Member Review

I really enjoyed this one! Clever dialogue and characterizations, an interesting premise, and a nice thread of humor throughout which tempered the heavier themes. (Which shouldn't be a surprise if you've read the book description). There are multiple sub-plots and an over-arching feeling of emotional connectedness, along with magical realism that I wasn't fully expecting but it was welcome all the same. This is a sweet story with an edge, about Vada the professional mourner. She struggles with dissociative amnesia from her childhood related to a car accident in which her mother died, after which her estranged father took her away from town to raise her. Vada returns to her hometown for a mourner job and meets Dunner (Dominic), a handsome cinnamon roll bartender with a sweet smile. The majority of the book is Dominic coming to grips with his mother's passing, and Vada connecting with her childhood memories from before her own mother died. It's handled gently for the most part, although I didn't always like Dominic's anger and aggression towards Vada after the initial insta-lust meet-cute (but I understood it). I did like Vada and Dominic together, at least when he wasn't being a jerk. You can see some of the plot points coming which adds an enjoyable layer of tension. There are dual 1st-person POVs that flesh out the story nicely. This book pulled me in from the start and was overall an enjoyable read with a satisfying HEA. This is a new-to-me author and I liked her voice, I will definitely read her again! Publishes September 9, 2025. This review is based on a complimentary eARC, all opinions are my own.