Lark Thompson has left Texas behind to start over in Galway, Ireland, following the death of her husband. She’s got a temporary work visa, after being hired to manage the visual production of a new animated film based on the life of Grace O’Malley, the Irish pirate queen.

Lark’s rental home turns out to be next to the local funeral home, managed by Callum Flannelly. Callum recently lost his grandfather, after the earlier death of his grandmother. These losses were particularly devastating for Callum because he was raised by his grandparents once his parents abandoned him; and his grandfather’s will requires that Callum marry by his 35th birthday to be able to retain the funeral home that has been in his family for generations and to which he has dedicated his life. Unfortunately, Callum’s quiet, introverted style and his unusual profession has made dating a challenge for him, and with his 35th birthday rapidly approaching he is getting more and more stressed about finding a wife.

In contrast, Lark is more extroverted and outwardly upbeat. After her husband’s death, Lark is uninterested in getting romantically involved, especially with a firm end date to her Galway project. She makes it her goal to help Callum find the “right one” before his deadline.

#MorbidlyYours benefits from the interesting and unique backstories of its lead characters and their appealing personalities as they interact as neighbors, friends and lovers. It’s touching to watch Callum and Lark try to help each other as they struggle with their individual challenges . He stutters, is shy and tends to withdraw in groups while she avoids direct confrontation with her family and at work and has avoided fully dealing with the emotional repercussions of her husband’s death. This is a good story and solid debut, but one negative aspect is how many unnecessary and descriptive details were included about how Callum prepared the bodies at the funeral home. Several scenes went into more specifics than I ever needed – or wanted -- to know about what a mortician does.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Penguin Group of @PutnamBooks for the ARC.

This book had such a unique plot and characters. I loved the Irish setting and the glimpses of the Irish countryside, language, and food that we got throughout. I enjoyed seeing aspects of Lark and Callum's work, especially the animation aspects and Lark's issues with co-workers.
The spice was a little too much for my tastes, but the story itself was good!

First, how can you pass up a title called Moribly Yours?!
I love it!

A chatty blonde widow from Texas on a work Visa moves in next door to an Irish undertaker who needs to marry by his 35th birthday to keep his business … I mean what could be more perfect?!

This lovely friends to lovers trope has witty banter, funny nicknames and a slow burn that will make you squirm and, at times, want to shout at them! Despite your romantic frustration, the story is fantastic and the characters are very lovable. I think that author handled Callum’s stutter with care and Lark’s guilted grief with sincerity. This appears to be book 1 in a series and I’m excited to read the next one. A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam Group for allowing me early access to this ebook. Snag a copy of your own this summer on August 20th, 2024!

A slowish start but I enjoyed this a lot! I loved Callum and Lark's dynamic. Every introvert needs and extrovert to adopt them and that's exactly what Lark did to Cal. As the story progressed, I could truly feel every bit of their relationship. I laughed when they laughed. I cried when they cried. I blushed when they...you get it🤭

I saw myself a lot in both characters. While they were on opposite ends of the social spectrum, they related in many ways, even if it stemmed from different reasons. What I especially loved was how they each helped the other do that thing they were initially terrified off. They grew on their own which made what they grew together all the more special.

Some things to expect:
- opposites attract
- death of loved one(s) (referenced; off page)
- touches on grief
- explores the asexual/aromantic spectrum
- subtle, dry humor
- relatability (this hit a little too close to home)
- pain (in a good way)

This was an all-around cute, entertaining read and I definitely recommend it! I love the cute Irish town and I'm especially excited for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this book so much! I’m fairly certain this author could put out whatever she wanted and I would snatch it up. There was some solid representation in this book as the MMC had a stutter and is demisexual and the FMC is a widow. Really unique characters and I appreciated that from this book. Fun, heartfelt, quirky. Loved it!

Morbidly Yours was sweet and spicy. The friends to lovers/slow burn of this one really worked for me. I can't wait to see what Ivy Fairbanks writes next!

Finished this one a couple weeks ago and I still adore every second of it. Such a good book. At times, the details of the mortuary gave me the ick in the best way possible (I don't know how that's possible, but apparently it is - if those details were left out, it just wouldn't feel as tangible and would take away from the setting). Easy five star read, and I could absolutely see me reread this as a comfort read. It checked ALL the boxes: funny, sad, weird, happy, silly, awkward, perfect.

