This was obviously well written but the reaper bit was too much for me to deal with at the moment sadly which meant I couldn’t keep on with it

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an e-arc of Afterlove in exchange for a honest review.

The cover was the first thing I noticed about this book. The cover is stunning, I love the pinks and purples, they go so well together.

This book is a YA LGBTQ novel about two female 16 years olds that fall in love.
That love also last forever even in death.

I love the idea that this book has a seaside setting, as I don't read many books with that setting. I love Brighton and the beach.

Nothing about this was quite as I expected, but it turned out to be just my cup of tea: a very contemporary love story with just a twist (albeit quite a large twist) of the paranormal. Beautifully written with great characters, and I loved the Brighton setting.

This book had a really interesting premise. Afterlove follows Ash as she quickly falls in love with Poppy, then has to leave her behind as she embarks on a new journey becoming a reaper in the afterlife. One thing I would say is that the synopsis is quite misleading, it emphasis parts of the story that aren’t as relevant and I had a different idea of what the book was going to be based on the synopsis, which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. This book is split into two parts and they are very different - the first focuses on Ash and Poppy’s love story and we get to see Ash fall in love for the first time, whilst the second half focuses on her afterlife. All of the characters were very unique and I loved reading about them, however I wish we could have learnt more about Poppy and her relationship with her parents as I felt there was more to explore with her, and I wish some of the side characters had been focused on more. The thing that made me want to read this book was the idea of Poppy becoming a grim reaper, but it turned out there was more an emphasis on the love story, so I wish there had been more exploration of the afterlife. Overall, I enjoyed this book, I liked the romance and the plot and the diversity, but it wasn’t what I hoped it would be and so I was a little disappointed and I definitely think there should be a different synopsis. .

This book destroyed every emotion I have and then put it back together again. The love, the relationships, the ups and downs - sheer perfection!

THIS BOOK. WOAH.

Afterlove is split into two parts; before and after. The before section explores Ash and Poppy's relationship, from their first meeting up until the night Ash tragically dies. And what a beautiful relationship it is. These two girls have an instant connection and it was easy to fall in love with and root for their relationship despite already knowing how it would end due to the synopsis of this book. I wasn't expecting to get so much backstory (the part described in the synopsis doesn't start until about 150 pages in) but I am so glad we did. In previous books I've read dealing with grief, such as History Is All You Left Me and Who I Was with Her we learn about the deceased character and their relationship in hindsight, after they've already died. But it definitely helped to be able to see Ash and Poppy's relationship as it was forming, and that made the tragedy hit so much harder.

Even though I knew it was coming, Ash's death still hit me really hard. But it also allowed us to move onto the next stage of the story, where she becomes a reaper to help guide souls to the afterlife, even though she's still mourning the loss of her own life. To help her in this journey we meet her fellow reapers, Dev and Esen, and I love them both so much. They're total opposites, with Dev being a sweet little ball of sunshine, and Esen providing a much more snarky, serious view of things, but they work so well together and the bond between the three of them is something that I really enjoyed.

Another thing that I absolutely adored is that both Ash and Poppy are lesbians and they! actually! use! the! word! lesbian!! It really means a lot to see the word being used more often in books, even though many books still skirt around using it.

This book ripped my heart out in the best way, I genuinely don't think a book has made me ugly cry so much before. It hit all the right emotional notes and I highly, highly recommend it. The only criticism I can think of is that there are quite a lot of Harry Potter references, but as I read an ARC I'm hoping that these won't be included in the final copy in light of JK Rowling's transphobia.

When Ash and Poppy fall they have lots of plans for the future, but these are cruelly crushed when Ash is killed on her way home on New Year’s Eve. As the last person to die that year, she becomes a reaper with the job of escorting those who have just died to the afterlife. As she is beginning to settle into her new role, everything changes when she see Poppy again. A touching, page-turner of a love story.

A sweet read about love and death through the eyes of teenagers.

This book feels like two stories. One a sapphic love story of two girls from different backgrounds falling hard and fast for each other. The other, a paranormal story of teenage reapers, helping the souls of other teenagers who die suddenly pass on to wherever they go next.

