Watching Colby query and finally getting a chance to read her book was the kind of full circle moment I love! Watching these two fall in love was so sweet and fun and perfectly spooky! I also love the rep!

Cool premise but really missed the mark for me. I disliked both the FMC and MMC and felt really annoyed I had to subject myself to them. Just not it for me.

If I Stopped Haunting You is a steamy enemies to lovers romance about two feuding writers who end up at a writers retreat togather and it takes place in a haunted castle in Scotland but there is a spooky twist. This was my first time reading this author and I can not wait to read more books by her. It was a page turner from beginning to end and I loved the spooky setting of the book. This was the perfect fall romance read. All of the characters were good and I enjoyed Penelope the most. I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend this one to any readers who love romance. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this romance read in exchange of my honest review of If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens.

An enjoyable and satisfying read! I loved to read about our heroine and hero together. These characters’ love story was truly special.

I am so happy I signed up for this on NetGalley! This book was truly a treat. The first thing that caught my attention about this book was it

A. Was a romance with Native representation
B. Super spooky haunted castle in the middle of Scotland?!? Sign me the fuck up 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
C. Enemies to Lovers - Author Rivals

Colby really gave me everything I loved with this one. Not only do we get the enemies to lovers romance but there is also the mystery that comes with the castle they go on a retreat from.

I really related to Pen. Off more than also being Native - the time we meet her and Neil at the authors panel I could feel and relate to her so hard. Like homegirl we have all made rash decisions we later regret. But that perfectly sets up the tension with her and Nick. I even related to Nick which I wasn’t expecting but I adored his character. Also how OBSESSED and damn near feral this man becomes for Pen…*chefs kiss*.

But the part that really hit me was how Pen talked about not feeling like she fit in due to being mixed and I have struggled with that too. Like you’re not “Native enough” cause of XYZ. And how Neil validated her in that moment really hit me in a good way.

”𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉” -Neil Storm (like fuck 🥹)

When it came to the romance I liked how the two MCs were forced to talk it out and come together despite the “hate” and rivalry going on. And how it didn’t take long from that to crumble with the forced proximity. Cause deep down they don’t hate each other - just misunderstood. Even the secondary romance was a joy and I loved learning the truth at the end. So sad but still so good!

A rivals to lovers story featuring two authors, writers block, and a haunted castle. Pen and Neil end up on the same writer's retreat, only they've both been stuck on their latest work even since a contentious panel that ended with Pen throwing a book at Neil's head. Will they be able to survive time spent in a remote Scottish Castle?

Read if you like:
-Rivals to Lovers
-Ghosts
-Scooby Doo

This book was fun, but I felt like it couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be. The author introduced two BIPOC characters only to take them out of their element and send them to a foreign country. I wish their background had related a bit more to the mystery.

If I Stopped Haunting You was the haunted mansion romance story I never knew I needed. The Scottish castle setting made me both aspire to visit there and yet gave me creepy vibes and the same time. I also enjoyed seeing a different perspective of the publishing world coming from native american writers.

What’s a horror writer’s retreat without a haunted Scottish castle and a bit of argument? A Native author-on-author scandal occurred when Penelope Skinner threw a book at bestseller Neil Storm months ago. Now that the publishing world doesn’t want anything to do with her, Penelope needs this writing retreat to save her career. Neil could also use this retreat to regain confidence, but when he runs into Penelope, all hope is lost. Worst still, the ghosts in this haunted castle appear to be real enough to chase them. Neil and Penelope may not like each other—even if they are wildly attracted to each other—but they can at least agree to get along while haunted. Who’s to say if it ends up developing into something more?

I have been following Colby Wilken's writing journey for years and I'm so excited to read her first published book!

If I Stopped Haunting You is a hate to lover romance between to Native American authors, one who sold out to be published and the one who holds it against them. Both our leads, Penn and Neil , have depth and the story is engaging as they uncover the history between the ghost that haunts the castle. The sexual tension between the two of them builds perfectly and results in delicious steam.

I thoroughly enjoyed the forced proximity set up during a writing retreat in a haunted Scottish castle with snowball fights, secret passages, whiskey, copious orgasms, ghosts and a happy ending.

I really loved this cover but the story itself ended up not being fantastic. It was a little bland at times and didn't hold my attention. especially in the second half. It's a cute spooky story but not one that I'd revisit.

