Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key, #1) (2024)

This cosy small-town contemporary grumpy meets sunshine romance with magical realism and mystery is unique, cute, quirky and hauntingly beautiful! This is a tale I will be sure to pick up again and again because ahh I love it so, so much! 🧡 If you love puns as much as I do, you will simply die for (sorry not sorry) all the puns in here. Seriously, do read this. It is full of relatable self-discovery, humour, love – and of course a ghost or two. Perfect for the upcoming spooky season!

“Cassie. I want to be with you.”
She blinked up at him in surprise. “What happened to ‘no pressure, no strings’?”
“You happened.” He reached for that lock of hair that always fell out of her messy bun, catching it to twirl it between his fingers. “Give me all the pressure. All the strings. Lay it on me.”

PLOT SUMMARY
31-year-old copywriter Cassie Rutherford lives in Orlando and is tired of being the single one in her group of friends: everyone else is either dating someone, married, or having children. Her landlord decides to sell the house she is renting, forcing her to search for somewhere else. Fun times.

After ages of looking and being rejected from several offers, she finds a renovated cottage Hawkins House by the beach in Boneyard Key (a small-town tourist attraction, renowned for being haunted) and is delighted to get it. Little does she know, nobody has actually resided there in years – not since the 1940s, when there was a woman there called Sarah Hawkins, also known as Mean Mrs Hawkins.

All is not well: from being unable to charge up her laptop at home despite the electrics working to threatening messages appearing on the fridge like my house, Cassie is officially spooked. She even considers moving back to Orlando.

She finds refuge in the form of handsome but grumpy 29-year-old Nick Royer who owns the café Hallowed Grounds, across from Hawkins House. Not only does he have amazing coffee and a charging socket she can use, but he has lived here all his life so you might say he “ain’t afraid of no ghost”, and has a ghost roommate called Elmer. Nick decides to give her a tour of the place and show her the finer things about being a ghost town.

As the months change from April to June so too do their feelings, developing into something tender and lovely. Anyone Nick has ever loved has left him, and he knows Cassie is not staying for long, so they decide to have a fling. But there is a dark and scary side to Nick when they get too close. And as new information comes to light, what if things with Sarah are not what they seem?

This is told from the third-person past-tense dual POV of Cassie and Nick.

OVERALL OPINIONS
I have not read anything of Jen DeLuca yet nor have I read anything for ages that has a ghost story or is suited to Halloween so this was refreshing!

The plot twist I saw coming was a little odd as an idea but I like it because it serves as a great reminder that

Though I am not in my thirties yet, I can relate an awful lot to the problems of having friends but not only finding it difficult to arrange to see them because of them being busy but also feeling like we are at different stages in life. I am Cassie, I am the single friend, I want to brag about my accomplishments but fear they will fall on deaf ears, just like that group chat of hers.

DeLuca mentions in her Acknowledgements section that

In the midnineties, my then-fiancé and I moved to Florida, intending to stay only a year or two. We stayed almost exactly twenty-five years. It was hard saying goodbye to our favorite places... Getting to return to Florida, if only in my mind, while getting to know these characters in Boneyard Key has been such a joy, and I hope you enjoyed the trip with me.

This is the first book of the Boneyard Key series. I assume this will be a trilogy because there are three women covered: Cassie Rutherford, Sophie, and Libby Simpson. I don’t think Sophie has a surname. All the romance storylines have been introduced here and set up nicely for standalones.

