In this sapphic YA romance, we follow Ash Persaud, a 16 year old Indo-Guyanese girl who dies and becomes a reaper, but she is desperate to see her first love, Poppy Morgan, again. In the “before,” we see how Ash and Poppy’s relationship grows, and the magical way in which Poppy is described from Ash’s perspective almost makes me as a reader fall in love with her too. This sometimes felt like Poppy was the main character, as I feel like we knew more about her than Ash. It would’ve been nice to have a bit more information about Ash, however I completely understand that the intention is for us to see the tight bond between the two and the intensity of Ash’s feelings for Poppy - which was definitely achieved.

Byrne’s writing is so vivid and refreshing - beautiful world-building and the characters are so alive, they feel like they’re stepping right off the page. There is something I wanted more of, however I recognise this was likely a deliberate creative decision. I would’ve liked some exploration of how Ash’s family was coping after her death. We get to know how their family dynamic works while she is alive, but they almost disappear when she dies, and her only focus seems to be Poppy. By not including this, it puts us on a level with Ash, who also doesn’t know how her family are doing following the news. In regard to this, the lack of closure is effective - however it is also frustrating and surprising that there isn’t much thought towards her family. I also would’ve appreciated an epilogue to see what actually happens at the end - however if there is a sequel to explore this (please, Tanya Byrne - there’s definitely another story in there!), I will definitely be snapping it up!

I found it quite hard to read at times, thinking deeply about my own mortality, but aspects of this book are actually very comforting and hopeful, despite the potentially triggering content. Although this is a story about love, it’s also a story about family. Ash’s family are clearly incredibly important to her, and the family she finds in the other reapers is a beautiful alternative in the afterlife for her.

Despite a couple of niggles, this is definitely one of my top books I’ve read this year, and I’m going to be buying a physical copy when it is released. I haven’t read a book that makes me feel that much in such a long time!

I read a lot of teen and YA fiction and thought this looked really interesting. I have spoken eith my students about the lack of F/F protagonists in teen fiction. Most of the LGBTQ+ books are M/M so I was interested to read this and it was set in the UK - also in its favour.

Sadly, I was not impressed. THe story was slow and I felt often bogged down in the geographical details of Brighton, this added little to the story unless you know the town well.

I was really enjoying the book until the midway point when Ash dies and then I found the world building too weak. I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief and I didn't build a good relationship with the characters.

Overall I found this very disappointing.

I LOVED this book!!!! What a rollercoaster of emotions this evoked in me!! The author created the beginnings of such a beautiful love story and I became so invested in Ashana and Poppy's relationship, even having read the blurb I still wanted to watch their lives together unfold and live a happy and wonderfully long life together. I felt the heart aching loss that Ash suffered but was so invested in the story that I wanted to see how the author would continue. This story was perfectly put together; it gives you love, loss, hope, excitement and was an exquisite read. I cannot wait to see what else this author has to offer!!

AFTERLOVE is a beautiful, sad story full of joy and hope.

Byrne’s writing is fantastic. The 350+ pages fly in quickly and you really get the sense the author has felt the grief and loss she’s writing about.

The characters are bright and likeable, but I felt there were a couple I would have like to know a bit more about (the reapers’ mentor and the reapers), or to have seen again in the second part of the book (Ash’s family and her best-friend, Adara).

I enjoyed the romance between Ash and Poppy. At times it felt a little ‘too-much-too-fast’ and a little overly cute but, within the context of the story, it worked really well. You really get a sense of how young the girls are, like real teenagers, and how whirlwind, all-consuming first love can be. It makes what’s coming all the more poignant.

I was a little surprised by the pacing/ balance of action in AFTERLOVE.

From the summary and just the general idea of the story, I expected Ash to become a reaper relatively early on. Instead, the first 40% of the book is set previous to the accident and follows Ash and Poppy’s developing relationship. The story of the two girls is very much the focus of the story, far more so than the supernatural aspects, and in many ways, this feels more like YA Contemporary. Although the balance of the story surprised me (and the difference with the summary might be off-putting for some readers) I think this was for the best. While the reaper world-building is interesting, having spend so much time with Ash before the accident, you really get the trauma of having it all ripped away so suddenly.

