"If I Stopped Haunting You" did not live up to my high expectations. This novel promised a fascinating combination of horror and romance, but it failed to deliver on both counts. This relationship made me really uncomfortable because the main character is a borderline aggressive, self-centered gaslighter. The big reveal for the haunting was lackluster.

It’s half way to Halloween and you need to have this book on your radar for spooky season! 👻🧡

If I Stopped Haunting You is the perfect addition to your October TBR.

- A haunted Scottish castle
- Creepy happenings
- A decades old mystery
- A spicy rivals-to-lovers romance

IISHY is out on 10/15 so be prepared for the ultimate horror romance.

The premise and setting and deeply flawed characters stole my heart. If you are going in for a book of perfectly nice never did anything wrong not at all injured people interacting, this is probably not it.
I think if you like flawed characters and are interested in reading about how they react in this situation you'll enjoy it. I love a deeply wounded character and I think the depth of these characters make it more enjoyable and less predictable. I read a lot of books and I like to be surprised, I like to be curious and this scratched that itch.
Gorgeous haunted setting. Interesting story. Would definitely recommend.

Advertised as an enemies to lovers romance with a spooky twist. With promises of spooky chills and even more sexy thrills. Two feuding writers end up on a writers retreat together at a haunted castle in Scotland. Months after horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm, a bestselling author of horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. Penelope Skinner is now a publishing pariah and hasn't been able to write a word since. When a close friend invites her on a writers retreat in a haunted Scottish castle, she jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately, Penelope unleashed some serious self-doubt in Neil and he’s now terrified to write another bestselling "book without a soul," as Pen called it. Neil seeks to find inspiration, whilst completely avoiding the infuriating Penelope Skinner.
As the retreat begins, Pen and Neil find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story and an attraction neither expected.

I was originally drawn in by the cute cover, the idea of a romantic horror, with enemies to lovers. I will say the horror scenes were well written, and gave the perfect amount of hair raising creepiness. Unfortunately I felt the characters fell a little flat. I never felt a connection with any of the characters. There was too much repetition at times, and the dialogue felt a little stilted. This book took me far too long to finish, and I really had to push myself to get through it. The reading block was real. In conclusion, this book sadly just wasn’t for me.

Thank you @Netgalley and @StMartinsPress for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was so taken by this cover, title, and blurb and was so excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, it was not what I expected. I expected an enemies-to-lovers trope, I expected some spicy moments, I expected spooky moments however not one was delivered. Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm are supposed to be enemies, however that is only shown in the prologue. In the prologue they have a little debate and Pen throws a book at Neil, and then Pen is basically canceled from the writers world. In Chapter 1, Pen's best friend Laszlo convinces Pen to go on a writer's retreat at a haunted castle in Scotland, and also she finds out Neil is going too. By Chapter 2, Neil and Pen are already reconsidering their actions, and having sexual thoughts about each other. There's no build up. If one does not read the prologue, one would have no idea they're supposed to be enemies. The next few chapters are pretty much the same, lots of thoughts about one another and how attracted they are. There is also quite a bit of repetition throughout the book. I was looking forward to the "extremely hot almost-kiss", thinking maybe that could've been redemption, however it wasn't until halfway through the book that I realize what the reference was to. It was not hot, but instead unnoticeable, as were most of the "steamy" moments in this book. And the spook wasn't there either..
I wish I could have something good to say about this book, however even the FMC was unlikable. She was very aggressive and just mean to Neil throughout the book. I'm sorry, but I didn't like it. It just didn't do it for me.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I was hoping for more of a spooky vibe, but the story was just okay. Pen and Neil are realistic enough characters, and I get the whole enemies to lovers line. However, I found the steamy scenes to be too over-the-top and unrealistic. Although they could have resolved their differences and become something more, the affair seemed to be more proximity than romance. As for the haunting, I enjoyed the manner of the haunting, and the castle had enough secret passages to make this exciting and scary. But, for story foundation, I did not see any reason for Georgina to be haunting the castle. And her history was not a comeback story for Pen as far as I was concerned unless embellished. Although I generally liked the story, I skipped the erotica sections and was a little disappointed at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

My opinions are my own.

Penelope (Pen) Skinner and Neil Storm (Storm) are two young, hot indigenous authors who dislike each other vehemently, or do they?

Pen feels Storm is a sell-out whose work plays into stereotypes about native people. At a book event for BIPOC authors, frustrated with the way he is worshipped by the public and has sold his soul (in her opinion) to do so, she throws her book at Storm, and from there, both their lives take a turn.