👻 Cassie and Nick – this is their story.
📖 Sophie and Theo – I am certain this will be the next book. Sophie hosts the ghost tour in the town, Theo is a historian who runs the local bookshop Boneyard Books which also harbours a museum. He once joined the ghost tour and scoffed at its historical inaccuracy. He is not the only one: when Sarah overhears Sophie’s ghost tour, she is annoyed that Sophie has been inaccurate with the history of Hawkins House and Sophie wants to make this right. Sophie cares very much about the history of the place and does not wish to tarnish it. Reluctantly, Sophie accepts the help of Theo in looking at Sarah’s history for Cassie’s sake. In the epilogue, it is revealed Sophie and Theo are working on a more historically accurate book of Boneyard Key so I assume this will be the plot of the next book. I enjoyed their tension so I am looking forward to hopefully reading their story soon.
🎃 Libby and Ramon – Libby is the granddaughter of Mrs “Nan” Simpson. Nan can communicate with ghosts and Libby helps to run a ghost-hunting business with her called Simpson Investigatons. Ramon was hired by the previous owner as a chef for Hallowed Grounds, so Nick has kept him on as he cooks better. It is revealed through Nick that Ramon has a crush on Libby, and has had since the eighth grade. They are really cute, though their interaction is brief.

<< Positives >>
🠚The cover is adorable! The moment depicted where both of them are on either side of the fence is something that happens a few times in the book. I really love whenever covers depict a scene from within the story. It’s also cute that there are two versions of this cover: the one from Berkley is set in the daytime and the one from Penguin is set at nighttime. I received the Penguin edition but I actually prefer the daytime one. True, Penguin gives far more of the spooky vibes but Berkley’s version is just far more autumnal and cosier.
🠚Cassie and Nick’s relationship is so gorgeous ahh! I can see why some people would have preferred more of an initial tension but I like that Cassie admits they got off to the wrong start and she would like them to start again haha. It was nice. And I like that they secretly admit the other is gorgeous but not in a sexual way. The way Nick goes out of his way to get her the food she misses to apologise was so moving I loved that. And opening up to each other too. Their communication is excellent, very mature. Green flags. I also love the parallel that they both find watching the sunset is not the same without each other. Oh and when Cassie throws that sugar packet at him, I laughed so much!
🠚I like that when the only conflict Cassie and Nick has is because of Mr Hawkins taking over Nick’s mind, and not Nick himself. Because when I tell you my jaw dropped at the same time as Cassie!
🠚I really loved Sarah and Cassie’s friendship and their parallels. They are both in their own ways alone (“Cassie felt like she was fading away, like she’d become a ghost herself”), but the beauty is they find company in each other. Sarah is finally able to communicate with the living world, using Cassie’s magnetic poetry. Cassie goes from being terrified to trying to understand Sarah (shoutout to that one Etsy store for producing more magnets for Cassie to use), amending the house via redecoration and eventually helping Sarah confront her past (or, more specifically, trauma and her husband). Sarah being their wing woman was so sweet – leaving the kiss her message on the fridge for Nick! And I love that at the end, Cassie has grown the cabbage roses for Sarah to tend to.
🠚Also love Cassie’s friendship with Libby and Sophie. Very funny, very wholesome.
🠚The final paragraphs at the end of 3 chapters has that Mrs H pop a message on the fridge. As opposed to the first two sound threating (though actually mean well), the third time is so sweet! She says welcome home. Aww!
🠚Elmer’s concept is interesting, having him able to text Nick or use telepathy to communicate with him. The way he says goodbye is rather amusing and heartwarming “Of course I stuck around for you. You think I really give that much of a sh*t about banana bread”.
🠚I really like all the characters in this town, especially Nan: she was so iconic and hilarious. Do not mess with grandma, for she has a water gun and is not afraid to squirt holy water on you!
🠚The whole mystery element was well constructed. I like that everyone in the town serves a purpose in the story, as this is not easy to do.
🠚The spice is such a finally moment! Dayum, I wished there was more.
🠚Bonus for having a character called Sophie haha! She’s even my height – barely over 5ft!

<< Negatives >>
🠚It was a little confusing at the beginning with a lot of names and lack of information about them.
🠚I wish there had been more to some of Cassie and Nick’s relationship. We go from the “no strings attached” phase to being together quite quickly. It would have been nice if this had been fleshed out some more, or if the “no strings attached” phase happened earlier.
🠚Their first time was where they had done the exorcism. Really, Jen? Haha. I guess it is symbolic but nope.
🠚Cassie’s family is not mentioned much, and I feel like it would have been nice to have somehow included them in the story more. Perhaps a chapter of meeting both Cassie’s and Nick’s family would have worked for this rather than a brief summary paragraph.

