Mourner for Hire

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the concept at first—*professional mourner* as a meet-cute setup? But *Mourner for Hire* disarms you immediately with its refusal to be cute about grief. Vada isn’t just quirky; she’s a hot mess with a spreadsheet, and Andi Eloise’s narration sells every eye-roll, every defensive quip, every moment Vada’s voice cracks because the lie hits too close to home. Eloise’s timing is *chef’s kiss*—she lands jokes like a stand-up comic but never undersells the quieter scenes, like when Vada’s rehearsed sobs give way to real ones. Zachary Webber, meanwhile, turns the love interest into a revelation: his voice is warm gravel, but he resists the urge to make the character overly gruff, letting the humor and vulnerability peek through. Their chemistry is electric, especially in the scenes where they’re *technically* arguing about funeral logistics while actually flirting via subtext. The pacing is where this audiobook *shines*—Moss balances the romantic tension with Vada’s personal unraveling so well that even the slower, introspective stretches (like a 20-minute graveyard heart-to-heart) feel earned. That said, the middle act drags slightly when the conflict relies a bit too heavily on miscommunication tropes, and I wished the side characters (especially Vada’s chaotic best friend) had more depth beyond their one-note quirks. The production is flawless, though: subtle background noise in funeral scenes (a distant hymn, a creaking pew) immerses you without distracting. By the end, I was equal parts satisfied and wrecked—this is the rare rom-com that lets its characters stay a little broken, even after the happy ending. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a Hallmark movie or wanted to see a romance heroine who’s *actually* bad at feelings, this is your audiobook. Just maybe don’t listen while driving—you *will* laugh-cry at a stoplight.