I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. reading FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL and have no regrets.

I loved the set up and premise of this book. The meet cute takes place at a funeral, where Alison discovers that her ex, who broke up with her a while before his death, never told his parents. She agrees to help clean out the ex’s apartment because she doesn’t want to upset her ex-boyfriend’s grief ridden mother. But then his best friend Adam, aka the North Shore Grump, agrees to help too.

It’s a slow burn from there on out and Palmer masterfully handles the gradual build-up of swoon and feelings. She also presents a fresh perspective on living your life to the fullest and answers the question of whether going on wild adventures is the only way to find what really matters.

Content warning: Alison is post-mastectomy, after finding out she has the BRCA1 gene and she is grappling with when to remove her ovaries. Palmer treats this with incredible understanding and sensitivity, and I learn so much about how hard a process is and how many tough decisions one has to make after such a life-changing the discovery. It is well written and very descriptive and open, which may not be for everyone.

This book is being marketed as a rom com and I wouldn’t categorize it as one. There is a lot of grief. One character has died, and another is dealing with a devastating diagnosis. It’s a serious book, with some comedic moments to lighten the mood. There are tons of funny quips, and we need them to lighten the heaviness of Alison’s emotions surrounding the BRCA1 gene and other characters dealing with the death of someone they loved. That said, there is a heartwarming Christmas theme throughout.

Overall, I give it 4.5 stars. Ellie Palmer has written realistic, compelling characters with wit and wisdom and given them a chance at finding lasting happiness.

Thank you to Ellie Palmer, Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a 3.5 for me.

I think this was a really cute idea and had a lot of cute moments, but I don't think it quite lived up to expectations.
First this is advertised as a rom com and really while there were cute moments in the book there were many funny moments that had me smiling or giggling.
It was also described as a cozy affirmation for homebodies and introverts, and I didn't get that feeling either as the whole time the FMC was trying to change that aspect about herself with a few people trying to tell her that no its okay to not be the outgoing adventurous outdoorsy person, but she kept fighting them on that saying no she needs to change and be more and do more since she was able to circumvent the big C. To me that doesn't really meet the expectation of cozy affirmation and in fact while I liked Alison her constantly talking about doing things she doesn't like but should like because of her situation got annoying and a little aggravating. Now I don't know if this is a common occurrence and feeling about those who are cancer previvor's and if is I don't mean to diminish their experience but to me after a while I was just wanting to scream at her do what makes you happy and stop living by what you think other people think you should be doing.


Now I will say that this book did offer what I think is a true insight to the struggles of those who discover they have the BRCA1 Gene and what they go through before and even after their diagnosis which I did appreciate. Which makes sense as the author carries the gene.

I will say Adam and Alison make sense as a couple on paper as they are very similar and are even fighting the same battles of who they should be and they definitely have some cute moments at the end but overall, it just felt lukewarm.

I did enjoy the first half of the book where everything was being set up and characters were being introduced but as the book progressed it just seemed to slow down and be repetitive. Outside of the first half of the book the last 2 chapters were what I enjoyed best as there is where I really felt the cuteness of them as a couple.

This book is about Alison who is attending her ex-boyfriend's funeral to show her respects when she finds out that Sam never told his family they had broken up and his sister would like her to keep it a secret to give their parent's peace that he died with someone in his life. At the funeral while comforting Sam's mother the subject of his apartment and cleaning it out and fixing it up for selling comes up. Sam's mother can't bear the idea of going through her son's stuff and to comfort her Alison volunteers to do it herself. However, Adam Sam's best friend also gets roped into helping her and a plan is set to clean it out over the next few weekends. But as they get to work cleaning out the apartment it becomes evident that Adam rather be anywhere else with his monosyllabic and grumpy answers. But Alison and her people pleaser ways won't let that stop her and sets out to make friends with the grump if for no other better reason to avoid the long hours of awkwardness. But as she sets out to make friends and their friendship starts to grow so does the chemistry and tension between them making her wonder if there is the potential between her and her ex-BF best friend.

Lots of laughing, a little crying, a ton of killer banter, and the right amount of palpable chemistry!

Ellie Palmer knocked it out of the park for her debut novel! 👏🏻

If you love your romcoms with a side of trauma and self discovery (al la Abby Jimenez) you will love Four Weekends and a Funeral!

I might have stayed up till 1:30 in the morning devouring this book and I am not mad about it - it was well worth the sleepless night!

