This was a wonderful slow burn/opposites attract read! It was so fun to read and I fell in love with Lark and Callum. The real life representations in this book were phenomenal. The banter between the two main characters was refreshing and perfect. I must say I am a sucker for a book with great banter. Hook, line, sinker baby haha.

If you like:
-Slow burn romances
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Friends to lovers
-Opposites attract
-Dual POV
-An Irish hottie
-Social anxiety rep
Then this is the perfect read for you! Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book early <3

"Morbidly Yours" is a really good book. It's funny and sad at the same time, and it makes you think about stuff you don't normally think about. The author does a great job of writing about dark stuff in a way that's not too heavy or depressing. It's a really unique and thought-provoking book, and I highly recommend it.



****Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.****

Absolutely delightful in every way, Morbidly Yours somehow manages to be full of heart and humour at the same time.

This might be Ivy's debut novel, but there is nothing amateurish about it. I could swear this is her tenth book. Ivy is already an expert at capturing the elements this bookworm seeks in her romances - a clever premise, well-developed characters I want to cheer for, and a great balance of humour and depth.

I was initially attracted to the book's description. It had that quirkiness that I absolutely love. A "vivacious cartoon creator" and an "introverted mortician"? Yes, please! But I also noted that there was some seriousness as well, with Lark losing her husband. Happily, this description did not lead me astray, and readers get exactly what is described.

I can't think of a better word to describe Lark than vivacious. Larger than life and determined to dress in full technical colour, Lark is the sort of person who makes friends everywhere she goes. But she isn't all sunshine and rainbows. She has taken a big leap from Texas to Galway to take a job as the lead on a new feature-length animated movie with a small studio. This is her chance at a fresh start after the death of her husband. There is some mystery surrounding his death that doesn't fully get explained right away. The reader doesn't know the circumstances, but we do know that she has sworn off love. As a result, Lark has some much-needed depth and doesn't come off as too fluffy. I loved her.

Callum is one of the most interesting book boyfriends I've read in a while. Painfully shy because of his stutter, he does not make friends easily. He's also demisexual, meaning he has to feel a connection with someone before experiencing sexual interest. I loved this detail about him. Not only because I love it when an author includes characters from the whole spectrum of preferences (thank you!) but because it really amped up the tension in his "he must marry" situation. How do you find a partner quickly when you need time to get to know someone? Once you get past all that, Callum is a wonderfully sweet and thoughtful guy.

Lark and Callum together are beyond wonderful. We watch as they become friends. Lark has a way of making Callum feel comfortable that he hasn't experienced before. It's fun to watch as they both develop big feelings about each other but try to put them off. Their banter is some of the best I've read. It's clever and funny. I loved them together. Bonus points for one of the best birthday present scenes I've ever read. I couldn't get enough of these two together.

A terrific read, Morbidly Yours does not disappoint. I can't wait to see what Ivy writes next.

Thank you so much to @ivyfairbanksbooks and Regina with @putnambooks for reaching out and offering me a copy of this book.
Talk about a very cute read! First off, this is definitely a slow burn that gives you the JUST KISS ALREADY! type of feelings. Lark’s personality gives me all the feel good vibes. She brings light to anyone she encounters and even with her grief, she strives to be truly happy. She treats Callum so tenderly and I love how she instantly treated the fact that he had a stutter with sensitivity and respect. She never rushed him or looked away anytime he had to regroup himself.
Callum is the definition of shy and reserved, but even he can’t fight himself when it comes to Lark. He falls fast and hard and I am HERE FOR IT. Talks dirty in Irish? Punches her coworker for disrespecting her? Swoon🥵
I thought this was a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This book is not for everyone. Especially due to the dark nature of the MMC being an undertaker and the FMC on a journey of grief after losing her husband. But after a rocky start, I did really enjoy Callum and Lark's love story.

It was a great example of how important trust is in relationships because trust is what eventually led them to owning up to their feelings for one another.

Also, Fuck Sean.

A wonderful will they, won't they, neighbors with benefits with a touch of navigating heavier topics.

Morbidly Yours follows a Texan animator who, isn't running away but definitely can't stay in Texas, got a new job in Ireland on a project she feels really excited about which is just what she needs to get her mind off of her husband's recent death. What she didn't realize is that the apartment she rented for this project was right next to a mortuary and cemetery, which is not a great way to move on from a traumatic death in the family. Callum has inherited his family's mortuary after the death of his grandfather who raised him. Imagine his surprise when his grandfather's will specified that Cal needs to be married in order to keep the mortuary. The only problem with that is his crippling social anxiety. Just when he thinks he has no other options his new Texan neighbor marches straight through his walls with her pink cowboy boots.

