Four Weekends and a Funeral
by Ellie Palmer
Six weeks after Alison Mullally's boyfriend breaks up with her, he dies in an accident, and at the funeral his family assumes the two were still together. Begged by his sister to play along, Alison ends up spending four weekends packing up his condo with his gruff best friend, Adam Berg, who clearly does not want her there. As the boxes fill, the tension between them softens into something unexpected. Alison is also facing hard choices about her health as a BRCA1 carrier and learning to accept her body after surgery. A funny, emotional debut about grief, honesty, and second chances at life.
About This Book
Four Weekends and a Funeral is a contemporary romance novel by Ellie Palmer, first published in 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. It runs 368 pages. Readers can expect forced proximity.
At a glance
- Genre
- Contemporary
- Trope
- Forced Proximity
- Length
- 368 pages
- Format
- Paperback
Where to read or listen
Get Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
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Why You May Love This Book
You may love this if…
- After her ex-boyfriend's sudden death, Alison is coerced into playing the grieving girlfriend while packing up his condo with his prickly best friend.
- Readers who enjoy emotional contemporary romances
- Fans of healing-focused narratives
- Reflective
- Features Forced Proximity
This may not be ideal if…
- The heavy subject matter of health and grief might require careful pacing to maintain romance genre expectations.
The Romance
Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.
Tropes
Relationship Dynamics
Details
Type: Contemporary Romance
Pairing: unknown
Power balance: Balanced; both are grieving and dealing with the constraints of the shared situation.
How It Feels
The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.
Moderate angst, moderate humor.
Heat Level
Based on available metadata and editorial review.
Who Is This Book For?
Best for
Reading mood
Recommended audience: Adult contemporary romance readers
Content Guidance
The Story
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Six weeks after a breakup, Alison Mullally learns that her ex-boyfriend has passed away. At the funeral, his sister begs her to continue the charade that they were still together, leading Alison to spend four weekends with Adam Berg—the deceased's gruff best friend—to pack up his belongings. As the two move through the process of clearing out the condo, their initial friction begins to shift. Simultaneously, Alison faces personal struggles regarding her health as a BRCA1 carrier and her journey toward body acceptance post-surgery.
Central Conflict
Alison must navigate the emotional burden of a fake relationship with her ex's best friend while grieving and managing a complex health crisis.
Setting
A condo being packed up over four weekends.
Strengths
- Premise blends high-stakes emotional beats with a classic romance trope.
Consider before reading
- The heavy subject matter of health and grief might require careful pacing to maintain romance genre expectations.
Discussion Guide
Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.
- 1
How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?
- 2
How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?
- 3
How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?
- 4
Who would you most want to recommend this book to?
- 5
How did the pacing affect your reading experience?
- 6
Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?
How This Profile Was Created
Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.
- Editor reviewed:
- Yes
- Last reviewed:
- October 13, 2026
- Confidence:
- Moderate confidence
- Profile version:
- eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
About the Author
Ellie Palmer
What Readers Say
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Publication Details
- Publisher
- G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Format
- Paperback
- Length
- 368 pages
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9780593714300
Four Weekends and a Funeral: quick answers
- Who wrote Four Weekends and a Funeral?
- Four Weekends and a Funeral was written by Ellie Palmer.
- When was Four Weekends and a Funeral published?
- Four Weekends and a Funeral was first published in 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons.
- What genre is Four Weekends and a Funeral?
- Four Weekends and a Funeral is a contemporary romance novel, with forced proximity.
- How many pages is Four Weekends and a Funeral?
- Four Weekends and a Funeral is 368 pages long (Paperback).
Are you the author? Verify your author profile to manage this book.
This is my book — sign inWhere to read or listen
Get Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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