A delightful romance that's equal parts cute and emotional. The grief experienced by both MCs was beautifully handled and I loved the friends to lovers story. And the spice! 🤌 I can't wait for the next book in the series and hope it provides glimpses of these two after the epilogue we were given.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK/ Transworld Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

*I’d like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK and Ivy Fairbanks for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Morbidly Yours” is Ivy Fairbank’s debut on the stage of contemporary romance novels, and marks the beginning of her continuing series “Love in Galway”.

The book tells the story of Lark and Callum, an unlikely couple that perfectly compliments each other. Lark, an American cartoon artist, seeks refuge from grief and guilt when she moves to Galway. Far away from her husband’s death and fallout with her best friend, she wants to begin again. Yet, when she arrives at her flat, it is quickly revealed through a wrong delivery that while she was running away from mortality, she now lived right next to a funeral home. Luckily though, the owner Callum, an eccentric yet lovable man in his thirties, quickly becomes her first ‘mate’ in Galway. Callum, who prefers death to the living, has struggles of his own. When his grandfather passed, the funeral home would go to the next living relative, his estranged father who unfortunately plans to sell the family business. The only way for Callum to save the funeral home is to marry, as his grandfather’s will dictates. Unfortunately though, he is a hopeless case when it comes to flirting and dating. And on top of that he slowly falls for his new neighbour Lark who had sworn of dating and romance.

“Morbidly Yours” starts off very strong with a very compelling introduction of the both main characters. We learn much about their personalities within the first couple of chapters. While the book is very funny with many clever jokes, the underlying themes clearly linger within the humorous interactions. The major themes of “Morbidly Yours” are Lark’s struggle with grief, guilt and her tendency to flee instead of facing her problems, as well as Callum’s struggles with rigidity, a stutter and dating as a demisexual man. And though I really enjoyed how Lark’s themes were handled for most of the book, I felt the last third did truly convince me in the way it showed Lark’s almost miraculous recovery from grief and fear of commitment. Her character growth felt very sudden and I would have preferred if the author would have woven it nicer into the ongoing romance with Callum. Callum on the other hand had a much smoother character growth, though I wish the author would have done a little more with his character. I did appreciate the discussion of Callum’s experience with demisexuality, however I felt as someone who can relate to the ace experience that the portrayal could have been handled better. The introduction of demisexuality felt unnatural and almost like read from a definition instead of nicely integrated into conversation and shown with Callum’s thoughts and feelings. To the end, Callum had very little ongoing character growth and his story was more focussed on saving his business which was alright. Though, it felt a little dishonest that he was looking for a wife for months, when he could have married his secretary right away instead of trying to find someone willing to marry him in mere six months. Or the author could have turned the romance from friends-to-marriage-of-convenience-to-lovers rather than going messy with the conflict towards the end.

The plotlines were at points a little overwhelming as much was added to the story going forward. And some conflicts such as the one between Lark and her best friend were only resolved in the epilogue, though they were handled as important in the main part of the book. And again, because Callum’s conflict with the funeral home was quite lazily handled in the end, it took a lot from the intensity of his problem. I wish this could have done better. However, I liked how Lark’s workplace conflict was handled, as well as her coming to peace with mortality through her friendship with an elderly woman. The ending was not as satisfying as I had hoped for the reason already mentioned. But also for Lark’s lack of commitment that lasted pretty much till the end. Like there was just something missing that gave me the feeling of a true HEA, instead of somehow happy, maybe happier some time after the ending.

Overall though, the characters were crafted very well, and convincing in their strengths and flaws. They were definitely the strength of this novel besides its clever dialogue. Especially Callum was a very entertaining personality to read and be in his head. I liked that the author picked a type of man that is not often portrayed in romance. He is introverted and eccentric, but also very kind and romantic. I really enjoyed getting to know him, and could very much identify with him.

Another thing I loved was the setting and atmosphere of the book. Rainy Galway and its surrounding landmarks were described beautifully, and I almost booked a flight to see it myself. The atmosphere felt very cosy yet grey and rainy which I personally very much enjoy.

Considering this novel is Fairbank’s debut, I’ll rate it as such. A first novel will not always be the crown of someone’s craft, but the beginning. For a debut, it is definitely convincing with its characters, dialogue and setting. Moving forward, I can see Fairbanks becoming a very beloved author in the genre. She shows much talent for creating entertaining stories with much heart and soul. And I for sure will not forget about Callum and Lark’s romance anytime soon.

