This book follows Lex McCall, a homebody who loves her small town and job at a bookstore. She has a rule against dating tourists or newcomers but meets James, part of a ghost-hunting crew. Lex interferes with their research to protect her secret, leading to consequences. The dynamic between Lex and James is engaging, with banter and chemistry keeping the reader hooked.

I loved how the author portrayed serious and sensitive topics! Lex, struggles with anxiety and change, clinging to a store and house she can't afford. Her relationship with James starts with conflict due to her feelings rule.

However, I did find the plot slow. Lex faking ghosts for James, which kinda removed the suspense. Communication between Lex and James was lacking as well, with an underdeveloped third act conflict.

But this book is a feel-good romance with themes of love, hope, and healing, with including sensitive topics like family tensions and anxiety. Despite faults, the book is a delightful read with a surprising twist and a message of overcoming fear. Recommended for those who enjoy romance with mystery in a small-town setting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Haunt Your Heart Out is a touching story of two people who come together over the love of small towns and ghost stories. The setting here is so lush and cozy and I really fell in love with both Lex and James. Chef's kiss!

Between repairs to her deteriorating house and saving to buy the bookstore she manages, Lex is barely keeping afloat in small town Stowe, Vermont, when documentarian James enters the scene. He's in town to film a ghost hunting documentary, and it just so happens that Lex used to film a ghost vlog and knows all the supposedly haunted spots in town. After some miscommunication and family drama, can James and Lex's romance survive beyond the holiday season?

The cozy winter vibes are immaculate in this book, and I love the haunted locations aspect. The ghost stories that Lex has created in her town feel very real and nuanced and were some of my favorite parts of the story. The conflict between the two main characters feels a little forced, as it is very much centered on the validity of the ghost stories Lex brought to the documentary when it was made clear from the beginning of the novel that James and Julian had already been making up ghost stories for content. The conflict between Lex and everyone else in her life felt a little more real, and the depictions of her anxiety disorder felt very true and accurate.

Overall this is a fun spooky read for wintertime, and will definitely appeal to a wide range of romance readers for the paranormal and small town aspects.

This was just not for me. While I can appreciate a small town romance, the romance was half-baked and something about the family problems felt difficult to connect with, though I can’t quite put my finger on why. It could be a problem with the rather lukewarm POV from an equally lukewarm character, or it could be that the only plot within the book was the suspense-free, hastily developed romance and the suspense-free, equally hastily resolved family issues. I would argue that the author could remove the family problems and nothing about the book or main character would change (at least based on how quickly her family issues seem to resolve). The whole book felt like everything was done adequately (if not a bit clumsily), but I didn’t like that the main character only came to life because of a man. It just didn’t feel like enough. That said, the base idea for the book was fun and I did like the idea that a ghost hunter would come to town to unwittingly chase ghosts his love interest made up when she was young. I really enjoyed this base idea, but the reading experience just felt very dull to me.

The perfect spooky, snowy small town romance you’re looking for! I really enjoyed it. Full of charm and rom-com! Lex and James’s banter towards one another was perfect and couldn’t help but to bring a smile to my face! It was a light but quick read, just be sure to check out the content warnings!🫶🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this novel.
I love this kind of reading, I had high expectations and it lived up to them.
Haunt Your Heart Out" is a gripping and exciting contemporary romance novel that will grab you from the very first page.
I loved the story, the setting, the characters, everything!
It's a cozy romantic read that warms your heart.
This book is wonderful inside and out (the cover is beautiful, I need this book in physical format).
Amber Roberts creates a unique and captivating story, I really enjoyed her writing, it's a light read and perfect for a blanket and rainy day.
I really enjoyed this read.
If you are a lover of contemporary romance, with a cozy setting you have to read this book.
5/5 stars.

I had a lot of fun reading this charming and cozy rom-com! I loved the Vermont setting and the bookstore where Lex works. The banter between Lex and James brought a smile to my face. They were a sweet couple. (I also loved James’s dog, Lulu!)

In addition to the romance, the book explores some complicated family dynamics. Lex has always felt like a disappointment to her parents, while her golden child sister can do no wrong in their eyes. This has led to a strained relationship between Lex and her parents, who left Vermont for California when her sister moved there. But it turns out all is not what it seems, as Lex learns in what turned out to be one of my favorite scenes toward the end of the book. I was happy to see Lex move toward healing her family relationships, especially with her sister.

Overall, I thought Haunt Your Heart Out was delightful. If you’re looking for a read to curl up with when the weather is cold, look no further.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who has been bingeing ghost-hunting shows for nearly two decades (October 2004, to be exact - the release of Season 1 Episode 1 of Ghost Hunters), this book was a delight. I wish there was more ghost-hunting involved, but that is just because I love a good ghost hunt, and that is nothing against this book whatsoever.

I read this book in one day, in the middle of a Canadian Prairies winter storm. While not nearly as delightful as a Vermont mountain town's winter, it certainly did set the vibes.

At times, I was quite frustrated with the FMC. Her internal monologue felt much younger than her 33 years and felt very selfish. I wanted much more groveling from her, I felt that the conflict was wrapped up a tad too easily and didn't trust that she would make long-term changes to her behaviors.

Overall, I'd consider this a light-hearted popcorn read and would recommend it as a winter vacation read to anyone looking for lighter romance with good banter and a cozy setting. There was very little angst and the stakes were relatively low. The steam was light though enough to give it some *pizzazz*.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to like this book but was neither spooky nor cute and rather boring. It all just went nowhere.

