4.5/5 stars

"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 . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was an amazing debut novel. It is a romance book but it wayyy more than that. It is filled with grief, heartbreak, finding yourself, overcoming fears and standing up for who you truly are.

The enemies to lovers, forced proximity, friendship to lovers and mutual grief over a friend and ex-boyfriend.

I fell in love with Adam's character and the way he opened up to Ali and the line that gets me is 'I'm seeing a therapist.' As someone who is a huge advocate for mental health, I loved the representation in this book and how they both had to grow as people before they could continue their relationship.

The banter, the MN references, character growth, chemistry, family dynamics, trivia nights and the side characters made this book one I will remember for a long time. I can not wait to read what Ellie Palmer reads next. I'd highly recommend this book and have the tissues ready for the emotions and be ready to laugh with the banter!!

This book was too many themes and side plots in one story and ultimately it just dragged for me. The themes of grief/cancer and then the side plots of friends trivia group, it just never came together for me. There wasn’t any feeling of angst or longing between the two protagonists-more like just have a conversation and figure it out. I did enjoy the meaningful discussion about making a life worth living for yourself and not what you think it should look like for everyone else but even that point was so dragged out it almost got lost in the subplots.

I was sold on this book from the moment the deal was announced! The premise is so fresh and hook-y, and I am a total sucker for anything with 90s rom-com/WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING vibes. From its incredible first line to its sweet epilogue, I enjoyed the ride with Alison, whose nervous babbling and people pleasing felt so relatable, and Adam, the North Shore Grump (who is actually an adorable softie). Prominent themes of grief, self-discovery, and self-acceptance add lovely depth to this very funny, very charming romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

Finding love in an unlikely situation gets me every time. I flew through this rom com and loved each character and their quirks. I found myself smiling at the witty banter and rooting for the couple. Trigger warning- breast cancer, hereditary breast cancer. Breast cancer isn’t the story but it’s discussed frequently.)

The story was cute, but it moved much too slow for my taste. A slow build up for a romance is good, but this seemed too long. And the third act break-up could have been handled with a conversation between the two main characters.

This was a FANTASTIC debut by Ellie Palmer and I am positively giddy with excitement over it! I want to shout about it from the rooftops!!

Alison shows up to her ex-boyfriend’s funeral only to learn that he never told his family they’d broken up. In an attempt to make things a little easier for his family, she feigns the role of heartbroken girlfriend and later agrees to pack up his apartment alongside his best friend Adam. Obviously they fall in love.

What makes ‘Four Weekends and a Funeral’ an absolute knockout, though, is that Alison had previously undergone a preventative double mastectomy after learning she was a BRCA1 carrier, which greatly heightened her chances to develop breast and ovarian cancer. Her reconstructive surgery still leaves her sometimes feeling unfeminine, but she also feels incredibly guilty over “cheating” death. I’d never read any romance book that talked about this before, and I really appreciate that the author drew on her own experience as a BRCA1 carrier when writing Alison’s story.

Additionally, ‘Four Weekends and a Funeral’ was classic 2000s romcom to its core!!! I feel like a lot of romance books are so cutesy it leans into cheesy territory, but I was squealing over this and burying my face in my pillow the whole book. I could totally picture this as a major motion picture.

I’ve talked this book up to anyone who will let me prattle on about it, and one of my friends has already put in a request with her library to make sure they preorder copies. I truly can’t stop thinking about how adorable this was. Ugh I just loved it.

Overall, this was a wonderful debut and I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more books from Ellie Palmer!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for my review.

Cute enemies to lovers trope. There’s a will they or won’t they vibe throughout. Likable characters. Did it blow me away? No. But I still enjoyed it throughout.

Bee: This story was so adorable. It was a whole new level of fake dating and I was here for it. There was so much personal growth between both the FMC and MMC that I was so happy with them individually and together. There was so much focus on Ali’s diagnosis that you really feel for her and how her mind worked in every situation she was in. I was also sooo happy that both Ali & Adam had the hard conversations. The were able to communicate with each other. So great to see awareness of the BRCA1 gene and also heavy grief navigation.

