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Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet
It’s the gig of a lifetime for this ghostwriter, except there’s a the client, a closeted A-list actor finally ready to come out in his memoir, is an actual ghost.
Adam Gallagher has knocked on thousands of doors. An ex-Mormon and almost-famous memoirist, he is used to sharing his life story with strangers. But this day, this house, is different. For it belongs to none other than Roland Hollywood Hunk, and soon to be author. Roland has a story to tell, a decades-old secret to spill, and he’s decided that Adam is just the guy to help him do it. Except there’s a problem. Roland Rogers is dead. Not in the metaphysical realm—if he focuses, he can summon enough energy to communicate via the kitchen speaker—but certainly in the physical, and he needs Adam to pen his story before his body is found frozen beneath the avalanche of snow that squashed it. That means one month, a hundred thousand words, no breaks. Ghostwriting is hard enough, let alone when you’re dealing with a real ghost, and so it isn’t long before Roland’s idea of what his book should be clashes with Adam’s vision for what it could be. But the clock is ticking, the ice melting. And as more truths are told, both men soon discover that this experience is less of a coming out, and more of a coming home . . . The sophomore novel from the beloved author of Patricia Wants to Cuddle, Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is a witty and electric new rom-com for fans of Ashley Poston and Casey McQuiston.
Adam Gallagher has knocked on thousands of doors. An ex-Mormon and almost-famous memoirist, he is used to sharing his life story with strangers. But this day, this house, is different. For it belongs to none other than Roland Hollywood Hunk, and soon to be author. Roland has a story to tell, a decades-old secret to spill, and he’s decided that Adam is just the guy to help him do it. Except there’s a problem. Roland Rogers is dead. Not in the metaphysical realm—if he focuses, he can summon enough energy to communicate via the kitchen speaker—but certainly in the physical, and he needs Adam to pen his story before his body is found frozen beneath the avalanche of snow that squashed it. That means one month, a hundred thousand words, no breaks. Ghostwriting is hard enough, let alone when you’re dealing with a real ghost, and so it isn’t long before Roland’s idea of what his book should be clashes with Adam’s vision for what it could be. But the clock is ticking, the ice melting. And as more truths are told, both men soon discover that this experience is less of a coming out, and more of a coming home . . . The sophomore novel from the beloved author of Patricia Wants to Cuddle, Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is a witty and electric new rom-com for fans of Ashley Poston and Casey McQuiston.
288 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2024
63 people are currently reading
8,862 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Allen
6books488followersSamantha Allen is the author of the horror comedy novel PATRICIA WANTS TO CUDDLE (Zando, 2022) and the Lambda Literary Award finalist REAL QUEER AMERICA: LGBT STORIES FROM RED STATES (Little, Brown, 2019). Her other publications include LOVE & ESTROGEN (Amazon Original Stories, 2018) and M to WT(F) (Audible Originals, 2020).
She is a GLAAD Award-winning journalist with bylines in The New York Times, CNN, Rolling Stone, and more. She received her Ph.D. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in 2015 and has two hairless cats.
She is a GLAAD Award-winning journalist with bylines in The New York Times, CNN, Rolling Stone, and more. She received her Ph.D. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in 2015 and has two hairless cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
April 12, 2024
� 4 stars �
“You saw me without seeing me. You touched me without touching me. If something good comes after this, I’ll see you there.�
To be fair, I had completely forgotten how much of the plot had already been revealed in Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet's blurb; but I am so glad that I did. 😌 For when one hit wonder writer, forty-year-old Adam Gallagher arrived at actor fifty-year-old Roland Roger's mansion to serve as his ghost writer for his memoir, I was as shocked as Adam was to discover that Roland wasn't quite there - �in the literal sense� Well, I guess it would be difficult for anyone - especially, when you're dead. 😥
�Or, is he??
And that really then set the tone for my reaction to the rest of the book; how much of everything was an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed reading it. It is a supernatural romcom - in the strangest of senses, but I could not stop reading.� This was a special kind of story for how different it felt for me. 🥺 Yes, it does read like a romcom, but underneath there was so much more to it. These were two beings who have faced their fair share of fame and hurt - that they are on opposite sides of the business, but somehow are tethered to one another in how much they have both been affected by the other in their lives. 🤍🤍
�Secrets can’t be buried, only covered, and even then, you can still see their shape, like felled logs in the snow.�
As an ex-Mormon and a writer, Adam has not had it easy. With his debut novel that was more personal than he would care to admit, he enjoyed a fair level of stardom till the decline in his popularity led to a string of literary failures that had his agent wishing that he could represent someone else. So, imagine his surprise when THE Roland Rogers wants him to ghost write his memoir - speculations are definitely going to be drawn as to why that may be when he is literally a nobody and Roland Rogers, 'one of the biggest stars on the planet' is everybody's SOMEBODY - the object of desire for men and women alike - the casanova of action films - the ogle of his deepest desires of his fantasies. 'rom-coms, legal thrillers, crime dramas. He could make almost anything watchable: even if a script was mediocre, or the direction subpar, he lifted the material through the sheer force of his presence.' Adam was a really honest protagonist - I felt for him a lot - for his shortcomings, his misgivings, his intense need to forgive and forget how much of being a Mormon affected his growing up - how he lost a part of himself to respect his faith, until it eventually gave up on him. 🥺
�
It's not asking for forgiveness or acceptance - it's just this quiet but hopeful dream to have a chance to speak the truth that paved its way into my heart that 'out of all the authors in the world, he picked a gay ex-Mormon who had fifteen minutes of fame over a decade ago, and who has been languishing in obscurity ever since.' Roland really comes off as someone you would not want to be around; I don't blame Adam for being regularly annoyed by him and his refusal to open up - to the point that he is deliberately wasting the one month that he has allotted himself to write his story. But, even the prickliest of thorns have soft edges and when Roland starts to see the good in Adam - at how they are viscerally linked in the oddest of ways, he gives Adam a part of himself that no one has yet seen - 'there are lonely queer kids out there whose lives his story could save.'. 😞 Through their arguments and their quiet confessions, he pours out himself to Adam, and you can see there's more to him than just the flashy actor on the screen. There's a man yearning to share his heart - speak his mind - if only, unto death he has the chance to give it - would Adam deny him that chance? 😟
Or is it death that awaits him???
�We’re not ghostwriter and subject right now, we’re two men who want different lives than the ones we got.�
It was not love at first sight, haha - as if it could even be possible - but something that gradually built up. It was a cathartic feeling, one that they were able to touch each other so deeply with their honesty and understanding. That Roland helped Adam forgive that part of him that he had convinced himself for so long that he was deserving of the rejection his family and friends showed him. 'It is a rare opening to talk about his feelings, but I’m having too many of my own.' ❤️🩹❤️� This relatable trust that built up in such a believable way that I was rooting for another surprise - one that could make me a believer that miracles can happen. Because it is ever-present in both their hearts that what would happen to them if this bizarre setup faded - would everything they have learned about each other change - would anyone believe - is it worth sharing his life story. These questions motivated them to make the most of the time that they had, as well as motivated me to keep reading. 👍🏻👍🏻
There was something very special and innately unique about this book that really appealed to me. As I started reading it, I liked how easy it was to read. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I realize now I'm a rather finicky reader and somehow, the writing style of the author appealed to me. Upon Adam's arrival at Roland's mansion, the two of them strike up a very unique friendship - one where it begins with first earning the other's trust, proving that what is happening is very much real, and then onwards - sharing and exchanging the deeper darker parts of themselves - ones that maybe might not make it to the memoir - might be even cathartic for Adam's own personal writings - and yet, something that inadvertently aided them both in the struggles they were both facing. 💌
�People aren’t calculators and the ideologies we live under aren’t equations; we’re ruled by formless, fleshy impulses: hunger and hurt, pride and anger, lust and guilt.
