Love at First Fright: A Paranormal MM Romance

ExorSquad

by T.J. Rose

Haunting #362: Grimthorne Manor, nr Devizes, Wiltshire
History: Built 1347. 21 confirmed deaths, 37 suspected. Current owners bought it sight unseen—big mistake.
Wanted: Immediate ghost removal. Renovation crew refuses to work after "flying hammer incident."
The ExorSquad Team: Star employee Brad Harrington (works alone, prefers it that way) & new recruit Charlie Hayes (doesn't believe in ghosts—yet).
Additional notes: Unusual EMF spikes detected near the music room. Recon team reported "aggressive 90s alternative rock" playing at 3am. Black smudges appearing on bathroom mirrors—appears to be eyeliner.
P.S: Avoid the basement at all costs.
Charlie
I'm broke, I'm desperate, and I've just signed up with ExorSquad—a ghost-busting company that's definitely conning vulnerable people out of their life savings. But hey, minimum wage is minimum wage, even when it means spending multiple nights in a crumbling Georgian manor with my new colleague Brad, a complete tosser.
The job's simple: pretend to clear out the ghosts, collect our fee, go home. Easy, right? Except the locals keep crossing themselves when I mention Grimthorne Manor, the renovation crew literally ran away screaming, and I just got locked in the attic with dust motes that stroked my cheek.
Still, ghosts aren't real. They can't be. Can they?!
Bat
Being dead has its learning curve, but I've gotten quite good at it, thank you very much. Grimthorne Manor is mine—well, mine and the other forty-odd spirits who call this place home—and we've perfected the art of scaring away anyone stupid enough to disturb our peace.
But then Charlie walks through my door with his fluffy golden hair, coaxing melodies from my forgotten guitar that I thought were lost forever, and suddenly I don't want to terrify him. I want to protect him from the thing lurking in our basement. I want to touch those gentle hands. I want to hear him play again.
Problem is, I'm dead. He's alive.
However…
His insufferable partner Brad is looking very... possessable

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Ghosts, Paranormal Romance, Forced Proximity

435 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2026

About the author

TJ Rose is steadily turning her wild imagination into alternate universes, one happily-ever-after at a time.

By day, she weaves action-packed queer romances packed with vivid worlds and characters who dance between sugar, spice, and pure chaos. By night, she's either plotting doomsday scenarios or binging horror movies—sometimes simultaneously.

When not writing or daydreaming, you'll find her wandering through the British wilderness, coffee in hand, sunlight optional but strongly preferred.


Visit her website www.tjrosebooks.com to join her mailing list to stay up-to-date!

Reviews

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie is broke, lonely and desperate enough to take a job with ExorSquad, a decidedly shady ghost-busting company - even though he doesn’t actually believe in ghosts.
His first assignment takes him to Grimthorne Manor, where he’s supposed to pretend to clear out its supernatural inhabitants. Unfortunately for Charlie, the ghosts are very real. Fortunately for him, one of them is Bat, a long-dead emo-boy musician who takes one look at Charlie and is a goner 🫠

And oh my goooood, Bat was the loneliest, gentlest, softest, most caring ghost you’ll ever meet 🥹
His yearning, his reverence, the absolute bliss he feels about everything Charlie.. SO stinking cute, I had trouble reigning in my cute aggression 😭

And Charlie… *sigh*. Charlie is so, so lovely. Kind and considerate, but also painfully lonely and absolutely starved for affection and praise. He feels stuck in a life that isn’t going anywhere, watching everyone else move forward while he’s somehow been left behind.

So really, what better person for him to find than a ghost who thinks he hung the fucking moon?

I loved that underneath all the supernatural shenanigans, this is about two very lonely people finding someone who finally sees them. Bat is completely obsessed with Charlie from the first second on and both give each other something they hadn’t had in a very, very long time: connection 🥹

And the spooky side of this was surprisingly effective! I’m not easily freaked out by ghost books - they rarely actually scare me - but this had such a wonderfully creepy atmosphere that even I got the occasional shiver. And that final showdown?? Holy shit 😳

Also, maybe stay far away from this one if you have arachnophobia because fucking EW. I’m serious 🫣

The one thing that really didn’t work for me was the smut. I ended up skimming/skipping almost all of it because what I did read had one of my absolute pet peeves: a character suddenly developing an entirely different personality in bed. Sweet, gentle, reverent Bat abruptly turning into a rough dirty-talking sex god? Yeah… nah. I’m out 😅 also: ectosperm? Ew.

But yeah, all in all I had fun and I recommend this especially for the upcoming spooky season 👻

3,5⭐️

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️

♪ 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 — 𝘋𝘌𝘈𝘛𝘏 𝘞𝘖𝘕’𝘛 𝘋𝘖 𝘜𝘚 𝘗𝘈𝘙𝘛 𝘣𝘺 𝘏𝘌𝘟𝘟𝘌𝘕𝘔𝘐𝘕𝘋, 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘓𝘶𝘹 ♪
//Baby, death won't do us part
Oh, forever means forever
Even when it all goes dark
We got all the time in the world//

I suddenly got the feeling I should have probably consulted my handbook before making any deals with ghosts. Especially ones capable of possession. And flirting. And puppy-dog eyes.

Ghost romances just hit right in the feels.
Paranormal horror and MM romance are my favorite genres, so that combo plus the great characters, the murder mystery, the sprinkle of comedic moments, the haunted mansion setting, the cute kitty, the hot spice — it was all perfect and everything I could ever want.

Something brushed my cheek. Gentle. Reverent. The whisper of a touch that sent warmth spreading through my chest instead of terror.

Granted, it’s not exactly horror, but it’s got just the right amount of spooky to give off the right vibe, especially towards the end. And also a bit of unexpected gore, so watch out if you’re squeamish.

Nobody had ever touched me like this. I was as sure of that as I was that Charlie was meant for me. That we were meant to find each other. That if I were alive, I would give Charlie everything.

And these characters were so amazing. Perfect chemistry and connection, an adorable emo sad boy ghost and sweet Charlie trying to find his way in life. Bat has a special place in my heart, though. Even his name is cute AF, how can I not love him??

If I’d had any breath to steal, he would have stolen it.

I’m not yet sure how I feel about that ending, but I’m mostly glad these two got their happy ever after (even if they made me cry my eyes out). I hope the rest of this series will be as good as this one, although I doubt anything can top Bat & Charlie.
I fear this book has now kicked me into spooky season mood and I don’t think it’ll end anytime soon. Bring me all the ghosts and the spooks. 👻

Forever’s just a word until you find
Someone worth leaving the whole world behind.

Thank you TJ Rose for sending me a copy of this book!

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Brief homophobia
- Past parental loss/grief
- Death/violence/gore
- MC w/ Arachnophobia
- Lots of spiders
- Mild animal cruelty done by a side character (animal was unharmed)
- Ghostly dub-con (touching/watching without prior consent)
- Top/bottom
- Rimming
- Coming untouched
- 69

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun!
Gruesome and spidery at times, but I didn't care and had a great time with Charlie and Bat.
Loved how the author developed the relationship between the two men (one alive, one not).
I was surprised by certain plot twists, but since Charlie and Bat got their hea, I have no complaints.

[labibliofille · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not crying, you're crying!!

Where do I even start? I loved Love at First Fright! These characters are so sweet together and I couldn't figure out how they'd get their HEA, but I'm SO here for the one they got! They deserve so much (and Brad also got what he deserved, don't you even worry! lol) and I'm so happy for them!

[queerromancebooks ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I trade sleep to stay up all night and read this for Halloween? Yes. Yes, I did. And I have zero regrets. This book was everything I’d hoped for, and more.

Let's be clear:
Fun to read? ✔️
A gripping plot? ✔️
Some bone-chilling spookiness? ✔️
Lovable characters? ✔️
What about ghost sex? 👻 ✔️✔️✔️

The whole concept of ExorSquad Ltd was delightfully unhinged, from the very first interaction with the man running it and his controversial business model of try not to die. I was instantly sat, buckled in alongside Charlie ready for the chaos to hit.

The premise of taking a shitty job you don't believe in to make ends meet made Charlie pretty relatable. As did his eyerollingly bland coworkers— I feel like we all have had to tolerate a Brad type at one point or another.

It wasn't long before the plot hit with just the right amount of bang you'd expect from a ghost hunting trope, and once it started it did not let up. Spookiness gave way to a little scariness and real world consequences. Perfectly paced. There was not a second of this book that I was bored.

The romance between Charlie and Bat was sweet and surprisingly moving with some great chemistry. Bat is such a weirdly endearing character. I also really enjoyed the quirky ensemble of ghosts haunting the manor and the way they were worked into the story.

So, the ghost sex… It was hot, and sweet.There were some really interesting ghost mechanics. It mostly involved consent in a really positive way. There was one scene of slightly dubious consent involving touching towards the start but it worked really well imo.

I really recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a fun, action packed, spooky read, especially those that enjoy a ghost romance. I'm excited to read more from this author and to read the rest of this series too.

[Ayla Shoulders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so in love with the ghosts of Grimthorne Manor: the beautifully dead lil guitar playing emo boy, the shining twins, the most badass maybe-witch of all time (sorry Scarlett), the not-so-suicidal Evelyn McHale, the smut reading chatelaine, Momma Molly and the man sent to “extract” them. And I guess Brad was okay too… as long as he was being possessed by someone else 😂

This book was packed full of surprises! I could not have predicted anything that happened in the second half.

Charlie is 34 years old, jobless, stuck in a standstill of life. He is a true non-believer who desperately answers a job ad for a “Spirit Extraction Specialist” thinking it’s just a bunch of people scamming others out of money with talk of ghosts…. Oh, how wrong he is!
Bat is the 23 year old dead emo boy who’s been haunting Grimthorne Manor for 27 years (Since 1999 - what a shitty fuckin year to die!).
Oh, and there’s a kitty kitty who may or may not spend some time being possessed by a dead boy.

Charlie and Bat are up there with my favorite couples of all time. I was NOT expecting this to be such an emotional book. I cried, like, A LOT. Their relationship was so beautiful. The way they connected on a level so much deeper than just sex made me fall in love with them. (Don’t get me wrong though, the ghost fucking was insanely good!) Their joking and banter and cuddling had me feeling all kinds of things. The way Charlie had to catch him up on the times with all the new words (“breed me” had me dying 😂😂😂) and technology was so fun to read. I had such a great time in this ghostbusting world, I didn’t want it to end - mainly because I was so fucking nervous about HOW it would end. THE ENDING WAS ABSOLUTE FIRE. It was the sweetest, most perfectly beautiful ending.

