Vada has a unique job; she goes to funerals, acting out final requests from those recently deceased. Someone hires her to make a scene, tell a story, and cry loudly.

Vada also has some emotional issues of her own. It’s much easier to surround herself with the loss of others than process her own loss.

When she attends a funeral with a very familiar face (the handsome man she cried and snotted all over months prior), things get interesting. When the funeral request is more invasive and inviting than ever before, the stakes are raised even higher.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for this eARC! The title and description caught my eye, and it's a very original concept while simultaneously being a classic rom-com. You have romance, laughs, tears, mixed with some paranormal match-making :)

The ending really hammers home the idea of what, and who, home is. I can’t wait for others to read this so we can talk about it!!

What a fun, quirky rom-com! I thought this book dealt very well with grief and I loved Vada’s job. Such an interesting idea to think about what you’d want to happen at your funeral.

I really enjoyed the slightly eccentric town's people, they made the story so entertaining and having Annabelle haunt Vada was such a funny twist!

Perfect summer read, thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the ARC!

5 stars are not enough! This book moved me so deeply that I’ve tried to write this review over and over, but words still fall short. A heartelt thank you to Caitlin Moss, for giving me early access to this unforgettable story. It truly was a gift.

Set in a charming beach town on the West Coast, Mourner for Hire features a wonderfully grumpy male lead, a quirky female main character with a dark sense of humor, and a meddling ghost who keeps the story compelling and unexpected. Just when you think you know where it’s going, this book surprises you, right up to the final chapter.

But what truly sets this story apart isn’t just the romance, though it IS swoon-worthy and BEAUTIFULLY done! It’s the undercurrent of grief, memory, and the aching space between what we remember and what we wish we could. This is the first book that has ever brought me to tears. For those of us who’ve pieced together childhoods through old photos and stories told by others—because their brain has shielded them from the memories—this book will feel like a hug you didn’t know you were waiting for.

I’ve already told everyone I know about this book and will be gifting it in hardcopy to loved ones. I wish I could experience it again for the first time. Thank you, Caitlin Moss, for writing something so tender, honest, and deeply validating. You gave my story a silver lining I didn’t know I needed.


*This review also shared on Goodreads.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author and the publisher.

I’m not a huge romance reader, but throw some ghosts in and you have my interest. This didn’t disappoint. It was hard to put down. I felt really invested in the main character and the woman who had died, setting her a task. Vada is a mourner for hire who takes on requests from people for after they’ve passed. Some are just funeral appearances. In this case though, there’s a long list… the only problem is, it’s the mother of a man she’d had a drunken and emotional evening with a few months earlier and he is not happy! He’s antagonistic thinking she’s a creep who is exploiting his mother and his grief.

So I absolutely loved the ghost in this. She was really funny, wholesome and still trying to look after people after she’d died! Vada was quirky and cool and I was rooting for her, along with being invested in her uncovering the mystery set out for her, and her journey of self-discovery. I did get a bit fed up with the male love interest because his pettiness started to feel repetitive. I was sympathetic because he was grieving but I did reach a point at which he just felt like an angry bully and I was getting annoyed with him.

Loved the small town setting on the beach. This had some great autumnal vibes and I really liked that atmosphere. There were a few supporting characters who I really enjoyed too (Lucy!)

Cozy read with a touch of spooky!

I enjoyed how unique and refreshing this book feels for the genre. Caitlin Moss did a great job balancing the hardships and darkness that comes with the main character, Vada, being a professional mourner with a traumatic background with the lighter, funnier elements that are a staple in romantic comedies. I liked how Moss captured the small town on the coast vibe and sprinkled in lots of lighthearted moments with town locals to immerse you in the community.

That being said, I do have a few minor critiques for the book. The main characters, Vada and Dominic, are in their late 20’s or early 30’s but their age felt a bit all over the place based on their dialogue. In some parts they read as teenagers but others they felt much older than their actual age range. Additionally, there were some side character storylines that I wish were fleshed out a bit more, like Connor and Lucy.

