The Love of My Afterlife
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I finally finished up this book after a few months of abandoning it. I got into a bit of a slump (the worst book slump ever) in November and forgot all about it. I was so excited to pick it up again and finally finish it! The cover itself is STUNNING and really pulled me into it again.
Synopsis
Delphie wakes up in a strange laundromat with an eccentric employee, named Merritt, who is VERY happy to see her. Perhaps not as happy as the drop-dead gorgeous man staring at her and refusing to let go of her hand. If love at first sight were real, this must be it.
Except for the fact that Delphie just choked on a hamburger and has woken up in the afterlife. IN HER NIGHTIE. Meanwhile, her mystery soulmate, Jonah, was an “accidental visitor” getting a dental procedure and was sent back to Earth to continue his life. Merritt seems to acknowledge the spark between the two and cuts Delphie a deal. If she can find Jonah and make him kiss her, she can have her life back.
Simple enough… 1. Find Jonah. 2. Make him kiss her. 3. Get her life back. Although, she only knows his first name and has to find him amongst a city of millions. It may be time for Delphie to leave her life of solitude and learn to lean on others. Her life depends on it.
“It’s Sunday. I wake up with an immediate ache in my heart. My last day on Earth.”
SPOILERS
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SPOILERS ‼️
Favorites
I absolutely adored Cooper and MR. YOON! What sweetie peas these two were in a book entirely filled with Delphie’s misery. Jan, Aled, and all of the other townies were so necessary to keep this book afloat. Their kind-hearted nature and immediate attention to those in need, first Mr. Yoon, then Delphie and Cooper, was just chef’s kiss. That’s what life and human connection is all about - I was glad for Delphie to finally see that by the end. I also was in love with the realization that Merritt was Cooper’s twin sister who had passed away. Their reunion was so special and something I look forward to in my old age while missing my brother. I could relate to Cooper in his constant grief after losing a sibling - it made his character much more empathetic and understandable after Delphie spent so much time hating him.
“I might not have much choice in how long I stay alive. But I do have some say in how much life I can pack into the days I have left. How much happiness I can experience.”
Icks
I struggled most with Delphie’s personality. She is so blatantly rude that I was audibly gasping at times. Her unwillingness to help or even show common courtesy to others was INFURIATING! There was growth throughout the novel, but it felt too much over the short span of time that went by. From Delphie’s first death to her final day on Earth, only ten days had gone by. The anticipation and anxiety of a deadline worked but I would have liked for a little more of a slow burn, or even any kind of building up to Delphie and Cooper’s connection. It felt a bit random and rushed for me, personally.
“The thing about people is you have to let hem drag you to places you don’t want to go. Let them tell you things you don’t want to hear. Let them break you and put you back together.”
Final Thoughts
Overall, this story was very unique, in my opinion. It had a lot of serious and emotional moments that were squished between more comedic scenes. While it was a bit predictable, I found the end very satisfying and loved a lot of the characters. It was a bit of a slow build but ultimately, a pretty good read. If you can get past a self-loathing, miserable main character, then there’s a lot to enjoy in this book!
