The storyline was very unique, however the progression of the horror aspects and the love connection between the two characters were not fully aligned. It seemed like the characters only got intimate after they saw a ghost, which I wasn’t the biggest fan of in terms of the story telling. The spicy scenes definitely were SPICYYY. Overall, if you want a cozy one-day horror-romance read without any actual substance or deeper meaning, this is the book for you.

𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬

Penelope Skinner is a horror author struggling with writer’s block. In an effort to regain her inspiration, she decides to travel and join a writer's retreat with some friends. They end up at a haunted castle in Scotland, where she finds herself alongside with her archnemesis, bestselling horror writer Neil Storm. Penelope had previously humiliated him publicly at a live convention panel by calling him out and throwing her book at him. As the retreat progresses, they begin to uncover the castle’s dark secrets and encounter its ghosts.

When I first saw this book on NetGalley, the beautiful cover immediately caught my eye. After reading the summary, I was sold and couldn’t wait to dive in! The book starts strongly with an engaging first chapter and for me it was an easy read.

I was initially unsure how the book would blend the horror and romance genres. As I read, I found it wasn't as spooky as I had hoped for a horror novel. However, as a romance, it was charming and enjoyable, holding my attention throughout. I do wish there had been more background on the ghosts, though.

Spookiness level: 👻👻/5
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🕸️Enemies to Lover
🕸️Paranormal romance
🕸️Slow burn
🕸️Native MCs
🕸️Horror
🕸️Forced proximity

This book comes out on October 15th but you can preorder it now!👻

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.✨

When the author makes a note that there is racism in their book that is a no from me, you can write a book without including racism. This is 2024, I do not have time for hate. So I decided NOT to read this.

A unique blend of romance and horror. The plot is engaging with a mix of thrills and chills and I liked the setting of the haunted castle. The pacing can be a little uneven at times but overall an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This spooky romance/enemies-to-lovers story by Pacific Northwest/Indigenous author Colby Wilkens is being published just in time for Halloween reading. Main characters Neil Storm and Penelope/Pen Skinner are rival authors of Indigenous Fiction with a very public feud who find themselves together again at a writing retreat, this time in a supposedly haunted castle in definitely non-Indigenous Scotland. Since they last encountered each other, both have been suffering from writers’ block as well.

“If I Stopped Haunting You” is mostly light fare with spicy moments, but it has some interesting insights into the difficulties of authors who are trying to correctly represent their Native ancestry in fictional stories, without resorting to stereotypes (although part of Neil’s goal was initially to “reclaim” some visuals like being “savage”). We also learn a bit about the peculiarities of multiracial Indigenous members being properly “enrolled” and accepted in an official tribe (he is, she isn’t). Relocating the two of them to the Highlands of Scotland and having them play matchmakers/counselors to a resident ghost couple make their own enemies-to-lovers story different. Pen and Neil engage in a lot of quick-witted and entertaining banter so adding a paranormal element adds a unique flavor. 4 stars!


Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Neil has sparkly green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO It’s wintry in Scotland and the garden is frozen.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Native rep? Yes. Scotland? Yes. Enemies to Lovers? Yes. Forced Proximity? Yes. But, the chemistry just didn't sizzle for me. I think it was well written and had a wonderful premise, I just didn't find the FMC likeable enough for me to root for her. I did really enjoy the world building, atmosphere, and slow burn. If you're a fan of Ali Hazelwood, I think you'll like this one!

Thanks so much to Colby Wilkens and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC of this title. I love a good fall/halloween setting in a book. It's my favorite time of the year so extra star for that one. I found this one a but hard to get though just not my favorite book at all. I did like the Dual POV though!

They say don't judge a book by it's cover... This book had such a great cover though! Unfortunately, the old cliché is true though. Penelope is such a toxic heroine, how could anyone root for her?! The horror wasn't there and where was even the romance beyond physical attraction? Neil is literally just a prop in this book. Not to mention how immature both characters were throughout this novel. The trope of being stuck with your mortal enemy is overdone, but so are a lot of romantic tropes. Unfortunately this did nothing to defy it's clichés or provide compelling characters and romance. It's a no for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.

2.5 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️

Read As An Arc

👻 Haunted Castle In Scotland
👻 Native MCs
👻 Real Angsty Ghosts
👻 Rival Authors
👻 Unsolved Mystery
👻 Enemies To Lovers


I need to start off by saying the representation was great with queer and BIPOC! However, this book fell flat and toxic for me unfortunately with its saving grace being the spooky elements, as much as I was so desperately wanting this to be a 5 star arc just based off the blurb alone and hitting the right elements: romance, Scotland, spooky, ghosts and haunted.. I just could not.

For rivals, I think the romance between them came on a little too strong and fast; I think I needed more angst and banter with a slow tension forming before we get real spicy. — The spicy scenes were spicy but also so weird… something felt off about it whether it was language or forced, I don’t know, but man lol jeez.

Okay, also… Penelope, our FMC… ASSAULTS Neil multiple times!!! Justifies her reasons auto why she did it, gaslights him to the point where I think his character gets chipped away at.. and then she gets everything in the end??? How does this make any sense?? The toxicity is real with the one.. and yet they become lovers and involved LMAO!

I loved the spooky and ghosts elements in this book! Colby does a great backstory and description about the castle! These moments saved the book and allowed me to continue reading without DNF’ing it (medal please) gave it these stars along with the diversity and representation.

Overall, Colby… I am so sorry! I hate negative reviews and giving them but please alter this to be better! If you want something different and completely off your script, this is your book!!!


* Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

I really had high hopes for this one, but it was cringe all the way through. The writing is stilted and repetitive, telling readers what's happening rather than showing. The main characters don't really seem to grow, not are they compatible as a couple even with development. This seemed like the perfect spooky season rom-com, but it felt like too many tropes (books about writers, forced proximity, enemies to lovers) were chosen without consideration as to how those tropes would bring the characters closer together. The one redeeming quality is the setting, which does lend to the genre and mood. I was also eager to read a bi4bi romance from Native perspectives, but the messy characters distracted from that underlying message.

The grand gesture in this story should have been an emergency MRI and a restraining order.

It’s just a no from me - and I am beyond bummed. DNF at 30%. The premise sounded like a cute spooky season rom-com, but I do not find the characters redeemable or even minutely compatible after even just the first chapter; where our main lady violently chucks a book at our main man’s head during a panel at a book convention and draws blood. After this, there appears to be no growth (on her part). No ownership of the awful actions (again, on her part). And after such an opening act of violence that she seems to repeatedly defend? These two people should not be together. I cannot and will not root for them.

“Sliding her left foot behind her, she turned and chucked her book at the cocky bastard. She watched gleefully as it smacked into the side of his temple, and he flew out of his chair, yelling obscenities. There was a twinge of guilt in her gut as she watched blood trickle down the side of his face, but Pen stamped it down as people rushed forward to help the Prince of Horror and she was dragged backward out of the room by convention security. Alone. She was alone.”

Umm duh? You have a horrible temper, violent tendencies, a dangerous sense of self-righteousness and absolutely not a leg to stand on. Who would stay?

Oh wait - apparently by the end of this story, the guy with an obvious brain injury from the book chucked at his head will stay. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Gender-reversed this plot would NEVER fly. And that’s a final nail in its coffin for me.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. 🫣

First I'd like to thank NetGalley for an ARC of this book, I liked the banter and romance but I was left confused several times reading this story. I did enjoy that it was dual POV but the FMC was a bit annoying which made the overall book hard to enjoy.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

If I Stopped Haunting You has all the spooky season vibes tied up in a romance. Penelope and Neil have been writing rivals for years, but a writing retreat in an abandoned castle shakes things up as these enemies-to-lovers find themselves in a real-life ghost story. This has all the tropes—forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and it may not be a trope but I love a story about writers. I will say this one didn’t totally work for me. The writing is a little repetitive, some of the sexual language felt just awkward (more so when the characters were talking about being turned on than the actual steamier parts), and I didn’t fully get the chemistry of these two leads. I wanted more from their development too. I will say an early review I read of this talked about how in the prologue Penelope throws a book at Neil, knocking him down and cutting him, so I went into this a little wary with that—so truly, this book just might not have been for me or I read it at the wrong time. I did like the haunted setting, the ghost storyline made of a unique read. And I loved it being in Scotland and just the vibe that gave to the story. Its storyline is perfect for cozy spooky season, and it has good bones, even though it didn’t fully work for me.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I was overjoyed to receive the chance to read an ARC of it.

This book could not have been more perfect if it tried. Colby Wilkens knocked it out of the park with this debut novel! It was spooky, horny, laugh out loud funny, and also just deeply beautiful.

What is not to love when a book contains rival authors, enemies to lovers, a haunted castle writing retreat in Scotland, and GHOSTS?!

Also, as a bi/pan person myself, I was thrilled to read a bi4bi romance and loved the intersection of Native perspectives, as well.

I already preordered this book (from a queer bookstore!) and am dying to read her sophomore novel next year! I am officially a Colby stan for life, and I had the absolute joy to hear her speak on a panel and meet her at Romance Con in Milwaukee just days after finishing this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
.
Light spoiler below!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Light spoiler: This book will make you wonder if a ghost has ever watched you get finger banged. 👻

The premise of this book was initially interesting to me, but I struggled to relate with the main character; it felt like she may have been intentionally seeking out the worst in Neil. I also don't feel like you could really call this enemies to lovers, more like heated rivals to lovers, I feel like the term enemies to lovers gets thrown around too often. The cover is really cute but I had a hard time staying connected with the story. I hope this book is able to reach it's appropriate audience.

Thank you to Colby Wilkens, St. Martins' Griffin, and NetGalley for providing this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love all things spooky, steamy, and Scottish. It's basically everyone's dream to go to a haunted castle in Scotland with your swoon-worthy enemy (book-related injuries aside). However, there was more life within the ghosts than our two main characters. What was a great premise fell a bit flat for me.

Indigenous-centric love stories are not particularly common in the book world (at least not that I have seen in my experience), so I was interested in having the chance to learn more about a culture I am not super familiar with. However, the lack of growth and development from either main character was so distracting, it was hard to focus on anything else.

I had high hopes for this book, but was unfortunately left wanting more.

I found the FMC very dark and angry in this book and that did not appeal to me. I liked the premise of the story and hoped it would get better, but I found it a bit confusing at times. The setting and ghost story were appealing and the spice was enjoyable. I wish the enemies to lovers trope was more pronounced, but overall this book could be okay for someone, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this novel.

A spooky writters retreat with banter. The tension between these two was heavy, it gave enemies to lovers. I loved the supernatural bit giving us the spook with romance. I did quite enjoy reading this.

👻 A writing retreat gone spookily wrong👻

When rival writers Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm find themselves stuck together at a haunted writers' retreat in Scotland, sparks fly—both romantically and paranormally.😱 Horror writer Penelope Skinner has been in a creative rut, and Neil is nursing his doubts. They find themselves facing more than just their creative blocks. Expect ghost encounters, lots of banter, and some undeniable tension. This was perfect for spooky season read!