Thank you @prhaudio for the free audiobook, and @berkleypub for an eARC.
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This was a fun read to kick off fall. Cassie is new in town. Nick runs the local coffee shop. You know there’s romance afoot.
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She starts having strange issues in her home and soon come to find out the town harbors ghosts. Ghosts who text and leave messages with fridge magnets! Nick’s ghost was fun.
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This book was fun and filled with humor and puns and Jeannie Sheneman did a great job of delivering it all!

DNF around 28%??? I think??

The FMC, Cassie, was at least somewhat interesting, but she was 100% drowned out by Nick’s boring POVs. Other than the fact that ghosts are indeed real, I felt like he did not give anything for the story. Speaking of, the reveal that ghosts were actually real felt incredibly….underwhelming and out of place. It should have been led up to better.

The romance was also so rushed. I felt like we didn’t get to know the main characters at all so I was unable to feel the chemistry between them.

For me, an emotional connection was missing for me with this novel. I don’t know why I wasn’t feeling it, but I wasn’t. And I’m sad because I LOVE a book featuring ghosts, or a plot with a supernatural twist.

I appreciate the publisher approving me for this e-arc but it wasn’t for me.

This was absolutely! I really enjoyed DeLuca's first series and was a bit worried it would be hard to get into a new series so I was delighted to find her new book to be just lovely. I'm looking forward to the other romances that were tee'd up in this one.

Absolutely loved this rom-com! Had a great mystery at the heart of the story and just enough spice to keep it fun. I loved the character and world building really made me want to take another trip to Boneyard Key. You definitely have to go along for the ride and suspend your disbelief.

This book was okay! I wasn't as invested in it or excited about the plot line as I thought I'd be based on the description and the initial reviews I saw for it. I did like the main characters and thought their chemistry was fairly palpable - I did think the spicy scenes were a bit cringey although I'm not sure I can pinpoint why. The ghost stuff was a bit of overkill in my opinion, I don't mind ghost stories but I did find this one to be extra unbelievable because of the casual texts between Nick and his ghost.

Overall, I didn't dislike this book but I didn't love it either. It was definitely a timely read for the start of spooky season.

Haunted ever after was just what you need to feel fall vibes. Starting off in her own new home Cassie moves to Boneyard key Florida. Super cute read with some romance and ghosts. I loved the beachy haunted vibe. I see it’s part of a series and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

The cover was what initially drew me to this book. It turned out to be an enjoyable read. The Florida setting was fun as someone who grew up in Florida and got all the references. This is definitely light on the romance though and was very insta love. The whole ghost / magical realism portion of the story was the main focus of the plot and the romance felt like an after thought. I did like the ghost story but also couldn’t help it feeling a bit silly with how things wrapped up. All in all a quick, bingeable read.

😊 strangers to lovers
👻 magical realism
❤️ insta love
👏🏼 no third act breakup

dual POV
3.5/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

**Many thanks to Berkley and Jen DeLuca for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

When you think of the Florida Keys, you MIGHT picture sun, sand, and snorkeling.

But when it comes to Florida's Boneyard Key, the most terrifying entity you'll encounter won't be a shark, or even one of Florida's notorious gators...but a visitor (or two!) from the spirit world!

Let's just say the area is aptly named...and THESE grim grinning ghosts will keep you on your toes!

Cassie Rutherford has found a new home, right in the middle of this coastal, tourist-friendly town, where much to Jack Skellington's would-be delight, the creepy, the kooky, mysterious and spooky are on display all year round. She can't believe she got such a good price on the historic Hawkins House...until she comes to learn that the former inhabitant of the home, Sarah Hawkins (also known to the locals as Mean Mrs. Hawkins) might STILL be around. She can't get electricity to work in the house...but ONLY when she plugs in her laptop to attempt to work, so Cassie needs to find somewhere with a strong Wi-Fi signal (and of course, an endless supply of caffeine wouldn't hurt!) and she ventures into the center of the tiny town.

