Review By Gabrielle
Absolutely delightful in every way, Morbidly Yours somehow manages to be full of heart and humour at the same time.
Favourite Quote:
“Who are you, and what have you done with Callum Flannelly?”
“Lark, I’m more myself with you than anywhere else.”
Goodreads Synopsis:
Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner and a movie. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business and carry on their legacy under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. So it’s out of the mortuary and into the dating scene.
Lark Thompson would rather get crushed by a falling anvil than stay next to a funeral home during her stay in Galway, Ireland. The vivacious American cartoon creator and animator came here to embrace life, not be reminded of losing her husband.
When Lark learns of Callum’s dilemma and aversion to marrying out of necessity rather than love, she agrees to help the introverted mortician. Although sworn off love herself, she is optimistic that Callum can find The One and secure his inheritance.
But as the dating project progresses and their friendship grows, so does a mutual attraction. The more time she spends with serious, sarcastic Callum, the more she dreads finding him a match. And the more disastrous dates he endures, the more he dreads Lark’s imminent return to the states.
If they think it’s possible to ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.
This might be Ivy’s debut novel, but there is nothing amateurish about it. I could swear this is her tenth book. Ivy is already an expert at capturing the elements this bookworm seeks in her romances – a clever premise, well-developed characters I want to cheer for, and a great balance of humour and depth.
I was initially attracted to the book’s description. It had that quirkiness that I absolutely love. A “vivacious cartoon creator” and an “introverted mortician”? Yes, please! But I also noted that there was some seriousness as well, with Lark losing her husband. Happily, this description did not lead me astray, and readers get exactly what is described.
I can’t think of a better word to describe Lark than vivacious. Larger than life and determined to dress in full technicolour, Lark is the sort of person who makes friends everywhere she goes. But she isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. She has taken a big leap from Texas to Galway to take a job as the lead on a new feature-length animated movie with a small studio. This is her chance at a fresh start after the death of her husband. There is some mystery surrounding his death that doesn’t fully get explained right away. The reader doesn’t know the circumstances, but we do know that she has sworn off love. As a result, Lark has some much-needed depth and doesn’t come off as too fluffy. I loved her.
Callum is one of the most interesting book boyfriends I’ve read in a while. Painfully shy because of his stutter, he does not make friends easily. He’s also demisexual, meaning he has to feel a connection with someone before experiencing sexual interest. I loved this detail about him. Not only because I love it when an author includes characters from the whole spectrum of preferences (thank you!) but because it really amped up the tension in his “he must marry” situation. How do you find a partner quickly when you need time to get to know someone? Once you get past all that, Callum is a wonderfully sweet and thoughtful guy.
Lark and Callum together are beyond wonderful. We watch as they become friends. Lark has a way of making Callum feel comfortable that he hasn’t experienced before. It’s fun to watch as they both develop big feelings about each other but try to put them off. Their banter is some of the best I’ve read. It’s clever and funny. I loved them together. Bonus points for one of the best birthday present scenes I’ve ever read. I couldn’t get enough of these two together.
A terrific read, Morbidly Yours does not disappoint. I can’t wait to see what Ivy writes next.
Thanks, Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