The relationship between Lark and Callum is great! Their friendship builds in a really wholesome and loving way. The side characters are also really wonderful. I was most impressed with how well the author was able to approach the heavier themes of workplace harassment and grief in a realistic but also gentle way. Now my biggest complaint of the book was the pacing and the third act break up. The will they, won't they section lasted way too long and the reasons for the characters' hesitance was very shaky at best. I feel like an additional editing pass would have been able to bring this novel up to a four or five star read.

This is one of my favorite books now! Callum is top tier book boyfriend and all green flags with a dirty mouth! He and Lark had such amazing banter. When I finished this book, I immediately wanted to start it over again!

This was a quick cute read. The romance was sweet. The way they became friends was adorable. It's one of those perfect sunshine meets grump. I found the chemistry was lacking at times but that could just be me. Each character is coping with their past and trying to move on in some way. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend to a friend who enjoys romance.

How cute was this book?! It explore trauma, grief, social anxiety, and more. I think the author did a fantastic job with each topic, and presented it in a fun and engaging way. I loved Callum and Lark, there story was adorable!

Such a fun and cozy read - there was so much to love about this one. I felt like the book covered some touchy topics but did so with such sensitivity and in a way that never felt too heavy. I loved both main characters and really was rooting for each of them! Highly recommend this one for a sweet fall romance.

I mean…talk about opposites attract and grumpy/sunshine.

Sunflower-donning, cartoon-creating Lark and hearse-driving, hug-dodging Callum.

Amazing couple. Incredible chemistry - Morbidly Yours has everything you want in a romance novel.

You’ll simply not believe this is a debut, either.

In addition to the classic rom-com traits, this novel does some incredibly poignant work around grief and trauma. So, readers will want to check trigger warnings before diving in.

And yet, I think the Venn Diagram of “Readers who Love Rom Coms” and “Readers Who Love Super Graphic Descriptions of Mortician Work” has a fairly small overlap - even given how many undertaker-inspired romances are currently (inexplicably?) on the market right now.

So, I just want to warn you - I read a lot of fantasy and war stories, etc., rarely even look at a trigger warning as a reader, but there were several scenes I couldn’t stomach and I actually don’t recall this ever happening to me with another book.

On the one hand, I can’t hold it against the book because the title and description are clear that the MMC is an undertaker. However, I’ve read several books recently where one of the two held this job and they weren’t nearly as scientific and detailed.

That said, the fact that I had such a visceral reaction to those scenes (and please know there’s only a couple…easily skipped for a novel this amazing) must mean the writing was just that good.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolute delight. It was heartwarming to return to Galway (a place I have admittedly only been for an afternoon over a decade ago) and see these two beautiful characters find each other. I was very happy to see demisexual representation, and the characters truly took my heart on a roller coaster.

I saw a lot of hype surrounding Morbidly Yours, and I just need to confirm that it absolutely lives up AND BEYOND. I’m obsessed with this book. I preordered a copy before I even finished half of this ARC.

I love a grumpy/sunshine and Callum and Lark were the perfect personification of this trope. You really feel for both of them with everything they’ve been through and find yourself wanting everything good for both of them very quickly.
Getting to follow alongside them as they become closer and eventually fall for each other was truly special and so cute. I loved all the banter, inside jokes, and unique connections they form.
Ivy Fairbanks does such a good job of creating space for you to feel alongside her characters. I felt Lark’s grief and her resolve to keep her promise to her late husband. I felt Callum’s hopelessness at the circumstances of his inheritance qualifications. I felt the warmth of sinking into an easy companionship as Lark and Callum became closer. I absolutely felt the anger and resentment towards Séan.
The setting was beautiful and I loved the Irish language additions.
I truly did not want this book to end.

Morbidly Yours is such an endearing, enjoyable book. I loved everything about it and I hope we get to go back to Galway soon.

Thank you to the author, and Penguin Group Putnam for my gifted ARC through NetGalley.
Publication date 8/20/24

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review!</i>

4⭐️ to this cute book! This story follows Lark, who is a bubbly, southern animator who temporarily moves to Ireland to complete a show based on an Irish hero. She just so happens to live next door to a grumpy, shy mortician. They meet unexpectedly when Lark receives body bags at her door. Definitely a wholesome friends to lovers romance.

This book contains discussion of grief and trauma from loss, which adds so much depth to the characters and the growth was so sweet to read.

The grief that the characters went through definitely felt real and genuine, as they were both going through different grieving processes and struggles with death. The way Lark was so loving, caring and bubbly, but really put so much on herself and blamed herself for the death she was mourning was so sad and emotional. She really felt as though she didn’t deserve to love and be loved, but Callum definitely helped her heal and realize she does in fact deserve everything.

