I really loved this book! Delightful concept and setting, loveable characters. I really felt like I was in Brighton with the characters, and the love story felt incredibly real.

oh. my. god. this book is amazing! it's everything i ever wanted and more. it was so wholesome, it made me cry, it made me laugh. hands down a book i wish i could read for the first time again

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it was really good!

I loved the fantasy elements and the lesbian & mixed race rep was great! Ash’s relationship with her family was beautiful to read :)

I did find it a little young for me at times, but I know I’m not the target age, so if I were reading this aged 14 I probably would have given it the full 5 stars!

My biggest bug bear was all the HP references which for a book published in 2021 was unnecessary and quite hurtful.

I wish the book had been longer and more in depth as I felt it was rushed at times, but it was a really enjoyable read anyway and I’m so glad I read it!

Review coming to @rosies.book.shelf on Instagram soon :)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers at Hodder for gifting me an E-ARC of the book

This book follows the story of Ash, a hopeless romantic, who falls in love with Poppy while they're on a school trip. They start dating and are having the best time of their lives until a tragic accident happened. Ash wakes up in surrounded by three strangers who happened to be reapers.

There were so many things that I loved about this book! I loved the diverse cast of characters, the writing, and the concept. I was completely drawn into Ash and Poppy and their relationship! They're definitely on my top favorite f/f couple. It's a bit of an insta-love but I was totally fine with it. Their romance is adorable and sweet. The minor characters are interesting as well but I wished we learned more about them, especially the reapers. My first experience with Tanya Byrne's writing was in 2019 when I read her short story called "Almost Certain" in PROUD by Juno Dawson. Her writing is brilliant and just perfect.

I wish there were more scenes with Ash and her family after she died. I thought her family and bestfriend too are really amazing and I would have loved to read more about them. I also wished we got to see more of Ash being a reaper. Overall, this was a unique read. It's emotional and heartbreaking but full of love and hope at the same time.

*eARC from NetGalley. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.*

Afterlove is a sweet tale with good LGBT rep and an interesting fantasy element.

The novel had some really poignant moments and pondered some interesting ideas. However, I think it would've been better suited as a duology. The romance was far too insta-love-y for me which meant I didn't have the time to bond with the love interest. Some of the plot was also a little too convenient for me though that is often the case with YA.

For me, the most interesting part of the book was the family dynamic between the MC and her parents/sister. I really wish there was more in the story about those relationships as they seemed to be completely ignored after the first 150 pages or so.

Unmissable. Heartbreaking. Beautiful.

What happens after until death do us part? Ash's love life is finally looking up and life with her new girl friend Poppy is everything she'd always dreamed of. But when tragedy strikes on New Year's Eve and Ash is enlisted as a grim reaper, it looks like the end of her relationship. Can love endure, even in the afterlife?

This novel is incredible. So incredible I'm really struggling to write a review even remotely worthy of it. Even if you don't usually read YA, read this book!

There was a point part way through when I thought this novel might be too upsetting and I considered stopping, but I loved the premise and the writing so much that I kept going and I'm so pleased I did. At its heart is a wonderful love story it's impossible not to root for, but Afterlove is also a touching and heart-wrenching depiction of grief and a celebration of what it means to be alive.

I loved everything about it - from the moments of heightened tension in the first half of the novel (it's impossible not to keep asking if this is it *the* moment), the wonderful depiction of Ash's home life, to the twists in the second half. Afterlove is one of my favourite YA reads of the year and I'll be recommending it to everyone I know.

I. Love. This. Book!

Beautifully written, enough to being you tears while also making you laugh in places.

Gorgeous.

I enjoyed this read! It was so refreshing to see on-page lesbian rep where both the protagonist and her love interest identify as lesbians! I liked that the before section was so long as it gave me a chance get to know Ash and Poppy and their romance, so it gave me something to root for. I did think some key emotional moments were a bit underwhelming and the characters acclimatised to some Hella big situations a bit too easily. But overall a good sapphic read!

Oh this beautiful book! It is romantic and heartbreaking in equal measure, and rips you apart in the most delicious way. The voice is strong and emotional, and never underestimates the intelligence of the reader. Afterlove was my first Tanya Byrne book, but has definitely made her an author I will automatically read.

