It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis (Good to the Last Death #1)
Published February 16th 2020 by Robyn Peterman, Kindle Edition 394 pages
A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!
Whoever said life begins at forty must have been heavily medicated, drunk, or delusional.
Thirty-nine was a fantastic year. I was married to the man I loved. I had a body that worked without creaking. My grandma, who raised me, was still healthy, and life was pretty damned good.
But as they say, all good things come to an end. I’d honestly love to know who ’they’ are and rip them a new one.
One year later, I’m a widow. My joints are starting to ache. Gram is in the nursing home, and dead people think my home is some kind of supernatural bed and breakfast. Gluing body parts onto semi-transparent people has become a side job—deceased people I’m not even sure are actually there. I think they need my help, but since I don’t speak dead, we’re having a few issues.
To add to the heap of trouble, there’s a new dangerously smokin’ hot lawyer at the firm who won't stop giving me the eye. My BFF is
thrilled with her new frozen face, thanks to her plastic surgeon, her alimony check, and the miracle of Botox. And then there’s the little conundrum that I’m becoming way too attached to my ghostly squatters… Like Cher, I'd like to turn back time. Now.
No can do.
Whatever. I have wine, good friends, and an industrial sized box of superglue. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything, apparently.
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a wonderful midlife crisis…
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Oh, thank the gods, I don't have QuarantineBrain™ any more. I mean, much like losing your sense of smell might signal exposure to COVID, my sudden fondness for pseudo-paranormal romance signaled QuarantineBrain, and since my last one was a four-star read (Midlife Madness), I was worried things were getting worse instead of better. So I tested myself with this. Nope. It's bad. How bad?
The entire 'plot' --and I'm being generous by calling something that shows up in the last third of the book a 'plot'--hinges on the MC making one giant assumption about her brand-new, ghost-filled reality.
And that's because the world-building is non-existent. Without spoiling anything, let me just say that the MC super-glues a hand back on a ghost. That only she can see. She has no curiosity as to why this works, merely describes herself as 'batty.' Then there's the lurve story component. A million-year old being falls in luuuuuve for the first time in.... centuries.
There is no characterization beyond the MC. Everyone else, except perhaps friend Heather, is just a cardboard cutout, including the love interest, who is The Most Perfect Being Ever. Hawt, Kind, Admiring, Multi-talented, Rich, whatever, whatever. Don't forget Zany Grandma! It's like someone borrowed the paperdolls from Janet Evanovich and placed them into this book, without even the conflict of a love triangle. As a side note, our MC keeps talking about how 'Southern polite' she is, and then referring to 'banging' with her boyfriend. Eww.
So much classier.
Oh, and for the cherry on the top, it ends on a cliff-hanger. Well, whatever. I'm just glad I don't have QB anymore and can be free of restrictions.
Rating: really liked it
It’s a wonderful midlife crisis by Robin Peterman
1st book in the Good to the Last Death series. Paranormal women’s fiction.
She sees ghosts and helps to resolve their issues so they can move on. But in the meantime, they hang out in her home. The ghosts are decaying and often lose arms, heads, etc. Superglue to the rescue.
“Midlife was more than a series of crisis. It was a freaking destination, and the ride was seriously bumpy.”
Ugh. Cliffhanger. I want to immediately start book two to find out .....but I have other book deadlines and won’t be able to get to it for at least a week.
Soon though.
Funny, engaging and I want more.
Rating: really liked it
It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis is book one in the
Good to the Last Death series by Robyn Peterman.
I’ve not had the pleasure of reading Peterman before even thou I have a few of her books on my TBR. I wanted to like this novel; especially since I’ve really enjoyed others in the over 40 bracket novels that have been coming out, but this one just didn’t hit the spot.
