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Samantha Spük: Paranormal Wedding Planner
Aleese Lin’s delightful, spooky—or Spük-y?—contemporary romance debut is perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and Netflix’s Wednesday.
Samantha Spük is your go-to wedding planner, be it for werewolf, vampire, or fae!
...even if that's the last thing she would’ve imagined. Samantha “Sabby” Spük has spent her life trying to escape her family’s legacy of supernatural chaos. She’s finally graduated and landed a nice, normal 9–5 at a New York accounting firm. But then she gets the Grandma Rose is gone, and Sabby has been named executor of her (ahem, magically binding) will.
Now Sabby is stuck in her dreaded hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, taking on odd jobs—some very odd, like wedding planning for not-so-human locals—until she can sell the family home. At least this means a date with Hanry, the mysterious hottie Sabby meets in the neighborhood graveyard. With help from Hanry, a talking-head sidekick, and a manic pixie assistant, Sabby might pull these weddings off in time to salvage her accounting career…but is she ready to say goodbye to her paranormal one?
Samantha Spük is your go-to wedding planner, be it for werewolf, vampire, or fae!
...even if that's the last thing she would’ve imagined. Samantha “Sabby” Spük has spent her life trying to escape her family’s legacy of supernatural chaos. She’s finally graduated and landed a nice, normal 9–5 at a New York accounting firm. But then she gets the Grandma Rose is gone, and Sabby has been named executor of her (ahem, magically binding) will.
Now Sabby is stuck in her dreaded hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, taking on odd jobs—some very odd, like wedding planning for not-so-human locals—until she can sell the family home. At least this means a date with Hanry, the mysterious hottie Sabby meets in the neighborhood graveyard. With help from Hanry, a talking-head sidekick, and a manic pixie assistant, Sabby might pull these weddings off in time to salvage her accounting career…but is she ready to say goodbye to her paranormal one?
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was incredibly excited to read this book and was enjoying it so much until 15% when the character decides to use ChatGPT to answer a question. I instantly put the book down. I'm incredibly disappointed that the author and the publisher for allowing this. As a writer/artist myself I wish more people understood the harms of generative ai. It's not cute or funny to use even in the fictional world. I would consider finishing the book if I knew for certain that the author didn't use generative ai herself to write the book and that part was taken out as it was completely unnecessary. I’m not accusing the author of using it herself to be clear. However it was still Instant DNF for me. Using generative ai and naming ChatGPT is an instant no for me. I won't be requesting or reading anymore books from Saga Press in the future. I'm incredibly disappointed as I was truly enjoying the book before this point. If I could give it zero stars I would. I got this ARC as a read now option on NetGalley.
June 2, 2026
I usually try to rate ARCs higher that have a low average rating like this one to give them a boost, but I just couldn't with this one. I know it will find its audience because it had some cute elements that people who like cozy fantasy will enjoy, and Sabby was a relatable character, but that audience was not me.
Enjoyment of this book all depends on whether you find Sabby's sense of humor charming or grating. Written humor is also always such a fine line between annoying and making one smile, and this was just so over the top with the lame dad jokes that I was rolling my eyes more than smiling. She did mellow out when she found her groove with her wedding planning business, but less is more with this rather juvenile humor and this book did not understand that.
I do think this book had some good pieces. I stuck it out because I loved the premise of Sabby thirsting after a normal, beige life as an accountant after her witchy grandma's friends traumatized her as a child. I loved the quirky head without a body, Bulan. And the wedding planning adventures seemed pretty authentic to me. I also liked that Sabby was a BTS stan. But I felt like I was bludgeoned over the head by a sledgehammer of one bad dad joke after another and I actually like dad jokes. It started to feel tedious after awhile even if I wanted to laugh sometimes.
I also found Sabby to be an annoying, shallow, self-absorbed character. The romance in this was boring. Both their names were kind of ridiculous; her love interest was named Hanry. They were both mispronounciations of more boring names that they ran with. But I couldn't help but thinking of Hanry as Hangry and wincing. Hanry was a bland love interest as well. They hardly got to know each other and Sabby spends most of the lukewarm romance mooning over how hot Hanry is, but I never get to know him. Even his twist at the end didn't increase his desirability.
I guess this book also needs a trigger warning for a name drop of ChatGPT. I personally do not mind modern references in a book even if I myself do not use ChatGPT and find it problematic. Like it or not, AI is a part of our modern world and ignoring it in a modern book won't make it go away. She uses it once and finds it unhelpful, and it's a joke that's part of the long running gag. So it didn't really bother me. Her accountancy firm also uses AI and her character is critical of it. So it's not like the character is a champion of AI, it's just a modern reference. But if that bothers you then I wouldn't read this book because it's dropped in the first 15% of the book, which is a poor decision by the author because that will cause a lot of people to DNF.
I guess I need to go watch some stand up comics I like now because this book made me feel like I don't have a sense of humor. But maybe it's just not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Enjoyment of this book all depends on whether you find Sabby's sense of humor charming or grating. Written humor is also always such a fine line between annoying and making one smile, and this was just so over the top with the lame dad jokes that I was rolling my eyes more than smiling. She did mellow out when she found her groove with her wedding planning business, but less is more with this rather juvenile humor and this book did not understand that.
