This book had an endearing premise but it didn't quite stick the landing for me. Maybe having more inner monologue from the main character would help me feel more connected with the characters and the story they're experiencing.

This was a really enjoyable contemporary romance that hit a lot of high points. For lovers of holiday reads, this one hits a nice Yuletide note without being overly Christmas-ey. Add in a little bit of manufactured spookiness, strangers to lovers, difficult families, found families and secret pasts...well you have a five-star cozy read.

The characters were well developed past the classic "tragic pasts' and the chemistry felt very natural and real. While a much cleaner/fade-to-black narrative than I have been reading lately, the relationship still sizzles while also being sweet and realistic. Sometimes I found Lex to be a little irritating, but I will chalk that up to age difference and that her maturing was a central theme of the novel, so it serves a purpose beyond being a "quirky cool girl." The cast of supporting characters were equally rounded and added a lot to the world building. That the story features my family's favorite Vermont town certainly helped, though the atmosphere of the story is owed entirely to Roberts' writing.

Overall a genuinely enjoyable read that will be a hit for lovers of the contemporary romance genre.

I want to thank NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC of this story. The cover drew me to this book, it is gorgeous. I really liked the concept of this book. The Blair Witch style blog of hauntings in the town was a nice way to bring back memories of those early Youtube days. I did feel like the romance was rushed in the beginning. I enjoyed the cozy winter vibes and that Lex had someone who was a constant in her life despite her family being terrible.

Favorite quote: "Finding where you belong is an important discovery."

This was SUCH a cozy read! I'm a sucker for anything set in Vermont because it's one of my favorite regions in the US. So the small town vibes, the spooky vibes, the bookstore...all of it was a perfect mix of so many things I love!! I was so surprised by the intricate secrets and romantic arc that appeared in this one, and it was so satisfying. It was also really fun to see a spooky vibe story set during the winter holiday season. That was a nice twist!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title. These are my honest thoughts.

I absolutely devoured this book! The small town setting, the (maybe) haunted used bookshop, and overall cozy vibes was everything I wanted and more.

I sometimes struggle with strangers to lovers but this may have been the first book I’ve read where it didn’t feel like insta-love/lust and I loved seeing Lex and James’ relationship progress naturally.

I loved that the Lex was an ex YouTuber. I don’t always enjoy when social media is a part of books but I think the author really got it right in this one. The script excerpts from her past videos gave me all the nostalgia and took me straight back to old YouTube days!

I also really enjoyed the exploration of the character’s relationships with their families and their coping mechanisms. I thought this was something different for a Romance book and made it really stand out to me. Even the third act conflict felt so different to that of what I’ve read in so many other Romances and even though it was resolved a little too quickly, I do feel like the MCs had experienced growth both as individuals and as a couple.

Bonus points for including a content warning at the beginning of the book! I’d love to see this in all books.

Overall a very strong spooky season read that I will definitely be recommending👻

I made it about 30% of the way through this book before I ended up DNFing it. The banter in the book was good but it came on fast and hard and there was something missing from it. Even with the bit of back story we eventually get from the main characters, it still felt as though there was depth missing from them.

This is an adorable five-star read. It gives you puppy cuddle feels for most of the story, and what a puppy she is. There were a couple of bits that felt a little over done, but honestly I adored Lex, when you see life from her side it’s understandable to see where she comes from. The spookiness is just so well done, so you don’t have to be scared, its really well done. Stowe just sounds like the perfect place to run away to and settle in and never leave, the question is will James leave? He was someone who you could get behind, and man did he sound lovely in that coat.

Spooky small town? Found family? Anxiety rep? Queer MCs? Adorable pup along for the ride?! Yes, please to all of the above.

I absolutely went into this expecting a fluff romcom and maybe a little paranormal mayhem and got so much more. Lex is enjoying her little small town life, when all of a sudden city boy James arrives out of nowhere shaking her sweet little world like a snow globe. They fall hard a fast, but can their romance survive their families and Lex's anxiety?