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Cassie꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ She likes order, just like me. Has cold hands, also like me. She listens to lo-fi music when she works, LIKE MEEE! I like how she goes from being afraid of everything to adapting to the place and even being welcoming of ghosts and their intentions. I think I ended up being like this by the end of the story.
🠚Cassie distancing herself from Nick was done wonderfully well, and setting boundaries because she distrusts him. I like that she does not forgive him very easily, that is rather realistic.
🠚I appreciated that moment where Cassie’s hand “lingered on his cheek, her fingertips tracing his cheekbone” because I’m so used to men doing this to women, it is nice to see it the other way around.
🠚I like that she gets the bravery to stay with Nick, and also to remove herself from the group chat as she now has better friends. Bless!

“I can’t think of a way that my life hasn’t changed recently. What’s one more?”

“There’s nothing defective about you. Not a damn thing.”

══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Jen DeLuca, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

Berkeley decided to grace me with arc 🥹❤️

Jen DeLuca returns with a twist! Stepping away from the Renaissance Fair realm, she now invites her readers on an exciting journey into the realm of paranormal romance, blending sweetness with sentimentality. As long as her trademark sarcastic humor and compelling characters remain, I'm all in!

Enter a haunted town in Florida, renowned for its ghost tours and eerie locales where tourists seek a thrill. Little do they know, the locals aren't merely cashing in on spooky tales – there might just be some genuine paranormal encounters waiting for them!

Our protagonist, Cassie Rutherford, finds herself at the heart of the story. A native of Orlando, she faces the upheaval of her life when her landlord decides to sell her apartment. With limited funds, she ventures into buying a house in a quaint Florida coastal town, unaware of its dark history. Leaving behind her city life, where friends are settling into domestic bliss, Cassie embraces the change.

But this new town lacks familiar comforts like Starbucks and Publix. However, that's the least of her worries. The historic Hawkins house she purchases might be haunted by the vengeful spirit of its previous owner's wife. Despite her skepticism, Cassie experiences strange occurrences, from malfunctioning plugs to eerie encounters. Seeking solace at the local coffee shop, she meets Nick, the brooding yet charming owner, who brews the perfect hazelnut ice latte and serves up delicious banana bread.

As their encounters grow, Nick reveals his connection to the town's spirits, adding another layer of mystery. When Cassie receives a paranormal message one night, she turns to Nick for assistance.

Now, Cassie must decide whether to flee the town and leave behind any chance of romance with Nick or embrace the unusual life in this ghostly community. Meanwhile, Nick fears losing another woman while trying not to scare Cassie away.

Will they find their happily-ever-after amidst the supernatural chaos? With its paranormal twist and captivating execution, this book is a delightful ride that I highly recommend!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this engaging book in exchange for my honest review.

🎉🎈Happy Publication Day! 🎈🎉

Being back at school has zapped my motivation to read, but I’m still creeping along on this one!

Pre-read: The Council of Spooky Bitches has spoken and deemed me worthy of the ARC! 🙌🏻 I manifested this one friends! Let’s go ghouls!!

Ooh yes, please! This is my vibe. 👻🧡

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca is set in a charming and spooky small town in Florida where romance meets the supernatural. The story follows Cassie Rutherford, who, feeling unsatisfied with her life, moves to the ghostly small town of Boneyard Key.

Strange events start happening to Cassie in her new home, such as messages on her fridge and issues with her laptop charging. To resolve the laptop issue, she visits the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, owned by the grumpy and handsome Nick Royer. As they spend time together, they uncover the history of Cassie's house and its previous owners. Despite not seeking love, Cassie and Nick are attracted to each other.

