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Ghosts That We Knew
Not yet published
Expected 3 Aug 26While still running from the ghosts of his past, a trans man reluctantly returns to his hometown and runs straight into the arms of a ghost who is about to change his future.
Hayes Hastings never expected to go back to Broomstick Bluff. Yet with a faltering family business and parents unwilling to step up, he returns to help his beloved grandmother with the ghost tour company that put his family on the map.
He’s determined to hate the small town suspended in an eternal autumn just as much as he’s dead set to leave on the first day of winter with as little contact with the town’s residents as possible.
But before he can even start his first day of work, his carefully planned world is knocked off its axis in the form of a beautiful employee dressed as a witch with wildfire hair, a familiar cinnamon scent he can’t place, and a carefree attitude unlike anything he could ever dream of possessing
What starts as the pair being pushed together as co-workers quickly escalates to spooky late nights and steamy afternoon apple orchard make-out sessions. Yet as they grow closer, both letting down unsuspecting walls, one secret stands to tear them apart forever.
And it just might be big enough to send Hayes Hastings packing for good.
Hayes Hastings never expected to go back to Broomstick Bluff. Yet with a faltering family business and parents unwilling to step up, he returns to help his beloved grandmother with the ghost tour company that put his family on the map.
He’s determined to hate the small town suspended in an eternal autumn just as much as he’s dead set to leave on the first day of winter with as little contact with the town’s residents as possible.
But before he can even start his first day of work, his carefully planned world is knocked off its axis in the form of a beautiful employee dressed as a witch with wildfire hair, a familiar cinnamon scent he can’t place, and a carefree attitude unlike anything he could ever dream of possessing
What starts as the pair being pushed together as co-workers quickly escalates to spooky late nights and steamy afternoon apple orchard make-out sessions. Yet as they grow closer, both letting down unsuspecting walls, one secret stands to tear them apart forever.
And it just might be big enough to send Hayes Hastings packing for good.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 3, 2026
About the author
Amity Malcom
14 books205 followersAmity Malcom writes books about people, sex, and people having sex. Her books are full of humor and heat that she only wishes she possessed in real life the way her characters do on page.
When she isn’t procrastinating on her next manuscript by devouring romance books at an unhealthy pace, you can find her exploring Washington DC alongside her wife, planning extravagant vacations she’ll never be able to afford, and trying with haste to pet every animal on the planet.
Only four awards away from winning an EGOT, Amity is proud to be a champion of underrepresented relationships and loves to celebrate queer joy in all its various forms.
When she isn’t procrastinating on her next manuscript by devouring romance books at an unhealthy pace, you can find her exploring Washington DC alongside her wife, planning extravagant vacations she’ll never be able to afford, and trying with haste to pet every animal on the planet.
Only four awards away from winning an EGOT, Amity is proud to be a champion of underrepresented relationships and loves to celebrate queer joy in all its various forms.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 12, 2026
1.5 stars rounded up
I'm gonna start by saying someone will like this book. It's a millennial cringe nothing burger but I know that hits for a lot of people and I so dearly hope they find this. Also the cover is gorgeous.
Now for all my problems with it
First, the writing is just bad. Like writing-your-first-fanfic-in-middle-school bad. There's absolutely no showing, just telling. There's no discernable theme from the text. Most of our main couple's relationship development happens off screen and we're just told about it. The fall and Halloween theming is so heavy handed I want to say it distracts from the plot but there's nearly no plot to distract from. Like just from a technical perspective it's a poorly written book
Then the characters just feel weird. Speaking as an autistic trans guy, the way Hayes talks about his life just feels weird. Like he's the idea of a person instead of an actual character. Sage felt a bit more realistic but the millennial therapy speak coming off of her did flatten that a good bit
This next part is a minor pet peeve, but the magic system just doesn't make sense and it REALLY feels like the author doesn't know how ghosts work. Like it seems like ghosts in this world are just humans who keep reincarnating since sage keeps telling us about the multiple times she's died, and her only real "ghostly" attributes are 1) sometimes turning invisible and 2) not being able to taste or smell.Why would we do it like that. That's like a vampire that doesn't suck blood but can run real fast. Kinda missing the whole point of the monster
And then the sex. There's a content warning at the beginning for femdom, and we see sage repeatedly discussing kinky thinks she wants to do with Hayes to Hayes, and then the only onscreen sex is completely normal vanilla sex. Why make me watch her tell this guy she's going to edge him until he's begging and then just have some fingering and one orgasm and that's it . Even in the epilogue we're not doing much. Come on.
I did like the way the author describes sage's body. She's fat and hot and they do not let you forget the fat part. I appreciate that at least .
(I received a free copy for review)
I'm gonna start by saying someone will like this book. It's a millennial cringe nothing burger but I know that hits for a lot of people and I so dearly hope they find this. Also the cover is gorgeous.
Now for all my problems with it
First, the writing is just bad. Like writing-your-first-fanfic-in-middle-school bad. There's absolutely no showing, just telling. There's no discernable theme from the text. Most of our main couple's relationship development happens off screen and we're just told about it. The fall and Halloween theming is so heavy handed I want to say it distracts from the plot but there's nearly no plot to distract from. Like just from a technical perspective it's a poorly written book
Then the characters just feel weird. Speaking as an autistic trans guy, the way Hayes talks about his life just feels weird. Like he's the idea of a person instead of an actual character. Sage felt a bit more realistic but the millennial therapy speak coming off of her did flatten that a good bit
This next part is a minor pet peeve, but the magic system just doesn't make sense and it REALLY feels like the author doesn't know how ghosts work. Like it seems like ghosts in this world are just humans who keep reincarnating since sage keeps telling us about the multiple times she's died, and her only real "ghostly" attributes are 1) sometimes turning invisible and 2) not being able to taste or smell.Why would we do it like that. That's like a vampire that doesn't suck blood but can run real fast. Kinda missing the whole point of the monster
And then the sex. There's a content warning at the beginning for femdom, and we see sage repeatedly discussing kinky thinks she wants to do with Hayes to Hayes, and then the only onscreen sex is completely normal vanilla sex. Why make me watch her tell this guy she's going to edge him until he's begging and then just have some fingering and one orgasm and that's it . Even in the epilogue we're not doing much. Come on.
