“I want Lark to stay the night. To stay forever. I wanted more. Strings very much included. Tangled, woven, knotted strings.”

This book made me physically unwell. Callum and Larks relationship squeezed my soul in such a special way. There were times that the tension was too much and I almost passed the fuck out. Also the demisexual representation and their complete and utter respect for one another was so admirable! I loved that Lark is from Austin because I love being able to connect with characters through places dear to my heart.

This was a beautiful cozy read full of fun banter yet talks of grief, death, and the little things that come with it. This is friends to lovers and done so well!! It really had me on my toes and I kept waiting for them to just, GET TOGETHER. I thought the setting made the book and it had me settled in so excited to see what came next! Mortician love with a grieving widow who’s moved to Ireland for a quick escape. I definitely recommend!

This was super cute! I loved the couple together and I'm curious if more books in the series are coming because I'd definitely read them. Thank you for the early read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this debut novel from Ivy Fairbanks!

Lark moves to Ireland after a personal tragedy to start anew, while pursing her passion of working in animation, as a director. She meets her neighbor, Callum, an undertaker who works at the funeral home next door. They both have their own tribulations to work through between keeping her job in Ireland and his opportunity to own his granda's funeral home. Two opposites attract and bring funny banter, friendship, and smoking hot chemistry! The romance was very spicy, too. I'd say a good 3.5/5 spicy rating.

The topics discussed in this novel can be a trigger. Topics discussed in this book are about the lose of a spouse and a close loved one, grief and guilt, and death.

Tropes:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Neighbors
-Opposites attract
-Friends to lovers

I absolutely loved this debut novel! The writing flowed well, the character development was real, and I fell in love with these characters. I was rooting for them the entire book. I fell in love with both of them as they experienced life together. I can't wait to see if there will be more exploration of the characters we met in Galway, Ireland!

I read this book in less than a day and literally could not put it down. I loved the characters so much. The representation was so nice, especially with Callum’s speech and quirks, as well as his Demisexuality which I don’t know that I’ve ever read a book that’s included it, especially as a main feature.

((Spoiler)) Honestly I hate a third act break up more than anything, and I still think this book deserves 5 stars. The writing pulled me in immediately, and the concept was something I hadn’t read before. It’s also so rare for me to find a book that balances the story so perfectly with the amount of spice. It didn’t seem vulgar, the spice was there for the story and not just for the sake of sex scenes, and I appreciate that so much.

I spent a lot of time looking up pronunciations, and then cackled when I found the dirty pronunciation guide at the end.

Morbidly Yours shares heartache through grief and starting to live again. After her husband's death 2 years ago, Lark is ready to move on and decides a fresh start in Ireland is right for her and changes scenery moving to Ireland and a new company. However, despite trying to get away from death and grief, her new neighbor, Callum, just so happens to be a mortician. When Callum's grandad passed he made it a condition that Callum must be married by his 35th birthday in order to inherit the family mortuary. When Callum and Lark become fast friends, Lark makes it her mission to get Callum married; however, that is easier said than done when she finds herself falling for him. Turns out, the quiet and shy Callum is an undertaker, running his family business after losing his grandfather. Which is in danger of being sold right for under him, Lark soon finds out. His greedy absentee father has discovered the clause in Grandda’s will; Callum must marry by the time he’s 35 or lose the business. He has nine months. Really enjoyed the Gaelic language add ins and the sweet storyline friends to lovers. Thanks Netgalley, the author and publisher.

This book was on my radar forever, but of course by the time I was ready to read it, it had been picked up by a trad publisher (hooray!) and I had to wait until its new release. Color me lucky when I was approved for the ARC!

Callum is just the most awkward sweetheart ever! I’d say bless his heart but the thing is that I’m being genuine and that sounds like I’m being mean. But, bless him, truly. He is so earnest and quiet and chronically uncomfortable around just about everyone- except Lark. He tries so hard not to wear his heart on his sleeve but it keeps slipping out anyway. He is so thoughtful and the all-around calming presence Lark really needs at this point in her life.

Lark, on the other hand, is chatty, bubbly, and way more fun than Callum has ever dared to have. She breaks him out of his shell in the best way and I loved watching the way he put his trust in her and embraced her crazy ideas- why no, how about you DON’T hang your head over the side of a cliff, maybe??- and realizes he CAN have fun and feel good in his own skin. I really liked watching her start to feel safe in her own skin as well, and learn to forgive herself for the past and be able to open up her heart once again.

