This book has so much of what I love in a story. Paranormal, fantasy, cozy romance with banter and positivity galore!

Rosemary is a horror author, whose book is getting adapted into a movie. Ellis is the actor cast to play the lead in the movie, but Rosemary thinks that he isn’t a good fit for the role. Until they get to know each other and find that not only is he a good fit for the role, but a good fit for Rosemary as well.

I absolutely loved getting the opportunity to read this story early, because it was filled with so many good things! I loved the personal growth that both Rosemary and Ellis experience, as well as their relationship portrayal and progression. We get glimpses into Rosemary’s friendships, family, and her gift of being able to see ghosts. Her gift is especially useful as a plot device to help others address their grief or unresolved issues.

Love at First Fright releases September 16, 2025 (just in time for Halloween!)

Thank you Dell (via NetGalley) for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

A deliciously sexy and fun paranormal romance. Not scary, but fun spooky settings and heartwarming ghostly encounters and backgrounds throughout. Perfect for fall!

I absolutely loved Best Hex Ever so I was really excited for this one. I think I enjoyed it overall, it just didn't hit the same as Best Hex Ever. The ghost-seeing didn't really seem crucial to the plot and I thought the 3rd act conflict was pretty forced. The pacing also seemed a bit off. There is dom/sub dynamics and a lot of spice so keep that in mind when deciding to read

Overall this was fine!

3/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for a review copy of this book--all opinions my own!

I was loving this book. It was a potential 5 star read until about 46% in when they started their dom/sub thing. That should’ve been noted on the books page here because I don’t like those types of relationships. It’s just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The ghost whispering aspect was definitely the most interesting to me and I was glad to see some subplot attached to it, but I would have loved her to talk more about it. I thought that they were super sweet together and the I loved how considerate Ellis was about his celebrity status and how that could affect her. Will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for access to the eARC! I always appreciate the opportunity to read and review ahead of release day.

After Best Hex Ever, I was so excited to pick up Love at First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi. Going in I expected a good amount of spice, a more insta-love romance (which I know some don't like, but I don't mind!), and a cast of lovable characters in a whimsical modern-but-magical setting. Nadia El-Fassi is such an expert at grabbing readers' attention immediately with main characters that all have unique backgrounds and magical quirks or other interesting motivations.

Rather than a magical bakery/cafe, this time we got a lightly-haunted gothic mansion as the backdrop for our main characters' historical horror movie. Rosemary is the author of the book and the screenwriter for the film, and demanded to be on set to keep an eye on details. She doesn't believe Ellis Finch suits her book's main character - and her opinion made its way to him just before their first meeting. As someone that is not a huge fan of enemies to lovers in contemporary romance, this story had just the right amount and length of grudge-holding to lead to some great banter and tension, but the right amount of emotional maturity so they could move past it and confront their attraction to each other. The banter quickly transformed into flirting, which quickly turned into realizing the two were a good fit in their more niche desires of a D/S dynamic (and more). I appreciated how quickly trust and caretaking became not just a sexual part of their dynamic but a foundation for the quick-moving relationship forming - and the way that played into their conflicts as well. It made the intimate scenes feel more relevant and foundational to the overall romance, rather than sex for sex's sake, and I always appreciate that in my romance books!

Outside of our main couple, I ADORED the ghosts in this story. From animals to a regency-era sapphic couple, I couldn't get enough. They brought a layer of sentimentality and mortality/urgency to the story that I really deeply appreciated, especially in how it impacted Ellis. But that aside - between Hank and Cherry, I could have cried multiple times. Rosemary's grandmother and mother both were also very emotional parts of Rosemary's backstory, and I appreciated the depth they gave her character.

I rated Love at First Fright a 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 for netgalley and goodreads) stars, and I feel this is a must read for the fall/spooky season! You do not need to read Best Hex Ever first, but the characters do show up as the FMCs in both books are best friends, and this book takes place after Best Hex Ever so you may encounter light spoilers.

This was an okay read for me overall, but I really appreciated that it was different from my usual picks

Love At First Fright further cemented Nadia El-Fassi as an auto buy author for me. I really loved her first book but I think I might like this one even more, which I didn’t think was possible.