A touching YA romance, that looks at queerness, race and grief.

A warm and wistful book about death.
Afterlove is a book of two halves. In the first, we watch Ash and Poppy's newly founded relationship bloom into something bright and beautiful. The two girls make each other braver and the electricity of finding the freedom to be themselves runs through the early chapters like a fault line. The scene where Ash finds the courage to tell her religious, overprotective mother that she has a girlfriend and discovers the world doesn't end is particularly lovely.
In the second half of the book, the relationship is cut off at the stem as Ash dies in an accident on New Year's Eve. There's a touch of Dead Like Me as she's inducted into a small household of teenage girl Grim Reapers, recruited to help guide the souls of the newly dead onward to wherever they may go, but for Ash the strange new afterlife is tempered by never being able to see Poppy again. Until she does.
In Afterlove, death is an inevitability but not necessarily an ending, and while the tragedy of losing someone so young is ever present, so too is the strength Ash and Poppy find in each other and their hope for more.
A diverse, deeply romantic, heartbreaker of a book. Tanya Byrne's writing is poetic and powerful.

A really sweet queer YA novel about death, family and relationships.

The premise is like nothing I’d ever read - what would happen if you died, became a reaper and then found out you could still see your girlfriend (but only because she might die)?

Kind of like Dead like Me, but gay. Would recommend!

With thanks to Hodder and NetGalley.

Afterlove is a beautifully written, semi-fantastical queer romance with a big old heart. It follows the first love of Ash Persaud - both before and after Ash's death. And it's pretty exemplary of Ash's character that she refuses to let a little thing like death get in the way of her life with Poppy Morgan.

It's pretty clear from the premise, but this book just isn't like other YA contemporaries. Byrne has somehow managed to create an entire mythology - one with a clan of badass girl-reapers who exist somewhere between life and death, among other equally mind-boggling things. But the fantastical elements are woven so well into the fabric of the story that it still isn't about anything other than love.

For me, what makes this book truly special is the characters. It's rare to find such a large, well-formed cast in a book that centres on two teenagers making doe eyes at each other, but Afterlove will pleasantly surprise you. From the stone-faced reaper who lights up when you mention Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Ash's little sister who wants to read everything all at once, there are no filler characters in sight and it's a joy. My one critique of the book is that there are some sections that drag on a tad in terms of plot developments, but that wasn't much of an issue when you're in such good company.

If you're looking for a book to be swallowed up by while you sit somewhere cosy, Afterlove is your gal. The prose absolutely shines, full of that good sort of eloquence that cuts right to the heart of things. There are discussions around class, race, and particularly coming out that are insightful and affecting. Afterlove - like Ash - doesn't shy away from anything. Bold, loving, and at times absolutely heartbreaking, it's a YA love story to die for.

Afterlove is one of those books that really delivers on it's premise. It starts off as this really cute love story. We get to see a lovely relationship develop between the two female leads. Then it all goes a bit wrong in the middle and a bit supernatural-y. Although the supernatural element still doesn't take the focus away from the girls relationship, it just adds another complex layer to it. Really enjoyable read, that will tug on your heart strings.

I absolutely loved Afterlove. It's the first book I've read by Tanya Byrne, but it certainly won't be the last! I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but I fell in love with Ash and Poppy, and really felt their struggles - and their love, I loved the concept of the book as well - some people become Reapers when they die, and guide others (usually people who have died unexpectedly) to their afterlife. Afterlove wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be from the blurb, but it was so cleverly constructed and well written, I was with it all the way nevertheless. The way that we got to explore Ash and Poppy's developing relationship made it all the more tragic when it was ripped away. Grief is ever present in this book - Ash is grieving her own lost life and potential, but we also get to see how her death has affected others - particularly Poppy.

