Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

With a title like this you would think this would be a Halloween story, but no this Rom-Com is a perfect beach read for the summer. Boneyard Key is a small costal town that Cassie moves to after realizing her life in Orlando was not going where she wanted it. Cassie finds out what she thought was a small gimmick about the town being home to ghosts and being haunted, is actually the real deal and her house is haunted. Nick has been in Boneyard Key all his life and is so used to dealing with ghosts that it does not seem odd to him, but he realizes that Cassie needs some help getting used to it. Of course, these two fall in love, but the hiccup that puts a pause in their relationship is a ghost, and a mean one at that. Nick comes to Cassie’s help without a second thought to what might happen to him. After such a good book, it is hoped that this will become a series and there will be more stories about Boneyard Key. 

 

Character List/Book Summary:

Cassie Rutherford – just moved to Boneyard Key, Florida and thinks it might have been a mistake. Has to go to Nick’s cafe because her laptop wont charge at her house. Buys special word magnets to help get Sarah’s input into how the house should be decorated. Starts spending time with Nick and likes him. Realizes Nick’s eyes weren’t blue when they argued and thinks that means something. Asks Nick to ask Elmer for information about Sarah Hawkins, realizes that the Starter House deteriorating impacts the Hawkins House too. 

Nick Royer – own Halloween Grounds Boneyard Key Coffee Shop. Tells Cassie she has the Hawkins House and the history of the town, including a few special spots that no one really knows what “ghost” is there but something special is in that spot. Has lived in Boneyard Key his entire life, did not do the tax accountant thing like the rest of his family, and is not involved in the family business. Elmer used to own the Coffee Shop and texts Nick what he thinks of what is going on.

Buster Bradshaw – Nick suggests to Cassie that he can help Cassie with the outlets that do not work. Tells Cassie it is not the wires that are causing the problem, and it is the house or the ghosts in the house causing the problem. Is able to work with Cassie and Sarah through a spoon and magnets to help figure out how to fix up the house.

Elmer – his phone number never stays saved in Nick’s phone. Likes Nick the best of all the Coffee Shop owners in the decades since he died. Tells Cassie that Mrs. Hawkins seemed sad and like she was trying to protect people instead of being mean. 

Libby Simpson – Boneyard native from a long line of Boneyard natives, like Nick is a descendent of one of the Founding Fifteen. Ghost hunter and eager to help Cassie with the experiences she is having with Hawkins. 

Nan – Libby’s grandmother, coffee purist, ability to talk to ghosts in spades. Eager to get into the Hawkins House and agrees to help Cassie and Libby when they realize what is really going on in the house with the ghosts. Finds C.S. Hawkins and realizes he needs to be exorcised but Nick has to be there since C.S. has tried to take over Nick before. 

Sarah Hawkins – died before Nick was born and her house sat empty until an out of state contractor flipped it. Was a recluse after her husband died. Uses magnetic poetry on the fridge to communicate to Cassie. Tells Cassie her man is bad, and that she was orphaned and sent to her uncle who built this house for Sarah and married her to C.S. Hawkins. Her husband was mean to her when she could not have children. 

Sophie – does ghost tours, Cassie heard her giving a tour outside her house on one of her first nights in the house. Invites Cassie on the tour so she can learn about the ghosts in town. 

Ramon – works in the kitchen for Nick has a crush on Libby, and encourages Nick to have a relationship with Cassie. 

C.S. Hawkins – bought the house Cassie owns and lived there until he died in 1911, haunted the house and bullied his wife in life and the afterlife. 

Theo – owns and runs the bookshop, working on a project to accurately track ghosts and their stories. 

 

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