The novel starts strong with charming characters and a witty, engaging setup. Cassie and Nick's chemistry and the quirky small-town atmosphere are initially captivating. However, the middle of the book feels slow and repetitive, lacking significant plot development. The supernatural elements are underutilized, and the final intimate scene between Cassie and Nick feels rushed and disconnected from the narrative. While Jen DeLuca's writing is witty and the characters likable, the story ultimately loses momentum, leading to a somewhat lacklustre conclusion.

Haunted Ever After is a light, entertaining read that starts well but struggles to maintain its initial charm, earning it a three-star rating. 👻 💻

It was my first novel by Jen DeLuca and it won't be my last.

A massive thank you to Berkley & Netgalley for providing the ARC.

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Y’all…Berkley found me worthy of an ARC 🥹

I found this charming and a welcome development on the author's strengths. I think the addition of a paranormal element that introduced an external conflict was a nice balance to the slow burn, small town romance I've come to enjoy from this author. I'm hoping we get a sequel with Sophie and Theo. All around - a fun & cute read with a more lighthearted tone for a paranormal than we sometimes get

CW - plot intentional/resolved misogyny

Happy Release Day!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars

This was an entertaining, surface level read for me. The characters were likeable and the storyline was engaging, but this lacked some depth.

Prior to reading this, I was wondering why it was set to release in August when it clearly has a spooky vibe, but once you start reading, it makes sense. Even though you're reading about haunted houses and ghosts, this takes place in Florida right on the beach, which definitely takes away some of the spookiness.

I did like the MC's. Cassie was independent and didn't fall all over herself because she was talking to an attractive man and eventually very clearly draws a boundary when things go a little south, and I was happy to see that. Nick was a good guy still dealing with some past relationship issues, but he took to Cassie pretty immediately and was trying to woo her from the start even though it's not in his nature.

But throughout all of this, there isn't really a lot of development to their relationship. They only have one semi-deep discussion about a couple things and the rest is just them casually hanging out. A little disappointing but I liked the story overall.

This is gearing up to be a series, and I'm definitely going to continue on. I mean, the next one (hopefully) will be Theo, the bookstore owner with a little bit of an attitude. Sold.

the romance was not it🫣 i wouldn’t even consider this as romance because it gave me zero feelings 💔 but the ghost stories🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ i stayed for ghosts and they served

Thank You NetGalley, Jen Deluca, and Berkley Publishing for granting me access to an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up

Haunted Ever After is a cozy story mixed with a little bit of spooky and heartwarming romance perfect for the fall season. Not to mention this cover is absolutely beautiful and grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I devoured this little gem and can’t wait to reread it around fall.

This story takes place in Boneyard Key, a small town in Florida known for its tourism and ghostly reputation. Cassie, our FMC, recently purchased a home in this small town with hopes of starting a new life, finding out later that her home is much more than the eye can see. After Cassie keeps having electrical issues she finds herself at a local cafe called Hallowed Grounds, where she meets Nick, our MMC. Nick, a man determined to maintain his family legacy, not only inherits some of Hallowed Grounds original recipes but also the very vocal and hilarious opinions of the cafes previous owner. As Nick helps Cassie learn about the history of the small town and all of the special residents a slow burn romance begins to form. However, will the history of Boneyard Key become too much for Cassie and will their relationship withstand it?

this book was truly boring, like no bad but boringgggggg

2.5 stars

ommg a new jen deluca romance ????!

I love it when you are entertained by a story. This author got it right with this one. Set in a small town known for its haunted houses and areas, moving here might get you your own spooky roommate or two.

DeLuca sets the mark with a series and story based on this haunted town. Focused on two main characters who are perfect for each other, the story blooms right along with their slow-burn relationship.

While Haunted Ever After does have some ups and downs as with everything else in life, there are so many positive vibes that are developed throughout the story. Both characters are working through difficulties, but their immediate connection is great.

Fresh, fun, flirty, and a feel-good story that leaves you with a smile! I loved the setting, the unique plot, and the entertainment the author brings along with her writing.

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**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/haunted-ever...