Callum struggling to open up to others and really wanting a true love was so sweet. Although this had potential to be a marriage of convenience with a certain situation, I really like that it was different and didn’t go in that direction. Lark and Callum developed true friendship and a bond that surpassed anything.

I absolutely loved the grumpy sunshine trope in this story! It was done so well and I adored how Lark showed him how to get out of his shell and explore things he normally wouldn’t. Also, this book had some great spicy scenes that I was not expecting! Loved that.

I thought the beginning was a tiny bit slow and I wanted a little more at the end, but overall this was a fantastic, sweet, fun, wholesome and deep love story. This was also a great debut for the author! I’d definitely read her work again. I’m excited to see who book 2 will be about!

Sharp-witted, funny, and such a pleasure to read, MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks was a fast-paced, wonderfully well-wrought story that dropped me into a different worlds of funeral homes, grief, and dating under extreme pressure to find the one or lose everything. I enjoyed the banter, the feels, all the twists and turns of people who felt like friends I want to know better. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

I want to say thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this book!

This was a heartwarming read about two people with opposing personality traits overcoming insecurities and grief to find unconditional love and balance for and from each other. It was beautiful and wholesome! The entire book felt like a warm hug and genuine acceptance—but most of all hope and faith in a happy future. For romance lovers going through a rough patch this book will surely be the cozy blanket you deserve!

Callum Flannelly has an atypical job, running his family's undertaking business, but it's a job he loves and is at risk of losing if he cannot find someone to marry before his 35th birthday. With the deadline rapidly approaching, and his inclination to spend time with the dead rather than the living, Callum is in quite a predicament. Enter Lark Thompson. Lark is running away from everything back in Texas after getting a dream contract position in Galway. To avoid thinking about her relatively new status as a widow, Lark pours all her energy into helping her neighbor Callum find a wife before the impending deadline. But what happens once they begin to realize that maybe their connection is the strongest of all?

While some parts of this book felt a bit far-fetched, it was all done in the cutest romcom way. I could envision the montage of their dates and see them falling in love over the course of the book. The main characters went beyond your typical one-dimensional romcom characters. The MMC has a stutter and the FMC is a young widow, learning how she can love two people over the course of a lifetime. I thought the grief was well portrayed. As an extrovert that enjoys adopting introverts, I related to Lark. The setting was incredibly vivid and, having been to Galway, I could imagine everywhere that Lark traveled. Lark collected such a wonderful and eclectic group of friends, and I enjoyed loving and hating (her co-worker) the secondary characters.

The amount of Irish slang was a bit much at times, and I struggled to believe that Lark did not open any of the emails from her sister-in-law. I'm not sure that that storyline added much to the overall plot, but I do respect its role in addressing her grief.

This one kind of reminded me of Kilt Trip, so if you enjoyed that book, definitely consider picking up this one! I cannot wait for Ivy Fairbanks to continue this series, and am definitely planning on reading more from her in the future.

A book about an undertaker has no right to be this adorable.

Lark has run away from Texas to Ireland to start over after her life fell apart, with oaths to herself that she should take back and deeply unresolved grief set up to get in her way. Her hot neighbor Callum is a deeply demisexual man under the pressure of getting married in 6 months or losing his generations old family business. Surprisingly, him needing to get married is the least dramatic part of this book and this is NOT a marriage of convenience story.

In the end, Callum learns to take chances and Lark learns to stand up for herself. It was hella cute. I can't wait for more in the series.

Morbidly Yours is an sweet, emotional love story. Two people, grieving the loss of loved ones, find themselves falling for each other. This is exactly what the heart needs to truly love again for Callum and Lark.. From its setting in Ireland to the lush array of tropes, he falls first, grump x sunshine and friends to lovers, this slow-burn romance has chemistry, witty banter and a cute little mouse.

Fairbanks debut is a must for romance readers.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons

I remember this getting a lot buzz in the romance community when it was indie published so I knew I wanted to read it this time around.

Morbidly Yours was such fun, especially if you are a fan of grumpy x sunshine trope. Absolutely loved both characters. Their dynamic is super cute and fun. They truly balanced each other out: he understood her grief and she taught him to loosen up. The romance made me swoon & giggle.

I thought the plot was interesting and kept me engaged. I don't think I have ever read a book where one of the main characters is demi sexual. I enjoyed learning about this and thought the author did a great job portraying a demi sexual person. Plus it made it seem extra special when Callum started developing romantic feelings towards Lark. So sweet!

This did have some steamy moments as well. Pleasantly surprised by the amount of heat this had!

This book made me just want to jump on a plane heading to Ireland. The descriptions sound beautiful.

A wonderful debut romance! For fans of opposites attract, forced proximity, meet-disasters and Ireland.