Both of these stories have great concepts, but I felt like we didn't get enough of either. After a hint in the prologue, it took almost half the book to get to the paranormal element of the story that was hinted at, and the pacing felt off. I was left wanting to know so much more about this hidden world of the reapers.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romance. There is still much to enjoy from this heartwarming story.

4.5/5⭐

Afterlove is beautiful and painful and completely entwined together, with a love that is everlasting.

This book just gave me a massive message of hope amongst messages of loss and love.

The story follows 16 year old Ash. She has a close-knit family and a brilliant best friend. All she feels she is missing is a Girlfriend, someone to love.

She finds a love that completes her in Poppy Morgan. Their love story is beautiful and over too soon, when Ash dies on New Years Eve. Her life is taken way too soon, and she had so many plans and a future planned out with Poppy. Ash is angry, and confused when she wakes up to find she is still in the world, but not alive anymore. She gets greeted by Dev and Esen who are "reapers" and help her transition to her new afterlife.

Ash cannot stop thinking about Poppy and her family, and is just in disbelief. This new afterlife as a reaper has lots of new rules.

The writing in Afterlove is just so moving, and is like a warm hug. Full of heart. I absolutely love F/F love stories, and also the message that yes it's first love, but that doesn't mean it's not a forever love. I'm always looking for LGBTQ+ representation, and this book is definitely one that I will be reccomending again and again.

I think life can be scary, but I think what's scarier is that we can die at any moment, and we should live life to the fullest, and not have regrets.

Overall the book has such a lovely message about first love and just love in general, and dealing with the loss of a loved one, and what happens when you die? Do we ever really know ? We all just hope to be reunited with the ones we love the most, and to be at peace.


*Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for my gifted earc in exchange for an honest review.*

'Afterlove' by Tanya Byrne has the most interesting premise - it is a shame that the execution is muddled into something less enjoyable than it could be. For the first 40% of the book, we follow Ash and Poppy as they fall in love. Don't get me wrong, it is a heartwarming and sweet romance but I was waiting for the more supernatural storyline to start.

This is definitely a book of two vastly different halves with the sudden shift. In the second half, Ash is tragically killed and becomes one of Brighton's reapers. There are some intriguing moments in the second half of the book, particularly regarding the rules of the afterlife and reaping. I also thought the character of Essen was a nuanced character - I appreciated her growth and how she is always honest with Ash (especially when Ash is making ridiculous decisions!).

Unfortunately, the supernatural stages of the book felt rushed. It was a good premise and sweet storyline but the uneven pacing meant the potential of the idea was left unrealised. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Can a book be both heart warming and heart breaking? If so, that’s what Byrne ha created here. Part sapphic love story, part afterlife fantasy, the plot follows Ash after she dies in an accident and becomes a reaper, as she tries to connect with her living girlfriend, Poppy, one more time. This was sweet and funny and poignant. A lovely book.

THE LESBIAN LOVE STORY YOU'VE BEEN DYING TO READ…

I can’t begin to explain how beautifully brilliant and unique this book by Tanya Byrne is. I really struggled to put the book down; I was captured within the story after that very first page!

There was more to this book than the description makes out; it is about Ash becoming a Reaper but it is also about the life she led, the death she has to deal with and everything in between. I wished this book could have been even longer because I would have loved to have delved into more parts of Ash and even Poppy’s life and afterlife.

I was honestly so blown away by the novel and wish I could re read it again for the first time because it was such a unique book full of emotion, fun and loving plots, with heartbreak and grief. I did shed a couple of tears. You don’t know sometimes what you’ve got until it’s gone and this book really brings that home!
’ You don’t need to be better than anyone else, you just need to be better than who you used to be’

This book was so beautiful and so pure.

There was something so compelling and pure about the relationship between Ash and Poppy and it was so clear that they were destined to be together no matter what. Byrne's characters are individual and equally well developed. I love the setting of the novel being in Brighton and them visiting London as I love reading books set in England as it's home to me. I loved the interpretation of the grim reapers and the way that they fit into the narrative, I adored how we were able to see two sides to Poppy and Ash's love story as well. I loved Esen, she was so real and relatable.

This book was such a quick read, I didn't want to put it down until I knew the end. I'm so glad I found and read this book but I wish the ending had been more clear but then at the same time I don't think it needed to be, it was perfect.

Though totally not the target audience, I enjoyed this book and would have loved it as a teenager.

