My main reason for the three star rating is the pacing and length. It was very slow moving and eventually I was just ready for them to do something and make it end. The premise is unique and I enjoyed the originality of the story and how they meet. However, Alison was a slightly confusing character to me. It felt like Palmer tried to give her so much of a back story to try and justify her life choices that it didn't quite all make sense to me in reality. She comes across as a practical and content person but I guess feels this pressure (from who? where? how?) to be overly adventurous and try crazy things because she had a pre-emptive surgery. It makes sense on the surface, but in reality, she just seemed so fake in her relationship with Sam. In all the stories of them together there was no emotion, no sense that she even liked him or his lifestyle or vice versa. So I was confused on how they even met and why either of them would have pursued each other at all. And since that's what most of the plot is hinged on, I was a little hesitant to dive all the way in. Adam was pretty great, but again, I was confused on his profession/wood-working when he's written as this grumpy, non-nonsense, analytical person. I'm glad they taught each other things about themselves. It just needed some plot reworking and more emotion and connection to come across.

Firstly, I want to say thank you for the ARC, as always I feel eternally grateful. Now onto the actual review. When I read the summary for this, I was so excited. This follows Ali who was dating this guy. They broke up one month, and the next he was dead. While everyone was shocked, no one was more shocked than Ali when she finds out that none of his family realized they had broken up. As a true people pleaser, she doesn't really want to bring up the fact that they broke up, so she pretends.
She thought she could pretend for this one day, and everything would be okay. Little does she know that she'll have to keep the charade going for much longer than a day when she volunteers to help pack up his apartment with his best friend Adam. And of course things go from there.
This book dealt with a few really good topics, a renewed chance at life, grief, etc, and I thought they did a really good job talking about them. I will say, I didn't really love the romance. While Adam is a super cute character, the miscommunication trope in this was so strong, and I HATED that. I felt like it went on for so long, when it could've been resolved much quicker. Still was a super cute read though, and I think I would rate it a 3.5 stars!

This book was amazing! I loved the BRCA rep. The misunderstanding was done so well. The whole set up ... Just chef's kiss. Such a fun read!!

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, I did not. I found the FMC the be pretty insufferable if I’m being completely honest. I hated the fact that she spent literally the entire book trying to force herself to be someone she thought she should be, instead of accepting the way she was. So what if you like to spend your free time indoor and obsessing over trains? It’s kind of delusional to make yourself go on hikes and spend more time outdoors if it’s something you GENUINELY hate. I also disliked her inability to create boundaries with her mom, and overall she just felt like such a pushover. Not just with her mom, but with her ex’s family AND her job. If you don’t want to do something, act like an adult and stand up for yourself instead of just going with the flow or avoiding everyone and everything.

That brings me to the MMC, because I also got some beef with him too. He was so content with going through the motions of everyday just because he fears failure and is too afraid to put himself out there. The third act breakup was really dumb on his part. But you know what? I guess these two deserve each other.

This book was also closed door, so that’s just another personal mark against it.

A heart-warming story that manages to be tender and humorous while dealing with some tough subjects. Technically this would be a romance I guess, but it’s much more than that.

A cute and unique love story that perfectly balances the light and dark topics. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

What a beautiful story with a powerful message about loving your body for all its done & will continue to do.. I read this while freshly postpartum and while its a completely different scenario, it had me reflect on my pregnancy journey. Love a story with a close proximity trope, women in stem & complicated family dynamics.

Elle Palmer’s "Four Weekends and a Funeral" is a charming and poignant exploration of love, loss, and the unexpected bonds we form along the way. Centered around a group of friends who reunite for a series of poignant weekends leading up to a funeral, the narrative effortlessly blends humor and heartache. Palmer’s sharp dialogue and rich character development make each reunion feel both nostalgic and fresh, capturing the complexities of friendship and the passage of time. The blend of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional reflections creates a captivating rhythm that kept me engaged from start to finish. With its perfect balance of laughter and tears, this book is a beautiful reminder of the power of connection, making it a must-read for anyone who has ever cherished the friendships that shape our lives.

Palmer creates a fully fleshed-out world, including the many facets of grief, love, and identity. A beautifully realized romance!

When Alison goes to the funeral of her ex-boyfriend, Sam she is surprised when his family and friends believe that they were still together, including his best friend, Adam. When Adam is asked to clean up Sam's apartment, Alison volunteers to help. Over the next four weekends, the two must deal with family affairs and packing dilemmas while navigating a new friendship and possibly a new romance.

I loved this book. This was the prefect representation of grumpy meets sunshine, and I loved the chemistry between Adam and Alison. The secondary characters also made this book a fantastic read. Chelsea and Mara were hilarious during their trivia nights but were also a great support for Alison during her emotional BRCA 1 gene journey. Overall, Four Weekends and Funeral is an emotional read that will make your heart full.