I must have a thing for books that are set in small towns on the Gulf Coast of Florida because this is the third one I can think of, and I’ve loved them all. Boneyard Key is a fictional place but it felt quite real, so kudos to Jen DeLuca. Nick owns a coffee shop in town and has grown up in Boneyard Key, known for having quite a few haunted spots (and tourists). Cassie is a newcomer who has bought a haunted house without knowing it was haunted. Cassie has picked up and moved to Boneyard Key from Orlando after the landlord she was renting from decided to sell. Once she realized she couldn’t find anything affordable nearby, she broadened her search, figuring that if she could work remotely during the pandemic, she could continue to do so, and that means she could live anywhere. The house she chose overlooks the Gulf and is super-charming, having been repaired and updated by a house flipper - before that it had been empty for a very long time.

Nick and Cassie have wonderful chemistry, but they both have personal issues that make them cautious about having a serious relationship.

The ghosts in this book are wonderful! Elmer is the former owner of the coffee shop that Nick owns, while Sarah is the former resident of Cassie’s house, who was known around town as Mean Mrs. Hawkins. How Elmer and Sarah communicate is so creative.

The story is a lovely combination of romance and mystery. And it works. We get chapters from either Cassie’s or Nick’s point of view. I loved the references to the Florida weather and the quirky history of towns along the Gulf Coast. I had to laugh out loud at the descriptions of the sub sandwiches from Publix, a widespread Florida supermarket chain which Cassie sorely misses since there’s no Publix in or near Boneyard Key.

This looks to be the start of a series and I will be happy to read those books once they are available.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

(Note: If you’re wondering about the other books/series I mentioned above, check out the Haunted Haven Mysteries by Carol J. Perry and the Coffee Lover’s Mysteries by Tara Lush.)

Feeling like she needs a fresh start in life, Cassie moves from Orlando to Boneyard Key, buying a charming historic cottage right on the beach. But, unknown to Cassie, her dream home is haunted. Nick, the grumpy owner of the local coffee shop is no stranger to ghosts himself, having had one as his roommate ever since taking over the business.

Of course, Cassie knew that the town’s draw was ghost tourism, but she didn’t realize that it wasn’t just a gimmick until the magnetic poetry on her fridge started moving around on its own. Nick has taken a liking to the new girl in town, and wants to show her that living with ghosts isn’t so bad before she gets scared and leaves for good.

HAUNTED EVER AFTER was equal parts cute small town romance and intriguing ghost story. Very cozy. I loved learning about the history of Cassie’s new house, as well as other local lore. I love how the mystery of Cassie’s restless spirit played out. I felt like the growth of Cassie and Nick’s relationship was sweet, genuine, and realistic, in spite of the ghosts. I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC. Opinions are my own.

Star rating: ★★★★☆
Spice rating: 1 🥵🔥
State condition: Cozy

Thank you to Berkley and Jen DeLuca for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was so different than I had anticipated going into it. But one thing is for certain… Jen DeLuca KNOWS how to write a comfort book for me. I cannot wait til my preorder of this book comes in so I can reread it during Spooky Season👻

I will say that this isn’t a romance first book. The romance is FOR SURE the sub plot in this story. This was a slow SLOW burn where the majority of the book, the main characters aren’t even a semi established couple. However, I still loved it. And that comes for someone that typically has to read a book that is romance first for me to even get through it. The whole concept was just fascinating to read about, it really made me wish that is was October already lol, and the little town captivated me from the first chapter to the point I kinda wanted to go visit as a tourist myself🤧🫶🏼

And that ending 🥲 Elmer has my whole heart!!

A Ren Faire book 5?!

Really wanted to like this one more! I found the premise to be very fun, and I liked the paranormal themes explored in the book. The humor wasn’t for me, and I found romance a bit lacing.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Small town rom com, fun ghosts, grumpy but hot MMC, and a little bit of a mystery! DeLuca gave us a bit of everything in this one book and I adored it!

