This book was a nice blend of spooky and steamy! I am a huge enemies to lovers fan, and I appreciated the little quips throughout the book. I did feel like it lagged at times, and that it could have been more action packed in many scenes. The premise was great and the writing was creative, so I enjoyed it enough! I would go so far as to say that I’d read a sequel, if there were another book written.
Thank you for the ARC!

I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't get in to it. The pacing was inconsistent, so I had trouble settling in to the reading. I also feel like the dialogue got really repetitive, which made it seem like the plot wasn't being pushed forward. The FMC and MMC were both difficult for me to relate to, as I felt like I didn't get to know them very well throughout the book. They felt very two-dimensional. I did really enjoy the concept of meshing together romance and horror, though, and I do feel like the concept of the book is really promising. I think with some heavy editing on the dialogue and pacing, this book could end up being great.

The premise of this book had such good potential!! The setting and the vibes were a good blend of spooky and romance. However, the whole book felt very rushed with minimal character development. I’m always going to be a sucker for enemies to lovers but overall this one just missed the mark for me.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I loved this book. The blending of haunted house and rivals-to-lovers romance is done so well that it felt natural. The reveal about Neil's tattoo is tied with Anthony Bridgerton's speech about honor as one of the most unexpectedly romantic moments ever. I'm praying Wilkens turns this into a series of interconnected standalones.

When it was all said and done, I was hoping to feel a little more and connect with the main characters a bit more than I did. This isn't a spoiler because it happens in the first few pages of the book, but I was really put off by the FMC attacking the MMC with a book. It feels like it was written to make her seem frustrated and relatable, but it's giving assault. Made me scratch my head for sure. That's really the only critique I have. The spice was there and the spooky aspect was genuinely creepy, pretty well-written. Feels like it will be a hit come spooky season for those looking for a paranormal romance.

I loved the premise of the book and the horror romance blend had me intrigued. Sadly I didn’t think it delivered and I couldn’t invest in the characters’ story.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!!

If stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens arc review. I was lucky to get an advance reader copy of this novel through net galley. First can we talk about how cute the cover is that what first drew me in to this story it like the perfect spooky romance story and it the fits the story so well. The book is an enjoyable Enemies to lovers story. Mixed with haunted houses vibes. In this story we meet writers ✍️ Penelope skinner and Neil Storm who are two feuding writers who end together at a writers retreat in a haunted castle in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. I literally love that this book take place in Scotland one of my favorite places to visit it so beautiful it creates the perfect back drop for this story. So the more time these two spend together they begin to be trapped in a real life ghost story can they work together to solve the ghost mystery or will the past and feelings get in the way. I had so much fun reading this story it was entertaining and mystical and amazing spooky and romantic vibes all in one. It was so good time from beginning to end. Definitely give it a chance you won’t be disappointed. This book comes out October 15, 2024 right in time for spooky season 👻 .

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

I was really excited to read this novel. The premise of two writers who hate each other and end up stuck together in a haunted castle in Scotland REALLY appealed to me. I love a good enemy to lovers story. Unfortunately I DNF (made it 150 pgs). I tried to power through, but I just didn't feel the chemistry between Neil and Pen (Penelope). I didn't feel any really connection to them at all, honestly. They felt a little flat. The other characters might as well have not existed (which is a missed opportunity b/c this really felt like a scooby doo kind of story and I'm all in for that kind of ghost story/mystery).

The story seemed to drag and there really wasn't enough action. I was intrigued by the haunting but not enough to continue on. It took so many chapter to set up the story and there was a lot of history between the characters that I didn't fully understand -- I'm still not fully clear how they were all friends etc. . The characters are supposed to be in their 30's (I think) but they came across so much younger. Overall, it just didn't work for me.

Penelope (who goes by Pen) is an author who had a feud with another author named Neil Storm. She disagreed with him stereotyping of Native Americans and ended up throwing a book at him. Present day, she is excited to go on an excursion to spend a week at a "haunted" Scottish Mansion. That is until she finds out he is there, and the mansion might actually be haunted.

I usually don't like rom-coms, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It wasn't over the top most of the time and I liked the enemy to lovers feel. In addition, the enemy to lovers wasn't immediate. They definitely hated each other for quite a long time, although you started to realize there were feelings hidden behind it.

Another saving grace behind this book was the horror part. Staying at a haunted mansion split up the rom-com quite a bit. The horror part wasn't super scary and there was a mystery wrapped around it. Every chapter you were wondering why the ghost was still at the mansion and the mystery was revealed at a perfect pace.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rom-coms, mysteries, or horror.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC

Book Release: 10/15/24

The good: the premise interesting and I love how it doesn't shy away from criticizing whiteness or addressing the complexity of being Native in the US. This dynamic is why I was so excited to read this book.

The bad: I really wanted to like this one. It's a cute story but the writing is ... rough. There's a lot of awkward repetition of details (everyone slams their whisky glass down after taking a drink, which happens frequently because they are in a pub). And areas without enough detail (who is Daniela and why are we so distraught that she is here?).

The writing itself is juvenile - both in time and how the characters are portrayed. I think they're supposed to be adults but they have the attitudes of teenagers.

DNF at 15%
2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Absolutely! Here's a revised version:

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Diving headfirst into a writing retreat at a haunted Scottish castle where spectral beings roam the halls might send shivers down the spines of some writers, but for me, it was an exhilarating prospect!

The narrative of two literary adversaries, Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm, thrust together after a heated altercation at a book convention, immediately captivated me from the opening chapter. The fusion of gothic horror elements, witty repartee, and simmering romantic tension between these rivals, both grappling with writer’s block for distinct reasons, alongside the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, wove a spellbinding tale. I found myself irresistibly drawn deeper into the story with each turn of the page.

The portrayal of indigenous authors and their struggles within the publishing industry, echoing the challenges faced by BIPOC writers, resonated with authenticity. While the sparring and disagreements between Pen and Neil felt somewhat juvenile at times, their shared professional obstacles and genuine efforts to amplify their voices and accurately represent their community struck a chord.

The ensemble cast, including the enigmatic Laszlo and the mischievous Daniela, further enriched the narrative, infusing it with charm and intrigue.

In summary, this paranormal romance, with its haunting atmosphere and electrifying chemistry between the protagonists, promises a delightful reading experience that I wholeheartedly recommend.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for graciously providing me with a digital review copy of this enchanting romcom in exchange for my honest appraisal.

LOVE! The setting of this book was what first enticed me and I was not disappointed. The spooky moments were truly scary (I literally couldnt read it in my dark bedroom alone), and the romance didn't feel forced or sprinkled in. I love a dual perspective too! Highly highly reccomend!

Glad to see more genre-mashing in romance, and from a Native author in particular. The conversations on page about marginalization and publishing were very good (and satisfied my need for more Yellowface). However, I found the marketing off with this one. It was neither enemies-to-lovers nor slow burn in my opinion, and I wish more time had been spent on fleshing out the characters as that feels crucial for romance, no matter the genre. Would recommend nonetheless!

If I Stopped Haunting You is “an enemies-to lovers romance with a spooky twist” that follows rival writers Neil and Penelope are snowed in a haunted castle in Scotland.

If I Stopped Haunting You fell short for me in a few areas. The plot of the spooky, haunted castle felt like an episode of a children’s show. At no point did I feel ‘spooked’, nor did the haunting story intrigue me. Enemies-to-lovers? Neil and Penelope are introduced to us as rival writers. This rivalry was one sided and did not provide a healthy backdrop for their love story. Ultimately, I did not connect with Neil or Pen as characters.

Although ‘If I Stopped Haunting You’ had some hard hitting discussions and dialogue surrounding publishing, the remainder of the book did not carry its weight to provide a well rounded book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of Most Wonderful in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Romance and scary okay, sounds good, but it wasn't. Sorry, but I did not enjoy this book at all.

Perhaps someone else would, but it just wasn't for me.

Can't recommend.

This was not my favorite. The main character was not great and she was jealous and threw things. The horror was okay but not super scary & the spice was not my favorite.

[2,5/5] 'If I Stopped Haunting You' sets up a fun premise with two writers on a retreat in a haunted house, but the romance between the main characters doesn't quite hit the mark. Connecting with Penelope and her actions was tough, which took away from the overall enjoyment. It had potential, but it fell short for me.

I knew this book was slightly outside my comfort zone but I love reading different genres and trying to stretch past my typical range. Unfortunately, this just didn’t resonate with me. It sounded great, a haunted castle in Scotland - mystery, intrigue, a bit of romance… but I just didn’t find any chemistry between any of the characters and a lot of the story felt shallow and artificial. I liked the setting and Georgina’s story was interesting but even the conclusion of that felt a bit rushed. Overall, I just wanted a bit more build up of the characters and the story.

I had such high hopes for this book because of the description, but unfortunately I really didn’t enjoy this book. Pen’s character felt extremely toxic and like she was gaslighting Neil at every turn. The way she’s delusional enough to think he’s the reason for her cancelled career and it’s not maybe because she *assaulted* him in public is just crazy. I found the side characters super annoying too and honestly just couldn’t wait to leave this world behind.

If I Stopped Haunting You seemed to be a book with an identity crisis. In the beginning, it reminded me of the 2023 movie American Fiction from a Native American perspective. Pen and Neil are both Native American writers with Pen accusing Neil of selling out and writing what sells rather than being true to himself. An altercation at a convention is the final straw in their rocky relationship.

Next we find Pen and Neil unknowingly signed up for a writers retreat at a castle. This portion of the story allowed us to get to know each of them better and it began to feel like a forced proximity romance... until the haunted storyline started. The spooky aspects were well done and great detail on the castle, ghost, and atmosphere. There were interesting points as part of the writing workshop activities and some horror more than paranormal.

Each aspect was written well, but the book didn't seem to know what it wanted to be.
I'm interested in what the final edited version will be and if there will be a more specific focus.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and provide feedback on this ARC!