If I Stopped Haunting You

[A]

Goodreads Blurb
It's been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.

Start Date
22 April
September?

[Trisha]

I'll be gone on a trip the week of the 15th
how do you feel about starting this one 4/22?

[A]

Trisha wrote: "I'll be gone on a trip the week of the 15th
how do you feel about starting this one 4/22?"

That works for me, but if we need to start it in May so you're not swamped, that's fine too!

[Elyse]

I also have this one. April 22 is good for me.

[A]

Elyse wrote: "I also have this one. April 22 is good for me."

Awesome, will love to have you join!

[Kristie]

Heads up to anyone that wants to join this buddy read, but doesn't have the book yet - it is currently read now. I received an email earlier today stating that it is read now for 48 hours. Not sure when exactly that ends, but it was received 1pm ET (10am West Coast time) today.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Kristie wrote: "Heads up to anyone that wants to join this buddy read, but doesn't have the book yet - it is currently read now. I received an email earlier today stating that it is read now for 48 hours. Not sure..."

thanks! grabbed it :)

[Elyse]

I didn't realize this doesn't publish until October. I'm going to hold off on reading it for a few months as I have earlier books to get to. Hope you enjoy it! It does have content warnings and I was surprised by them. lol

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

i’ll probably hold off too Elyse. maybe we can pick it up together later in the year.

[Elyse]

That sounds good to me, Shruti!

[A]

I don't have to read this book right now, so as long as Trisha is interested, we could postpone this entire buddy read until September or October?

[Trisha]

oh, I'm okay waiting! 😊😊

[Elyse]

That'd be great!

[Elyse]

Sept 16 sound good?

[A]

Works for me!

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

sounds good. maybe I'll have caught up on my backlog of buddy reads by then! :D :D

[Trisha]

hahah!! Right? One day I will be caught up! Love the new date

[A]

Hey y'all! Anyone caught up enough to start this one, or would it help to postpone the date? I'm good for whenever!

[Elyse]

I can start it this weekend. Totally forgot about it lol

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

i honestly forgot about it too. i’m almost caught up. can try to start it this coming weekend.

[A]

Sounds good! I'll probably start it on the 21st, then. Also I definitely would have forgotten about it but I happened to put it on my calendar way back when haha

[Elyse]

Smart move!

[Trisha]

I plan to start today!

[Trisha]

this is so cute so far!

7 chapters / 24%

(view spoiler)[ love their feud. I don't really understand hating someone but secretly finding them hot or being drawn to them - but I've been married for about forever so it makes sense I don't get it - but I can roll with it! lol

I love the feel of this castle - but if her friend put this "writing retreat" together, I've never heard of them not having some organization - like break out groups and organized writing time but also relax time. I guess I can understand why no one else showed up!

anyway, cute so far but what has got Franny so scared? (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

15 chapters / 49%

(view spoiler)[ it's definitely cute but it's less about the ghosts and much more about the romance
which isn't bad.
I love that the he actually had a plan for them to do things! The little breakout groups he's planned are cute.

the snowball fight was fun too! lol

I also like how Pen is venting her frustration at him taking the easy way. It's an interesting argument and I like that she's challenging him to publish more stories that sound how he wants and not what is just easier for the publisher to hear/read (hide spoiler)]

[A]

You're tearing through this one, Trisha! That's a good sign. I'm getting started on it today - looking forward to reading your thoughts!

[A]

Through Chapter 7, 24%
(view spoiler)[I was really enjoying the tension at first, but I don’t know – the thought that he got a boner just because she licked her lips felt a little weird to me. But I think that’s because I’m in the same boat Trisha is haha I did like how he already found her attractive because he’d obsessively look at photos of her online, but that she’s only just starting to find him attractive because she’s done her best to avoid anything to do with him since The Incident.

Also quite enjoying the setting and can’t wait to see just what’s so spooky about this place. I know I’d be changing rooms if I found a secret passage just hanging out wide open in my room, though. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

so true about the open door! lol New room please! 🤣🤣😂😂

[Trisha]

24 chapters / 76%

(view spoiler)[ I'm a bit disappointed that the romance and feud has definitely taken a huge lead in the story - the haunting and the spooky house feels like it's a side story

I mean, the author kind of told us the "haunting" part was them just "haunting" each other's thoughts but I thought it would be because of a haunted castle!

it's still cute just not the haunting story I thought it would be (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

and done

(view spoiler)[ meh, I'd say this is 2 1/2 stars I'm rounding up.

I found a few moments just gross.

and I think the paranormal side of the story was pretty meh. Definitely more a romance.

I can't believe how much Neil lived through! lol He took a boot to the face, fell down the stairs, and was constantly battered and bruised. Poor guy, I'm glad he got the girl in the end (hide spoiler)]

I have a feeling your ratings will be lower than mine lol

[Elyse]

I started it this morning. So far so good

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

started on my first (of 3) flights… i like it so far but it doesn’t seem to have as much depth as i was hoping for. settling in with the expectation that this is more of a romcom

[Trisha]

YES! this is definitely a bit of a spicy romance and less of a haunting type book!

[A]

Through Chapter 15, 49% - (view spoiler)[The spookiness of this one is certainly taking longer to show up than I thought it would, and I can’t believe that Neill is distracted by lust when spooky things are going on (actually wait, he’s a guy so…I can believe it haha). The snow fight scene was cute, and I guess maybe the haunting in this one is more about them being haunted by each other and their past than supernatural elements. Not a bad thing, just not what I expected. (hide spoiler)]

Trisha, I'm afraid you may be right about the rating, but there's still half of the book left for me!

Shruti, hope you have easy and safe flights!

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

finished on my flights earlier this week. i’m torn on this one. i feel like it wasn’t what was advertised. but i did like it as a cute romcom overall.

[Elyse]

I'm about halfway through. It's cute. (view spoiler)[Are the ghosts getting Neil and Penelope together? lol (hide spoiler)]

[Elyse]

I finished the other day. It was fine. 3 stars. Nothing special.