Car headlights and the smashing of glass turn a disappointing New Years Eve into a deadly one for Ash. But though she’s dead, she’s not gone. Taken in by a group of reapers, she becomes one of them, guiding the dead to the afterlife. But as she moves around her home city, picking up the dead, she can’t help thinking of Poppy, her first love, her secret girlfriend, the girl who no one knows about so no one can tell her that she’s dead. As she adjusts to her new ‘life’ she glimpses Poppy around town and becomes desperate for just a little bit more time with her. But when one is dead and one is alive, Ash must risk everything for Poppy.

I knew from just the very first few pages of Afterlove that it was going to be a favourite of mine. The writing was gorgeous, yes, but there was something else about this book too. Something very special that’s hard to put a name on.

For me, though, the characters are what makes this book so amazing. Ash and Poppy are both so vibrant and alive, and so in love with each other from the get go that it’s hard for me, as the reader, not to fall in love too. I was so caught up in their love story that for a minute, I forgot the premise of the book. I forgot about the crushing blow that was to come. This was a rollercoaster of emotions that I couldn’t get off, but it was glorious. In some ways their relationship could be classed as ‘instalove’ which I’m not a fan of. But the way their interactions and Ash’s feelings for Poppy were written makes it more than this. It felt real, and deep, and so very true.

The secondary characters in this book are great too, especially Ash’s reaper friends who are both blunt and welcoming to her as she adjusts. Ash and Poppy included, each character holds up on their own, outside of the relationships they’re in.

Even though this book is marketed as ‘After’ love and the blurb straight up tells you Ash is going to die, the first part of the book is ‘before’. Except this book calls it ‘Love.’ And we get a whole section of the book dedicated to Ash and Poppy getting to know each other and falling for each other. Which in a way is awful because you know what’s coming. I think this is why their relationship is so heartwrenching – because in every plan they make and hope they talk about, you know it won’t happen.

This is where the book really hit me. We see Ash try and go back to her family home, and watch Poppy from afar because she knows Poppy won’t know she’s dead. Ash’s grief was so strong and it really came through in the writing. I would have liked to see her focus a little more on her friends and family, than just Poppy. But it was still a beautiful portrayal of grief.

I adored this book. I loved it so much from the very first page, and knew it would be an instant 5 star read for me. It seems Tanya Byrne has been writing for a while, but I hadn’t heard of her before. I’ll definitely be checking out her other books.

This was incredible read, very gripping had me laughing and wanting to highlight so many lines that I would like to go back to read again. This book got me out of a reading hangover, the characters ARC were perfect and natural.
The plot was gripping and had a flow that worked and kept you within its pages

When Ash Persaud is the last person to die on New Year’s Eve she becomes a grim reaper, responsible for guiding the souls of the dead to wherever they are going next. But then she learns that her girlfriend, Poppy, is due to die, and she is determined to prevent it despite the potentially dreadful consequences. This is a real tear-jerker, with beautiful writing that captures both the dizziness of first love and the pain of loss. But ultimately it is life-affirming, and is about making the most of the time you have with people. It is written by a queer UK author with Indo-Guyanese heritage, a cultural background that is shared by the main character and evoked beautifully in the novel.

This is honestly so perfect. It really is the lesbian story to die for. Afterlove introduces us to two beautiful protagonists, Ash and Poppy. Ash is tired of just kissing girls in the dark or having casual relationships where girls are too afraid to be out in the open. She wants a real relationship but she’s also tired of putting her heart on the line and getting it broken. Enter Poppy, this free spirit who takes Ash on the ride of her life. I absolutely stan Ash and Poppy. They both make such an adorable couple and I absolutely couldn’t stop reading about them. I had a huge smile on my face as I watched the two of them fall in love in the most wholesome love story ever. It was so refreshing to see two lesbians having a happy love story and I loved every bit of it.

I also really loved Ash’s family and how desi it was. The family dynamics felt extremely relatable and homely and I especially loved reading about Ash’s little sister who always has her head buried in the book. I was so absorbed in the book I almost forgot what the plot was. Halfway through the book we embark on Ash’s journey as a grim reaper and it’s absolutely devastating and heartbreaking and good lord I cried buckets of tears over this book.

But at the same time we get some really quirky and well-written side characters like Esen and Dev who are there to guide Ash through this journey. But of course Ash refuses to let go of Poppy and it’s really interesting to see how the two struggle to stay together. I just find this book to be very beautifully written. It’s about hope, love, family and grief and so much more.

5 Word Review: Love, family, friendship, tragedy, death.

Grab the tissues, you will need them. And a blanket to combat the chills that this love story will give you.

I am struggling to review this, because I loved it so much. Basically: Good book. Book booked good. Read book.

I listened to the audiobook of Afterlove, and I think Aysha Kala did a wonderful job bringing the story to life and filling it with even more emotion.

Ash and Poppy are just... They're my OTP now, the one ship I will go down with. I loved their love, the way that even though their situations in life are so different it doesn't matter to them. Their hearts are full of love. And when Ash becomes a reaper, I have to be honest - it broke me.

Afterlove doesn't shy away from difficult topics - whether its homophobia, or racism, or class disparity, or religious beliefs in the face of your family. It was empathetically done, carefully done, and wasn't afraid to be ugly when it had to be.

This book gently plays with the paranormal, and if I'm honest I barely realised it for what it was. I loved the lore behind it, and I thought it was very clever in the way it was executed.

The story is split into before and after and I think that was a clever way to play with the concepts of the words. It's not just Ash's death, but herself and how she experiences the world, her new role.

That ending though? Excuse me, I need more. I loved the ending, but it left me gasping. It wraps up beautifully but I'm aching for more. Afterlove is the romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet want to be.

Afterlove is a gloriously beautiful story that will fill your heart to bursting and then break it into a million pieces. You will never be ready, and you will never get over it, but you need to read this book.

This was very unique and I loved the twist on a teen romance. It makes you think about each moment you have and making the most of the time you have with those you love. I want to know more about the world, but liked the romance it focused on.

Afterlove explores the huge themes of first love and death. Really a book of two halves, Byrne follows the life of Ash as she unexpectedly meets the love of her life on a school field trip. Written with a YA audience in mind, Afterlove is funny, touching and realistic in tone set against the vibrant background of Brighton & Hove. As a lesbian of Guyanese heritage Ash has a lot to contend with, hiding her true self from her father and extended family. Poppy on the other hand is her opposite; confident privileged and 'out'. As their relationships blossoms a decision on New Year's Eve will cause a chain reaction of events with disastrous consequences.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the concept of this book, and it was definitely enjoyable. The idea of grim reapers living in a vaguely alternate reality right next to our own is interesting, and the LGBTQ+ aspect was also really good. Poppy did seem a little manic-pixie-dream-girl but Ash was fully rounded, and its discussion of death was good. I just would have preferred a little more world-building and explanation.

Well, this was a book about a dead lesbian that I actually volunteered to read, so that's something. However, it was somewhat disappointing, and felt like there were too many gaps in the story. First, I'm not a fan of instalove, and after a while Ash and Poppy's romance was cloying. Second, after her death, it didn't seem like Ash actually cared about anyone she loved—not her family, not her best friend, not her girlfriend—even though we are told later that she did miss them. The story went from Ash's life being so rich with all the people she loved to them being wiped out of existence. Third, the ending was far from satisfying.


SPOILER... SKIP TO NEXT PARA:
##
##
There was no real resolution about what happened to Ash, to Poppy. We already knew that nobody knows where Charon takes dead souls, so the ending felt a little pointless.
##
##
SPOILER OVER

(Review copy from NetGalley)

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – thanks so much to Netgalley as always for sending this to me!

This book follows Ash, who’s in the flush of new love with her girlfriend Poppy. Ash thinks she’s found her soulmate and her happily ever after – until a tragic accident on New Years Eve leaves Ash dead at the stroke of midnight, and the timing of her death dooms her to become a reaper, guiding the souls of the dead to their final resting places while unable to follow in their wake. Ash is trapped, incapable of moving on – and incapable of letting go of the love of her life.

The characters here are compelling and well-written. Ash and Poppy are very sweet and likeable; Essen, one of the other reapers, was a total knockout, and reminded me of Esther from the Giant Days series. This was the main thing that carried me through the story.

