Imagine a romance between a shy Irish mortician and a vibrant Texan animator—sounds unconventional, right? But *Morbidly Yours* makes it work beautifully. Callum needs to marry before his 35th birthday to inherit the family funeral home, and Lark, still grieving her husband's death, moves in next door. Their friendship blossoms into something more, filled with witty banter and heartfelt moments.

This book is a delightful blend of humor and emotion. The slow-burn romance is both sweet and spicy, and the characters are refreshingly real. It's a story about grief, healing, and finding love in the most unexpected places.

This book was written for you if:
1. You enjoy friends-to-lovers romances with depth.
2. You're a fan of quirky, character-driven stories.
3. You appreciate narratives that tackle serious themes with humor and heart.

I enjoyed this book so much!

Callum and Lark complimented each other so well and I love that all it took for them to meet was a package delivered to her instead of him. Callum being a mortician and Lark an animator who moves from the US to Galway for a new job - they are complete opposites but that's why it works!

Thank you, NetGalley and Lassen Press, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Callum is an undertaker who hasn’t dated in six years, but to keep his family business and carry on their legacy, he has to marry before his 35th birthday. Then comes, Lark, an American cartoon creator from Texas who came to Galway, Ireland to embrace life and not be reminded of losing her husband. So, you can imagine her despair when she discovers she’s living next to a funeral home.

Morbidly Yours is a cute, slow-burn romcom that celebrates healing, hope, and love. Callum and Lark’s chemistry happens so naturally, and I loved seeing their friendship grow into something more. I also feel like Lark would be a friend of mine in another life; she’s genuine, caring, and full of life.

3.5/4 Stars – Sweet, Funny, and Full of Heart

This book was such a delight! Callum is the perfectly awkward, dry-humored mortician you didn’t know you’d fall for, and Lark is his total opposite—bright, bold, and full of life. Their dynamic is hilarious and heartwarming from the start, and watching their friendship slowly (and inevitably) turn into something more had me grinning like an idiot.

The setup is charmingly quirky without being over-the-top, and the emotional depth—especially around grief and second chances—adds a lot of weight to the swoony moments. Plus, the Irish setting and the funeral home backdrop give it such a unique vibe.

It’s one of those romances that balances laugh-out-loud humor with real feelings in a way that just works. A perfect read if you love opposites-attract stories, slow burns, and characters with unexpected depth.

After the death of her husband, Lark moves to Ireland and befriends her neighbor who is a mortician.

My thoughts: I love a unique and fun love story, and I really enjoyed reading about Lark finding love after the loss of her husband. The grief was realistic and handled very well.

I also really liked the stutter/speech difference portrayed. You don’t read about that often so it was a refreshing change.

Read if you love:
* second chance at love
* Grumpy/Sunshine
* Ireland setting
* Friends with benefits

This was so fun to read.

The main characters were adorable together. And the morgue setting in Ireland, obsessed.

I love a he falls harder story and how these characters came together. It made me so happy. It also solidified I will read anything by this author.

It was just such a unique little romance book I will forever adore.

Better late than never with a review? I shouldn't have put this one off. It is a quirky romance with an undertaker as one of the leads, and the other someone experiencing a complicated grief. Hard to describe how this works but it does. It started off a little rocky, but the characters pulled me in quickly.

Ivy Fairbanks’ debut novel, Morbidly Yours, is a captivating blend of humor, heart, and romance that explores themes of grief, healing, and unexpected love. Set against the charming backdrop of Galway, Ireland, the story introduces readers to Callum Flannelly, a painfully shy mortician facing an unusual ultimatum: marry before his 35th birthday to inherit his family’s funeral home. Enter Lark Thompson, a vivacious Texan animator seeking a fresh start, who becomes Callum’s neighbor and unexpected ally in his quest for a bride.  

Fairbanks masterfully crafts an opposites-attract narrative, with Callum’s introverted, demisexual nature contrasting beautifully against Lark’s exuberant personality. Their evolving relationship is portrayed with authenticity and depth, offering readers a slow-burn romance that is both sweet and emotionally resonant. The novel doesn’t shy away from exploring profound themes such as grief and self-discovery, adding layers of complexity to the storyline.  