I did like the way the author describes sage's body. She's fat and hot and they do not let you forget the fat part. I appreciate that at least .
(I received a free copy for review)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I first found out about this book, I was super excited to read it because a cozy yet spicy paranormal romance with queer leads is basically a perfect premise. However, it wasn’t as good as I was hoping. I feel like the romance between the two leads was a little rushed. Instead of spending time with characters while they got to know each other, the author was like “they went on dates” so I feel like we as readers were left to fill in a lot of blanks. I also feel like there was no real conflict in this book. Hayes was originally reluctant to be back in his hometown but he got over that extremely quickly, and his and Sage‘s relationship’s only roadbump was when he found out she was a ghost, and he got over that quickly as well. I loved that this book had great spice and a dominant female main character because that isn’t common in romance novels. I also loved the trans representation in Hayes. It is clear that Amily Malcom put a lot of care into writing his character. This book is full of queer joy and we need more of that in the world right now.
Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but there wasn’t anything about it that was super great either. I think the concept is super interesting and I just wish the story had been better to go along with it.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book.
Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but there wasn’t anything about it that was super great either. I think the concept is super interesting and I just wish the story had been better to go along with it.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book.
June 15, 2026
3.5 rated up
Initial thoughts, full review to come
- girl waited so long for that reveal, it left me nervous
- I really should read book descriptions, because this cover def had me hyped for a historical
- Halloweencore in a very cute way
- fun cast of supporting characters
- the way ghosts work in this universe are confusing, and I wish I understood it better
- so many puns
- loved the spicy scenes and talks about boundaries, but I hate it when folks bring up the “stoplight method” and then it’s never used
- Hazel’s POV chapter felt weird and out of place
- would love more in this universe, so excited to see that
- Hayes being like “sure she’s a ghost working to be human, but I’m trans and had to work to be who I am too” was a surprising take that I enjoyed
- I want fall
- a fat QUEEN
Initial thoughts, full review to come
- girl waited so long for that reveal, it left me nervous
- I really should read book descriptions, because this cover def had me hyped for a historical
- Halloweencore in a very cute way
- fun cast of supporting characters
- the way ghosts work in this universe are confusing, and I wish I understood it better
- so many puns
- loved the spicy scenes and talks about boundaries, but I hate it when folks bring up the “stoplight method” and then it’s never used
- Hazel’s POV chapter felt weird and out of place
- would love more in this universe, so excited to see that
- Hayes being like “sure she’s a ghost working to be human, but I’m trans and had to work to be who I am too” was a surprising take that I enjoyed
- I want fall
- a fat QUEEN
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A cute small town, paranormal romance, great for those who like Halloween and witchy vibes.
I loved the way the characters were described, in a very positive and factual way, without any negative emphasis on appearance. Sage's confidence was refreshing, and I enjoyed the way she took charge in the relationship. It was different to the usual dynamic in most romance books.
It was a little surface level though, with lots of pretty speeches about feelings, without much evidence to back it all up. Personally, I like a slightly more "show don't tell" approach when it comes to relationship development in romance.
The ghost thing also wasn't explained enough for my liking, especially considering that Sage wasn't the typical type of ghost you'd expect.
The happy ending was lovely though, and perfectly concluded Hayes and Sage's story.
I loved the way the characters were described, in a very positive and factual way, without any negative emphasis on appearance. Sage's confidence was refreshing, and I enjoyed the way she took charge in the relationship. It was different to the usual dynamic in most romance books.
It was a little surface level though, with lots of pretty speeches about feelings, without much evidence to back it all up. Personally, I like a slightly more "show don't tell" approach when it comes to relationship development in romance.
The ghost thing also wasn't explained enough for my liking, especially considering that Sage wasn't the typical type of ghost you'd expect.
The happy ending was lovely though, and perfectly concluded Hayes and Sage's story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I found the concept of this book really interesting, which was why I requested the ARC in the first place. I liked the world building the author did here, especially their take on ghosts. It was very originally and fun to learn about as I read the book. Sage is character in particular was really delightful, she was funny and whimisical and her point of view was my favorite. I liked Hayes and Sage's relationship but sometimes the writing between the characters felt a little stilted/awkward. Overall though, I did enjoy Ghosts That We Knew. It was a perfect cozy, small town romance to read when you needa relaxing afternoon.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this as an arc. I’ve read everything Amity has ever written and this story is my new favorite. The story is lovely and touching about finding love and feeling comfortable with yourself, whether you’re a ghost or a human. It’s funny, cute, has a little bit of spice, and a nice warm and cozy feel. Definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love the troupe and initial idea, but I feel like it's missing something. My personal taste would be slower pace on the romance because they're getting to the spice very early one. I love Hayes and Sage characters and would love to see more buildup before that. Overall, cozy small town romance with a sprinkle of paranormal.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is great if you’re in the mood for something emotional, cozy and very sweet. Ghosts That We Knew was well paced and character driven. The characters were well written, lovable and diverse.
I gratefully received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book so much that I pre-ordered it at about halfway.
I gratefully received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book so much that I pre-ordered it at about halfway.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews