This sets up to be a great enemies to lovers with
a spooky vibes setting, but then it falls apart. There’s no lead up to any good tension or feelings, just “we don’t hate each other anymore, hurray!” The ghost aspect was actually creepier than expected which was great. The reason for the haunting though?? Totally didn’t get. I kept waiting for a plot twist that wasn’t there.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin Griffin for the ARC! The book started off a bit slow for me and the third person pov kept throwing me off during the entire book. I wasn’t really seeing the chemistry between the mc’s at first but then it hit me like a train! Both the romance and the paranormal mystery were really enjoyable! I personally would’ve liked a bigger plot twist at the end but overall I enjoyed the story! Loved the Indigenous queer rep!

I went into If I Stopped Haunting You expecting more of a romcom, but it was actually quite creepy?! I’m definitely not complaining though, I thought it blended well together.

First off, I love that Colby Wilkens is a BIPOC author who is addressing BIPOC representation in her writing. It’s something I don’t see much of and it’s great.
I loved the setting for this. A writer’s retreat at a haunted castle in Scotland? Sign me up.
The characters all had great banter and it was enjoyable to watch the enemies turn to lovers and begin to understand each other on a better level.
The haunting was downright terrifying at times and kept me on the edge of my seat often. The descriptions of the ghosts were something I’d expect to find in a much different novel and were so good.
One of my favorite parts were the excerpts from each of the characters books. I’d love to be able to read all of those books, including “Fight Me”.
Also, as a Pride and Prejudice girly, I would be amiss if I didn’t give an appreciative shout out to the Darcy hand flex moment we were given. Thank you Colby!

Overall I thought this was a really strong debut. I loved that it wasn’t your typical contemporary romance and all the unique elements it brought forth. I’m excited to learn that it’s a series and I can’t wait to read the next ones!

Thank you to Colby Wilkens, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for this eARC.
Publication date 10/15/24

📖 + 🎧: If I Stopped Haunting You-a standalone

✍🏾By: Colby Wilkens-debut author

🗣️ Narrator: Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia voice all the characters. The narrators' voices fit the characters with standouts from Pen, Neil, Laszlo, and Daniela. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️ Run Time: 10:10

📅: Publication Date: 10-15-24 | Read: 10-13-24

Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, Multicultural Interests, Horror, Fantasy

Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, rivals, LGBTQIA+ rep, indigenous rep, gothic, haunted castle, ghosts

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, Dreamscape Media, and Colby Wilkens for this ARC and ALC 👻! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

🌍 Setting: Scotland

⚠️ TW: racism, assault-h on H

☝🏾POV: dual, 3rd person

💭 Summary: Penelope is disgruntled with Neil as both are indigenous horror writers, but Neil caters to white readers. Penelope wants him to go back to his roots and represent Native Americans without typical stereotypes. In a heated argument at the Indigenous Fic panel at Book Con, Pen hits Neil with a book. She ruins her career, gets dropped by her publisher, fighting writers block. When their mutual writer friend Laszlo invites Pen on a writing retreat four months later, she agrees not knowing Neil would be there too. They are staying at a Scottish castle with ghosts in the hallways and bickering with Neil as they join together to understand the spirits within.

🚺Heroine-Penelope "Pen" Skinner- biracial horror writer

🚹 Hero-Neil Storm- indigenous/Native American horror writer, more successful than Pen

🎭 Side characters

-Laszlo-mutual friend to both Pen and Neil, a writer

-Daniela-bisexual, had 1 nightstand w/ Pen, a writer

-Georgina and Archibald "Archie" Skinner - ghosts with a story to tell

🤔 My Thoughts: Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! I read this at just the right time. Halloween, spooky castle vibes featuring a multicultural couple that go from rivals to lovers. I'm glad Pen eventually admitted she was jealous of Neil, and that caused her to behave so badly. Pen's undeserved anger and violence towards Neil was a turn off in the beginning, but she did redeem herself. Neil saw the error of wanting approval instead of writing from his heart. I didn't see this as horror; it was paranormal at best-just a few ghosts with a sad ending.

🌶️Spice 4/5
🗣️Narration 4/5
😭Emotion 3/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑Couple 3/5
️⭐Rating 3.5/5

I love that were finally getting Indigenous romances from Indigenous authors. This was the perfect book for this month with the haunted, secluded castle and the seclusion for taut enemies to lovers tension. I really enjoyed how the author used Penelope and Neil to highlight the challenges of being an Indigenous author by using their conflict. Penelope was such a strong character that was easy to root for. She fought for what she believed in and wasn't afraid to challenge the status quo, even when it impacted her so badly. I liked Neil's growth. He showed how it's okay to reevaluate life choices and how to do better. The teamwork, the haunting, and the spice were the trifecta for such a fun book, and I can't wait to read her next one.

This book had a unique meeting as it follows Penelope Skinner, a Native author who is on a panel with another author, Neil Storm. While Penelope tried to make her book a success, it's nowhere near as popular as Neil's. Due to that, the two get into an argument during a panel and she throws a book at his head.

From there, her life basically goes into a nosedive as she can't seem to get inspired and hasn't written anything since. However, things start to change when her friend invites her on a writing retreat at a spooky castle, and who else is invited? Neil Storm. While the two admittedly can't stand each other at first, it slowly morphs into attraction.

Penelope is understandably hesitant given everything in their past but that's not all. The castle they're staying at is haunted and Neil and Penelope are the only ones who can see the ghost. While the two are trying to write and figure out their feelings, they're also trying to figure out what's going on with the lady of the manor.

As the story unfolds, we learn more about Neil and Penelope's writing journeys and personal lives while also delving into the ghost and why she's still haunting the castle. While things seem bleak, Colby Wilkens manages to pull it all together in the end and gives us a satisfying story that did feel a little bit meta. Once you get to the end of the story, it all makes sense.

If I Stopped Haunting You did have the bones but something was missing for me. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't fall in love with this story as I hoped. However, it does get me more excited to try out Colby Wilken's upcoming release which is If I Dig You. It's an f/f romance between archeologists which just sounds delightful.

I wish I could've loved this but this wasn't my favorite! The concept was really cute, but I couldn't connect with the characters! Thank you so much for the early copy to read and review!

Penelope Skinner has been holed up in her home ever since she threw a book at Neil Storm’s head. Much to her protest her friend Laszlo recruited her for a writer’s retreat in Scotland. Now, she’s snowed in at a castle with Laszlo and much to her surprise the infuriating Neil Storm. And on top of that the castle is haunted. What could go wrong?

First thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book, I thought it would be the perfect spooky season read which is why I delayed in reading it for so long. However, it ended up falling flat for me in a few ways.

First, the character of Penelope was frustrating at times. She placed so much blame on Neil for ruining her writing career and how he wrote his book. She was very whiny and negative at times that it was hard to keep focus on the plot.

I also found the “gothic horror” to be lacking. Without saying too much, a few ghost and a castle dont necessarily make it gothic horror. Which seemed to go along with the various plot holes and inconsistencies that occurred throughout the course of the book. At times I was left confused and having to go back and read a few previous pages to try and make sense of what was going on. Especially when there seemed to be a lot of jumping around, causing a break in the reading experience.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible. Between the plot holes there was a good story here that made it engaging enough for me to finish the book. Plus it gave me the push to look for another book to continue through this spooky season. If you’re looking for a quick spooky season read with some spice then feel free to give this book a read when it releases October 15th.

A side character makes a comment about how he doesn’t visit his sister because she lives in Georgia, and as someone who lives in Georgia, it almost made me stop reading, but I continued hoping the romance and horror would save it. However it did not. First the romance was terrible and toxic between our two mcs. I did not buy the enemies as it felt more one way from Penelope and she hates him for what seems like such a dumb reason. Granted I am not Native American and cannot comment on how Penelope should feel based on Neil’s book, but it felt like something that could have been discussed in a less public way than it was. Then Penelope continues to blame Neil for her lack of success and makes herself the victim when its nobody’s fault but her own. And Neil’s only role was to apologize and take the blame for Penelope’s anger. Then there is the horror, or actually lack of it.

Overall, I really did not like this book.

Happy Pub Day and thanks to #partner @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the digital ARC of Colby Wilkens’s If I Stopped Haunting You.

If I Stopped Haunting You is an enemies-to-lovers romance that incorporates a consideration of publishing trends for indigenous horror with a super-spooky Scottish haunted house story and an open-door romance story with LGBTQ+ representation. Yes, it may be a lot. But it’s a lot of fun.

Penelope Skinner is one novel into her writing career when she makes a potentially career-ending move: during a conference panel about indigenous horror books, she launches her own hefty novel at the head of Neil Storm, an infinitely more successful author who Penelope considers to be a sellout because of the way he uses Native stereotypes in his most recent book.

The scandal chases Penelope into hiding until her friend Laszlo invites her to a writers’ retreat in an isolated Scottish castle. She’s eager to get a grasp again on her writing career . . . and then she discovers that Laszlo has also invited his friend—and her nemesis—Neil and her ex-girlfriend Daniela. Not awkward at all.

