Member Reviews
Cassie recently bought a haunted (unbeknownst to her) house in Boneyard Key, FL. It's lovely and she thinks she will be happy there, until she finds out that her house is haunted by Mean Mrs. Hawkins. Everyone in town is talking about the fact that she owns the Hawkins House, including Nick Royer, the owner of the best coffee shop in town, Hallowed Grounds. They do not hit it off at first meeting, but it's pretty clear to both of them that there's potential for the two of them. The only trouble is that Mean Mrs. Hawkins does NOT want Nick inside her house...and Nick has a ghost roommate who doesn't want to give them any privacy.
This romance is such a charming story-I immediately loved Nick and Cassie. The peripheral characters are so interesting, whether we're talking about Sophie, who leads ghost tours, Vince, the retired punk rocker who owns a bar, or the ghosts that "live" in town. It looks like this is the start of a new series, and I cannot wait for what happens next.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the advanced reader's copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
This book is unlike anything I've read before, and I was pleasantly surprised! I've read one other book by Jen DeLuca and it was Well Met, and that wasn't my style of book. I'm glad that I gave this author another chance, because I did really like this one!
I loved this book. I can't wait to read more of this new series. I love the town of Boneyard Keys. Cassie and Nick were great, but so we're all the background characters. DeLuca is amazing at building these communities within her books.
A delightful blend of romance with a hint of supernatural charm, perfect for anyone looking to get into the spooky season spirit without veering into horror. DeLuca, known for her whimsical romances set against the backdrop of Renaissance Faires, brings her signature warmth and humor to this Halloween-themed tale.
The story centers on Cassie, a woman who's looking for a fresh start after a tough breakup. She finds herself moving into an old, possibly haunted inn. Strange occurrences begin to unfold, but rather than diving into full-on scares, DeLuca keeps the tone light and playful, never straying far from the romance genre. The spooky elements add a fun, atmospheric layer to the story, but they never overshadow the central romance.
Cassie’s budding relationship with Nick, a charming local coffee shop owner, is filled with the kind of chemistry and witty banter that fans of DeLuca will recognize and love. Their romance is sweet and engaging, and while the plot takes some predictable turns, it's the kind of predictability that feels comforting and satisfying.
One of the highlights of the novel is the development of the relationship between Cassie and Sarah. Initially, their friendship is put to the test due to the fact that Sarah is a ghost and “haunting” the house that Cassie now owns. However, by the end of the book, they’ve grown closer, and their bond becomes one of the story's most heartwarming aspects.
In summary, *Haunted Ever After* is a cozy, feel-good read that perfectly captures the essence of the Halloween season without ever becoming truly scary. It’s a charming tale of love, friendship, and a little bit of ghostly mischief. Fans of light-hearted romance with a dash of spooky fun will find this book to be a delightful addition to their fall reading list.
I loved this! I missed Jen DeLuca's previous series, but I definitely want to try to get back to it since I enjoyed this one so much.
The cover kind of makes it look like it would be a Halloween read but the story actually takes place in Florida during the summer. The ghosts that haunt the town are (mostly) friendly and playful, and there are plenty of comedic moments associated with them. The romance between Cassie and Nick is really nice and never overshadows the mystery of the ghost that inhabits Cassie‘s house. I‘ll definitely be looking for the next book in this series. Lots of fun.
Cassie decided to try life in a small, coastal Florida town. When strange things start happening around her house, she’s not sure if this is the town for her or not.
Nick is a lifelong resident who runs a local coffee shop. He is used to everyone he cares about leaving him so he is not one to commit, but then he starts having feelings for Cassie.
Cozy small town, slow burn romance, and ghosts. This was a great read to put me in the mood for fall. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Haunted Ever After was super cute and only a tiny bit spooky. The love story between Nick and Cassie was gentle and fast flowing. I absolutely adored the ghosts in town and how sweet they all were! Overall, despite not much actually happening, it was a cute story.
Cassie leaves the bigger city of Orlando to a small town closer to the coast after she has just purchased her new home. She left all she knew behind and is met with a tourist attraction town known to be haunted. Cassie wasn’t expecting much, but found herself to be smack in the middle of the town’s shenanigans.
The cozy mystery was a cute read. Enjoyed the paranormal and romcom vibes. It really worked well in this story. DeLuca writes unique and memorable books and this was no different. If anything to build on this book, I would’ve enjoyed more depth to the characters as this read felt more of a quick surface level read.
Rating: 4/5
Steam: 2.5/5
Warnings: misogyny, difficult family dynamics
Thank you to Berkley Romance for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
First off…this was quite a transition for Jen DeLuca, and I was a fan! Haunted Ever After was whimsical and entertaining, set in a small Florida town. DeLuca did a great job capturing the essence of Florida while setting the stage for a new series.
Things I loved: Hazelnut lattes and banana bread. PubSubs and all things Publix. Quirky ghosts and townspeople. Fridge magnets and texting. The house mystery surprised me in the end, but also felt fitting. Nick and Cassie had great tension from the beginning, and they communicated like mature adults. In many ways, Nick and Cassie felt like a Luke and Lorelai dynamic. I also loved the relatable friend group dynamics and how they evolved.
Things I didn’t love: The speed at which the relationship progressed—from no strings attached to love—felt rushed, even for a romance book. I would have liked to see more development of Cassie’s family or some resolution for Nick’s family dynamics.
I've been in the worst slump lately and apparently Haunted Ever After was exactly what needed to get back to reading! I read this book in one day, I loved it from page one through the very end. It's a super cute concept, adorable small town concept full of quirky characters that I just couldn't resist. I love Jen DeLuca and I am so thankful I got a chance to read this!
This was cute! I really enjoyed my time in Boneyard Key. I liked how the ghosts were mostly harmless and only wanted company, I though that was a really sweet touch. Cassie and Nick's relationship wasn't the most convincing thing in the world and they are definitely not my favorite book couple but I enjoyed this story nonetheless. It was charming, entertaining, and funny which is exactly what I was looking for.
I rate this book 3/5
Cassie has been wanting to purchase a home but the cost is just too high close to the city. That's when she expands her search and ends up purchasing in Boneyard Key, FL. The is dubbed the Most Haunted Small Town In Florida. As Cassie starts to settle in she thinks the town is coined that just for the tourist attraction and she surely doesn't believe that she purchased the scariest house in town, The Hawkins House.
Something weird is happening with Cassie's electricity and she can't get her computer to charge at home. Her job is now remote so this is making her very frustrated. She decides to head down to Hallowed Grounds coffee shop to score some electricity and maybe a coffee. She meets the owner, Nick, and he seems to be very preoccupied with texting rather than taking care of the tourist. He doesn't realize Cassie is now a local.
The part Cassie doesn't know is Nick is texting with Elmer, the former owner of Hallowed Grounds. There's just one catch, Elmer has been dead for several years now. The ghostly friends don't stop there. There's quite a few ghostly friends and that's when Cassie realizes Sarah Hawkins is communicating with her inside her home. That's when the real fun starts.
I loved the mystery element this book had and how fun the characters make a very wild situation. Cassie and Nick's banter is on point and I loved seeing how their friendship bloomed. Elmer about had me in tears at one point and Sarah Hawkins has quite the surprise for Cassie too!
Thank you @jendelucawrites , @berkleyromance , and @netgalley for my copy to read in exchange for my review. I truly enjoyed this book so much!
This was a charming smalltown meets paranormal romance. There's a lot of heart in Boneyard Key and I love the cast of characters we're introduced to. Nick and Cassie are a good pair and I liked their banter. The setting more than the characters sold me, but they give a strong support. I'll definitely read more in this series.
This book was the perfect transition from summer to fall.
The perfect summerween read.
I enjoyed how sweet and wholesome it was. It gave me all the vibes I was looking for.
Alright, so I loved Jen DeLuca's Ren Faire series, and went into this title with the same amount of excitement. And while I did find it enjoyable, and read it quickly over the span of 24 hours, I have to admit that I was mostly drawn in by our female protagonist and her ghost. The leading man was a bit cardboard-like for my taste. And while the ghostly aspects of this book were fun, I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone who loves a good whodunnit. It was pretty easy to see where the story was going to go, and while I enjoyed my time in Boneyard Key, I think I'd appreciate a more dynamic male protagonist.
I truly believe there isn’t a book by Jen I won’t love now. From her last series to this ugh I just want to give all of the books a big hug.
Not only was this a unique idea but it was SO fun. I love how involved the ghosts were literally in every part of the town. And I loved how each local had their own little thing going on with each ghost. Now Nick and Cassie, were so stinken cute and the “problems” they had were so different too it made the story better. I had such a good time with this and even though it takes place in the summer it’s perfect for spooky season.
Thank you NetGalley!
This was such a fun read! I love paranormal romance, and this one delivered! I really liked Nick and Cassies relationship, it was nice to see it develop organically and see them open up to each other as the story progressed. I also really liked the whole ghost aspect in the story, it was nice that the reader knew right away that ghosts were real. I loved Elmer most of all, I actually teared up at the end (IYKYK). The ghost mystery subplot was interesting as well. All in all, this was a fun paranormal romcom and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
This was the perfect end-of-summer read to get in the mood for spooky season! It follows Cassie, who moves to a legitimately haunted town in Florida, including the home she just purchased. Her house is haunted by ‘Mean Mrs. Hawkins,’ and with her laptop constantly dying due to paranormal tampering, she finds herself frequenting the nearby coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds. This spot offers great coffee, an outlet, and is run by a hot, seemingly grumpy guy named Nick. The story evolves into a fun ‘will they, won’t they’ as Nick’s grumpiness and the ghosts create obstacles.
This book was really sweet, a little spicy towards the end, and full of spooky fun. While it did drag a tiny bit, with the romance circling due to their hesitance to start a relationship, I had a blast reading it. There were also a few fun twists!
👻 Read this if 👻
- you’ve ever gone ghost hunting/have a desire to (I just did recently in Salem and it was quite an experience!)
- you need to be caffeinated to function properly
- you believe in spirits/you’re into the paranormal
- you’re a feminist and get a thrill out of being a strong & independent woman and sticking it to those who expect us all to be barefoot & pregnant 🖕🏻
This book made me swoon and reminded me how challenging life was for women not too long ago. It wasn’t until the 70s that we even had the right to open our own credit cards, so I love a book that makes me kick my feet and stokes my female empowerment fire.
Thank you NetGalley & Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This is a charming, delightful romance. Nick is the coffee shop owner who is used to having a ghostly presence while Cassie has moved into her new place and finds the hauntings a bit unsettling. It’s really fun to see the connection between Nick and Cassie and how it also relates to the spirits involved in the story. This is a perfect book and I would put it on every list for spooky reads in time for the beginning of Halloween reading season
4.5 stars! This book completely exceeded my expectations—the pacing, characters, and ghostly mystery element were so well done. It had such a Florida!!! by Taylor Swift aesthetic.
I absolutely loved the town of Boneyard Key. I could visualize the setting perfectly, and I loved how the town was essentially its own separate character. It was surprisingly sweet and emotional too! The ghosts were standout characters, and I loved the mystery/digging-into-the-town's past vibes. Found family with ghosts. Unexpected but love it. I do feel like I could've been a bit more emotionally connected to the two main characters and their relationship, and I didn't love some of Cassie's avoidant behavior. But overall, so good, and I can't wait for more of Boneyard Key!