This is my favorite Jen DeLuca book since Well Met! I enjoyed the whole vibe of it, and I'm really here for this flavor of paranormal romance. Cassie kind of bugs me--for someone in her thirties, I wanted her to be less of a sad sack and find herself some real friends. One of the paranormal conflicts between Cassie and Nick was weird in a way I found a little offputting, I wish it were handled differently. And I found the feminism of the book a little watered down, like I think it literally said "fuck the patriarchy sometimes." Still, I am eager to read other books in this world because there's so much to like!

Okay I HATE tearing books apart but I just didn't like this one. I've found the other 3 Jen DeLuca books I've read to be lackluster, so you may say "Why did you read this one anyway" and the answer is I WANTED A GHOST STORY. And honestly, that was the only part of the book I even remotely liked, and even it didn't capture my attention the way I wanted it to. I found the characters to have no personalities or development - it just felt like an outline of a romance instead of an actual fleshed-out story. The dialogue was just bleh, too. Nothing ever seemed to be accomplished with it, it was just simple and felt forced. Not too much else to say other than that I didn't like it, but know that I've not enjoyed her other books either, so if you like her Renaissance series you may like this!

When Cassie decides to leave Orlando and buy her own house after years of rentals, a historic cottage in the costal town of Boneyard Key seems like a great idea. Granted, the town leans a little hard on the touristy haunted vibe, but as a Florida native, she understands how tourist dollars make decisions. Things get a little weird when her laptop refuses to charge- even though other electronics are just fine- meaning she has to go down the street to the local coffee shop to get any work done. The bright side of that is the coffee and banana bread are great and the shop owner may be a little phone obsessed and rough around the edges, but he's pretty cute too. When the magnetic poetry words on her fridge start moving without her help and coffee shop owner Nick confirms that the haunted vibe is more than just a tourist thing, Cassie has to question whether she's cut out for living in Boneyard Key.

I absolutely love Jen DeLuca's Well Met series (Renaissance Faire romcom!) so as soon as she announced she was doing a new book (beach town ghosts) I was there. And Haunted Ever After doesn't disappoint. Cassie is a big city girl trying to start a new chapter in a tiny town and has more to get used to than learning that you can only get pizza delivery on days when the owner feels like working. DeLuca made her someone I could connect to and like right away, and I was pulling for her to make the adjustments she needed to make to handle living in a permanently haunted town.

Cassie's chemistry with Nick was there from the beginning, and he was a fun person to introduce us to the town. The only one in his family to love Boneyard Key, poor Nick has some abandonement issues to work through, which might be why his closest friend is a texting ghost. On the surface he seems to roll with everything life hands his way, but he isn't fooling anyone- except maybe himself. He settles for casual because he's afraid to get close to anyone. Is Cassie going to be the next person to disappoint him, or be the one he can risk it all for?

Jen DeLuca's relaxed and humorous writing style, witty character banter, and delightful characters all stand out in Haunted Ever After. The quirky small town of Boneyard Key is a character all its own and I'm hoping for several more books to take place here so I don't have to leave it any time soon.

A definite must read for Jen DeLuca fans and all romcom fans!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Jen Deluca writes charming books and this love letter to Florida (and Publix) in a haunted tourist town is no exception. Sweet and fun with a hint of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me, it was a light palette cleanser between some heavy books, exactly what I needed. I loved all the characters so much! The way everyone was so welcoming of Cassie. The small town charm was **chefs kiss**. It did get slow around half way through but I continued reading because it was such a light easy read, it made it easy to continue.

3.75⭐️

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so much fun! I loved it so much. I was hooked from page one. I loved this cast of characters; not just Cassie and Nick but all the side characters too. They added so much to the story and really made me love the little small town of Boneyard Key.

This book is so full of heart. I loved how much these characters loved each other. You can feel that oozing from the page. I also loved the supernatural aspect of this book. It made it so much more interesting and added so much to the book. I was just as invested in ghosts as I was in the romance. It was all so well done. I enjoyed it so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars

This was an entertaining, surface level read for me. The characters were likeable and the storyline was engaging, but this lacked some depth.

Prior to reading this, I was wondering why it was set to release in August when it clearly has a spooky vibe, but once you start reading, it makes sense. Even though you're reading about haunted houses and ghosts, this takes place in Florida right on the beach, which definitely takes away some of the spookiness.

