COZY. CUTE. A LITTLE SEXY. FUN. SILLY. IMMERSIVE. LOVING.
Just a couple adjectives to describe Morbidly Yours.

I SO appreciated this book. Ivy Fairbanks treated death with reverence mixed with love and joy. As someone who has seen her fair share of death, I was a little cautious going into this book... but all the potential subject matter was treated with such loving care. Don't get me wrong, there were still some tears but they were from such a happy and wistful place. Just thought I would throw that out there since Callum is quite literally, an undertaker.

And what an undertaker he is. Both MC's were interesting and nuanced. Their love story is sweet and fun. I appreciate a couple the clearly communicates, and Callum and Lark definitely do that. I enjoyed this book, It's like a cozy hug while drinking a cuppa Irish Tea. Which speaking of, THE SETTING. I'm a sucker for a setting in Ireland - but just knowing and loving where this book takes place really helped love the story for me. I don't know if this would be a re-read but I had no problem powering through this book in a sitting or two. AND I will absolutely read if this becomes a series (or has companion sequels)

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and G.P Putnam Sons for the E-ARC!

This is a fun comedic romance, and I really enjoyed the story! The grumpy-sunshine vibes from this story were just so sweet! The story is about a woman named Lark who is seeking a fresh start in Galway Ireland - transplanted from Texas. Unwittingly, she moves into an apartment next door to a funeral home. When a box of body bags gets delivered to her, she is suspicious of what's going on next door in what she believes to be a Bed and Breakfast. Lark soon learns the house next door is a funeral home and she meets the handsome mortician Callum.

This story was very sweet with Lark's outgoing, positive personality and Callum's aversion to strangers, conversations, and crowded places. I enjoyed the build of the story and love that there will be more in the Love in Galway series. There's so much to come and I'm here for it!

It's a great first book in the series and I am looking forward to more. The story was great and kept me up past my beditme reading. (I couldn't put it down).

WOW WOW WOW.
I really loved this book. Fairbanks does a great job showing demisexual representation with Callum.
The chemistry between the main characters is on FIRE and the spice was phenomenal. The author tackles the subjects of death and grieving in a graceful way; showing readers that there is love after death.
4.5/5 only because I wish they got together a little earlier in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley & PENGUIN Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am OBSESSED with this book - I read it in less than two days and I found it nearly impossible to put down. Lark and Callum are so complex and interesting, and I love how their relationships to themselves, each other, and grief changed and grew throughout the novel. I was surprised to learn a lot about animation and mortuary science in this read, and I loved all of the Irish culture and language that was woven in. Callum is a godtier MMC in my book, and I can't wait to post a more in-depth review when this releases in August!! I was surprised to find out this was Ivy Fairbanks's debut novel, and I'm really excited to see what's next!

Alright, bestie, buckle up, because you’ve gotta meet Lark—she’s exactly what her name suggests, as happy as a lark and packed with sass and sunshine. After complications related to her previous marriage, she’s itching for a fresh start in a new spot. And who’s her neighbor? None other than Callum, the quirky hottie across the hall, who’s got a touch of Victor Van Dort (from Corpse Bride) about him. They’re opposites in that oh-so-perfect way… until they’re not. See, Callum's got this family mortuary business that’s his everything, but there's a catch—he’s gotta marry before hitting 35, thanks to his granddad's will. Lark, on the other hand, has a complicated past with marriage, and watching that all get untangled is like a rollercoaster of emotions.

The pace of this book? Chef’s kiss! Unlike most books where you first get to know the characters separately and then they come together, this one does something special—you learn their stories as their friendship and relationship unfold. The side characters are also amazing.

And girl…. It’s spicy! 😏

All in all, it’s such a cute read, and I can't wait to dive into more of these books!

Tropes:
Extrovert FMC/Introvert MMC
Neighbors
Friends to lovers
Widow
Disability Rep: Stutter, Anxiety
Demisexual undertaker
Grieving animator
Setting: Galway, Ireland

Updated debut.

Writing about grief is hard. Reading about grief can surface feelings. Reading about grief while actively mourning the loss of two family members has been a challenge. After receiving this ARC, I had to prioritize a few others first before I put myself in a position to face this head-on.

The story is missing the flow and connectivity that would make this an exceptional read. It was very stop and go, disjointed, and missing the build behind character actions that made me feel it was uncharacteristic.
Lark’s choice to lie by omission and not own it only hurts herself as Callum and Maeve see right through her.

I’m not sure if Lark had much character growth. Work was always first, and she didn’t make her big gesture until after she squared away her professional setting first.

Overall, a 3 star read for me. Like I shared above, it was disjointed, dragging some moments and speeding in others.
The glossary in the front and back of the book to assist with the Gaelic pronunciations was helpful!