I can’t write anymore without giving spoilers, so I’ll stop now. But please don’t sleep on this one y’all! It’s one of the best paranormal romances I’ve ever read.

Thank you to the author and Gay Romance Reviews for a chance to read and review and ARC of Love at First Fright 🖤

[AnnaKitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my GOD, people. This book. THIS BOOK 😭🖤🤯🫠❤‍🔥
Just 100 times WOW!!

“I fell in love with a ghost.
And then I got to keep him.”

Amazing. Fantastic. I’m such a mess, but I’m also ridiculously happy because there is genuinely no better feeling than knowing before you’re even 20% in that this is going to be a 5-star read ❤‍🔥

I had pretty high hopes going in and - as you can probably guess!!! - it was even better than I imagined 😻
And for a book considerably longer than average, I enjoyed every single second of it and could have happily read even more, didn't even notice the page count.

The atmosphere, the details, the writing - all so very TJ Rose 🤍
It was all so vivid and immersive, emotional and hilarious that I literally couldn’t put it down, had to abandon my family for a while there and not even sorry 🙃

It’s full of these beautifully sweet little moments that made me grin like an idiot, and I LOVE when a book can make me do that!

“Bat’s face crumpled into an exaggerated pout.
I leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose.”

I can’t even properly explain how much I loved this book. And the plot!! I obviously come for the romance, but here the actual story was so damn interesting that I loved it just as much 😻

Bat and Charlie were simply perfect for each other 🥹 Won't even find the right words to describe how I loved them!

And as if the chokehold wasn’t already strong enough, the last 15% had me repeatedly forgetting how to breathe. Good thing I wasn’t thinking too much, because almost NOTHING that happened there was predictable 🤯

Even knowing we were getting a HEA, I was still gasping multiple times because WHAT?! 🤯

And the last 5%!
I spent it in tears barricaded on a balcony with my cat - and yes, can't forget to mention the CAT - over one of the sweetest and most beautiful endings 🥹

So please, don’t think twice. Don’t read too much about it. Just go read it!
If my completely unhinged ramblings aren't recommendation enough, the rating absolutely is 🤍

Thank you so, so much, TJ Rose, for this fantastic journey and for the ARC!!! 🙌

[Florence . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever’s just a word until you find
Someone worth leaving the whole world behind

I had such a good time reading this book. I got so sucked into everything this story offered me. The world building and descriptions were just so delightful to read and they just really enhanced my enjoyment of the book. The atmosphere in this book was just to die for (pun intended).

The set up for this story is that Bat is one of the ghosts haunting Grimthorne manor and Charlie and his partner Brad are sent there to eradicate the ghosts. Bat falls in love at first sight Charlie ... even if he shouldn't. And these two are just so obsessed with each other at first sight and cannot get enough.

The way this story was set up and how the different elements built up over time was just so fascinating to read. Also the romance in this book?? Just so fucking good, I was obsessed with Charlie and Bat and their banter and the way they loved each other. I loved how they met each other and then decided they would be end game and did everything to get closer to each other and always were ready to go to great lengths to make the other smile.

The vibes in this book really did it for me. I loved the mix of creepier gothic ghost themed vibes with a very funny atmosphere, it was just so much fun to read. This book got me hook line and sinker from page 1 and I could not get enough of it.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read. For such a long book it went pretty quickly, which is always a plus for me because it means I was really into the story.

I loved all the ghosts and the hi jinks they got up to.

Bat and Charlie were so cute and adorable together. I wasn't sure how I would like a human/ghost pairing, but it worked surprisingly well here! The author had some unique ideas regarding this type of pairing and nothing was predictable to me.

I was a little surprised at how things ended with Brad, but overall I really enjoyed the book.

T.J. Rose is becoming one of my fave authors.

[anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc review

This is exactly why I love reading so much, and I know I’ll never stop. You can literally step into any universe you want, and I love how every author brings a completely different idea every time.

You think it’s just about catching ghosts or haunting people… but what happens when you actually fall in love with the ghost you’re supposed to catch? Definitely a chaotic (hOT) mess, but it'll all work in the end. Reading this book was so much fun. The concept was incredibly well done, and I loved seeing how these characters came together.

I’m already excited to read more from this universe!

[angie_bookrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

So apparently my weakness is a hot, lonely, sarcastic ghost with a tragic backstory, a filthy mouth, and a desperate need to be loved.

Good to know.

Bat fucking wrecked me 😭

This poor man has spent decades trapped in Grimthorne Manor, lonely and convinced he'll never have anything resembling a normal life again. Then Charlie shows up and Bat's immediate response is basically, "I love him. Must scare him away immediately."
Sir. Your strategy needs work 😂

Charlie isn't exactly helping matters by being an absolute disaster. Lying about his arachnophobia? Questionable. Getting involved with a ghost? Very questionable. Asking said ghost to possess him? Girl, WHAT ARE WE DOING? 🤣

Somehow, underneath ALL the chaos and the very hot ghost sex, this became genuinely fucking heartbreaking.

