I was really excited to dive into this book, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I found the FMC borderline abusive, which made it hard to enjoy the story. Despite my initial excitement, this one didn’t hit the mark.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved the concept of the book and I loved the representation. I was truly afraid when the ghosts were introduced but something about the romance fell flat for me.

Could not connect to the characters. There were so many gaps in the plot that I couldn’t make sense of what was actually going on. I was really excited for this one because there was real potential, unfortunately it fell flat for me.

Enemies to loves in a haunted house setting, fiery chemistry and fun side characters. Fun vibes with realistic struggle portrayals.

This book ended up being a DNF and now that Wilkens’ behavior and racist cosplaying has been made public, I’m glad I didn’t finish.

I will be separating the artist from the art for the purpose of this review.

This was such a knockout of a debut. I was not expecting the horror to be so present - that's on me for not preparing myself - but I weirdly loved it even more because of that. It was so spooky and SO horny, and I just ate it up. The story is so layered and complex as Penelope and Neil learned more about themselves in relation to one another and their heritage. I loved the pacing of it and couldn't put it down. This story was incredibly unique and special and wonderful.

The Plot was very intriguing but I had a hard time with the main character. I thought I would love this book. The art and the title lured me right in. I was not sold on the romance because it started out with a pretty weird form of abuse and I didn't connect with it.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

I had high hopes for If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens, but sadly, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The premise promised an exciting mix of horror and romance, but in reality, it struggled to deliver on both counts.

The characters, Neil and Penelope, were meant to be the heart of this enemies-to-lovers story, but their development felt rushed and unnatural. Instead of building a compelling, slow-burn romance, their relationship seemed to jump from hatred to attraction without any real emotional build-up. The tension that should have been there was completely missing, and even the intimate scenes felt flat and lacked any real heat. Penelope, in particular, was a tough character to stomach. Her behavior was often abrasive and problematic—throwing a book at Neil’s head was just one of many bizarre, unlikable actions she took, and I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in her.

As for the horror aspect, it was pretty underwhelming. The haunted castle setting felt more like a tired trope than a chilling atmosphere, and the ghostly encounters failed to create any real suspense. I was hoping for something fresh and eerie, but instead, the story felt like it was going through the motions. Add in some noticeable plot holes and inconsistent pacing, and it all resulted in a narrative that felt more disjointed than gripping. Overall, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I don’t know how I feel about giving feedback on this since the news came out. When the situation is solved I will review.

Really loved this title. I will recommend it to all my spooky loving romance readers. Really fun especially during the season.

"If I Stopped Haunting You" was a major disappointment for me. The premise sounded intriguing, but the execution fell flat. The plot was disjointed and difficult to follow, with too many subplots that never seemed to tie together. The pacing was painfully slow, making it a struggle to stay engaged.

The characters were another letdown. They felt one-dimensional and lacked any real development. I found it hard to connect with them or care about their journeys. The dialogue was often stilted and unrealistic, which only added to the frustration.

Additionally, the writing style was not to my taste. It felt overly descriptive in some parts and lacking in others, making the overall reading experience uneven and unsatisfying.

Overall, "If I Stopped Haunting You" failed to deliver on its potential. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling read.

DNF- I really wanted to love this one, the cover is everything! I love spooky vibes so much but I just could not get into this story, sadly.

Enemies to Lovers

I picked up If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens on a lazy afternoon and was immediately captivated. The intriguing title and cover art drew me in, and I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.

This enemies-to-lovers romance has a spooky twist, throwing feuding horror writers Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm together on a writer’s retreat at a haunted castle in Scotland. From the first page, Pen and Neil’s banter crackled with sharp wit and tension, making their mutual annoyance—and undeniable chemistry—completely addictive.

Pen, grappling with writer’s block after her public fallout with Neil, is equal parts fierce and vulnerable, and I loved rooting for her to find her spark again. Neil, meanwhile, is battling his own insecurities after Pen’s scathing critique of his work left him questioning everything. Their interactions are laced with humor and biting commentary, but it’s the way they slowly come to understand each other that truly pulled at my heart.

And then there are the ghosts! The haunted castle is practically a character in its own right, with its atmospheric chills and spine-tingling encounters. The paranormal elements aren’t just window dressing—they drive the story forward, forcing Pen and Neil to confront their fears (and their feelings) while navigating a real-life ghost story. The supporting cast of spirits was particularly memorable, bringing humor, poignancy, and a touch of menace to the tale.

While some of the plot points were a bit predictable, the combination of sharp dialogue, sizzling romance, and eerie thrills more than made up for it. Wilkens balances humor, romance, and spookiness in a way that feels effortless, and I couldn’t get enough of Pen and Neil’s fiery, funny, and ultimately sweet relationship.

If I Stopped Haunting You is the perfect read for fans of romances with bite—equal parts sexy, spooky, and satisfying. If you love enemies-to-lovers stories with a supernatural twist, this book is a must-read. For me, it was the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon, and I’ll be thinking about Pen, Neil, and those unforgettable ghosts for a long time.

Upon finding out that this author has lied about their indigenous heritage, I will not be able to read this or give a further review.

I wanted to like this book, but Penelope made it so difficult. When a book starts with the main characters assaulting the love interest, it;s hard to come back from. I didn't find the romance all that compelling and there was more repetition than necessary.

Cannot truly rate as author lied about being indigenous. I appreciate the arc, but cannot promote a book that took a potential place of an actual indigenous author. For a romance by an actual indigenous author that debuted this year try The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava!

Not sure if I would consider this to be an enemies to lovers but I did really like it. I don’t think there’s enough good paranormal romance and this was a cute read about ghosts and a haunted castle. So you can’t really go wrong!

Also forced to give a one star to this review-I had this on my shelf before things came to light about the author. I'm sure you'll see in additional reviews more details on this. Unfortunately, I have no wish to read anything by this author.

I’m not a huge fan of any sort of horror or thriller. My brain is already messed up as it is.

I really don’t need any external factors to ramp my anxiety up. But I can’t resist a good enemies to lovers. I’m not one hundred percent sure I would call this enemies to lovers. I feel like it’s more animosity to lovers. At least on Penelope’s part.

I don’t think Nate ever held animosity as such aside from the normal animosity one would hold against someone who has attacked you. I do feel like the relationship (not the lust) could have been expanded on a little bit better. On Penelope’s part, it seemed slightly forced and on Nate’s part it seemed wholly lustful.

Speaking of lust, the smexy scenes weren’t bad. At. All. I genuinely enjoyed them. The horror part of the story, though, takes the cake. I used to love watching Scooby Doo as a kid and it sort of felt like that but for adults. Mind you, I scare pretty easily but the descriptions and the language used was so captivating, I genuinely felt scared alongside Nate and Penelope.

IISHY was an interesting read. A definite departure from my typical. But not a bad one. I liked how the story was paced pretty well and the fact that it hit on several topics in the book world that are definitely worth talking about. Mainly about BIPOC authors and characters. I liked it.

If I Stopped Haunting You is a fun take on the antagonist-to-lovers trope. Some things that I enjoyed about the book:
Being locked in an honest-to-god locked, haunted castle in Scotland lends the story a bit more authenticity for the gothic horror vibes. The gothic atmosphere and the humor is just too good. And the amount of banter between the MCs was perfect.
My criticisms include: Penelope is a little too impulsive, and too immature. Her initial reaction to Neil and the book throwing doesn't make much sense. I get that Penelope feels very strongly about the characterizations, but explosive anger is not a good look on anyone. The pacing is a little off as well, but I guess that can't be avoided considering that the event they're at is only ongoing for so long, but it felt a little too rushed on the relationship.
Overall, this was a fun and light-hearted read that I enjoyed.

(Additionally, I would be remiss not to mention the controversy surrounding this author. It is not my place to speak on the situation that the author is in, but if you are someone who does not separate the art from the artist you will want to proceed cautiously.)

I was provided with an ARC of the novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to St. Martin's Press| St. Martin's Griffin and Colby Wilkens for the opportunity to read and review this novel.