Many thanks to @netgalley, @putnambooks and Ellie for the gifted advanced copy. I'm so glad the reviews by @biblilater.alligator and @litwith.lauren influenced me to request this beautiful book. Seriously, you should be following them!

Alison Mullally is a lot of things - BRCA 1 carrier, double-mastectomy post-op patient, train enthusiast, frozen thin mint addict, seeker of a life with more meaning, single. That last one is why, when she shows up at her ex-boyfriend Sam's funeral, she is surprised to learn that he never told his parents they broke up and reluctantly takes on the role of grieving girlfriend during the funeral, which spirals into her agreeing to help Sam's best friend pack up his condo for the grieving parents. Over four weekends, grumpy Adam and midwestern people-pleasing Alison come together to pack up and clean Sam's messy place. Throughout the month, tensions begin to soften, and a tenuous friendship forms, with constant banter and tiny kindnesses covering a simmering attraction, fear, and guilt. But will Sam's death always cast a shadow over them?

Palmer's adeptness in navigating complex emotions is evident as she delves into the aftermath of life-altering health decisions, the struggle between societal expectations and personal desires, and the profound impact of death on those left behind. A deep sense of empathy and understanding marks her portrayal of Alison, Adam, their friends, and families. Even in the face of weighty issues, the book is infused with sweetness, humor, and midwestern charm. I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this poignant journey through her words.

This book, a rare gem of closed-door (or, more accurately, cracked-door) romances, captivated me with its deeply romantic narrative. The absence of explicit scenes did not detract from the intensity of the love story, a testament to the author's skill in crafting a compelling romance that will leave you yearning for more.

UNDERRATED!!
UNDERRATED!!
UNDERRATED!!

i don't really do debut novels, but this was just too tempting to let slide by. ellie palmer!! you have just won a lifetime dedicated reader!

only 400 people have read this masterpiece of a book on goodreads and it's a crime especially because the way all these truly deserving books are thrown under the radar by all undeserving plethora of dumpster fire getting mindlessly promoted on booktok, is DIABOLICAL.

there's nothing to review here. drop everything now and simply pick up this book. my words should be enough to convince you.

thankyou netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

This was a fun book! Unfortunately, I feel like this book just came to me at the wrong time. Last month I read a ton of romance/romcom books, so this book just felt very similar to other books I’ve read recently. I did like the characters and the tropes: grumpy x sunshine and friends to lovers, as well as illness representation with the main character.

I found the writing to be witty and fast! It was a good solid romance book. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

What a funny, witty story. I loved the main characters Allison and Adam. The story of their connections was so nice. I loved how Allison's friends joined in and how they helped in bringing this story to life.

I recommend this book and look foward to reading more by Ellie Palmer.

I really liked this book! Such a cozy rom com, perfect for late fall, early winter, and it completely knew what it was. Hit every holiday romance mark. I really enjoyed the MC, love interest, and all the friends/wider cast of characters (except MC mom). Mara and Chelsea are the realest friends ever.

I will say this was not necessarily an inventive idea, but it was the perfect example of what it set out to be and what this genre can be. SunshinexGrumpy? Check. Friends to lovers? Check. This book is a great example of all of its tropes in the best way!

I think the MC health issues and how she handles it is so interesting and feels very personal. She had very complicated familial relationships and straightforward friend relationships which I loved! Loved that the MC truly had people in her corner.

A really enjoyable read! Fade to black, very sweet, loved the references to hallmark Christmas movies. My only complaint is that there could’ve been more lead up to the romance, although there was a steady build to friends I felt like it tipped to romance faster than it needed to. Overall a fun and sweet read! Thanks netgalley for the arc!

Received from NetGalley. This is a great book. Unique storyline and kept my interest the whole time. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

NETGALLEY ARC review. Loved the story, but it felt a little incomplete. I wish this had been written with both perspectives - I really really would have loved to know what Adam is thinking since it seemed he was feeling more at times than Allison- so I felt I would have more “feels” from his perspective than I got from Allison. I felt like there were starts, slow downs, speed ups, stops… story wasn’t even and found myself skipping pages at a time or wondering “wait a minute- this came out of nowhere” . All in all I liked the story and would try another book by this author.

