DNF at 22%

I realized at this point that I did not give a crap about either of these characters and what was going to happen in the story. I usually love a haunted castle but...this book started off rubbing me the wrong way with the FMC assaulting the MMC by throwing a book at him and it just really didn't get that much better. I had known about the assault from other reviews which is why I wanted to continue to see if it got better, but alas.

2.5
I tried, I really did. But I found it impossible to care about any of these characters, including the ghost(s).

🏰Book Review🏰
*
Summary- It's been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️💫
*
My thoughts- thank you @macmillanaudio for the advanced copy. This was a paranormal romance, heavy on the romance and steam light on the spooky. I wanted to love this one but they were enemies to lovers within the first 100 pages. I wanted to love this one but a lot of it really didn’t work for me. The two main characters didn’t really have chemistry, they just banged a lot. The other friends in the story just made childish immature comments about it and the ghost aspect wasn’t touched until the last 50 pages. This one has so much potential to be the perfect book for spooky season but it was not 🥲.
*
QOTD- what is your current read ? Mine is those empty eyes!
*

I’ve been getting really into paranormal romances this year, especially anything involving a haunted house (or castle!). So I was excited to read If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens. In this debut novel, two rival Indigenous authors end up at a writing retreat at a Scottish castle that is allegedly haunted. While Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm work on overcoming their differences, they also end up chasing ghosts and trying to figure out why this woman is still haunting the place.

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Snowed in
- Rival horror authors
- Excerpts of the authors' novels
- Dual first-person POVs (Pen and Neil)

What I Liked:
- Haunted Scottish castle! I love anything haunted and anything Scottish, so this combination is a definite win for me. As Penelope, Neil, and two other writers work on their respective books, they’re also facing real-life terrors of forbidden rooms, chills in the air, and ghostly figures appearing before them. Perfect inspiration for horror authors!
- Discussions of Indigenous representation in media and being whitewashed to become more “palatable.” Both Pen and Neil are Indigenous writers of horror, but their published work presents Indigenous people quite differently. Pen is angry at Neil’s whitewashed and even racist depictions of Native Americans… and at the huge success he’s had compared to her. I love the insights into why Neil has written such a book, how he and Pen should lift each other up and be allies, and how both can overcome racism within the publishing industry.
- They’re rivals more than enemies. Sure, Pen may think of Neil as an enemy at first, but if anything, they’re rival authors. And even that shouldn’t be the case. I loved watching these two come to realize how much they have in common and how they could have a (much!) better relationship. These two know how to get steamy despite the spooky setting.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Pen literally threw a book at Neil’s head in the prologue. I love an enemies-to-lovers romance, but that seemed a little too far… if that bit of aggression was removed, this would have been perfect.

Audiobook
Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia do a wonderful job of narrating If I Stopped Haunting You, portraying Neil and Penelope, respectively. Both bring the characters to life, giving their dialogue personality and emphasis in the right places. They each have a good cadence that is easy to listen to and makes the story capture the listener’s full attention.

Final Thoughts
If I Stopped Haunting You is a quick-paced paranormal romance that is pretty evenly split between a love story and a ghost story. I loved both elements equally, and especially enjoyed getting a look at authors working through writer’s block and the discussions around Indigenous representation. This is a standout debut and I already look forward to reading Colby Wilkens’s second book, If I Dig You, due out in March 2025.

I loved this book so much! Everything about it was so good! Enemies to lovers! Forced proximity! Haunted castle in Scotland! Steamy!

This book was also written by a Native author and both the FMC and MMC in this book are Native. I absolutely loved this representation!

I loved that it was spooky, but not too spooky. I’m a wimp so I’m not going to lie I still got a little scared when I was reading at night, but I felt like it was the perfect amount of spooky and if you are looking for a romance to read during the month of October this should absolutely be on your TBR!

I would have loved if the book would have gotten a bit deeper into the relationship between Pen and Neil, but honestly I still loved it the way it was and it makes sense that it didn’t because the timeline of the main part of the story was very short.

I did a hybrid read, (audio and ebook)and the narrators of the audiobook were both really great.

Thank you to St. Martin’s for the eARC and
Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

Jeez, talk about enemies to lovers. I had a hard time connecting with the FMC throughout the story after the book-throwing fiasco. I understood Penelope’s feelings toward Neil’s decisions, but she just came across as bitter and jealous. I loved the setting of the story but constantly felt bad for Neil and the way Penelope treated him. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I wish I could connect with Penelope more.

It wasn't awful but I just feel there are many writing rival books that do it better and the relationship progression just felt off for me

Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm are both renowned Native horror writers -- and they cannot stand each other. To be fair, Neil had nothing against Penelope until she angrily accused him of pandering to white readers and lobbing a book at his head. While they were both guests at a panel at a book convention. That was four months ago, and both of them have retreated to lick their wounds (literally and figuratively). But neither of them has been able to write a word since.

