After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

Haunted Ever After is a cute, small-town romance featuring a slow-burn romance, haunted houses, and meddling ghosts. I wasn't sure what I expected going into this, but I was definitely entertained and thoroughly enjoyed reading every second of it. The supernatural aspect was really well done - this book had me convinced that living in a haunted house might not actually be that bad! Haunted Ever After will be the perfect book this fall for readers who love a cozy, spooky vibe!

4 stars!

"Haunted Ever After" by Jen DeLuca is a wonderful paranormal/supernatural romance book! It's slightly spooky without verging into horror territory. I have a hunch that some romance readers will be upset that the love aspect takes a backseat to the ghostly tale, but I didn't mind. In fact, I found myself yearning to finish this one, excited to see what happened next. This is mostly because I enjoyed being with these characters. I liked their effortless chemistry with one another, and I don't just mean the main characters, Cassie and Nick. I even liked all of the secondary characters who live in Boneyard Creek (I am so happy this town will become an ongoing series!). I related to Cassie so much. I often feel like I have been left behind in some friend circles because I do not have kids. While everyone is busy talking about strollers and daycare, I'm sitting here thinking about the ghosts that inhabit my town and home (figuratively, of course). She embodies every 30-something who feels like an outsider (literally, in her case, in Boneyard Key). When she buys a recently renovated house in the mysterious town, she quickly realizes that there is more than meets the eye with her new abode...and that she may not be alone there. Nick is *definitely* meant to be a modern-day Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls. He's grumpy, but sweet, deep down. And he really, *really* believes in ghosts. You sort of have to, being raised in Boneyard Key. I loved the banter between Cassie and Nick. This is a really great story full of interesting commentary about how women have been treated throughout history. The romance is a bit light, but again, I didn't mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I will say, I think the ending happens a little quickly compared to the rest of the novel, which is drawn out to give readers a sense of the characters and their lives in this tight-knit community. Please check this book out. I cannot wait to go back to Boneyard Key!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jen DeLuca, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

the premise of this story had soooo much potential but it fell a little short for me and i never felt fully invested in the plot. it felt a little repetitive— like every day in the book was the same. it felt like i read the same scene written a slightly different way 20 times. i was also thrown for a loop with the ending— i felt it was unnecessary to take it to such extremes. it made the story feel gimmicky.
i would have loved to see more intimate and romantic moments between cassie and nick. i wanted that intense chemistry and monumental meant to be love story but it just never got there for me.
i did love the setting, the side characters/friendships, the texts from elmer, all the puns, and the spice scene!
overall, i think this book is fun, lighthearted, and cozy but a little too slow paced! i definitely think i’ll continue the series because it feels like one that gets better with each book.

thank you so much to berkley and netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

4⭐️
2🔥

Quick Breakdown

Supernatural Romance
Strangers to Lovers
Fish Out of Water
Slow Burn
Small Town
Dual POV
Open Door - Mild Detail

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the eARC & gifted finished copy & @prhaudio for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Looking to leave the Orlando area, Cassie moves to the small coastal town of Boneyard Key FL, known for its ghost tourism. But unbeknownst to her, it’s not a gimmick & she’s bought a known to be haunted, once deserted, newly flipped house. Outlets that refuse to work send her to the local coffee shop in search of electricity, where she meets Nick. Once he learns that she is a new “local” and not a tourist, Nick shares some of the town’s history & what he believes / knows to be true while Cassie adjusts to her new roommate.

I was pleasantly surprised how adorable this was. This is a start of a new series for Jen & she laid the groundwork on this unique little town beautifully. I loved the strangers to lover aspect between these two okay by themselves, but lonely MC’s & their slow path to each other, especially how everyone seemed to root for them. While they grew towards together, we learn more about this haunted little town & all the real ghosts that inhabit it. I geeked out over the history & watching Cassie slowly come to terms with the fact that ghosts are indeed real & she is cohabitating with one.

I primarily listened to the audio & definitely recommend. It’s narrated by Jeannie Sheneman & proved to be a quick & bingeable read.

This was honestly very cute and perfect to transition into fall/spooky season reads! I have read Jen DeLuca in the past and was excited to see she was writing a paranormal-ish romance! This one was slow burn and I really enjoyed the small town, Florida coast setting, and the little ghost-mystery too!

Basically she’s moves to a small Florida coastal town and is wanting to fix up a cottage. He owns a local coffee shop and they go from strangers to friends. Both have ghostly visitors and have to work together to try and uncover some history. The romance does move slowly but I was invested enough in the mystery elements of the story that I didn’t mind. The audiobook in particular was a lot of fun and had me pulled in from the start! Very glad I gave this one a go! The cutesy small town, grumpy coffee shop owner, haunted house, and ghost tours! I definitely see why people compare it to similar vibes as Ashley Poston romances.

I received an ARC/ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own!

This small town paranormal romance is set in Boneyard Key, a Florida coastal town. Cassie Rutherford is looking for love and a life for herself. She thinks she found the perfect place, until the ghost of Mean Mrs Hawkins, the previous owner (deceased) shows up!

There's a slow burn between main characters; Cassie and Nick Royer, the grumpy cafe owner in the town of Boneyard Key who also has an interesting roommate.

I loved the bits of humor, the new "ghost" characters operating in the modern world, and there's a bit of a mystery around the Mrs. Hawkins that needs to be solved.

If you are looking for an easy-going, cute, light-hearted, paranormal romance with a bit of a mystery, you might like Haunted Ever After.

Oh my god, you guys!!! This is now my fave Fall romance book!!!

I loved everything about this one!! Big city girl moving to a small town in Florida - a town that lives and breathes Halloween!!

So our female lead, Cassie moves in to the famous Hawkins House - famous for being the town’s haunted house. She shortly experiences being haunted by the previous homeowner and that’s pretty much how the story starts!

This is the book that will give you the ultimate Fall vibes!!! And I am sooo happy that this is going to be a series because it would be a treat to read about this town and its characters every year!

It’s so hard for me to compile my thoughts with how much I loved it 😂 but here are a few things that makes this book one of my favorite Fall romance books!!!
🍂 the Halloween small town vibe
🍂 cozy coffee shop
🍂 ghosts roommates
🍂 haunted houses
🍂 ghost tour
🍂 loved learning about the “Founding Fifteen”
🍂 exorcisms
🍂 cute store names!

For people who loved the Well Met series, this is by that same author and I’m 💯 sure that you would fall in love with this one too!!

It comes out tomorrow!! Grab a copy, friends!!! Highly recommend for my Fall girlies out there!!!

Thank you to Jen DeLuca, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finally, a book that knows its genre! Primarily romance with a ghost story subplot. Someone did their job right. *thumbs up* Another marketing team would have called it gothic or horror simply because there's a ghost story, and readers would have been disappointed.

I enjoyed this novel but wasn't blown away by it. I tried reading it months ago, but the opening scene was so boring I kept falling asleep, so I waited for the audiobook. There <i>had</i> to have been a more interesting way to start, either a hint of the haunting or Buster checking Cassie's electricity or something. NOT ordering a fucking coffee and getting attitude from the barista. *eye roll* Cassie could have gone to Hallowed Grounds on Buster's recommendation and she and Nick could have met through a mutual friend and not an argument that makes them both look like presumptive jackasses.

The only other thing that bothered me was how long it took Cassie to consider the husband's ghost might have lingered. Otherwise this was a good, average romance with lots of ghost lore. I was just as appalled and frustrated as the characters to learn that the book about Boneyard Key's history was inaccurate (though I'm sure many history texts are the world over) and I loved that Sophie and Theo are working on a better one. War on the patriarchy seemed a bit shoehorned in, as if DeLuca just used it where she needed it: "Hmm, how do I get rid of C.S.'s ghost? Well, he hates women's rights, so let's have a woman mock the crap out of him." That was a pretty lame climax.