Overall, I think this is a great light read for those wanting a cozy story that features a ghost. I enjoyed this as a summer read and I think it would read even better in the fall!

This was such a nice surprise! I was a little unsure of what this book would entail but I’m so glad I had the chance to read it.
This book handles grief and loss with humour but it also tugged at my heart strings and made me cry.
I absolutely loved the premise of the female main character, Vada and her job and how it makes all of these connections in her world.
Dunner is such a realistic representation of grief and the impacts it has on relationships.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dark humour and Annabelle is a brilliant character in a plot line I didn’t see coming.

I truly loved the concept of 'Mourner for Hire.' The story explores grief, parental loss, nostalgia, and moving on in a way that feels both inspired and surprisingly lighthearted. The book was fun and even funny, with Vada as such a unique and standout FMC.
Personally, I really struggled with the central romance. Dominic was... a lot. The bar scene gave off insta-love vibes, but it quickly spiraled into something more like a bully romance or perhaps an enemies-to-lovers story? He yelled at her during a funeral, punched a tree behind her head, and seemed to flip between humiliating her and being hopelessly in love. Don't get me wrong, I love a brooding love interest, but he just came across as emotionally aggressive. Even their resolution at the end felt rushed and overly romanticized. It was like we skipped over all of the hard conversations and just landed right back in insta-love territory. I didn't feel like they actually worked through anything that happened between them.
One highlight for me was Dominic's mom. Every scene she appeared in added genuine comedic relief, and the car scene especially made me excited to see where things would go. I honestly wish she'd have had more page time. Oddly, it felt like Vada had firmer boundaries for Annabelle than she did with Dominic, which made me question her judgment.
Overall, the heart of the story was compelling and original, even if the romance didn't work for me.

I really enjoyed Mourner for Hire. It’s a cosy, heartwarming read with a lovely mix of romance and mystery. I loved uncovering Vada’s past bit by bit. The characters were all likeable and well written, making it easy to get absorbed in their lives. Overall, a feel-good, engaging book that I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for something comforting but with depth.

DNF at about 25%. I was so excited to read this book but I just could not get through it. I think I knew I'd have an issue when our characters first meet and Vada -- a VERY uncommon name as far as I am aware -- acts like Dunner is the craziest name she's ever heard. Vada, say psych right now. The dialogue was a bit disconnected for me and it felt like the conversations were more to tee up a witty banter than to really develop the characters. There also wasn't very much actually being said. Vada tries the drink that is named after her and can only say "It's really good." Then she tries the jalapeño poppers and says, again, "It's really good." I really wanted to like this and I usually enjoy when chapters switch perspective, but I did not enjoy Vada or Dominic so I had to call it quits. I also think the ghost is what really lost me, I was able to kind of suspend my disbelief that Vada's job is one that could actually sustain her but I was not expecting anything paranormal and it felt totally out of place. I think the idea was so charming and it's definitely worth giving a shot if you enjoy lighthearted questions about the afterlife, but maybe give it a pass if you're hoping for sharp dialogue.

You know I LOVE me a Caitlin Moss book. This one has such a fun twist! I love how her books are always a little different from the formula romance books. The cover is stunning and the characters are quirky... my favorite being Annabelle. Oh, and a character is named Joelle. I KNOW Caitlin named her after her favorite ARC reader (🤣🤣🤣🤣). Even though the topic sounds dark, it's funny and swoony. Pick it up!!!

I really wanted to love this one!

The premise was super unique & I enjoyed it for about 40%, but the MMC's assholery lasted just wayyyy too long for me, not to mention he took it a bit far at times. It wasn't until 70% that he stopped being a jerk & they just kind of, get together? It just didn't feel at all natural that he's spewing all this hatred at her one second & then wanting to be with her the next.

Also, what was the entire point of the Connor storyline? Just to make the MMC jealous? Because after their "date" she just never talks to Connor again, which felt a bit like a plot hole to me.

Overall this one had real potential, but I just couldn't get over how terrible the MMC was to her for most of the book.

This book was super cute. The idea behind it was so unique and I loved the characters. I also liked how the author showed that there are different ways to handle death and grief, though I did admittedly expect to be a bit more gutted than I was, just based off of previous experiences with Moss's books. That being said, this was actually kind of a fun change of pace, since some of the subject matter could be a bit difficult for some people, and there is always humor and love and life in grief. It was fun to add some levity into something that is usually seen as such a serious part of life.

This book was also a good balance of contemporary fiction and romance, and both were crafted well enough that neither suffered for the other. I think a lot of authors are trying to accomplish this lately but Moss is one of the masters of this craft.

My only personal complaint was that I wish it had gotten a bit more in depth with the FMC’s past, but I also understand that the reality is that it doesn’t always work out that way in real life, and also that a lot of readers won't read past a certain number of pages. And truly, there was not a single part of this book that I would cut to make room for the other, so I get it.

Genuinely a very fun read and can't wait for everyone else to experience this book when it comes out. Also, the release date is perfect, timing wise, since it has an autumnal and kind of "spooky season" vibe. I'm very grateful to have been allowed to be a part of this ARC process and can't wait for future works!

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for the ARC!

This book had its highs and lows but was overall a captivating read. I loved the comedic nods and dark humor related to Vadas profession; and I found the premise of her job to be quite intriguing. But it could use some last minute editing to clean up gramatical errors, double negatives, too many analogies used for one situation, and disjointed dialogue.

Several instances of dialogue (especially the farmers market scene) were all over the place. Vada had three back to back conversations that felt awkward and confusing. In the first conversation she claimed to not know the older woman; yet introduced herself to her and acknowledges her by name; then realizes she should recognize her, and then has a thought of how she knows her. It felt like a misplaced puzzle; the correct piecing should have started with the woman looking at her with intent as if she should recognize her, realizing she doesn’t at first, describing her appearance, a flash of recognition as she somehow does remember, and then introducing herself and acknowledging her.

The second conversation with the flower seller reads so unbelievably awkward. “Oh so you’re the extortionist?” No one would actually say that to someone. It should be worded less on the nose. Show don’t tell, and all that. Make the conversation half nice and half snarky, rather than telling us her tone is fake nice while she says something blatantly rude. As the ladies in the south say “make a compliment sandwich!”

And the last conversation at the market is SO confusing at first read; Vada looks at birdhouses that turn out to be Dominic’s, but his introduction to the scene is so strange. She hits her head: looks at the man; and has such a visceral reaction that at first I think it’s going to cause a flashback to her past and be some insane person…. Then Dominic talks lol, it’s out of character for her to react like that in my opinion, she never reacts like that even when they see each other on the hike. I had to reread all of these interactions again and again to grasp what was happening.

Contrary to my confusion about those scenes, I do like the fact that this book has a bit of suspense around Vadas memory. It is an interesting subplot that kept me turning the pages.

The paranormal aspect was shocking; I didn’t expect it at all, but I was pleasantly enjoying the ghost of Annabelle as a fun little side character. On the other hand, I’m not sure why she’s there. Vada can see no other ghosts, so why her? That is never addressed, so my guess is that her purpose was to drive Vada back to town when she ran off, like that was the spirits loose end she was tying up. But if that’s the case, she should have faded away after Vada returned. So, while I ended up loving that character; it felt a little random and just a convenient plot aid. But the scene with Annabelle and Dominic in the end is rather sweet and a nice send off.

The main plot driving this book is the romance between Dominic and Vada, which I think was handled rather nicely. They weren’t necessarily enemies to lovers, more haters to lovers, but the chemistry was there! Boy I love a slow burn and this was a good one. While there’s an initial meet cute; the months between the first two chapters makes for a dramatic reunion at the funeral. Dominic was a broody little asshole; and Vada always made it hard for him to hate her. I thought the pacing of their romance was perfect and any quicker to the match would’ve ruined the other subplots pacing’s since he was quick to turn his hate to love after their hookup. I was rather happy to see a lack of a third act breakup that often goes hand in hand with these types of adversarial accidental hookups (which is more of a personal preference admittedly.)

