June 10, 2024
Fairbanks’s uneven debut sends bubbly Texan animator Lark to Galway, Ireland, for a nine-month animation project. She hopes the distance from home will help her through her grief over her husband’s death. Lark initially thinks Willow Haven, the beautiful, ivy-covered building next door to her rental home, is a bed and breakfast—only to learn that it’s actually a funeral home run by tall, dark, and deadpan mortician Callum, the third-generation owner. When Callum lets slip that his grandfather’s will stipulates that Callum, 34, must marry by 35 or lose the funeral home, Lark offers to help him find a wife. Except the more she sees of shy, stuttering Callum, the less she can stand the idea of letting him get away. The setting is unique, and Fairbanks is admirably frank about death and grieving, but the pacing feels off and the sex scenes are oddly detached from the rest of the plot. What readers are told about Lark—that she wishes she could be bolder, for instance—contrasts sharply with how Lark actually behaves, barging into Callum’s life (and his house) without qualms. Callum himself is an admirable hero, with impressive depths. Despite its flaws, this will appeal to readers who don’t mind some death in their “til death do us part.” Agent: Caitlin Mahony, WME.
July 1, 2024
DEBUT Originally self-published, this hit romance was snapped up by a big publisher in a multibook deal, with plans to make it a series. Wanting to leave behind all the sad reminders of her husband's unexpected death in Texas, animator Lark Thompson signs on to a new film project in Galway, Ireland, where she's inadvertently chosen an apartment next to a funeral home. She soon meets her new neighbor Callum Flannelly, a shy, demisexual mortician. Their friendship develops as Callum shows Lark around town, and Lark attempts to help Callum find a wife so he can satisfy a clause in his grandfather's will and keep the family business. Their supportive and caring relationship eases some of Lark's grief, while Callum feels comfortable enough with Lark to lose his self-consciousness and actually talk with her, despite his stutter. When their feelings begin to grow beyond friendship and with time running out--for the funeral home and for Lark's work visa--the two will need to decide what they want from each other. VERDICT 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.--Melissa DeWild
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Starred review from August 1, 2024
A bubbly Texan with a tragic past and a shy Irish mortician become unlikely friends in Fairbanks' charming romance. When Dolly Parton-loving, pink cowboy boots-wearing Lark Thompson arrives in Galway for an animation gig, the last thing she expects to find is a pile of black body bags mistakenly sent to her apartment. It's not enough that the loss of her husband follows her everywhere--griefhad to live right next door. The body bags belong to Lark's neighbor Callum Flannelly, the local mortician. A sheepish Irishman with a slight stutter, Callum isn't your stereotypical undertaker: He's tall, rugged, and quite hospitable despite his vocation. Not one to be a stranger, Lark makes herself at home as Callum's friendly neighbor. After all, she needs some form of distraction to avoid the massive guilt she still harbors in connection to Reese's death. Soon enough, Lark learns that she isn't the only one battling demons. Callum is at risk of losing his funeral home, Willow Haven, if he doesn't secure an heir to carry on the family business. According to his granda's will, Callum has six months to find a wife--or his estranged father will be able take over Willow Haven for good. When Lark learns of Callum's predicament, she finds it the perfect distraction for her. But as Lark sets Callum up on demi-romantic dates and coaches him through his social anxieties, he can't help but notice that he never wants their time together to end. Can Lark be the girl Callum was waiting for, or is she steadfast in her vow to never marry again, lest she risk another heartbreak? This is a unique take on a second-chance romance; after all, it's a love story that's largely about death. Lark and Callum are patient with one another, with a mutual understanding that's touching and satisfying. Readers will be hard-pressednot to swoon over the lovably gruff Callum, and the slow-burn passion and adorable flirting make for a perfect cozy read. A combination of poignant and heartwarming, this is a quirky love story you won't forget.
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