Cassie and Nick were both likeable and relatable. More could have been done with Cassie's inability to get pregnant---that was snuck into the story so subtly I almost forgot about it. Nick's conflict about leaving town seemed a bit blown out of proportion to make it more dramatic and emotional, but I forgive it. More could have been done with their families, but I didn't feel the lack. The secondaries were scene-stealers---Ramon, Libby and Nan, Elmer and Sarah, Sophie and Theo, who will obviously be getting their own book, I assume the next one, which I want very much.

I'd challenge DeLuca to swap her genre and try her hand at a ghost story mystery with romantic elements. I think she'd knock it out of the park.

I always enjoy a good ghost story, and this book has them in spades. In a haunted Florida village called Boneyard Key, founded after The Great Storm of 1897, many members of the original families decided to stick around, and until Cassie came to town, there were only a select few who could sense their presence. I find it interesting how DeLuca imbues her spectral guests with different characteristics, no one-size-fits-all. Although none of them can be seen, they make their presence known in other ways. Cassie’s resident ghost, Sarah, communicates using magnetic poetry on the refrigerator and Nick’s ghost, Elmer, through text messages and, for lack of a better description, brainwaves. There is also the beach bum who accepts the open beer bottles and follows on silent footsteps. For the most part, they’re all benevolent, but there’s a bit of a mystery whenever Nick tries to enter Cassie’s house.

The romance between Cassie and Nick is a very slow burn, mostly thanks to nosy ghosts. Eventually, there’s a bit of spice, but I found the chemistry between them a little tepid. Thankfully, there’s very little baggage and angst, and it’s a refreshing change to have two MCs who don’t really fight the attraction. If you’re looking for a lighthearted, low stakes, small town romance with a heavy helping of the paranormal, you’ll enjoy Haunted Ever After. Recommended.

Cassie Rutherford has found herself in the Most Haunted Small Town in Florida. She had wanted to buy a house in her native Florida, and this was what she found that she could afford. However, she didn’t know about that nickname until after she showed up and signed her mortgage papers. And she didn’t hear the whole story about her new place, “the Hawkins house,” until she was home during a ghost tour and heard the tour guide talk about the woman who had once lived in the house.

Boneyard Key is such a small town that there aren’t many restaurants. There is a coffee shop near Cassie’s house though, which is good because for some reason her laptop won’t charge at her house. That’s how she finds herself in a back booth at Hallowed Grounds, plugging her laptop in just in time to join the online work meeting she had to be in. She didn’t have a chance to order coffee before the meeting and was going to afterwards, when she goes up to the counter and finds the barista on his phone. She threatens to tell the owner, Nick Royer, he tells her to go ahead. And when she asks his name, he is happy to tell her: Nick Royer.

Nick returns the favor though when Cassie asks if he knows an electrician. He tells her to ask the owner of the house to take care of whatever is wrong. She informs him that she is the owner, and it’s his turn to look sheepish at thinking she was a tourist. But Nick gives her the name of a local handyman. But when Cassie goes back home and finds that the magnetic words she left on her refrigerator were rearranged to say “My house,” she realizes she may not need an electrician. Cassie may need a ghost hunter instead.

Cassie realizes that the ghost story she’d heard about her house might be real after all. Sarah had lived in the house with her husband from when they married in 1904 until he died in 1911. After his death, she had stayed in the house but refused to let anyone get near it. She had planted roses by the front fence to discourage kids to get too close. She had come to be known as “Mean Mrs. Hawkins.” Sarah had lived there alone until her death in the 1940s, and the house sat untouched for decades. Finally a house flipper bought it and refurbished it, which is how Cassie came to own it. But Cassie starts to doubt the accuracy of the story when she looks at her refrigerator and sees the word. “Wrong.”

