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Tidewater #1
Spirited
She's running from who she is... All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life--preferably one that doesn't include ghosts. Jules's ability for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her... He'll do whatever it takes to catch her. Detective Seth English can't get distracted from the big case he's working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn't believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he's investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she's letting on. To solve his case, he'll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding--no matter how impossible the truth may be...
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2014
16 people are currently reading
1219 people want to read
About the author
Mary Behre
5 books118 followersMary Behre could never decide which kind of story she liked more, paranormal, mysteries or romances. So it only made sense that she combined all three in her books.
All three novels in her Tidewater Trilogy are award-winners.
All three novels in her Tidewater Trilogy are award-winners.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
August 11, 2015
RATING: 3 Crifted Hearts!! :)
March 28, 2014
3.5 Stars
Spirited was a fun paranormal mystery with ghosts, hot cops, sizzling attraction, and danger!
Jules Scott is cursed/gifted or as she says “crifted” with the ability to see and talk to ghosts. Because of this she’s had numerous complications and awkward situations in her life. Her current one being that she’s in the middle of a murder investigation. Jules has seen the murder through the memory of the current ghost haunting her, and it’s chilling. It seems Jules’ is involved at every turn, and this puts her directly in the focus of Seth English the Detective investigating the case and coincidently, her new hot neighbor.
Seth is trying to graduate from Detective to Sergeant and his one chance at moving up has just presented. Solve the string of jewelry robberies and his Captain will let him sit and take the exam. The fact that his beautiful, annoying and completely distracting neighbor seems to be smack in the middle of the case doesn’t help things. He’s attracted to her and feels protective when it’s evident she’s in danger, but he needs to keep things professional to solve the case. Easier said than done.
This was a fun read and I was sucked into the story from the first page. I do love mysteries and so I was constantly trying to piece things together as new facts would be revealed. There was danger and suspicion flying at every turn, but also a romance brewing between Seth and Jules. These two are very reluctant to get involved but circumstances and their feelings make it so they can’t stay apart.
I had fun reading this story, but there were times I was a bit confused. I would read a passage and then would have to go over it again to see if I got it straight. I think the third person narrative that would shift between Seth and Jules had something to do with that. The facts about Jules past were also a little confusing and I wish things were laid out a little earlier. I did really like her and I could see why she’d hold back from sharing her talents with Seth. Her fear stemming from past events was well founded. Seth was a gruff hero with a hidden soft side. His protective instincts come out for Jules and as a reader you’re hoping he’ll have an open mind when all is revealed about Jules. There were a lot of things at play here, the murder mystery, Seth’s past, Jules past and their romance, and I think it was a little overwhelming for this story. In spite of all of this, I did enjoy the story and I read it in one day.
This was an entertaining and action packed story that ends in a thrilling conclusion, and an epilogue that was just like icing on the cake.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
Spirited was a fun paranormal mystery with ghosts, hot cops, sizzling attraction, and danger!
Jules Scott is cursed/gifted or as she says “crifted” with the ability to see and talk to ghosts. Because of this she’s had numerous complications and awkward situations in her life. Her current one being that she’s in the middle of a murder investigation. Jules has seen the murder through the memory of the current ghost haunting her, and it’s chilling. It seems Jules’ is involved at every turn, and this puts her directly in the focus of Seth English the Detective investigating the case and coincidently, her new hot neighbor.
Seth is trying to graduate from Detective to Sergeant and his one chance at moving up has just presented. Solve the string of jewelry robberies and his Captain will let him sit and take the exam. The fact that his beautiful, annoying and completely distracting neighbor seems to be smack in the middle of the case doesn’t help things. He’s attracted to her and feels protective when it’s evident she’s in danger, but he needs to keep things professional to solve the case. Easier said than done.
This was a fun read and I was sucked into the story from the first page. I do love mysteries and so I was constantly trying to piece things together as new facts would be revealed. There was danger and suspicion flying at every turn, but also a romance brewing between Seth and Jules. These two are very reluctant to get involved but circumstances and their feelings make it so they can’t stay apart.
I had fun reading this story, but there were times I was a bit confused. I would read a passage and then would have to go over it again to see if I got it straight. I think the third person narrative that would shift between Seth and Jules had something to do with that. The facts about Jules past were also a little confusing and I wish things were laid out a little earlier. I did really like her and I could see why she’d hold back from sharing her talents with Seth. Her fear stemming from past events was well founded. Seth was a gruff hero with a hidden soft side. His protective instincts come out for Jules and as a reader you’re hoping he’ll have an open mind when all is revealed about Jules. There were a lot of things at play here, the murder mystery, Seth’s past, Jules past and their romance, and I think it was a little overwhelming for this story. In spite of all of this, I did enjoy the story and I read it in one day.
This was an entertaining and action packed story that ends in a thrilling conclusion, and an epilogue that was just like icing on the cake.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
February 2, 2014
read this review on Got Fiction? Book Blog
She sees the dead, and he’s a detective trying to salvage his career. So when she falls in through his window one night courtesy of a ghost, how can she explain to him what’s going on?
Jules is leaving a costume party when a ghost drags her into its, er, afterlife. This ghost is screeching inside her head to help her. When Jules ignores her, and instead begins to climb the fire escape into her apartment (since she lost her keys) the ghost directs her to go through the open window of Detective Seth English. Jules doesn’t realize the ghost is pushing her along until she comes to inside Seth’s apartment. And Seth thinks she’s a hooker who’s trying to do a little breaking and entering.
The mistake is rectified pretty quickly, which was nice, but it was still pretty funny to read. I’d say that this was a fun story. She starts calling for Big Jim, who Seth thinks is her pimp, but really it’s the nickname she’s given her foster dad/adoptive father. This whole scene was great. And it sets the tone for the whole story.
Jules is mixed up in solving the ghost’s murder and trying to stay out of Seth’s way. . .and his investigation. She can’t just tell the hot detective that she sees dead people, now can she? And while she doesn’t want to help the ghost out (she’s been trying to ignore and avoid them for as long as she can remember) the ghost girl doesn’t really give her a choice. Jules helps as best as she can.
Unfortunately that makes her both a suspect to the police, and a target for the real bad guys.
I think the last quarter of the book was really exciting, I only wish that there had been more interaction with the ghost. I’d say this reads more as a romantic suspense with ghosts, rather than a true paranormal romance, but it works. The sense of humor and the mystery make for not just an interesting read, but a fun read too.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley
She sees the dead, and he’s a detective trying to salvage his career. So when she falls in through his window one night courtesy of a ghost, how can she explain to him what’s going on?
Jules is leaving a costume party when a ghost drags her into its, er, afterlife. This ghost is screeching inside her head to help her. When Jules ignores her, and instead begins to climb the fire escape into her apartment (since she lost her keys) the ghost directs her to go through the open window of Detective Seth English. Jules doesn’t realize the ghost is pushing her along until she comes to inside Seth’s apartment. And Seth thinks she’s a hooker who’s trying to do a little breaking and entering.
The mistake is rectified pretty quickly, which was nice, but it was still pretty funny to read. I’d say that this was a fun story. She starts calling for Big Jim, who Seth thinks is her pimp, but really it’s the nickname she’s given her foster dad/adoptive father. This whole scene was great. And it sets the tone for the whole story.
Jules is mixed up in solving the ghost’s murder and trying to stay out of Seth’s way. . .and his investigation. She can’t just tell the hot detective that she sees dead people, now can she? And while she doesn’t want to help the ghost out (she’s been trying to ignore and avoid them for as long as she can remember) the ghost girl doesn’t really give her a choice. Jules helps as best as she can.
Unfortunately that makes her both a suspect to the police, and a target for the real bad guys.
I think the last quarter of the book was really exciting, I only wish that there had been more interaction with the ghost. I’d say this reads more as a romantic suspense with ghosts, rather than a true paranormal romance, but it works. The sense of humor and the mystery make for not just an interesting read, but a fun read too.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley
March 6, 2014
So. I've totally found a new author to have a reader girl crush on. Behre's Spirited had me absolutely captivated from page one and had a little bit of everything I love--sexy hero, a little paranormal goodness, humor and some danger too. Plus a wonderfully endearing heroine who--with the help of a very determined spirit--manages things like accidentally climbing into her neighbor's bedroom in the middle of the night...dressed as a hooker. Yep. Did I mention he's a cop? And, oh yeah, this may have been the first time they'd met? ::snort:: It was quite the first meet and the perfect start to an exciting romance.
Okay. The quick of it is that an unfortunate encounter one evening has landed Jules--who sees spirits-- smack in the middle of a robbery turned murder case her hunky neighbor Seth is working on. And, well, all kinds of yummy wonderful romantic suspense and paranormal goodness follow as Jules tries to figure out why the spirits are determined to involve her and Seth tries to not only track down the thieves but figure out what Jules is hiding and her connection to everything that's happening.
Seth and Jules. These two were just the pair and I absolutely adored them both. From the way they interacted with each other--which just made me smile--to their fierce determination in finding what they were searching for--for Seth stability with his career and for Jules a normal life and being able to find her long lost siblings--these two just had me loving them. It was so much fun watching them make their way towards their happily ever after. Even though they had so many differences in how they led their lives and how they looked at things they were just perfect for each other. And, whew boy! When things heat up they are fan yourself good! It does take a little while but damn it's worth the wait. Case in point...this...
Exactly. You totally just fanned yourself didn't you? Mmhm. Totally worth the wait. I just love the heat and humor mixed together. So much fun.
Okay, okay. Back on track. The mystery involving the jewelry heists/murders and who was behind them was pretty exciting and kept me guessing. Even when I thought I had it all figured out there'd be little surprises that kept me on my toes and had me scrambling, once again, to figure it all out. And the spirits. Lordy. There were some scenes that totally raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. I'd have so gone into a girly faint if I'd been there for some of the encounters. Not even gonna lie. LOL For the last half of the book the mystery-suspense side had me all churned up as things kept unfolding. And just had me anxious and nervous about what was gonna happen next with these two as they got closer and closer to the truth. I loved that Behre had me that invested in the characters and their story.
All in all, I loved Spirited. It was fun, sexy and thrilling and totally had me smitten. I can't wait to see what Behre will do next. She has an incredible talent and is a great new voice in romantic suspense that will most definitely have me coming back for more. From a sexy hero and charming heroine to gripping suspense, hair raising paranormal elements, humor and a luscious romance Spirited was just a great ride.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
"Do you have any idea where you are?"
Jules sat dumbfounded in the bedroom of a Greek god. He had espresso brown eyes, curly black hair, a long nose that had probably been broken a time or two, and a sexy, dimpled chin. His tan, muscular body was covered by a chest full of springy hair that begged to be touched. Dang! He even smelled good, like soap and the salty Tidewater air.
Ohmigawd, he's a walking condom commercial.
He scowled at her, waiting for an answer. Although for the life of her she couldn't think of anything.
Okay. The quick of it is that an unfortunate encounter one evening has landed Jules--who sees spirits-- smack in the middle of a robbery turned murder case her hunky neighbor Seth is working on. And, well, all kinds of yummy wonderful romantic suspense and paranormal goodness follow as Jules tries to figure out why the spirits are determined to involve her and Seth tries to not only track down the thieves but figure out what Jules is hiding and her connection to everything that's happening.
Seth and Jules. These two were just the pair and I absolutely adored them both. From the way they interacted with each other--which just made me smile--to their fierce determination in finding what they were searching for--for Seth stability with his career and for Jules a normal life and being able to find her long lost siblings--these two just had me loving them. It was so much fun watching them make their way towards their happily ever after. Even though they had so many differences in how they led their lives and how they looked at things they were just perfect for each other. And, whew boy! When things heat up they are fan yourself good! It does take a little while but damn it's worth the wait. Case in point...this...
She tried to help him strip but only succeeded in getting in the way since she couldn't stop touching him. So she focused on freeing him from his jeans.
When her palm came skin to skin with his erection, Seth groaned deep in his throat, then laughed. "Stop helping me! You're going to help us into waiting another hour if you touch me like that again."
"An hour, really?" Jules asked with surprise. She watched him strip out of his jeans, grab a condom from the nightstand, and roll it on. "I thought men only needed twenty minutes."
"Precious, with you, I have a feeling I wouldn't need ten seconds before I'm ready to go again. But you make me come before I can get inside you and I'll tie you down and torture you for an hour before I'll let you come again."
