Weirdly misogynistic?

I adored Jen DeLuca's debut, Well Met, and have been chasing that small-town, grump x sunshine, enemies to friends to lovers vibe ever since. Unfortunately, everything else she's written in that series has fallen flat. Okay, no big deal, I moved on.

Haunted Ever After was a completely new (and intriguing) concept. A small town that's populated with ghosts and people! Fun for the fall (~spooky season~) and I didn't mind reading it in the summer either. Until, about 1/3 of the way through, the male main character goes on a misogynistic rant because the female mc is thinking about selling her house after she finds out it's haunted. Sue her!!!! I read on for a little bit but honestly was shocked/disturbed by what the male mc was saying, enough to stop reading.

For everyone's sake, I hope he has a serious redemption arc and learns why everything he said was wildly inappropriate. That being said, I don't believe in reading books you don't like, and sadly this was one of those for me.

Sorry Jen Deluca, I think this is our final goodbye.

As usual, Jen DeLuca did not let me down with Haunted Ever After. This is an absolutely delightful read, that gives some Summerween vibes for those who are over the heat and ready for fall. Cassie unknowingly buys a haunted house in a haunted town. Lucky for her, the cute coffee shop (also haunted) owner knows who to go to for this bizarre (but not so bizarre for Boneyard Key) situation. I adored the cast of odd and funny characters, Elmer and Nan being the best of them. Cassie and Nick have sort of a slow burn going despite being instantly smitten. Nick's thoughtfulness is so charming. I love that Cassie can take care of herself, but I also love that she found someone who will help take care of her. The meddling entities were the best and had me cackling, Jen DeLuca somehow gave me feelings for fictional ghosts. I definitely recommend, even if you're not longing for fall, it's entertaining and sweet and the perfect place to get lost for a bit.

I love it when you are entertained by a story. This author got it right with this one. Set in a small town known for its haunted houses and areas, moving here might get you your own spooky roommate or two.

DeLuca sets the mark with a series and story based on this haunted town. Focused on two main characters who are perfect for each other, the story blooms right along with their slow-burn relationship.

While Haunted Ever After does have some ups and downs as with everything else in life, there are so many positive vibes that are developed throughout the story. Both characters are working through difficulties, but their immediate connection is great.

Fresh, fun, flirty, and a feel-good story that leaves you with a smile! I loved the setting, the unique plot, and the entertainment the author brings along with her writing.

I think I will always love everything Jen DeLuca writes and this was no exception! I went on a proper journey with these characters and fell in love with them all. Never thought a ghost character would make me cry but it happened! So, so good and I can't wait until it comes out and everyone else gets to experience this as well. Will be recommending to everyone (and already am, I'll be honest)!

As someone who doesn’t love stories with ghosts (didn’t know this had one when I picked it up), I still found it to be a nice blend between contemporary and paranormal. The audiobook was narrated beautifully and kept me engaged and laughing one too many times.

Read if you like:
-Spooky rom coms
-Ghosts
-Slow burns
-Small town FL setting
-Publix sandwiches

Thank you Berkley and PRH Audio for the gifted copy!

Small town romance with a little paranormal twist. I would like to move to Boneyard Key!

Unfortunately, this book wasn't as exciting as I was hoping. The resolution was a little too easy, so I knocked off a star. I still look forward to continuing the series as it comes out.

I loved the Renaissance series by Jen DeLuca so I couldn’t wait to read this one, especially since there is a haunted cottage with a misunderstood ghost. I enjoyed the haunting and the research into all of the ghosts of the town; it added to the charm of Boneyard Key and made me feel part of it. I also enjoyed getting to know Cassie and Nick, though I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them (not a fan of insta-love) but am looking forward to reading the rest of the character’s stories.

I really enjoyed this fun paranormal rom com. The characters were all fun and interesting. I loved the women’s rights aspect of the story. I loved the unique ways the ghosts were able to communicate with Nick and Cassie. I enjoyed seeing some of the townspeople work together to figure out the mystery of the Hawkins House. Thank you Net Galley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to Berkley for an e-ARC of this book!