It's a queer love story with a fantastical edge and I really enjoyed it!

Afterlove was sold to me from the moment I read ‘the lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read’ and wow, it did not disappoint.

The reader is first introduced to Ash Persaud, our Indo-Guyanese, lesbian main character, when she is on a school trip that’ll change the course of her life - This is where she meets Poppy, and falls head-over-heels in love.

Tragically, the girls only have a few short months of happiness together, before Ash is hit by a car, and death tears them apart. She gets trapped in the afterlife, taken by three reapers, all young women, who take her under their wing, and she joins them in collecting the souls of the dead.

But of course, Ash cannot forget Poppy, and is desperate to see her again, no matter the circumstances.

I adored both the romance and the found family aspect of the book. Yes, the two girls fall in love pretty quickly, but that’s how it is at 16 - it’s exciting, and takes over your life like your own little whirlwind, and this book encapsulates that perfectly.

The reapers were so incredibly cool, particularly Esen, an overly sarcastic girl who jumped off the page from her first appearance, and the way they all bond and become their own little family is so perfect.

As well as the main story, the diversity within this book is incredible - We have an Indo-Guyanese lesbian main character, lesbian love interest, Turkish side character, an Indian side character, a hijabi side character, and Indo-Guyanese side characters.

The way Ash’s sexuality is shown throughout Afterlove made me feel so seen - Although she is out, she is struggling with acceptance from family, with her internal fears, and with dating. It’s clear that Ash believes romantic love is something completely alien to her, having had her heart broken before, but she still manages to find the perfect girl. It’s a hopeful message for any queer girls reading this book - it’s going to be hard, but you’ll come out okay.

I will be recommending this book to everyone I possibly can - it was absolutely beautiful, perfectly written, and I loved every moment.

*thank you to NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review*

Afterlove is the story of Ash and Poppy and so powerful is their love for each other that it can transcend everything, even death!

I have mixed feelings about this book.

Ash and Poppy were likeable characters who Byrne depicts authentically with gorgeous, small details which helped to bring them to life. However, there were aspects of them that were opaque and I felt that some of the events they shared needed to be explored in more depth as sometimes I felt it made them seem a little shallow. For example, their family lives are explored in certain parts of the book but it felt to me like they were ignored when it was convenient for the author.

Their relationship was at times beautifully depicted, yet I also felt it had a tinge of Romeo and Juliet to it where it felt a little bit too all-consuming, too tragic and didn't reflect the other parts of who Ash and Poppy really were. I think love stories that constrict the meaning of a person's life to this one relationship can feel a little unrealistic and over-simplistic. I would have preferred to have the complexity of the grief the characters must have felt for the the loss of life explored more broadly than just how it related to the love of each other.

It was obvious that Byrne had a lot to say about grief and loss in this book and this was handled well, exploring their pain with tenderness and the emptiness loss leaves with hope. However, whilst the device of Ash becoming a grim reaper was novel I felt it left me a little dry and, along with the conclusion of the novel it did not adequately cover the depths of loss or what it can feel like to be left alone when someone dies.

I'm sure that there are many readers who will enjoy this YA book both for its exploration of teenage lesbian romance and for the way it grapples with grief and loss. Overall, I found the book enjoyable and engaging, but with a few flaws which led to the plot not quite melding with the themes it was trying to explore.

Dark, terrifying, and yet wonderfully romantic! Have never read anything like it before, wonderful book!

I've had Afterlove on my #NetGalley shelf forever & yet it still isn't publishing until July...couldn't resist it any longer though @tanyabyrne, & don't regret it. I'll be honest, romance usually leaves me cold, but Ash & Poppy were 🥰. & what a journey! #UKYA #LGBTQ https://t.co/FKyIVscYBa

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for this wonderful ARC. My
favourite LGBT YA book of the past two years. The Henna Wars meet Scythe!

When I started reading this book I wasn’t completely sure I was going to like it because
the story is about two sixteen year-olds experiencing their first love, which for me is an
experience long in the past. However, I was completely wrong! This book by Tanya
Byrne is written with absolute honesty and I saw myself immediately immersed in this
story, devouring the book in barely a week, something that hadn’t happened in a long
time.

