The Dead Romantics

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you initially think the title The Dead Romantics meant, and how did your understanding of it evolve as you read the story?

2. Poston balances supernatural elements with contemporary romance throughout the novel. Did this combination enhance your reading experience or create challenges? If you’ve read Poston’s The Seven Year Slip, which also features impossible love across time, how does this story compare?

3. The contrast between New York City and small-town Mairmont shapes Florence’s character development throughout the story. In what ways did these different settings influence her journey?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Florence struggles with the dual identity of being both a ghostwriter for Ann Nichols and an author whose own book didn’t succeed. Have you ever experienced this kind of professional duality in your own life?

2. The Day family has an unconventional relationship with death, viewing funerals as celebrations of life rather than somber occasions. How does this compare with your own experiences with mourning rituals?

3. Florence discovers that her ability to see ghosts creates both opportunities for connection and moments of isolation. What unique qualities in your life have been similarly double-edged?

4. Xavier Day teaches Florence that love “is loyal, and stubborn, and hopeful” (286). What aspects of this definition resonate with your own understanding of love?

5. Throughout the novel, Florence must confront her past in Mairmont and the reputation that follows her. Have you returned to a place from your past and had to reconcile who you once were with who you’ve become?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The publishing industry in the novel includes practices like ghostwriting and author representation. What surprised you about Poston’s portrayal, and what ethical questions does it raise?

2. Florence’s town treated her as an outcast because of her ability to see ghosts, yet her family remains proud of her gift. Where do you see parallels in how society responds to those with unique perspectives or abilities in your own community?

3. Diverse characters and relationships appear throughout the story, including Carver and Nicki’s same-sex relationship and nonbinary inn owner, Dana. What value does this casual inclusion add to contemporary romance fiction?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Crows function as recurring symbols throughout the story. When did you find Poston’s use of birds particularly effective in enhancing the narrative?

2. Florence’s journey as a writer parallels her emotional growth throughout the story. Which aspects of this dual development did you find most compelling?

3. As a romance about a romance writer who’s lost faith in romance, the book has a meta-quality to it. Does this self-aware approach strengthen or weaken the story’s emotional impact?

4. Ben’s presence as a ghost creates both connection and obstacles for Florence. In what ways does this supernatural element amplify the novel’s exploration of emotional barriers in relationships?

5. The relationship between Florence and Ben succeeds where her relationship with Lee failed. Which key differences in these dynamics made Ben a better partner for Florence?

6. The wind serves as a motif throughout the novel, representing “the breath of everyone who came before us” (63). How does this symbol connect to themes of grief and loss?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you could give Florence advice at the beginning of the novel when she’s struggling to finish her manuscript, what would you tell her?

2. Imagine Florence wrote a memoir about her experiences. What title would she choose, and what chapters would be most significant?

3. The novel ends with the suggestion that Florence and Ben have a daughter who follows in Florence’s footsteps. Create a brief scene that might take place between this daughter and the ghost of Xavier Day.

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