Haunted Ever After by Jen Deluca – Review & Giveaway
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Description:
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.
Review:
Haunted Ever After by Jen Deluca is the 1st book in her new Boneyard Key series. The story centers around Boneyard Key, a haunted small town in Florida, that is known for its ghostly tourism. We meet Cassie Rutherford, who has recently purchased a historic cottage, and learns more about the town vibes, with some of the haunted houses that help the tourism in the town. Cassie thinks that the haunted places are not real, just giving the tourists a chance to visit.
Soon after she moves in, Cassie senses unusual things happening in her house; such as her laptop won’t charge up, other electrical issues, and soon her refrigerator leaves magnet messages from a ghost, who used to own the house. Cassie ends up going each morning for very good coffee and banana bread, at Hallowed Grounds local café, meeting the café owner, Nick; she also is able to get her laptop to work in the café. Nick goes out of his way to teach Cassie about the history of Boneyard Key, as well as talking about the ghosts that are possibly residents in town, or the cemetery across the lake.
Nick has his own ghost, Elmer, who texts him or talks in his head; Elmer was the previous owner of the Café, and he is a fun ghost, who tries to advise Nick. Cassie slowly begins to understand how The Hawkins House does have their own ghosts, especially after Sarah (the previous owner) leaves her those magnet messages. It was fun to see when Cassie watches a romantic tv show, Sarah in the background (she is unseen) also watches. Every-time Nick comes to visit Cassie, he gets strange static vibes, and in time they all discover that there is a mean spirit who rules the house and Sarah.
I really liked Cassie and Nick together, and I loved her friends, Libby and Sophia, as well as Libby’s grandmother, Nan: Nick’s cook, and two nice ghosts (Elmer & Sarah). It is Nan who is able to use her witch powers to try and stop the evil ghost. I will say that this was a slow burn romance for more than half the book, with Nick befriending and helping Cassie with her ghostly issues.
Cassie, with help from Libby and Sophia, will get Nan to perform her abilities to find a way to get rid of the evil presence in the house; the key was getting Nick to agree, since the bad man took over his body, and it was Cassie who will stand up to protect Nick, and defeat evil.
Haunted Ever After was a wonderful and fun story, that had a paranormal element (ghosts), which was entertaining from start to finish. I like that Sarah would still be around, but sad that Elmer finally moved on. Cassie needed to decide if she was going to stay in Boneyard Key, but once Nick told her he loved her, and she responded the same; and embrace their life in the ghostly community. Haunted Ever After was very well written by Jen Deluca. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, with a few ladies having possible romances.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Publisher
Jen Deluca’s publisher, Berkley, is offering a paper copy of HAUNTED EVER AFTER to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe
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8. Giveaway runs from August 13th to17th, 2024