3.5/5 stars!!! Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the earc!

This book was exactly what I was looking for after reading so many series and other stand-alone’s that weren’t doing it for me.

This book was funny, heart breaking, and had me cheering for the main characters all through out. Alison and Adam were an amazing match and how they connected was so sweet. I adored Alison’s friends as well and they brought the story to life even more!

I also LOVED that this story takes place in the Midwest (Minnesota to be exact) and how Culver’s is mentioned (we do love our Culver’s here!).

But if you’re looking for a quick, fun, romantic comedy read, this is the book to read! It’ll be available on August 6th! 💕🥰

I really loved this book. Great characters, developed wonderfully. There was tension, laughing, wit, and romance.
Thank you Net Galley.

I thought this was a really good little book. it was easy to read and easy to get through. I loved the fact that the storyline had little "easter eggs" for Sam urging A'dam and Alison to be together. A tiny bit relieved that it was a closed door romance as well. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a happy, Emily Henry type meet cute.

4.5 stars

A knock-out quick read by a debut author. I was immediately interested in the premise and the sunshine/grumpy trope. It was super easy to read with chapters that felt feasible. The author is able to sprinkle in some humor when dealing with serious topics of death and cancer. It was very raw and real while not being too sappy or underwhelming. I read it in pretty much two solid sittings and wanted to know how everything was going to be wrapped up.


I cannot wait to see what else this author writes in the future. It will be an immediate buy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC!

I was hooked at the premise of "pretending to date a dead guy"!
I loved the rom-com of it all - with strong female characters, supportive secondary characters, and an unexpected love story filled with witty banter, steamy chemistry, and an incredibly unlikely way to meet!
Highly recommend this read for those who love a romantic comedy - but also enjoy the realistic role that families can play in relationships.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

In my opinion you can never go wrong with a Grumpy/Sunshine trope, but it still ultimately comes down to how the author writes their characters to determine the quality of the Rom Com. Ellie Palmer did a fantastic job. Adam is the perfect grumpy to Alison’s sunshine.

When Alison has to play grieving girlfriend for her ex-boyfriend’s family she sets out to help the family while they are mourning the loss of their son. However, she somehow winds-up committing to help prepare his condo to be sold with his prickly best friend. Over the course of Four Weekends Adam and Alison learn more about themselves, grief and love then either would have expected.

You’ll fall in love with the characters and there is a sweet touch at the end that gave me bittersweet tears. It’s a great story with a deeper plot than your everyday grumpy/sunshine rom com, so I’d definitely recommend.

Trigger Warning for anyone who has sensitivity to cancer. That being said I really enjoyed the cancer storyline and perspective Ellie brought to her story. I think it made it even more meaningful as she carries the BRACA1 Gene herself.

Thank you to Ellie Palmer, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy and to share my unbiased opinions.

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for an advanced copy of this e-arc!

Follow me here…

You meet a guy. You start dating. He breaks up with you. Then, sadly he tragically passes away.

Hold on now…

You attend his funeral. His family approaches you and thinks you’re still dating. Now you’re known as “his girlfriend”.

You meet his best friend. You feel this electric attraction between the two of you, but know it’s wrong. You both deny it until….

When Allison started dating Sam, she didn’t see their relationship ending quite the way it did. Not only did he dump her, but he also died leaving Allison feeling slightly incomplete. Dealing with her own daily woes, the last thing Allison thought could happen was falling for her dead boyfriend's rude best friend Adam. While forced together for what feels like forever, she must decide whether to pursue Adam or continue her fake relationship with Sam. Which will she choose? Find out in Four Weekends and a Funeral on 8.6.2024.

What did I think of this book? See below for my Final Sip:

For those who don't know me, my name is Chanel and I'm everyone's favorite self-proclaimed Book Tea Spiller.

