"Happy Medium" by Sarah Adler is a captivating and enchanting novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with humor, romance, and a touch of the supernatural. The story centers around Gretchen Acorn, a self-proclaimed fake spirit medium, who finds herself caught up in a peculiar situation when she is hired to investigate unexplained phenomena at a struggling goat farm. Little does she know, this assignment will test her beliefs, challenge her abilities, and ultimately lead her to discover her true self. Initially motivated by financial gain, Gretchen sees the opportunity to "cleanse" the property as a means to help a retired old man and improve her own financial situation. However, what she encounters is far from what she expected. Charlie Waybill, her bridge partner and the owner of the farm, is a young and skeptical individual who questions Gretchen's abilities. As the story progresses, Gretchen is confronted by Everett, a very real and talkative ghost responsible for the chaos during open houses. Everett reveals a family curse that has haunted Gilded Creek for decades, and Gretchen realizes that she must save the farm, Charlie, and herself from the clutches of this curse. With only a month to convince Charlie not to sell the property, Gretchen faces a daunting task. However, as she spends more time with Charlie, she finds herself falling for him. Their relationship blossoms amidst the chaos, but Gretchen must also navigate the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm. As the deadline looms, Gretchen is compelled to be true to herself and employ her genuine abilities, honesty, and hard work to win over the stubborn farmer. Sarah Adler's writing effortlessly weaves together the paranormal elements of the story with a delightful blend of humor and romance. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own flaws and insecurities. Gretchen's journey towards self-discovery is beautifully portrayed, and readers will find themselves cheering for her every step of the way. The banter between Gretchen and Everett provides humorous moments, while the budding romance between Gretchen and Charlie adds a layer of warmth and passion to the narrative. "Happy Medium" is a book that captivates from the very beginning, with its unique premise and well-crafted storyline. Sarah Adler's storytelling prowess shines through, as she effortlessly combines elements of mystery, romance, and the supernatural. This novel is a delightful escape into a world where self-discovery and love intertwine, reminding us that being true to ourselves is the greatest con of all. "Happy Medium" is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance, paranormal fiction, and anyone looking for a charming, heartwarming tale that leaves a lasting impression.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler immediately sounded like a fun read. But my gods, I did not expect to find myself 36% of the way in, fully sobbing over some goats. This book was a delicious and quick romance that combines some of the greatest parts of being in the DMV. I absolutely loved it, and can't wait to see what Adler does next.

A fake con-woman / medium is hired to perform an exorcism on a farm, with a grumpy skeptic owner. Only come to find out there really is a ghost…and a curse…and she’s the only one who can see and communicate with said ghost and hopefully save the day?

This book was light, easy and compelling. The author definitely has a gift - great writing style and voice, and the story was well paced. I really liked both of our main characters- they were both likeable in their own way and I enjoyed getting to know each of them and watching them get to know one another.

The story has jobs of a great underlying theme and redemption arc going throughout, while still remaining romcom-y. I found the story to be charming, it was a feel good read and the ending was both heartwarming and satisfying.

Im not normally one for a ghost element, but in this case it was really well done in a cozy fun way. The story premise itself felt pretty fresh and unique, though it did remind me of two other books I’ve enjoyed in a similar vein (Welcome To Temptation by Jennifer Crusie and The Mediator series by Megan Cabot).

I really look forward to trying more from this author soon 😊 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy! 💜 All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

“Fake” medium Gretchen Acorn learns that she might actually have powers when one of her wealthy clients gives her an offer she can’t refuse: ten thousand dollars to perform an exorcism on her dear friend Charlie’s farm so he can sell it and move on with his life. The last thing she expected was to actually communicate with a very real ghost: one of Charlie’s ancestors who very much doesn’t want him to move.

Happy Medium is a charming, refreshing romance with a huggable cinnamon roll main love interest. Everett, the farm’s residential Spector, steals the show with his wit and unique perspective.
5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

A cute, light, easy read! I love enjoyed Sarah Adler’s other book, Mrs. Nashes Ashes. I liked this one too! It funny but also heart warming and I felt like I could relate to the characters.

Do you struggle with romance because so often the protagonist has no friends? Do you like ghosts but not scary stories? Are you okay with not every single loose end being neatly tied up before the book's conclusion? Then this is the book for you!

This book is not serious and it did not make me a better person. It made me happy, I was curious about what would happen next, and while not every loose end gets addressed, the author did a pretty fabulous job of answering the majority of plot holes that I tried to poke.

Above all else: come for the romance, stay for the friendship. I really loved this book.

While I thought the beginning and premise was good I became tired of the plot and the characters. I liked her first book but I didn’t feel anything for the characters in this one, nor care and thought the writing was mediocre at best.

I fell in love with Sarah Adler's writing style and wit when a friend recommended "Mrs. Nash's Ashes" to me. I was hoping that "Happy Medium" would at least be as good as that book, and incredibly, it was even better!

Gretchen Acorn is a fraud; she pretends to be a medium in order to help her clients grieve and move on, and if she gets paid for that, that's just a side benefit! When her wealthiest client asks her to check out her friend's struggling farm and find out what paranormal phenomena is causing sale after sale to fall through, Gretchen is eager to help.

What Gretchen never sees coming is the owner of said farm: Charlie Waybill. Nothing like the old man she was expecting to find, Charlie is young, hot, and very skeptical of Gretchen's abilities to speak with the deceased.