My book didn’t acknowledge that messiness; Roland’s can.�
The writing was such a strange mix of humor and seriousness that actually appealed to me. The weirdly erotic dreams with Hollywood celebrities that while absurdly ludicrously written - perfectly aided the overall vibe of the story. It was --- refreshing and original and just surprised me at how much I actually enjoyed it. There were a few loose ends and unexpected arrivals that I could have lived without, but in hindsight, they tied the whole plot together. 😔 Adam and Roland's banter was funny and snarky, albeit at times strangely quirky with how they acted upon their inhibitions and desires, but it was layered with such a sincere, but heavy tone that was palpable from both of them. 'We have what we have, Adam,� Roland says, striking a wistful note. “But these last few weeks with you, as strange as they’ve been, are the least alone I’ve ever felt.' 🥹🥹 The dark closets and inner demons that they had to coax out of each other in that short time was handled well - be it their sexual awakening or religious struggles, it made for a very personal and intimate read that when I was nearing the end, I didn't know how either of them would be ready to say good-by to the other. 😢
The ending was a leap of faith - in the most literal and beautiful in the sense that tears escaped me. The way the author led up to that scene - comically and maybe a bit too unrealistically, but I cried - 'I sob on that step harder than I’ve ever sobbed.' 😭 I cried at Adam's determination - the regret over losing something so precious, despite Roland's reassurances - his inability to save the thing that he had finally found - love. Love - because they had both found love - so late in their lives - at the oddest of times - it is a reminder that you are not alone - no matter what stage you are in life. Adam was so determined to keep it for as long as he could, even if it meant holding Roland back - from letting his secret be taken with him to the grave... or would it be? It was such a heartbreaking culmination of their love story - of how they had discovered what it meant to be themselves - that no one would question who they were or judge them for who they loved - that they finally felt accepted. Adam reacted in the way that his heart felt right - a leap that I would have accompanied with him, wholeheartedly. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
In her Author's Note, Samantha Allen states, 'I keep trying to write normal books and they keep turning out weird.' It was, indeed, weird, but it was also a very enjoyable and memorable story, one that made me experience a whirlwind of emotions over the story that you breathed to life. It was a surprise from the start and it surprised me even more at how much it made me feel. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this strange and unlikely romance that somehow just felt right. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“You saw me without seeing me. You touched me without touching me. If something good comes after this, I’ll see you there.�
To be fair, I had completely forgotten how much of the plot had already been revealed in Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet's blurb; but I am so glad that I did. 😌 For when one hit wonder writer, forty-year-old Adam Gallagher arrived at actor fifty-year-old Roland Roger's mansion to serve as his ghost writer for his memoir, I was as shocked as Adam was to discover that Roland wasn't quite there - �in the literal sense� Well, I guess it would be difficult for anyone - especially, when you're dead. 😥
�Or, is he??
And that really then set the tone for my reaction to the rest of the book; how much of everything was an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed reading it. It is a supernatural romcom - in the strangest of senses, but I could not stop reading.� This was a special kind of story for how different it felt for me. 🥺 Yes, it does read like a romcom, but underneath there was so much more to it. These were two beings who have faced their fair share of fame and hurt - that they are on opposite sides of the business, but somehow are tethered to one another in how much they have both been affected by the other in their lives. 🤍🤍
�Secrets can’t be buried, only covered, and even then, you can still see their shape, like felled logs in the snow.�
As an ex-Mormon and a writer, Adam has not had it easy. With his debut novel that was more personal than he would care to admit, he enjoyed a fair level of stardom till the decline in his popularity led to a string of literary failures that had his agent wishing that he could represent someone else. So, imagine his surprise when THE Roland Rogers wants him to ghost write his memoir - speculations are definitely going to be drawn as to why that may be when he is literally a nobody and Roland Rogers, 'one of the biggest stars on the planet' is everybody's SOMEBODY - the object of desire for men and women alike - the casanova of action films - the ogle of his deepest desires of his fantasies. 'rom-coms, legal thrillers, crime dramas. He could make almost anything watchable: even if a script was mediocre, or the direction subpar, he lifted the material through the sheer force of his presence.' Adam was a really honest protagonist - I felt for him a lot - for his shortcomings, his misgivings, his intense need to forgive and forget how much of being a Mormon affected his growing up - how he lost a part of himself to respect his faith, until it eventually gave up on him. 🥺
�
It's not asking for forgiveness or acceptance - it's just this quiet but hopeful dream to have a chance to speak the truth that paved its way into my heart that 'out of all the authors in the world, he picked a gay ex-Mormon who had fifteen minutes of fame over a decade ago, and who has been languishing in obscurity ever since.' Roland really comes off as someone you would not want to be around; I don't blame Adam for being regularly annoyed by him and his refusal to open up - to the point that he is deliberately wasting the one month that he has allotted himself to write his story. But, even the prickliest of thorns have soft edges and when Roland starts to see the good in Adam - at how they are viscerally linked in the oddest of ways, he gives Adam a part of himself that no one has yet seen - 'there are lonely queer kids out there whose lives his story could save.'. 😞 Through their arguments and their quiet confessions, he pours out himself to Adam, and you can see there's more to him than just the flashy actor on the screen. There's a man yearning to share his heart - speak his mind - if only, unto death he has the chance to give it - would Adam deny him that chance? 😟
Or is it death that awaits him???
�We’re not ghostwriter and subject right now, we’re two men who want different lives than the ones we got.�
It was not love at first sight, haha - as if it could even be possible - but something that gradually built up. It was a cathartic feeling, one that they were able to touch each other so deeply with their honesty and understanding. That Roland helped Adam forgive that part of him that he had convinced himself for so long that he was deserving of the rejection his family and friends showed him. 'It is a rare opening to talk about his feelings, but I’m having too many of my own.' ❤️🩹❤️� This relatable trust that built up in such a believable way that I was rooting for another surprise - one that could make me a believer that miracles can happen. Because it is ever-present in both their hearts that what would happen to them if this bizarre setup faded - would everything they have learned about each other change - would anyone believe - is it worth sharing his life story. These questions motivated them to make the most of the time that they had, as well as motivated me to keep reading. 👍🏻👍🏻
There was something very special and innately unique about this book that really appealed to me. As I started reading it, I liked how easy it was to read. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I realize now I'm a rather finicky reader and somehow, the writing style of the author appealed to me. Upon Adam's arrival at Roland's mansion, the two of them strike up a very unique friendship - one where it begins with first earning the other's trust, proving that what is happening is very much real, and then onwards - sharing and exchanging the deeper darker parts of themselves - ones that maybe might not make it to the memoir - might be even cathartic for Adam's own personal writings - and yet, something that inadvertently aided them both in the struggles they were both facing. 💌
�People aren’t calculators and the ideologies we live under aren’t equations; we’re ruled by formless, fleshy impulses: hunger and hurt, pride and anger, lust and guilt.