What a lovely book! This is like a steamy Karen White book, but it takes place in Florida and is more modern. If you've liked Ashley Poston, this book is in a similar vein!

Haunted Ever After is the perfect combination of spooky mystery and romance, and Jen did an amazing job bringing this haunted town to life. I absolutely want to go live there now. It is the cutest, quaintest little town with so much ghostly history.

Cassie is a fun FMC, because I feel like her responses to everything that happened are exactly what mine would have been, and her relationship with Nick was adorable.

This is absolutely a book that is cozy and welcoming. It's perfect for a summer read with a hint of spooky vibes. It hit all the marks so well. I found this book fun, adorable and left me with good vibes.

100% recommend this book to people who like a dollop of romance with their ghostly mysteries.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group & Net Galley for giving me this ARC in exchange for a review .

Although in third person which I struggle with , I really enjoyed the storyline to this book . It was a fun , haunted town & house read . The spice was light . Nick and Cassie’s relationship was slow evolving but it made me want to read more .

Cassie moves to Boneyard Key for a change of scenery , not knowing she was moving into a haunted house . One day she steps into “Hallow Grounds” coffee shop as her laptop wouldn’t charge at home . Nick Royer , owner of said coffee shop became very fond of Cassie ! What happens when he takes her on a date , doing the ghost tour ? Will she want to leave when she finds out the stories of the ghosts of Boneyard Village , the house she bought and the history of the town ? Will the ghost remain in her home ?

If you like paranormal romance with ghosts & a slow burn romance ? Give this a go .

To escape her "last girl" standing lifestyle in Orlando, Cassie has purchased the perfect little home in a quintessential Floridian small town. Who cares that the city has a spooky name, her neighbors all believe in ghosts and everyone thinks that her house is haunted (including her). What matters is that the coffee shop owner down the block is cute, flirty, and just as into her as she is into him until he ghosts her in a whole new way.

With Haunted Ever After Jen Deluca sets the stage for what is going to undoubtedly be a ghoulishly and spooktacular new romance series set in Boneyard Keys, FL. This is the perfect romance for all those Halloween lovers out there who are looking for a haunted summer romance to enjoy at the beach.

What to expect: instalust, hauntings, friends to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn.

What I would change: I don't usually like writing these sections but would feel remiss to not mention that Cassies endometriosis/ cystic fibrosis diagnosis seems a bit lacking in its execution. It feels like it was added more as a plot point that influences predominantly her psyche and that the physical and often debilitating realities of these conditions go unmentioned. I wish Jen Deluca had fleshed out this part of the story more.

Rep: endometriosis, cystic fibrosis, infertility
CW/TW: corporeal possession, domestic abuse (discussed), misogynistic ghosts

3.5/5 Stars rounded to 4 Stars
2/5 Steam

Thank you to Jen DeLuca, Berkley Romance and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. The Opinions above are all my own.

Jen DeLuca leaves the Ren Faire and takes on the Florida coast with a paranormal twist… and I loved it. It leans more on the cozy rom-com side, cute with a bit of spice, and an easy to guess haunted mystery… but it was so enjoyable to read that I didn’t care about it being obvious. I just want to spend all the days exploring Boneyard Key and its residents, both alive and ghostie.

Cassie and Nick have a contentious meet-cute that quickly becomes absolutely adorable. They’re flirting and fussing is so sweet. My only gripe is that they would occasionally move backward, thinking the other isn’t interested even after dates and kissing. It didn’t entirely make sense.

I hope we get more time in Boneyard Key and it gets an even bigger expansion, with more locales, lore, and paranormal entities to explore. Can’t wait to see what obstacles the next lovebirds will face in such a great space.

It was a super cute romcom book!! I loved Elmer so much!! Over all my favorite character, I also appreciated the fact that the author included a couple of harder topics into the book while still keeping the book fluffy and light! Cassie and Nicks dynamic throughout the book obviously got better! They really grew as characters and truthfully I loved the way Nick had no idea he loved Cassie till he like honestly blurted it out . Would definitely read more work by this author! It was a well written and entertaining book.