They make it to the castle, complete with a horrifically creepy introduction from the caretaker, before completely falling apart. And then a mix of (un)healthy competition, jealousy, and denied chemistry ensues, all while the four writers are trying to churn out new books and a ghost seeks out a new audience for her story.

Wilkens’s mix of romance and the paranormal here mostly worked for me, and I appreciated the sincere consideration of what the publishing industry is looking for in the works it promotes by indigenous authors. I did feel, at times, that the parallels between the romance and the paranormal were a little jarring, but overall, I found If I Stopped Haunting You to be a compelling debut romance with some thought-provoking questions at its heart.

I was SO excited for this book because who wouldn’t want to read a book set in a haunted castle in Scottland??? The premise just sounded awesome.
If I Stopped Haunting You follows Penelope, an Indigenous writer who has been experiencing some tough times lately. She hasn’t produced a book in over 5 years and the whole literary world hates her after a public spat she initiated at a book convention.
The other side of this spat belongs to Neil, another Indigenous writer who had no problems lately. Penelope can’t stand the sight of him because she believes he’s had no problems in his life for two reasons: he is a man and he looks Indigenous. Penelope has struggled her whole life with people saying she isn’t Indigenous enough because her skin tone is white.
Lets start with the pros: setting, location, and writing. I really liked Colby Wilkens writing. It was easy, but I didn’t feel lazy. I have Wilkens’ next ARC on my kindle, and even though I didn’t enjoy this one much, I will be reading her next. Of course, the setting and location were great. I enjoyed the spookiness of the castle, but I wish we got to see Scottland more.
Now for the cons: The characters and the plot. I didn’t like Penelope and I only kind of liked Neil. I didn’t like the decisions that were made and I didn’t like how Penelope treated Neil. The whole reason her feud with Neil began was so dumb and I couldn’t believe someone could dislike someone so much because of such a pointless reason. I also didn’t enjoy how insta-lusty the relationship between Pen and Neil was. There was no longing, no love, no pining. Instead, Pen absolutely hates Neil on day one and wants to jump his bones on day two. Some people may enjoy that kind of romance, but I want there to be some substance in the relationship.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If I Stopped Haunting You is a spooky, rivals/enemies to lovers rom-com.

Penelope Skinner is an author struggling with a severe case of writer’s block. After a very public and embarrassing incident with a popular, and very good looking fellow author Neil Storm, she has been shunned by the publishing industry. She needs an idea now, or will give up writing for good. When a friend invites her to a writing retreat at a Scottish castle, the reclusive Pen decides to take a chance with the hopes of resetting her writing career. But when Neil shows up at the pub for the same retreat, Pen knows this week will be a disaster. But when strange things keep happening at the castle, and the attraction between Neil and Pen heats up, the retreat turns out to be an unexpected adventure in more ways than one.

I enjoyed this fun and spooky rom-com. Pen and Neil are rival writers turned enemies after Pen calls out his writing in an embarrassing public spectacle. So they have a lot to overcome for this relationship to even begin. I appreciated the diverse cast, and the focus on indigenous characters. I thought that Pen’s critiques of Neil’s writing were a bit of a metaphor for the industry as a whole, and I appreciated how the author dealt with that issue in addition to portraying indigenous characters with accomplished and fulfilling lives. The added plot of the haunted castle was fun and made it a great read for spooky season. I also enjoyed the dual POV, as we get to see the story from both Pen and Neil’s perspectives. At times the story felt a bit repetitive, particularly the two characters repeating the same argument over and over. Overall this was an enjoyable and quick read, and perfect for fall. I’m giving it a rounded up 3.5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an e-arc and ALC from Netgalley in exchange for this review.

The audio to this book is so well done and performed. Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia do such a wonderful job bringing these characters to like.

The book is cute - two enemy writers go on a writing retreat to a haunted castle in Scotland. They keep getting pushed together by the spirits in the castle, and eventually they aren't enemies anymore.

I rated 3 stars because there are some definite pacing issues in the book. It really slows down in the middle to the point I had the audio on 3x speed just to get to something exciting.

It's a little spicy, and an interesting enough story. It didn't wow me but it wasn't terrible. Some people may DNF in the middle due to pacing but it DOES pick back up and the ghost parts were the most exciting read about.