My book didn’t acknowledge that messiness; Roland’s can.�
The writing was such a strange mix of humor and seriousness that actually appealed to me. The weirdly erotic dreams with Hollywood celebrities that while absurdly ludicrously written - perfectly aided the overall vibe of the story. It was --- refreshing and original and just surprised me at how much I actually enjoyed it. There were a few loose ends and unexpected arrivals that I could have lived without, but in hindsight, they tied the whole plot together. 😔 Adam and Roland's banter was funny and snarky, albeit at times strangely quirky with how they acted upon their inhibitions and desires, but it was layered with such a sincere, but heavy tone that was palpable from both of them. 'We have what we have, Adam,� Roland says, striking a wistful note. “But these last few weeks with you, as strange as they’ve been, are the least alone I’ve ever felt.' 🥹🥹 The dark closets and inner demons that they had to coax out of each other in that short time was handled well - be it their sexual awakening or religious struggles, it made for a very personal and intimate read that when I was nearing the end, I didn't know how either of them would be ready to say good-by to the other. 😢
The ending was a leap of faith - in the most literal and beautiful in the sense that tears escaped me. The way the author led up to that scene - comically and maybe a bit too unrealistically, but I cried - 'I sob on that step harder than I’ve ever sobbed.' 😭 I cried at Adam's determination - the regret over losing something so precious, despite Roland's reassurances - his inability to save the thing that he had finally found - love. Love - because they had both found love - so late in their lives - at the oddest of times - it is a reminder that you are not alone - no matter what stage you are in life. Adam was so determined to keep it for as long as he could, even if it meant holding Roland back - from letting his secret be taken with him to the grave... or would it be? It was such a heartbreaking culmination of their love story - of how they had discovered what it meant to be themselves - that no one would question who they were or judge them for who they loved - that they finally felt accepted. Adam reacted in the way that his heart felt right - a leap that I would have accompanied with him, wholeheartedly. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
In her Author's Note, Samantha Allen states, 'I keep trying to write normal books and they keep turning out weird.' It was, indeed, weird, but it was also a very enjoyable and memorable story, one that made me experience a whirlwind of emotions over the story that you breathed to life. It was a surprise from the start and it surprised me even more at how much it made me feel. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this strange and unlikely romance that somehow just felt right. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2024
Literally couldn’t put it down.
July 30, 2024
It's very exciting to get a book that is a totally different flavor of weird from Samantha Allen in her second novel. Can she do anything? Maybe!
As a fellow queer ex-Mormon this book was extremely relatable except for the ghosts lol. But the weirdness is where this book excels, remaking the ghost who needs to make peace with himself trope into something very different with a lot more... electronics.
I know that sometimes we are over coming out narratives, but there are still a lot of reasons people don't come out! Especially public figures and people who feel like it's too late or they're too old. Allen is ready to grapple with this through fictional movie star Roland Rogers, who before his unexpected death hadn't just given up on coming out but fully being himself. It's a perfect team up with Adam, the frustrated ghostwriter who's entirely defined by his coming out memoir that he wrote so long ago that he's not sure what else he has to say.
I think the weirdness and the sex (yes there is sex!) are the real highlights here, keeping the story from getting too bogged down by the big emotional beats. But my biggest note is honestly that I think we could be weirder!
Always excited to see what Allen will do next.
(Note: Allen and I are online mutuals, sorry there are only so many of us queer ex-Mormons out there!)
As a fellow queer ex-Mormon this book was extremely relatable except for the ghosts lol. But the weirdness is where this book excels, remaking the ghost who needs to make peace with himself trope into something very different with a lot more... electronics.
I know that sometimes we are over coming out narratives, but there are still a lot of reasons people don't come out! Especially public figures and people who feel like it's too late or they're too old. Allen is ready to grapple with this through fictional movie star Roland Rogers, who before his unexpected death hadn't just given up on coming out but fully being himself. It's a perfect team up with Adam, the frustrated ghostwriter who's entirely defined by his coming out memoir that he wrote so long ago that he's not sure what else he has to say.
I think the weirdness and the sex (yes there is sex!) are the real highlights here, keeping the story from getting too bogged down by the big emotional beats. But my biggest note is honestly that I think we could be weirder!
Always excited to see what Allen will do next.
(Note: Allen and I are online mutuals, sorry there are only so many of us queer ex-Mormons out there!)
September 4, 2024
Suppose the literal "ghost" in "ghostwriter" is the person whose book the ghostwriter is writing -- okay! Roland Rogers, superstar actor and hot heartthrob, has died in an avalanche, but his ghost is hanging around his awful Malibu mansion and doesn't want to leave this world with his ex-self still in the closet. Fortunately, his ghostly self is able to manipulate electronics, and so much can be done remotely!
For example, Roland can hire Adam Gallagher, writer of a best-selling memoir about being excommunicated from the LDS for being queer, to ghost his autobiography. Also fortunately, he can talk to Adam through the various speakers in the aforementioned awful mansion. Perhaps even more fortunately, he somehow connects with Adam's physical experiences, so when Adam eats or drinks or has an orgasm, Roland goes into ecstasies. And they fall in love.
You might wonder how that works out for them. The ending is bittersweet; I wouldn't normally spoil it even to that extent, but the ad copy calls this a rom-com. No. Although it is sometimes funny, and there is a love story, a rom-com it is not.
Does it succeed on its own terms? Almost. The comedic aspects, starting with the premise and going on to the hideous Chihuly chandelier in Roland's foyer, never quite mesh with the realistically painful ones -- Adam's anxiety over his identity and worth as a writer; his lingering unease about his sexuality and his body; the loss of his family, who stopped speaking to him when he came out; his money worries; Roland's loneliness in life; the traumatic experience that made him decide to remain closeted once and for all; the hints of violent abuse by his father. Why some books successfully integrate hilarity with great pain and others don't is a mystery, and readers other than I may differ about how well this one works.
I might have said 3.5 stars and rounded up except for the character of Zoya, Roland's longtime beard and friend, the only person he confided in before Adam. She's so unpleasant a person and her reasons for her behavior are so ... grasping? transactional? shallowly ambitious? that although she and Adam finally arrive at a truce, I was left wondering why she had to exist at all, or at least why she's characterized as she is.
Mind you, I did mostly enjoy myself, and I think many other readers will too, even if the story taken as a whole is shaky. Thanks to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC.
For example, Roland can hire Adam Gallagher, writer of a best-selling memoir about being excommunicated from the LDS for being queer, to ghost his autobiography. Also fortunately, he can talk to Adam through the various speakers in the aforementioned awful mansion. Perhaps even more fortunately, he somehow connects with Adam's physical experiences, so when Adam eats or drinks or has an orgasm, Roland goes into ecstasies. And they fall in love.
You might wonder how that works out for them. The ending is bittersweet; I wouldn't normally spoil it even to that extent, but the ad copy calls this a rom-com. No. Although it is sometimes funny, and there is a love story, a rom-com it is not.
