This one has a bunch of quirky hijinks, family drama, character growth, and obvious solutions. It also has a lot of ghosts and ghosty personalities, complete with hilarious exchanges between the dead and living alike. Melody and Marina are fun enough to follow around, and I think their friendship and dynamic in particular was my favorite part of this one- Marina especially had Lula Janet Evanovich vibes, which I am always here for for nostalgia sake. On the cons side of things, some spots simply tried way too hard and came across for a younger audience. While the premise is intriguing, the love triangle concept unfortunately fell flat for me as one of these options was clearly so much better than the other. I am pretty certain in the proper context, I'd have enjoyed this one a bit more- such as reading it for Halloween, or at the beginning of a particularly brisk fall. It really was cute, and will be loved in the right audience no doubt. Thanks so much to the author and Ballantine for the eARC! #crazyspookylove #josiesilver #ballantine #netgalley

Cozy mystery involving ghosts and a romance thrown in (not with ghosts). This was a cute read slow to get into but was enjoyable won't necessarily be one that stays with me but worth the read. I want to thank NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was like a quirky, cozy mystery with a with a group of mostly competent ghost hunters and a family of secretive ghosts. The premise of this was lots of fun and I enjoyed all the hijinks Melody and her friends got into. The ghosts were really interesting characters and I liked the whole story with them and the murder. The book was a little over the top goofy and had a few pop culture references that didn’t really add much but overall I thought it was fun.
My main issue with this book is that it’s being advertised as a romance but there really wasn’t much romance in it. Sure you get a little bit of the love triangle aspect but it really felt like a side plot which just wasn’t what I was expecting. The book doesn’t need a romance to carry it but if you tell me there’s romance, I want romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

This book has to be the start of series, right?? I mean I loved loved loved the characters! Melody Bittersweet is a medium from a family of spiritual women and as the story starts, she decides to start a distinct business from her mother and grandmother. Instead of just being a medium, she is going to use her gifts to solve the problems that are causing ghosts to linger here. Add in a flamboyant tv-medium ex, a hot skeptical reporter, a fun best friend, an awkward youth and a slobbery bulldog and you had the makings of a great story. I couldn't wait to see how her first case got solved.
So fun and also moving-thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Good humor, a little paranormal, and an overall solid Romcom. Well-written and enjoyable but nothing SUPER memorable. Still recommend for an enjoyable and quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Josie Silver books pull me in every single time. Crazy Spooky Love was so much fun. I can't wait to reread this in the fall when the cooler weather and spooky vibe is back. I loved Melody's spunk and personality and seriously had so much fun with this story and cannot wait for the next!

4.5 stars

I had such a good time with this. I really had no idea what it was going into it, so I’ll tell you now: it’s a comedic paranormal mystery with romantic elements.

I was expecting more romance but enjoyed the little I got A LOT. I guess it was supposed to be a love triangle? But Leo held no sway for me but FLETCHER WAS AMAZING.

I know there’s another book in the series but I need to know how many are planned so I know how much this supposed love triangle will be played out. 😂 I’ll definitely be reading whatever comes next.

I felt about 10 years older than the intended audience for this book. I unfortunately could not connect to the characters or story. The writing was clunky & unrealistic.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Crazy Spooky Love is a delightful romance full of hijinks and paranormal fun. The world building was entertaining, but not dense making it an approachable read, even for those not typically interested in paranormal stories. There is a mystery element to the novel, but it never takes itself overly serious. Overall, a great pick when you’re in the mood for a fun romp.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun, quirky book! I really enjoy everything Josie Silver writes and this is no exception. A little paranormal plus romance plus mystery worked so well! I loved the characters and the banter between them. Looking forward to reading book #2!

Short synopsis: Melody Bittersweet can see dead people. She starts a business hoping to help ghosts transition to the “other side” and is hired to clear an old house that won’t sell, and is trying to solve the mystery of who killed Douglas, one of the ghosts.

My thoughts: This was more of a cozy mystery than I was expecting, with a romance (love triangle) sub plot. I have loved Josie’s emotional romances and am impressed at her ability to write outside her comfort zone.

Melody was a fun and quirky character. I loved the unlikely band of friends, and how well they worked together. Their banter and friendships were heartwarming, and Marina’s Nana’s baked goods had me craving sweets!

The mystery element had me guessing until the very end, but it was enjoyable watching Melody interact with the ghosts and see their different personalities.

I’m not a fan of love triangles in general, and one of the romantic interests shouldn’t have even been an interest. I’m intrigued to see where the romance subplot goes in book 2!

Read if you love:
* Scooby-Doo mystery machine
* Baked goods
* Mystery and paranormal elements
* Love triangle

Packed with humor, paranormal activity, and a little romance, this book is the cutest Fall read! The book discusses grief and loss but with a bit lighthearted spin on it, making it such a cozy read. For those who like to read a book according to the season, this is the Fall book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

If you love a fun, wacky story that doesn’t go too deep into witches or the paranormal, this is a great choice.

The author brings us eclectic characters that not only stand out but blend wonderfully together once you get to know them. On the outside, they seem like crazy choices; complete opposites in many ways, but complementary in others.

As the author develops the story, we get a perfect blend of humor and wit. A family of wacky wonder. A pieced-together workforce; an annoying ex-boyfriend getting in her way; and a hottie reporter who keeps popping up unexpectedly.

Silver delivered a cozy style mystery with the paranormal elements needed to keep this lighthearted and engaging. She adds in enough twists to keep it interesting and keep us guessing. The supposed love triangle angle wasn’t there for me, but she did not shy away from some steam and heat with the developing love interest.

Overall, Crazy Spooky Love is a fun choice that will leave you with a feel-good ending. More to come with this new series.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me an ARC!

3.75

This was very cute and goofy, a perfect palate cleanser. Kind of reminds me of the Netflix series that got cancelled called “Lockwood & Co.”

I will say this has a reference to The Apprentice in it as the FMC is using it as an example of being a “strong businesswoman” and that automatically rubs me the wrong way. She didn’t mention *him*, just the show. But ya know, morally, as an American it’s jarring. The author is British so I’m sure no harm was intended but I still think that should’ve been changed to something else. Other than that I liked it. Fletcher is absolutely perfect. Some things definitely felt like… very millennial (WHICH ISNT A BAD THING IF THATS WHAT YOU LIKE!! Sometimes it can be a bit much though). Many mentions to superheroes, specifically Thor, captain America, and Ironman. Also Doctor who and Brooklyn 99. There was a RUPAUL MENTION? Loved that. But I’m so sorry like for the love of god, in the middle of a spicy scene he asks what she fantasizes about AND SHE SAYS SUPERHEROES? I cringed. That is not something to say during that moment 😭

Definitely different than some of the other works by this author. I did like the mystery element added to this romance book. A nice little read if you’re wanting a palette cleanser..

In the picturesque town of Chapelwick, Melody Bittersweet steps out on her own to open a ghostbusting agency, determined to help restless souls finally cross over. Her first big case takes her to a grand old house haunted by three mischievous ghost brothers. They haven't been able to move on due to unfinished business and a murder included.

This story is incredibly cozy and fun, filled with small-town charm, quirky characters, and laugh-out-loud moments. The pacing is a bit slower. The ghosts themselves are some of the absolute best aspects of the story, delivering humor while being surprisingly complex. While there is a hint of romance threaded throughout, I found myself far more intrigued by the mystery at the center of the plot and how Melody unravels the secrets of the Scarborough brothers. It's a lighthearted yet heartwarming paranormal mystery with just the right amount of suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine, Dell for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

"A plucky medium, her fame-chasing ex, and an infuriatingly handsome skeptic reporter make for a complicated love triangle - and that's before the ghosts get involved. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December comes the first novel in a ghost-hunting series full of romance and humor.

Ghosts and spirits are business as usual, but love just might be enough to scare Melody Bittersweet.

In the leafy, charming town of Chapelwick, the Bittersweet family has been a fixture on High Street for as long as anyone can remember. Their rambling black-and-white building houses all three generations of ghost-sensitive Bittersweet women and their business, Blithe Spirits.

On her twenty-seventh birthday, Melody Bittersweet converts the disused back storeroom into her office and opens her own business. Unlike the rest of her family, she's not taking down messages from ghosts - she's taking them out.

Right away, the freshly minted Girls' Ghostbusting Agency takes on its first case: a grand old house that won't sell because a trio of incumbent ghost brothers raise merry hell whenever prospective owners arrive to view it.

It soon becomes clear that there's a whole heap of unfinished business between the Scarborough brothers - including murder - and Melody isn't the only one trying to unravel the mystery. Leo Dark, her rakish ex and business rival, is also on the case, along with the TV crew that trails him.

To make matters worse, the sarcastic and skeptical (and annoyingly good-looking) local reporter Fletcher Gunn has his nose in the story as well. Sniffing out a way to publicly discredit the Bittersweets is his favorite assignment - and has absolutely nothing to do with his inability to resist Melody.

With her business on the line, it's up to Melody to work out the brothers' issues, but can she protect her own very susceptible heart from Fletcher's charm? Does she even want to?"

There's a SurrealEstate vibe to this first book that tickles me.

Such a fun and spooky time! Nothing earth-shattering but it doesn’t need to be! A great palette cleanser in a cozy setting.

1/5

This took me a full threee weeks to read it- not because I'm a slower reader, but because I hated reading it. I avoided picking it up. I mowed the lawn instead of picking it up.

The ghosts aren't ghosty

The romance isn't working (like, no chemistry)

The mystery is boring

and it was slowwwwwwwwwww

The only pro was that the friendship between Melody, Marina, and Artie was cute and kinda Scooby Doo ish.

I'm admittedly not a huge romance reader, but when I pick one up, I want the vibes to just carry me off my feet. This wasn't it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All views expressed are my own.

Crazy Spooky Love by Josie Silver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

This paranormal rom-com had me intrigued from the start with its ghost-hunting premise and cozy English-town vibes. Melody Bittersweet is the quirky, big-hearted medium trying to carve her own path in a family full of ghost-sensitive women—and let’s just say, it gets chaotic real quick.

From a haunted house plagued by three mischievous (and dramatic) ghost brothers, to a grumpy yet oddly charming skeptic reporter, and a fame-hungry ex ghost hunter stirring the pot—this book is packed with personality.

Was it over-the-top at times? Yes. Did the quirky humor border on too much occasionally? A little. But I actually grew to love the eccentricity, especially once the emotional layers peeked through. The mild spice? Surprisingly satisfying. The tension between Melody and Fletcher Gunn? Definitely entertaining. And the pug?? 10/10 perfection. 🥹🐾

If you’re in the mood for something whimsical and ghostly, with a slow-burn romance, quirky chaos, and a cozy, slightly gothic feel—it’s a good one to curl up with.