You know what, I actually LOVED this.

Grumpy little emo man, Mort, meets perky little Sunshine girl, Lily, and it’s love at first sight. But they work next door to each other. And Mort is not sure there’s much point being happy because he’s going to die anyway. And Lily is too busy planning happy days for everyone else to think about her own romantic life.

And then the WORST public proposal of all time sends a hex over their two neighbouring stores, and everything gets hit with a “switcheroo”.

This is a Freaky Friday but with a wedding planning store and a funeral parlour swapping vibes. We’ve got bouquets being thrown to see who’s going to die next. Save the Dates for a funeral. I was absolutely howling with laughter throughout this - it was crazy, over the top and just borderline ridiculous at points, but I was having an excellent time and I would read this again 1000%.

There was no “oops only one bed” BUT I got “oops only one coffin” when they had SEX IN A HEARSE?!? Truly the most fun I’ve had with a contemporary romance in a while.

The chemistry between Lily and Mort is sweet and works well within the story. The smut is also very well written. We got some ridiculously over the top stock characters and really gorgeously dramatic settings described to us. I felt like I was in this wonderful little town and immersed with these chaotic people and it was glorious.

Is this a perfect book? Probably not. Did I have an absolutely spectacular time with it. ABSOLUTELY.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC of this*

This book wasn't for me but would certainly appeal to younger readers than myself thinking of my daughters in particular. I didn't actually like the format either, both main characters were written in the third person so I felt they lacked depth. Full of quirkiness and quite humorous at times. Somewhat repetitive in places and totally ridiculous being set in some unreal cloud cuckoo land but fun nonetheless.

This was a bit of a wild ride of a book that was more wacky happenings than a romance. The cast of characters were all quirky and interesting with Lily and Mort being the most conventional of the bunch. Their romance wasn’t really the main plot of the book and that was a shame as I would’ve enjoyed the book more if that was more of the focus. The “switcheroo” between the wedding boutique and funeral parlour was the main story and it was a bit repetitive and you had to suspend belief at all the events that happened. It was still enjoyable and worth the read. I was just expecting more romance and development between the two main characters.

Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me. I was hopeful because the premise sounded super cute and magical but it fell flat. While I loved the FMC and MMC individually and together, everything else was an information overload. In between their dialogue there were paragraphs of side information that was mostly irrelevant and felt like filler. I typically love small town settings with quirky side characters and businesses but this had so many that I couldn’t keep track.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was an adorable and cosy book that gave me the freaky Friday vibes and I was all for it,the town it takes place in sounds nice and cosy

Alright--I love books like this. Books that are light hearted, a bit out there, unconventional, quirky, and so on (think Haunted Ever After, Love and Other Conspiracies, My Roommate is a Vampire kind of vibes), and this was no different. It made me smile, kept me turning the pages, and made a really difficult time in my life a little brighter.

If you're looking for outlandish fun--this is the book for you!

3.5 - such a fun cosy book but kinda wish it gave a little more. The ending seemed rushed and the romance didn’t feel romancey at some points. Although mort is a vibe. Such a cute, fun book but I wish there was more angst. I also loved the freaky Friday vibe.

💕 Thank you for the arc 💕

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This will be a book for fans of things like Freaky Friday, opposites attract, small town romance. Very low stakes and very hyper stylised Pinterest board style cosy towns.

This book follows a wedding planner who opens a business next to a funeral home and realises they have the same business name. Then a ‘switcheroo’ happens which means their businesses start crossing over in strange ways. This was used as a vehicle to bring the two business owners together for the romance storyline. The switcheroo didn’t really get used that much other than trying to create comedic moments.

Sadly this book didn’t quite land for me, but I can see where it would be enjoyed by fans of certain book styles. There were a few language points that were jarring (acronyms being used, not explained, and requiring previous knowledge from the reader for example). But my biggest issue was the main character Lily. I liked Mort, the male love interest, but he was really a side character and it felt like he would be a side character in their relationship. He’s constantly doing favours for Lily, helping her with her business, and it really wasn’t reciprocated. Lily is a bit of a bulldozer, and it’s made out she’s really nice but she actually came across quite selfish and unprofessional. This is often done for comedy value but it didn’t make me want to root for the romance. I would have liked to have seen a lot more Mort, and a lot more balance in the relationship.

I’m certain there will be people who absolutely love this and I hope they have an amazing time reading this book. Just not for me.

Thank you netgalley for the arc.

This book was absolutely hilarious! I knew I wanted to read it just by the title and the cover just looked so fun too but the premise 100% sold it to me and it did not disappoint. I loved the characters and the twist and everything about it.

so fun and definitely love the little twist and unique plot. i got right into it and loved the premise. its weird as i got stuck in to this book the Freaky Friday actress was on tv and it was giving me all the smiles i got from when i first saw that when i was younger. and it gave me all the quirky but still somehow real vibes to it. with plenty of heart and charm i had such a good time with this book. it was easy to read and i mean that as a compliment. sometimes you just want a book that will feel easy on the heart and soul and then uplift it. this one did just that for me and i swept through it in hours. another sign i like it for sure.
i love the quirkiness to this book. it was unapologetic so and we all need a bit more of that today.
the book brings us Lily who runs a bridal boutique. shes happy sending other off for their happily ever after. next door though is Mort who is somewhat opposite in all ways. for hes the grumpy to her sunshine and his work...yeh he runs the next door funeral directors. but in some ways i thought he also kind of leads people off to their if not happy peaceful ever afters.
but then one night something happens. a marriage proposal outside both their shops causes mayhem, when lightening strikes and the two shops have suddenly swapped their vibes and atmospheres! the bridal boutique now is dark and glum. and the funeral director is full of happy vibes and confetti. whaaaaat the?
so what can they do. well we all know what they can do right? and that is work together to get through this. and as they do just that they soon start to see more in each other than they assumed. they have more in common and get on. a lot. they share a blossoming attraction which is only continuing to grow each moments they are together and also when they aren't.
their is so much joy to this book. i came out feeling better about things. the wit and banter was great. and it was balanced with the more thoughtful and lovely moments.
loved this book.
Hazel has handed me exactly what i needed this morning. couldn't have needed a book more to be honest. and it shows me each time just how wonderful book and authors are. and how very very important they are to me. to us all.

Four Weddings and a Funeral Director is a sweet and quirky grumpy sunshine romance with plenty of charm. Lily runs a bridal boutique where she sends couples off towards their happily ever after, while Mort runs the funeral home next door, quietly guiding people through their final goodbyes. Their worlds could not be more different.

One night, a marriage proposal outside both businesses ends in disaster. Lightning strikes, and suddenly the two shops seem to have swapped their atmospheres. The bridal boutique becomes a dark and gloomy haven for the dead, while the funeral home bursts with cheer, music and even confetti cannons. Neither business can survive like this, so Lily and Mort are forced to work together to set things right.

As they spend more time side by side, they discover they have more in common than they thought. Their differences turn into strengths, and an undeniable attraction begins to grow between them.

This is a lighthearted and uplifting read, perfect for when you want something feel good and fun. The romance is tender, the humour works beautifully, and the strange swap between the two businesses adds a delightfully magical twist.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This had a fun premise but wasn't very engaging for me. I think the characters lacked realistic chemistry.

Four Weddings and Funeral Director was definitely unlike anything I've ever read before. It was super cute, but I never really bought into Lily and Mort's relationship/connection.

Four Weddings and a Funeral Director has an interesting premise, but its execution is lacking in certain areas. I was initially intrigued by the idea of both the funeral home and wedding planning business swapping decor and leading to the main characters working together to switch them back. I was imagining something like Freaky Friday, and in this aspect, the book delivered. While the magical realism was subtle, it worked, and I found the funerals and weddings with switched elements to be the most entertaining part of the book.