Penelope agrees to attend a writer's retreat in a secluded castle in Scotland as a way to help her get her creative juices flowing again. She is shocked to discover Neil is there as well, and they are both stunned to learn that their retreat is haunted. After a terrifying encounter with a specter, Penelope begins to let down her guard with Neil -- and he does the same in regards to what he really wants to write about. Soon the two find that they may be able to make amends, but they may not survive the ghost's hauntings.

When I saw the cover of this book, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of contemporary romance with paranormal overtones. I do love a good ghost story. I appreciated that the author was able to bring representation of Native and biracial communities and the particular struggles they may have with the publishing industry. Penelope wrestles with impostor syndrome, which is partially fueled by her biracial identity and not feeling "enough" of either race. The ghost story also didn't just stick to cheap jump scares. There were some gory and gross descriptions of rot and decay. The ghost story was interesting, but ultimately fairly predictable.

The characters of the book were the biggest weakness. Neither Pen nor Neil were likable main characters, and the side characters didn't add in any appeal either. Pen is very immature and surly, and Neil just doesn't have anything really going for him. The other attendees of the retreat are fairly obnoxious. I just felt like the characters I was reading about did not resemble any adult humans that I know.

Both narrators of the audiobook did an excellent job voicing the characters, and I especially appreciated the use of Scottish accents when needed.

I don't read a lot of romance novels, but this was a passable plot appropriate for spooky season. Readers who appreciate the genre more will likely rate this book with higher stars than I have awarded it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ALC of If I Stopped Haunting You, in exchange for an honest review.

"In 'If I Ever Stopped Haunting You', Colby Wilkens brings together two Indigenous writers at a haunted Scottish castle for a writers' retreat. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Pen our FMC and Neil our MMC adds tension to the story, although the romantic moments felt somewhat forced. The spooky atmosphere and gradual buildup of haunting in the castle were genuinely eerie and captivating. While the execution fell slightly short of expectations, the book offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by Indigenous authors in the writing world.
Additionally, the secondary characters, Laszlo and Daniela, added depth to the narrative. Overall, 'If I Ever Stopped Haunting You' is a promising read that combines elements of romance, horror, and social commentary."
This was a 3.75 Stars read for me!

If I Stopped Haunting You
by Colby Wilkens
Narrated by Curtis Michael Holland; Kyla Garcia

Thank you so much partner @dreamscape_media @stmartinspress for the gifted ALC!

About the book👇🏽

It's been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story.

✨ My thoughts:

This was a super fast listen that’s a great choice for spooky season! It’s a fun enemies to lovers with a ghostly twist, just in time for my favorite season. I thought the audiobook narrators did a fantastic job telling this story and they truly held my attention. I started listening to this really early one morning and listened to its entirety in one sitting. So I’m happy with it and i’ll read more from Colby Wilkens in the future! Read this one if you like ghost stories, enemies to lovers, and some steam. If I Stopped Haunting You is out TODAY, 10/15/24!

Happy reading 📖 ✨👻

I had such a great time with this book. Some enemies to lovers books don't quite pull off the transition in an interesting way but I really enjoyed how it was set up here. The chemistry between Neil and Penelope was off the charts. I loved the character growth that we got from both of them. The paranormal elements were used really well. This was my first Colby Wilkins book but it will not be my last. I'm so excited to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend the audio book. The dual narration was great for exploring Neil and Pen's pov chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens
Contemporary paranormal romance. Enemies to lovers troupe.
Horror writers Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm end up on a writers retreat together in a haunted Scottish castle. She thinks he sold out to get his book published and then threw a book at him at a conference. Neither have been able to write since the conference so the retreat is exactly what they need. As soon as they can civically talk to each other and get rid of a ghost or two.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia. The two offset each other very well taking their POV and using different distinct voices for Neil and Pen for their chapters. The chapters are labeled for whose POV it is but the audiobook is easier to hear the change. They both do a great job with emotions, in particular when encountering the ghosts and arguing with each other in frustration. The audiobook was great for the minor secondary characters with accents that I wouldn’t have heard correctly reading the print version. But with the print copy I was better able to visualize the castle.
I listened at 1.5 to more closely match my reading and conversation speed. Both formats or either recommended.

Reading about authors writing books is always an amusing topic although I’m sure most authors won’t find the topic of writers block all that encouraging. The haunted castle and ghosts added a creative twist for the romance. I’ve toured a bunch of castles and don’t know that I’ve actually encountered any ghosts but watching the caretaker run away isn’t a good sign for an overnight stay!
I was glad when Pen thought more about, and acknowledged why Neil may have made changes to his novel. That went a long way in changing her from self righteous to likable.
The secondary characters added a lot of humor and personality to the story.
A bit gothic and campy with several steamy scenes thrown into the mix.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Dreamscape Media.

Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm are both Native authors who write horror books so you’d think they’d get along and support each other, but ever since Pen threw a book at Neil months ago they have been feuding. Now they both find themselves on a writing retreat in a haunted Scottish castle. There is no way to avoid each other and with the haunted soul pushing them together it may just be too much to resist. Will Pen and Neil go from enemies to lovers? Will they help the ghost haunting the castle before it’s too late for all of them? How will this fated story end?

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this book up, the description and cover were intriguing but the reviews I’d seen had me hesitant. This book had promise and some solid ideas, but not everything connected for me like I had hoped. The romance was good and the haunting, spooky parts were good, but they didn’t connect for me for some reason. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters and didn’t really care how things ended. The writing was good and easy to follow, but there was just something that didn’t hit for me in this story. It was a decent read, especially for October, but I think there was a lot of unreached potential that would have made this a five star read for me.

ALC review of "If I Stopped Haunting You" by @colbywilkens
Rating:
4/5
Spice Rating:
3/5
Before I give my review I just want to say thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for letting me review this early!
•Enemies to Lovers
Native FMCS
•He Falls First AND Harder
•Horror Writers
I loved this book it was such a cute cozy read! It's set in a haunted castle in the Scottish highlands?!?! Tell me that doesn't sound like the prefect fall read!
Our two Mcs Penelope and Neil get off on the wrong foot (Penelope may have thrown a book at him oo
t) and
somehow end up snowed in to together a haunted castle, on a writers writers with their friends
The dynamic between the two of them so fun. Watching them banter back and fourth, but at the same time lust over each other(especially Nial (2) UGH love to see it. I loved our fmc Penelope she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and say her thoughts upfront. Neil, omg they way he was shy and awkward at time made my swoon he was such a cutie. This book honestly was spooky at times especially toward the end, oof listening to the audiobook and night def had me closing my door (a Overall loved this book my one contemplate is that they're reason for not liking each other was dragging a bit, one conversation probably would have solved everything
I don't really listen to audiobooks that often but these Narrators did a phenomenal job, especially when they brought in the Scottish accents, amazing!

Send a bunch of writers to a haunted Scottish castle where they may or may not cling to each other in both fear or longing? Sign me up! I was really excited to read this book which sounded like a spooky romance combined with paranormal elements. And sometimes two halves make a whole, but in this case, it felt like I was getting either or instead of both. I got big time Scooby Doo vibes (that is a good thing!) and loved the mysterious aspect of this book. It definitely was not horror and I never felt scared while reading, more intrigued with how the castle was interacting with the occupants. This was actually my favorite part of the book. Unfortunately I just wasn’t feeling the connection between Neil and Pen. Pen has misplaced anger at Neil for how he’s handled his fame and what could’ve started as bantery enemies-to-lovers just felt sad and bitter from Penelope’s end. I applaud Wilkens attempt to discuss inequalities in the publishing industry with indigenous peoples, but the message was lost amidst Pen’s inability to control her actions. I think it was mainly because of this that I had difficulty feeling like Neil would want to give her a second chance. Just because you’re attracted to someone physically doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an emotional connection.
I do think Wilkens has a strong writing future ahead of her and will give her next book a chance, it’s just that this one fell a little flat for me. As for the audio, I really enjoyed Kyla Garcia as Pen and thought her delivery was great. Curtis Michael Holland was fine for Neil, but didn’t care for his supporting characters voices as much. I received an ALC from Dreamscape Media and an ARC from St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own.

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the narrators. The dual narration worked really well here, as the book alternated between Pen and Neil's points of view and I thought both narrators did a great job telling their story and capturing the emotions as they move from enemies to writing partners to something more,

This was a fun enemies to lovers, romcom with a paranormal twist. Pen and Neil are both horror writers. Neil is well known, but Penelope takes issue with some of the stereotypes he uses in his books. When they are on a panel together she loses her temper and calls him out and throws a book at his head sending both of their careers into a tailspin. Fast forward to Scotland several months later, when their mutual friend invites them both to a writing retreat to mend fences and get everyone out out their writing funk. The four friends are to spend a week in a haunted castle in remote Scotland to get some inspiration for their books. The forces proximity in the spooky setting make Neil and Pen face some truths about each other and their writing in a long overdue conversation. Once that is out of the way they realize there is more to the castle and the stories the locals tell about it. Not only do they begin exploring the castle for ghosts and mysterious entities, they also start exploring their feelings for each other leading to a fun and steamy time.

This was a really fun book. The banter between the characters was funny but balanced out with some very real conversations about the publishing industry as a BIPOC writer. The characters had good chemistry and once things heat up between them things have a nice amount of spice. The plot was engaging, and while I didn't find it scary it was spooky. The author did keep me guessing as to whether or not the castle was truly haunted or if it was a hoax until the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution.

Overall this was a really fun read and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

This was my first time listening to this author. And I’m not sure if I will pick up another one. Well, the premise of the story was intriguing to me, the execution just didn’t work for me The unbalanced characters, all of the tropes and particular scene had me at no. However both of the narrators were good, I liked the duel narration.

The perfect October read!!!

This book was everything you want from a spooky October romance read! It had just enough suspense that you are kept on your toes the entire book, but there is still a great plot throughout that keeps you constantly engaged. Penelope might be one of my favorite FMCs yet! She is so complex and passionate and is never afraid to stand up for what she believes. Even in a romance plot she continues to be a strong female who can have her own opinions outside of her relationship.

The only thing that fell flat for me was the 2 side characters. I LOVED them at the beginning of the book, but then I felt like we got thrown headfirst into the romance plot and didn’t really get the chance to know these side characters. By the time they become relevant to the plot, it was hard to connect with them or really understand them since we barely knew them.

Nevertheless, this is a STUNNING spooky read that not only gives you chills down your spine, but brings you into the publishing and writing process side of being a writer. I always find books with this plot so interesting since I am not a writer and don’t personally know one. It is so fun to learn more about the industry that brings us the books like we love!!!

Everyone should give this book a read on a cozy, rainy, fall day!

📖 + 🎧: If I Stopped Haunting You-a standalone

✍🏾By: Colby Wilkens-debut author

🗣️ Narrator: Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia voice all the characters. The narrators' voices fit the characters with standouts from Pen, Neil, Laszlo, and Daniela. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️ Run Time: 10:10

📅: Publication Date: 10-15-24 | Read: 10-13-24

Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, Multicultural Interests, Horror, Fantasy

Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, rivals, LGBTQIA+ rep, indigenous rep, gothic, haunted castle, ghosts

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, Dreamscape Media, and Colby Wilkens for this ARC and ALC 👻! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

🌍 Setting: Scotland

⚠️ TW: racism, assault-h on H

☝🏾POV: dual, 3rd person

💭 Summary: Penelope is disgruntled with Neil as both are indigenous horror writers, but Neil caters to white readers. Penelope wants him to go back to his roots and represent Native Americans without typical stereotypes. In a heated argument at the Indigenous Fic panel at Book Con, Pen hits Neil with a book. She ruins her career, gets dropped by her publisher, fighting writers block. When their mutual writer friend Laszlo invites Pen on a writing retreat four months later, she agrees not knowing Neil would be there too. They are staying at a Scottish castle with ghosts in the hallways and bickering with Neil as they join together to understand the spirits within.

🚺Heroine-Penelope "Pen" Skinner- biracial horror writer

🚹 Hero-Neil Storm- indigenous/Native American horror writer, more successful than Pen

🎭 Side characters

-Laszlo-mutual friend to both Pen and Neil, a writer

-Daniela-bisexual, had 1 nightstand w/ Pen, a writer

-Georgina and Archibald "Archie" Skinner - ghosts with a story to tell

🤔 My Thoughts: Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! I read this at just the right time. Halloween, spooky castle vibes featuring a multicultural couple that go from rivals to lovers. I'm glad Pen eventually admitted she was jealous of Neil, and that caused her to behave so badly. Pen's undeserved anger and violence towards Neil was a turn off in the beginning, but she did redeem herself. Neil saw the error of wanting approval instead of writing from his heart. I didn't see this as horror; it was paranormal at best-just a few ghosts with a sad ending.

🌶️Spice 4/5
🗣️Narration 4/5
😭Emotion 3/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑Couple 3/5
️⭐Rating 3.5/5

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkins is one of the worst romance/horror books I have ever read or listen to. Despite the fact I don’t like dual narration because it makes the side characters voices and ergo the whole tone of the book ever changing. I thought individually Curtis Michael and Kayla Gonzalez did a great job I wish they would’ve picked one to do the whole book, I’m not a fan of dual nararation at all. Due to the great premise I thought I could deal with the two narrators and had the book been even half of what it claimed to be I probably could’ve but Penelope a.k.a. pin to me seemed like a career victim and someone who looked for problems where there were none she was a tad bit too dramatic for me and having to listen to that for most of the book was daunting. I like Neal storm a little bit better but not much. I was excited to see this book was about native American authors being the mother of a native American son because you don’t get books written in their voice that often and to have one be so bad just really breaks my heart. Not to mention this was supposed to be horror and to be honest I think Scooby Doo is scarier than the ghost in this book. Don’t even get me started on the romance scenes… If that’s what we’re calling them. Nothing about this book work for me but I’m sure there will be those who love it and kudos to you because I wanted to love it also. #NetGalley, #DreamscapeMedia, #KobeWilkins, #IfIStoppedHauntingYou,