Pros
- top tier banter and palpable chemistry
- laugh out loud funny, Allison is hilarious
- all-star supporting cast (I need a Chelsea and Patrick book asap)
- characters that feel real
- non-romantic plot and self-discovery was A++ and almost stole the show in the second half of the book.
- BRCA representation and meaningful exploration of the topic
- grumpy, rugged, family oriented MC


Cons
- 3rd act breakup (although its a needed one)
- Timeline felt a little rushed, I would have liked if they held off on the bonking a little longer and spent more of the book getting to know each other. It went from lust to dropping the L-bomb way too fast

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is a bit of a challenging review to write because there were some aspects of this book that I really liked and others that I struggled with. I really liked the premise of the book overall, but unfortunately did choose not to finish it. While I absolutely appreciate the incorporation of Alison's experience with having a double-mastectomy BRCA1 and subsequent cancer screenings after, it added a layer of heaviness to the story that I was not expecting. I knew this was a component when I picked this up, but I didn't anticipate how much it would play a part in the story. As someone dealing with their own health issues, I was hoping that this experience of hers might add a layer of comfort and representation to the novel, but ultimately, I found that I just didn't have the capacity for it. Although this was an aspect of the book that I struggled with and what led me to not finish the book, I absolutely believe that this story line would be a strength for some readers. I imagine that Alison's experience with being a BRCA1 carrier would likely provide a level of complexity that some readers would enjoy and maybe even feel seen reading.

This is definitely a book that I could see myself coming back to but, for now--this isn't the right time for this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Four Weekends and a Funeral
Ellie Palmer
Pub: 8/6
4.5 ☆

A must read debut!!

I love books set in MN and even more so when written by MN authors. Ellie Palmer absolutely delivered with her debut! This was so packed full of Minnesota it had me smiling so hard.

I unintentionally devoured it in a day and loved every minute. Alison and Adam’s story was such a beautiful mix of sweet, sad, serious, and swoony moments.Ellie did such a wonderful job tackling heavier subject matter while keeping the overall story lighthearted and chalk full of feels.

The last chapter was the literal definition of AWWWW! I did not see that coming and loved it so much.

What I loved;
✨ Enemies To Lovers
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine
✨ LOL Banter
✨ MN Setting
✨ Trivia Crew

P.S. Thank you Ellie for giving us an Alison with one L! We are so rare. 😊

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

When her most recent ex dies, Alison goes to his funeral to pay her respects. What she doesn't expect is for everyone to think they were still together at the time of his death. After the funeral, his mother asks her and his best friend, Adam to clean out his apartment.

I LOVED this book so much. Here's what I loved ;

The humor: It was top notch in this book. Alison and Adam, along with all of the side characters cracked me up. I loved the trivia nights!

Alison and Adam: These two are a perfect match. Their chemistry is off the charts. He's grumpy and she's a secret introvert. Together, they just work.

Alison's journey: Man, does she have an emotional journey. From her coming to terms with her BRCA 1 gene to her relationship with her mom...she goes through so much. But she's incredibly strong.

This is a top read of the year for me, hands down!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Four Weekends and a Funeral has a lot going for it: banter, humor, vulnerable characters who are trying to balance expectations and their true selves, superb secondary characters, and real-life issues.
Alison is endearing. It's impossible to not empathise with her. She's a people-pleaser who needs to make people feel comfortable under any circumstances, and is trying to find her footing after her diagnosis and double mastectomy. I loved getting an insight into her struggles (I hope this doesn't sound morbid or creepy), and seeing how things that are usually taken for granted held so much meaning and importance to her.
Adam was a gem. He's also dealing with the grief of losing his friend, while falling for Alison, and all of it through his struggles of going for what he wants.
Adam and Alison's growing relationship from near strangers to friendship, to more, was a beautiful story.
One of the things that I appreciate in a good book is the humor (I have so many funny moments highlighted!). The author's dry wit and tongue in cheek humor shines beautifully through this book. And great banter, too!
Four Weekends and a Funeral was a touching story. It is so much more than what my review details, and is one to be added to everyone's TBR.
Stunning debut by Ellie Palmer!

