Many thanks to NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

WOW, I absolutely adored this book. It was truly unlike anything I've ever read. The tension between the MMC and FMC was incredible. The grief aspect was touched on in the most perfect way - messy and unpredictable. This is the perfect book for those BER months and the touches of fall on the coast made it that more cozy.

🌟Rating: ⭐️⭐️
💧Drip-o-Meter:💦💧

📚TLDR: brilliant idea, mediocre execution, if you’re looking for a side of death with your romance, I’d pick Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics or Ivy Fairbanks Morbidly Yours instead

💗Something I Loved: The premise. As a former funeral director who still works in death care, I’m always drawn to romances with a focus on death and grief. So naturally I felt like this book—a romance where the FMC, Vada, works as a professional mourner to fulfill the final wishes of the dead—was custom-made for my morbid little brain. The idea felt unique and fresh, and the added magical element (Vada can see the ghost of her most recent client/love interests mother) was super intriguing.
🫤Something I Would Have Changed: The execution. The hard thing about reading books that focus on your field of study is that when there are errors (or even things that aren’t “technically wrong” but are still not quite right), it’s hard to remember that it’s fiction and not get hung up on the inaccuracies. Unfortunately that was the case here and in the end, what felt like a lack of research (my opinion!) left me disappointed. Add onto that the copious amount of grammatical errors that pulled me straight out of the story and the romance that I just didn’t really feel, and you’re left with a great idea but a flawed execution (for me at least).
🥰Favorite Moment: When the MMC, Dominic, has a final heart to heart with his mom, Annabelle. It was the only part that made me tear up and although sad, was also quite lovely.
🌶️Spiciest Scene: Chapter 41. A downpour + a hot tub… don’t mind if I do. In reality though, the spice ranked pretty low on the old drip-o’-meter and was fairly minimal.
📚Standalone vs. Series: Standalone
📖Would I Recommend: Probably not. I can admit that a lot of my issues with this book are things non-funeral professionals will likely not worry about (or even clock) but they definitely affected my overall enjoyment. And while I know the author based the funerals off ones she personally attended, it still felt like additional research was needed and not doing so with such a complex and sensitive profession made me wonder if it was chosen more for shock value than anything else. Still, I was compelled to finish it… just also a little disappointed with how it turned out.
💬Tropes: Grief and Loss, Dissociative Amnesia, Small Beach Town, Ghostly Meddling

I struggled through this book nearly start to finish. The premise of a mourner for hire is actually intriguing, but it was taken to far in the main plot of this book. It also didn’t make sense to me at all, the motivations of the person that hired her (trying not to put any spoilers in!) The most difficult part to read wa show awful Dominic is to Vada for the vast majority of the book. It’s not just indifference or dislike, he’s just an ass. Overall this was just not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

A witty yet emotional and thought-provoking read about love, loss and everything in between.

‘Mourner for hire’ is everything its title suggests. It follows Vada - a professional mourner running from her past. Upon your death she will fulfil your final wishes - from crying at your funeral to standing mysteriously by a tree like some lost lover. One client, however, has the unusual request of renovating her home after her death. When Vada turns up at the funeral, she realises the late Annabella Dunne is the mother of Dominic - the handsome bartender she spent an unforgettable night with a year ago. However, Dominic knows exactly what Vada does for a living and he is oh so not happy to see her. Vada is determined to slip away quickly (for the second time), but the deceased has other plans…

The plot is imaginative and original, the writing fast paced and easy to bomb through. I appreciated how CM was able to make a sad story morbidly comedic without completely removing the sorrow and grief the characters go through.

However, and colour me shocked, I didn’t enjoy the romance! Romance is usually my favourite part of a novel and yet is my least favourite in this. I just could not connect to Dominic’s character. I understand his reasons for being stand-offish and horrible to Vada, but it doesn’t mean I could get behind it. He called her a coward, a witch, did everything he could to make her feel unwelcome. The part in the story where the couple finally gets together didn’t feel natural considering how much he loathed her throughout.

