I love a good combo of paranormal and historical romance and was therefore super excited for this anthology. Unfortunately I found it rather disappointing. With the exception of Elisa Braden's story, none of the others made much of an impression and several made a negative impression. It was surprising as several of the authors other than Braden are ones I enjoy in their longer books.

2 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

I had very high hopes for this anthology.

It wasn't bad but it was more Casper the friendly ghost when I was expecting Gothic vibes.

It was still a fun read the October.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

When spooky manors and or ghostly coastlines call, this stunning collection of haunted Historical Romance novellas is sure to leave you breathless with ethereal, romantic tales…

I love a good spooky romance and this collection did not disappoint. I really enjoyed all of the stories. Highly recommended!

Once upon a haunted romance. Anthology creepy stories from some great authors for Halloween 🦇. Give it a Go for sure.

Romantic, Spooky, and Most Delightful

In “Once Upon a Haunted Cave” by Meara Platt, Ruarke warns Heather not to go near the singing caves. However, she sees a girl doing so. Why shouldn't she do the same? The girl is a ghost, he tells her—a tale she does not believe. What happens when Heather goes near the caves? A vengeful ghost, a curious lady’s companion, and a duke who loses his heart make this a delightfully spooky and enchanting tale. Many women vie for Ruarke’s attention, but his aunt’s companion, a woman, not of his class is the one he wants. Will he be able to save her from a vengeful ghost? What does this ghost want? Can they help her to find a way to go into the light? I loved this story.

In “Once Upon a Haunted Garden” by Chasity Bowlin, Louisa thinks she will be a companion, but she is about to get the shock of her life. Douglas’s spinster aunt is not in need of a companion, but he needs a wife. He needs a marriage without love. With his family's dark history, he believes he is cursed, so love must never enter the equation. If he does not marry, he cannot inherit. Louisa agrees to his terms, but there are those who do not want her there, and they will do anything to make sure Douglas does not inherit. However, there will be interference from outside of our human realm. One ghost has a lot to say. What does she tell Louisa, and can she help to save her from certain death? This is another delightful story that will give you goosebumps.

From this set, I read the first two stories so far. I look forward to reading the rest of the stories. I have read books by all the authors in this set and have enjoyed their work.

This anthology is perfect for the October 2023 Halloween season. It has ghosts, mystery, bit of romance with gothic undertones. I thought all the stories (some are more quicker than others), were unique. Great cast of authors for this edition by Dragonblade Publishing.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This is such a fun and ghostly anthology! I loved that this collection took a chance and stepped outside a typical historical romance anthology. If you enjoy gothic vibes, ghosts, and mysterious brooding heroes in your historicals, this is the anthology for you! This collection works for year-round enjoyment but is especially great for fall and winter reading by a fire.

My two particular favorites were "Once Upon an Enchanted Well" by Mary Wine and "Once Upon a Haunted Garden" by Chasity Bowlin. Both of these stories were mystical and ethereal and beautifully written. I have no doubt I will return to this collection again before the year is up and I will likely find myself returning to stories in this collection for years to come.

Thanks to the publisher for an early review copy of the anthology!

I really had a great time reading this collection of stories by various authors. All are romances, & all have an element of paranormal. They are truly diverse in era, humor, level of steam, & romance genre. Knew most of the authors, but it was fun to be introduced to a couple new ones. Don’t hesitate grab this one while it’s available.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read & review an advance copy.

I loved this fabulous anthology, great stories, from a fabulous group of authors, very creative stories, you won't go wrong with this one!

5 stars

Great Read. I'd read some of Maeve's Moon Landing series and I really enjoyed Mary Lancaster's Novella related to The Duel series. Some of the time slip ones weren't really me but overall I think it's a great read and I thoroughly recommend it.


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

A spectacular collection from Dragonblade's best authors. I highly recommend all of these short stories.

This book is fascinating. The authors did a a great job on presenting their short stories and they can potentially develop them into novels later.

I would definitely recommend this book. None of the stories are to supernatural that you would run screaming!!

I received this free book from NetGalley and these are my own thoughts and opinions!

This is a great selection from ten very talented and successful authors. Most of the story titles started "Once Upon a Haunted . . . "
There were some wonderful characters, and I enjoyed the variety of personalities and the various storylines. The stories provided me with laughter, romance, a curse, ghosts, mysteries, a second-chance romance, and so much more. I had to keep reading each story until I finished it to ensure each couple received their HEA.
Thank you Dragonblade Publishing for giving us one of the best Halloween Romance Anthologies.
I received an ARC and chose to make this review.

Perfect and just in time for some Halloween fun. What an excellent combination, two of my favorite genres together, historical romance and spooky stories. I absolutely loved this book which is a collection of stories never before published by some of my favorite authors and some new to me authors as well. These stories are inspired by legends of haunting in the British Isles including castles and mystical forests. This book was absolutely fantastic. I can’t get enough of it. Each story was its own unique magic. I want more from these authors. I received this as an ARC and was so thrilled to discover all these adventures in one magical place. Of course I had my favorites, but you should discover them got yourself. You will love this collection. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is an absolutely amazing collection of Halloween 🎃 Historical Romances from very talentedauthors! You won't be disappointed!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

A brilliant selection of stories with a spooky feel from some of the best authors around at the moment.
Great characters with plenty of depth and personality, and intense situations that really get you in that Halloween spirit.
Definitely a great one to read around this time of the year.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

What a wonderful anthology! A great blend of scary, gothic, and atmospheric, some with and some without a touch of paranormal.

A fun read for enjoying in these days that are getting shorter. Light a candle or three, grab your favorite hot fall beverage and curl up to read some enjoyable stories from some of the best historical romance authors around.

Thank-you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#OnceUponaHauntedRomance #NetGalley

Once Upon a Haunted Cave - Meara Platt-. Heather is the companion to Ruarke’s Aunt & they are staying at Ruarke’s estate in Cornwall when Heather sees a young woman on the beach. A mystery as well as a romance. Can Ruarke & Heather free Bella whilst finding their own HEA? A lovely novella

Once Upon a Haunted Garden - Chasity Bowlin

Once Upon an Enchanted Well by Mary Wine

Once Upon a Haunted Haven - Lexi Post

Once Upon a Haunted Romance - Mary Lancaster

Once Upon a Highland Mist - Maeve Greyson

Once Upon a Haunted Scottish Cottage - Sofie Darling

Once Upon a Haunted Knight - Elisa Braden

Once Upon a Haunted Horn and Hoof - Elizabeth Rose
Nine lovely novellas from the Dragonblade authors my favourite was Ruarke & Heather’s story. Different eras but all linked to this time of year & all guaranteed to warm these autumnal evenings
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

4.5 Stars - I thoroughly enjoyed these ten stories in Once Upon a Haunted Romance. If you're looking for a good laugh, a good scare, and a good dose of romance, then this anthology is for you!

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭: I loved this story! A cave full of secrets and a love that sparks in the dark. Ruark and Heather find each other and a mystery that will change their lives. The story is fun and flirty, full of witty banter and sexual tension, and the reader will be laughing and swooning in equal measure. A sweet and spooky romance that will make you want to explore some caves of your own.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐢𝐧: A heartwarming and romantic story between a young woman who is tending a haunted garden and the ghost of a gardener. The story is full of charm and heartwarming moments, and the reader will be rooting for the couple to find their happily ever after.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞: A unique and exotic romance between a young woman who is drawn to an enchanted well and the ghost of a water spirit. The story is full of adventure and intrigue, and the reader will be captivated by the characters and their journey.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐱𝐢 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭: A second-chance romance between a woman who is hiding from her past in a haunted haven and the ghost of a man who was killed there. The story is full of emotion and angst, and the reader will be cheering for the couple to find their way back to each other.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫: A heartwarming romance between a young woman who is hired to be a governess for the children of a haunted manor and the ghost of the manor's former owner. The story is full of charm and heartwarming moments, and the reader will be rooting for the couple to find their happily ever after.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧: A fun and flirty romance between a young woman who is traveling to Scotland to find her true love and the ghost of a Highland warrior. The story is full of adventure and intrigue, and the reader will be enchanted by the characters and their love story.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: I loved this romantic story. A cottage that holds secrets and a love that reveals them. Ian and Theodora are strangers who share a bond and unravel a mystery that connects them. The story is full of charm and heartwarming moments, and the reader will be rooting for the couple to find their happily ever after with a little help from Aunt Sorcha.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞: A heartwarming and romantic story between a young woman who is exploring a haunted hillfort and the ghost of a Roman soldier. The story is full of charm and heartwarming moments, and the reader will be rooting for the couple to find their happily ever after.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧: A second-chance romance between a woman who is haunted by the ghost of her former lover and the ghost himself. The story is full of emotion and angst, and the reader will be cheering for the couple to find their way back to each other.

𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞: A sweet and romantic story between a young woman who is hired to care for a haunted horn and hoof and the ghost of the animal's previous owner. The story is full of charm and heartwarming moments, and the reader will be rooting for the couple to find their happily ever after.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A perfectly time anthology of short haunted bites of romance! Overall, I enjoyed each story with its unique twists and turns, but for the sake of this review, I will focus on my favorite novellas of the bunch.

Once Upon A Haunted Haven - Lexi Post
Lady Juliet Hastings has just recently lost her husband and has been subsequently kicked out of her former home by her brother-in-law. She travels to her only inheritance, a haunted cottage far from anyone she knows. Welcomed by the cottage's caretaker, Noah Kingman, she is woefully unprepared for a life on her own, and Noah takes her under his wing. Helped along by the ghost of her great aunt, who was the original owner of the cottage, she begins to learn how to live on her own. And in the process, falls in love with the one man who fell in love with her long ago, after gazing at a portrait of her aunt...an exact likeness of Juliet. I adored these two as a couple, and the matchmaking ghost with a sad love story of her own was the cherry on top. A delightful read.

Once Upon A Haunted Romance - Mary Lancaster
Francesca Hazel is ostracized by the townspeople following her husband's death, due both to her foreign background as well as her former living as a musician. Living alone save for her son and an elderly couple of servants, she is burdened by constant mischief from the bullying neighbors. When one sends a weary traveler to her home as a prank, she takes pity on him and allows him to stay the night. Sir George has been abroad for some time, after being misunderstood by his family and feeling like he was never good enough. He finds renewed purpose in helping Hazel, and along with the ghostly spirit of her husband, keeps her safe when others wish her harm. George was an absolutely sweetheart, and I was so glad he was there for Francesca. She was such a gentle soul who didn't deserve the vitriol she received. Perfect couple with a lovely happy ending.

Once Upon A Haunted Scottish Cottage - Sofie Darling
Miss Theodora Tilney has traveled a long way to attend the reading of her cantankerous aunt's will, as well as fulfill the requirements in a letter her aunt sent before her passing - stay for two nights in her Scottish cottage and receive it as an inheritance. And with the book collection, Theodora is eager to claim it as her own. But upon arrival, she meets Ian Boyd, a solicitor who assisted with her aunt's affairs, and he has a letter of his own that exactly matches Theodora's. Now, left with little alternative until the reading of the will, they share close quarters. And with the ghost of her matchmaking aunt showing extreme persistence in getting the two of them together, they find themselves constantly thrown together. It was so cute watching them fight the matchmaking, and her aunt surely was practically a poltergeist with the goings-on. Never a dull moment, and the ending was super sweet and satisfying.

Once Upon A Haunted Knight - Elisa Braden
Addy Black has been a maid since she was sixteen, working her way up through the ranks, and she is now the housekeeper of a largely abandoned estate. Given very little instruction, one thing is made very clear - don't go into the library, under any circumstances. However, after a month of relative boredom, Addy gives in to her curiosity and opens the door...and sees a delightful room full of books and overseen by a portrait of a handsome knight. Finding herself drawn to the portrait, and without company, she begins to converse with it...and soon it answers back. Inside is the cursed Sir Hugh, placed inside by a distraught widow whose husband his men dispatched and whose castle he held for three months. Anyone who tries to help him soon perishes, and he is terrified the same will happen to Addy. But she is determined to succeed. This story gave me all the feels, from the beautiful slow burn romance to the absolutely sizzling chemistry once they were together at last. I adored this couple and was so sad to see the story end.