Man, this sounded so cute and I just struggled to trudge through this one. It does not normally take me a week to get through a romance, but this was not it.

From the start, Pen makes a questionable decision that led her to being "canceled," a decision which, if I add my two cents here, could have been avoided if she just talked to the guy in private. Then she repeatedly brings up the incident and why she is upset, even after Neil apologizes and says why his book is written like this. He even gave her the original, unedited manuscript!! And still she was like "you're privileged and make us all look bad." Plus, just some of the ways Pen treated him....I don't know why he idolized her so much.

And pleeeease if I have to read more about how "wet" or "soaked" she is, I might combust. I seriously wondered how this woman stayed hydrated. Just some of the wording in this book felt icky and I found myself uncomfortable, and I skimmed over the "spicy" scenes because I couldn't handle it. Those could have been omitted completely and we would have lost nothing from the story. Then there is also the addition of....uh.....ghost splooge toward the end of the book....it would have cost nothing to not make that comment.

I struggled with the romantic development of this. I can see what the author is trying to get at with Indigenous writers, making space in the marketplace, and staying true to yourself. I am not Indigenous and acknowledge that I am reading this from a very white perspective, BUT. Penelope just came off very self righteous (I am right, and you all are wrong), and she definitely came at Neil from all the wrong angles. There are so many instances that could have been handled better, but she just threw herself out there and expected him to cater to her.

The only part I found myself interested in was the ghost story. Which, honestly, felt a little disjointed from everything else. In the end it was all just....a story she would be willing to tell? As much as I was invested in why the castle was "haunted" and how to "fix it," I was a wee bit underwhelmed by the ending of it. The ghosts had no direct impact on the plot or the character development of Pen or Neil, it just felt thrown in on the background.

Anyway, I was feeling pretty meh about this book after I finished it, but I get more frustrated the more I think about it. What bugged me the most was the way sexual language/context was used, but also - Pen just isn't a good character really worth rooting for. I am sure someone out there will enjoy this book, but it was way different than what I was expecting and I kept hoping for it to get better. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and staying engaged with the story, but even the romantic ghost story of the ages could not redeem the rest of this novel.

Content warnings: gaslighting, assault, loss of a loved one, sexual content, foul language, death, blood, injury/injury detail, grief, racism, alcohol use, pregnancy

<<Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.>>

This was a fun little read to get me in the mood for fall/halloween. I loved the mixture of paranormal and romance, it’s such an underrated subgenre of romance. Some of my all time favourite tropes were in this story, enemies to lovers between Penelope and Neil and forced proximity. It was a cute little read and I can’t wait to recommend this to friends for spooky season.

Like a lot of other reviewers, I so badly wanted to like this book! But unfortunately…it just didn’t work for me right off the bat and, from other reviews I’ve seen, it likely was not going to improve if I pushed forward. I found Pen to be a distant POV character and struggled to connect with her voice. I also did not appreciate the display of physical abuse in the prologue between the two characters who I’m supposed to believe have a romantic future together.

This book wasn't what I expected. There were many different themes going on but at the same time they felt to fall flat. At times, the book tried tackle very real issues of challenges Native Americans and BIPOC people go through but felt awkwardly woven into elements of a haunted Scotland castle and horny authors. Enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes but it didn't feel fully fleshed out in this story. Skinner and Storm's dynamic just didn't sit right with me.

enemies to lovers my beloved! a trope i adore paired with a super fun setting. two enemy writers stuck in a haunted scottish castle in the middle of nowhere on a writing retreat (and also to solve a ghost mystery) was so much fun to read. i liked neil and penelope as characters outside of the romance, which sometimes i have a harder time with in romance stories. i found the plot stretched out a little too long, and some points were drawn out or repetitive, but overall this one was a fun read!

I am an absolute sucker for an author-focused book with characters who are writers and/or navigating the publishing industry. I also love a gothic backdrop and romance so I really admire that the author endeavored to combine so many genres / themes. Great backdrop, great workplace tension, and a hot romance! My only complaint on that front is that since there’s so many focuses that it didn’t feel like it did any one of them perfectly.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC!

Pen and Neil have been rivals for years. They end up at a Writers Retreat together in a haunted castle in Scotland. This book has some comedy, some spooky ghost scenes and some 🔥🔥🔥. I would definitely recommend this book!

I absolutely loved this story! From the beginning you can feel the tension they have as rival authors and just know that when they become lovers it was going to be 🔥🔥 and it did not disappoint! I thought it was funny that a group of horror, paranormal, and thriller authors went to a haunted castle in gorgeous Scotland for a writers retreat and couldn’t believe spooky ish was actually happening. I wouldn’t classify this as a slow burn but a medium burn as things get spicy fairly quickly. I felt like this was a fun and light paranormal romcom story and I absolutely loved the queer and indigenous representation!

Unfortunately, due to the lack of response from St. Martin's Press for the racist, Islamophobic, and queerphobic comments made by one of their employees I cannot review this title.I tried holding off on sending this "review" to give SMP time to do the right thing in response to this boycott, but I can't have this continuing to hurt my feedback ratio when it's out of my control.

This book tries to do a lot and none of them really worked. It’s part Yellowface, part ghost story and part bodice ripping romance.
The characters just aren’t well developed and therefore their pre-romance arguments and subsequent make-up sex just aren’t that engaging to the reader. The sex scenes were steamy. Glad to see the nerdy, homebody knows what she likes and how to get there.

If I Stopped Haunting You centers around Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm, two fiercely competitive authors who share a contentious past, highlighted by an infamous incident at a literary event where Penelope threw a book at Neil. Their rivalry takes an unexpected turn when they end up trapped in a haunted Scottish castle, where their professional tension gives way to a different kind of attraction amidst a backdrop of ghostly encounters.

The author masterfully combined elements of supernatural suspense with sharp, humorous exchanges. The narrative was infused with gothic undertones, yet it remained lively and engaging, thanks to the clever dialogue and the palpable tension between the protagonists.! The writing also thoughtfully addressed the challenges faced by underrepresented voices in the literary world.

I also loved that despite Penelope and Neil’s frequent squabbles, their professional struggles and personal growth are depicted with realism. The supporting cast, including Laszlo and Daniela, added depth and humor, making the story richer and more vibrant.

The plot was an intriguing blend of gothic mystery and romantic tension, maintaining a steady pace that kept me engaged! The haunted setting and the evolving dynamics between the characters were well-balanced, ensuring that the story progresses smoothly while maintaining suspense and emotional depth!

Some of the main themes of the book were:-
- professional rivalry
- the challenges of breaking into the literary world as a minority
- the importance of authentic representation.

The combination of a haunting atmosphere, witty banter, and the slow-burning romance between the leads made this a highly enjoyable read! The tension between Penelope and Neil was so captivating, and the supernatural elements add an extra layer of excitement!

All in all, this book is a delightful mix of gothic suspense, sharp humor, and romance. The characters are engaging, the plot is compelling, and the themes are thoughtfully explored. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read that offers both thrills and heartfelt moments!

Thank you Netgalley for a chance to read this arc!

I loved the romance! they understood each and could be themselves together. The chemistry between them was amazing! I also loved the slow-burn and the sexual tension between the main characters. There were several scenes that made me blush and smile so much. The writing is beautiful and descriptive. I honestly felt like I was living in the world with the characters. I felt so many emotions while reading this book, I cried, I laughed and I smiled. This book will stay in my heart for a long time.

Yeeeeah no thanks. Don’t have anything nice to say so won’t drag out a review. But mostly boring and actually not enemies to lovers at all

This book has the perfect spooky setting with a dash of romance. The story follows Penelope Skinner, an indigenous author who, months ago, threw a book at fellow author Neil Storm. Now, she's become the pariah of the industry, and Neil has a serious case of writer's block. So when the two are both invited on a writing retreat to a supposedly haunted castle in Scotland, they immediately clash. However, the horror authors soon have bigger issues when they find themselves in a real-life ghost story.

