Haunted Ever After

June 1, 2024

DeLuca turns to a paranormal rom-com after her "Well Met" series. Nick Royer, owner of the local coffee shop in the haunted town of Boneyard Key, loves the tourists that come with the ghost stories. When Cassie Rutherford moves to town--into her own haunted house--the two connect as they join forces to figure out her ghostly residents. Prepub Alert.

Copyright 2024 Library Journal

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2024
A woman relocates, only to discover that her new home is haunted. The small coastal community of Boneyard Key, Florida, is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in America. In 1897, a hurricane devastated the town, and the small group of survivors who stayed to rebuild found they could communicate with the ghosts of people who were killed in the storm. When Cassie Rutherford is priced out of the Orlando housing market, she looks further afield and feels lucky to have found a great deal on a house overlooking the water in Boneyard Key. She assumes the local businesses like Nick Royer's coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds, are just leaning into the mythology for tourists, but she quickly learns the locals really believe in ghosts. After Cassie moves in, her laptop won't take a charge in the house ("like an electricity vampire had stolen in during the night") and half the outlets don't seem to work at all, so she starts working from Nick's coffee shop. He reveals that she's the proud owner of Hawkins House, the most haunted place in town, plagued by the ghost of Sarah Hawkins, a woman whose husband died in mysterious circumstances and who chased school kids off her property until her death in the 1940s. Cassie laughs it off until Sarah's ghost starts communicating with her through the magnetic poetry on her fridge and a local ghost hunter assures her Sarah's spirit is friendly. Meanwhile, Cassie and Nick's flirtatious banter quickly evolves into casual dating. The first time he enters her house, though, things go sideways: They have a strange, aggressive argument, and Sarah's ghost uses the magnets to urge Cassie to "get him out." DeLuca has a keen eye for describing life in a small tourist town with a quirky cast of characters, but her plotting is predictable. Cassie and Nick are two nice people who can't be together until they've (literally!) put old ghosts to rest. An interesting ghost story outshines a tepid romance.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2024
When Cassie buys a cute, newly updated historic cottage in Boneyard Key, a town that markets itself as the most haunted small town in Florida, she is hit with unexpected obstacles. Her house is on the walking tour of haunted places. The electricity in her house is wonky, so she has to go to a coffee shop to charge her laptop, where Nick, the owner, treats her (a lifelong Floridian) like a tourist. The magnetic poetry on her fridge is rearranged with what could be messages, perhaps from mean Mrs. Hawkins, the previous owner, who has been dead for several decades. With the help of Nick, who has his own ghostly contact, and some new friends, she investigates the haunted history of the town. DeLuca (Well Matched, 2021) imbues her characters with heart (even the dead ones), making this a feel-good read spiced with romance, friendships, and mystery. It is a delightful escape. Readers will enjoy the gentle haunting and ghostly communication along with the sweet love story.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.