Review: Morbidly Yours - Ivy Fairbanks

Review: Morbidly Yours - Book #1 Love In Galway Series - Ivy Fairbanks - July 2023

There are books you pick up because someone raves about them, and then there are books that simply reach out and grab you from across the shelf. Morbidly Yours was firmly the latter for me. Something about that title paired with that cover had me utterly charmed before I'd read a single word  and I'm so glad I followed that instinct, because this one turned out to be a real gem.

At the heart of the story is Callum Flannelly, an introverted mortician with a deadline that has nothing to do with death certificates: marry before his 35th birthday or lose his undertaking business.  Enter Lark Thompson, a vivacious American animator who has come to Galway to embrace life and who is absolutely not thrilled about finding herself next door to a funeral home. Their odd-couple dynamic is delightful from the very first page.

Now, I have to talk about Callum, because honestly? He stole my whole heart. He's quirky and socially awkward, he has a stutter, and he approaches the world with a kind of earnest seriousness that I found completely endearing. But what really resonated with me was the representation of his demisexuality/asexuality. It felt genuine and tender not a plot obstacle, not a quirk to be "fixed," just a beautifully woven part of who he is. It's the kind of representation that makes you feel seen if you share that experience, and understood if you don't.

And then there's the setting. Oh, Galway. As someone with Irish roots and Ireland firmly on my bucket list, I was already halfway in love before the romance even started. Ivy Fairbanks captures something magical about the place , I could practically feel the damp air and hear the cobblestones.

The slow-burn romance is exactly as agonising and delicious as it should be. Two people who have sworn off love, tumbling helplessly toward each other anyway. Their banter crackles, their friendship feels real, and when the feelings start to shift  well, you'll be rooting for them with everything you've got.

Morbidly Yours is funny, warm, genuinely romantic, and quietly thoughtful. A perfect curl-up-with-a-cuppa read or in my case, a quirky book to read while I was sitting in the tattoo parlour waiting for my partner to finish up his session.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dNIRVa