In spite of what the synopsis says, I believe this book isn’t mostly about Ash becoming
a reaper. For me this book is about how life and death are only some of the stops in a
long journey. And most of all, love is what drives this book. This youthful drama will
show you the streets of Brighton through Ash Persaud’s eyes, experiencing life, death
and the first love with her. Also learning that death really happens the moment you stop
remembering all the love you have in your life.

There are many remarkable things about this book. Like I mentioned, the author speaks
from her truth and in spite of the characters youthful age, their actions and
conversations are completely believable and sincere. The author has been able to
perfectly reflect the sincerity of her words in the pages of this fiction novel, and that is
one of the reasons I couldn’t stop reading from the very first moment I laid eyes on
Byrne’s words.

On the other hand, this book is comprised of a cast of diverse characters. Not only Ash,
who is part of a strict Indo-Guyanese family, but also many other characters from
different religious backgrounds and races, which makes this portrait of Brighton feel
even more real and closer to the reality of the city. The secondary characters are well
constructed and placed inside this story, making Ash and Poppy’s relationship stand out
as the central piece of this novel.

My favourite character is Esen, one of the reapers who accompany Ash. Despite of the
author not giving us as many details about this girl, I felt like I knew her from the very
first moment she appears. She’s a tough, funny and sarcastic girl, who tries to lead her
new life by pushing away all memories of her old life. Her development is something
worth mentioning too, because in just a few pages, this character who in the beginning
was perceived as annoying by both the reader and Ash, later on becomes an essential
part of the story. Esen watches Ash’s love story from afar, but she also intervenes when
she’s needed, a truly reliable and loyal friend. She’s the only one of the reapers who
makes us understand more clearly the tough reality these girls are living when they have
to leave everything behind and still wander through the places they used to call home
but now being complete strangers; not the normal girls they used to be but reapers
leading souls to Charon’s boat.

Another thing I loved about this book is how Ash’s sexuality is portrayed. It was one
the things that kept me hooked to this book, the sixteen year-old version of me that still
exists somewhere within, felt understood and represented in these words. As I
mentioned before, the author speaks from her undeniable truth, making this book feel
real and honest. Ash is a queer sixteen year-old girl who lives in one of the most
inclusive cities in the UK: Brighton. However, the reality is that when you’re a queer

teenager, finding a date, no matter where that is, it is still a nightmare. And when you
finally have one, most of the times it doesn’t go as expected. We can see through Ash’s
thoughts how her heart has been broken many times in spite of her age and how she
thinks she will never find love. It is never easy to admit who you are and accept
yourself as you are but it is even harder if you’re not what society expects you to be.
Regardless of all that, Ash finds Poppy, the person that takes her breath away and
makes her heart beat faster. The one who shows her that despite of all the obstacles she
has found in her path, in the end she can be happy next to the person she loves.
The only things that I didn’t love about this book were the rhythm and the structure.
There are too many interesting details in the second half of the book that don’t get
enough attention. Charon’s appearance, how the reapers become different people and
the consequences they would have to face if someone recognized them, are only some
of them. Everything related to being a reaper is like a sweet that you savour for too
short a time. I do think these ideas are properly explained and developed, but I would
have liked to know even more about them. And about the secondary characters like
Esen, Dev and Deborah. I would have really liked to learn more about their previous
lives as well.

I can’t help but think that if I had read this book as a teenager, when my problems
seemed never-ending, perhaps my life would have been different. The representation of
a healthy relationship between two teenage girls is something that I missed, but I’m glad
that many other teenagers will now be able to read this story and feel heard. They will
be able to hold onto this book when things are difficult for them. This is the main reason
I have felt this book so close to my heart and why I would recommend it to everyone
who has experienced growing up as a queer teenager.

We all deserve stories that make us feel seen and understood. Tanya Byrne’s story
makes us think about the meaning of life and she does that with a queer couple and a
diverse character ensemble as the voices of this story. What else could we ask for?
This book with make you forget the outside world for just a few hours and you won’t be
able to stop smiling at this beautiful and endless love story.

This was equal parts delightful and heart-breaking. Afterlove is an emotional ride and a unique tale of love and loss. I found myself quickly enthralled and couldn’t put this book down. Tanya Byrne’s writing is really lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of reading it. And the way the atmosphere is captured through the writing is pure excellence. This is not one to miss!

Rating: 5 Stars!