📣 Sarah Adler is so funny—I could feel the smile on my face reading this one!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 if you could name a goat right now, what would you name it? Right off the top of my head, I’m thinking Kit or Edie or Flora or any of the other cute 1920s and 30s names that my husband would have never agreed to name our human children 🤣.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler had me grinning like a lovestruck fool—I love Sarah Adler’s imagination & the sparks of humor that fly everywhere but don’t overbalance the heart of the narrative.

This book is made funnier by the presence of a ghost who died in the 1920s & a narrator—our heroine, Gretchen—who sees the world & the people in it in a way that riveted.

The chemistry between Bullshit Artist Gretchen & “nice guy” Charlie Waybill is gooood & something that my “good girl” fans will appreciate.

On the whole, Happy Medium is winsome & funny & emotionally sharp, & I had such a good time. It was just shy of 5 ⭐️ for me bc some of the aspects of the story don’t quite feel as complete or smooth as I would like—but this book is a delight & a joy.

4.5 ⭐️. Out 04/30.

CWs: grief, memory loss, parental abandonment & estrangement, death, curse.

[ID: Jess’s hand holds the ebook in front of a blooming dogwood tree.]

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler is a paranormal romantic comedy novel. The story in Happy Medium is one of an enemies to lovers romance with a fake medium falling for a skeptical man with a little help from a hundred year old ghost.

Gretchen Acorn was pretty much raised to be a grifter spending her life conning unsuspecting people. Gretchen’s father had taught her the ropes but when he took things a little too far for Gretchen she struck out on her own building up her “fake” medium business.

Gretchen didn’t want to hurt anyone with her con but she still needed to survive the only way she knew how. When Gretchen is approached to “cleanse” a property of it’s spirits how can she say no? After arriving at Charlie Waybill’s property though he quickly runs her off seeing her as the fake she actually is but as Gretchen starts to leave she runs into Everett, an actual ghost, who begs for Gretchen’s help to save Charlie’s life.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler was a fun story mixing a rom-com with the paranormal of a very pushy ghost. The characters were likable, even Mr. Grumpy himself in Charlie who was quick to push away help but also quick to offer it when Gretchen needed it. My one complaint with this one that brought my rating down from a solid four star fun read to only three and a half stars was that the story did drag here and there and seemed it could have been edited down a bit more with this being a really lengthy read when otherwise it was a really enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored Mrs. Nash’s Ashes so this was a highly anticipated read for me.

It took me a little while to get into the story but once I started the audiobook, I was hooked!

Gretchen is a fake medium sent to help Charlie break his farm’s curse. Charlie doesn’t believe her and spots her for who she truly is right away. Everything changes when it turns out she can see and talk to ghosts. She runs into Everett and he tells her the farm is cursed and Charlie will die if he leaves. Gretchen concocts a plan to help out on the farm and convince Charlie of the truth.

I loved so much about this one. Charlie didn’t believe she was a medium but he was such a wonderful man. Gretchen really softened and came into herself living and working for a month on the farm. The friendship she developed with Everett was sweet and of course who doesn’t love baby goats?

Mara Wilson’s narration was fantastic. I can’t wait for more books from Sarah Adler!

Clever book with a lot of heart and a little twist I didn’t see coming. I really liked Gretchen break the mold of her past and what she expected of herself.

I LOVED Mrs. Nash's Ashes, and struggled to reconcile this was the same author. The main characters had zero chemistry, and their first moment was awkward. They didn't work as a couple. Too many loose ends to enjoy.

The best character was Everett, the ghost!

Thank you, Berkley

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler 💜
Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
416 pages
🗓️ April 30th

🔮 farmer + fake psychic
🐐 ghosts
🔮 close proximity
🐐 dislike to love
🔮 found family
🐐 curse

📌“I’m proud of you and I barely even know you.”“That’s funny. Because it feels like you might know me better than anyone.”

📌“Loving you . . . loving you will always be worth it.”

Okay, hear me out. Fake psychic gets hired to do an exorcism at a farm by a friend of the owner. Only said farmer owner doesn’t believe in any of that and sends her away… in a not very nice manner. As she leaves… she sees… a ghost! A real ghost *cue in freaking out* who asks for her help because that handsome farmer up there is in danger.

