, despite the whole set up. It's a story of one woman who discovers her life afresh, a woman who is particularly grumpy at times, but who slowly and surely begins to let others into her life. She discovers the joys of having people around her, having people that care and people that she can care about. 

I loved the journeys around the city of London, I adored the many references to romance books and authors that we are all familiar with and I loved the way that Kirsty Greenwood writes. It's a modern day fairy tale, with the prince and princesses - magical realism and romance all bound up together to create a story that entertains and lifts the heart. 

This is such a fun read, but also a read that explores relationships, family and how bullying and grief can shape a person's future.  Oh, and lots of laughs, lots of them. Recommended by me. 

Kirsty Greenwood is a bestselling author of funny, fearless and fast-paced romantic
comedies about extraordinary love. 

When she's not writing books she composes musicals and explores London where she lives with her husband. 

Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.