Oh my gosh, five stars! I absolutely loved everything about this book. I'm not sure what I was expecting.... maybe a quirky, fluffy love story? While it WAS that, it was so much more. The explorations of grief and loss were really profound, and the way both characters moved through their emotions felt so real and relatable. I fell in love with Callum right away, and Lark grew on me pretty quickly. The side characters were also incredible! I really enjoyed Maeve, and am not so secretly hoping Ivy Fairbanks decides to write Lo's story next. I still can't believe this was a debut. Also, the pun game was immaculate. I highly recommend, and will be anxiously awaiting Ivy Fairbanks' next book! Thanks so much to the author for writing such a well thought out love story, and to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute and cozy! Lark and Callum were great protagonists, and I enjoyed the dual POV. Grief is a main driver of the story which may be too much for some, but I thought that was handled well as was Callum's demisexuality. Overall, a cozy romance that's less comedy and more dramedy but a good time. I also thought the Gaeilge pronunciation guides were a blast. I'd love to hear this as an audiobook.

Thank you for making this available as an ARC!

3.5/5 stars (I enjoyed it, but some parts seemed dragged out)
2/5 spicy peppers (Slow burn with a few spicy scenes)

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is both semi-morbid and a rom-com, and it totally works! Lark, a widowed animator, moves to Ireland for a new job and a fresh start. Her next door neighbor, Callum, is a mortician dealing with a recent loss. The two develop an unexpected friendship when awkward Callum finds himself in need of a wife ASAP. Extrovert Lark teaches Callum how to come out of his shell and Callum teaches Lark that she is worthy of another love.

Morbidly Yours is well-written and fun! I wouldn’t call it light-hearted because the main characters are both dealing with grief and learning how to move forward, but the build-up of their relationship is sweet while Callum’s mouth is anything but (Dirty talk in Irish?! Le do thoil!). My only complaint is that some parts of the story seem dragged out and a little slow, but the book kept me hooked and wanting to see both Callum and Lark get their happy endings.

Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Opposites attract
Sworn off relationships
Want different things
Let’s ‘get it out of our system’/One night only
He falls first
Friends to lovers

Morbidly Yours is such a beautiful story. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. I was surprised that this is the author's debut novel because it truly was beautifully written, with well developed characters and depth of emotion throughout. Ivy Fairbanks is definitely on my radar now and I will be reading any of her future books.

This is the story of an Irish undertaker and an ex-pat animator who moves to Ireland. They are next door neighbors and form a strong connection. Callum is shy and Lark is extroverted and they come to lean on each other through everyday hurdles as well as deeper grief.

I loved these characters, especially Callum and his unconditional love and support. I loved how the book navigated the heavy topic of grief so delicately and authentically. I loved the culture of Ireland woven throughout the book, even the dirty words in Gaelic!

I actually read this book in one day because once I started I didn't want to stop. I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGally for the e-ARC.

This was so feking cute. I am on my knees waiting for my Callum 🧎‍♀️to come around. The way, the WAY, he talks about his love. All I fucking get is “wyd.” Ivy, I luv u. I cannot wait for y’all to read this when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Ivy Fairbanks for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have an immediate dislike for any predatory story that tries and co opt LGBT struggles with fake labels. The two cis straight leads are about as boring and standard as any cis white leads would be. I just find it gross that the narrative attempts to shoe horn fake labels that are offensive to actual gay people to make itself seem like a diverse romance. Gross and disrespectful

Thank you Netgally and Ivy Fairbanks for this advanced copy of Morbidly Yours.

I loved this book as an indie publish, and I’m so excited it’s getting traditionally published.

This story is a beautiful look into grief, life as a widow, and falling in love after loss. The banter between the two characters are great, and the spice is wonderful.

The only part I could have done without was the description of the undertaking of the body in the beginning. I understand why it was there, but personally it made me nauseous to read.

I absolutely loved Morbidly Yours! Lark and Callum are just the most adorable! I truly appreciate the demisexual representation. The plot was super sweet! This is for sure a five star read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! The setting and the characters were so realistic, and the storyline was thoughtful and beautifully written.

A true FIVE star read for me, and one of my favorite romantic comedies of the year!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC, I so thoroughly enjoyed it - and would listen to it all over again as an audiobook too (as long as they cast an Irish accent for Callum!!)

Morbidly Yours centers around Lark, an cartoon-animator who, on a whim, moves to Ireland to get away from her life after her husband's passing. The book follows Lark and she struggles to hold onto her identity and optimism in a new country, while grappling with next steps and career opportunities as a young woman who's also now widowed and dealing with guilt and grief. Callum is our mortician-next-door, who runs his beloved family business of ushering families into their deaths. Looming over him is our standard trope - Callum must marry or else risk losing his business to a horrid uncle who's going to sell out to the corporate giants of the world. What's he to do?? Well, he asks new neighbor Lark to be his new matchmaker, of course! And so begin the shenanigans.

Ugh, the pining, the protectiveness, the just straight adorableness of Lark and Callum just rediscovering joy and fun in life - this was the perfect book for my demographic of mid-20s, lost-in-life feels. And Callum was such a swoony MMC!!! As soon as I read those early chapters, where Fairbanks is describing pulling organs out of noses with excruciating medical detail, I was hooked. Throw me back to my formaldehyde days, why not?

