This book took me by suprise. I haven't heard much about it before, so I went in kind of blind. I loved the setting in Ireland, i loved the MMC, i loved the story! All in all, a great read.

Morbidly yours follows Lark, a young widow who moves from Texas to Galway, Ireland for a fresh start after her husband’s death. Lark unknowingly moves next to a funeral home which triggers thoughts of her past. Callum, the inverted funeral director has a problem, if he doesn’t get married within six months, he loses his family business. Lark helps Callum set up dates, but slowly find herself wishing she could be with him instead.

I loved this friends-to-lovers story! Callum is a sweetheart & deserves the world!! I absolutely loved watching Callum & Lark’s relationship grow into more. Their banter is so good!

This story was very interesting and kept me hooked but parts of the 3rd act conflict felt a little unnecessary and drawn out. I am overall very happy on how the story ended and I can’t wait to read the continuation of this series!

I absolutely LOVED this fun, unique, swoon worthy romantic comedy. I giggled, I swooned, and I feel in love.

I highly recommend both the book as well as the audiobook (HELLO Irish narration!!)

✨ Review ✨ Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

Thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Lark fled to Galway two years after her husband's death to work as the lead animator on a film project. Her nextdoor neighbor, Callum, turns out to be a grumpy funeral director, who also needs to find a wife before his 35th birthday or he'll lose the funeral home he inherited from his grandpa.

The two become fast friends, bonding over music, pretty spots to visit, a mouse, roller skates, and more. Lark pledges to help him find a wife, signing him up for a demisexual dating site, but the two continue to feel attraction toward each other. Lark's not ready to commit to a relationship, but can she help him find a wife in time?

This one was fun to read but definitely felt like it slowed down in the second half. The first half had me cheering and booing and feeling amazement at the scenes the characters got in, but the second half felt a little drudging...more of the same again and again. I'd read the next book in the series - I still liked this, but definitely wasn't in love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: contemporary m/f romance, demi representation
Setting: Galway, Ireland
Pub Date: August 20, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ sunflowers and Irish music
⭕️ rollerskates and sparkly costumes
⭕️ grumpy sunshine
⭕️ macabre funeral director aesthetic

Mortician Callum is dead-fully shy (see what I did there? 🤣), but must marry by his next birthday to inherit the funeral home that has been in his family for generations. When Lark, an animator, moves in next door, she pushes him beyond his comfort zone, even though they both try to deny their inevitable connection.

For lack of a better word, this book is cute. I liked MMC Callum a lot - I really felt for him as he worked through a lifetime of bullying due to his stutter. I wish I could say the same for Lark though. An Irish setting is always fun, and I liked the funeral home tie-in. I wanted to see more of Lark/Cal’s relationship with Maeve though - this side plot felt like it wasn’t as impactful as it could have been?

Will it will any literary awards? Probably not. Was it predictable? Absolutely. Did I still enjoy reading it? You bet. A solid three stars. It would be a great fall read for when you want to curl up on the couch with a bowl of chili and knock out a whole book in a day.

Many thanks to Ivy Fairbanks, G.P.Putnam, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so slept on!!! I need more people to talk about it the yearning and the tension is just too good. I really liked how the author handle grief in this story.

This was SO fun and refreshing. A widowed FMC? A sexy Irish undertaker who takes dirty in Irish? Sign me up.

We meet our MMC, Callum, who is dark, a bit broody, and an undertaker. His shell is quickly cracked by a cute blonde Texan that moves in next door, Lark. Lark is widowed and Callum is stuck in a dubious legal agreement where he has to get married to keep his family mortuary (thanks grandpa). We watch as the two go from friends to lovers, support one another through hard moments, and give us some of the best spicy scenes.I liked the representation of Callum’s stutter, Larks grief and how it’s navigated, and the sexual relationship between them. Plus he punches someone in the face for her - swoon.

