18 Halloween-themed romance novels to read this spooky season
· New York PostHalloween romance readers, your time has come.
With the big day just over a week away now, if you haven’t already started diving into new books that fit the season, consider this your official guide.
No matter what your particular flavor of spooky season, there’s going to be something out there for you. We’re talking ghosts, witches and brujos, werewolves, curses to break, the occult, vampires, and even the occasional monster. And while they do tend to lean toward sci-fi, paranormal, or romantasy, we assure you: these books still put the spice in pumpkin spice.
Below, we rounded up 18 steamy, spooky romance novels that you can listen to right now on Audible.
Amazon’s audiobook platform is currently offering three months for just $0.99/month, rather than the subscription’s typical one-month free. After three months—in which you’ll get three books for just $3 total—your subscription will revert back to the standard $14.95/month price.
‘The Dead Romantics’ by Ashley Poston
About the book: Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead. When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.
Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is. Romance is most certainly dead . . . but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.
Readers are saying: “I cannot express how much I loved reading this book… In short, it was so well-written, so original, and the characters were well-rounded. I found myself rooting for them the whole time, and had to find out what happened to them asap.
I thought the author not only wrote the romance in this book well, but also the complex feelings that go with the process of grieving a loved one. I love a good ghost story and a good romance, so the whole premise of the book had me hooked. This book is officially one of my favorites, now, and I hope this author keeps writing more!”
Audiobook narrator: Eileen Stevens | Run time: 10 hours and 24 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘The Love of My Afterlife’ by Kirsty Greenwood
About the book: If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.
As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.
When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind…
Readers are saying: “What a creative storyline! Loved all the characters and how just a small catalyst pushed a whole world of difference for each character! Loved the personal growth and sweet love story all the while giving the listener some pretty “meaty life themes” to chew on! I really enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to reading and hearing more from this author in the future! Kudos!”
Audiobook narrator: Sofia Oxenham | Run time: 9 hours and 32 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘The Nightmare Before Kissmas’ by Sara Raasch
About the book: Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night. But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.
Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween. It’s a fake competition between two-holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.
Readers are saying: “Amazing story! Super well put together and executed as well as a great initial concept. I found this book on TikTok and got it on a whim, I couldn’t stop listening. The book is incredibly well written and I loved everything about it. It’s clear there is still a lot of story to tell with this world and these characters but I’m hopeful that means there is room for sequels and spin-offs. Amazing book, would recommend to anyone who appreciates romcoms and or fantasy political dramas (my two favorite genres).”
Audiobook narrator: Ellis Evans | Run time: 12 hours and 23 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Rules for Ghosting’ by Shelly Jay Shore
About the book: Ezra Friedman sees ghosts, which made growing up in a funeral home complicated. It might have been easier if his grandfather’s ghost didn’t give him scathing looks of disapproval as he went through a second, HRT-induced puberty, or if he didn’t have the pressure of all those relatives—living and dead—judging every choice he makes. It’s no wonder that Ezra runs as far away from the family business as humanly possible.
But when the floor of his dream job drops out from under him and his mother uses the family Passover seder to tell everyone she’s running off with the rabbi’s wife, Ezra finds himself back in the thick of it. With his parents’ marriage imploding and the Friedman Family Memorial Chapel on the brink of financial ruin, Ezra agrees to step into his mother’s shoes and help out… which means long days surrounded by ghosts that no one else can see. And then there’s his unfortunate crush on Jonathan, the handsome funeral home volunteer… who just happens to live downstairs from Ezra’s new apartment… and the appearance of the ghost of Jonathan’s gone-too-soon husband, Ben, who is breaking every spectral rule that Ezra knows.
Because Ben can speak. He can move. And as Ezra tries to keep his family together and his heart from getting broken, he realizes that there’s more than one way to be haunted—and more than one way to become a ghost.
Readers are saying: “I loved this book! Just loved all of the story-rich aspects- the ghost stories, the Jewish family dynamics, and the gender identities explored. It was such an honest portrayal of the nuances and sometimes nerouses that constitute complex individuals being in relationship with each other.”
Audiobook narrator: Petey Gibson | Run time: 12 hours and 42 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘If I Stopped Haunting You’ by Colby Wilkens
About the book: It’s been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers’ retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.
Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.
But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.
Audiobook narrator: Curtis Michael Holland, Kyla Garcia | Run time: 10 hours and 10 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Payback’s A Witch’ by Lana Harper
About the book: The first novel in the Witches of Thistle Grove series follows Emmy Harlow, a witch “but not a very powerful one,” returning to her hometown for a spellcasting tournament and bonding with dark arts with Talia Avramov over Gareth Blackmoore, who had been dating Talia and Emmy’s best friend Linden Thorn at the same time. Now, they want revenge on Gareth and Emmy’s help, and as the revenge plot grows, so does Emmy and Talia’s undeniable attraction to one another.
Readers are saying: “From start to finish the imagery created by this author is breathtaking. The prose carries the reader into such a whirlwind of plot, emotion, scene, setting and character development (especially of our heroine), it’s impossible to put down.”
Audiobook narrator: Jeremy Carlisle Parker | Run time: 10 hours and 13 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
The Witches of Thistle Grove series:
‘Cemetery Boys’ by Aiden Thomas
About the book: Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend, Maritza, he performs the ritual himself and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian so they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
Readers are saying: “Cemetery Boys” is fantastic in every way. Fun story, lovable characters & compelling voice performance where every character comes to life. I also don’t speak Spanish so the audiobook was a great way to experience the story with the correct pronunciations of certain words and names. The characters grow in beautiful ways. There’s a lot of touching moments between friendships, family members, and romantic partners ;) The supernatural elements of the book are lots of fun. I’m trans and I’m so happy to have some spooky fiction that features a transman and draws from real life experiences. I need more time with these characters! Especially Yadriel, Julian, and Maritza. I look forward to continuations of these characters in future books.”
Audiobook narrator: Avi Roque | Run time: 13 hours and 47 minutes | Buy in Hardcover | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Witch of Wild Things’ by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
About the book: Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.
What should be a simple task is complicated by her partner in botany sleuthing: Tennessee Reyes. He broke her heart in high school, and she never fully recovered. Working together is reminding her of all their past tender, genuine moments—and new feelings for this mature sexy man are starting to take root in her heart.
With rare plants to find, a dead sister who keeps bringing her coffee, and another sister whose anger fills the sky with lightning, Sage doesn’t have time for romance. But being with Tenn is like standing in the middle of a field on the cusp of a summer thunderstorm—supercharged and inevitable.
Readers are saying: “The narrator did a good job bringing venom, mystery, and hope to her narration. The story was a fun ride, although there were a couple of parts that relied on the unexplainable and I didn’t feel I knew enough about the world of the book to fully invest in that. Overall, a really satisfying story with complicated relationships and lots of personal growth. I really enjoyed it!”
Audiobook narrator: Krysta Gonzales | Run time: 8 hours and 59 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘The Ex Hex’ by Erin Sterling
About the book: Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.
That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.
Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.
Readers are saying: “Normally I would rather read a book than listen but I am SO GLAD I listened to this book! The narrator made this book so much more enjoyable to me (and I was already enjoying it!). Perfect for the Halloween season and it is true, a narrator can make or break a book and in this case, the narrator made it.”
Audiobook narrator: Caitlin Davies | Run time: 7 hours and 23 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
Graves Glen series:
‘My Roommate is A Vampire’ by Jenna Levine
About the book: Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…
Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
Readers are saying: “This book was so wonderful to listen to, I really enjoyed the story and all of the questions I had while listening were answered flawlessly. I found myself absolutely enamored by Fredrick’s adorable old-timey personality and Cassie’s bright personality. I think the two of them blended so well with one another. I also thoroughly enjoyed the way that there was a beautiful blend of comedy and seriousness. Overall a very fun story and fun time experiencing it!”
Audiobook narrator: Gilli Messer | Run time: 8 hours and 59 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna
About the book: As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos “pretending” to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for…..
Readers are saying: “The story and the narration were wonderful. Such an enjoyable story with a very relatable heroine – maybe not the magical power but the idea of having to wear that mask. With so much that is terrible – give some time to this heart warming story. It is definitely worth it.”
Audiobook narrator: Samara MacLaren | Run time: 9 hours and 59 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Deja Brew’ by Celestine Martin
About the book: Ex-celebrity chef Sirena Caraway has had the wackiest October ever. Her cooking powers are on the fritz, she failed to land a career-saving job, and she embarrassed herself at the town’s Halloween party. Just before midnight, she makes a desperate wish for a second chance to fix her life. The next morning Sirena wakes up and realizes that she’s repeating the entire pumpkin spice-flavored month. Even sweeter, she runs into Gus Dearworth, whose magic leaves her spellbound.