Butterflies in her belly quivered in delight at the thought of him teasing her nonstop for an hour.
He positioned himself over her. With his thighs between hers, he rested his weight on his fists beside her head, and said, "You ready or should I test out that sexual torture idea right now?"
He didn't wait for a response instead, he slid into her with one long, deep thrust.
Exactly. You totally just fanned yourself didn't you? Mmhm. Totally worth the wait. I just love the heat and humor mixed together. So much fun.
Okay, okay. Back on track. The mystery involving the jewelry heists/murders and who was behind them was pretty exciting and kept me guessing. Even when I thought I had it all figured out there'd be little surprises that kept me on my toes and had me scrambling, once again, to figure it all out. And the spirits. Lordy. There were some scenes that totally raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. I'd have so gone into a girly faint if I'd been there for some of the encounters. Not even gonna lie. LOL For the last half of the book the mystery-suspense side had me all churned up as things kept unfolding. And just had me anxious and nervous about what was gonna happen next with these two as they got closer and closer to the truth. I loved that Behre had me that invested in the characters and their story.
All in all, I loved Spirited. It was fun, sexy and thrilling and totally had me smitten. I can't wait to see what Behre will do next. She has an incredible talent and is a great new voice in romantic suspense that will most definitely have me coming back for more. From a sexy hero and charming heroine to gripping suspense, hair raising paranormal elements, humor and a luscious romance Spirited was just a great ride.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
March 11, 2014
The first novel in the Tidewater series is a riveting psychic suspense.
Communicating with the dead has brought Jules Scott nothing but trouble, but despite her best efforts the needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. Now, she may have to entrust her secret to the person least likely to believe her because one of the spirits has implicated her in series of deadly crimes. Working on a big case, Detective Seth English can’t get distracted not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe she has anything to with the case, but she keeps turning up in all the wrong places and his gut says she knows more that she’s letting on. To solve his case he may have to expose what she’s hiding no matter how impossible the truth may be.
This steady paced plot keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with lots of suspense, action and romance. The author describes the events and characters with vivid imagery and details that reach out grab the reader’s attention. The characters are strong, compelling and ensure the reader wants to know more and the suspense builds throughout the story and the spirits are life like and send shivers up the reader’s spine.
The attraction between Seth and Jules radiates heat from every page and the sex scenes sizzle with lots of steamy passion. Jules captures the heart of the readers with her strong but vulnerable personality and they can certainly understand her motivations regarding her ‘gift’ and her life. Seth is a likable character even though in a couple places he acts like a typical male, but then that’s what makes them so believable. The supporting characters are also very intriguing, capturing the reader’s interest and ensuring that they want to reader their stories as well.
I was totally caught up in this story from the very beginning and I really enjoyed how the author kept me guessing and surprising me with twists that I sure wasn’t expecting. I can’t wait to read the next Tidewater novel.
- Eva
Communicating with the dead has brought Jules Scott nothing but trouble, but despite her best efforts the needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. Now, she may have to entrust her secret to the person least likely to believe her because one of the spirits has implicated her in series of deadly crimes. Working on a big case, Detective Seth English can’t get distracted not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe she has anything to with the case, but she keeps turning up in all the wrong places and his gut says she knows more that she’s letting on. To solve his case he may have to expose what she’s hiding no matter how impossible the truth may be.
This steady paced plot keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with lots of suspense, action and romance. The author describes the events and characters with vivid imagery and details that reach out grab the reader’s attention. The characters are strong, compelling and ensure the reader wants to know more and the suspense builds throughout the story and the spirits are life like and send shivers up the reader’s spine.
The attraction between Seth and Jules radiates heat from every page and the sex scenes sizzle with lots of steamy passion. Jules captures the heart of the readers with her strong but vulnerable personality and they can certainly understand her motivations regarding her ‘gift’ and her life. Seth is a likable character even though in a couple places he acts like a typical male, but then that’s what makes them so believable. The supporting characters are also very intriguing, capturing the reader’s interest and ensuring that they want to reader their stories as well.
I was totally caught up in this story from the very beginning and I really enjoyed how the author kept me guessing and surprising me with twists that I sure wasn’t expecting. I can’t wait to read the next Tidewater novel.
