Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Perfect book to start off the month of June. The juiciest of rom-coms…sweet, and just a touch spicy. You will eat it up in one sitting, I promise!

3.5 ⭐

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I found that it got a little slow at about the 60% mark. It was worth staying on for that ending though!!!

I really enjoyed this book! I felt like the book could have gone either way based on description alone, so I was so happy about how well done it was! It was respectful of the death of Alison's ex-boyfriend while still keeping the charm of a rom-com. I really enjoyed our main couples chemistry and conversations, as well as how you could see their relationship building the more time they spent together. I also feel like I learned a lot from Alison's health and healing journey, and learning more about BRCA and the mastectomy process and the feelings she had set this book apart from other romances I read. It was an excellent balance of serious and light, and an overall great read!

Such a cute rom com! Loved the happy salad texts, but I was kinda over the happy gushy ending. It was very cringey. Other than that good book.

i was sold on this book just from the description, i though it was a really fun premise. i think it was executed fairly well. our two main characters had such good chemistry, i was rooting for them the whole time. i think maybe because i read a lot of this genre, i picked up fairly early on what the exact ending was going to be so i was sort of annoyed with the constant miscommunications, but again, thats inherently part of the foundation of a story like this so i can't say i wasn't expecting it. i kind of wish there had been more of sam throughout the story. he's sort of the elephant in the room for a decent chunk of the book but you dont really feel it solidly in the text. i would've enjoyed a bit more of his calendar messages sprinkled throughout. overall it was a pretty enjoyable read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️From the publisher Penguin Group Putnam: When thirty-year-old post-double-mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier and reluctant thrill-seeker Alison Mullally arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral to find that no one knows he dumped her, she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family and pack up Sam’s apartment with his prickly best friend, Adam Berg. After all, it’ll only take four weekends . . . 
Forced to spend long hours with the grump, and his monosyllabic demeanor, Alison decides she must put her people-pleasing abilities to the test. She will make him like her. And after awkward family affairs and packing up dilemmas, the two form a tenuous friendship . . . if “friendship” means incredible chemistry and tension between them. Can Alison come clean and finally embrace the life and love she's always wanted? Or will her little white lie get in the way of her new, unexpected romance?
*********************
My review: The fake girlfriend trope is a little different when it's with a deceased "boyfriend". But Alison plays along because she cares what people think. Adam is the quintessential embodiment of still waters run deep. When he finally starts talking it's worth it!
I love how the characters TALK in this rom com. They don't assume and stew and ignore. They discuss. So refreshing! The third act break up is sad and I worried (I know I know, needless) that it was for real. Learning to talk and think about the future, and accept who you really are are the lessons for Alison and Adam. I loved their happily ever after.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publisher for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

I couldn't have been more obsessed with this book if I tried and have already recommended it to multiple people! I loved the mix of fun and flirty banter and how it intersected with more serious topics. It was such a fun read — and the pop culture references were amazing as well.

I love debut novels because you go in fresh with no expectations. This book exceeded all of my no expectations. The plot contained all the rom-com tropes readers love (fake dating, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity) but it was done in a new, witty and interesting way. Ali and Adam are great main characters and I love that this book focuses on really doing what you love and not being ashamed of it. I grew a bit tired of Ali at some points, wanting her to stop being so ridiculous about certain things but I think that was the point. Solid 4.5 stars. Cannot wait to see what else this author has brewing because I’m totally on board.

I really appreciated receiving this ARC. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Multiple times throughout the book, I felt like people should just be honest and the dishonesty/miscommunication to further the plot is not my cup of tea. I also felt like there were a lot of diff and characters and I struggled to finish.

I thought this was going to be similar to Four Weddings and a Funeral but actually it was so much better!!

The first thing I appreciated about this book was how grief was portrayed. I loved that it showcased in so many different ways, because that’s how it is in real life. It felt like it was a character in the story itself, but in a well done way.

Next, THE BANTER!!! I was giggling and kicking my feet so much. I understood the dynamics and why there needed to be so much conflict, but of course loved when there wasn’t.