I do think this book had some good pieces. I stuck it out because I loved the premise of Sabby thirsting after a normal, beige life as an accountant after her witchy grandma's friends traumatized her as a child. I loved the quirky head without a body, Bulan. And the wedding planning adventures seemed pretty authentic to me. I also liked that Sabby was a BTS stan. But I felt like I was bludgeoned over the head by a sledgehammer of one bad dad joke after another and I actually like dad jokes. It started to feel tedious after awhile even if I wanted to laugh sometimes.
I also found Sabby to be an annoying, shallow, self-absorbed character. The romance in this was boring. Both their names were kind of ridiculous; her love interest was named Hanry. They were both mispronounciations of more boring names that they ran with. But I couldn't help but thinking of Hanry as Hangry and wincing. Hanry was a bland love interest as well. They hardly got to know each other and Sabby spends most of the lukewarm romance mooning over how hot Hanry is, but I never get to know him. Even his twist at the end didn't increase his desirability.
I guess this book also needs a trigger warning for a name drop of ChatGPT. I personally do not mind modern references in a book even if I myself do not use ChatGPT and find it problematic. Like it or not, AI is a part of our modern world and ignoring it in a modern book won't make it go away. She uses it once and finds it unhelpful, and it's a joke that's part of the long running gag. So it didn't really bother me. Her accountancy firm also uses AI and her character is critical of it. So it's not like the character is a champion of AI, it's just a modern reference. But if that bothers you then I wouldn't read this book because it's dropped in the first 15% of the book, which is a poor decision by the author because that will cause a lot of people to DNF.
I guess I need to go watch some stand up comics I like now because this book made me feel like I don't have a sense of humor. But maybe it's just not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
The most important thing is that I was absolutely pissing myself laughing while reading this book!
There were a few downsides for me, like how much I rolled my eyes at Samantha’s thoughts about Henry. With all those constant thoughts about how sexy and hot he was, he just wasn’t that interesting to me. But I loved that, despite all that, the plot is mostly about wedding planning! I liked that the fmc’s realization of what she actually likes wasn’t sudden but felt gradual (in my opinion). She didn’t do it for a man, but only for herself.
I laughed so much at this book! I loved the atmosphere and the diversity of paranormal creatures. The only downside is that I still haven't quite figured out the world-building system. It’s urban fantasy set in a small town full of paranormal beings, but there are also modern ordinary cities and technology.
The book is pretty specific and won't be for everyone. I had zero expectations and was afraid it would be some "dumb romance," but it turned out much better than I expected!
!!!The book includes: BTS, TikTok, ChatGPT, and Pinterest.!!!
I know many people dislike it when books include modern references. For me, it’s also a bit of a weird feeling, but I got used to it and it didn't affect my reading experience at all. I enjoyed the author’s energetic writing style and would definitely read more from her. I love books with humor, and this one was no exception (though I make no promises about my sense of humor!).
I liked this book. The fmc wasn't perfect, but that’s fine—there were moments where I really related to her.
There’s a hint of a sequel at the end, and I’m so excited!!!
⭐️ 4.5/5
The most important thing is that I was absolutely pissing myself laughing while reading this book!
There were a few downsides for me, like how much I rolled my eyes at Samantha’s thoughts about Henry. With all those constant thoughts about how sexy and hot he was, he just wasn’t that interesting to me. But I loved that, despite all that, the plot is mostly about wedding planning! I liked that the fmc’s realization of what she actually likes wasn’t sudden but felt gradual (in my opinion). She didn’t do it for a man, but only for herself.
I laughed so much at this book! I loved the atmosphere and the diversity of paranormal creatures. The only downside is that I still haven't quite figured out the world-building system. It’s urban fantasy set in a small town full of paranormal beings, but there are also modern ordinary cities and technology.
The book is pretty specific and won't be for everyone. I had zero expectations and was afraid it would be some "dumb romance," but it turned out much better than I expected!
!!!The book includes: BTS, TikTok, ChatGPT, and Pinterest.!!!
I know many people dislike it when books include modern references. For me, it’s also a bit of a weird feeling, but I got used to it and it didn't affect my reading experience at all. I enjoyed the author’s energetic writing style and would definitely read more from her. I love books with humor, and this one was no exception (though I make no promises about my sense of humor!).
I liked this book. The fmc wasn't perfect, but that’s fine—there were moments where I really related to her.
There’s a hint of a sequel at the end, and I’m so excited!!!
⭐️ 4.5/5
June 16, 2026
I probably would have rated this higher if ai and chat gbt weren’t mentioned 10 times like no thank u
September 5, 2026
This is such a good read as we go into spooky (Spüky?) season! I both read my eARC copy as well as listened to the audio on Libby, and I think audio is the way to go on this one. It’s fun, not super serious, and would make for a fun miniseries. It seems that this one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, although I can’t find details on a sequel. Even if this were the end, I still think it would be satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A heavy on the humor cozy fantasy with romantic subplots. The type of humor leans towards the zany and/or silly with witty quips thrown in. The main character wants to be an accountant and falls into wedding planning instead. I enjoyed the book, but frequently found that the main character made decisions opposite what I would have done in the same situation, which was a little frustrating. I thought the disembodied head sidekick was a unique and nice touch to the book. I received this book as a digital ARC.
June 14, 2026
Cute and quippy. A great freshman book from the author, and I would definitely read the second that seems to be set up at the end. Male love itnerest could have had more oomph, but in the end, I like how is lack of oomph worked for the main character. That sounds weird, but more would be spoilers soooo ....
