I enjoyed the storyline very much and found the characters unique and interesting. I loved the setting of Galway and like how the author incorporated phrases and Irish/Gaelic pronunciations. There were many times there are laugh out loud funny. While I did enjoy the story, the book is too spicy for my liking. This is the first in a series which seems promising, it's just not my cup of tea. If you like no details spared and the door wide open then this is the one for you. I found myself having to skim over a lot of the second half of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Callum may have the biggest problem if he doesn’t get married before his 35th birthday. He will lose the family undertaking business if he isn’t married. Unfortunately, Callum is very shy around females, so it’s a bit tricky to date, especially since he works out of the mortuary. Hopefully, Callum will get help from his new neighbor, Lark.

Lark never expected her stay to be next to a funeral home, but she is up to embracing her new life. Once she gets to know Callum, she discovers she needed him in her life even though she denies it. They both help each other out by embracing new things, such as dating. 

I heard a lot of things regarding Morbidly Yours. Everyone was raving about it, so I had high expectations. I did enjoy reading it, but I didn’t love it as everyone else did. I think I had too many expectations. I thought I was going to read a grumpy sunshine romance book; instead, I was reading a sweet yet shy male character falling in love with a bitterly yet grieving female character. I think I didn’t love this book as much because I didn’t like the female main character, Lark. I just didn’t like her at all. She just wasn’t it. And I thought Callum can do better. 

Honestly, I only enjoyed this book because of Callum. He was very sweet, no matter what situation. If you enjoy reading about a sweet shy Callum falling in love with a bitterly female character, then give this book a chance.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I had some early summer challenges with my Kobo so wasn't able to read this as early as planned. There are several saucy scenes reminiscent of Ali Hazelwood, and the couple coming together feels well matched. I think the additional layer of grief and career stress (vague so as not to spoil) worked really well, so the not together times felt organic. A great hammock book!

As posted to GoodReads

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. I loved that we had a quiet, non-alpha male with a stutter as our guy Callum. He was incredibly endearing, and the complexities with his parental relationships was well done.

Lark was also multifaceted. I loved her career minded ways and how she went so far from home for an opportunity. That’s something I’ve always wished I could do.

The two of them together is just magical. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this was executed perfectly. Overall this was an enjoyable read and I’m glad I made time to read it.

Morbidly Yours isn't the type the book I'd pick up, but when Putnam reached out to me to review their book, I was excited to read something out of my comfort zone. I never thought I'd be interested in a book between an Irish mortician and a Texan widow and their friends to friends-with-benefits to lovers troupe. Then, I seemingly failed to read that the mortician is demisexual in the synopsis and was pleasantly surprised to read about that in the book! I wish the story talked more in detail about him being demisexual, I would loved to read about that.

Other than wanting to read more about Callum being demisexual, I really enjoyed the story! Callum and Lark's story is really cute and I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it.

I'm not sure what I expected but to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Lark moves from Texas to Ireland to escape after her husband is killed in a car accident. Upon arrival a misplaced delivery forces her to meet her neighbor, Callum the mortician. Adventures and romance ensue. It's a slow burn, friends to lovers, will they/won't they romance between two people with lots of heartache to overcome. Finished it one sitting and will definitely be looking for another Ivy Fairbanks book to read soon.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. Morbidly Yours is out Aug 20, 2024.

Honestly, I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. I flew through it because it's easy to read and well-written, I liked the characters, especially Callum, and I was invested in their slow-burn friends-to-lovers relationship and what would happen. Also, the spice was great! I was ready to skip it because spice has been consistently giving me the ick, but not this. Must be because I love Callum; I love me a stoic, soft man who can actually f*ck.

I didn't like a few things, which is why it doesn't hit 5 stars for me. For example, this dragged a bit. Lark gets repetitive in the middle and towards the end, which gets a little tiresome. I would've liked her breakthrough to have happened more gradually and naturally. Also, there are a few moments that made me cringe so hard, particularly with the love confessions. They're cheesy instead of romantic and that takes me right out of it. But overall, a solid romance!

Side note: to the few people I've seen complaining that they don't have sex in a graveyard, that's odd to me. If you read this book, you understand why that wouldn't even cross their minds. As an undertaker, Callum respects the dead, and Lark avoids cemeteries because of her grief. Of course they wouldn't f*ck there. It sometimes seems like some of y'all are letting dark romance rot your brains a little bit if you expect sh*t like that to happen no matter the context just because "morbidly" is in the title.

I had a fun time. It was cute and easy to digest. Good job for a first time release. Looking forward to what comes next.

Callum has to get married before his next birthday or lose his family’s undertaking business. Widowed Lark can’t see herself ever being in another relationship, but she’s happy to help Callum find his perfect match and save his business.

What I liked:
- This book is worth the price of admission for the death puns alone.
- There’s a separate Irish translation/pronunciation guide for the spicy words.
- Sweet Callum has a stutter… but that quiet mien hides a wicked sense of humor.
- At first this looks like (actually shy Irishman) grumpy/(irrepressible American) sunshine, but Lark has a more depth than a lot of sunshine girls often do.

What I didn’t love:
- Do people actually stipulate marriage as a condition of inheritance in wills? Really?
- Lark’s terrible coworker is cartoonishly evil. I wish he had more complexity - not so he could be redeemed - but because he practically seemed to be twirly a mustache.

The verdict: If you’re not put off by all the death (she’s a widow, he’s a mortician) this is funny, touching, and has a fair bit going on below the surface.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/GP Putnam’s Sons for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I first requested this book I thought it would be a more light hearted romcom. I read it and I loved it. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that this story is incredibly deep and covers a lot of topics including grief, loss of a spouse and working to better yourself after loss. This was an incredible book and I will be recommending it to people any chance I get.

THIS IS SO ADORABLE!!! I was intrigued by so many facets of this book that I just knew I would love it, and I was right! Both main characters help each other grow and heal and become better versions of themselves.

This is a fun romcom but its so much deeper than I originally thought. It deals primarily with grief, and the loss of a spouse. There are some potential triggers surrounding this, so please be cautious. I fell in love with Callum and Lark, they were great. Some of my favorite tropes were present, including friends to lovers and grumpy sunshine. The subplot around Lark’s job was also entertaining and a few times I found myself just reading for this. Like, I really wanted to know what was going to happen, and the resolution of this was not disappointing and very satisfying. I think Lark handled herself well and it showed. Callum was a great character as well. He just wants to keep living his quiet mortician life and when all of that is threatened, he is thrown for a loop, and he’s pushed to his limits. It isn’t before long that he finds himself falling for Lark, but he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. This one is more of a slow burn, but I didn’t really find myself frustrated with it being ridiculously slow. I did feel that there was a little too much frustration verging on miscommunication prior to them figuring out what they wanted me to do for me to fully enjoy. The blurb also points out how Callum was demisexual, and I feel that this was not given nearly enough justice. He did not come across this way at all and that is frustrating as I think it should have been handled differently. This took away from my enjoyment because just because you don’t want to date, doesn’t mean you are demisexual and it felt that’s about as deep as the author went.

However, overall, I did really enjoy this and especially enjoyed the translation guide in the back for some of the spicy Irish terms used. How fun!

I was absolutely obsessed with this book!
I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time and gushing over the way they both felt. I loved the dual POV!
It was such a good and easy read, I laughed and cried throughout the book. I easily would recommend this to people. It was a 5/5 star for me & I hadn’t read a book in awhile so this one made it easy to fall right back into reading, I stayed up super late just to finish the last 5 or so chapters!
The characters were so well written, loved anvi. I was seething over sean the whole time and blushing over callum!
100% had a great time reading this

Are you kidding me, the way I devoured this book! What a pleasant surprise! The writing had me hooked from the very first chapter, I couldn’t physically put it down. Lots and lots of tears were shed, it’s like I could physically feel their grief. I loved Lark’s witty personality and Callum’s mysterious yet sweet self.
Thank you so much NetGalley & publisher for the digital copy, all opinions are mine & mine only ✨

I should NOT have waited to read this. I was like oh I have time to read. Present me is very upset at past me.

This story of grief, healing, and finding yourself is just what I needed I love the dual POV and tore through this in a day. I highly recommend this read.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

🦇 Morbidly Yours Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What do you want people to remember you for? ❓

⚠ Trigger Warnings: Grief, Death, Car Accident, Ableism, Bullying, Body Horror, Child Death

🦇 Painfully shy Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. Texan animator Lark Thompson moved to Galway, Ireland, to restart her life and career, not be reminded of losing her husband by moving in next to a funeral home. Can Lark help Callum find The One, or has she been standing right in front of him all along?

