Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: King of Halloween
AUTHOR: Ellen Mint
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 321 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 7, 2025
BLURB:
A war for the Halloween crown catches both of their hearts off guard.
Adam Stein is the King of Halloween in Anoka, Minnesota four years running. He’s certain he’s going to make it a five-year win when a stranger strolls into town.
A hot, cuddly, mysterious stranger who loves obscure horror movies and everything Halloween.
Raj has abandoned his special effects job in Hollywood to try to run the first guaranteed haunted hotel. He has to charm Anoka’s city council to get his hotel open in time, but he’s run into the unbendable will of Adam Stein who will do anything to protect his town and crown.
Certain that Raj is a big city here to take away everything Adam loves about his town, he’ll fight Alike hell to protect the Halloween capital of the world. And Raj, certain that Adam’s got a stick stuck up his tight twink ass, refuses to back down even if he has to pin Adam to the wall to do it.
When they’re not fantasizing about tearing each other’s throats out, they want to rip each other’s clothes off.
Let the war begin.
If you ever wanted a Hallmark romcom for Halloween, but needed it to be about a twink in suits falling for a nerdy bear this is the book for you!
REVIEW:
Adam owns a costume shop that supports “…the theaters, schools, and general backyard productions”, keeping the place calm. But as Halloween rolls around, the place explodes with people, and Adam knows all of them. He directs them to better costumes, makes them smile, and is generally a great business owner. He is famous for the masks. “They’re all one of a kind, created by a demented mad genius who’s isolated from society.” The description of the masks made me want to see one! And, “-I’m required by contract to destroy whatever doesn’t sell.” So creepy! It is the masks that bring together Adam and Raj. Raj has moved from the city, where he was a special effects designer, to start a haunted hotel. He’s sunk his life savings into it. He has a business partner, Logan, who blithely figures everything will be fine, while Raj is doing the work. Logan isn’t really a bad guy, I think he just doesn’t get how much work goes into everything. “Raj laughed at the idea of leaving a problem. Not for a day or two, but an entire year. That would eat through his brain like acid in a souffle until he was a drooling vegetable.” I felt that sentence!
Anyway, Raj and Adam have such a great start together, until they don’t. The miscommunication here is more of a misconception. Adam definitely thinks Raj is a big city boy here to destroy Adam’s town (and, in the process, Adam), but it’s something I felt was reasonable. They have several instances of things that can be taken the wrong way, setting them up for dislike. This is cemented when they are both in the Halloween parade, with Raj on a new float and Adam on the King of Halloween float. Adam ends up falling off (ouch!), seen by everyone, except Raj, who really didn’t see it. So when they meet up at the Halloween party, Raj makes a comment that can be, and is, taken the wrong way. The hate is on!
Adam has my heart, because ”Full size bars!” That’s my husband, all over.
There are things that happen (omg, the caramel apples) that just make things worse, while Raj is floundering with the hotel and Adam is floundering with being King. Adam’s mom is lovely, and I was glad Adam has her. And his B-list sheep killer movie, which made me laugh since Sharknado fills that spot for a friend of mine. Even with Logan, there is a misunderstanding that made me wince. These two really have some ups and downs, and when Adam goes against Raj’s wishes, I was worried. They go through a lot (and some of it is truly funny, to us anyway).
I have to say, I loved the end, before the epilogue when the King of Halloween is mentioned. It was a perfect thing for these two!
RATING: 
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