Critics have praised Morbidly Yours for its unique premise and engaging characters. Kirkus Reviews describes it as “a combination of poignant and heartwarming,” highlighting the novel’s ability to balance humor with deeper emotional undertones. Readers have also lauded the chemistry between Callum and Lark, noting that their interactions are filled with witty banter and genuine connection.  

Overall, Morbidly Yours is a standout romantic comedy that offers a fresh take on the genre. Fairbanks’ witty writing and well-developed characters make this novel a delightful read for those seeking a story that balances lighthearted moments with emotional depth.

This was a fun, kind of predictable (not a bad thing) rom-com with a few heavy elements included. I initially thought this would kind of a grumpy-sunshine story l but really the MMC is just a bit shy and introverted. The fmc is definitely sunshiny, albeit with some serious trauma she’s dealing with as well. I can’t speak to the accuracy, but I liked that the mmc was demisexual. I feel that’s very unique for this type of story. I was frustrated at times, especially around the third act “break-up”, with the way the fmc was acting and her strange rationale behind her decisions, but I appreciated that it was fairly quickly resolved after that point. I also liked that the fmc decides she needs therapy to help her deal with her grief. I enjoyed the ending and just overall really thought the two main characters’ relationship was lovely. I look forward to checking out more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion.

This was a cutest little romance and it was an easy read. Didn’t expect a romance in a mortuary but I was pleasantly surprised by the whole thing. The writing was a little hard for me to get into at first but it got better.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

This was fun and cozy but ultimately not very memorable. (I read this a few months ago and remember very little other than the general vibes.) I enjoyed the friends to lovers trope and the slow burn (two of my romance favorites). I'm a sucker for romances in Ireland or Scotland, and I wish this was something I could listen to on audio for the accents alone. Would be good to read in the fall (although I wish it leaned more into the spooky funeral home vibes).

"Morbidly Yours" charms with its unique blend of humor, emotion, and a delightful opposites-attract romance set against the intriguing backdrop of an Irish mortician's conundrum. As Callum and Lark navigate their unexpected connection, the story provides plenty of laughs, heartfelt moments, and swoon-worthy chemistry. Perfect for fans of romantic dramedies with a twist, this one is sure to pull at your heartstrings.

3.5/5 (rounded down to 3)

CW: grief, death of a spouse (recounted, off-page), car accident (recounted, off-page), bullying, ableism, parental abandonment, sexual harassment

I would like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnams' Sons for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book had a lot of potential and I thought that Lark and Callum were great together, but the pacing was really slow. If you want slow-burns that are really slow, maybe you'll like this book. If not, you might want to reconsider.

This book was fun and unexpected! It kept my attention until the end and I liked the plot. It felt fresh and this trope was different in many ways.

This was a cute read! I was interested at first due to the FMC’s name and am happy to have picked it up! I enjoyed the story and the characters. Callum definitely made the book better, he’s such a sweet cinnamon roll of a guy! Lark was okay, a little selfish, which you would think she would have learned to appreciate things more? I don’t know. Overall, I am happy to have been able to read this one and look forward to reading more from this author.

Morbidly Yours, the first book in the Love in Galway series by Ivy Fairbanks, is an opposites attract story between a Texas widow and an Irish mortician. It’s a fun story about friendship, love after loss, grief, and stepping out of your comfort zone. Cute read.

Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks is a must-read! Callum is such a shy and awkward MMC that you can't help but adore him! You should definitely check this book out!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the e-Arc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I don't j ow why I didn't read this sooner it was absolutely perfect. I loved the tropes, loved the rep, loved the characters the side characters every bit of it just sooo dang goooood. I will absolutely need a trophy for my shelf. And excited for the next book.

4.5/5☆

This book fixed my reading slump. So sweet and spicy at the same time, I was laughing and swooning non stop. I cannot wait to pick up Ivy‘s next book