The spice in this one was very fun, especially with Callum speaking Gaeilge I mean come ON. He had me swooning and trying to book a trip to Ireland to meet a man while my husband snored away next to me at 2am. JK kinda.

I think I maybe wanted a little bit more personal growth from Lark in order to fully invest in her character. Her lack of voice when it came to the employees on her team, and standing up for herself, was frustrating at times, even when I felt like she should have gained the confidence to finally stand up for herself. I was frustrated during the scene with Sean and Callum and her reaction and handling of everything. If she had shown a little more growth or given me a little more in general, I think this could have been 5 stars.

SPOILER- I really liked that the epilogue ended in the very near future, without Callum and Lark married nor with a baby on the way. Both of these felt like a huge pressure for them to decide on throughout the book, and I actually appreciate the fact that the author didn’t make that choice for them at this point. It’s fun to see the full HEA play out before us, but it’s fun to just let the characters live in their moment too. -END SPOILER

This was a really fun read, especially being from Texas and laughing at the little Texas things she threw in- like Lark’s mom’s encounter with someone at H.E.B. (our dominant grocery store and all-around mediocre substitute for a WInco, in my previously Californian opinion, but this isn’t a grocery store review it’s a book review). I can’t wait to see what Ivy Fairbanks gives us next!

Morbidly Yours was a gripping, sweet romance that I could not put down. I loved the MMC, Callum, with his initially reserved attitude that bloomed over the course of the novel. Lark was an entertaining and sympathetic FMC, and I appreciated the way she loved her friends and family. However, Lark's inability to deal with confrontation - though unfortunately relatable - was incredibly frustrating throughout the novel, turning the workplace subplot into chapters that I dreaded reading. The resolution was satisfactory, but I honestly could have done without Sean and the drama. I also found Callum's reactions to Sean off-putting, particularly the third-act confrontation.

I enjoyed Morbidly Yours best when it stayed focused on grief and comfort. The author's emotional scenes in those realms felt most complex and authentic. I hope we'll get a return to Galway to see how things play out for Lark's cousin!

Are you worthy of love if you took it for granted once before? Ever been in love and feel like you don’t deserve this person or they deserve better? This book will pull at your heart strings. I loved Callum and his patience with Lark. She just needs to get out of her head and listen to your heart.

Also, I will need this in audio too so I can hear a sexy Irish accent!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Morbidly Yours is a slow burn romance between a widow and an undertaker. After her husband's untimely passing, Lark finds herself moving from Texas to Ireland for a fresh start. There, she meets her neighbor, Callum, an undertaker who needs to find a wife in 8 months or else he'll lose his business to his father.

I enjoyed the premise of this book however it took a while for me to warm up to the characters, especially Lark. I did not like the way she acted or presented herself, especially socially (like when she met Callum), but she did grow on me midway into the book. The romance was quite interesting given both Lark and Callum's situations. I thoroughly enjoyed it, along with the good amount of humor and banter. 3 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Ivy Fairbanks for this ARC!

Thank you to Penguin Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC!

I found this book to be very adorable and fun to read! I loved the characters, the way they acted with each other, and seeing their romance play out. But, slow burn is not one of my favorite tropes and I found myself getting bored with it. Slow burn has to be done right for me, but i still did really enjoy this book. I also very much enjoyed the career choices within this book; that made it so fascinating. I am glad I read this book.

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes so that was a plus! But the romance was a slow burn and I felt it dragged at times . It touched on heavy topics such a grief and anxiety, which were all handle really well. Overall an okay read

This was simply adorable! I loved Callum and Lark so much! This book is a super cute grumpy/ sunshine romance set in Ireland and it's filled with deep emotion and humor.

Lark is an American cartoon creator and Callum is an Irish mortician. The two of them strike up an unlikely friendship and then end up falling in love.

I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to Penguin Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC!
I was so blown away and inspired by this book, especially considering this is the author’s debut. Both leads were beautifully fleshed out, especially the female lead, Lark. In addition, Ivy Fairbanks managed to craft a swoon-worthy male lead that is now a top-tier book boyfriend. Callum offers wonderful representation to several different communities, and even the peripheral cast of characters were crafted with genuine diversity. Although it started slow, the beautifully written characters and well-crafted plot had me hooked. I cannot recommend this book enough!

This was a 4,25/5 star read for me. I really enjoyed it and thought that it was a very sweet and cute romance. The characters were so easy to relate to and care about. I loved the plot and thought that it was well written. It was pretty predictable though and I didn't like the big misunderstanding near the end. If it weren't for those two things, I would have rated it a five star. However, I would definitely recommend this book! It's a quick palate cleanser and worth a read.