I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Libro.FM and Pop Fiction Bookstore, an independent and woman-owned bookstore in Omaha. Order books (e/audio/print) online from Pop Fiction or your local bookstore at Libro.Fm and Bookshop.org
I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Libro.FM and Pop Fiction Bookstore, an independent and woman-owned bookstore in Omaha. Order books (e/audio/print) online from Pop Fiction or your local bookstore at Libro.Fm and Bookshop.org
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026DNF @ 11% . The premise was intriguing and I was hoping I would love it! But the female main character came off as whiny and the constant complaining of her not liking anything supernatural was getting on my nerves. The male main character was ok I didn’t hate him. He was ok.
July 18, 2026
Everyone who gave it one star must have thought it was a. Romance which it is NOT. At least not yet. I think it's supposed to have a sequel from the way it ended
Anyway I am obsessed with this book, it made me laugh so hard. Wish more books were like this one!!!
Anyway I am obsessed with this book, it made me laugh so hard. Wish more books were like this one!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2026
Spice level: 🌶️
Good story! It was pretty interesting. Bulan stole the show for sure. The wedding planning was super fun. The cliffhanger was whoooo, like the next mystery to solve, which was cute.
On the flip side, I didn't enjoy Sabby at all. It never made sense why one bad experience or prank with her grandmother's cabal made her reject this whole side of her. Hanry was mysterious, but his whole build up was a bit of a let down because his wasn't some big reveal after all and he really didn't show any growth. Mandy had potential, but she fell flat too. If there is a sequel I may read it, but this wasn't my favorite.
Totally recommend if you're into cozy witchy vibes, grumpy FMC & cinnamoroll MMC, quirky side characters, reluctant heir, small town, found family, and monstrous clients and disaster waiting at every turn.
Note: Thank you to libro.fm for ALC.
Good story! It was pretty interesting. Bulan stole the show for sure. The wedding planning was super fun. The cliffhanger was whoooo, like the next mystery to solve, which was cute.
On the flip side, I didn't enjoy Sabby at all. It never made sense why one bad experience or prank with her grandmother's cabal made her reject this whole side of her. Hanry was mysterious, but his whole build up was a bit of a let down because his wasn't some big reveal after all and he really didn't show any growth. Mandy had potential, but she fell flat too. If there is a sequel I may read it, but this wasn't my favorite.
Totally recommend if you're into cozy witchy vibes, grumpy FMC & cinnamoroll MMC, quirky side characters, reluctant heir, small town, found family, and monstrous clients and disaster waiting at every turn.
Note: Thank you to libro.fm for ALC.
October 5, 2026
This was a dnf for me at 42%. I found the premise really exciting, but the plot and character development was lacking for me. At 40% I still found the fmc insufferable and knew absolutely nothing about the mmc.
July 17, 2026
3 stars
April 19, 2026
Mad after the normal life of an accountant in the city, she gets cursed to return to kooky supernatural Salem to fulfill her grandmother’s last will. Aleese Lin’s debut novel caught my fancy when I spotted the cover and title, the blurb was a bonus inducement. A blend of lighthearted spooky, mystery, romance, and a finding-herself tale.
Samantha Spuk has a unique heritage of growing up where the supernatural and paranormal is all real tucked in among the mundane human world. Some people want to leave their home town for the excitement and bright lights of the city? Sabby just wants to leave the excitement and glowing lights of the macabre for the ordinariness outside. She’s aiming for a solid, successful accountant job, a stolid human family, 2.5 kids, and the picket fence.
Then her grandmother’s will happens and she’s forced to wrap up her grandmother’s final wishes or else- curses! That is a real curse will happen. She’s none too pleased to be back in a place that is an always Halloween setting and people. The way the magic compels her, she finds herself performing macabre and- okay, yes, fun paranormal wedding planning for every spook kind and style of wedding there is. She’s making friends and working with a manic pixie assistant, a talking head without a body who is her help and advisor, and what is this, a new romance with a guy she met in the cemetery?
Sabby is telling everyone and herself this is short term and she’s headed back to the city and that life of the staid accountant just as soon as she can. She tries to keep her emotional walls up and her cynical side layered over her vulnerable heart. Never knew her dad, her mom was always off doing her thing and even now is vacationing in Mexico, and her grandmother’s life in this mystical, magical world was not for her, or so she told herself because she felt alone and never in sync all her life. Now, though, paranormal wedding planning not only is a good fit, but she now jives with the town and people who embrace her with open arms, fangs, etc. But when the it comes down to it, which life will she choose?
Samantha Spuk, Paranormal Wedding Planner was an obvious debut effort and I never got quite settled into it. I set it aside a few times and debated continuing. It did pick up as to the plot about half way making my struggles diminish. I didn’t connect with Sabby or her love interest, Hanry, and to be fair, I think there is meant to be more development coming later on for them. That’s the thing, this is a complete book, but it leaves some large threads loose for future books. The humor was good as were the wry thoughts and dialogue, but it pushed that bit too far into trying too hard, for me. And, while I liked that there are details about Sabby’s wedding planning work, again, it was that bit too much for me and I started skimming when it got into lots of details.
Now, that said, the worldbuilding and the haunted, always-Halloween town and people setting, loved it. The quirkiness of it all, again, that hit the spot. The situation of Sabby and her paranormal wedding adventures was also a blast. The mystery was a fun and foremost aspect. I was waiting on baited breath there at the end to see, after the shocking twist about Hanry and her heartbreak, what she would choose to do- her old dream or her fun new life that she was almost afraid to want.
All in all, though I was put off by some, there was even more that kept me reading and entertained me. I would like to see where the future goes for Sabby and her ghoulish group. So, I think either in certain moods or for a certain niche group of paranormal readers, this will really tickle their fancy.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 6.10.26.
Samantha Spuk has a unique heritage of growing up where the supernatural and paranormal is all real tucked in among the mundane human world. Some people want to leave their home town for the excitement and bright lights of the city? Sabby just wants to leave the excitement and glowing lights of the macabre for the ordinariness outside. She’s aiming for a solid, successful accountant job, a stolid human family, 2.5 kids, and the picket fence.
Then her grandmother’s will happens and she’s forced to wrap up her grandmother’s final wishes or else- curses! That is a real curse will happen. She’s none too pleased to be back in a place that is an always Halloween setting and people. The way the magic compels her, she finds herself performing macabre and- okay, yes, fun paranormal wedding planning for every spook kind and style of wedding there is. She’s making friends and working with a manic pixie assistant, a talking head without a body who is her help and advisor, and what is this, a new romance with a guy she met in the cemetery?
Sabby is telling everyone and herself this is short term and she’s headed back to the city and that life of the staid accountant just as soon as she can. She tries to keep her emotional walls up and her cynical side layered over her vulnerable heart. Never knew her dad, her mom was always off doing her thing and even now is vacationing in Mexico, and her grandmother’s life in this mystical, magical world was not for her, or so she told herself because she felt alone and never in sync all her life. Now, though, paranormal wedding planning not only is a good fit, but she now jives with the town and people who embrace her with open arms, fangs, etc. But when the it comes down to it, which life will she choose?
Samantha Spuk, Paranormal Wedding Planner was an obvious debut effort and I never got quite settled into it. I set it aside a few times and debated continuing. It did pick up as to the plot about half way making my struggles diminish. I didn’t connect with Sabby or her love interest, Hanry, and to be fair, I think there is meant to be more development coming later on for them. That’s the thing, this is a complete book, but it leaves some large threads loose for future books. The humor was good as were the wry thoughts and dialogue, but it pushed that bit too far into trying too hard, for me. And, while I liked that there are details about Sabby’s wedding planning work, again, it was that bit too much for me and I started skimming when it got into lots of details.
Now, that said, the worldbuilding and the haunted, always-Halloween town and people setting, loved it. The quirkiness of it all, again, that hit the spot. The situation of Sabby and her paranormal wedding adventures was also a blast. The mystery was a fun and foremost aspect. I was waiting on baited breath there at the end to see, after the shocking twist about Hanry and her heartbreak, what she would choose to do- her old dream or her fun new life that she was almost afraid to want.
All in all, though I was put off by some, there was even more that kept me reading and entertained me. I would like to see where the future goes for Sabby and her ghoulish group. So, I think either in certain moods or for a certain niche group of paranormal readers, this will really tickle their fancy.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 6.10.26.
Did Not Finish
June 21, 2026This is why I can't do Book Loans. I never have enough time to finish them 😭
July 13, 2026
I could be a little biased about this book because I'm obsessed with BTS, and Sabby, our main character, is also part of the fandom. GO ARMY! 💜 But trust me, that's far from the only reason to pick up this hilarious paranormal comedy.
Samantha Spuk, aka Sabby, comes from an uncanny family filled with everything paranormal, and all she wants is to avoid the supernatural and live a perfectly normal life. She's kept her distance from her witchy godmother and her eccentric, estranged mother because all she's ever wanted is a boring, everyday existence. That all changes when her grandmother passes away and names Sabby the executor of her estate in Salem, Massachusetts, where all things spooky seem to reside. She's stuck there until she fulfills the requirements of her granny's magically binding will.
I was laughing out loud the entire time (and definitely startled my husband more than once while on our beach trip). Sabby and her found family completely stole my heart, though I have to admit I loved Bulan, the chatty talking head, even more than Hanry!
Beyond the laughs, there's a fun mystery and a heartwarming journey about embracing who you truly are. I also really appreciated the development of Sabby's relationship with Hanry, a mysterious hottie she meets while attempting to bury poor Bulan (remember the talking head!). It had me finger-clapping for my girl. The ending also left me hopeful for more adventures because I'm not ready to say goodbye to this wonderfully weird family.
If you love quirky paranormal comedies this is a definite must read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Samantha Spuk, aka Sabby, comes from an uncanny family filled with everything paranormal, and all she wants is to avoid the supernatural and live a perfectly normal life. She's kept her distance from her witchy godmother and her eccentric, estranged mother because all she's ever wanted is a boring, everyday existence. That all changes when her grandmother passes away and names Sabby the executor of her estate in Salem, Massachusetts, where all things spooky seem to reside. She's stuck there until she fulfills the requirements of her granny's magically binding will.
I was laughing out loud the entire time (and definitely startled my husband more than once while on our beach trip). Sabby and her found family completely stole my heart, though I have to admit I loved Bulan, the chatty talking head, even more than Hanry!
Beyond the laughs, there's a fun mystery and a heartwarming journey about embracing who you truly are. I also really appreciated the development of Sabby's relationship with Hanry, a mysterious hottie she meets while attempting to bury poor Bulan (remember the talking head!). It had me finger-clapping for my girl. The ending also left me hopeful for more adventures because I'm not ready to say goodbye to this wonderfully weird family.