When she heads to local coffee shop Hallowed Grounds, however, she finds much more than delectable banana bread (with cinnamon!) and the PERFECT hazelnut latte: she meets barista and owner Nick Royer, whose gruff good looks make her heart skip a beat. She spends more and more time at the coffee shop, falling into a routine...and let's just say Nick is pretty okay with this new arrangement too. Cassie is still hearing plenty of spooky sounds at home, though, and starts to realize that Mrs. Hawkins is trying to communicate with her...but what EXACTLY is she trying to say? After attending the town's local ghost tour, she learns that Mrs. Hawkins is believed to have killed Mr. Hawkins...and for a minute she considers fleeing Boneyard Key for good! But when she learns that Nick is running the cafe with a bit of ghostly aid in the form of its former owner, Elmer, she decides that maybe Mrs. Hawkins can be her ghostly ally rather than a terrifying foe.

With conflicting information from the town's historian and Mrs. Hawkins herself (via word magnets on Cassie's fridge) and so many unanswered questions surrounding the Hawkins House...do Cassie and Nick even have a CHANCE for romance? Or will Nick's normal 'love em and leave em' MO with casual hookups in Boneyard Key doom any chance the pair has for a REAL relationship? And will the ghosts and their unfinished business drive this potential pair apart...and cause Cassie to leave Boneyard Key for the 'safe haven' of Orlando...for good?

I've been curious about Jen DeLuca's particular brand of romance ever since learning of her Well Met series, based around love at the Ren Faire, I am always a bit leery when it comes to a series (especially in romance!) because I've found it can be difficult to keep the intensity, emotion, and creativity going from the first book forward, but since this was an entirely NEW series, I was excited to have the opportunity to check it out and explore the world of Boneyard Key...and I am happy to report there is just enough charm, creativity, and cozy Halloween vibes to make Boneyard Key a go-to spot for a spooky, small-town romance!

First off, as someone who THOROUGHLY enjoys puns...they are well, a-pun-dant! (Okay, so that's not a word...but you know what I mean!) DeLuca's multitude of Halloween-esque references, from the names of store fronts to clever plays on words throughout, are enough to make any Halloween lover grin. Boneyard Key could have come off as INCREDIBLY cheesy, and more like tourist trap than tourist destination, but there is JUST enough in the way of sly nods to be fun here without ever feeling overtly goofy. This gave me such a strong sense of scene from page one, and although I'd say Boneyard Key goes more the way of Sleepy Hollow than Stars Hollow, the small-town energy is ALWAYS present and the intrigue naturally follows.

Cassie and Nick also just make the CUTEST couple and you'll basically want them together from the minute she sets foot in Hallowed Grounds. Although I can't say either of them are the most deep or layered characters I've ever read, Cassie's struggles to find herself when all her friends are in the 'married with children' phase of their lives and Nick's propensity to flit from female to female in casual relationships is honestly all this story can really handle in terms of their own emotional strife. With so much time and focus dedicated to reconciling the problems of the past and Cassie discovering just WHY Mrs. Hawkins earned the "Mean Mrs. Hawkins" moniker, not to mention some fun side characters who help to shed some light on the mystery too, there wouldn't have been too much room for more issues for the pair to work through in terms of relationship.

This also, unfortunately, became a bit of a downside for me as the book wore on. The initial charm of the locale, the excitement of the ghostly communications, and even the flirtations between Cassie and Nick sort of faded in lieu of focus on the Hawkins Mystery and all that surrounded it. Once the pieces finally come together, it becomes incumbent on Cassie and Nick to sort of 'fix the problems' and the denouement was honestly just a bit drawn out. I found myself skimming more towards the ending chapters, and although I wouldn't say the bloom was ENTIRELY off the rose, I honestly got a little bit tired of these two working as ghostly counselors of sorts and just wanted them to focus on their OWN real, flesh and blood relationship. The overall 'message' was also a bit heavy-handed (and somewhat predictable) but nevertheless, I didn't feel 'haunted' by any lingering disappointments, so that was a plus!

