DNF @ 16%

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I really wanted to love this! In fact this appeared on my most anticipated releases of the year list. Unfortunately I just didn't find myself invested in any aspect of this story.

I'm always on the lookout for more ace romances so I was so excited to pick one up from an own voices author on top of that.

But despite the cool setting, paranormal elements, and tropes I typically like, I felt no draw to ever pick this book up. I wasn't finding myself invested in the characters, their interactions, or even show they were filming. I put this down and it sat untouched for 2 full weeks.

If I'm actively avoiding picking up a book, it's usually time to dnf...

I really want to give this author another try though!

Overall this was an enjoyable and mostly entertaining read. But it also felt unnecessarily long and drawn out in some places. There were a lot of asides that the book took that, overall, didn't change much about the book and could have been integrated into other scenes, such as her Girl's Night with Georgia or at least one of the Shortcake adventures. It seemed like the idea behind those was to try to cement the relationship between Maverick and Lucky but since they seemed to have a connection from the onset, it ended up making the story too long. And the ending felt a bit rushed when the mystery of the house was revealed although to be fair that tends to be the trend in most novels where there is a house with any kind of paranormal vibes. I did like the hopeful vibe of the ending though and that Lucky and Maverick were still working on what their relationship would look like and how that would work for them. But it also had a lot of unnecessary things happen that just served to drag it a bit.

This was very cute. Definitely seemed like the author was trying to do a few too many things for a while there — a romance between complex characters with complex histories, a haunted house with more characters, a side quest or two… it made the book feel kind of disjointed a bit, but overall I had a really fun time reading this. I will always love a book with an asexual protagonist, and this one approached asexuality really well. Plus, Rebel steals the show — I love a book with a funny kid!

As an avid romance reader, this book was definitely a slow burn. This was my first time reading a book featuring an asexual main character, so this might just be misunderstanding on my part, but the romance felt more like a small subplot to the more haunted main plot line. I really enjoyed how educational this book was for asexuality and explaining what to expect from ace romances. I also loved the haunted house and how it felt like it's own character with it's own personality traits. This very much felt more like a mystery or a supernatural fiction book with a sprinkle of romance, which would not be a problem had it not been advertised as a romance book. Overall it was a cute and spooky read.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I really liked it. A production company is filming a reality series about a haunted house called Hennessy House. There’s a prize for anyone who can spend 30 days and nights there. The first 3 candidates lasted no more than 2 nights.

Enter Lucky, a psychic who needs the money and isn’t afraid of anything. She enters the house with a different attitude, she wants to find out what the house wants from its caretaker. She also didn’t count on a romance with the show’s single dad producer, Maverick who has an adorable daughter. Is it possible for a house to be jealous?

I’m intrigued that the supernatural aspect of the book is from the house itself, instead of from occupants of the house. I enjoyed reading about the house’s personality and quirks, and I liked the characters surrounding it. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is the second by this author featuring an ace main character. I think the author does a good job at representing aroace identities and discussing them in a way that doesn't feel preachy or like she is trying to teach you a lesson (but does teach you something if you are not familiar with the identity). It is a cozier romance so there is not a lot of big action and it is pretty low stakes overall. It's a slow burn based in a reality TV opportunity (star and producer). Overall I enjoyed it but prefer the author's first work.

The slow burn was a tad bit too slow for me, but you'll probably enjoy it if that's your thing!

[Ownvoices review by an Aroace reader]

I wish I had loved this more; the representation was good, and that was really all I enjoyed besides the cover art. What put me off? A couple main things: a child character with a fair amount of screentime, the boring plot that resulted in this late review, and the main character’s personality. What was great was the representation and organic explanations of where Lucky lies on the Ace spectrum, and the unique nature of the haunted house.

The first thing I have to mention is the coziness of this book; it was a lot lighter of a plot than I expected, which, well, slowed it down for me. I was expecting more creepiness, but this plot involved more Casper playfulness than Poltergeist, for a mischievous maybe-sentient maybe-haunted house. This is definitely a me, not most readers thing, I’m sure, but I was just expecting more unf regarding the spookiness.

