This is so beautiful. It seemed like such a silly plot and yet. Amazing. I'm not above begging you to read it.

In the beginning, it was just a great enemies to lovers and I had fun reading it, but at some point, out of nowhere, it just became heart-wrenchingly beautiful and touched my soul in a way I didn't expect.

I could analyze it a bit more and go over the details like how the characters were nicely brought to life, and the tension was written in such a delicious style, and how the enemies to lovers trope finally worked really well in a contemporary setting because it made sense and wasn’t miscommunication, but I don’t feel the need to do that. It was a five-star read without a doubt, and I don't need to defend it - it does that for itself.

I loved it so much. I cried so much. It made me feel so many things.
Insane, in the best way. I’d recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read the ARC and fall in love with it.

I knew immediately that I was going to absolutely devour this book.

Mourner For Hire is fun, emotional, and everything you want in a spooky fall romance! This small town enemies to lovers blend dark comedy and romance in a unique way. Vada, the FMC, works as a professional mourner and goes above and beyond to help her clients rest in peace. Dominic is ex military, ex med school student, and completely heartbroken over the loss of his mom. When Dominic meets Vada for the first time he is instantly in love, but when he finds out his mom hired Vada to perform her last wishes he's confused , hurt and plans to make her life miserable.

The story is drama filled, deeply emotional, and manages to be both hilarious and very real. It is a perfect balance between humor and tragedy.

Thank you, Netgally and Caitlin Moss, for the ARC.

Any book blurb that starts “A romantic comedy about death” is always going to grab my attention, and I’m glad to say that this ticked all the boxes matching that description. Vada, the titular mourner for hire, is one of the best characters I’ve read for a while: empathetic, witty, and quietly grieving her own past. Her immediate connection with Dominic is full of flirtation and sharp banter, but when it turns out that his own mother has not only hired her but left her a list of very specific instructions in her will, that connection becomes something full of grief and spite. It’s a sign of good writing when a character does intensely mean things yet manages to redeem himself: this wouldn’t work without his point of view, and we see him and Vada slowly reconnect through drama, humour and the heaviness of coping with parental loss. I also loved Annabelle, who is both surprising light relief and the necessary encouragement for Vada. The plot builds to a beautiful and satisfying conclusion that’s perfect for these characters, and while this is the first book I’ve read by this author, it definitely won’t be the last.

4.75⭐

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was SO fun. The setting and the FMC's career were chef's kiss. And one of the character's is a ghost? Obsessed. I devoured this in a day.

That being said, there are several glaring errors I found that would change my review if they were not fixed in the final version of the book. First, pick a color other than sage. Every time any color was mentioned in this book, with the exception of a character's dark hair color, the color was sage. It is too much and needs to be edited out with colors other than sage and, quite frankly, green in general, being used. Additionally, there were several chapters were it felt in like in between the end of one chapter and the start of the next, there was a large gap in information missing for the reader. I found myself going back and rereading to see if I missed something, but found I did not. For example, the first full physical romantic scene between the characters. In the end of one chapter the scene is being set up and in the start of the next chapter, the scene jumped ahead without enough context to make it clear the reader was not going to be seeing the first part of the sex scene. It would be fine for the scene to pick up where it did as long as there was enough information and context clues. The reader shouldn't be wondering if they missed something major. Finally, there some descriptive words were repetitive and appeared back to back.

Vada has built a business fulfilling people’s last wishes at their funeral. One day she is hired by a woman in the small beach town she grew up in but has no recollection of. The woman’s dying requests are more than she typically agrees to - stay in her beach cottage while she renovates it, and keep an eye on her son. After some convincing, Vada agrees, but when the time comes, she realizes that the woman’s son is the bartender she spent a memorable night with months ago, and now he’s accusing her of swindling her way into his mother’s will.

Vada was such a great character. She was unfailingly compassionate and willing to do whatever she could for others, constantly at the expense of her own comfort. For this reason, I wish she could have gotten more out of her relationship with Dominic. Dominic was going through a lot with losing his mom and not understanding her final wishes, so he is warranted some grace. I just didn’t love that Vada found herself having to be the bigger person for the majority of the story and excuse the emotional outbursts directed at her, especially while she was working through her own complicated feelings with being back in the town she grew up in and having no memories of her mother. I did think her relationship with Annabel’s ghost was a nice touch, and appreciated the support she got from her, but from a romance perspective, I wanted a bit more from Dominic.

Mourner for Hire by Caitlin Moss is a unique and engaging story with a concept I haven't seen before. Told in a dual POV with our main characters, Vada and Dominic. While I don't believe Vada's job exists in reality, it added a thought-provoking layer to the book.

