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You'll Be the Death of Me: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 11 Aug 26Cole is spending the rest of his eternity as an overworked Afterlife Clerk, reaping souls for the Afterlife Administration. But when he accidentally reaps the wrong Verdella Rodgers, Cole and Verdella must race to fix his cosmic blunder—and try not to catch feelings along the way. A swoony and whimsical romp, You'll Be the Death of Me is a romance to die for.
Verdella “Dell” Rodgers is at the top of her game. As the chef de cuisine at San Francisco’s hottest new restaurant and on the cusp of marrying the mayor’s son in the social event of the season, her life is perfect. That is until the week before her wedding when she wakes up and find herself very much dead.
Enter Cole, a charming but bumbling entry-level clerk in the Afterlife Administration who accidentally confuses Dell for a 95-year-old woman in Kansas with the same name, reaping the wrong soul. When Cole tries to fix his mistake, their worlds collide in life- and death-changing ways.
Now walking the city as a ghost only visible to Cole, Dell is frantic to get back to her perfect life but soon learns that it wasn’t what it appeared to be, particularly when it came to the man she was about to marry and his high-profile family.
Meanwhile, Cole has no memory of who he was before working for the Afterlife Administration. As they try to uncover Cole’s past and remedy Dell’s future, they realize the mistake that brought them together might just be a twist of fate. With time running out to bring Dell back to the land of the living, she’ll have to decide if the life she left behind is truly what she wants, or if Cole’s untimely appearance could lead to an unexpected change that she didn’t know she needed.
Verdella “Dell” Rodgers is at the top of her game. As the chef de cuisine at San Francisco’s hottest new restaurant and on the cusp of marrying the mayor’s son in the social event of the season, her life is perfect. That is until the week before her wedding when she wakes up and find herself very much dead.
Enter Cole, a charming but bumbling entry-level clerk in the Afterlife Administration who accidentally confuses Dell for a 95-year-old woman in Kansas with the same name, reaping the wrong soul. When Cole tries to fix his mistake, their worlds collide in life- and death-changing ways.
Now walking the city as a ghost only visible to Cole, Dell is frantic to get back to her perfect life but soon learns that it wasn’t what it appeared to be, particularly when it came to the man she was about to marry and his high-profile family.
Meanwhile, Cole has no memory of who he was before working for the Afterlife Administration. As they try to uncover Cole’s past and remedy Dell’s future, they realize the mistake that brought them together might just be a twist of fate. With time running out to bring Dell back to the land of the living, she’ll have to decide if the life she left behind is truly what she wants, or if Cole’s untimely appearance could lead to an unexpected change that she didn’t know she needed.
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 11, 2026
683 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
ebook-tbr
February 4, 2026OMG!! YAY I GOT THE ARC!! I am so excited to read this...when I'm able to, of course 😆💖🤭
Want to read
November 13, 2025once again sucked in by beautiful cover art
tbr-kindle
February 3, 2026RCT
Thank you to NetGalley and the Avon and Harper Voyager team for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Avon and Harper Voyager team for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This story is such a unique take on fate, death, and second chances. Cole works for the Afterlife Administration (yes, like there is literal paperwork involved in reaping souls and I loved every second of that detail), and when he accidentally reaps the wrong Verdella Rodgers (aka Dell), everything spirals in the most entertaining way.
Dell is not the kind of woman who accepts mistakes quietly. She’s strong willed, fiercely determined, unapologetically Type A, and has absolutely no problem breaking rules if it means taking control of her own story. Watching her growth throughout the book was genuinely one of my favorite parts. She starts off sharp and rigid, but as the story unfolds, you see her soften, question, and expand.
And then there’s Cole. Sweet, gentle, patient Cole. The contrast between his steady, careful nature and Dell’s rule breaking intensity works so well. He isn’t loud or overbearing. He’s thoughtful. He listens. He gives her space to feel, to fight, to process. Their dynamic feels balanced.
The blend of afterlife bureaucracy, existential stakes, and emotional growth made this feel fresh and different from anything else I’ve read lately. It’s witty, heartfelt, and layered with deeper themes about control, purpose, and what it really means to live.
If you’re looking for something that steps outside the typical romance formula while still delivering heart and connection, this one absolutely deserves your attention.
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Holly Michelle for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Dell is not the kind of woman who accepts mistakes quietly. She’s strong willed, fiercely determined, unapologetically Type A, and has absolutely no problem breaking rules if it means taking control of her own story. Watching her growth throughout the book was genuinely one of my favorite parts. She starts off sharp and rigid, but as the story unfolds, you see her soften, question, and expand.
And then there’s Cole. Sweet, gentle, patient Cole. The contrast between his steady, careful nature and Dell’s rule breaking intensity works so well. He isn’t loud or overbearing. He’s thoughtful. He listens. He gives her space to feel, to fight, to process. Their dynamic feels balanced.
The blend of afterlife bureaucracy, existential stakes, and emotional growth made this feel fresh and different from anything else I’ve read lately. It’s witty, heartfelt, and layered with deeper themes about control, purpose, and what it really means to live.
If you’re looking for something that steps outside the typical romance formula while still delivering heart and connection, this one absolutely deserves your attention.
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Holly Michelle for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a fun supernatural adventure! and a 3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
This rom-com was short and sweet, and I really enjoyed the premise and the dialogue between the main characters.
I loved Cole’s nerdy, scholarly vibe. He’s more on the reserved side but equally funny and eager to experience life. Dell, on the other hand, is a type-A rule breaker, determined to achieve her goals regardless of who stands in her way.
Together, they venture between life and death to figure out what’s keeping them in limbo, uncovering hard truths while learning more about themselves along the way. If only we could all be so lucky!
I would have loved to get more from Cole, at times, he felt more like a sidekick in Dell’s one woman show. Regardless, it was a great palate cleanser, especially if you find yourself in a reading rut.
⭐🤍📚✨
I wanted to thank Netgalley for the ARC
This rom-com was short and sweet, and I really enjoyed the premise and the dialogue between the main characters.
I loved Cole’s nerdy, scholarly vibe. He’s more on the reserved side but equally funny and eager to experience life. Dell, on the other hand, is a type-A rule breaker, determined to achieve her goals regardless of who stands in her way.
Together, they venture between life and death to figure out what’s keeping them in limbo, uncovering hard truths while learning more about themselves along the way. If only we could all be so lucky!
I would have loved to get more from Cole, at times, he felt more like a sidekick in Dell’s one woman show. Regardless, it was a great palate cleanser, especially if you find yourself in a reading rut.
⭐🤍📚✨
I wanted to thank Netgalley for the ARC
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews