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Halloween Town #1
Summerween
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jul 26Halloween just got hotter…Professional dancer Wren Callahan’s plan for the summer is sip margaritas by the lake, bask in anonymity, and dodge any drama from her ex. Instead, her meddling godmother Luna –Halloween Town’s mayor and resident white witch – ropes her into choreographing a teen performance at the first Summerween festival.
Her most challenging student? Dane – a burned-out former trauma surgeon hiding out for the summer in Halloween Town. Despite his two left feet, he’s determined to prove to some of the uptight locals that guys can – and should – express themselves through dance.
As they learn new steps, and more about each other, will Summerween season work its magic on them? Or will the skeletons in their closets keep them apart?
💞 Friends to lovers
💃🕺Forced proximity
👻🌞Halloween in summer
🗼🏠Small-town setting
Her most challenging student? Dane – a burned-out former trauma surgeon hiding out for the summer in Halloween Town. Despite his two left feet, he’s determined to prove to some of the uptight locals that guys can – and should – express themselves through dance.
As they learn new steps, and more about each other, will Summerween season work its magic on them? Or will the skeletons in their closets keep them apart?
💞 Friends to lovers
💃🕺Forced proximity
👻🌞Halloween in summer
🗼🏠Small-town setting
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 16, 2026
About the author
Joss Wood
655 books408 followersJoss Wood loves books and travelling— especially to the wild places of Southern Africa and, well, anywhere.
She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers, and is bossed around by two cats and a Great Dane X the size of a baby cow. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full time.
Be sure to follow Joss on BookBub for the latest on my releases https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joss-...
She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers, and is bossed around by two cats and a Great Dane X the size of a baby cow. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full time.
Be sure to follow Joss on BookBub for the latest on my releases https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joss-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
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July 12, 2026౨ৎꨄ︎ 2 stars
Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
i won’t lie that i’m quite disappointed. i was super excited to finally start this book, but the expectations weren’t met at all. and mostly, it didn’t fulfill what i was looking forward the most - the summerween vibes.
the plot itself isn’t necessary bad and the characters are quite good and i definitely enjoyed learning more about them. what isn’t executed well are the changes of povs. the book might be told from third pov, but the changes in the chapters are often confusing. and also the chapters are so long for no reason. definitely should have been split into several more and the story’s flow would be much better.
i’m also not a fan of the romance. whilst there is chemistry, i failed to see that much of a bond for the drama to unfold towards the end of the book. for me, it mostly felt like friends with benefits rather than it leading somewhere else.
lastly, the paranormal addition was fun yet i couldn’t stand silas. lost potential to add spark with the ghosts and their povs by making one of the main characters so insufferable.
i will see if i will be returning to the halloween town in the future...
────୨ৎ────
౨ৎꨄ︎ pre-read: so glad i got this arc, because the weather is now so bad here after the heatwave, this is literally a perfect read now! hoping it’s good hehe
Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
i won’t lie that i’m quite disappointed. i was super excited to finally start this book, but the expectations weren’t met at all. and mostly, it didn’t fulfill what i was looking forward the most - the summerween vibes.
the plot itself isn’t necessary bad and the characters are quite good and i definitely enjoyed learning more about them. what isn’t executed well are the changes of povs. the book might be told from third pov, but the changes in the chapters are often confusing. and also the chapters are so long for no reason. definitely should have been split into several more and the story’s flow would be much better.
i’m also not a fan of the romance. whilst there is chemistry, i failed to see that much of a bond for the drama to unfold towards the end of the book. for me, it mostly felt like friends with benefits rather than it leading somewhere else.
lastly, the paranormal addition was fun yet i couldn’t stand silas. lost potential to add spark with the ghosts and their povs by making one of the main characters so insufferable.
i will see if i will be returning to the halloween town in the future...
────୨ৎ────
౨ৎꨄ︎ pre-read: so glad i got this arc, because the weather is now so bad here after the heatwave, this is literally a perfect read now! hoping it’s good hehe
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
fun and cozy and meant for the girlies who make halloween their entire personality (aka me)
if you love a book like the pumpkin spice cafe or things we never got over or the vibes of books like that, you'll enjoy this!! the setting is so much fun but so are all the characters, main and side and otherwise. there were definitely parts where i found myself getting a little bored, but that happens to me in most cozy-style books so that's more of a me thing.
thank you to netgalley + the publisher for an arc!
if you love a book like the pumpkin spice cafe or things we never got over or the vibes of books like that, you'll enjoy this!! the setting is so much fun but so are all the characters, main and side and otherwise. there were definitely parts where i found myself getting a little bored, but that happens to me in most cozy-style books so that's more of a me thing.
thank you to netgalley + the publisher for an arc!
June 5, 2026
Reviewed advance copy received from Netgalley.
This was a really good book with a fantastic, engaging plot that built up as a nice slow burn. The dual growth was excellent; told through multiple points of view, both the main male and female characters were actively finding themselves. Each carried a complex history of their own, but they beautifully worked on their individual selves while developing their romantic relationship. The atmospheric setting was also incredible, weaving in town history with a spooky ghost aspect.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advance copy to read and review
This was a really good book with a fantastic, engaging plot that built up as a nice slow burn. The dual growth was excellent; told through multiple points of view, both the main male and female characters were actively finding themselves. Each carried a complex history of their own, but they beautifully worked on their individual selves while developing their romantic relationship. The atmospheric setting was also incredible, weaving in town history with a spooky ghost aspect.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advance copy to read and review
July 10, 2026
A charming combination of Halloween Town, Ghosts and Gilmore Girls, Summerween is the perfect summer read if you’re craving the spooky season.
Joss Wood helps you escape to Solstice Springs: a town so obsessed with Halloween it decided to spread spooky holiday cheer during the summer, too. I loved H-Town so so much and the fun quirky characters so reminded me of Gilmore Girls in the best way. It was whacky and magical and felt like I place I’d very much like to visit. It was like a character in its own right.
And I loved the romance! It was a delightful slow-burn with plenty of yearning, sizzling tension and near kisses. On top of all that, it was sweet. We have our FMC Wren Dunlop, a professional dancer/choreographer who’s returned to H-Town for the summer after a disastrous romance and our MMC Dane Trafford, a trauma surgeon on a break to help recover from burnout and PTSD. I really enjoyed their easy banter, the way, even though they each had been unlucky with love and relationships, trusted each other and felt very suited for one another. They each had complicated pasts and face several set-backs and dilemmas throughout, they worked through them together.
And the one thing I didn’t expect Joss Wood to include was the interfering ghostly residents of H-Town. It instantly made me think of Ghosts (tv series). The 1920s dancer, the solider, the Reverand, the biker girl, and the grandmother - they were so fun! Meddling in the living residents’s business, haunting shops, and scrutinising the romance between Wren and Dane. I loved it and really just made the this book feel so unique.
It was the best wholesome time and I’m excited to read the rest of the series. Especially Poppy’s book (who is Wren’s best friend!) Can’t wait to return to Solstice Springs very soon.
Thank you to OneMoreChapter for this ARC!
Summerween is out 16th July - be sure to check it out!
Joss Wood helps you escape to Solstice Springs: a town so obsessed with Halloween it decided to spread spooky holiday cheer during the summer, too. I loved H-Town so so much and the fun quirky characters so reminded me of Gilmore Girls in the best way. It was whacky and magical and felt like I place I’d very much like to visit. It was like a character in its own right.
And I loved the romance! It was a delightful slow-burn with plenty of yearning, sizzling tension and near kisses. On top of all that, it was sweet. We have our FMC Wren Dunlop, a professional dancer/choreographer who’s returned to H-Town for the summer after a disastrous romance and our MMC Dane Trafford, a trauma surgeon on a break to help recover from burnout and PTSD. I really enjoyed their easy banter, the way, even though they each had been unlucky with love and relationships, trusted each other and felt very suited for one another. They each had complicated pasts and face several set-backs and dilemmas throughout, they worked through them together.
And the one thing I didn’t expect Joss Wood to include was the interfering ghostly residents of H-Town. It instantly made me think of Ghosts (tv series). The 1920s dancer, the solider, the Reverand, the biker girl, and the grandmother - they were so fun! Meddling in the living residents’s business, haunting shops, and scrutinising the romance between Wren and Dane. I loved it and really just made the this book feel so unique.
It was the best wholesome time and I’m excited to read the rest of the series. Especially Poppy’s book (who is Wren’s best friend!) Can’t wait to return to Solstice Springs very soon.
Thank you to OneMoreChapter for this ARC!
Summerween is out 16th July - be sure to check it out!
June 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review 💛☀️✨
This is a cozy, summerween romance set in a whacky town with some very colourful side characters. I loved the vibes of this one, It’s very much giving 90’s vibes! This is the perfect, lighthearted read that I’d imagine taking to a lake house/cabin in the woods.
I enjoyed the different POVs but because there were quite a few, I found myself getting a little confused here and there. I read this whole thing in two sittings, it’s just a really easy-breezy romance, the two MC’s have trauma/negative experiences in their pasts and you can tell how that shapes them into who they are today which I really appreciated. There is PTSD representation in this book, which is so important. Overall, this was very enjoyable and definitely something I’d recommend to anyone looking for an easy, fun romance with characters who have depth and a fun seasonal setting that’s a little bit more than your typical *summer* romance! <3
This is a cozy, summerween romance set in a whacky town with some very colourful side characters. I loved the vibes of this one, It’s very much giving 90’s vibes! This is the perfect, lighthearted read that I’d imagine taking to a lake house/cabin in the woods.
I enjoyed the different POVs but because there were quite a few, I found myself getting a little confused here and there. I read this whole thing in two sittings, it’s just a really easy-breezy romance, the two MC’s have trauma/negative experiences in their pasts and you can tell how that shapes them into who they are today which I really appreciated. There is PTSD representation in this book, which is so important. Overall, this was very enjoyable and definitely something I’d recommend to anyone looking for an easy, fun romance with characters who have depth and a fun seasonal setting that’s a little bit more than your typical *summer* romance! <3
June 7, 2026
Summerween is like if the Dream Harbor series took place in a Halloween equivalent of Meghan’s Quinn’s Kringletown. I.e. it was made for me.
It’s a sweet romance between Wren, a professional dancer/choreographer who’s returned to her quirky hometown for the summer, and Dane, a trauma surgeon on a break to combat his burnout.
Solace Springs (AKA Halloween Town) attracts tourists with its year round spooky charm and rumored hauntings. I had no trouble picturing a New England village teeming with watermelon jack-o-lanterns and bikini-clad skeletons.
While the setting is a character in its own right, I enjoyed the colorful residents and Wren’s friends too. And the meddling ghosts incorporate a cute paranormal element!
Don’t let the cover fool you though… The story starts out pretty light, but the couple does have to deal with their baggage, adding emotional weight as it unfolds. Dane’s job, especially, is a lot.
Overall, I had a good time and have already added the next two books in the series to my TBR!
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.
It’s a sweet romance between Wren, a professional dancer/choreographer who’s returned to her quirky hometown for the summer, and Dane, a trauma surgeon on a break to combat his burnout.
Solace Springs (AKA Halloween Town) attracts tourists with its year round spooky charm and rumored hauntings. I had no trouble picturing a New England village teeming with watermelon jack-o-lanterns and bikini-clad skeletons.
While the setting is a character in its own right, I enjoyed the colorful residents and Wren’s friends too. And the meddling ghosts incorporate a cute paranormal element!
Don’t let the cover fool you though… The story starts out pretty light, but the couple does have to deal with their baggage, adding emotional weight as it unfolds. Dane’s job, especially, is a lot.
Overall, I had a good time and have already added the next two books in the series to my TBR!
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.
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June 22, 2026DNF at 10%
The language was too coarse, the characters too bristly. It's definitely not the quaint, cozy, magical image I had in my mind when I saw that this was set in Halloween Town. (Or H-Town, as it was called...another giveaway that it wasn't going to call up my memories of the beloved Disney movie.)
I hope this book finds it into the perfect hands!
I'd like to thank Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for giving me the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The language was too coarse, the characters too bristly. It's definitely not the quaint, cozy, magical image I had in my mind when I saw that this was set in Halloween Town. (Or H-Town, as it was called...another giveaway that it wasn't going to call up my memories of the beloved Disney movie.)
I hope this book finds it into the perfect hands!
I'd like to thank Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for giving me the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
As much as I wanted to love this, it ended up being a disappointing read. I absolutely loved the concept of a Halloween Town-inspired romance, but the execution fell flat for me.
One of my biggest issues was that the POV switches weren't clearly labeled, which made the story unnecessarily difficult to follow. On top of that, the writing felt disjointed and scattered, making it hard to stay immersed in the story. The plot also seemed to plateau very early on, leaving little momentum to keep me invested.
Overall, the premise had so much potential, but the confusing structure and uneven writing prevented it from fully delivering.
As much as I wanted to love this, it ended up being a disappointing read. I absolutely loved the concept of a Halloween Town-inspired romance, but the execution fell flat for me.
One of my biggest issues was that the POV switches weren't clearly labeled, which made the story unnecessarily difficult to follow. On top of that, the writing felt disjointed and scattered, making it hard to stay immersed in the story. The plot also seemed to plateau very early on, leaving little momentum to keep me invested.
Overall, the premise had so much potential, but the confusing structure and uneven writing prevented it from fully delivering.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not long ago I read a book set in a town that celebrated Christmas all year round. This time? Halloween all year round. Safe to say I was immediately sold on the setting.
Halloween Town was such a fun place to visit. The spooky-but-cozy atmosphere, the quirky residents (we get a bit of PNR too, yay!) and the year-round Halloween celebrations made this the perfect palate cleanser after several darker horror and thriller reads.
Wren and Dane had great chemistry and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Yes, there was a bit of insta-attraction, but it worked well enough for me and fit the overall cozy, feel-good vibe of the story.
My biggest issue was the dialogue and point-of-view transitions. The story shifts between the main characters and the paranormal side of the town, and at times those transitions felt so abrupt that I had to stop for a second and work out whose perspective I was reading.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the communication between the characters. They're adults, yet several conflicts could have been resolved with one honest conversation instead of assumptions and misunderstandings. That's a trope I personally struggle with, and it kept me from becoming completely invested in the romance.
That said, I still had a lovely time with this book. The Halloween vibes absolutely delivered, the romance was sweet, and the cozy atmosphere made it such an enjoyable read.
And... I may or may not already be reading book two. (Jokin`.... I'm 40% in lol :D)
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this book.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
Halloween Town was such a fun place to visit. The spooky-but-cozy atmosphere, the quirky residents (we get a bit of PNR too, yay!) and the year-round Halloween celebrations made this the perfect palate cleanser after several darker horror and thriller reads.
Wren and Dane had great chemistry and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Yes, there was a bit of insta-attraction, but it worked well enough for me and fit the overall cozy, feel-good vibe of the story.
My biggest issue was the dialogue and point-of-view transitions. The story shifts between the main characters and the paranormal side of the town, and at times those transitions felt so abrupt that I had to stop for a second and work out whose perspective I was reading.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the communication between the characters. They're adults, yet several conflicts could have been resolved with one honest conversation instead of assumptions and misunderstandings. That's a trope I personally struggle with, and it kept me from becoming completely invested in the romance.
That said, I still had a lovely time with this book. The Halloween vibes absolutely delivered, the romance was sweet, and the cozy atmosphere made it such an enjoyable read.
And... I may or may not already be reading book two. (Jokin`.... I'm 40% in lol :D)
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this book.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
June 2, 2026
This was such a fun and wholesome smalltown romance read. I was lucky enough to be approved for an eARC through NetGalley from One More Chapter, and am so happy I did! This was both a halloween and summer read and had me grinning throughout.
Professional dancer Wren is roped into choreographing a teen performance at Solstice Springs’ first Summerween Festival by her godmother Luna. Dane (or ‘hot doc’ as he is often called), a burned out trauma surgeon, is hiding out for the summer in the town and ends up participating in Wren’s classes.
I absolutely love a spooky season read, so the fact that this book provided halloween vibes within a summer romance was music to my ears. Think watermelon jack-o-lanterns, spooky movie nights on the lake, ice cream and everything in between. Solstice Springs is a halloween town, so it only made sense to create a summer festival right?!
I loved so many of the characters in this book. Dane and Wren both have complicated pasts and face dilemmas throughout this book. Whilst we get the typical ups and downs you expect in a romance, I really think they were so well suited and loved seeing their relationship develop. I LOOOOVED Luna. What a fun character and iconic member of the town. We also had meddling ghosts. I repeat... MEDDLING GHOSTS. And I loved every chapter that they featured in.
Overall this was a wholesome summer read, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the series goes. I sense a Poppy (Wren’s best friend) book on the horizon!
Professional dancer Wren is roped into choreographing a teen performance at Solstice Springs’ first Summerween Festival by her godmother Luna. Dane (or ‘hot doc’ as he is often called), a burned out trauma surgeon, is hiding out for the summer in the town and ends up participating in Wren’s classes.
I absolutely love a spooky season read, so the fact that this book provided halloween vibes within a summer romance was music to my ears. Think watermelon jack-o-lanterns, spooky movie nights on the lake, ice cream and everything in between. Solstice Springs is a halloween town, so it only made sense to create a summer festival right?!
I loved so many of the characters in this book. Dane and Wren both have complicated pasts and face dilemmas throughout this book. Whilst we get the typical ups and downs you expect in a romance, I really think they were so well suited and loved seeing their relationship develop. I LOOOOVED Luna. What a fun character and iconic member of the town. We also had meddling ghosts. I repeat... MEDDLING GHOSTS. And I loved every chapter that they featured in.
Overall this was a wholesome summer read, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the series goes. I sense a Poppy (Wren’s best friend) book on the horizon!
July 12, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Going to start with the positives because there were so many.
First and foremost, anyone’s watched Ghosts on the BBC and was obsessed this is for you!
The book bounced between Wren, Dane and the Ghosts (group collective) POV and it was such a pleasant surprise!
The storyline itself was witty, cosy and whimsical. Small town that’s gone over board with summerween in recent years YES PLEASE. There were some absolute characters!
The ghosts POV was reflective and funny at the same time which I loved.
I’m the type of person to support summerween, really i’m a spooky person all year around with my home decor . I’d definitely be on the “True Believer” side of the town!
Okay now for the not so good bits (in my personal opinion) the spice, now we know I love a good spicy book and there is a fairly decent amount in this, but didn’t resonate with me, by that I mean some of the language used gave me the ick. For example Dane’s POV pointing out how tiny Wrens hands were at multiple points along with various other vocab. I’ve never really come across this reading romance before and for me it stunted the flow of the book.
With that being said I did overall really enjoy the book, I started it on the train down to London on Friday so I did devour it.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins - One More Chapter for this eARC
Going to start with the positives because there were so many.
First and foremost, anyone’s watched Ghosts on the BBC and was obsessed this is for you!
The book bounced between Wren, Dane and the Ghosts (group collective) POV and it was such a pleasant surprise!
The storyline itself was witty, cosy and whimsical. Small town that’s gone over board with summerween in recent years YES PLEASE. There were some absolute characters!
The ghosts POV was reflective and funny at the same time which I loved.
I’m the type of person to support summerween, really i’m a spooky person all year around with my home decor . I’d definitely be on the “True Believer” side of the town!
Okay now for the not so good bits (in my personal opinion) the spice, now we know I love a good spicy book and there is a fairly decent amount in this, but didn’t resonate with me, by that I mean some of the language used gave me the ick. For example Dane’s POV pointing out how tiny Wrens hands were at multiple points along with various other vocab. I’ve never really come across this reading romance before and for me it stunted the flow of the book.
With that being said I did overall really enjoy the book, I started it on the train down to London on Friday so I did devour it.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins - One More Chapter for this eARC
June 29, 2026
I think vibe wise this absolutely hit the mark. I read this in the middle of a heatwave and it really captured the Summerween vibe. I would have liked it to lean a bit more into some spookiness, but I enjoyed that aspect regardless.
Unfortunately, I think this was overall not very well executed. In terms of the writing, I don’t think the characters felt distinct enough in dialogue. The dialogue itself was also very cringey and cliche. A lot of it felt stilted unnatural, like prose rather than a real person speaking.
Regarding the characters, I just don’t believe they had any chemistry at all. I don’t see them lasting as a couple. The conflict was also very childish from Wren’s side, and it was then resolved with barely even a conversation.
Structurally, I think it would benefit from shorter chapters, as I feel like the story just had no momentum.
Unfortunately, I think this was overall not very well executed. In terms of the writing, I don’t think the characters felt distinct enough in dialogue. The dialogue itself was also very cringey and cliche. A lot of it felt stilted unnatural, like prose rather than a real person speaking.
Regarding the characters, I just don’t believe they had any chemistry at all. I don’t see them lasting as a couple. The conflict was also very childish from Wren’s side, and it was then resolved with barely even a conversation.
Structurally, I think it would benefit from shorter chapters, as I feel like the story just had no momentum.
May 31, 2026
This book was so vibey! I’m currently in the thick, sweaty heat of summer and I’m longing for Halloween so this book was so up my street. A perfect retreat and a fantastic getaway in between the pages- exactly what I was looking for.
The two mains were easy to like- they’re both looking for refuge after a difficult time, and they find their way back to H-Town and to each other. Aww, heartwarming much. I enjoyed their romance and reading them slowly open up and find what they truly wanted for themselves. I loved the supernatural addition to the book too.
Oh and I’m SO subscribed to the next instalment. I loved the snippet we got of Poppy’s character and can’t wait to see how her wedding and things will unravel for her!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
The two mains were easy to like- they’re both looking for refuge after a difficult time, and they find their way back to H-Town and to each other. Aww, heartwarming much. I enjoyed their romance and reading them slowly open up and find what they truly wanted for themselves. I loved the supernatural addition to the book too.
Oh and I’m SO subscribed to the next instalment. I loved the snippet we got of Poppy’s character and can’t wait to see how her wedding and things will unravel for her!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
June 17, 2026
Thank you for an arc of Summerween! Firstly I’ll say that the cover is gorgeous!
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, a little town that’s obsessed with Halloween and has a band of troublesome ghosts sounds really appealing to me. I also liked the characters of Wren and Dane.
My main problem was that at the beginning, we were introduced to a lot of characters (especially on the ghost side) and I did get confused. I found myself going back to remind myself who was who. I also found the conflict between Wren and Dane frustrating, as I found Wren to be selfish in her reaction.
Overall, the book was enjoyable with a good setting and characters. It definitely has room to improve and I hope the next book in the series will be better, especially I am now familiar with a lot of the characters.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, a little town that’s obsessed with Halloween and has a band of troublesome ghosts sounds really appealing to me. I also liked the characters of Wren and Dane.
My main problem was that at the beginning, we were introduced to a lot of characters (especially on the ghost side) and I did get confused. I found myself going back to remind myself who was who. I also found the conflict between Wren and Dane frustrating, as I found Wren to be selfish in her reaction.
Overall, the book was enjoyable with a good setting and characters. It definitely has room to improve and I hope the next book in the series will be better, especially I am now familiar with a lot of the characters.
July 5, 2026
First of all I love that is somehow Halloween all year round in this town one way or another. The idea is really fun and this small town really follows through.
The idea of the ghosts watching the living like it is some kind of trash TV show realllyyy entertained me a lot and I enjoyed these parts very much.
I also think the characters and jobs of the protagonists are really interesting and the characters feel deeply and they feel really authentic. Dane is a trauma surgeon and Wren is a professional dancer both jobs are huge party of their personalities and I really admire and like that.
Their chemistry is spot on and their lovestory is like sth that could really happen in actual life.
I really loved this story and hope that some side characters (Poppy!!) will get their own books.
The idea of the ghosts watching the living like it is some kind of trash TV show realllyyy entertained me a lot and I enjoyed these parts very much.
I also think the characters and jobs of the protagonists are really interesting and the characters feel deeply and they feel really authentic. Dane is a trauma surgeon and Wren is a professional dancer both jobs are huge party of their personalities and I really admire and like that.
Their chemistry is spot on and their lovestory is like sth that could really happen in actual life.
I really loved this story and hope that some side characters (Poppy!!) will get their own books.
June 9, 2026
Halloween all year round?! I’m so here for it. This was such a fun and easy escape. The setting is perfect. A small town where it’s Halloween all year round. 🎃
Wren returns to her hometown after dealing with a public breakup and wanting to take a break. Instead, she gets roped into her towns Halloween festival, Summerween. And in comes Dane, a trauma surgeon who came to this town to disappear for a bit. But when their paths cross, the chemistry is instant.
🎃 Halloween all year long
☀️ cozy summer feels
💛 small town romances
👻 quirky towns with a bit of magic
📖 a warm hug
Wren returns to her hometown after dealing with a public breakup and wanting to take a break. Instead, she gets roped into her towns Halloween festival, Summerween. And in comes Dane, a trauma surgeon who came to this town to disappear for a bit. But when their paths cross, the chemistry is instant.
🎃 Halloween all year long
☀️ cozy summer feels
💛 small town romances
👻 quirky towns with a bit of magic
📖 a warm hug
Did Not Finish
June 23, 2026I really wanted to like this book, but ultimately it didn’t hit right. The cover is super cute, and the concept is right up my alley (small town romance with spooky/supernatural elements) but I couldn’t find a connection with the characters, and once the ghosts starting popping up I began loosing track of plots and POVs.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
Did Not Finish
July 4, 2026The title was promising, the premise meh. I decided to give it a go and the blasé text message style vocabulary in the writing is something I don’t want to endure for another 300 pages.
Read
June 25, 20263.5 without titles for the chapters I was a bit confused at first who's story I was reading but eventually it came to me. Cute story
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
The cover for this one caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley. It looked and sounded so fun and I hit request and got approved for it and started reading it not much later. Summerween is set in Solstice Springs also known as Halloween Town where Halloween is a big deal here and is celebrated year round and now they even have a summer Halloween festival Summerween.
I had expected a light-hearted and fun paranormal romance book, but found it's actually a contemporary romance with a hint of the supernatural in the form of the ghosts who haunt the town. So that took some getting used to. I also had expected the female main character to be witch due to mention of her godmother being a witch in the blurb and the witchy outfit on the cover, but no she's just a normal human. That made for a bit of a rough start and then there is the additional point of views from the ghosts I hadn't expected and wasn't quite sure the book needed. After a few chapters I got the hang of what this book was an was able to enjoy it more, but it just never fully pulled me in. It's a nice enough trope-y contemporary romance book with a fun setting and theme, but just wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped.
Wren is returning to Halloween town for the summer where her godmother lives and where she spent a lot of time as a kid and teenager. She's escaping after some drama with her ex. While Dane is burned out and dealing with PTSD and goes to Halloween town to recover. And there they meet each other and slowly grow closer.
I liked the set-up well enough and they both had enough personality, but I just wanted more. Their pasts and Dane's mental health issues felt more like a plot point than that it gets a lot of page time or feels like a part of them. I also got annoyed with Luna who was super pushy and forceful and I didn't like how she pushed Wren to to the dance classes and kept pushing Dane to take over the doctor office. Wren loves the dance classes and I actually liked seeing how that developed, but rather wish she had chosen this herself. Dane's PTSD is a reason for him to be there, but doesn't feel as much part of his personality as I had hoped and it doesn’t really gets addressed much till later.
I had expected the romance to turn steamy quickly with how attracted they were to the other, but that actually still took some time. I appreciated that they took some time to get to know each other first, but I still would've liked for that to actually contain more of them actually getting to know each other and talking about who they really are. They just have a fun time for most of the book. It takes until the very end for them to address some of the things between them and by then it just feels resolved too quickly and easily. I also did not care for the way the conflict scene at the end played out, it just felt very forced and sudden.