I received a uncorrected proof from Netgalley. Morbidly Yours is a fun and spicy romance while tackling serious subjects like death and demisexuality with empathy and grace. Both Lark and Callum are multi layered well rounded characters with flaws that make the reader invested in their story. The novel's setting in Galway, Ireland adds an additional layer of interest for the reader although sometimes I wished for more descriptions of the Irish landscape. Although I appreciated the author including Gaelic or Gaeilge phrases along with a pronunciation guide, I found all of the language a bit distracting from the story. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read!

This is an absolutely fun and beautiful story, full of tropes including he falls first, friends with benefits, and grumpy x sunshine. Callum and Lark were so cute and healthy for each other; they fit perfectly. The only reason this was not a five-star read for me, is because of the third-act conflict. I did not like how it was handled; it felt very one-sided and unnecessary.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and Ivy Fairbanks for an eARC copy of Morbidly Yours via NetGalley.

I originally had a copy of Morbidly Yours hanging out on my Kindle from Kindle Unlimited, but I hadn't had the chance to prioritize it though I wanted to read it, so when I saw the copy was available on NetGalley I knew I had to request it. This is such an interesting concept and take on the grumpy/sunshine trope. I also was very intrigued by the MMC identifying as a demisexual male, which isn't something that is often discussed. I am so glad I was able to obtain this copy as I really enjoyed the book.

The professional struggles Lark faced after the death of her husband and relocating to try and get a fresh start was a great subplot to show that Lark, though a bubbly woman who was often dismissed as silly, was a badass hard-working woman who worked hard and earned every bit of recognition she received for her projects. This was a very uplifting message as a woman, especially seeing her in a field that women are often overlooked in. Personally, her eagerness to help Callum, a virtual stranger, come out of his shell and find love showed how kind of a human she was and made her such a likable main female character.

I love how Callum was planning on settling for a marriage of convenience in order to be able to keep his family's legacy afloat, but that love found him and pulled him out of the monotony he was finding himself settling in. Also, the fact that he was such a loverboy floating around behind Lark, falling deeper and deeper until his feelings stirred a physical desire he hadn't before felt was SUCH a swoony concept. Important to note: don't take his status as demisexual to mean he wasn't sexual at all - this man became absolutely feral once he had feelings for Lark. I was BLUSHING at their intimate interactions. The scene when they were exploring the historical ruins...... dang.

The pacing of the book was greatly improved by jumping back and forth between the two perspectives of the Callum and Lark. I become an absolute puddle when I am able to read the males perspective, so this opinion may be biased, but I really did enjoy that aspect of reading the book.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in romance. It was such a cool concept, the characters love was genuine and pure, and their friendships with each other and others were also really enjoyable to read as well.

In Ivy Fairbank's debut novel, Grumpy Meets Sunshine gets a new take with an undertaker and a cartoonist set in Ireland. Callum and Lark make for an entertaining friends-to-lovers story where they learn to deal with their differences and help each other grow.

Overall this is a great read for those dealing with grief, or if you just want a new take on the traditional rom-com. The only reason I didn't give five stars is because of the sheer number of tropes and ideas written in this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Ivy Fairbanks for this ARC all opinions are my own!

Solid 4/5! This was a really good debut. Thanks so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the DRC!

Usually I despise the separation arc but I felt like these characters really needed it to end up happy together. I loved their journey from friends to lovers and was proud of them both growing together and because of one another, but also outside of their relationship. I was also so happy that Lark found family abroad and was able to settle in nicely. I really adored Callum as the MMC and was ready to fight Lark if she didn't get it together by the end of the book. But Sean, oh Sean. I'd like to have a word with him in a dark alley.

In just a few hundred pages, Ivy Fairbanks managed to weave a lovely story touching on grief, building confidence, finding your voice, and moving on. I'm so excited that this is getting traditionally published and it's an immediate rec to friends.

Also, are we possibly getting another book or novella in this world now that Lo is moving to the area?? (Pls say yes!)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

I absolutely adored this (seemingly) quirky romance! Yes, it was a unique pairing about a Texas artist and an Irish undertaker, but it also beautifully covered grief from losing a loved one, pansexuality, and difficult familial relationships.

Lark accidentally opens Callum’s package for body bags and their friendship blossoms from there. Their passion for each other shines through their friends-with-benefits arrangement from the very beginning. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun debut! Loved the characters, the storyline, the love story- all of it! Highly recommend for fans of the genre.

