This was such a lovely book. I loved the imagery and the setting. The Florida coast seemed dreamy and the town of Boneyard Key was charming. The romance was cozy and I was delighted at the ghostly chaos. I have loved Jen DeLuca’s other books and this new series did not disappoint. I’m eager to see the rest of the series unfold.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book gives super strong Luke and Lorelei vibes, Luke especially. And I am here for it. I loved all of the Well Met series and was excited yet apprehensive to move on to a new town and theme because what if the secret said was no longer there? I needn’t have worried. This book instantly hooked me and now I can’t wait for the next one and to find out who is next. Will it be Libby/ Ramon? Sophia/Theo? Maybe Nick’s sister Courtney will come back to town as a wildcard. So many options! This is going to be another one of those series where the town is a living breathing character and I’m going to stop in the middle of the day and wonder what’s happening in Boneyard Key today as if it’s a real place and this book wasn’t fiction. The Rumble and the Glory by JA Huss has been doing this to me too.

Such a good comfort read! I love spooky supernatural books that have more of a whimsical feel, and this one definitely does. The characters are so fun and real, and even the spirits stand out as their own quirky little parts of the cast. I could feel taste and smell the Floridian coastline, and it made me miss home in the best way.

3.7 ⭐️

I’m so in love with all of the supernatural romances coming out! This one was really fun and I absolutely love the set up for the series.

• small town
• grumpy / sunshine
• 🌶️/5

Okay, ngl. When Nick freaked out before the first 50% I got the major ick. And overall, I feel like the romance took a backseat in this story. There was a lot of plot and set up for the series so I get that, but damn. I really didn’t feel anything between Cassie and Nick at all. Their chemistry was non-existent and her forgiving him felt wrong at the time. Though I knew we were supposed to guess what was happening to him, it still felt forced between the main characters.

Small town rom com, fun ghosts, grumpy but hot MMC, and a little bit of a mystery! DeLuca gave us a bit of everything in this one book and I adored it!

Cassie leaves Orlando for a fresh start and moves to a small but very quirky coastal town (I've bet you have heard this plot before once or twice.... or a few hundred times if you are a big reader like me). But this tale has a TWIST... the entire town is haunted and has a spooky backstory and possibly evil ghosts! Turns out Cassie (skeptic) not only moved to a haunted town but her house is haunted by a ghost who claims its HER house (and she might of killed her husband...).

Then enters Nick... grumpy but handsome coffee shop owner who deals with his own ghost - but the good kind - that gives him endless business and relationship advice. Cassie and him grow closer as she's forced to use the coffee shop's wifi.

I absolutely ADORED this small, spooky town and it's (living & dead) inhabitants. But I will be honest - I was WAY more intrigued by the ghosts of the town and the mystery of what the ghost in Cassie's house wanted and her history in the town's past. For once, I wanted to skip the romantic scenes to get to the good stuff - THE GHOSTS.

This is a SLOOOOWWWW burn. Expect a whole lot of nothing except for a few brief scenes - but if you don't care about the lack of spice I will say it's worth it. I loved the way the relationship blossomed and how events from their past affected their relationship. The ending was done extremely well and I loved how the characters ended up.

The ending also WRECKED ME due to one thing (iykyk - but not related to MCs). I will never be okay after what DeLuca put me through with that plot twist.

4 STARS

I cannot wait to see what else Boneyard Key has to offer with this seemingly to become a series. I have a feeling who the next books will be about and I hope I am right!

I highly recommend this one for those who love a good ghostly rom com, small town romance and slow burn romance. This would make the perfect book for halloween romance readers!

Big thanks to Jen DeLuca, Berkley and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exhchange for my honest opinons!

When I saw that this story took place in Florida (where I’m from), I immediately knew I had to check it out. I’m so glad I did because this book is utter cuteness. The perfect palate cleanser after reading a few dark romantasies back to back.

A contemporary romance with a haunted twist, this story is full of likable characters (including ones that are no longer living…👻), mystery, heartache, and personal growth.

The romance was cute but honestly what I loved most about the story were the characters (including the side characters) and the setting (the tourist digs, the sunsets, the historic small town). It felt like Jen really captured what it feels like living in FL. I could relate which was really cool.

I didn’t like that the two MCs spent most of the book at odds and then said “I love you” at the end. I loved their banter, their dates, and their spicy moments but I guess I just didn’t feel that depth to their relationship/feelings by the time they declared their love for each other.

With that said, I still highly recommend this story if you’re in the mood for a cozy small town romance with mild spice (one scene) for spooky season. The ghosts are the best and the warm fuzzy feels you get from this story are worth it.