I adored the relationship between Ash and Poppy. YA books with a relationship between two women as the focus still seem so rare, so it's good to see one at all, but when it's this well written, it's a real treat. I can't wait untl Afterlove comes out and I can buy a finished copy!

rep: british indo-guyanese lesbian m/c, lesbian love interest, british indo-guyanese side characters

content warnings: death

Afterlove follows the bittersweet love story between Ash and Poppy, a journey of first love, but also a journey filled with tragedy, but also one full of hope. It's a sad story for sure, but it is also hopeful and heartwarming too.

Afterlove is also a 'paranormal' book, but in a really subtle sense, but also not in a subtle sense. It's kind of hard to describe. The first half of the novel is completely regular, it follows this beautiful and blossoming love between Ash and Poppy, but halfway through, the paranormal aspect is introduced, but it still takes a backseat to this love story. Ash becomes a grim reaper but struggles to leave her old life, and struggles to let death separate her from the girl she loves. I really loved this paranormal aspect - not really dead but not really alive, and like, grim reapers? More of this in YA, please.

It's a really subtle blend of contemporary romance with the paranormal, and Byrne does it splendidly.

Afterlove is a captivating love story filled to the brim with emotion, and an absolutely brilliant addition to the ukya market. It has a beautiful cover, and a beautiful story inside to match.

This book is such a fun and unique read! It was pitched as 'the lesbian love story you've been waiting for' AND IT TRULY WAS!!!! This book gives you two lesbians who unexpectedly meet and we get to see their messy, fun and heartwarming journey as they fall in love, up until one of them suddenly dies. Ash is so confused and in denial when she wakes up after the accident to 3 strangers in a place she's never been before; and it doesn't help when they try to explain to her that she's now a grim reaper, because they don't exist, right!? Well, actually they do, and what ensues is a mix between Ash being in disbelief that she's died, and us slowly getting to know the other reapers, who slowly but surely form a family and help Ash deal with her grief. Ash is heartbroken, and completely lost, only then does she learn that trying to connect with her loved ones like she had planned will result in their early death. So Ash begins her new life as a reaper, until one day, her girlfriend sees her. Actually sees her, and recognises her!!
This is such a fun (and very raw and emotional at times) love story and book in general. I adored the group of reapers and also almost all of the character we got to meet? Although this was a 350 page book, it seemed so short and I flew through it. I wish we had gotten a bit more of Ash when she were alive before she met her girlfriend so we got to see her personality shine through, but overall, I really enjoyed this book!!

<i>Afterlove</i> has a brilliant-sounding premise and a copy line to die for: "Ash Persaud is about to become a reaper in the afterlife, but she is determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, the only thing that separates them is death." The concept really made me prick up my ears and I couldn't wait to read it. I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations.

To start with the positives: Ash is immediately a great protagonist. She's earnest and passionate, and her warm-hearted descriptions of her family build a strong sense of character. Byrne also has a good writing style, highly readable and poetic without getting too purple about things.

However, I felt the pacing and world-building were very weak. I don't think it makes sense to dedicate 50% of the novel to Poppy and Ash's love story - while it was cute, it felt odd given the promised grim reaper plot. I wouldn't have minded if it had been a really well-written love story, but it felt like a lot of telling rather than showing as their relationship developed. Then, when Ash finally does become initiated into the reaper ranks, the transition is rushed over and much is left unexplained. I wish Byrne had built this part of the novel a lot more. The other reaper characters were hard to get to know and the rules of Ash's new profession felt arbitrary and under-developed. Plus the sheer number of tragic teen deaths within a couple of weeks was absurd - I really find it hard to believe that this many young adults die in Brighton every day!

So, a book that didn't quite deliver on its enticing premise. But I do have to say that Sarah Maxwell's cover is gorgeous.

I'm loathe to leave too long a review for this book as I really don't feel able to do it justice. To put it simply, it's sublime on so many levels. The love story is so wonderfully told, the instant connection and resulting dreamy romance between Ash and Poppy was beautifully rendered. Then there's the mythology involving teenage Grim Reapers - which was so inventive and carefully constructed. And then there's the representation, which was seamless. A hypnotic and bittersweetly hopeful read.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Afterlove follows Ash on her journey into a new life, leaving her family and first love Poppy Morgan behind.

It’s sweet, there is no doubt about that but it’s almost saccharine and that is where I had problems. I loved Ash and I felt her plight but, and it’s a decently big but, I wasn’t invested in her story because it was so light and fluffy. I just ultimately didn’t care. And when the book is about death, you should care.

It is clear that Tanya Byrne understands the intricacies of losing someone that matters and how you rationalise that but it felt like it was someone else’s way of dealing with their grief and therefore, I just didn’t connect with it. The end was also oddly predictable from the first five minutes of reading so I was just waiting for it all the way through.

I don’t want to be mean, or discredit her efforts as an author. It is well written and the story flows nicely so it’s an easy read. I just.. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t affected by what was happening. That made me sad in a wholly different way and not the way the book wanted me to.

There are some great themes also that are trickled past you - being LGBT in a catholic, Guyana family, when do children become objects etc - that are just left behind the ‘great love story’ that... isn’t.

Maybe I’m the wrong audience, I don’t know.

This book was just SO beautifully written - i can't get over how magic Byrne's writing is. It's just such a warm place to be.

I was so SO SO excited when i heard about the concept for this book...I mean TEEN GRIM REAPERS. Such a unique concept.

The protagonist, Ash, was a really interesting character, and it was really great to see her grow and develop through life and death. The focus of the book is of course the romance between her and Poppy. I won't give much away but there were some truly beautiful moments between them.

The last few chapters had me almost sobbing, it was a truly beautiful end to a beautiful story.

Also may i just mention how amazing the representation in this book is. I am so here for more of this, pls. Also, it's made me really want to go and visit the sea.

Thank you to Hachette for the ARC of this wonderful book!

I expected a different story and I think the synopsis is slightly misleading and emphasizes elements that are not so important to the story. I thought there would be more angst and star-crossed lovers elements to this.

The whole basis of the book is Ash and Poppy's relationship, from the moment that they meet to the moment they are separated. I have to say that I was a little disappointed by the romance. This was a case of instalove which I'm not particularly a fan of, but I still understand how important the trope is to the story, only here it was a case of telling rather than showing and I felt...nothing. I didn't feel their chemistry and that's why the rest of the story wasn't convincing to me. There is not a lot of dialogue between the two and it's rather Ash narrating everything she knows and when we do get a dialogue it's not really deep. You don't really see them falling in love, it's more an "off the page" romance and that saddens me as I was very excited about this sapphic relationship. We do get bits here and there, don't get me wrong but it doesn't feel that real. I also think everything happens way too quickly and since I didn't really witness the strong bond between Ash and Poppy their connection was unrealistic. I simply believed in their romance for the sake of the story.

Now on to the plot itself. This book has a great plot, it's really original and unique: the last person to die on New Year's Eve becomes a reaper and collects the souls of the city! I think the part where Ash becomes a reaper was really interesting to read about but I wish the author had taken her time with this aspect; we don't really get much explanation and in a way it's great because we're put in Ash's position but as a reader that is very frustrating because we just want to know more.

The book had a solid base of characters and I loved the representation. The main character, Ash Persaud is a British Indo-Guyanese teen and I loved how we got to see aspects of her culture; it was great to read about. I also like how subtly the author called out the discrimination towards people of color (i.e getting thoroughly checked when you enter a museum, or getting a side eye because her best friend wears a hijab) and how she showed the different dynamics in different social worlds. I also loved the queer rep - the whole talk about coming out and the struggle of balancing one's own faith and with one's sexual orientation was so great and I related a lot to that. This aspect of the book was beautifully done and I'm so happy we live in a day and age where people talk about this.

Ash was a funny, sarcastic and passionate young woman and I loved following her as she experienced love for the first time. Ash's love interest, Poppy was a good character, I love how trusting and carefree she was. I wish we had seen more of her, seen more of her background because she's an endearing character and we could tell she had issues with her parents and I would have loved for the author to explain this aspect a bit further.