Definitely will be recommending this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this eARC <3

This rom-com is funny and brought some serious chemistry between its main characters Alison and Adam. They are brought together by the unfortunate passing of a friend/ex whose apartment and possessions they help pack up and sort through. What was really unique is how Alison is also dealing with her recovery from a double mastectomy due to a BRAC genetic mutation. Reading about this experience really set this apart from other books in this genre. Otherwise I found the romance, while well written, to be incredibly predictable and somewhat implausible.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

At the funeral of her ex-boyfriend Sam, Alison Mullally finds out that he didn’t tell anyone that they were broken up. And she goes along with the role of Girlfriend for the sake of his grieving family. This then leads to Ali offering to help pack up all of Sam’s things at his apartment with his best friend, Adam Berg. Only thing is: Adam doesn’t want Ali around. It’s only for four weekends though, so it shouldn’t be too bad…

We love forced proximity!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The premise is so different from anything I’ve read, which made me so excited to read it. Ali and Adam were extremely likeable, and the banter was SO good! I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the story.

However, aside from the fun, witty parts of the book, there are also some heavier topics addressed, which I thought was done so well. Ali is a BRCA 1 carrier and chose to have a mastectomy because of that. Throughout the book, you really get to witness all of the emotions that Ali experiences and struggles with daily due to that knowledge and procedure. It really helped me as a reader to try to empathize with what she was feeling at times as she tried to navigate through multiple situations.

I really think you should add this one to your TBR!! It’s one of my favorites that I’ve read this year so far!

Ellie Palmer, you have a new fan!

⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️

“Guilt demands action”. As a person who struggled for years with immense feelings of guilt over every perceived mistake or error I found in myself, this book was a heavy hitter for me. As I am typing this review, I am holding back tears over the feelings it unlocked in me. Books that change you or help you don’t always have to be designed to do so, there is much to be found in ‘silly’ little fiction books, perhaps more so than the ones intending to change your life. I love this book, it’s as much about self-discovery and growth as it is about love and romance. 5 stars. !!!! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, I will be purchasing a physical copy.

Great rom-com! It was silly, romantic, fun. While packing up her dead ex-boyfriend apartment (when family thinks they’re still TOGETHER) she bumps heads with his best friend - bumps heads over and over - irritation - yet… chemistry? A super fun read!

[Thank you Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons, Ellie Palmer, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

This is such a complex story about guilt and grief and how to move forward and find happiness. Palmer handles tough topics with such tenderness.

After Alison's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, both Alison and her sister get tested for the BRCA1 gene mutation. Alison tests positive for it and before the story starts she has a double mastectomy. After her recovery, thanks to survivor's guilt, she tries to live the life she thinks she should be living versus the life she wants.

We meet Alison at the funeral of her ex-boyfriend, Sam, who unexpectedly died. Sam was a very outdoorsy, "live life to the fullest" kind of guy, which is the kind of person Alison wants to be. Sam never told his parents that he and Alison had broken up so they still think she's his girlfriend. She volunteers to pack up his apartment, along with his best friend, Adam.

For the next few weekends after the funeral, Alison and Adam are forced into close proximity. Alison and Adam are truly sweet together. Adam sort of reminds me of a Ron Swanson type (from Parks & Rec) because he's stoic and loves woodworking. As time goes on, they begin to form a friendship and open up to each other. Not only is the banter great, but there's clearly a lot of tension between the two of them. Unfortunately, they're both struggling and need to work on some of these issues on their own before things can work out between them.

I think it's worth mentioning Alison's friendships with Mara and Chelsea. They're all so different but supportive of each other. Honestly, it's refreshing to read about such strong female friendships and this is one aspect of the book I really loved.

There are 90's rom-com references sprinkled throughout the book so I think this book will be well received by millennials. The ending put a smile on my face. I suspected this would be how it ended when a piece of it was mentioned earlier but actually reading it was so satisfying!

I have conflicting feelings about this book! The overall story was really cute and I found myself looking forward to picking this book up. I think the characters were hard for me to relate to. Adam’s whole personality just confused me. I couldn’t follow his hot and cold moods and I know that was part of the story but it just left me with a lot of questions. Like I said I truly loved the story - the forced proximity, grumpy sunshine vibes were fun - it just didn’t completely hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the advance reader copy of Four Weekends and a Funeral!

