Thanks to Putnam and Ellie Palmer for the copy of this book!

"Because I was asleep— in this walking, talking, waking coma. And now I’m awake. You woke me up."

FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL is a romance debut you will absolutely not want to miss! Alison Mullally's attends her ex-boyfriend's funeral... only to realize his parents didn't know about the "ex" part. She plays along with the grieving girlfriend role and gets roped into cleaning out Sam's apartment over four weekends with his best friend, Adam.

This is one of those "stay up super late because I have to keep reading" books - it's so captivating and there are so many good ~moments~. Adam and Alison have a grumpy/sunshine dynamic that is absolute perfection, and I love how they started to meld toward the middle and warm up to each other as time went on. Adam is totally swoonworthy. He has FOREARMS and LEANS ON CABINETS with them, and he's a carpenter and thoughtful and good with kids. Sold. I loved that Alison wasn't the "typical girl" who is super feminine/girly, but she's obsessed with trains and plays trivia with her friends. Her BRCA survivor guilt storyline was excellent and really well-plotted, and I learned a lot about that experience through this story.

FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL is a must-read if you like romance with great plot, character development, and heart-squeezing moments.

4 stars for Four Weekends and a Funeral! I loved Alison and Adam! I thought both characters were incredibly like-able and would read sequels about the rest of the ensemble in a heart beats. Unfortunately I couldn’t give it 5 stars for the following reasons:
-0.5 stars because of the 3rd act breakup
-0.25 stars because the state of her nipples were mentioned 22 times (I get it but it felt excessive)
-0.25 stars for the public declaration of love (I will never not get secondhand embarrassment)

DNF at 51%

This was fine just not for me. I’ve had a streak of ARCs I didn’t really like reading (this is the fourth one in a row) and despite forcing myself to finish the last three, I could already sense myself falling into a reading slump with this one so I decided to just stop.

Some positives:
The book is definitely well written and I like the writing style/prose. Palmer is clearly talented. The plot an interesting concept that was playing out in a fun way so far. I liked the banter between Allison and Adam and the grumpy/sunshine thing was cute.

However, I was just getting super bored and it was too insta-love/lust for me. I felt like I just didn’t have a reason to really root for them. Also there was a lot of narration that felt kind of like info dumping (though this is something that got better as the book went on because there was less need for exposition).

This has a lot of amazing reviews and I’m happy those people found something that made them want to keep reading, but I’m not having a good time. It's not egregiously bad or anything I just want to read something that I actually enjoy. Let’s hope I read a good romance soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved reading about Alison’s journey with the BRCA gene, I’ve never read an account of that experience before. I also loved the inclusion of Alison grappling with survivor’s guilt and her new body.

What a phenomenal debut!

Alison has been through a lot. Diagnosed with the BRCA gene, she’s underwent surgery to mitigate her chances of getting breast cancer. Now she’s determined to live life to the fullest, even when living that life isn’t easy.

Like when her recent ex-boyfriend Sam dies and no one seems to know they’ve broken up when she goes to his funeral. Caught up in the emotions of the moment, she agrees to pack up Sam’s apartment with his grumpy best friend. What follows is an emotional rollercoaster of a romance.

This book had all the big feels - romance, grief, millennial ennui, and even a bit of humor. It was woven together masterfully and the pages flew by. I can’t wait to read Ellie Palmer’s next book. She’s sure to be a favorite of any Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez fans out there.

A solid 5 stars!

Let me just start off by saying that I really wanted to read this book the minute I read the summary, but couldn't get my hands on it due to various reasons, and I reached out to the author, and she was the sweetest. She sent me a net galley review copy immediately and I'm so so happy that I got to read it, because it was way better than I imagined it to be.

This book actually made me giggle, swoon, AND laugh out loud, and not many books can make me do that. Everything from the titles of the chapters (yes each chapter has a title!) to the banter and names of the quiz teams was so creative and funny. The development between Ali and Adam was so natural and yet butterfly inducing I literally giggled while reading. Adam was such a cute grump and Ali such a persistent sunshine that I couldn't get enough of their banter. The book effortlessly balances the difficult moments related to Ali and her BRCA diagnosis with light moments that don't take away from those hard feelings.
I also loved that the side characters had so much depth, it made me fall in love with them (hoping her friends get their own books) Coming to her friends, they played such an important role even though they were only side characters and reading those scenes was as good as reading the ones with the main couple. The happy ending was also one not to be missed, to see Adam come out of his shell like that, all for Ali, my heart fully melted.

