Ghost Me, Maybe

~Manda Collins

Ghost Me, Maybe by Manda Collins is a blend of wit with heartfelt layers of love, loss and second chances by serving up an enemies-to-lovers romcom with just enough mystery to keep your pulse ticking a little faster. Set on the coast of Louisiana, Petite Cote Island gives readers a warm invitation to laugh, swoon, and maybe just believe a library can hold more than old stories – it can hold healing, too.

Callie Jameson, a Cincinnati librarian whose never had a chance to really set down roots, never planned to leave Ohio once she got there. But plans change when she learns that her beloved library patron, and friend, Mrs. Katherine “Khaki” Boudreaux, has left her a surprising legacy. But there are conditions: in exchange for Khaki’s library in PCI and one million dollars, Callie must move to PCI and live in the library for one year.

Khaki’s life, and love story with her husband Remy, was steeped in the history of the St. Inatius college grounds being where they met. So after hurricane Rita destroyed the college campus, Remy purchased the library as an anniversary gift for Khaki. It’s more than just wood and stone; it’s a time capsule of a once golden age, and in Khaki’s eyes, the perfect refuge for someone who’s forgotten how to dream.

So Callie packs up her stuff, rents out her home, grabs her cat Stella, and heads to Petite Cote Island chasing more than inheritance – she’s chasing a life reset button. What she finds instead is Trey LeBlanc, Khaki’s great-nephew. A gruff and brooding architect knee-deep in renovations and resentment, Trey is convinced Khaki made a mistake in her will leaving his library to an outsider. The two clash instantly, and their bickering sparks a friction that neither can deny.

But love is rarely simple – especially when the creaks in an old Louisiana library aren’t just settling wood and stone. Strange noises, flickering lights, and uninvited guests have Callie and Trey thinking the haunting might be more than just a silly superstition. When the ghost grows bolder, threatening their safety, they decide to put their differences aside and team up. Between mystery-solving, late-night paint touch-ups, and accidental heart-to-hearts, Callie and Trey start to realize the ghosts haunting them might not live in the walls, but within themselves.

Collins builds her cast with warmth and whimsy, grounding southern charm with emotional authenticity. Callie is easy to root for, carrying both wanderlust and weariness, she longs for roots after a lifetime of motion. She is pragmatic and emotionally honest making her the kind of character readers latch onto the moment they meet her. Trey is the prototypical grumpy-sunshine character, a wounded romantic disguised by irritation and hammer in hand. His bitterness is understandable, his gradual softening is believable, and his unspoken longing is downright swoon-worthy. Khaki may have passed before the story begins, but her presence threads through every page. A benevolent spirit of sorts, whose affection shapes both the setting and the people in it. The supporting cast give the island a cozy, lived-in quality and remind readers that community, more than romance, is often where we find our footing when we feel lost. The story is textured by loss, misunderstanding, and redemption. The perfect mix of heartbreak and hearwarming.

There is something irresistible about Petite Cote Island – the salt air, the humidity that curls secrets out of hiding, the hint of magic that seems to cling to every porch light. You feel the island come alive, feel the sand under Callie’s feet and taste the coffee shared over morning tension and late-night confessions.

Ghost Me, Maybe moves with steady confidence – not rushed, but never dull. Transitioning is smooth and seamless. The blend of romcom banter, and cozy suspense gives this story its soul. It’s cinematic, comforting, and full of moments you’ll wish you could dog-ear and live inside for awhile.

Now, there is one small thing that didn’t quite land for me (and I won’t spoil it) but it wasn’t enough to dull the glow of what this story achieves. At its core, readers are faced with grief, finding magic in unlikely places, and realizing sometimes what feels like loss is just life rerouting you home.

Ghost Me, Maybe is fueled on atmosphere and emotions. Collins brings PCI to life with cinematic descriptions from walks on the boardwalk to a boat outing with friends. Do not go into this looking for a fast-pace, crime thriller. It’s more of a slow-burn, romcom, mystery that readers can immerse themselves in, envisioning being right there within the story.

If you are looking for a light-hearted, meet-cute type read for fall that you won’t be able to put down, Ghost Me, Maybe should be added to your TBR for release on 9/22/26.

Thank you to NetGalley and Manda Collins for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC on Ghost Me, Maybe. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.

If you enjoyed this review, or any content on my page, please follow me on all social media as thetxlitchic – links can be found here on my LinkTree

#thetxlitchic #bookreviewsandmore #bookstagram #booktok #bookcommunity #readersofinstagram #booklover #arcreader #bookreview #bingeworthy #tbr #supportindieauthors #bookobsessed #instareads #books #bookaddict #bookreviewer #bookreviews #keepreading #indiebooks #indieauthors #Supportyourlocalbook #genrewhore #ilikebigbooksandicannotlie #mandacollins #ghostmemaybe #fallromcom #enemiestolovers