Nik: This was such an interesting book. Fake dating your dead ex? Falling in love with your ex’s best friend while cleaning out his apartment? Learning to love yourself and accept happiness? Check, check and check. I loved all the side characters and their personalities. Loved how much attention was paid to and how strong the family bonds were for both MC’s. The growth and resolution for Ali & Adam felt so natural and well done. Adam was so patient and loving in his own way. He was my absolute favorite. I loved how much awareness and how the author gave the reality of having the BRCA1 gene and the aftermath of that. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to Putnam Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to preview this book. The protagonist is Alison, we meet her for the first time in a somewhat particular situation, she is at the funeral of her ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately the situation gets out of hand, and when she realizes that none of his family knows that she has been left by Sam weeks ago, she doesn't feel like contradicting them. She is therefore introduced to everyone as 'Sam's girlfriend'. It is precisely at her funeral that she decides to help Sam's best friend, Adam, empty her ex's apartment. What initially appears to be a grumpy and hateful man turns out to be a kind and caring soul, and there is everything but hatred on his part. The story touches on very important themes, and this was a very pro point in the story, what I didn't like, and what made me lower my rating a bit was how Ali was literally obsessed with wanting to do things that she doesn't really love. Adam on the other hand, is stuck and can't move forward in his life, he can't make serious commitments and important decisions. Then I found his fixation on Patagonia very boring, as if he wanted to decide for her. Just stop man!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

PERFECTION! I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Laughed my way through the entire book, literally from the first line (and what a great opening line). Six weeks into the new year and I know this will be in my top 5 for 2024. Alison and Adam are phenomenal characters who show such growth throughout the story. I definitely had a "While You Were Sleeping" Bill Pullman vibe from Adam. Probably more to do with the furniture making, but still. I loved that he had a wonderful relationship with his sister and her family - I wish we had seen more of them - and the strong friendship of Alison, Mara and Chelsea was so real. The conflict/breakup scene also felt real, and the trivia night ending was *chef's kiss* perfect. I read so much that I rarely re-read, but I definitely need to own this one. Worth 10 stars.

Alison’s life has revolved around cancer and being a BRCA 1 carrier for a long time. After getting a preventative mastectomy procedure she is determined more than ever to live life to the fullest. Although it seems even an adventure influencer ex-boyfriend Sam can’t even help Alison, especially when he unexpectedly dies while on a trip. At the funeral Alison is asked to pretend to still be Sam’s girlfriend for his parent’s sake even though they were broken up before his accident. To make things worse Alison volunteers to help clean out Sam’s apartment and get it ready to sell with his grumpy best friend Adam. They have four weekends to get it done. Alison doesn’t know how to break the ice with Adam who barely talks to her at first. Each weekend Alison and Adam slowly learn more about each other and reveal their personal struggles. When their attraction finally comes to a head difficult decisions must be made. Will things last longer than just four weekends?

This book has so much depth, and is more than just a romance. The characters are dealing with grief and deciding how they want to live their lives while falling in love. I also loved the Minnesota setting! There is something each reader can take away from this book!

An excellent debut from a talented author! I thoroughly enjoyed Alison and Adam’s story, as well as the well-rounded cast of secondary characters. Every person had their own individual personality and backstory, and it felt like they all seamlessly flowed together over the course of the events in the novel.

After meeting at the funeral of her ex-boyfriend, Sam, Alison and Sam’s best friend, Adam, volunteer to clean up Sam’s apartment and get it ready to sell. What starts out as a gesture of goodwill to assuage the guilt that each of them is carrying soon turns into a romantic relationship that neither of them planned for.

I especially appreciated that, for the most part, Adam and Alison dealt with conflict in a way that felt mature and realistic, unlike some novels that rely on drama and immaturity to create issues among their characters. They each carry their own baggage surrounding their relationship with Sam, and watching their individual journeys towards personal growth and acceptance of his death made their eventual romantic relationship that much sweeter. It’s rare to read a romance novel where it feels like the characters actually earned their relationship by putting in the work, but that’s exactly what Palmer manages to portray with Adam and Alison!

I think anyone who’s lost a person close to them will resonate with the larger themes here: navigating family relationships after loss, finding love at the wrong time, and the big question of “why am I here, and what’s my purpose?” Palmer does an excellent job of addressing these questions with care, and creates memorable characters in the process. I look forward to reading future books from Ellie Palmer!

This one is for fans of:
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
- Quippy Dialogue

I really enjoyed this book. The main characters have a miscommunication, but I understood the character's reason for it and didn't get annoyed like I tend to do when it's drawn out. This is my first book by the author and I will be looking to read more by her!

My first book from Ellie Palmer. Alison and Adam are connected by the death of Sam- Adam’s best friend and Alison’s ex. A misunderstanding leads to the two of them cleaning out Sam’s condo after his sudden and unexpected death.

I really liked the chemistry between these two. They were clearly a good match. Throughout the novel, I felt like this was a 4 star read. But as I got closer to finishing, I got tired of Alison and her complete inability to be herself. I love a good find yourself story but this just went on too long. It needed some serious editing to the storyline to streamline her journey a bit. She just got to be a little too whiny for me.

Overall, and enjoyable read and a solid 3.5 stars for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this book great?