As Cassie is coming to the believe that not only is she living with a ghost but also that the ghost is talking to her, she worries about sounding crazy. But when she tells Nick, Cassie finds out that not only does he believe in ghosts, he has one of his own. Elmer had owned the coffee shop before him, and he has been texting Nick all his advice ever since Nick took it over, starting with not putting cinnamon in the banana bread.

Cassie can’t deny that she is feeling some electricity with Nick, even though the electricity in her home is still sketchy. But living with a ghost comes with challenges, and she can’t but think she might be better off selling the house and finding another place to live. But she also wants to find out what Sarah’s real story was. Can Cassie get used to the idea of living with a ghost, if it means she gets to be with Nick? Or is Boneyard Key just not the home Cassie dreamed of?

Haunted Ever After is the first novel of Jen DeLuca’s that is not set in a Renaissance Faire. That popular series, which started with Well Met, is filled with smart characters, a strong sense of place, and sweet romances. And this Boneyard Key book is the same. It’s filled with charming characters who steal your heart, even from beyond, and a strong sense of place. And the romance is sweet and spicy, with lots of fun surprises.

I am a big fan of the Well Met books, and I loved Haunted Ever After almost as much. I loved how DeLuca used the ghosts in this story, adding fun and intrigue as they figured out ways to communicate with the living. This book brings romance and comedy, past and present, coffee and pastries, and blends it all into one big sloppy happy book about small-town Florida. It’s so much fun, and I can’t help but hope this will turn out to be the first in a series, so I can hang out some more with the humans and ghosts of Boneyard Key. And for me, DeLuca gets bonus points for knowing the pain of losing the Oxford comma while using AP style.

Egalleys for Haunted Ever After were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

If you’re looking for a book with spooky vibes and a bit of romance this one was fun! The small town setting is cozy and all of the haunted aspects make this book a great October read.
I really enjoyed all the ghost stories this book had and all the ghost characters were definitely fun but it honestly felt like the romance plot took a backseat to the solving a mystery plot. Because of this I was slightly more invested in the ghost mystery they were trying to solve rather than the romance between our main characters. It was also slightly frustrating how quickly I solved the mystery only to then watch Cassie struggle to put the pieces together when “she was so close but it felt slightly out of reach from her mind”.
The romance was cute, however nothing that stood out to me, the pacing of things between the characters was awkward sometimes but again I didn’t totally care or minded because I was more invested in the ghosts. Very low spice (one scene at the end) but it made sense for this book.

🌟: 4.5

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that if Jen DeLuca writes it, I’m gonna read it (and love it).

The setting of Boneyard Key was so unique, and yet the town and its quirks are described so well that I just want to visit each and every place with the characters.

My favorite part of this book was the mystery of Cassie’s house. The history of the house is unknown to the characters, and I was invested alongside them in their quest to uncover the truth (and I put it together before they did😆).

I enjoyed the way the love story in this one developed. Cassie and Nick feel a connection pretty quickly, but they each have their own reservations about pursuing a relationship. Nick also completely stole my heart. Yes, he’s grumpy. But he’s also such a sweetheart I just love him so much.

Finally, I ADORED the supporting characters (especially Elmer🥺). Each one of them is so distinct in their own way, and I’m dying to get more of their stories.

In Boneyard Key, Florida, residents lean into its ghostliness for tourism. Nick Royer owns the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop and doesn't mind his spectral roommate. Cassie Rutherford left Orlando to buy a flipped historic cottage and is charmed by the town despite the weirdness in her home. When the two meet and hit it off, both are worried about the connection. She might be in too deep, and Nick doesn't want to risk it all if Cassie gets scared away for good.

We start off nice and slow from Cassie's POV as we're introduced to Boneyard Key. Her laptop doesn't retain its charge, sometimes things don't work in her house, and everyone around talks about ghosts all the time. The high school history teacher had even written a book about them that all the kids had to buy, and it's often quoted. Nick is the last of his family to remain in the area, and he doesn't want to start any relationship if it might mean leaving town. Ghosts are real here, and they weigh in on local events. They even are getting involved with Cassie and Nick, offering their opinions on what's going on. Understanding what they want helps the living with their lives, and being able to move forward. It was such a cute addition to the story, with a great ending for all of the characters, even the invisible ones.

This year is all about haunted house romances for me! As a fan of love stories and of supernatural horror, this combination is the perfect marriage for me. Jen DeLuca’s latest book, Haunted Ever After, is the start of a new series set in the haunted Florida town of Boneyard Key. Cassie has just bought a newly renovated cottage, not realizing it’s famously haunted by Mean Mrs. Hawkins. Faulty wiring has her spending a lot of time in the best local café, Hallowed Grounds, where she befriends the owner, Nick. They might have a romance blooming between them, but Cassie’s about ready to flee town because of these ghosts, and Nick will never leave his hometown. Will ghosts be what prevents a relationship between them?

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- New friends to lovers
- Haunted houses (and a whole haunted town)
- Third-person narrative; dual perspective (both Cassie and Nick)

What I Liked:
- So many haunted places! This isn’t just one haunted house; it’s basically every place in all of Boneyard Key! The beach, the bar, the ice cream shop… everything has a ghost or some other kind of paranormal activity. It’s a lot of fun and filled with excellent spooky puns.
- Interacting with ghosts (via text or magnetic poetry on the fridge). Talking to ghosts isn’t just for mediums here; you can use modern technology to make contact, at least in some cases.
- A bit of mystery surrounding the Hawkins House, Sarah Hawkins, and her life. With any good haunting comes a tragic past and more than a hint of mystery surrounding it. Was Mean Mrs. Hawkins really that mean? Why has she been haunting the house she vacated decades ago? What else is happening in Cassie’s new home, and why?
- Tear-down of misogyny and the patriarchy. There’s a certain point in the book when our co-lead Nick says something really out-of-character and alarmingly misogynistic. Don’t fret; this is a paranormal romance and there are really good reasons for this unexpected outburst. It all plays into great commentary on the problems of the patriarchy and misogyny. This book is ultimately feminist and empowering.
- Discussion of motherhood, working, and whether an old friend group is still the right one for you. Not everyone wants or can have kids. Not everyone wants a “traditional” life path, and that’s okay. And sometimes, the group of friends you had is no longer in line with where you’re at in life. Sometimes, it’s best to find your new people.
- Ghost tours. You can’t have a haunted town without a walking ghost tour. Such fun!
- Baked goods! Banana bread, lemon pound cake… yum.
- Possession! Exorcism! I love that this paranormal romance doesn’t shy away from the more exciting parts of hauntings and horror. Some ghosts are friendly, but some need to be vanquished.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Nothing, this was great!

Final Thoughts
Haunted Ever After is a delightful romance filled with ghosts, Floridian heat, and a nice relationship arc between Cassie and Nick. I loved the paranormal aspects, the full cast of characters, and the gentle pace at which it unfolds. It allows readers to savor the book… and all the references to hazelnut lattes and baked goods. This is the first in a series, and I already have ideas on who one or two of the other couples could be. I can’t wait to read their stories next!

I must have a thing for books that are set in small towns on the Gulf Coast of Florida because this is the third one I can think of, and I’ve loved them all. Boneyard Key is a fictional place but it felt quite real, so kudos to Jen DeLuca. Nick owns a coffee shop in town and has grown up in Boneyard Key, known for having quite a few haunted spots (and tourists). Cassie is a newcomer who has bought a haunted house without knowing it was haunted. Cassie has picked up and moved to Boneyard Key from Orlando after the landlord she was renting from decided to sell. Once she realized she couldn’t find anything affordable nearby, she broadened her search, figuring that if she could work remotely during the pandemic, she could continue to do so, and that means she could live anywhere. The house she chose overlooks the Gulf and is super-charming, having been repaired and updated by a house flipper - before that it had been empty for a very long time.