Bat wanting Charlie but believing he could never actually have him. Charlie falling for him while knowing there's an expiration date on their relationship. The little moments where Bat gets to pretend he's alive. Them dancing in the moonlight. Cuddling in bed watching movies.

I was NOT okay 🥺

This book was such a fucking emotional rollercoaster. It gave me ghosts, horror, mystery, humour, angst, absolutely ridiculous chemistry, and a romance that somehow managed to make me believe that a human and a ghost could actually have a future together.

I loved Bat. I loved Charlie. I loved their weird little impossible love story.

And I absolutely need more ExorSquad chaos IMMEDIATELY!!

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank TJ Rose for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

👻🐈‍⬛🎸

I CANNOT shoutttt about all this amazing, spooky, sexxxxxxy, ghost D deliciousness loud enough!!🐈‍⬛

TJ Rose is absolute master class
and I just wasn't prepared
For how deeply invested in Charlie and Bat's HEA
I was going to be.👻💗🎸

The opening chapter set the tone perfectly, with TJR's brilliant characterization activating my deep emotional resonance right from the start! Charlie's precarious financial situation, job insecurity, and especially his sacrifices as a 17yo for his family at their greatest time of need, made his personal, high-stakes journey very relatable. I wanted him to find his joy again, and to have his life turn out as lovely and wonderful for him, because he was wonderful and lovely, and deserved more than sad-boy-survival mode. So I very much understood his motivation to take a sketchy, "ghost removal" (?con) job just to make ends meet.

And because this IS a romance,
I was LIVING FOR HOWWWWWWW the opening chapter handily set up Charlie's 180 from "I don't believe in ghosts" to falling in love with one by the end. Shivery with anticipation with how fatefully (romantic) this scrambling moment, at Charlie's lowest point, would inevitably lead to the MOST unimaginable love of his life! I was sat for 587 pages (unaware of the pg count) and I STILL wanted more💓😭❤️‍🔥…but like as a luxury, not unfulfilled or anything, because this romance was ✨stars across the board aces💖

And Bat was just as compelling and awesome to fall in love with as well! He was sweet, and suuuperrrrr sexy, with ACTUAL "don't touch him" energy, and gave the kind of ghost-boyfriend vibes (wholesome and toppy hot omg🫠) that I hadn't thought of since Lasher (complicated, 100% NOT wholesome, but still😏). Anne Rice (among others we should not have been reading but ofc cut our teeth on) fed '90s-00s kids with the good bad stuff, and I'll be forever grateful for my unsupervised reading foundations🙂‍↕️

But I digress.

Just immaculate, properly spooky vibes, that had me by the throat, made me blush, made me cry, and mostly I 100% did not expect how deadly this was going to turn out! The plot was diabolical, and the other ghosties gave me life, and also the creeps. But shout out to Brad who was a MOST EXCEPTIONAL character, and sooooo well-executed, that I don't think I could ever read a foil or a possession moving forward without comparing its foundations to what TJ Rose did to substantialize him!

I can live forever off this one TJ Rose romance, because Love at First Fright was ENTIRELY magnificent, and is (as of right now lol) my favourite of hers that will:

1. dream-lover haunt me sexily and I'm saying YES to all of that🫦, and
2. really get me thinking outside of the box for a side-hustle that'll shake things up a bit because it's a Blood Moon lunar eclipse (Aug. 27) and I AM about that life👻🌝🤘🏽🎸

[VR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting - maybe something completely silly and OTT with the comedy, which definitely wouldn't have been my thing. But this had a wonderful blend of horror and heart and humour, and it was written so well. There were a few inconsistencies that popped up, and I did find some of the "horror" scenes to be a little too crazy, but it was such a fun read, the chemistry between Charlie and Bat was addictive, and it made me cry, dammit! I'm definitely going to check out the other books in this fantastic world that has been created, as well as other books by this author.

Also, ectospunk is my new favourite word!!

Some of my fav lines:

We’ve lost three operatives this year alone to “just a biscuit” or “one sip of wine.”
(...)
“Three operatives,” I read aloud. “This year alone. To ghost biscuits.”
Gary’s moustache twitched again. “What kind of biscuit?”
“I don’t think that’s the relevant question,” Ted said.
“I’m just saying, if I’m going to die via haunted confectionery, I’d like to know if it’s at least a decent digestive or just a basic rich tea.”

**

Cows dotted a hillside, living their best bovine lives, blissfully unaware of the human torture of forced interaction.

**

The twins barrelled past, giggling maniacally. They played tug-of-war with what looked like a length of torn wallpaper. Or maybe intestines. With those two, it was hard to tell.


Added bonus: I loved the Britishness of this! I never realised how accustomed to Americanisms I had become until picking up this book. As a Brit myself, it was refreshing to see Tesco, Blackpool, sixth form, and Coronation Street mentioned!

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE STARS! I love TJ Rose, so I knew I’d love this book, and I was so excited when I got the ARC for it!! This was like an MM love story version of Casper X Ghosts with mystery, humor, spice, longing, and LOVE! I love Bat and Charlie SO MUCH!!!! I also love all the side ghosts! I was NOT prepared for the amount of emotional turmoil I went through, and for the last like 15% I think I was holding my breath the whole time. This book managed to be exciting and sweet and lovely and stressful and sexy (who knew our sad emo boi was such a sex god?!) all at once and I want more!!