Now she just has to convince the non believer that while she is a con artist, she’s actually not lying about the curse. Nor the ghost. 🫣

Oh, and she might have a tiny crush on him. How hard can this be?! 👀

This was seriously fun to read! Even the goats were adorable. But the best part? The ghost. I’m team Ev-deserves-an-happy-ending 😜

What a sweet and unique romance! It had me laughing out loud, but there were also more serious and heartfelt moments too. Charlie was such a sweetheart and was 100% a good egg with a runny yolk (doesn’t Sarah Adler describe her hero in the best way?!) All the little ways he showed he cared had me swooning! The progression of his relationship with Gretchen did feel a bit choppy though because of all the “will they, won’t they” build up, but I liked how they truly saw each other - for better or for worse.

The main reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me was the final conflict. It really frustrated me that they didn’t just have an honest conversation with each other. I can see why Gretchen and Charlie might react the way they did given their histories though. The ending brought things full circle and was as cute as it was bittersweet (oh Everett!)

The audiobook was narrated wonderfully by Mara Wilson and it was such a delight to listen to! The variety of voices kept the characters distinct and I loved the different accents and tones used. I hope she narrates all of Sarah Adler’s books!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: cons/history of deceiving others, parental abandonment & estrangement, memory loss, death of loved one, grief, financial concerns, death/ghost, curse

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

I never realized how badly I needed a slow-burn romance where our heroine, Gretchen, is a con artist medium, and of course she’s going to fall for this sweet (but tattooed) farmer, Charlie. Add in a real ghost, and we have the beginnings of a story that more than lives up to its extremely tempting pitch! I would describe this book as chaotic and whimsical in such a fun way, without any of the fun tidbits (like our ghost loving television of all things) taking away from the strong bonds being developed. This is both a solid ghost story and a romance that will have you rooting for the MCs. A touch of heart and a touch cozy, I highly recommend this— it’s enough to make me want to read more from this author! Seriously, who among us doesn’t need this sort of humor in our lives?! Go pick this up!

I really liked this book! I went in totally blind and found it a lot of fun. I would just have appreciated a little more conflict before the end.

"I Ain't Afraid of No Goats." After reading the author's note and learning that this was a possible title for this romance novel, I have entered a period of mourning. I lament the fact that this excellent title was not used and hence forth, I will only refer to this book by the better title.

Following a flim-flam woman and a skeptic on a goat farm with a real ghost and a real curse, this hilarious romance is perfect for anyone looking for some hilarity and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC.

Happy Medium is a fun and quirky romance following Gretchen, a fake medium hired to exorcise a ghost from a goat farm, and Charlie, the grumpy farm owner who wants Gretchen and her obvious scam nowhere near him. Content to take the money and leave, Gretchen is shocked to her core when she learns the property is indeed haunted and she can talk to the ghost. The story is full of charm and so much fun happenings around the farm. I loved how Gretchen and Charlie slowly became friends and tried to understand one another before getting into a relationship. The deep moments contrasted so perfectly to the whimsy brought about by their ever flowing banter and the humourous and endearing ghost. This enchantingly sweet romance will absolutely not be my last from Sarah Adler and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Read If You Like:
🔮Forced Proximity🔮
🔮A Tattooed and Bearded MC🔮
🔮Slow Burn🔮
🔮Small Town Romance🔮
🔮So Much Banter🔮
🔮Enemies to Lovers🔮
🔮Baby Goats🔮
🔮Hurt and Comfort🔮
🔮A Chaotic and Friendly Ghost🔮
🔮Opposites Attract🔮

Unfortunately I DNF'd this at 40%. I struggled to connect to the characters and found the FMC to be particularly annoying. Like, she was a fraud swindling people out of money, and she was surprised AND offended that she was accused of being a fraud and swindling people? Accountability, please.

2.5, rounded up. I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't for me. It felt a lot like a tweaked version of Ghosts (US) with a lot more lying and lust. I really liked the goat farm setting, but both characters felt so unlikeable for me that it was hard to root for their HEA. I also feel like things with her dad were left unresolved (but I also skimmed a few chapters towards the end so that could be part of it).

*strong language throughout. 1+ open door scenes, and lots of lusty thoughts throughout

Thank you to Berkley Pub for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

A Conman’s daughter ✨Gretchen✨turned con artist spirit medium finds herself with a large cash payout to investigate goat farmer ✨Charlie’s✨ farm and why it won’t sell… leading her to confront a “real” life ghost ✨Everett✨ and to convince Charlie not to seek due to the family curse.

I LOVED Sarah Adler’s debut Mrs. Nash’s Ashes and was so excited to get an early copy of Happy Medium. This story is truly something special… a paranormal… goat farm… enemies to lovers… a hilarious TV loving ghost with friendship, family and heart at its core.

Everett and the friendship with Gretchen was the star of the show for me. The whole thing felt like a warm hug.