Nick and Cassie have wonderful chemistry, but they both have personal issues that make them cautious about having a serious relationship.

The ghosts in this book are wonderful! Elmer is the former owner of the coffee shop that Nick owns, while Sarah is the former resident of Cassie’s house, who was known around town as Mean Mrs. Hawkins. How Elmer and Sarah communicate is so creative.

The story is a lovely combination of romance and mystery. And it works. We get chapters from either Cassie’s or Nick’s point of view. I loved the references to the Florida weather and the quirky history of towns along the Gulf Coast. I had to laugh out loud at the descriptions of the sub sandwiches from Publix, a widespread Florida supermarket chain which Cassie sorely misses since there’s no Publix in or near Boneyard Key.

This looks to be the start of a series and I will be happy to read those books once they are available.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

(Note: If you’re wondering about the other books/series I mentioned above, check out the Haunted Haven Mysteries by Carol J. Perry and the Coffee Lover’s Mysteries by Tara Lush.)

The cover had me, and the story kept me. This was everything I wanted and more. I loved that haunted house ghost stories are becoming more mainstream. This is perfect for the spooky season; it's part romance, part mystery, everything spooky. PLU S NO THIRD ACT BREAKUPPPP. Which honestly is my new favorite trope. If you loved the Well met Series, you will love this.

Tropes:
Slow Burn
Friends to lovers
Small Town
Found Family
Grumpy x Sunshine

Thanks to Berkley Romance for inviting me to participate in the Blog Tour!

This is an unexpectedly fun paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.

When Cassie buys a house in the small town of Boneyard Key, she notices that there are references to ghosts everywhere. When she hears the ghost tour stop in front of her house, she wants to find out why. Her housekeeper haan
She has inexplicable power issues so she’s been working at the coffee shop, owned by a handsome guy named Nick. He explains that the ghosts are real, and he’s got one as a roommate who communicates through text messages!
Cassie’s ghostly roommate communicates through magnetic words on her refrigerator, and Cassie senses something is off. As she and Nick research the history of her house, they develop a relationship, but something in her house doesn’t like him. They need to solve her mystery with help from her friendly ghost.

I really enjoyed this book, 4.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was really looking forward to this one because I loved her Well Met series. It’s actually one of my favorites of all time!

This book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Cassie and Nick. Cassie moves into the tiny town of Boneyard Key after needing something new in her life. She meets Nick not too long into her move because of her laptop not changing at her home and heads to the local coffee shop. They get off on the wrong foot, but quickly turn it around and she finds herself coming there more often than not.

I did like the setting for this story because we learn about the start of the town and the founding members. Some of those members are still lingering and although the blurb talked about ghosts I thought it would be fake or something haha. I was pleasantly surprised! It was actually my favorite part of the story, learning more about the ghosts. Cassie took this all very well. I would have freaked out a whole lot more!

The romance is really what was lackluster. I felt that there wasn’t enough sustenance and I didn’t feel the connection between them. They were cute together but I don’t know. I just needed more.

I also felt like the ending was kind of abrupt when it came to the climatic part. It felt rushed and I wish that there would have been more from the “villainous” character. I am assuming there wasn’t because the book is still meant to be light.

Overall, this was decent but I was just expecting more.

👻 Book Review 👻

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
👻
This book was totally unique. It felt like a mix of Ghostbusters, a cozy mystery, and a Hallmark movie featuring a small beach town. In the best possible way. It was fun, lighthearted, quirky, romantic, and absolutely delightful. It’s a super quick read and would be perfect for spooky season. I love the concept of a small town that’s haunted and leans into that for tourism. How do I visit? I had a blast reading it and I hope she turns it into a series, because I would devour each book. It was a little creepy and a lot cute, and I’ve never read anything like it. Give me more!!
👻
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
👻
Read if you like:
▫️ghosts
▫️small town
▫️slow burn
▫️he falls first and harder
▫️dual POV
👻
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Jen DeLuca for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.