Does it succeed on its own terms? Almost. The comedic aspects, starting with the premise and going on to the hideous Chihuly chandelier in Roland's foyer, never quite mesh with the realistically painful ones -- Adam's anxiety over his identity and worth as a writer; his lingering unease about his sexuality and his body; the loss of his family, who stopped speaking to him when he came out; his money worries; Roland's loneliness in life; the traumatic experience that made him decide to remain closeted once and for all; the hints of violent abuse by his father. Why some books successfully integrate hilarity with great pain and others don't is a mystery, and readers other than I may differ about how well this one works.
I might have said 3.5 stars and rounded up except for the character of Zoya, Roland's longtime beard and friend, the only person he confided in before Adam. She's so unpleasant a person and her reasons for her behavior are so ... grasping? transactional? shallowly ambitious? that although she and Adam finally arrive at a truce, I was left wondering why she had to exist at all, or at least why she's characterized as she is.
Mind you, I did mostly enjoy myself, and I think many other readers will too, even if the story taken as a whole is shaky. Thanks to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC.
December 30, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia, and Recorded Books for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
If you too are a fan of Samantha Allen's previous lesbian Sasquatch-related work, well, I actually have no idea if you will like this or not. It's completely different. Instead of horror, we've got romance, instead of reality TV satire, we've got an aging movie star coming out of the closet (while being a ghost). And the "sex" in this . . . you've just got to read it. I cannot describe it you, and anyway I don't want to ruin the surprise.
As the title says, Roland Rogers is a ghost, but he's not fully gone. Having woken up dead in the snow and laboriously dragged his incorporeal self back to his house, learned to email with nothing but his lingering effervescence, and then contacted his agent, he's ready to tell his life story, and finally come out of the closet as gay—and he needs to do it before his body is found under the snow. Enter our main character, Adam, an ex-Mormon writer, most famous for having written a coming out memoir about being a gay Mormon. Roland read this book and liked it a lot, so he thinks of Adam first thing. Adam, who hasn't been having great luck with his career after his buzzy debut, and this would be a HUGE break for him.
It's great fun watching the two "meet" and learning to work with Roland's "condition" in order for Adam to get the story he's being paid a lot of money to write. The story is very, very silly at times, in a very weird way. And it will also resist giving you what you want, so just be prepared for that. I am not calling this a romance novel for a reason, because that comes with expectations. But even while it's being very weird, there is also a strong emotional core here. Even dead, Roland has some things to work through that he couldn't in life. And Adam hasn't exactly been thriving.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is Roland's best friend, a woman he was fake dating for a very long time, and who views Adam as competition. I just felt weird about her and didn't quite get what the author was going for with her (besides providing conflict). Still, even with that complaint, this was a really good time.
I wonder what genre Samantha Allen will bring her weird to next.
If you too are a fan of Samantha Allen's previous lesbian Sasquatch-related work, well, I actually have no idea if you will like this or not. It's completely different. Instead of horror, we've got romance, instead of reality TV satire, we've got an aging movie star coming out of the closet (while being a ghost). And the "sex" in this . . . you've just got to read it. I cannot describe it you, and anyway I don't want to ruin the surprise.
As the title says, Roland Rogers is a ghost, but he's not fully gone. Having woken up dead in the snow and laboriously dragged his incorporeal self back to his house, learned to email with nothing but his lingering effervescence, and then contacted his agent, he's ready to tell his life story, and finally come out of the closet as gay—and he needs to do it before his body is found under the snow. Enter our main character, Adam, an ex-Mormon writer, most famous for having written a coming out memoir about being a gay Mormon. Roland read this book and liked it a lot, so he thinks of Adam first thing. Adam, who hasn't been having great luck with his career after his buzzy debut, and this would be a HUGE break for him.
It's great fun watching the two "meet" and learning to work with Roland's "condition" in order for Adam to get the story he's being paid a lot of money to write. The story is very, very silly at times, in a very weird way. And it will also resist giving you what you want, so just be prepared for that. I am not calling this a romance novel for a reason, because that comes with expectations. But even while it's being very weird, there is also a strong emotional core here. Even dead, Roland has some things to work through that he couldn't in life. And Adam hasn't exactly been thriving.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is Roland's best friend, a woman he was fake dating for a very long time, and who views Adam as competition. I just felt weird about her and didn't quite get what the author was going for with her (besides providing conflict). Still, even with that complaint, this was a really good time.
I wonder what genre Samantha Allen will bring her weird to next.
December 4, 2024
I’m not sure how I felt about this book. Was it entertaining? Absolutely. It made me laugh in a few spots and I enjoyed getting to know Adam and Roland. I even liked their relationship, such as it was. This was heartwarming in the sense that they were both trying to find themselves and their place in the world; they managed to do so, too, somewhat, and that was nice. I guess the part that lost me was the whole Zoya angle. I see where she was sort of instrumental in the plot but it she was just so unlikeable that she ruined the story for me. Otherwise, I found this story creative and different; I am glad that I did read it.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #RBMedia for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #RBMedia for an honest review.
April 17, 2024
I'm going to be thinking about this book for the rest of the year I just know it.
January 27, 2025
Absolutely fantastic it was so weird and entertaining and genius which are all things I also said about Patricia - I want to buy this soon and annotate it then have andi read it so I want to write a full review after I annotate but 4 now ... an interesting and odd story on its face and it is even smarter than u might think and full of thoughtful parallels when u stop and smell the roses and by roses I mean pages and by smell I mean think harder
January 6, 2025
Another unputdownable piece for me! The story caught my attention instantly. Funny barter between characters. I thought the idea of a dead celebrity co-writing a book with his ghostwriter is going to end up to be a dream sequence but it wasn’t. I’ve enjoyed this book very much. Can’t wait to hear what’s next for Adam Gallagher.
December 9, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a great concept for this story, and although there are definitely places that it could’ve been improved, I overall liked it (even if I wasn’t a fan of its ending).
I think it is very misleading for the description of this book to include the word “romcom,� because although it is a romance and there are funny moments, it very much lacks a traditional happily ever after and if anything has a very bittersweet ending. Maybe it’s my fault for expecting something else that ultimately was never the author’s intention to deliver (and is likely the fault of a publisher for advertising the book that way).
The pacing of the book was one of the main things that bothered me. The book was pretty slow to get started, with it taking quite a while for Adam to find out that Roland is dead, and even longer for them to actually get started on the memoir. The actual development of their relationship was really fun to read given their unique circumstances, but for some unknown reason their transition from friends to friends with benefits happens OFF THE PAGE. That’s right, they have a moment of extreme sexual tension, the chapter ends, then next thing you know Adam is describing all of the escapades they’ve had. I thought this was a romance! Why are you leaving out a major transition point in their relationship to only be described later?? I was in shock that this decision was made and truly can’t understand what the point of it was.
I also agree with a lot of the other reviews saying the part with Zoya could’ve been done better. It felt very shoehorned it at the end.
This review is pretty overly negative, but I promise this book was actually good. I liked the dual POV and I thought the perspectives of Roland and Adam were done very well. Given Samantha Allen’s background, it’s clear she put a lot of herself into Adam, and that care really shows in the character. The commentary in the book on success, getting older, identity, etc. was interesting too. I’d recommend if you’re okay with reading something without a HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.
