disclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.