Wilkens marries steamy romance and haunting scares for a fun gender bending romp in If I Stopped Haunting You. Neil Storm, dubbed the “Prince of Horror,” is a renowned Native author whose literary achievements are clouded by his use of stereotypes. Penelope Skinner is the disgraced one hit wonder who lost her career after calling Neil out at an event. (And throwing a book at his head.) They find themselves trapped in a haunted Scottish castle during a doomed writing retreat. Together, they’ll have to face the past that’s haunting them—and their feelings for each other.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens takes place in a haunted Scottish castle that a group of authors have rented for a writing retreat. The main focus is the relationship between Indigenous authors Neil Storm and Penelope Skinner. The book starts by making it clear that they are not friends and now they are forced together in this castle.

There were several elements I liked about this book. I liked the discussions of being an Indigenous author in publishing and the struggles that comes with that. I liked Neil and Penelope as characters and found them to be complex and interesting. The suspenseful moments were well written.

However, despite liking a lot of this book there were some things that I struggled with.
The side characters in the story felt like after thoughts. For as much I enjoyed Neil and Penolope, I disliked the other authors at the retreat because I didn’t have the details to understand their actions.
The pacing of the book felt off. It took awhile to get to the castle and that is where the action really took off. Also, the jumps between horror and romance were very sudden and that made the romance feel less believable.

Overall, it was fun to read a book that was a combination of genres. This book had a decent amount of spice and the mystery elements kept me interested until the end. If you enjoy enemies to lovers and ghost stories this is a good book to read.

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Colby Wilkens for the ARC.

I really liked the premise of this book, and the atmosphere set by the castle. Unfortunately, the dynamics between the characters was much less enjoyable and the haunting and mystery was really underdeveloped. The steam was solid which made it into an okay read overall. But, the writing stumbled and was a bit repetitive to be enjoyable though. Would probably still recommend to some people though and would consider picking up another book from this author.

Overall this was a fun concept for a spooky October book. However, Pen got on my nerves and she just seemed a bit childish and lacked any kind of filter. The story felt a bit repetitive and dragged out. I did enjoy the paranormal element though (points for creativity with certain bodily functions that ghosts are able to perform..,). Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A charming cross-genre romance paranormal cozy mystery about a young female Native American horror writer who has writer’s block. Her best friend who is also an author talks her into going on a writer’s retreat to a haunted castle in Scotland. Only once she arrives she finds out that her nemesis, the other male Native American horror writer is also at the retreat. And the castle ghosts? Real!

This was my first book by this author and I really wanted to love it because it was supposed to be a spooky enemies to lovers. The book felt more like the life of Penelope Skinner and how she was forever the victim. She doesn’t seem to ever take into account her actions. She throws a literal shoe at fellow writer Neil and reading through, I don’t even remember reading an apology from her to him. She plays her victim card so well that Neil actually apologizes to HER numerous times. This was just so weird to me. I wanted to enjoy this book more but Penelope and her narcissistic traits triggered my soul. The plot was there just the FMC was not great.
I do want to point out that I enjoyed how human the author made the MMC. He was built like a model and rock hard abs like most of the books I’ve read with perfect bodies. Neil seemed like a real person, which was nice

"If I Stopped Haunting You" is an enemies-to-lovers story where two writers who had a public fight end up attending the same writers retreat in Scotland. This story was a near miss for me; I found the plot choppy, and the pacing odd. The main characters went from loathe to insta-love too quickly for me. The castle is haunted, and while the lead up to the discovery of the ghosts was good, the resolution of the mystery and explanation for why they were haunting was lacking. I appreciated the Native American representation, and the author's explanation for the difficulties of publishing as a minority author. So to summarize the story has some interesting elements, but overall felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped.

I enjoyed this story. I liked the haunted castle and I enjoyed seeing the development of the characters. Great read for spooky season.

If I stopped haunting you was compelling once I got into the story, but it was creepier than I expected from a Rom-Com. Additionally, the love story was fairly standard rivals-to-lovers slow burn. The two love interests are adversary writers competing for the Native American author spot. They end up on a writing retreat together in a haunted Scottish mansion.

I tried so hard but could not get into this book, I kept pushing through but finally just had to DNF it. The story dragged and I just could not connect with the characters.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley, for the free E-copy for review.

Step into the chilling and steamy world of "If I Stopped Haunting You" by Colby Wilkens.

Wilkens' vivid prose paints a hauntingly beautiful backdrop, immersing readers in a world where every creak of a floorboard and whisper of wind carries the weight of centuries-old secrets. The author's talent for atmospheric writing is undeniable, transporting you to the heart of a cold, foreboding castle that becomes a character in its own right.

At the core of this tale lies a captivating paranormal mystery that uncovers a forbidden love story that's as tragic as it is mesmerizing.

The novel's protagonists, Pen and Neil, are rival Native American writers forced to confront their preconceptions during a writing retreat in this haunted setting. While Pen's initial hostility towards Neil may seem a tad impetuous, their evolving relationship forms a compelling arc that mirrors the castle's own transformation from a place of fear to one of revelation.

Beyond the ghostly encounters and romantic tension, Wilkens weaves a poignant commentary on the struggles faced by Native American authors in the publishing world. Through Pen and Neil's journey, readers are invited to reflect on the price of success and the sacrifices demanded by an industry that often overlooks diverse voices.

"If I Stopped Haunting You" is a nuanced exploration of identity, ambition, and the power of understanding. Perfect for fans of paranormal romances or stories that challenge societal norms.

I really enjoyed the setting of a haunted Scottish castle. It’s a very unique story in the sense that it mixes paranormal horror with steamy enemies-to-lovers romance. I think it’s a great read for the spooky season.

I found it to be a bit difficult to connect with the characters and I found some of their decisions to be questionable. However, I did have a good time reading this book and I'm happy to support indigenous characters/authors.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens
This is an enemy to lover story - Pen and Neil have a history - there is angst, a horror story, some heat, some laughs and mystery - I give this book 3 1-2 stars.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Action-packed Informative Witty Scary Page-turner Haunting Romantic Steamy.

This book was a solid 3/5 for me. I enjoyed parts of it but wish some things were expanded. And that’s for purely selfish reasons. I really enjoyed that the authors were Native/Indigenous and that this book really focused on telling true stories rather than whitewashing for the American palette. There were times when I thought Neil was based on a real life favorite Native/Indigenous horror writer.

I’m not the biggest fan of enemies to lovers and I wish the horror aspect of the ghost story was expanded because ultimately Georgina had a HEA in her lifetime and it didn’t seem like she would stay behind as a ghost? I also wanted to learn way more about the castle and its history even though this book is a romance. But anything with Scotland, ghosts, and books, I’m sold.

Thanks to NetGalley, Colby Wilkens, and St. Martins Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now onto the honest review.

This was maybe not for me. Which I'm extra disappointed about because I thought I would just adore this title. Horror/creepy haunted house? Sign me up. Enemies to lovers romance between two feuding authors? YES. Indigenous and queer representation? AMAZING. The execution? Not cohesive. While I really appreciated the attempt to put so many things I love together in one title, it felt like both the elements of the romance and the horror weren't given the room they needed to shine. There was a bit of an emotional disconnect for me as I tried to shift from spooky paranormal encounters to steamy/sweet romance scenes. It was a hard adjustment each time it happened, and I just don't think it worked well. If the emphasis was lessened a bit on either and I was able to just focus on one or the other, I think it would have helped the tone of the book. The plot itself also felt like it needed something more; things felt like they had really simple resolutions, but getting there felt unnecessarily drawn out.

Overall, not my favorite read, but there were some moments where I really got into the tension between the characters or into the creepiness, so I'll say it's 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I was really excited about If I Stopped Haunting You book based on its premise and things I'd heard about it before I read it! Ultimately, I have some mixed feelings now that I've finished it. I'll start by saying, this book was really compelling - once I started reading it, I didn't put it down until I was finished with it. That said, there were several moments where I considered not finishing it because some of the haunted house/ghost story plot was actually pretty creepy and I am a giant baby about scary books/I wasn't expecting it from what sounded like a romcommy premise. I thought that aspect of the story, although it went harder than I thought it would, was entertaining and wrapped up well.

The romance side of the story was not so cut and dry for me. I appreciated that Neil and Pen were both complex people with a complicated shared past, but I felt like we never really reckoned with their individual or shared pasts and their identities in a way that felt satisfying enough to make me believe that they were ready to jump into each other's arms, fall into bed together, and live happily ever after. They had good chemistry, but the pacing of their relationship and the quick pivot into sex didn't feel as believable as them seeing ghosts all throughout this castle.

I believe that Wilkens is herself a biracial white/native american author so I loved getting to see that native representation/the complexity of identity politics hinted at through our romantic leads and also there were some very romantic swoony moments in this book. I think if you can stomach your stories a little more toward scary than spooky but cute and you are a die hard enemies to lovers fan, this could be a really fun read for you and it's being released at the perfect time for that!

3.5 rounded to 4 stars. This is a slow burn enemies to lovers. There are trigger warnings listed at the beginning of the book, so take note of those. I always appreciate that so I don’t get blindsided by something. This book is spicy romance mixed with some paranormal and horror. While I typically steer away from those genres this one peaked my interest. Turns out, it’s not my forte. However, if that’s what interests you then I would say this would be an enjoyable spooky season read.


Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Neil and Pen started out in this book as adversaries in the writing industry, competing for space as Native American authors. Pretty clear enemies to lovers trope, but with the slowest burn ever. . .in fact, the only real sexy scene isn't until the epilogue! The ghost story starts up pretty suddenly and then intensifies into horror before getting tied up on a quick, pretty bow. It was all a little too predictable for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC e-copy.

“If I Stopped Haunting You” is the debut adult romantic comedy / gothic horror by Colby Wilkens. It is a five-star read with some three-star bumps that I had a very good time reading.

I absolutely loved the Prologue and the fundamental issue of representation in art that pits Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm against one another. She thinks he’s pandering to a white audience, creating harmful stereotypes; she wants to elevate indigenous horror but is woman whose cultural heritage is less physically visible, making her marginalized in the writing world for multiple reasons. They have a very public blow up and happen to meet months later at a writing retreat in a haunted house in Scotland.

I loved the mashup between romantic comedy, horror, and exploration of important artistic and cultural considerations. The book is more camp than horror, although there were a couple genuinely spooky moments. My inner historical romance reader was underwhelmed by the mystery. Yet, I had such a good time with this book and would certainly recommend giving Wilkens a try. I will definitely read more from this author.

*3.5 stars rounded up*

If I Stopped Haunting You was an interesting combination of spicy romance with paranormal activity and some horror elements. The settings gave the story a creepy undertone that was fitting, and I enjoyed the detailed descriptions. The story begins with Pen acting a bit childish and impulsive, which doesn't give the best first impression, but I ended up enjoying her character anyway. I liked that the book alternated between the points of view of both of the main characters, which helped me understand and like them both better. For the most part I liked the story, though it lost some momentum for me for maybe the last third of the book - characters seemed to make some illogical choices given the circumstances, and the ghost mystery was resolved in a way that left me a bit underwhelmed. A few things seemed to go unexplained too, though I can see how it adds to the mysterious atmosphere of the story. Of note, I appreciated the insight into the experiences of Indigenous authors, an ongoing theme throughout the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the advance review copy of If I Stopped Haunting You! All opinions presented in my review are completely my own.