This book gave me so many feels that I wasn't expecting. A perfect cozy, feel-good read that combines spooky vibes with holiday cheer. Fans of Hallmark movies and Ghouls will enjoy this heart-warming meet-cute.

☆3.25
Small town charm ✨️ Lex works in a used bookstore, eager to make it better, but is stuck behind the owners decision to keep it simple. One day, she meets a quirky probably-a-tourist, James, and she can't keep him out of her thoughts. Turns out, neither can he. They click together instantly, and Lex agrees to help James with his ghost documentary. Lex used to be a video blogger who faked hauntings around town. While Lex tries to figure out her job and house, she also wants to open her heart to James, even if he will most likely leave like everyone else in her life.

It was a very hallmarky, stars hallow-esq, feel of a book. I can't say that it gripped me from the beginning, or the middle. The instalove is not my favorite trope, but I think Lex and James were a good couple. I had issues with Lex complaining about everyone and everything the whole book. It got tiring.
It was a cute book overall, one scene of minimal spice.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc to read and review honestly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aclove Press for the ARC!

Haunt Your Heart Out was cute, but didn't leave many memorable moments for me. It was pretty long and I realized quickly I was skimming over whole sections getting through it. Lex was frustrating and although I love a flawed character, I could not get on board with her. I usually am a sucker for a small town Hallmark type romance, but this one just didn't give me the right small town vibes. I guess I also expected more of a fall feel to the book with it being about "hauntings" but it was actually a Christmas/winter read. (Probably should have noticed the snow on the cover a little better, oops).

Haunt Your Heart Out is the perfect book to curl up with for a cozy, romantic, and spooky read. With a charming small town setting, ghost hunting, and a steamy romance, this book will make readers swoon and have their ghost hunting equipment and hearts registering all kinds of romantic paranormal activity!

This was cute, but I’m not the biggest fan of characters lying. The deception bothered me, but I bet others would totally enjoy this read.

Also, the cover is adorable.

Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts is a charming and whimsical romantic novel that captivates with its blend of humor, heart, and a touch of the supernatural. Set against a backdrop of ghostly intrigue, the story follows two endearing protagonists whose lives intertwine in the most unexpected ways. Roberts' writing is delightful, with witty dialogue and vivid descriptions that bring both the living and the spectral characters to life. The romance is sweet and engaging, perfectly balancing moments of lighthearted fun with deeper emotional connections. Although the plot occasionally feels predictable, the genuine warmth and chemistry between the characters more than make up for it. Overall, Haunt Your Heart Out is a thoroughly enjoyable read that deserves a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its unique charm and heartfelt storytelling.

Thank you Netgalley and author Amber Roberts for the e-copy of this book in exchange for a review.

"Homebody Lex McCall loves her sleepy Vermont town and quiet bookstore job. After her family, friends, and exes all moved away to seek futures elsewhere, Lex set one no dating tourists, newcomers, or anyone else who is bound to leave her behind. When the bookshop owner, eager to offload the supposedly haunted building, offers to sell the store to Lex at an unbeatable price, Lex jumps at the chance to further put down roots.

Then handsome stranger James stops by the bookstore. Lex assumes he’s just another tourist passing through, but it turns out he’s part of a ghost-hunting documentary crew that’s looking into the many “verified” ghost stories in town. Lex can’t resist getting involved—especially because these so-called ghosts are actually made up stories from Haunted Happenings, her hobby vlog from a decade prior. Worried her ghost-faking secret will get out and ruin her chance to buy the store, she tampers with the ghosthunters' research and skews the results. After all, James’s stay is only temporary and her career dreams come first.

But as they spend more time together, Lex realizes she’s falling for James. Worse, there’s more at stake than her simply being found out and losing his his mission isn’t as frivolous as it seems and her interference may cost him much more than a spooky story. "

A great read. I thoroughly enjoy it.

This book was so fun and cute and just all the vibes I wanted and, dare I say, NEEDED.

This was my first book by Amber Roberts and I have Text Appeal on my bookshelf to read next! She did not disappoint. I will definitely be doing a reread of this once it hits fall season!

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I really wanted to like it, and I did enjoy the first 30% or so, when we get introduced to all the characters and set up the story. It went downhill from there though and I really struggled to finish the book. The romance felt a bit bland, they got together really quick, and then all the lying about ghosts just seemed so unnecessary. Lex spent so much time worrying about James leaving, but she didn't stop to consider how her lying will push him away even more. So Lex just ended up coming off very self-centered, and James felt more like a prop than an actual person (same goes for their friends).

I think the story would have been improved, if Lex and James didn't get together until later. Then Lex lying to promote her own interests wouldn't have been as weird, since she wouldn't be doing it to her boyfriend. Putting herself and her dreams first would make more sense (she has just met the guy after all), and also provide more opportunity for fun banter and the build up of tension, Then once they finally got together, it would feel more genuine, but she would already be in too deep with her lie.

I also don't get why the blurb pitched this book as being for the fans of "Gilmore Girls". Other than being set in a small town, there's nothing in common.

I really liked how this book was special as it featured a female main character in her 30s, something that is not quite common. I also liked that there was diverse representation. However, I did not quite connect with their romance as much as I had liked.

Haunt Your Heart Out follows Lex, a small town bookstore manager who has a history of spinning ghost stories for her YouTube channel. She meets James, a filmmaker who is investigating the hauntings she covered in her teenage years.

This is a fun, lighthearted read with low stakes and great writing. I was expecting a more paranormal storyline, but I really enjoyed it nevertheless!

Thank you to Amber Roberts for the advanced copy!

DNF'd at approximately 46%.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC; all opinions are my own.

From close to the beginning of Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts, I had a bit of trouble catching my footing. The relationship between the leads Alex & James moves very quickly and I'm used to more warm-up. That could have been fine, though, because I enjoyed their flirtatious dynamic and James is a charming rogue that has glittering eyes and a chin dimple (hearts!!).

But with that being said, I decided to DNF at around 46% because I just couldn't get past the deception plot of it all. I can get with a morally gray protagonist who's out there causing some trouble, but I have trouble getting with a supposedly just imperfect contemporary romance protagonist whose motivations for lying are not strong and who comes across as selfish, insufficiently self-aware, and someone who I couldn't ultimately root for in her romantic journey. In other words, I felt like the characterization of the female protagonist either wasn't dark enough or went too far for me to root for in a standard contemporary story. I just didn't feel it.

YMMV and there is some charm here. Hopefully I'm an outlier!

Haunt Your Heart Out delivered on the ghost/supernatural front and on the adorable cover! But it really didn’t land for me.

I didn’t feel hardly any chemistry between the MCs. Maybe because the pacing was so slow? Or maybe because there’s long swaths of pages where nothing is happening to progress the storyline? Either way, I was a bit bored and didn’t buy into the relationship enough to finish the book, sadly.

Review to come…

I really love the cover ❤️
The description is very intriguing.
This is a new author to me.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

This book just missed the mark for me. The premise was quite interesting but failed in the delivery. I found both main characters to be quite bland, and they didn't really have any chemistry with each other. Their decisions just didn't make a lot of sense throughout the book, which kept throwing me out of the story, especially at the end.

The pace was too slow. There were several chapters where it felt like next to nothing was happening. I feel like we could have benefited from time spent either developing the main characters' relationship or focusing on the documentary.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Haunt Your Heart Out" by Amber Roberts was a delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed, though I can't help but think that it would have been even better if I had read it around Halloween.
The book perfectly captures the essence of the holiday seasons of Halloween and Christmas, set against the charming backdrop of a small town in. Vermont.

The protagonist, Lex, is a character many readers will find relatable. Down on her luck in love and often finding solace in books, Lex's story is one of resilience and self-discovery. Her past as a YouTuber, creating videos of "haunted happenings" with her best friend, Nat, adds a unique twist to her character. The nostalgia of her channel, which provided her with a sense of community during a difficult time with her less-than-stellar parents, adds depth to her backstory.

Lex's current life revolves around her Grandfather's old house, which she inherited after his passing, and her job at the local bookstore, Dog-Eared. Her passion for the bookstore and her frustration at its stagnant state under the ownership of Charles is palpable. It's easy to root for Lex as she dreams of improving the bookstore and making it more of a vibrant part of the community.

Enter James, a member of a film crew in town to document the local ghost stories. His initial interaction with Lex is anything but smooth - he stops by the bookstore just to use the bathroom, a common annoyance for Lex. Despite the rocky start, James becomes an important part of Lex's life, bringing with him his own set of struggles and a search for belonging that mirrors Lex's own.

Roberts does a fantastic job of weaving complex topics such as Lex's anxiety and abandonment issues into the narrative. These aspects of her character make her incredibly relatable and add a layer of authenticity to the story. James' journey, marked by his struggles with familial relationships and a quest to find a place that feels like home, complements Lex's storyline beautifully.

The side characters, including Jordan and her children, add warmth and depth to the story and even Lex's parents managed to get on my good side by the end. Roberts did a fantastic job of fleshing them out, so that they felt like more than just background noise.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its representation of mental health issues and these issues are handled with care and sensitivity, making the story richer and more inclusive. It is mentioned that the characters are both LGBTQ+, but in all honesty, this wasn't fleshed out enough to be anything more than a brief mention for both main characters.

The small-town romance and spooky vibes create a perfect blend of charm and intrigue, making it a perfect read for fans of both genres.

In conclusion, "Haunt Your Heart Out" is a heartwarming and engaging read that tackles important themes with grace and authenticity. Lex's journey of self-discovery and healing I'd both inspiring and relatable. I would say this book was 3.5 stars for me.

If you're looking for a book that combines the cosy feel of a small-town romance with a touch of the supernatural, this is the one for you. Just maybe save it for the Halloween season for maximum effect!

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read the book in exchange for my honest review.

Big thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for allowing me early access to this title in return for an honest review.

This book was really the perfect read for me. It covers two of my favourite holidays, Halloween and Christmas.

Set in a sleepy Vermont town, we meet Lex, a local book seller who has had no luck with love and is much happier with a night in curled up with her books that galivanting around. As a youth, Lex had a youtube channel where she explored the towns hauntings with her best friend, but since dropping out of college, she's been focusing on staying afloat, fixing up her old house, and keeping the bookstore cum cafe alive and thriving. Enter James, an out of towner who stops by the bookstore to use the bathroom, like so many others, and then keeps coming back. He is in town working on a documentary about the towns hauntings, and working at stealing the heart of a certain local bookseller.

This book was incredibly sweet. It tackles a lot of difficult topics. Lex has debilitating anxiety and it is one of the focuses of the book. She also has confidence issues which take center stage. She is a really relatable character in so many ways. James is sweet and kind, but also very lost in the world, and doesn't really know what he wants to do. Their blossoming partnership is sweet and supportive, and bears a lot of the hallmarks that I look for in my personal life. The few steamy scenes were excellent and left me wanting more

Overall, I loved this book. It was everything that I needed and wanted. I look forward to reading from this author again in the future.

very cute romance, easy to read and a book that i was unable to put down. loved the storyline and character development, truly a book that i will recommend for my bookstore to purchase.

DNF at 20%! I’m sad because I love the cover. This just isn’t what I’m looking for in a romance. Too insta love, not enough tension and I need a slow burn. The characters are together by 20% and It’s sort of like, what’s the point of the rest of the book? I got the ick :(