Strangely enough, it’s beautiful.
Date read: 26/11/24
Author: Ivy Fairbanks
Title: Morbidly Yours
New read ✔️
Re-read
Tropes: Slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, friends to lovers, subverted marriage of convenience
Content warnings: Detailed mentions of death and dead bodies, past death of spouse, workplace harassment
Spice level: 3 chili 🌶️
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis according to Goodreads:
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.
Thoughts:
Who would’ve thought a book with a mortician as one of the romantic leads would be so funny. This book made me laugh and want to cry all at the same time. A really original premise, at least I think so, focusing on two people who could not be more different. Lark, a friendly, outgoing, full of life cartoon animator who has moved to Ireland to escape the guilt she feels over her late husband’s death. As luck would have it, she moves right next door to Callum, a mortician.
Callum is a breath of fresh air. I really love when authors dare to write complex male characters. Cal isn’t your typical fictional book boyfriend. He’s a shy, socially anxious, stuttering guy who really prefers his company to be less than living. Obviously, Lark throws a spanner in the works, but she also doesn’t endeavour to change him, only affords him the space and support to change if he wishes. I think there’s something really beautiful about very atypical male characters like Cal. I felt it when I read ‘Your’s Truly’ by Abby Jimenez and got to know Jacob’s character. There’s a much needed space for depictions of men in media, especially the literary space, who are openly vulnerable, and don’t hide away their struggles.
I especially appreciated the inclusion of Cal’s demisexuality. It was honest and real without feeling pandering or making it his entire identity. I think that’s an aspect of the queer community that I at least, haven’t seen much of in the media I consume, and I think it’s important that representation like this becomes the norm.
This book took on a lot of really heavy themes, fitting for a novel called ‘Morbidly Yours’. A lot of discussion of death and how people go on living after losing loved ones. Mixed with the gorgeous descriptions of Ireland and it’s scenery, it makes for a very beautiful book, though still has a lot of room for laughter and light moments of joy. I really really enjoyed it. I don’t know what I expected going into it, but it certainly made an impression.