This was a great concept for this story, and although there are definitely places that it could’ve been improved, I overall liked it (even if I wasn’t a fan of its ending).
I think it is very misleading for the description of this book to include the word “romcom,� because although it is a romance and there are funny moments, it very much lacks a traditional happily ever after and if anything has a very bittersweet ending. Maybe it’s my fault for expecting something else that ultimately was never the author’s intention to deliver (and is likely the fault of a publisher for advertising the book that way).
The pacing of the book was one of the main things that bothered me. The book was pretty slow to get started, with it taking quite a while for Adam to find out that Roland is dead, and even longer for them to actually get started on the memoir. The actual development of their relationship was really fun to read given their unique circumstances, but for some unknown reason their transition from friends to friends with benefits happens OFF THE PAGE. That’s right, they have a moment of extreme sexual tension, the chapter ends, then next thing you know Adam is describing all of the escapades they’ve had. I thought this was a romance! Why are you leaving out a major transition point in their relationship to only be described later?? I was in shock that this decision was made and truly can’t understand what the point of it was.
I also agree with a lot of the other reviews saying the part with Zoya could’ve been done better. It felt very shoehorned it at the end.
This review is pretty overly negative, but I promise this book was actually good. I liked the dual POV and I thought the perspectives of Roland and Adam were done very well. Given Samantha Allen’s background, it’s clear she put a lot of herself into Adam, and that care really shows in the character. The commentary in the book on success, getting older, identity, etc. was interesting too. I’d recommend if you’re okay with reading something without a HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.
November 11, 2024
🙏 first a quick thank you to @zandoprojects + @netgalley for the chance to read and review this book ahead of it's pub date: 12/3/24.
When I first started reading this book, it gave me Evelyn Hugo vibes, but it's more than that. Take those vibes and make it gay, paranormal, heartwarming, and hilarious.
In this rom-com, author + ghostwriter Adam Gallagher, an ex-Mormon with a complicated past, is hired to write a tell-all memoir for the late A-list actor Roland Rogers - a job complicated by the fact that Roland is dead, buried under an avalanche, and insists on dictating his story "in person."
What starts as an absurd, high-stakes project with a $250k payout becomes a journey of regret, revelation, and second chances as Adam and Roland navigate past traumas and undeniable chemistry.
Between food-fueled ghost flirting, bidet escapades (IYKYK), and haunting conversations about love, Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet delivers all the romance, spicy surprises, and poignant moments that make you cheer for these two men seeking the lives they never truly got to live.
� fave line: "I'll never get back the life I could have lived, but with Adam, I at least get to taste it."
^ See a few more fave quotes if you scroll the pics in this post.
I loved this book and gave it a solid
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
⚠️ trigger warnings: homophobia, violence, closeted identity struggles
When I first started reading this book, it gave me Evelyn Hugo vibes, but it's more than that. Take those vibes and make it gay, paranormal, heartwarming, and hilarious.
In this rom-com, author + ghostwriter Adam Gallagher, an ex-Mormon with a complicated past, is hired to write a tell-all memoir for the late A-list actor Roland Rogers - a job complicated by the fact that Roland is dead, buried under an avalanche, and insists on dictating his story "in person."
What starts as an absurd, high-stakes project with a $250k payout becomes a journey of regret, revelation, and second chances as Adam and Roland navigate past traumas and undeniable chemistry.
Between food-fueled ghost flirting, bidet escapades (IYKYK), and haunting conversations about love, Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet delivers all the romance, spicy surprises, and poignant moments that make you cheer for these two men seeking the lives they never truly got to live.
� fave line: "I'll never get back the life I could have lived, but with Adam, I at least get to taste it."
^ See a few more fave quotes if you scroll the pics in this post.
I loved this book and gave it a solid
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
⚠️ trigger warnings: homophobia, violence, closeted identity struggles
January 5, 2025
Thank you to the author for the free audiobook + to Steph for gifting me a signed physical copy!!
One of the highest compliments I can give a book is that I set it down multiple times because I didn’t want it to end. That’s exactly what happened with this one, and I actually had to force myself to get to the end because, as it happens with most of my favorite media, I could’ve stopped around 75% forever and pretended the book didn’t end at all. I loved how Samantha Allen’s voice came through so clearly here despite how different this book is from her other novel and her non-fiction work. She writes with so much charm and her characters here felt SO human (even the ghost) that it hurt to say goodbye to them. The foreword in my edition of the book talks about some of the inspo Samantha took for the character of Roland but I still liked making up my own headcanon of who he would be an amalgamation of in our own Hollywood landscape. My one liner review for Patricia Wants to Cuddle was “this is the perfect Mari book� and tbh the same goes for this one. It felt like it was written with all of my silly little interests in mind and for that I’m eternally grateful.
One of the highest compliments I can give a book is that I set it down multiple times because I didn’t want it to end. That’s exactly what happened with this one, and I actually had to force myself to get to the end because, as it happens with most of my favorite media, I could’ve stopped around 75% forever and pretended the book didn’t end at all. I loved how Samantha Allen’s voice came through so clearly here despite how different this book is from her other novel and her non-fiction work. She writes with so much charm and her characters here felt SO human (even the ghost) that it hurt to say goodbye to them. The foreword in my edition of the book talks about some of the inspo Samantha took for the character of Roland but I still liked making up my own headcanon of who he would be an amalgamation of in our own Hollywood landscape. My one liner review for Patricia Wants to Cuddle was “this is the perfect Mari book� and tbh the same goes for this one. It felt like it was written with all of my silly little interests in mind and for that I’m eternally grateful.
April 7, 2025
Samantha Allen, the writer you are. This book made me want to get In-n-Out and ogle photos of Tom Cruise. Weird, queer, sexy, beautiful. More a love story than a romance novel, full of love and longing and the appropriate amount of heartbreak the story deserves.
January 9, 2025
So ridiculous, so REAL. I love this
April 23, 2025
“If something good comes after this, I’ll see you there.�
what a weird, funny, sweet, and surprisingly tender romance this was.
what a weird, funny, sweet, and surprisingly tender romance this was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2025
I found this book a bit all over the place and I lost interest so many times.
Read
March 24, 2025The most ridiculous book I’ve ever read. Haha! 364 days of the year I would have DNF’d this book but I needed a palate cleanser after the last book. It wasn’t horrible, just ridiculous. :)
January 4, 2025
3.5⭐️
Patricia Wants To Cuddle permanently changed my brain chemistry so I was very excited to read Allen’s new novel. Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is about an author who gets a job to write a celebrity’s memoir under strange circumstances, and when he arrives it turns out the celebrity has died and is now some kind of energy cloud that can manipulate electronics.
I wish this novel was weirder, and not sure what it says about my reading taste that I didn’t find this that weird, but I was hoping for Patricia levels of absurdity. But it’s also a bit unfair of me to compare the two books in this way � they are very different. Roland is labelled as a rom-com but I’m not sure I would label it so, a love story yes, but rom-com seems like an oversimplification. More like a character study with a strong romantic core. Allen’s writing is smooth as butter and I really enjoyed the reading experience, shown by me finishing the book in two days. I loved that the plot gave us so much time to really understand Adam and Roland as characters and for Allen to explore so many themes, but I do wish the story surprised me a bit more to match the concept.