Thank you Berkley & PRHAudio
Releases 4/30

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/

This books was so cute and fun! I devoured it on a recent plane ride and it was the perfect way to pass the time. I loved the whole concept of this book, and I did not expect the ghost to become my favorite character, but here we are! I also loved watching the relationship between our two leads develop. Sarah nailed it again!

Gretchen Acorn makes her living as a fake medium. She really justifies it by doing something good for the person, giving them comfort and peace. When her most prominent client comes to her with 10K to help a friend with an exorcism on his property he is trying to sell, she can’t say no.

What happens when someone claims to see ghosts suddenly CAN see one? Gretchen meets Everett Waybill as she is trying to leave, getting turned away by young (she was next expecting that) Charlie Waybill. Everett tells her that he is stuck on the property because he tried to sell it and if Charlie sells it, his fate will be the same.

Gretchen has to find a way to keep Charlie from selling and get him to believe her about Everett.

Everett is quite the scene stealer in this book. He is witty, charming and adorable. His relationship with Gretchen is one of the best parts about this book. Charlie Waybill is great, too. He is sweet and genuine. He really cares for the goat farm and his grandparents that owned it. He’s a keeper.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read this if you like:
•forearms
•tattoos
•gray sweatpants
•humor
•forced proximity
•slow burn
•grumpy/sunshine

Everett was such a friendly fun ghost. I loved his meddling. Charlie was so grumpy but I couldn’t help but love him, especially as he began to open up. Gretchen had such great ideas for the farm too. So many swoony moments.

Thank you Berkley for the eARC!

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes was one of my favorite romances of 2023 and one of my favorite ARCs I received last year, so it was such a pleasure to receive another Sarah Adler as an arc from Berkley. Oh Sarah, how I love you and your quirky lovable characters <3

Happy Medium is definitely a goofy, heartfelt read! Gretchen is a fraudulent spirit medium until she’s not - when meeting Charlie at his goat farm, she also meets his farm’s resident and very real ghost Everett.

If someone asked me what this book tells us, it’s that “To be loved is to be seen.” Adler crafts a beautiful contemporary romance about a woman who’s afraid to lose people and a man that’s afraid to lose the woman. I absolutely adored Charlie as a book boyfriend and the last 10% of the book honestly had me in tears because of how much it reminded me of people and relationships in my real life. I would have given this a 4 stars for its heart, but I feel like the inconsistent pacing bothered me enough to bump it down to a 3. I would still highly recommend this to anyone and everyone looking for a lovely, touching, funny romance!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my hones opinion. I love u Sarah Adler

What an awesome book! I had no idea what to expect when I started it - and as someone who doesn't love books about magic/ghosts, I was not sure how it would go after the first few chapters. All I can say is that this book did not disappoint. I loved the idea that a (fake) spirit medium (con woman) has to convince a farmer that he has a real-life ghost after a wealthy customer pays her to investigate his farm. While uncovering their own demons, both Gretchen and Charlie's hatred for one another starts to change and grow. Throw in an annoying but amazing ghost that only Gretchen can see, and we have lots of real life drama, humor and fun. The dynamics and tension between them grows slowly, and at times is aggravating, but also done very well. Definitely don't miss this enemies-to-lovers book!

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This book gives soooo many tropes and small moments that made me love it so much!

Read if you like:
🐐 Goats
👻 Ghosts
💰 Con Artists
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ Rep
🤣 LOL Moments
😡 Enemies to Lovers
🏘️ Small Town Romances

We have our morally grey bisexual con artist FMC Gretchen that has been conning people for years convincing them she can talk to the spirits of their loved ones, but when she gets paid 10k to exercise a ghost for one of her clients so her friend can sell his property before she knows it she quickly gets in over her head on this particular con…

When Gretchen comes face to face with a ghost she can actually talk to it makes her have to rethink her con… especially when the ghost tells her it is a life or death situation for her biggest cynic Charlie, who refuses to believe a word out of her mouth and that she needs to make sure he stays or he will fall victim to the family curse… which makes for a delicious enemies to lovers plot.

Some of my favorite aspects of the book truly were the hilarious interruptions of Everett, the ghost that’s been haunting the Gilded Creek goat farm for almost 100 years, and how much he and Gretchen bonded while trying to convince Charlie not to sell the family property.

I also loved this book because of a few personal connections since I raised dairy goats growing up and had a goat named Thistle & I loved that there was a reference to Welcome Back, Kotter (this show inspired my hubby’s middle name) so these two things made me love Happy Medium even more!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for my gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review!