If you love quirky paranormal comedies this is a definite must read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 19, 2026
This debut paranormal romance novel has the perfect setting: Salem, Massachusetts. When a reluctant Sabby Spuk visits Salem to attend her grandmother's funeral, she gets much more than she craves.
Sabby wants the dull normalcy of becomming an accountant with a boring husband and 2.5 children.
But what does she get?
First, Sabby, as executor to her grandmother's estate, is tasked with cleaning out grandma's house. The last thing she expects to discover is a decapitated human head. And it is not just any head: this one talks.
Then, while in a futile attempt to bury the head in her grandmother's grave, she meets handsome stranger, Hanry.
Bulan, "the talking-head sidekick" is but one of the surprises her dear granny left her. Additionally, Hanry, who sees nothing amiss with Sabby carrying a human head around, becomes her suitor.
Read this hilarious story of how, from the grave, Grandma Rose forces Sabby-the-boring to embark on a new, exciting life.
With Hanry's unusual contacts (vampire, druids, pixies, etc) who are anxious to marry, Sabby soon becomes the go-to paranormal wedding planner.
This book just begs for a seque!!
Sabby wants the dull normalcy of becomming an accountant with a boring husband and 2.5 children.
But what does she get?
First, Sabby, as executor to her grandmother's estate, is tasked with cleaning out grandma's house. The last thing she expects to discover is a decapitated human head. And it is not just any head: this one talks.
Then, while in a futile attempt to bury the head in her grandmother's grave, she meets handsome stranger, Hanry.
Bulan, "the talking-head sidekick" is but one of the surprises her dear granny left her. Additionally, Hanry, who sees nothing amiss with Sabby carrying a human head around, becomes her suitor.
Read this hilarious story of how, from the grave, Grandma Rose forces Sabby-the-boring to embark on a new, exciting life.
With Hanry's unusual contacts (vampire, druids, pixies, etc) who are anxious to marry, Sabby soon becomes the go-to paranormal wedding planner.
This book just begs for a seque!!
September 9, 2026
Hilarious cozy romantasy about a newly minted CPA about to start her dream job in accounting in NYC when she inherits her grandmother’s house containing an occult apothecary shop in Salem, Massachusetts. Unfortunately she soon learns that there are magically binding clauses that requires her to stay in Salem until her grandmother’s somewhat nebulous last wishes are fulfilled. Broke, she takes on odd jobs, including taking on planning a wedding for a not-human couple.
There was plenty of plot twists, endearing and well written characters and lots of humor!
There was plenty of plot twists, endearing and well written characters and lots of humor!
July 4, 2026
3.5⭐️
This has been fun! For someone working in the wedding industry, seeing this paranormal quirky side of it was such a breath of fresh air
We don't need to take it so seriously, people! (Actually, yes we do and it's very stressful lol). I was actually jealous of Samantha's resourcefulness at times.
So the wedding stuff was my favorite. Loved the characters, the settings and all the details, they were so well portrayed and creative!
I also loved the paranormal side characters, the talking head, the pixie, even the vampire! They did bring dymension and humor to the storyline.
Now, why I didn't give this a higher rating, though I enjoyed it for the most part: the writing. While it was fun at the beginning, the metaphors and jokes and spunk, it got repetitive and tedious after a time. It didn't flow easily, I kept being pulled out from the story. It was quirky but it tried too hard with the humor, you know?
I was also not a fan of the romance (or whatever that was) and like others mentioned, Samantha's continuous hate for Salem and praise for her dream bland normal life. We get it, you prefer a safe life to paranormal chaos and mayhem, we would too, but if you already went down this path, roll with it maybe? Try not to be so negative all the time about it?
So, overall, I had mixed feelings. Reading about a paranormal wedding planner has been fun, and the little otherworldly quirkiness I needed. But some parts of the writing and story didn't quite fit...
*ARC provided by the publisher for my honest opinion, thank you
This has been fun! For someone working in the wedding industry, seeing this paranormal quirky side of it was such a breath of fresh air
We don't need to take it so seriously, people! (Actually, yes we do and it's very stressful lol). I was actually jealous of Samantha's resourcefulness at times.
So the wedding stuff was my favorite. Loved the characters, the settings and all the details, they were so well portrayed and creative!
I also loved the paranormal side characters, the talking head, the pixie, even the vampire! They did bring dymension and humor to the storyline.
Now, why I didn't give this a higher rating, though I enjoyed it for the most part: the writing. While it was fun at the beginning, the metaphors and jokes and spunk, it got repetitive and tedious after a time. It didn't flow easily, I kept being pulled out from the story. It was quirky but it tried too hard with the humor, you know?
I was also not a fan of the romance (or whatever that was) and like others mentioned, Samantha's continuous hate for Salem and praise for her dream bland normal life. We get it, you prefer a safe life to paranormal chaos and mayhem, we would too, but if you already went down this path, roll with it maybe? Try not to be so negative all the time about it?
So, overall, I had mixed feelings. Reading about a paranormal wedding planner has been fun, and the little otherworldly quirkiness I needed. But some parts of the writing and story didn't quite fit...
*ARC provided by the publisher for my honest opinion, thank you
July 10, 2026
Thank you so much to Saga Press for the complimentary eARC of this!
Thank you so much to Simon Audio for the complimentary ALC!
This book is out now!
I was drawn to this book from the stunning cover! It just gives off the Halloween or Summerween feeling. This book was so much fun and just so campy! Weird things were happening and not really explained but Samantha (Sabby) kind of just went with it. I absolutely loved the severed headpet Bulan! He was such a great side character and added that humor. I was not sure what Hanry kind of was helpful to her to make sense of things. He was technically the love interest but the chemistry wasn't fully there for me. I like that they got along and that he was around but it felt force. I was more interested in everything else that was happening to Sabby while she was stuck in Salem.
Jaime Lamchick did the narration for this and I forgot how much I enjoyed her narration! I felt like her tone really matched the zaniness of the story and of Sabby. She made listening enjoyable!
This was the author's debut and I would read another book from her! Sometimes it is nice to not have something so serious.
If you are looking for a different kind of book - unsure how to categorize this - maybe a fun women's fiction with some romance, fun characters set in a Salem with paranormal elements.
Thank you so much to Simon Audio for the complimentary ALC!
This book is out now!
I was drawn to this book from the stunning cover! It just gives off the Halloween or Summerween feeling. This book was so much fun and just so campy! Weird things were happening and not really explained but Samantha (Sabby) kind of just went with it. I absolutely loved the severed headpet Bulan! He was such a great side character and added that humor. I was not sure what Hanry kind of was helpful to her to make sense of things. He was technically the love interest but the chemistry wasn't fully there for me. I like that they got along and that he was around but it felt force. I was more interested in everything else that was happening to Sabby while she was stuck in Salem.
Jaime Lamchick did the narration for this and I forgot how much I enjoyed her narration! I felt like her tone really matched the zaniness of the story and of Sabby. She made listening enjoyable!
This was the author's debut and I would read another book from her! Sometimes it is nice to not have something so serious.
If you are looking for a different kind of book - unsure how to categorize this - maybe a fun women's fiction with some romance, fun characters set in a Salem with paranormal elements.
June 23, 2026
This was such a refreshing reprieve from the formulaic, color-by-numbers, “not like other girls” romantasy books that have been churned out over the last few years. Genuinely original, funny, and likable with characters I enjoyed and a setting that felt both cozy and interesting. Halfway through, I was already hoping there might be a sequel because I got so attached to the characters (mostly Sabby and Bulan, but Mandy is such a lovable sweetie!). I know nothing about wedding planning and don’t care about it, but I was still fascinated and fully invested! One hell of a debut novel, and the humor is right up my alley. I also love that it strays from the typical “I can fix him” bullshit and that the FMC recognizes her love interest is a bit of a coward with his own issues to resolve before he’s ready to be in a relationship with anyone, let alone her. Can’t state enough how much I love Sabby for wanting so badly to be very plain and normal rather than yearning for some kind of special “chosen one” life.
This book is just wonderful and such a fun read. I devoured it in barely 48 hours. I cannot wait for a sequel!!
This book is just wonderful and such a fun read. I devoured it in barely 48 hours. I cannot wait for a sequel!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2026
I normally don’t write reviews on books, I just rate them and move on. I started this book thinking it would be a fun read, and while it was joke filled and had me laughing, the female main character made the book unbearable. She was constantly complaining. Not a single time in the 311 pages did she find anything enjoyable. Even when things finally went her way, she complained. I gave this book 3 stars, not five, because of this character. The story was good, fun, and light. The chaos at the end was amazing and had me turning pages, fast. The author even left an opening for a second book. If there would’ve been more development on the fmc, this book could have easily been 4-5 stars and I would be more excited for a sequel.
Also, they mention AI a few times and don’t clarify a stance or direct feelings about it. 👎
Also, they mention AI a few times and don’t clarify a stance or direct feelings about it. 👎
June 1, 2026
*this teetered on the edge of a 2 star read at moments, but other parts redeemed it so I’m going to round up to a 3 for Goodreads ratings*
This was a cozy, quirky, paranormal rom-com styled story with some very hit-or-miss moments. For the most part I liked the non-seriousness of it (even if at times it felt a little too ridiculous and stereotypical), but if you’re not a fan of the genre then this might not land well with you.
Sabby (FMC) has tried her best to avoid all things paranormal and non-human her entire life, despite spending a lot of her childhood with a very eccentric grandma while her mom was awol. As she got older she tried to be as ‘normal’ as she could, which meant perusing an accountant career and separating herself from her Grandma. However, when her grandma passes away and leaves her business in Salem, MA. to Sabby, her normal life gets turned upside down and she’s thrust into interacting with the paranormal side of society as a wedding planner.
The love interest and Sabby felt a bit insta-lovey, but for a book just over 300 pages I kind of expected that, so it didn’t necessary bother me. I am a little surprised by how some parts played out though, and wish a different outcome occurred. I did really enjoy watching Sabby’s growth and adaptation to the things thrown at her, and finding who she IS.
I think my biggest qualm was the language used in dialogue exchanges. It just felt too….much? Idk how to explain it, but seeing the phrase ‘bet’ used for a confirmation of something made my skin itch (and that alone made me unable to rate this higher) 🙈😅
Thank you to Saga Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💫
This was a cozy, quirky, paranormal rom-com styled story with some very hit-or-miss moments. For the most part I liked the non-seriousness of it (even if at times it felt a little too ridiculous and stereotypical), but if you’re not a fan of the genre then this might not land well with you.
Sabby (FMC) has tried her best to avoid all things paranormal and non-human her entire life, despite spending a lot of her childhood with a very eccentric grandma while her mom was awol. As she got older she tried to be as ‘normal’ as she could, which meant perusing an accountant career and separating herself from her Grandma. However, when her grandma passes away and leaves her business in Salem, MA. to Sabby, her normal life gets turned upside down and she’s thrust into interacting with the paranormal side of society as a wedding planner.
