3.75 rounded up- firstly, thank you to penguin random house & netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

Cassie finds herself wanting a change & moves into a house in Boneyard Key- a “haunted” tourist destination for people who want a little scare. She thinks the gimmicks like the ghost themed businesses & ghost tour are silly & chalks it up to a good marketing scheme.

Working from home, she realizes her laptop won’t charge anywhere in the house. Thinking it’s bad wiring, she decides to head to a coffee shop to get work done & ends up meeting Nick- the owner of the coffee shop who knows the ghosts are real in town, as one of the founding family members, and also because Elmer, a ghost, is haunting his business (via text messages)

Cassie’s house may harbor a spirit of its own, & her and Nick grow closer as they get down to the bottom of the Hawkins House history in this spooky paranormal romance.

Chemistry wise between Cassie & Nick, it felt mainly physical to me for far too long in the book, & the random declarations of loving each-other just didn’t make much sense to me after waiting literally 85% of the book for them to finally be together. It was a slow burn but for dumb reasons in my opinion. I did enjoy the feminist aspect of the book though!

the haunted town aspect of this book along with the actual ghosts included in it was super unique and I really loved that part. You really got the small town feeling while reading it & also fell in love with these departed characters. I also enjoyed the twist near the end.

I'll be honest: I'm not someone who reads paranormal romance; witches and ghosts just aren't my cup of tea. But when I saw Jen DeLuca's name on the cover, I couldn't resist. Her "Well Met" series is one of my all-time favorites.
Cassie has recently moved from Orlando to the small town of Boneyard Key, the sort of place where tourists flock to buy T-shirts with ghosts on them, or take tours of the local haunted spots. But what Cassie didn't realize is that Boneyard Key really IS haunted, and her new, recently-renovated home is one of the spookiest sites of all. The mean ghost of a former resident has been scaring people for years, and doesn't seem to want Cassie around—her laptop is constantly running out of power, for instance, and even plugging it in doesn't help. The search for somewhere to work leads her to the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, owned by handsome Nick (who is very much alive) and haunted by its former proprietor (quite dead, but he's a friendly ghost).
Nick and Cassie are attracted to each other, but there are plenty of obstacles to overcome, including a ghost who really doesn't seem to want the two of them to get together, and Nick's fear that Cassie will understandably be wary of co-existing with spirits and hightail it back to Orlando.
The small-town setting is cute, Nick and Cassie are a delightful pair, and there are plenty of good supporting characters (some alive, others not). I don't know if I'm ever going to become a huge fan of paranormal novels, but I'll happily follow Jen DeLuca back to Boneyard Key.

I like the setting and the characters. The writing is easy to read and easy to follow. That said, 12% in, nothing has really happened, other than our MCs meeting, and we learned the house our main female lead bought is haunted. I didn’t find myself engaged. I’d think it’s 3-4 stars for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

SO GOOD.

Jen Deluca is a must read author for me after reading the Well Met series. I was apprehensive going into this book because the description of this book was so different than that adorable small town series, but boy was I sucked into this book immediately.

Haunted Ever After is a gem! It follows main character Cassie after she moves from a big city to a small beach town in Florida. Prior to moving she was already feeling out of place in her friend group, but his move has only made the differences between her and her friends more obvious. Despite it all, she’s determined to make the best of her relocation even though it’s come with its challenges.

The town is hilariously quirky. Boneyard Key is known for being the most haunted town in America and all of its inhabitants are happy to lean into the spooky stories. It’s a far cry from the life Cassie left behind in Orlando, but nothing could beat the price of her newly renovated house. Cassie quickly realizes her new neighbors might not be making these ghost stories up when the magnets on her refrigerator decide to mysteriously rearrange themselves. Nothing like a vaguely threatening message from a ghost to keep you up at night.

And that’s where Nick comes in. He’s the owner of the local coffee shop, and Cassie’s new guide to everything paranormal. She’s so out of her depth, but he’s trying to convince her that Boneyard Key is worth living in. It was so much fun watching Cassie dive into the world of the undead. She’s determined to find out why her ghostly roommate is so unhappy with her, but this town has truly put her curiosity to the test.

Haunted Ever After is such a cute slow burn! It’s told in third person dual POV, so you get a look inside both characters brains. Especially the way they are both attracted to each other, but afraid to act on it. It was adorable and sweet and so very wholesome. I was unprepared for the amount of heart inside this ghost story. The book is filled with plenty of tension and cute tender moments, but the open door romance hits in the last few chapters.

I love that Jen Deluca wasn’t afraid to dive into something completely different than Well Met! This book is delightfully paranormal and filled with plenty of ghosts and hijinks. I think it would be perfect for someone new to the genre. I had so much fun reading, and cannot wait to see what’s next!

The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this eARC. Words cannot describe the joy I felt when this book hit my shelf.

Jen DeLuca returns with a twist! Stepping away from the Renaissance Fair realm, she now invites her readers on an exciting journey into the realm of paranormal romance, blending sweetness with sentimentality. As long as her trademark sarcastic humor and compelling characters remain, I'm all in!