I also didn’t love the attitude and sense of humor of main character Lucky. Some of her jokes and sassy remarks went over my head just like Maverick. But she was competent as a paranormal investigator and great representation as a Black, Ace character. Her particular asexuality showed a great example of the spectrum, even if not my own place on it; she enjoys close skinship and is not repulsed by intimacy, but just kind of humorously bad at interpreting body language or how her own might read. Her ESP, a super-powered sense of first impressions and the core of a person, was actually really interesting though, especially when she explained it to Maverick - powers relating more to sensitivity regarding the living was refreshing.

I did like the dialogue, which read as realistic and never tried too hard with slang. The inclusion of the black cat Gengar was a cute and modern little embellish. And the house using its “haunting” as more of a channel to self-reflection for Lucky and her relationships was an interesting inclusion.

Rating represents three and a half stars, rounded down to three.

Lucky Hart is auditioning to be on a reality show. But not just any reality show, one that involves a haunted house. See, she has powers and thinks that she may be able to connect to the house. If chosen, she'll become the caretaker of Hennessee House.
Through her explorations, there's also the people she meets along the way including a man named Maverick and his daughter, Rebel.
The first two-thirds of this book were really great. I enjoyed the character building and the world building. We get to see some characters that really communicate with each other. However, then there's too much going on and Lucky and Maverick stop talking for... reasons (?) in the third act and the whole story just sort of fell apart from there.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 21, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Received as an arc from Netgalley
I love a haunted house book and thought that's what I was getting in to, but it was way more than that. There was a moment in the middle that I wasn't sure where the story was going and if we were going to see the mystery wrapped up. But I'm pleased with the ending.
It was nice to read a romance that included an atypical female main character. And I found myself rooting for Lucky and seeing her end up in a relationship that was right for who she was.
I enjoyed Claire's writing style and will look into other books she's written or will write in the future.

🌟: 4.25
This book mixed a fun premise, fun characters, and an eerie but entertaining setting, resulting in a romantic comedy that feels wholly unique.

I adored Lucky as a main character. Her confidence and her snark had me hooked immediately on the story. She remains undaunted by Hennessee House from the beginning, and I loved her determination in getting to the bottom of the house's secrets. I also really enjoyed reading her perspective and her experiences with ESP. I haven't really read many characters with that ability before, and I liked discovering her reasons for wanting to enter the house. As a whole, she felt like a distinct, original character, which I really appreciated.

Maverick, on the other hand, had me charmed from his first phone call with Lucky. I don't think I've ever fallen for a love interest that quickly, but Kann wrote his banter with Lucky so well, I was dying for more and more interactions with the pair the more I read. I really loved him as a character, from his dedication to his daughter to the way he strives to make Lucky feel welcome within his family. He was such a sweetheart, and I am utterly obsessed with him.

The supporting characters were all wonderful, but Rebel was undoubtedly the MVP for me. I am absolutely obsessed with her, she was so cute but also so blunt and precocious, and I loved how everyone on the crew was determined to help her pursue her dreams.

The setting of Hennessee House was very interesting to read. Kann did a great job of balancing the eeriness of the house while also maintaining the light-heartedness of a romantic comedy. I don't know how she was able to make this story, and its setting, both creepy and cute, but she was able to walk that line in a really effective way.

The only thing I struggled with a bit was the pacing. There were times where the story felt like it dragged a little bit, while at the same time it felt like Lucky and Maverick's connection developed too quickly into the romantic. Their relationship is definitely slow burn, but I would have liked a few more scenes of them getting to know each other before they address the fact that there seems to be some sort of connection that could be explored.

That being said, this book was still very entertaining to read. It was unlike any other romantic comedy I've read, filled with so many wonderful characters (yes that includes the house) and is one I would highly recommend checking out.

I love haunted houses but generally the houses are haunted by something else. In this story, the house is the haunted entity and what a personality it has! Thankfully the FMC, Lucky, has the training and mental capacity to try and figure out what exactly the house wants.

This is my first audiobook by Zenzi Williams and definitely will not be my last! The range of voices and emotions she creates truly brought this book to life! Shortcake is my favorite character she voices. She is young, fun, and determined - giving all of the adult characters a run for their money. The emotions that truly shone through for me in the audio is Lucky’s bravery and strength as a woman. We get to see Lucky grow as a person and learn things about herself through the slow burn relationship with Maverick.

This book gives all the feels of a heartwarming story merged perfectly with a little bit of science and creepy house vibes! I definitely recommend it if you’re a fan of a little bit of mystery, soul searching, and adventure!

3.0 Stars if the target audience is adults, 3.5 Stars if the target audience is older teens.
I wanted to like this book. After reading the synopsis, I was looking forward to a fun story that would be a romantic ghost story. I liked the idea of the story: A young woman, Lucy, decides to try out for a reality series, which would require her to stay in a haunted house. She is chosen and ultimately starts to fall in love with Maverick, a producer on the show and a single father. I looked forward to the haunting, but my expectations were not met when it came to the haunted elements of the book. The book was also too long, without really going anywhere. I guess this book would fall in the category of a cozy ghost/romance story. But the way it is written, I think the best audience is Teen YA readers. The storyline could use some editing and better cohesiveness. And the haunting/ghost elements were juvenile.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6544053326

This is another beautiful cover! This was one where I didn't read the synopsis at all and went on a fun ride. Lucky, a woman with ESP gets hired for a show at a haunted house. It's not haunted by ghosts per se but more sentient. There's a romance between Lucky and Maverick who is a part of the show. It's interesting how the story with the house progressed. The specters were interesting. Loved the whole idea of this. Also appreciated the ace rep. The side characters were entertaining as well.

Thank you berkleyromance for the gifted copies.

A sentient haunted house, ACE representation, a single dad, and a woman with ESP were all tropes that had me very excited to pick this book up. However, the plot became convoluted and I just lost interest despite several attempts to retry/switching to the audiobook format. After Lucky left the haunter house reality TV show project plotline, it felt like an entirely new book/plot. Great premise, the main character had a great voice, but I could not stay focused on the plot and did not feel chemistry between the main character and potential love interest.

This book was honestly very confusing. Lucky's power was confusing. Her descriptions of people. Her background. I know there was supposed to be chemistry between her and maverick but I did no feel it. I was also disappointed when they moved away from the house to go explore some other places for Rebel and honestly, I'm still confused about the ending.
But I can also see how other people will love this book. It just wasn't for me.

Slow read. Everything was middle of the road, the characters, the story. The romance and spice level were non-existent.

The premise of this one sounded so great! Unfortunately, the execution didn't quite work for me. It was hard to balance both the haunted house and the romance. I often found one suffering for the sake of the other.

As always with this author thought I did find the ace rep to be excellent. I will continue reading and recommending her books for that alone!

This was so all over the place in the worst way. I felt like there was just too much going on and not enough explaining and building upon all the representation and story

Thank you Berkley for this arc.

I was invested in this storyline from the very beginning. The idea of figuring out if a house is haunted, sentient, or just looking for friends? So fun!

There were some wonderful characters, with Rebel probably being my fav. I loved the acceptance Lucky finally got to feel and how much effort Georgia and Maverick put in to making sure she felt understood and welcome in their group.

However, I really struggled to feel connected to Lucky. And I think because of that I felt almost no connection between Lucky and Maverick.

For me, I was far more invested in the Hennessee house side of the story.

What to Expect:
🏠Single dad
🏠slooooow burn
🏠reality tv
🏠Ace Rep
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🫶🏽What I enjoyed
Lucky has ESP which grabbed my attention from the start as this isn’t something I’ve read much about or seen in fictional books. I was captivated by the house at first and was fully invested until about half-ish way through.
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🤷🏻‍♀️What didn’t work for me
I lost interest when the story moved away from the house. It didn’t make sense to me why they stopped working on this reality tv show featuring this haunted house, to go film a side project for a ten-year old. Even though this is a romance and I am a romance lover, I was here for Hennessee House 😂When the focus did finally return to the house, it got confusing. It wasn’t until the very end that it finally all made sense, but it wasn’t a jaw dropping/everything clicks reveal. More like an, “Oh. Okay.”

I enjoyed Claire’s last book The Romantic Agenda more.