This book was just the perfect blend of sweet and spice -- and in my rating system, a book that makes me kick my legs and giggle is a five star, and that is what this book deserves. We have the whole rollercoaster of emotions, from joy to grief, and through it all, I love our characters. I can't believe this is a debut novel and I'm excited to read whatever Ivy Fairbanks puts out next!!

Thank you @netgalley and @putmanbooks for the eARC of Morbidly Yours by @ivyfairbanksbooks in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Who knew a book with morbid in the title and the first sentence about body bags could be so irresistibly endearing?!? The content warning at the beginning is indeed true but Morbidly Yours tackles some of life’s toughest issues with a perfect combination of humor and grace. Lark is a cowgirl animator living abroad and Callum is a grumpy mortician, an unlikely but delightful pair who become neighbors in one of my favorite cities of all time. Buckle up for a wild and charming ride through this tale, where hope lives, even through the grief.

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

Let me introduce you to one of the cutest books I’ve read this year!

Our main character, Lark, has just moved from Texas to Ireland for a job opportunity on the heels of a severe personal trauma.

She soon meets Callum, the owner of the funeral home next door (and also maybe accuses him of being a serial killer).

This book is sweet, funny, and also incredibly heartfelt. You know it’s good when you are tearing up one moment, then laughing out loud the next.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this one!

I would definitely check the content warnings, as this book does deal heavily with death and grief.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I really enjoyed this book! I have no idea how a book that features a main character that is a mortician and be so adorable and cozy.

I adored both main characters and this is such a good friends to lovers story. I'm not usually a huge fan of the the trope, but this was done so naturally and beautifully. Their relationship was absolutely precious both before and after it went from friends to lovers and it is absolutely worth the read (and reread, honestly).

The side characters and subplots all weaved into the picture nicely without being overly distracting or out of place. The romance was sweet with and both characters had great character growth.

My only "complaint" is the slow burn burned so slow! My patience was fraying!

I LOVED this book. It was everything. Did I sob uncontrollably? Yeah I did. But I regret nothing! Easily one of my favorites this year.

In case it isn't obvious, death is definitely a big theme in the book. If that alone makes you uncomfortable, you might want to pass... but there isn't anything distasteful and aside from mentions of preparing bodies, it is not focused on anything morbid. It's actually quite hopeful and positive overall. So, if you're looking for something dark or a smutty graveyard romp, this also is not that despite the title. 🤣

Callum, the MMC is quiet and painfully introverted but very sweet. Lark, the FMC is bubbly and outgoing, but still very much grieving the loss of her husband and life as she knew it before moving to Ireland for a fresh start. They are neighbors and both of them feel terribly lonely. They end up becoming close and are able to offer each other support and much needed friendship while navigating stressful events in both their lives

It's a friends to lovers story (which admittedly is my FAVORITE) about overcoming grief and learning to push past the boundaries of your comfort zone. It is in fact spicy, but with plenty of build up and heavy feels to give you all the warm fuzzies. This shit was cute.

It was satisfying to read from cover to cover!

My first read from this author and am a new fan! It's a slow-burn romance that keeps things interesting as the storyline progresses. As someone who's demisexual, I found the representation spot-on. Characters grow and the story moves smoothly, tackling tough emotions like grief and anxiety without feeling overly heavy. Plus, I picked up some cool facts about Ireland, just in time for my trip.

Okay. This was absolutely adorable. Callum is such a freaking sweetheart. Ivy Fairbanks is now on my radar and I can't wait to get more from her. Slow burn romances are not usually my thing but if done right, I swoon. And I swooned hard here. I can't wait for have a physical copy of this book. August is too far!

This was AMAZING and I LOVE the mortician falling in love with someone who avoids graveyards because of her past. Definitely one of the BEST books I've read all year!

Such a sweet, unusual romance! Slow burn, friends-to-lovers, and a MMC who falls first. I really enjoyed Callum because he's so soft compared to how the majority of MMCs in books are portrayed. Lark and Callum's relationship felt very natural in its progression (if a little frustrating at times- I wanted to yell at both of them for being so blind to the other's feelings) and the way Lark navigated Callum's social anxiety was so sweet to read about. This is a romance, but it's also a book about navigating grief and loss and was done in a way that didn't feel too heavy. Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc!

Oh I think this might be a new favorite romance novel for me. I loved our main characters, loved that we got both of their perspectives throughout the book, and loved the natural integration of various representations throughout. I've already started recommending this to friends, and am excited to see what Fairbanks comes out with next. While the cover's representation isn't how I imagined the characters, it wasn't a huge deal for me. Callum is my new book boyfriend.

When I first saw the idea for this story on TikTok, I knew I had to read it! A bubbly Texan graphic artist moves next door to a quiet Irish mortician who must marry by his 35th birthday or lose his family business, and romance is inevitable! The story was so fun and emotional, and I adored the characters! They had instant chemistry, and I loved seeing them grow more confident together as they fell in love. Also, the demisexual representation was amazing, and I loved that it was included in the story. It is not common to have demisexual representation in romance novels, so it was so fun to read, and it was handled really well. This book was a wonderful and fun romance! I can't wait to read whatever Ivy Fairbanks writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.