This book follows Rosemary, a horror author who’s novel is being turned into a movie. She doesn’t think Ellis, the male lead, is right for the part. On set the two don’t get along, they’re constant bumping heads and then things change.

I really love how this book deals with heavier topics like mental health, grief, or coming out/accepting your sexuality. Talking about these things and normalizing them is so important so I love that it was included in this book!

I also really love the romance in this novel. Seeing them going from dislike to love was so gratifying. The little moments where they almost break but then pull back were so good. It created so much tension and I ate it up.

I really enjoyed the d/s aspects of this novel. I loved seeing Ellis care for Rosemary (in both sexual and nonsexual aspects). Seeing this aspect of their life be almost cathartic for them (ex: helping Rosemary when she’s anxious) was so nice!

Love at First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi 👻🖋️🔥

Ghosts, grumps, and golden retriever man? Yes. Please.

This book was a delightfully spooky hug with a spicy twist. We’ve got:
✨ A horror author with a ghost seeing secret
✨ A hot, broody, secretly soft actor with a dog named Fig (iconic)
✨ A haunted English manor full of sass, spirits, and sapphic Regency era ghosts
✨ Age gap + enemies to lovers slow burn

Rosemary was SUCH a fun character. She is clever, successful, and trying desperately not to fall for the man she publicly tried to get fired. And Ellis? He’s the definition of "grumpy on the outside, golden retriever on the inside" and is an MMC that I really liked. Their banter was hilarious at times and I really felt the tension between them.

But what really makes this book shine is the balance of cozy paranormal vibes with real emotional beats. There’s depth behind the heat, and the way the supernatural elements are woven in, especially the ghost dog and the not so subtle lesbian ghost couple, made it feel fresh and funny in all the best ways. I do wish there was more ghost/paranormal aspects, as that sort of took a backseat as the romance took off, but I still loved it.

Also, can we talk about how refreshing it is to have an age gap where the woman is younger and the more emotionally in control one? Loved that dynamic. Loved the cranky actor and chaotic author pairing. Loved how healing this romance felt despite the haunted setting.

⭐ Spicy ghosty fun with heart
⭐ Enemies to lovers + age gap + found family (but make it paranormal)
⭐ 4.5 stars and a ghostly tail wag from Fig

If you want something Halloween adjacent but still full of heart, Love at First Fright is absolutely worth your haunted time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nadia El-Fassi, and Ballantine/Dell for the eARC of this book.

This was a quirky and fun read with a unique premise that grabbed my attention right away. The combination of romance and supernatural elements made for an intriguing setup, and there were definitely moments of humor and charm throughout.
However, I found the story to be a bit uneven. The pacing sometimes dragged, especially in the middle, and while the characters were likable, their development felt a bit superficial. The romance had potential but didn’t feel as fully fleshed out as I had hoped. Some of the conflict felt rushed or resolved too easily.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I was left wishing for a bit more depth and consistency in both the plot and the character arcs. If you’re looking for a light, whimsical romance with a touch of the supernatural, it’s worth checking out, but don’t expect it to be a standout.

Rosemary is an acclaimed author and one of her books is about to become a movie. The film is set in the English countryside and the ghosts creeping around the manor is the least of her problems. She doesn’t get along with the lead actor Ellis but not for the reasons he thinks. Juggling deadlines with fighting ghosts and her feuds with Ellis proves more difficult than she’d expected.

Love the main characters chemistry and banter from the jump. The paranormal aspect is also right up my alley. It’s not to complex which is appreciated, and who doesn’t like cute little ghosts.

I wish there wasn’t a third act breakup. A good ending is the key to the perfect book and this one was to abrupt for my taste. Other then that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The dual pov, tropes and the conversations about sexuality and coming out are really memorable.

Read this if you like
🫶🏼Forced proximity
✨Paranormal romance

🔥Spice
💜Age gap

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine and Dell for providing this book, with my honest review below.