Recommendation: A must read wholesome romcom to be enjoyed with a warm drink on a cold day (if you read the book you'll get this reference

Tropes:
Grumpy x Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Witty Banter
Introvert MMC
Supportive bestfriends

Four weekends and a funeral is the perfect romcom to be obsessed with during any time of the year. If I could get my hands on the physical copy I would definitely re-read this book, and I'm not even a re-reader.
It was that good.

I really enjoyed this story. It was very unique and unexpected. The relationship between Allison and Adam was the perfect friends to lovers slow burn. I truly enjoyed every character in this book.

Ellie Palmer makes a HUGE SPLASH in the romcom world with this book! I was instantly hooked from page one, all the way through to the flip of the last page.

If you are a vibe/mood reader like myself, this is GUARANTEED to make you guffaw, blush, happy wiggle, heart melt, squeal, and tear up. Think of it like this... if Friends and Gilmore Girls had a baby, it would be this book!

You get front row tickets to Alison's life as she lands herself in a sticky situation, at a funeral of all places! Instead of attending as a supportive, grieving acquaintance she is slung back into the role of "girlfriend." Apparently, no one knows of the break up that happened weeks ago, and now Alison (who struggles with uncomfortable silence) is promising the grieving parents she will take on the emotional task of boxing up the deceased belongings and get the condo ready for sale. Struggling with his own grief, the "best friend" and grumpy hunk, Adam, won't back down and insists he will be helping as well.

The delicious combo of forced proximity and grumpyXsunshine is perfectly delivered in chapter sized portions. Everyone will see a piece of themselves in these characters and this story, I cannot recommend this book enough!

This is a MUST READ BOOK!

Grumpy meets ball of sunshine, finding love while grieving, and being entertained is what Four Weekends and a Funeral is all about. Characters are easy to fall in love with and riding out their love story like you’re there. This was a different feel on a romance novel and I loved it!

I have not been able to finish this book. I can tell Ellie really wants to develop her main female lead, and she tried to make he multi-dimensional with her health history and work. I tried to continue reading the book, and I got around half way through. I believe the plot/conflict could have been resolved sooner if Alison chose to tell the truth and be more honest with herself. She was constantly letting others walk over her, and it was like she did not want to give herself actual happiness.

Thank you so much NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced reading e-copy!
Four Weekends and a Funeral is one of those "try to finish in one sitting" books- because I did not want to tear myself away and venture into the real world!

Alison Mullally is NOT a thrill seeker. She's a BRCA-1 carrier, train enthusiast, and homebody. Oh, and recently mistaken girlfriend for recently- deceased ex boyfriend Sam. An honest little lie to preserve family dynamics morphs into an awkward snowball affect that might unravel a potential true love- story with Sam's best friend Adam Berg (who's a total marshmallow)
I was hooked into the premise after the first chapter. I really liked Ali-and I LOVED her two best friends Mara and Chelsea. I could read the antics of the friend group for an entire series- that is how enjoyable this dynamic is. It was my favorite aspect of the story.
This book was sweet and romantic without the super "big gesture" romance. It feels approachable and tender (and sexy) in the best way. I will definitely read another book from Ellie Palmer.

I rate this a solid 4 stars because it was entertaining and sweet. There were a few moments where I wanted to shake Ali, but overall a enjoyable book. Very "Christmas/Winter season" vibes. I also Loved the "Live authentically to you/for you" message that also was VERY prevalent.

Many thanks to @netgalley, @putnambooks and Ellie for the gifted advanced copy. I'm so glad the reviews by @biblilater.alligator and @litwith.lauren influenced me to request this beautiful book. Seriously, you should be following them!

Alison Mullally is a lot of things - BRCA 1 carrier, double-mastectomy post-op patient, train enthusiast, frozen thin mint addict, seeker of a life with more meaning, single. That last one is why, when she shows up at her ex-boyfriend Sam's funeral, she is surprised to learn that he never told his parents they broke up and reluctantly takes on the role of grieving girlfriend during the funeral, which spirals into her agreeing to help Sam's best friend pack up his condo for the grieving parents. Over four weekends, grumpy Adam and midwestern people-pleasing Alison come together to pack up and clean Sam's messy place. Throughout the month, tensions begin to soften, and a tenuous friendship forms, with constant banter and tiny kindnesses covering a simmering attraction, fear, and guilt. But will Sam's death always cast a shadow over them?

Palmer's adeptness in navigating complex emotions is evident as she delves into the aftermath of life-altering health decisions, the struggle between societal expectations and personal desires, and the profound impact of death on those left behind. A deep sense of empathy and understanding marks her portrayal of Alison, Adam, their friends, and families. Even in the face of weighty issues, the book is infused with sweetness, humor, and midwestern charm. I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this poignant journey through her words.

This book, a rare gem of closed-door (or, more accurately, cracked-door) romances, captivated me with its deeply romantic narrative. The absence of explicit scenes did not detract from the intensity of the love story, a testament to the author's skill in crafting a compelling romance that will leave you yearning for more.

UNDERRATED!!
UNDERRATED!!
UNDERRATED!!

i don't really do debut novels, but this was just too tempting to let slide by. ellie palmer!! you have just won a lifetime dedicated reader!

only 400 people have read this masterpiece of a book on goodreads and it's a crime especially because the way all these truly deserving books are thrown under the radar by all undeserving plethora of dumpster fire getting mindlessly promoted on booktok, is DIABOLICAL.

there's nothing to review here. drop everything now and simply pick up this book. my words should be enough to convince you.

thankyou netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

This was a fun book! Unfortunately, I feel like this book just came to me at the wrong time. Last month I read a ton of romance/romcom books, so this book just felt very similar to other books I’ve read recently. I did like the characters and the tropes: grumpy x sunshine and friends to lovers, as well as illness representation with the main character.

I found the writing to be witty and fast! It was a good solid romance book. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

What a funny, witty story. I loved the main characters Allison and Adam. The story of their connections was so nice. I loved how Allison's friends joined in and how they helped in bringing this story to life.

I recommend this book and look foward to reading more by Ellie Palmer.

I really liked this book! Such a cozy rom com, perfect for late fall, early winter, and it completely knew what it was. Hit every holiday romance mark. I really enjoyed the MC, love interest, and all the friends/wider cast of characters (except MC mom). Mara and Chelsea are the realest friends ever.

I will say this was not necessarily an inventive idea, but it was the perfect example of what it set out to be and what this genre can be. SunshinexGrumpy? Check. Friends to lovers? Check. This book is a great example of all of its tropes in the best way!

I think the MC health issues and how she handles it is so interesting and feels very personal. She had very complicated familial relationships and straightforward friend relationships which I loved! Loved that the MC truly had people in her corner.

A really enjoyable read! Fade to black, very sweet, loved the references to hallmark Christmas movies. My only complaint is that there could’ve been more lead up to the romance, although there was a steady build to friends I felt like it tipped to romance faster than it needed to. Overall a fun and sweet read! Thanks netgalley for the arc!

Received from NetGalley. This is a great book. Unique storyline and kept my interest the whole time. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

NETGALLEY ARC review. Loved the story, but it felt a little incomplete. I wish this had been written with both perspectives - I really really would have loved to know what Adam is thinking since it seemed he was feeling more at times than Allison- so I felt I would have more “feels” from his perspective than I got from Allison. I felt like there were starts, slow downs, speed ups, stops… story wasn’t even and found myself skipping pages at a time or wondering “wait a minute- this came out of nowhere” . All in all I liked the story and would try another book by this author.

3.5/5 stars!!! Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the earc!

This book was exactly what I was looking for after reading so many series and other stand-alone’s that weren’t doing it for me.

This book was funny, heart breaking, and had me cheering for the main characters all through out. Alison and Adam were an amazing match and how they connected was so sweet. I adored Alison’s friends as well and they brought the story to life even more!

I also LOVED that this story takes place in the Midwest (Minnesota to be exact) and how Culver’s is mentioned (we do love our Culver’s here!).

But if you’re looking for a quick, fun, romantic comedy read, this is the book to read! It’ll be available on August 6th! 💕🥰

I really loved this book. Great characters, developed wonderfully. There was tension, laughing, wit, and romance.
Thank you Net Galley.