Haunt Your Heart Out is a fun romance that takes place in a cozy Vermont setting. It touches on themes such as comfortability, anxiety, staying close to your roots, growing up, and more! I thought this had some very humorous parts and very much Halloween cozy fall vibes. I wasn’t obsessed with this book, but I would definitely recommend it for the fall time.

Thank you to Alcove Press & NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I give this book 3.5 stars

Lex McCall loves her life in a quiet Vermont town and her job at the quiet bookstore but all of her friends and family have moved away. She decides that she will no longer date tourists or newcomers because they are more likely to move on and leave her behind. Lex receives an amazing offer to buy the bookstore and she cannot resist a chance to put roots down further. James is a part of ghost hunting crew creating a documentary and stops by the bookstore. Lex actually was the one who created these "ghost" stories about a decade ago. Worried her secret will come out she tampers will James' research and results.

This is a super cute Halloween contemporary romance book, do not go into it expecting real ghosts or a paranormal romance. Saying that it does give amazing witchy vibes set in a small town. I would definitely describe the book as cozy and low-stakes. It gives Hallmark meets Gilmore Girls meets Halloween but not in a way that feels overly cheesy. There are parts of the book that bring more of an emotional depth to the story like when the characters talk about their lack of familial support. Lex in particular felt incredibly relatable to me as she struggles with feelings of loneliness and mental health while also trying to be independent. Both Lex and James are extremely likable characters which makes you route for their relationship throughout the book, it also helps that they have strong chemistry.

The plot overall was super cute and there was an an added subplot of mystery and suspense that I was not expecting. There is also an underlying message of not letting fear hold you back living your life to the fullest. This is a great cozy romance with some emotional depth that is perfect for the fall. I will be re-reading this book in October when it comes out because I feel that is the perfect time to read this book.

I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley.

The positives about this book for me are the setting. I love a cosy book setting in a quirky little town.
Snowing, warm clothes, bookstore with the promise of romance with a sexy out of towner and of course some spooky ghosts. Even the front cover had me, being a bit of a sucker for this newer cartoon type front cover thats donning the books now a days. These were all A +
The promise of this book was all there for me.

Sadly,the fmc could just not be endeared to me. I am actually not sure what it was that made it difficult for me to like her. I understand anxiety as a self admitted anxious person. Family problems , absolutely, we all have them. Rejection sensitive and the "stuckness" that comes from all this because you want to be safe. Everything about her was incredibly relatable and yet, something just wasn't right by me.
Also the attraction and subsequent relationship with James felt a bit forced and meh.

I still read the book and enjoyed the ideas. Maybe I need to go back and read it at another time though and see if it's just been a bad reading day.
3 stars

I was REALLY excited for this one! I tend to go into books blind to enjoy them more so I didn’t thoroughly read the description (on purpose!) I go based on covers and vibes, and this cover was so cute and spooky! This book was okay but I think I expected like… actual ghosts? More spooky stuff? It started off feeling like a Christmas story and didn’t truly contain anything paranormal which is what I wanted to see. The setting was great and the characters were cool. Their banter was my favorite part! Overall, it was fun and I think it will be enjoyed by many even though it fell a little flat for me. I am still giving it 4 stars because it was well written and I would have had different expectations had I read the description prior to reading.

The writing in this book did descriptions and inner dialogue well, and as someone haunted by my cringey old Facebook posts, I thought the use of vlogging as a teenage hobby coming back to bite the main character was an excellent idea. I also particularly enjoyed the depiction of family and healing in the book, and thought that it was realistic and cathartic. Though the conflict of the book is a bit self-inflicted on the main character’s part, it still comes across as satisfyingly tense and complicated.

Though the characters were charming from the beginning, the story took a while to get moving, and the first quarter of the book was weighed down with repetition. The romance felt rushed at the start, which made it difficult for me to really feel invested in the relationship. The story did pick up in the second half, and I liked a lot of what it had to offer from that point on, but the first half unfortunately did not grab my attention. Though this wasn’t really for me, I think fans of cozy, flirty romance may enjoy this read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

2/5 When the “ghosts” of your past come back to haunt you.

This was an easy and quick read. It flowed nicely. I also enjoyed the romantic yet spooky vibes. I liked the main character and her beau. I enjoyed the family dynamic too. A nice escape with a happy ending.

3.5 🌟’s

Very cute book that I honestly wish I read during the fall, it’s got a really cozy setting that makes you feel like you’re in cute little autumn town.

I really loved the fmc in this, I related to a lot of her struggles and understood where she was coming from with her anxiety’s and unwillingness to see change. The romance did feel a little bit lacking to me and the communication between characters was frustrating at times.

