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Destination Funeral
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26Four friends. One funeral. An endless Saturday.
When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.
Didion expects nothing more than an awkward visit with her sister and, maybe, a sundrenched funeral attended by beer-soaked locals. Instead, she arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again—along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and blew them apart.
What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels. Because the next morning, it’s Saturday again.
And again.
And again.
Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they’re forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them ten years ago. Something on the island isn’t ready to let them go—and if they can’t find a way to fix things, it may never let them leave.
When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.
Didion expects nothing more than an awkward visit with her sister and, maybe, a sundrenched funeral attended by beer-soaked locals. Instead, she arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again—along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and blew them apart.
What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels. Because the next morning, it’s Saturday again.
And again.
And again.
Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they’re forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them ten years ago. Something on the island isn’t ready to let them go—and if they can’t find a way to fix things, it may never let them leave.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 21, 2026
30 people are currently reading
8179 people want to read
About the author
Paige Harbison
7 books622 followersA little bit about me...
I grew up in the Washington D.C. area, raised by a musician and a writer. I graduated high school early, and went to college in St. Augustine, FL. Then, between Freshman and Sophomore year, I wrote my first novel. Everything in my life changed when, the following semester, I signed my first contract at age nineteen.
I transferred schools three times for fun, and changed my major from Theatre to Painting in order to accommodate my new career. I graduated early from Towson University and continued to work on my first three published novels, all YA: Here Lies Bridget, New Girl, and Anything to Have You.
Throughout the next decade I worked as a bartender and ghostwriter, traveling as much as I could, living it up in the name of book inspo.
At the start of the pandemic, I moved with my family to Palm Springs, CA and finally slowed down enough to start thinking about my own next chapter, which led me to leave the service industry, take some opportunities in film and TV, and start work on my next book.
I am now based in Los Angeles, California, where I live with my dog, Tarot, my partner, Richie, and the 12-9000 uninvited spiders that live in and around our home.
I grew up in the Washington D.C. area, raised by a musician and a writer. I graduated high school early, and went to college in St. Augustine, FL. Then, between Freshman and Sophomore year, I wrote my first novel. Everything in my life changed when, the following semester, I signed my first contract at age nineteen.
I transferred schools three times for fun, and changed my major from Theatre to Painting in order to accommodate my new career. I graduated early from Towson University and continued to work on my first three published novels, all YA: Here Lies Bridget, New Girl, and Anything to Have You.
Throughout the next decade I worked as a bartender and ghostwriter, traveling as much as I could, living it up in the name of book inspo.
At the start of the pandemic, I moved with my family to Palm Springs, CA and finally slowed down enough to start thinking about my own next chapter, which led me to leave the service industry, take some opportunities in film and TV, and start work on my next book.
I am now based in Los Angeles, California, where I live with my dog, Tarot, my partner, Richie, and the 12-9000 uninvited spiders that live in and around our home.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was amazing. I'm only giving it four stars because of one thing that left a sour taste in my mouth. Is it a new story that has never been done before? No. Did I love it? Absolutely. I loved how everything wrapped up beautifully, and I loved seeing how the sisterly bonds were mended. Even if we think our parents might love the other sibling more than us (sometimes that's true, and sometimes it's not), we always have a place in their hearts. I can't believe this is only my second Paige Harbison book because now I adore her.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:42
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I already started reading this, and I have VERY good feelings. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley, for offering me this eARC 🩷🩵💛
Find my review on Instagram
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:42
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I already started reading this, and I have VERY good feelings. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley, for offering me this eARC 🩷🩵💛
Find my review on Instagram
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a strange reading experience for me because it felt like it needed two separate reviews.
On one hand, we are trapped inside Didion’s head for the entire book, and she is not an easy character to sit with. She is self righteous, self centered, and often deeply unkind. She is a bad friend to Matt, a bad friend and ex to Austin, and a bad sister to Sammie.
There were long stretches where I genuinely did not like her, and because we never get another perspective, there is no relief from that voice.
At the same time, the more the story unfolds, the more you understand why she is the way she is. Her childhood, her mother’s behavior, and the way responsibility was pushed onto her at a young age explain a lot. It makes her understandable, but not necessarily sympathetic. I could see the damage clearly, but I still struggled to excuse the way she treated the people around her.
The family dynamic was especially frustrating. The favoritism toward Sammie, the way their mother forced Didion to grow up too fast, and the resentment that festered between the sisters all felt painfully real. None of them were good to each other, and while that honesty worked, it also made the emotional payoff feel unearned by the end.
This is not a warm, nostalgic, coming of age story. It is not a comforting reunion tale. While the book ultimately lands in a place of reconciliation, it felt too neat for the amount of harm that had been done. Too many betrayals were brushed past, and too much pain was resolved simply because time forced them together.
That said, I do think this book will resonate deeply with a specific kind of reader. If you are someone who feels guarded, unlovable, or shaped by past hurt in ways that make connection difficult, you may see yourself reflected here. That recognition can be powerful, even if it is uncomfortable.
In the end, I did not love this book, and I did not hate it. It just was not for me. But I can absolutely see how it might be exactly right for someone else.
On one hand, we are trapped inside Didion’s head for the entire book, and she is not an easy character to sit with. She is self righteous, self centered, and often deeply unkind. She is a bad friend to Matt, a bad friend and ex to Austin, and a bad sister to Sammie.
There were long stretches where I genuinely did not like her, and because we never get another perspective, there is no relief from that voice.
At the same time, the more the story unfolds, the more you understand why she is the way she is. Her childhood, her mother’s behavior, and the way responsibility was pushed onto her at a young age explain a lot. It makes her understandable, but not necessarily sympathetic. I could see the damage clearly, but I still struggled to excuse the way she treated the people around her.
The family dynamic was especially frustrating. The favoritism toward Sammie, the way their mother forced Didion to grow up too fast, and the resentment that festered between the sisters all felt painfully real. None of them were good to each other, and while that honesty worked, it also made the emotional payoff feel unearned by the end.
This is not a warm, nostalgic, coming of age story. It is not a comforting reunion tale. While the book ultimately lands in a place of reconciliation, it felt too neat for the amount of harm that had been done. Too many betrayals were brushed past, and too much pain was resolved simply because time forced them together.
That said, I do think this book will resonate deeply with a specific kind of reader. If you are someone who feels guarded, unlovable, or shaped by past hurt in ways that make connection difficult, you may see yourself reflected here. That recognition can be powerful, even if it is uncomfortable.
In the end, I did not love this book, and I did not hate it. It just was not for me. But I can absolutely see how it might be exactly right for someone else.
February 3, 2026
Oh my god. Where do I even begin? This is easily one of my favourite books I’ve read in a long time. I could not put it down… and when I did, I was just thinking about when I could pick it back up again.
I loved the nostalgic vibe and how beautifully the setting was written. It genuinely felt like I was right there on Mercy Island. Every character had their own quirks, baggage, and issues, and somehow they all blended together perfectly. The dual timeline was SO well done too - you don’t fully know what happened between everyone at first, and each chapter feels like another little puzzle piece clicking into place.
Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison follows a group of old friends who’ve drifted apart over the years but are brought back together on a beachy island for the funeral of the woman who basically defined their teen summers. They’re already navigating awkward reunions and unresolved history… and then things get weird. They end up reliving the same day over and over. Being stuck like that forces them to finally face all the messy stuff they’ve been avoiding - hurt feelings, breakups, secrets, regrets - and decide whether they can actually move forward instead of staying stuck in the past (literally and emotionally).
This book gives Elin Hilderbrand vibes but set in the South, with a little sprinkle of magic and some spice… and honestly? I am HERE for it. Pre-order this one. I’m telling you now - this is going to be the ultimate summer long-weekend read. Grab a red solo cup of rosé on the beach and thank me later.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own!
I loved the nostalgic vibe and how beautifully the setting was written. It genuinely felt like I was right there on Mercy Island. Every character had their own quirks, baggage, and issues, and somehow they all blended together perfectly. The dual timeline was SO well done too - you don’t fully know what happened between everyone at first, and each chapter feels like another little puzzle piece clicking into place.
Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison follows a group of old friends who’ve drifted apart over the years but are brought back together on a beachy island for the funeral of the woman who basically defined their teen summers. They’re already navigating awkward reunions and unresolved history… and then things get weird. They end up reliving the same day over and over. Being stuck like that forces them to finally face all the messy stuff they’ve been avoiding - hurt feelings, breakups, secrets, regrets - and decide whether they can actually move forward instead of staying stuck in the past (literally and emotionally).
This book gives Elin Hilderbrand vibes but set in the South, with a little sprinkle of magic and some spice… and honestly? I am HERE for it. Pre-order this one. I’m telling you now - this is going to be the ultimate summer long-weekend read. Grab a red solo cup of rosé on the beach and thank me later.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own!
February 22, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for access to this ARC, all following opinions are my own and freely given. I was so excited to get this as an ARC, after having read The Other Side of Now with BookHuddle a few months ago.
In this book we follow a group of four friends who grow up spending the summers at Birdsong, an idyllic home on Mercy Island. Didion, Sammie, Matt and Austin have had a falling out and they return to attend Babe’s funeral. Babe, Sammie and Didion’s mother, was larger than life, and they all return to pay their respects and agree to spend the weekend but have to address their unresolved issues and hurts from the past. They get more than they bargained for when they wake up on Saturday over and over again, reliving the day à la Groundhog Day.
I loved the nostalgic vibe of this book, and found the author did such a phenomenal job of really transporting us to Birdsong. Each character felt so messy and flawed, yet so well defined in their personalities and I found myself wanting to stay in this world as long as possible.
I really believe that we’ve all as humans wished a moment would never end, or we could relive a moment in time when you had the opportunity to say or do something different. I loved the magical realism aspect of this book and would absolutely recommend you pick this up on release day if you love found family, second chance romance and an atmospheric setting.
In this book we follow a group of four friends who grow up spending the summers at Birdsong, an idyllic home on Mercy Island. Didion, Sammie, Matt and Austin have had a falling out and they return to attend Babe’s funeral. Babe, Sammie and Didion’s mother, was larger than life, and they all return to pay their respects and agree to spend the weekend but have to address their unresolved issues and hurts from the past. They get more than they bargained for when they wake up on Saturday over and over again, reliving the day à la Groundhog Day.
I loved the nostalgic vibe of this book, and found the author did such a phenomenal job of really transporting us to Birdsong. Each character felt so messy and flawed, yet so well defined in their personalities and I found myself wanting to stay in this world as long as possible.
I really believe that we’ve all as humans wished a moment would never end, or we could relive a moment in time when you had the opportunity to say or do something different. I loved the magical realism aspect of this book and would absolutely recommend you pick this up on release day if you love found family, second chance romance and an atmospheric setting.
March 2, 2026
After being blown away by The Other Side of now I was thrilled to get the opportunity to get an advanced reader copy (thanks NetGalley) of the author’s follow up. I didn’t know what to expect but was fun to find some more magical realism in this one too. Exploring themes of family, friends, relationships and regret, I enjoyed this book. It feels like it could have been tightened up a bit, nearly 400 pages was longer than expected. If you enjoy stories about family relationships with a dose of magical realism give this one a read!
February 19, 2026
oh, i absolutely completely adored this. i loved all how it was focused on everyone but you were always in didion’s head. i loved all four of our main characters, especially didion. her complicated relationships with everyone, including her mother, were very well written. i loved the classic (to me) “time is fucked” of it all. didion’s relationship with austin, i was rooting for them the entire time. i love that i won. thank you for a great epilogue too! no book is finished without one.
thank you so much to NetGalley and publishers for this arc!
thank you so much to NetGalley and publishers for this arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️
🏝️💗⚰️Destination Funeral ARC Review ⚰️💗🧩🏝️
Destination Funeral is a cleverly sharp, emotionally rich, introspective ode to first born children that fuses humor, heartache, and emotional realism with a playful, speculative twist.
🎵What A Difference a Day Makes by Dinah Washington🎵
🗓️ Expected Release: July 21, 2026
📓 For many years, four friends spent idyllic summers at Birdsong on Mercy Island, off the southern coast of Georgia. Until one day when things occur that result in the group painfully fracturing.
When Babe, mom to two of the four former friends (Didion and Sammie), suddenly passes away, all four head back to Mercy Island for her funeral. It's just one weekend, not even a full 48 hours — they can remain civil with one another for that short period. Probably. Maybe. (Narrator: they, in fact, could not — even if the whole time-loop situation hadn't happened).
They quickly learn that as much has changed in the years between, a lot hasn't changed. And maybe not everything they thought they knew was the full story. All the tensions, attraction, resentment, and unfinished business are still present and simmering.
They wake up on what should be Sunday, expecting to head home shortly after the funeral. Only to find out it's somehow Saturday again. And they keep waking up to re-live the same Saturday, again and again, only turning the heat up on all the simmering issues.
They're floundering in the group effort to find a way out of the loop. Until they start to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that fractured the group. Maybe what they need to save themselves is and endless weekend to hash everything out so they can begin to move forward (literally and metaphorically).
🫵🏼 Destination Funeral is for readers who:
• enjoy character-driven stories
• appreciate messy, flawed, and deeply human characters
• enjoy funny and emotional deep stories
• appreciate stories that explore family dynamics (sisters and maternal figures in specific)
• enjoy second chance and romance in novels
• appreciate time-loop/magical realism with purpose
• are looking for a humorous and emotional beach read for this summer
• are firstborns and/or had to grow up way too young (if neither of those fit you, you still may enjoy, of course, but may find being inside Didion's head a bit more frustrating at times)
✨ No quotes as the final edition is available to verify. This book had so many lines I'd love to include. 🥹
📒 This is a story about adults who had to grow up and be the adult way too early in life. About how love looks different to everyone. An exploration of people being more than what you think of them. A look into (occasionally messy) family dynamics and how love can look to different people.
This novel doesn't shy away from exploring big emotions, like grief. Instead of being portrayed as neat closure, grief is portrayed as a looping emotional terrain that keeps people stuck until they confront it (however that looks for them). Not unlike the literal time-loop the characters find themselves experiencing. Rather than escaping the past, they must sit with it and discuss things they've let silently fester for way too long.
The emotional payoff was high for me. The narrative is delightfully drawn out just the right amount to keep my curiosity piqued and tension lightly simmering. When everything finally reaches a boiling point, it feels earned and as exciting as it is rewarding. The providential timing felt truly felicitous to this reader.
Destination Funeral, at its heart, is about messy, lifelong friendships. How they form, fracture, and sometimes healing requires brutally painful honesty. How the way you see a person may not always align with the truth of who they are.
📜 Told in then/now format in a way befitting the story and characters, it reads like a puzzle coming together in the most satisfying way. The gift of freedom, of choice, and the freedom to make choices. Mother's, daughters, sisters, friends.
For me, the then/now format worked wonderfully and I can't imagine a better format for this story. It heightened the impact and tension without making me frustrated that we were switching between them and now.
♾️ The narrative function of the time-loop in Destination Funeral is well done, fits the story, serves a purpose, and is impactful. Instead of just a gimmick, it's a meaningful mirror for emotional growth. It represents emotional inertia — characters aren't allowed to move forward chronologically until they process grief, guilt, resentment, etc with honesty.
It functions in a couple ways, besides the obvious opportunity for a second (and third, fourth...) chance. Not just for the romance aspect, but also for forgiveness, reconciliation, and growth (independent and collective growth). Revisiting old choices and regrets allows the characters to reflect on how much of life is defined by the actions not taken. That how you envision love looking isn't necessarily how someone else sees it looking and that doesn't mean that don't love you, or love you less. That love can look differently at different points in your life. The loops of life we all get comfortable or even stuck in with our busy schedules and doom scrolling.
The time-loop also functions as a metaphor for how all too often people repeat emotional cycles in real life — reliving the same pains until they make peace with past wounds and inner truths.
✍🏼 Clearly and accessibly written, this was a breeze to read. Descriptions give you plenty of material to set and imagine the scene without being verbose.
⏳ I quite enjoyed the pace. Initially, you're really not sure what's going on and I enjoyed that aspect. I was interested and invested on page one, I needed to know how Didion got to that point in her life. What caused this huge riff? I love that the author doesn't hold our hands too tightly, but rather loosely leads us on a tumultuous walk along the shore. Delicately leaving little crumbs for us to follow along the way.
As someone who really doesn't like the movie Groundhog Day, I was a bit concerned that this time-loop would drag on too long. Thankfully, it didn't and I felt it was well timed.
🏝️ Taking place almost entirely on Mercy Island, it almost feels like a thin veil of Practical Magic is infused in the sand that makes up the landscape. Full of charm, nostalgia, character, personality, and a pinch of whimsy, this is a setting that was easy to get lost in. The setting almost feels like a character in the story (a background character, but still).
I could be overthinking it, but I feel like the tumultuous weather they experience over and over mirrors their tumultuous inner worlds. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes unforgiving, always deeply formative.
⚰️ The funeral itself isn't merely an ending. It's a symbolic threshold between past bonds and future possibilities. It forces a gathering that otherwise may not have ever happened, and the time-loop ensures the gathering becomes meaningful.
📝 There's a theory mentioned after an event we see from the past. It's kind of a running theory as to a possible reason for the time-loop.
👥 The family dynamics are certainly dynamic, at times. I found that to resonate deeply, particularly the emotional impact.
I found the characters to be well developed with interesting backstories and drives. They're messy, flawed, and deeply human (even though that made them sometimes frustrating) made them dimensional, nuanced, and real.
Didion isn't a character everyone will love, particularly being in her head for a big chunk of the book. If you were fortunate enough to have a true childhood, I feel like you may enjoy being in her head less. But for those of us who's childhood included becoming an adult at a very young age and raising siblings — you'll feel deeply seen.
Inclusive cast done in a way that feels organic - one of the main characters is gay.
I don't recall there being much in the way of diversity in the characters. But we do get some inclusivity.
The secondary and background characters were developed to a fitting level and interesting. They served the story and main cast well by enriching it.
💕 Because of the way the plot and background unfolds, I wasn't 100% sure I should be rooting for the couple. They first fell in love in their mid-teens. It wasn't always a healthy relationship, so I was torn until probably around 80% (but in a good way lol). I actually loved that about this book because it made it feel more raw, grounded, and real. It better aligns with relationships in real life for me. While their relationship wasn't always healthy, if both people work on themselves maybe they can try again to have a healthy relationship down the road.
✨ If you appreciate a romance book where the main plot isn't exclusively romance focused - you'll enjoy this. If you prefer the plot to be exclusively romance focused, you may not.
🌶️ This isn't a book you'd read just for the spice. It's more of a slow burn in this regard, but the focus isn't on spice. What you do get is well done, fits the characters, timed in a way that feels earned.
⚠️ TW: parental death, drug/alcohol use, infant related stuff that I can't specify without spoiling
📚 If you liked: The First to Die at the End (Adam Silvera), The Lightest Object in the Universe (Kimi Eisele), Cemetery Boys (Aiden Thomas), Mexican Gothic (Silvia Moreno-Garcia), Swan Song (Elin Hilderbrand), The Midnight Library (Matt Haig), or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid), then I think you'd like this.
Thank you to @ Paige Harbison @ St Martin's press @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
----
frtc. I think this book will resonate more with adults who had to grow up too quickly. those who had to be the mature and responsible one way too young, especially if they had to raise siblings when they were children themselves. if you had an actual childhood, the MCs perspective this is told in could be a struggle to connect situation at times.
🌶️
🏝️💗⚰️Destination Funeral ARC Review ⚰️💗🧩🏝️
Destination Funeral is a cleverly sharp, emotionally rich, introspective ode to first born children that fuses humor, heartache, and emotional realism with a playful, speculative twist.
🎵What A Difference a Day Makes by Dinah Washington🎵
🗓️ Expected Release: July 21, 2026
📓 For many years, four friends spent idyllic summers at Birdsong on Mercy Island, off the southern coast of Georgia. Until one day when things occur that result in the group painfully fracturing.
When Babe, mom to two of the four former friends (Didion and Sammie), suddenly passes away, all four head back to Mercy Island for her funeral. It's just one weekend, not even a full 48 hours — they can remain civil with one another for that short period. Probably. Maybe. (Narrator: they, in fact, could not — even if the whole time-loop situation hadn't happened).
They quickly learn that as much has changed in the years between, a lot hasn't changed. And maybe not everything they thought they knew was the full story. All the tensions, attraction, resentment, and unfinished business are still present and simmering.
They wake up on what should be Sunday, expecting to head home shortly after the funeral. Only to find out it's somehow Saturday again. And they keep waking up to re-live the same Saturday, again and again, only turning the heat up on all the simmering issues.
They're floundering in the group effort to find a way out of the loop. Until they start to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that fractured the group. Maybe what they need to save themselves is and endless weekend to hash everything out so they can begin to move forward (literally and metaphorically).
🫵🏼 Destination Funeral is for readers who:
• enjoy character-driven stories
• appreciate messy, flawed, and deeply human characters
• enjoy funny and emotional deep stories
• appreciate stories that explore family dynamics (sisters and maternal figures in specific)
• enjoy second chance and romance in novels
• appreciate time-loop/magical realism with purpose
• are looking for a humorous and emotional beach read for this summer
• are firstborns and/or had to grow up way too young (if neither of those fit you, you still may enjoy, of course, but may find being inside Didion's head a bit more frustrating at times)
✨ No quotes as the final edition is available to verify. This book had so many lines I'd love to include. 🥹
📒 This is a story about adults who had to grow up and be the adult way too early in life. About how love looks different to everyone. An exploration of people being more than what you think of them. A look into (occasionally messy) family dynamics and how love can look to different people.
This novel doesn't shy away from exploring big emotions, like grief. Instead of being portrayed as neat closure, grief is portrayed as a looping emotional terrain that keeps people stuck until they confront it (however that looks for them). Not unlike the literal time-loop the characters find themselves experiencing. Rather than escaping the past, they must sit with it and discuss things they've let silently fester for way too long.
The emotional payoff was high for me. The narrative is delightfully drawn out just the right amount to keep my curiosity piqued and tension lightly simmering. When everything finally reaches a boiling point, it feels earned and as exciting as it is rewarding. The providential timing felt truly felicitous to this reader.
Destination Funeral, at its heart, is about messy, lifelong friendships. How they form, fracture, and sometimes healing requires brutally painful honesty. How the way you see a person may not always align with the truth of who they are.
📜 Told in then/now format in a way befitting the story and characters, it reads like a puzzle coming together in the most satisfying way. The gift of freedom, of choice, and the freedom to make choices. Mother's, daughters, sisters, friends.
For me, the then/now format worked wonderfully and I can't imagine a better format for this story. It heightened the impact and tension without making me frustrated that we were switching between them and now.
♾️ The narrative function of the time-loop in Destination Funeral is well done, fits the story, serves a purpose, and is impactful. Instead of just a gimmick, it's a meaningful mirror for emotional growth. It represents emotional inertia — characters aren't allowed to move forward chronologically until they process grief, guilt, resentment, etc with honesty.
It functions in a couple ways, besides the obvious opportunity for a second (and third, fourth...) chance. Not just for the romance aspect, but also for forgiveness, reconciliation, and growth (independent and collective growth). Revisiting old choices and regrets allows the characters to reflect on how much of life is defined by the actions not taken. That how you envision love looking isn't necessarily how someone else sees it looking and that doesn't mean that don't love you, or love you less. That love can look differently at different points in your life. The loops of life we all get comfortable or even stuck in with our busy schedules and doom scrolling.
The time-loop also functions as a metaphor for how all too often people repeat emotional cycles in real life — reliving the same pains until they make peace with past wounds and inner truths.
✍🏼 Clearly and accessibly written, this was a breeze to read. Descriptions give you plenty of material to set and imagine the scene without being verbose.
⏳ I quite enjoyed the pace. Initially, you're really not sure what's going on and I enjoyed that aspect. I was interested and invested on page one, I needed to know how Didion got to that point in her life. What caused this huge riff? I love that the author doesn't hold our hands too tightly, but rather loosely leads us on a tumultuous walk along the shore. Delicately leaving little crumbs for us to follow along the way.
As someone who really doesn't like the movie Groundhog Day, I was a bit concerned that this time-loop would drag on too long. Thankfully, it didn't and I felt it was well timed.
🏝️ Taking place almost entirely on Mercy Island, it almost feels like a thin veil of Practical Magic is infused in the sand that makes up the landscape. Full of charm, nostalgia, character, personality, and a pinch of whimsy, this is a setting that was easy to get lost in. The setting almost feels like a character in the story (a background character, but still).
I could be overthinking it, but I feel like the tumultuous weather they experience over and over mirrors their tumultuous inner worlds. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes unforgiving, always deeply formative.
⚰️ The funeral itself isn't merely an ending. It's a symbolic threshold between past bonds and future possibilities. It forces a gathering that otherwise may not have ever happened, and the time-loop ensures the gathering becomes meaningful.
📝 There's a theory mentioned after an event we see from the past. It's kind of a running theory as to a possible reason for the time-loop.
👥 The family dynamics are certainly dynamic, at times. I found that to resonate deeply, particularly the emotional impact.
I found the characters to be well developed with interesting backstories and drives. They're messy, flawed, and deeply human (even though that made them sometimes frustrating) made them dimensional, nuanced, and real.
Didion isn't a character everyone will love, particularly being in her head for a big chunk of the book. If you were fortunate enough to have a true childhood, I feel like you may enjoy being in her head less. But for those of us who's childhood included becoming an adult at a very young age and raising siblings — you'll feel deeply seen.
Inclusive cast done in a way that feels organic - one of the main characters is gay.
I don't recall there being much in the way of diversity in the characters. But we do get some inclusivity.
The secondary and background characters were developed to a fitting level and interesting. They served the story and main cast well by enriching it.
💕 Because of the way the plot and background unfolds, I wasn't 100% sure I should be rooting for the couple. They first fell in love in their mid-teens. It wasn't always a healthy relationship, so I was torn until probably around 80% (but in a good way lol). I actually loved that about this book because it made it feel more raw, grounded, and real. It better aligns with relationships in real life for me. While their relationship wasn't always healthy, if both people work on themselves maybe they can try again to have a healthy relationship down the road.
✨ If you appreciate a romance book where the main plot isn't exclusively romance focused - you'll enjoy this. If you prefer the plot to be exclusively romance focused, you may not.
🌶️ This isn't a book you'd read just for the spice. It's more of a slow burn in this regard, but the focus isn't on spice. What you do get is well done, fits the characters, timed in a way that feels earned.
⚠️ TW: parental death, drug/alcohol use, infant related stuff that I can't specify without spoiling
📚 If you liked: The First to Die at the End (Adam Silvera), The Lightest Object in the Universe (Kimi Eisele), Cemetery Boys (Aiden Thomas), Mexican Gothic (Silvia Moreno-Garcia), Swan Song (Elin Hilderbrand), The Midnight Library (Matt Haig), or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid), then I think you'd like this.
Thank you to @ Paige Harbison @ St Martin's press @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
----
frtc. I think this book will resonate more with adults who had to grow up too quickly. those who had to be the mature and responsible one way too young, especially if they had to raise siblings when they were children themselves. if you had an actual childhood, the MCs perspective this is told in could be a struggle to connect situation at times.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So here I was, book browsing on Netgalley, and my eye caught this book with such a beautiful, captivating cover and an unusual title! Curious, I read the blurb to find that the book was described as funny and reflective, exactly the kind of qualities I love in a book. That made me want to read it even more. And then I realized it was available to read immediately, which was the final deciding factor and thus started my journey with this book!
From the very first page, I was hooked. The writing was so seamless, so smooth, so beautiful. It was poetic in places, reflective in others, and so soothing to read. I loved the way it was written so much and I think that’s part of why I felt so pulled into the story. I could really see myself in Didion. I’m also the eldest daughter in my family, so I know exactly how it feels to be in her place, always the perceptive one, the one who fixed everything, wary of everyone’s emotions, the “yes person” of the family. My heart really went out to Didion.
And somewhere along the way, I realized this was also a story about second chances in love. I found myself completely lost in Didion and Austin’s romance, it was so beautiful and real, and it didn’t feel forced at all. I loved every single character, although Sammy was a bit difficult to love and forgive easily. But from her point of view, I understood her and why she behaved the way she did.
The most emotional part for me was towards the end, especially when Didion finally receives that letter from her mother. The last part of the book was so raw and heartfelt that I think I was reading with blurry eyes, tears streaking down my face. It was so powerful and moving, I couldn’t help but feel everything.
Overall, Destination Funeral is a beautiful book. I loved every second of it, enjoyed it so much that I just couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those stories that stays with you. It’s a story that touched my heart deeply, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
From the very first page, I was hooked. The writing was so seamless, so smooth, so beautiful. It was poetic in places, reflective in others, and so soothing to read. I loved the way it was written so much and I think that’s part of why I felt so pulled into the story. I could really see myself in Didion. I’m also the eldest daughter in my family, so I know exactly how it feels to be in her place, always the perceptive one, the one who fixed everything, wary of everyone’s emotions, the “yes person” of the family. My heart really went out to Didion.
And somewhere along the way, I realized this was also a story about second chances in love. I found myself completely lost in Didion and Austin’s romance, it was so beautiful and real, and it didn’t feel forced at all. I loved every single character, although Sammy was a bit difficult to love and forgive easily. But from her point of view, I understood her and why she behaved the way she did.
The most emotional part for me was towards the end, especially when Didion finally receives that letter from her mother. The last part of the book was so raw and heartfelt that I think I was reading with blurry eyes, tears streaking down my face. It was so powerful and moving, I couldn’t help but feel everything.
Overall, Destination Funeral is a beautiful book. I loved every second of it, enjoyed it so much that I just couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those stories that stays with you. It’s a story that touched my heart deeply, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25🌟
Flashbacks, second chance love, blood family and found family, forced proximity, magical realism, characters to love and hate, so much drama, some trauma, and a book long shout out to first born daughters with absent mothers. Four friends and siblings meet again after years apart for the funeral of their mother/mother figure. A heartfelt journey as they re-live the same day over and over until they can figure out what they need to do to make the calendar change. All this while flashing back to the summers when they were growing up, learning who they were and the mistakes they made along the way.
The entire book is from the point of view of Didion who was a character to love at times and very strongly dislike the rest of the time. Her personality makes more sense as the backstory unfolds. The characters in general were great. I honestly am not sure if multi pov would have been better or if it was perfect the way it was. I want to know more about the other characters, but feel it would have been a completely different story if it was multi pov.
I enjoyed the nostalgic themes and forced proximity groundhog day style. I also liked how relatable some of the character relationships were throughout the book.
The trauma these characters went through in some cases seemed glossed over. It was only from the one point of view, but some of the life changing ones were just kind of noted and I felt could have used more emotion.
Thanks to Paige Harbison, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me an Arc to review.
Flashbacks, second chance love, blood family and found family, forced proximity, magical realism, characters to love and hate, so much drama, some trauma, and a book long shout out to first born daughters with absent mothers. Four friends and siblings meet again after years apart for the funeral of their mother/mother figure. A heartfelt journey as they re-live the same day over and over until they can figure out what they need to do to make the calendar change. All this while flashing back to the summers when they were growing up, learning who they were and the mistakes they made along the way.
The entire book is from the point of view of Didion who was a character to love at times and very strongly dislike the rest of the time. Her personality makes more sense as the backstory unfolds. The characters in general were great. I honestly am not sure if multi pov would have been better or if it was perfect the way it was. I want to know more about the other characters, but feel it would have been a completely different story if it was multi pov.
I enjoyed the nostalgic themes and forced proximity groundhog day style. I also liked how relatable some of the character relationships were throughout the book.
The trauma these characters went through in some cases seemed glossed over. It was only from the one point of view, but some of the life changing ones were just kind of noted and I felt could have used more emotion.
Thanks to Paige Harbison, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me an Arc to review.
January 29, 2026
5⭐️
This book is for first born daughters everywhere. Even more so it’s for first born daughters in their 30s who feel like they understand their own mothers differently after becoming a mother themselves.
This had so many profound tidbits that if I annotated books, I’d have highlighted. It was thought-provoking and tear-jerking and still managed to spark a lot of joy.
The plot caught my attention right away: I love magical realism and space/time/reality tropes. The Mercy island setting was delightful and the cast of characters was especially dynamic. They were all a little toxic, but in a way that made them realistic. I was rooting for them. There were multiple timelines, the “now” timeline being much more dominant than the past timelines which flowed rather seamlessly.
I loved this book. I smiled. I cried. Heck, I even read the acknowledgements and cried. I will remember this one for years to come.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for the invitation to read an early copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is for first born daughters everywhere. Even more so it’s for first born daughters in their 30s who feel like they understand their own mothers differently after becoming a mother themselves.
This had so many profound tidbits that if I annotated books, I’d have highlighted. It was thought-provoking and tear-jerking and still managed to spark a lot of joy.
The plot caught my attention right away: I love magical realism and space/time/reality tropes. The Mercy island setting was delightful and the cast of characters was especially dynamic. They were all a little toxic, but in a way that made them realistic. I was rooting for them. There were multiple timelines, the “now” timeline being much more dominant than the past timelines which flowed rather seamlessly.
I loved this book. I smiled. I cried. Heck, I even read the acknowledgements and cried. I will remember this one for years to come.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for the invitation to read an early copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2026
Groundhog Day meets Weekend at Bernie’s meets When Harry Meets Sally - I really enjoyed this one. It was a slow starting 10%, but the rest rolled out like a movie in my head.
And to think I was suffering from a bad case of eldest daughter syndrome!!
And to think I was suffering from a bad case of eldest daughter syndrome!!
February 20, 2026
this took awhile for me to get into! I’m not into the groundhog’s day trope (be it books, movies, etc). It seemed endless that the foursome would find a way to break the Saturday repeat. The family dynamics were incredibly frustrating and Didion a very hard protagonist to sit with.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I feel like my life is just a constant cycle of finally getting past the book I was obsessing about and then immediately finding another book to obsess about, this time it's Destination Funeral. This is one of those books that manages to be funny, nostalgic, emotional, and thought-provoking all at once. I went in expecting something reflective and a little quirky, but it ended up hitting much deeper than that. It’s a story about grief, friendship, and growing up.. but also about how our understanding of the past. It felt especially poignant as a daughter whose had to take care of everyone, and even more so as someone in their 30s starting to see those relationships through a different lens.
The premise alone hooked me. I mean, a book about a group of estranged friends reuniting on Mercy Island for the funeral of the woman who shaped their teenage summers… and then they find themselves stuck reliving the same day over and over sounded so incredibly interesting. I love anything that plays with time, memory, and reality, and Harbison uses the magical realism element so well. It never feels gimmicky. Instead, it becomes the perfect way to explore regret, grief, and all the things we wish we’d done differently. And even though the story deals with grief and loss, it never feels hopeless. There’s so much love in it. It’s ultimately about understanding, healing, and letting yourself move forward.
Mercy Island itself was such a vivid setting. It has that hazy, nostalgic summer energy, like a place where time really could bend if it wanted to. The pink house, the beach, the shared history, it all felt so real and layered. It created this intimate stage for the characters to work through their messy relationships. The descriptive writing woven throughout truly did so much work here to help convey those nostalgic feelings too, it was done so wonderfully. It's gorgeous without feeling heavy and was right up my alley. There were so many lines that made me pause and wish I was the kind of person who annotates books like it just reminded me so much of my summers as a child and how I wish I could go back to them.
And the characters really are messy. They’re flawed, sometimes selfish, sometimes frustrating, but in a way that makes them feel completely human. You understand why they hurt each other. You understand why they stayed stuck. I was rooting for them even when they didn’t necessarily deserve it. Didion, especially, hit hard for me. This book feels like it was written for those who grew up trying to manage everyone else’s emotions and carry more than they should. Her relationship with her mother was one of the most emotional parts of the story. Watching her finally confront those feelings and gain a new perspective was incredibly moving. There’s something about getting older and realizing your parents were full people too, with their own pain and limitations, and this book captures that beautifully.
There’s also a really lovely thread of second chances woven throughout, not just in romance, but in friendship, family, and self-forgiveness. The time loop forces everyone to stop avoiding the past and actually face it, and it leads to some really powerful moments of growth and honesty.
This is one of those books I know I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and I think especially for anyone who’s ever looked back and wondered what they’d do differently if they had the chance. Even the acknowledgements are lovely!
*Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise alone hooked me. I mean, a book about a group of estranged friends reuniting on Mercy Island for the funeral of the woman who shaped their teenage summers… and then they find themselves stuck reliving the same day over and over sounded so incredibly interesting. I love anything that plays with time, memory, and reality, and Harbison uses the magical realism element so well. It never feels gimmicky. Instead, it becomes the perfect way to explore regret, grief, and all the things we wish we’d done differently. And even though the story deals with grief and loss, it never feels hopeless. There’s so much love in it. It’s ultimately about understanding, healing, and letting yourself move forward.
Mercy Island itself was such a vivid setting. It has that hazy, nostalgic summer energy, like a place where time really could bend if it wanted to. The pink house, the beach, the shared history, it all felt so real and layered. It created this intimate stage for the characters to work through their messy relationships. The descriptive writing woven throughout truly did so much work here to help convey those nostalgic feelings too, it was done so wonderfully. It's gorgeous without feeling heavy and was right up my alley. There were so many lines that made me pause and wish I was the kind of person who annotates books like it just reminded me so much of my summers as a child and how I wish I could go back to them.
And the characters really are messy. They’re flawed, sometimes selfish, sometimes frustrating, but in a way that makes them feel completely human. You understand why they hurt each other. You understand why they stayed stuck. I was rooting for them even when they didn’t necessarily deserve it. Didion, especially, hit hard for me. This book feels like it was written for those who grew up trying to manage everyone else’s emotions and carry more than they should. Her relationship with her mother was one of the most emotional parts of the story. Watching her finally confront those feelings and gain a new perspective was incredibly moving. There’s something about getting older and realizing your parents were full people too, with their own pain and limitations, and this book captures that beautifully.
There’s also a really lovely thread of second chances woven throughout, not just in romance, but in friendship, family, and self-forgiveness. The time loop forces everyone to stop avoiding the past and actually face it, and it leads to some really powerful moments of growth and honesty.
This is one of those books I know I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and I think especially for anyone who’s ever looked back and wondered what they’d do differently if they had the chance. Even the acknowledgements are lovely!
*Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel follows Didion, the FMC, Sammie, her sister, Austin, Didion’s ex-boyfriend, and their collective friend, Matt, return to a house named, “Birdsong” on Mercy Island after the death of Didion and Sammie’s mother, Babe. They spent numerous summers there, growing together and apart in the process. Didion’s relationship with all attendees has been fractured in very specific and, eventually understandable, ways. They arrive on Friday (two days before the funeral on Sunday) and get stuck in a Saturday time loop for an indeterminate amount of time; this allows them to work through their respective brokenness (individual and collective).
This is a solid 3.5 rounded up to 4 star read.
My major issue with this novel was both the presence of and the absence of a supernatural agency. What worked for the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray (which was lovingly referenced several times) was that we, as viewers, never got an explanation for why he kept repeating the day. It was almost a Kafka-esque/metamorphosis approach to the meaning of life – things just happen and then it ends. How you handle it is based on your human condition. The juxtaposition of experiencing emotional growth while remaining in static motion, much like in this novel, was a defining factor. It really worked for Groundhog Day. However, what didn’t quite work for me in this novel is alluding to something greater being the cause, but not having a full follow through: there is the “Time Stands Still at Birdsong,” sign, a Ouija board, and a hint to some sort of family history of witches that was never truly flushed out. I think I would have liked this novel more if Harbinson had leaned more into the mysticism – not necessarily on a haunted house level, but just more. Babe’s presence, a grander reveal… something along those lines. The narrative dipped its toe in to this concept, but should have either jumped in the deep end or stayed out entirely.
Additionally, the emotional stakes feel uneven when a child is present, yet the urgency of securing her future is never fully explored. As a mom, that would be my first reaction – let’s fix this so that my child has a future. The child, which was just a side character, fell into the background in significant ways.
That being said, I really did like this book. Yes, there were some frustrating moments where they started to talk about things and then got interrupted – that’s a standard trope in this style of novel. I like that all friction was not easily explained away. The issues don’t come down to simple misunderstandings, and that is incredibly refreshing. Didion’s hurts are legit. She is frustratingly stubborn, but I came to understand her and identify with her. Sometimes good people do crappy things. Everyone is not batting 1000, and reconciliation is a choice.
This novel would be perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez. It hits in a way that feels more real than “Part of Your World” (of which I also struggled with the mysticism) and is more tonally aligned with the rawness and emotional resonance of “Just for the Summer.”
Thank you to Paige Harbinson, St. Martins and Netgalley for this eARC. I was super excited to have access to this “Read Now” a few short days after Groundhog Day. This is a great February read.
This is a solid 3.5 rounded up to 4 star read.
My major issue with this novel was both the presence of and the absence of a supernatural agency. What worked for the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray (which was lovingly referenced several times) was that we, as viewers, never got an explanation for why he kept repeating the day. It was almost a Kafka-esque/metamorphosis approach to the meaning of life – things just happen and then it ends. How you handle it is based on your human condition. The juxtaposition of experiencing emotional growth while remaining in static motion, much like in this novel, was a defining factor. It really worked for Groundhog Day. However, what didn’t quite work for me in this novel is alluding to something greater being the cause, but not having a full follow through: there is the “Time Stands Still at Birdsong,” sign, a Ouija board, and a hint to some sort of family history of witches that was never truly flushed out. I think I would have liked this novel more if Harbinson had leaned more into the mysticism – not necessarily on a haunted house level, but just more. Babe’s presence, a grander reveal… something along those lines. The narrative dipped its toe in to this concept, but should have either jumped in the deep end or stayed out entirely.
Additionally, the emotional stakes feel uneven when a child is present, yet the urgency of securing her future is never fully explored. As a mom, that would be my first reaction – let’s fix this so that my child has a future. The child, which was just a side character, fell into the background in significant ways.
That being said, I really did like this book. Yes, there were some frustrating moments where they started to talk about things and then got interrupted – that’s a standard trope in this style of novel. I like that all friction was not easily explained away. The issues don’t come down to simple misunderstandings, and that is incredibly refreshing. Didion’s hurts are legit. She is frustratingly stubborn, but I came to understand her and identify with her. Sometimes good people do crappy things. Everyone is not batting 1000, and reconciliation is a choice.
This novel would be perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez. It hits in a way that feels more real than “Part of Your World” (of which I also struggled with the mysticism) and is more tonally aligned with the rawness and emotional resonance of “Just for the Summer.”
Thank you to Paige Harbinson, St. Martins and Netgalley for this eARC. I was super excited to have access to this “Read Now” a few short days after Groundhog Day. This is a great February read.
February 6, 2026
This book surprised me in the best way! I was browsing NetGalley and it caught my eye, thanks I guess to the bright cover. I wasn’t looking for a cheesy read and the cover was giving those vibes to me, but the blurb was intriguing enough that I decided to take a chance. And I’m here to say that I don’t think the cover does the depth of this story justice at all. It was reflective and insightful and I really enjoyed it.
The premise isn’t exactly original, with an estranged group coming back together after their matriarch dies. It actually reminded me of This Summer Storms in that regard. But the time loop twist was a more unique element that sets the story apart from others like it. I can usually take or leave magical realism, but it worked well enough for me here, if for no other reason than to add something new. The setting was also a bit different than your standard wealthy New England island, which added additional intrigue. It sort of felt like a southern Elin Hilderbrand with a bit more snarkiness and magic. Tons of really good food descriptions!
Didion is not an easy main character. In fact, she’s kind of the opposite. She was a prickly bitch and definitely exasperated me at times, but as the story went on, I began to understand more and more what had shaped her to be that way and seeing what her relationship with Babe was like, I understood her actions a bit more. I also found myself exasperated with Austin at times, and was less invested in them together. There was of course some miscommunication sprinkled in there that made me roll my eyes.
While I waffled back and forth throughout the first 70% of the book because of those minor grievances, it was still an enjoyable enough read. I mean I’m always here to read about people doing mushrooms, especially if it’s accidentally. I was always happy to pick it up and read another few pages. However, the end of the book really cemented it all for me. The story all came together so beautifully. Babe’s letter to Didion was raw and powerful and it was impossible not to be affected by that and by Didion’s speech at the funeral. I’m so glad I ignored the cheesiness of the cover and took a chance on this one because it ended up touching me much more than I expected.
I don’t often champion books that I read via NetGalley Read Now, because honestly a lot of them aren’t that great, but this is one that I’d encourage the preorder for. Don’t let the cover fool you into thinking it’s all light fluffy brain candy, it’s a solid contender for a wonderful beach read with some beautiful depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
The premise isn’t exactly original, with an estranged group coming back together after their matriarch dies. It actually reminded me of This Summer Storms in that regard. But the time loop twist was a more unique element that sets the story apart from others like it. I can usually take or leave magical realism, but it worked well enough for me here, if for no other reason than to add something new. The setting was also a bit different than your standard wealthy New England island, which added additional intrigue. It sort of felt like a southern Elin Hilderbrand with a bit more snarkiness and magic. Tons of really good food descriptions!
Didion is not an easy main character. In fact, she’s kind of the opposite. She was a prickly bitch and definitely exasperated me at times, but as the story went on, I began to understand more and more what had shaped her to be that way and seeing what her relationship with Babe was like, I understood her actions a bit more. I also found myself exasperated with Austin at times, and was less invested in them together. There was of course some miscommunication sprinkled in there that made me roll my eyes.
While I waffled back and forth throughout the first 70% of the book because of those minor grievances, it was still an enjoyable enough read. I mean I’m always here to read about people doing mushrooms, especially if it’s accidentally. I was always happy to pick it up and read another few pages. However, the end of the book really cemented it all for me. The story all came together so beautifully. Babe’s letter to Didion was raw and powerful and it was impossible not to be affected by that and by Didion’s speech at the funeral. I’m so glad I ignored the cheesiness of the cover and took a chance on this one because it ended up touching me much more than I expected.
I don’t often champion books that I read via NetGalley Read Now, because honestly a lot of them aren’t that great, but this is one that I’d encourage the preorder for. Don’t let the cover fool you into thinking it’s all light fluffy brain candy, it’s a solid contender for a wonderful beach read with some beautiful depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Destination Funeral, by Paige Harbison, from St. Martin’s Press Fiction/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 3.5 ⭐
I guess it’s the Kristi who has watched Practical Magic innumerable times who thoroughly enjoyed this little bit of fluff.
And permit her—and Current Kristi—to say that the people doing the marketing for Destination Funeral are remiss in not mentioning that great Alice Hoffman book (that was turned into that even-better Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman movie and that also led me down the path of wearing cutoffs and boots [a path from which I’ve never returned]).
Here’s a shoutout to Paige Harbison for somehow always providing smart escapism when I need it.
And now I want to go to stay in a rented beach house on an island off South Georgia.
PS
This is one of two books I’ve read in two days that’s been set in that area. I wonder why this is in the zeitgeist?
DESCRIPTION
The Big Chill meets About Time in this laugh-out-loud funny and equally heartbreaking novel, following a friend group so damaged that only a funeral could bring them back together. Perfect for fans of The Wedding People and One Italian Summer.
When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.
Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again—along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and broke them apart.
What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels when they wake up and discover...it’s Saturday. Again. And again. And again.
Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they’re forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them all those years ago. Because maybe, just maybe, an endless weekend is exactly what they all need to save their own lives.
Received a complimentary copy of Destination Funeral, by Paige Harbison, from St. Martin’s Press Fiction/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 3.5 ⭐
I guess it’s the Kristi who has watched Practical Magic innumerable times who thoroughly enjoyed this little bit of fluff.
And permit her—and Current Kristi—to say that the people doing the marketing for Destination Funeral are remiss in not mentioning that great Alice Hoffman book (that was turned into that even-better Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman movie and that also led me down the path of wearing cutoffs and boots [a path from which I’ve never returned]).
Here’s a shoutout to Paige Harbison for somehow always providing smart escapism when I need it.
And now I want to go to stay in a rented beach house on an island off South Georgia.
PS
This is one of two books I’ve read in two days that’s been set in that area. I wonder why this is in the zeitgeist?
DESCRIPTION
The Big Chill meets About Time in this laugh-out-loud funny and equally heartbreaking novel, following a friend group so damaged that only a funeral could bring them back together. Perfect for fans of The Wedding People and One Italian Summer.
When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.
Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again—along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and broke them apart.
What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels when they wake up and discover...it’s Saturday. Again. And again. And again.
Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they’re forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them all those years ago. Because maybe, just maybe, an endless weekend is exactly what they all need to save their own lives.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book Review: Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison
Destination Funeral hit me harder than I expected. Babe’s death brings together her two daughters and two longtime friends, including Didion’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, on Mercy Island, Georgia. What should have been a short, sad weekend turns into a never-ending Saturday, because apparently grief enjoys a good Groundhog Day scenario. Reading it, I felt the intensity of a first love I haven’t experienced since, and the book reminded me just how sharp that kind of loss can cut when timing, immaturity, and bad decisions all conspire against you. At the same time, having recently lost a parent myself, I could not help thinking how dramatically different real grief is. You do not get forced to coordinate a cast of friends and family, relive the same day, or camp out in someone else’s house while confronting every awkward tension imaginable. In real life, you just wish the world would pause long enough for people to notice that someone is gone.
Harbison’s characters are messy, stubborn, and beautifully human, which makes the endless loops darkly satisfying. The day repeats, grudges fester, old feelings bubble up, and everyone is forced to face mistakes they would probably rather ignore. Romance, friendship, and family drama collide, with heartbreak wrapped in humor that makes you laugh even while thinking, yes, humans are ridiculous, but that is why we cannot quit them. It is chaotic, exhausting, and oddly comforting, like watching someone else trip spectacularly while knowing you would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes.
The book blends everyday reality with subtle magical realism, enough to make the emotional hits land without feeling forced. Destination Funeral is a reminder that love can be cruel, timing unforgiving, and even the people who frustrate you the most leave marks that linger. Reading it felt like holding a mirror up to the past, watching human stubbornness unfold, and realizing that sometimes the messiest relationships and the losses that follow are the ones you remember most vividly. It is painful, funny, and perfectly human, just like life itself.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Destination Funeral hit me harder than I expected. Babe’s death brings together her two daughters and two longtime friends, including Didion’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, on Mercy Island, Georgia. What should have been a short, sad weekend turns into a never-ending Saturday, because apparently grief enjoys a good Groundhog Day scenario. Reading it, I felt the intensity of a first love I haven’t experienced since, and the book reminded me just how sharp that kind of loss can cut when timing, immaturity, and bad decisions all conspire against you. At the same time, having recently lost a parent myself, I could not help thinking how dramatically different real grief is. You do not get forced to coordinate a cast of friends and family, relive the same day, or camp out in someone else’s house while confronting every awkward tension imaginable. In real life, you just wish the world would pause long enough for people to notice that someone is gone.
Harbison’s characters are messy, stubborn, and beautifully human, which makes the endless loops darkly satisfying. The day repeats, grudges fester, old feelings bubble up, and everyone is forced to face mistakes they would probably rather ignore. Romance, friendship, and family drama collide, with heartbreak wrapped in humor that makes you laugh even while thinking, yes, humans are ridiculous, but that is why we cannot quit them. It is chaotic, exhausting, and oddly comforting, like watching someone else trip spectacularly while knowing you would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes.
The book blends everyday reality with subtle magical realism, enough to make the emotional hits land without feeling forced. Destination Funeral is a reminder that love can be cruel, timing unforgiving, and even the people who frustrate you the most leave marks that linger. Reading it felt like holding a mirror up to the past, watching human stubbornness unfold, and realizing that sometimes the messiest relationships and the losses that follow are the ones you remember most vividly. It is painful, funny, and perfectly human, just like life itself.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Didion and Sammies mother eccentric mother Babe has passed away and they have been called home to the beach front home Birdsong - when Didion gets there she finds out not only were her and her sister summoned, but their best friend from growing up Matt is also there also with their summer pal and Didions former love are have also been summoned for the reading of the will and the celebration of life - Didion has no time for this.She's a chef in new york city and getting called home.Even for a weekend in the carolinas is not something she feels like doing or dredging up the past with her mother or sister upon arrival Friday night, they find out from the executive that they must spend Saturday together with no electronics. Just the four of them spending time together.That's what Babe wanted- they also find out that Babe left them birdsong, but they must agree with what to do with it- Matt who is a lawyer noe is there with his young daughter, while his husband stayed home in new york city, ( even though Didion and Matt both live in new york city, they haven't seen each other for years) Sammie is a free spirit moving from job to job, Didion just not sure what Austin's been up to. But for the next 24 hours, they'll have plenty of time to all catch up. They spend the first day talking reminiscing, figuring out what they should du. We get introduced to a bunch of secondary characters that some become more important in the end than others, they go to bed getting ready for the celebration of life. The next day, and when they wake up to get ready for the celebration, they realize it's saturday again.And we have a whole series of saturdays, ala groundhog's day- in going through all the different Saturdays, we find out the true history. And what's going on in everybody's life. And what they're experiencing, what they're going through, what they really want out of life. What they want to do with birdsong.We learned more aboubiBabe, and how she was as a mother and what led to Didion and Sammies parents divorce, and how they begin to come to birdsong in the summertime- we learn about Matt and his life and what he's going through. We find out the sordid (ish) secret of Austin and Didions past - we learned a big secret that kind of ties it all together.Will they ever get over saturday, And be able to do a celebration of life or will they be stuck in saturday land for ever, it was a really good book. I just had some issues with the sister and her. Selfishness and some issues that I couldn't let go of without, and I didn't think she was a likable character. And I thought Didion was a little whiny? I wish we would have got a little more backstory on the mom. I wouldn't mind a prequill about her, but it's definitely a good bee tread for over the summer
Thank you, netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
Thank you, netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
February 21, 2026
3.5/5 ⭐️ I have very complicated feelings towards this book. It was a very slow start with an unlikeable and grumpy main character with a lot of baggage. However, I’d seen good reviews so I pushed through and at 25% I sighed relief because the real story had begun and it was a cool concept! It felt very Ashley Poston-esque.
Part one and two had moments that were really hard to push through because the miscommunication trope felt overdone, and it was very frustrating to keep seeing over and over. It was strange because it felt like things moved too quickly and too slowly at the same time?
Part three and four of this book made up for the first half and I would give those sections close to five stars. Not a lot of books make me cry, but I could see a lot of myself in Didion and the resolve of this story really struck a cord with me. Seeing all the pieces come together made me feel different about the first half of the book, but I wish I had that context so I could have appreciated and better understood it instead of feeling like it was dragging on.
Respectfully, I had a very hard time with Babe’s rationale and immaturity that ultimately shaped Didion and Sammy. And I can’t pinpoint my feeling exactly, but the timing of the resolution did not sit well with me. Like I felt a weird resentment towards Babe because she was using her death as the catalyst for resolving trauma that she ultimately created? And funerals are often a time where there is almost a rose coloured glasses approach because you were celebrating someone’s life and typically people aren’t there to reflect on the harm of a person could’ve caused.
Like I said, I’m feeling mixed emotions about the story and the characters. It could be because I just finished the book and I need to sit a little bit so stay tuned for an update if that comes lol.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Part one and two had moments that were really hard to push through because the miscommunication trope felt overdone, and it was very frustrating to keep seeing over and over. It was strange because it felt like things moved too quickly and too slowly at the same time?
Part three and four of this book made up for the first half and I would give those sections close to five stars. Not a lot of books make me cry, but I could see a lot of myself in Didion and the resolve of this story really struck a cord with me. Seeing all the pieces come together made me feel different about the first half of the book, but I wish I had that context so I could have appreciated and better understood it instead of feeling like it was dragging on.
Respectfully, I had a very hard time with Babe’s rationale and immaturity that ultimately shaped Didion and Sammy. And I can’t pinpoint my feeling exactly, but the timing of the resolution did not sit well with me. Like I felt a weird resentment towards Babe because she was using her death as the catalyst for resolving trauma that she ultimately created? And funerals are often a time where there is almost a rose coloured glasses approach because you were celebrating someone’s life and typically people aren’t there to reflect on the harm of a person could’ve caused.
Like I said, I’m feeling mixed emotions about the story and the characters. It could be because I just finished the book and I need to sit a little bit so stay tuned for an update if that comes lol.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐ 4.75 | 🌶️ 2.5
You know that feeling when you’re dreading the end of a great book because you don’t want to say goodbye to the characters? That was Destination Funeral for me. Paige Harbison created an emotional, heartfelt, unique story about grief and healing. While the topic is heavy, it never feels heavy with how the book utilizes humor and whimsy. I actually had to stifle my chuckling while trying to discretely read this in the middle of the night so I wouldn't wake up my partner.
This magical realism story is primarily centered around family and found family with a romance subplot. I loved the time loop as a narrative device and can totally see this being adapted into a film.
The prose is lush and atmospheric without ever being overly ornate; each word felt purposeful, and the pacing was just right. For a shorter book (~320 pages), I was surprised how invested I became in the characters and their found family.
The characters feel like real people with distinct voices; their actions and resentments feel logical and believable. Didion and Austin had great chemistry. My only gripe would be that the physical side of the romance was largely low-heat or happened off-page, and the few on-page moments we did get were understated and felt rushed. I would have loved to see their physical connection leaned into more directly after all that build-up, especially since it was such a key part of their bond, but that’s just reader preference.
I loved this so much that I immediately looked up her back catalog to add The Other Side of Now to near the top of my TBR.
This review is based on an ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
You know that feeling when you’re dreading the end of a great book because you don’t want to say goodbye to the characters? That was Destination Funeral for me. Paige Harbison created an emotional, heartfelt, unique story about grief and healing. While the topic is heavy, it never feels heavy with how the book utilizes humor and whimsy. I actually had to stifle my chuckling while trying to discretely read this in the middle of the night so I wouldn't wake up my partner.
This magical realism story is primarily centered around family and found family with a romance subplot. I loved the time loop as a narrative device and can totally see this being adapted into a film.
The prose is lush and atmospheric without ever being overly ornate; each word felt purposeful, and the pacing was just right. For a shorter book (~320 pages), I was surprised how invested I became in the characters and their found family.
The characters feel like real people with distinct voices; their actions and resentments feel logical and believable. Didion and Austin had great chemistry. My only gripe would be that the physical side of the romance was largely low-heat or happened off-page, and the few on-page moments we did get were understated and felt rushed. I would have loved to see their physical connection leaned into more directly after all that build-up, especially since it was such a key part of their bond, but that’s just reader preference.
I loved this so much that I immediately looked up her back catalog to add The Other Side of Now to near the top of my TBR.
This review is based on an ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved The Other Side of Now, so when I saw this available, I grabbed it right away without knowing a thing about the story.
The blurb describes it best: When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, for the reading of her will. Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again, along with all the tension, attraction, and unfinished business that once held them together…and eventually tore them apart.
What should be a brief weekend quickly unravels when they wake up and discover it’s Saturday. Again. And again. And again.
Honestly, I’m still not totally sure how I feel about this story. The concept is great, but the beginning dragged for me. I didn’t read the blurb beforehand, and for the first 75 pages I wasn’t sure where the plot was heading beyond Didion’s complicated feelings about reconnecting with people from her past. Once the time-loop element kicks in, though, the pacing improves and the story becomes much more engaging. The middle is where it hooked me, and I found the ending satisfying.
I appreciated how the author explored themes like complicated grief, growing up but still feeling stuck in the roles you had as a kid, and the value of honest conversations to understand someone else’s perspective. At times, I struggled with Didion, the MC, because I wanted her to communicate more instead of keeping everything bottled up, but I can also see how that will feel very relatable to some readers.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison.
The blurb describes it best: When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, for the reading of her will. Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again, along with all the tension, attraction, and unfinished business that once held them together…and eventually tore them apart.
What should be a brief weekend quickly unravels when they wake up and discover it’s Saturday. Again. And again. And again.
Honestly, I’m still not totally sure how I feel about this story. The concept is great, but the beginning dragged for me. I didn’t read the blurb beforehand, and for the first 75 pages I wasn’t sure where the plot was heading beyond Didion’s complicated feelings about reconnecting with people from her past. Once the time-loop element kicks in, though, the pacing improves and the story becomes much more engaging. The middle is where it hooked me, and I found the ending satisfying.
I appreciated how the author explored themes like complicated grief, growing up but still feeling stuck in the roles you had as a kid, and the value of honest conversations to understand someone else’s perspective. At times, I struggled with Didion, the MC, because I wanted her to communicate more instead of keeping everything bottled up, but I can also see how that will feel very relatable to some readers.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
review of arc copy from netgalley Destination Funeral has so many elements that I think will instantly click with a wide range of readers. At its core, it’s a romance; complete with an attractive male love interest, but it’s also deeply invested in emotional interiority, especially when it comes to family dynamics and complicated friendships. The exploration of mother/mother-figure relationships in particular felt honest and raw, capturing the push-and-pull of love, resentment, obligation, and longing that can exist all at once.
The characters are written in a refreshingly realistic way. They’re messy, flawed, and sometimes frustrating, which may make them “unlikable” to some readers, but that imperfection is exactly what makes them feel human. Their emotional responses and personal struggles never felt manufactured for drama; instead, they unfolded in a way that felt grounded and recognizable.
Tonally, this book also has strong cinematic potential. I can easily imagine Destination Funeral being adapted into a sharp, fun, emotionally resonant movie in the vein of Happy Death Day or Palm Springs; balancing humor, romance, and introspection without taking itself too seriously. The story includes fade-to-black spice and leans into a second-chance romance, both of which complement the emotional arc rather than overpower it.
Overall, Destination Funeral is a blend of romance, humor, and emotional depth that feels modern and accessible, with characters and themes that linger after the final page. It’s the kind of book that invites discussion and I wouldn’t be surprised if it finds a second life on screen someday.
The characters are written in a refreshingly realistic way. They’re messy, flawed, and sometimes frustrating, which may make them “unlikable” to some readers, but that imperfection is exactly what makes them feel human. Their emotional responses and personal struggles never felt manufactured for drama; instead, they unfolded in a way that felt grounded and recognizable.
Tonally, this book also has strong cinematic potential. I can easily imagine Destination Funeral being adapted into a sharp, fun, emotionally resonant movie in the vein of Happy Death Day or Palm Springs; balancing humor, romance, and introspection without taking itself too seriously. The story includes fade-to-black spice and leans into a second-chance romance, both of which complement the emotional arc rather than overpower it.
Overall, Destination Funeral is a blend of romance, humor, and emotional depth that feels modern and accessible, with characters and themes that linger after the final page. It’s the kind of book that invites discussion and I wouldn’t be surprised if it finds a second life on screen someday.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
From the provocative title to the last page, this novel delivers an interesting and enjoyable reading experience. The author’s talent shines through in the complexity of the relationships and the emotional ties that bind them together despite their past histories. The characters are believable and their individual and collective grief over lost love, betrayals, unfulfilled dreams, and painful estrangement is addressed with insight, compassion and understanding.
Four adults are called back to a home on Mercy Island off the coast of Georgia that played a significant part of their teenage years and the foundation of their friendships. The reason? The matriarch (a surrogate parent for some) has died and they are gathered for the reading of the will which stipulates that to inherit the house they must stay the weekend together. What unfolds is an unexpected opportunity to heal and discover what is truly important through entering a line loop of seemingly endless Saturdays.
What saves this novel from following a cliched trope ala Groundhog Day is the sensitivity and beautiful characterization of the characters frozen emotionally in the past. As the story progresses there is a serious exploration of how perceptions and withheld communication contribute to emotional pain tempered by a lightness in revisiting youthful freedom and the presence of a child’s honesty.
Overall, this is a highly enjoyable read that entertains and invites reflection as well.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.
Four adults are called back to a home on Mercy Island off the coast of Georgia that played a significant part of their teenage years and the foundation of their friendships. The reason? The matriarch (a surrogate parent for some) has died and they are gathered for the reading of the will which stipulates that to inherit the house they must stay the weekend together. What unfolds is an unexpected opportunity to heal and discover what is truly important through entering a line loop of seemingly endless Saturdays.
What saves this novel from following a cliched trope ala Groundhog Day is the sensitivity and beautiful characterization of the characters frozen emotionally in the past. As the story progresses there is a serious exploration of how perceptions and withheld communication contribute to emotional pain tempered by a lightness in revisiting youthful freedom and the presence of a child’s honesty.
Overall, this is a highly enjoyable read that entertains and invites reflection as well.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.
February 21, 2026
In "Destination Funeral" by Paige Harbison, a group of estranged friends reunites after the death of Babe—the magnetic figure who shaped the summers of their teenage years. What begins as a funeral quickly turns into something far more complicated when they find themselves reliving the same day over and over again, in a clear nod to "Groundhog Day." The result is a story that blends nostalgia, grief, and second chances in a surprisingly thoughtful way.
At its heart, this novel asks: Can we ever truly move forward without confronting the past? Each character must reconcile who they were as teenagers with who they’ve become, and the time-loop device cleverly forces them to sit with unresolved tensions and buried emotions.
The story is told through Didion, one of Babe’s daughters. She isn’t immediately likeable, which makes her perspective especially challenging at times for the reader. Yet, as the novel unfolds, I found myself understanding her more, even when I didn’t always agree with her choices.
The setting of Mercy Island enhances the feeling of being suspended in time. While the romantic elements didn’t resonate with me as strongly as the themes of friendship and self-reckoning, they do add a layer of warmth to the story.
Overall, this is an engaging, trope-aware novel that uses familiar devices to explore meaningful questions about forgiveness, growth, and the courage it takes to rewrite your own story. I’d recommend it to readers looking for a reflective yet ultimately sweet escape.
Three and a half out of five stars rounded up.
Thanks to Net Galley, the author and publisher for a chance to read and review this story.
At its heart, this novel asks: Can we ever truly move forward without confronting the past? Each character must reconcile who they were as teenagers with who they’ve become, and the time-loop device cleverly forces them to sit with unresolved tensions and buried emotions.
The story is told through Didion, one of Babe’s daughters. She isn’t immediately likeable, which makes her perspective especially challenging at times for the reader. Yet, as the novel unfolds, I found myself understanding her more, even when I didn’t always agree with her choices.
The setting of Mercy Island enhances the feeling of being suspended in time. While the romantic elements didn’t resonate with me as strongly as the themes of friendship and self-reckoning, they do add a layer of warmth to the story.
Overall, this is an engaging, trope-aware novel that uses familiar devices to explore meaningful questions about forgiveness, growth, and the courage it takes to rewrite your own story. I’d recommend it to readers looking for a reflective yet ultimately sweet escape.
Three and a half out of five stars rounded up.
Thanks to Net Galley, the author and publisher for a chance to read and review this story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Destination Funeral" is a moody and emotionally gripping novel that skillfully blends themes of friendship drama with speculative tension in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling. Paige Harbison takes a deceptively simple setup and slowly twists it into something thoughtful, eerie, and deeply human.
The return to Mercy Island is charged from the start. Babe’s death pulls four long-estranged friends back into each other’s orbit, and the atmosphere of the stormy Georgia coast mirrors the unresolved feelings simmering beneath the surface. Didion is a compelling narrator, observant and guarded, and the dynamics between the group feel raw, messy, and painfully real.
The time loop element adds an unexpected layer, turning what could have been a straightforward reunion story into a meditation on regret, guilt, and the stories we tell ourselves about the past. Being forced to relive the same Saturday again and again strips away politeness and denial, pushing each character to confront what really broke them apart. The island itself feels almost sentient, heavy with memory and intention, which adds to the claustrophobic tension.
While the pacing leans more introspective than fast-moving, the emotional payoff is worth it. This is a story about grief, accountability, and the hope that understanding the past might finally allow you to move forward.
A thoughtful, haunting read that will resonate with fans of character-driven stories and quiet speculative twists.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
The return to Mercy Island is charged from the start. Babe’s death pulls four long-estranged friends back into each other’s orbit, and the atmosphere of the stormy Georgia coast mirrors the unresolved feelings simmering beneath the surface. Didion is a compelling narrator, observant and guarded, and the dynamics between the group feel raw, messy, and painfully real.
The time loop element adds an unexpected layer, turning what could have been a straightforward reunion story into a meditation on regret, guilt, and the stories we tell ourselves about the past. Being forced to relive the same Saturday again and again strips away politeness and denial, pushing each character to confront what really broke them apart. The island itself feels almost sentient, heavy with memory and intention, which adds to the claustrophobic tension.
While the pacing leans more introspective than fast-moving, the emotional payoff is worth it. This is a story about grief, accountability, and the hope that understanding the past might finally allow you to move forward.
A thoughtful, haunting read that will resonate with fans of character-driven stories and quiet speculative twists.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨️Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book is an amazing ode to eldest daughters. You are dropped into a world of two sisters who are estranged and reunited by the death of the eccentric mother, Babe.
Didion, eldest daughter extraordinaire has not stepped foot onto Mercy Island, Georgia in a very long time and had no plans to change that but life always finds a sneaking way to pull you back home. The magical house of Birdsong which was the background of her childhood, the ups and downs of her eccentric mother sort of raising her two children and the ups and downs of life, is now the main character of her mother's funeral.
Thrust back into her old life, Didion must survive one weekend with the three other people who her mother required to be here at her funeral and caveat, they are all required to stay at Birdsong. A estranged younger sister, the best friend that she threw away and her ex boyfriend who broke her heart, what possibly could go wrong.
Didion goes through a journey in this book, with many calls back to old memories, you learn alot about her and her relationships that formed the woman you now know. There is also some magical aspects to this book which was a hidden gem of the story. This book is about rediscovering who you are, overcoming traumas that you locked in a box and finding happiness even in the darkest of days.
This book is an amazing ode to eldest daughters. You are dropped into a world of two sisters who are estranged and reunited by the death of the eccentric mother, Babe.
Didion, eldest daughter extraordinaire has not stepped foot onto Mercy Island, Georgia in a very long time and had no plans to change that but life always finds a sneaking way to pull you back home. The magical house of Birdsong which was the background of her childhood, the ups and downs of her eccentric mother sort of raising her two children and the ups and downs of life, is now the main character of her mother's funeral.
Thrust back into her old life, Didion must survive one weekend with the three other people who her mother required to be here at her funeral and caveat, they are all required to stay at Birdsong. A estranged younger sister, the best friend that she threw away and her ex boyfriend who broke her heart, what possibly could go wrong.
Didion goes through a journey in this book, with many calls back to old memories, you learn alot about her and her relationships that formed the woman you now know. There is also some magical aspects to this book which was a hidden gem of the story. This book is about rediscovering who you are, overcoming traumas that you locked in a box and finding happiness even in the darkest of days.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Last year, I read “The Other Side of Now” by Paige Harbison and fell in love with her style of magical realism. And “Destination Funeral” has equally impressed me!!!
Four friends - Didion, Sammie, Matt and Austin - who spent their summers growing up together on Mercy Island in Georgia are now in their 30s and have (mostly) drifted apart. When Babe (Didion & Sammie’s mother and the beloved mother figure of Matt, Austin, and seemingly everyone else on Mercy Island) passes away, the four friends return to the island for the celebration of life.
In what should have been a quick weekend trip, the group gets stuck in a magical time loop and have to re-live the same Saturday over and over again until they set aside their differences, repair their friendship, and resolve past traumas.
I was immediately hooked from the very first page, and the story kept my attention throughout the whole book, despite it being the same repeating Saturday! Time stands still for the characters, but their relationship dynamic & emotions grow and change significantly. It’s such a meaningful, heartwarming story that I just loved!! Plus, I pictured Birdsong as the house in Practical Magic (my favorite movie) so that was a huge bonus as well. I need a vacation on Mercy Island STAT. This will be a WONDERFUL summer read when it’s published on July 21, 2026!!!
Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Four friends - Didion, Sammie, Matt and Austin - who spent their summers growing up together on Mercy Island in Georgia are now in their 30s and have (mostly) drifted apart. When Babe (Didion & Sammie’s mother and the beloved mother figure of Matt, Austin, and seemingly everyone else on Mercy Island) passes away, the four friends return to the island for the celebration of life.
In what should have been a quick weekend trip, the group gets stuck in a magical time loop and have to re-live the same Saturday over and over again until they set aside their differences, repair their friendship, and resolve past traumas.
I was immediately hooked from the very first page, and the story kept my attention throughout the whole book, despite it being the same repeating Saturday! Time stands still for the characters, but their relationship dynamic & emotions grow and change significantly. It’s such a meaningful, heartwarming story that I just loved!! Plus, I pictured Birdsong as the house in Practical Magic (my favorite movie) so that was a huge bonus as well. I need a vacation on Mercy Island STAT. This will be a WONDERFUL summer read when it’s published on July 21, 2026!!!
Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read “ the other side of now” and really loved it so I was super excited when I got destination funeral from netgalley. The story starts with Didion , a successful chef in New York City traveling back to her mom’s house on Mercy island for her funeral. Didion is angry , hurt and resentful about her relationship with her family- her mom Babe, her sister Sammy and her friend Matt- and her ex Austin. She’s cut them all out of her life and hasn’t talked to them in a long time. She has a lot of reasons to not go back but she ends up going and everyone is there. Awkward! But she’s only staying for one weekend….. i’m not going to give anything away, but this emotional firecracker of a story is told in dual timelines… The past and the present. You see the story of Sammy and Didion growing up on the island. You learn about their relationship with their parents, and their relationships with their boyfriends. There is a supernatural element to this story and it makes things work…again- no spoilers! I loved meeting all the people on Mercy Island… Old friends from the past. I loved learning about the girls relationships, and most of all I loved how beautifully flawed every one of the characters was. They have been through so much together and know each other so well… they just need to get back to where they once were. This made me cry and cheer and shiver … all the feelings! This author is amazing! 5⭐️ and thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy
February 28, 2026
Heyyy why do I want to cry
”’You all get one big spell in your life.’
‘One big spell?’ Sammie repeated.
Babe nodded. ‘That’s right. One time in your life, you will get to ask the ancestors for one thing you really want. It has to be really big, though. Because it’s the only one you ever get.’”
“‘I think it actually makes sense,’ I call out, over the loud, loud rain. ‘Like, of course we’re here.’”
“It’s terrible to be world-endingly livid and have to get in something as silly as a golf cart.”
“Is being capable of greatness necessarily an indication that you should grasp it?”
This book was exactly (maybe exactly not) what I needed while feeling closed in by the 55 feet of snow that sits outside my window. Within the first 25 pages, I was Googling Mercy Island, desperately hoping it wasn’t a fictional location (spoiler: it is (mostly I think because no actual location could live up to its literary experience)).
Don’t get me wrong - Didion immediately grated on my nerves and I was ready to accept that she was just going to be unlikeable. But the more the story unfolds, the more I became invested in her character arc, and all the characters around her. This book brought me to almost tears because 1. I want so badly to have Babe’s home, 2. This made me discover some things about my own feelings with my day-to-day life that many of the characters reckoned with themselves, and 3. It was a touching story about sisters and moms and love.
”’You all get one big spell in your life.’
‘One big spell?’ Sammie repeated.
Babe nodded. ‘That’s right. One time in your life, you will get to ask the ancestors for one thing you really want. It has to be really big, though. Because it’s the only one you ever get.’”
“‘I think it actually makes sense,’ I call out, over the loud, loud rain. ‘Like, of course we’re here.’”
“It’s terrible to be world-endingly livid and have to get in something as silly as a golf cart.”
“Is being capable of greatness necessarily an indication that you should grasp it?”
This book was exactly (maybe exactly not) what I needed while feeling closed in by the 55 feet of snow that sits outside my window. Within the first 25 pages, I was Googling Mercy Island, desperately hoping it wasn’t a fictional location (spoiler: it is (mostly I think because no actual location could live up to its literary experience)).
Don’t get me wrong - Didion immediately grated on my nerves and I was ready to accept that she was just going to be unlikeable. But the more the story unfolds, the more I became invested in her character arc, and all the characters around her. This book brought me to almost tears because 1. I want so badly to have Babe’s home, 2. This made me discover some things about my own feelings with my day-to-day life that many of the characters reckoned with themselves, and 3. It was a touching story about sisters and moms and love.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Emotional, Repetitive, and Surprisingly Healing*
Designation Funeral by Paige Harbison is a story that lives almost entirely inside Didion's head, and that's exactly where the strength lies. Her point of view is raw; she's hurting, and the novel doesn't shy away from showing how her mother treated her growing up really shaped that pain. Her mother's constant pressure, and the way Sammie was favored all linger in Didion's thoughts, and always being a memory at the front of her mind.
The structure of the book feels like Groundhog Day - the same day looping, but the characters are choosing to do different things during the same day. I was a bit skeptical at first on this structure, but loved how each day reveals something new and wasn't the same repetitive actions. It became clear that everyone is there for a reason. They're meant to reconnect, confront old wounds, and face the wrong that shaped their futures. The reptation isn't just a narrative device; it's a path toward healing.
By the end, the story becomes less about the funeral itself and more about the possibility of being happy again. It's emotional, and hopeful - a thoughtful look at how people break, and how they slowly piece themselves back together again.
This was my first book by this author and will not be my last. A sold four star read!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
Designation Funeral by Paige Harbison is a story that lives almost entirely inside Didion's head, and that's exactly where the strength lies. Her point of view is raw; she's hurting, and the novel doesn't shy away from showing how her mother treated her growing up really shaped that pain. Her mother's constant pressure, and the way Sammie was favored all linger in Didion's thoughts, and always being a memory at the front of her mind.
The structure of the book feels like Groundhog Day - the same day looping, but the characters are choosing to do different things during the same day. I was a bit skeptical at first on this structure, but loved how each day reveals something new and wasn't the same repetitive actions. It became clear that everyone is there for a reason. They're meant to reconnect, confront old wounds, and face the wrong that shaped their futures. The reptation isn't just a narrative device; it's a path toward healing.
By the end, the story becomes less about the funeral itself and more about the possibility of being happy again. It's emotional, and hopeful - a thoughtful look at how people break, and how they slowly piece themselves back together again.
This was my first book by this author and will not be my last. A sold four star read!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
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