I enjoyed this book’s take on coming out, how it’s difficult and dangerous even in this day and age, especially as someone with a public image, which I think is really topical as a lot people these days feel entitled to a celebrity’s personal life. Allen utilising her own background as a Mormon missionary to show how engrained certain ways of thinking can be and how toxic those environments are through Adam is really effective. Adam and Roland’s relationship is tender and believeable despite the circumstances.
Overall a good read but I don’t think it’s going to stick with me in the long term. I’m very excited to read Allen’s next work.
Patricia Wants To Cuddle permanently changed my brain chemistry so I was very excited to read Allen’s new novel. Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet is about an author who gets a job to write a celebrity’s memoir under strange circumstances, and when he arrives it turns out the celebrity has died and is now some kind of energy cloud that can manipulate electronics.
I wish this novel was weirder, and not sure what it says about my reading taste that I didn’t find this that weird, but I was hoping for Patricia levels of absurdity. But it’s also a bit unfair of me to compare the two books in this way � they are very different. Roland is labelled as a rom-com but I’m not sure I would label it so, a love story yes, but rom-com seems like an oversimplification. More like a character study with a strong romantic core. Allen’s writing is smooth as butter and I really enjoyed the reading experience, shown by me finishing the book in two days. I loved that the plot gave us so much time to really understand Adam and Roland as characters and for Allen to explore so many themes, but I do wish the story surprised me a bit more to match the concept.
I enjoyed this book’s take on coming out, how it’s difficult and dangerous even in this day and age, especially as someone with a public image, which I think is really topical as a lot people these days feel entitled to a celebrity’s personal life. Allen utilising her own background as a Mormon missionary to show how engrained certain ways of thinking can be and how toxic those environments are through Adam is really effective. Adam and Roland’s relationship is tender and believeable despite the circumstances.
Overall a good read but I don’t think it’s going to stick with me in the long term. I’m very excited to read Allen’s next work.
November 29, 2024
Alternative Title: Two Gays, One Book
I loved this book. I received early access to the audio, thank you NetGalley and publishers, and I highly recommend it. Both narrators embodied the characters very well; their voices similar but individual enough to mirror our main characters.
Having not read the synopsis but read Samantha Allen's other fiction: Patricia wants to Cuddle, therefore going in blind, I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this but I can say it was a pleasant surprise. I think it's themes come across so vastly different from Patricia Wants To Cuddle but this just shows that Allen isn't bound by genre. So while the fantastic ideas are found in both, if you’re expecting another twisted horror novel…well you’d better go read the synopsis.
I’ve found that Allen’s writing challenges the need for “token characters� and rightly so. The story flows quite succinctly and the dual POV keeps you engaged in both characters' sides of the story.
In a struggle to keep this spoiler free I will say as little as possible. I wasn't too sure what I wanted from the ending throughout most of the book but honestly Allen nailed it. In my opinion, to keep it from falling into the trap many romance books do, it has to stay realistic, as much as you can anyway with a ghost coming through your kitchen speaker.
Overall I really enjoyed listening to this book and can say it certainly earned its 5 stars.
I loved this book. I received early access to the audio, thank you NetGalley and publishers, and I highly recommend it. Both narrators embodied the characters very well; their voices similar but individual enough to mirror our main characters.
Having not read the synopsis but read Samantha Allen's other fiction: Patricia wants to Cuddle, therefore going in blind, I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this but I can say it was a pleasant surprise. I think it's themes come across so vastly different from Patricia Wants To Cuddle but this just shows that Allen isn't bound by genre. So while the fantastic ideas are found in both, if you’re expecting another twisted horror novel…well you’d better go read the synopsis.
I’ve found that Allen’s writing challenges the need for “token characters� and rightly so. The story flows quite succinctly and the dual POV keeps you engaged in both characters' sides of the story.
In a struggle to keep this spoiler free I will say as little as possible. I wasn't too sure what I wanted from the ending throughout most of the book but honestly Allen nailed it. In my opinion, to keep it from falling into the trap many romance books do, it has to stay realistic, as much as you can anyway with a ghost coming through your kitchen speaker.
Overall I really enjoyed listening to this book and can say it certainly earned its 5 stars.
December 8, 2024
I absolutely loved this ridiculous and heart felt book! It's a romance of sorts between an A list actor and a failing author, brought together by a bizarre set of circumstances that involves the death of one of the characters. I thought I knew how it would turn out, but there were several points in the story where it goes in a direction that I was not at all expecting and so it felt refreshing and surprising in contrast to the usual predictability of romances. I loved all the back story that really fleshed out the characters and I really felt that I knew these people intimately. The book also deals with topics such as being gay in the Mormon church and dealing with being closeted as someone in the public eye. It's silly, but it's also complex and the writing style has really got me wanting to immediately go and read Samantha's previous novel, because that sounds just as quirky! Highly recommended!
January 23, 2025
This book was good for a beach read, but after I read it I feel no differently than before I read it. It left no lasting impact on me, nor did it change the way I perceive something. While it deals with thought provoking subjects like sexuality, gender and religion, the author did not present them in ways that left me thinking. The ways the author brought up these subjects felt too familiar. The idea behind the book and plot is fascinating and extremely creative, but I felt the substance of the book just wasn’t up to par and didn’t stand out.
October 4, 2024
What did I just read?? This is a deeply weird book, but also emotional, original, and extremely funny at times. If you're looking for a story in which a frustrated author takes a ghostwriting gig that turns out to be for an actual *ghost*, who can only communicate through various electronic devices in his house, this is definitely the one for you.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
January 6, 2025
4.5*
Adam Gallagher's career is...to put it bluntly...in the shitter. A gay, ex-Mormon writer, he hit it big with the release of his salacious debut memoir over a decade ago. But now the interviews, the TV spots, the gigs, and honestly, the will to even put pen to paper have all dried up. So when Hollywood A-Lister Roland Rogers requests him *specifically* to ghostwrite his upcoming tell-all memoir (in which he wants to finally come out of the closet after over 50 years), it all feels a little too good to be true. (Not enough to not do it, but.)
The only problem? Roland Rogers is already dead.
Upon arrival to Roland's disgustingly lavish Malibu home, Adam is surprised to learn that, for the biggest opportunity of his career (and maybe his life), he must ghostwrite for a literal ghost. Hilarity ensues, sparks fly, you know the rest.
I am such a huge fan of Samantha Allen's first novel, Patricia Wants to Cuddle, so I knew that her second novel would be just fun, weird (non-derogatory), and unexpectedly tender. What I didn't expect was to have my heart *literally* shattered several times over by this story and come away with two incredible characters I'll be thinking of for the rest of the year.
Because the character work really is the star of the show here. I felt so invested in both of their backstories and motivations, and it was so satisfying to trace the shape of their separate arcs throughout the story and look at the ways that they intersect and the ways that they differ. Just brilliant. There is a lot more depth to Adam and Roland than (most of) the characters in Patricia Wants to Cuddle, and I think having a smaller cast in a much more isolated setting with way less going on really helped with that.
I think that the one qualm that I had with this book was that the third act just didn't feel like it flowed quite right. The character and the conflict that's presented made sense logically, but it came so abruptly after such an emotional crescendo and went on for so long, only to be wrapped up super quickly and easily at the end.
Overall I really had a great time with this story. It really feels one-of-a-kind and I think Samantha Allen's fiction is something really special.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando Projects for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet is out now!
Adam Gallagher's career is...to put it bluntly...in the shitter. A gay, ex-Mormon writer, he hit it big with the release of his salacious debut memoir over a decade ago. But now the interviews, the TV spots, the gigs, and honestly, the will to even put pen to paper have all dried up. So when Hollywood A-Lister Roland Rogers requests him *specifically* to ghostwrite his upcoming tell-all memoir (in which he wants to finally come out of the closet after over 50 years), it all feels a little too good to be true. (Not enough to not do it, but.)
The only problem? Roland Rogers is already dead.
Upon arrival to Roland's disgustingly lavish Malibu home, Adam is surprised to learn that, for the biggest opportunity of his career (and maybe his life), he must ghostwrite for a literal ghost. Hilarity ensues, sparks fly, you know the rest.
I am such a huge fan of Samantha Allen's first novel, Patricia Wants to Cuddle, so I knew that her second novel would be just fun, weird (non-derogatory), and unexpectedly tender. What I didn't expect was to have my heart *literally* shattered several times over by this story and come away with two incredible characters I'll be thinking of for the rest of the year.
Because the character work really is the star of the show here. I felt so invested in both of their backstories and motivations, and it was so satisfying to trace the shape of their separate arcs throughout the story and look at the ways that they intersect and the ways that they differ. Just brilliant. There is a lot more depth to Adam and Roland than (most of) the characters in Patricia Wants to Cuddle, and I think having a smaller cast in a much more isolated setting with way less going on really helped with that.
I think that the one qualm that I had with this book was that the third act just didn't feel like it flowed quite right. The character and the conflict that's presented made sense logically, but it came so abruptly after such an emotional crescendo and went on for so long, only to be wrapped up super quickly and easily at the end.
Overall I really had a great time with this story. It really feels one-of-a-kind and I think Samantha Allen's fiction is something really special.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando Projects for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet is out now!
May 28, 2024
"Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet" is a refreshingly unique blend of supernatural elements and heartfelt storytelling, offering readers a memorable and emotionally rich experience.
When Adam Gallagher, a struggling ex-Mormon writer, is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of Hollywood star Roland Rogers, he doesn’t expect his client to be a literal ghost, or more accurately an invisible floating orb speaking through various devices through this home. Roland, a closeted A-list actor, chose Adam specifically because of the deeply personal nature of Adam’s previous writing. Adam’s candid memoir about his own experiences resonated with Roland, demonstrating how the power of one person’s story can profoundly impact another.
The novel shines in its character development and the evolving relationship between Adam and Roland. Adam, who has faced his own share of personal and professional challenges, finds himself unexpectedly connected to Roland. Their interactions, filled with both tension and tenderness, uncover layers of vulnerability and strength in both men.
While reading the book, I found myself contemplating various possibilities for how the story might unfold. I was thrown a bit by how it actually ended, but was still pleased with the resolution. The story deftly balances humor and seriousness, drawing readers into a world where a ghost can guide a living man toward redemption and self-acceptance.
There were a few plot threads within the characters� unconventional budding relationship that didn’t quite follow through to the end in a way that might have made the conclusion even more compelling. Despite this, the bond between Adam and Roland remains deeply moving, showcasing how their shared journey transforms them both. The ending, a beautiful leap of faith, leaves a lasting impression of love, acceptance, and the power of storytelling.
Samantha Allen’s narrative style is engaging and original, making “Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet� a standout read. The novel’s blend of supernatural intrigue and emotional depth makes it a truly special story that resonates long after the final page.
Thank you Zando, NetGalley, & Samantha Allen for this eARC.
When Adam Gallagher, a struggling ex-Mormon writer, is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of Hollywood star Roland Rogers, he doesn’t expect his client to be a literal ghost, or more accurately an invisible floating orb speaking through various devices through this home. Roland, a closeted A-list actor, chose Adam specifically because of the deeply personal nature of Adam’s previous writing. Adam’s candid memoir about his own experiences resonated with Roland, demonstrating how the power of one person’s story can profoundly impact another.
The novel shines in its character development and the evolving relationship between Adam and Roland. Adam, who has faced his own share of personal and professional challenges, finds himself unexpectedly connected to Roland. Their interactions, filled with both tension and tenderness, uncover layers of vulnerability and strength in both men.
While reading the book, I found myself contemplating various possibilities for how the story might unfold. I was thrown a bit by how it actually ended, but was still pleased with the resolution. The story deftly balances humor and seriousness, drawing readers into a world where a ghost can guide a living man toward redemption and self-acceptance.
There were a few plot threads within the characters� unconventional budding relationship that didn’t quite follow through to the end in a way that might have made the conclusion even more compelling. Despite this, the bond between Adam and Roland remains deeply moving, showcasing how their shared journey transforms them both. The ending, a beautiful leap of faith, leaves a lasting impression of love, acceptance, and the power of storytelling.
Samantha Allen’s narrative style is engaging and original, making “Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet� a standout read. The novel’s blend of supernatural intrigue and emotional depth makes it a truly special story that resonates long after the final page.
Thank you Zando, NetGalley, & Samantha Allen for this eARC.
December 4, 2024
Ever since Adam wrote a best-selling book based on his experience coming out (or being outed) and subsequent excommunication from the Mormon church, he’s struggled to find magic in writing again and can barely survive as a ghostwriter. When he gets a call to ghostwrite a memoir for celebrity actor Roland and make tons of money, he jumps at it (even with some weird stipulations).
So off Adam goes to Roland’s oceanfront Malibu mansion, and the adventure begins…The weirdest thing? Roland is dead—he’s a ghost who’s found ways to communicate and wants to tell his story. Quickly. Before the world actually figures out he’s no longer with the living.
I loved Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet! The creativity, quirkiness, and fun really drew me in and kept me enjoying the book. But the emotions and character development sealed it and kept me interested. There were funny moments, heartfelt moments, tense moments, and everything in between. Even though they’re not physically together, you sense their closeness and really root for them, and hope they find a way to be together. Even though there are potentially heavy topics, the book is light and just so much fun to experience.
I listened to the audio version and loved the narration as well. Great book all around.
Thank you to @netgalley for the advance listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
So off Adam goes to Roland’s oceanfront Malibu mansion, and the adventure begins…The weirdest thing? Roland is dead—he’s a ghost who’s found ways to communicate and wants to tell his story. Quickly. Before the world actually figures out he’s no longer with the living.
I loved Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet! The creativity, quirkiness, and fun really drew me in and kept me enjoying the book. But the emotions and character development sealed it and kept me interested. There were funny moments, heartfelt moments, tense moments, and everything in between. Even though they’re not physically together, you sense their closeness and really root for them, and hope they find a way to be together. Even though there are potentially heavy topics, the book is light and just so much fun to experience.
I listened to the audio version and loved the narration as well. Great book all around.
Thank you to @netgalley for the advance listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
February 11, 2025
First, a thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.