You know when you hear of your favorite book being made to a movie and the characters are announced and make no sense to you? Love At First Fright absolutely knows with the author of the book going to film, Rosemary, absolutely puzzled (and mad) as to why Ellis was cast as the older and frail male lead when he’s an action star not fitting that description. Meanwhile Ellis is looking to break out of his on screen mold as he gets older, and loves Rosemary’s book. Of course, the two don’t mix, but Rosemary’s ability to see ghosts and Ellis’s struggle to protect his career from his secrets do, coming together in a book that’s entertaining, funny, sweet, and unexpectedly, quite spicy.

I really enjoyed the characters in the story and their dynamics - ghosts, humans, and pets alike. I also enjoyed the heat, which may not be to everyone’s liking but which is unique in this type of story (sub dom for those who aren’t sure if it’s for them). I do believe there’s some opportunity to add in some more details (this one is smaller but why did I search an hour to try to figure out what kinds of dogs Ellis had?) and to create a more believable third act conflict. Putting those aside, the uniqueness of this story and its charming cast are worth picking this up.

Rosemary is a horror novelist whose book has been chosen to be adapted into a movie. The lead actor is celebrity Ellis, whom Rosemary initially feels is all wrong for her character. However, as they work together on set for the paranormal film, their growing attraction to each other becomes impossible to ignore.

Genre + Plot

Tropes: Paranormal Romance, Celebrity Romance, Insta Lust, Age Gap, Dom/Sub, Forced Proximity, LGBTQ+ rep, Third-Act Breakup

First of all, this was my first-ever ARC from NetGalley, and I am *so* excited to have had the opportunity to read and review this book! This has been a long-time goal of mine, and I finally got to do it—plus, the book is by an author I’ve read before! I read Nadia El-Fassi’s first book, *Best Hex Ever*, last fall when I received a physical copy through my monthly book box subscription, and I really enjoyed it.

This book is perfect for the fall—I might just have to pick it up again in a few months and reread it when the leaves change color and there’s that crisp autumn air in the atmosphere. Rosemary Shaw is our geeky horror novelist who has a bit of social anxiety but is still super badass, especially since her book was selected to become a movie. I also loved that her name was Rosemary because it reminded me of *Rosemary’s Baby*, which was, of course, a horror film. Oh, and she can also see ghosts. Just a normal gal.

Ellis Finch is our MMC, who is in a toxic relationship with his manager—who is low-key blackmailing him and shaping his public image to be that of a playboy who only stars in action films. That’s exactly why Rosemary doesn’t want him in her movie… at first. But in reality, Ellis is actually a softie who loves reading, dogs, and the quiet country life.

When these two meet, there is definitely instant attraction—and instant dislike—which pretty quickly turns into tolerance, then attraction, then like, then love, etc. Insta lust doesn’t usually work for me, as I often find it unrealistic and over the top. While it was a bit over the top here, it still felt believable, and these two definitely had chemistry—not to mention their mutual interest in a certain dom/sub dynamic.

I enjoyed our two Regency-era lesbian ghost side characters, although, from the description, I somehow expected two older women who were in love and just played pranks on any guests staying at the house. That was *definitely* not the case. Instead, we meet two young women who had to hide their love for each other during a time when it wasn’t accepted—and who have been trying to resist their attraction for over a hundred years.

I loved that Rosemary could see ghosts, and **spoiler**: I absolutely loved that Ellis’ dog Hank, who had died, was still hanging around in ghost form because he loved Ellis so much. Such a tearjerker moment!

I thought Rosemary and Ellis had excellent communication from the start, and it was really refreshing to read about two mature adults who are able to express their wants and needs with each other in a healthy, honest way. Ellis falls for Rosemary so fast—and I loved that. Toward the end, there’s a third-act breakup due to some drama involving Ellis’ toxic manager. I saw it coming, but it was resolved quickly and pretty painlessly. And yes—we get our happy ending!

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a fun book to read, especially for the fall. Rosemary and Ellis share an instant attraction, but also mutual respect and honesty. The novel also addresses some more serious LGBTQ+ topics. I love these two so much - definitely recommend for your next fall read.

Yay! This was really great. I loved Rosemary and Ellis both individually and together, as well as all the ghost sideplots. This just worked for me a lot more than Best Hex Ever (though I do want to reread that one as I feel like I might like it more now that I know what to expect), and I look forward to Nadia El-Fassi's next book!

The blurb really caught my attention and I was curious going in, but sadly this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I really liked the idea behind the story, and the writing was solid, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their romance. It felt rushed and a bit forced—there wasn’t much buildup, tension, or banter. It went straight into heavy D/S spice, and honestly, there was a lot more of it than I expected. I went in expecting more of a rom-com vibe, so the tone caught me off guard, especially with how much of the book centered around the sexual dynamic.

Something else that didn’t quite work for me was how the characters felt like total copy cats. Whenever one revealed something about themselves, the other would instantly match it—even when it hadn’t been hinted at before. That just felt a little off and too convenient.

The mystery and ghost elements in the mansion were actually my favorite part and something I really enjoyed, but they ended up taking a back seat and it kind of disappeared once the romance took over the story.

Overall, not a bad book—just not what I expected, and not quite the right fit for me.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This cover is all sweet and spicy, but for me.. the book overall didn't work out. There were few inconsistencies in the plot ad also it didn't sit right with me how quickly characters started liking each other but I would still recommend this book once published because its cute and fluffy.

It’s a Yes 💖
Nadia El-Fassi has now become a ‘must buy’ author for me. With last year’s , The Best Hex Ever, I was so curious what would come next and if it would capture that same cozyness but romcom-esque aspects.
I think this very very much delivers. I appreciate the way the book deals with heavier topics whilst finding other ways to ‘lighten the mood’ throughout the story. It feels silly but not ‘a joke’ . Which is how a lot of us deal with trauma/grief. Sometimes you just really gotta deal with life ya know? This was so cute and endearing. Very much something I’ll be buying and rereading during fall season 💖
*I was given an eARC

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the list of things I loved and struggled with, there are more loves, thankfully. Rosemary being able to seeing ghosts and using her power for good made my heart happy, namely with the ghost animals. It's so refreshing to see a romance novel where the FMC is a weird, tattooed baddie with bad eyesight that lives and breathes horror (I feel seen). The spicy scenes are scrumptious and Ellis as a whole is just delicious - certified daddy with that salt and pepper in his beard. One of my favorite tropes is when he falls first and he falls hard - I love to see a man obsessed, and Ellis truly is.

On the other hand, I fear there were some major edits maybe forgotten? There were just inconsistencies throughout the novel - maybe only a fellow writer like me would catch - that took me out of the story. For example, Rosemary had said her father kept busy with their farm and the book club, but later when she sees his book and asks him about it, it seems like the book club has never been brought up before. There were quite a few like this. And I hate to say it but the conflict just didn't sit right with me. Rosemary had every right to be upset but to punish Ellis the way she did for his trying to protect her? Almost made me DNF at 90%. But I finished! And here we are.

All together a very fun and cozy romance, just felt like it needs more edits.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was an okay read for me overall, but I really appreciated that it was different from my usual picks. The writing was strong, and Nadia El-Fassi has a clear, engaging voice. While I didn’t fully connect with the characters or the romance, I enjoyed stepping outside my typical reading comfort zone with this one. Readers looking for something quirky and a little offbeat might find this a refreshing change of pace.

What to expect from this book:

* Dislike to Love
* Fun Friend Group
* Ghost 👻
* Age Gap

In this paranormal romance we have our Rosemary Shaw who is a Horror books author who can perhaps see ghost and Ellis Finch who is an actor set to star in rosemary’s first book adaptation and she doesn’t believe he is right for the role.

I love the first half of this book when they were still “enemies”, it seems when they started being together it kind of fell flat. It felt like everything went real hot and heavy real fast and it was kind of hard to believe the romance aspect between the two.

I will say my favorite parts were the ghost and many tears were in fact shed over them. The ghost at the filming set I was obsessed with and I want to know more.

I knew the conflict was coming but I didn’t like that it was resolved as quickly as it was, felt like it could have just been left out specially where it’s at in the book.

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for letting me read a free copy of this book in exchange for a review