Seems like it doesn’t have to be the spooky season for ghosts to haunt buildings in the Florida Gulf Coast town of Boneyard Key.
Nick receives texts from Elmer and Cassie’s new home has a reputation all,it’s own plus Sarah, her ghost.
The ghosts made the story interesting and a little unnerving until I became accustomed to them, but it took me awhile to uncover the real danger in Cassie’s house.
I,loved the research in the history of the town and Theo’s cache of documents and pictures.
The ending was not spooky at all but Elmer was my favorite character.
However, if my house ever has ghosts it’s going on the market that same day!

There aren’t enough stars on this site for this book. I’d give it 100 stars if I could!

I loved everything about this book. Everything. The characters, the town, the mystery, the scenery, the ability to accurately and sensitively portray infertility in a very real way. This book felt like a big warm hug and I must demand that it is on everyone’s tbr and preorder list! I cannot wait for the next book, or should I just reread it already?!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
🫶🏻 Coastal Town Romance
🏚️ Haunted house
☕️ Grumpy Cafe Owner
✨ Cozy Mysterious Vibes

I am now dying to read the rest of Jen Deluca's backlist.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. It was a bit spooky, a bit mysterious, a tad spicy, packed with chemistry and overall tons of fun.

I am a self declared lover of all things spooky so the ghosts and fun punny names throughout the story really brought a smile to my face. I especially loved the ice cream shop being named I Scream Ice Cream 😂

It can be tricky to balance paranormal, mystery and romance all in one book but I think this one was perfectly balanced and led to me absolutely devouring it. The paranormal elements never confused me, I wasn’t able to instantly solve the mystery and the romance lead to so much tension and chemistry with Nick and Cassie. I’m just sayin’, Nick can more me any kind of coffee he wants, whenever he wants 😉.

Boneyard Key might be my new favorite small town from a romance and I really hope this isn’t the last we see of this town and all the fun characters - both living and dead!

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca was a fun, contemporary romance/comedy that is the first in a haunting new series.

This takes place in Boneyard Key, a coastal town and is the start of a new series. Cassie and Nick were the MCs that have their own pasts and quirks that find an attraction to one another in a slow burn romance. Balanced along with this, is this ghost tour, spirits, and Halloween vibe that I enjoyed.

I liked several books in Ms. DeLuca’s Well Met series, so I will give this one a try as well.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Berkley Publishing Group for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/6/24.

Jen DeLuca is back with a cozy paranormal romance set in a quaint tourist town called Boneyard Key.

Cassie, who has just moved from Orlando, finds that not only are all the businesses named with spooky puns, but that she has moved into the most haunted house in town. When electrical outlet issues send her into Hallowed Grounds, the local coffeeshop, to work and charge up, she meets the owner, Nick, who captivates her with his charm and free slices of banana bread. Before long, they're taking the town's ghost tour together and investigating the haunted history behind her cottage. With love and beyond-the-veil interference on the docket, it's up to Cassie to decide if she'll stay long enough to settle into her new home or be spooked by a (spectral) Hawkins into leaving.

This was such a lighthearted, cozy read. I would've preferred there to have been been more romantic tension, for Cassie and Nick seemed to fall into the instalove category, with their only conflict being she was fearful of ghosts and he was terrified she wouldn't stay in Boneyard Key. The plot ran stale at times because of that. The setting was adorable, though. The perfect blend of beachy and haunted. (In fact, I feel like I need to leave a beer out in the sand for the Beach Bum now.) I also liked Elmer and Sarah, who made for the quirkiest and ghostliest of roommates.

All in all, I'd say this is perfect choice for readers who are looking for something saccharine, spirited, and ghostly to usher in the fall season. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I liked the town and everything about the ghosts. But I didn't care about the romance. Maybe I would have liked it if it didn't progress so quickly.

I wanted to like this one, since the premise was definitely for me. However, I think maybe I'm just not a fan of Jen DeLuca's writing style, as I've tried another of her books before and DNFed that as well.