I wanted to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc for my honest review.

The idea of this story sounded so interesting. A paranormal investigator romance? And she was a person of color as an investigator? It sounded amazing and like something I would eat up.

Unfortunately, the love story fell super flat for me. As someone who is straight cis female, maybe I just didn't understand the complexities of being ace which I can admit I don't know enough about, but I was excited to read about an ace character because I never have before. There didn't feel like much romance for most of the book.

I enjoyed the paranormal investigation part of the story far more than the love story. I loved how the FMC when into detail about her investigations into the house and how she uncovered the mystery. It felt more cozy mystery with a tiny bit of romance.

My favorite part was definitely the daughter, Rebel. I would take a bullet for that kid.

*SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!*

I really enjoyed this one! The first Claire Kann book that I read was Let's Talk About Love, which I really enjoyed, but then I tried one of her others, and it just didn't work for me AT ALL. Then I read The Romantic Agenda and really enjoyed it, and now this one! I am definitely looking out for her new books, but also approaching with caution.

So, this is a paranormal romance, about Lucky, who has ESP, and can get a reading of someone when she first meets them, if she looks in their eyes. She has been doing paranormal investigations for a while and has just landed a gig living in a haunted house as part of a reality TV show. The previous 3 caretakers haven't managed to last more than three nights in the house, but Lucky is determined to last longer. When she first arrives she meets Maverick, a paranormal investigator that she's been following for a long time and she really enjoys his show. As the book progresses they get to know each other and become a couple.

Something I really liked about this book was how Lucky's asexuality was explained and explored. From how she explains it, she's probably sex neutral, in that sometimes she likes it and sometimes she doesn't, but that almost all of the time she doesn't pick up on cues that someone is attracted to her and wanted to have sex. I really liked how she explained that, and how she explained it to Maverick, saying that he would need to explicitly tell her what he wants, because she's not going to pick up on cues or hints. That felt really accurate and a great way of explaining what that lack of sexual attraction is like. I also really liked that Lucky and Maverick had a really frank discussion on what sex between them would look like. And I appreciated that Lucky sort of messed up when she was explaining things, thinking that Maverick was on the same page as her sexually, when he wasn't. And also when he shared his concerns about making her feel uncomfortable if he was saying sexually explicit things, and she told him that he should try and they would see how it went. The level of communication between them regarding sex was just so good. And it shouldn't just be discussions that are had when one partner is asexual, that communication should be there for everyone, all the time.

Anyway, really good book, I really enjoyed the ending, I thought it was well done, and sort of turned the idea of haunted houses on its head. Also, near the beginning Lucky makes a Yellow Wall-Paper reference and I was so excited to have picked up on it!

Definitely recommend this one, it was very enjoyable.

✨ Review ✨ Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann; Narrated by Zenzi Williams

Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This was a super fun sort of spooky read but with summery vibes -- less horror, more fun haunting/paranormal creepy house!

This is the second book I've read of Kann's, both of which feature an asexual character as our narrator, and I appreciated the perspective this brought. The book is a romance in a sense but through an ace POV, which I think altered the pacing and progression of the story a bit (but not in a bad way!)

I really enjoyed Lucky's discovery of the house and the ways that she approached it with empathy and kindness to learn about it and what it was doing. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Lucky and Maverick and even Maverick's daughter -- it was lovely! The whole cast of characters was fun and loving and just a delight to read.

My main critique is that the book was a little on the long end for me, but I also appreciated that it took its time and didn't rush so it's a bit of a mixed bag there for me.

🎧 The narration was enjoyable and I had fun switching back and forth between audio and ebook!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: f/m romance with fantasy elements and queer rep
Setting: haunted house
Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
Reminds me of: Kann's The Romantic Agenda
Pub Date: May 21, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ fascinating haunted houses
⭕️ asexual representation
⭕️ single dad love interest with precocious daughter

The premise of this was awesome. However it ended up being a DNF for me because the heroine kept getting on my nerves. And seeing as how we spent the whole time in her head it made the book hard to read. It would have been better if we also had the hero's point of view. Or third person.

i love ghosts and i love quirky dialogue, but the strange plot and writing of this really took me out of it. it felt kind of unfinished or unstructured, slow moving to the extreme.

This one is fun and a little different from my usual reads. I love a haunted house so I knew just from the title I would read this one. While I wouldn't necessarily consider this a romance book because I think it might have been even better without the romance, I do love that the FMC is ace and the author doesn't write as if she would be "cured" by the love interest. The cast of characters are unique and all bring a little something to the show and mystery solving process (some more than others). The haunted house is of course my favorite character, followed by the MMC's young daughter. She has such a big personality with her own interests and aims -- I like that she was portrayed as her own person and has a key role in the story. Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places explores a lot of emotions, especially lonliness, and that it's okay to go for what you want. The pace is a little slow and some of the encounters between the MCs feel repetitve, but overall it's an enjoyable light read with lots of cozy mystery vibes!

I received an arc from Berkley via NetGalley which I have voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

- I just finished this book, and I loved aspects of this book. The concept was unique and I loved the characters. I thought the haunting was amazing and I did love the love story, even though it was a bit insta love which is not my favorite. But I liked the characters together anyway. I thought it ran a little long and some things could have been a little less detailed. Overall though, it was a good time and I'm glad I read this. 3 stars! -

DNF at 25%

A slowburn which felt like it dragged even at 25%. I was already a little lost at the premise being a TV show in a haunted house but I wanted to give it a try for the asexual rep. There didn't seem to be much chemistry between the MC and LI. The way their characters were also written just weren't for me.

(+) asexual FMC, single parent MMC

Thank you netgalley and Berkley romance. #Berkleybuddyreads #berkleywritesstrongwomen for the earc. I really enjoyed this book and only when i went to GR did imrealize ive read this author before..i really enjoyed it
.it felt fresh interesting ans held my attention. I enjoy the authors ability to write uch an engaging book. I am excited to see what they do mext.

4.5/5☆

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!