Title: A Review of "Five Wakes and a Wedding" by Karen Ross

"Five Wakes and a Wedding" by Karen Ross is a delightful romp through the complexities of life, love, and loss, all wrapped up in a charmingly unconventional package. Ross's novel expertly combines wit, humor, and heart to create a truly engaging read that will leave readers both entertained and moved.

The story follows Katy's journey as she navigates the aftermath of her grandmother's death and the unexpected twists and turns that follow. Set against the backdrop of a quirky English village, the novel unfolds with the discovery that Katy's grandmother, as per her eccentric wishes, has planned five wakes to be held on consecutive weekends, each with its own theme and surprises.

Ross's characters are vividly drawn, each with their own quirks and secrets that add depth and complexity to the narrative. From Katy, who finds herself grappling with her own feelings of loss and uncertainty, to the eclectic cast of villagers who come together to celebrate life in all its messy glory, every character feels authentic and relatable.

What sets "Five Wakes and a Wedding" apart is its blend of humor and poignancy. Ross has a knack for infusing even the most somber moments with levity, and the result is a story that feels both light-hearted and deeply meaningful. As Katy navigates the challenges of her grandmother's final wishes, she also discovers unexpected friendships, old family secrets, and, ultimately, a renewed sense of purpose and belonging.

The pacing of the novel is pitch-perfect, with each wake bringing new revelations and twists that keep the reader eagerly turning pages. Ross's writing is crisp and engaging, filled with vivid descriptions and clever dialogue that bring the village of Bury down to life.

Overall, "Five Wakes and a Wedding" is a charming and heartwarming read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and cozy mysteries alike. With its winning combination of humor, romance, and emotional depth, it's a book that will linger in readers' hearts long after the final page is turned. Karen Ross has crafted a truly memorable story that celebrates the messiness of life and the enduring power of love and friendship.

Undertaker Nina Sherwood is full of good advice. For example, never wear lip gloss when you’re scattering ashes.

Nina is your average 30-year-old with a steady job, a nice home – and dead bodies in her basement. As an undertaker, she often prefers the company of the dead to the living – they’re obliging, good listeners and take secrets to the grave.

First off I love the cover! It definitely pulled me in. I was hoping for a rom com but this wasn't the right book for that. The characters were wonderful and their development throughout the book was great but overall it fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and Karen Ross for an arc of this novel in exchange for an arc.

I thought this sounded like a fun read, but it just fell flat for me. I couldn't get into it. It felt a bit like a cookie cutter story.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

I tried to get into this story several times but just couldn't do it. I don't think it's a book for me, it's a bit too slow and the characters were a bit odd and halfway through I still didn't care to get to know them so I just had to DNF this one.

This was a fun story despite the fact the main character works as an undertaker. The romance was quirky and the love the heroine has for its job was palpable, extra points for originality. Overall an entertaining read.

This was supposed to be a funny book but it failed. I thought it was kind of annoying and did not find the humor in it.

I really liked the sound of this book; it was such an original idea with the main character being a funeral director. Nina Sherwood has just set up her own funeral directors, after losing her previous job because of, quite rightly, standing up to how they did business! She thought it would be easy running her own business, surely everyone needs a funeral director at some point, but it’s certainly not as simple as she thought. I loved Nina’s character and you could tell that she was such a good, caring person and suited perfectly to her job!

The book started well, and I loved how it showed us the circumstances of Nina losing her previous job. It did however, slow up throughout the middle of the book, and I felt it took a while to get to the first wake out of the five in the title! It was a fun, light-hearted read though and I loved Nina’s relationships with all the other characters, who certainly helped the storyline move along! Whilst it had a ‘funereal’ theme, it didn’t dwell too much on the sadder parts of death, and the storyline was buoyed up with the love and laughter which ran through the book!

This was a cute, easy to read book, with some interesting insights into how some funeral director’s work. There are also lots of amusing and likeable characters, which are all so relatable! As in the name of her business, will Nina find her ‘happy ending’? You’ll need to read the book to find out!

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This was okay. I went into it hoping for a cute save-the-day romance, based on the synopsis but that really not what I got. I wasn't super invested in any of the characters, but I could appreciate the friendships and relationships for what they were. This was a nice look at small town life and a little bit at gentrification standards.

An awesome read. The author has taken the business of death and made it into a novel with some diverse characters and an interesting plot. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this one!

I really wanted to love this one, there aren't too many books that deal with the lives of undertakers! It put me off a little. It was a little slow and I kept stopping and restarting my reading. In the end, it was a cute book. 3 stars.

Thanks to Avon Books - UK and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, I loved this book! A rom-com with an undertaker heroine is certainly unique and off-beat, and exactly why this book worked so well. It was funny, fast-paced story and with a delightful cast of characters.

Nina, Undertaker With Attitude.....
Nina, an undertaker with attitude, sets out to convince the residents of Primrose Hill that they do need her funeral parlour and to put their misgivings to rest, as it were..!.Great fun, a likeable protagonist and a colourful cast of characters. Fully entertaining.

I can't believe such a funny book had me crying in the middle. It was over the death of Alice, and you'll simply have to read this glorious, reverential story to find out what I mean.

Nina is a wonderful main character and the style and tone of the writing is captivating. Not only that, the subject matter is so far removed from the usual chick lit settings of bakeries and cafes, that it's simply genius. There was also a really big reveal about 2/3 of the way in that I simply didn't see coming, so well done for that, Ms Ross!

I really enjoyed everything this book - from learning about funerals to the romantic ending. This will be one of my must reads of 2020.

Really enjoyable, funny and plucky. With the opening of her undertaker's in Primrose Hill, with the posh locals against anything ruining their beautiful 'village' in London, Nina has a lot to contend with.

This was a really unique take on a romantic comedy, with interesting subject matter and great characters. Really enjoyed it and was an easy, fun read!

Great book from Karen Ross! Her characters are funny and witty. I loved the concept of a female funeral director who is looking for love and trying to start her own business. I really related with her as a young professional and I would 100% read another title from Karen. Plus the cover is gorgeous and eye-catching!

The tale of a female undertaker trying to make it in a posh part of London.

This is very different for a chiclit novel. I loved the tongue in cheek comedy and slightly black humour.

As per usual with chick lit, I thought the book was overall enjoyable. The main character was easy to relate to, and the story overall was a sweet light read. I'd recommend the book for someone in need of a pick-me-up.

I started reading this book, but did not finish it. I read a few chapters but was not interested in continuing with the story.