The locale for the book is a haunted Scottish castle where Pen and Storm end up with two other authors for a writers' retreat that is anything but that. What ensues is a haunted house mystery that was somewhat reminiscent of Scooby Doo in the best ways mixed with an enemies-to-lovers trope. The other two writers on the retreat, Lazlo and Daniela are the perfect counterbalance to Pen and Storm's emo vibes.

I found the book entertaining and particularly enjoyed the last 1/3rd of the book's focus on the other love story, from the 1800s of the ghosts occupying the castle. It kept the story between Storm and Pen that much more engaging.

Wilkens did a great job including characters of color and also integrating queer romance in the story.

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens tells the story of two writers Penelope and Neil. Both Native American writers have a very public dispute resulting in Penelope throwing a book at Neil. Later, the two are brought together again when they go on a writing retreat in Edinburg. Stuck in a haunted castle together, the two are forced to air out their differences and find out what’s really haunting them.

Rating: 3/5 stars ⭐️

I thought I was going to like this book more than I did. Romance and horror are both genres that I prefer, so I was excited to see them mixed. This book, however, is romance with a few ghost sightings and mysteries.

This book does talk about important topics such as how the publishing industry treats BIPOC as well as harmful stereotypes that are written about native Americans. This is where I give it the most points, because I think topics like these are important.

The writing isn’t bad aside from a few areas where it’s repetitive. My only other issue is that when authors write characters who are also authors, it can make a book feel more like a self-insert fan fiction and that’s kind of how I felt about this.

The romance moves very quickly. Well, the whole book moves a bit quick, which I know can be good for some, but for me it was too fast.

Lastly, Penelope and Neil…their “enemies to lovers” situation felt so one sided. It just seemed like it was Penelope who decided they were enemies. Neil was more chill about everything.

Thank you NetGally and Colby Wilkens for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this cover and blurb so was very excited to read, but it just wasn't for me. I found the FMC very draining and could not relate to her. The writing was also not my favorite, but I found some of the one-off lines to be clever. I would have enjoyed this a lot more I think if I would have read around the Halloween season. It was a light/easy read so if you want something as a palate-cleanser, then this could be for you.

The romance in this was fun, and probably my favorite part. I just wish there would have been more chemistry off the bat, and less of Pen blaming Neil for everything.

2.75 stars

This was a fun, spicy Romance about two writers who hate each other, end up in forced proximity in a haunted Scottish Castle, and definitely bang. It was exactly what you expect from the description, and was an easy, breezy book if you like those types of plots. I did find the characters banter to be a little much at times, but mostly it was the predictable arc you expect from this type of Romance.

Great if you are into:

- Ghosts
- Spicy Romance
- The writing process

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since I first heard about it. Enemies to lovers? Haunted castle? Scotland? Yes, please! I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the unique spin on the genre!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Unfortunately, the characters and plot made this story very difficult to get through. The main character is whiny and manipulative. She spends the entire book bullying her ‘love interest’ for being hurt by the same industry that hurt her, after she PHYSICALLY ASSAULTS HIM. And I’m supposed to enjoy that they get together???? Also! Every chapter either starts with one POV thinking 1. I hate Neil/Pen 2. I am attracted to Neil/Pen and don’t know why/don’t want to act on my feelings. UGH and no one is doing any writing the whole time.

This book fell flat in so many ways. I really wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.

I was hoping to love this book, but I wasn’t able to connect with the characters and they moved on too quickly from enemies to lovers. It was a cute fall rom com with Native American and LGBT representation, and I know others will enjoy it more than me!

The book explores the rocky relationship between two Native writers, Penelope Skinner and Neil Storm, who hate each other. Their animosity peaks during a heated exchange at a writers' panel. In an attempt to overcome their writer's block following their heated exchange, they both attend a writing retreat at a haunted Scottish castle.There, they are forced to collaborate to solve the mystery of the ghost haunting the castle.

What I appreciated most about the book was its focus on Native representation in publishing. Despite being rivals in the horror genre, Pen and Neil strive to carve out space for themselves as BIPOC authors in the industry. The supporting characters added a touch of comedy, though at times, they seemed overshadowed by the main plot.

However, there were aspects I didn’t like. The ghostly elements were not as frightening as I had anticipated, and the ghost mystery they set out to solve was disappointingly underwhelming, especially after the significant buildup in the second half of the book. The relationship dynamics felt more like infatuation and lust than true love, making it hard to connect with the characters. Penelope, in particular, was unlikable; her unreasonable anger towards Neil and her manipulative behavior, making him feel responsible for her failed career, detracted from her character development. Although these traits were intentional for the plot, she showed little growth or empathy throughout the story.

Overall, it was still an entertaining read and I would recommend for those interested in a romance novel with spooky elements.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This debut rom-com by Colby Wilkens put together a two of my favorite things; romance, comedy, and ghost stories. I was hooked by the time I finished the prologue. When rival horror authors Penelope and Neil find themselves living their own personal horror story after being snowed in together at a haunted castle in the Scottish Highlands that their friend decided would be the perfect location for a writer retreat. As they work together to unravel the story of ghosts haunting the castle walls, they find themselves changing the way they view one another. I really enjoyed that BIPOC representation and how the characters address the issues they face as native authors in the writing business. With the dual POV you get the chance to experience both Pen and Niels awkwardness towards other another in both perspectives which will make you giggle. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book.

If I Stopped Haunting You is set to release on October 15th which makes it perfectly timed for those who enjoy a good seasonal real. What better time to read a ghost story if not during the spook season?

Tropes:
🩶Enemies/Rival to Lovers
🔥Slow Burn
🌨️Snowed In
😊Native MC’s
🏳️‍🌈LGBTQ+ Representation
👻Ghosts
🩵He Falls First
🏰Castles

I was very intrigued by this book from the cover! I read the blurb and couldn’t wait to start this book. I had high hopes for this book but it wasn’t what I expected.

Penelope was a difficult person to like from the start especially since she threw a book Neil. I understand she doesn’t like Neil because he disrespects their culture however, there is a right and wrong place to criticize someone. Pen got a lot of hate for the way she acted and that’s her fault. She never really owned up to it in the beginning and kept blaming Neil. They end up getting stuck together when they go on a writing retreat to this haunted castle. I loved the thriller and ghost aspects of this book and enjoyed reading this at night!

I never felt this was an enemies to lovers if she keeps thinking he’s so attractive from the start and vise versa. I felt like their relationship was a bit forced to begin with when they literally had one of the worse interactions at a book event. As I’ve said before, I did love the ghost aspects and I never usually read thriller and horror but I would definitely give others a shot at this!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for my honest review!

Penelope Skinner's writing career crashed when her fight with bestseller Neil Storm went viral. Maybe she shouldn't have chucked a book at his smug face. But now she's hopelessly stuck, with writer's block and looming life decisions. She'll take this one last chance on a friend's winter writing retreat at a wild Scottish castle, before she abandons her dreams. But she wasn't expecting the castle to be haunted, for the weather to strand them all with no way out, or, worst of all, for Neil Storm to be there.

I'm a big fan of gothic romance and contemporary gothic, and this book was a love letter to gothic horror in a romcom package. Best of all, as well-read authors, the main characters knew what genre they were in! But that doesn't stop them from getting sucked into the ghost story. That was a clever twist on the well-trodden gothic tropes, and Wilkens balanced the horror and lighter elements well to maximize them both. I also loved the deeper discussion of Native representation in fiction and the way the industry pits POC against each other for scarce opportunities. And Neil is such a shy golden retriever I can't imagine not falling in love with him!

This is a good read for anyone who loves gothics or classic horror stories. But anyone who likes their romance with a side of ghosts and steam could fall in love with this book.

I really liked the concept of this story: a spooky horror romance set in a haunted Scottish castle. Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. Spoilers ahead.

Things I liked...

- Native representation and honest discussions about discrimination and the white washing of BIPOC stories in the publishing industry.

- Multiple mentions of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, something that every single person needs to be talking about more.

- The spooky castle setting was fun, I love a creepy ghost. And Scotland.

Things that fell flat...

- The "enemies to lovers" trope was weak here. They weren't enemies as much as rivals, and the pacing was so fast that they were no longer enemies in the span of about 24 hours.

- Character development needed work, I feel like I didn't really know much about either of them, which made it hard for me to connect emotionally or become truly invested in their love story.

- I wish the ghost story had more of a punch. It was spooky, but I was hoping for more of a twist.

Overall, this was cute and fun, if not a little cheesy. It was a quick read and would be perfect for spooky season.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴/𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This was fun! It’s the perfect read before Halloween/fall so it’ll be one to keep an eye out for on release day! I didn’t connect to it *as well* as I’d hoped but I definitely still would recommend it to give a shot!

I thought I would love this book. Reading the description it had everything I was looking for. Sadly, it just left me searching for something else. Penelope and Neil were just horrible to each other. Neil just had an ick I couldn't get past. It felt like Penelope was just gaslighting Neil and us throughout the book. I'm still giving it 3 stars because of the side characters and the scenery.

I do want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC copy. I promised to give an honest review.