The story also weaves in a touch of the supernatural, which gave the book a tone similar to magical realism without fully leaning into the genre. I appreciated the small-town atmosphere and found myself invested in Vada's journey.

Because grief and death are central to the novel, there were emotional moments that carried real weight. My one critique is some of Dominic's reactions toward Vada felt a little overdone and didn't always feel realistic, though I understood the reasons for his emotions.

Overall, this was an original and heartfelt story with compelling themes of loss, connection and healing.

I don’t think there will ever be a Caitlin Moss book I won’t read. Finding her work has been such a gift every story touches me in a profound way, with writing that’s both beautiful and deeply emotional.

Mourner for Hire was no exception. The banter between Dominic and Vada had me cracking up! Dominic is such a sassy MMC, and I loved every bit of him. Vada was quirky and I loved it, and her character growth was such a joy to watch. My favorite side character is Annabelle, hands down she is who I will aspire to be in the future. She was funny and a super awesome mama!

Be aware that there are some heartbreaking moments (both characters dealing with the loss of a parent) but Caitlin balances the sadness with warmth, humor, and a story that pulls you in completely.

And of course… she knows how to bring the spice. Once again, Caitlin delivered a book I couldn’t put down.

If you haven’t picked up one of her books yet, you’re truly missing out. Thank you, Caitlin, for letting me read this one early—it always makes me feel so special, and I can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on it!

A solid 3.5/4 star read. I found this book to be cute and quirky, and I'm not averse to a bit of dark humour. I particularly enjoyed the funeral scenes and I would have liked to see more of the best friend character.
I did feel like there was a missed opportunity with the backstory/missing memory and the ending seemed to just wrap everything up a little too quickly to get to the happy ending. But overall, this was a fun little read, and I would enjoy reading more from this author.

Vada and Dominic meet and have a wonderful evening together, with an instant attraction, but Vada is just traveling through town on her way to a potential job prospect so nothing comes of it. Little do they know they'll meet again one day at Annabelle's funeral (Dominic's mother), and become instant enemies.

Vada is a mourner for hire and does various things her clients request to happen at their funerals. Annabelle has hired Vada to renovate her beach cottage and Dominic instantly thinks Vada is a con since Annabelle is giving her a large sum to do so.

Annabelle haunts Vada all during the renovation and won't let her walk away from the project. I really looked forward to Annabelle's appearances throughout the book. Her character was funny and you'll grow to love her and look forward to seeing what she'll do next. As the story progresses, everything will start to make sense and eventually it will come to light why Annabelle did what she did.

I really enjoyed this book. Pick up your favorite blanket, warm beverage, and settle in for an enjoyable read. This one will stay with you, in a good way, for a while after you finish it.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Vada and Dominic’s story: they meet, have a great connection and then go on with their lives. A year later, they meet again and their reunion is very different. Dominic is dealing with the grief of losing his mother and Vada is struggling to remember her past and wondering why she agreed to this particular job. Vada isn’t welcome in this small town and Dominic is angry with her involvement in his life. This is a perfect book if you like slow burn, friendly ghosts, lost connections and good friends.
A great choice for cozy, fall reading.
4 stars.

I did not like this book. I was not able to garner any interest in either of the main characters. I would try to read another book by this author.

4.5 rounded up! There’s so much more to this than a FMC with a quirky job and a grumpy MMC who thinks she is a con-artist. Vada and Dominic are drawn to each other for more than one reason and love to hate that connection. This is a story that will stick with me long after I’ve read it…probably because it made me feel every emotion while simultaneously making me want to move to a small beachy town in the Pacific Northwest. This is the perfect read for Fall, it has all the seasonal feels… apple cider donuts, the gradual chill in the air, and a fun “light- haunting”!

3 1/2 stars

I decided to request Caitlin Moss' Mourner for Hire, because I was intrigued by the book's unique main character. Vada Daughtry is a professional mourner; people hire her to attend their future funerals. Sometimes she is there simply so the deceased won't be alone, but other times she is there to perform a specific task - maybe to make a family member uncomfortable, maybe to share a previously unknown secret. The possibilities are endless really. Annabelle Dunne however, has a list of items that she wants Vada to complete after Annabelle's upcoming death. The catch? Vada has been to that community before. Vada actually grew up there for a time (though she doesn't remember any of that) and on her last trip to town to meet with Annabelle, she made a connection with a man, who just so happens to be Annabelle's son, and he is now less than thrilled that she has returned to carry out his mother's final wishes.

