If I Stopped Haunting You has a quiet, poetic quality that really stands out. There’s a haunting tone (no pun intended) that lingers throughout the story, and I could tell the author put a lot of heart into the writing. The themes of grief, longing, and memory are handled with care, and the prose often reads like a diary cracked open.

That said, I did find myself wanting a bit more clarity or connection at times. The dreamlike style, while beautiful, sometimes left me feeling a little adrift. I think readers who enjoy introspective, lyrical writing with a touch of surrealism will get the most out of this one.

It didn’t totally land for me personally, but I can still appreciate what the author was aiming for, and I’m definitely curious to see more of their work in the future.

This is a romance book that is supposed to also have some "horror" elements thrown in, following two MCs, we have Penelope, a part-native author with no documentation of being native, who writes horror novels with native characters. She is on a writers panel with Neil, and he is another Native author who is commercially successful; however, Penelope feels that he has sold out and is perpetuating the Native stereotype and tossing out all of the work that "Native Authors" have put forth to break the stereotypes. During this panel, she gets angry and throws a book at his head. Cut to a while later, and both of our MCs are in Scotland on a writers' retreat. The castle that they are staying at is haunted, and the only people who can see the ghosts are Penelope and Neil.

What I found interesting is that the author is going through the same thing her character is going through in the novel, based on like a couple of posts I read, she is part-indigenous but doesn't have the family lineage documented and people are in a tizzy saying she is "faking" I don't know if she is or isn't I just thought that was an interesting parallel. So, the story. I had higher hopes for it, but it was mildly entertaining and easy to get through. The romance aspect was rushed. This couple is on a week-long retreat and have been enemies for years, and now they are all lovey-dovey. I just found that hard to believe, but it was ok, they did have some chemistry. The horror part was like a whiff of horror, there could definitely be way more horror to even think this is anywhere close to that category. The ghosts were there, but not scary or there very often. It felt like the book was more a message about being authentic to your culture and heritage than it was anything else. Especially once the MCs begin to hop into bed, then that's 80% of what the story is about from there on out. The plot is mediocre, and the story wasn't carried out to its potential, but it was entertaining while I read it. Would I tell my friends they should give this a go? Probably not, but everyone has different tastes.

I did not enjoy this story. Besides feeling that the Native American and LGBTQ plot lines that were toted as integral pieces of the story felt very superficial, the scary parts were lacking and lukewarm in a way that makes me feel like the story was only half baked. After finding the author has not Native ancestry, it makes sense that the story feels substance less.

I've been waiting to leave a review for this one to see how the whole situation with Wilkens turns out. Unfortunately I think I'm going to take direction from the Native community & decline to leave a review for this one. While I have sympathy for Wilkens's situation, it's really not my place as a white person to override their wishes. It's too bad too because I was really looking forward to their next book as well.

The storyline took some time to entice me in. I did end up getting in to the enemies to lovers of two book writers. At times things just seemed over complicated for a very simplistic storyline. No surprises which can be ok but I just didn’t get what I wanted out of this book.

Will not be reading this since the book was pulled from publication. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read the book.

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

This is a forced proximity of enemies to lovers tale with a sprinkle of ghosts. Love this theme, especially when it focuses on writers! This was my first adult fictional story where the main characters are Native American and of which part of the plot of that is a focus. I read this without knowing anything about the author and the current controversy that is circulating online. So, I thought the storyline was portrayed okay.

I’m not a big fan of open door scenes and didn’t care for some of those descriptions, but that is just a personal opinion.

While I was initially excited to begin reading this spooky rom-com based on the title, description, and cover, I was not sold on this book. It took me an unimaginable amount of time for me to finish this book. The primary factor for my dissatisfaction was the main character, Penelope. I have read a lot of enemies to lovers books over the years, but none that have so blatantly been physically abusive. Throwing the book at Neil at a work event was a major development in Neil and Penelope's relationship and the way that this book was written gave me the impression that the author was trying to brush this off. This aspect of the story was so off-putting and was written in a far different manner than I was expecting. In addition for my distaste for Penelope's character, I was unable to immerse myself within the haunted castle setting of this book. The so-called horror and supernatural-esque elements fell short and were not interesting to me.

Taking the drama of the author out of the equation I feel like this book had a lot of harm in it. Having a love story between someone who was assaulted and the person who inflicted the harm but with the lens of “they were in the right to feel that way” is such a weird take. I was really looking forward to this book too because the idea of a writing retreat in a haunted highland castle is such a good premise so it’s disappointing how this all worked out.

This book was rough to read. I did not care about the characters and the story felt disorganized. I would not recommend to anyone.

If I Stopped Haunting You lands somewhere between steamy paranormal rom-com and lightly spooky retreat tale—a fun listen, but not without its bumps. Narrators Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia carry dual perspectives with enthusiasm; Holland’s nuanced take on Neil’s self-doubt and Garcia’s sharp delivery of Penelope’s biting humor keep things engaging through the fog of clichés .

The premise is pure October vibes: two rival Native horror writers—Penelope and Neil—land at a haunted Scottish castle retreat together. The setup delivers on enemies-to-lovers heat and castle-creak ambience . There’s real cultural texture here: the tension between Pen’s accusations of Neil “selling out” and his struggle with identity gives the romance more weight than you'd expect.

Yet the execution doesn’t always hold. The emotional arcs are patchy—Pen’s arc toward humility feels rushed, and Neil’s recovery from rejection is barely sketched. Throughout, sex scenes are plentiful (some listeners report skipping long stretches), and the ghosts play third fiddle to the physical chemistry . Horror fans may find the supernatural thread undercooked, while romance readers might wish the characters felt more fully realized .

Still, there's charm. The castle atmosphere is well-rendered: icy corridors, snowstorms, and shadowy whisperings create a classic spooky mood. And for fans of holiday-on-repeat romance—you know, the kind you queue around Halloween—it delivers a cozy blend of banter, steam, and mild tension .

Final Verdict: If you’re in the mood for an easy, entertaining book with enough cultural insight and steamy encounters to balance modest scares, this lands solidly in the “pretty good” range. It won’t become your favorite ghost story or your go-to character study, but it’s a perfectly decent choice for a chill autumn listen.

Loved the story in a story. Loved the behind-the-scenes of writers, particularly the troubles Indigenous writers face. It was informative without being too much. I could do a haunted castle in Scotland. It was a great read, perfect for a winter weekend!

I was unable to finish this book because the FMC assaulted the MMC. I've withheld my review from GR and Amazon, but feel like this point needs to be brought to the attention of the publisher. Assault is never okay, whether the man or woman be the assailant.

I’ve realized unlikable main characters work best in literary fiction not romcoms! I liked the horror aspect but Penelope was insufferable

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book.

I do not recommend this book or this author. Please research them.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is a spooky, sexy, laugh-out-loud romance that delivers on every promise—banter, angst, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a literal haunted castle. What more could a romance reader want?

Penelope Skinner is a horror author whose temper (and excellent aim) landed her in hot water—and now she’s creatively stuck. Enter a mysterious invite to a writing retreat at a crumbling, possibly haunted Scottish castle. Sounds perfect… until she finds out Neil Storm is also there. The Neil Storm. The infuriatingly charming, bestselling rival she once lobbed a book at in public.

The chemistry between Pen and Neil is electric. Their banter is sharp, the romantic tension simmers deliciously, and their emotional arcs feel grounded even in the middle of a ghostly mystery. The haunted castle backdrop is gothic and atmospheric without taking itself too seriously—think The Haunting of Hill House meets Tessa Bailey. And the ghosts? Just enough creepy to keep the pages turning fast.

Colby Wilkens perfectly blends supernatural suspense with romantic hijinks and emotional depth. If you’re a fan of rivals-to-lovers with a twist of the paranormal, this one will absolutely haunt you—in the best way.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The book felt disorganized and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I didn't buy the romance between the two MC's, it just felt like something was missing.

I loved this one! Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope. This was super well written and a page turner for sure.

I went into this blind, like all books I read.
I was excited that both MCs were indigenous horror authors and adored the little pieces of indigenous folklore worked into the story.
So much so, that 3/4 of the way through the story I googled the author to see if they had any more books that delved deeper in that direction.
This was when I discovered that the book was written by a white woman who claimed to have indigenous heritage, but was proven false by the Trial Alliance Against Frauds.

The story is decent, though it would have been better if the romance had been omitted and focused solely on the paranormal mystery of the castle.

Going into books blind makes read ethically more difficult, but it's important to share our stumbles too.
Would I have read this if I knew about the drama surrounding the author before going in?
Probably not.

I enjoyed the spooky vibes and overall plot of this book. It's not my normal genre go to, but it was an excellent book and one i would recommend!