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Darling Disposition #1
Good Mourning, Darling
"Oh, darling, if this is how our time together is going to go, I’ve already won."
Sweet, easy-going Ella Bardot is estranged from her family. Between her autism and fear of dead things, it’s hard to reconnect when her family runs a funeral home.
Charming removal technician, Eugene Graves, is a bit odd. With an unsettling smile, he passes the time with only his shadow as his companion. Every day Eugene must balance the desires of his employer with his own personal vendetta.
When Eugene uncovers a monstrous plot against Ella, he's tasked with protecting the daughter of his enemy. Ella is desperate to know the secrets surrounding her father, and while Eugene can’t tell her, he’s happy to motivate her inquiry. Eugene doesn’t care for sweets, but Ella may be the exception if his unique appetite has its way.
Good Mourning, Darling is the first book in the Darling Disposition series. It is a limited third-person dual POV cozy horror romance featuring darker themes. It’s also an expansion on the Odd Universe-the same world as the Odd Blood series.Releasing April 2024...
Sweet, easy-going Ella Bardot is estranged from her family. Between her autism and fear of dead things, it’s hard to reconnect when her family runs a funeral home.
Charming removal technician, Eugene Graves, is a bit odd. With an unsettling smile, he passes the time with only his shadow as his companion. Every day Eugene must balance the desires of his employer with his own personal vendetta.
When Eugene uncovers a monstrous plot against Ella, he's tasked with protecting the daughter of his enemy. Ella is desperate to know the secrets surrounding her father, and while Eugene can’t tell her, he’s happy to motivate her inquiry. Eugene doesn’t care for sweets, but Ella may be the exception if his unique appetite has its way.
Good Mourning, Darling is the first book in the Darling Disposition series. It is a limited third-person dual POV cozy horror romance featuring darker themes. It’s also an expansion on the Odd Universe-the same world as the Odd Blood series.Releasing April 2024...
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2024
26 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
About the author
Azalea Crowley
14 books132 followersAzalea Crowley (she/they) writes for those who find beauty in the dark and unusual, where love thrives in the shadows. Her unique brand of horror romances combines the grotesque with the gorgeous—blood-soaked love stories that glimmer pink with a touch of gore. If you need a visual, imagine magical girls with chainsaws plowing the undead—fun, terrifying, and contradictory!
From the misty Pacific Northwest to realms filled with vampires, sirens, and shadowy monsters, Azalea Crowley creates darkly whimsical adventures where love blooms in unexpected and dangerous places. Weaving in Indigenous, Filipino, autism, disability, and LGBTQIA2S+ representation, their stories offer inclusive worlds.
For readers who crave both light and dark, Azalea Crowley invites you to embrace your inner misfit and discover that monsters can love—and keep their fangs.
Find her at https://www.azaleacrowley.com/ or sign up for her newsletter, where you can get bonus content.
From the misty Pacific Northwest to realms filled with vampires, sirens, and shadowy monsters, Azalea Crowley creates darkly whimsical adventures where love blooms in unexpected and dangerous places. Weaving in Indigenous, Filipino, autism, disability, and LGBTQIA2S+ representation, their stories offer inclusive worlds.
For readers who crave both light and dark, Azalea Crowley invites you to embrace your inner misfit and discover that monsters can love—and keep their fangs.
Find her at https://www.azaleacrowley.com/ or sign up for her newsletter, where you can get bonus content.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It was so different from the Odd Blood series but in a really good way! This cosy horror romance was quite literally what I needed to read to get out of this book slump 😭 Eugene and Ella are so perfect and adorable together! When I got to the end and saw there'll be a sequel, I SQUEED.
July 21, 2025
2,75⭐️
Good Mourning, Darling to wydana niezależnie powieść opowiadająca o magicznym półświadku, rodzinnym zakładzie pogrzebowym, potworze i autystycznej dziewczynie, która przez miłość i więzy rodzinne przekracza próg tego niebezpiecznego świata. Opis zapowiada dużo napięcia miedzy Elle a Eugene'em, częściowo przez ich umiejscowienie po dwóch różnych stronach konfliktu, a częściowo przez dawno zapomniane uczucie. W rzeczywistości książka Crowley jest skupiona na trochę innej perspektywie.
Miał być cozy horror, wyszedł raczej cozy dark romance. Nie powiem, jest to interesujący kierunek, zwyczajnie dlatego, że Crowley pozbywa się wszystkich wad przepisywanych masowo w tym podgatunku i zapełnia je uczuciem. Między Elle a Eugene'em skrzy, obie strony się szanują i o siebie dbają, choć to uczucie ma być podszyte pewnym niebezpieczeństwem, w żadnym momencie jedna strona nie stanowi zagrożenia dla drugiej. To na plus. Choć sam kierunek tego romansu niekoniecznie przypadł mi do gustu (nie kupuję otoczki klimatycznej, ale o tym za chwilę), to muszę przyznać, że były momentami, gdy czytało mi sie ich perypetie nadzwyczajnie miło.
Błędnie natomiast założyłam, że akcja jest osadzona w latach 20. ubiegłego wieku, a nie tylko jeden bohater wywodzi się z tego okresu. Zakładam, że to będzie element, który wielu uwiedzie, ja jednak preferowałabym przesunięcie tam całej akcji zwyczajnie przez ciekawość.
Kwestia fabuły jest trochę bardziej skomplikowana, ponieważ to książka z gatunku tych, w którcyh de facto nic się nie dzieje. Dużo buzuje w światotwórstwie, jednak autorka pozwala sobie na długi rozbieg, uwagę skupiając na głównych bohaterach i tym, co między nimi bucha, z rzadka wrzucając akcję pełną potwornych stworzeń. Nie tyle mi się to nie podobało, co zwyczajnie mnie zmęczyło – lektura mi się ciagnęła, wiele elementów zostało przedstawionych i nigdy nie powróciło, choć jak się domyślam był to zabieg celowy – drugi tom ma tę lukę wypełnić.
Jeśli chodzi o bohaterów, ogromnie polubiłam Ellę. Jej partner niekoniecznie mnie obchodził, gdyż nie jestem fanką kreacji jednej postaci, na którą spada tyle cierpienia. Gdyby zakryć jego przeszłość i skupić sie na tym, jak wchodzi w interakcje z Ellą, to patrzę na niego cieplej. Nie będzie to mój ulubiony duet książkowy, tak samo jak cały tytuł niekoniecznie sprostał moim oczekiwaniom, jednakże sprawiedliwe oceniając to, co dostałam, było okej. Na pewno jest to powiew świeżości w porównaniu z tym, co tradycyjne wydawnictwa mają do zaoferowania w kwestii romansów, powtworów i potwornych romansów.
Good Mourning, Darling to wydana niezależnie powieść opowiadająca o magicznym półświadku, rodzinnym zakładzie pogrzebowym, potworze i autystycznej dziewczynie, która przez miłość i więzy rodzinne przekracza próg tego niebezpiecznego świata. Opis zapowiada dużo napięcia miedzy Elle a Eugene'em, częściowo przez ich umiejscowienie po dwóch różnych stronach konfliktu, a częściowo przez dawno zapomniane uczucie. W rzeczywistości książka Crowley jest skupiona na trochę innej perspektywie.
Miał być cozy horror, wyszedł raczej cozy dark romance. Nie powiem, jest to interesujący kierunek, zwyczajnie dlatego, że Crowley pozbywa się wszystkich wad przepisywanych masowo w tym podgatunku i zapełnia je uczuciem. Między Elle a Eugene'em skrzy, obie strony się szanują i o siebie dbają, choć to uczucie ma być podszyte pewnym niebezpieczeństwem, w żadnym momencie jedna strona nie stanowi zagrożenia dla drugiej. To na plus. Choć sam kierunek tego romansu niekoniecznie przypadł mi do gustu (nie kupuję otoczki klimatycznej, ale o tym za chwilę), to muszę przyznać, że były momentami, gdy czytało mi sie ich perypetie nadzwyczajnie miło.
Błędnie natomiast założyłam, że akcja jest osadzona w latach 20. ubiegłego wieku, a nie tylko jeden bohater wywodzi się z tego okresu. Zakładam, że to będzie element, który wielu uwiedzie, ja jednak preferowałabym przesunięcie tam całej akcji zwyczajnie przez ciekawość.
Kwestia fabuły jest trochę bardziej skomplikowana, ponieważ to książka z gatunku tych, w którcyh de facto nic się nie dzieje. Dużo buzuje w światotwórstwie, jednak autorka pozwala sobie na długi rozbieg, uwagę skupiając na głównych bohaterach i tym, co między nimi bucha, z rzadka wrzucając akcję pełną potwornych stworzeń. Nie tyle mi się to nie podobało, co zwyczajnie mnie zmęczyło – lektura mi się ciagnęła, wiele elementów zostało przedstawionych i nigdy nie powróciło, choć jak się domyślam był to zabieg celowy – drugi tom ma tę lukę wypełnić.
Jeśli chodzi o bohaterów, ogromnie polubiłam Ellę. Jej partner niekoniecznie mnie obchodził, gdyż nie jestem fanką kreacji jednej postaci, na którą spada tyle cierpienia. Gdyby zakryć jego przeszłość i skupić sie na tym, jak wchodzi w interakcje z Ellą, to patrzę na niego cieplej. Nie będzie to mój ulubiony duet książkowy, tak samo jak cały tytuł niekoniecznie sprostał moim oczekiwaniom, jednakże sprawiedliwe oceniając to, co dostałam, było okej. Na pewno jest to powiew świeżości w porównaniu z tym, co tradycyjne wydawnictwa mają do zaoferowania w kwestii romansów, powtworów i potwornych romansów.
April 1, 2024
2024 reads: 80/250
4.5
i received an advanced review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
ella’s autism and fear of dead things makes it hard to connect with her family, who run a funeral home. shortly after she moves back home, she’s the target of a monster attack, leading to her father tasking his removal technician, eugene, with keeping her safe. ella wants to learn more about what her father’s involved in, but she’s also becoming more interested in eugene…
this was such an interesting book! i really liked the monster aspect, and i would really like to see this explored even more in book two. the author described this as a “cozy horror romance” which is honestly the perfect description of it.
i also loved ella so much. her autistic identity was explored so well. i love how she made it clear that she’s an adult and can make her own decisions, as autistic people can, unfortunately, be infantilized in real life and in media. i loved how she described her own thinking and how this played into her story.
overall, i highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the sequel!
4.5
i received an advanced review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
ella’s autism and fear of dead things makes it hard to connect with her family, who run a funeral home. shortly after she moves back home, she’s the target of a monster attack, leading to her father tasking his removal technician, eugene, with keeping her safe. ella wants to learn more about what her father’s involved in, but she’s also becoming more interested in eugene…
this was such an interesting book! i really liked the monster aspect, and i would really like to see this explored even more in book two. the author described this as a “cozy horror romance” which is honestly the perfect description of it.
i also loved ella so much. her autistic identity was explored so well. i love how she made it clear that she’s an adult and can make her own decisions, as autistic people can, unfortunately, be infantilized in real life and in media. i loved how she described her own thinking and how this played into her story.
overall, i highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the sequel!
April 10, 2024
This book was so addicting to read. The chemistry and banter between Ella and Eugene was electrifying! The banter between the Shadow and Eugene was great and hilarious at times. I thank my friend for recommending me this book. It is a new favorite. :)
March 22, 2024
This book…
I literally just put it down, I can’t even handle how much I loved this book.
To start, I was absolutely HOOKED when the author posted about it on TikTok, the cover alone drew me in (yes I judged a book by its cover and I’m so happy I did.)
But after seeing the stunning cover, I started reading the descriptions the author made about this beautiful book and I couldn’t help myself.
I signed up to ARC read it, and then stalked her page waiting for it to be posted 😂
When I got the email about being able to arc I was so giddy.
Ok onto the book itself, sorry, I’m still so happy I got to read this book lol. It’s amazingly good.
The spice I would say is 2/5 not huge spice, but the spicy scenes themselves 🤌🏻 beautifully written.
The world building is amazing.
It doesn’t run long like a wattpad, but it builds the scenes and emotions behind the current scene perfectly.
The inclusivity in this book makes it literally feel like a cozy blanket, when you are reading it, if that makes sense? Idk my brain felt like it was being hugged the whole time I was reading this book lol.
It’s so inclusive and accepting and I love it so much.
It shows the perspective of a woman with autism, and that made my heart so happy.
As an autistic woman, I related to the FMC more than any other book I’ve read.
She was written so well.
Eugene…
Omg Eugene. The ultimate shadow daddy, but without the daddy vibes I suppose.
I loveee how he talks, how straightforward he is, he feels like a man that could hold your drink in a crowded bar, even though he likes to talk about how horrible he is.
His shadow is everything and I love it. (The pronoun it chose)
THE BANTER 👏🏻🤌🏻👏🏻🤌🏻👏🏻
Omg the banter is amazing. It’s thought out, it makes sense, you aren’t sitting there saying “umm why wouldn’t you just say that?!?” Like I do to SO MANY characters, it doesn’t make sense to me when they have something to say, but refuse to say it. The characters in this book say what you are hoping they will say. It’s amazing.
All in all this book is beautiful, and I would highly recommend it
It leaves you on a massive cliff hanger, and I’m literally going to be glued to the authors Social medias until the next one comes out 😂
READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I literally just put it down, I can’t even handle how much I loved this book.
To start, I was absolutely HOOKED when the author posted about it on TikTok, the cover alone drew me in (yes I judged a book by its cover and I’m so happy I did.)
But after seeing the stunning cover, I started reading the descriptions the author made about this beautiful book and I couldn’t help myself.
I signed up to ARC read it, and then stalked her page waiting for it to be posted 😂
When I got the email about being able to arc I was so giddy.
Ok onto the book itself, sorry, I’m still so happy I got to read this book lol. It’s amazingly good.
The spice I would say is 2/5 not huge spice, but the spicy scenes themselves 🤌🏻 beautifully written.
The world building is amazing.
It doesn’t run long like a wattpad, but it builds the scenes and emotions behind the current scene perfectly.
The inclusivity in this book makes it literally feel like a cozy blanket, when you are reading it, if that makes sense? Idk my brain felt like it was being hugged the whole time I was reading this book lol.
It’s so inclusive and accepting and I love it so much.
It shows the perspective of a woman with autism, and that made my heart so happy.
As an autistic woman, I related to the FMC more than any other book I’ve read.
She was written so well.
Eugene…
Omg Eugene. The ultimate shadow daddy, but without the daddy vibes I suppose.
I loveee how he talks, how straightforward he is, he feels like a man that could hold your drink in a crowded bar, even though he likes to talk about how horrible he is.
His shadow is everything and I love it. (The pronoun it chose)
THE BANTER 👏🏻🤌🏻👏🏻🤌🏻👏🏻
Omg the banter is amazing. It’s thought out, it makes sense, you aren’t sitting there saying “umm why wouldn’t you just say that?!?” Like I do to SO MANY characters, it doesn’t make sense to me when they have something to say, but refuse to say it. The characters in this book say what you are hoping they will say. It’s amazing.
All in all this book is beautiful, and I would highly recommend it
It leaves you on a massive cliff hanger, and I’m literally going to be glued to the authors Social medias until the next one comes out 😂
READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
April 14, 2024
FMC: Ella
MMC(s): Eugene
Tropes: One sided enemies-to-lovers, Monster Mob Funeral Home, Morally Grey MMC, Forced Proximity, Cozy Horror Romance, Shadow Monster, She falls first, he falls harder, forbidden love, Biracial Filipino FMC
> Reviewer add:
Perspective: Third person, dual
Plot or character driven: Both
Spicy scenes breakdown:
> Present? Yes.
> Detailed? Yes.
> With only one character? Yes.
> Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes.
> Personal favorite?
> State of the joystick? Human?
> Anything else to note? This is not a monster romance like most monster romances. There’s no emphasis on the equipment, but on how his monstrosity influences his humanity and vice versa.
Burn speed: Slow.
Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes.
Re-Readability: High.
Monster level:1 - Mostly human.
Content Notes: These are neither tropes nor warnings. Autism Rep. LGBTQIA+ rep.
Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Beginning of book.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Quote: “That was before you got dizzy with the dame!”
Ella has a crush on Eugene and wants to explore it, Eugene is trying to protect her from the things that go bump in the night.
First, Eugene is from the 1920s and uses language to reflect that, and I love it. There is a full lexicon for anyone that’s intimidated, don’t be. I loved this story, Ella and Eugene fell in very naturally together, Eugene and Shadow are our monsters (inhabiting one body). And it was a little different from the normal monster romances, but still delicious.
This was my first book by this author and I want more.
MMC(s): Eugene
Tropes: One sided enemies-to-lovers, Monster Mob Funeral Home, Morally Grey MMC, Forced Proximity, Cozy Horror Romance, Shadow Monster, She falls first, he falls harder, forbidden love, Biracial Filipino FMC
> Reviewer add:
Perspective: Third person, dual
Plot or character driven: Both
Spicy scenes breakdown:
> Present? Yes.
> Detailed? Yes.
> With only one character? Yes.
> Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes.
> Personal favorite?
> State of the joystick? Human?
> Anything else to note? This is not a monster romance like most monster romances. There’s no emphasis on the equipment, but on how his monstrosity influences his humanity and vice versa.
Burn speed: Slow.
Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes.
Re-Readability: High.
Monster level:1 - Mostly human.
Content Notes: These are neither tropes nor warnings. Autism Rep. LGBTQIA+ rep.
Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Beginning of book.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Quote: “That was before you got dizzy with the dame!”
Ella has a crush on Eugene and wants to explore it, Eugene is trying to protect her from the things that go bump in the night.
First, Eugene is from the 1920s and uses language to reflect that, and I love it. There is a full lexicon for anyone that’s intimidated, don’t be. I loved this story, Ella and Eugene fell in very naturally together, Eugene and Shadow are our monsters (inhabiting one body). And it was a little different from the normal monster romances, but still delicious.
This was my first book by this author and I want more.
April 2, 2024
Good Mourning, Darling is a cozy horror romance featuring a mysterious monster named Eugene who's style and manner of speaking seem stuck in the 20s. Our main character, Ella, is returning to her childhood home and would you look at that? Her parents own the funeral home Eugene works at.
The romance between Ella and Eugene is delightful in a multitude of ways. Azalea's ability to write books where you can feel the respect and admiration, they have for one another is unmatched. Regardless of any gray morals on Eugene's part he still manages to be a swoon-worthy book boyfriend. He's absurd but in the best way possible.
Ella is a fun character for me in that while the root of our anxiety differs, I can relate *heavily* to the anxiety she often feels when questioning how she's being perceived or overstimulated. She's a loyal, bold, and complex character that I'm excited to get to know more in the subsequent books!
If you've read the Odd Blood series you'll find that this one is a bit more on the gorey murdery side. Morally gray love interest like Eugene? He does deal in death after all.
This book is also smuttier than the Odd Blood series and it is done really well.
I think some people *may* find this book a bit over the top with Eugene's 20s speak, but that's what makes it like crack fic for me. It just so carefully toes the line of too absurd while delivering some hilarious scenes.
Thank you so much to Azalea for the ARC! It was an absolute delight to read.
The romance between Ella and Eugene is delightful in a multitude of ways. Azalea's ability to write books where you can feel the respect and admiration, they have for one another is unmatched. Regardless of any gray morals on Eugene's part he still manages to be a swoon-worthy book boyfriend. He's absurd but in the best way possible.
Ella is a fun character for me in that while the root of our anxiety differs, I can relate *heavily* to the anxiety she often feels when questioning how she's being perceived or overstimulated. She's a loyal, bold, and complex character that I'm excited to get to know more in the subsequent books!
If you've read the Odd Blood series you'll find that this one is a bit more on the gorey murdery side. Morally gray love interest like Eugene? He does deal in death after all.
This book is also smuttier than the Odd Blood series and it is done really well.
I think some people *may* find this book a bit over the top with Eugene's 20s speak, but that's what makes it like crack fic for me. It just so carefully toes the line of too absurd while delivering some hilarious scenes.
Thank you so much to Azalea for the ARC! It was an absolute delight to read.
September 13, 2024
4.25
I fucking love Eugene!
This book was simultaneously exactly what I expected and very much not.
An age old MMC and his sentient shadows with... special cravings is somehow exactly what I needed. Eugene is that evil creature from another time, hiding more than one secret behind his galant smile. And somehow, that made him the perfect counterpart for Ella, the oblivious, innocent if not naive FMC. Sure, I could have been annoyed by her softness, yet somehow it worked. Not least because she made for the perfect counterpart to the darkness of Eugene's world.
Both characters were granted quite a bit of development that was mostly plot driven in a way they could not escape. Forced proximity is even more fun if a cheeky shadow is involved, right?
The writing adapted to the clash of Eugene's past and sweet modern Ella. It wasn't always my favourite but it seemed executed quite well and was easy to enjoy.
I fucking love Eugene!
This book was simultaneously exactly what I expected and very much not.
An age old MMC and his sentient shadows with... special cravings is somehow exactly what I needed. Eugene is that evil creature from another time, hiding more than one secret behind his galant smile. And somehow, that made him the perfect counterpart for Ella, the oblivious, innocent if not naive FMC. Sure, I could have been annoyed by her softness, yet somehow it worked. Not least because she made for the perfect counterpart to the darkness of Eugene's world.
Both characters were granted quite a bit of development that was mostly plot driven in a way they could not escape. Forced proximity is even more fun if a cheeky shadow is involved, right?
The writing adapted to the clash of Eugene's past and sweet modern Ella. It wasn't always my favourite but it seemed executed quite well and was easy to enjoy.
March 23, 2024
Received an ARC copy from author for honest review.
Y’all I was so psyched to read this book because LOOK AT THE COVER!!!
Ella was a biracial autistic woman who was thrust into the world of monsters utterly unprepared. I related to her so much. Her autistic traits were absolutely on point, especially her overstimulation. She never got to choose when her brain would decide “ok we’re done”, and navigating the paranormal was more complex as a result.
Eugene was deliciously morally grey, with a gripping introduction and a fascinating and slightly terrifying sociopathic way of interacting with the world. The author did a fabulous job integrating slang from the 30s and I’m now pretty sure darling is my new fave pet name.
The world building was really good, and the reader is introduced to the paranormal in the same haphazard way that Ella is. Occasionally it can be a bit confusing, but it’s very authentic.
Ella’s father, Stephan, added a lot of intrigue and purposely blocked most of the information flow to Ella. The mix of infantilization and respect she received from the people around her was true to the experiences of many autistic people, especially family.
I’m slightly devastated that it ended on a cliffy, but I’m excited for the next book!
Spice: 3/5 - low detail, 2ish scenes
Triggers:
Light: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Captivity & Confinement, Dietary Restrictions, Dismemberment, Gang Violence, Grief & Loss Depiction, Gun Violence, Horror Reincarnation (not mentioned, vaguely implied), Imprisonment, Knife Violence, Massacres & Mass Murder, Mass Shooting, Monsters Eating Monsters, Needles (mentioned), Pet Death (fish, minor), Profanity, Racism, Scars, Self Flagellation (mentioned), Sexism & Misogyny Medium: Blackmail, Car Accident , Classism, Corpse Desecration, Fainting, Familial Estrangement, Home Invasion, Kidnapping, Medical Treatment & Procedures, Mutilation, Necromancy, Organized Crime, Physical Assault, Physical Torture, Poverty, Sexual Content, Unprotected Sex Heavy: Afterlife, Anxiety, Blood, Body Horror, Consent Issues, Dead Bodies & Body Parts, Death, Gore, Intrusive Thoughts, Loss of Autonomy, Manipulation, Murder & Attempted Murder, Occult, Physical Violence, Predation (misunderstood), Subjugation, Threats, Undead, Vampire Enthrallment/Mind Control, Violence
Y’all I was so psyched to read this book because LOOK AT THE COVER!!!
Ella was a biracial autistic woman who was thrust into the world of monsters utterly unprepared. I related to her so much. Her autistic traits were absolutely on point, especially her overstimulation. She never got to choose when her brain would decide “ok we’re done”, and navigating the paranormal was more complex as a result.
Eugene was deliciously morally grey, with a gripping introduction and a fascinating and slightly terrifying sociopathic way of interacting with the world. The author did a fabulous job integrating slang from the 30s and I’m now pretty sure darling is my new fave pet name.
The world building was really good, and the reader is introduced to the paranormal in the same haphazard way that Ella is. Occasionally it can be a bit confusing, but it’s very authentic.
Ella’s father, Stephan, added a lot of intrigue and purposely blocked most of the information flow to Ella. The mix of infantilization and respect she received from the people around her was true to the experiences of many autistic people, especially family.
I’m slightly devastated that it ended on a cliffy, but I’m excited for the next book!
Spice: 3/5 - low detail, 2ish scenes
Triggers:
Light: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Captivity & Confinement, Dietary Restrictions, Dismemberment, Gang Violence, Grief & Loss Depiction, Gun Violence, Horror Reincarnation (not mentioned, vaguely implied), Imprisonment, Knife Violence, Massacres & Mass Murder, Mass Shooting, Monsters Eating Monsters, Needles (mentioned), Pet Death (fish, minor), Profanity, Racism, Scars, Self Flagellation (mentioned), Sexism & Misogyny Medium: Blackmail, Car Accident , Classism, Corpse Desecration, Fainting, Familial Estrangement, Home Invasion, Kidnapping, Medical Treatment & Procedures, Mutilation, Necromancy, Organized Crime, Physical Assault, Physical Torture, Poverty, Sexual Content, Unprotected Sex Heavy: Afterlife, Anxiety, Blood, Body Horror, Consent Issues, Dead Bodies & Body Parts, Death, Gore, Intrusive Thoughts, Loss of Autonomy, Manipulation, Murder & Attempted Murder, Occult, Physical Violence, Predation (misunderstood), Subjugation, Threats, Undead, Vampire Enthrallment/Mind Control, Violence
June 23, 2025
I’m obsessed.
This is everything I want in a monster romance: creepy but tender, eerie but cozy, with characters who feel so normal; until they absolutely don’t.
Ella and Eugene are an amazing pairing. She’s sweet, autistic, and understandably a little squeamish about death, which makes things complicated, considering her family runs a funeral home. Eugene is charming in that vintage, charmingly unsettling kind of way. These two have layers, for sure.
The autism rep here is excellent; thoughtful and authentic without being turned into a plot device. There's a matter-of-fact acceptance here that I appreciated so much. And the romance? A perfect slow unfurling of trust, fascination, and many sharp edges. Things are complex between them, but they can't stay away. I really hope we see more between Ella and the shadow in future books, because that dynamic has so much potential.
The world-building is low-key but rich, and I was hanging on every word. There’s this quiet intensity to the writing that pulls you under without you realizing it. It’s the kind of story where the monsters might be literal, but the real draw is how deeply human and nuanced these characters feel.
This is cozy horror romance at its best; offbeat, unsettling, and weirdly warm. Azalea Crowley just made a fan out of me, and I’m heading straight into the Odd Blood series next.
This is everything I want in a monster romance: creepy but tender, eerie but cozy, with characters who feel so normal; until they absolutely don’t.
Ella and Eugene are an amazing pairing. She’s sweet, autistic, and understandably a little squeamish about death, which makes things complicated, considering her family runs a funeral home. Eugene is charming in that vintage, charmingly unsettling kind of way. These two have layers, for sure.
The autism rep here is excellent; thoughtful and authentic without being turned into a plot device. There's a matter-of-fact acceptance here that I appreciated so much. And the romance? A perfect slow unfurling of trust, fascination, and many sharp edges. Things are complex between them, but they can't stay away. I really hope we see more between Ella and the shadow in future books, because that dynamic has so much potential.
The world-building is low-key but rich, and I was hanging on every word. There’s this quiet intensity to the writing that pulls you under without you realizing it. It’s the kind of story where the monsters might be literal, but the real draw is how deeply human and nuanced these characters feel.
This is cozy horror romance at its best; offbeat, unsettling, and weirdly warm. Azalea Crowley just made a fan out of me, and I’m heading straight into the Odd Blood series next.
March 22, 2024
I have so many thoughts (all positive), but the first one is that I have never felt so seen!!! It was so refreshing to read a book with representation for folks on the spectrum as well as the queer community. This cozy horror romance novel is the best of its kind.
Ella is by far one of my favorite fictional characters that I’ve read. First off, I am vegetarian due to not liking the texture and no one has ever spoken about that in the same way. I also loved how she talked through the 54321 technique, and how being on the spectrum wasn’t something she was ashamed about. I enjoyed her blurting out her inside thoughts, especially the, “you can call me whatever you want”🤭 oh my gosh I was just loving every second of it. Ella is the most relatable character!
As for the other main character, Eugene, *swoons* I loved him!! His old fashioned sayings and his suits were *chefs kiss* every time he called Ella “Darling” or “my dear” I was punching the wall in envy. His shadow added an extra layer and dynamic that was unique and super interesting. I adore it and Ella’s curiosity about it.
And can we take a minute to talk about the spice scenes? Because WOW🥵🌶️😩 again, another part of the novel that was just perfect. Normalizing talking about consent in romance novels >>>
I devoured this book in the same day. It kept me entertained, and the characters were soooo well written. Forced proximity trope is one of my favorites, and it was done incredibly well in this book. I will be anxiously waiting for book #2! 🤩🤩
Ella is by far one of my favorite fictional characters that I’ve read. First off, I am vegetarian due to not liking the texture and no one has ever spoken about that in the same way. I also loved how she talked through the 54321 technique, and how being on the spectrum wasn’t something she was ashamed about. I enjoyed her blurting out her inside thoughts, especially the, “you can call me whatever you want”🤭 oh my gosh I was just loving every second of it. Ella is the most relatable character!
As for the other main character, Eugene, *swoons* I loved him!! His old fashioned sayings and his suits were *chefs kiss* every time he called Ella “Darling” or “my dear” I was punching the wall in envy. His shadow added an extra layer and dynamic that was unique and super interesting. I adore it and Ella’s curiosity about it.
And can we take a minute to talk about the spice scenes? Because WOW🥵🌶️😩 again, another part of the novel that was just perfect. Normalizing talking about consent in romance novels >>>
I devoured this book in the same day. It kept me entertained, and the characters were soooo well written. Forced proximity trope is one of my favorites, and it was done incredibly well in this book. I will be anxiously waiting for book #2! 🤩🤩
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2024
Two things about me: I’m not usually a series ghoulie (save for connected standalones), and in the exception that I do pick up the first in a series, I usually wait until the later books are out.
I broke from tradition when I read Good Mourning, Darling by Azalea Crowley last week. I did it for a few reasons. For one, it’s Disability Pride Month, and I wanted to make sure I was reading some books with disabled main characters by disabled authors this month. Two, I’ve been getting into horror romance—especially cozy horror romance—and I was in the mood for one. And three, a paranormal mafia funeral home??? Sign me up.
Anyway, I’m glad I did because Good Mourning, Darling is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I loved that Eugene still speaks like the 20s mobster he was even though the book is set in contemporary times (and I appreciated the 20s slang glossary in the beginning of the book so I knew what he was saying). I loved that a transatlantic accent somehow became hot to me?? I loved the world building, and how things were sort of revealed as we went along (this was my first book by Crowley, so I don’t have the context from the Odd Blood series). I loved the nature of Eugene’s Shadow, and that it was sort of its own entity and still at times part of a “we.” I loved the depiction of Ella’s autism, and how it was front-and-center as part of who she was. I just loved it.
And I’m so ready for more, omg. Trust I will be re-reading this when the next in the series comes out so I can remember everything before the story continues.
I broke from tradition when I read Good Mourning, Darling by Azalea Crowley last week. I did it for a few reasons. For one, it’s Disability Pride Month, and I wanted to make sure I was reading some books with disabled main characters by disabled authors this month. Two, I’ve been getting into horror romance—especially cozy horror romance—and I was in the mood for one. And three, a paranormal mafia funeral home??? Sign me up.
Anyway, I’m glad I did because Good Mourning, Darling is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I loved that Eugene still speaks like the 20s mobster he was even though the book is set in contemporary times (and I appreciated the 20s slang glossary in the beginning of the book so I knew what he was saying). I loved that a transatlantic accent somehow became hot to me?? I loved the world building, and how things were sort of revealed as we went along (this was my first book by Crowley, so I don’t have the context from the Odd Blood series). I loved the nature of Eugene’s Shadow, and that it was sort of its own entity and still at times part of a “we.” I loved the depiction of Ella’s autism, and how it was front-and-center as part of who she was. I just loved it.
And I’m so ready for more, omg. Trust I will be re-reading this when the next in the series comes out so I can remember everything before the story continues.
April 9, 2024
Omg my heart is going badumpbadadumpbadumpbadurmdofhegdjd,€;:&,!/&
That ending had it all!
I’ve heard that funeral homes actually are lead by mafia families, though I can’t tell for sure if that is true. But the fact that I’ve heard of that before, being part of reality, made this story so much more interesting.
The plot in simple words is: A dad’s reluctant right hand(s) are the bodyguard of his daughter when her life appears to be in danger.
We are following two points of view (3rd person), the daughter’s and the right hand(s)’.
Ella’s internal thoughts often felt very relatable, thought spirals and naïveté taking up a lot of her inner monologues. I’m usually not a fan of naive FMCs, especially when they’re autistic, but in Ella’s case it made lots of sense as she grew up very sheltered and left in the dark by her parents. She’s from a family of old money. I hope to meet her Filipino mother in the sequel and read more about Filipino folklore.
Eugene is never really alone because his sentient shadow is with him, while he has his own internal monologues, he often has internal and external dialogues with his shadow. Their chapters often left me frustrated (in a good way) because they were shrouded in so much mystery that wouldn’t clear up until later in the book, if even. There will still be a sequel that I will definitely read.
Azalea Crowley really trusts the reader to come to their own conclusions. It felt quite refreshing to be trusted to think for myself. This is what books for adults should all do IMO.
The writing flowed really well. It felt like the novel went through many rounds of expensive editing, but truth be told, the author shared just now that she’s a perfectionist and the story was written without any redundancies in the first place.
I’ll definitely check out the odd blood series while waiting for the sequel.
Thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review. My review is a little late because life has been busy. The book has been published on April 3rd.
That ending had it all!
I’ve heard that funeral homes actually are lead by mafia families, though I can’t tell for sure if that is true. But the fact that I’ve heard of that before, being part of reality, made this story so much more interesting.
The plot in simple words is: A dad’s reluctant right hand(s) are the bodyguard of his daughter when her life appears to be in danger.
We are following two points of view (3rd person), the daughter’s and the right hand(s)’.
Ella’s internal thoughts often felt very relatable, thought spirals and naïveté taking up a lot of her inner monologues. I’m usually not a fan of naive FMCs, especially when they’re autistic, but in Ella’s case it made lots of sense as she grew up very sheltered and left in the dark by her parents. She’s from a family of old money. I hope to meet her Filipino mother in the sequel and read more about Filipino folklore.
Eugene is never really alone because his sentient shadow is with him, while he has his own internal monologues, he often has internal and external dialogues with his shadow. Their chapters often left me frustrated (in a good way) because they were shrouded in so much mystery that wouldn’t clear up until later in the book, if even. There will still be a sequel that I will definitely read.
Azalea Crowley really trusts the reader to come to their own conclusions. It felt quite refreshing to be trusted to think for myself. This is what books for adults should all do IMO.
The writing flowed really well. It felt like the novel went through many rounds of expensive editing, but truth be told, the author shared just now that she’s a perfectionist and the story was written without any redundancies in the first place.
I’ll definitely check out the odd blood series while waiting for the sequel.
Thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review. My review is a little late because life has been busy. The book has been published on April 3rd.
April 30, 2024
Cozy Horror Romance
It’s such a fitting sub genre but I promise I just want to call it a Crowley Romance. Azalea really is in a league and lane all her own and she blows me away every time. I always think I know what to expect and I’m almost never even close. On top of being a phenomenal read, this pulled me out of a major slump. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if either Ella would have expressed her feelings sooner thus allowing Eugene to realize his, I wanted just a little more time with them both aware and in their little bubble before the applesauce hit the fan. But bugger me that ending. Ahhhh, I sort of kind had a small thought but Im sure I actually have no idea. Pace wise it was attention getting and steady from start to finish. When the smex hits it so good and I loved the imagery of it as much as the heat. We got quite a bit of information about the lore at the end so I’m really excited to dive more into that in the next book, hopefully we understand Eugene’s origins and the compulsion better and find out more about the Bardots. This is an exciting series.
It’s such a fitting sub genre but I promise I just want to call it a Crowley Romance. Azalea really is in a league and lane all her own and she blows me away every time. I always think I know what to expect and I’m almost never even close. On top of being a phenomenal read, this pulled me out of a major slump. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if either Ella would have expressed her feelings sooner thus allowing Eugene to realize his, I wanted just a little more time with them both aware and in their little bubble before the applesauce hit the fan. But bugger me that ending. Ahhhh, I sort of kind had a small thought but Im sure I actually have no idea. Pace wise it was attention getting and steady from start to finish. When the smex hits it so good and I loved the imagery of it as much as the heat. We got quite a bit of information about the lore at the end so I’m really excited to dive more into that in the next book, hopefully we understand Eugene’s origins and the compulsion better and find out more about the Bardots. This is an exciting series.
April 18, 2024
I couldn’t put this down and I already want to read it again. This was everything I needed and more! Eugene made me feel seen in so many ways (as a greyromantic I saw so much of myself in him), but I’m also tragically enamored with him (why must he be fictional!?!). And while me and Ella are drastically different, there were so many moments in her internal monologue where I was like YES, OMG THANK YOU.
The representation that aligned with my own intersectionalities was so validating in so many ways. I also loved reading about the bits of Filipino culture Azalea infused in the book and am really looking forward to getting deeper into it in book 2.
All around this book made my black little heart grow two sizes. I highlighted the shit out of it and will look back fondly at all the things that made me laugh and swoon and say, SAME.
Im desperate for book 2, but in the meantime I’ll be here lamenting over the fact that no one is calling me Darling.
The representation that aligned with my own intersectionalities was so validating in so many ways. I also loved reading about the bits of Filipino culture Azalea infused in the book and am really looking forward to getting deeper into it in book 2.
All around this book made my black little heart grow two sizes. I highlighted the shit out of it and will look back fondly at all the things that made me laugh and swoon and say, SAME.
Im desperate for book 2, but in the meantime I’ll be here lamenting over the fact that no one is calling me Darling.
April 27, 2024
Good Mourning Darling is a cosy horror romance that finds Ella accidentally drawn into a world of monster mobsters and secret organisations. When a hit is put on her head, her bodyguard is none other than her teenage crush - Eugene. But he’s hiding more than she bargained for.
This book was adorable! If you love Hazbin Hotel, particularly Alastor, then you’ll enjoy this book! Eugene is basically Alastor, from his Transatlantic accent to his 1930s sayings. Oh, and he’s a monster who hides everything behind a smile!
But while he’s a monster he’s also a gentleman. Eugene is devoted to Ella’s care. Their growing relationship was so fun to watch as Ella realises that a few things don’t add up. She’s so accepting of his monstrous side and Eugene loves Ella, quirks and all.
The horror elements were so well incorporated and Crowley does not hold back. This is horror done right, rather than gore for the sake of it. Having monster communities based around mobs was unexpected yet worked perfectly! I can’t wait to see more from this world!
🖤 monster romance
🖤 Hazbin Hotel vibes
🖤 pining
🖤 she falls first, he falls harder
🖤 possessive MMC
🖤 anxiety/autism rep
🖤 bodyguard romance
This book was adorable! If you love Hazbin Hotel, particularly Alastor, then you’ll enjoy this book! Eugene is basically Alastor, from his Transatlantic accent to his 1930s sayings. Oh, and he’s a monster who hides everything behind a smile!
But while he’s a monster he’s also a gentleman. Eugene is devoted to Ella’s care. Their growing relationship was so fun to watch as Ella realises that a few things don’t add up. She’s so accepting of his monstrous side and Eugene loves Ella, quirks and all.
The horror elements were so well incorporated and Crowley does not hold back. This is horror done right, rather than gore for the sake of it. Having monster communities based around mobs was unexpected yet worked perfectly! I can’t wait to see more from this world!
🖤 monster romance
🖤 Hazbin Hotel vibes
🖤 pining
🖤 she falls first, he falls harder
🖤 possessive MMC
🖤 anxiety/autism rep
🖤 bodyguard romance
November 2, 2025
3.5☆ rounded down
This surprised me really pleasantly. It was well-written and Ella and Eugene had an excellent dynamic and excellent chemistry. I joked that this was a mafia romance in its core and, as per the author's acknowledgements section, this is by the design. I think when it started leaning into this more is when my interest also sort of started dwindling and I started feeling like the novel dragged a bit.
The prose was competent and seemed well put-together, but sometimes both it and the plot seemed a little too straightforward - so definitely a romance novel over anything else. Still very much worth it as a cosy read.
This surprised me really pleasantly. It was well-written and Ella and Eugene had an excellent dynamic and excellent chemistry. I joked that this was a mafia romance in its core and, as per the author's acknowledgements section, this is by the design. I think when it started leaning into this more is when my interest also sort of started dwindling and I started feeling like the novel dragged a bit.
The prose was competent and seemed well put-together, but sometimes both it and the plot seemed a little too straightforward - so definitely a romance novel over anything else. Still very much worth it as a cosy read.
April 1, 2024
3.5 Stars
Received an ARC from the author for honest review.
I found the dual perspectives (Ella and Eugene) engaging, and would happily follow the next installment of their story. Ella is mixed race, autistic, and bisexual, but I can only comment on the latter trait from personal experience and say that I thought this aspect was well thought out. The bread crumbs about Eugene's motivations were given to us at a fairly even pace, and I cannot wait to see Ella's mother on page to get her perspective on some of the cultural monsters from her heritage.
All in all, a decent cosy horror romance.
Received an ARC from the author for honest review.
I found the dual perspectives (Ella and Eugene) engaging, and would happily follow the next installment of their story. Ella is mixed race, autistic, and bisexual, but I can only comment on the latter trait from personal experience and say that I thought this aspect was well thought out. The bread crumbs about Eugene's motivations were given to us at a fairly even pace, and I cannot wait to see Ella's mother on page to get her perspective on some of the cultural monsters from her heritage.
All in all, a decent cosy horror romance.
April 3, 2024
I love all of Azalea’s work. Truly. Their crafting of stories and representation is just amazing.
But this book.
THIS ONE. ITS THE NEW FAVE.
I love Ella and Eugene. Their banter, their relationship. The representation (bi autistic, greysexual greyromantic) is phenomenal.
And the shadow? Love it. A mood.
Add more stuff creeps into the Oddverse, the more excited I get. This universe is amazing and I am so excited to dig into new monsters, new stories, ans more great characters
10 bajillion stars.
But this book.
THIS ONE. ITS THE NEW FAVE.
I love Ella and Eugene. Their banter, their relationship. The representation (bi autistic, greysexual greyromantic) is phenomenal.
And the shadow? Love it. A mood.
Add more stuff creeps into the Oddverse, the more excited I get. This universe is amazing and I am so excited to dig into new monsters, new stories, ans more great characters
10 bajillion stars.
January 31, 2025
4 Stars
Oh, I'm intrigued to see where book 2 will go!! Once I got used to how Eugene talks I found myself being drawn into the whole story. I felt pretty lost at the start trying to figure out the supernatural world, so this book required a little bit of patience, but it was worth it. I loved the characters and representation. Ella and Eugene's forbidden romance adds a little something extra. The whole book felt cozy while still managing to be exciting. I think that's my sweet spot in this type of genre because I can't handle too slow of a pace.
Oh, I'm intrigued to see where book 2 will go!! Once I got used to how Eugene talks I found myself being drawn into the whole story. I felt pretty lost at the start trying to figure out the supernatural world, so this book required a little bit of patience, but it was worth it. I loved the characters and representation. Ella and Eugene's forbidden romance adds a little something extra. The whole book felt cozy while still managing to be exciting. I think that's my sweet spot in this type of genre because I can't handle too slow of a pace.
April 17, 2024
Mini review: This might be the cutest thing I’ve read 😭. Ella and Eugene are beyond adorable. Even if Eugene is a people eating, undead monster with a shadow companion 🤣. It’s open door with some spicy scenes!
Full review
“𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
Here’s the thing. This book is absolutely adorable and quirky and cozy horror romance is my new favorite thing. It was such a comforting read! I feel incredibly lucky to have found this author by chance.
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥?“
Ella is so precious in her absolute acceptance of Eugene and all that he is despite her previous fear of monsters and aversion to death. Her struggles with Autism and how people perceive her are portrayed so honestly. How her family continues to infantilize her, treat her like a child who needs to be protected. But her feral attraction to Eugene had me cracking up 😂. When she asked for Eugene’s shadow monster’s pronouns it endeared her to me even more.
Eugene can be a bit dramatic at times with his 20s lingo but that just adds to his adorably absurd character. Beneath the smile that always graces his handsome face is hidden trauma of how he became what he is, of decades spent imprisoned to the will of others. Yes he’s a monster who eats people. Mostly bad, undead people. And I’ve decided, like Ella, I don’t care 🤣. Also, his shadow-monster-companion is too cute in how it starts to care for Ella too.
There is a perfect blend of sweet romantic and spicy moments throughout the story. I’m very intrigued about the paranormal world and can’t wait to learn more in the sequel! Also, this does not end on a cliffhanger. More on a spicy note 👀.
Please check out the TW provided by the author before reading.
Full review
“𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
Here’s the thing. This book is absolutely adorable and quirky and cozy horror romance is my new favorite thing. It was such a comforting read! I feel incredibly lucky to have found this author by chance.
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥?“
Ella is so precious in her absolute acceptance of Eugene and all that he is despite her previous fear of monsters and aversion to death. Her struggles with Autism and how people perceive her are portrayed so honestly. How her family continues to infantilize her, treat her like a child who needs to be protected. But her feral attraction to Eugene had me cracking up 😂. When she asked for Eugene’s shadow monster’s pronouns it endeared her to me even more.
Eugene can be a bit dramatic at times with his 20s lingo but that just adds to his adorably absurd character. Beneath the smile that always graces his handsome face is hidden trauma of how he became what he is, of decades spent imprisoned to the will of others. Yes he’s a monster who eats people. Mostly bad, undead people. And I’ve decided, like Ella, I don’t care 🤣. Also, his shadow-monster-companion is too cute in how it starts to care for Ella too.
There is a perfect blend of sweet romantic and spicy moments throughout the story. I’m very intrigued about the paranormal world and can’t wait to learn more in the sequel! Also, this does not end on a cliffhanger. More on a spicy note 👀.
Please check out the TW provided by the author before reading.
April 27, 2024
This book was absolutely amazing. This is my first book by Azalea Crowley, and now I am happily off to buy all of her other books.
Cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out next year. Will be counting down the days!
Cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out next year. Will be counting down the days!
April 26, 2024
Ahhh, love love love this book!
Adorable banter, interesting storyline and a good set up for multiple books. Eugene and Ella have my heart and the old boy has sealed my love for the whole world.
Eugene and old boy’s internal dialogue about whether or not they’re going to eat her was my favorite part, hands down. Excited for what’s to come in the next part 🩶
Adorable banter, interesting storyline and a good set up for multiple books. Eugene and Ella have my heart and the old boy has sealed my love for the whole world.
Eugene and old boy’s internal dialogue about whether or not they’re going to eat her was my favorite part, hands down. Excited for what’s to come in the next part 🩶
December 3, 2024
it was kind of dark but also rlly cute
April 5, 2024
4.5*
absolutely DEVOURED this!! this is a cozy horror book and it delivered!! i absolutely adored the characters, their relationship, and everything about this book! please pick this up if you can, i’m about to go read the authors backlist now hehehe
absolutely DEVOURED this!! this is a cozy horror book and it delivered!! i absolutely adored the characters, their relationship, and everything about this book! please pick this up if you can, i’m about to go read the authors backlist now hehehe
February 8, 2025
Although the book’s basic concept sounded VERY promising to me, unfortunately, the execution fell short of my expectations. I usually enjoy similar stories, but this one left me disappointed. At first, I thought I just needed to get used to the style and immerse myself in the story, but sadly, that wasn’t the case.
One of the book’s biggest weaknesses is its strange and cumbersome writing style. The text doesn’t flow smoothly, making it difficult to engage with the narrative. I kept hoping it would become more enjoyable over time, but reading remained a struggle throughout.
Ella’s character is particularly irritating and childish for a 27-year-old. I understand that her character is meant to reflect autism (and I say this as someone who is also somewhere on the spectrum), but this portrayal goes well beyond enjoyable and after all, it’s a story that meant to be entertaining. Her inner monologue nearly drove me insane. Eugene is a more interesting figure, but he didn’t really win me over. The dynamic between him and his shadow could have been so much better developed, which is a missed opportunity for deeper character growth and more interesting, funnier interactions.
The story’s setting and environment are rather schematic, lacking depth and atmosphere. The plot is simple and predictable. Despite waiting for something exciting or surprising to happen, the story remained flat throughout.
I might approach future reads with lower expectations, but only because I appreciate a well-rounded story.
One of the book’s biggest weaknesses is its strange and cumbersome writing style. The text doesn’t flow smoothly, making it difficult to engage with the narrative. I kept hoping it would become more enjoyable over time, but reading remained a struggle throughout.
Ella’s character is particularly irritating and childish for a 27-year-old. I understand that her character is meant to reflect autism (and I say this as someone who is also somewhere on the spectrum), but this portrayal goes well beyond enjoyable and after all, it’s a story that meant to be entertaining. Her inner monologue nearly drove me insane. Eugene is a more interesting figure, but he didn’t really win me over. The dynamic between him and his shadow could have been so much better developed, which is a missed opportunity for deeper character growth and more interesting, funnier interactions.
The story’s setting and environment are rather schematic, lacking depth and atmosphere. The plot is simple and predictable. Despite waiting for something exciting or surprising to happen, the story remained flat throughout.
I might approach future reads with lower expectations, but only because I appreciate a well-rounded story.
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May 24, 2025Eugene Graves from Good Mourning, Darling is grayromantic graysexual!
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
April 4, 2024
aah, quick shout-out and thank you to the author for allowing me to be part of their arc team!
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I very much liked it but also.. have some compaints...
The good things:
The writing. It feels kind of jilted and old-timey, while also feeling relatable and fun. This is also on my list of bad things because I have no idea how I feel about it. I kind of love it but also I think I was a bit thrown and confused. At some points, I felt like I had even skipped pages because it seemed like we were hopping around without being explained things, but eventually that mellowed out - fully could have just been me not understanding things.
The characters. Ack, so much to say! I loved the characters!! I really can't explain it well, so I super duper urge you to pick up this book because it's so satisfying. Something about the way the characters speak, and the quirkiness of their own personalities is so wholesome and healing. Our heroine is autistic and all of her is shown. She's cute and sweet and also smart and determined. She struggles with a lot of social engagements (painfully relatable) and is shown to have her little stims and we see her have moments of overstimulation, etc, etc, etc, and it's so beautiful and validating! I'm not autistic, but I do have some similar experiences to Ella and it's so easy to see myself in her, I think it will feel really validating and healing for people to see themselves in her. Eugene is ... I don't even know. He feels like a villain, but is also a protector for Ella, so on her side. But there's something about him that makes you want to feel weary, which, as a romance girlie, immediately makes him significantly more desirable, who am I kidding >.<
The setting. Although it doesn't necessarily feel like a period piece, our hero is from the roaring 20's and he brings that energy (AND SANG) with him! Huge thank you to the author for the glossary in the beginning of the book. I didn't think I'd need it because.. Context clues, but omg I definitely did. Also, I think it just proves how much time and effort went into making this feel the way it does, and I just need to give the author props, because wow. Very impressed!
The romance. Okay, okay, there's a lot to be said here but I won't spoil anything, never fear! It is an open door romance but it's very much a slow burn and it's very very mild, in my personal opinion. There's maybe 3 sentences that would be considered sexually graphic so it's easy to skip if you're not okay with that type of thing. This is a Cozy Horror, and the cozy vibes are for real. I almost read it in pastel colors and autumn warmth temperatures. It's so soft and gentle while monsters roam the streets, I love it, very excited to go back and read the author's other works!
Things I didn't like. The writing, for reasons listed above.
The plot. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I don't care. I was bored and kinda not following. I also know this is book one in a series, so I'm sure it will get more detailed and entertaining as it goes, this was probably more of a set-up book, but I ... absolutely wasn't interested. It also feels very character-driven (which I appreciate) and even though there was definitely and clearly stuff introduced in the 2nd half of the book which will continue throughout the series, I'm just more here for the vibes and the characters' journey with their love story. Given, if you're not here for the romance, I still think you should give this book a try because it's very solid and I'm just endlessly impressed with how the book made me feel by the time I finished it!
Yeah, that's about all I have to say, so.. go read! Happily awaiting my physical copy to come in the mail :)
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I very much liked it but also.. have some compaints...
The good things:
The writing. It feels kind of jilted and old-timey, while also feeling relatable and fun. This is also on my list of bad things because I have no idea how I feel about it. I kind of love it but also I think I was a bit thrown and confused. At some points, I felt like I had even skipped pages because it seemed like we were hopping around without being explained things, but eventually that mellowed out - fully could have just been me not understanding things.
The characters. Ack, so much to say! I loved the characters!! I really can't explain it well, so I super duper urge you to pick up this book because it's so satisfying. Something about the way the characters speak, and the quirkiness of their own personalities is so wholesome and healing. Our heroine is autistic and all of her is shown. She's cute and sweet and also smart and determined. She struggles with a lot of social engagements (painfully relatable) and is shown to have her little stims and we see her have moments of overstimulation, etc, etc, etc, and it's so beautiful and validating! I'm not autistic, but I do have some similar experiences to Ella and it's so easy to see myself in her, I think it will feel really validating and healing for people to see themselves in her. Eugene is ... I don't even know. He feels like a villain, but is also a protector for Ella, so on her side. But there's something about him that makes you want to feel weary, which, as a romance girlie, immediately makes him significantly more desirable, who am I kidding >.<
The setting. Although it doesn't necessarily feel like a period piece, our hero is from the roaring 20's and he brings that energy (AND SANG) with him! Huge thank you to the author for the glossary in the beginning of the book. I didn't think I'd need it because.. Context clues, but omg I definitely did. Also, I think it just proves how much time and effort went into making this feel the way it does, and I just need to give the author props, because wow. Very impressed!
The romance. Okay, okay, there's a lot to be said here but I won't spoil anything, never fear! It is an open door romance but it's very much a slow burn and it's very very mild, in my personal opinion. There's maybe 3 sentences that would be considered sexually graphic so it's easy to skip if you're not okay with that type of thing. This is a Cozy Horror, and the cozy vibes are for real. I almost read it in pastel colors and autumn warmth temperatures. It's so soft and gentle while monsters roam the streets, I love it, very excited to go back and read the author's other works!