Ali goes to the funeral for her ex- boyfriend (they dated very briefly) and found that his family still thinks that they were together at the time of the death. Ali navigates helping his family after his death, while also navigating what it means to live your best life. Ali was diagnosed as a BRCA 1 carrier and post elective mastectomy is figuring out what that means for her – she decides to be more adventurous. She meets Sam who is an outdoor influencer and dates him for six months and then breaks up. Sam dies in a car accident and when she goes to the funeral she finds that his family still thinks that they were together at the time of the death. Ali navigates helping his family after his death, while also navigating what it means to live your best (authentic) life.

I thought this book was cute but also touched on some pretty tough topics. Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

This is a standard romcom, not quite "meet cute" (is a funeral ever a good place for that?) but in all other respects it follows the genre's format. Readers should definitely be aware that Our Heroine, Alison is a post-double-mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier and there's a. lot. about what that means (both in terms of her reconstructive surgery and the question of removing her ovaries) and the idea Al has that post-surgery she should want to live her best life. In best romcom tradition, that question/quest has led to the set-up for the reason why Alison is at the funeral, but for those of us reading, it can lead to some self-reflection in terms of "what <i>is</i> living your best life/being the best version of yourself?" and how much that response could be influenced by others.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Ellie Palmer for an ARC of Four Weekends and a Funeral. What an irresistibly cute book! I loved the humor, banter, the tenderness of subjects, and all the rom-com references. I had a smile on my face for most of the book and it was so easy and fun to read. I felt like I could relate to Alison for parts of the people pleasing aspects and the awkward silence filling - so I felt a strong connection with her. I wouldn’t say this is a tear-jerker, but it’s definitely a feel good rom-com.

Alison Mullally, a thirty year old post-double mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier, is attending her (ex) boyfriend’s funeral. Except no one knows that she is his ex. Sam seemed to forget to mention that detail before his death, so she’s still his current girlfriend. Alison plays along with the story and says she can help clear out his apartment. Sam’s best friend, Adam, also volunteers to help clean out his apartment. Adam isn’t too excited Alison is helping and barely responds to Alison when she’s talking to him. Alison can’t stand that he doesn’t like her and will go to any length to get on his good side. They have four weekends together to finish getting Sam’s apartment in order, but it ends up turning into an odd friendship. This story goes deeply into grief, guilt, finding your way in the world, and how to put yourself first. Deeply moving and a perfect rom-com you didn’t know you needed.

When your not-so-serious ex-boyfriend dies, it’s sad. But when your not-so-serious ex-boyfriend dies and his entire family still thinks you two were together, it gets weird. Add in being tasked with cleaning out his condo with his grumpy best friend and it becomes completely absurd. That’s what happens to Alison Mullally. At least she only has to spend four weekends putting up with the North Shore Grump, Adam Berg… right?

This book was so cute! I loved the premise, loved the grumpy/sunshine (somewhat sunshine??), the side characters, the fake dating dilemma… all of it. The burn was slow and long and good and I ate up every second of it.

Definitely a top read of 2024. Thank you to Putnam, Ellie Palmer, and NetGalley for the eARC!

I loved this book so much. Adam and Allison were the perfect opposites. I loved reading them forced together and slowly developing feelings. Add in the complication Allison is supposed to be the girlfriend of a dead guy, and there is tons of drama bound to take place. The tension was so strong and was so good when they finally got together. While I am usually not a fan of medical things in books, I thought it was handled in a raw and good way.

Thank you so much to Putnam for the ARC!

OKAY BUT THIS WAS SO CUTE! I'm so picky about romance books, especially contemporary romance, but I was SO surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! I'm OBSESSED with the fact that this was a debut and also blown away to learn about the similarities between the main character in the book and the author, Ellie Palmer. Both are carriers of the BRCA1 mutation, which is a gene that can increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including breast cancer. This was something I have never heard of before and felt the book did such a great job educating the reader about it.

As a Wisconsinite, I also loved that the book takes place in Minnesota (close enough) and references the Packers and a few other Wisconsin things. The Midwest vibes were strong and I was here for it the whole time.

I think the whole concept of this book is genius. Alison is attending the funeral for her recent ex-boyfriend, Adam, who died shortly after ending their relationship. The only problem is that he failed to tell everyone of their break-up and Alison is forced to play the part of grieving girlfriend at the funeral, what's it going to hurt? But before she knows it, the lie has gone further than she ever intended and telling the truth now could be potentially harmful and hurtful to many.