Enter a haunted town in Florida, renowned for its ghost tours and eerie locales where tourists seek a thrill. Little do they know, the locals aren't merely cashing in on spooky tales – there might just be some genuine paranormal encounters waiting for them!

Our protagonist, Cassie Rutherford, finds herself at the heart of the story. A native of Orlando, she faces the upheaval of her life when her landlord decides to sell her apartment. With limited funds, she ventures into buying a house in a quaint Florida coastal town, unaware of its dark history. Leaving behind her city life, where friends are settling into domestic bliss, Cassie embraces the change.

But this new town lacks familiar comforts like Starbucks and Publix. However, that's the least of her worries. The historic Hawkins house she purchases might be haunted by the vengeful spirit of its previous owner's wife. Despite her skepticism, Cassie experiences strange occurrences, from malfunctioning plugs to eerie encounters. Seeking solace at the local coffee shop, she meets Nick, the brooding yet charming owner, who brews the perfect hazelnut ice latte and serves up delicious banana bread.

As their encounters grow, Nick reveals his connection to the town's spirits, adding another layer of mystery. When Cassie receives a paranormal message one night, she turns to Nick for assistance.

Now, Cassie must decide whether to flee the town and leave behind any chance of romance with Nick or embrace the unusual life in this ghostly community. Meanwhile, Nick fears losing another woman while trying not to scare Cassie away.

Will they find their happily-ever-after amidst the supernatural chaos? With its paranormal twist and captivating execution, this book is a delightful ride that I highly recommend!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this engaging book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF AT 50% I'm bored
I can't lie. The beginning was
fun and I loved the haunted ghost beach town aspect and as a Floridian i thought the Florida quotes were super relatable and cute but the characters are sooooo boring and I found the romance very shallow and lacking. I hate to say it because this was a arc so gracefully given to me by NetGalley

I absolutely adored this spooky rom com! It had me hooked from the first chapter. I loved the whole concept of the little bit spooky and the romance that was in this book. It has all the small town vibes.

I've really been into haunted romances lately and I AM HERE FOR IT! New favorite genre unlocked. This book made me laugh and cry and creeped me out. Best of all worlds.

Cassie is looking for a change and in doing so she finds herself in Boneyard Key with a house all to herself. What no one told her? That Boneyard Key is rather special. Known to have ghosts all over town, no one told her her house is haunted by a mean old spirit. At first Cassie is skeptical. Her laptop not charging? Faulty wiring. Right? But the longer she is in town, the more she begins to realize that maybe the people here aren’t so crazy. Nick has lived in Boneyard Key his whole life. He currently owns the coffee shop and isn’t phased by the ghost of the original owner who tends to text him when he wants to give Nick tips on the cafe. And when Cassie comes to town, he finds himself teaching her all about the ghosts around town and hoping that she will believe him. And hoping even more that maybe she will stay. Because it’s been a long time since he has had feelings for someone. And Cassie threatens to crumble the walls he has built over the years. The more time they spend together, the more they learn about the truth of Cassie’s new home and the ghost that lives there. Including something that no one expected. This book was a lot of fun! The ghosts were a hoot. And I loved how Cassie learned to roll with it and really embrace it. Her and Nick were a great pairing and it was sweet to see them build up their relationship. A really fun book from this author!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

One of my favorite elements about Jen DeLuca’s stories is that she writes the locations and backgrounds of her novels in a way that they become like another character. Haunted Ever After is set in the charming gulf coast town of Boneyard Key, and it’s a beautiful backdrop for this story with its hundred year old homes, quaint downtown charm, cozy coffee shop, and a full cast of former residents offering their opinions and insights on present day life.

Nick and Cassie both have some relationship skeletons in their closets, but their chemistry is something special as you slowly learn about their backstories as they get to know one another after some paranormal hijinks cause their paths to cross. There’s also a great set of living residents in Boneyard Key that help unravel the mystery at the heart of the story, and seem to have their own stories to tell, maybe in future books :)

A big thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reading copy! Overall, I loved the story and can’t wait for this fall to recommend it to friends as the perfect spooky autumn rom com.

Jen can do no wrong to me. Auto buy. Auto read. Auto obsessed. I want to live in whatever world she writes. The spin on the ghosts was fun, refreshing and felt right on time for this post Barbie world. Loved it!

Sadly, I had to DNF. I just can’t bring myself to read a book that is written in third person. This makes me really sad because I was so excited to read it.☹️

'Haunted Ever After' is a perfect palette cleansing read! It's cute and light with a dash of ghostly fun. The banter between Nick and Cassie is engaging! Elmer is hilarious and the perfect wingman and friend to Nick!

It's nice to see representation of a modern woman going through very realistic struggles of being a 30-something adult navigating her friend group, career, and romantic relationship. Cassie has the right balance of skeptical and openness to accepting new possibilities.

