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shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
cattheteawitchfairy's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Cute concept and it was a fun read although frustrating at points because it was predictable and seemed to be longer than it needed to be. Still a pretty good read though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Gaslighting
whackettreading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual harassment
gondorgirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness
meganemarshall's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was so great! Morbidly Yours had me kicking my feet and laughing out loud. The death humor in this speaks to me as a 30-something millennial.
34 year old Callum is a mortician who needs to marry before his 35th birthday to keep his family business. 29 year old Lark is an animator who moves to Galway after the death of her husband. She is Barbie and he is Dracula. It is a grumpy/sunshine trope that worked so well. " We work together. I give you a soft, stable place to recharge. You energize and embolden me."
This has:
- Friends to benefits to lovers
- Asexual representation
- A speech impediment treated with dignity and respect.
- Neighbors / force proximity
- Slow burn
- Tension and longing
- Second half spice (about five scenes)
- MMC dirty talking in Irish
- 3rd act breakup
- Trigger warnings - death of loved one (spouse and grandparent) This are majorly featured in the book.
My one criticism of the book is that, personally, I just didn't connect with Lark in her grief. She just avoided it instead of facing it and dealing with it. The book is her journey through her grief and moving on after the death of a spouse. During the second half of the book, she stubbornly won't face her grief and wants to sit in her suffering. That leads to pushing Callum away over and over again. Her avoidance was tedious, making the second half of the book a little tedious. I've experienced grief. I get where she's coming from, but girl needed a counselor right away. Also, the situation with Sean was really annoying. She couldn't stand up for herself even when someone was sexually harassing her at her workplace. She was protective and loyal and kind and fierce to everybody except herself.
34 year old Callum is a mortician who needs to marry before his 35th birthday to keep his family business. 29 year old Lark is an animator who moves to Galway after the death of her husband. She is Barbie and he is Dracula. It is a grumpy/sunshine trope that worked so well. " We work together. I give you a soft, stable place to recharge. You energize and embolden me."
This has:
- Friends to benefits to lovers
- Asexual representation
- A speech impediment treated with dignity and respect.
- Neighbors / force proximity
- Slow burn
- Tension and longing
- Second half spice (about five scenes)
- MMC dirty talking in Irish
- 3rd act breakup
- Trigger warnings - death of loved one (spouse and grandparent) This are majorly featured in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
battyaboutbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
🦇 Morbidly Yours Book Review 🦇
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
❓ #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. ❞
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
❓ #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. ❞
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
smasson13's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book. Right from the start I was drawn in by the authors writing. It's whitty and fast paced but lingers on important moments and emotions. The perfect mix.
At first I was not a fan of the two main characters really, but I truly fell in love as it went on. They are rich and have more depth than a usual romance novel.
Also, the spice was HOT. It was sexy and sweet and definitely a surprise.
Really loved this book, and though it seemed as though the plot was a little long winded and there were a few moments where I got lost in the narration, it was a fun and sexy read!
At first I was not a fan of the two main characters really, but I truly fell in love as it went on. They are rich and have more depth than a usual romance novel.
Also, the spice was HOT. It was sexy and sweet and definitely a surprise.
Really loved this book, and though it seemed as though the plot was a little long winded and there were a few moments where I got lost in the narration, it was a fun and sexy read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
krisalexcole's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Car accident, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
thereadedit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Plot: 5/5
Series: NA
Place: Austin TX 🛫 Galway, Ireland
Tropes: Rom Com, Mortician, Undertaker, Grumpy x Sunshine, Friends To Lovers, Friends With Benefits, Marriage Of Circumstances, Inheritance
TW: Death, Morgue, Grief, Terminal Illness, Ableism, Mortician Tasks
Main Characters: Lark & Callum
Where do I even begin with this beautiful book?? This book gave me ALLLLLL the feels. I laughed (A LOT), I swooned sooo much, I felt some serious tingles, and cried. Lord did I cry. I'm not a crier when I read, but this one did it to me.
Lark & Callum are the exact opposite of each other. But perfectly compliment and make each other better versions of themselves.
With trauma comes self blaming, self preservation, and distancing. All the things someone thinks they need but in reality need people who understand to support them. Not having to death with triggering events around trauma can be super hard. It's unfortunate that there isn't anything someone can say to ease the pain.
“I haven’t wanted to kick anyone’s arse in a long time, b-b-but when he started in on you…” “It’s not a big deal. Being compared to a Barbie doll? I’ve heard much worse.” The thought of what she might mean made the tea curdle in my stomach. But she smiled. “You do kinda look like a vampire, though. And you keep coffins conveniently on hand for naps. I haven’t ruled out the possibility you’re a day-walker.” I shook my head at her affectionate tease. “Sun’s about to set. Let’s walk the canal and watch the hookers.”
Lark was such an amazing woman. She was the sunshine after the rain, the laugh when you couldn't stop crying. She made life soooo much better, and brought Callum out of the darkness. She helped him be his true authentic self because of who she was. She was authentic in who she was. She made me laugh so much throughout this book. She had the same humour that I have and love seeing in someone else.
“Guess you’re picking where we go next time. Since this one was such a resounding success, you’re stuck with me now. I’m the human form of loose glitter.” She pretended to sprinkle some around me, like a possessive pixie.