Nevertheless, whilst I wouldn’t say this is a strong romance novel, I would absolutely recommend this to those searching for an insightful read about life’s complexities - CM completely succeeded in addressing themes of loss, grief and healing in a humorous yet delicate way.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Caitlin Moss for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7772772344?book_show_action=false

Caitlin does it again with another book that just has me in a chokehold the entire time. I loved it so much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a fun romcom that follows Vada and her ventures as a mourner for hire. After meeting Dominic while in town for a funeral she moves on with her life. That is until they meet again, but this time during the funeral of Dominic's mother, where she will have to fulfull her last wish and stay in town for a while.

The characters and their banter was really fun and I found the plot to be quite unique.

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for providing the ARC of this book.

I LOVE a ghost story, especially when it’s cozy and I’ve also always dreamed about showing up to someone’s funeral with a parasol and veil watching from afar to spark rumors and this book had both of those things!

I actually wanted even more of Vada at funerals - I loved the requests she had to fulfill and I would have read an entire book of Vada funeral hopping.

I did have a few small gripes with the way a few things were wrapped up and how fast (like the fact that Dominic could suddenly see his mom’s ghost, but didn’t recognize her at first?), but I really enjoyed the banter, the premise, and the GHOST.

Overall this is worth the read and I’ll be heading back to read more of Caitlin Moss’s backlist because this was just so charming and perfect for Fall!

The premise of this book sounds so quirky and fun, and Caitlin Moss has given us an absolutely stunning novel in Goodbye, Again, that I had high hopes this would be another stunner in her arsenal. Unfortunately, what started out fun and quirky ended up being tiring and repetitive, and by the end I am giving this a very mournful two stars.
I struggle when enemies are written as actually just really really mean, and in this case, Dominic was just SO MEAN and I couldn't really wrap my head around why. Vada gave it back to him in spades, and I think I was supposed to be feeling underlying sexual tension, but all I felt was frustrated that they were being so rude and childish all the time.
The turn from enemies to lovers was a little too slow for me as well, partly because I was not enjoying their time as enemies and just wanted them to stop insulting each other and....hiding vibrators in their shopping carts?? I dunno guys.
Even the ghost aspect, which I thought might be a little bit fun and a break from the bickering, was a little overdone for me, and I found myself slightly annoyed every time Annabelle popped up. I think if we'd known her more before her death, I might have appreciated her personality a little bit more.
The climax was pretty sweet and had I felt any connection to Vada by that point, it would have read as a beautiful last few chapters. Sadly, by the time we got to the heart wrenching "reveal," I had already pretty much clocked out.
I am so sorry to say this wasn't my favorite Caitlin Moss book. I have found that I absolutely love her fiction, but her magical realism just isn't right for me.

A fun and entertaining romcom! We follow Vada who is a mourner for hire. Do you need someone to cry, some drama or just someone who stands there being mysterious at your funeral? Vada is the one you want to hire!

Vada is on her way to meet with her new client in her old home town when she stops at a bar and meets the owner, Dominic. After talking with him all night, Vada continues on her way to her client. A few months later, Vada's client passes away and Vada comes back to fulfil her client's last wish, but she sees Dominic at the same funeral because the client was his mother. Now Vada has to fulfill Dominic’s mom’s last wish, which requires her to stay for a long period of time.

This book is very well-written and the characters are so much fun. The little plot is such a refreshing twist to this story. There is a very good balance between love, grief, and finding lost memories and I loved every page of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlin Moss for this fantastic romcom!

