This slow-burn romance had one of the most creative set ups I have read. The inclusion of medical complexities added depth and a realness to the characters.

My November is starting so strong with books!! I loved this one. Alison is at a funeral, which happens to be for her ex-boyfriend/newly established friend. His family is there, and they don’t know (other than his sister) that they broke up. Sam’s best friend, Adam, gives a eulogy at the funeral. Both Adam and Alison are roped into fixing up, boxing up, and getting Sam’s condo ready to sell. Through the course of four weekends and a funeral, they get to know each other and challenge each other.

Eeeeek this book was so great. The tension was fire and the sparks were flying with these two, I loved how sarcastically funny Adam was and how Alison balanced him out. Their first kiss had me swooning. I loved their love story, and how it played out. Such a cute happily ever after. This was a wonderful debut and so much fun to read. I’m sad it’s over!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been dying to read FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL by Ellie Palmer since I first heard the pitch! Not to mention her Instagram always cracks me up, so I knew I was going to love the voice. Friends, it did not disappoint!

When Alison, still processing her double mastectomy and diagnosis as a BRCA 1 carrier, shows up at her ex-boyfriend’s funeral, she expects to sit at the back and pay her respects. She doesn’t expect for everyone to believe they’re still together, or to have his sister rope her into faking it for their mother’s sake. But she suddenly finds herself playing the role and agreeing to help the prickly best friend, Adam, pack up her ex’s apartment over the course of the next four weekends. But when their tension ramps up, Alison will have to decide if she can come clean about her past in order to have a future with Adam.

This book was incredible! Ellie’s voice is fun and witty, while giving the story the depth and complexity it deserves. Alison’s people pleasing tendencies are so relatable, and watching her struggle with survivors guilt for “escaping” cancer through her BRCA diagnosis was such a unique insight into the experience. The chemistry between Alison and Adam was fantastic! He was so deliciously grumpy, and I loved that through them falling in love, his characterization stayed the same. Their journey through their grief was somehow still so bright, fun, and heartwarming. Ellie is a master of the craft, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with in book 2!

Super cute romcom but could get a little wordy regarding some of the descriptions of things that caused me to get a little lost/lose interest for short periods but overall a really good read. The character's self-journey made it so worth it!

This is a sweet romantic comedy. I really liked the setting - Minnesota in the fall to winter gave me that Midwestern vibe that felt like home. I liked the subplot related to women's health issues (no spoilers). I thought the treatment of that was authentic and sensitive. The dynamic between the main characters was sweet. I'm not sure the overall plot relating to the death of the ex worked for me. I appreciated the token nod to LGBTQIA+ representation, though it was not at all central to the plot.
I would recommend this to readers of romantic comedy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This title piqued my curiosity. There's nothing quite like reading an author for the first time and developing an affection for their characters.

Envision the moment when you enter Sam's funeral, your ex-boyfriend of six months, and no one knows he dumped you. On top of that, his parents treat you with the same tenderness and consideration as if you were their son's grieving girlfriend. What do you do? While I wouldn't have made the same choices as Alison, I have to admit that they made for an engaging read. So as not to make the funeral more difficult for Sam’s parents, when they asked her to pack up his condo, she say yes.

Although Adam has long been regarded as Sam's "best friend," I am not sure how these two became friends, considering how different they are! Sam's vibrant personality was a far cry from Adam's aloof and emotionally distant disposition. He carries a parallel emotional heaviness as Alison that traps him in a state of stagnation, something Sam regularly endeavored to pull him away from. So, out of duty or guilt, when asked by Sam’s parents to help, he agrees.

Despite the author's deep dive into their emotions, I found it challenging to connect with either of these characters. The pages explore Ali's journey with the BRCA1 gene, her physical and emotional challenges, her desire to be someone else, and her feelings of inadequacy. The awkward friendship and attraction between these two gradually develop, with their chemistry becoming intense two-thirds into the story. Not to say that this isn't enjoyable - because it is - I just yearned for a smoother and more immediate connection.

I do recommend this read, as this was easy to read and enjoy. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. I thank Netgalley, this author, and Penguin Random House LLC publishing for my free ARC. I voluntarily leave my review.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Ellie Palmer for an advanced read copy of “Four Weekends and a Funeral.” This story was a gorgeous nod to some of best trope in cinema and on the page.