And since this is only book one in the series, it seems like the ghosts MIGHT not quite be done talking yet....but we will have to see what exactly might go 'bump' in the night when the next book comes 'round...

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5

I adore Jen DeLuca books. If you haven't read her Well Met series please go do that now and report back to me. Thank you. This is book 1 of her new series and it didn't disappoint. I loved it. It felt like a big spooky hug.

Thanks to Berkeley and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ohhh my!! How I loved everything about this story! We meet Cassie who's moved into a new haunted tourist town and doesn't plan on staying for long...or does she? She falls for the barista at the local coffee shop, Nick, and it's a slow burn well worth it romance! With a touch of spooky and mystery sprinkled in. The side characters were also amazingly written. It felt like a whole small town I would love to be apart of if I could. This series is definitely worth the read this fall/spooky/cozy season!! I went out and bought this when it was published, it was that good to me! Pick this one up, you won't be disappointed. I am so excited to revisit this world in the next book!! All the stars!!

A rom-com that perfectly bridges the gap between summer and autumn reading, with plenty of ghostly puns?🏝️👻

HAUNTED EVER AFTER by @jendelucawrites
Genre(s): Adult, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 13, 2024 - available now!

Thank you to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the digital arc of this book!

Set in a haunted small town in Florida, HAUNTED EVER AFTER is the perfect mix of cozy and quirky. Cassie Rutherford (our FMC) is new to Boneyard Key, a town that is known for its ghostly tourism. Cassie quickly realizes that there is more than just spooky stories and
ghostly-themed businesses to draw in tourists, as she begins to experience a few paranormal encounters herself! Meanwhile, Cassie begins meeting some locals, such as Nick Royer, the owner of Hallowed Grounds coffee shop. As Nick and Cassie grow closer and paranormal encounters increase, Cassie begins to wonder if she’s cut out for living in a haunted town.

I recommend this book if you are looking for a cute rom-com to help kick off spooky season! 🎃
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Haunted Ever After is the perfect cozy romance for spooky season, blending paranormal elements, mystery, and romance. The author’s writing drew me in, and I absolutely adored the two main characters. The chemistry between Cassie and Nick was electric, and I found myself rooting for them from the start. I loved the paranormal elements throughout the story.

I can't wait to dive into another book by this author. Highly recommend!

This was a cute mix of rom-com and cozy mystery and I definitely enjoyed it. The romance is slow which worked for me but not for everyone. I will say the mystery wasn’t very mysterious but it worked for the story and for the romance. Cassie decided to buy a home, but she had to go far from Orlando and lands in a small tourist coastal town of Boneyard Key. She meets Nick, who owns the local coffee shop and while they have poor first impressions of each other but that irritation quickly turns to attraction. But as Cassie soon realizes Boneyard Key has some secrets. Ghosts are more present than normal and while Cassie doesn’t want to believe it, but she’s then forced to. Something strange is happening at Cassie’s house but is it the kind of problem she can solve? This was a quick and fun read which I enjoyed a lot. I enjoy Jen Deluca and I am pleased this is listed as the first book in Boneyard Key series but this is a world I would enjoy to visit.

This is the perfect read to get you excited for spooky season! Cassie moves to a new town for a fresh start after her existential crisis of all of her friends getting married and having babies. Her job is remote, so she could pick up and move as she pleased. Cassie got one heck of a deal on a house in Boneyard Key. Little did she know that it was haunted! With the help of the cute coffee shop owner and her new friends in town, she is able to communicate with the ghosts in her house and fall in love!

First of all- bravo for setting a ghost story someplace so traditionally not scary! Florida is a far cry from England, or Salem, or anything else creepy and dark. This book is everything I expect from Jen DeLuca- great chemestry, interesting characters, a twist on the standard romance plot... I loved this town and it's inhabitence so much. The story wraps up nicely, but there's certainly room from DeLuca to move forward with another of the town's inhabitance... and I, for one, really hope she does!

