I wish I could've loved this but this wasn't my favorite! The concept was really cute, but I couldn't connect with the characters! Thank you so much for the early copy to read and review!

Penelope Skinner has been holed up in her home ever since she threw a book at Neil Storm’s head. Much to her protest her friend Laszlo recruited her for a writer’s retreat in Scotland. Now, she’s snowed in at a castle with Laszlo and much to her surprise the infuriating Neil Storm. And on top of that the castle is haunted. What could go wrong?

First thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book, I thought it would be the perfect spooky season read which is why I delayed in reading it for so long. However, it ended up falling flat for me in a few ways.

First, the character of Penelope was frustrating at times. She placed so much blame on Neil for ruining her writing career and how he wrote his book. She was very whiny and negative at times that it was hard to keep focus on the plot.

I also found the “gothic horror” to be lacking. Without saying too much, a few ghost and a castle dont necessarily make it gothic horror. Which seemed to go along with the various plot holes and inconsistencies that occurred throughout the course of the book. At times I was left confused and having to go back and read a few previous pages to try and make sense of what was going on. Especially when there seemed to be a lot of jumping around, causing a break in the reading experience.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible. Between the plot holes there was a good story here that made it engaging enough for me to finish the book. Plus it gave me the push to look for another book to continue through this spooky season. If you’re looking for a quick spooky season read with some spice then feel free to give this book a read when it releases October 15th.

A side character makes a comment about how he doesn’t visit his sister because she lives in Georgia, and as someone who lives in Georgia, it almost made me stop reading, but I continued hoping the romance and horror would save it. However it did not. First the romance was terrible and toxic between our two mcs. I did not buy the enemies as it felt more one way from Penelope and she hates him for what seems like such a dumb reason. Granted I am not Native American and cannot comment on how Penelope should feel based on Neil’s book, but it felt like something that could have been discussed in a less public way than it was. Then Penelope continues to blame Neil for her lack of success and makes herself the victim when its nobody’s fault but her own. And Neil’s only role was to apologize and take the blame for Penelope’s anger. Then there is the horror, or actually lack of it.

Overall, I really did not like this book.

Happy Pub Day and thanks to #partner @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the digital ARC of Colby Wilkens’s If I Stopped Haunting You.

If I Stopped Haunting You is an enemies-to-lovers romance that incorporates a consideration of publishing trends for indigenous horror with a super-spooky Scottish haunted house story and an open-door romance story with LGBTQ+ representation. Yes, it may be a lot. But it’s a lot of fun.

Penelope Skinner is one novel into her writing career when she makes a potentially career-ending move: during a conference panel about indigenous horror books, she launches her own hefty novel at the head of Neil Storm, an infinitely more successful author who Penelope considers to be a sellout because of the way he uses Native stereotypes in his most recent book.

The scandal chases Penelope into hiding until her friend Laszlo invites her to a writers’ retreat in an isolated Scottish castle. She’s eager to get a grasp again on her writing career . . . and then she discovers that Laszlo has also invited his friend—and her nemesis—Neil and her ex-girlfriend Daniela. Not awkward at all.

They make it to the castle, complete with a horrifically creepy introduction from the caretaker, before completely falling apart. And then a mix of (un)healthy competition, jealousy, and denied chemistry ensues, all while the four writers are trying to churn out new books and a ghost seeks out a new audience for her story.

Wilkens’s mix of romance and the paranormal here mostly worked for me, and I appreciated the sincere consideration of what the publishing industry is looking for in the works it promotes by indigenous authors. I did feel, at times, that the parallels between the romance and the paranormal were a little jarring, but overall, I found If I Stopped Haunting You to be a compelling debut romance with some thought-provoking questions at its heart.

I was SO excited for this book because who wouldn’t want to read a book set in a haunted castle in Scottland??? The premise just sounded awesome.
If I Stopped Haunting You follows Penelope, an Indigenous writer who has been experiencing some tough times lately. She hasn’t produced a book in over 5 years and the whole literary world hates her after a public spat she initiated at a book convention.
The other side of this spat belongs to Neil, another Indigenous writer who had no problems lately. Penelope can’t stand the sight of him because she believes he’s had no problems in his life for two reasons: he is a man and he looks Indigenous. Penelope has struggled her whole life with people saying she isn’t Indigenous enough because her skin tone is white.
Lets start with the pros: setting, location, and writing. I really liked Colby Wilkens writing. It was easy, but I didn’t feel lazy. I have Wilkens’ next ARC on my kindle, and even though I didn’t enjoy this one much, I will be reading her next. Of course, the setting and location were great. I enjoyed the spookiness of the castle, but I wish we got to see Scottland more.
Now for the cons: The characters and the plot. I didn’t like Penelope and I only kind of liked Neil. I didn’t like the decisions that were made and I didn’t like how Penelope treated Neil. The whole reason her feud with Neil began was so dumb and I couldn’t believe someone could dislike someone so much because of such a pointless reason. I also didn’t enjoy how insta-lusty the relationship between Pen and Neil was. There was no longing, no love, no pining. Instead, Pen absolutely hates Neil on day one and wants to jump his bones on day two. Some people may enjoy that kind of romance, but I want there to be some substance in the relationship.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If I Stopped Haunting You is a spooky, rivals/enemies to lovers rom-com.

