If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. She’s entered the afterlife wearing the sort of pyjamas you don’t want anyone to see and finds herself face-to-face with the most handsome man she’s ever encountered. And he’s smiling at her.
As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise – until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth.
In a twist of fate, Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to her previous life and reconnect with the mysterious man she’s sure is her soulmate.
The challenge? She only has ten days to find him. Ten days to make him fall for her.
The Love of My Afterlife is cute, fluffy, and chaotic. It feels like a quintessential British rom-com in novel form. While reading, I was exquisitely entertained and kept flipping pages at a voracious rate, eager to find out Delphie's fate as she navigates a singularly unique situation.
You see, Delphie is dead. Yes, you read that right. She's very much deceased (she goes by choking on her food, poor girl) but then is given a second chance at life by a sympathetic romantic in the afterlife. Delphie is allowed to return to Earth and, if she can kiss her soulmate in 10 days, she will be permitted to stay permanently. Isn't this a delightfully interesting premise?
Of course, her task is not an easy one, and nothing goes exactly to plan. Delphie goes on numerous adventures around London to find her soulmate, and along the way makes many unlikely friends and commits a few humorous acts of deception. The liveliness of the entire cast of character and the hilarity of Delphie's hijinks make the novel entirely too readable and addictive. Moreover, the romance in this book as well is really sweet. No spoilers here, but the romance is a bit unexpected and really unfolds into a touching story. The characters are perfect for one another, and their interactions are highly amusing.
My one complaint is that for a book with such a dark subject matter, and such high stakes, the narration is remarkably light and humorous. Sometimes, too much so; I feel that some of Delphie's problems are trivialised and her voice sometimes fails to come across as realistic considering she is in undeniably dire straits. Likewise, Delphie is sometimes a frustrating character, who cannot seem to learn to help herself and can bulldoze those around her. However, she does experience character growth through her experiences. And she is often kind and charming when she doesn't feel threatened; I especially adored her compassionate treatment of her elderly neighbour.
Overall, The Love of My Afterlife is a resounding success. If you like cute romantic comedies with a large cast of quirky characters, I would absolutely recommend this novel. Just don't expect anything overly serious or dark. This is a light novel about friendship, making new connections, and a fun romance. Greenwood's novel is uplighting and life-affirming.
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