Vada (this character can only have been named after the girl in the 1991 feature film My Girl) is a mourner for hire. What’s that, you ask? Well, the dying hire her to execute their final wishes during their funerals. Think: revenge plots, curbing loneliness, reuniting family members. She’s basically a hired actor at their funerals to help the deceased make one last point. So when (unbeknownst to her) she gets hired by the mother of her unforgettable one-night stand, Dominic, he thinks she’s a fraud who is out to get him. And his mother’s ask was not simple: stay in the town, renovate their family’s beach cottage, and be kind to Dominic bc he’s grieving. And grieving he is, which comes out in the form of pure venom towards Vada and hatred of her and everything she’s doing at his mom’s behest. He hates her and he hates her and he hates her until one day he doesn’t and he’s banging her up against a wall. Oooookay then.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️

This plot had potential, it really did. I loved the weird ass concept of a hired mourner to act out your final wishes at your funeral. I loved the quirky characters in Vada and Dominic’s deceased mother, Annabelle, who haunts Vada throughout the story in the quirkiest way possible. It could have been such a fun story.

Alas…

In general, I don’t do well with the type of enemies to lovers books where cruelty is thy middle name. He is hateful and mean to her for WAY too long. This couple doesn’t drop the act and start edging towards vulnerability with each other until about 75% into the book. And when it finally does happen, it’s not the resolution of delicious slow burn - it was fucking whiplash. By the time I got there, their chemistry was not believable. The pacing here was pretty atrocious, the buildup nonexistent. I wrote a note at 70% in that this book had a LOT of heavy lifting to do in the last 30%.

The writing is just okay. There are so many repetitive parts where a piece of the story gets set up in one chapter only to have it all repeated again in the following chapter. Meh.

The big reveal at the end was a bit predictable, although I did find parts of it sweet. The examination of how grief can manifest was poignant but not enough to salvage my opinion of this one. Honestly, it’s shocking to me that this is the same author as Goodbye Again, which I read last weekend and was thoroughly gutted by (affectionate).

🫡 Tropes deployed: ONS to enemies to lovers, magical realism, small town, grief rep, amnesia

I don’t think I can adequately explain how much I actually adored this book. Its premise is unique and instantly had me hooked, I was cackling on page two and crying only a few chapters after that. Vada and Dominic’s chemistry is palpable and charming. On top of that, it has everything you could want from a fall read – a cozy seaside town, benevolent ghosts, and delightfully macabre humor.

I knew going into this book, and from reading Caitlin Moss’ novels in the past, that I was in for a fun, spicy romance novel full of heart. What I wasn’t expecting was for this book to be such a beautiful and raw exploration of grief, the ways we process it, and how it can fundamentally change how we move about the world. Vada and Dominic are both processing the loss of their mother, and while her wounds are older while his are fresh, both of their journeys are equally heartbreaking. Read this one with a box of tissues nearby and be prepared to ugly cry.

Thank you so much Caitlin for a copy of this ARC!

Favorite quote: “I have words I could say. So many words. But sometimes, in moments like these, words need to stay quiet. They can be felt in touches and understood in breaths. But the silence speaks…Always.”

Nope, this was not for me. . enemies to lovers is fine, but two people being childishly mean to one another, toss in some ghosts, and then do a 180 for the last twenty percent and your girl gonna peace out.

This was definitely a unique premise, especially for Caitlin Moss. I was a little weary when first starting it, but ended up LOVING it! I don't know why I doubted Caitlin Moss on this premise. She can do no wrong in my eyes! The chemistry and banter between Vada and Dominic was TOP TIER! Dominic was a bit of a jerk to Vada in the beginning, but rightfully so. He was devastated, confused, and grieving. I loved the transition from enemies to lovers, it's one of my favorite tropes! I loved how there was no drama or lies between the couple. There was no third-act breakup, which I loved. I can't wait to see what Caitlin Moss comes out with next!