4/5 ⭐️ 1/5 🌶
This was such an adorable cozy romance! Lex is a small town bookstore employee with dreams of taking over the business and James is traveling while working on a ghost hunting documentary. They bond over her ghost story vlog and their similar family issues. Their story is super cute and one that I definitely enjoyed!

Amber Roberts' "Haunt Your Heart Out" is a delightful and heartwarming novel that will appeal to fans of romance, mystery, and small-town living. Lex McCall, the protagonist, is a relatable and lovable character who is easy to root for. Her journey of self-discovery and acceptance is both inspiring and empowering. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-developed and adds depth and humor to the story. The plot is engaging and suspenseful, with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. Roberts' writing is witty and charming, and she has a knack for creating vivid and atmospheric settings. "Haunt Your Heart Out" is a must-read for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a touch of mystery and suspense.

If you're into cozy mysteries and love stories with a touch of ghostly fun, this book is your perfect match! Set in a sleepy Vermont town, it follows Lex, a bookstore-loving homebody with a strict "no dating tourists" rule. But when a charming stranger named James rolls into town with a ghost-hunting crew, things get spookily interesting.

What starts as a quirky encounter soon turns into a tangled web of secrets and romance. Lex, fearing her chance to buy the bookstore might slip away, decides to mess with the ghost hunters' research. But as she spends more time with James, she can't help but catch feelings.

With its mix of humor, romance, and a dash of mystery, this book is like Gilmore Girls meets ghost hunting. So, if you're looking for a light-hearted read to cozy up with, grab a copy and get ready for some ghostly vibes!

☆☆☆

This book is downright adorable. Spooky vibes during Christmas time? It somehow worked so well.

Haunt Your Heart Out is about Lex, a thirty something woman who lives in the small, “snowglobe” town of Stowe, Vermont and works at the local bookstore. After dropping out of college due to struggling with her mental health Lex thinks she’s content with her life, and never leaving Stowe until she meets James, the paranormal documentary filmmaker while he’s investigating the ghost stories of Stowe. Lex tries to resist James’ charm, knowing all tourists eventually leave but as he wears her down, she has to consider everything she’s ever thought she wanted in her life.

It was refreshing for there to be a FMC in their thirties instead of early twenties, like many romances have. It was also great to see LGBTQ+ representation with Lex identifying as pansexual and James as bi.

While there is a third act “breakup” it was different than the typical romance tropes. The problem felt like it was solved so quickly and James’ decision, while it was what I hoped for felt sudden in terms of the progression of the story. It also felt like Lex and James had so much chemistry in the beginning, but that faded as the book went on.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘈𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

This book was a fun little delight. I love a good small town romance, and the setting of Stowe, Virginia with our main character tucked behind the counter of a used book store checks the box for quaint. James shows up with his film crew looking for ghosts from Alex's teenage past, but literal ghosts. Her best friend is a family loving, rough and tumble snow plow driver. And, there's a cute fluffy sidekick in the form of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

I dislike the "keeping secrets" trope, and that was a major theme for the main character. She wasn't doing anything intentionally malicious but it kept my stomach in a knot for much of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop. However, that same feeling is one the main character sits with for much of the story so perhaps it is fitting.

My other minor problem with the book is that it was billed as "he's bi" and "she's pan," but those identities were represented in only a mere sentence or two in the book. It was otherwise MF, and was still great, just not something I would use to promote the book since it didn't really show up.

Make sure to check the trigger warnings, just in case. The main character is affected by anxiety and grief as well as family troubles and infidelity.

Thank you to Net Galley and publisher for an arc of Haunt your Heart Out by Amber Roberts.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I love a good cozy small town romance.
I will say the beginning chemistry between the two mcs was lacking and their romance was rushed but picked up pretty quickly.
I found the MFC very relatable and experienced a few giddy moments with the romance.
Overall good book and I’m looking forward to reading more by Amber.