The love interest and Sabby felt a bit insta-lovey, but for a book just over 300 pages I kind of expected that, so it didn’t necessary bother me. I am a little surprised by how some parts played out though, and wish a different outcome occurred. I did really enjoy watching Sabby’s growth and adaptation to the things thrown at her, and finding who she IS.
I think my biggest qualm was the language used in dialogue exchanges. It just felt too….much? Idk how to explain it, but seeing the phrase ‘bet’ used for a confirmation of something made my skin itch (and that alone made me unable to rate this higher) 🙈😅
Thank you to Saga Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💫
June 24, 2026
Thank you @simon.audio and @aleeselin for allowing me access to this spunky audiobook narrated by @jaimebee
This was just plain fun with whimsy vibes. This book gives cozy fantasy meets womens fiction. Fresh & unique storytelling!!!
The Paranormal Wedding Planner
Samantha Spük is your go-to wedding planner, be it for werewolf, vampire, or fae!
...even if that’s the last thing she would’ve imagined. Samantha “Sabby” Spük has spent her life trying to escape her family’s legacy of supernatural chaos. She’s finally graduated and landed a nice, normal 9–5 at a New York accounting firm. But then she gets the call: Grandma Rose is gone, and Sabby has been named executor of her (ahem, magically binding) will.
This was just plain fun with whimsy vibes. This book gives cozy fantasy meets womens fiction. Fresh & unique storytelling!!!
The Paranormal Wedding Planner
Samantha Spük is your go-to wedding planner, be it for werewolf, vampire, or fae!
...even if that’s the last thing she would’ve imagined. Samantha “Sabby” Spük has spent her life trying to escape her family’s legacy of supernatural chaos. She’s finally graduated and landed a nice, normal 9–5 at a New York accounting firm. But then she gets the call: Grandma Rose is gone, and Sabby has been named executor of her (ahem, magically binding) will.
June 3, 2026
Samantha Spük: Paranormal Wedding Planner is a cozy tale of reluctant homecomings with a massive side of snark.
Samantha "Sabby" Spük is an aspiring accountant hoping to escape her family's witchy past, but finds herself tethered to the town of Salem, Massachusetts, when she returns to settle her grandmother's estate. While Sabby is a rather self-absorbed protagonist, her brand of humor was delightful, and I found she grew on me as the tale unfolded. I frequently giggled at her quips and enjoyed her interactions with her assistant, the rolling head Bulan. If you enjoy Gen Z humor, mysterious love interests, and a plethora of supernatural characters, pick this one up for your next breezy weekend read.
Samantha "Sabby" Spük is an aspiring accountant hoping to escape her family's witchy past, but finds herself tethered to the town of Salem, Massachusetts, when she returns to settle her grandmother's estate. While Sabby is a rather self-absorbed protagonist, her brand of humor was delightful, and I found she grew on me as the tale unfolded. I frequently giggled at her quips and enjoyed her interactions with her assistant, the rolling head Bulan. If you enjoy Gen Z humor, mysterious love interests, and a plethora of supernatural characters, pick this one up for your next breezy weekend read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thought the story was entertaining and built around a really cute, creative concept that made it an enjoyable read. The characters were engaging, and there were several moments that felt fun and charming, which kept me interested in seeing how everything would unfold. At times, I did notice a few plot holes and some pacing issues. A few certain parts felt a bit rushed while others could have used a little more development to fully connect the story.
That said, for a debut author, this is a very promising start. The writing shows a lot of potential, and the overall idea behind the story is compelling. I’m especially interested to see how the author expands the world, deepens the characters, and builds on the storyline in the next book.
That said, for a debut author, this is a very promising start. The writing shows a lot of potential, and the overall idea behind the story is compelling. I’m especially interested to see how the author expands the world, deepens the characters, and builds on the storyline in the next book.
June 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Aleese Lin for the ARC.
Unfortunately, this was just not it for me. The FMC annoyed me!! She was whiny and negative and it drove me nuts. The MMC, meh, he was fine I guess. I just felt very bored... I think this has a lot of potential, but just wasn't doing it for me. I was going to push myself to finish and hope it got better in the second half but life is just too short to read books you don't want to read.
Unfortunately, this was just not it for me. The FMC annoyed me!! She was whiny and negative and it drove me nuts. The MMC, meh, he was fine I guess. I just felt very bored... I think this has a lot of potential, but just wasn't doing it for me. I was going to push myself to finish and hope it got better in the second half but life is just too short to read books you don't want to read.
February 23, 2026
The premise of this book was cute but the writing just wasn’t it. The author throws in random lines that don’t add up to what’s happening on the page and her supposed jokes don’t make sense. It felt like she submitted a semi-rough draft as the final copy without removing the changed lines I don’t even know how to describe it. Loved Bulan and his crow posse though so I guess that’s a win 😅
October 19, 2026
I wanted to love this book so much. The moment spooky season rolled around, I saw this floating around BookTok and Goodreads, saw that gorgeous cover, and practically slammed "Add to Cart" A reluctant, plain-Jane accountant named Sabby Spük forced back to Salem because her eccentric dead grandma hexed her with a magically binding will to perform weddings for paranormal beings? Count me in.
And honestly? The first 25% of this book was an absolute blast. I posted about it immediately and told people to buy it.
