Destination Funeral

I really loved The Other Side of Now and this one was meaningful in a similar way. A combination of a time loop/grief/learning from past mistakes and the story was touching and heartfelt. It made me angry at times, but it was very realistic.Didion returns to her mother Babe's beach house after Babe's death. Also there are her sister Sammie, her friend Matt, and her ex Austin. They are there on Saturday for the reading of the will and Babe's memorial will follow on Sunday. Except when they wake up the next morning, it is Saturday again. As the group repeats the same day over and over again, they have to discover what it is they need to learn before moving on.The family dynamics in this story are incredibly frustrating at times. I honestly really felt for Didion and the utter favoritism her mother played with Sammie, and the way Didion's feelings and desires always seemed to take a back seat to the other people. I appreciated the character arcs of all of them, but Didion's really resonated with me overall. One of the reasons I didn't give this book five stars though, was because I didn't feel as if this book gave enough weight to Didion's trauma. The author didn't go far enough to give Didion the redemption she deserved in the end.I listened to this as an audiobook and the author does a stellar job at narrating her own story. I could really feel the emotions she wanted each character to convey throughout the novel.The cover does this book a bit of disservice. While it is lighthearted at times and there is romance, the cover indicates it is more zany and cute than it actually is. I fear that the wrong readers might be directed towards it and then give up at the first sign of heavier, meatier plot lines, so just keep that in mind when picking it up.I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I liked that this book was mainly from Didion’s POV because the inside of her head is fascinating. This poor woman is dealing with some heavy stuff. Swapping to third person POV for the flashbacks was a neat way to highlight them and to highlight Didion’s tendency to frame herself as the main character. (Which, honestly, is so relatable.)Light magical realism because the day keeps repeating. A beautiful setting. A friend group reconnecting. What’s not to love?Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.

Destination Funeral was like the contentious friendship’s version of Groundhog Day. You’ve got Didion, who swore she would never go back to Mercy Island, given the way things ended with not only her mother, Babe, but her friends and once-close sister, Sammie. You’ve got Matt, the happy-go-lucky guy who wants everyone to get along, despite his own detriment. Then there’s Austin, Didion’s ex–who totally wronged her while he worked hard to leave his past behind, and of course, the once-close sister, Sammie, who never wants to grow up. The four used to be inseparable, but now it takes Babe’s death to bring the four together.And together they will be. What starts off as a quick weekend funeral, turns into the foursome reliving the same day over and over again. Through that, Didion has a chance to work through a lot of the resentment she has towards the people who used to mean the world to her, along with the disconnect she has with Babe. It’s hard not to understand and side with Didion when it comes to her reasons behind the separation. I think the situation that got to me the most is when Didion reflects on Sammie’s horrible ex selling off Didion’s beloved Jeep for money, with no thought to even consult Didion about it. And no one seems to bat an eye. It seemed like there were a lot of scenarios similar to that one, where Didion’s feelings and needs are completely looked over, while everyone coddles Sammie.It hasn’t been all roses for Sammie, either. Didion learns that–along with finding out what’s been really going on for the others, too. Things haven’t been so happy-go-lucky for Matt, and Austin had to completely shelve the dreams he’d had since childhood. It’s obvious that honesty and transparency was never a driving force before, but through the endless Saturdays they live through, the chance and opportunity for that becomes apparent. The repeat days were cleverly written and a nice touch to the story.The biggest relationship to work through is the one Didion had with Babe. All four friends wonder if Babe herself had set some sort of spell over the family home (Birdsong), and maybe she did. I won’t discount that. I think the magic and wonder of childhood that dwelled within the characters might have been the real catalyst, but no matter where it had come from, it was sorely needed. There was strong character evolution for everyone involved, even the deceased, all told in a witty, acerbic way that made me want to keep reading. It was also extremely sweet and touching, making Destination Funeral a much-needed five-star read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook. These are my opinions.This was beautifully written, and I couldn't put it down. Didion returns to her childhood home when her mom dies. She is joined there by her sister, her ex, and her childhood best friend. She is estranged from all of them but agrees to stay for the weekend once the will is read.The characters are incredibly nuanced. There were parts of each that I loved and respected, and actions each took that really annoyed me. Usually, I feel that I need to be able to like at least one of the characters to fully enjoy a book because I am such a character-driven reader. This showed me that wasn't at all a necessity. Even as I was annoyed, I was so incredibly invested in both the characters and the conclusion.The book features a time loop, and it was set up in such a unique and fascinating way. It likewise subverted my expectations for the good. And it made me more likely to read more time loops in the future.I partially chose to read this because the author's prior book was so highly recommended to me. And now I am even more eager to go back and read that as well. Her writing is spectacular.4.25 stars

DESTINATION FUNERAL by Paige Harbison⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Paige Harbison’s Destination Funeral is a clever, bittersweet reunion story with a supernatural twist. When four estranged friends return to Mercy Island for Babe’s funeral, they find themselves trapped reliving the same Saturday over and over, forcing them to face old betrayals, buried truths, and the people they’ve become.What could have been a gimmicky premise becomes a moving story about grief, forgiveness, and the ways we stay emotionally stuck. Every repeated Saturday peels back another layer of resentment, regret, and longing.Didion is easy to root for, even when she frustrates you. The friendships feel painfully authentic—the kind where love, jealousy, nostalgia, and hurt all exist at the same time. Every conversation carries years of things left unsaid.The stormy Georgia coast, the faded pink house, and the endless rain create an unforgettable atmosphere that perfectly matches the emotional journey. If you enjoy character-driven stories with buried secrets, old flames, magical realism, and healing, this endless weekend is well worth taking.⸻✅ What Worked• The stormy coastal setting is vivid, immersive, and unforgettable.• The time loop deepens the characters instead of driving the plot.• The friendships are messy, nostalgic, and incredibly believable.⸻❌ What Didn’t Work• The middle drags slightly as the repeated days begin to feel repetitive.• I wanted a few more flashbacks with Babe since her presence shapes the entire story.