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

The COVER!! This is for all the "good girl" loving spicy magical romance readers. I love reading a book about an author.m but this will be the first time the plot was about a book becoming a movie.
Rosemary and Ellis were super charming and laugh out loud funny!

Rosemary es una exitosa escritora de terror que, además de tener una aguda inteligencia y un don para las historias espeluznantes, puede ver fantasmas desde que era niña. Este peculiar talento no solo marca su vida personal, sino también profesional, ya que su sensibilidad hacia lo sobrenatural impregna su escritura con una autenticidad difícil de igualar.

Rosemary viaja a Londres para supervisar la adaptación cinematográfica de su novela When the Devil Takes Hold. El papel principal en la película lo interpretará Ellis Finch, un famoso actor de películas de acción a quien Rosemary desprecia a priori, creyendo que no tiene lo necesario para interpretar al personaje y no le hará justicia. Sin embargo, a lo largo del rodaje, la relación entre ellos evoluciona de la tensión al deseo, y de ahí a una conexión emocional más profunda. La química va creciendo y también por su sorprendente compatibilidad emocional e intelectual.



Tenia curiosidad por como se manejaría la parte que venia en las notas: "... se menciona la muerte de una mascota fuera de pagina (les prometo que este fragmento tiene un final feliz...)". La verdad si me gustó, fue agridulce.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

I had to Dnf this book, not because it was bad but I didn’t agree with the views of the author that was written in it. I won’t go into the details. But I was liking the book at first. I was enjoying the story line and the writing. For that I think if people are okay with the views then they should definitely give it a try! Just for my personal reasons, continuing reading wouldn’t have been enjoyable for me. I’m still very thankful for the opportunity. Had I known some details first I wouldn’t have applied for this book.

This was such a fun, spooky read. It follows Rosemary, a horror author who lands a movie deal on her latest novel, but she disapproves of the leading actor, Ellis Finch. With a rough start to the first time meeting, each other they are determined not to get along. However, being stuck in a haunted mansion will make hating each other a little more difficult.

I enjoyed this book, I liked both of the MMCs, and how they interacted with each other. I wouldn't say they were enemies, but more like two people who disliked one another. The banter between Ellis and Rosemary had me giggling at times. The tension between them was perfectly written, especially with this being a slow burn. Both Rosemary and Ellis were funny in their ways. Rosemary was subtle, and Ellis was more charming.

I loved the ghost-seeing aspect of the story, it made this book stand out from others that fall into this trope list. It gave the book more of a sitcom type of feeling, and it was done well. Another thing, I wasn't expecting the level of spice to come, it was so good! It showcased the level of trust and communication between Ellis and Rosemary.


As for the third act conflict, I felt that it wasn't needed and was blown out of proportion by Rosemary. I was almost like they forgot how to communicate, like they had been for the past few months. Despite that, I loved this book with all my spooky heart can.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves ghosts, sexy British men, and banter that will have you laughing out loud.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an e-ARC of Love at First Fright. What’s not to love about a paranormal, spicy, age gap romance! Really enjoyed reading Love at First Fright and following Rosemary and Ellis’ journey. Wish they had hated each other for a little longer to help build tension, but I’m not mad at the parts of the book where they’re together. I am mad at Ellis’ agent who is a terrible person! Make sure to read the trigger warnings, as this book discusses homophobia and the death of a pet.

I didn’t feel like their secrets were equal, one’s bi and the other sees and speaks to ghosts, but appreciated seeing how accepting they were of each other. Loved the representation of different gender identities and sexual orientation throughout the book. It felt purposeful and not like it was trying to be on trend. I thought it was also important how the book highlighted how Hollywood treats men vs. women.

Loved the side romance between the 2 ghosts and glad they got there happily ever after! And don’t get me started on Hank. The way I was near weeping for a ghost dog.

I finished this book yesterday, but I’ve kind of had to sit with it to figure out what I should rate it at.
This is very much not my usual book theme or the usual tropes that I enjoy.
But the blurb sounded really fun.
Now that I have read the book.
I would say it’s not as much of a romcom as I thought it was going to be and it’s definitely more serious than I thought it was going to be.
If you take out the fantastical aspects this is very much a LGBQT+ romance, and the majority of the characters themselves are LGBQT+.
The social issues discussed, the romance issues, and the things that happen in the book are very serious.
I think the cover in the blurb kind of mislead you into thinking this is gonna be a happy-go-lucky romcom and it’s just not.
Which for me kinda took away all of the things I was hoping to get out of this book.

So if you are looking for a book that delve into the troubles of being LGBQT+ with a few fantastical elements thrown in, then this is the book for you.

3.75
Spicy paranormal romance. Rosemary is a horror author. Her book is being adapted to film. She doesn’t agree with the casting of the lead actor Ellis. Ellis is aware that she doesn’t think he is right for the part. They have immediate tension. Additionally, the mansion the movie is being filmed at is being haunted by a pair of regency ghosts.

I enjoyed this one. I liked both main characters. I enjoyed their interactions with each other. I loved the spice level. I liked the regency ghosts. One thing that took me out of the story was that Rosemary is suppose to be southern but during her narration she is describing what Ellis is wearing and she says jumper instead of sweater. And the rest of the story when she described what she was wearing she said sweater so maybe it was an error. Also regarding the regency ghosts the letters were written in language that would have made sense during that time but the journal that was written at the same time wasn’t. But overall I enjoyed it. I would read more from this author. I found out that this is from a series and I have not read the first book but I didn’t have any issues reading this as a standalone. I do plan on going back and reading the first book.

Thank you to NetGalley Ballantine for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great story! I really loved the characters and they were relatable. The story was well written and interesting. I would definitely recommend!