I requested this book thinking it would be a a fun, magical, ghosty romance and I could not have been more wrong. Firstly, while there was romance between the two main characters, there wasn't any chemistry. Also, if you are looking for a book with "Casper, the Friendly Ghost" vibes, this is not it. This book was actually really creepy and I found myself having to put it down before it was dark outside. Now for folks who love all things creepy, you would probably like this one more than a usual magical realism romance.

If I Stopped Haunting You has it all— rivals to lovers? Check! Author main characters? Check! Haunted castle in Scotland? Check check check!!

Penelope and Neil are rival horror authors—both of indigenous decent, but Penelope thinks Neil is a sellout and the books he publishes are harmful to native peoples. Penelope makes this opinion very well known in a viral moment, which involves her throwing a book at Neil, leading to her ousting of the literary world. To get her groove back, she agrees to go on a writing retreat with her friend Laszlo in Scotland. Unfortunately, Laszlo’s best friend is Neil, and he’s on the retreat with the same idea.

As Penelope and Neil are the only witnesses to supernatural events in the castle, they work through their differences to get to the bottom of the hauntings—and obviously fall in love along the way.

I looooooove books about books and rivals to lovers. This was so fun, pretty spooky, and very sexy. I really love Colby Wilken’s commentary on indigenous peoples her books, and thought that this was an interesting way to approach the topic.

4/5

Gothic Setting (snowed into a haunted castle in Scotland) + Enemies-to-Lovers Spicy Romance + Cherokee Native American lead characters + super lame plot = Me scratching my head trying to figure out how to review this. Maybe a good ole Pro vs. Con list? Let's try it -
PROS
Chemistry between the leads
Nice male lead character
Love a gothic setting!
Fast-paced story

CONS
Lead female character goes batshit on fellow author in public - cringe.
Ghost story that made zero sense and ultimately disappointing.
Random preachy sections about Native Americans experience in publishing
Pointless secondary characters
The point in the plot where the leads play a trick on their friends (made both the leads total a-holes).
Pointless mention of lead female's affair with female secondary character - WHAT even was this for?
and much more.

In the end, I was just left confused and disappointed by this book. It's a strange blend and the flavors did not end up melding like they could've. Maybe it needed some time slip chapters from Georgina to help understand why she was still haunting the place. I really didn't understand why she would still be there waiting for her husband to return from war when while they were still alive her husband did return from war and they lived happily together for several years.  Shouldn't he have never returned and THAT's why she was still waiting? I'm still in the weeds with all the plot holes in this one.

2 stars for If I Stopped Haunting You. I didn't really care about the romance between Pen and Neil. I did love the setting of a haunted castle for a writer's retreat. However, as I got further into the book the descriptions of the castle lessened and the romance storyline took over so I had less and less interest in picking it up as the book went on.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy. If I Stopped Haunting You hits shelves on October 15, 2024.

If I Stopped Haunting You follows Indigenous horror authors Penelope and Neil. When Pen gets into a heated debate with Neil at a book conference, she throws a book at him. The resulting backlash paralyzes her writing career. When Pen agrees to go to a writer’s retreat in Scotland, the last person she wants to see is Neil. As Neil and Pen are forced to face each other at last, the haunted inhabitants of the castle reveal themselves. Can they figure out what the ghosts want and repair their relationship along the way?

If I Stopped Haunting You is a romance combined with spookiness. I liked that Pen is a strong-willed character who raises legit concerns even if it’s not in the most diplomatic way. Neil is a sweet and well-meaning character, who at times has let publishing sway what he truly wants to write. I enjoyed how they found common ground through being Indigenous writers and realize that they should have been supporting each other all along. At times this combination of romance and ghosts felt a little jarring in terms of pacing. Neil and Pen would switch from being focused on the ghosts to fully focused on romance. In the end, the ghost plot felt like it wrapped up abruptly.

If I Stopped Haunting You is ideal for readers seeking forced proximity, spooky haunted castles, and enemies-to-lovers romance. Looking forward to reading what Colby Wilkens writes next!

Thank you to Colby Wilkens, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: If I Stopped Haunting You

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is a fun and spooky read that blends romance and horror. The premise of a haunted house retreat with a rival author is intriguing, and the author does a good job of building tension and suspense.

While the romance between Neil and Penelope is enjoyable, it sometimes feels a bit rushed. There were also some red flags in some of their interactions that I wasn't a big fan of. The paranormal elements are well-executed, and the spooky atmosphere is effectively conveyed. Overall, it's a solid read that will appeal to romance and horror fans.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for the free copy for my honest review.

A fun and fast paced enemies to lovers romance, the story of Penelope and Neil on a writers retreat at a haunted castle in Scotland. I liked how it was told from both points of view and kept you guessing.