This was such a pleasant surprise, I picked this one up solely based on the cover and it did not disappoint. It was so far beyond just a sweet romance that takes place in rainy Ireland between a mortician and a cartoon animator.

It was the sweetest friends-to-lovers story I’ve had the opportunity to read in a while. Being able to see the friendship between Lark and Callum was so freaking endearing! The way they just casually involved the other in their life and then tried to play off - such a silly goose the pair of them!

This was truly a gem of a read and I cannot wait until I have a physical copy in my hands! Everyone needs to read this one when it comes out! 🫶🏼

I have a strange fascination with romance novels that have morticians as MCs. Callum has to find a wife or he can’t inherit. Callum has a stutter that the author writes very well

Vacationing Lark is a widow staying next door who doesn’t want to find love again but agrees to help Callum find a wife.
Ofcourse love is right in front of them and finding love again after loss is one of my favorite tropes.

There’s a slow burn.
Grumpy/Sunshine
No MOC though….

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC copy of Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks.

"Morbidly Yours" by Ivy Fairbanks is a charming and heartwarming romantic comedy that skillfully balances humor, poignancy, and a touch of the macabre. Set in the picturesque town of Galway, Ireland, this novel explores the unexpected ways in which love can bloom in the most unlikely of places.

Callum Flannelly, the introverted heir to a family-owned funeral home, faces a daunting ultimatum: to inherit the family business, he must marry before his 35th birthday. For a man more comfortable among the dead than the living, this proves to be a formidable challenge. Enter Lark Thompson, a spirited Texan animator seeking a fresh start far from her painful past. The last thing she wants is a reminder of loss, yet she finds herself living next door to a funeral home.

When Lark learns of Callum's predicament, her natural vivacity and empathy drive her to help him navigate the treacherous waters of the dating scene. What begins as a mission to find Callum a suitable match quickly evolves into something more profound as their friendship deepens and their mutual attraction becomes undeniable.

I cannot really lie when I say that it took me forever to finish this book, even when it was so well written and moved pretty quickly. I love the organic way that Lark and Callum come together, it doesn't seem forced and plus you're rooting for them the entire time. But their individual journey's are also a welcome, as they are both in the process of growing and mourning situations in their life on their own. It gave them and the story growth and a rounded out feeling that you don't always get with rom coms. It also goes into grief and how different for each person it effects. Which is also a nice little aspect.

This was a really sweet and emotional book with a heartfelt exploration of love after grief. This take on the “need to be married for an inheritance” was unique. I also really enjoyed the morbid humor and demi-sexual rep. Not usually a friends to lovers fan but this was so cute!

Any book that quotes Hayao Miyazaki has my heart.

𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

🖤Morbidly Yours : Ivy Fairbanks 🖤

Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Publisher: Penguin Group - Putnam Books
Publication Date: August 19, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book begins with one of the main characters, Lark Thompson, moving from Texas to Ireland to take an animator’s job. Two years ago her husband passed away after a tragic car accident, and she couldn’t stop blaming herself so she decided it was time to get away.

When Lark arrives in Ireland, she moves into an apartment that she assumed was next to a B&B. She receives a package that isn’t hers and accidentally opens it. In it she finds body bags. She walks to her neighbors house to give them their package, and meets her neighbor Callum Flannelly. This is when she discovers he is a mortician, and she lives next door to a funeral parlor.

Callum Flannelly is the owner and operator of the funeral parlor. Well, he is currently. His grandfather’s will states that in order to inherit it he must be married by the age of 35. He would rather spend the rest of his life indoors than go out on dates. He is very shy due to his stutter. Lark overlooks it and seems to bring out the best in him. She helps him make a plan to go on dates and find a wife. Little does she know, it is her that will fall in love with him.

If you like a quirky romance then this is the one for you! I was pleasantly surprised at the way Ivy Fairbanks incorporated death and dying into this book, and turned it into a beautiful love story.

Thank you Putnam Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

#MorbidlyYours #PutnamBooks #IvyFairbanks #Romance #MorticianInLove

I really enjoyed Morbidly Yours! I really appreciated Lark and Callum’s journey both individually and together. I particularly liked that grief and healing so important to the story and was handled with a lot of care but still realistic. Sometimes I did feel that the plot meandered slightly in terms of pacing and progression. The character development, romance, and inclusion of the Irish language were the shining qualities of Morbidly Yours. Overall, Morbidly Yours was a really good read showcasing an intertwining of friendship, love, and grief. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the chance to read this novel!