This was a really sweet story about these two finding each other and overcoming their own personal hesitations against relationships. While the beginning w/ Callum has a bit of a gristly detail with being a mortician, afterwards it's pretty much just background information (for those that can't do the ick).

I liked how quirky they were and the fun they had together. There were some bits of the story that didn't feel like they served the story overall to me but I still am glad I read this.

Read this if Shopaholic/Sophie Kinsella is your vibe of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was exactly what I needed, I loved this read, an amazing debut with a lot of charm, sweet moments and lovely characters that I ended up really enjoying.
This is a slow burn, friends to lovers, with a demisexual mmc, it was cozy, it was sweet, and I just have nothing but good things to say about it.
There are some pacing issues throughout the book where things can get a bit slow, and suddenly we're going 0-1000, but for a debut novel I really didn't mind and just sat back and enjoyed learning more about these two characters and watching them fall in love.
Really excited to see what else this author writes!

This book was so cute! I fall in love with the main characters. They were so cute together and the banter was so good! The story was so well written!

4.25 stars

I had no idea what to expect with this book but I was so completely hooked from the beginning. I honestly did not think that I would enjoy this book the way I did. The background of the characters gave their choices and emotions so much depth and they felt like fully realized characters. Sometimes with romance books, characters can lean towards totally unrealistic but both Callum and Lark made choices that were of sound mind.

Lark was such a fun, vibrant, and complex main character. I enjoyed her charm and light, which was such a stark contrast to the inner battle she was facing. Callum was a treat. I literally am blushing just writing this review and thinking about him. I mean, he checks all boxes for me personally, especially in the last 1/4 of the book (iykyk). He is truly a man written by a woman. Their banter and connection was everything - some of their jokes had me actually laughing out loud. It is a very slow burn but the payoff was so worth it. Also, more spicy than I could have imagined...

There were two main things that brought my rating of the book down. The first was the way the main issue in the book resolved... it felt rapidly tied together. I don't think that it was a sufficient fix and wasn't very well explained. The second would be a major spoiler but I would have liked an epilogue of further out and that's all I can really say.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this arc. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P Putnam for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was slow burning. Lark and Callum had amazing chemistry, but with the slow-burn we really didn’t get to see a whole lot of it. The novel ended soon after they had made it official, and I just wish we’d seen more of them, because they are amazing together. Callum is such a sweet thing, super protective, all around fantastic. The other characters were great as well, except for Sean, who got what he deserved. Overall, the book is great, fantastic plot, characters, and character development, but as I said before I just wish we’d seen more of Lark and Callum together, so for that, I’ll be giving it a 4 out of 5. On a side note, not seeing a whole lot of them together, leaves it open for a possible sequel for them. That would be sweet.

Ok I LOVED this book. A curious concept with a widow needing to escape her current mundane life leaves for Ireland for a job and moves in next to a curiously reclusive undertaker. It was such a joy to watch these two become friends and naturally become more.

With the two main characters having a lot of heart it was easy to love, I wanted them to be together so badly it felt like a slow burn but it was not in fact and… the smut did not disappoint! Perfectly enough for me.

This book also had side characters you couldn’t help but love and add in a villain you wanted to punch yourself, I couldn’t want to get to the end.

I have a feeling there will be a next in the series and I’ll be first in line to read it!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I've already read this book, but I extend my gratitude to NetGalley for granting me the chance to revisit it.

"Morbidly Yours" presents a poignant tale of a grieving mortician and an animator finding solace in each other's company and eventually falling in love. Two years after her husband's passing, Lark seeks a fresh start in Ireland, eager to leave behind the specter of death and grief. However, fate has other plans as her new neighbor, Callum, happens to be a mortician. Callum's late grandfather stipulated that he must marry by his 35th birthday to inherit the family mortuary. As Callum and Lark forge a fast friendship, Lark takes it upon herself to help Callum find a spouse, unaware that she's gradually falling for him.

This narrative is a delightful and moving journey, replete with familiar tropes such as one-sided affection, friends-with-benefits, and the dynamic between a grumpy individual and a sunny disposition. Callum and Lark's relationship is depicted as both endearing and mutually beneficial; they complement each other seamlessly. Callum, in particular, earns a spot on my roster of literary crushes; his reserved nature coupled with moments of unabashed affection was utterly enchanting! Although grief looms large in this tale, it's handled with grace, offering varied perspectives without becoming overly burdensome. My only qualm with the story lies in its third-act conflict, which felt somewhat contrived and unbalanced, detracting from an otherwise stellar narrative.

I truly enjoyed this book! This book was emotional, yet uplifting. I loved the characters in this book and their background stories! I did fall in love with quirky Callum and enthusiastic Lark. I loved seeing how their relationship evolved and how they initially became friends (hilarious!). I’ve actually never read anything with a character who is asexual, so that was really interesting to me! Especially about how they can experience a building of a relationship to something deeper. I am also a sucker for anything Ireland related!
I also appreciated the glossier of Irish terms. I liked being able to pronounce the sayings correctly.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and Ivy Fairbanks for the ARC read!

Sunshine/grump with a side of marriage of convenience that doesn't quite get pulled off. (Look, I love a marriage of convenience, and when there's a perfect MOC setup but they don't get married?!? I don't love it.) But also, the sunshine is a widow who left her home in Texas to move to Galway where she meets the grumpy, a socially anxious demisexual with a stutter and a funeral home.

While I ended up a little disappointed in the MOC-that-was-not-to-be plot, the characters were complex and fun. I suspect that if you love contemporary romance, this will work even better for you.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Morbidly Yours is a TikTok sensation being republished by Putnam Books; so while this isn’t exactly a new book, I just wanted to preface that in case there were any distinct edits from this version and the independent publication.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. An Irish undertaker is right up my alley, and Callum was an interesting character, but Lark was a little annoying to me. Her introduction to Callum felt downright rude, and I found myself wanting Callum’s POV more than hers. Their romance was just okay, nothing huge but definitely not dry.

Another complaint I have is with the “antagonist” of this novel, the asshole animator at Lark’s job. I get his role in the story but a lot of his actions and dialogue felt unrealistic. I also found Maeve to be an interesting character, but she fell victim to the classic mentor ending, which I found to be too cliche.

The prose and dialogue in thai book was lovely:

“‘But all we can control is how we choose to move through life. With honesty. With Bravery. With Love…’”

And on top of that, the banter between the love interests was pretty entertaining, and— I’m not one to usually say this– the spice was spicing. Well-written, passionate, and they never felt too long or out of place.

Finally, I think this book handles grief well. Lark’s behavior and beliefs, being a widow, were handled well. Her not immediately marrying Callum out of respect for Reese for example was nice, as I was afraid they’d just rush into the marriage of convenience trope.

Overall, a solid read. Not anything I’d swoon over but definitely has some great moments.

Morbidly Yours is a delightful slow burn romance that proves love can blossom in the most unexpected places—like the morgue! Callum and Lark's story is a refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope, with Cal's endearing awkwardness and Lark's sunshine personality.

The perfect blend of spice and sweetness, this book has likable characters and fun adventures through the Irish countryside. Lark's relatable journey through grief adds depth to the story, showing that healing and love can coexist. And let's not forget Cal, the cinnamon roll MMC who steals hearts with his stutter and Irish charm.

From quirky adventures to steamy moments (complete with Irish pillow talk), Morbidly Yours is a must-read for fans of forced proximity and slow-burn romance. So dig in and get ready for a love in the morgue!

I first came across this book on Tiktok through another author whom I love, and was immediately drawn in by the cover. I'm a sucker for a cartoon cover, but one in a cemetery with clear grumpy/sunshine color palette vibes? Sold. This was a sweet, emotional story about finding love after loss and how pervasive grief can be. It is a true friends to lovers slow burn with excellent demi and grief rep. At first, Lark comes across as very manic pixie dream girl and I wasn't a fan, but several chapters in the author really settles in and we see the character blossom. Callum, in my opinion, was perfection from the start. I am so excited to see what Ivy Fairbanks does moving forward and I am keeping my fingers crossed for Saoirse's story.

Callum can inly take over his family's undertaking business if he is married by the age of 35 therefor he must do something he absolutely dreads....dating. Lark Thompson has lost her husband and is now on a trip to embrace life. when Lark finds about Callum's predicament she is determined to help him find "the one". As their friendship grows so does their mutual attraction. Lark begins to dread Callum finding a match and Callum begins to dread Lark returning home. Will they be able to ignore the attraction and remain friends or will it grow into something more?

This is a true slow-burn with high tension. the relationship is build on more then just an instant attraction as Lark and Callum learn to lean on each other for support. the relationship is extremely healthy and makes for a good cozy read. I also love the tropes he falls first and grumpy x sunshine which he has both of. Grief is portrayed throughout this book but never gets too heavy.

This was cute and had some swoon-worthy quotes. But it didn’t capture my attention until about halfway through.

4.5⭐️ This was on my TBR when it was independently published and my biggest regret is putting it off. It’s such a beautiful and unique story that was an easy day-binge for me. It had me giggling and angry, warm-hearted and sad.

The FMC, Lark, a Texas-born ray of sunshine, moved to Ireland after becoming a widow and stepping away from her job. The MMC, Callum, an introverted, dry-humored mortician that struggled with confidence, emotion and connection, became her new neighbor. Instantly these two were headed down the road of friendship—Lark and her bold personality challenged Callum—and Callum balanced her out by teaching her the beauties of grief.

Their relationship was a friends to lovers, slow burn style and it was filled with jokes and tension. Their love was organic and their story, though frustrating at times, was beautiful.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the third-act “breakup”/conflict. I just dislike those, but it also made the FMC address some of her internal conflicts, so I guess I’ll let it slide.

This was a really sweet, slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance that was fun to read. The MMC is a mortician and the FMC is escaping to Ireland after the death of a spouse, so it does touch on some dark topics, but I thought it was well done and didn't feel too heavy to read. The dual POV was actually enjoyable. 4/5 steaminess and the smut scenes did not make me cringe. You never know what you're going to get with a romance, and I was pleasantly surprised by "Morbidly Yours".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a honest review.

I loved this book. Kept me engaged the whole time. I found myself wanting to read more and more and not want to put it down. If you are looking for a quick entertaining read, give it a shot.

This was a fun read from a debut author. Callum and Lark’s story got off to a slow and somewhat silly start, but the story was a fun slow-burn. I appreciated the author’s care in portraying social anxiety, grief, and disordered speech. I’d love to read more from Ivy Fairbanks!

One of my favorite romance reads of 2023 is back with a traditional publisher and it is just as lovely as ever. Is it weird that the only way I can think of describing a romance between a grieving widow and an undertaker is that it's completely lovely? Oh well, this book is completely lovely.

Lark is a bubbly Texas tumbleweed who fled the country just two years after the death of her husband, Reese, in a car accident. Unpacking in Ireland, where she's landed a job as an animator, she's surprised to open a box containing five body bags and labeled to go to the B&B next door. When she drops the package off, she's chagrined to find that it's not a B&B she's moved in next to, but a funeral home. A funeral home headed up by a tall, dark, and handsome undertaker. What a meet cute!!!

That undertaker is Callum, who's battling his own grief after the death of his beloved granddad. That grief is tempered by uncertainty, as his will indicates that the only way that Callum can inherit is if he marries. For an introverted demisexual with no prospects at hand, it seems like an insurmountable challenge.

This is a friends-with-benefits, opposites attract, contemporary romance with a lot of heart and just enough bittersweet moments to play with your emotions. When I say it is lovely, I really mean it, and it's an impressive debut by Fairbanks. The new version brings a bit more spice, as well as more of Callum's POV at the conclusion (though the ARC didn't have the original extended epilogue).

* Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for picking up one of my favorites and for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

Lark is a cute and bubbly animator dealing with life altering grief. Originally from Texas, she lands a job in Ireland after the loss of her spouse. It is after the move that she becomes friends with Callum who happens to be a mortician and quite the grumpy introvert. Callum is in a unique predicament as the terms to saving his family's funeral home are strange requiring him to be married by the age of 35. Lark becomes Callums unofficial wing man (or woman) as she has vowed never to remarry after losing her lover. This becomes more of a challenge than expected as Callum's birthday is quickly approaching and all of his dates are a bust. What happens next... well you will have to read to find out.

This was a cute one, a little different than my normal reads.. but still enjoyable. I am truly drawn to books with good characters. The male and female main characters were so relatable and fun. Both going through their own struggles in life just making them that much more relatable. I loved the realistic and quirky overall feel of this story. The Irish setting was a fun added touch. I did find the overall progress of this book to be a bit slow at times but overall rather enjoyable. The overall storyline was cute and lighthearted with a touch of drama, romance, grief to keep you intrigued.