You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.88 AVERAGE
2.88 AVERAGE
Two rival authors end up at the same haunted castle for a retreat. There was angsty banter and tension as Pen and Neil each try to find their writing groove back. I wanted to really like this, a romance with added haunted elements, but I found that I couldn’t connect with the characters and the plot didn’t hold my interest. It took a while to get through this, unfortunately.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the electronic copy.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the electronic copy.
A little hard to follow the ghost plot, illuminating perspective of main characters (even if author’s history complicates things)
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I’m being honest, I considered DNFing this book. I’m glad I didn’t.
I ended up enjoying it more than I initially expected to. I will say that I found it hard to engage in the first section of the story and it didn’t begin to click for me until everyone arrived at the castle.
I understand background information and context are important, but I’m not sure how much of that first section actually contributed to the rest of the story. I also found Penelope to be incredibly frustrating early on.
Does she have reasons to be upset by the status quo? Yes. Does she handle things appropriately? No. She does self searching throughout the story and is able to acknowledge the actual roots of her anger. But generally I think her early actions towards Neil were excessive and misplaced, and that their story could have progressed without her blazing anger focused on him without examining why until much later.
But I did like how everything wrapped up. I don’t think it will be a satisfying story to a horror reader, and the supernatural elements are never really explained, but I see the whole situation as facilitating and supporting the romance. Both Neil and Penelope did some learning and both come out of the story better than they went in, and despite some flaws and not being a traditional entry for the genre, I think it still works and is worth it for the right reader.
I ended up enjoying it more than I initially expected to. I will say that I found it hard to engage in the first section of the story and it didn’t begin to click for me until everyone arrived at the castle.
I understand background information and context are important, but I’m not sure how much of that first section actually contributed to the rest of the story. I also found Penelope to be incredibly frustrating early on.
Does she have reasons to be upset by the status quo? Yes. Does she handle things appropriately? No. She does self searching throughout the story and is able to acknowledge the actual roots of her anger. But generally I think her early actions towards Neil were excessive and misplaced, and that their story could have progressed without her blazing anger focused on him without examining why until much later.
But I did like how everything wrapped up. I don’t think it will be a satisfying story to a horror reader, and the supernatural elements are never really explained, but I see the whole situation as facilitating and supporting the romance. Both Neil and Penelope did some learning and both come out of the story better than they went in, and despite some flaws and not being a traditional entry for the genre, I think it still works and is worth it for the right reader.
I was so intrigued by the premise but this was such a mess. The relationship between the protagonists felt forced and increasingly toxic. Two-thirds of the way through the novel, I learned about the author's controversy which was extremely disappointing, especially as a mixed race person excited to read about mixed race Indigenous protagonists. I didn't understand how readers were supposed to gloss over the harmful behavior from the FMC, while being profusely built up by other characters, so it read as wish fulfillment.
I got to read an early version of this, and I was so charmed! Pen and Neil are a perfect rivals/antagonists to reluctant lovers pairing, and the rest of the characters are the perfect little cast. And the spooky mystery in the background is truly SUCH a treat- I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, just waiting for the next scare! Everything was woven together so delightfully, and I binged this in a day: I simply couldn't put it down. Highly recommend for a haunting little romance for spooky season!