While this didn’t get the full 5 stars for me, I found myself skimming at points, it was such a delightful read! I highly recommend this for romance lovers who want a different story than a typical friends to lovers!

*Thank you Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

MY was a cute friends to lovers romance with a lot of heart and I enjoyed reading Callum and Lark’s story. And despite the sweet (and steamy) moments coursing through the pages, this is truly a story about navigating grief and what it means to live a full life. How we are transformed by grief and again by love. And I think the book shined when exploring that topic. That being said, I wish it had done that a bit more. I think there was an opportunity to explore how Lark hid from herself and her feelings through the early stages of her and Callum’s intimate relationship that didn’t go as deep as it could’ve. And I would’ve loved to see Lo and Lark talk about grief counseling/therapy and Cal’s reaction to the development rather than it be mentioned off-handedly. Also, the third act breakup felt a bit heavy handed at times, and could’ve been cut in half with an honest conversation or two, but I’m glad it was able to be resolved and everyone got their happy ending. I liked learning bits of Irish culture and slang; and I learned way more about the mortuary business than I thought I would. Lark was someone learning to live again and I would’ve like to see more of that openness towards life post-resolution. Also, I think callbacks to Maeve’s advice would’ve been nice later in the book. My favorite part about Cal’s character was learning more about the ace spectrum, and in general, really enjoyed being in his POV.

I was left wanting more from a few character dynamics (her misogynistic coworker deserved worse; and a conversation following the premiere about Rachel and her lingering grief when Lark and Callum returned home would’ve been nice since it was mentioned in Cal’s pov; and it would’ve been nice seeing her friendship with Anvi more rather than it being alluded to) but I laughed quite a bit while reading, so it was enjoyable for me. I’m definitely interested in what I assume will be a certain uni student and musician falling in love in book 2, so I look to what Fairbanks writes next.

Love love love Callum, did not necessarily enjoy Lark as much but I love her name.

I thought the banter in this book was hilarious and well done, as well as the steamier scenes were well done. I just found Lark's lack of anything positive about her self a tad annoying at times but I have also not lost a husband so I don't feel like I can speak to that.

One of my favorite scenes in this book was when Callum was teaching Lark his language, that melted my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a cute book to curl up and read this spooky season. I thought it was enjoyable to read and I loved the romance. I would definitely read more books by Ivy Fairbanks in the future!
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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Rom coms all do the same thing, makes us smile as we root for two people to overcome an obstacle to fall in love.
But how they do it and why differs.
And rom coms also come with a perfect set of circumstances we don’t get handed in real life. Real life sucks, so let’s read rom coms instead!
I love both characters and I appreciate how they help the other deal with their current postion in life instead of an arrogant book boyfriend who tries to sweep everything under the rug.

Morbidly Yours was such a unique concept for a rom com, but it worked. And in it's quirkiness, Fairbanks hit the all the right notes. A hopeful, tender (albeit VERY steamy) story about life and death, finding your person and taking another chance.
Thanks to #NetGalley and PenguinGroup Putnam for the ARC.

REVIEW: Morbidly Yours

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I loved it so much! Morbidly Yours gave me many laughs, smiles, swoons, and spicy scenes. I also enjoyed the small-town Ireland setting.

First of all, I love the two main characters, Callum (Cal) and Lark. Both characters are unique and have their backstories. I also like that they had unique jobs, Cal being a mortician and Lark being an animator, which you don’t always read about in a romance book. They both have different past traumas that still affect them. Cal speaks a lot of Irish, which is fun in the book (and hot, too ;-) ). Plus, demisexuality and stuttering are represented in this book through Cal, and they are handled so well. I especially loved that Morbidly Yours was written in a dual POV to see both sides of the story.

The chemistry between Lark and Cal is delightful. Morbidly Yours is perfect for fans of opposites attract and friends-to-lovers tropes. Cal and Lark have some funny banter, adorable and romantic moments, and spicy ones together.

Overall, I loved reading Morbidly Yours. It was a great romance with good depth regarding grief. I saw that there will be a second book in this series, and I can’t wait to check it out!

Thank you, Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

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I loved this sweet story and match between a girl from Texas and her Irish opposite. Their love story felt honest and I loved that they were able to resolve conflicts without compromising themselves.

This book made me smile, laugh, gasp, and feel sorrow for the characters. Well written with great dialogue. Great read!

"𝘎𝘳á 𝘮𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘰í. 𝘔𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘰í.” 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘗𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.

This book was everything to me! I loved Callum and Lark so much. The writing was also fairly good, for a romance book. So definitely a plus there!

What do you get when a Texan moves to Ireland and ends up with a box of body bags on accident? This book.

I'm normally not the biggest fan of the whole opposites attract trope, but it was done so well.

I will forever love my Barbie and Mortician couple 🩷🖤

Morbidly Yours is Ivy Fairbanks debut novel. It is a sweet cozy friend to lover’s trope that I truly enjoyed.

Shy and quiet thirty-four year old Callum Flannelly, has the perfect job, he is the mortician at Willow Haven but he is in quite the quandary. Granda’s will has left the family funeral home in trust with a deadline; Callum needs to be married by his thirty-fifth birthday otherwise Callum’s dad will take ownership. He has eight months to not only meet, fall in love an marry but to wait three-months for the marriage license. Oh, what a mess Callum is in!

Lark Thompson just moved into an apartment across the street from Willow Haven. She is looking to start a new chapter in her life to get far away from the bad memories of her late husband. When she got the Art Director position at Kineticolor, this Texan pack her bags and move all the way Galway .. Ireland.

So, it was inevitable that these two become friends. Lark jumps at the chance to help Callum find a wife. What Lark was not expecting was to fall in love with Callum … and every woman that Callum dated was not Lark.

You just know there will be a HEA for these two. Predictable – yes, but to get there they both needed to deal with their past and the baggage it carries. Lark with grief and guilt surrounding the death of her husband that she has promise herself never to marry; Callum has been bullied all his life – he stutters and has social anxieties now let’s make him more anxious to have to find a wife I a very short period of time. Morbidly Yours is a story about letting go of your past and forgiving yourself in order to move forward and find happiness. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you, Ivy Fairbanks, G.P.Putnam, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy Fairbanks needs to put out 5 more of these. The FMC, Lark, was so fierce and so gentle I just wanted to hug her like girl you deserve the world. This couple was so cute, such an adorable friends to lovers. The ACE/Demi representation was everything I didn't know I needed, thank you. I loved Callum and will forever be dreaming of my own Irish mortician.

It is not very often that I'm left stumped on how to proceed with a book review. I usually either really like a book, or I really dislike a book. But Morbidly Yours... I really don't have a strong feeling either way.
The concept of this book really drew me in. And the overall book was fine. I just wasn't intrigued by really any of it. The book didn't keep me hooked. It was easy to put down, and there was no urgency to pick it back up and find out what happens next. (Which is why it took me so long to read.)
The characters were very bland. I expected that of Callum due to him being your stereotypical recluse funeral director. But Lark, even with her brightly colored outfits and sunshiney persona, was rather drab.
I enjoyed their friendship a lot more than their relationship. There just wasn't any heat or feeling. It was rather odd that after they met, they immediately couldn't stop thinking about the other. After all of Lark's mental admonishments, you'd think she'd have more self control. In the end, I wasn't really rooting for them, but I also wasn't rooting against them. It didn't particularly matter to me if they ended up together or not.
The pacing was very off. Some times the book moved along swimmingly. Other times, the story line became so dull that I literally fell asleep while reading. Which is a very rare occurrence.
Side note: Whoever gave this author a thesaurus, please take it back. So many of the word choices were cringy. Lark using the term "jubilation" instead of "joy" or some such word was weird. (I highlighted at least 30 terms that stood out to me as odd when a synonym of theirs would have flowed much better.)
The secrecy around Reese and his passing was a strange choice. The way in which the truth around the accident was revealed was disjointed, and it didn't make a big impact on me. Also, the irony in her being afraid to tell an undertaker that her husband was dead was kind of funny.
Overall, the book was okay. Okay characters. Okay story line. Okay writing.