I tried to read this but I wasn't a huge fan. It didn't grip me quick enough to keep me wanting to finish the book. Maybe I will go back to it another time.

This book was such a wonderful surprise for me. I’d wanted to read it back when it was an indie so I was so happy I got approved for an arc! Thank you so much to penguin for the opportunity to read it.
The setup of the entire book really intrigued me and I couldn’t wait to see how it was going to play out but I wasn’t expecting it to be so full of emotional depth. It’s one of the most beautiful romances I have ever had the pleasure of reading and Ivy’s writing really pulls you into to Callum and Lark’s work immediately. The characters are written with such sensitivity and complexity it really shows how much she loves her own characters.
Callum is probably one of my top MMC’s of all time. I became so obsessed so fast.
The friendship the two MC’s begin is so sweet and even though the slow burn made me want to SCREAM it was soooo worth it in the end. The Irish was spectacular I gave to say.
Overall this is a really really special book and I’ll be recommending it to EVERYONE.

this was such a cute book! i loooooved Callum, what a sweetie!
the theme of grief was so well executed, and the setting was great.
the characters felt very well thought out and i really enjoyed the plot, however i just felt i couldn’t feel their romantic or sexual chemistry that much.
loved their friendship and the individual storylines but struggled to connect with them as a couple!
really enjoyed the book anyway!

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy.

I didn't think I needed a book where the MMC dirty talks in Irish until I read this book... Oh my.

Morbidly Yours is SO cute. It follows Callum, a funeral home owner, and Lark, an animator. Lark moves from the US to next door to Callum's funeral home in Galway, and the pair quickly become friends. Add some tension and LOTS of longing, oh, and the fact Callum has to get married to keep the funeral home, this book was such a romp. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Okay, I have mixed feelings about this book. It was really cute and I actually loved the characters a lot, especially the male mc. The location and the jobs the characters had were unique and I found that really appealing. The friendship these two characters form is really heartwarming, it’s funny and cute and ugh so sweet it hurts.

I think somewhere along the way the chemistry sort of fizzled out and before anything had even happened… I ended up dnf’ing at like 57% because I felt like i’d read sooo much but nothing had happened that I couldn’t bring myself to ready another 40.

So again… mixed opinions and I think this might be the type of book I pick up again in a few weeks.

3.75 stars
I have taken lots of time to rate this book because I really found rating this book hard as I quite enjoyed the start but then the middle and end began to slow down and become repetitive.
However, my rating has stayed relatively high as I REALLY enjoyed the characters and their depth.
The female main character is struggling with grief and internal issues to do with her past. This was an emotional plot structure that brought me to tears at points.
The male main character has struggled with social anxiety and his sexuality. I enjoyed this as it was eye opening and relatable.
The way they progressed from friends to lovers was natural in the beginning and their chemistry was amazing.
Overall, I am excited for another book by this author in the same universe and I hope for the next one the structure is a bit more uniform and ordered.

A sweet and spicy romance between an Irish demisexual undertaker and a Texan widow. Personally, I struggled with the beginning of this. I didn't care for the sub-plot with the scheming co-worker at all, and the first 25% felt choppy and the development of the characters and relationship felt rushed. I was struggling to care. From there, though, the story seemed to settle in and hit its stride, and by 50%, I was invested and having some fun! I liked Lark and Callum, the tender, passionate moments between them, and particularly how Callum came out of his shell! Cosy and easy, I would recommend this to someone looking for a lighter romance read.

this was the perfect romance with just the right amounts of sweetness and spiciness.

i was giggling and kicking my feet throughout - callum was such an incredible character. i also loved lark and could really see myself in her. both of them felt so real and their connection felt very genuine and believable.

i also really loved how grief was dealt with throughout the book, it was so refreshing to see it handled so well.

i have already preordered this on amazon and cannot wait to have it on my shelf.

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

3.5 STARS

This was a pretty sweet, spicy read, and would make the perfect palette cleanser for a more challenging or 'meatier' book.

Once I got into the story, it was a really easy read. But I did struggle to get into the story at first. The writing threw me off a little, and I can't quite put my finger on why. There were a few phrases, mainly in the spicy scenes, that really made me cringe, but it was easy to just pretend they never happened!