Oh and did I mention that she is forced to spend A LOT of time with her dead ex-boyfriend's best friend who she may also be falling for? What could go wrong?

Overall, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed! The only reason it's 4 stars is because the last little bit seemed to drag on after things were mostly resolving and seemed like forced conflict to me. Definitely still recommend!

This will be available on August 6th!

First thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Allison dated Sam for a while and broke up and were trying to be friends. However he passed away before he told his friends and family that they broke up. Allison finds herself playing along as his girlfriend.

What I liked: what a great debut! Ellie Palmer wrote such a cute and deep romance. I love Allison who was not only grieving Sam but also her body. She had a preventative mastectomy because she has the brca1 gene to prevent cancer. This surgery certainly changed her perspective and she is trying to figure out how she should change her life and live now. She has a close group of friends that support and love her. During the time that she agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend, she is asked to help clean out and prepare his condo for sale. She is matched with Sam’s best friend Adam that she hasn’t met but had assumptions about. They spend several weekends doing this work while learning about each other. I love them together, they were so good together. The chemistry was there and very authentic and genuine. This is a great book and I can’t wait to read more from Ellie!

A cozy, Minnesota-based romcom that I absolutely ate up. I loved the whole premise of the story and how the relationship budded between the characters. The MCs journey with accepting the dealing with a potentially for breast cancer was really eyeopening and her journey to accepting who she is and what she wants is really inspiring. Overall really loved the characters and the prose of this story.

Good, not great. That’s how this book was for me. The premise sounded right up my alley and I heard that it was closed door/fade to black, which is my preferred spice level in romance.

What I liked:
* I loved the representation of Alison’s character and her health struggles. I hope to see that in more novels in the future.
* I also loved the theme or storyline of wrestling with guilt and watching those emotions play out. I think it’s something that more people will relate to them they even realize.
* I liked the setting and the story happening over the holiday(s).

What didn’t work for me:
* Unfortunately, I just didn’t love the character of Adam. I’ve learned as I’ve started getting more into the romance genre this year, that I really have to, in a a sense, fall in love with the male love interest character and this one just wasn’t my favorite. Maybe I don’t like the grumpy x sunshine trope? Still to be determined!
* I guess to the same note, the couple together or their chemistry was just fine for me. Like I didn’t bubble over gushing with adoration, but I also didn’t absolutely hate them together. Again I’ll just say, good not great.

I would still definitely read from this author again!

This was such a cute, realistic, easy read!
This romcom has grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, best friends girl, and so much more!
While the pacing is easy to follow, the banter and sarcasm between the main characters are what make this such an entertaining book!

Alison is stuck between a rock and a hard place, knowing that the funeral she is attending is for her recent ex, but his parents don't know they'd broken up. To save his mom more heartache, his sister asks her to not talk about their break up, but when feelings begin to blossom with his best friend, the tension rises! Stuck together to clear out and fix up the deceased ex's apartment, the tension and turmoil is off the charts! This book reminds me SO much of New Girl - this is Jess and Nick, it's so fun to read!
The side characters, Allison's friends Mara and Chelsea, are also hilarious! They bring another fun layer of banter and humor to the book. They also remind me so much of the relationship I have with my three best friends form high school. I loved relating to this in the story!

Clever, witty, and totally unique! Can’t believe this was a new author! Cannot wait to see what she writes in the future!
Thank you for the arc!

I really enjoyed this one! It tied in important topics while remaining lighthearted and funny.

Alison, who is still coming to terms with her identity post- mastectomy, seeks adventure and change in her life. She finds that in Sam, that is until he dumps her and then dies. With his friends and family still thinking she’s his girlfriend she volunteers to help clean out his apartment. Only she won’t be cleaning it out alone. Adam is Sam’s best friend and he doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. Forced to spend four weekends together clearing out Sam and Alison slowly get to know each other. After dealing with awkward situations and snow bank mishaps, maybe their friendship is a little something more.

Four stars because I felt like the loss of Sam should have been felt a little more deeply by both Adam and Alison. Still thoroughly enjoyed it- just thought that was brushed over.

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer is a heartwarming debut romance that will have you laughing out loud. The story follows a woman who finds herself in a predicament after telling a small white lie. This cozy novel is a comforting read for introverts and homebodies, exploring themes of loss, love, and self-acceptance. Join the protagonist on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth as she navigates the complexities of relationships and the importance of being true to oneself.