Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced copy. You can pick up If I Stopped Haunting You on October 15, 2024.

I got about 10% into this book and had to stop reading. While I love the premise of two rival authors forced into a retreat together at a haunted Scottish castle, I felt viscerally uncomfortable by the character interactions and actively wanted to put down the book at times. I'm no stranger to conflict in books, but the relationship between Pen and Neil just felt vicious and almost irredeemable. I could not imagine this turning into a romance, and while I love the Native and queer representation, I fear I would be too frustrated with the characters to enjoy the rest of the story.

What’s it about?
Neil Storm is a big shot Native horror writer. Penelope Skinner aspires to be the same, and has one published book. But she feels like Neil has played into stereotypes about Native people and seizes the moment at a book con to lay into him about it and it ends badly, and forstalls both of their writing careers.

Then the two end up at a writer’s retreat together at a haunted old castle in Scotland. Things start getting spookily weird and Neil and Pen are the only two who can see the weird things that go bump in the night. It’s not long before they are teaming up to figure it out… and discovering they have the hots for each other.

My thoughts:

I loved the opening scene in Edinburgh where they do a haunted tour. (I’ve actually done one of the same ones), and it set the tone for the book.

I really enjoyed how both Neil and Pen spent time unpacking what it means to be a BIPOC author and their mutual struggles to be successful in the industry–especially what happens when they tear each other down instead of build each other up.

There’s a fun ghost story sub-plot. I didn’t fully get it by the end, but it was a fun ride, nonetheless. And I loved that we got real, creepy ghosts in this story. 10/10 my favorite part of the book.

I would love to have read more about Neil and Pen’s shared connection and their work in one of the big concluding things in the story.

Overall, a fun romance that’s perfect for October!

Absolutely loved both narrators.

The audiobook narrators did such a good job. They carried the story so well. The spicy scenes were perfect! The spooky romcom story told about a diverse set of characters kept me super engaged. Perfect book for the season!

**perfect spooky read as we enter into fall and you are looking to be deliciously haunted with a side dose of romance, enemies to lovers style**

I really loved the setting and plot to this book. Four authors meet on a writing retreat and haul up in a haunted castle located in a small town full of rich history.

Two of the authors have previous beef. One dreams of publishing his true story to tell with inspiration from his own family experiences that highlights realistic tales of indigenous people. Over time his work has been rejected and edited to be “palatable” to readers. The other author is angry at him for being a sell out and struggling to get her voice heard in her own writing.

When they find themselves on the retreat together and are forced into close proximity, searching for inspiration to write whilst fighting off ghosts and their growing feelings for each other.

A cute fun fall read! All the vibes 🫶🏼

I enjoyed the alternation between narrators and POV so we could see first hand what the two characters were thinking and feeling as the story progresses. The book is narrated by: Curtis Michael Holland; Kyla Garcia and they both did a great job.

Thank you to Dreamscape media and Colby Wilkens for the ALC!

Publish date: October 15th 2024

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Dreamscape media for allowing me access to this ALC! If I stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens will be released as an audiobook on October 15th and it's the perfect read for this autumn!
In If I Stopped Haunting You, two feuding horror writers, Penelope and Neil, are forced to confront their past tensions when they end up at a haunted castle in Scotland for a writing retreat. Penelope is struggling with writer's block after publicly clashing with Neil, while Neil is battling self-doubt after her criticism. As spooky events unfold around them, their rivalry gives way to unexpected attraction. Trapped in a real-life ghost story, they must face both the supernatural and their evolving feelings for each other in this thrilling enemies-to-lovers romance.
Regarding the narrators : I was pleasantly surprised that it was narrated by two narrators! I had absolutely no complaint, both of the actors were very good! Especially the male voice actor, very deep voice loved it!
Read this if you want a spooky enemies to lovers romance taking place in beautiful Scotland (swooning!) with some supernatural elements!

Unfortunately a DNF for me at 50%.
I needed the main characters to have a better reason to hate one another and also to be attracted to one another, and nothing can convince me they'd make it. Penelope can't take any responsibility and whines rather than tries, which could be ok if we got more into her head, but we never make it past surface level whining. By 50% I also can't get a read on why what Penelope said shook Neil so much he couldn't write for 4 months....

The audiobook is pretty good to listen to, at least!