Lilly and Mort‘s relationship was cozy, yet under developed. It felt like the main characters went from friends to immediately in love within a span of a few pages. I would’ve liked to see their relationship develop more with some more intimate moments between the two of them that had less to do with spice and more to do with emotional connection.

As far as the pacing of the novel, I had several issues keeping track of the time between two events. Often from one chapter to the next, it felt like I was missing multiple pages to explain how the plot points connected. I was left confused in several places within the book, and I just kept reading in hopes that the plot would reveal itself.

Despite an issue with the timeline of the novel and the lack of emotional depth to the main character’s relationship, this book has a cozy feel and likable premise. I would have rated this book higher given some of it was more thoughtfully developed.

If you like your romances with a huge dose of madcap this is one for you. Switcheroos of wedding and funeral shops and paraphernalia makes for absolute madness for Mort and Lily. A curse of magic is flung upon their places when a proposal goes wrong. Colour floods the funeral parlour and romance dies in the wedding planning shop. The cast of characters are as unusual as the plot line and everything seems to be all happening at once with mayhem all over the place. Not a book for those who want a steady romance and definitely not one for a quiet afternoon read, this book has real energy,

Lily's bridal boutique and wedding planning business is next door to a Funeral Director's business ,and both share the same name- confusing at times. One night a spell is cast and the businesses get muddled up - happy funerals and disastrous weddings. Brilliantly written, with lots of laugh out loud moments.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for a ARC in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3/5

You will like this if you like:
✅ vice versa/freaky friday vibes
✅ small town romance
✅ grumpy and sunshine
✅ charming and flirty vibes
✅ halloween/ autumn vibes

Overall, the third person perspective made me a little detached from the plot. Sometimes some chapters fell a little flat which made me question whether to continue. It did however give a fun halloween vibe!

Hmmm, I did like the premise of this and found it so interesting and intriguing, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me for several reasons. First of all, this is dual third person POV, and I think that is something that's hard to get into and really immerse myself in because I never felt truly connected to the chacracters. I think dual first person POV would have been so much better when telling this story. The cover is cute, which initially drew me in, but the actual story and characters did not live up to it. The magical elements were poorly executed and I was often left more confused than anything. The pacing was off, and it just felt unrealistic. While I do think the book will be for some people, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hazel Graves, and Avon for the eARC of this book.

This is a whimsical five-star read. It had moments that it wasn’t five-stars, but overall, I enjoyed it, even just for the dog statues and their ever-growing range of outfits. This one is going to be decisive, some people will love it, and some will hate it, as they will go into it expecting something and not get it, I went in blind and loved it for the most part. Lily but I think that makes them so perfect for this story. Go into this with no expectations and just enjoy the story unfolding and the switcheroo for what it is, don’t expect reality, suspend it and enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Four Weddings and a Funeral Director was a spin on Freaky Friday (or Vice Versa, an old movie that is in featured in the early parts of this book) but with circumstances and businesses rather than people. In this case Lily runs a bright wedding planning business that is all things pink and optimistic while Mort runs a funeral parlor that is dark and somber as befits him. In fact their businesses fit their vibes and approach to life perfectly. When a random violent storm strikes their businesses swap aesthetics and the beautiful town they live in seems to go crazy - from corpses come back to life, mysterious funerals planned with the would be dead knowing, to dead bodies randomly appearing. Of course one silver lining is that Lily and Mort, who were attracted to one another before the switcheroo, are brought together and start to come into their own.

This is a super cute story and Mirage-by-the-Sea, the town it takes place in, sounds amazing (very inspired by Carmel but much quirkier). I just wish it was a little better executed as it meandered, often parking on or regurgitating information multiple times that didn’t need that much attention. I am hopeful it can be tweaked a bit because this is otherwise charming!