I'm starting off the week with a unique romance that starts off under less than ideal circumstances to evolve into more with the intervention of ghosts. Keep reading to get an early glimpse of Ghost Lover by Liza O'Connor through my impressions of it, along with visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form for the chance to win an Amazon GC!
Completely broke and with a criminal record to boot, Senna Smith is one day from eviction from her apartment when Brendon, her promiscuous roommate from London, suggests she go to England, marry him, and manage his fortune. With few other options, she agrees to an open marriage. But she’ll never, ever, have sex with him, knowing if she falls in love with him, he’ll break her heart.
As trustee of Brendon’s family fortune, there is no way Brendon’s older brother, Garrison Durran, is going to let him marry a self-professed American gold-digger. As Senna tries to embrace castle life and English society for Brendon’s sake, Gar discovers Senna is the perfect woman for him--beautiful and intelligent, kind and caring. Now, if she wasn’t already engaged to his brother…
The ancestral ghost of Durran Castle has to intervene if the Durran brothers have any chance of an heir. He can’t leave them to fix matters on their own. They are useless buggers when it comes to love. As counselor to Gar, matchmaker for Brendon, and lover to Senna, a ghost’s work is never done.
EXCERPT:
Senna woke to her breast beeping. Trying to make sense of the oddity, she pushed herself up to rest on her elbows and discovered the noise came from Brendon’s wristwatch. Somehow, his hand had found its way beneath her bra during the night, and now chirped like a baby chick.
She contemplated tearing his hand off at the wrist, but he looked so angelic with his curly dark hair framing his handsome face. With a heavy sigh, she unlatched her bra and eased his hand out, then gently shook him until his face scrunched into a pained grimace.
He groaned and frowned at his noisy watch. “This is a god-awful hour to be woken up,” he said in his sexy British accent. “Never bothers me when I’m coming home at this hour.”
Senna rolled her eyes. “Speak for yourself.”
Pushing himself up, he shook his head. “Remember the second night I came around? You kept yelling at me, ‘Did I realize it was four in the morning?’ At the time, I couldn’t understand your fuss.” He groaned and scratched his scalp. “Well, I certainly understand it now. It’s bloody hell to be woken at this ungodly hour.”
She contemplated tearing his hand off at the wrist, but he looked so angelic with his curly dark hair framing his handsome face. With a heavy sigh, she unlatched her bra and eased his hand out, then gently shook him until his face scrunched into a pained grimace.
He groaned and frowned at his noisy watch. “This is a god-awful hour to be woken up,” he said in his sexy British accent. “Never bothers me when I’m coming home at this hour.”
Senna rolled her eyes. “Speak for yourself.”
Pushing himself up, he shook his head. “Remember the second night I came around? You kept yelling at me, ‘Did I realize it was four in the morning?’ At the time, I couldn’t understand your fuss.” He groaned and scratched his scalp. “Well, I certainly understand it now. It’s bloody hell to be woken at this ungodly hour.”
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Those wanting a fantasy-like story with a far-fetched theme and actions will find Ghost Lover an entertaining ride. From its unbelievable start of the sweet-natured Senna marrying Brendon so he can pay her back using his trust fund to the numerous interactions with two larger than life ghosts, this story keeps you experiencing the unexpected.
I liked Senna for the most part, though she could be too forgiving at times. She has an interesting past that belies her sweet disposition and I applaud her dealings with the irascible Brendon throughout their friendship and current engagement. Her meeting with older brother Gar is full of fireworks and shows a woman of fortitude who doesn't let him beat her down. Gar is very rigid and regimented when we first meet him, very suspicious of Senna. His relationship with Brendon is fractured and not very warm at times. They both had harsh and somewhat lonely childhoods which has kept them from becoming close. Gar's relationship with Senna seems impossible at first but outside forces know best and push them together into a definitive and satisfying HEA.
The dialogue is enjoyable with witty and fast-paced banter. I enjoyed Brendon's humor and carefree ways though he left me frustrated at times too for his less than adult-like behavior. The ghosts are entertaining with human-like personalities and they provided many humorous moments too. This was a fun story overall that forces you to leave true belief at the door and just enjoy the ride. Enjoy the fully fleshed-out characters, unique setting, and otherworldly characters to make the HEA even more satisfying and look for more from Ms. O'Connor.
My rating for this is a B-
*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Liza lives in Denville, NJ with her dog, Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. She loves to create interesting characters, set them loose, and scribe what happens.
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I find truth is almost always stranger than fiction. Besides, we read fiction in order to be taken elsewhere. Tweeted.
ReplyDeleteThanks for tweeting
DeleteYep, I've heard of some pretty strange stuff happening so books with far fetched themes don't bother me as long as the story is engaging and fun. Thanks for sharing this one.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I've had very strange things happen to me. For one, I live with a ghost (original owner of house).
DeleteBooks suspend our reality - otherwise, why would we read them?
ReplyDeleteBut there are levels and this book is on the top of the 'how many possible but I hope never happens to me things can happen in one book. I love to entertain on the upper border.
DeleteIf there's a ghost, we're probably going to suspend disbelief!
ReplyDeleteYou do know I have a ghost that lives in my house, right? Almost half the population believes in ghost, so they are different from other paranormal creatures, being real. However, in general, It's probably safe to expect the unexpected with me. I love to entertain.
DeleteIf fiction was reality - it'd be really boring. And Liza writes great fiction.
ReplyDeleteThank you Daryl. Since I live an over the top life, I suppose my writing is more over the top than some. But as long as we have fun...why not?
DeleteThanks so much for the review!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)aol(dot)com
I haven't seen one but my son and nephew have both seen the same woman. My son woke up in the middle of the night and she was standing by his bed. My nephew was talking to his girlfriend when he looked up the woman was standing in the doorway. He refused to ever sleep in that bedroom again and still does not want to talk about it.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
My ghost is very nice, unless I let a man sleep in her room. Then she gives them hell. lol.
DeleteLove stories with ghosts! I can't wait to enjoy the ride.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have seen one! It was more of a ghost dog...but it haunted my bedroom until I was 10! I was terrified!
ReplyDeleteandralynn7 AT gmail DOT com
I've experienced several ghost cats, but no dogs. The cats tend tow walk on the bed while I'm laying down.
DeleteThanks Marianne.
ReplyDeleteI love the unexpected in a story.
ReplyDeleteThen you'll love this one!
DeleteThanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an amazing read!!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
Thanks Natasha.
DeleteI've never seen a ghost but my Mother has. A child in a long nightdress.
ReplyDeleteno I have not
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure I've never seen a ghost!
ReplyDeleteDigicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
no, I haven't seen a ghost , Thank you!
ReplyDeleteEmail subscriber to Liz O'Connor with email
Deletenclaudia25 at yahoo dot com
YEP!!! ;) ;) ;)
ReplyDeleteNope. none around here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review. Sorry I missed visiting on the day of the author's visit. Playing catch-up here.
ReplyDeletekareninnc at gmail dot com
I have seen a ghost! My first place was on the second level of an old home that was converted into apartments. After seeing a shadowy figure going through the walls and having my kitchen cupboard doors open by themselves frequently I decided it was time to leave. I lived there for only 2 weeks.
ReplyDelete