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is about four writers that rent a haunted castle in Scotland for the week. Arch enimies Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm both horror writers and Native Americans haven't seen each other for months since the day at a convention when Pen threw a book at Neil and hit him with it. Pen acussed Neil of selling out on his last novel . Pen has been blacklisted from publihing world since. Now Pen has to get through the next week with the person she can't even stand. Since that fateful day Pen and Neil have both been having writer's block and thinks that the retreat will help them get over it. Now Pen and Neil are the only one's out of the group that see the lady in white/black. Now Pen and Neil have to work together in order to find out why the lady in white has been haunting the castle. As they find letters that are still sealed with wax and a diary they feel like they are truely finding out why she is haunting the castle. As they work together Pen and Neil are finding it hard to keep the romantic feelings they have for each other at bay. This was a real cute book that I really enjoyed. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this audiobook.

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

I’m solidly in my cozy horror phase.

Penelope and Neil are author nemeses who have out a very public verbal battle that ends with P crossing a line that gets her “canceled”. A mutual friend brings them reluctantly together for a writing retreat at a haunted castle to get ever. When the ghosts seem to have favorite group members to haunt, teamwork is required to put pieces of a mystery together to leave safely. Maybe a story can come if it in the process. 🤔

P is a somewhat polarizing character. I think she’s a take her or leave her kind of girl. I like her bluntness and appreciate her POV. I don’t think she handles stress well and is willing to admit/apologize when she crosses lines. N is the demure to P’s innate bravado. He’s reserved, self-conscious, and has a classic imposter syndrome mindset. Their will they, won’t they was entertaining. They have some banter, but it’s done differently than I’m used to. The horror components of this story are semi-mild in the suspense department which is why I’d consider it cozy.

Some negatives I had with this story: Some parts are repetitive. The conclusion of the mystery was resolved quickly and was a bit meh when all said and done. I think this book does much better in audiobook format vs an eyeball read; the reader’s ability to put tone to P specifically can skew the reader harshly out of her favor.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this read. In my social book group, it wasn’t getting much positive buzz which made me nervous - for no reason. I had a good time with this book. I’d recommend the audiobook over eyeball reading this one hands down. The narrators are great to follow, and they bring a lot to the main characters that a reader could miss out on when eyeball reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Colby Wilkens, DreamScape Media, and St. Martin’s Press for ARCs of this book.

4.25 rounded down - thank you so much to St. Martin's Press (eARC) and Dreamscape Media (ALC) for the gifted copies of this book!

I seriously enjoyed this horror romance novel. It was thrilling and sweet and spicy and hopeful and scary... all in the span of the book. This book was also incredibly educational, with a diverse cast, including the two main characters who represent American Indian populations. This story does an incredible job of raising voices of previously marginalized populations, particularly when it comes to American Indians in traditional publishing houses.

This story follows Pen and Neil, semi-rival Native authors who stand to reclaim Native stereotypes, but with different methods. When they disagree, their feud explodes in front of the literary community, and Pen goes into hiding. Simultaneously, Neil hits writers block, challenged by points Pen made in their argument... time passes, only for the two to end up on the same haunted castle retreat hosted by their friend. And then, they get paired together for different writing activities. Oh, and it turns out the haunted castle? Yeah, it's *actually* haunted, and Pen is someone THE PERSON the spirits or whatever want to talk to. Pen and Neil forged a friendship that turns into something more (and something spicyyyy) while stuck in haunted rooms around the castle, spotting ghosts and feeling spirits moving around them.

Things I loved about this story:
- Neil Storm... he's everything. Apologetic, caring, thoughtful, giving, honest...
- The meta storyline of horror writers being trapped in a horror-esque environment
- The castle and its spirits coming to life / acting like a secondary character
- The spice. So good. Surprisingly so.
- That this story helped me to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes." I'm grateful for the awareness and advocacy piece of this story!

I'm VERY excited to read Colby's next book out in March. This book was so well-written and captivating.

THE AUDIO was also amazing. The dual narration gave me additional insight to Neil's character and Pen's perspective. I enjoyed seeing both sides of this story and from both of their perspectives. It felt even more inclusive and enjoyable to listen on audio!

Out October 15th!

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for the alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I love a debut romance by a bipoc author. I have been seeing this cover and the author. I was slightly not able to follow this booknit kinda felt like a couple books pieced together. I have my eye on the authors next book so excited to read it soon.