Alison is a bubbly young woman whose recent ex-boyfriend died inexpertly. Except he never told anyone they had broken up, except his sister who asks Alison to play the role of grieving girlfriend for her parents at the funeral. Pretending to be the girlfriend and not the grieving friend she is ends up making things complicated.

Alison is, like many of us, a people pleaser. She is a BRCA1 survivor who had preventive double mastectomy, of which she struggles with guilt. She also believes she needs to be someone else: someone more adventurous. That’s what Sam, her ex boyfriend liked. But at the funeral, his best friend, Adam, and her eyes lock as he is eulogizing Sam, and through a request from the parents spent four weekends cleaning out Sam’s condo.

The tension between the two main characters perfect. The way Adam can see through Alison and know she is trying to be someone she isn’t, is what we all want: to be seen.

Ellie Palmer creates a beautiful and tender love story with Four Weekends and a Funeral.” This was so good, I would read it again! I look forward to reading more of her work. Pick up a copy when it hits the stands in early August 2024.

After finished reading this book, I can say with absolute surety that Palmer is an expert at weaving a story that instantly touches your soul. There's romance, growth and emotional depth throughout the entire book. Simply enjoyed reading it.

What a great debut!! I can’t wait to see the cover of this one and future reads!

I’m from MN living in TX and it was so fun to read all the MN references.

The book was well written and you can tell the author did their research (or rather, if you read acknowledgment/about the author, you learn this book is much more close to home for them!). It also made me think about my own life and am I doing things because I want to or because I think I should be doing them? Is a life of contentment ok? Am I there? What’s next?

I would highly recommend this to anyone for a great romcom read!

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for providing a DRC of this title.

In this loving homage to '90s romcoms and While You Were Sleeping, Alison Mullaly finds herself unexpectedly falling for Adam, the best friend of her recently-deceased ex-boyfriend, Sam-- despite the fact that Adam and her late ex-boyfriend's family still believe that she and Sam were dating at the time of his death.

It's always fun to discover a new author whose voice you really love, and I thought the humor and characterization in this novel were fantastic, particularly Alison and her friends. I love seeing fully-rounded female characters and supportive friendships, and Alison's friend group was probably one of my favorite points of the book. While I liked the central romance, there were parts of the middle of the book where the narrative dragged a bit for me and where I could have personally used a bit more structure to the plot. Overall, though, I think Four Weekends and a Funeral is sure to charm romcom fans, and I look forward to reading Palmer's next book! 4 stars/5.

Thanks @putnambooks @netgalley and @elliepalmerwrites for the chance to read Four Weekends and a Funeral early. It’s out on August 6, 2024.

I can already tell that this book is going to live rent free in my head for a long time. Ellie’s debut was so funny, heartfelt, and swoony. She created real stakes for her couple and their HEA was very hard earned. I also loved her having a female main character who has the BRAC1 gene and decides to get a preventative double mastectomy. Ellie is open about her own journey, and she wrote this character’s journey to feel comfortable being intimate in such a deeply empathetic way.

When Alison attends her ex-boyfriend’s funeral, she’s shocked to discover that his family thinks they are still together. Her people-pleasing and empathy for his parents leads her to go along with the ruse and volunteering to help clean out her ex’s condo with his grumpy best friend Adam, who can’t seem to stand her. Over the course of four weekends, they get to know each other better and start to catch feelings. But, will they be able to get their happy ending if everyone thinks she’s grieving her boyfriend??

Steam: 🔥 (kissing on page and 🌶️ off page)
Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers

What a whirl wind of emotions 😅

I related to the FMC and her mothers relationship so much. It’s exactly like the relationship with my own mom. I never thought that maybe she feels guilty about the diagnosis and my probability going up. 😪 along with this when I read the “about the author” my whole body got goosebumps.

“You don’t need to prove you deserve your life to me or anyone.”

Okay, now to my review. This is without a doubt a 5✨ read. Your ex boyfriend passed away, his sister wants you to pretend you were still dating, what could go wrong? I had no idea this would be a romance (queen of not reading synopsis) but there was one line when it finally clicked. I buckled up my seatbelt and was ready to take off.
Adam is such a grump but in the best way. “I’m not super fun right now.” “Perfect, I’m never fun.” You have to break down those walls he built and it turned out he’s a major softy 🥲 The banter between him and Ali definitely made me laugh a few times and was perfectly done.
Ali’s character development was absolutely top notch. You watch as she tries to force herself become this adventurous, risk taking, living life to the “fullest” person. When, in reality she’s a homebody who loves trains. The whole premise of this book is about just being yourself. The right person will love every part of you.

There were so many movie and tv references, which I think a lot will appreciate it. I don’t watch tv or movies so I was completely clueless to them. UNTIL, there was a babes in toy land one and my jaw dropped. I swear this movie doesn’t get the attention it deserves 🫡

“It was always you” 😭😭😭 my heart

This was such an amazing and empowering read. I will be recommending this to everyone and anyone and I couldn’t wait to share my thoughts on it. Please pick this book up when it releases! I don’t think I’ve ever wrote a review this long which is proof in itself.

I’m a big fan of rom-coms and I’m always excited to see when a book brings something new to the table. In this case, it’s the story of Alison whose mother had breast cancer and they detected a mutation in her genes that increase her chances of having breast and ovarian cancer.

Those pages where Alison described her experience with surgery and the regular check-ins were so raw and brought up honest emotions in me. I felt pity but also was felt terrified for how this is actually someone’s reality, a routine.

I also found this take on survivor’s guilt very uncommon and interesting to see from a character’s perspective.

However, the rom part in this rom-com… Alison and Adam clearly have a spark but I just couldn’t stand Adam after he started with the whole “but you’re my dead best friend’s ex girlfriend, things shouldn’t be this complicated”. But they weren’t until he made them complicated? I agree with Alison that perhaps Adam was just looking for an excuse to ruin something good. I also didn’t like how he talked to Alison. They’ve known each other for 4 weekends and he talked like he knew her best. Sure, he provided a different perspective and opinion to Alison’s life but in reality, does he really? Her best friends have told her the exact same advice before. That being said, I think the romance part felt a bit rushed. I'm not saying two people can't fall in love with four weekends but I was surprised it went all the way to "I love you"s.

I’m not sure if I should mention this since this is an early version of ARC and this might be already planned to change (if that’s the case, please ignore this part). There are a handful of scenes where the dialogue doesn’t make sense or at least the flow is off and I found myself re-reading to make sure I understand what’s going on. For example, the conversation about Alison moving in with Adam went from “I already signed a new lease” to “I’d be happy to move in with you” in the matter of a couple lines. I had to re-read that part to understand what’s going on in that scene and how they made that jump for it to make sense.

Overall, I learned something new from this book which is a nice bonus from any rom-com. If I could, I would give it 3.5 stars, I that that is a fair rating. I see a potential for it to improve in quality of dialogues and flow through a scene.

This book has one of the best opening lines that I've ever read. It hooked me! Perfect for fans of rom-com and the grumpy-sunshine trope, this book has broad appeal. I loved that this was set in the Twin Cities; not many books are. Truly wonderful debut from Ellie Palmer.

Cute, emphatically heartwarming with humor to sink your teeth into. But most of all, a cast of character to hold a seat next to and think of all the ways they’ve enriched your life all for the better.

Contemporary romances have rarely been my go-to genre, but this book has completely won me over. It's a story that's uniquely its own, with well-developed characters and a narrative that explores inner struggles while presenting characters that are so heartwarming.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this book is the way it handles sensitive subjects. Alison's journey, particularly her relationship with her mother and the discussion surrounding the BRCA1 (a genetic predisposition for breast cancer), is both emotionally resonant and an essential part of the plot. It's refreshing to see such important real-life issues woven into a romance novel, adding depth and authenticity to the characters' experiences.

The heart of the story lies in the dynamics between the characters and their relationships with each other. These interactions are the true star of the book, radiating warmth and wholesomeness.

I loved every minute of this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Add this one to my favorite romance novels list!

Allison Mullally finds herself in a predicament when she shows up for the funeral of her ex-boyfriend and everyone thinks they are still dating. She agrees to help pack up Sam’s apartment with help from his best friend, Adam. Did they know this task would result in them becoming more than friends? While Allison is grappling with her guilt in “beating” cancer, Adam is also grappling with his guilt at losing his best friend. The two find a kinship and work to find their true selves as their romance blossoms.

I laughed out loud at the banter between Allison and Adam as well as her friends. The characters were funny and likable, and the chemistry was undeniable. I loved the romance between these characters and found myself rooting for them to get together.

I would highly recommend this book! Put it on your TBR. The publication date is on August 5, 2024.

