A Love in Galway Novel, Book 1
From the publisher:
TikTok sensation Morbidly Yours, an opposites-attract romantic dramedy about a shy, demisexual Irish mortician who must marry by his 35th birthday to keep his beloved family business, and the Texan widow escaping her past who moves in next door.
Falling for the wrong person? Bury your feelings.
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.
But when she learns of Callum’s dilemma, Lark’s certain she can help him find The One, even if she’s sworn off love herself. Though as the dating project progresses and Lark spends more time with straight-laced, sarcastic Callum, he starts to crack the ice around her grieving heart. And the more joy that vivacious Lark brings to Callum’s grey existence, the less he can imagine letting her return to Texas.
If they think they can ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.“[A] charming romance…Poignant and heartwarming, this is a quirky love story you won’t forget.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“The setting is unique, and Fairbanks is admirably frank about death and grieving… Callum himself is an admirable hero, with impressive depths…This will appeal to readers who don’t mind some death in their “til death do us part.” –Publishers Weekly
“With a fantastic Irish setting; sensitive portrayals of demisexuality, grief, and workplace misogyny; and a sexy friends-to-lovers romance, Fairbanks makes an excellent debut.” –Library Journal
An LA Times Romance Novel to Heat Up Your Summer
https://amzn.to/46KULLC
An August LibraryReads Pick
I think this was my first romance with an undertaker as the main love interest, but it worked!
Lark is a young widow, and she is tired of talking about it. When an opportunity comes up for her to work in Ireland for nine months, she jumps at the chance to escape. She moves into her new apartment which she believes is next to a Bed & Breakfast – their sign is in Irish Gaelic with no English translation. She decides to pop in to say hello and is shocked to find Callum, her new neighbor, is an undertaker. The building is, in fact, a funeral home, not the B&B she was expecting. Lark’s previous experience with a funeral home was when her husband died, and they tried to upsell her and rip her off in a myriad of ways, so she’s not too interested. But there is something about Callum…
Callum grew up in the family business and takes his work seriously. His grandfather raised him as his parents weren’t interested and took off. But when his “granda” dies, Callum is devastated to find that the only way he can inherit the family business is if he is married by age 35. At 34, the clock is ticking with nary a prospect on the horizon. Callum has a stutter and consequently has difficulties in talking to the opposite sex. He also isn’t the type to just fall in bed with anyone; he needs to feel an emotional connection before he makes a physical connection.
Lark bursts into his life like a ray of sunshine. She doesn’t appear to be bothered at all by his stutter and is kind, sweet, and patient. In need of friends herself, Lark quickly befriends Callum, despite his initial standoffishness. She enjoys her new co-workers, well, most of them. There is one who apparently wanted the job she got and does not hesitate to make that known or to belittle her and her work as often as he can. So Callum is a bit of respite from that problem. But she has no interest in ever marrying again. She blames herself (and so does her sister-in-law) for her husband’s death and doesn’t want to ever feel that way again.
Lark decides to help Callum find the wife he desperately needs. Dating apps and the subsequent dates from hell gleaned from them add some humor here. This is a slow burn, opposites attract romance that really works. If you were a fan of Six Feet Under (I loved it!) this book has some of that same appeal in the setting.
Their duplicate deadlines – Lark’s time in Ireland is fast coming to a close, and 35 is mere months away for Callum – dictate a moment of sudden realization, an epiphany if you will, for the both of them. There are some very steamy moments and some real obstacles along the way to their happily ever after. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (August 20, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593851869. 352p.
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