Dearly Departed sounded right up my alley and it was and then some! After reading this I can honestly say I found one of my favorite books of the year. So keep on reading to find out all about this book and what I thought!
A big thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way.
Hope is a dangerous thing for gods. Even former ones.
From the highly beloved author of “contemporary romance magic” (Christina Lauren) Winging It with You comes a Hades-inspired gay rom-com, in which the former god of the Underworld turned grumpy funeral director must find a loophole in the Immortality Retirement Act that banished him to Earth, until the florist next door who sees life in full bloom begins to unravel all his carefully laid plans.
Hayden Harlow, once the mighty Hades, has spent centuries quietly resenting his fall from immortality. Stripped of his godhood by the allegedly irreversible Immortal Retirement Act, he now runs Harlow and Sons Funeral Home—a front for his eternal sentencing among mortals, and a bleak reminder of the purpose he’s lost. Still, he’s determined to claw his way back…if only the Fates at City Hall would stop toying with him.
Enter Levi Wilder: a florist with an artist’s heart, an infectious smile, and a gift for finding beauty in life’s messiest moments. When Hayden storms into Levi’s shop to complain about a bouquet of sunflowers—an offensive choice for a funeral, in his opinion—their worlds collide. Hayden is all restraint and shadows; Levi is all sunshine and charm. But beneath the clash lies an undeniable spark neither can ignore.
As their connection blossoms, Hayden finds himself caught between the life he once knew and the bright future Levi dares him to imagine. But trusting Levi means risking the walls he’s kept in place all these years—and it’s not just his heart on the line. Because in the threads of fate, one choice can change everything.
Review
When I read the synopsis of Dearly Departed I knew it was going to be a special book, but I never expected it to hit me in all the feels as much as it did. Dearly Departed made me laugh, swoon, blush, and even tear up. Chip Pons gave us a rollercoaster of emotions and I was here for every second of it. This book will definitely be in my top books of 2026!
Hayden, our retired Hades, has always dealt with death and not being a god anymore hasn’t stopped him from that. Since his life has changed, he’s been busy trying to find a way back and not really living. Dealing with grief everyday could push him down if he let it and that’s not something that can happen. I don’t think he truly knew he could be alive until Levi came into his life.
Levi is definitely our sunshine and wants to be there for everyone even when he has his own past to deal with. He was such an interesting character and I loved seeing him slowly open up to Hayden. Grief was dealt with in such a beautiful way in this book and I was crying during these scenes with Levi. Especially the scenes where he deals with this aspect of his life was Hayden was such a beautiful experience.
Also, I can’t forget to mention the spicy scenes. Shadow daddy definitely gained a whole new level after reading Dearly Departed. The way Chip Pons wrote these scenes has them living rent free in my mind! He definitely didn’t hold back! Besides the spice, we also have family and found family. The side characters (Levi’s best friends and Hayden’s brothers) really made the story complete and I hope we get some more time in this world with more books.
After reading this I really hope that Chip Pons writes more in this world! I feel like there is so much more to explore. Deadly Departed is a good book for spooky season. Have you read any good paranormal romances recently? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