Esen, one of the reapers was the most intriguing character: she had a tough exterior but she was so sweet to the people she cared about and seeing her friendship with Ash blossom was beautiful. Dev, the other reaper was also sweet and I liked how gentle and sweet she was. However I did not expect these girls when Ash is said "to join a clan of fierce girl reapers"; it was very misleading.

As for Deborah there were so many layers to her character and I wish it had been developed more! Why does she have this role, what's her story? what happened to her? So many questions that were unfortunately left unanswered; she was presented as this powerful person but we have no idea why she's more powerful than the others, who left her in charge, what she does with her days other than mending books and dusting them (which sounds like my dream job, don't get me wrong but I needed more.).

I liked the pace of the book and I loved the writing style: some parts were absolutely beautiful. This book is a beautiful tale about grief and I shed a tear or two at the ending and when I read the acknowledgments; I'm so glad the author found her path again:

"You don't need to be better than anyone else, you need to be better than who you used to be. It doesn't feel like it now, but one day you'll be scared of becoming the person you are today. Actually, you'll be scared that you never stopped being that person."

The last part was moving and touching and so so beautiful. I loved how Ash came out to terms with her life and her death and I loved her awakening by the end of the novel. I also like all the cultural references with the work of arts, TV shows, celebrities, etc.

Overall this was a very interesting and unique book, that made me realize how lucky I am to be alive, to feel the sun on my skin and to be surrounded by my loved ones everyday. It made me count my blessings and I'm grateful for that.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Children's Group for the ARC. I am so delighted I got a chance to read this book early.

Will you look at this cover first of all? It's just stunning, and I love the colours. As soon as I saw it, I was indeed dying to read the book!

'Afterlove' stood out for me because it talks about themes I rarely or never find in fiction.

Ash, the narrator, is Indo-Guyanese and this is the first time I've encountered a character with this background. The fact she's a lesbian made her all the more remarkable. Ash's culture is described with evident affection and it's really lovely and interesting to read about. Her relationship with her family is handled with sensitivity and nuance. For me it's the best thing about this book. And I'd love a spin-off about Rosh, Ash's little sister; she's amazing.

The story is set in Brighton and I love how the setting is used. There's a real sense of place and I now feel like I know the town, even though I've never been. Brighton is kind of the ultimate seaside destination in the UK, but this book shows a different side to it. Ash lives in a high-rise in Whitehawk, a working class area, somewhere tourists wouldn't touch with a barge pole. And the author takes pains to portray this community with warmth and empathy. After years of living under a Tory government that loves to demonise and ostracise working class people, this is such a breath of fresh air and a very much needed defence.

'Afterlove' imagines what it feels like to die and what the afterlife might be like. It's gentle and poignant and its message manages to be both sad and uplifting.

I have to say though that it doesn't completely work for me, and that's because I don't like Ash's love interest, Poppy. Their relationship doesn't gel for me, I didn't root for them. I feel that Poppy is a bit of a manic pixie dream girl, and she doesn't come alive the way Ash does. It's a shame but as a result I wasn't invested in the central plot of the book.

I was highly anticipating this novel but I was trying to put off reading it so that it was closer to the publication date but I just couldn't wait any longer.
I can easily say that this was one of the most unique books I've read so far this year. UKYA often has some of the most unique concepts compared to USYA and this is a prime example of that. I have never read a book that has a similar concept of the afterlife and death. I was gripped from start to finish because of just how unique the concept was.
I also love YA romance and this is one of the best romances I've read in a while. YA needs more F/F romances with happy endings and this was one of them. I really enjoyed their love story and loved both Ash and Poppy as characters. They felt like realistic teenagers which I loved.
Overall, this book was amazing as I thought it would be. I cannot wait to have a finished copy, especially with how stunning the cover is!

I loved this book and think it hit all the marks for YA. Fast-paced, romantic, believable characters and relationships, and enough exploration of edgy and dark issues. I've never read a character like Ash before, including one who had relatively strict parents but maintained a positive relationship with them and didn't resent their strictness. As someone who's not normally into romance, the romance aspect really hooked me and given that the book opens with one of the characters in the relationship having died, I was on tenterhooks the whole time. It seemed like a totally conventional romance, and the exploration of coming out and queer issues within that would have justified that being the whole book. But knowing there was going to be a supernatural twist made it that more compelling to me.