I imagine reading this around Halloween time would be so perfect, the vibes are incredible. I loved it so much, all aspects were amazing

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

3.5 stars

What happens when you never want to leave your home town, but find yourself falling yet again for someone who is never in one place at the same time?

Thats the story of Lex McCall, bookshop manager and dedicated Stowe, Vermont resident, who finds herself falling for travelling ghost hunting documentarian James Coen. Adding to this complication is James and his director best friend are in town because of Lex's teenage ghost vlog, which they don't realise is fictional. Except Lex can't tell the truth because the ghost rumours mean she might finally be able to buy the bookshop from her boss at a low price.

With its cosy, small town Vermont vibes, and lovely spark between Lex and Coll, I enjoyed this book. However there was something missing which I can't quite pinpoint. I found the first 20% really slow to get into and the ending was Hallmark cheesy in tone. Yet the rest of the book had a much more layered and realistic vibe to it, with Lex and James' parental issues. The strongest part for me where Lex finally confronting her parents and sister, but I do wish that we saw more of Lex changing earlier.

Overall this was a lovely and sweet read.

Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

this short book is about a daughter and her mom, and the way their relationship connected through skype because the mom lives in Brazil and her daughter is pursuing a degree in the USA. the feeling of helplessness because she knows for sure that she’s not living closer to her and if something bad happens to the mom, she can’t be there instantly.

it is very vibey and slow, following through the day-to-day routine of both the two main character and their thoughts, looking forward to their scheduled meeting to catch up on each other’s life.

for some people, this book could end up becoming boring since there isn’t any proposition happening, but for me, i enjoy this type of story so much because the writer could show many different emotions in very simple mundane activities.

so happy and grateful i have the chance to read this arc.

The cover is so beautiful it immediately caught my eye, and even though it isn’t Halloween, I was super excited to dive into this spooky story. This was such a wholesome romcom, with one of my favourite Halloween activities - ghost hunting! With a cozy bookstore background, this was just what I needed after a few heavy reads.

Fans of Gilmore girls, and Supernatural, this is the perfect little treat! I adored our main characters, from their banter and opposite personalities (lex was a small town girl living in a lonely world 🤭 who also battled anxiety and James was cheeky and fun), even though their miscommunications and conflict, I was rooting for them together! I loved the cozy, found family vibes and mental health rep, it really added extra depth to the cute romcom vibes. As a first time reader of amber roberts, I’m super impressed with her writing and ability to weave loveable and relatable main characters!

Thank you so much to netgalley, the publishers and amber Roberts for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored Haunt Your Heart Out!

Plot Teaser:
Haunt Your Heart Out centers on Lex, a small-town girl who runs the local bookstore, and, honestly, her abandonment issues. Everyone she's loved and cared for has sprinted away from her hometown, where she desperately wants to stay. Lex decides to avoid getting attached to anyone who comes to town. However, things change when a charming ghost hunter arrives to investigate the local legends. Lex begins to question her decision to keep her distance, mainly because she played a part in creating the legends in the first place.

This little gem is perfect for those who love a good old-fashioned small-town romance but also want a bit more substance.

Some readers found it difficult to believe that Lex changed her mind so quickly about getting close to James, but as someone who has wild anxiety and little to no self-control, I get it 100%. Especially with James's adorably witty banter, I would've folded even faster than Lex. The pining ends about 20% of the way through, but that doesn't mean the fear of James leaving doesn't affect the other 80% of the book.

I also loved that the book took place during Christmas because mixing Christmas and ghosts means you have a cute little read from October to December.

This book has a bit of spice; I would give it a 3/5 on the spicy scale since there are a few explicit scenes, but the focus is on the plot.

I really enjoyed reading Haunt Your Heart Out and would highly recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Amber Roberts, and Alcove Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.