Overall really solid book and I had a wonderful time reading it. Thank you NetGalley for this Arc

Okay so this was really cute, but I was alittle shocked that there wasnt any real ghosts. Other than that, I loved the hallmark meets halloween vibes.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The ghost hunting storyline was interesting. I'm glad that there was a very real issue to overcome instead of the usual "meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after" that is common for these books. It made the book more relatable and enjoyable to read.

This was a cute book! There was a lot of banter., some steamy scenes and good conflict.
The relationship seemed to blossom naturally, with shared interests and mutual attraction.
There are some places in the book that does exist in VT, Emily’s bridge being one of them!

Lex is a homebody who works at bookstore and will never leave her small town in Vermont, even if she’s the only one in her family left. It’s there that she meets James, who is working on a documentary about the hauntings in the area. Lex helps him with local lore, after all it’s her Youtube videos she posted as a teen that is their source of inspiration but what she doesn’t say is she made the stories up & as the two become closer, the truth becomes harder to tell.

Honestly … I was expecting James to be a ghost. I think it would’ve been more enticing had he been.

Overall premise was interesting but felt something missing. The keeping secret bothers me, I understand why Lex kept the ghosts secret to herself but ugh. Then she essentially gaslights James when it comes to light.

The Bi/Pan representation was great, I love reading about characters who are LGBTQ+, the typical straight characters become so repetitive at times.

There was a lot to love about this book! Lex is relatable, James is charming. The cozy bookstore and spooky little town setting will be perfect for an October release. I also LOVED that this was a pan x bi romance, AND it was stated on-page. Aahh, a breath of fresh air!

However, I really struggled with the pacing, and the stakes didn’t feel high enough to keep me invested. Lex and James felt like a happy couple by the 20% mark, and I think a little more tension would have helped things along.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Haunt Your Heart Out is such a sweet story! I really loved Lex and how cozy Roberts' made Stowe, Vermont! I've only been there once, but that's exactly how my Gilmore-Girls-brain pictures it. The romance was so sweet and I loved everything about James from his baseball cap to his dog, Lulu! Such a sweetheart! I loved all the ghostlore and friendly apparitions and the cozy bookstore Lex runs. This warm and gentle romance is perfect for the holiday season!

This was a cute book, especially for a release date right around Halloween. Although I enjoyed reading the book, I was often annoyed by Alex, but at the end of it all, I was happy with the ending as well as her overall character development.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 ⭐

*ARC Review*

I thought this book had a good idea for a story, but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.. this book was labeled as a paranormal romance but *spoiler* there wasn't really anything paranormal about it... Everything was fake? The characters didn't really speak to me at all... They weren't extremely loveable in my opinion. It was definitely still a decent book, but I think the whole paranormal aspect kind of threw me off.

this was a spookily cute read!!! i don't typically read books like this, but i loved every minute of this one! the cover is so dreamy and the romance between these characters is phenomenal. such a fun and cozy read!!

thank you so much to netgalley for the arc

I found this to be a really interesting read! I liked that Lex grew as a character, even tho I found myself yelling internally at her sometimes. I loved the spookiness of the small town of Stowe. James and Lulu stole the show for me, all of the cuteness they had was unparalleled. The family dynamics of both leads were so very intense. Lex and her family growing was one of my favorite parts. Overall a very solid, fun read if you have a love of ghost stories.

Title: Haunt Your Heart Out By Amber Roberts

Release date: October, 8th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

"Haunt Your Heart Out" by Amber Roberts is a delightful contemporary romance that blends flirtatious banter with a hint of the supernatural.

Lex McCall, a homebody in Vermont, has a strict rule against dating anyone who might leave her behind. When offered the chance to buy her beloved bookstore at a great price, she jumps at it. However, her resolve is tested when James, a charming stranger who turns out to be part of a ghost-hunting crew, arrives in town. To protect her secret past as a ghost-hunting vlogger, Lex tampers with their investigation, but as she grows closer to James, she realises her feelings are deeper than she anticipated. With career dreams on the line and unexpected stakes in play, Lex must navigate her growing attraction while keeping her past hidden.

The romance between Lex and James is both sweet and steamy, adding depth to the storyline. This story has a unique twist that sets it apart from the usual romantic tales. The storyline and characters had me hooked from start to finish!


This engaging piece by Amber Roberts will surely leave readers eagerly wanting to read more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A ghost hunting love story!? Count me in! The story between Lex and James was a lot of fun. I loved the flashbacks of the Haunted Happenings vlog - It reminded me of the Ghost Club my friend Jen and I had growing up. I could also relate to how close Lex was with her grandparents, especially her grandfather, and appreciated her stubbornness to stay in the home he built. This was your typical, small town romance and I couldn’t be happier about that. A little spooky, a little spicy, and an adorable little fluffball I wish I could pet for real.

Many thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

This was the perfect amount of cute. I think will be great for cozy romance “spooky szn”
read.

Although not spooky it is super cute. I think the cover and title kind of gives you all you need to know on if you think you’ll enjoy it or not.