A 1920s ghost quoting Guy Fieri is everything I’ve ever needed in a book.

Gretchen kind of irritated me how she always self sabotages. But it’s in character since it’s what she’s always known and done.

I didn’t really …. Get the romance here. Gretchen always says that Charlie really sees the real her, but I don’t know that he does. I feel like the romance was just lust and close proximity.

So overall, this was fun and fresh and enjoyable and unlike anything I’ve ever read. The romance was lackluster, but the found family and the self discovery were wonderful!! And baby goats!! Gah!

“Gretch has considered Charlie’s suspicions something of a cinder block wall between them since she arrived at Gilded Creek. But after their conversation in the outbuilding Tuesday morning, she wonders if perhaps the wall has been replaced by a …. privacy fence? Something tall and still extremely difficult to make her way over, but at least now there are cracks of light shining through. It’s like she’s found a way to look through the slats, and see to the other side. Simultaneously, there’s now a sense that something is surrounding her, squeezing her just tight enough that she’s always aware of the constriction. She’s become tangled in something she can only describe as a fierce affection and … yearning. Convincing Charlie of the curse no longer feels like the centerpiece of her bullshit artist career, but something she needs deep inside in order to feel complete.”

Gretchen Acorn, a fake spirit medium, accepts a job from her most important client to help rid Charlie Waybill’s farm of a ghost so that he can get it sold. Charlie is instantly skeptical of Gretchen and her abilities. Ironically, Gretchen can see and talk to Everett, a real ghost cursed to haunt the farm. He informs Gretchen that if she doesn’t stop Charlie from selling, he will end up just like him. Dead and stuck on the farm forever. Gretchen can’t leave Charlie to his fate and decides to save him at all costs, whether he is a believer or not.

Happy Medium was my most anticipated read this year after falling in love with Sarah Adler’s Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, and I can say that it didn’t disappoint. However, I found the first half to be slow with a lot of set up.

Everett came across as very young and, at times, infuriating. I disliked how much Everett and Gretchen were on the page together during the first half, and Charlie was nowhere to be found.

Finally, during the second half, we see some big shifts, with Charlie and Gretchen finally letting down some of those sky-high brick walls and developing a relationship built on true friendship. Charlie is a sweet man, and the way he takes care of his grandpa with dementia or how he wears his grandma’s knitted sweaters to feel like he is surrounded by her love made my heart burst wide open. This was just a feel-good romance, and I was smiling by the end of it.

If you’re a fan of Lynn Painter and Abby Jiminez, then definitely give this book a shot.

~ Michelle

This was my first time reading Sarah Adler and I LOVED this so much. I immediately read her previous book (Mrs. Nashes Ashes). Her writing is perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Ashley Poston.

A con artist medium is about to get a rude awakening. An easy gig for ten grand turns into actual work, real ghosts, sexual tension, scary goats, and more.

P.S. The ghost was my favorite character.

Perfect for fans of Lana Harper and Rosie Danan, Happy Medium is a wonderful addition to the rom-com genre! With a cast of quirky characters (including a fake-yet not so fake-medium and wildly skeptical farmer), hints of magic, idyllic setting, and witty one-liners, Sarah Adler has avoided the sophomore slump with this escapist romance.

This is the spooky romance I never knew I wanted. It did take me a bit to get into the story. I didn't love the con women aspect, but I did enjoy that she always did her best to help more than she was getting. I did enjoy the love story.

Do you look forward to october every year for your witchy, spooky TBR? Then this book is just for you, and serves as a reminder there is no seasonal limits on books like these! I fell in love with Adler after Mrs.Nash's debuted last year, and Happy Medium confirmed my love for her craft. Funny, light, and perfect!

What I loved:
- goat farmer MMC
- bi-sexual FMC
- found family
- forced proximity
- enemies to lovers

A cute, funny, tender story about a haunted farmhouse, its cursed owner and a con woman medium who ends up actually meeting/communicating with a real ghost. Our FMC, Gretchen, has spent years conning people (with her own set of rules and morals mind you) into believing in ghosts and then when she finally meets someone who really sees her and is a skeptic, she needs him to believe she's telling the truth this time.

Gretchen knows what she does is definitely morally grey but she always makes sure she's giving more than she takes when it comes to accepting clients. When her best client asks her to help a dear friend exorcise a ghost from his family's farm so he can sell, she considers it easy money -- after all, ghosts aren't actually real. But what she finds when she gets there is a hot young property owner -- not the old man she expected her client's bridge partner to be -- and an actual honest to goodness ghost named Everett. Everett has been cursed to haunt his family's land and prevent any future Waybills from selling and ending up like him - dead and stuck there anway. When Everett realizes Gretchen can see him, he enlists her help in keeping Charlie from selling and therefore keeping him alive. Considering Charlie threatened to call the cops on her at their first meeting, it won't be an easy task.

Happy Medium is a story about honesty, trust, acceptance, and falling in love. But it's also about friendship and family -- not just those you're born into but the ones you choose. It's funny and heartwarming, sad at times but mostly a happy ride. The romance gives some insta-lust/love vibes even when they *don't like each other* but overall it's an easy read. If you're looking for a quick, cozy, sweet read with plenty of funny moments and a bit of spice, then this is a great choice!

con woman x farmer
family curse
forced proximity
enemies to lovers
a very fun ghost

I voluntarily read & reviewed an eARC from Berkley via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this but unfortunately not quite as much as Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. I didn’t feel like I connected to the romance like I wanted to, but I found Everett to be so incredibly funny!

Gretchen is a fake spirit medium who attempts to only use her acts to help people and never to harm. When her client asks her to do a cleansing at a friend Charlie's goat farm, she's initially reluctant until she realizes how much money she can make. Charlie is completely skeptical of Gretchen and wants nothing to do with her. However, as Gretchen is about to leave, she discovers a real ghost Everett who says there is a curse and only Gretchen can help save both Everett and Charlie. Gretchen now has to figure out how to convince Charlie that Everett is real and in the meantime learns more about the farm. Overall, a relatively low stakes romance with a happy ending. There are some quirky parts and Everett was an interesting character, but the romance between Gretchen and Charlie wasn't necessarily the strongest.

Rating: 4.25/5
Steam: 2.5
Warnings: con artist /history of deceiving other, parental estrangement, death of a loved one and grief

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Have I attempted to write this review many times over the last month? Yes. But really it's just because it was such a good sophomore novel and I don't have many thoughts on it. Or maybe I do and I just needed to sit down and start writing them.

Here's what I loved: I was so charmed by this book and the quirky story it followed. I LOVED our friendly ghost, Everett, and his need to watch television. Goat yoga, to selling soap and cheese to all the farm things. I was transported. Gretchen's character felt so realistic as she grew emotionally and as a person. I loved how Charlie evolved and melted into sweetest cinnamon roll MMC. He was a good egg and had all the qualities of the hot hero starter pack (tattoos, forearms and gray sweatpants).

Here's what I didn't love: For a period of time, the back and forth of Charlie. He was giving hot and cold to a point I was getting a bit of whiplash. The final conflict really did have me wanting them to just talk to each other.

How DARE Sarah Adler make me fall in love with a character that I just knew would break my heart?! Am I free on Friday? No, I'm watching Gilmore Girls with Everett.

Adler has done it again, Mrs. Nash's Ashes was one of my favorite 2023 reads and now Happy Medium can be one of my favorite 2024 reads.

I’d heard of Sarah Adler’s other book, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, but hadn’t had a chance to read it yet. But now, after reading Happy Medium, I’ve added it to my TBR ASAP list!

Happy Medium is about a woman named Gretchen who pretends to be able to speak to the dead - but is very adamant to herself that she only takes clients who she believes she can actually help by “communicating” with their loved ones. However, when her best client sends her to a friend’s goat farm to “exorcise” a ghost that’s preventing its sale, she discovers that there’s at least one ghost she can actually see - and he has a very good reason for preventing the sale of the farm.

So instead of pretending to exorcise an imaginary ghost, she ends up teaming up with him to convince Charlie not to sell the farm - and along the way, to her surprise, ends up falling for both the farm and its owner. It’s a lesson in joy, and trust, and prioritizing the good and happiness of others over oneself.

3.5

I feel very conflicted about this one. It was super silly which is great I have no problems with that but I personally felt like Gretchen and Charlie had no chemistry. So I was never invested in what happened to them. I love Mrs. Nash’s so I’ll read whatever Sarah Adler writes this just wasn’t my favorite.

3.5 Stars

I thought this was unique romance with a ghost, a fake medium and farmer. It was a quirky story filled with a great cast of characters my favorite being the ghost, Everett. He was hilarious and his interactions with Gretchen made me laugh out loud. The romance between Gretchen and Charlie was slow burn with them first enemies, friends and then lovers. My one complaint was that Charlie was initially really mean and rude to Gretchen – he didn’t even want her on his property, but then he redeemed himself by the end. Other than that, it was a charming and enchanting read!

Read If you enjoy:
Forced Proximity
Friendly ghosts
Small town romances

This is an interesting women's fiction with a romance because it has paranormal/fantasy elements but that is not really related to the romance. Our FMC starts off pretty morally grey (conning people using her abilities) and then progressing to form solid relationships with others.

I think this would be the perfect fall read.

I have never read a book by this author before, but I would definitely read another one based on this.

Thank you so much to Berkley for my gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I liked Adler's book from last summer, Mrs. Nash's Ashes, and I was excited to pick this one up too! The premise sounded funny and interesting and I love enemies to more stories! But unfortunately I DNFed this book. I just wasn't excited to pick it up and felt a little apathetic about the storyline. However, I think this was a me problem and I hope that everyone loves it as I think it would be a perfect read around Halloween time!

I binged Happy Medium, IMMEDIATELY falling in love with Everett.

Gretchen has been a spirit medium for awhile, content with letting others believe her lies. When asked to figure out why a small town goat farm isn't selling, she goes and finds a whole lot more than she bargained for. The farm's owner, Charlie, does not whatsoever believe why Gretchen is there or that his farm is haunted by a friendly ghost. Convincing him is going to take a lot of work and the stakes are high. But there's no job that this happy medium won't try.

I adored the goats and the way we could tell Charlie had the best of heart without truly getting his point of view. I cackled laughing and relating towards his Walmart viewings. However; I just couldn't fully get behind Gretchen's family plot at the end and how she didn't open the letter her dad had sent her! It was too much of a build up to leave that section up to the reader's interpretation.

If you’re looking for a fun, quirky, romcom, with some spicy enemies to lovers vibes, you’ve come to the right place.

Gretchen, is great at what she does, and that is pretending to be medium. But when she is hired by hottie Charlie to cleanse his house, following some mysterious happenings during his open houses, she finds that she may not have been pretending at all.

She encounters a ghost Everett, and their conversations are hilarious and fun. Gretchen has to now convince Charlie to keep him, and the farm.

Loved loved loved!

We're reading this book for my Romance Book Club that I host!! I can't wait to share it with all my friends!