"Four Weekends and a Funeral" by Ellie Palmer is a delightful debut romance that combines humor, heart, and the complexity of human emotions.

Alison Mullally, a thirty-year-old with a post-double mastectomy and the BRCA 1 gene mutation, finds herself in a rather unexpected situation at her ex-boyfriend Sam's funeral. No one knows that Sam had dumped her before his tragic passing, and in a moment of compassion, Alison agrees to play the role of the grieving girlfriend to support Sam's family and help pack up his belongings. She's thrust into close quarters with Sam's best friend, Adam Berg, a gruff and prickly character who doesn't hide his dislike for her. With the daunting task of spending four weekends together, Alison decides to use her people-pleasing skills to win Adam over.

Palmer's storytelling is both heartwarming and funny, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking for a lighthearted and engaging romance. The chemistry between Alison and Adam sizzles on the pages, creating a palpable tension that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages. The push and pull of their budding relationship, filled with both attraction and frustration, is a joy to witness.

The story is not just about romance; it delves into the complexities of human connections and the power of honesty. As Alison navigates her own personal challenges and confronts her fears, readers are treated to a character who is both relatable and inspiring.

"Four Weekends and a Funeral" is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Ellie Palmer has crafted a charming and engaging story that will resonate with fans of contemporary romance and anyone who enjoys tales of second chances and personal growth.

In this heartfelt debut, Alison is heading to her ex’s funeral after his unexpected death. Unfortunately her ex didn’t inform his family and friends about their breakup, so his sister asks Alison to pretend they were together for the sake of her parents. Alison agrees, and later is roped into clearing out his apartment with his grumpy best friend, Adam. Alison is also struggling with her own health after healing from a preventative mastectomy due to the BRCA gene. She makes it her mission to befriend Adam, even though he seems to have little interest in her friendship.

I loved this debut and can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next! She somehow managed to balance difficult and emotional topics with funny banter and relatable characters. The book was sweet, poignant, and full of flawed but lovable characters. I could relate to Alison so much, and I loved her perspective and character growth. Adam was sweet and funny, and such a kind human. The tropes of strangers to friends to forbidden (sort of?) love and the forced proximity of the apartment cleaning were fun spins. The story is a bit reminiscent of While You Were Sleeping, and I loved that! This is definitely one to add to your tbr.

Thank you to Ellie Palmer, Putnam, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredible debut!!!

This might be the best premise I've ever read in a romcom and such a wonderful spin on fake-dating. Every moment is filled with warmth and humor, but Ellie Palmer manages to do that while also exploring some harder and deeper themes. The romance is also pitch-perfect. Adam might be my favorite grump of all time, and I related so much to Alison. All in all, this is a beautiful book, and I can't wait to see what Ellie Palmer writes next!

A misunderstanding at the funeral of Alison’s ex boyfriend Sam makes people think they were still a couple at the time of his tragic accident. Alison, wanting to help Sam’s parents, volunteers to team up with Adam, Sam’s best friend, to get Sam’s condo cleaned out and ready to sell. The instant attraction she feels for Adam and his prickly and decidedly grumpy attitude complicates the task as does their grief over Sam’s death and her fib about being Sam’s girlfriend rather than his ex. Nevertheless, they find their feelings for each other growing.

I loved this cool twist on the fake dating “While You Were Sleeping” trope. Both Alison and Adam grieve Sam as a friend, and even though he’s dead, he continues to influence the plot through his possessions, his loved ones, and his “Messages From the Future.” Alison’s survivor guilt and insecurities over being proactive and getting a mastectomy due to her BRCA1 gene mutation cancer risk not only makes her a sympathetic protagonist, it grounds the story and creates both internal and external conflict. The forced proximity of Alison and Adam’s time in Sam’s condo is nicely balanced by him living hours away.

The secondary characters including Alison’s ride or die friends Chelsea and Mara, Sam’s aggressive hugger buddy Russell, and Adam’s sister and her family are fully developed and an absolute joy. Even though there’s plenty of humor and awesome banter, the tragedy of Sam’s death is never trivialized or pushed to the background. I really liked how Sam and Alison were never a great fit as a couple, but they made good friends.

I’m a huge fan of a good epilogue and this book delivers that and a swoon-worthy ending to boot. It blows my mind that this amazing book is a debut novel.

For me, FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL delivered all the feels I desire in a romance, while blending romantic comedy elements with heartfelt issues around losing a loved one, following your dreams, and dealing with life or death choices.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

A delightful rom-com with tons of great chemistry and dialogue - Four Weekends and a Funeral is wonderful!

