I will now read pretty much anything Sarah Adler writes. This was well paced, and Charlie & Gretchen are believable characters you want to root for. I laughed, I cried a little, I wanted to do goat yoga.

I didn't like this as much as Sarah Hogle's first book Mrs. Nash's Ashes, but it was still a fun read. I look forward to more books by this author. I will read them.

Equally hilarious and heartfelt! I sped through this big-hearted hug of a book and was sad to see it end!! How could a book about a con artist fake medium who ends up being able to see a real ghost for the first time ever and gets tasked with saving both a man and his family goat farm be anything but a total riot?

Throw in a horny, over the top ghost, a grumpy farmer and off the charts chemistry (not to mention adorable baby goats) and this book will have you smiling from start to finish as two lonely people find love where neither is expecting.

Absolutely no sophomore slump for the best-selling author of Mrs Adler's Ashes and I couldn't be happier for her. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is perfect for fans of Ashley Poston and Sarah Hogle!

Steam level: some open door scenes, mild details

Having read Mrs. Nashes Ashes and just absolutely LOVING it, I was so excited to see a new title from Sarah Adler! This book shares the same wonderful character development as Mrs. Nashes Ashes, with quirky main characters and a side of snark.

What I loved: I loved Everett and Gretchen, their budding friendship and the growth Gretchen has through talking to him. Everett's character was snarky and fun, I liked his quirks like how much he loves TV and all his goofy sayings.

I liked Charlie, although I wanted to know more about him. I never quite understood what he wanted to do. (Maybe he doesn't know either.) I would have liked a little more depth to his character.

Gretchen : I love that Charlie calls her by her last name, Acorn. It was one of my favorite things about their interactions. 🫠

I kind of felt like there could have been more Gretchen and Charlie development and less Everett and Gretchen, but then I ended up enjoying the bits about them too.

While I wasn't quite as head over heels for this as I was MNA, I still thought it was a solid, fun read and I can't wait to see what Sarah Adler comes up with next! (How about some yoga teacher and Gretchen's roommate fun! 🤪)

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC to review.

a cute one. i really enjoyed gretchen & charlie’s chemistry, and the story overall. i don’t usually read books with supernatural elements, but everett was a joy, and i feel like adler handled him very well.

#netgalley

I loved everything about this fun, quirky, original story! It was both hilarious and heartwarming with great banter and so many funny lines, but also characters who felt real and relatable (even the ghost!). This was my first book by Sarah Adler and I can't wait to read more.

Well, I sure called that one. If you liked Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie, you will maybe like this one, if you aren't too annoyed by all the similar elements. Like, so many similar elements. The author credits Crusie at the end of the book for "influence," but where is the line between homage and copy?

AND YET, when the book isn't taking pieces of that (and other Crusie works) to cobble together, it's truly a delight. Baby goats! Con artists! A hero who actually has every right to be suspicious of her! A ridiculous ghost...this book has a lot going for it, but cutting half the homages would've been better.

This book is absolutely lovely, rom-com gold. Reading it feels like slipping under the warmest of covers when it’s chilly outside…it is the *perfect* story for this time of year.

I was thoroughly enchanted by all the endearing characters (if I ever must be haunted, I hope it’s by a TV-obsessed ghost just like Everett) and the clever plot (the baby goats in knitted sweaters SENT ME) and really every last bit (a grumpy, skeptical farmer and a conwoman with a conscience brought together in an unlikely romance? say less) of Sarah Adler’s latest literary triumph. If you’re looking for a cozy comfort read with a touch of the paranormal, HAPPY MEDIUM is the answer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.

After absolutely loving Mrs. Nash's Ashes (MNA), I couldn’t wait to read Adler's next release, and needless to say, my expectations were sky high.

While I love the quirky set up of this sophomore release, and definitely found myself loving our ghost Everett, this was fun to read but wasn't the homerun I expected. I think ultimately what held this back is that I couldn’t get behind the romance between Gretchen and Charlie, let alone either character on their own solidly.

<b>"looking vulnerable is great; actually feeling it is a liability."</b>

The con woman set up with Gretchen was great, perhaps too good because I did find myself actively disliking her despite her "Rule" that's supposed to sooth her conscious form the harm her scamming might do. However, I do think Adler does a great job of bringing us around on Gretchen, and while I'm still not totally sold on the daddy drama that's supposed to serve as context and background to how Gretchen became the way she is, I do think it was smart to include. It softens and humanizes Gretchen a bit, giving her a bit more nuance and emotional depth.