The relationship between Bat and Charlie was just so damn sweet and heart-achingly beautiful, I can barely stand it. I didn’t know how they were going to get their happy ending until almost the very end but boy did they ever 🥺🥺🥺🥺 And I’m glad Brad the ass hat finally did something good with his life…😉

I’m so excited for the rest of this series, it’s multi-author and they’re all authors I’ve enjoyed work from in the past! It’s going to be so fun!

[369Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
“Forever's just a word until you find
Someone worth leaving the whole world behind.”

This book was EXCELLENT! I can’t wait to tell you about it!

So the whole premise of this multi-author series is hilarious, unique and entertaining. The Exorsquad is a terrible company to work for with terrible, probably illegal employee management.

Yet in this book, Charlie is desperate for work and decides to sign up as what’s basically an undignified ghost buster. He is sent on his first mission with a huge dickhead called Brad who claims to be the best in the company. When they arrive at the haunted manor, they realize that it’s not only haunted by ghosts of centuries past, but there’s also something even darker in the basement. Charlie especially connects with a ghost from the 90s called Bat, and their love story is incredible!

This book has:
-ghost / ghost hunter
-bonding over music
-an excellent ghostly mystery
-a fun cast of characters
-seemingly doomed romance
-haunted house but also it’s funny

Okay, so I haven’t found a true 5⭐️ book in forever, but if a book can make me laugh, smile and cry for real, then that’s when I know it’s good. 🙌

The story is an excellent balance of romance and plot. And the plot is actually GOOD! Like there was foreshadowing, good pacing, and I thought I knew what would happen, but that finale REALLY kept me guessing. I was like, was I wrong all along?! What’s happening?!! But in such a good way. Truly what an excellent way to start the series.

The romance was also so good. Both characters had distinct personalities, elements to bond over, and they have so many cute moments together. That, combined with the seemingly doomed future of a human/ghost relationship made it so impactful. The “Nothing lasts forever,” themes made me feralllll

Anyways, this book is so amazing and made me SO STOKED for the next books in the series. I saw a cameo for one of the MCs in Jemma Croft’s Unalive on Air, and am just craving it!

I hope the other books are just as good as this one 🥰

[Lola · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This multi author series has a really fun premise and I was excited to give this first one a try as I had yet to read one of this author's books (though I have a few on my TBR). After reading this one and half of the second one, though, I will say that I think the formula doesn't work for what I'm in the mood for at the moment. Because of the nature of the paranormal investigation/haunting plot, the timeline is super condensed (I think this one was like a week), and the romance does suffer for it. I was actually super into the mystery, there were a few pretty creepy moments, and there was a little humor, which is why I gave the stars I did, but I found myself not caring very much about the romance... which, as a romance reader, kinda sucks.

Both MCs were fine, but I didn't LOVE them. Bat especially for me was kind of strange, sometimes he was mischievous and goofy, sometimes he was kind of emo, but he was also very dominating in bed. People are allowed to be multifaceted but it just felt inconsistent really. And for some reason, when he was starting to have flashbacks, I kept worrying he was going to remember some great love or something that would make me feel weird about the current romance and that was messing with me. Sort of spoilers for those who care: he does remember a guy he had a crush on/was maybe in a relationship with, but that character was only important plot wise - he definitely wasn't the love of Bat's life or anything like I was imagining, so I have no idea why I was worrying.

Charlie was kind of a mess, which I usually love, but... idk he felt a bit flat for me. They had perfectly cute moments, but it stayed a bit shallow for me. I did like that they helped each other heal and feel alive again after feeling very stuck (for different reasons obviously).

I did find the sketchiness of the company (ExorSquad or whatever) to be really hilarious; the "training", the boss, Charlie's insane partner, it was all very funny to me. And I loved all of the ghosts at the manor, and how things unfolded with the mystery (although there was a pretty intense/gross scene at the end that was slightly off tonally - more slasher film, less atmospheric creepiness than the rest of it). I wasn't a fan of the resolution for one MC being a ghost, but tbf I don't think there’s a solution I would've enjoyed so 🤷🏻‍♀️. Oh, also, I have arachnophobia and this had wayyyy more spiders than seemed necessary (oh god, the mausoleum scene had me near gagging). But horror was my first love before romance and you bet your ass I’ve watched Arachnophobia many, many times because I love to be scared, so I ultimately kind of perversely liked it.

Anyway, I feel like I'd recommend this more for the haunting/ghostbuster concept than I would for the romance, but overall it was a fun story! I think I'll still try another by this author before deciding if the way they wrote the romance had more to do with the restrictions of the framework, or if I don't connect with their romance in general.

Pet names: baby

The weight of it hit me square in the chest. That fear. I knew that fear. Not the same, obviously—I wasn’t dead—but that gnawing terror of being nothing. Of not mattering. Of all your years adding up to zero. Except Bat had already died once. Already lost everything. And he was terrified of losing what little he had left.

“I want to try partial possession. Where the victim maintains some consciousness.” “Bat, your use of the word ‘victim’ isn’t particularly reassuring.” “Me possessing you was your idea!”