Some of the anger was a little heavy handed on Dominic’s end, like would he actually be that mad at Vada for taking a deal with his mom, and would he be angry for that long? I think it’s a little overplayed, but tossing in that anger about the wallpaper/renovation at the halfway mark helped fuel his fire and prove to Vada and the reader that he’s really not mad just grieving and placing blame.

The reveal of her lost memories via mom’s letters was perfect and I think that placement in the timeline really forced me to keep turning pages to find out more. The letter from Annabelle to Dominic was also a nice touch.

Overall; a solid romance to read for fall with a paranormal comedic touch; but it needs to be cleaned up because some of the dialogue pulls you off the page to ask “wtf is going on here.”

There is a charm to Mourner for Hire, with an at-odds romance, morbid humor, and an adorable small town. Vada has a bit of an unconventional, yet surprisingly empathetic, job of attending her client’s funerals and completing their last wishes. The story starts off page-turning with an intriguing the plot line and instant chemistry. Vada’s background and career allow space for grieving and contemplating what you treasure most in life. However, the morbidity, amnesia, and haunting plot lines were a bit off-putting and made it hard to really dive deep into story. On top of that, I feel like there’s a limit to tolerated MMC assholery in romance (especially with grief), but Dunner crossed this repeatedly to where I felt sick to my stomach during their interactions.
In all, Mourner for Hire is an eccentric novel with some heartwarming, mysterious and fun moments.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Posted on goodreads

This was a quirky cute read! I had never read anything by this author beforehand but she’s on my list now.

Big thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for letting me read and review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! If you enjoy rom‑coms with a darker edge, where heartfelt emotion meets witty banter and sizzling chemistry, this one could be exactly what you’re looking for!!

This book has such a unique story, and I’m obsessed with the FMC’s career choice. It has me looking into being a mourner for hire 👀 In all seriousness, the book had my attention from the jump, and the opening scene had me laughing so much. I’m a sucker for a small town, and Shellport didn’t disappoint. The added mystery element was super intriguing, and had me wanting to read more. I also want to be friends with Dominic’s mom. Her ghost provided some much needed comedic relief, in what can appropriately be a heavy book. All in all, this is such a fun read, and definitely deserves to be on your fall TBR!

I adored this book! It’s the perfect romantic comedy with real emotional depth and a little twist-- there is grief, love, unfinished business all wrapped in sharp wit and slow-burn chemistry. Vada, a professional mourner, and Dominic, the bartender she leaves behind, are both unforgettable. Vada is quirky but fun. I enjoyed Dominic-- at points, he could not make up his mind. Their reunion at his mother’s funeral (awkward doesn’t even cover it) sets off a series of events that are funny, heartfelt, and just a little haunted. I laughed out loud multiple times and felt all of the emotions with this one.

I loved the enemies-to-lovers tension and how the story made space for both humor and healing. The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars for me is that the ghost aspect-- while clever-- took me a moment to fully buy into. But overall, this book hit all the right notes. Thoughtful, romantic, and just quirky enough to stand out. I could not put it down!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

Mourner for Hire is a good comedic romance set in the pacific northwest. Caitlin Moss does a great job of world building and immersing you in the town. At times I could practically taste the apple cider donuts and feel my feet in the cold sand on the beach.

Vada and Dominic were great characters that had highs and lows throughout the story. But, a great author can make you dislike and then re-like a character and Caitlin achieves exactly this.

Perfect as a fall and spooky season read.

I loved this book! I felt all the emotions and rode this emotional rollercoaster with a smile on my face. This plot and execution was so brilliant and was so refreshing to read. I loved Vada's character arc and really enjoyed reading her story. Also, the enemies to lovers was very well done, so for fans of that... this is a must read!

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for this opportunity!