Coffins & Confetti (A Celebrant's Memoir of Life, Love & Loss) by Ruth Graham

Another blog tour review from me, and it's for something very, very different from the last one. I do like to step away from the world of crime occasionally and today I'm helping to open the tour for Ruth Graham's second book, Coffins & Confetti. My thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation and to the author for my lovely review copy. 

The Blurb

Following the success of her first book, A Thousand Goodbyes, writer Ruth Graham invites us to join her on the next part of her journey as an Independent Civil Celebrant. She honestly believed she'd seen it all - apparently not!

Once again, we're exposed to the best, worst (and funniest) examples of human behaviour in Ruth's latest memoir,

Coffins & Confetti, but this time the tears and laughter are set against the poignant backdrop of the writer’s own search for true and lasting love.

Written in conversational style with trademark humour, Coffins & Confetti takes the reader on a journey encompassing the darkest corners of despair, peppered with some of the funniest true-life stories you will ever hear.

A letter to life, a memo to mortality but above all, a testament to tenacity, Coffins & Confetti is a book which oozes humanity and hope with the message that if you hang on in there long enough, things will always turn around ...


Purchase Links

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coffins-Confetti-Celebrants-Memoir-Life-ebook/dp/B0C94Y9JJM

US: https://www.amazon.com/Coffins-Confetti-Celebrants-Memoir-Life-ebook/dp/B0C94Y9JJM

My Review

I hadn't read Ruth's first book but loved the sound of this one. She is a civil celebrant conducting mainly funerals (she's done over 1500!) but also weddings and other ceremonies. She tailors each funeral to the family's wishes and each wedding to the ideas the happy couple have, making every occasion truly personal. In this book, she's shared stories of some of these events, alongside stories of her own life and navigating a new relationship.

Coffins & Confetti is written with compassion and warmth, with plenty of humour. Ruth is always respectful of the people she is speaking about, with the possible exception of Kenny the crematorium assistant! There is lots of humour in the book but inevitably some sadness too. And it's fascinating to hear more about what her job entails and hear some of the stories she shares from her colleagues. 

I was touched by so many of the stories Ruth shared. Particular ones that come to mind are the poor man who lost his elderly mother at the height of the Covid pandemic, the funeral service for Ruth's friend Tim, and Daphne, commemorating her daughter Zoe, stillborn many years before. All these tales made me cry. And there are so many more wee stories too, ones that will touch you, ones that will make you cry, ones to make you smile and even some that might surprise you. 

Alongside this we learn a little about Ruth's personal life and her fairly new relationship with Russ and his sons. They didn't meet until Ruth was in her 50s (think that's right) and as a single 50+ woman, that gives me hope! 😂 Seriously, though, it's fun to read, particularly as she navigates her relationship with Ross's two teenage boys, having never had children of her own. And, actually, it's something one of these young men says to Ruth near the end of the book that had me crying the hardest, but for the right reasons. 

Coffins & Confetti is a warm, comforting read with a smattering of humour that will give you all the feels. This is perhaps surprising given that it's mainly about funerals and death. But I am one of those people who has been a bit scared to think about my own death, and this book has made me want to plan my funeral (the author talks a bit about this too) and move to the West Midlands so that when my time comes Ruth can conduct my service! A thoroughly enjoyable read. 

The Author

With an eclectic background in music, acting, presenting, comedy,  journalism, writing, counselling and teaching (to name just a few careers), Ruth Graham could never have guessed all the skills she’d acquired would be needed for her final role – that of funeral and wedding celebrant.

With no two days ever the same, Ruth travels all over the West Midlands to meet grieving families or happy couples, in preparation for the happiest and saddest days of peoples’ lives.

It’s a huge role, with so many expectations attached – and a lot of pressure to get things right. But as Ruth says, it’s also a huge privilege to be able to bring comfort in times of sadness, or to create something really beautiful and unique for a couple lucky enough to have found their match.

That said, in the great improv show of life, everything doesn’t always run smoothly because it involves humans at their best and worst. The result is endless amounts of material and two books to her credit so far.

The first one ‘A Thousand Goodbyes’ (The Surprising Life Of A Funeral Celebrant) garnered fantastic reviews: 'Hilarious, Un-Putdownable, Moving, Touching, Must Read' from bloggers, industry professionals and the general public.

Ruth is hoping the same for Coffins & Confetti but either way she intends to keep working as a celebrant knowing she’s making a real difference to others’ lives.


Author Social Media Links

Instagram: @celebrantruthg

Twitter @CelebrantRuthG