The resolution of the ghost conflict is a bit anticlimactic, however, considering Nick and Cassie's relationship gains traction quickly, that is a minor blip.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I had such a great time reading this! I loved everything about it: the setting had me wanting to live by the ocean, I loved the supernatural aspect to it and that it wasn't in a scary spooky way, and I enjoyed the group of characters. The romance was on the back burn as the mystery of the ghost in the house was the main focus and I really liked it that way. I really like that Cassie accepted Sarah and wanted to help her.

This was such a fun read and I cannot wait for the next novels because I very much enjoyed it!

Cassie moves to coastal Florida town Boneyard Key. With the help of the local coffee shop owner, Nick, she figures out there’s more to the ghost rumors of her new digs than she may have bargained for.
Can Cassie handle a little more than ghost stories?
This was a fun book! I enjoyed all of the characters, Cassie and Nick were both easy to root for.
I’ve read Jen DeLuca’s renaissance fair books and I was excited to get this ARC. I hope we get to meet other characters in Boneyard Key in upcoming novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC of Haunted Ever After in exchange for an honest review.

Our main character, Cassie Rutherford, finds herself in the center of facing a major life change when her landlord decides to sell her apartment. With limited financial resources, she takes a leap and purchases a home in a charming coastal town in Florida, unaware of its ominous past. Leaving behind her urban life, where friends are settling down, Cassie embraces the unknown.

However, this new town lacks familiar conveniences like Starbucks. Yet, that's the least of her concerns. The historic Hawkins house she buys may be haunted by the vengeful spirit of its former owner's wife. Despite her doubts, Cassie encounters strange events, from faulty electrical outlets to eerie incidents. Seeking comfort at the local coffee shop, she meets Nick, the brooding yet charming owner, who makes the perfect hazelnut ice latte and serves delectable banana bread.

When Cassie receives a paranormal message one evening, she turns to Nick for help. Now, Cassie must make a decision: flee the town and abandon any chance of a relationship with Nick or embrace the peculiar life in this ghostly community.

It's worth noting that the romance takes a backseat in this story, and it was a veeeery slow burn which don't usually work for me, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. Even though not as much as I wanted to, and that's my only complaint for this book because otherwise with its supernatural elements and engaging storytelling, this novel is a delightful journey that I recommend!

This was such a cozy read that I had fun getting into. I see that it would such a great read for the Halloween season! It's worth noting that the romance takes a backseat in this story, but that didn't stop me from enjoying every moment of it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending the arc!

I'm so glad that I was approved to receive an early copy of Haunted Ever After by Jen Deluca. Thank you to Berkley Books at Penguin Random House and NetGalley. I am a fan of her Well Met series and was excited to read her newest book! This book was very cute from punny ghost themed names for the businesses around the town to the relationships between the characters. Though it did touch on tougher subjects like spousal abuse, infertility, and death. I am typically an audio reader and find it difficult sometimes to stick with a physical/ebook version of a book but this one kept me interested and wanting to come back for more! I finished it in six days which is great. I liked how the epilogue honored the characters in the story and didn't follow the typical romance novel epilogue tropes, I did find that it was predictable with a specific plot point that took them very long (the back end half of the book) to get to having the characters realize it, but it was laid out early on. There was also one issue that was left without discussing which I thought would have been good to cover regarding the main characters legacy which seemed important to him but wasn't discussed regarding how he felt about not having biological children with the female protagonist to carry on the legacy he cared very much about. Anyway. Great book I give it a 4 out of 5 and I believe this would be a great book to pick up around Autumn/fall time.

An interesting storyline and a clever plot twist kept me reading this book. I hope there are more books coming set in Boneyard Key. While this wasn’t my favorite Jen DeLuca book, the character development was spot on.

✨ 4.5 spooky, adorable stars! ✨

A small ghost town (it’s literally haunted) isn’t what Cassie anticipated when she made the jump from city life to the cozy beach town of Boneyard Key. After a few unexplained experiences, and after talking with the cute coffee barista and the locals, Cassie realizes the whole haunted town and ghost tours aren’t just a schtick for the tourists but it’s something the residents embrace. She isn’t sure she’s ready to live in a haunted beach cottage but, when the previous owner’s ghost begins communicating with Cassie, she can’t help but to get a little emotionally connected as she uncovers secrets of the past. She slowly begins to enjoy Nick (the cute barista)’s company (and delicious hazelnut lattes), and she begins to learn more and more about the charm of this small beach town, as well as it’s residents.

Will Cassie brave it out and become a local to this sweet town? More than anything will she find what she’s been missing…friendship and love?

This was such a cute read and so different! It was cozy, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters - especially the ghosts. Nick and Cassie are adorable and I loved seeing their friendship progress into so much more as they find common ground on helping the town’s history and a few ghosts who stayed behind.

This book is so heartfelt and explores life as you get older, and the changes that take place within friendships and family. Although sometimes we grow apart from those that once meant so much to us, we need to open ourselves up to what’s to come because you never know when you may find love, and caring friends along the way as you venture in to a new part of your life journey.

If you enjoy rom-coms, a cozy little mystery with some supernatural elements, you’ll enjoy Haunted Ever After!