Review: Dearly Departed

Dearly Departed Dearly Departed by Chip Pons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

🖤 🌻 👻

There's something rather fitting about a former Greek god of the Underworld ending up running a funeral home. And pairing him with a sunshine-y florist? Honestly, I was sold on the premise alone.

Dearly Departed is a quirky, funny and surprisingly heartfelt MM romance that puts a modern spin on Greek mythology. Hayden, formerly known as Hades, has been forced into retirement among mortals, where he runs a funeral home and spends his days rather successfully avoiding actually living. Enter Levi, the cheerful local florist whose personality couldn't be more different from his own. Their initial encounter is adorable, and I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop.

One of my favourite aspects was the humour. It's charming, witty and wonderfully queer-coded, with jokes and dialogue that genuinely made me laugh. The contrast between Hayden's cynicism and Levi's sunshine personality works beautifully, and there's a lovely chemistry between them. The romance is undoubtedly the strongest part of the story, balancing emotional intimacy, playful banter and some rather entertainingly steamy moments.

I also really enjoyed the use of shadows throughout the book. They're more than just a supernatural element; they feel like an extension of Hayden himself, reflecting his loneliness and isolation, while gradually becoming part of the connection between him and Levi. It's an unusual and surprisingly beautiful addition to their relationship.

The story also explores grief, mortality, belonging and what happens when you lose the life that once defined you. Both characters have their own experiences of loss, and I particularly appreciated how their relationship encourages them to reconnect with life rather than simply exist through their work.

The pacing was generally enjoyable, although I did find the middle sagging a little. I also found myself wishing the Greek mythology and fantasy elements had been explored further. There's an interesting foundation here, and I would have happily welcomed a little more adventure and worldbuilding. The final conflict also arrives relatively late, leaving less room than I'd have liked to explore its emotional consequences.

Nevertheless, this is a lovely love story with a distinctive premise, plenty of humour and two characters worth rooting for. It's perhaps not my new favourite, but I can absolutely see why someone who loves MM romance would enjoy it. And honestly, a little Hades, a lot of sunshine and some rather unconventional shadows make for a pretty entertaining combination.


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