A review by bookishvicky
Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

3.25

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advanced copy of this book!

Rating: 3 stars

Pub Date: Aug 20 2024

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.