3/5 stars.

Ivy Fairbank’s slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance novel Morbidly Yours is the first installment in the “Love in Galway” series. The novel includes a pronunciation guide for Gaelic words and names at the front and a glossary at the back, detailing sexual expressions.

Twenty-nine-year-old Lark Thompson relocates from Texas to Galway, Ireland, following the untimely death of her husband, Reese. Overwhelmed with grief and guilt, Lark takes a position as the art director at KineticColor, an animation company. A mix-up with a package leads her to Willow Haven, the mortuary home of thirty-four-year-old Callum Flannelly.

Callum, an introverted demisexual, has become a recluse due to a slight stutter with words beginning with "d" and occasional "b" sounds. He is struggling to save his family's mortuary, which he will lose if he does not marry by the age of thirty-five, according to a stipulation in the will. If he fails, the mortuary will pass to his estranged father, who intends to sell it.

Lark, burdened by guilt over her past and a vow to Reese that she would never remarry, finds herself entangled in Callum's predicament. When she learns of his deadline to find a wife, she decides to set him up on dates as a distraction from her own grief.

Simultaneously, Lark faces challenges at work. As the new boss on her animation team, she endures harassment from a senior employee, Séan, who targets her because of her gender and U.S. citizenship. Lark, a people pleaser, allows her confidence to wane with each interaction with Séan. She must find her voice and address the harassment before it jeopardizes her job.

Fairbank’s novel, while intended as a slow-burn romance, lacks the necessary tension to sustain this type of story. Lark’s decision to mislead Callum by presenting herself as a divorcee rather than a widow undermines the emotional depth of the narrative. Though the exploration of grief is poignant and well-developed, Lark’s character often appears overly passive. She only begins to advocate for herself in the final chapters, and her failure to report Séan’s unethical behavior perpetuates a troubling message about the treatment of women in the workplace.

The novel's romantic subplot is marred by Lark's erratic behavior. Her indecisiveness—refusing to date Callum, then opting for a “friends with benefits” arrangement, and fluctuating between accepting and rejecting proposals—creates a frustratingly cyclical narrative. This back-and-forth behavior, more characteristic of teenagers than adults in their thirties, renders the novel's under-350-page length a tedious read.

A well written debut novel with a great title. The setting is Galway, Ireland, and after reading this book I would love to go. I have been to Dublin and Belfast and really enjoyed it,. I would love to listen to the audio book just to hear the accents.
Lark has come from Texas to work in a new animation studio. She is a young widow with a guilt complex, blaming herself for her husbands car accident. Though it's 2 years on, she believes she does not deserve happiness.
After she moves into her rental, she opens a delivery and finds 6 body bags and realizes they are for the bed and breakfast next door. When she takes them over, she discovers her rent is reasonable because it is actually a mortuary. When she meets Callum the handsome undertaker, the story begins.
Callum is grieving also. His grandfather has died and in his will Callum must Mary by the end of the year or his estranged father will inherit the mortuary.
Callum has a stutter and is basically a social recluse, so his search for a wife is difficult. Once he meets Lark it is even more difficult because he likes her but she has made it clear they can only be friends.
On top of all that, Lark has a work associate who is out to undermine her, which adds another layer.
Also, an aside, I was reading this on Kindle as I was reading the new Rhys Bowen book, The Rose arbor. A character named Lark appeared and my brain got momentarily confused.
Also, a fun part of this book is the use of Irish Gaelic, with a glossary of sex words that Callum teaches Lark. I attempted to learn some Scottish Gaelic before a trip to Scotland and I just wonder why it isn't spelled more like it is pronounced. Fun to learn though.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.