The problems that held, which held it back from five stars, were with the second half of the book. It is not a spoiler to say that Ash dies and becomes something of a grim reaper figure, as this is how the book opens. However, the 'system' by which these reapers operated seemed totally arbitrary and deus ex machina, and left many unanswered questions. Further, Ash's reactions were at some points confusing or inconsistent. For example, she seemed to accept her new role very quickly and not asked some pretty pertinent questions, which was excused with the idea that she had 'transitioned' and was now emotionally numbed. There was little to no contemplation early after her death of what it meant that she was never going to grow up, follow through on her plans, the hell of living for eternity and watching her loved ones age and died, and no questioning of why all the other reapers were of a similar age and era to her if this was the case. Similarly there was a weirdly low amount of consideration for her family until right at the end, they are barely mentioned and considering that her relationship with them is so built up in the first half, this felt like a lack of closure that was rushed in retroactively to tie things up.

However, because the voice, plot and idea of this book were so good and original, this was not enough to have dropped it below 4 stars. It's a shame that this was not cleaned up more as this had the potential to be a really perfect book and I'm excited to read more of the author's work, both past and future. I would definitely recommend this to many teenagers and young people and anticipate it being popular with them.

I absolutely fell in love with this book. It will undoubtedly be one of my favourite stand out reads of the year. Which I rarely say when it comes to contemporary fiction but this one just captured me completely.

It really has it all, a beautiful cover, fleshed out characters and such emotive writing. I cried countless times because of this story and these characters.

The first half of this book when we go back to the "BEFORE" section was so bittersweet. As the reader knows that something tragic has happened and this is the events leading up to said event. There's such tension because you're just waiting for fate to intervene and yet you feel so connected to Ash and Poppy you don't want anything bad to happen to them.

This book is set in Brighton which I really enjoyed as it's a change from the many YA contemporaries set in the US. England is more relatable to me having previously lived there so I always have a soft spot for those settlings.
Even though it's a small seaside town the way the writer describes it you can imagine the smell of salt on the air, the corner shop just down the road. Walking at night on the beach with your hands stuffed in your pockets to avoid the bite in the air.

I don't know exactly how to describe which genre this story most relates to. We definitely have the contemporary romance aspect to it. And although I wouldn't necessarily call it fantasy we definitely have some speculative or magical realism elements with the grim reapers.

Afterlove tackles some huge topics, like grief and those left behind when a loved one dies. It was such a realistic portrayal of grief it brought me to tears multiple times. The unfairness and suddenness of grief that is at times unavoidable. It's often the little things that hit you slowly , like the cafe you'll never get to go to again with them, or hearing their favourite song on the radio.

How Tanya Byrne described Ash's house after the accident was so quietly disturbing that it just made you feel this profound sadness. It was one of the most stand-out scenes to me that I'll remember for a long time. The fact that all the lights had been left on when the family was called to the hospital, when usually her father was militant about turning them all off. This is such a small detail yet just shows the panic they must have been feeling when they got the call that every parent dreads to imagine receiving.

I found the author's writing so evocative. You felt the anger and unfairness the characters were feeling. You could feel Ash and Poppy's relationship flourish from friendship to something more, and even though you know there is no happy ending you still find yourself wishing that the rest of the pages would re-write themselves to give them more time.

I also really appreciated the multiple levels of representation in this book. Ash's family is Indo-Guyanese and getting to see their familial culture was just beautiful.
Then we also have the LGBT rep, of course. You see Ash struggle to be able to tell her mother she's interested in girls as her mother is from an older generation and from a country where same-sex relationships are still illegal. It's clear her mother struggles with this a little and doesn't know exactly how to deal with it. But it is so clear she loves her daughter and wants her to be happy. The line where she asks Ash if Poppy, "can clap roti" just made me smile so much.

I will definitely be reading more of this author's work and cannot wait till the physical copies are released.