Destination Funeral - by Paige Harbison (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Fun and sexy." ―People Magazine

"Paige Harbison is one of the funniest writers working today." ―Bustle

A fresh take on Groundhog Day with a dash of Practical Magic meets the magical escapism of One Italian Summer in this heartfelt and hilarious novel following a friend group so damaged that only a funeral could bring them back together.

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 Quotes

One of PEOPLE Magazine's "Must-Read Books for Summer 2026" and "Book of the Week"
An ArtsATL Summer Read Pick

"This offbeat, by turns funny and heartbreaking journey is absolutely bursting with heart, and its richly painted characters will stick with you long after the last page." --PEOPLE

"Harbison's prose effectively walks the line between emotional catharsis and humor, with characters that feel real and choices that feel believable. Harbison is becoming one to watch for contemporary magical realism, following up 2025's The Other Side of Now. Perfect for fans of the film version of Practical Magic or Josie Silver's The Two Lives of Lydia Bird (2020)." --Booklist

"For fans of Practical Magic, summer romance, and breezy beach reads, this is an optimal choice." --Library Journal

"Paige is that rare talent--a writer who can make you laugh and cry in the space of a few lines. This book is packed full of wit, charm, a delicious amount of tension, and characters you won't want to say goodbye to. I adored it!" --Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year

"A tender, speculative exploration of grief, family (of all varieties), and forgiveness. A cheeky, whimsical reminder of the old adage that it is never about the destination. This story will make you want to stay in the time loop, even when you reach the very last page." --Carolyn Huynh, author of The Fortunes of Jaded Women

"Funny and full of emotional, Destination Funeral is a beautiful novel about love, family and, of course, time loops. The premise is (literally) magic, but Paige Harbison's characters feel so incredibly real. You'll finish the book wanting to hug them all, and also wanting to live in a pink beach house." --Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance

"In Destination Funeral, a mother's death sends her estranged daughter into a time loop the eve of her funeral. Trapped in one endless Saturday with her sister, her ex, and her ex friend in the beach house where they spent summers in their youth, this is romantic magical realism at its best. With characters you fall in love with, the world's dreamiest setting, and a propulsive story filled with twists and turns, this novel is so special. I can't wait to recommend it to everyone!" --Gabrielle Korn, author of Long Island Girls

"Destination Funeral was like having a glass of chilled wine on the porch of a vacation home with your best friend. The book is lush and funny and sexy and heartfelt. It felt like magically packing all the right things for a vacation." --Sophia Benoit, author of The Very Definition of Love

"Grief isn't tidy. Old conflicts and parts of ourselves are surfaced--and strange things happen to time. Harbison blends these elements with heart in a witty, honest, and decidedly pink universe that left me craving more." --Thea Weiss, author of Second Chance Cinema

Praise for The Other Side of Now

"A sweet and moving fairy tale about the road not taken, the ways our choices affect everyone around us, and the importance of closure. Smooth dialogue and loveable characters abound in this novel that is fun, engaging, and perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Maybe in Another Life (2015)." -Booklist

"Paige Harbison is one of the funniest writers working today, and this book delivers plenty of heart, too." -Hannah Orenstein for Bustle

"Utterly unputdownable." -Modern Mrs. Darcy

"Wildly entertaining and heartbreaking, Harbison's writing feels like being swept away for a joy-filled, life-affirming trip with your closest friend. This book is big-hearted and funny, filled with sharp observations and a stellar supporting cast that ground the (flawlessly executed) high concept and give the book so much soul I challenge you not to cry at least three times. A captivating story of friendship, grief and the roads not taken. Leaving the enchanting world of Avalon behind already feels like a loss." -Ella Berman, author of Before We Were Innocent: Reese's Book Club

"A full sprint down the path not taken that will make you feel alive and remind you that it's never too late for second chances. When you finish, you will want to call your best friend." -Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guncle

"The Other Side of Now is a sometimes heartbreaking, always heartwarming fantasy about what happens when you get not just the life of your dreams but the lives of your dreams. Paige Harbison's very knowing, very cool novel is moving, clever, funny, compelling, and warm as an Irish sweater." -Laurie Frankel, bestselling author of Family Family

"An engaging, winsome debut. An unexpected and bittersweet book about the choices we make and the paths we take, Paige Harbison writes with the perfect balance of sweetness and sarcasm. Readers will love the touch of magic and romance woven throughout, while still rooting for my favorite kind of heroine." -Elissa Sussman, bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask

"Bursting with wit and feeling, The Other Side of Now made me consider the other lives I might have led, then left me grateful that I'm in the one where I got to read this bighearted charmer of a novel. Paige Harbison's characters will win your heart, break it, then put it back together again." -Laura Hankin, author of One Star Romance

About the Author

Paige Harbison was first published at just nineteen years old and has since written three young adult novels, collaborated on several celebrity ghostwriting projects, and made her adult fiction debut with The Other Side of Now. When she's not writing, she hosts her podcast, records music with her brother under the band name Thalo, and creates comedy videos that have amassed millions of views across social media. She lives in Los Angeles with her partner, Richie, and their dog, Tarot.