Some of my favorite quotes:

Lark notes “Lonely recognizes lonely.”
“Life had trampled me. Some days I galloped again. Others were closer to the scene where Artax succumbed to the swamp of sadness in The NeverEnding Story.” —> IYKYK.

Callum notes “…as exciting as making out with a loaf of soda bread.” 😆

Maeve: “We show the people we love the ugliest parts of ourselves, and we tell them the truth even when it hurts, because that’s what intimacy is.”

Thank you NetGalley and GP Putnam and Sons for the 2024 eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Morbidly Yours

In this book you meet Lark…who is happy as a lark! She’s sassy and full of sunshine. She’s somewhat fresh out of her last marriage and looking for a new start in a new place. Her neighbor, and pilot opposite, is Callum who is a little Gomez Addams. They are opposites in the perfect way….until they’re not. In order to keep the family mortuary business, which is his life, he has to marry before he’s 35 due to the conditions of his grandfathers will. Lark has a complicated past with marriage and watching it be sorted was a roller coaster of emotions.

This book kept SUCH a good pace! In most books I feel like you learn the characters first separately and then the characters relationships comes together…in this one you learn about each of their stories WHILE their friendship and relationship are developing. The side characters were also fantastic. Hand on your heart for Maeve and Deirdre. 🩷

It was spicy! 3 out of 5 pearls clutched. 😂

Overall, it was SUCH a cute read and I look forward to reading more of them!

Sadly I didn't enjoy this book very much. I'm also in minority about this so I'm pretty sure the problem is me and not the book. As with many rom-coms, I liked the premise of Morbidly Yours a lot: a woman moves to Ireland to forget her past, and meets up with a mortician and they fall in love. The mortician stuff was interesting, and I liked the MC's job as an animator. However, this book felt like the debut novel it was. A lot of the scenes were a little stilted, and some of the big, dramatic beats of the story lacked the emotional oomph that I expected from them. That's not to mention the fact that all the ooey gooey lovely HEA moments - the successful proposal, the I Dos, the pregnancy announcements and/or births, etc. - all happened off page and readers were only told about them after the fact in a rather rushed epilogue. My main issue though came with the plot progression. It stagnates due to the age old conflict of not talking to each other. I can understand, to a certain degree, why some people would withhold their feelings and important life events from another person. It just didn’t work for me and left me feeling frustrated when I felt like the better answer was a conversation. Also, I felt alot of the coworker drama felt out of place, and I saw the friendship chemistry between Lark and Callum, but did not feel any romance between them. But I just want to say it again that this is not a bad book at all. However, there were things about it that just made me feel a little frustrated reading it.
Overall, it was a cute read, but it was very basic and slightly underwhelming.

This. Was. So, CUTE.

In the weirdest way.
I loved both callum and lark- but Callum is just … *chefs kiss*. I loved their genuine friendship and genuine love for one another- even through the most raw and tough issues they dealt with. And they dealt with them as best as I feel realistically one can.

I’d love to have seen more on callum’s work though, but that’s just creepy me.

I seldom enjoy romance books because it’s not “real”. But this felt real. 5 stars from me! Cannot wait till publishing date!


Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a perfect cute little book. I confess, this is way more cozy and more contemporary than the paranormal romance I typically read for escape, so I was unsure how much I would enjoy it. I love how 'real' the main characters felt, with real quirks and faults. The setting was great, and even the main character jobs were interesting. Normally I don't love a slow burn, but it worked here. They both had things to work on and had some stumbles before their true HEA. I hope the new author continues to write. Truly a charming blend of sweetness and light with dry humor and devotion. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC opportunity.

This is a cute grumpy/sunshine love story. Lark is bubbly and creative and Callum is stoic and handsome (in that unconventional way). This book started out slow but by the end I was loving it! I related to both main characters and loved their back and forth banter. I recommend this book.

I love all of the different representations in this book! From stuttering to a demisexual character to grief. This book truly gives a great prospective on these things that not everyone is familiar with.

The story is a slow burn and I feel like the MMC, Callum, is a but neurodivergent as well. He likes to keep to himself until he gets caught in the Texas whirlwind that is Lark. I loved that we get to see truly how grief can change a person in more ways than one as they each are dealing with loss.

Both main characters are well developed and honestly there has to be people out there just like them in real life. That's how amazing Ivy Fairbanks has created the world in this book.

I am definitely not a fan of Rom-Coms but this book had me hooked from the description and I was not let down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ivy Fairbanks, and the publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

I really enjoyed this book. The two main characters were meant to be together and their tension was palpable. This is a true friend’s to lovers story. I appreciate all the talks of grief. At times those moments were hard to read but it just made the characters more relatable and realistic. I look forward to reading more in this series.

I highly recommend it!