Read if you like:
👻small town romance
👻Florida
👻charming characters (including ghosts)
👻hauntings, historic towns, ghost tours
👻endometriosis rep
👻swoony kisses and mild spice (one scene)
👻banter

I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I normally love this author but I feel like this one was so boring. I just couldn’t get into this book at all, I thought a spooky rom com would just be so fun, but this was not really it.

I really enjoyed the small town + (mostly) friendly ghosts vibe of Haunted Ever After. However the romance never really got me and the pacing felt off. I’ll be interested to read the next in this series though - I want more of the town and side characters - maybe it will be Libby? Thank you to the publisher for the free book to review.

I really liked the book. It’s about Cassie, who has moved from Orlando to Boneyard Keys and has learned that her new house and her new town is haunted. Cassie meets the owner of the coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds, Nick and they have a spark. He shares information about the town with her and helps her research the original owners of her house.

I had a great time with it, I loved the haunted elements, the small town, the ghosts we meet, and the clear set up for what I hope is book two! Definitely would recommend to my fellow contemporary romance and paranormal romance fans

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

Oooh, this is the exact type of ghosty rom-com I needed for this year's spooky season.

I am a huge Jen DeLuca fan girl and she never fails to disappoint. This book was so much fun, from an awkward meet cute/ugly between the grumpy coffee shop owner and the woman who just purchased what amounts to be the most haunted house in the town labeled as the "Most Haunted Small Town in Florida." Sparks fly, until a heavy dose of skepticism sets in - is this place *really* haunted, or is everyone just playing it up for touristy gimmicks?

Nick and Cassie were too die for (no pun intended), and I absolutely loved their story, especially with all the spooky hijinks, somewhat perverted ghosts, and even a mystery of what actually happened all those years ago. I loved how Nick, despite his past, was more than willing to open up to Cassie and build something with her. And I loved that Cassie who felt like she was barely a blip on anyone's radar found home, friends, and a family with him and the rest of the folks in Boneyard Key. And if the ghosts had some hand in the matchmaking, well...

Overall, this book is not to be missed, especially if you like spooky romantic comedies, and double especially if you are already a fan of DeLuca's work. It will be a definite reread this fall!

This is my favorite Jen DeLuca book since Well Met! I enjoyed the whole vibe of it, and I'm really here for this flavor of paranormal romance. Cassie kind of bugs me--for someone in her thirties, I wanted her to be less of a sad sack and find herself some real friends. One of the paranormal conflicts between Cassie and Nick was weird in a way I found a little offputting, I wish it were handled differently. And I found the feminism of the book a little watered down, like I think it literally said "fuck the patriarchy sometimes." Still, I am eager to read other books in this world because there's so much to like!

Okay I HATE tearing books apart but I just didn't like this one. I've found the other 3 Jen DeLuca books I've read to be lackluster, so you may say "Why did you read this one anyway" and the answer is I WANTED A GHOST STORY. And honestly, that was the only part of the book I even remotely liked, and even it didn't capture my attention the way I wanted it to. I found the characters to have no personalities or development - it just felt like an outline of a romance instead of an actual fleshed-out story. The dialogue was just bleh, too. Nothing ever seemed to be accomplished with it, it was just simple and felt forced. Not too much else to say other than that I didn't like it, but know that I've not enjoyed her other books either, so if you like her Renaissance series you may like this!

When Cassie decides to leave Orlando and buy her own house after years of rentals, a historic cottage in the costal town of Boneyard Key seems like a great idea. Granted, the town leans a little hard on the touristy haunted vibe, but as a Florida native, she understands how tourist dollars make decisions. Things get a little weird when her laptop refuses to charge- even though other electronics are just fine- meaning she has to go down the street to the local coffee shop to get any work done. The bright side of that is the coffee and banana bread are great and the shop owner may be a little phone obsessed and rough around the edges, but he's pretty cute too. When the magnetic poetry words on her fridge start moving without her help and coffee shop owner Nick confirms that the haunted vibe is more than just a tourist thing, Cassie has to question whether she's cut out for living in Boneyard Key.

I absolutely love Jen DeLuca's Well Met series (Renaissance Faire romcom!) so as soon as she announced she was doing a new book (beach town ghosts) I was there. And Haunted Ever After doesn't disappoint. Cassie is a big city girl trying to start a new chapter in a tiny town and has more to get used to than learning that you can only get pizza delivery on days when the owner feels like working. DeLuca made her someone I could connect to and like right away, and I was pulling for her to make the adjustments she needed to make to handle living in a permanently haunted town.