This is the first book I was able to read in a really long time. Overall, I give this book a 2.9 out of 5. It was. a pretty slow read and while the synopsis was enticing to me, the book as a hold did not hold my attention. This read is for my Tea Sippers who love a light-hearted, yet gut wrenching beach read. If you enjoyed, Happy Place by Emily Henry, this may be a great choice for you!

Happy Sipping!

This was such a joyful, heartfelt, and funny read, hitting my personal sweet spot with a blend of Big Feels romance and a strong central character arc for a heroine at a crossroads in her life. After a serious medical diagnosis, she’s trying to “earn” her right to keep living, immersed in comparative grief for what she is and isn’t undergoing. She cheated death. Shouldn’t she make every minute count? Of course, making every minute count is different for everyone, but that’s not always easy to see in the middle of family, work, medical, and other life pressures. Thankfully, Palmer gives her heroine a loving family, two fabulous best friends who are primed for their own books (seeds of their stories and romances are planted here) and a hot, introverted carpenter love interest who’s crazy about her from their first awkward meeting. The two meet at a funeral for his friend and her ex, where they end up taking on the project of sorting out the deceased personal goods and readying his condo for sale. It’s a beautiful set-up for both to work through their grief and rethink what really matters in life, and Palmer does a stellar job blending the emotional weight of the story with sharp, wry humor, some seriously competitive trivia nights, a joyful celebration of Minnesota culture, and, of course, a swoony romance between two people so obviously right for each other, it’s impossible not to cheer when they finally embrace their connection, and all it could mean for the lives they want to lead.

Four Weekends and a Funeral successfully managed to find the perfect balance of dealing with serious issues (BRCA, parental cancer, death of a friend) and laugh out loud moments. There is also a strong female friend group who support each other unconditionally. The romance developed at a perfect pace. I hope the author writes books about the main character's best friends as they had some of the best humorous lines and scenes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was very enjoyable! I adore the enemies to lovers trope and this one did not disappoint! The plot was creative and unlike any other romance book I’ve read.

A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐
Expected publication August 6, 2024

When a Rom-Com takes deep dives into subjects such as grief and health, you have a mix up that hits on all the emotions. Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer does exactly that.

What I enjoyed about this book was Palmer's ability to make Sam, the deceased ex, feel like an active part of the story. I also enjoyed the witty exchanges between Ali and Adam, along with the humor sprinkled throughout their conversations and in texts with friends.

Although I appreciated the author's writing style, I never truly engaged with 'Four Weekends and a Funeral.' Overall, the book had a Hallmark movie feel, which can be enjoyable at the right place and time, but this wasn't it for me. The pacing seemed uneven, and there wasn't a compelling hook to draw me back in.

As a debut novel, Four Weekends and a Funeral has Ellie Palmer on my radar for future releases.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are authentically my own.

I'm not crying, you're crying. Okay we are all crying. Minnesota Hallmark movie for sure.

Thank you NetGalley for my E-ARC.

Four Weekends and a Funeral - by Ellie Palmer

What it’s about:

Alison goes to her ex-boyfriend’s funeral to find that no one knows they’ve broken up, and she’s asked to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family. She agrees to help her ex’s grumpy best friend Adam pack up his belongings, which they expect to finish over the course of four weekends. As Alison tries to chip away at Adam’s surly demeanor, tension and chemistry build between the two, but will Ali’s lie about her relationship status come back to bite her?

What I liked:

While this book handled some very sensitive topics (trigger warnings: cancer genes, death of a boyfriend), it was overall a low angst story. Maybe I am personally triggered right now by these topics, so I appreciated the light-hearted natured through which they were addressed. If the story fell into heavier territory, it might’ve been tough for me to personally stomach, but I really liked watching Ali’s quirky personality break down Adam’s walls. Lots of fun 90’s/millennial banter - some might find it annoying or not get the references, but I WAS HERE FOR IT!

I also loved how it tackled the idea of what to do with second chances… do you accept who you truly are or constantly seek self-improvement? This all felt very realistic and true to the human experience.

Stars: 4/5
Spice: 1/5

Read if you like:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Slow Burn
Closed Door
90’s rom-com vibes


Ellie, this was a great debut and I can’t wait to read from you in the future! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.