Things I didn't like. The writing, for reasons listed above.
The plot. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I don't care. I was bored and kinda not following. I also know this is book one in a series, so I'm sure it will get more detailed and entertaining as it goes, this was probably more of a set-up book, but I ... absolutely wasn't interested. It also feels very character-driven (which I appreciate) and even though there was definitely and clearly stuff introduced in the 2nd half of the book which will continue throughout the series, I'm just more here for the vibes and the characters' journey with their love story. Given, if you're not here for the romance, I still think you should give this book a try because it's very solid and I'm just endlessly impressed with how the book made me feel by the time I finished it!
Yeah, that's about all I have to say, so.. go read! Happily awaiting my physical copy to come in the mail :)
April 25, 2024
"Why, the same way any monster does! By finding the humor in it all!" Eugene Chortled."
"After all, how could a monster ever love?"
GENRE: Cozy Horror Romance
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: Physical Arc Copy with MTMC & Author
Would I recommend to others?: Okay so this is my first monster romance and cozy horror and yes, I'd recommend this book to others for sure! Its such an easy read. Please check out the trigger list though!
Review:
Firstly, thank you to MTMC Tour & the author for a copy of the physical Arc book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Okay so this is my first monster romance book and it is marketed as cozy horror, which if you know anything about my page, you'd know that I'm the targeted audience with the word "cozy" in it. I've been wanting to explore cozy horror book and when I saw that MTMC tour was advertising this book, I thought it would be the perfect place to start and boy, I wasn't wrong!
I was legit laughing and giggling throughout this book. Like getting to know Ella and Eugene and going on the adventure with them and still exploring serious issues like Autism Rep, why the MMC is morally grey and so on while it was still so cozy and wholesome was just a whole other thing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and even though I was a bit wary as it was my first monster romance (I dont know why but my mind automatically goes to like having a robot monster kind of romance, which I know is more Sci-Fi but that's just me being me), I enjoyed Eugene, our morally grey monster and the way he speaks is just so quirky and I LOVED it.
I also quite enjoyed how the author portrays autism and how she describes it through Ella. It is mentioned in the book that autism is portrayed differently in people and this is clear enough that Ella doesnt consider herself the expert in it but she portrays her own experience and how she overcame the challenges. I think as another neurodivergent person, I could relate to a lot of the feelings she was expressing and how she came to act and be. I loved the Eugene, who didnt know why she did the things she does, was so considerate and thoughtful even if he didnt know what to do all the time.
I do think that some people may get annoyed by the way he is portrayed but honestly, I'd recommend this book to whoever loves cozy horror and wants to explore this genre like I did. I rated this book a 4 stars as it took me through a whole giggling journey like I didnt know who I was while reading this lol. Here are some of my favourite quotes:
"Failure was inevitable. It was part of the human experience or something like that, and as much as it stung, he had handled many a setback with proper sensibilities and logic."
"Patience was always a burden, but he knew the rewards would far outweigh the delay."
"She might have loved easily, might have been impulsive in her feelings, but Ella had always told people she loved them when she felt it. There was no point in keeping love inside when it was meant to be shared."
March 28, 2024
Good Mourning, Darling
RELEASE DATE: 3rd April 2024
━━ † ━━
⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot intensity: 📚📚📚📚📚
🔥 burn: 🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸🩸🩸🩸
🍆 peen uniqueness: 🍆
👤 POV: 3rd Person — Dual POV
━━ † ━━
‘Good Mourning, Darling” is my first novel by Azalea Crowley and I found it “ab-so-lute-ly berries!” It was a great cozy but dark and mysterious monster romance where the plot is intriguing as it is thoroughly enjoyable.
I found the plot of this book the highlight for SURE! The ever evolving mysteries surrounding the Bardot family and Ella’s involvement in a thickening paranormal tale of family secrets and lives was gripping and kept me wanting to read to find out more. Along with the plot, the characters were absolutely lovely and each had their own unique strengths and flaws which made them believable and personable. I also really loved the inclusion of some REAL autism representation within the character of Ella that didn’t shy away from some of the more complex aspects to being neurodivergent. As someone who is neurodivergent myself, it was really great to see a character represented without shame and embracing her own identity.
This book isn’t very spicy, more sitting in a decent level of steamy goodness—but the couple of spicy scenes that were present were very enjoyable; a great mix of soft allusions and rough, almost desperate hunger. They were so GOOD! They weren’t as graphic and intense as what I’m used to, but they were stunning in their own way and almost poetic in their quality. And Eugene can certainly make his little canary sing!
Another fantastic addition is that the author also included an extensive list of content/trigger warnings (ranging from light to heavy) as well as a really appreciated glossary of some 1920’s slang! I will add some of, what I would personally classify as, the more important triggers below, but please refer to the authors list before reading in case there are some that might be triggering to you.
━━ † ━━
⚔️TRIGGER LIST⚔️
— Grief & loss depiction
— Necromancy & occult elements
— Mafia/organised crime
— Sexual content
— Anxiety
— Autism representation
— Blood, gore & death
— Body horror
— Dead bodies & body parts
— Murder & attempted murder
— Violence
— Unprotected sex
━━ † ━━
‘Good Mourning, Darling’ was a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was my first novel by this author and I wasn’t disappointed by their writing style, world building and lovely characters. I would highly recommend this novel if you enjoy; somewhat forbidden romance, mafia romance (but add in monsters), dark & cozy horror vibes, morally grey MMC’s and an intriguing plot. 4/5 stars!!
━━ † ━━
❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️
RELEASE DATE: 3rd April 2024
━━ † ━━
⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot intensity: 📚📚📚📚📚
🔥 burn: 🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸🩸🩸🩸
🍆 peen uniqueness: 🍆
👤 POV: 3rd Person — Dual POV
━━ † ━━
‘Good Mourning, Darling” is my first novel by Azalea Crowley and I found it “ab-so-lute-ly berries!” It was a great cozy but dark and mysterious monster romance where the plot is intriguing as it is thoroughly enjoyable.
I found the plot of this book the highlight for SURE! The ever evolving mysteries surrounding the Bardot family and Ella’s involvement in a thickening paranormal tale of family secrets and lives was gripping and kept me wanting to read to find out more. Along with the plot, the characters were absolutely lovely and each had their own unique strengths and flaws which made them believable and personable. I also really loved the inclusion of some REAL autism representation within the character of Ella that didn’t shy away from some of the more complex aspects to being neurodivergent. As someone who is neurodivergent myself, it was really great to see a character represented without shame and embracing her own identity.
This book isn’t very spicy, more sitting in a decent level of steamy goodness—but the couple of spicy scenes that were present were very enjoyable; a great mix of soft allusions and rough, almost desperate hunger. They were so GOOD! They weren’t as graphic and intense as what I’m used to, but they were stunning in their own way and almost poetic in their quality. And Eugene can certainly make his little canary sing!
Another fantastic addition is that the author also included an extensive list of content/trigger warnings (ranging from light to heavy) as well as a really appreciated glossary of some 1920’s slang! I will add some of, what I would personally classify as, the more important triggers below, but please refer to the authors list before reading in case there are some that might be triggering to you.
━━ † ━━
⚔️TRIGGER LIST⚔️
— Grief & loss depiction
— Necromancy & occult elements
— Mafia/organised crime
— Sexual content
— Anxiety
— Autism representation
— Blood, gore & death
— Body horror
— Dead bodies & body parts
— Murder & attempted murder
— Violence
— Unprotected sex
━━ † ━━
‘Good Mourning, Darling’ was a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was my first novel by this author and I wasn’t disappointed by their writing style, world building and lovely characters. I would highly recommend this novel if you enjoy; somewhat forbidden romance, mafia romance (but add in monsters), dark & cozy horror vibes, morally grey MMC’s and an intriguing plot. 4/5 stars!!
━━ † ━━
❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️
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