omg this was soooo cute i absolutely ate this book up!! it was the perfect amount of spooky and tension and enemies to lovers ahhh!!

ALL THE DAMN STARS WITH THIS ONE!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was the definition of hauntingly beautiful. It was so much more than a little rom com with a cute cover. You know a book is good when it tells more than one story. You would think by looking at the cover it was about finding love, right? It was so much more. It was about finding something that has been lost to you, that feeling of home; being a mother, a daughter, a son, finding yourself, losing yourself, picking yourself up and putting yourself back together, losing a parent and coping with loss. This book had so many layers to it, it was just simply bitter sweet.

The relationship between Vada and Dominic was so complicated yet so beautiful. That man had it so bad for her that he really didn’t know how to deal with his emotions and I wanted to break that hard shell and get to the ooey-gooey center of him. And Vada, ugh she literally wore her heart on sleeve. I seriously wanted to give her the biggest hug and tell her it would all be okay. Then Annabelle? My girl had me dying. She was so damn funny. Like poor Vada really didn’t look like a crazy person when she was around. Then the ending? My god, if you weren’t a sobbing mess like I was at the end of the book, then you have no heart.

This book broke me, put me back together, broke me again and then slowly put me back together…with a lot of band aids. I went through half a box of tissues after this book. I really could go on and on about how beautiful this story was. I am definitely a fan of Caitlin Moss after this and cannot wait to read more of her books. If it is anything like this one, make sure you have your tissues close to you.

Talk about a title and cover that catches the eye!

Vada is exactly what the title says - a mourner for hire. The living hire her before they pass away, and she will attend their funeral and cry, cause a scene, whatever their last wishes entail. An unusual request from a client leads her on a journey to find out about her own forgotten past and possibly love along the way.

I loved the unique premise of the book and enjoyed the emotional journey of the main character. There were also fun quirky moments - Vada being haunted by a client - but it didn’t detract from the heart of the story. The love/hate relationship between Vada and Dominic, a client’s son, felt like it flipped on a dime… Dominic held a grudge against Vada for so long despite a mutual attraction but suddenly he was over it and admitted his feelings for her. Dominic’s childish behavior towards Vada was somewhat understandable as he was grieving, but after a while it was just annoying and when he changed his tune it was a complete 180. I felt like that could have been handled better, but aside from that this was a sweet story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for the opportunity to read an early copy.

Mourner For Hire follows Vada Daughtry, a woman who will show up to your funeral, cry for you, share a secret or whatever you prefer - for a nominal fee, of course. It’s unorthodox, but she’s good at it, and it works for her.

I won’t share any more of the plot because I feel like going in blind would likely be best, as there are a handful of great surprises in here. I generally don’t read much romance, however I absolutely adored this story!

Humor and sorrow are balanced so well. It has so much heart, yearning, nostalgia, grief… Caitlin Moss is described as “the author who brings you all the feels!” And I would definitely agree after reading this. 4.5, rounded up - highly recommended!

3.5 STARS! I thought this book had a unique story. I loved the touch of paranormal activity. I live in Oregon so I can clearly picture this cute little town and a cottage on the coast. I thought that Vada's job was so unique and that her character was mostly developed. Where I struggled was with Dominic's Love-Hate-Love. It seemed like whiplash. One page he was obsessed with her and the next he was being pretty hurtful. Then all the sudden he is in love with her again. It made it hard to see his true personality. I love a slow burn but I feel like the last 30-20% of this book was a little rushed. Overall I did enjoy this books unique look on grief and trauma.

Mourner for Hire by Caitlin Moss was the first book I read from this author and I wasn't disappointed. Talk about a unique story line. I was hooked from page one. The banter and tension between the FMC and MMC was perfection. I also appreciated the paranormal aspect that I didn't see coming. This book had me laughing and kicking my feet, but also shined light on grief in a way that you can relate to the characters.

A must Read! This book was so unique from anything I've ever read. It has suspense, mystery, love, friendships, family, comedy, heartache, paranormal and enemies to lovers intensity. It was so fun to read I couldn't put it down. I love all the characters and felt like they were my friends and people from the small town I grew up in. I want to read a sequel!

Wow - this was a fun read! A snarky FMC with a slightly weird job; a broody and grumpy MMC with a heart of gold; small town shenanigans and a meddling and hilarious ghost - sign me up!

While I generally read mostly spicy romance that is way more explicit than this book, this was a great read. It ticks all the boxes for a chance encounter meets enemies-to-lovers (with sarcastic banter) romcom that you want.

Vada has a strange job - a mourner for hire, who literally dances to the tune of dead. In one such job, she gets stuck in her childhood town, with a friendly, but slightly nagging spirit and her handsome son who despise her for being there. Will Vada be able to finish the job she was hired for?