Callum is a stuffy, shy and sweet grave digger residing in Ireland. His path crosses with Lark by chance, a bubbly, vivacious American on vacation in Ireland. They make a deal, Lark to marry Callum so he can receive his inheritance. As most marriages of convenience, feelings are felt, acted on, and make for a great read. This book was very cute, and I look forward to reading more from Ivy.

Thanks to Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP- Putnam for the E-ARC! This was so cute! Loved the characters and the whole concept. Also loved the romance!! Definitely will read more from this author.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: death of a spouse (recounted), mentions of child death (non-descriptive), descriptions of mortuary work, death of a friend (non-descriptive), workplace harassment, sexual harassment, sexism, terminal illness, bullying (stutter)
standalone: book 1 in the Love in Galway series
final thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this medium paced book about a grumpy, reclusive mortician and a bubbly, outgoing animator. From their first encounter to their epilogues, I laughed, cried, and cheered along with these characters. I loved their dynamic, the way the ace/demi spectrum was explained, and their chemistry.
This book had great representation, great main (and side) characters, and dealt with heavy topics while also being a romcom. I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author in the future!

read this book if you love

😬 angst
🏝️ forced proximity (neighbors)
🤫 hidden secrets
💓 slowburn
😡 grumpy/sunshine
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🔀 opposites attract
🌈 LGBT+ representation (ace/demi)
🎣 fish out of water
💞 friends-to-lovers
🤕 hurt/comfort
💖 marriage of convenience needed
🍪cinnamon roll MMC
🫡 big MMC
😏 kinky (outdoor scenes)
🥰 nicknames
💞 neighbors-to-lovers
😂 romcom
🛏️ friends with benefits

From its captivating cover to its heartwarming storyline, this book stole my heart from the very first page. Lark, a spirited American on a quest for solace in Ireland, unexpectedly finds herself entangled in a mystery when she discovers her neighbour's package. As she grapples with this chilling revelation, she forms an unlikely bond with Callum, a reserved undertaker facing familial pressures and the looming threat of losing his heritage.

Despite their differences, Lark and Callum embark on a journey of companionship, with Lark reluctantly agreeing to help Callum find a spouse to save his family business. Amidst the uncertainty of their futures, their relationship blossoms, drawing them closer together.

The endearing chemistry between Lark and Callum, with their contrasting personalities, was simply irresistible. As their love story unfolds against the backdrop of impending deadlines and visa expirations, the stakes are high, keeping readers eagerly turning pages.

I was completely enchanted by Lark and Callum's journey, filled with warmth and sincerity. Without giving away spoilers, I can only say that the conclusion left me thoroughly smitten. My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for granting me the opportunity to discover and review this delightful gem.

I don’t think I have enough words to describe how much I love this book. I loved it when it was an Indie book I randomly found, and I love it even more now that the word is out on how amazing this book is!

This book is stunning. The messages it sends to the readers, the scenery, and of course Callum. My new book boyfriend who has raised the standards I will now set for men!

I loved how Callum wasn’t perfect and neither was Lark. They both were perfectly imperfect and together they were just perfect. I don’t have one negative thing to say about this book.

Please please please go read this book!

What a stunning debut by Ivy Fairbanks! I loved this one and will definitely read more from this author. It was cozy and super cute. Callum is a different MMC than we are used to in a romance novel and that's a GOOD thing. I would love to see more characters like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance e-copy of Morbidly Yours in exchange for an honest review.

After the devastating loss of her husband two years prior, Lark yearns for a fresh start. She decides to relocate to the charming countryside of Ireland, hoping to distance herself from the pain that lingers. However, fate has a peculiar plan in store for her. Her new neighbor, Callum, turns out to be a mortician, a profession that brings her face to face with the very emotions she seeks to escape.

Despite their initial reservations, Lark and Callum develop an unlikely friendship. As they spend more time together, Lark discovers that Callum is a kind and compassionate soul, burdened by his own grief after the loss of his grandfather. When Callum reveals that his grandfather's will stipulates he must be married by his 35th birthday to inherit the family mortuary, Lark sets out to help him find a suitable partner.

However, as Lark immerses herself in Callum's world, she finds herself drawn to his quiet charm and gentle demeanor. Their friendship deepens into a passionate affair, blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives.

While grief remains a significant theme throughout the novel, Fairbanks handles it with sensitivity and nuance. Through Lark's journey, we witness the different ways in which grief manifests, from numbness to overwhelming sadness. Yet, amidst the pain, love emerges as a beacon of hope, offering solace and healing to those who have lost.

Callum and Lark are utterly charming characters. Callum's shy and awkward nature is perfectly complemented by Lark's outgoing and optimistic personality. Their interactions are filled with humor, banter, and an undeniable chemistry. The supporting cast of characters, including Callum's best friend and Lark's eccentric aunt, further enriches the story.
Whether you are a fan of romance novels, stories about grief and loss, or simply enjoy heartwarming tales of human connection, 'Morbidly Yours' is an exceptional read that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.