Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.
When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister's dating app, she makes an impulsive choice: She'll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion's fortieth birthday. It's exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward.
Jake is ready to find something real—and not least because his ex-wife's twentysomething boyfriend has moved into their old family home. When he meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else.
As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric, and totally right—despite the fact they're tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a choice: keep her sister's memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness?
With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Well, this was a very interesting read to start 2026 with!
When I saw the cover of this book and read the quick blurb of this debut I was immediately hooked and had to get my hands on it. I mean, “Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.” What a hook! I am a huge fan of going into books blind and reading Dandelion is Dead was no different. I am not sure what I was expecting but what this story delivered ended up being so much more.
This story read more like women's fiction than romance and that really, really worked for me. You get to meet Poppy, a flawed and deeply loveable character that is navigating the loss of her sister. You also get to meet Jake, a young father struggling with the end of his marriage. You also get to meet Poppy’s mom and dad and her best friend and another man named Sam, but I’ll just let you read about him.
All of these characters are struggling with something and the way that is explored in the book is deeply relatable. There are themes of love and loss and how you have to move on and live life again. I don’t know a person on the planet that wouldn’t be able to relate to that on some level. There are also themes of self discovery and self acceptance which was intriguing and really flushed out many of the characters. I grew to really love Poppy and wanted to be her friend.
If you are a fan of character driven stories with family drama and some romance, grab this one.
I also really suggest the audio (thanks to @prhaudio). This story has dual POV and Laurence Dobiesz and Olivia Dowd really bring that to life.
Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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