Yes yes it was! I loved the characters and the different complexities they had. I loved Ali as a character and honestly empathized with her as someone who’s mom had cancer and is scared for their own sake. This book did really well on just focusing on the here and now which I loved

Ellie Palmer’s debut Four Weekends and a Funeral was a fantastic read. The premise of the book, a young woman having to fake date her dead boyfriend, while discovering herself, friendship, and potential love was unique and fun. Palmer writes a heartfelt rom-com without shying away from deep feelings surrounding guilt, grief, and loss, instead writing them with honesty and humor. The main characters, Alison & Adam, are flawed, real people acting in relatable ways. Alison herself struggles with survivors guilt after a double mastectomy and I very much appreciate this experience being shared in literature. Adam was an adorable grump, and I loved to watch him open up as the book progressed. Their chemistry was palpable and I loved the slow burn. The intimacy in the book is closed door but fits well with the story and characters. I never felt frustrated by their journey and could not put this book down. I laughed, I cried, and I swooned. All the perfect elements of a great romantic story. Plus! Really cute references and nods to classic rom-coms of the past such as While You Were Sleeping which was chef’s kiss, so fun!

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer was not what I expected: it was better. The title is clearly a hat tip to the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. Unlike the film, this one starts at a funeral, with one of the best opening lines: “When I learn I’m still dating Sam Lewis, I’m at his funeral.”

I was hooked.

The majority of the book deals with Al (Alison) perpetuating the lie of being Sam’s girlfriend while joining his best friend Adam to pack up the belongings of the deceased. In an attempt to spare Sam’s parents this ordeal, the two meet on weekends to complete the task. Through awkward text messages and the apartment visits, the reader sees they have little in common until they reveal their secrets and guilt surrounding their relationship with Sam. Nothing is at it seems for Adam nor Al.

The subplots also added to the layers of the book. Although it may be triggering for some, I appreciated the BRCA storyline. (This is introduced early in the book.) The serious topic was dealt with respect and some humor. I learned a lot without feeling I was reading a breast cancer PSA. It was not depressing and did not result in any deaths.

On the lighter side, there was the inclusion of a weekly trivia group competition. At first, it seems like a quirky plot device, but I warmed to it, and the characters that were introduced. This trivia group had a bigger impact than I anticipated, so I cannot imagine the book without it.

Four Weekends and a Funeral follows the enemies to lovers trope, but it felt original with its uncommon elements. (Did I fail to mention it takes place in Minnesota during the winter? Yet another unusual choice.) I would gladly read Ellie Palmer’s next book and encourage you to read this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC!

Four Weekends and a Funeral was a funny and beautiful romance featuring two loveable characters: Alison and Adam. The chemistry between them is very believable and their story kept me engaged the entire time. Definitely elements of forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine.

The title/synopsis is what initially drew me in and is very true to the book and it is not just a hook. The setup is fun and sets the vibe for the rest of the book.

Ellie Palmer did two things I really liked 1) touched on hard subjects BRCA 1 with sensitivity and grace. She kept the story fun and light hearted while also making her characters deep and filled with various emotions. 2) All of her characters felt like they had a place and story, even the best friends which is not common in Rom-Coms.

Also, I feel like I need to visit Minnesota now!

I will definitely be picking this up for my bookshelves once it releases. Five Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’re looking for a heartwarmingly romantic, tear-jerker with just the right amount of comedy, this is the book for you! Palmer has a way of captivating me into this story like no other book has. I feel as though I’m watching it play out in front of me like a movie! The characters in this book are so relatable and funny. This book is so much more than a romance novel. It dives deep into real life issues, such as, loss and finding yourself. I am without a doubt in love with this book and can’t wait to read more from Ellie Palmer!

I was strongly influenced to request this book due to an overwhelming amount of FOMO that I experienced being a part of the bookstagram bloggers.

One of my good friends could not stop raving about Four Weekends and a Funeral. I won't lie to you, the title did have me intrigued and you know what they say about the curious cat...

This book was incredible, had I not been surrounded by Ellie Palmer fans, I might not have had the opportunity to read this amazing book. I now understand why Palmer's fans adore her so much, I have become an instant fan.

Now, are you ready for a shocker?

THIS IS A DEBUT!!

With Ellie Palmer's writing style and clear execution of this blockbuster RomCom, you would think she has been writing her entire life! The words glittered across the page, I laughed, I cried, I fell in love.... I felt it all. This book completely consumed me and I can not stop thinking about it.

To say I am excited for what is to come for Palmer, might just be the understatement of the year.

Check out this teaser :

A tender, laugh-out-loud debut romance about a woman who ends up in over her head after a little white lie . . .

The right guy at the dead wrong time.

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 . . .

But Adam doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. 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?