This story immediately drew me in with its original and thought provoking premise. I found it to be a moving exploration of grief, love, and the lingering bonds we carry with those who have shaped our lives. The author’s interpretation of the afterlife was particularly striking—both imaginative and comforting in a way I didn’t expect.

What stood out most was how the narrative balanced heavier emotional themes with an underlying sense of hope. Even while delving into loss, it never felt overwhelming; instead, it gently wove together sorrow and love in a way that felt authentic and uplifting.

This is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted novel about connection, memory, and the ways love endures beyond circumstance. I would definitely recommend it—just be prepared for an emotional read.

Thank you so much for the ARC—I really appreciate the opportunity to read this.

Apart tells the story of James and Amy as they navigate their lives after James untimely death. Amy is left behind to navigate her grief and the life that was left behind while James is in heaven. Amy builds a friend group at the crem (the crematorium) with others who have lost a loved one and James has friends from his military service and a group of involved angels and God himself guiding him up above. Unfortunately I struggled to connect with the characters, particularly Amy. The ending was a disappointment in my eyes, almost a comforting copout if that makes sense. I could see this book being very upsetting or triggering to those who have lost someone dear to them so I would tread carefully.

Apart offers an entertaining and quirky plot, that would work well as a motion picture.
It juggles between the grief and comedic genre, though could have been bolder in its attempt.
It was interesting to read the story from both Amy and James' perspectives, though at times the internal monologue-style narrative dampened my enjoyment. Less expositions and more demonstrations of their grief and romance would be preferable.

Funny heartfelt book 🩷


AMYS boyfriend James dies in an accident and gives her heartfelt story dealing with James's death

I could relate to Amy as a character 🩷

thank you so much for the arc

i really enjoyed reading this book it was a different take on grief, love and the connection with people from the past. i loved reading about the author's take on afterlife and i was pleasantly surprised by how hopeful the book was even when dealing with heavy themes tying love with grief

What a unique book and storyline! This book is about a couple who are separated when the boyfriend dies and goes to heaven. The story then is a love story about their separation and their shared experience of grief. I loved the depiction of what happens when we die and how the afterlife was represented. Overall, it was a good, unique, and entertaining story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

This book had such a unique and compelling concept—I was hooked from the start. The love story between James and Amy truly felt like one for the ages, the kind that lingers with you long after you finish reading.

I’ll be honest… I shed a lot of tears throughout this book. Amy’s journey especially hit close to home for me, and I found myself thinking that I would probably react very similarly if I were in her position. That emotional connection made everything feel even more real and impactful.

What I really appreciated, though, was the balance. Even with the heavier emotional themes, there was well-timed comedic relief that kept the story from feeling overwhelming. The portrayal of heaven was so creative and unexpectedly funny—especially with the “main” character up there. And the banter between James and “The Boss”? Absolutely top notch. It added so much personality and charm to the story.

Overall, this is a deeply emotional, beautifully written story about love, loss, and connection that goes beyond circumstance. I definitely recommend this one—but make sure you have tissues nearby.

I really wanted to love this book. I'm a huge fan of romance books that have some kind of quirk. Something that makes them unique and that isn't just your typical "meet cute" + conflict + make up = romance. And Apart has a very interesting concept. A lot of people understand how grief can effect a person and the fact that grief doesn't have a timeline. So I completely understood where the main character Amy was coming from and how her losing James changed the entire trajectory of her life. Unfortunately the story just didn't take the turns that I thought it would and I, ultimately, found it a little disappointing.

And while, Jude Jacobs, takes a serious topics and makes it a bit lighter with their depiction of heaven and the afterlife, a lot of the jokes just don't really hit. It feels awkward, and maybe it's just that I don't share a love for this type of dry/silly humor, but I just found that the parts of the book that were a bit more serious were better than some of the humor that felt forced.

That being said, I think some of the characters in here, both the main protagonists, and Amy's fun group of friends feel real and cute and people that I'd also want to join in with at the crematorium. I can think of friends right now that remind me of Janice. I have a feeling the author based these characters off of people they know in real life and it's evident the more you read about them.

I think Jude Jacobs has written something with a fantastic concept and they definitely have an understanding of grief and love and all the things that come with it, but I just felt that it was both not serious enough and not quite funny enough. That balance just didn't completely work for me here.

Funny and heartfelt this story starts with a tragedy. Amy’s soulmate James is killed in an accident and her life falls apart in every way. She turns to mediums for help in contacting James.
Meanwhile James is supposed to have moved on in heaven but somethings gone awry he still misses Amy unbearably. He appeals to God as seeing Amy so heartbroken is destroying him. With physics and well meaning interventions will it all end up causing more harm and suffering.
Loved this book couldn’t put it down yet didn’t want it to finish.

I LOVED IT. I laughed. I cried. This book was everything. I love the ending! I’m so happy they got the ending they deserved it. The author did a great job writing such a wonderful storyline. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

Ugh….. grab your tissues! This book was absolutely beautiful! What the two main characters went through! The FMC dealing with the loss of the MMC and he’s in heaven watching her bear all this pain from it. I was bawling! It was breaking my heart reading how much she was struggling. This is an amazing story on what loss does and how someone overcomes it. I loved every tragic and beautiful part of this story!