This book was pretty good. I loved all the rep for the characters, and it was an interesting mix of horror and romance elements. It kind of gave the dynamic of Beach Read by Emily Henry, except with the ghost elements sprinkled in. Overall I think I wasn't obsessed with it just because the ghost element didn't make a ton of sense to me. However, I can see why people would love this one!

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is an enemies to lovers, steamy, spooky read. It’s perfect for people who like some paranormal with their romance. In this book, a group of writers go to Scotland on a writers retreat to cure their writers block. Two of these writers did not have a great interaction the last time they saw each other. While there, they find themselves teaming up on several occasions and finding that maybe they aren’t meant to be enemies. At first, I struggled. But I will admit it’s all on me. I think I was too eager for the haunted castle in Scotland. Once I got to the castle, I had a blast. Thank you NetGally and St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin for the advance ebook and the chance to read this story early.

I have mixed feelings! I really enjoyed the book; I think I liked the plot over the spice aspects. I just couldnt get into how fast they went from enemies to lovers. I think the book had a lot of interesting things to say about the publishing industry.

The premise was really good—enemies-to-lovers, haunted castle in Scotland, ghosts but I felt like it was a bit flat and rushed near the end. The side characters didn’t really do much for the story and honestly they felt like terrible friends to the main characters. It’s a quick read so good if you want a spooky rom-com for October.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

I'm not a big fan of druno/alcoholic characters and when it starts off with a boom about it, it's not for me. It's just not a thing I enjoy reading about.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
👻 enemies to lovers
👻 Native representation
👻 books about books 🤪
👻 dual POV
👻 creepy scenery
👻 just a lillllll spice 🌶️

I love a good enemies-to-lovers because I love the snarky banter between the 2 main characters when they are becoming the lovers part. I literally laughed-out-loud a few times while reading this and I love when a rom-com makes me actually laugh 🤪
This author was a little bit raunchy and foul, and I absolutely loved reading it! The swear words and not so nice words made for a delightfully enjoyable, loud-out-loud funny read. I loved it right from the very start 💕
I have to admit that I judge books based on the cover 🙈🙈 and this one jumped right out at me! (The cover thing hasn’t steered me wrong yet 🤪)
I love a cocky a**hole male main character, and this guy was right up my alley 🤪
I love a good rom-com and I also love a good spooky read 👻 so this book was the perfect blend of the 2, and I really enjoyed it!

If I Stopped Haunting You is about two horror authors who can't stand each other, forced into proximity during a writing retreat in a remote and haunted castle in Scotland. Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm have a difficult past, but must come to a truce, and perhaps something more, while on a retreat with 2 other authors in Scotland. The book opens 4 months in the past, at the Book Con where Penelope is overcome with anger (and jealousy) and throws a book at Neil. Neither has written a word since and is hopeful the retreat will help them to overcome their writing blocks. In the process, they encounter the ghost(s) of the castle and develop a romantic connection as well.
As I was preparing to read this book, I looked over the reviews and honestly wasn't expecting to like this book based on the overall rating average being so low. And while I would say that I agree with some of the criticisms presented, I still enjoyed the book overall. There was a lot going on between Penelope and Neil, and I would argue they were never truly enemies, but let a simple misunderstanding spiral out of control. I did find Penelope's internal monologue specifically to be a bit annoying at times, but she showed decent character development and some growth as a person as well. The side characters, Laszlo and Daniela were filler that had no real depth and were really a plot device to bring Penelope and Neil together, and then just kind of disappear from the book. The haunting mystery was pretty obvious from the beginning, and not really all that scary, and the characterization of the ghost as malevolent and potential dangerous felt uneven, Penelope and Neil would alternate between being fearful that they were in life threatening danger to not being concerned about being around the ghost at all. So overall, this book had some weak points, but was not completely atrocious, and because I enjoyed it as a whole, I am rounding up from 3.5 stars to 4.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.