Boneyard Key, Book 1
From the publisher:
It’s love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.
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.
A LibraryReads Pick!
“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.” –Booklist
“Boneyard Key has all the small-town charm a contemporary romance reader could want, with a slightly scary addition that adds a thrill without courting nightmares. A must-buy where romantic comedies are popular.” –Library Journal
https://amzn.to/4g8vAGW
I loved Jen DeLuca’s first series, Well Met, so I was eagerly anticipating the start of this new series. I don’t read much in the paranormal romance genre, so hauntings and ghosts usually aren’t in my repertoire, but if DeLuca writes it, I’m going to read it, and I loved this book, ghosts and all.
Boneyard Key, a fictitious small town on Florida’s west coast, is a huge tourist attraction because of all the hauntings. All the businesses promote their town’s ghosts, and there is even a ghost tour. Cassie has just moved there from Orlando, having scoured the state to find a home she could afford. Little does she know that she has purchased the Hawkins House, a home that was deserted for decades until a couple of investors bought it, did a bare bones flip, and now it’s Cassie’s home. She also didn’t know that it came with a ghost, mean old Mrs. Hawkins.
Down the street is Haunted Grounds, a lovely cafe where Cassie ends up when her laptop refuses to charge in her new home. The cafe owner, Nick, is surprised to hear where she is living and offers up the town handyman to look into her wiring issues. Nick is related to one of the founding families of Boneyard Creek, and he, too, lives with a ghost. Like Cassie, Nick bought the business for a song since the previous several owners couldn’t handle the ghostly interference.
This is all fun and games until Cassie puts some magnetic poetry on her refrigerator and her ghost starts leaving her messages. Slightly freaked out, Cassie isn’t sure she is going to stay, no matter how cute the local barista is. Oh yes, there is a strong attraction between Cassie and Nick, but Nick has serious issues with people leaving him. He doesn’t want to get involved with Cassie because she isn’t sure she is staying.
This is another charming DeLuca read and is supernaturally fun, something I don’t say very often (ever?!) The ghosts are more in the vein of Disney’s Haunted Mansion than Poltergeist. I loved this little town and its inhabitants, real and revenant, and I’m looking forward to the next book in this new series.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
HAUNTED EVER AFTER by Jen DeLuca. Berkley (August 13, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593641217. 352p.
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