A super unique and interesting romance idea, about two characters who are in love, and one tragically dies unexpectedly in a biking accident, and one is left on earth unable to move on. The book is told from a dual perspective, which I found very interesting and different. Amy is left on earth trying to figure out life with James and finding it hard to move on, and James is watching from heaven trying to communicate to Amy and help her move on, but finding it hard himself to watch her be in pain, and also live without him. A beautiful tale of love after loss and finding the strength to love on and let someone move on without you.

Great book!

I really enjoyed reading this book. You might ask, "how could you enjoy a book about a young man dying and his girlfriend grieving?" My answer is that the story, while, yes, very sad, is also a novel of hope. Without love, grief wouldn't exist. For Amy, 26, almost a year after losing her boyfriend James in a sudden accident, her grief feels endless. His mother Carol seems to think Amy was an afterthought and should be over James by now. Her friends try to set her up, but no one measures up to James and the love they shared.

As the months roll on, Amy sinks further into depression. Her free time is largely spent at the crem with other people who've been left behind. They've formed a little group and bonded. But its not enough, Amy is suffering. James is watching all this from Heaven and can't do anything to help, despite his friendship with The Boss.

I hope readers take this book in the vein it was written (or at least I think it was). Its not a guide to getting through grief, or an insightful look into Heaven and what happens after death. Instead it is a fanciful, wishful look at how it should be, and perhaps in some small way, will give people a different way of thinking about life after death.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Despite being about grief/loss, it’s also a love story. This was a super cute book! Stay with me here...
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This book switches perspectives each chapter. Amy, who is on Earth, and James, who is in heaven. The way the author imagines heaven and God was really unique, quirky and fun. I kinda hope it is as they imagined it to be 😂 The ending was unexpected, but felt like a good way to wrap up the story.
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The authors writing is easy to follow and relatable. Would recommend if you’re looking for a beach / vacation read! It gives the vibe of the move Just Like Heaven with Mark Ruffalo (who I love haha).
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This ARC was provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Apart* is a heartfelt and imaginative story that explores grief, healing, and enduring love in a unique and hopeful way. The premise immediately stood out to me—following a couple separated by death, with one perspective unfolding on Earth and the other in the afterlife, creates a compelling emotional and narrative framework.

Jude Jacobs approaches the subject of loss with warmth and sensitivity. Amy’s grief feels genuine and relatable, capturing the overwhelming and disorienting nature of losing someone you love. At the same time, James’s experiences in the afterlife add a creative and often humorous dimension to the story, particularly through the idea of heavenly systems, glitches, and the challenges of communicating across the divide.

What resonated most with me was the sincerity behind the novel’s exploration of grief and healing. Knowing that Jacobs drew inspiration from her own bereavement adds an additional layer of authenticity to the story. That personal influence comes through in the compassionate way the book handles loss and the gradual process of learning how to move forward.

Overall, *Apart* is a touching and hopeful novel that blends romance, humor, and emotional reflection in a way that feels both thoughtful and uplifting. Readers who enjoy stories about enduring love, second chances, and creative takes on the afterlife will likely find this one especially meaningful.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.**

This book is so different from most romances/romantic fiction I have read. The idea of the story primarily taking place after one partner, James, has died, makes it a really unique read. Since no one truly knows what happens after death to a soul, it was fascinating to follow the journey of James and Amy as she navigated her grief on Earth and he figured out how to exist in heaven. A lot of the book centers on grief, obviously, because Amy is so distraught and doesn't want to even imagine making space in her life for another love in the future. James, watching from wherever he is, is desperate to see her find comfort and joy. The rendering of God is interesting...I wouldn't say I agree with how he's portrayed, but it certainly gets you thinking! All in all, a heartwarming story of how love can continue even beyond death, and the importance of finding people to lift us up when we're in the throes of deep grief. Thank you to NetGalley and the Book Guild for the chance to read this early.

Amy pensaba que su vida ya estaba decidida. Tenía un novio al que amaba profundamente, planes sencillos pero felices y la certeza de que el futuro solo podía mejorar. Todo cambia una mañana cualquiera cuando recibe la noticia que rompe su mundo y la deja atrapada en un duelo que nadie parece comprender del todo. Para los demás debería seguir adelante, volver a salir, rehacer su vida y dejar atrás lo que perdió, pero ella sigue viviendo con el recuerdo constante de James.

Mientras intenta encontrar una forma de seguir respirando sin él, Amy se aferra a una idea imposible: si el amor fue tan real, entonces no puede haber desaparecido sin dejar rastro. Decidida a demostrar que su conexión sigue existiendo, comienza a buscar señales, respuestas y cualquier manera de volver a sentirlo cerca. Lo que no sabe es que, desde otro lugar inesperado, James también intenta encontrar la forma de llegar hasta ella.

La historia sigue dos caminos marcados por la pérdida, la esperanza y la pregunta más difícil de todas: cómo continuar viviendo cuando el corazón se quedó en otro lugar.



Gracias NetGalley y al publicista por el ARC.

This book is so beautiful! I was instantly drawn to to it by the summary and cover and reading it has been something else. If you want romance, tears, and suspense than this is the book for you; I think it was so beautiful and heart wrenching written and I know readers are going to be thinking and talking about this book for a long time

Somehow manages to be simultaneously heartwrenching and heartwarming. the dual POVs of Amy on earth and James in heaven were really fun. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Fascinating little book about grief and love told from the alternating POVs of a recently deceased young man named James and his girlfriend, Amy, that mourns him on Earth.

I really enjoyed the playful depiction of heaven and God himself here, as well as the rules surrounding entry.

I highly recommend this to anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a loved one.