After a double-mastectomy, Alison is determined to love the great outdoors and make the most of life. The problem is, she would prefer to stay inside. When her thrill seeker ex-boyfriend, Sam, dies, Alison goes to the funeral to pay her respects. The only problem is that Sam never told his parents they broke up and Allison plays along. Things get complicated when Alison meets Sam’s best friend, Adam, at the funeral and feels an instantaneous pull. Alison and Adam both volunteer to help clear out Sam’s apartment and get to know each other along the way. Will being “Sam’s GF” get in the way of Alison’s future happiness?

I started reading this in the evening and had to stay up late to finish as I couldn’t put it down - Alison’s and Adam’s stories are captivating and I adored them individually and together. Alison’s deep love of trains and public transportation was charming. Though there are plenty of heavy themes including grief, insecurity, self-pressure, the humor throughout keeps the story lighthearted and hopeful. Recommended to anyone looking for a satisfying story of self-discovery, friendship, and love.

Thank you very much to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing debut.

Four Weekends and a Funeral felt like a love letter to 90s romcoms in the best of ways. While You Were Sleeping is one of my fav romcoms, and this book definitely pays homage to that masterpiece. I am flabbergasted that this is a debut!

I am not a person who highlights often, but there are so many witty back and forths and laugh out loud funny exchanges that demanded to be remembered. I loved Alison and Adam's banter(!!!), and I totally believed their dynamic. Alison is a main character that was so easy to love and relate to. The way that Alison amps up her friendliness when Adam is a grump towards her was so entertaining to watch, especially when she started getting a little petty with it. Their chemistry/tension was honestly so good, and I loved watching their relationship unfold.

Honorable mention to Alison's friend group. Mara and Chelsea are truly gems of friends and I loved their interactions with Alison. The banter between these friends made them feel like I was in on their inside jokes (is that weird?). I loved them. I honestly loved everyone in this book (even the ex boyfriend, Sam).

Also- Ellie Palmer does pop culture references right in this book! I'm a 1988 millenial, and the pop culture tidbits were just so perfect and niche and did not feel forced. Referencing Devon Sawa as Casper actually unlocked core memories for me.

While this book was definitely funny, there were some heavy topics addressed. Alison is a BRCA 1 carrier and we meet her after she's had a mastectomy. Throughout the book she struggles with grieving the loss of her breasts while simultaneously feeling guilty for grieving. I thought this was handled and written so well, and really gives insight to a lot of things I never thought about in regards to breast cancer and mastectomies (and other procedures, surgeries, and worries that come along with having the BRCA 1 gene).

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I already want to reread, and I cannot wait for the audiobook version of this to come out too, so I can reread it in that format because I know that it's going to be amazing.

This is one you will want to add to your TBR asap, preorder, request from your library, etc etc. Ellie Palmer is definitely on my autobuy/read list now.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam & Netgalley for this ARC!!!

TW/CWs: breast cancer, fertility worries, grief,

FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL is a beautiful love story with such an intriguing and refreshing premise. Yes, it's a rom-com, but it felt so much more than that. It felt deep and real about how one lives their life. What I look for most in a romance is the believability and vulnerability of the characters, and not once was I ever questioning the likeliness of what was happening (and they even meet at funeral - that's how pure the writing is). I was greatly invested in Alison and Adam's story from the very first page and drawn in by the intensity and connection between the two.

I especially enjoyed and admired the humor and the development and emotional depth of the main characters. They are both struggling in believing their worth. Being BRCA 1 carrier and knowing early on, Alison feels she is cheating when others aren't as lucky and in a way must prove that her life was worth saving by living life to the fullest and seeking as much adventure as she can when that is not who she truly is. Adam, a very talented carpenter, is afraid to take the big leap of moving to Minneapolis and starting his business for fear of his work not being good enough. Adam is also dealing with his guilt for feeling a connection with who he believes to be the girlfriend of his dead best friend, Sam. And together they help each other see what the other one sees in them. I loved both Alison and Adam's charming yet very different personalities: Alison being the talkactive sunshine and Adam the one-syllable max grump. I loved how accepting Adam is of Alison, especially her medical history and her love of trains, and how real Alison was with Adam from the very start, never giving him her people-pleasing smile.

This book made me feel all the feelings. I appreciated the reminder to truly get honest with yourself of what lights you up and not forcing yourself to be someone you think should be. By the end, I even grew to love Alison's ex, Sam.
A remarkable debut for this author, and I'm so looking forward to reading whatever the author grants us with next! I'm so happy and touched to have witnessed Alison and Adam's love.

Much gratitude to Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam Son's and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.