I was really looking forward to this book since I really enjoyed and all its weirdness. And while this book also had weirdness, it wasn’t the same sort of weirdness - and maybe this is on me, but that is what I was expecting/hoping for, so I was a little bummed.
Listen, this is a sweet and unexpected story about queer love, coming out (at any age), and has some really fun moments/scenes. It’s well written, the characters are fun, and I love the idea of the story.
But with all that being said� it just didn’t spark joy in the way that I expected it to.
I almost wish I had read this one FIRST, and then maybe I would have ended up feeling differently about it.
PS - I get really annoyed at publishers who have shitty formatting in their eARCs. It is 2025! How hard can this be?? When the formatting comes across all wonky, it really negatively affects the reading experience. I am not asking for much. But breaks that make sense and no loose floating letters doesn’t seem like that big of a request.
I was really looking forward to this book since I really enjoyed and all its weirdness. And while this book also had weirdness, it wasn’t the same sort of weirdness - and maybe this is on me, but that is what I was expecting/hoping for, so I was a little bummed.
Listen, this is a sweet and unexpected story about queer love, coming out (at any age), and has some really fun moments/scenes. It’s well written, the characters are fun, and I love the idea of the story.
But with all that being said� it just didn’t spark joy in the way that I expected it to.
I almost wish I had read this one FIRST, and then maybe I would have ended up feeling differently about it.
PS - I get really annoyed at publishers who have shitty formatting in their eARCs. It is 2025! How hard can this be?? When the formatting comes across all wonky, it really negatively affects the reading experience. I am not asking for much. But breaks that make sense and no loose floating letters doesn’t seem like that big of a request.
April 5, 2025
“‘I kept writing mostly because I had written, not because I had something to say. Even now, I don’t think I’ve figured out what I’m here for. I did what I needed to do. What story could I possibly share that’s more important than the one I’ve already told?�
‘Not everything you write has to be important,� I tell him. ‘You don’t always need some overarching reason. A story can just be two people learning things about themselves…Not everything has to have huge stakes.’�
“So I tell the questioner that I realized I didn’t have to be the same person for the rest of my life. That I hope everyone lives long enough to change.�
I thought I had this entire book figured out by the first couple of chapters but it surprised me. Twas fun, light and meaningful. Though it took me a while to chop through the forest of “gay� prose that, at time, felt a bit too intentional, it was worth it to stumble upon the pathos of the book � a story of reaching contentment through vulnerability. We have two failed protagonists, in very different ways, who succeed not in what they want to do but in who they become for each other. It’s maddening and fucking incredible.
This is a character driven story at its best so if that’s not your cup of tea steer clear!! But it worked for me, as did the peculiar ass plot. More devastatingly weird shit in literary fiction please and thank you.
‘Not everything you write has to be important,� I tell him. ‘You don’t always need some overarching reason. A story can just be two people learning things about themselves…Not everything has to have huge stakes.’�
“So I tell the questioner that I realized I didn’t have to be the same person for the rest of my life. That I hope everyone lives long enough to change.�
I thought I had this entire book figured out by the first couple of chapters but it surprised me. Twas fun, light and meaningful. Though it took me a while to chop through the forest of “gay� prose that, at time, felt a bit too intentional, it was worth it to stumble upon the pathos of the book � a story of reaching contentment through vulnerability. We have two failed protagonists, in very different ways, who succeed not in what they want to do but in who they become for each other. It’s maddening and fucking incredible.
This is a character driven story at its best so if that’s not your cup of tea steer clear!! But it worked for me, as did the peculiar ass plot. More devastatingly weird shit in literary fiction please and thank you.
November 28, 2024
Such an interesting take on a romcom -- a ghostwriter writes a memoir for a ghost. Not a spoiler, so don't read this if you need a HEA, although I'd argue there is one in a more philosophical sense. It's such a vulnerable work of learning to rewrite your life's narrative when arguably you're "past your prime", which applies to both protagonists in different ways, and also makes their unusual "romance" all the more believable and moving. There is clearly something autobiographical about Adam's POV, based on the author's bio, which made him an easy character to root for, and believe in Roland's attraction to him. Overall, the timeline felt a bit too rushed for all the emotional unpacking packed into this, and I wish it was paced better so that a lot more of the narrative focused on the actual time spent during the writing of the memoir, and less leading up to it. The Zoya part was also very one dimensional and shoe-horned in and rushed, but it was still a believably crucial part of the story I wish had been integrated slightly better. Overall, a refreshing, queer love story that is a little cozy, a little meditative and more than a little cathartic.
This is a review of the audiobook ARC I received from Netgalley.
This is a review of the audiobook ARC I received from Netgalley.
February 6, 2025
A ghost writer, Adam is summoned to write the memoir for a Hollywood hunky tough-guy, but things are weird....The Heartthrob is none other than Roland Rogers and he's dead.
Only able to communicate through speakers in his house, sparks fly and ideas clash as to what the book should/could be about.
The book addresses topics of religion, loneliness, isolation, death, impact on relationships, sex and features spice. It has humorous and snarky moments between Roland and Adam and some other characters I won't name. It also speaks of the subject of hiding ones' sexuality for job (Hollywood for Roland and Mormonism for Adam). While the book isn't about "coming out" per say, it definitely reminds readers that you are not alone and not being true to yourself may be even worse than not living your life to the fullest.
The book is very fast-paced and is also thought provoking as well.
This wasn't my typical read so it was kind of a tough one, even though it was fast.
Only able to communicate through speakers in his house, sparks fly and ideas clash as to what the book should/could be about.
The book addresses topics of religion, loneliness, isolation, death, impact on relationships, sex and features spice. It has humorous and snarky moments between Roland and Adam and some other characters I won't name. It also speaks of the subject of hiding ones' sexuality for job (Hollywood for Roland and Mormonism for Adam). While the book isn't about "coming out" per say, it definitely reminds readers that you are not alone and not being true to yourself may be even worse than not living your life to the fullest.
The book is very fast-paced and is also thought provoking as well.
This wasn't my typical read so it was kind of a tough one, even though it was fast.
October 10, 2024
“People aren’t calculators and the ideologies we live under aren’t equations; we’re ruled by formless, fleshy impulses: hunger and hurt, pride and anger, lust and guilt.�
Samantha Allen’s sophomore novel follows Adam, a man who has been hired to ghostwrite the coming out memoir of A-list celebrity Roland Rogers. When Adam arrives to begin writing, he discovers that he’s been hired as a ghostwriter for a real, actual ghost.
This novel is bizarre and wholly original. Filled with eccentric charm and humor, Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet will have you laughing a few sentences before you tear up. It’s quirky, it’s fun, it’s heartfelt. I had so much fun reading it!
This is perfect for fans of the film “her.� Trust me if you loved that movie, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy every moment of this book.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha Allen’s sophomore novel follows Adam, a man who has been hired to ghostwrite the coming out memoir of A-list celebrity Roland Rogers. When Adam arrives to begin writing, he discovers that he’s been hired as a ghostwriter for a real, actual ghost.
This novel is bizarre and wholly original. Filled with eccentric charm and humor, Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet will have you laughing a few sentences before you tear up. It’s quirky, it’s fun, it’s heartfelt. I had so much fun reading it!
This is perfect for fans of the film “her.� Trust me if you loved that movie, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy every moment of this book.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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