3.5/5☆

Thanks Netgally and SMP for the arc, but I’m dnf-ing at 35%

This is…an upsetting book. I wanted to give it time to see if maybe the whole, you know, violent assault and blame-shifting from the FMC would be unpacked, if maybe an apology and having to get humble and reconcile with a person she harmed would happen but…nah. Nope. We’re meant to be on HER side.

I can’t do it. Not to mention the paranormal aspect of this book is totally lacking.

I feel like maybe this author has some animosity and feelings about other indigenous authors and her place in the world that need to be worked out off the published page. In any case, I won’t be recommending this book

Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and a spooky twist! Competing BIPOC authors Pen and Neil go on a writer's retreat, not knowing the other will be there. When the historic castle the retreat is being held in turns out to be haunted, the writers decide to try and solve the mystery of the ghosts and get some writing done. A good spooky listen for autumn!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced readers copy of this audiobook.

The Short Review: Two writers hate each other - but don't really remember why - and both have been suffering from writer's block. Mutual friends con them into a "writers' retreat" at a haunted castle in Scotland. (No writing happens... obv.) The forced proximity forces them to address the wedge between them, bringing a myriad of issues to the surface and making them realize that their rivalry was foolish. Tension grows (along with other things, IYKYK.) Strange things start happening but only they see the ghosts haunting the castle, forcing them to solve 200 years of family legend. (Did that ghost set them up...?) Ghosts are set free and our two writers fall in love.

Includes: Indigenous representation and brief LGBTQ+ inclusion, both well done!

Loved it! Cute story, great narration, and I was hooked from the beginning. I will be reading more from Colby Wilkens.

📚Trope(s): Enemies to Lovers, He Falls First, Forced Proximity
What you get: 📝👻🏰 🪶 💕
⭐️Plot: 5/5
🔥Chemistry: 4/5
🌶️Spice: 4/5

This one has a really fun concept and I love a good spooky book that's not a horror but rather a romcom with some ghosts. The characters are all authors on a writing retreat in a haunted castle aka the perfect place to break through writer's block and get some inspiration for the next horror/thriller/spooky story. It was a little repetitive at times and the side characters didn't have much depth/relevance besides comic relief and Laszlo being the catalyst for getting the two MCs, Pen and Neil, in the same space again.

The opening for the book is set a few months before the writing retreat, when Pen and Neil are on a panel for Indigenous Fiction authors. Pen's dislike for Neil is obvious from the beginning and we know she considers him a sellout because she goes off, even throwing a book at him. I felt like a lot of Pen's actions, while incredibly immature and not cool, seemed almost out of her control. Especially when she and Neil meet again on the way to the castle and the lust seems very immediate/rushed -- it had me considering some kind of haunting bringing them together/pushing them into feeling stronger emotions without them knowing it. I feel like this could explain some of the lusty moments that took place at strange times in the castle.

I enjoyed the haunting/ghost story/mystery part of the story a lot! Especially with the MCs being horror writers. I also liked that it was targeted towards Pen and Neil with the other Daniela and Laszlo being largely unaffected as it leads to the MCs often being alone together and sharing scary experiences would definitely bring two people closer and heighten emotions. I would have liked some more character development of their other writer friends though because I think it would have elevated the story, but I still enjoyed it.

It was nice to see a story centered on two Native characters that have had very different experiences. The author mentions the difficulties Pen has faced feeling like she doesn't belong in any circles because she's mixed and isn't a card carrying member of a tribe, but at the same time writes authentic Native characters and doesn't give in to the whitewashed editing. While the story focuses primarily on the romance and the haunting at the castle, it does give attention to the writers' identities and how their experiences factor into their writing/careers and feelings towards each other.

*** I read the ARC and listened to the audio narrated by Curtis Michael Holland & Kyla Garcia who do a great job representing Pen and Neil. I love dual narration and dual POV so I was thrilled about this one. The two are easy to listen to and very clear, each scene flowing smoothly into the next. If you prefer audios, you won't be disappointed with this one.

Add to your tbr if you want a cozy, spooky, romantic mystery with enemies to lovers, haunted castles, and some spice! If I Stopped Haunting You will be out on 10/15/24.

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the digital ARC & Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really loved the concept of this one, but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me. The setting in Scotland was fun, and I enjoy books about authors. I just could not connect to either of the main characters, and thought the fmc in particular was quite toxic. I did however enjoy both audio narrators, and that is honestly what got me through the book. I love two narrators for a dual pov story, and these two did a great job!