<b>"Except what if maybe she doesn't want to run away so much as be chased? And maybe…maybe caught? Now, that's a frightening thought." </b>

There are some nice moments where the emotional vulnerability within Gretchen's internal monologue and thoughts helped make me feel invested in her growth, I just wish it was a bit more consistent and also part of her dialogue with Charlie more instead of just living in her head. Ultimately, the daddy drama felt like an unnecessary tiny violin playing distraction and didn't contribute much to the plot.

I feel the same about Charlie's background and family trauma / feelings that were supposed to provide the emotional grit and depth readers saw in MNA. Charlie felt too stilted for me and I was expecting much more intimacy and relationship building between he and Gretchen. There are some very cute heartwarming moments between them like at Meadewood, but they felt too few and fleeting overall. Instead, I think Charlie's suspicions of Gretchen hung around for a bit too long, making it hard to believe he really came around on her.

When we finally start to learn more about Charlie's past and how he currently came to be at the farm, I felt like I turned a corner on him. I was totally into it, I wanted more scenes at Meadewood, especially in the end. However sadly, it felt like Adler just used it to add some color but then didn't circle back to tie up any loose ends. T
By the epilogue, I still don't know what the Meadewood situation is which feels really inauthentic to Charlie's motivations. We also learn earlier that Charlie wants to do other things besides farming, however by the epilogue, these previous desires are not even mentioned as a passing reference, so again…it just feels like a lot of things were introduced but not finished. In addition, the resolution to Everett's situation was far far too short, with very little fanfare that just didn't make sense given how prominent Everett is throughout. We don't really even get Charlie's feelings on this which felt like a missed opportunity.

And while I loved our chatty ghost, I do think the romance suffered in development because a lot of time is spent between Gretchen and Everett. While their banter and friendship was my favorite part, I feel that that came before the romance which was supposed to be the main relationship element I feel.

I love seeing the author explore a different type of romance set up and loved the moments of levity and humor, however I don’t think this struck the right balance between emotions, romance, and character growth.

Thank you so much Berkley for my galley! I am excited to see what Adler does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, for an ARC of this novel.

I really wanted to love Happy Medium, but the overall novel was mediocre at best. Let’s start with the good- the premise of a fake spirit medium trying to help a farmer with his ghost problem resulting in the medium being able to see the ghost was quirky and fun. I loved that it was set in Maryland (since I’m a Maryland girl myself,) though it didn’t detail anything unique to my state resulting in a bland, anywhere farm setting. Despite my overall dissatisfaction with the novel, there were bright spots in the narrative such as when the main character, Gretchen, helps birth a baby goat despite being ill-prepared and out of her comfort zone. It’s a tender moment where you feel connected to the character. Unfortunately, these moments are far and few.

I’m just going to say it- the writing was not good. The author was obsessed with using similes in every paragraph, many of which did not make sense or were oddly specific. (How is anyone supposed to relate to the feeling of swallowing a bunch of pennies??) Gretchen’s constant self-deprecation and fear of being a terrible person became annoying after so many internal dialogues. The farmer, Charlie, was very one dimensional- you know the type- the brooding, hot guy with a soft gooey center. He seemed to have a Jekyll/ Hyde disorder because he would be concerned for Gretchen’s welfare only to suddenly become very irate with her in the same breath. And don’t get me started on the ghost! The ghost, Everett, was portrayed as a stereotypical gay best friend from a television sitcom despite being a straight male from the 1920s. I believe his character was meant to be cheeky and fun, but he ended up being intolerable and exasperating. The plot was convoluted with so much back and forth on motives and characters’ feelings. It was repetitious to the point of boredom.

This book is witty, fun, unique and a quick read. This paranormal, enemies to lovers romance was hilarious! Sarah Adler is amazing!

3.5 stars rounded up. I had extremely high expectations for Happy Medium because of just how much I loved Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. Adler’s sophomore album doesn’t disappoint, but I didn’t relate to it in the way that I did MNA. I wasn’t really strongly connected to Gretchen, Charlie or Everett. Again, fun characters and great story but one I didn’t find myself getting lost in. I think that’s because it’s not like every other romance and that’s a good thing.

The story was fun and a great read for spooky season (I’m lucky it was an ARC!). I was very busy and got COVID while reading it, so it took me a lot longer than reading usually does.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Cute, charming, delightful. Our cynical fake ghost medium is coasting through life, trying to make the world slightly better (by lying) without making any true connections. She gets roped into an unlikely job by an old lady with a lot of money to throw around, only to find an actual real life ghost, a handsome goat farmer who might be doomed without her help, and an actual life she might truly enjoy - if she can let her guard down and make it happen. Just adorable.