I did like the MC's. Cassie was independent and didn't fall all over herself because she was talking to an attractive man and eventually very clearly draws a boundary when things go a little south, and I was happy to see that. Nick was a good guy still dealing with some past relationship issues, but he took to Cassie pretty immediately and was trying to woo her from the start even though it's not in his nature.

But throughout all of this, there isn't really a lot of development to their relationship. They only have one semi-deep discussion about a couple things and the rest is just them casually hanging out. A little disappointing but I liked the story overall.

This is gearing up to be a series, and I'm definitely going to continue on. I mean, the next one (hopefully) will be Theo, the bookstore owner with a little bit of an attitude. Sold.

Haunted Ever After is a funny LOL romcom with fantastic characters including some supernatural ones. It takes place in Boneyard Key, Florida, a place known for its ghostly inhabitants.

Cassie is a new resident and is unaware of the supernatural aspects of this town, meanwhile all of the natives act like it's no big deal. Her mind is blown, and disbelieving, until she stumbles upon a ghost of her own.

She is immediately taken by Ben, coffee shop owner who happens to be able to communicate with ghosts. In addition to the romance, there is a bit of a mystery to unravel and I enjoyed the added element.

Cassie and Ben were perfect together. Spice is minimal, with only one sexy scene.

The personality of the ghosts were great as well. I especially loved Elmer.

My only complaint was too much reference to the patriarchy. I don't prefer that type of negativity in books, I like books to escape and not be reminded about what is wrong in the world.

I really was into this book and enjoying the beginning but it got super slow towards the middle. I feel like the plot line fell flat and I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore. I ended up dnf’ing at 55%. I was really hopeful for this in the beginning. I just lost interest.

When moving to a coastal town in Florida, Cassie Rutherford never expected to find ghosts in her new home or starting a romance with the cute grumpy cafe owner Nick Royer. Cassie Rutherford needed a change, especially since all her friends are getting married and having kids... so she does what any sensible person does, she buys a house in Florida and decides to flip it. Yet from the moment she steps into her house she notices something unusual... it's haunted. Then she meets Nick Royer, owner of the Hollowed Grounds coffee shop who also happens to have a spectral roommate. With a ghost of her own haunting her new home, Cassie is determined to help her ghost, deal with her new feelings for a certain coffee shop owner, and embrace the change in her life. This was a cute cozy spooky season romance perfect for autumn/october! Its a cute rom com with ghosts, a seaside coastal town, cute coffee shop owner, and heart. It's a sweet read and I had fun with it. It's definitely a great one to add to your autumnal reads list! The ghosts were fun and the romance was sweet. I just felt like it was such a cute cozy coffee shop read and I would absolutely recommend it.

Release Date: August 13,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a cute summer read filled with ghosts and love. I loved the small town setting & the whole plot around ghosts.
It wasn't my favorite by this author but adorable none the less.

“You’re going to make this house beautiful.”

This was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Jen DeLuca, and I loved the switch up from the renaissance fair setting to a haunted town in Florida. It feels different and fun, and our main couple is really sweet. It has DeLuca's patented mix of sweet and spicy, and the pivot toward the paranormal was a really welcome change.

Cassie is on this self-discovery journey as all of her friends have reached milestone she hasn’t. Her efforts to buy a house land her in a supposedly haunted town and her house is a main attraction. She has quick chemistry with Nick, who owns a coffee shop and has ties to the paranormal himself. I found Cassie so relatable in how she feels behind her friend group as they are all getting married and having children. Her problems seem insignificant compared to what they're dealing with. It's satisfying to see her come into her own despite her house being haunted and discover how to be happy with her life.

Nick has his own ghost to deal with who previously ran the cafe Nick now owns. I enjoyed the text messages Nick shares with Elmer and how it shape how he runs the cafe. I do think there was a bit left to be desired from Nick, especially with his previous relationship. It felt like he was not as fully-fleshed out as Cassie was.

As the bigger story unfolds, Cassie and Nick’s burgeoning relationship is juxtaposed with the haunting of her house that reveals a deeper history to the house and the town. They dig deeper, with a fun supporting cast, to uncover the truth for the woman haunting the house. I will say this was a great twist because it comes together so well. The backdrop of the haunted house and the history of why it's haunted is a really fun mystery to follow with the main characters. It adds an additional layer and I really enjoyed it.

“The sunsets look so much better with you.”