I really loved the concept of this one, but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me. The setting in Scotland was fun, and I enjoy books about authors. I just could not connect to either of the main characters, and thought the fmc in particular was quite toxic.

If I Stopped Haunting You started pretty strong I liked the premise and the setting. Thought both main characters were likable enough and first half of the story moved along pretty fast. Unfortunately for me the ghost story part fell a little flat and seemed rushed at the end. Overall was a cute story and would recommend. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was similar in vibes to Ali Hazelwood- but with ghosts and native american fiction writers?? I mean, what a synopsis. It was really cute, I just found that sometimes they went from being scared out of their minds of ghosts to horny and doing it against a wall a little too fast- I would've liked more of an ease into those more intense scenes.

This one wasn’t for me. Right from the prologue I could tell that there were going to be problems for me as a reader and they unfortunately didn’t resolve or get better. It’s a fun premise but the execution of it didn’t work for me. I think some readers will enjoy it, though. 2.5 rounded up

2 stars
——————

This one hurt a little. I was drawn to the book because of the blurb but the blurb might have been the best part.

This book opens a lot of avenues to explore, but not all of them are done well. I found I liked how this book showed Indigenous people trying to fit themselves into this White box for viewership. It handled the situation of Neil going against his morals well and truly wrapped that plot line up nicely. The haunted castle element was an okay backdrop, but did little to really further the story. Drop them into a desert and you’d get the same outcome. The storyline just didn’t add anything to me. It was certainly a fun story, but it was rushed and had little bearing on the actual love story. It lacked depth. But the main plot, this romance, was subpar at best. Penelope throws a book at him (leaving a SCAR), and I’m suppose to believe they’re in love without a sound apology? Nah. It wasn’t believable. It could have been set up as a really fun enemies-to-lovers, but it was too quick a transition for me.

The characters did little for me. Book throwing Penelope is (obviously) immature and needed to handle her big emotions like an adult. I knew in the first chapter I would have beef with her and I was not wrong. She was unapologetic throughout. Neil had some important growth, but just felt a little flat. I loved Laszlo, but that’s about it.

This book will have its audience, but it won’t be me, sadly.

2.5/5 stars

Wanted to like this book but it was a chore to get through the first half and it left me not caring about the main characters throughout the rest of the story. I really enjoy a good enemies to lovers but I felt like this one was a bit too much and the turn around to romance was forced. There were good moments in the story but overall, not my favorite.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm do not like each other. Yet, they find themselves locked together for a week on a writers retreat in a castle that may or may not be haunted. There’s mystery, romance, Native American representation, and castle in the middle of Scotland.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but felt like it started to slow down right around when I wanted it to start picking up. Overall it was cute and I did have fun reading it, the mystery was fun and made me want to keep going. But I found myself feeling a little bored on more than one occasion.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is a captivating blend of supernatural elements and heartfelt romance that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The story follows the journey of a young ghost named Tessa, who finds herself stuck in a limbo between the living and the dead. When she meets the charming and troubled human, Ben, their connection sparks a series of events that challenge both their worlds. Wilkens does an excellent job of creating a vivid atmosphere filled with emotion, making you root for Tessa as she navigates her unique predicament while trying to help Ben confront his own demons.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book is how it balances lighthearted moments with deeper themes of grief and healing. Tessa's playful spirit shines through, even as she grapples with her haunting existence, and her relationship with Ben is both sweet and poignant. Their chemistry is palpable, and the emotional stakes rise as they work together to uncover the truth behind Tessa's death. While some plot twists may feel familiar, the heartfelt writing and relatable characters make If I Stopped Haunting You a delightful read. If you're in the mood for a romantic ghost story with a touch of whimsy, this book is definitely worth adding to your reading list!

I was intrigued by the promise of a spooky love story set in a haunted castle in Scotland, but in the end, this book didn’t resonate with me. At the heart of the narrative — the love story between Neil and Pen was underdeveloped and felt disjointed at times. The ghost scenes weren’t particularly scary and didn’t add a lot to the story. Plus, the plot didn’t always make sense, and some of the twists felt forced. Overall, it had its moments, but it left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had high hopes for "If I Stopped Haunting You" by Colby Wilkens, but unfortunately, it fell way short of my expectations. This book promised an intriguing blend of horror and romance, but it failed to deliver on both fronts.