Four Weekends and a Funeral is out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review Four Weekends and a Funeral. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really liked this book! It was great getting to know the characters over time and learning about their past, that shaped their ongoing romantic situation.

After a BRCA breast cancer gene diagnosis, Allison feels like she should be grateful for her second chance at life and tries to be an exciting, outdoorsy, take life by the horns type person. That is when she met Sam who was they type of person. The problem was, she just couldn't do it. Hiking Patagonia for days without a shower or an actual bathroom didn't really appeal to her. Or going up in a hot air balloon, or any of the other adventures Sam wanted to do. So when Allison shows up at her ex boyfriend's funeral and realizes his whole family thinks they were still dating when he died, she agrees to pack up his apartment with his grumpy best friend, Adam. After four weekends together packing up Sam's stuff, Allison and Adam begin to realize they might be right for each other. Of course, there are bumps and hang ups along the way until they both embrace who they really are and what they really want..

This is a cute romance that touches on grief - from cancer diagnoses, to losing a friend or loved one - and also touches on therapy and getting help. A fun read with good characters! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this one! Someone described this as Emily Henry mixed with Abby Jimenez, and I feel like that was such a perfect way to describe it!

This book was so good, and it really kept me in the story. I really enjoy a romance that incorporates bigger issues and more real-life things because it just feels so much more real instead of so much of a fictional story.

I would definitely read more from this author!

Alison is dealing with her status as a BRCA1 carrier and the implications that has on her outlook on life, when her ex boyfriend Sam dies and she's suddenly thrust into a situation where she's still pretending to be his girlfriend for his family's sake. As she cleans out Sam's apartment with his best friend Adam, sparks start to fly even though Adam thinks she's Sam's girlfriend. As they get closer, they both have to come to terms with losing Sam and what that means for them. Overall, a story on what it means to lose a friend and also what it means to have your outlook on life completely change.

Thanks to NetGalley and his publicists for the advanced copy of this book.
The book seemed interesting but when I read it, I realized that maybe I am not the right audience for this book, I mean it deals with important topics, but the truth is that I found the reading a little slow, but it is a good debut for the author.

What a fun debut novel. Such a unique take on the fake dating trope because our girl Alison was put in such an awkward situation 😅 Adam is a grump for sure and the banter between these two had me laughing out loud. Loved all the side characters so much. The harder topics were handled delicately yet informative. The only thing i wish was that the last part of the book wasn't rushed so much. I wanted more out of the romance. But really such a great read regardless!

Thank you @elliepalmerwrites @penguinrandomhouse for this ARC!

I thought this was a well balanced romcom with strong character development. I particularly thought the author did a great job of incorporating her own story of being a BRCA 1 gene carrier into the storyline as an educational element that added depth. The storyline of Alison and Adam felt genuine and raw with layers of history and self-awareness, it's a fine balance that is entertaining and heartfelt at the same time.

What in the early 2000s Rom-com took me so long to read this book!? If I could go back in time and read this book the second I got my grubby little paws on it, I so would! What a delightful debut from Ellie Palmer!

And not to name drop, but I swear to you if I didn’t see the authors name on the cover with my own two eyes, you wouldn’t have been able to convince me it wasn’t written by Abby Jimenez. It had that perfect magic of romance, comedic relief, loveable characters, with a heavy topic all woven throughout. AND SET IN MINNESOTA. It’s really hard to get all of that magic to align and feel fresh and memorable, but this debut had that magic!

Truthfully, a delightful read with many outstanding moments. The characters were like-able yet “real”, so well flushed out. Alison had a wonderful cast of friend side characters, Adam was so wholesome and captivating and Russell… well he added the best comedic relief. 😆

Ellie Palmer is one to watch for, can’t wait till read more from her!

It’s so cute! Best intentions while trying to navigate everyone else’s grief and slowly falling in love with the wrong person. I loved this

If While You Were Sleeping met Emily Henry’s Beach Read.

Alison’s ex-boyfriend Sam has just died, and when she attends his funeral she realizes his whole family thinks they were still together when Sam passed. Now Alison is forced to play the grieving girlfriend and fake date her dead ex, all while grappling with the fact that she is a carrier of the BRCA gene mutation, which raises the risk for breast & reproductive cancers, and slowly developing feelings for Sam’s uptight, grumpy best friend Adam as they spend four weekends cleaning out Sam’s old belongings from his apartment. This book has romance, banter, great side characters, levity, and a genuine exploration of grief and the anxiety of mortality. All of these elements are very well-executed, and the only reason this isn’t five stars for me is that the heavier topics do take up a lot more time in the book than the romance does, which is not what I was expecting going into this. I think it would have been more enjoyable if Alison’s growth arc and the romance had been given time more evenly, or even if her growth and the romance had intersected more. In any case, this is a wonderful book that I recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam.G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Ellie Palmer for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!