This was the perfect quirky, spooky contemporary romance read! It's set in a coastal town with grumpy sunshine, ghosts, magical realism, and older characters (FMC is in her 30s) who are trying to figure out where home is. The plot is pretty simple: Cassie buys a house and can't figure out why it's cold or her laptop won't charge - turns out it's haunted and so is the rest of the town! She spends time at Hallowed Grounds, the coffee shop owned by Nick, and the two are forced into proximity as Nick tries to help her acclimate to a place where ghosts are real. I was able to follow along with the plot easily and while the mystery element was fun, I saw the twist coming a mile away. I thought it was a cool twist that the villain was simply a misogynist old man, because, really, what is scarier than a man who doesn't understand women can do more than bear children and manage the home? I love how DeLuca handled some challenging topics like losing friends in your 30s, fertility complications (endometriosis), and domestic violence. Overall I thought the characters were relatable, even with the supernatural elements it all felt believable and was the perfect little escape that I wanted.

Vibes:
Small town
Grumpy sunshine
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Infertility
Ghosts

Thank you Berkley for the ARC, all thoughts are my own.

I haven't read a book like this that pulls together romance, haunting in a cute way, and summer beach vibes in such a delightful package

Haunted Ever After is for you if you like books featuring...
* friendly ghosts
* seaside vacation vibes
* hot MMC baristas in small town coffee shops

Perfect for fans of...
* Ashley Poston
* A Love Song for Ricki WIlde by Tia Williams
* Jen DeLuca's Well Met series - what a treasure this series is and if you love this book, you'll love her other work as well!

I really enjoyed Jen Deluca's other series "Well Met," but this style of romance just didn't work for me. This is definitely more of a me problem and not a book problem, but I didn't love how quirky this one was. A fun read, but not my preference! Would still recommend this one for a fun fall romance!

Cassie moves to a haunted town in Florida and buys an old cottage with a mysterious past. As she gets closer to Nick, the local coffee shop owner, they work together to uncover the cottage’s secrets, while navigating their growing feelings for each other.

I loved Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series, so I was excited to dive into her new Boneyard Key series. The ghostly elements and the rich history of the small town were highlights for me, and the supporting characters added a lot of fun to the story. However, I found the romance between Cassie and Nick a bit dull, and their relationship felt too neatly resolved by the end. I'm still looking forward to seeing other characters take the lead in future books. As for the audiobook, Jeannie Sheneman did a great job, but I think dual narrators would have enhanced the experience since the story alternates between Cassie’s and Nick’s perspectives. Overall, I’d rate this a 3.5-star read, but I rounded up to 4 stars on Goodreads.

Haunted Ever After is the first book in Jen DeLuca’s new Boneyard Key paranormal romance series. It follows Cassie Rutherford, who is tired of feeling left behind by all of her friends who are getting married and having babies, so she goes looking for a fresh start and buys a historic cottage in Boneyard Key, the most haunted town in Florida.

Cassie works remotely but for some reason, cannot get her laptop to charge at the cottage so she heads to Hallowed Grounds, the local coffee shop, for some caffeine and an electrical outlet. When she meets the owner of Hallowed Grounds, Nick Royer, sparks fly immediately. When Cassie struggles to get the electrical problems resolved and starts spending more time at the coffee shop, Nick fills Cassie in on all of the ghostly lore that surrounds their town and the two of them start to bond.

While I thoroughly enjoyed watching Cassie and Nick bond over all things ghostly and was actively cheering on their blossoming romance, it was the paranormal aspect of the story that really made this story such a winner for me. I was absolutely fascinated by all of the unusual things that keep happening at Cassie’s cottage and that those happenings ultimately lead to a riveting cozy mystery subplot. I also loved Boneyard Key and how it fully leans into its paranormal vibes.

If you’re looking for the perfect book to kick off your spooky season reading this year, be sure to check out Haunted Ever After!