I told myself no new netgalley books until I’d gotten caught up but my goodness I am so happy I broke my self-imposed rule and clicked on the widget for this book! I absolutely devoured it!

Allison attends the funeral of her former boyfriend, Sam, who had broken up with her six weeks prior. At the funeral, Allison discovers from Sam’s sister Rachel that he hadn’t yet told his family they’d broken up. Rachel asks Allison to continue to pretend that her and Sam had still been together. Allison, along with Sam’s friend, Adam, end up helping to pack up his condo. Over the course of their weekends working together, Adam and Allison, in their new forced proximity, end up growing closer. Amidst the romance, the characters are dealing with grief and Allison is facing additional life decisions as a BRCA 1 carrier.

The love story between Allison and Adam will give you all the feels!! I absolutely adored how their relationship progressed, especially when it started to extend beyond working together. I ADORED their texts back and forth. As the tension builds in their relationship, there are simply so many great and memorable moments that play out between these two. Keeping this spoiler free, Duluth, sandwiches, and pizza is all I will say. I also love how Sam, though we never really get to meet him, continued to be a vital part in Allison and Adam’s stories throughout the book.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Putnam Books for the chance to read this book as an ARC. This has a very interesting premise. Allison's mother had breast cancer. She is a survivor, but Allison has tested positive for the BRCA1 mutation. Allison has elected to have a double mastectomy . She is still at risk and is being bombarded by information from her mother regarding a preventative surgery to remove her ovaries. Allison had been dating a man named Sam. Sam was adventurous and outdoorsy- something Allison is not. However, Allison is trying to be like that for him. Six weeks ago, Sam broke up with Allison. They seem to have stayed friends, but at the start of the book, Sam has just died. Allison goes to the funeral, and is asked by Sam's sister( Rachel) to pretend that she and Sam were still dating- Rachel thinks it will help her mother cope. Allison agrees, after all how hard can it be? Sam's mother asks Allison and Adam, Sam's best friend, to clean out Sam's apartment. Adam does not live in the same town, but agrees to come in the next 4 weekends to clean and sort and do some repairs. As they clean, sparks fly and soon Allison and Adam begin to have feelings for each other.Ok, that is the bare bones. Now, this book is stuffed, almost overstuffed , with plots and people. We meet Allisons family, her mother, father, pregnant sister and sister's wife. We meet Allison's work friends, briefly- although a possible job promotion is a key storyline, I do not feel like I really understood it. We meet Allisons best friends, Chelsea and Mara and get to know their bar team trivia quest for a win.We meet Sam's family and friend Russell( I am still trying to figure out Russell). We meet Adams sister, brother in law and nephew. Truly, my head was spinning. The opne person we do not get to know is Sam. He is only sketched in the barest kind of way. This is a man who was almost able to convince Allison that hiking in Patagonia in January was a good idea- but we do not get a sense at all of him. I really needed a little more.Anyway, I liked the premise and over all it was well written. This is a debut by Ellie Palmer, and I really want to read more of her work

Alison got dumped by Sam, but when she goes to the funeral, Sam's sister asks her to pretend the relationship was still on, and that it was serious to ease the family's mind. Alison and Sam's friend Adam are tasked with cleaning out his apartment and getting it ready to sell.
Underlying the rom-com plot, there's a lot of educational content about the BRCA1 gene. There's witty dialogue and fun chaos. This is a great debut and light summer read.

Goodness, this was just what I needed to get out a book slump that has lasted weeks!

The characters were so endearing they felt like my own friends. I could understand Alison’s torn feeling of having the BRCA1 mutation and a preventative mastectomy, and feeling like she had to live her life MORE to compensate. How much pressure can one person take?

The feelings and conversations were real and the love was adorable, combined with laugh out loud moments. I’ll be buying and adding this book to my bookshelf come August when it’s released.

Thank you to Ellie Palmer for including me on the ARC train for this book, I can’t wait to send it onto the next book lover! Cheers on your debut novel! A big thank you to Putnam for the advanced ebook copy as well.