Destination Funeral takes a familiar emotional setup, a death that pulls fractured friends back into orbit, and reshapes it into something both playful and reflective. Harbison uses a type of time travel not as a gimmick but as a way to explore grief, regret, and unfinished emotional business. g.

The novel centers on Didion and the small, once inseparable group of friends shaped by their summers on Mercy Island. The death of Didion's mother brings the group back and forces each character to confront not only one another but also the version of themselves they left behind.
The time loop that drives the novel is well-crafted. Each repetition peels back another layer of resentment, longing, and guilt, making it impossible for the characters to rush past their shared history or distract themselves with polite distance. Harbison uses the loop to ask a simple but difficult question.

At its core, Destination Funeral is a book about the way grief suspends time, keeping people emotionally stuck long after life has moved on. The speculative structure simply makes that reality visible. By forcing the characters to remain together until they confront what broke them apart, the novel suggests that closure is not something time gives us automatically, but something we have to choose, often repeatedly.

This is a novel that trusts emotional accumulation over dramatic turns, and that choice pays off. It is thoughtful, sincere, and it's utterly delightful!

#DestinationFuneral #PaigeHarbison #StMartinsPress

The Other Side of Now was in my top favorite books of last year. Based on the synopsis I was sure this would be a fun read but it exceeded all my expectations. Perfectly emotional and poignant. The small town tropes gave all cozy and not even for a second did it feel cheesy. It was such a unique take on the complicated relationships between mothers, daughters and sisters.

The first thing that caught my eye was the book cover; so beautiful and intriguing. The title itself was very unusual, which made me curious. When I read the blurb, I found out that the book was described as very funny and reflective, which are qualities I really love in a book. That made me want to read it even more. Then I realized the book was available to read immediately, and that started my journey with this book!

From the very first page, I was hooked. The writing was so seamless, so smooth, and absolutely beautiful. It was poetic in places, reflective in others, and soothing throughout. I loved the writing style so much, and I think one of the reasons I felt so drawn in was because of how it was written. I could really identify with Didion. I’m also the eldest daughter in my family, and my sibling and I were treated differently, so I know how it feels to be in her place - always perceptive, the one who fixed everything, wary of everyone’s emotions, the yes person of the family. So, my heart went out to Didion.

As I kept reading, I realized this book was also about second chances in love. I found myself completely absorbed in Didion and Austin’s romance. It was just so beautiful. It didn’t feel forced at all. I loved every single character, although Sammy was a bit difficult to love and forgive easily. But from her point of view, I understood why she behaved the way she did.

Towards the end of the book, especially that part where Didion finally receives a letter from her mother, I became so emotional I simply couldn't stop crying! The last bits of the book were so emotional that I think I was reading with blurry eyes, completely tear-streaked. It was just so moving.

Overall, *Destination Funeral* is a beautiful book. I really loved it. I enjoyed every moment of it, and I just couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to a lot of people. It’s a story that stayed with me, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time!

Destination Funeral has so many elements that I think will instantly click with a wide range of readers. At its core, it’s a romance; complete with an attractive male love interest, but it’s also deeply invested in emotional interiority, especially when it comes to family dynamics and complicated friendships. The exploration of mother/mother-figure relationships in particular felt honest and raw, capturing the push-and-pull of love, resentment, obligation, and longing that can exist all at once.
The characters are written in a refreshingly realistic way. They’re messy, flawed, and sometimes frustrating, which may make them “unlikable” to some readers, but that imperfection is exactly what makes them feel human. Their emotional responses and personal struggles never felt manufactured for drama; instead, they unfolded in a way that felt grounded and recognizable.
Tonally, this book also has strong cinematic potential. I can easily imagine Destination Funeral being adapted into a sharp, fun, emotionally resonant movie in the vein of Happy Death Day or Palm Springs; balancing humor, romance, and introspection without taking itself too seriously. The story includes fade-to-black spice and leans into a second-chance romance, both of which complement the emotional arc rather than overpower it.
Overall, Destination Funeral is a blend of romance, humor, and emotional depth that feels modern and accessible, with characters and themes that linger after the final page. It’s the kind of book that invites discussion and I wouldn’t be surprised if it finds a second life on screen someday.

5⭐️

This book is for first born daughters everywhere. Even more so it’s for first born daughters in their 30s who feel like they understand their own mothers differently after becoming a mother themselves.

This had so many profound tidbits that if I annotated books, I’d have highlighted. It was thought-provoking and tear-jerking and still managed to spark a lot of joy.

The plot caught my attention right away: I love magical realism and space/time/reality tropes. The Mercy island setting was delightful and the cast of characters was especially dynamic. They were all a little toxic, but in a way that made them realistic. I was rooting for them. There were multiple timelines, the “now” timeline being much more dominant than the past timelines which flowed rather seamlessly.

I loved this book. I smiled. I cried. Heck, I even read the acknowledgements and cried. I will remember this one for years to come.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the invitation to read an early copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Destination Funeral, four friends return to Birdsong for the funeral of their mom/mother-figure. What was supposed to be a quick weekend trip turns into an extended stay as the friends relive the same Saturday over and over again.

I was quickly drawn into the story and I had a hard time putting it down, particularly when the time loops began. The main characters were messy and flawed, and their relationships with one another badly damaged. I found Didion to be unlikable at first but as the story unfolded I empathized with her more and more. Honestly, had I been in her position I wouldn’t have shown up at all!

I love how the author writes locations and side characters in such detail that you feel like you’re in the story. I loved this about her previous book, The Other Side of Now, as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC!

Oh my god - where do I even begin? This is easily one of my favourite books I’ve read in a long time. I could not put it down… and when I did, I was just thinking about when I could pick it back up again.

I loved the nostalgic vibe and how beautifully the setting was written. It genuinely felt like I was right there on Mercy Island. Every character had their own quirks, baggage, and issues, and somehow they all blended together perfectly. The dual timeline was SO well done too - you don’t fully know what happened between everyone at first, and each chapter feels like another little puzzle piece clicking into place.

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison follows a group of old friends who’ve drifted apart over the years but are brought back together on a beachy island for the funeral of the woman who basically defined their teen summers. They’re already navigating awkward reunions and unresolved history… and then things get weird. They end up reliving the same day over and over. Being stuck like that forces them to finally face all the messy stuff they’ve been avoiding - hurt feelings, breakups, secrets, regrets - and decide whether they can actually move forward instead of staying stuck in the past (literally and emotionally).

This book gives Elin Hilderbrand vibes but set in the South, with a little sprinkle of magic and some spice… and honestly? I am HERE for it. Pre-order this one. I’m telling you now - this is going to be the ultimate summer long-weekend read. Grab a red solo cup of rosé on the beach and thank me later.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own!

Thank you Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book.

You're basically dropped into a "nobody is talking to each other for some cryptic and horrible reason" situation, put into the head of the main character Didion as she grapples with her many many many feelings about the sibling, former fried, and situationship she's forced to spend the weekend with.

While I think this book did what it set out to do, I had some gripes. The main being about the main character, Didion. Because we are in her head, she is EXTREMELY unlikeable for a good majority of the story. Which fine, I get, but a lot of times I found myself wanting to rip my hair out because of the dumb things she does. The dumb things make sense LATER, but it takes so long to get there that the story really depends on you sticking around for the payoff. But Didion isn't the only bad person. ALL of these people are horrible (Matt is the most forgiveable, Babe the more unforgiveable imo), but I don't think the story is trying to hide that, more that they're hoping the zingers make you like them all enough to forgive.

Overall, I feel this book would be better as a movie. Without being stuck in the same person's head 100% of the time, and having the charm of the actors to rely on, that might be the key to alleviating some of the UNBEARABLE attitudes early on in the story. I do feel like the book succeeded in telling a story about forgiveness and growing up, but my GOD that first half was a slog.