Are any of these books actually Halloween romances? No. But they do contain a ghost, a witch, and a not-quite-ghost. That’s close enough for candy corn in this case.
My recommendations, my rules.
A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie–Gemma Daniels has the ability to see ghosts and she likes to help them settle their unfinished business. Which is good because the stranger she kissed on a bet was actually a ghost and her kiss turned him solid. Now Levi has a second chance at life if he helps Gemma reunite with her long-lost sister. Meanwhile, Levi has some sibling issues of his own that Gemma wants to help him work out. And there’s the whole being super attracted to each other business, which is kind of a problem given the whole ghost thing.
I admit that I suffered from a lot of secondhand embarrassment while reading this book. Gemma is not at all logical when it comes to her plans to introduce herself to her long-lost sister, who happens to be an author. There’s a lot of family drama involving adoption, responsibility, and people pleasing. I was hooked on the ride of Gemma and Levi’s romance, trying to figure out how it was going to work out. Because it’s a romance. There has to be a happy ending. Spoiler alert: there is. There’s also some pretty steamy scenes. Who knew ghost sex could be so satisfying?
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna–Mika Moon is one of few witches in Britain. As a rule, witches aren’t supposed to mingle or be open about their witchy-ness, but Mika likes to post videos of herself pretending to be a witch because she’s sure no one will take her seriously. Until one day, someone does. She’s summoned to Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their powers. Breaking the no mingling rule, Mika takes up the task, which moves her into Nowhere House and into the not-so-good-graces of Jamie, the Nowhere House Librarian who is very protective of the girls, which is something they have in common.
This is such a sweet romance. Mika and Jamie are inevitable, but it’s lovely watching them fall for each other, challenging their own hang-ups in the process. The three witches Mika is charged with teaching are feisty and adorable. And the girls’ guardian makes me think of Ian McKellan. There’s a bit of a mystery and an outside threat because we need to have some stakes, but it all ties in beautifully. It’s an enjoyable read.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston–August is living her cynical life in New York City, living with weird roommates and working at a 24 hour pancake diner when she has a chance encounter with a gorgeous woman on the subway. Jane isn’t like other girls. Literally. She’s displaced in time and stuck on the subway train. August is determined to help Jane get back to her time, but the more time she and Jane spend with each other, the harder it will be to let her go.
I loved this book so much. It was different and engrossing and I loved all of the characters. There were drag parties and subway sex and tragic histories and punk rock and laugh out loud lines. I wanted to live in this book. With a premise like this, though, it’s hard to see how the happy ending is going to happen, but the conclusion is a satisfying one.
I hope these books fit your spooky season romance vibe. And if they don’t, haunt someone else.
Second Chances in New Port Stephen by T.J. Alexander- Eli Ward is returning to his hometown of New Port Stephen, Florida, a very different person than when he left. Post-transition and sober, Eli finds himself moving in with his parents just in time for the Christmas holidays after the star of the TV show he was writing for decided to embroil himself in a scandal and put Eli out of work, something his parents don’t know. Running into his high school ex Nick Wu is the last thing Eli expects or wants, but the dedicated divorced dad with a busy life sparks a rekindling that could go beyond friends.
Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey- Eden Sands has been a pop star for twenty years, but after the break-up of her marriage, the flop of her last album, and a tour unsold out, she’s finding her star status dimming. She needs a boost, but balks at the possibility of doing a duet with up and coming pop star Anna Moss at the Grammy’s. Anna is desperate to be taken seriously and dueting with her idol Eden Sands could do that for her. When the two of them finally come together, it turns out that they’re better suited for each other than they thought.
Love at 350° by Lisa Peers- On the very mild end of the spice scale, we have love during a TV baking contest. Tori Moore is a high school chemistry teacher with dreams of opening her own bakery. With an empty nest looming, her twins get her an audition on American Bake-o-Rama, where she meets Kendra Campbell, the notoriously tough judge, who’s going through her own life upheaval. It takes no time for the two of them to develop heart eyes for each other, but there’s a clause in the contract about fraternizing that would cost them both dearly. 
Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner- And on the absolute other end of the spice spectrum, we have a May-December romance with one big complication. Cassie Klein uses Family Weekend at college to go off-campus and ends up landing a very hot one-night stand with an older woman…who turns out to be the mom of one of her best friends at school. Oops! Erin Bennett wasn’t meaning to hook-up with a college student when she went to visit her daughter at school and she definitely didn’t mean for it to be her daughter’s friend.
A Merry Little Meet Cute— Bee Hobbs has made a name for herself (Bianca von Honey) as a plus sized adult film star. Her career path takes a turn to the straight and narrow thanks to her producer Teddy getting her cast in a Christmas movie for the very clean Hope Channel. Her onscreen partner is childhood crush and ex-boyband member Nolan Shaw, whose manager Stephanie is working hard to rehab his career, which proves to be a challenge when Nolan recognizes Bee from her other line of work (he’s a big fan) and the two give in to their overwhelming chemistry. However, there’s a lot riding on the two of them keeping their relationship –and Bee’s other career- under wraps.
Snow Place Like LA— Angel, son of producer Teddy, and Luca, Teddy’s #1 costume designer for both his adult and his Hope Channel flicks, connected on the set of Duke the Halls. However, their relationship ended when Angel took off for art school in Europe without a word, breaking Luca’s heart. Months later, Luca is confronted with the man who ghosted him, and finds himself in a world of hurt -literally and figuratively- as he tries to avoid reconnecting with Angel.
A Holly Jolly Ever After– Kallum Lieberman, Nolan Shaw’s ex-INK bandmate, was always considered the funny one and his post music career has been pouring his heart and soul into his pizza chain Slice, Slice Baby. But after his sex tape with a bridesmaid goes viral, he achieves a sexy dad bod status that lands him a lead role in the Hope Channels first Hope-After-Dark Christmas movie. His co-star is Winnie Baker, a career good girl who had her reputation sidelined in part by a careless action of Kallum’s years before, but also due to her divorce from her childhood sweetheart and tabloid rumors about drug issues, but which is really an undisclosed narcolepsy diagnosis. She’s decided to embrace the new Winnie and is hoping that Kallum can help her.
I’m known to read more than one book at a time due to the fact that I work at a library and keep seeing books I want to read and then I put them on hold and then they all come in at once and I have no choice. 
Kiki Writes About... 