Thank you so much to everyone at Berkley Publishing and Net Galley for my e-ARC! I'm so grateful for the chance to read anything Sarah Adler.

Now, onto my honest — although, considering how much I loved Mrs' Nash's Ashes, a little biased — review:

Look, it's Sarah Adler.

You had me at "the author of Mrs' Nash's Ashes.

BUT

My gosh, was I kicking my feet and giggling with this book.

If you loved Mrs' Nash's as much as I did, then trust me. You'll love Everett, Charlie, and yes, even our con-woman Gretchen, so much by the end of this that you'll be excited to start it over again.

I ain't afraid of no goats, Sarah. That is true.

But I am afraid of how much I'm gonna be talking about this book to anyone who will listen, come April 2024.

I really loved this book! I think this is such a great read for the fall and upcoming halloween season. Both Gretchen and Charlie are the most lovable MC's and Sarah Adler is just an incredible author. I'm really excited to continue to read all of her releases to come. I am a huge fan of enemies to lo9vers so I've read many of them - most of which follow a similar outline but I really loved Charlie's banter with Gretchen and thats what really made this one stand apart from the others.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Sarah Adler for the oppourtunity to read this upcoming release. I cannot wait to pick up a physical copyh for myseld on April 30th!

This book was delightful! Gretchen Acorn is a “bullshit artist,” a fake spirit medium to Washington, D.C.’s wealthiest residents. When a longtime client tells her about a friend who’s trying to sell his haunted rural farmhouse and asks Gretchen to go there to perform an exorcism, Gretchen agrees. The client is offering her $10,000 she could really use, and all she has to do is pretend to perform an exorcism.

Only when she arrives at the farm, she finds an actual ghost — and is surprised that the farm’s owner isn’t the elderly man she expected. He’s a hot guy in his early thirties named Charlie, and he absolutely does not want her there. As the two get to know each other, Gretchen starts to think Charlie might be the first person she can be honest with, but she’s not sure if it’s worth the risk.

The himbo ghost is really funny (he enjoys watching The Golden Girls and soap operas), and the goats are adorable. I had a lot of fun reading this one.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC.

Are you ready for an entertaining paranormal farm romance where a con artist fake spirit medium gets beaten at her own game when she stumbles upon a real ghost? She's trying everything to convince the hot-as-hell property owner not to sell the goat farm he's inherited, unless he wants to get cursed and remain a haunted ghost on the property forever, just like his big cousin Everett Waybill has been doing for nearly a century!

I can automatically read anything the author of "Mrs. Nash's Ashes" writes without even reading a blurb. A paranormal, hilarious, and heartfelt romance with the enemies-to-lovers trope, especially when the hero is a sweet cinnamon bun under his tough facade, is an amazing combination I always crave without further thought.

Gretchen Acorn (yes, even her name is fake) becomes estranged from her conman father after she decides to come clean to him about their drifting relationship. This ends up with her father's distasteful insults, pushing Gretchen to choose another way of making a living. She's still a fake artist, insisting that she can connect with spirits, but she has a rule: she never harms her clients who are already in deep pain from their loss. She helps them move on with their lives by saying the words they need to hear. She's scamming for money, but she's doing it for a good cause, and she's not swimming in a pool of money. She's trapped in an attic, fearing her roommate and coworker, who researches the history of their potential clients to help Gretchen know more about their problems beforehand.

When her richest client, who recently lost her daughter, offers her handsomely compensated help that may keep her financially afloat, Gretchen accepts the offer. The only thing she has to do is an exorcism at a goat farm located in Gilded Creek, where her client's bridge friend, who might be in his seventies and is a war veteran, cannot sell the place because it's haunted by a ghost. She will exorcise the so-called ghost, have a short trip to the farmland, and return as soon as things settle down. Easy peasy!

But she didn't consider many things before accepting this offer. Firstly, the owner of the property, Charlie Waybill, is the grandson of the man she's supposed to meet. This charming guy despises everything she's built her life around and threatens to call the cops on her as soon as she mentions exorcism. There's also a real ghost in the place, trapped there for nearly a century, named Everett Waybill, whom she can actually see. Everett has no intention of letting her go without getting help. According to Everett, if Charlie sells the place, he'll be cursed just like he was, and he may die as a result of a long-time family curse. Everett needs Gretchen's help to convince Charlie not to sell the place.

Gretchen realizes she's accepted the toughest job she can hardly achieve, as Charlie hates her guts and is too stubborn to believe that she's talking to his big cousin's ghost. She has to find a way to earn his trust and save his life from a proper curse. It's a tricky task, as she gets volunteered to help him on a farm surrounded by goats she's afraid of. Let's not forget the attraction she feels for him, which can break the rules she's established in her new life, where she doesn't let anybody get close to her to avoid heartbreak and abandonment. But earning his trust also means she has to come clean about her past. Can she be honest with him when she's been lying to herself her whole life?

This is a poignant, entertaining, heartwarming read about love, friendship, family, and trust that I truly enjoyed. Sarah Adler knows how to play the strings of our hearts, as always.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this wonderful book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Welllll, I hope Sarah is prepared to write 100+ more books, because I WANT THEM ALL

I absolutely *LOVED* MRS. NASH'S ASHES and was so grateful that Sarah included me on a list of early readers for her upcoming HAPPY MEDIUM. As I expected, it's another stunning, unforgettable and unputdownable story that's equal parts hilarious, sexy, and smart.

HAPPY MEDIUM centers Gretchen Acorn, a fake spirit medium who makes her living by conning wealthy clients into believing they're communicating with deceased loved ones. When one of her best clients hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm, Gretchen goes toe-to-toe against the farm's current owner: a skeptical (and HOT) Charlie Waybill. He doesn't believe in Gretchen's abilities, but begrudgingly lets her stay. Gretchen must convince Charlie, while (oop!) helping the farm's resident chatty ghost Everett (the true star of this book, imo) break a generational family curse. To save the Waybill goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she's beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself.

Sarah masterfully crafts delicious tension in this story, while also building a charming setting that is delightfully its own memorable character. And speaking of characters, I love this cast. HAPPY MEDIUM's characters are dynamic and flawed, and coming along for their journeys is incredibly satisfying (and enjoyable!) The writing again hits that perfect medium (see what I did there?) of incredibly smart, humorous, and meaningful. I deeply (and weirdly) respect Sarah's use of simile and metaphor. She does it so well?? And let's not forget: his book is hot. Like, so hot. Sizzling chemistry, five stars.

I am in awe of -- and so grateful for -- Sarah's unique and utterly readable brand of storytelling.

Read if you like:

-GOATS! Cute goats! Goats! Goats!
-Alexis Rose gone goth aka "Little Miss Fraud" aka bullshit artist (who is afraid of said goats)
-a sassy prohibition-era himbo ghost who loves TV, esp Golden Girls, details Days of Our Lives plotlines, and uses generational slang and Guy Fieri phrases
-a grumpy (hot) farmer who wants to be a librarian and will do anything for the people he loves. see also: has a "rakishly" crooked smile
-a lil' MNA easter egg ;-)
-FOREARM YEARNING (v important)
-"I'm going to work you so hard..."
-Leesburg references! (my hometown *sobs*)
-homey farmers markets (with a side of jealousy)
-a man who buys his woman underwear and a million little toiletries bc he doesn't know what she likes (okay romance!!)
-"Attempted murderers don't get to watch Bridgerton."
-haphazardly knitted sweaters
-characters who *SEE* each other

Loved, loved, loved this story.

A big thank you to Sarah, Berkley, and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. HAPPY MEDIUM is out 4/30/24.

(in the meantime, if anyone else who reads this book needs someone to screech about it with, i am: available)

Delightfully cozy, sweet and entertaining romance with great dialogue all woven seamlessly into the developing the story. Also the trope opposite attracts was done quite well too. Loved it.

Gretchen makes her living by pretending to be a medium who contacts spirits. She doesn’t believe in it but has become good at conning people. She has a rule that she can’t make anyone worse off than they were before seeing her, and generally thinks that she helps people in their grief. When a wealthy client asks her to help her bridge partner with a haunted goat farm, Gretchen can’t say no to the big payday. Imagine her surprise to discover not only a hot, young farmer named Charlie but also a ghost named Everett at the farm!

I absolutely adored the author’s previous novel, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, and I was so excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this one. This was such a unique concept for a rom com, and I ate it up! I loved Everett the ghost and his friendship with Gretchen. I really appreciated Charlie’s skepticism and banter with Gretchen. It was a fun twist on the typical enemies to lovers trope. The goat farm is a great setting for the story, and baby goats are irresistibly adorable. I definitely recommend reading the author’s note for insight as to where the story came from- it made me chuckle! If you are in the mood for a banter-filled, heartwarming read with a paranormal twist, you should definitely read this book.

Thank you to Sarah Adler, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.