This was a great book. The setting was so perfect and I absolutely loved the romance and the banter. The writing was very good. I would highly recommend!

3.5 Stars!

Cute story that was a really quick read. I loved that she worked at a bookstore and that it was based in Stowe, VT. As it is one of my favorite places to visit so I was just picturing them all over that adorable town. However I think I was just expecting something a little bit different out of this book. It was good but I wouldn't consider it amazing. The characters we're likable and the relationship between Alex and James was cute. But their relationship seemed a little too unrealistic for my taste. It felt like it moved so fast and almost as if they had been dating for so much longer. So something seemed off there. Some of the dynamics just didn't seem realistic either (ie... the amount the store was offered to her for... no way). The family drama was also a bit much for me and didn't seem realistic how quickly that all turned around for them after hearing the FMC explain how they have always been. But family drama in general I can see being relatable to many people. I did enjoy the authors style of writing, as it was easy to read and the plot itself was enjoyable. It just wasn't a book I could get immersed in. I am happy that Alex got a good ending though with her family and loved that this book really pushed that message of following your dreams no matter what!

Spookily cute!!! This books was so cute. I LOVED the mmc! His personality reminded me of a mixture of Sam and dean from the tv show supernatural. I was blushing just as hard as the fmc. The fmc was so independent and quirky, I loved it. It made me laugh so many times that I lost count. It had a few steamy parts that had me blushing as well! Would definitely recommend 🥰

Five fantastic stars to Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts! The snowy Vermont vibes? Impeccable. The charming used bookstore that is basically a character itself? Fantastic. This is the perfect book to curl up with some hot cocoa (spiked or otherwise!) and read about Lex and James and their adorable love story. I also really enjoyed the side characters and strong female friendships, as well as the arc of the family dynamic! Had such a great time with this one.

I absolutely loved the New England vibe in this new romance by Amber Roberts. She does an incredible job portraying the life of a small town, and I appreciated how well she handled the MC's anxiety. And I loved the love story! (Could that cover be any cuter?)

I was fortunate enough to read an early version of this story, and I immediately fell in love with the characters (especially James, who is mine, and no one else can have him). I also love the setting so much. I mean, bookstore, ski resort town in Vermont, wintertime?? Can you get any cozier than that? Amber Roberts has a talent for coming up with unique takes on beloved tropes, and that really shines through in this one. And of course the narrative voice is perfect, per usual. Very excited for this one to hit shelves!!

This was certainly a delightful read. This book follows the story of homebody Lex McCall, who loves her small town and quiet job at a bookstore. After being left behind by her family, friends, and exes, Lex has one rule: no dating tourists, newcomers, or anyone who is bound to leave her behind. But when the opportunity to buy the bookstore she works at arises, she can't resist putting down roots and making a permanent home in her beloved town.
Just when she thinks she has everything figured out, handsome stranger James walks into her life. At first, Lex assumes he's just another tourist passing through, but it turns out he's part of a ghost-hunting documentary crew investigating the many 'verified' ghost stories in town. As a former hobby vlogger of ghost stories herself, Lex can't resist getting involved and tampering with the ghosthunters' research to protect her secret. But as she spends more time with James, she starts to develop feelings for him and realizes that her interference may have bigger consequences than just losing his affection. I loved the dynamic between Lex and James. Their banter and chemistry kept me hooked from the very beginning.
Although the book is marketed as a romance, it also has a hint of mystery and suspense woven into the plot. The twist towards the end caught me by surprise and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. I also appreciated the message of not letting fear hold you back from following your dreams and taking risks. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance with a touch of mystery and a small-town setting. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a cozy evening.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this novel!]

Just off the bat, this book has such a cute cover and title! I enjoyed the premise that this is about ghost hunting. Instead of the expected spookiness of Halloween, we get horse-drawn sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and holiday shopping since it takes place in December. It's also nice that the FMC and MMC are in their 30's and don't have their lives 100% figured out.

The FMC, Alex, was a little too contradictory for me. She had a rule about not dating any tourists or newcomers, thanks to her fear of being abandoned, yet had no issue dating James - someone who wasn't from town and actively spoke about traveling the world. The couple are vague about defining their relationship but meet each other's parents early on. I still haven't figured out why Alex felt the need to fake ghost encounters when she and James started spending time together. The third act breakup was also a little bit odd because even though they stopped talking (James wasn't even returning her calls!), James just decided to stay in Stowe.

In all honesty, the majority of communication between all the characters is a little unsatisfying. Alex does start to have healing conversations with her family. One thing that stood out to me was Alex explaining her anxiety and depression. I do think Roberts did an excellent job with that.

This was a nice, cozy read, perfect for when the weather starts to get cold. I think there are a lot of great pieces to this book, but there were too many things that made it hard for me to get absorbed into the story. I don't feel strongly in either direction.

CozyGood if you love:
Small Town Romances
Holidays
(Fake) Paranormal

Haunt your heart out was a feel-good romantic comedy set in spooky season. I had such a wonderful time coasting through this book. I think it might also fall under cozy, comfort read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, Thank You Netgalley for the ARC granted. I came to read with one expectation and got another one, but not as a negative feeling. On the contrary. The plot is pretty real and compelling. the characters were well built and enjoyable. I liked it!

Flirty and fun, HAUNT YOUR HEART OUT is everything its premise promises. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.