Thank you to @netgallery and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Four Weekends and a Funeral has got to be one of my favorite romances I’ve read in 2023. Palmer’s characters are so charming, their chemistry is undeniable, and her writing is electric.

Adam reminded me of Nick from New Girl at first, in the best ways possible oh my gosh. He comes off as a bit of a brute, but I think it adds to his charm as the story develops. The fact that he warms up to Alison makes their budding romance feel even more special. Their banter is down right hilarious, there are some laugh out loud moments and it all felt so natural. The chemistry and sexual tension had me in a CHOKEHOLD. THE SCARF SCENE is so Pride and Prejudice hand flex coded… those little moments legit had me blushing

I loved Alison as a main character. The lesson of accepting oneself through her might have felt cliche at times, but she’s so endearing that you can’t help but understand where her self deprivation is coming from. I cheered her on throughout the book and was so happy about the main message Palmer is sending to people about embracing who you really are. Heck yes!! Not only is this a heartfelt romantic comedy but it had a lot of important sentiments about grief and survivors guilt (specifically, breast cancer). I thought through all the silly moments, the serious ones were also handled with lot of tender love and care. Alison’s relationship with her mom and sister and how they discussed the BRCA1 gene mutation (a pre disposition for breast cancer that is inherited) was an important discussion that didn’t feel forced or out of place in this romance. I was rooting for Alison SO. HARD. and the fact that Adam was too made me love the two of them together so much.

All the side characters are so lovable. Mara and Chelsea are fantastic best friends and I loved their dynamic. The female friendships showcased warmed my heart, especially because they all embraced each other’s distinct personalities and empowered one another. There wasn’t any unnecessary drama between the three of them and they made me LAUGH. I loved their friend group!

The ending was literally perfect. I had butterflies throughout the last 5 or 10% - I was absolutely EATING it up. Ellie Palmer is an author I’m definitely going to be looking out for from now on. I feel like I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam for the arc in exchange for my honest review!! PLEASE GO READ THIS BOOK - it comes out 8/6/24, and it is THE PERFECT ROM COM. I couldn’t have asked for anything better!!

"Four Weekends and a Funeral" by Ellie Palmer is a delightful debut romance that combines humor, heart, and the complexity of human emotions.

Alison Mullally, a thirty-year-old with a post-double mastectomy and the BRCA 1 gene mutation, finds herself in a rather unexpected situation at her ex-boyfriend Sam's funeral. No one knows that Sam had dumped her before his tragic passing, and in a moment of compassion, Alison agrees to play the role of the grieving girlfriend to support Sam's family and help pack up his belongings. She's thrust into close quarters with Sam's best friend, Adam Berg, a gruff and prickly character who doesn't hide his dislike for her. With the daunting task of spending four weekends together, Alison decides to use her people-pleasing skills to win Adam over.

Palmer's storytelling is both heartwarming and funny, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking for a lighthearted and engaging romance. The chemistry between Alison and Adam sizzles on the pages, creating a palpable tension that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages. The push and pull of their budding relationship, filled with both attraction and frustration, is a joy to witness.

The story is not just about romance; it delves into the complexities of human connections and the power of honesty. As Alison navigates her own personal challenges and confronts her fears, readers are treated to a character who is both relatable and inspiring.

"Four Weekends and a Funeral" is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Ellie Palmer has crafted a charming and engaging story that will resonate with fans of contemporary romance and anyone who enjoys tales of second chances and personal growth.

In this heartfelt debut, Alison is heading to her ex’s funeral after his unexpected death. Unfortunately her ex didn’t inform his family and friends about their breakup, so his sister asks Alison to pretend they were together for the sake of her parents. Alison agrees, and later is roped into clearing out his apartment with his grumpy best friend, Adam. Alison is also struggling with her own health after healing from a preventative mastectomy due to the BRCA gene. She makes it her mission to befriend Adam, even though he seems to have little interest in her friendship.

I loved this debut and can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next! She somehow managed to balance difficult and emotional topics with funny banter and relatable characters. The book was sweet, poignant, and full of flawed but lovable characters. I could relate to Alison so much, and I loved her perspective and character growth. Adam was sweet and funny, and such a kind human. The tropes of strangers to friends to forbidden (sort of?) love and the forced proximity of the apartment cleaning were fun spins. The story is a bit reminiscent of While You Were Sleeping, and I loved that! This is definitely one to add to your tbr.

Thank you to Ellie Palmer, Putnam, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.