Callum couldn't have been a more perfect person for Lark. I absolutely loved his humor and his wittyness. He was the most rational person, who was able to see through the dark. For an undertaker, he was such a emotional and feeling person. He knew and felt those emotions that so many people don't think undertakers feel. There is a stigma that they don't have feelings. But they are like so many others, they feel their feels in their ways.
“There’s a reason I choose to primarily work with people who can’t speak.” Callum considered my dilemma to the tune of a weepy steel guitar. “Maybe this Seán fella can take an ‘extended holiday.’” “Holy crap. Did you really just reference Nine to Five?” I shoved his arm softly. Only it wasn’t soft. Under the cable knit were taut muscles I shouldn’t have noticed. “I appreciate where your head’s at. However, kidnapping my office nemesis might create a new host of issues.” “Remember, I move corpses all the time, and cremation gets rid of any evidence.”
A ruined arch in the background framed Callum perfectly. Celtic crosses studded the attached graveyard, and even I could appreciate the gothic romance of the overgrown estate. “Hold still. I want a photo of you in your natural habitat.” I lifted my phone to catch a rare, bashful smile. Crinkles formed at the corners of his eyes. He didn’t look carved out of stone anymore, but approachable. Handsome. A little happiness made him endearing. “Now lean on that gravestone, drop your hip and give me a saucy wink over your shoulder like this,” I joked, demonstrating a Bettie Page-worthy pose. “Come on. We can start our own website, call it MournHub.” “We’ll be rich.” I snapped another while his teeth flashed. Coaxing out Callum’s delightful laugh felt like a worthy achievement.
I received a complimentary copy via the author and Booksprout. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Plot: 5/5
Series: NA
Place: Austin TX 🛫 Galway, Ireland
Tropes: Rom Com, Mortician, Undertaker, Grumpy x Sunshine, Friends To Lovers, Friends With Benefits, Marriage Of Circumstances, Inheritance
TW: Death, Morgue, Grief, Terminal Illness, Ableism, Mortician Tasks
Main Characters: Lark & Callum
Where do I even begin with this beautiful book?? This book gave me ALLLLLL the feels. I laughed (A LOT), I swooned sooo much, I felt some serious tingles, and cried. Lord did I cry. I'm not a crier when I read, but this one did it to me.
Lark & Callum are the exact opposite of each other. But perfectly compliment and make each other better versions of themselves.
With trauma comes self blaming, self preservation, and distancing. All the things someone thinks they need but in reality need people who understand to support them. Not having to death with triggering events around trauma can be super hard. It's unfortunate that there isn't anything someone can say to ease the pain.
“I haven’t wanted to kick anyone’s arse in a long time, b-b-but when he started in on you…” “It’s not a big deal. Being compared to a Barbie doll? I’ve heard much worse.” The thought of what she might mean made the tea curdle in my stomach. But she smiled. “You do kinda look like a vampire, though. And you keep coffins conveniently on hand for naps. I haven’t ruled out the possibility you’re a day-walker.” I shook my head at her affectionate tease. “Sun’s about to set. Let’s walk the canal and watch the hookers.”
Lark was such an amazing woman. She was the sunshine after the rain, the laugh when you couldn't stop crying. She made life soooo much better, and brought Callum out of the darkness. She helped him be his true authentic self because of who she was. She was authentic in who she was. She made me laugh so much throughout this book. She had the same humour that I have and love seeing in someone else.
“Guess you’re picking where we go next time. Since this one was such a resounding success, you’re stuck with me now. I’m the human form of loose glitter.” She pretended to sprinkle some around me, like a possessive pixie.
Callum couldn't have been a more perfect person for Lark. I absolutely loved his humor and his wittyness. He was the most rational person, who was able to see through the dark. For an undertaker, he was such a emotional and feeling person. He knew and felt those emotions that so many people don't think undertakers feel. There is a stigma that they don't have feelings. But they are like so many others, they feel their feels in their ways.
“There’s a reason I choose to primarily work with people who can’t speak.” Callum considered my dilemma to the tune of a weepy steel guitar. “Maybe this Seán fella can take an ‘extended holiday.’” “Holy crap. Did you really just reference Nine to Five?” I shoved his arm softly. Only it wasn’t soft. Under the cable knit were taut muscles I shouldn’t have noticed. “I appreciate where your head’s at. However, kidnapping my office nemesis might create a new host of issues.” “Remember, I move corpses all the time, and cremation gets rid of any evidence.”
A ruined arch in the background framed Callum perfectly. Celtic crosses studded the attached graveyard, and even I could appreciate the gothic romance of the overgrown estate. “Hold still. I want a photo of you in your natural habitat.” I lifted my phone to catch a rare, bashful smile. Crinkles formed at the corners of his eyes. He didn’t look carved out of stone anymore, but approachable. Handsome. A little happiness made him endearing. “Now lean on that gravestone, drop your hip and give me a saucy wink over your shoulder like this,” I joked, demonstrating a Bettie Page-worthy pose. “Come on. We can start our own website, call it MournHub.” “We’ll be rich.” I snapped another while his teeth flashed. Coaxing out Callum’s delightful laugh felt like a worthy achievement.
I received a complimentary copy via the author and Booksprout. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
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