While this is such an enjoyable book, I found myself enjoying the haunting storyline more than the romantic one. Cassie and Nick lack just a bit of chemistry to really bring their romance to the forefront. They feel just a bit forced, even thought it does get better by the midway point. It almost feels like too much is trying to happen between Cassie, Nick, and the haunting. I think there just needed to be some truncating of the plot to really pull it all together.

WHAT A GREAT BOOK. This was SO much fun. I've been looking for a later summer/early fall book and ughh!!
I loved everything about this from the characters to the plot. It made my heart melt, while also busting out laughing at times.
The relationship was everything and I would read 50 books about these two MCs.

Haunted Ever After was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I've loved Jen DeLuca's previous books and this one sounded so fun. A little haunted house mystery with a steamy romance? Count me in!

I am absolutely delighted to report that this book exceeded my expectations. It was so fun. I loved the characters, the plot, the setting and the romance. Everything blended together perfectly.

Cassie & Nick were everything. I liked their dynamic and felt they had a lot of chemistry. I also thought the ghost interfering was so funny.

This book is perfect for spooky summer!

4.25 stars


I absolutely love Jen DeLuca's Well Met series, so I was excited to see her coming out with a new one with a paranormal twist. This has all the cozy small town charm and fun side characters I've come to expect from her books, but like most first in series, I felt like the setting was the star and we didn't get much depth with the main characters.

Cassie Rutherford has decided on a whim to move from Orlando to the small town of Boneyard Key, in response to feeling stuck in a rut while her friend group is moving on in life, getting married and having babies. She buys a historic cottage sight unseen, and soon learns why it was so cheap when her laptop will not stay charged and the words of the magnetic poetry set on her refrigerator move seemingly on their own. Forced out of her home to get any work done, she sets up camp at the local coffee shop, where owner Nick Royer doesn't take too kindly to tourists. Initially getting off on the wrong foot, he warms to her when he realizes she's newly moved into the ghostly town's most infamous house, and shows her the curiosities and quirks of living in Boneyard Key. I loved how the ghosts of Boneyard Key all had their own personalities, and how they were treated as if they were still living. This was more of a plot driven story than character driven, and the romance between Cassie and Nick felt a bit forced. Cassie really didn't show much personality of her own, and I felt we got more depth and insight into Nick. I looked forward more to the chapters that pivoted to his perspective than those of Cassie's. The next story looks to be about Sophie the ghost tour leader and Theo, the book store owner/local history buff, so I'm hoping it pivots to more of a character driven romance than just a cozy setting.

This was the perfect summer transitioning into fall/spooky season read for me. I need to find more books with this vibe asap! This is my first read by this author, but it will certainly not be my last. I loved all of the characters (Boneyard Keys has quite a few interesting residence) and I loved the storyline and the researching the past. I flew through this one and had such a good time reading it. I hope there is more to come for this little haunted town!

This was a delightful romantic ghost story! It’s a fast paced story filled with some fun characters. I liked the idea of the whole town being haunted. It has a bit of a mystery that adds to the story. I enjoyed much more than I was expecting to.

I loved the set up of this series. Perfect references to Florida (pub subs!!) and the fun of the town's set up.

I found myself not super in love with Nick though. His struggles from his ex who left him was just no engaging as his issues with her potentially leaving.

I am curious enough that I would possibly try the second book in this series because maybe this couple just didn't work for me.

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
Release Date: 8/13/24
Format: audio/ebook hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Tis the season to be haunted fa la la la la….ok ok I know it’s only August but it’s in the 70s and gloomy in NJ today so I decided what better time to review this contemporary romance full of the best ghostly autumn vibes!

I really adore the idea of this new series by DeLuca. I am such a sucker for her Well Met series and I had been dying to see what she would tackle next. She’s giving us a ghosty twist and I’m not mad about it!

DeLuca really excels at writing small town romances and side characters you can’t help but root for. I did love all the ensemble cast in this book but there was a moment where the MMC’s behavior almost had me DNFing. This is addressed and redeemed later on but I will say, if I wasn’t already a big fan of her writing and trusted her story, this might be a very different review.

Regardless, it is a pretty quick & fun romcom to get you ready for the Halloween season! I am excited to see what she does with the next installment!

Jen DeLuca has sucked me in again. I loved her last series! When I heard she was writing a new one with Magical Realism elements, I knew I would love it just as much!! I hope that this will be a series too because I am not ready to leave Boneyard Key yet!!!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5
1 spice