Cassie leaves Orlando for a fresh start and moves to a small but very quirky coastal town (I've bet you have heard this plot before once or twice.... or a few hundred times if you are a big reader like me). But this tale has a TWIST... the entire town is haunted and has a spooky backstory and possibly evil ghosts! Turns out Cassie (skeptic) not only moved to a haunted town but her house is haunted by a ghost who claims its HER house (and she might of killed her husband...).

Then enters Nick... grumpy but handsome coffee shop owner who deals with his own ghost - but the good kind - that gives him endless business and relationship advice. Cassie and him grow closer as she's forced to use the coffee shop's wifi.

I absolutely ADORED this small, spooky town and it's (living & dead) inhabitants. But I will be honest - I was WAY more intrigued by the ghosts of the town and the mystery of what the ghost in Cassie's house wanted and her history in the town's past. For once, I wanted to skip the romantic scenes to get to the good stuff - THE GHOSTS.

This is a SLOOOOWWWW burn. Expect a whole lot of nothing except for a few brief scenes - but if you don't care about the lack of spice I will say it's worth it. I loved the way the relationship blossomed and how events from their past affected their relationship. The ending was done extremely well and I loved how the characters ended up.

The ending also WRECKED ME due to one thing (iykyk - but not related to MCs). I will never be okay after what DeLuca put me through with that plot twist.

4 stars | 1 spice

I cannot wait to see what else Boneyard Key has to offer with this seemingly to become a series. I have a feeling who the next books will be about and I hope I am right!

I highly recommend this one for those who love a good ghostly rom com, small town romance and slow burn romance. This would make the perfect book for halloween romance readers!

Big thanks to Jen DeLuca, Berkley and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exhchange for my honest opinons!

This book takes you to the charming, eerie setting of Boneyard Key, Florida, where the warmth of summer mingles with the cozy vibes of fall. I loved the overall atmosphere!

Spontaneously moving from Orlando to Boneyard Key, purchasing a quaint historic cottage, Cassie soon discovers the history and spooky surprises within. Is it worth staying?

Nick, the local coffee shop owner with a knack for banana bread, is no stranger to the paranormal. Struggling to open his heart after a rough breakup, his endearing loneliness is only eased by his unconventional and persistently amusing roommate.

One aspect of the story took a strange turn for me in the second half, but if you're open to a paranormal adventure with a fun mystery, I loved the heartwarming conclusion for these characters. It was a delightful mix of romance, ghostly thrills, revenge, and small-town charm!

(heat level: one open-door scene, explicit details)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

It was meh and so boring. I gave it a star as I finished it. The characters were so incredibly one-dimensional as well.

Side note : I know I read an ARC copy, but the spelling and grammar mistakes were so distracting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an eccentric mix of ghost story and small town romance, lol. Not enough romance for me, personally (or too much of a flawed one), but I actually did get pretty into the supernatural aspect. I can honestly say that I’ve never read a story quite like this one, and I enjoyed the unpredictability. It starts out strong, with some instant friction and spooky intrigue, before losing momentum somewhere along the way. The third person POV did leave me feeling a bit disconnected, but I also think the pacing of the romance didn’t help. It had some serious instalove vibes while also feeling woefully underdeveloped, so I struggled to become emotionally invested in the relationship. Much of this is solid, however, and I definitely think there’s an audience for this kind of hybrid reading experience.

The story follows Cassie, a woman who is excited to finally own a home. She’d just about given up on her home search until purchasing a house in a small Florida town - without ever stepping foot inside it. Sure, the town is known for being haunted, but Cassie is certain that’s a gimmick for tourists. At least… until she gets to know some of the locals, particularly one moody coffee shop owner. Though Cassie and Nick started off on the wrong foot, they soon find themselves growing closer. But Nick is unwilling to fall for a girl who won’t stick around, and living in a haunted house might be more than Cassie can handle.