Our heroine, Daisy, is a 39 year old widow and a paralegal who loves working with her friends. When the story starts we see her gluing a hand back on a ghost and she explains that this isn’t normal for her. It just stated one day that she could see ghosts. Now, does she go looking for answers? Nope! Throughout the story Daisy doesn’t try to understand this new ability, nor does she talk to her grandma about it, nor does she try to get the lowdown on what is happen even when she finds out a few of the people in her life are paranormal or part of her world. What does she do? She runs around dumb and at the end she blows up her life on one big assumption about her brand-new ghost filled life. I was petered by that. She’s 40 and she does this stupid thing!!
As for the romance; I didn’t fall for the romance. I couldn’t believe it especially when Daisy doesn’t try to understand her new world.
As for the story I was lost when it start. I felt like I was missing a whole book. It just didn’t start in a way that worked. The story was slow moving and didn’t hold my interest. It lacked in plot, character and world building. It lacked in any type of explanation on what is happening to our heroine and our ghosts. And, the story also ends on a cliffhanger and I have a love-hate relationship with those. This time I didn’t care for it.
It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis was meant to come off as a mix of humor, paranormal woo-woo and romance, but I felt it didn’t meet those expectations.
Rated: 1 Stars*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Silver Dagger Book Tours with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Rating: really liked it
AddlepatedThis book ends on a cliffhanger, which is even more annoying since the first 60% of the book is filler. It isn’t until more than half way through the book that the female protagonist, Daisy, stops dithering and being a general dimwit and the plot of the book starts to get going.
As it is, I don’t know how many adult women scream inanely in their own houses and run through their own house screaming. I can honestly say that I have never jumped on top of my kitchen table for any reason other than cleaning off the light fixture that hangs over it. Maybe this is something that happens at 40? Instead of having more knowledge and greater ability to cope with life, one just starts screaming?
Another problem is that the author uses every possible pejorative for mental illness while getting the book started. Whack job. Crazy. Cray-cray. Loony. Lunatic. Psycho. Bat$#*+, et al. Even as Daisy is talking aloud to herself about the movie The Sixth Sense, at no point does she ever feel curious about what is going on. She doesn’t speculate that she’s having hallucinations or consult a therapist or speak to her family or friends about any of it. It’s hard to find Daisy likable.
While Daisy is a weak and not particularly enjoyable character, the world-building of the AU makes no sense at all. Daisy starts getting inexplicably younger. She goes out for a quick jog and runs a marathon. The ghosts she sees are all rotting corpses that are literally falling apart - whether they died 2 weeks ago or 2 years ago, they are all equally decomposed. Sometimes the bodies are corporeal and sometimes they’re not. The author never explains any of it.
Rating: really liked it
I’ve listened to Peterman’s Shift Happens series and her new series did not disappoint. Humor, engaging characters and an interesting paranormal gift quickly pulled me in.
Daisy, a thirty-nine-year-old widow, and paralegal loves working with her friends. However, Clarissa the owner’s daughter is a terror. When the firm hires a sexy new lawyer, Clarissa calls dibs and forces Daisy to work from home. Which at the moment is fine, since Daisy has been seeing ghosts. In fact, some are living with her and hogging the TV.
A mix of humor, paranormal woo-woo and romance held me spellbound. Peterman creates relatable characters and weaved in some adorable animals you’ll enjoy. Karen and Donna the Destroyer added to the tale and have some unique skills. From ghostly limb issues, the hot sexy lawyer who might just be able to see her ghostly roommates.
From the romance to the unique storyline, I soon found myself fully invested. It looks like the story ARC and romance will unfold throughout the series and I am looking forward to seeing Daisy hone her skills.
Fans looking for friendship, paranormal cases and a touch of romance should run not walk to grab It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Rating: really liked it
Robyn Peterman It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel: Good To The Last Death Book One is a Paranormal Women's Fiction that is perfectly divine, original and quirky. I laughed so hard that I literally cried as I took the journey with Daisy who has a new job and has absolutely no idea how she got so lucky and just as much no idea what to do except for needing a constant box of superglue. Learning that she has inherited the position and all it entails comes as something as a shock but one she is bound and determined to make her own. I loved it. Robyn has a way with words that just pop off the page and right into the imagination to bring it to life. She and the other group of authors that have banded together to bring brilliance of women over 40 a new lease on life. Hail the Fab 13, I have never read anything like it and I can’t wait for the next installments from them.
Rating: really liked it
Need more!! If Robyn Peterman writes, I read! She’s done it again with Daisy and the rest of the crew in It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis. So fun and quirky, you won’t be able to put it down until the end. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Rating: really liked it
Cute, funny, sexy, surprising and mysterious - also confusing, and ends on a cliff-hanger, thought the next book comes out in a few days on May 18th. Free (as is this one) with Kindle Unlimited.
No sex scenes in this book, just some heavy petting, and lusting.
Not the perfect book but it is free and kept my mind off of our world-wide problems.
Rating: really liked it
Never saw the ending coming!!!I can never resist a Robyn Peterman book and one that I can relate to in the middle of my life makes it even better. Do you believe in the Grim Reaper or the Angel of Mercy? You probably will buy the time you finish this book!
Rating: really liked it
This book truly surprised me with how addicting it was and how I did not want to put it down. It has a little bit of everything I love in a good UF and I can't wait to read more!
Rating: really liked it
I absolutely loved It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis ! By Robyn Peterman. At times I laughed so hard I cried and then at times the book was heartbreaking so I just cried. I love the fact that Daisy is older and everything that comes with it. She has an awesome group of friends that surround her, a hot new guy on the horizon, a new job helping the deceased and did I mention there are dogs?!!! I can't wait for the second book!
Rating: really liked it
Pandemic living has reduced my ability to successfully write many book reviews this year, but this story was sooo upsetting that I had to pull what little brain power I had left to drag the hell out it.
As a fan of urban fantasy, I desperately wanted to love this story. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor and interactions among the various characters, but all that potential was squandered by the author. Peterman was so non cohesive with the world building and character motivation that the story felt like some mid-tier fan fiction found on some 90’s tween’s LiveJournal account.
How a 40 year old woman, despite being a competent paralegal, could grow up lacking such simple basic communication skills is beyond me. I’ve seen some reviewers refer to her as Ditzy Daisy, but that is probably a far more complimentary description than she deserved.
No detailed explanation needed before she gladly accepted her role as “death counselor”. Automatic convenient acceptance of whatever plot device came her way, but zero self awareness in her interactions with the other major players in the story. It was like she fell out of the dumb tree and hit every branch on the way down.
What Daisy’s friends and the unrealistically gorgeous love interest in this story saw in her is beyond me, maybe they all have a soft spot for humans that remind them of the dumb puppy that craps everywhere and rolls in it’s own feces for fun.
Too many books out there to waste reading mediocre crap like this. Only reason why it’s getting 2 stars is the humor, everything else about this was atrocious.
Rating: really liked it
I absolutely loved everything about this book. I love the name, the characters, the dialogue! It was amazing! This will definitely be one that I read over and over again until the end of time. I am in love with the fact that the characters in this book are all older, hence the name. This definitely is the epitome of what I hope to be doing when I'm over 40; the fun friends and family, not the ghost part! I can't wait for the next part. Actually, that's an understatement, I was heartbroken that this one ended and a little in shock. I only hope that the second one comes out soon! Hint, hint Robyn 😉
Rating: really liked it
Fabulous page turner of a book. Daisy is a woman on the edge, the edge of what you need to read to find out! A year ago at 39 Daisy thought she had life sewn up.... at 40 not so much! She is widowed, her beloved Gran has to move into a home not to even think about the 50 or so ghosts that have taken up residence in her home! Bonkers? Maybe not. Join Daisy as she truly comes into her own with the help of good friends and a smoking hot new lawyer at work! A truly cracking read that will leave you ready for the next in series!
Rating: really liked it
I loved it! The author has reached new highs in her wacky and demented writing. She keeps the reader off balance from start to finish. In a good way, of course. The characters are fresh, fun and well rounded. The plot is original and crazy. I read the book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. I'm addicted and can't wait for the next installment.
