What is it with farcical romances recently? It seems to be a definite trend.
Delphie is a rather reclusive woman, socially awkward because of it. She was bullied in school and has been trying to blend into the background ever since. If she doesn't stand out, the mean people will leave her alone, right? And then one evening she chokes to death on a microwaved burger and comes to in an antechamber of the afterlife, where she meets Merritt, her afterlife mentor who is every bit as awkward and obtuse as Delphie. When Delphie runs screaming, she collides with a handsome man who has also just arrived and they just click. When Jonah's death is determined to be a glitch and he is sent back, Delphie reaches a bargain with Merritt: she may return to Earth and London for 10 days. If she can track down Jonah and get him to kiss her within those 10 days, she gets to stay alive,
London is a big place and 10 days is slipping through her fingers. Delphie must do things she would never normally do in order to meet her soulmate. She is always arriving at an event just after Jonah has left or she is comically unprepared or a new acquaintance is dragging her into a ridiculous situation. She fake-dates her grumpy neighbour to get his computer assistance, attends a drawing class with a woman she met at the dog park, and impersonates an actress at the talent agency that Jonah uses. She bounces from one unlikely scenario to the next at breakneck speed.
Despite the fact that I guessed where the plot was headed, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. The slapstick tones down and Delphie learns how to make friends and enjoy her life. She can stand out, be noticed without being hurt.
If you enjoy this book, I would also recommend The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis and The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton. You may also like The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner or A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd.
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