Penelope Skinner is an author struggling with a severe case of writer’s block. After a very public and embarrassing incident with a popular, and very good looking fellow author Neil Storm, she has been shunned by the publishing industry. She needs an idea now, or will give up writing for good. When a friend invites her to a writing retreat at a Scottish castle, the reclusive Pen decides to take a chance with the hopes of resetting her writing career. But when Neil shows up at the pub for the same retreat, Pen knows this week will be a disaster. But when strange things keep happening at the castle, and the attraction between Neil and Pen heats up, the retreat turns out to be an unexpected adventure in more ways than one.

I enjoyed this fun and spooky rom-com. Pen and Neil are rival writers turned enemies after Pen calls out his writing in an embarrassing public spectacle. So they have a lot to overcome for this relationship to even begin. I appreciated the diverse cast, and the focus on indigenous characters. I thought that Pen’s critiques of Neil’s writing were a bit of a metaphor for the industry as a whole, and I appreciated how the author dealt with that issue in addition to portraying indigenous characters with accomplished and fulfilling lives. The added plot of the haunted castle was fun and made it a great read for spooky season. I also enjoyed the dual POV, as we get to see the story from both Pen and Neil’s perspectives. At times the story felt a bit repetitive, particularly the two characters repeating the same argument over and over. Overall this was an enjoyable and quick read, and perfect for fall. I’m giving it a rounded up 3.5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an e-arc and ALC from Netgalley in exchange for this review.

The audio to this book is so well done and performed. Curtis Michael Holland and Kyla Garcia do such a wonderful job bringing these characters to like.

The book is cute - two enemy writers go on a writing retreat to a haunted castle in Scotland. They keep getting pushed together by the spirits in the castle, and eventually they aren't enemies anymore.

I rated 3 stars because there are some definite pacing issues in the book. It really slows down in the middle to the point I had the audio on 3x speed just to get to something exciting.

It's a little spicy, and an interesting enough story. It didn't wow me but it wasn't terrible. Some people may DNF in the middle due to pacing but it DOES pick back up and the ghost parts were the most exciting read about.

I requested this book thinking it would be a a fun, magical, ghosty romance and I could not have been more wrong. Firstly, while there was romance between the two main characters, there wasn't any chemistry. Also, if you are looking for a book with "Casper, the Friendly Ghost" vibes, this is not it. This book was actually really creepy and I found myself having to put it down before it was dark outside. Now for folks who love all things creepy, you would probably like this one more than a usual magical realism romance.

If I Stopped Haunting You has it all— rivals to lovers? Check! Author main characters? Check! Haunted castle in Scotland? Check check check!!

Penelope and Neil are rival horror authors—both of indigenous decent, but Penelope thinks Neil is a sellout and the books he publishes are harmful to native peoples. Penelope makes this opinion very well known in a viral moment, which involves her throwing a book at Neil, leading to her ousting of the literary world. To get her groove back, she agrees to go on a writing retreat with her friend Laszlo in Scotland. Unfortunately, Laszlo’s best friend is Neil, and he’s on the retreat with the same idea.

As Penelope and Neil are the only witnesses to supernatural events in the castle, they work through their differences to get to the bottom of the hauntings—and obviously fall in love along the way.

I looooooove books about books and rivals to lovers. This was so fun, pretty spooky, and very sexy. I really love Colby Wilken’s commentary on indigenous peoples her books, and thought that this was an interesting way to approach the topic.

4/5

Gothic Setting (snowed into a haunted castle in Scotland) + Enemies-to-Lovers Spicy Romance + Cherokee Native American lead characters + super lame plot = Me scratching my head trying to figure out how to review this. Maybe a good ole Pro vs. Con list? Let's try it -
PROS
Chemistry between the leads
Nice male lead character
Love a gothic setting!
Fast-paced story

CONS
Lead female character goes batshit on fellow author in public - cringe.
Ghost story that made zero sense and ultimately disappointing.
Random preachy sections about Native Americans experience in publishing
Pointless secondary characters
The point in the plot where the leads play a trick on their friends (made both the leads total a-holes).
Pointless mention of lead female's affair with female secondary character - WHAT even was this for?
and much more.

In the end, I was just left confused and disappointed by this book. It's a strange blend and the flavors did not end up melding like they could've. Maybe it needed some time slip chapters from Georgina to help understand why she was still haunting the place. I really didn't understand why she would still be there waiting for her husband to return from war when while they were still alive her husband did return from war and they lived happily together for several years.  Shouldn't he have never returned and THAT's why she was still waiting? I'm still in the weeds with all the plot holes in this one.

2 stars for If I Stopped Haunting You. I didn't really care about the romance between Pen and Neil. I did love the setting of a haunted castle for a writer's retreat. However, as I got further into the book the descriptions of the castle lessened and the romance storyline took over so I had less and less interest in picking it up as the book went on.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy. If I Stopped Haunting You hits shelves on October 15, 2024.

If I Stopped Haunting You follows Indigenous horror authors Penelope and Neil. When Pen gets into a heated debate with Neil at a book conference, she throws a book at him. The resulting backlash paralyzes her writing career. When Pen agrees to go to a writer’s retreat in Scotland, the last person she wants to see is Neil. As Neil and Pen are forced to face each other at last, the haunted inhabitants of the castle reveal themselves. Can they figure out what the ghosts want and repair their relationship along the way?

If I Stopped Haunting You is a romance combined with spookiness. I liked that Pen is a strong-willed character who raises legit concerns even if it’s not in the most diplomatic way. Neil is a sweet and well-meaning character, who at times has let publishing sway what he truly wants to write. I enjoyed how they found common ground through being Indigenous writers and realize that they should have been supporting each other all along. At times this combination of romance and ghosts felt a little jarring in terms of pacing. Neil and Pen would switch from being focused on the ghosts to fully focused on romance. In the end, the ghost plot felt like it wrapped up abruptly.

If I Stopped Haunting You is ideal for readers seeking forced proximity, spooky haunted castles, and enemies-to-lovers romance. Looking forward to reading what Colby Wilkens writes next!

Thank you to Colby Wilkens, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: If I Stopped Haunting You

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is a fun and spooky read that blends romance and horror. The premise of a haunted house retreat with a rival author is intriguing, and the author does a good job of building tension and suspense.

While the romance between Neil and Penelope is enjoyable, it sometimes feels a bit rushed. There were also some red flags in some of their interactions that I wasn't a big fan of. The paranormal elements are well-executed, and the spooky atmosphere is effectively conveyed. Overall, it's a solid read that will appeal to romance and horror fans.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for the free copy for my honest review.

A fun and fast paced enemies to lovers romance, the story of Penelope and Neil on a writers retreat at a haunted castle in Scotland. I liked how it was told from both points of view and kept you guessing.

I really enjoyed the indigenous representation in this and the commentary with publishing. I also liked the ghost! I was here for the romance though and I didn’t really love their connection.

This was such an unexpected adventure. I love the premise of this so much. Writers on retreat in their own story unraveling as they go.

Penelope and Neil have been rivals for as long as everyone can remember. As native authors, the pool has always been small, but instead of working together, they stayed far apart. Until they were forced together by their friends for a writing retreat.

The banter and sass between these two, and frankly all of the characters, was wonderful. The way the ghosts were set up was fantastic and I love how everything meshed together to shape this unique mystery/ghost story/romance novel.

After a major dispute at a book conference, Pen and Neil accidentally end up at the same writing retreat in Scotland four months later. In the tight market of Indigenous horror they both fight for shelf space and Pen feels that Neil has given in to his publisher and reinforced stereotypes, making it harder for other Indigenous authors. After discovering that the remote haunted castle really is haunted, things become interesting. This book grew on me as I read it and I would give it 3.5 stars.

This is a enemies to lovers in a haunted house, and it is entertaining. The main characters are horror genre authors, and I liked the perspective that the main characters provided. As the characters end up at a haunted house for a retreat, it is a fun play on the stereotypical haunted house tropes with the internal narration from the characters. There were moments where I forgot about the romance building as I was captivated by what was going on in the haunted house, and overall this was very enjoyable!

A spicy horror romance about writers from Seattle on a retreat in Scotland sounded exactly like what I was craving for spooky season.

The conflict in the very beginning set my teeth on edge, but I hoped the reasons for it would be better justified. As much as I liked the setting, the characters and plot left a lot to be desired. I found the protagonist difficult to root for as she had very few redeeming qualities and was borderline abusive to the love interest. Therefore, her swift change from hating him to lusting after perplexed me. The spicy scenes were spliced between the horror elements, affecting the pace. Those romance outweighed the horror elements, which fell a little flat plot-wise. Although an HEA was imminent, it didn't feel like the MC deserved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I Stopped Haunting You wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into the story. The pacing felt a little off to me. By the time I hit the 20% mark, I thought (and hoped) I was way deeper into the story. I didn't really care for Pen and Neil's relationship. Pen's behavior around Neil was not okay. Her actions and words came across as gaslighting. I didn't feel the quick chemistry between them. I also found the horror wanting and the writing a little weak. I was annoyed with all of the "green eyes" references. I'm bummed out that I couldn't get into this book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC.