Pen Pal by J. T. Geissinger

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pen Pal — Juicy, Addictive, and Completely Unhinged in the Best Way (5 ⭐)

Author: J.T. Geissinger
Genre: Dark Romance / Paranormal Romance / Mystery
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5

⚠️ Trigger Warnings

Sexual violence & harassment • Emotional & physical abuse • Child abuse • Pregnancy loss • Suicide & suicidal ideation • Self-harm • Substance use • Graphic violence • Illness & death • Mental illness • Stalking

😈 Initial Thoughts: My Ultimate Guilty Pleasure Read

Let me just say this upfront: Pen Pal is a guilty pleasure and I am NOT sorry about it.

This book is juicy, fun, and impossible to put down. It’s one of those reads where you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. 😬📖

Honestly?

  • 5 stars as a mystery

  • 5 stars as a romance

  • 5 stars as a work of fiction

It’s like getting three books for the price of one, and every single page delivers. The romance unfolds, the mystery unfolds, and the story keeps pulling you deeper and deeper. Is the ending for everyone? Probably not — it leans hard into the paranormal. But for me? I ate it up. No crumbs. 👻❤️

📚 What This Book Is About (Premise)

Pen Pal follows Kayla, a children’s book illustrator grieving the death of her husband, Michael. As she struggles to survive her grief, strange things begin happening in her home: flickering lights, unexplained smells, objects moving on their own.

Then the letters start arriving.

They’re from Dante, a man in prison who claims to know Kayla… and love her.

At the same time, Kayla begins a charged, complicated relationship with Aidan, a contractor repairing her house. As romance blooms and supernatural events escalate, Kayla starts to question reality, memory, and even her own sanity.

🚨 SPOILER WARNING 🚨

Full plot summary and ending below. Everything is revealed.

🖋️ Full Plot Summary: Romance, Obsession, and a Paranormal Gut Punch

🕯️ Grief and Ghosts

The book opens at Michael’s funeral. Kayla is shattered, convinced she cannot live without him. Back at home, unsettling events begin: doors opening, lights reacting to her voice, unexplained scents.

A letter appears from Dante, an incarcerated man who claims he has always loved her. Kayla, already unraveling, begins writing back.

🔧 Enter Aidan

Kayla hires Aidan Leighrite, a tall, tattooed, blunt contractor. Their chemistry is immediate and volatile. He’s gruff, emotionally guarded, and intensely protective.

Their relationship quickly becomes sexual, dominant, and emotionally loaded — complete with safe words and serious conversations about boundaries. Kayla feels intense guilt for wanting another man so soon after Michael’s death.

Meanwhile, the paranormal activity intensifies: a mysterious boy appears and vanishes, Michael’s buffalo nickel shows up in impossible places, and Kayla begins to suspect she’s being haunted.

🕵️ Reality Starts to Crack

Kayla’s mental state deteriorates. She drinks heavily, struggles with work, and experiences fragmented memories — including a violent pregnancy loss she can’t fully face.

A séance finally reveals the truth.

Kayla discovers the newspaper she thought reported Michael’s death actually says Michael murdered Kayla.

She is the ghost.

👻 The Big Reveal: Everyone Is Dead

The narrative pulls back and recontextualizes everything:

  • Kayla and Aidan were together after her divorce

  • Michael was abusive and stalking her

  • On New Year’s Eve, Michael murdered both Kayla and Aidan

  • Kayla has been reliving an illusion of her own life

Aidan is Dante.
The letters were always him.

Fiona knew Kayla was dead all along. The house no longer belongs to her. The haunting was Kayla herself, trapped in denial.

🔥 The Ending: Love Beyond Death

Kayla finally accepts the truth. She buries her wedding ring, releases her attachment to Michael, and reunites with Aidan.

Together, now fully aware spirits, they decide on one final act:
They will haunt Michael in prison, exacting revenge for what he did to them.

Dark. Romantic. Satisfying.

💀 Final Thoughts: Why This Works So Well

Is it dramatic? Yes.
Is it messy? Also yes.
Is it subtle? Absolutely not.

But Pen Pal knows exactly what it is and fully commits. The emotional payoff is huge, the twist is bold, and the paranormal element gives the story a uniquely unforgettable edge.

⭐ Final Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A full-on guilty pleasure that delivers romance, mystery, and shock value in equal measure. I was hooked from start to finish.

📚 If You Loved This, Try These Next:

  • Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

  • The Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abby

  • Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

  • Verity by Colleen Hoover

  • November 9 by Colleen Hoover

🖤 Bottom Line:
If you want a book that’s addictive, emotional, paranormal, and unapologetically dramatic — Pen Pal is an absolute must-read.

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