However, I personally felt that the rest of the book was fairly weak. Firstly, I found it to be poorly paced in terms of the plot, which was very uneven and seemed to take forever to deliver on its promised premise. For the first forty percent of the book, we’re getting to know our main character and her love interest, building the emotional attachment that makes Ash’s death meaningful to the reader. I understand why it was constructed this way, but the result was that I felt bored as it seemed to take forever to get to the point of the book, aka the death and the grim reaper plotline. For me, it would have worked better if this had been dual timeline, switching back and forth between the present, with Ash dead, and the past, giving us insight into the things she left behind. I felt that the more standard chronological structure didn’t really work here and it made the initial events of the book drag on forever, to the point that I almost DNF’d the book before Ash had even died.

In addition to this, the ‘worldbuilding,’ for want of a better term, struck me as pretty weak. The explanations of how reaping worked, why they were there, and everything surrounding that aspect of the plot was very surface-level, and while not everything supernatural requires an explanation, I feel like the author never really fully engaged with that aspect of the premise, leaving me dissatisfied with the vagueness of it all.
Finally, the ending did not at all deliver what I had wanted from this book. I was anticipating something along the lines of The Lovely Bones, where the character learns to let go of the past and move on, and her family subsequently get their own closure. If anything, the opposite was true here, and it felt pretty dissatisfying and a little trite too.

I appreciate what the author was trying to do here, but I honestly found this book to be pretty disappointing and finishing it was a struggle. It wasn’t poorly written in terms of the writing style, but I found it a frustrating read and I never really got invested. 2.5/5 stars.

Afterlove comes at you strong and fast with a sickly-sweet romance that I completely adored.

This 400-page novel passed in the blink of an eye as I was completely drawn into the romance between Poppy and Ash. It is primarily a romance novel, with half the book dedicated to building the relationship between the girls and ensuring the inevitable heartache is that much more painful. So, thank you, Tanya Byrne, for the emotions. Afterlove truly stirred by heart and I dare anyone to try and resist its charms.

Our main character, Ash, is Indo-Guyanese and proud of it. The first section of Afterlove gives us an insight to her life: her friends, her family, her romantic whims. Byrne did an incredible job of making it feel cosy, real, and familiar, despite my own background being vastly different. I felt welcomed into Ash’s family and my only wish is that these characters — her family and best friend, Adara — had continued to make an appearance once Poppy entered.

I felt incredibly seen in Ash. Her attitude to love spoke directly to the hopeless romantic within me and, honestly, it was a relief to realise that other people get it. That I am not the only one living this life full of feeling and dreams.

The romance is, simply put, adorable. Despite the length of the book, the plot feels incredibly fast which I suppose reflects the teenage dream of a whirlwind romance that takes your breath away. And it certainly does. We see Ash struggle with past heartbreak and the fear that Poppy isn’t truly interested in girls, but not for long. Soon enough the pair are spending all of their time together, and you cannot help but sigh dreamily as they explore the streets of Brighton falling more and more in love.

But, the inevitable must come. Ash must die and our minds must fill with questions about what it means for her and Poppy, how Ash’s family coped, what everyone is doing now. Only some of those questions get answered, which is a little disappointing given how much I grew to love the other side characters. Nevertheless, the second section of Afterlove brings in the fantasy element of reapers, who collect souls of the recently deceased and bring them to Charon’s boat to continue their journey.

I would have liked more time spent on Ash being a reaper: after all, the blurb implies this is what the story is about. Instead this is almost an aside, something to ensure the resolution of the romance but lacking in detail otherwise. It’s an interesting concept and deserved a little more time in the limelight. Again, the plot moves very quickly here, and even the end felt somewhat rushed. The resolution wasn’t given time to truly simmer and instead a jump of eleven months suddenly sees the end we knew must be heading our way.

If you have read teen romance or contemporary novels before, you will probably find yourself, like me, predicting most of the plot. But the sweet and beautiful romance is so worth the journey that it’s almost nice not to have any nasty surprises along the way. Byrne’s writing is flowery and perhaps a little excessive for some, yet I only found that it spoke to me, and reminded me of the way I enjoy writing: lots of dramatic metaphors and romanticism.

If you are looking for something to ignite that wild passion in your soul, Afterlove is the novel for you.