Lark and Callum were adorably opposite. I loved the charming, Dolly Parton-esque vibe Lark brought to the grumpy, mortician energy of Callum. They brought out each other’s best and it was genuinely enjoyable to read how they developed through the story, both individually and as a couple. The spice was good, vanilla and dependable. The spice didn’t seem forced or over the top, which worked well with the story.
I absolutely LOVED the Demi representation in this book. It’s the first time I’ve seen it directly acknowledged in a book and it was a genuine joy to read how Lark handled it. It was also refreshing to see Callum’s handling of it as well. It could have been mentioned once and never mentioned again, but not only was it mentioned with his activity on the DemiDate app, but within his dating behavior throughout the novel.
This was my first novel by Ivy Fairbanks and I enjoyed her writing, only selfishly wishing they had officially gotten together sooner so I could read about their happily together for longer. But that’s just an issue with me and certain RomCom tropes. Sometimes it did feel as if tropes were happening for the sake of having that trope in the novel, but it was still a fun read.

I’ll definitely keep an eye out for Fairbanks’ future works and what other Ace representation she might incorporate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ivy Fairbanks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a Texas girly with a lifelong stutter, I absolutely loved this one! Ivy Fairbanks did such a great job depicting Callum’s stutter and it made me feel so seen and like my own stutter isn’t something everyone else hates as much as I do. Particularly when he asks what if his child has a stutter, I’m also pregnant right now and that really hit home. Lark is such a wonderful character and I really enjoyed everything about her. There’s a little mouse that plays a significant (in my eyes) role in this story and I hate to use the word love again, but I really loved when she made an appearance. I can’t wait to own this book and re-read it when I need a little pick me up.

Romance tropes: widow, grumpy/sunshine, fish out of water, friends to lovers, love thy neighbor, marriage plot

While filled with romance tropes, "Morbidly Yours" manages to make these old tropes feel new. After losing her husband in a tragic car accident 18 months ago, Dolly Parton-lovin', cowboy boot wearin' Lark is ready for a change. She ups and moves to Galway for a 9 month contract animating a movie about Grace O'Malley. Unable to read Gaeilge, she assumes the quaint, ivy covered domicile next door is an inn--but it's actually a funeral home run by a very sexy, shy and dour mortician, Callum.

The beginning was a bit bumpy and definitely read like a debut novel, but it found its footing and stuck the landing in the end. Lark and Callum felt like original yet familiar characters, and their chemistry was believable. There's a lot of buildup and yearning, which I adore. The villain could have used some work, but an attempt was made to add some depth, even if the motivations behind their actions were unclear. The workplace drama was almost too real, though!

Overall a very good debut, and I'd read more by Ivy Fairbanks.

"Morbidly Yours" is a delightful blend of romance and humor, set against the unique backdrop of a funeral home in Galway, Ireland. Callum Flannelly, the charming and sweet protagonist, has to marry before his 35th birthday to inherit the family undertaking business. Enter Lark Thompson, a vivacious American cartoon creator who agrees to help him navigate the dating scene.

I loved Callum. His sincerity and subtle humor make him an endearing character. The banter and dynamic between Callum and Lark are delightful, adding a refreshing spark to the story. Their evolving friendship and growing mutual attraction are beautifully portrayed, making their journey engaging.

However, the constant "will they, won't they" dragged on a bit too long for my taste. I felt the story would have flowed more naturally if Callum and Lark had figured out their relationship sooner.

The side characters are very loveable, adding depth and warmth to the narrative. They provide a wonderful balance to the main storyline, making "Morbidly Yours" a charming read with a unique setting and memorable characters. Ivy Fairbanks has crafted a heartwarming tale that will leave readers smiling. Four stars!

I was lucky to discover Morbidly Yours as an indie title, and rereading it as an ARC has been such a joy. I loved it the first time I read it, and even more the second. Cal is one of my favorite MMCs, probably because he is a hot and awkward demisexual, and that's not something you see often in romances. His desire for love and connection are so relatable, and I just adore him. I loved the Irish slang. I think I picked up on it more with the second read since I've watched Derry Girls lol. Also, all of the mortuary and grim reaper puns are hilarious. I think you will love Morbidly Yours if you enjoy emotional romcoms as this book does deal with grief in many forms.
I'll be posting my review to Amazon and Instagram after the release. Can't wait to share more about this book, and thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of Morbidly Yours.