Taking the drama of the author out of the equation I feel like this book had a lot of harm in it. Having a love story between someone who was assaulted and the person who inflicted the harm but with the lens of “they were in the right to feel that way” is such a weird take. I was really looking forward to this book too because the idea of a writing retreat in a haunted highland castle is such a good premise so it’s disappointing how this all worked out.

This book was rough to read. I did not care about the characters and the story felt disorganized. I would not recommend to anyone.

If I Stopped Haunting You lands somewhere between steamy paranormal rom-com and lightly spooky retreat tale—a fun listen, but not without its bumps. Narrators Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia carry dual perspectives with enthusiasm; Holland’s nuanced take on Neil’s self-doubt and Garcia’s sharp delivery of Penelope’s biting humor keep things engaging through the fog of clichés .

The premise is pure October vibes: two rival Native horror writers—Penelope and Neil—land at a haunted Scottish castle retreat together. The setup delivers on enemies-to-lovers heat and castle-creak ambience . There’s real cultural texture here: the tension between Pen’s accusations of Neil “selling out” and his struggle with identity gives the romance more weight than you'd expect.

Yet the execution doesn’t always hold. The emotional arcs are patchy—Pen’s arc toward humility feels rushed, and Neil’s recovery from rejection is barely sketched. Throughout, sex scenes are plentiful (some listeners report skipping long stretches), and the ghosts play third fiddle to the physical chemistry . Horror fans may find the supernatural thread undercooked, while romance readers might wish the characters felt more fully realized .

Still, there's charm. The castle atmosphere is well-rendered: icy corridors, snowstorms, and shadowy whisperings create a classic spooky mood. And for fans of holiday-on-repeat romance—you know, the kind you queue around Halloween—it delivers a cozy blend of banter, steam, and mild tension .

Final Verdict: If you’re in the mood for an easy, entertaining book with enough cultural insight and steamy encounters to balance modest scares, this lands solidly in the “pretty good” range. It won’t become your favorite ghost story or your go-to character study, but it’s a perfectly decent choice for a chill autumn listen.

Loved the story in a story. Loved the behind-the-scenes of writers, particularly the troubles Indigenous writers face. It was informative without being too much. I could do a haunted castle in Scotland. It was a great read, perfect for a winter weekend!

I was unable to finish this book because the FMC assaulted the MMC. I've withheld my review from GR and Amazon, but feel like this point needs to be brought to the attention of the publisher. Assault is never okay, whether the man or woman be the assailant.

I’ve realized unlikable main characters work best in literary fiction not romcoms! I liked the horror aspect but Penelope was insufferable

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book.

I do not recommend this book or this author. Please research them.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is a spooky, sexy, laugh-out-loud romance that delivers on every promise—banter, angst, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a literal haunted castle. What more could a romance reader want?

Penelope Skinner is a horror author whose temper (and excellent aim) landed her in hot water—and now she’s creatively stuck. Enter a mysterious invite to a writing retreat at a crumbling, possibly haunted Scottish castle. Sounds perfect… until she finds out Neil Storm is also there. The Neil Storm. The infuriatingly charming, bestselling rival she once lobbed a book at in public.

The chemistry between Pen and Neil is electric. Their banter is sharp, the romantic tension simmers deliciously, and their emotional arcs feel grounded even in the middle of a ghostly mystery. The haunted castle backdrop is gothic and atmospheric without taking itself too seriously—think The Haunting of Hill House meets Tessa Bailey. And the ghosts? Just enough creepy to keep the pages turning fast.

Colby Wilkens perfectly blends supernatural suspense with romantic hijinks and emotional depth. If you’re a fan of rivals-to-lovers with a twist of the paranormal, this one will absolutely haunt you—in the best way.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The book felt disorganized and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I didn't buy the romance between the two MC's, it just felt like something was missing.

I loved this one! Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope. This was super well written and a page turner for sure.

I went into this blind, like all books I read.
I was excited that both MCs were indigenous horror authors and adored the little pieces of indigenous folklore worked into the story.
So much so, that 3/4 of the way through the story I googled the author to see if they had any more books that delved deeper in that direction.
This was when I discovered that the book was written by a white woman who claimed to have indigenous heritage, but was proven false by the Trial Alliance Against Frauds.

The story is decent, though it would have been better if the romance had been omitted and focused solely on the paranormal mystery of the castle.

Going into books blind makes read ethically more difficult, but it's important to share our stumbles too.
Would I have read this if I knew about the drama surrounding the author before going in?
Probably not.

I enjoyed the spooky vibes and overall plot of this book. It's not my normal genre go to, but it was an excellent book and one i would recommend!

I really liked the premise of this book and I was interested after the first chapter or two, but this felt really unorganized and the characters were just not likeable. It felt a little like a mashup of scenes that just didn’t flow right. The “romance” wasn’t believable. 2 star is generous and I hate having to give that kind of feedback, Because of that, I don’t feel right posting a review on other networks,

I though this premise sounded fun and intriguing. In actuality, the female lead character is horrible and abusive. She physically assaults the hero in the beginning. The pacing was weird and the dialogue was awkward and cringy. As if those issues weren't bad enough, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the author and her claimed indigenous heritage.

https://nypost.com/2024/10/21/us-news/author-colby-wilkens-says-shes-native-american-tribal-alliance-disagrees/

This book quietly broke my heart in the best way. It’s about grief, love, and the kind of haunting that has nothing to do with ghosts — but everything to do with memory and pain. Colby Wilkens writes with such softness and honesty that it sneaks up on you. It’s not loud or flashy, just deeply emotional and beautifully strange. One of those stories that stays with you long after you finish.

This one was mediocre. Didn’t hook me but I just kept going. Probably won’t pick up from the author again.

I had to DNF this book after finding out the author was claiming native heritage, when she isn’t native at all.

The most absurd part for me: If I Stopped Haunting You is about two Indigenous authors who get into an argument on a panel at a book con about Indigenous representation IN PUBLISHING.

I…cannot think of what to say that fully explain my bewilderment here.

DNF after the prologue. The main character just seems horrible. I have no interest in reading more about her.

Couldn’t get into this book. I struggled staying interested and connecting with the characters. I loved the cover art for this book.

At first, even though I'm not usually into romance, I thought “If I Stopped Haunting You” would align with my interests in horror and dark fiction, but be light and fun enough to be a palate cleanser between heavier novels. There was the promise of a moody setting at a Scottish castle, after all - what wasn't to like?

Turns out, more than I anticipated. I almost sprained an optic nerve I rolled my eyes so much while reading this book. You could tell the author toyed with the idea of substance (tackling the topic of indigenous authors and horror representation, among other things), but it's more often than not overshadowed by the light hearted tone of the plot.

AGAIN, probably not the ideal reader for this novel as I typically go for full-fledged horror, but I also particularly like horror that handles social issues so this seemed like it would tick multiple boxes for me, even if it did tackle them lightly. It did not, however, tick ANY boxes.

The novel got off to a good start in the enemies portion of the enemies-to-lovers. There were challenging dynamics for the characters to deal with and unique situations were presented that frequently upped the ante. But the main characters were so obviously attracted to each other that the animosity the characters aimed at each other lacked that satisfying barb I wanted. Being that attracted to someone while simultaneously hating them can work, but it just felt off with these characters.

The lovers portion of enemies-to-lovers was worse though. It was like once the characters got together finally, there was very anticipation little left in the plot and the author filled it up with sex scenes instead. Not that I have anything against sex scenes, and these weren't poorly written… it was just they came at the most ridiculous moments. Plot getting good? Sex. Plot getting slow? Sex. Tired of the main characters having sex? Get ready for ghost sex. I was so fed up trying to get some sustenance out of this book that I almost didn't finish.

The scary parts would better be described as cozy-scary. There are a few gory descriptions, but nothing to make you lose your lunch or give you nightmares. In the end, not enough to sell an avid horror reader. But if you like your romance with a little something going bump in the night, this is the book for you.

I wouldn't knock this book for the right reader, because I can see how someone more familiar with romance would enjoy this story, but I just couldn't get invested personally.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for advancing me a digital copy for review.