“Does it… always feel like this?” he asked, very quietly. “No,” I whispered, running my fingers through his choppy dark hair. “It definitely doesn’t.”

“You’re not stuck. You’re just… paused. But pauses end.”

Nobody had ever touched me like this. I was as sure of that as I was that Charlie was meant for me. That we were meant to find each other. That if I were alive, I would give Charlie everything.

*
*
*
*
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Safety (may contain spoilers)

SA/rape: There was a scene where Bat spies on (and participates in) Charlie jerking off in the bath. Charlie does eventually realize that a ghost is there and still continues, but... it was a little sus.

Other person drama: Bat eventually remembers a guy he liked that was important to his backstory but the scenes were short, they weren't physical with each other on page, and it was pretty much nothing. They talk about some of Charlie's exes but nothing too specific. There's some jealousy because Charlie does find his dickhead partner attractive and Bat possesses him several times and feels a little self conscious about if Charlie is really into HIM, but it's very clear that Charlie only wants Bat.

[davdashaaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES. YES. YES. And one more fucking YES!!! 😭😭😭

This book literally made me fall in love with it, broke my heart into approximately 1199 pieces (number of pages on my reader), and then somehow put it back together again. 🥹❤️‍🩹

First of all — THE CONCEPT. 👻
An abandoned mansion, ghosts, spooky autumn vibes… yeah, you had me at haunted house. This whole atmosphere just GOT me. It felt fresh, creepy, mysterious, and somehow incredibly cozy at the same time.

And then we have Charlie
From the cover, I expected him to be some super macho guy, but NOPE. He’s actually just this incredibly sweet man who wants to help everyone around him while desperately needing some help himself. 🥹 He is literally GOLD. The way he thinks, the way he cares, and especially the decisions he makes for other people??? Charlie, sir, I love you.

And Bat… OH MY GOD😭❤️‍🩹💔
I became SO invested in his story. He’s cool, he’s amazing, he protects the Charlie, he loves so deeply… and the fact that this 23-year-old guy spent 27 years as a ghost just trying to live his best life and help everyone around him??? I just wanted to wrap him in a blanket and protect him from the entire fucking universe🥹

What really won me over was how naturally Charlie and Bat grew into something deeper. It wasn’t just about the attraction — they genuinely enjoyed being around each other, made each other laugh, and brought out this softer side in one another. Their little domestic moments were EVERYTHING 🥹❤️‍🩹 It genuinely felt like two missing pieces of a puzzle finally finding each other. They just FIT. 😭

The humor between them was another thing I absolutely loved. Watching Charlie introduce Bat to the modern world after TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS was comedy gold. 😂 The slang, the technology, Bat trying to figure out what the hell everyone is talking about… and the “breed me” moment??? I LOST IT 😂

And yes, before anyone thinks I forgot — the ghost fucking was INSANELY GOOD. 👻🍆🔥
These two could go from making me laugh like an idiot to making me melt in the next scene. ❤️‍🔥

And that FINAL spider scene…
I’M NOT OKAY😭🕷️🕸️
Charlie, you incredible man. I genuinely cannot put into words how much that moment destroyed me. Watching him think through something so painful and make such an impossible decision because he believed it was the right thing to do for someone else??? That broke something in me
He was so incredibly mature in those moments. He didn’t choose the easy option. He didn’t choose what would hurt him the least. He chose what he believed was best for someone he loved, even knowing exactly what it could cost him.
And THAT is what got me. 😭

Because this whole book is so much about people wanting to help, wanting to protect, wanting to love, even when they’re already carrying so much themselves. And Charlie and Bat just… found each other in the middle of all of that. Two people who had been trying so hard to take care of everyone else finally finding someone who would take care of them. ❤️‍🩹

The plot itself was fantastic too. It didn’t feel recycled or predictable, and I genuinely had no idea where things were going. And THAT ENDING??? 😳🤯
I was sitting there in COMPLETE SHOCK because I genuinely could not have imagined things ending the way they did. I love when a book actually manages to surprise me, but this one didn’t just surprise me — it emotionally sucker-punched me. 😭

“Nothing lasts forever, that’s what they all say
But I’d trade my soul to make you stay
In this moment, suspended in time
Where your heart beats in rhythm with mine
Forever’s just a word until you find
Someone worth leaving the whole world behind.”

AAAAAAAAAGHHHH. 😭😭😭

How am I supposed to be NORMAL after THAT???

Because suddenly all the things they went through, all the time they lost, all the things they were willing to sacrifice, and the fact that they finally found someone who made forever feel like something worth fighting for… it all came together in those words.

“Someone worth leaving the whole world behind.”

THAT’S IT. THAT’S THE WHOLE BOOK. 😭❤️‍🩹

I started this book because I wanted spooky ghosts and an abandoned mansion. I did NOT agree to become emotionally attached to these two, have my heart ripped out by a fucking spider scene, question my entire existence, and then get handed the most beautiful little ending. 😭

This was sweet, heartbreaking, funny, creepy, hot, and SO damn full of love.