I also struggled a bit with how Wren and Dane both described themselves as not falling in love and wanting casual things, but then they are written in such a way it's clear they both actually are hopeful and fall quickly. That just felt a bit confusing to me, but maybe that was intentional and meant as how what they think they are and actually are is not the same. I don't know.
I thought both main characters were nice enough, they both had things going on and some struggles, but I somehow just never cared as much about them as I wanted. I liked them as characters and together well enough, but never fully felt their romance or thought they felt real. They seem to like each other immediately and obviously care about the other, but they never really talk about things till the end. There also is some drama with a friend of Wren coming back to town that just didn't really feel interesting and just like some more conflict for them to deal with.
There is a slight supernatural aspect to this book as there are ghosts that haunt the town. Half of the town believes in ghosts and the other half believes they don't exist and it's just a good publicity stunt to add to the Halloween vibes. Ofcourse the ghosts are real and there are some chapters from their point of view, the pov switches could be a bit jarring and confusing at times, especially at first. And I am still not sure whether the ghosts perspective really added something for me to this book. There was a lot about a military ghost who kept judging Dane for not serving and it was really rather tiresome and I wasn’t really sure why this was there. The ending does finally realize what the point was, but then it felt too sudden and quick and didn't really have the impact I think it was meant to have.
Then there was the whole Summerween concept which I thought was so fun and the bits we get about the festival were fun, but it just never really comes alive as much as I wanted. I wanted to read more descriptions, get more of a feel for how the festival looked and felt like. Read more about the various events. It was there, but not as prominent s I had expected. It still made for a fun summer festival backdrop, but I had expected it to be more front and center with the way the cover and title focus on it.
To summarize: This is a light-hearted and fun contemporary romance book set in a town that celebrates Halloween year round. There is a bit of steam and a bit of emotional depth as well. For me it just didn't quite live up to what I hoped for and didn't fully pull me in. I liked the set up and the Halloween summer vibes and there was enough going on with the characters, but it all just wasn’t quite working for me. The characters had some depth, but it never got explored as much as I had wnated and felt more like plot points of set up for conflict. I didn't fully feel the romance and wished they talked more about things, which only happens at the end. The Halloween vibes were so fun, but I felt it was just a fun background instead of more of a focus than I had expected. The ghosts point of views are the only paranormal element in the book and I didn't really feel the point of views really added as much and weren’t as interesting for me to read about. The pov switches could be a bit confusing and jarring too especially at first. I had just expected something different from this book and while it was a fun enough read it also wasn’t very memorable or what I had hoped for.
The cover for this one caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley. It looked and sounded so fun and I hit request and got approved for it and started reading it not much later. Summerween is set in Solstice Springs also known as Halloween Town where Halloween is a big deal here and is celebrated year round and now they even have a summer Halloween festival Summerween.
I had expected a light-hearted and fun paranormal romance book, but found it's actually a contemporary romance with a hint of the supernatural in the form of the ghosts who haunt the town. So that took some getting used to. I also had expected the female main character to be witch due to mention of her godmother being a witch in the blurb and the witchy outfit on the cover, but no she's just a normal human. That made for a bit of a rough start and then there is the additional point of views from the ghosts I hadn't expected and wasn't quite sure the book needed. After a few chapters I got the hang of what this book was an was able to enjoy it more, but it just never fully pulled me in. It's a nice enough trope-y contemporary romance book with a fun setting and theme, but just wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped.
Wren is returning to Halloween town for the summer where her godmother lives and where she spent a lot of time as a kid and teenager. She's escaping after some drama with her ex. While Dane is burned out and dealing with PTSD and goes to Halloween town to recover. And there they meet each other and slowly grow closer.
I liked the set-up well enough and they both had enough personality, but I just wanted more. Their pasts and Dane's mental health issues felt more like a plot point than that it gets a lot of page time or feels like a part of them. I also got annoyed with Luna who was super pushy and forceful and I didn't like how she pushed Wren to to the dance classes and kept pushing Dane to take over the doctor office. Wren loves the dance classes and I actually liked seeing how that developed, but rather wish she had chosen this herself. Dane's PTSD is a reason for him to be there, but doesn't feel as much part of his personality as I had hoped and it doesn’t really gets addressed much till later.
I had expected the romance to turn steamy quickly with how attracted they were to the other, but that actually still took some time. I appreciated that they took some time to get to know each other first, but I still would've liked for that to actually contain more of them actually getting to know each other and talking about who they really are. They just have a fun time for most of the book. It takes until the very end for them to address some of the things between them and by then it just feels resolved too quickly and easily. I also did not care for the way the conflict scene at the end played out, it just felt very forced and sudden.
I also struggled a bit with how Wren and Dane both described themselves as not falling in love and wanting casual things, but then they are written in such a way it's clear they both actually are hopeful and fall quickly. That just felt a bit confusing to me, but maybe that was intentional and meant as how what they think they are and actually are is not the same. I don't know.
I thought both main characters were nice enough, they both had things going on and some struggles, but I somehow just never cared as much about them as I wanted. I liked them as characters and together well enough, but never fully felt their romance or thought they felt real. They seem to like each other immediately and obviously care about the other, but they never really talk about things till the end. There also is some drama with a friend of Wren coming back to town that just didn't really feel interesting and just like some more conflict for them to deal with.
There is a slight supernatural aspect to this book as there are ghosts that haunt the town. Half of the town believes in ghosts and the other half believes they don't exist and it's just a good publicity stunt to add to the Halloween vibes. Ofcourse the ghosts are real and there are some chapters from their point of view, the pov switches could be a bit jarring and confusing at times, especially at first. And I am still not sure whether the ghosts perspective really added something for me to this book. There was a lot about a military ghost who kept judging Dane for not serving and it was really rather tiresome and I wasn’t really sure why this was there. The ending does finally realize what the point was, but then it felt too sudden and quick and didn't really have the impact I think it was meant to have.
Then there was the whole Summerween concept which I thought was so fun and the bits we get about the festival were fun, but it just never really comes alive as much as I wanted. I wanted to read more descriptions, get more of a feel for how the festival looked and felt like. Read more about the various events. It was there, but not as prominent s I had expected. It still made for a fun summer festival backdrop, but I had expected it to be more front and center with the way the cover and title focus on it.
To summarize: This is a light-hearted and fun contemporary romance book set in a town that celebrates Halloween year round. There is a bit of steam and a bit of emotional depth as well. For me it just didn't quite live up to what I hoped for and didn't fully pull me in. I liked the set up and the Halloween summer vibes and there was enough going on with the characters, but it all just wasn’t quite working for me. The characters had some depth, but it never got explored as much as I had wnated and felt more like plot points of set up for conflict. I didn't fully feel the romance and wished they talked more about things, which only happens at the end. The Halloween vibes were so fun, but I felt it was just a fun background instead of more of a focus than I had expected. The ghosts point of views are the only paranormal element in the book and I didn't really feel the point of views really added as much and weren’t as interesting for me to read about. The pov switches could be a bit confusing and jarring too especially at first. I had just expected something different from this book and while it was a fun enough read it also wasn’t very memorable or what I had hoped for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really loved the idea of this book, I've been in such a summerween mood and hunting for books that matched the vibe and so of course this seemed so perfect, but unfortunately I was left really disappointed.
The writing was not for me, it was very tell instead of show, and some of the language used made the characters seem younger than they were and kind of immature. And another thing that bothered me was the emphasis on the characters and certain attributes of theirs being masculine and feminine, it just felt weird that it was used so much especially when there was a critique of toxic masculinity in the book too.
The setting itself, whilst I was hoping for something cute and charming (kind of like the Halloweentown in the disney film but more summery) instead just felt very gimmicky to me and didn't really deliver on the vibes that had initially drew me to the book.
The romance is very insta-lust and is at times a little too much. The first time they see each other is through a car window and that's enough for them to instantly want each other and for them to barely think about anything for else for the whole book. Even after meeting properly it feels like they barely know each other, they're aware the other has trauma but both refuse to dig any deeper and yet still decide to fall into some easy breezy situationship which of course stays easy breezy for approximately 2 seconds.
The whole thing felt like a mess of miscommunication, all they think about is wanting each other and hoping the other wants them just as much whilst not having a single conversation about it.
Wren has shitty exes and a shitty dad all which has gave her abandoment and commitment issues and leads her to freak out over the mere suggestion of leaving toiletries at Dane's place and then even worse when Dane later gets notified of a serious emergency and needs to leave.
Because what do you mean there has just been an alert for a catastrophe that has killed thousands and injured countless more and the guy she's seeing is trying to rush out to go help and instead she's think he should be spending time reassuring her that she's just as important? that her feelings that she has only just decided to admit to matter on an equal level?
This is the time she genuinely picks to have 'choose me' moment? Are you kidding me???
And then she gets defensive when he rightfully calls her selfish and compares it to him pushing her for answers about another guy, which yeah was a dick move but at least he wasn't demanding these answers from her in the midst of a natural disaster? And then when he leaves she lumps him in with all the other men who have left her in her life... how is it anywhere close to being the same?!
Dane is by no means better, the way he gets weirdly angry over Wren telling him she wants to talk to Alex about there being no chance of things happening between them when only a little while ago he was desperate to know where she stood on the situation? And then he gets in his head because of his trauma from his own shitty dad and accuses wren of trying to control and emotionally manipulate him when she's asking him for clarity during the argument when he's trying to leave.
Honestly I think that the earthquake being used as something to drive them apart was really unnecessary, it could have been achieved with Alex if he showed up more instead of appearing once never to be seen again. It felt weird to me that to show how characters could choose themselves and their own healing and happiness and that for Dane to choose Wren and put her first, there needed to be a tragedy where countless people died and were hurt.
The ghosts were the best part of this story and I would have loved a little more meddling from them. I'm really disappointed this book didn't live up to it's potential.
The writing was not for me, it was very tell instead of show, and some of the language used made the characters seem younger than they were and kind of immature. And another thing that bothered me was the emphasis on the characters and certain attributes of theirs being masculine and feminine, it just felt weird that it was used so much especially when there was a critique of toxic masculinity in the book too.
The setting itself, whilst I was hoping for something cute and charming (kind of like the Halloweentown in the disney film but more summery) instead just felt very gimmicky to me and didn't really deliver on the vibes that had initially drew me to the book.
The romance is very insta-lust and is at times a little too much. The first time they see each other is through a car window and that's enough for them to instantly want each other and for them to barely think about anything for else for the whole book. Even after meeting properly it feels like they barely know each other, they're aware the other has trauma but both refuse to dig any deeper and yet still decide to fall into some easy breezy situationship which of course stays easy breezy for approximately 2 seconds.
The whole thing felt like a mess of miscommunication, all they think about is wanting each other and hoping the other wants them just as much whilst not having a single conversation about it.
Wren has shitty exes and a shitty dad all which has gave her abandoment and commitment issues and leads her to freak out over the mere suggestion of leaving toiletries at Dane's place and then even worse when Dane later gets notified of a serious emergency and needs to leave.
Because what do you mean there has just been an alert for a catastrophe that has killed thousands and injured countless more and the guy she's seeing is trying to rush out to go help and instead she's think he should be spending time reassuring her that she's just as important? that her feelings that she has only just decided to admit to matter on an equal level?
This is the time she genuinely picks to have 'choose me' moment? Are you kidding me???
And then she gets defensive when he rightfully calls her selfish and compares it to him pushing her for answers about another guy, which yeah was a dick move but at least he wasn't demanding these answers from her in the midst of a natural disaster? And then when he leaves she lumps him in with all the other men who have left her in her life... how is it anywhere close to being the same?!
Dane is by no means better, the way he gets weirdly angry over Wren telling him she wants to talk to Alex about there being no chance of things happening between them when only a little while ago he was desperate to know where she stood on the situation? And then he gets in his head because of his trauma from his own shitty dad and accuses wren of trying to control and emotionally manipulate him when she's asking him for clarity during the argument when he's trying to leave.
Honestly I think that the earthquake being used as something to drive them apart was really unnecessary, it could have been achieved with Alex if he showed up more instead of appearing once never to be seen again. It felt weird to me that to show how characters could choose themselves and their own healing and happiness and that for Dane to choose Wren and put her first, there needed to be a tragedy where countless people died and were hurt.
The ghosts were the best part of this story and I would have loved a little more meddling from them. I'm really disappointed this book didn't live up to it's potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ITA
Nella cittadina di Solstice Spring è sempre… Halloween per cui è diventata HTown. Oltre ad essere Halloween tutto l’anno, declinano Halloween in base alla stagione, ci sono anche due gruppi di persone i "veri credenti” e gli altri, i primi credono nell’esistenza di fantasmi, non è Halloween senza un fantasma neh?
Wren, ballerina, torna a HTown per le vacanze estive e per godersi il Summerween; la sua intenzione è di non fare niente per due mesi.
Dane, medico in zone di conflitto/calamità, si trova a HTown per due motivi: il primo è perché è l’unico posto dove ha dei bei ricordi con il padre, il secondo è che ha una leggera PTSD (disturbo da stress post-traumatico).
Si vedono, si piacciono.
Non mi è piaciuta questa lettura. Dane e Wren non sono personaggi innovativi, a volte sono sovrapponibili, e non succede nulla in tutta la storia. Le uniche cose che ho trovato interessanti e divertenti sono relative ai fantasmi, ed è per quello che ho prenotato il libro.
Il libro oltre ad essere la somma di un sacco di luoghi comuni (ti voglio ma non te lo dico perché ho paura sia una cosa seria, l’ex che ritorna “mi sono sbagliato, voglio te”, litigata per poi “scusami se ti ho detto quelle cose, ma ti amo”), è ripetitivo, ci sono tantissime righe che spiegano l’odore del sudore (non scherzo), paternalistico, ma soprattutto si parla di rispetto degli altri e poi c’è un personaggio che non prende un no, come un no da nessuno.
Infine, molto prolisso nello spiegarci la morale di tutto, quando l’unica che ne valeva la pena di dire era “abbi compassione nei tuoi confronti”.
Ho ricevuto una copia gratuita. Questa recensione contiene la mia opinione ed è pubblicata liberamente.
ENG
In the small town of Solstice Spring, it’s always Halloween season. Halloween, which is why it’s become HTown. Not only is it Halloween all year round, but they also adapt Halloween decorations to seasons. There are also two groups of people: the “true believers” and everyone else. The former believes in the existence of ghosts; it wouldn’t be Halloween without a ghost, right?
Wren, a dancer, returns to HTown for summer vacation to enjoy Summerween; her plan is to do absolutely nothing for two months.
Dane, a trauma surgeon, is in HTown for two reasons: first, because it’s the only place where he has fond memories with his father, and second, because he has mild PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
They meet and they like each other.
I didn’t enjoy this book. Dane and Wren aren’t original characters; at times they’re indistinguishable, and nothing really happens throughout the whole story. The only things I found interesting and entertaining were related to the ghosts, which is why I booked this ARC.
The book is not only a collection of clichés (“I love you but I won’t say it because I’m afraid it’s too serious"; the ex who comes back saying, “I was wrong, I want you"; a fight followed by “I’m sorry I said those things, but I love you"), but it's also repetitive; there are countless lines describing the smell of sweat (I’m not kidding), and it's patronizing. But above all, in Dane and Wren interactions, they talk about respecting others, yet there’s a character who won’t take “no” from anyone.
Finally, the story is very wordy in explaining in detail the moral of the story when the only thing worth saying was, “Have compassion on yourself.”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Nella cittadina di Solstice Spring è sempre… Halloween per cui è diventata HTown. Oltre ad essere Halloween tutto l’anno, declinano Halloween in base alla stagione, ci sono anche due gruppi di persone i "veri credenti” e gli altri, i primi credono nell’esistenza di fantasmi, non è Halloween senza un fantasma neh?
Wren, ballerina, torna a HTown per le vacanze estive e per godersi il Summerween; la sua intenzione è di non fare niente per due mesi.
Dane, medico in zone di conflitto/calamità, si trova a HTown per due motivi: il primo è perché è l’unico posto dove ha dei bei ricordi con il padre, il secondo è che ha una leggera PTSD (disturbo da stress post-traumatico).
Si vedono, si piacciono.
Non mi è piaciuta questa lettura. Dane e Wren non sono personaggi innovativi, a volte sono sovrapponibili, e non succede nulla in tutta la storia. Le uniche cose che ho trovato interessanti e divertenti sono relative ai fantasmi, ed è per quello che ho prenotato il libro.
Il libro oltre ad essere la somma di un sacco di luoghi comuni (ti voglio ma non te lo dico perché ho paura sia una cosa seria, l’ex che ritorna “mi sono sbagliato, voglio te”, litigata per poi “scusami se ti ho detto quelle cose, ma ti amo”), è ripetitivo, ci sono tantissime righe che spiegano l’odore del sudore (non scherzo), paternalistico, ma soprattutto si parla di rispetto degli altri e poi c’è un personaggio che non prende un no, come un no da nessuno.
Infine, molto prolisso nello spiegarci la morale di tutto, quando l’unica che ne valeva la pena di dire era “abbi compassione nei tuoi confronti”.
Ho ricevuto una copia gratuita. Questa recensione contiene la mia opinione ed è pubblicata liberamente.
ENG
In the small town of Solstice Spring, it’s always Halloween season. Halloween, which is why it’s become HTown. Not only is it Halloween all year round, but they also adapt Halloween decorations to seasons. There are also two groups of people: the “true believers” and everyone else. The former believes in the existence of ghosts; it wouldn’t be Halloween without a ghost, right?
Wren, a dancer, returns to HTown for summer vacation to enjoy Summerween; her plan is to do absolutely nothing for two months.
Dane, a trauma surgeon, is in HTown for two reasons: first, because it’s the only place where he has fond memories with his father, and second, because he has mild PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
They meet and they like each other.
I didn’t enjoy this book. Dane and Wren aren’t original characters; at times they’re indistinguishable, and nothing really happens throughout the whole story. The only things I found interesting and entertaining were related to the ghosts, which is why I booked this ARC.
The book is not only a collection of clichés (“I love you but I won’t say it because I’m afraid it’s too serious"; the ex who comes back saying, “I was wrong, I want you"; a fight followed by “I’m sorry I said those things, but I love you"), but it's also repetitive; there are countless lines describing the smell of sweat (I’m not kidding), and it's patronizing. But above all, in Dane and Wren interactions, they talk about respecting others, yet there’s a character who won’t take “no” from anyone.