I’ve been meaning to check out this new-to-me author, and this series starter seemed like the perfect place to begin. It kicks off a brand new small town series, and there was a lot of good stuff going on. I loved the community vibes and how much Nick’s hometown meant to him. He’s been living with ghosts all his life, so they don’t faze him anymore. Cassie, on the other hand, is entirely new to the supernatural experience, and she’s not sure how to feel about it. The ghosts and the stories behind them are central to the plot, with the romance often feeling like an afterthought. It sort felt like Nick took one look at Cassie and latched on to the only new girl living in town. I did like him, but there’s one particular scene that rubbed me the wrong way, and it was difficult to shake the feeling after that. I found myself more interested in the ghost story, and I’m exclusively a romance reader, so… yeah. There are definitely a lot of positives here though, and I’d consider checking out the next book revolving around this town.

Audio note: The audio is pretty good. Not amazing or anything, but decent. I’m not familiar with Jeannie Sheneman as a narrator, but I liked her voice. Though the story is dual POV, we just get the one narrator, and it was often difficult to distinguish between Nick and Cassie. I was able to follow along with the context clues, but a little more clarity would’ve been helpful. Also entirely possible that I’m spoiled on the stellar audiobooks that are releasing these days - this one felt very old school. The runtime (around 11 hours) made for a full day binge, though I was not invested enough in the story to get through it in a single day. It’s a very slow burn, so probably fine as a workday listen, though there is some spice towards the end. Audio isn’t a bad way to experience the story, if you decide to dive in. Big thanks to Libro.fm for the early copy!

Cassie moves to Bonyard Key, Florida after her search for an affordable house in Orlando doesn’t work out. Also, she now feels like an outsider to her original friend group when they’ve moved onto marriage and kids while she remains single. It quickly becomes apparent that the ghost hauntings the town is famous for are real, and one of those ghosts seems to inhabit her cute, historic cottage. She’s freaked out, but with the help of Nick, the town’s coffee shop owner, Cassie starts to get used to the idea. It becomes clear that her ghost has a few things to clear up.

Nick is used to the ghosts in Boneyard Key, after all he’s a descendant of the “Founding Fifteen” the group of families that originally settled there. Nick has an affinity with ghosts and so he helps introduce Cassie to the oddities of the town and show her some of the wonderful things about living there.

I enjoyed this romance with a side of paranormal mystery! It was easy to figure out most of what was going on and I did wonder at how Cassie and Nick didn’t sooner, but I had fun “exploring” the town, getting its history as they sorted things out. Cassie and Nick had some relationship hangups they had to get over on their way to a HEA. It was a low romance drama read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

I alternately read and listened to an audio copy of Haunted Ever After and can recommend either version. Jeannie Sheneman did a wonderful job with all voices, male and female, brining each character to life. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

A digital and audio copy were kindly provided by the publishers. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.5⭐️
Thank you so much to Berkeley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing free advanced copies of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

Wow did this book drag on and on and on and.......

I was so excited for a new series from Jen Deluca. I enjoyed the Well Met series but was really looking forward to a new setting. Especially a paranormal one!

Unfortunately this just didn't deliver on any of the aspects - the paranormal, the small town, the romance... nothing.

This follows Cassie who is looking for a fresh start. She feels like she's grown apart from her friends who are all settling down and having kids. So she buys a house in a small costal town on the other side of Florida. Only to get there and learn that everyone truly believes this small town to be haunted.

After a not-so-great first impression with local coffee shop owner, Cassie finds herself wrapped up in her own haunted ghost story. And needs the help of the locals to find a way to live (or get rid of) her house's ghost.

I think one thing a small town romance relies on is its desirability. I need to fall in love with the town and quirks. But this didn't have any of that... I felt like we saw the same 2 places over and over again and none of them really had any personality. I never had that feeling of wanting to go there. Instead it sounded like an actual nightmare...

But the part that really brought this whole book down was its lack of plot and driving force. The entire story revolves around Cassie learning her house is haunted, coming to terms with the ghost, and then wanting to learn about the ghost's past & potentially help her move on.

All of which was fine. But we followed her doing the same things so many time it became frustrating. The outlets, the coffee shop, the tour, the fridge words... it was so repetitive.

Because I was enjoying the actual plot and pace of the story, the final little twist grated on my nerves even more. Because OBVIOUSLY. It took the MCs so long to come to then conclusion that felt so obvious from the very beginning. And that stacked on top of my lack of enjoyment left me feeling so very unenthused by this entire book.

Unfortunately I don't think this is a series I'll be continuing on with. I have a feeling the next couple will be the tour guide and the librarian and I just.... don't care.

The audio book was well narrated however. So if you're still interested in picking this one up, I highly suggest checking out the audio version.

this was fun but it all felt so fast! i did love the ghost aspect though

REP: main character with endometriosis and ovarian cysts, infertility

A spooky romance perfect for the upcoming season!

The town is Boneyard Key Florida. The coffee shop is Hallowed Grounds. The ghosts text to communicate and everywhere you go has history and someone there who wants to tell it. Nick, the owner of Hallowed Grounds, thinks Cassie is a tourist at first but soon realizes she’s purchased the cottage down the street. The one that everyone has been afraid to walk past for decades. But it’s been renovated a bit and she’s settling down. Only Cassie doesn’t know about the town’s extra residents at first! Nick is a giant grump at first but soon they’re embarking on a journey to solve a huge mystery together.

This was so cute! It was such a fun story, I loved reading about the history of the ghosts and trying to figure out the mystery while watching Nick and Cassie get closer. This is the perfect fall read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Jen DeLuca, and Berkeley for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This publishes on August 13th.

Thank you to Berkley for an e-ARC of this book!

What a lovely book! This is like a steamy Karen White book, but it takes place in Florida and is more modern. If you've liked Ashley Poston, this book is in a similar vein!

Haunted Ever After is the perfect combination of spooky mystery and romance, and Jen did an amazing job bringing this haunted town to life. I absolutely want to go live there now. It is the cutest, quaintest little town with so much ghostly history.

Cassie is a fun FMC, because I feel like her responses to everything that happened are exactly what mine would have been, and her relationship with Nick was adorable.

This is absolutely a book that is cozy and welcoming. It's perfect for a summer read with a hint of spooky vibes. It hit all the marks so well. I found this book fun, adorable and left me with good vibes.

100% recommend this book to people who like a dollop of romance with their ghostly mysteries.

I’m so excited for this new series. This first book is a great start. Cassie just moved to a small town in Florida that thrives on it being the most haunted. She thinks it’s just something they do to get tourists to visit. Shortly after moving in to her new home, however, she realizes it’s not a ploy. She starts going to the local coffeehouse because her laptop won’t stay charged, and meets the owner, Nick. He shows her around town and explains how the ghosts work. This has the small town vibes of friendships and a slow burn romance with a touch of the paranormal. I enjoyed meeting all the characters and watching Cassie come to terms with her ghostly roommate. This book just made me happy, which you can’t ask for anything more.

This was fine. I think I left it like I'd pick up a second in the series but I'm in no rush.

What worked for me/kept me kinda interested:
- the haunted town was so fun
- other characters in the book

What wasn't working
- it was almost too cookie cutter rom com vibes for them meeting
- a bit of a drag on their connection for me
- the way the haunting was resolved

I think I just don't really connect with a lot of books marketed as rom coms. This one has a lot of bits that make it seem perfect for me with the haunted town and stuff.

ARC provided by publisher via netgalley and libro.fm ALC program.

This is a solid ghost romance. Girl moves to "most haunted town in FL", buys a house on the cheap and finds messages from the beyond. Boy lives in and runs the local coffee shop with the long since deceased previous owner. There is a little mystery, a lot small town and a slow burn romance. I really enjoyed bits and pieces of DeLuca's Ren Faire series, but this might be a little more developed and have a smidge more heart.

I loved this book literally SO MUCH - Jen runs with a high concept premise and nails it! A little silly, a little spooky, a lot of heart, a lot of chemistry. Take me back to Boneyard Key, please!

Thank you Berkley for the ARC!