I’m leaving this book with my heart both shattered and somehow fuller than before. And honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing. 🥹❤️‍🔥

∞/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️

[Bee (semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ cute stars

I think TJ Rose is slowly entering one of my top authors list, because she manages to create the types of characters that stay with you for a long time, at least they definitely will stay with me. <3

I started reading this book right after a very dark romance and it hits in more ways than one. Charlie and Bat are literally the cutest boys ever, their relationship and dynamic is definitely one that you will make you fall in love with them.

TJ also creates some really vivid, gorgeous descriptions that creates strong images in my head whenever I read, as such I was surprised to see that this book is pretty long but it didn't feel long at all to me!

Not sure I ever read a ghotbuster x ghost romance before, but there's always a first for everything, and the fact that it was so sweet, but still spooky made it absolutely the best time. 💖
The story is also gripping with multiple characters that are super funny and memorable, and also the fact that Bat possesses the cat so he can snuggle up with Charlie without him knowing that, is actually the funniest thing ever lol.

Thank you very much to the author for the ARC opportunity!!

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant!! Completely absorbing! Epic! Man I am in love with Charlie and Bat and their story! How utterly amazing.

Rose builds their journey like a perfect crescendo! You cannot help but be pulled along. They are characters you will adore. Charlie, who like a lot of us is still finding his way because sometimes circumstances hijack your life and you are left navigating the options that don’t seem to be ones you really want. Bat, sweet Bat stuck, melancholic but purposeful, heart of gold and dominant who’d have thunk it 🥰🥰!

The way the author introduces and buikds the world of exorsquad is sublime! The rules had me cackling and the pay had me offended on Charlie’s behalf.

Also Brad! Please get your head out of your ass

This is so much more than a paranormal love story! This is adventure and coming into your own and crackling chemistry and a hero’s journey and brilliant found family

I am equal parts entertained, moved and happy! I am so excited for the rest of the series.

[⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD!!! This was such a fun read!!! The amount of times i sobbed and there was always that underlying bittersweet sadness that Bat is a ghost just hits u right in the heart. Oh Charlie.. i adore him so much. But i think my heart goes to Bat, who isn’t just my type, but the sweetest ghost that has ever lived.

I felt very lucky to have received an ARC from the wonderful author! I’m going to devour all of their books now hehe

[Rage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This exceeded and blew past all my expectations. I wasn’t expecting to cry and laugh at the same time. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with characters so fast.

TJ Rose delivers lovable characters, witty banter, and a story line that never disappoints.

Charlie is a cinnamon roll that I just wanted to cuddle and hide away from all the bad things happening. He is fantastically kind, smart and brave. Poor baby boy deserves the world.

Bat though! He had my heart from the beginning. His dedication and loyalty to the other ghosts was so admirable. His love for Charlie was the best. I loved reading about them falling in love.

The mystery part of the story was another thing that made me love this story. I was on the edge of my seat and anxious to find out what happened next. I was never expecting the ending and surprised by it all.

Thank you to TJ Rose for allowing me to read an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 ⭐️

[Madam Ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! Amazing! What a blast.. I am still processing. I always write my reviews right after I read something, cuz I believe it encompasses my emotions best. This was a ride, very spooky, very cool ride. We have Charlie (btw great name) absolutely broke at 34- finding a dingy job at ExorSquad, a task unit for exterminating ghosts and entities from various places. Charlie’s work takes him to Grimthorne manor where he meets Bat. A ghost 23 when he passed in this very strange place. Now the way I loved this men, shipped the from the start - they were perfect together. Charlie is so sweet, it gave me cavities. And Bat - I fell for that ghost emo boy! Omg these two, like magnets, like ment to be. The manor itself terrifying, that awful entity in the basement- chills. Slowly unraveling what actually happened there was spot in, amazing! When lady Grimthorne spilled the tea I was SAT! And shortly after the actual basement OMG, I was at the edge of my seat. It was intense, it was terrifying, it was proper thriller.
The epilogue was awesome. What I wanted was for Bat to reconnect with his old buddies in a way. I don’t know, that would be a nice closure for him. Also Gerrald that old sleezbag I want to know more about his agenda. Great read! Don’t hesitate.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.. what a ride. 👏👏👏

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final read of scary season, Love at First Fright by @tjroseauthor was literally the PERFECT festive read. Imagine Ghostbusters but you end up falling in love with (and banging) one of the ghosts you're meant to exterminate? The romance was so sweet, full of fantastic banter and some heartfelt moments that had me like 🥺 (because omg HOW CAN THEY BE
TOGETHER IF ONE OF THEM IS A GHOST?!, the mystery/thriller vibes were IMMACULATE (love how everything worked out in the end!, and I loved the found family aspects with all the ghosts! A very fun read to finish ON Halloween made even better with narration from new to me narrator @silasxwood (HIGHLY recommend the audiobook, I had a GREAT time). And next year I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the ExorSquad series, what a fantastic concept!

[Sussu {Romance Obsessed} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much TJ Rose for the arc!

The first book in the series for the exor-squad, and I'm honored to be able to read it early 👻 😎

I'm fairly new to ghost romance, after this one, I'm hooked!

Bat and Charlie really had my heart, and tagging along with them as they clear out the ghosts from Grimthorne manor was quite the adventure.
You truly never know what is going to happen next.

Bat is a ghost, a former punk rocker who had his own band, but had his life cut short after a tragic accident. He's been bored out of his mind as the house remained unoccupied, that is, until Charlie showed up.