Imagine getting paid to attend people's funerals to carry out various tasks, some sweet some not so sweet. That is what the FMC, Vada does for a living. On the way to meet a client she gets stuck in some traffic and decides to pull off to a roadside bar to use the restroom and let the traffic die down. She meets the bartender who she hits it off with. They end up spending the night together talking and cuddling and even sharing a steamy kiss. The next morning, they go their separate ways. Vade goes on to meet with her client who hires her to attend her funeral and stay in town to renovate a beach cottage when she passes. Vada thinks it to be a weird request but agrees. Little does she know there is a connection between her and the woman. Nine months pass and she attends the woman's funeral only to discover that the bartender is the woman's son. The MMC, Dominic sees Vada and instantly puts two and two together and knows she was hired by his mom. He is none too happy and does everything he can to run her off. He is angry and believes Vada is taking advantage of his mom. Neither he nor Vada know why the mother asked Vada to renovate the cottage, but Vada is determined to carry out the task despite Dominic trying to push her out of town. This is a slow burn small town romance that is a perfect fall cozy read to add to your TBR.

🪦ARC review🪦

Mourner for hire by @caitlinmossauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I am OBSESSED !!!!! The banter and the loathing was perfection. Their interactions were hilarious. I was laughing out loud. And with a little ghost action. I finished this in one day because I just could not put it down. Love. Love. Love. 💥

Thanks to Netgalley and CAITLIN MOSS for the E-ARC. I went into this with a very open mind because ghost are not really my vibe.......BUT when I tell you that I fell in love with Vada (FMC) and Dunner (MMC) and everyone else in Shellport. Vada is a Mourner for Hire she will go to your funeral and cry, tell stories, or make a scene whatever you want. There are many things that happen in Shellport that is where she is from but she cannot remember her life before a certain age, she meets Dunner, and she meets Annabelle who is a person that hires her to follow thru on some request when she dies. I love me a good romance story like anyone else BUT when a story is able to go beyond that and make you feel like you are there with the characters that is truly magical. I cried the last 20 % of this book and was here for it.

I’ve been waiting for the chance to finally talk about this book! I first read it back in July, and it’s been so hard to keep my thoughts to myself without spoiling anything. What drew me in most was the incredible emotional depth woven throughout the story, perfectly balanced with dark romance and just the right touch of humour. It was exactly the kind of read that feels made for me.

At the heart of the story is Vada Daughtry, a professional mourner whose unusual job is to attend funerals and inventing memories for the departed. What begins as a sharp, funny premise quickly blooms into something much deeper, exploring themes of love, loss, family, and the way grief can both haunt and heal.

Caitlin’s writing is lyrical, and she does a brilliant job balancing humour and heartbreak in a way that feels effortless. The result is a story that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of grief, but still offers plenty of hope, charm, and unexpected joy.

If you’re looking for a unique fall read that will sweep you off your feet, Mourner for Hire deserves a spot on your autumn TBR.

a fun dark romance , it’s one of those books that makes you laugh but then makes you sad!
a great read and one i would recommend

Honestly, I went into this one blind. I skimmed the description but forgot about it. And I’m so glad I did! It was a beautiful story of grief, death, love, dark humor, and found family.
Vada, our FMC, is a mourner for hire. People use her services during their funeral for a variety of reasons. Dominic, our MMC, lives in the small town Vada has a funeral to attend. But the deceased asked Vada to stay and fix up her cottage. She does, and the tensionnnnnnn between Vada and Dominic is nice and slow! They both have baggage, and to see them work on it and come together is so special! I loved this book more than I thought I would!

Thank you, NetGalley, and Caitlin Moss, for an ARC of this book!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, what a premise!  The author did such a good job creating Vada as a character. She has so many layers to her: she has a unique job and she has a very empathetic personality that makes you want to love her and protect her.  Especially from Dominic, who I feel like is probably the main villain between the two.  He loves his parents but he also has a lot of regrets in life.  I get that he was grieving, but surely it's not an excuse to be a major douche?  I kinda hated him because he's so petty haha 😭🤣  Anyway, I liked the storytelling, the highlight being the funeral gigs, like I would read about her jobs all day!  Now I wonder if there really is a job like this 😅  The love story itself was a roller coaster of emotions. The transition from enemies to lovers could've been smoother but I still felt their connection.  Overall, this is a book that I enjoyed a lot and I'm glad to have read it.