The plot was very sweet, and I enjoyed that the author tackled some heavier subjects alongside the lightness of the romance, it really balanced the story.

Overall, a decent fluffy romance perfect if you're looking for something short and sweet.

I loved this story. It was so sweet and spicy! It made me giggle and smile so much. I think this is such a fun Haloweeny read!

This was a really good one!
A slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance with a very different setting

Morbidly Yours centres around Lark — an American animator who has just moved to Galway, Ireland for a new job, running away from her previous life after her husband died — and Callum — her neighbour and an undertaker who's in charge of his family's funeral home. They are very much opposites, but both benefit from learning from each other; Lark is very outgoing but doesn't deal well with mortality, while Cal is quite introverted (and his job doesn't help matters), but very experienced when it comes to dealing with grief. They strike up an unlikely friendship, which eventually develops into feelings neither of them is prepared for.

This was quite a different setting, which I loved! Both characters felt very believable and human, dealing with feelings like grief and guilt. The connection they forged with each other felt very genuine. I loved the representation of demisexuality with Callum and the slow-burn romance between the main characters. Plus, I really liked learning more about animation through Lark.

Thank you very much Penguin UK/ Transworld Publishers for the e-ARC!

Firstly, how cute is this cover?!?!
Secondly, THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!

Lark and Callum are adorable together, the banter the storyline, just amazing!! It was such a cute read and I was giggling the whole time!

Here are some of my favourite quotes🩷

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

“Lark was a counterbalance to the somber mood of Willow Haven. I craved her light like a houseplant languishing in a dark corner.”

“I considered jumping into the mortuary cooler to hide, but it would be riskier to leave Lark unattended”

I am truly grateful to NetGalley and the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review. After experiencing the captivating story and well-developed characters, I am already planning to pre-order it on Amazon. The character development, particularly with Callum, was a standout aspect for me. The dual point-of-view narration was a personal favourite, adding depth to the story. In short, I found nothing negative to critique about this book. The plot and characters resonated with me, and I was particularly drawn to the Irish elements incorporated, from the accents to the language and humorous phrases. Witnessing the evolution of Lark and Callum's relationship from friendship to love was a highlight of the book for me.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy. I enjoyed this quirky romance and the unique setting. I liked both the characters, the direction of the plot and the romance. It was very fun and emotional and one I would recommend

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. It was very different to other romance settings and I liked how Callum's work was humanised through this story. That to me was very impressive. I did however struggle to connect with the relationship and unfortunately it did feature a trope that I just feel is so overdone. This didn't take away from the book itself, I think if you are a fan of the marriage of convenience trope you would definitely enjoy this book but for me personally, it made it harder to enjoy the storyline. I would still suggest giving this book a go - if you are a romance lover and are looking for something a little different then there is definitely a story here for you to enjoy.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

In this (morbid) romcom set in Ireland, we meet Lark and Callum. Lark is a peppy Texan animator who has moved to Ireland for a job opportunity (she is running away) two years after her husband dies. She moves in opposite a funeral home run by Callum, an introverted, kind soul, who has to marry in the next 8 months so he doesn’t loose his family’s legacy to his biological father. The two balance each other out and become close friends. Callum teaches Lark about Ireland and Lark coaxes Callum out of his shell.

I really enjoyed the setting of the book. Undertaker probably isn’t the occupation you usually picture when thinking of the main characters in a romance, but it works really well, especially with Lark having experienced grief of her own. There is something very reassuring in reading about someone who has made it his life’s purpose to ensure that the last wishes of a person are taken care of and that loved ones can grieve. Lark clearly ends up finding comfort in this too. The book is a great take on the opposites attract trope and it is well executed. I love the Irish setting and incorporation of the language and a bit of history. It’s always nice to read something not set in the US or London.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Quirky and funny with some lovely emotional flowing through the book. This was a great read with weight given to loss, as widowed Lark, battles work, widowhood and possibly awakening to new love. The work battles are suitably acid and worked through in style. The romance is unusual and that makes it all the sweeter to read. Well worth spending time enjoying this book.

This book was so cute! A very cozy read for sure; the writing style was easy to read and the slow burn made sense with the MMC’s demisexuality. However, I think I might just not be a fan of friends to lovers and so it felt slightly dull at times. But overall an enjoyable read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Uk for the arc in exchange for an honest review!