💜 Ivy Fairbanks has done a wonderful job at developing vibrant, realistic characters who will, no doubt, steal your heart. Despite the grief and guilt weighing on her, Lark is a ray of sunshine, and there's no discounting the charm Callum is hiding behind his seemingly dark exterior. Initially, I worried they were TOO different for chemistry to spark between them, but the progression is easy and natural, the two of them bringing light to one another despite coming from very different, dark places. The little moments between them truly build into romance, making their friends-to-lovers progression both realistic and raw. You'll fall in love as they fall in love, feel your heart ache as their hearts ache, and watch both characters grow with every page. Beyond that, Fairbanks directs readers directly into Ireland, the setting's natural beauty and rich history seeping out of the page until you can't help but breathe in the scent of flowers blooming after a heavy rain. This book is a journey, both through Galway and its intense character growth. Callum's stutter is well-represented, as is his ace/demisexual orientation. As someone who is in love with a demi-goddess (hehe), I was glad to see it depicted so richly and honestly. Lark researching to understand Callum better was all too sweet.

💙 Normally, I have limited interest in a marriage of convenience plot, but it really works well here. You feel the pressure Callum is experiencing without it seeming like a hokey plot device. I also appreciate that both characters have both internal and external conflicts they need to resolve. That being said, I do think Lark's enemy comes off as a one-dimensional villain, when so many other characters live off the page. I've encountered coworkers who are willing to take credit for another person's work, throw someone under the bus, and bully to feel powerful, but honestly, there's usually a deeper reason motivating them. I also think we should have experienced more panic from Lark when she realized how Callum planned to fix the marriage problem. Instead we skip that scene and go straight into her finding a solution.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Tessa Bailey, Hanna Bonam-Young, and Tara DeWitt.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🪦 Dual POV
🌻 Contemporary Romance/Romantic Dramedy
🪦 Marriage of Convenience
🌻 Set in Ireland
🪦 Opposites Attract
🌻 Ace/Demisexual MMC (w/ a Stutter)
🪦 Forced Proximity/Neighbors
🌻 Friends-to-Lovers
🪦 Open Door Spice
🌻 First in a Series
🪦 Debut Novel

🦇 Major thanks to the author @IvyFairbanksBooks and publisher @putnambooks for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #MorbidlyYours

💬 Quotes
❝ Lark’s vibrance made me fall for her. Stifling it would be akin to plucking a wild, rare bloom, only to watch it wither under a bell jar. ❞
❝ To love was to accept risk. In all honesty, the half-century old scooter was a thousand times safer than giving anyone my heart—and I’d done that months ago. ❞
❝ My heart thumps like a drum, with the taste of your lips, the sweet breath in your lungs. I tried not to fall, but I had to succumb. ❞
❝ Swear on this life, beside you I’ll stand. ❞
❝ “Mo chuisle? It means ‘my pulse.’ I never quite understood it before, what it meant to have another person be the d-driving force behind the pump of your blood, but it’s true. Lark, your smile saved me like an emergency transfusion. Your laugh is the song my every blood cell dances to. Your touch revived me from darkness. You are my pulse. You make me feel alive even when I’m surrounded by death.” ❞
❝ “I can’t b-b-believe you named my character Plague Rat.” “What can I say? You inspire me.” She shrugged. ❞
❝ “Illusions aren’t lies. They’re gifts. They give the audience something to believe in,” she replied. “Help me put a little magic in the world.” ❞
❝ “You’re absolutely gorgeous,” he murmured. “You say that after I take your glasses off?” I smiled. “I don’t need them to see you.” My heart swelled. He did see me, and it felt so right. ❞
❝ In an interview, my animation hero Hayao Miyazaki once said that he strived to portray love as a relationship where two people mutually inspire each other to live. ❞
❝ We would cherish the light and honor the darkness, together. ❞

Morbidly Yours is an extremely touching and emotional love story. Callum and Lark seem to be complete opposites when we first meet them, but they are both coming dark places, and they fill in those spaces for each other with light, love, affection, and understanding. Their journey is not easy, but it is so worth going with them to see how it all ends. They were both very complicated characters, sometimes a bit obtuse (times when I wanted to yell at them to snap out if it!), and at times I loved the depth of their friendship as much as their romance. I loved the Irish-ness of the book, from its setting to its language. I also appreciated that Lark had moved there from Austin, TX, and enjoyed reading about Whataburger and the HEB grocery store! I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

First I would like to say Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy. This book was definitely a cute and cozy read. Some parts did have me kicking my feet and gigging while others felt not needed. Other than the 3rd act break up I really enjoyed this.

Truly such an incredible book! I adore these characters to pieces and love their dynamic. Callum is so sweet and he made my heart melt. I appreciate how carefully grief was covered and felt for Lark so much. One of my favorite books ever!

Thank you NetGalley!

I enjoyed reading this book And thought it was really cute overall. The setting was great and the character dynamic was fun. However, the general premise just got a little tedious and the “third act break up“ left me so frustrated with how Lark treated Callum. I did enjoy a lot of the side characters. Especially Houdini!