I really enjoyed the idea behind this book and the characters. Vada's a fascinating individual and her job as a mourner for hire introduces us to some interesting side characters and unique situations. Dominic is entertaining when he wants to be, but also clearly grieving his parents and the life he left behind. For some reason, he thinks this grief gives him permission to be an absolutely ass toward Vada - badmouthing her around town and yelling at her when he sees her. She truly is a saint for putting up with any of it, and it seems that most people in town see his outbursts for the pain that it really is, but my gosh did he act like an immature 12-year old for much of the book. His emotions gave me whiplash and I found myself wondering if, in the real world, anyone would really have as much grace to offer him as Vada seemed to have. Still, I thought they were good for each other, even when they were arguing and I enjoyed watching the story unfold even though the endgame was obvious from the moment Annabell and Vada met.

I truly enjoyed meeting all the townspeople and getting a glimpse of the sweet town of Shellport and its residents. I would not be surprised to see Moss write more stories based in that community in the future. Bottom line, if you're looking for a quick romance that is not a sports romance, I think you'll enjoy this one. However, if messy emotional baggage and open talk about death and grief bother you, maybe stay away. There are spicy scenes, but only a few and they were quite brief.

This book appears to be self-published by Caitlin Moss, so thank you to Moss and to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on September 9, 2025.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - really liked it
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ explicit open door

I received a free eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is my own honest opinion about the book.

Book Review: Mourner for Hire by Caitlyn Moss
Release Date: 9/9/25

(These opinions are mine, if you don't agree, talk about that on your page)

*Spoilers Ahead*

What I loved:
Her very unique job and reasoning behind doing it.
The friends to enemies to lovers is ALWAYS a fav.
The story unfolds PERFECTLY, in my opinion.

What I did not love:
It was a little odd he could suddenly see her at the end.
His rudeness in the middle-ish of the book.
GR posted now. IG, FB, and TT on 8/18/25

Mourner for Hire was SO good! I was hooked from the first page and loved every second of it. It was entertaining and original and fast-paced. It was funny and deeply emotional. There was dark humor, fun banter, and the perfect amount of spice! Truly a great book!

Mourner for Hire hooked me from the start with its unique premise and heartfelt execution. This was my first Caitlin Moss novel, and I was drawn in by the seamless dual POV, the emotional depth, and the balance between tenderness and tension in this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. Vada’s confidence, sharp perspective, and the meaning behind her unusual profession made her a standout protagonist. My favorite quote — “I’ve always believed in love bigger than what I’ve known…” — perfectly captures the heart of this story. By the end, my heart was full, and I know I’ll be picking up more from this author.

Recommended for: Readers who enjoy heartfelt romance with layered characters, enemies-to-lovers tension, and unique career elements woven into the plot.

I loved this book so much. I had a hard time putting it down. It was quirky, funny but also had some deep moments especially with Vada's job, her memory loss and Dominic's grief. I really enjoyed every bit of this book from beginning to end. Anabelle was a really fun character and I love her.

Great fun read with a ghost to round out the characters. I loved Vadas journey to remember her past. It was such a fun read.

Vada is a professional mourner.

It's a unique job for the reader to get acquainted with, and a window into Vada as a person. She's empathetic and helps people find closure, while also avoiding it for herself at all costs.

She's leaving one such funeral and on her way to a meeting when she ends up in a bar in a small town and a steamy bartender. Their one night sticks in both of their psyches, but their sudden re-entry into each other's lives isn't happy.

Caitlin Moss created lead characters with flaws and quirks. They make you laugh, make you cry and just wanna hang out with them.

She also creates a community that helps them grow and evolve.

It's a joy to read.

4.5 ⭐️

This is one of those great stories where character growth takes precedence over the romance. In fact, if you took out the romance aspect entirely, you still have a beautiful story about overcoming grief and examining what we leave behind once we’re gone.

Vada’s story was layered and interesting to following from front to back. I think her growth was handed very well and I appreciate that it was mostly handled outside her relationship with Dominic. I did not know that it wasn’t “normal” to not remember your childhood, so I related to Vada a lot minus the flashbacks. I will maybe discuss this with a therapist.

I did not like Dominic’s sudden shift to asshole, but grief does do weird things to people. It felt forced (which I think it maybe is supposed to?) and made me more annoyed than anything. When he was actually in touch with his feelings, he was great!

If you’re looking for a light hearted, no stakes romance, leave this one for another day. If you’re into small town dynamics, explorations of grief and a little romance on the side, then definitely pick up Mourner for Hire!