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gammys_reads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
FANTABULOUS!!! Thank you NetGalley, Jen DeLuca and Berkley Publishing Group for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
What an enchanting blend of spooky, hilarious, and heartwarming romance unfolding in a haunted, charming Florida coastal town!! The title instantly grabbed my attention, and when I saw the adorable cover coupled with the captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book! As someone who was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and currently resides in a small town with no stoplights, renowned for its ghost tours and nestled near the Gulf, I couldn't resist the allure of diving into this promising tale. Receiving this ARC filled me with immense excitement and elevated my expectations for this exceptionall story to unprecedented levels!! "Haunted Ever After" offers a refreshing change from the usual romance novels with its slow burn narrative. The gradual development of the romantic relationship between the protagonists adds depth, as they each navigate personal challenges before finding their way to each other. While the romance may simmer slowly, the story compensates with delightful ghostly humor, quaint coffee shop, historical ghost tours, endearing bookshop, found family (one of my favorite tropes), and the picturesque backdrop of Florida's stunning sunsets. I completely adored this book!! It had me grinning, cackling, swooning. and shedding a few tears all while tugging at my heartstrings!! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
Boneyard Key, a small coastal town in Florida, thrives on its ghostly reputation, drawing tourists seeking thrills beyond the Orlando theme parks. Nick Royer, proprietor of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, not only embraces the town's spectral allure but also shares his space with a friendly ghost, grateful for the natural air-conditioning.
Meanwhile, Cassie Rutherford, feeling the pressure of her friends settled lives, impulsively purchases a historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Despite encountering odd occurrences like her laptop's refusal to charge and magnetic poetry spelling out eerie messages, Cassie finds herself drawn to the town's rich history.
As Cassie and Nick embark on ghost tours and delve into the secrets of her haunted cottage, their connection deepens. Yet, Cassie wrestles with doubts about her newfound homeownership, while Nick fears pushing her away with his growing feelings.
Amidst ghostly tales and hidden histories, their budding romance unfolds, blending the magic of the supernatural with the warmth of newfound love.
In summary, this book beautifully illustrates the importance of embracing new chapters in life and letting go of what no longer brings happiness. This is my first read by Jen DeLuca, and I'm eargerly anticipating delving into more of her works. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and believe it deserves all the stars!! 💫💫💫💫💫
What an enchanting blend of spooky, hilarious, and heartwarming romance unfolding in a haunted, charming Florida coastal town!! The title instantly grabbed my attention, and when I saw the adorable cover coupled with the captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book! As someone who was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and currently resides in a small town with no stoplights, renowned for its ghost tours and nestled near the Gulf, I couldn't resist the allure of diving into this promising tale. Receiving this ARC filled me with immense excitement and elevated my expectations for this exceptionall story to unprecedented levels!! "Haunted Ever After" offers a refreshing change from the usual romance novels with its slow burn narrative. The gradual development of the romantic relationship between the protagonists adds depth, as they each navigate personal challenges before finding their way to each other. While the romance may simmer slowly, the story compensates with delightful ghostly humor, quaint coffee shop, historical ghost tours, endearing bookshop, found family (one of my favorite tropes), and the picturesque backdrop of Florida's stunning sunsets. I completely adored this book!! It had me grinning, cackling, swooning. and shedding a few tears all while tugging at my heartstrings!! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
Boneyard Key, a small coastal town in Florida, thrives on its ghostly reputation, drawing tourists seeking thrills beyond the Orlando theme parks. Nick Royer, proprietor of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, not only embraces the town's spectral allure but also shares his space with a friendly ghost, grateful for the natural air-conditioning.
Meanwhile, Cassie Rutherford, feeling the pressure of her friends settled lives, impulsively purchases a historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Despite encountering odd occurrences like her laptop's refusal to charge and magnetic poetry spelling out eerie messages, Cassie finds herself drawn to the town's rich history.
As Cassie and Nick embark on ghost tours and delve into the secrets of her haunted cottage, their connection deepens. Yet, Cassie wrestles with doubts about her newfound homeownership, while Nick fears pushing her away with his growing feelings.
Amidst ghostly tales and hidden histories, their budding romance unfolds, blending the magic of the supernatural with the warmth of newfound love.
In summary, this book beautifully illustrates the importance of embracing new chapters in life and letting go of what no longer brings happiness. This is my first read by Jen DeLuca, and I'm eargerly anticipating delving into more of her works. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and believe it deserves all the stars!! 💫💫💫💫💫
cobaltbookshelf's review
3.0
Really wanted to like this one more! I found the premise to be very fun, and I liked the paranormal themes explored in the book. The humor wasn’t for me, and I found romance a bit lacing.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
readwithjenna08's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley, Jen DeLuca, and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read this eARC! The book comes out August 13.
Jen DeLuca has done it again! Stepping away from the Ren Fair world, and into the world of the paranormal, I was all in from the beginning. And I loved it!
Cassie Rutherford needed a change from her life in Orlando. All her friends are married and having babies and she felt lonely. She bought a house in a small Florida town called Boneyard Key. A haunted town that thrives on ghost tours and ghostly puns and merch.
She keeps having issues with her eclectic and charging her laptop so she goes down to the local cafe. This is where she meets Nick Royer, the grumpy cafe owner who talks to the previous tenant/owner of his apartment and cafe.
I loved Nick and Cassie’s story. But I was so intrigued by Elmer and Sarah. I wish we got more backstory on them both. Or a novella about them. I would love to read that!
Thank you again!
Jen DeLuca has done it again! Stepping away from the Ren Fair world, and into the world of the paranormal, I was all in from the beginning. And I loved it!
Cassie Rutherford needed a change from her life in Orlando. All her friends are married and having babies and she felt lonely. She bought a house in a small Florida town called Boneyard Key. A haunted town that thrives on ghost tours and ghostly puns and merch.
She keeps having issues with her eclectic and charging her laptop so she goes down to the local cafe. This is where she meets Nick Royer, the grumpy cafe owner who talks to the previous tenant/owner of his apartment and cafe.
I loved Nick and Cassie’s story. But I was so intrigued by Elmer and Sarah. I wish we got more backstory on them both. Or a novella about them. I would love to read that!
Thank you again!
reading_with_sydney's review
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thenaptimewriter's review
3.0
Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca, out 08/13. I wanted to love this one but sadly, it didn’t really work for me. The hero & heroine have a cute dynamic that starts off on the wrong bad impression foot and the heroine’s thoughts on feeling left out & uncertain about where she is in her friend group and her life in general feel real. But aspects of the plot feel ludicrous to me & I couldn’t always understand the reasons underpinning some details. So in the end, I liked this one but didn’t love it. 3 ⭐️. (Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)
booksjenrecs's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
thephxnestjess's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mistresstaserblade's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
wendahh324's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
anovelglimpse's review
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.
Jen DeLuca has stepped away from the ren faire to give us a fresh, new setting with a bunch of interesting characters. Haunted Ever After was a slow burn romance with a cozy mystery theme running through it. I loved Boneyard Key and all its inhabitants. It was easy to imagine all of the shops, houses, and landmarks in Boneyard Key. They had a life of their own with their ghostly inhabitants. I loved how everything was centered around the acceptance of the ghosts in town. It made the mystery of the story a lot of fun. I also loved how both the ghosts and the mystery brought Nick and Cassie together. Their romance was the slowest of slow burns and sometimes felt more like a subplot than the main part of the book. These two took their time getting to know each other, falling in love, and solving the mystery. That is probably the biggest complaint I have about this book. The pace was slower than I normally like. The third person narration didn't do the pace any favors either. All in all, it was a fun read.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .
Jen DeLuca has stepped away from the ren faire to give us a fresh, new setting with a bunch of interesting characters. Haunted Ever After was a slow burn romance with a cozy mystery theme running through it. I loved Boneyard Key and all its inhabitants. It was easy to imagine all of the shops, houses, and landmarks in Boneyard Key. They had a life of their own with their ghostly inhabitants. I loved how everything was centered around the acceptance of the ghosts in town. It made the mystery of the story a lot of fun. I also loved how both the ghosts and the mystery brought Nick and Cassie together. Their romance was the slowest of slow burns and sometimes felt more like a subplot than the main part of the book. These two took their time getting to know each other, falling in love, and solving the mystery. That is probably the biggest complaint I have about this book. The pace was slower than I normally like. The third person narration didn't do the pace any favors either. All in all, it was a fun read.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .