A charming paranormal romance where the Grim Reaper falls for the one soul he was meant to collect.

Goodreads | A Date With Death

Release date: July 14, 2026

Publisher: Gallery Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

When the Grim Reaper develops feelings for the children’s librarian whose soul he is supposed to collect, he finds that with feelings comes something far worse than death—life.

Helena Hart isn’t having the best night. Her date just ditched her, her Halloween costume bombed, and her only sympathetic ear is a dead silent partygoer in a Grim Reaper get-up. But when she falls off a balcony and he catches her with a very real skeletal hand, she realizes he may not be a party guest at all. Before she can process the near-death experience, he vanishes, leaving her to wonder if she hallucinated the whole thing.

Grim isn’t supposed to save souls. He’s supposed to reapthem. And while he’s not sure why he spared Helena, he does know that if his superiors find out, he’s as good as dust—which is saying something for a guy who’s mostly bones. But keeping away from Helena is proving harder than expected—especially when she isn’t the least bit afraid of his monstrous form.

Worse, to his horror, Helena makes him feel. And for a reaper, feeling is a fate far more dangerous than death.

Review:

I don’t read a lot of paranormal romance, so it always takes a really fun concept to pull me in—and A Date with Death absolutely did. The premise alone hooked me: the Grim Reaper starts developing emotions after meeting the children’s librarian whose soul he’s supposed to collect. It sounds dramatic (and it is), but it’s also surprisingly funny, sweet, and ridiculously charming.

One of my favorite parts was watching Grim realize something was…wrong. Suddenly he has feelings, emotions, curiosity, and absolutely no clue what to do with any of it. His complete panic over experiencing emotions for the first time had me laughing more than once. For someone who literally embodies death, he is hilariously unprepared for being alive.

Helena is the perfect counterpart. She’s sunshine in human form—kind, funny, endlessly patient—and somehow completely unfazed by the terrifying skeletal being standing in front of her. Their relationship becomes the ultimate dark meets light romance, and somehow Kelly Creagh makes it feel both adorable and surprisingly steamy. Even though this leans paranormal, the romance remains the heart of the story. The emotional growth, the banter, and watching Grim slowly discover humanity made this feel unique while still delivering plenty of swoony moments.

I also listened to the audiobook, and both narrators elevated the experience. Shania Summerville perfectly captured Helena’s warmth, sweetness, and optimism. Curtis Michael Holland was absolutely made for Grim. His deep, gritty, commanding voice gave the character exactly the presence he needed while still allowing those unexpected emotional moments to shine. Even though I don’t think I’ve listened to either narrator before, they both felt instantly familiar, the kind of performances that let you settle into the story from the very first chapter.

If you’re looking to dip your toes into paranormal romance without going too far outside the romance lane, this is a fantastic place to start. It’s funny, surprisingly heartfelt, a little spooky, plenty romantic, and perfect for fall reading—or Summerween if you’re already embracing spooky season early.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Paranormal romance
• Grumpy (literally Death) × sunshine
• Opposites attract
• Halloween vibes
• Cozy spooky season reads
• Funny immortal characters learning to be human
• Steamy romance with heart

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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