In her pursuit of finishing the task her client assigned her , she finds herself , her past and future. The book was very engaging until the last few chapters, which was little predictable. If you are a fan of Ali Hazlewood and Emily Henry's work, this book would not disappoint you.

Mourner for Hire
By @caitlinmossauthor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What’s a girl supposed to do when you find out your fumbled one night stand thinks you are robbing him of his inheritance… oh and you’re getting haunted by his mother????

Nine months after an unsuccessfully attempt to have a meaningless tryst with a hot and charming bartender, you find out that he is the son of your latest contract, the woman you have been paid to mourn.

Because you are a mourner for hire.

You get paid to attend funerals because you vowed to make sure that nobody will have an empty funeral like the one you sat through for your own mother as a child.

Some people want the drama of calling others out after they’ve gone, others just want to make sure that their funeral has at least one person in attendance, but it doesn’t matter because you were there for them and you follow their wishes to a T!

So, when the loveliest person you’ve ever met asks that you’ll watch over her son after she dies how can you possibly say no?
Especially when she says the pay is $50,000.

This book is full of moments that you were going to absolutely snicker at and even more that will have you cackling!
From the ad at the beginning of the book to the epilogue, I was fully locked in.
But don’t expect a shallow romcom here, this book goes deep! It’s hard not to talk about the deeper plot points without spoilers so instead just go read it!

#mournerforhire #caitlinmoss #romcom #romcombook #romance #romancebook #arc #arcreview #netgalley #selkiereader

This book got me with the description. The premise was unique so I was excited to read it.

It started off kind of strong but then it sort of dragged before getting back to it, but the drag was enough drag that I dragged my feet when getting around to reading it.

It felt like there was a lot of story to get the story started. And it was interesting, but then it just kinda felt like I was waiting for the real book to start.

Overall though, it was interesting. MMC was a little annoying and it felt like forced drama sometimes, but it was a cute book.

Thank you to netgalley

Love. Love. LOVED this book so much! There wasn’t one moment in this book where I got distracted or bored. I was 100% engrossed in this story and then some. Mourner For Hire is cute, funny, romantic, sad, and even a little spooky but not in the spooky scary kind of way. Think paranormal cutesy kind of way. Just read this book and thank me later.

Mourner For Hire is a romantic comedy about life and death, as well as forgotten memories that come back to surface after quite some time. Vada is a professional mourner. It’s a job that takes her everywhere and gives her a sense of purpose helping those who pass fulfill their last wishes. Vada is on her way to her next funeral and makes a pit stop at a bar to relieve her bladder. Once inside is where she meets a very handsome bartender and has a fun filled night. The next morning she is back down to business and finds out that the bartender from the night before is actually the son of the deceased. Yikes… awkward right? The bartender does have a name btw it’s Dominic. Dominic thinks Vada is a fraud and is extremely upset and confused. Why would his mother do this? Turns out his mother knew what she was doing and her plan is bound to work. Meanwhile, the deceased, Annabelle, is haunting Vada until she completes what she’s promised to her.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Mourner For Hire releases on September 8th, 2025. Be sure to add this one to your fall reading lists!!

*3.8 Stars*

This book has significant depth. I really enjoyed the witty banter, and although it was emotional at times, I believe it struck a good balance. I absolutely love Vada's personality, and her growth throughout the story was well done. Dominic was often hot and cold, but overall, it beautifully brought the story full circle.

Thank you so much Caitlin Moss and Netgalley for the ARC of Mourner for Hire! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book and I loved every bit of it! Vada was one of my favorite characters ever from Caitlin's books. Her job as a Mourner for Hire was the most unique and bizarre job, but it fit her. And she was unapologetic about who she was and that made me like her even more. I loved when her and Dominic first met, and all the circumstances that led up to them meeting later. His grumpy personality was just a reflection of his pain. And the characters both had so much depth from issues with their late parents. Added in the small beach town setting and I adored it all. Moss knocked it out of the park on this one. Pick it up on the Pub date 9/9/25!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Caitlin Moss for the e-arc of this book!

I was immediately drawn to this novel because if the title and the premise - Vada gets paid to mourn at peoples funerals as one of their last requests and there also a ghost? I immediately wanted to read it since I love romance with a little bit of whimsy and a touch of the paranormal.

This novel has all of that and more. I loved the bater between Dominic and Vada, I loved the cunning of Annabelle as she haunts Vada. I loved the fact that Vada has returned to a town she grew up in with no memory of it and watch as she slowly gets her memory back. The story made me laugh and cry and each of the townsfolk felt interesting enough that I wanted to know their stories too.

The vibes of this book are cosy, hilarious and a little bit emotional - as it is bound to be when we're dealing with a heavy subject like grief. I think this book will be a perfect cosy Autumn read - it's due to be released 9th September.

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author, Caitlin Moss, for sending me this ARC!

The chemistry between Vada and Dominic was instant, and I loved their banter. The concept of Vada's job was very interesting, and I loved her integrity with the way she followed her client's wishes, no matter how silly or outlandish they were. Vada's connection to the dead was unexpected, and I wish this was explored more - how amazing would it be for her career if the dead could help guide her in what they want at their funeral and see it through with her!

As expected, grief came up a lot within the plot, and I felt that it was discussed in a really sensitive way that was honest and respectful.

My only downside is that sometimes the love declarations or hopeful messages came across as a bit corny and took me out of the moment.

Overall a good read, 4 stars!

I really enjoyed this original story — especially the way it explores the theme of death as a taboo. The way the female main character approaches it with such kindness and respect truly impressed me. This book made me feel a whirlwind of emotions — from laughter to tears — all in a single moment.

To be honest, when I first saw the ARC on NetGalley, I skipped it and didn’t pay much attention (I seem to have the curse of someone who always falls for pretty covers... and sometimes suffers for it). To be fair — the cover isn’t bad, it just didn’t catch my eye.

Huge thanks to @kerosene.lit for bringing this book to my attention! ❤️

This story reminded me of my favorite k-drama, May I Help You?

Tropes:
— loathe to love
— dark humor
— grumpy cinnamon roll
— quirky FMC
— slow burn
— tensionnnn
— small beach town

Thank you to Caitlin Moss and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

<b>Mourner For Hire by Caitlin Moss</b>

Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn

Spice-O-Meter: 🌶🌶.5/5
There are some open-door scenes, but they are short and only slightly descriptive.

Trigger warnings:
Parent death (off page, from cancer and a car accident)
Mention of cancer
Repressed trauma from a car accident

Mourner For Hire follows Vada, who is hired by people to attend their funeral. She carries out their last wishes, be it creating drama for a cheating spouse or keeping a newly buried person company on their first night in the graveyard. Dominic is a former military medic, who gave up his dream of becoming a doctor to move home and take care of his mother (who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer). They meet by chance, end up spending the night together, and go their separate ways (Vada going on to meet with a client and Dominic back to his bar). A year later, Vada discovers that the client she met with was Dominic's mother, Annabelle. Her contract states she is to fix up Annabelle's beach house, and to complete a list of other things, and she will be paid $50,000 to do so. Dominic is immediately suspicious, and is convinced that Vada swindled his mother out of money. Vada just wants to finish the job and be on her way. After a lot of back and forth (and I mean A LOT) about Vada's intentions and Dominic trying to run her out of town, they give in to their growing attraction.

This book had me hooked right from the beginning. I love that we got to see a glimpse into their chemistry in the first portion, before there is all the emotions from grief and anger taking over. The tension was so good, and it was the slowest of burns. Dominic and Vada did not get together until like 70% of the way through the book. I love the idea of a mourner for hire. Some people wanted her to shake things up, another just wanted to make sure someone was there to say goodbye to him. Death culture is so taboo in our society, and I really treasured the fact that Caitlin Moss came up with someone who provides this for people that are scared or need comfort when they're facing their last days. We need more of this energy in the world. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Despite being more of a romantic comedy, it dealt with a lot of heavy topics, but in a way that was comforting and didn't poke fun at the grief we feel over losing someone. I loved having Annabelle's ghost haunting Vada while she completed her tasks. The only thing I was a little confused about was Connor's agressive pursuit of Vada. Then after their horseback riding date, he just vanished. It didn't seem like she talked to him about not being interested, and Dominic and Annabelle made him sound like a creep. I'm not saying Vada should have chosen him, just that it could have been wrapped up a little neater.

If you like spooky romantic books that kind of feel like the hug you needed in your worst hour, Mourner For Hire might just be your cup of tea.

Netgalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

3⭐️

This book was an emotional rollercoaster, but it wasn’t exactly dark, or maybe not my definition of “dark.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the first part, but Dominic’s behavior started to grate on my nerves, especially when he got so upset that he literally punched the wall. I understand that he was grieving, but his actions crossed a line into borderline abuse, not in the way of a dark romance. It was mind-blowing when he suddenly did a 180 and Vada accepted him with open arms, without any groveling, begging, or pleading.
Example:
“I’m elevated off the floor, my legs wrapped around his waist. He has one hand wrapped around my neck and jaw, while the other presses against my hip bone, pinning me against the wall right next to where he had just punched a hole in it with his fist.”

Girl, bye.

Despite the rushed and predictable ending, I finished the book because I loved the beginning. If not for that, I probably would have stopped reading.

The second half of this book was so heartwarming and the perfect book for those of us mourning someone that we loved and lost. I think this could have been an easy five star read, if it didn’t seem that the hats Dominic had for Vada dissipated so quickly. It jumped from loathing into such an intense love that as a reader, I felt as if I had missed a few chapters.