Cassie's chemistry with Nick was there from the beginning, and he was a fun person to introduce us to the town. The only one in his family to love Boneyard Key, poor Nick has some abandonement issues to work through, which might be why his closest friend is a texting ghost. On the surface he seems to roll with everything life hands his way, but he isn't fooling anyone- except maybe himself. He settles for casual because he's afraid to get close to anyone. Is Cassie going to be the next person to disappoint him, or be the one he can risk it all for?

Jen DeLuca's relaxed and humorous writing style, witty character banter, and delightful characters all stand out in Haunted Ever After. The quirky small town of Boneyard Key is a character all its own and I'm hoping for several more books to take place here so I don't have to leave it any time soon.

A definite must read for Jen DeLuca fans and all romcom fans!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Jen Deluca writes charming books and this love letter to Florida (and Publix) in a haunted tourist town is no exception. Sweet and fun with a hint of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me, it was a light palette cleanser between some heavy books, exactly what I needed. I loved all the characters so much! The way everyone was so welcoming of Cassie. The small town charm was **chefs kiss**. It did get slow around half way through but I continued reading because it was such a light easy read, it made it easy to continue.

3.75⭐️

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so much fun! I loved it so much. I was hooked from page one. I loved this cast of characters; not just Cassie and Nick but all the side characters too. They added so much to the story and really made me love the little small town of Boneyard Key.

This book is so full of heart. I loved how much these characters loved each other. You can feel that oozing from the page. I also loved the supernatural aspect of this book. It made it so much more interesting and added so much to the book. I was just as invested in ghosts as I was in the romance. It was all so well done. I enjoyed it so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars

This was an entertaining, surface level read for me. The characters were likeable and the storyline was engaging, but this lacked some depth.

Prior to reading this, I was wondering why it was set to release in August when it clearly has a spooky vibe, but once you start reading, it makes sense. Even though you're reading about haunted houses and ghosts, this takes place in Florida right on the beach, which definitely takes away some of the spookiness.

I did like the MC's. Cassie was independent and didn't fall all over herself because she was talking to an attractive man and eventually very clearly draws a boundary when things go a little south, and I was happy to see that. Nick was a good guy still dealing with some past relationship issues, but he took to Cassie pretty immediately and was trying to woo her from the start even though it's not in his nature.

But throughout all of this, there isn't really a lot of development to their relationship. They only have one semi-deep discussion about a couple things and the rest is just them casually hanging out. A little disappointing but I liked the story overall.

This is gearing up to be a series, and I'm definitely going to continue on. I mean, the next one (hopefully) will be Theo, the bookstore owner with a little bit of an attitude. Sold.

Haunted Ever After is a funny LOL romcom with fantastic characters including some supernatural ones. It takes place in Boneyard Key, Florida, a place known for its ghostly inhabitants.

Cassie is a new resident and is unaware of the supernatural aspects of this town, meanwhile all of the natives act like it's no big deal. Her mind is blown, and disbelieving, until she stumbles upon a ghost of her own.

She is immediately taken by Ben, coffee shop owner who happens to be able to communicate with ghosts. In addition to the romance, there is a bit of a mystery to unravel and I enjoyed the added element.

Cassie and Ben were perfect together. Spice is minimal, with only one sexy scene.

The personality of the ghosts were great as well. I especially loved Elmer.

My only complaint was too much reference to the patriarchy. I don't prefer that type of negativity in books, I like books to escape and not be reminded about what is wrong in the world.

I really was into this book and enjoying the beginning but it got super slow towards the middle. I feel like the plot line fell flat and I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore. I ended up dnf’ing at 55%. I was really hopeful for this in the beginning. I just lost interest.

When moving to a coastal town in Florida, Cassie Rutherford never expected to find ghosts in her new home or starting a romance with the cute grumpy cafe owner Nick Royer. Cassie Rutherford needed a change, especially since all her friends are getting married and having kids... so she does what any sensible person does, she buys a house in Florida and decides to flip it. Yet from the moment she steps into her house she notices something unusual... it's haunted. Then she meets Nick Royer, owner of the Hollowed Grounds coffee shop who also happens to have a spectral roommate. With a ghost of her own haunting her new home, Cassie is determined to help her ghost, deal with her new feelings for a certain coffee shop owner, and embrace the change in her life. This was a cute cozy spooky season romance perfect for autumn/october! Its a cute rom com with ghosts, a seaside coastal town, cute coffee shop owner, and heart. It's a sweet read and I had fun with it. It's definitely a great one to add to your autumnal reads list! The ghosts were fun and the romance was sweet. I just felt like it was such a cute cozy coffee shop read and I would absolutely recommend it.

Release Date: August 13,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*