Finally, the story is very wordy in explaining in detail the moral of the story when the only thing worth saying was, “Have compassion on yourself.”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF, 30%. Ehhhhh I had a hard time deciding what to rate this, but ultimately decided to go with a 2/5.
The concept was there. I really loved the idea of a Halloween-obsessed town, and Halloween in the summer seemed especially fun. But good golly, this book was so boring. I don't even know how to describe it... not even adding in the ghost's POV made me care about what was going on in this book (and frankly, adding in so many POVs but not telling us whose we were in made reading so confusing).
Like okay, this girl has shitty exes, the dude has shitty parents and trauma (seriously, why does every book character ever need trauma... can authors nowadays not think of any other creative ways to give their characters a personality?). Why do I care? We're 30% in... by this point, shouldn't I want to sympathize and see your characters get better? Instead, we're just watching these two do dance lessons (although tbf, that is what the premise says. But come on... at least I don't know. Make it fun. What is this, a diary?)
Also, the insta lust. The MCs literally "met" when FMC was sitting in traffic and MMC was exercising in a park. Suddenly they're all "oh wow you're so hot, I want to fuck you". Mind you, they literally just saw each other through a freaking car window. Can we plllllllease have something less cliche? I don't even mind insta lust all too much normally, but through a car window is freaking insanity. You're telling me these two have had half a conversation and they're suddenly in love? Right ok. Is this 2017 Wattpad or something?
Side characters. There were so many, couldn't keep up, didn't bother keeping up. If you're pregnant and looking for baby names, this is the book for you. There's so many people in here, you're bound to find a name to consider. Only character I remember is the annoying ass godmother. I know readers love characters like this normally, but all I can think about is how horrified I'd be to have a pushy boundary-stomper like her in my life.
Anyways. Drinking game (though I suggest you do it in the parking lot of the ER): take a shot every time they call the town "H-town". 5 pages in and you'd be down. 10 pages in, you'd be getting your stomach pumped. For all the other faults I had with the book, I think this might have been my biggest complaint; it's just so damn cringe. I get it's meant to make this town seem all cool and quirky... unfortunately, you've failed.
I can see this book having appeal to other readers, but unfortunately, it's not for me. Great concept, not so great execution.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The concept was there. I really loved the idea of a Halloween-obsessed town, and Halloween in the summer seemed especially fun. But good golly, this book was so boring. I don't even know how to describe it... not even adding in the ghost's POV made me care about what was going on in this book (and frankly, adding in so many POVs but not telling us whose we were in made reading so confusing).
Like okay, this girl has shitty exes, the dude has shitty parents and trauma (seriously, why does every book character ever need trauma... can authors nowadays not think of any other creative ways to give their characters a personality?). Why do I care? We're 30% in... by this point, shouldn't I want to sympathize and see your characters get better? Instead, we're just watching these two do dance lessons (although tbf, that is what the premise says. But come on... at least I don't know. Make it fun. What is this, a diary?)
Also, the insta lust. The MCs literally "met" when FMC was sitting in traffic and MMC was exercising in a park. Suddenly they're all "oh wow you're so hot, I want to fuck you". Mind you, they literally just saw each other through a freaking car window. Can we plllllllease have something less cliche? I don't even mind insta lust all too much normally, but through a car window is freaking insanity. You're telling me these two have had half a conversation and they're suddenly in love? Right ok. Is this 2017 Wattpad or something?
Side characters. There were so many, couldn't keep up, didn't bother keeping up. If you're pregnant and looking for baby names, this is the book for you. There's so many people in here, you're bound to find a name to consider. Only character I remember is the annoying ass godmother. I know readers love characters like this normally, but all I can think about is how horrified I'd be to have a pushy boundary-stomper like her in my life.
Anyways. Drinking game (though I suggest you do it in the parking lot of the ER): take a shot every time they call the town "H-town". 5 pages in and you'd be down. 10 pages in, you'd be getting your stomach pumped. For all the other faults I had with the book, I think this might have been my biggest complaint; it's just so damn cringe. I get it's meant to make this town seem all cool and quirky... unfortunately, you've failed.
I can see this book having appeal to other readers, but unfortunately, it's not for me. Great concept, not so great execution.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Review
Summerween by Joss Wood
Publication date: July 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have received an early copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
🎃 Small Town
🎃 PTSD
🎃 Halloween
🎃 Surgeon and a Choreographer
🎃 Ghosts and Witches
Summerween takes place in the charming small town of Solstice Spring in Massachusetts. Wren would return home for vacations and weekends whenever she could. She always remembered this town before it was the Halloween obsessed town that it is now. However the past 10 years things had changed and all things spooky seemed to stay past Halloween. It all started when a Halloween festival landed on the anniversary of founders day. Each month the town celebrates a new holiday like August Hexes Heartbreak Market and February's Love Potion Singles Weekend. Her godmother Luna who happened to be the mayor introduced a festival called Summerween which took place on July 31st and ran for an entire month. The town was divided between two halves. One side were the true believers and the other the skeptics. The grumpy group who hated all things Halloween and the other side who promoted witches, ghosts and the paranormal of course. Wren had lots of drama back in New York so she was excited to be back home for a little break.
This book made me want to transport to this magical town. I want to visit Magda's Marvelous Magic Medicine Truck where their moto is "Magicky medicines for everything, from melancholia, to mumps, to mood swings. We deliver!" I loved all the names of the stores in this town, the coffee shop called "Spirited Grounds" I mean how cute is that. I am a total Halloween freek and I shop for Halloween decor as my all year round regular house decorations. This book was right up my alley. I loved this sweet, little, cozy Halloween town. The relationship between the surgeon and the dance choreography was super cute and fun. I liked the there were ghosts and some paranormal aspects in the book. My only criticism would be that there were too many POV's to follow and it got a bit confusing. Some paragraphs the ghosts were talking and then Dan and Wren. I had wished each chapter had a dedication POV so it would be easier to follow along. Other than that the book was a fun, cute read that I really enjoyed. I am excited to read the next book about Poppy called "Halloweentown." For anyone who loves Halloween as much as I do - this is the book for you! 🎃
Summerween by Joss Wood
Publication date: July 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have received an early copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
🎃 Small Town
🎃 PTSD
🎃 Halloween
🎃 Surgeon and a Choreographer
🎃 Ghosts and Witches
Summerween takes place in the charming small town of Solstice Spring in Massachusetts. Wren would return home for vacations and weekends whenever she could. She always remembered this town before it was the Halloween obsessed town that it is now. However the past 10 years things had changed and all things spooky seemed to stay past Halloween. It all started when a Halloween festival landed on the anniversary of founders day. Each month the town celebrates a new holiday like August Hexes Heartbreak Market and February's Love Potion Singles Weekend. Her godmother Luna who happened to be the mayor introduced a festival called Summerween which took place on July 31st and ran for an entire month. The town was divided between two halves. One side were the true believers and the other the skeptics. The grumpy group who hated all things Halloween and the other side who promoted witches, ghosts and the paranormal of course. Wren had lots of drama back in New York so she was excited to be back home for a little break.
This book made me want to transport to this magical town. I want to visit Magda's Marvelous Magic Medicine Truck where their moto is "Magicky medicines for everything, from melancholia, to mumps, to mood swings. We deliver!" I loved all the names of the stores in this town, the coffee shop called "Spirited Grounds" I mean how cute is that. I am a total Halloween freek and I shop for Halloween decor as my all year round regular house decorations. This book was right up my alley. I loved this sweet, little, cozy Halloween town. The relationship between the surgeon and the dance choreography was super cute and fun. I liked the there were ghosts and some paranormal aspects in the book. My only criticism would be that there were too many POV's to follow and it got a bit confusing. Some paragraphs the ghosts were talking and then Dan and Wren. I had wished each chapter had a dedication POV so it would be easier to follow along. Other than that the book was a fun, cute read that I really enjoyed. I am excited to read the next book about Poppy called "Halloweentown." For anyone who loves Halloween as much as I do - this is the book for you! 🎃
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐'s
A Halloween Lover's Dream Come True 🎃
Summerween is a cosy, small-town romance packed with humour, heart, and enough Halloween charm to make any spooky-season lover swoon.
As someone who adores all things Halloween, you can imagine how quickly I picked this book up. A town that celebrates the spookiest time of year all year round? I was sold immediately.
Solstice Springs—otherwise known as Halloween Town, or H-Town—is the kind of fictional place that makes you want to pack your bags and move in. With businesses sporting names like Spirited Grounds, I was mentally picking out curtains before the first chapter had even finished.
Wren Dunlop has returned to her hometown for a sabbatical from her successful career as a choreographer after yet another disastrous relationship. Meanwhile, Dr. Dane Trafford—known locally as "Hot Doc"—has rented a lakeside cottage while taking mandatory leave from his high-pressure job as a combat surgeon.
Both are looking for the same thing: rest, healing, and a chance to reassess their lives. Neither is looking for complications.
Then they meet.
Between helping organise the town's annual Summerween celebrations, attempts by the locals to convince Dane to become Solstice Springs' permanent doctor, and the growing attraction neither of them planned for, Wren and Dean quickly discover that life has other ideas.
Throw in interfering ghosts, a delightfully pushy godmother-mayor, hidden pasts, painful secrets, and a wonderfully eccentric cast of townsfolk, and this becomes an incredibly fun, fast-paced read filled with yearning, laughter, and plenty of heart.
There were multiple moments that had me laughing out loud and grinning like a blushing schoolgirl. Dean eating an ice cream? If you know, you know.
The only reason this wasn't a perfect read for me was the chapter length. Some of the chapters felt unusually long for a cosy romance, and occasionally I found myself needing a break before diving back in.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Solstice Springs and I'm already looking forward to returning. August 2026 can't come soon enough—I can't wait to see what happens next in this charming series.
Favourite quote:
"I'm going to ask the coven to put a spell on your father so that his d!ck falls off."
Thank you to Joss Wood, HarperCollins UK, and Netgalley for the privilege of reading this book. All opinions are my own.
A Halloween Lover's Dream Come True 🎃
Summerween is a cosy, small-town romance packed with humour, heart, and enough Halloween charm to make any spooky-season lover swoon.
As someone who adores all things Halloween, you can imagine how quickly I picked this book up. A town that celebrates the spookiest time of year all year round? I was sold immediately.
Solstice Springs—otherwise known as Halloween Town, or H-Town—is the kind of fictional place that makes you want to pack your bags and move in. With businesses sporting names like Spirited Grounds, I was mentally picking out curtains before the first chapter had even finished.
Wren Dunlop has returned to her hometown for a sabbatical from her successful career as a choreographer after yet another disastrous relationship. Meanwhile, Dr. Dane Trafford—known locally as "Hot Doc"—has rented a lakeside cottage while taking mandatory leave from his high-pressure job as a combat surgeon.
Both are looking for the same thing: rest, healing, and a chance to reassess their lives. Neither is looking for complications.
Then they meet.
Between helping organise the town's annual Summerween celebrations, attempts by the locals to convince Dane to become Solstice Springs' permanent doctor, and the growing attraction neither of them planned for, Wren and Dean quickly discover that life has other ideas.
Throw in interfering ghosts, a delightfully pushy godmother-mayor, hidden pasts, painful secrets, and a wonderfully eccentric cast of townsfolk, and this becomes an incredibly fun, fast-paced read filled with yearning, laughter, and plenty of heart.
There were multiple moments that had me laughing out loud and grinning like a blushing schoolgirl. Dean eating an ice cream? If you know, you know.
The only reason this wasn't a perfect read for me was the chapter length. Some of the chapters felt unusually long for a cosy romance, and occasionally I found myself needing a break before diving back in.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Solstice Springs and I'm already looking forward to returning. August 2026 can't come soon enough—I can't wait to see what happens next in this charming series.
Favourite quote:
"I'm going to ask the coven to put a spell on your father so that his d!ck falls off."
Thank you to Joss Wood, HarperCollins UK, and Netgalley for the privilege of reading this book. All opinions are my own.
June 18, 2026
Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK One More Chapter and of course Joss Wood for providing me with this ARC.
If you could bottle the feeling of autumn, add a splash of summer sunshine, stir in a cosy romance, a handful of ghosts, and a community you’d happily move to tomorrow, you’d end up with Summerween.
Set in the delightfully quirky town of Solstice Springs, the story follows Wren as she attempts to escape the spotlight and enjoy a quiet summer, only to become swept up in the town’s wonderfully unusual Summerween celebrations. Along the way, she finds herself navigating new relationships, unexpected challenges, and a place where the line between the ordinary and the paranormal is deliciously blurred.
What I loved most about this book was its atmosphere. It’s warm, whimsical, and comforting, with just enough magic to make you wonder if the ghosts really are lingering in the background. The paranormal elements never overwhelm the story—instead, they enhance it, and I especially adored the ghostly perspectives and the emotional depth they brought. Their storyline added an unexpected layer of heart that I wasn’t expecting.
The romance is sweet and satisfying, perfectly complementing the cosy feel of the novel without overshadowing everything else. I also really appreciated the multiple points of view, which helped the characters feel rounded and gave the story extra richness. I found myself genuinely invested in their journeys and rooting for everyone to find their own version of happiness.
Despite its light-hearted charm and humour, Summerween also tackles more serious topics, including PTSD, emotional healing, and the importance of looking after your mental health. I thought these themes were handled thoughtfully and blended naturally into the story without losing the uplifting tone.
The writing itself is fantastic—easy to read, witty, and effortlessly engaging. I frequently caught myself smiling, and by the end I desperately wanted to book a trip to Solstice Springs and join in the Summerween festivities myself. Pink skeletons, fairy lights, lakeside evenings, and ghost stories? Count me in.
This is such a unique concept, combining cosy fantasy, romance, paranormal intrigue, and small-town charm into something that feels fresh and genuinely comforting. While there were a few moments where I would have loved even more time with the characters and setting, I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
A wonderfully cosy, funny, and heartfelt read that left me eager to see what Joss Wood writes next. An easy 4 stars from me.
If you could bottle the feeling of autumn, add a splash of summer sunshine, stir in a cosy romance, a handful of ghosts, and a community you’d happily move to tomorrow, you’d end up with Summerween.
Set in the delightfully quirky town of Solstice Springs, the story follows Wren as she attempts to escape the spotlight and enjoy a quiet summer, only to become swept up in the town’s wonderfully unusual Summerween celebrations. Along the way, she finds herself navigating new relationships, unexpected challenges, and a place where the line between the ordinary and the paranormal is deliciously blurred.
What I loved most about this book was its atmosphere. It’s warm, whimsical, and comforting, with just enough magic to make you wonder if the ghosts really are lingering in the background. The paranormal elements never overwhelm the story—instead, they enhance it, and I especially adored the ghostly perspectives and the emotional depth they brought. Their storyline added an unexpected layer of heart that I wasn’t expecting.
The romance is sweet and satisfying, perfectly complementing the cosy feel of the novel without overshadowing everything else. I also really appreciated the multiple points of view, which helped the characters feel rounded and gave the story extra richness. I found myself genuinely invested in their journeys and rooting for everyone to find their own version of happiness.
Despite its light-hearted charm and humour, Summerween also tackles more serious topics, including PTSD, emotional healing, and the importance of looking after your mental health. I thought these themes were handled thoughtfully and blended naturally into the story without losing the uplifting tone.
The writing itself is fantastic—easy to read, witty, and effortlessly engaging. I frequently caught myself smiling, and by the end I desperately wanted to book a trip to Solstice Springs and join in the Summerween festivities myself. Pink skeletons, fairy lights, lakeside evenings, and ghost stories? Count me in.
This is such a unique concept, combining cosy fantasy, romance, paranormal intrigue, and small-town charm into something that feels fresh and genuinely comforting. While there were a few moments where I would have loved even more time with the characters and setting, I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
A wonderfully cosy, funny, and heartfelt read that left me eager to see what Joss Wood writes next. An easy 4 stars from me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After a soul-crushing breakup with the man she thought was her soulmate and an even more humiliating livestream proposal from her rebound fling, choreographer Wren Dunlop needs a break from the madness that is her life and longs for her childhood home of Solstice Springs. She arrives to town to see that her godmother, Luna, the mayor, has gone all out turning Solstice Springs into Halloween Town (aka H-Town), a year-round Halloween destination and Wren arrives just in time for Summerween. Though Wren plans to have a romance-free, work-free and drama-free summer – it is clear that fate has other plans for her – as do the ghosts that call Solstice Springs home.
After suffering from PTSD, trauma surgeon Dr. Dane Trafford needs to relax and regroup. He loves his work, but the pressure of the job and everyone’s expectations have left him burnt out and he needs time to heal. He recalls spending a happy summer in Solstice Springs with his father as a child and longs to recapture that happiness. He was not expecting to find the town had turned into a supernatural tourist hot spot or that the mayor of the town would insist that he become the town’s new doctor, and he certainly didn’t expect to fall in love. This summer is going to be interesting!
What a fun start to a new series! I loved Wren and Dane, they are such relatable characters, they both have their own reasons for being in Solstice Springs, and falling in love was not one of them. But they have instant chemistry and the heart wants what the heart wants. This story has that delightful small-town vibe, great secondary characters, ghosts (think the TV show Ghosts), some self-worth issues, healing, steamyish love scenes, compromise, mutual support and true love. This author is new to me, and as an American reader, reading a book about Americans, I did get a giggle or two about some of the phrases that clearly called the author out as someone who doesn’t use American English, but it was completely endearing and I can’t wait to check out her backlist! If you enjoy a fun, spicy, small-town romance with a hint of supernatural – this is a book you need to read!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
After suffering from PTSD, trauma surgeon Dr. Dane Trafford needs to relax and regroup. He loves his work, but the pressure of the job and everyone’s expectations have left him burnt out and he needs time to heal. He recalls spending a happy summer in Solstice Springs with his father as a child and longs to recapture that happiness. He was not expecting to find the town had turned into a supernatural tourist hot spot or that the mayor of the town would insist that he become the town’s new doctor, and he certainly didn’t expect to fall in love. This summer is going to be interesting!
What a fun start to a new series! I loved Wren and Dane, they are such relatable characters, they both have their own reasons for being in Solstice Springs, and falling in love was not one of them. But they have instant chemistry and the heart wants what the heart wants. This story has that delightful small-town vibe, great secondary characters, ghosts (think the TV show Ghosts), some self-worth issues, healing, steamyish love scenes, compromise, mutual support and true love. This author is new to me, and as an American reader, reading a book about Americans, I did get a giggle or two about some of the phrases that clearly called the author out as someone who doesn’t use American English, but it was completely endearing and I can’t wait to check out her backlist! If you enjoy a fun, spicy, small-town romance with a hint of supernatural – this is a book you need to read!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Review of advance copy received from Author
pumpkin lights in summer heat. spooky-season energy turned up to max. and a book that feels like pure, unapologetic fun.
Summerween is the kind of romcom that doesn’t just deliver a story—it delivers a whole mood. It takes the cosy chaos of Halloween and drops it into a sun-soaked small town that refuses to behave normally, and the result is bright, ridiculous, and completely irresistible.
From the very beginning, this book is full of energy. Halloween Town is vibrant, quirky, and packed with personality, where every corner feels like it’s hosting some kind of themed chaos. The traditions are unhinged in the best way, the community is fully committed to the aesthetic, and it all creates a setting that feels like stepping into a never-ending festival where anything can happen—and usually does.
The romance fits perfectly into this playful world. It’s flirty, fast-moving, and full of spark from the start. The chemistry between the main characters is instant and electric, built on teasing banter, chaotic situations, and that delicious “this is probably a bad idea… but I’m not stopping” energy. It’s not slow and subtle—it’s loud, fun, and full of personality, which makes every interaction feel exciting.
What really makes this story shine is how much it commits to joy. There’s humour woven through almost every scene, whether it’s through small-town antics, ridiculous traditions, or the characters fully leaning into the chaos around them. It never tries to be anything too serious or heavy—it just wants you to have a good time, and it succeeds completely.
The pacing is quick and addictive, making it an easy book to fall into and even easier to binge. It moves with a lightness that keeps you turning pages, not because of high stakes or intense drama, but because you genuinely don’t want to leave the world it’s built.
There’s also a really strong sense of community underneath all the chaos. Despite how wild everything feels, there’s warmth in the way the town comes together, celebrates, and supports its own strange traditions. It gives the story heart beneath all the glitter, costumes, and seasonal confusion.
Summerween is the kind of romcom that doesn’t just deliver a story—it delivers a whole mood. It takes the cosy chaos of Halloween and drops it into a sun-soaked small town that refuses to behave normally, and the result is bright, ridiculous, and completely irresistible.
From the very beginning, this book is full of energy. Halloween Town is vibrant, quirky, and packed with personality, where every corner feels like it’s hosting some kind of themed chaos. The traditions are unhinged in the best way, the community is fully committed to the aesthetic, and it all creates a setting that feels like stepping into a never-ending festival where anything can happen—and usually does.
The romance fits perfectly into this playful world. It’s flirty, fast-moving, and full of spark from the start. The chemistry between the main characters is instant and electric, built on teasing banter, chaotic situations, and that delicious “this is probably a bad idea… but I’m not stopping” energy. It’s not slow and subtle—it’s loud, fun, and full of personality, which makes every interaction feel exciting.
What really makes this story shine is how much it commits to joy. There’s humour woven through almost every scene, whether it’s through small-town antics, ridiculous traditions, or the characters fully leaning into the chaos around them. It never tries to be anything too serious or heavy—it just wants you to have a good time, and it succeeds completely.
The pacing is quick and addictive, making it an easy book to fall into and even easier to binge. It moves with a lightness that keeps you turning pages, not because of high stakes or intense drama, but because you genuinely don’t want to leave the world it’s built.
There’s also a really strong sense of community underneath all the chaos. Despite how wild everything feels, there’s warmth in the way the town comes together, celebrates, and supports its own strange traditions. It gives the story heart beneath all the glitter, costumes, and seasonal confusion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was genuinely just what I needed on a busy summer day where my mind could just tune in to this place for a couple hours! If you’re like me and love summer but craving just a little bit of spooky in your life this is perfect! Halloween Town is just like it sounds, a town that celebrates Halloween and spooky season year round and dedicated the whole summer season to nonstop events celebrating the unnatural things that occur in the town and leaning into the niche to draw in new customers as well!
The story mainly follows Wren and Dane who are both escaping to the town from personal and professional things that they need a break from. They find themselves in an immediate attraction to one another but they do take things slow in getting to know one another and also working through their personal issues before bringing someone else into their problems which I appreciated. Wren is a chaotic dance choreographer that sometimes acts and speaks before she thinks whereas Dane is a trauma doctor that’s seen some terrible things and he is controlled to a T on everything and definitely thinks way more before he speaks and ends up holding back a lot of things he’d like to say because of it. I loved how by the end of the book they had both rubbed off their communication techniques on each other and truly complimented each other so well in all situations. There were other fun side characters in the book some extra unexpected “presences” I wasn’t sure about at first but by the end Silas literally had me in tears with his character arc I loved him and what he contributed to the story!
Overall I’d give this 4.25 because it was just what I was hoping it would be. My only complaint would be how often we switched pov’s and just not always being sure who’s perspective it was in. I’m super excited to jump into HalloweenTown and get Poppy’s story! This book releases July and Halloween Town in August! Also they have the most adorable covers ever!
The story mainly follows Wren and Dane who are both escaping to the town from personal and professional things that they need a break from. They find themselves in an immediate attraction to one another but they do take things slow in getting to know one another and also working through their personal issues before bringing someone else into their problems which I appreciated. Wren is a chaotic dance choreographer that sometimes acts and speaks before she thinks whereas Dane is a trauma doctor that’s seen some terrible things and he is controlled to a T on everything and definitely thinks way more before he speaks and ends up holding back a lot of things he’d like to say because of it. I loved how by the end of the book they had both rubbed off their communication techniques on each other and truly complimented each other so well in all situations. There were other fun side characters in the book some extra unexpected “presences” I wasn’t sure about at first but by the end Silas literally had me in tears with his character arc I loved him and what he contributed to the story!
Overall I’d give this 4.25 because it was just what I was hoping it would be. My only complaint would be how often we switched pov’s and just not always being sure who’s perspective it was in. I’m super excited to jump into HalloweenTown and get Poppy’s story! This book releases July and Halloween Town in August! Also they have the most adorable covers ever!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️/5 Stars
🗓Pub Date: July 16, 2026
I do not usually review books I DNF and sometimes I don't write out a review for ARCs I didn't enjoy. I leave it at a star rating only. However, there's a first for everything. (Or maybe a second? This feels like deja vu.)
ℹ️🗑There was a lot of info dumping immediately, making it hard to follow along.
✍️The writing was clunky, long-winded and difficult to follow.
Example: "The following Thursday, after nearly a week of lazy days doing nothing much more than hanging out in a deck chair in Luna’s garden overlooking the lake, while reading a book and, depending on the time of day, either drinking coffee or wine, Wren couldn’t believe she’d fallen for her godmother’s old tricks."
💭: Maybe I'm just not a fan of this author's writing. While grammatically fine, it just disrupts the rhythm. Right now it's a constant overload in run on sentences, which is exhausting to read and really disrupts the pace. It seems like this may be the author's style of writing, because it's not just a few sentences— it's an ongoing prose issue. Instead of staying immersed in the story, each run on sentence has me rolling my eyes and pulls me out of the story. Sometimes even putting the book down in frustration.
👥POVs
There are no indications of switching POV. It just happens. I don't even understand the intent behind it. Why not label the chapters? Some povs change within the chapter, only marked by a page break. It slows the momentum of the story while leaving readers trying to figure out and keep track of whose POV it is.
👥: TOO MANY characters to keep track of that I just stopped trying.
Overall, I ended up DNFing at 60%. Skimmed from 40-60% because I wasn't interested in what was happening nor did I care about any of the characters. I really think this book would do better going through more revision. The best part is the cover.
Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC.
🗓Pub Date: July 16, 2026
I do not usually review books I DNF and sometimes I don't write out a review for ARCs I didn't enjoy. I leave it at a star rating only. However, there's a first for everything. (Or maybe a second? This feels like deja vu.)
ℹ️🗑There was a lot of info dumping immediately, making it hard to follow along.
✍️The writing was clunky, long-winded and difficult to follow.
Example: "The following Thursday, after nearly a week of lazy days doing nothing much more than hanging out in a deck chair in Luna’s garden overlooking the lake, while reading a book and, depending on the time of day, either drinking coffee or wine, Wren couldn’t believe she’d fallen for her godmother’s old tricks."
💭: Maybe I'm just not a fan of this author's writing. While grammatically fine, it just disrupts the rhythm. Right now it's a constant overload in run on sentences, which is exhausting to read and really disrupts the pace. It seems like this may be the author's style of writing, because it's not just a few sentences— it's an ongoing prose issue. Instead of staying immersed in the story, each run on sentence has me rolling my eyes and pulls me out of the story. Sometimes even putting the book down in frustration.
👥POVs
There are no indications of switching POV. It just happens. I don't even understand the intent behind it. Why not label the chapters? Some povs change within the chapter, only marked by a page break. It slows the momentum of the story while leaving readers trying to figure out and keep track of whose POV it is.
👥: TOO MANY characters to keep track of that I just stopped trying.
Overall, I ended up DNFing at 60%. Skimmed from 40-60% because I wasn't interested in what was happening nor did I care about any of the characters. I really think this book would do better going through more revision. The best part is the cover.
Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC.
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