A former reality star, Gus moved to Freya Grove to rebuild his reputation and heal his broken heart, but his restless magic is tempting him to return to the spotlight. And his secret crush on Sirena is making him want to try something dangerous like fall in love again. When Sirena realizes he can help her fix her powers, Gus makes her a deal. If she’ll help decipher a mysterious cookbook in his collection, he’ll help get her magical groove back.
Every encounter offers a new adventure—from tasting menus, harvest mazes, and a growing attraction that’s taking on an irresistible enchantment of its own. But as the month winds down and the wish grows stronger, Sirena and Gus have a decision to make. Will their second chance be their happy-ever-after ending or a bittersweet memory?
Readers are saying: “What I loved most about this story was the depth of character development. Celestine could have easily wrapped things up 60 pages earlier, but she chose to fully flesh out Gus and Sirena as individuals. The focus on their personal and professional growth made the romance feel richer and more earned. And while I wasn’t expecting any spice, it definitely added some heat to the story in a way that felt natural and, well, HOT!”
Audiobook narrator: Marissa Hampton and Christopher Hampton | Run time: 9 hours and 55 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Love in the Time of Serial Killers’ by Alicia Thompson
About the book: PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She’s even analyzing the genre in her dissertation—if she can manage to finish writing it. It’s hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn’t had a relationship with for years.
It doesn’t help that she’s low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he’s clearly up to something). It’s not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.
Readers are saying: “I really liked this book. The performance was great, no complaints. The story was witty and fun with relatable tangents by the female lead. story was cute and well written but predictable. That’s not a complaint per se. I love romance and read a lot of romance novels so it isn’t necessarily anything super different or surprising. It was well written, fun, witty and checked all of the boxes for a great romance read.”
Audiobook narrator: Lee Daniels | Run time: 9 hours and 8 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Do Your Worst’ by Rosie Danan
About the book: Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she’s pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.
Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.
Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.
Readers are saying: “Rosie Danan is now in my rotation of dark romance palette cleansing. I’ll be reading everything Rosie Danan from here! The tropes are troping! We have forced proximity, enemies to lovers, work adversaries, stuck together, acknowledgement & normalizing of kinks.”
Audiobook narrator: Shane East and Saskia Maarleveld | Run time: 9 hours and 14 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Bride’ by Ali Hazelwood
About the book: Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again… Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice.
Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
Readers are saying: “Need a break from complex storylines and exhaustingly long books? This is a great pallet cleanser. I didn’t come in expecting a masterpiece, just a fun love story. I came out pleasantly surprised. The storyline was entertaining and Lowe’s restrained addiction to the FMC was perfect. If you’re looking for a quippy read with some heavy tension, found family, and heartfelt romance, this is a great stop on your reading journey.”
Audiobook narrator: Thérèse Plummer, Will Damron | Run time: 12 hours and 47 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match’ by Sally Thorne
About the book: For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor’s ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own.
Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!
Readers are saying: “This book was so funny, quirky, weird and all around great. [I] was looking for something with “Lisa Frankenstein” vibes (go watch if you haven’t!!) and was NOT disappointed in this recommendation! I loved all the characters, I think Angelika and Victor were my favorites. [I’m going to] recommend this to everyone I know now!”
Audiobook narrator: Moira Quick | Run time: 11 hours and 43 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
‘Deceived By the Gargoyles’ by Lillian Lark
About the book: This monster romance follows a curvy librarian looking to start a family while shedding her family name, a clan of gargoyles, and the deception that sets off a whirlwind courtship.
Readers are saying: “This book kept popping up in my [Facebook] feed but I kept passing it by because I couldn’t imagine that I would want to read about gargoyles. I’m so glad I finally did. This story has it all-paranormal romance, a great story and danger plus the most wonderful characters ever written. I believe the narrator truly bought the book to life. It made me laugh and it made me cry like crazy. I loved it all!”
Audiobook narrator: Nadia Day | Run time: 11 hours and 48 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
- “Deceived by the Gargoyles”
- “Entranced by the Basilisks”
- “Hoarded by the Dragon”
- “Stalked by the Kraken”
‘The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy’ by Megan Bannen
About the book: Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.
Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.
After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.
If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most—Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares—each other?
Readers are saying: “I loved this book. It’s mostly romance with a bit of action. But the thing I loved about it was how the lead male character is written. He is the dark brooding type, but not at all in a toxic male masculinity type. The author shows how asking for consent is still sexy. And the sex scenes are realistic but steamy at the same time. I wish more romance novels were like this.”
Audiobook narrator: Michael Gallagher and Rachanee Lumayno | Run time: 12 hours and 15 minutes | Buy in Paperback | Buy Kindle e-book
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