by Ben Reeves
First published 2026
Travis embodies Death in contemporary form, dressed in ordinary clothes and residing in a drab small town. His role requires him to provide solace during people's final moments. Though he appears young and attractive, he maintains stoic gentleness while witnessing each person's end. He listens without judgment and never interferes with destiny, understanding that mortality preserves universal equilibrium. This detachment has sustained him until Dalia moves in across the hall with her spirited daughter Layla. Dalia works as a midwife while eight-year-old Layla brings energy to their building. As the neighbors welcome Travis into their lives, his professional distance begins cracking. The relationships force him to confront what gives existence meaning and what disappears when life concludes. Ben Reeves crafts this story with warmth and understanding, exploring how we value our days, accept mortality, and discover our cosmic role when everything feels uncertain.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, fantasy, contemporary, adult-fiction, magical-realism
Vibes: bittersweet, intimate, lyrical, melancholic, philosophical, thought-provoking
Tropes: forced-proximity, found-family, immortal-meets-mortal, slow-burn-romance
Setting: grey town
256 pages · Hardcover · Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: death
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