Once Bat sees Charlie, he's immediately obsessed, and once he sees how scared he is of spiders? He naturally appoints himself to be his personal spider disposal guy.
If that's not boyfriend of the year material, I don't know what is! 💖

Brad was there too, but this isn't about him. 😂 Poor guy was third-wheeling his own paranormal investigation!
He's a more seasoned expert, which is why he is so terribly inconvenienced by Charlie, his new recruit.

What started off as a quick gig to earn some money, and curiosity, Charlie is definitely out of his depth.
He can't believe that his life lies in the hands of a former jock that can't seem to stand his questions and nerves.

As feelings start to blossom, Charlie and Bat are painfully reminded why he was there in the first place. Oh, the star-crossed lovers of it all!🥺

[GiveMeBooksOrGiveMeDeath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, where do I begin! Charlie and Bat are so freaking adorable together, their interactions had me smiling for almost the entire book. Not everything was happy though, they had to deal with some pretty dark stuff that even I was surprised about. I love some good angst and tension, so I was eating it up. * chefs kiss.* I’m not gonna lie, I kinda wanted to yeet Brad down the stairs myself a few times lol! Oh, and the spiders…*shudders* The characters were all great and I liked that we got to learn more about them instead of them just being one dimensional. Bat trying to be a voyeur, but failing was one of my favorite parts in this book. I will never look at ectoplasm the same way. The twist at the end was wild. TJ really did a phenomenal job on this book and I absolutely loved it. I will definitely be adding a hard copy of this to my collection.

Tropes: Human x Ghost, Murder Mystery, Forced Proximity, Possession, Ghost Sex, So Many Spiders…,
Music As A Love Language, Emotional Support Kitty

Story 5/5
Spice 3/5

[❀ Jess]

I wanted to love this as much as everyone else seemed to but it completely lost me in it's romance, especially when in Bat's POV and he's remembering how right he felt with Michael and the memory of being together. Charlie getting a little jealous and later on Bat's 6 month recollection of Michael again, then how he doesn't remember him but feels the emotions of being important to someone and having someone be important to him but then again in Bat's POV it's said in all of his living years and dead years he's never felt what he does for Charlie YET the feelings displayed with Michael literally had me thinking they were going to somehow make Charlie Michael's reincarnation or something because of how inevitable and right it felt between Michael and Bat?? Weren't the lyrics even based on feelings Bat had for Michael? I understand the reincarnation wouldnt have made sense with Charlie's age and Michael not being dead and I wouldn't have liked that either 🤷‍♀️

I skimmed around until the end to see what their HEA looked like but didn't stick around to read the epilogue. I loved Charlie and he deserves the best. As for Bat, I liked him too but how his emotions were described with Michael completely ruined my romance of these two 😢

[Julia Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I knew it would be a fun read that I would thoroughly enjoy, but I wasn't expecting the tears and how emotional parts of it would make me.
Bat and Charlie are everything! The book was hilarious and fun, but it also had some emotional and swoony moments as well. I really enjoyed how Bat and Charlie's story played out. I loved their playfulness and how Bat always tried to scare Charlie. I was also not expecting the mouth on Bat, but I really enjoyed it! I loved their tender moments while they were cuddled up and talking about their lives. I really loved all of the ghostly side characters and how much of a great found family they had. I loved how they were both willing to sacrifice themselves to save the other and that they had the courage to stand up to the dark forces that lay behind closed doors.

This was a very great start to this fun series and I'm excited to read the other books. I laughed, I cried and I feel in love with the characters in this book. Come for the ghost haunting and stay for the hilarious ghostly shenanigans and a very interesting story.

[Cinthya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky season started earlier this year!

Ohhhhh myyyyyy Gooooood!!!!!
This was such a fun read!!!!!! I just couldn’t put it down, it was sooo good!

I have a special place in my heart for Charlie. I related so much to some of the struggles he had… That feeling of “being behind in life” is something that I think a lot of us can understand in one way or another. Bat was so funny and adorable too, he brought me back to the early 2000s and some of the bands I used to follow 😂 Both characters were a little lost (for very different reasons) and trying to reconnect with themselves, and seeing them help each other so selflessly was beautiful.

This had a little bit of everything: some real and raw moments that showed the characters’ vulnerability, great spice that fit the plot, and it was also sooo incredibly funny from the get-go. It set the perfect tone for what the book was gonna be like. I just loved it instantly 😂

This was definitely a great introduction to ExorSquad!!! 👻

[Addy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars 🌟
Thank you to the author for the ARC! 🩵

Going into this one, I was so excited to read, and Love at First Fright definitely did not disappoint! This MM, paranormal, ghost x ghost hunter story was literally better than anything that I ever could have expected. I devoured this entire book in just one sitting! It was funny, emotional, and I absolutely loved reading about the growing relationship between Bat and Charlie. They were both incredibly loveable characters, and they both had my heart entirely. One thing that I was NOT expecting was to cry. It usually takes a LOT for me to get overly emotional while reading a book, but, yall!! I was so wholly invested that when something happened, I lost it. And the twists and turns? There were so many unexpected aspects to how things played out, and I was constantly in disbelief of what was occurring. I genuinely cannot fully express just how amazing this book is! This is one that I would highly recommend!