The opening quarter is pure, unadulterated camp in the best way possible. It was giving major Beetlejuice energy, layered with a huge Handbook for the Recently Deceased vibe. Mix in a little The Addams Family and Hotel Transylvania, and you have the exact brand of quirky, snappy, dark-comedy autumn read I was craving. Sabby’s entire goal in life being to become a boring white-collar "normie" while her late Grandma Rose's witchy cabal and a house full of pink flamingos pull her into supernatural chaos is hilarious. And Bulan (a severed, snarky, talking head with a pristine red beard) completely stole every scene he was in. The concept of balancing vampire grooms, fae brides, and Salem estate drama had so much momentum.
…And then the shift happened.
My main issue with this book is that it completely forgets what made the first quarter so fun. What started as a quirky, monster-filled, cozy-supernatural story suddenly pivots hard into a full-blown love story between Sabby and Hanry. Look, I don't mind a cute romantic subplot, but when the core premise (the actual wedding planning, the creature-feature antics, and Bulan's snark) gets shoved into the backseat to make room for a generic romance, the story completely loses its spark.
Once that shift occurs, the pacing hits a brick wall. The book felt insanely too long...like easily 200 pages too long. I went from flying through chapters with a massive smile on my face to constantly checking my Kindle percentage and dreading picking it back up.
It’s such a bummer because the foundation was there. If the story had stayed locked in on the quirky Salem lore, the chaotic wedding disasters, and the found-family element, this would have been a top-tier October recommendation. Instead, struggling through the second half just felt like homework.
Pick it up for the first quarter if you want top-tier Beetlejuice vibes and a hilarious disembodied sidekick, but prepare for the cozy spooky energy to drown in an overstretched romance plot.
And honestly? The first 25% of this book was an absolute blast. I posted about it immediately and told people to buy it.
The opening quarter is pure, unadulterated camp in the best way possible. It was giving major Beetlejuice energy, layered with a huge Handbook for the Recently Deceased vibe. Mix in a little The Addams Family and Hotel Transylvania, and you have the exact brand of quirky, snappy, dark-comedy autumn read I was craving. Sabby’s entire goal in life being to become a boring white-collar "normie" while her late Grandma Rose's witchy cabal and a house full of pink flamingos pull her into supernatural chaos is hilarious. And Bulan (a severed, snarky, talking head with a pristine red beard) completely stole every scene he was in. The concept of balancing vampire grooms, fae brides, and Salem estate drama had so much momentum.
…And then the shift happened.
My main issue with this book is that it completely forgets what made the first quarter so fun. What started as a quirky, monster-filled, cozy-supernatural story suddenly pivots hard into a full-blown love story between Sabby and Hanry. Look, I don't mind a cute romantic subplot, but when the core premise (the actual wedding planning, the creature-feature antics, and Bulan's snark) gets shoved into the backseat to make room for a generic romance, the story completely loses its spark.
Once that shift occurs, the pacing hits a brick wall. The book felt insanely too long...like easily 200 pages too long. I went from flying through chapters with a massive smile on my face to constantly checking my Kindle percentage and dreading picking it back up.
It’s such a bummer because the foundation was there. If the story had stayed locked in on the quirky Salem lore, the chaotic wedding disasters, and the found-family element, this would have been a top-tier October recommendation. Instead, struggling through the second half just felt like homework.
Pick it up for the first quarter if you want top-tier Beetlejuice vibes and a hilarious disembodied sidekick, but prepare for the cozy spooky energy to drown in an overstretched romance plot.
June 9, 2026
This book is quirky and fun and has all the cozy vibes. I enjoyed the pop culture references and the satire and there are also very amusing side characters too.
I do think this is important - This not a romance book. Yes there is romance in it, but it’s not a romance, so set your expectations. I am being vague to avoid spoilers… now that doesn’t mean I didn’t like where the book ends, because I think Sabby gets to a good place…and THEN she gets a phone call 👀
✨What To Expect:
👻Paranormal World
💜Cozy Fantasy Vibes
🪓A Mysterious, Sexy Lumberjack…
🍭Who Is A Total Cinnamon Roll
💍High Stakes Weddings - Literally
💕Found Family
🔮Magic
🎃Salem at Halloween
🔥Absolute Chaos
💋She Inherits An Apothecary
😈Literal Talking Head
I do think this is important - This not a romance book. Yes there is romance in it, but it’s not a romance, so set your expectations. I am being vague to avoid spoilers… now that doesn’t mean I didn’t like where the book ends, because I think Sabby gets to a good place…and THEN she gets a phone call 👀
✨What To Expect:
👻Paranormal World
💜Cozy Fantasy Vibes
🪓A Mysterious, Sexy Lumberjack…
🍭Who Is A Total Cinnamon Roll
💍High Stakes Weddings - Literally
💕Found Family
🔮Magic
🎃Salem at Halloween
🔥Absolute Chaos
💋She Inherits An Apothecary
😈Literal Talking Head
July 12, 2026
While the whimsical premise got me to buy this novel, the repetitive wedding planning in the first two-thirds was actually a turn-off. I expect more from a debut novel: this one felt "dashed off" in many places. I also don't like first-person, present-tense narration that much, so I guess this really wasn't the book for me. The story got interesting around p215, which is why I bothered to finish it. Some spots were cute, and I liked the crows, which is why I gave it 2* instead of 1*. Spoiler: Technically this is NOT a romance novel, so I blame the publisher for false marketing. Not recommended.
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