The most ironic thing is that, though she came to the farm set on using her fraudulent skills to collect a nice paycheck, she finds that she actually can talk to Everett, the chatty 1920s ghost that's been sabotaging his descendant's attempts at selling the farm.

Gretchen and Charlie must find a way to understand and trust one another in order to save the farm. Though it may be difficult when Charlie is determined to maintain his skeptical attitude toward her.

I giggled, I blushed, I swooned. This book was perfect!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Medium is BRILLIANT. Sarah Alder truly showcases her class act wit and humour with Gretchen, Charlie (and Everett). This book is an absolute delight; it is humorous, heartfelt, and horny. My perfect trifecta of a romance novel. Gretchen is a prickly heroine, and I would protect her with my life. The way that Adler allows her to be grumpy, and unlikeable at first (to some, but never to me, I loved her from the first word), but then with brilliant character development, shows what her hard shell is hiding. Charlie truly is Gretchen’s perfect match. They are each other’s happy mediums. I am constantly blown away by Sarah’s ability to pull me in to a story and make me weep at the most unlikely moments. I’m just goats about this book.

Sarah Adler is definitely, officially an autobuy author for me. Her sophomore novel was so different than her debut - but she was able to weave elements of the paranormal with another heartfelt and beautifully told story. Her humor and writing style feel effortless but also so refined and detailed. Loved this one so much!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

This book has it all: humor, love, spice and friendship (plus a ghost and baby goats!)
The banter between Gretchen and Everett is delightful and the chemistry between Gretchen and Charlie is sizzling.
I was completely charmed by this unique romance.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

This is Sarah Adler's second book, and it was just as enjoyable as her first! I loved the small-town ghost vibes and enemies-to-lovers trope in this one. Gretchen's ghost companion Everett added a splash of comedy and the novel's resolution was sweet and heartwarming.

So much fun!! The Sarah Adler special of hilarious and heartfelt. I laughed, I cried, I was sweating profusely many times. Only Sarah can hit you in your heart with all the feelings and then literally set the bed on fire a few pages later. Endless talent!!

This is the first book I’ve read in a while that I genuinely did not want to end. I liked Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, but I truly LOVED Happy Medium.

First of all, you should know that paranormal elements are usually a bit of a turn off for me. To be completely honest, after the first few pages I had serious doubts. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a con artist “scamming” old ladies. Plus, the phrase “real-life ghost” is used in the first sentence of the synopsis. Maybe I was just blinded by the adorable cover?

Well, color me very very surprised, babe, because I couldn’t get enough of this book! The (very mild) paranormal elements worked so well for me and I am beyond obsessed with Everett and his bomb-dot-com tasty catchphrases.

The romance is a very slow burn and it didn’t feel as spicy as MNA, but it was fabulous in my opinion. I loved sweet and spicy Charlie, the forced proximity, the goats, the goats in sweaters… I could go on and on!

The ending might not have been perfect and the book was definitely on the longer side but it made me so happy. Truly such a joy to read!

Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

ARC provided by Netgalley. Another hilarious outing from Adler. Happy Medium is the story of Gretchen, who was raised to be a grifter as she tries to establish an authentic life]. Adler's story behind the book is almost as good as the book itself. Some loose ends could have been tied up a little more neatly for my liking (Gretchen's dad??!?), but otherwise, this was a delightful read. Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry fans will be happy.

Thank you, Sarah Adler, for breaking me out of my year-long reading slump!! This book helped me self-soothe after an icky interaction at my bookstore -- and for that I will be forever grateful 🧡

HAPPY MEDIUM made me feel all the feels! This book has sizzling enemies-to-lovers tension, an adorable, scheming ghost (oh, Everett, how I love you!), and baby goats... What more could you ask for?!

Can’t wait to pick up my physical copy in April, and devour it again whenever I want to feel like I’m participating in spooky season 👻 🤪

I'm having such a hard time putting my thoughts together for this review. I absolutely love-loved this book so much! I devoured it in 2 sittings and now I understand what a "book hangover" is. I would recommend Happy Medium to everyone - there's a perfect balance of romance, spice is, and ghostly shenanigans to keep you wanting more.

" Sarah Adler is especially talented and has made her way to the top of my auto-buy authors list.
? What I liked:

Paranormal Romance: I did not see this coming! The paranormal element introduced into the story just made it that much better for me. *

Enemies to Lovers - this was executed so well I could feel the passion and angst between the two characters while reading. This is my favourite trope especially when done well!

Farm Romance/Small Town: I didn't think I really felt one way or the other for this setting/trope but I loved it in this book. As I was reading I could picture everything that was happening and really enjoyed the small town vibe. Farmer's markets, tight-knit community, loyal friends that are locals.

Baby Goats (enough said)

Call me psychic but this book is going to be one to watch out for in 2024. I absolutely adored these characters and their arch together. The perfect rom-com. Sarah Adler is an absolute star.

I recently read (and LOVED) Sarah Adler's debut, Mrs. Nash's Ashes and snagged her upcoming release on NetGalley.  The author posted about this book as a joke "A medium inherits a historic goat farm and falls for the spirit of the farm;s former owner.  It would be called I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GOATS" That was the launching point for Happy Medium.

We have Gretchen, a female con-artist masquerading as a medium until she sees a very real ghost, Everett Waybill.  She needs to convince current owner Charlie Waybill that he can't leave the farm or he will be doomed to haunting it just like Everett.  This book is brimming with vulnerability, humor, heart and a bit off-the-wall . Everett, the tv obsessed, unbelievably chatty, slightly amorous ghost was so endearing he stole the show.