Title: Haunted Ever AfterAuthor: Jen Deluca
Series: Boneyard Key #1
Pages: 352
Publication Date: Aug. 13, ,2024
Publisher: Berkley
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Paranormal
Synopsis:
It’s love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits.
Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.
Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she’s catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.
As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don’t get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie’s worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing…and Nick’s afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.
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A fun and spookily charming romance, Haunted Ever After follows Cassie as she moves from the hustle and bustle of a tourist city to a small and quaint town with some unexpected inhabitants.
Cassie is a great protagonist, and I really enjoyed her story. A bit lost since all of her friends are getting married and having kids, Cassie feels untethered and left behind. Moving to Boneyard Key is just the fresh start she’s looking for. Boneyard Key is a small town known for its paranormal occurrences and inhabitants, and Cassie’s new home, which has been empty for years, is one of the most haunted places in town. Of course, Cassie doesn’t believe and thinks this is all a kitschy way to get visitors, but she soon realizes that not all of the haunted tales are fiction.
The blend of romance with a bit of mystery is great. Cassie learns so much about Boneyard Key and what happened to some of its residents. She also makes some new friends who are great, too, both spectral and human. Of course, Nick is my favorite. A grumpy coffee shop owner with a hilarious ghost in tow, Nick isn’t prepared to have his world turned upside down by Cassie, but that’s exactly what happens. She’s the sunshine to his grump, and she makes him think twice about his rule to remain single and unattached. And underneath his brusque exterior is a big old softie, and I love that!
As Cassie becomes more enmeshed in the mystery surrounding the previous owners of her house, and she experiences some scary happenings, Nick and others help her in her search for answers. It’s an intriguing mystery, as are all the different ways that the characters communicate with their ghostly friends and potential enemies. I loved all of the paranormal elements in the story and town. It kind of reminded me of a smaller, more charming version of Salem, Massachusetts without all the witch-hunt scariness.
I really enjoyed this story. It’s fun and entertaining, and I loved some of the spectral friends and situations that come Cassie and Nick’s way. Special thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- The characters.
- The setting.
- The romance!
Being alone had been a comfort for a long time. Being alone meant you didn’t need to depend on anyone else. You couldn’t get hurt. But tonight, Nick didn’t like the way being alone felt. It felt too much like being lonely.
Jen DeLuca was born and raised near Richmond, Virginia, but now lives in Arizona with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets. She loves latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. Well Met is her first novel, inspired by her time volunteering as a pub wench with her local Renaissance Faire.
Great review – I’m excited to read this one!
Thanks Yolanda! I hope you love it when you read it!
This sounds like a cute read. That sounds funny when talking about ghosts, but Casper pulled that off. I hope to get to it soon. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks, Ali! It was a bit different from her normal books, but I really enjoyed it. I hope you do too!!