- Eva
April 2, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Although there were humorous and sexy moments, Spirited ultimately fell short of its potential thanks to an inconsistent plot, poor character development and bad dialogue.
Opening Sentence: Juliana Scott looped the strap of her black Prada clutch over her wrist and imagined scaling her apartment building in five-inch stiletto boots.
The Review:
Juliana “Jules” Scott is a spunky 27-year-old with a tendency for getting into trouble thanks to her so-called “crift” – a term she uses to describe her “cursed gift” that allows her to communicate with ghosts. Of course it makes sense that she’s wary to tell people that she talks to dead people; a childhood spent bouncing between foster homes and a disastrous marriage have proven that she can’t tell anyone unless she wants a visit to a psychiatric ward. (Except for her adoptive parents who seem to take everything incredibly well.)
So what is Jules supposed to say when an overzealous ghost manipulates her senses and climb through Seth English’s open window as 2 am? The fact that the ghost has done something no ghost has ever done before fades in comparison to the fact that Jules has suddenly developed the ability to read the X-rated mind of the Greek Adonis staring back at her. Which makes the fact that he’s also a policeman intent on arresting her and her new next-door neighbor all the more fun.
Seth is more of the love-‘em-and leave-‘em type of guy. He’s in the middle of an investigation that could make his career and his new next-door neighbor has become a big distraction. But he has no choice when Jules gets literally pulled into a murder investigation and becomes a target. It quickly becomes apparent that Jules holds the answer to the growing string of mysterious deaths and that their meeting was anything but coincidence.
Let me preface my review by saying that I really wanted to like this book. And I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to what I think of as a “tabloid read” –– the kind of lighthearted story that can be repeatedly picked up, read for a few minutes and put down again over a span of time without feeling like you’ve lost anything. Insta-love is almost always a component of these types of stories because there isn’t enough character development to make a reader believe in or care about anything else. Some factors may vary, but what it really boils down to is a literary equivalent of a stick figure drawing; an attractive man, an attractive woman, some inciting incident that causes friction and voila! It’s not meant to be a cerebral exercise and I keep that in mind when it comes to my expectations.
But even “tabloid reads” need to meet some baseline expectations with dialogue, character and plot and Spirited fell pretty short of mine. There were so many “WTF?” moments in this story that I started to think Behre had cut-and-pasted the manuscript for another story over this one.
A ghost that speaks in medieval prose? Random and not even done well.
Jules continually developing new powers with no explanation? Annoyingly convenient.
Seth’s insistent usage of “precious” when talking to (or about) Jules? Creepy as hell because all I could think of was Gollum, the detestable creature in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
Ultimately, the number of issues I had with the story outweighed the lighthearted fun that it promised. Though I’ve never read any of Behre’s other work, she seems to be a fairly prolific and well-liked author. Perhaps Spirited is just a one-off, a singular black spot in an otherwise shining career, but it’s conclusion is also the end of my interest in this series.
Notable Scene:
“Use your key next time, precious,” the cop growled in her ear, spinning her around. Then the cuffs were blessedly off. “You could have climbed into the window of a psycho. Good thing for you it was me. You got lucky.”
Jules rubbed her sore wrists. “Gee, I never knew getting lucky could be so disappointing.”
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Spirited. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Although there were humorous and sexy moments, Spirited ultimately fell short of its potential thanks to an inconsistent plot, poor character development and bad dialogue.
Opening Sentence: Juliana Scott looped the strap of her black Prada clutch over her wrist and imagined scaling her apartment building in five-inch stiletto boots.
The Review:
Juliana “Jules” Scott is a spunky 27-year-old with a tendency for getting into trouble thanks to her so-called “crift” – a term she uses to describe her “cursed gift” that allows her to communicate with ghosts. Of course it makes sense that she’s wary to tell people that she talks to dead people; a childhood spent bouncing between foster homes and a disastrous marriage have proven that she can’t tell anyone unless she wants a visit to a psychiatric ward. (Except for her adoptive parents who seem to take everything incredibly well.)
So what is Jules supposed to say when an overzealous ghost manipulates her senses and climb through Seth English’s open window as 2 am? The fact that the ghost has done something no ghost has ever done before fades in comparison to the fact that Jules has suddenly developed the ability to read the X-rated mind of the Greek Adonis staring back at her. Which makes the fact that he’s also a policeman intent on arresting her and her new next-door neighbor all the more fun.
Seth is more of the love-‘em-and leave-‘em type of guy. He’s in the middle of an investigation that could make his career and his new next-door neighbor has become a big distraction. But he has no choice when Jules gets literally pulled into a murder investigation and becomes a target. It quickly becomes apparent that Jules holds the answer to the growing string of mysterious deaths and that their meeting was anything but coincidence.
Let me preface my review by saying that I really wanted to like this book. And I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to what I think of as a “tabloid read” –– the kind of lighthearted story that can be repeatedly picked up, read for a few minutes and put down again over a span of time without feeling like you’ve lost anything. Insta-love is almost always a component of these types of stories because there isn’t enough character development to make a reader believe in or care about anything else. Some factors may vary, but what it really boils down to is a literary equivalent of a stick figure drawing; an attractive man, an attractive woman, some inciting incident that causes friction and voila! It’s not meant to be a cerebral exercise and I keep that in mind when it comes to my expectations.
But even “tabloid reads” need to meet some baseline expectations with dialogue, character and plot and Spirited fell pretty short of mine. There were so many “WTF?” moments in this story that I started to think Behre had cut-and-pasted the manuscript for another story over this one.
A ghost that speaks in medieval prose? Random and not even done well.
Jules continually developing new powers with no explanation? Annoyingly convenient.
Seth’s insistent usage of “precious” when talking to (or about) Jules? Creepy as hell because all I could think of was Gollum, the detestable creature in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
Ultimately, the number of issues I had with the story outweighed the lighthearted fun that it promised. Though I’ve never read any of Behre’s other work, she seems to be a fairly prolific and well-liked author. Perhaps Spirited is just a one-off, a singular black spot in an otherwise shining career, but it’s conclusion is also the end of my interest in this series.
Notable Scene:
“Use your key next time, precious,” the cop growled in her ear, spinning her around. Then the cuffs were blessedly off. “You could have climbed into the window of a psycho. Good thing for you it was me. You got lucky.”
Jules rubbed her sore wrists. “Gee, I never knew getting lucky could be so disappointing.”
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Spirited. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 14, 2017
This series has been on my radar for a really long time now and I promised myself that no matter what, this was my year to finally read it. It has been way too long since I have read a romantic suspense of any kind and one with a paranormal twist just demanded that I read it.
I'm so very glad that I did. It took precisely one chapter for me to be completely hooked and two chapters for me to be head over heels in like for the two main characters. I was already rooting for their steamy chemistry to come to a head (no dirty pun intended!)
Even though the mystery side of this was very predictable (I had most of it figured out around 30% in) I still had an amazing time with this book. The characters were so fun and lovable that it was hard not to be wrapped up and invested in the story.
The writing flowed so nicely that it didn't take long for me to be done with this and wanting to open book two up and dive in.
I'm so very glad that I did. It took precisely one chapter for me to be completely hooked and two chapters for me to be head over heels in like for the two main characters. I was already rooting for their steamy chemistry to come to a head (no dirty pun intended!)
Even though the mystery side of this was very predictable (I had most of it figured out around 30% in) I still had an amazing time with this book. The characters were so fun and lovable that it was hard not to be wrapped up and invested in the story.
The writing flowed so nicely that it didn't take long for me to be done with this and wanting to open book two up and dive in.
August 31, 2014
I've had the honor of reading this before it was published and it's a FANTASTIC story. Super hot hero (he's my book boyfriend), fun, feisty heroine, and a touch of paranormal with a great suspense story thrown in. Love, love, love this book!
March 10, 2014
I love romantic suspense, and when you mix in a little paranormal woo-woo, this girl gets excited. Spirited is the first novel in the Tidewater series by new to me author Mary Behre. Spirited delivered a murder mystery with likable characters and ghostly communications. Mini review: an exciting start to the series, with murder, romance and a little heat.
Jules Scott has returned to her hometown to start again as she continue her search for her sisters. Jules has a crift. (a gift or curse, depending on how you look at it) She can communicate with the dead. After a horrific experience, she has tried very hard to shut them out..but one is about to get very loud. Her neighbor is Detective Seth English a cop who is trying to salvage his career. He is working a string of burglaries that may be a career changer for him. Fate and perhaps a ghost have these two crossing paths. He doesn’t believe this sweet woman has anything to do with the murders, but his instinct tells him she is hiding something. The tale that unfolds was fast paced, heated and a great start to this new series.
Jules is an interesting heroine with a touch of snark and I liked her. As Behre peeled back her layers and revealed her story I wanted to hug her, help her and hurt a few people. I fully understood her fears and connected. Her humor and three H criteria made me giggle. Detective Seth English is yummy, and at times an idiot. He is a good guy who has had the rug pulled out from under him a few times. I found him to be noble and true. The chemistry and banter between them felt natural, and I enjoyed watching the romance unfold. Some of the secondary characters weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked but they added humor, kept me unsure with regard to the crimes and rounded out the tale.
Spirited was an excellent start to this series. I loved the paranormal element and the overall story ARC that is developed. Since it is not mentioned in the synopsis my lips are sealed, but trust me when I say it is interesting. The robberies and murders were an intense thread, and I loved how the author wrapped our heroine unwittingly into the center of the chaos. The romance developed from physical attraction, and while it could be construed as insta-love, Behre made their emotions feel genuine, and I happily went along for the ride. As I said the secondary characters weren’t very fleshed out and it worked for some since I wasn’t sure if they were friend or foe. The ending wrapped up nicely, giving us a complete story. It looks like each book will focus on a couple and a case. I will tell you that the paranormal element will change in each book. Squee!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Jules Scott has returned to her hometown to start again as she continue her search for her sisters. Jules has a crift. (a gift or curse, depending on how you look at it) She can communicate with the dead. After a horrific experience, she has tried very hard to shut them out..but one is about to get very loud. Her neighbor is Detective Seth English a cop who is trying to salvage his career. He is working a string of burglaries that may be a career changer for him. Fate and perhaps a ghost have these two crossing paths. He doesn’t believe this sweet woman has anything to do with the murders, but his instinct tells him she is hiding something. The tale that unfolds was fast paced, heated and a great start to this new series.
Jules is an interesting heroine with a touch of snark and I liked her. As Behre peeled back her layers and revealed her story I wanted to hug her, help her and hurt a few people. I fully understood her fears and connected. Her humor and three H criteria made me giggle. Detective Seth English is yummy, and at times an idiot. He is a good guy who has had the rug pulled out from under him a few times. I found him to be noble and true. The chemistry and banter between them felt natural, and I enjoyed watching the romance unfold. Some of the secondary characters weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked but they added humor, kept me unsure with regard to the crimes and rounded out the tale.
Spirited was an excellent start to this series. I loved the paranormal element and the overall story ARC that is developed. Since it is not mentioned in the synopsis my lips are sealed, but trust me when I say it is interesting. The robberies and murders were an intense thread, and I loved how the author wrapped our heroine unwittingly into the center of the chaos. The romance developed from physical attraction, and while it could be construed as insta-love, Behre made their emotions feel genuine, and I happily went along for the ride. As I said the secondary characters weren’t very fleshed out and it worked for some since I wasn’t sure if they were friend or foe. The ending wrapped up nicely, giving us a complete story. It looks like each book will focus on a couple and a case. I will tell you that the paranormal element will change in each book. Squee!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
August 6, 2014
This novel was featured on HerdingCats and Burning Soup's blog, and after reading the review, I had to read it. It is a debut novel and the first of a series. The heroine is a little quirky, but she has her reasons, and the hero is a cop trying to build his career. Together they are trying to hide their secrets and solve a crime.
Juliana Stone ( Jules) was headed home after attending a masquerade party. She had just won first place in the Pimp and Ho category and was quite pleased with herself. Except for the difficulties trying to breathe in her leather bustier, walking in stiletto heels and losing her keys and cell phone somewhere. Jules decides to climb up the fire escape and climb in the apartment window. Except, even though it is unlocked, it won't open. She is suddenly compelled to her neighbors window, scents and visions push her, and she falls head first.
Detective Seth English is asleep for the first time in a week, when he hears someone breaking in, or rather falling in. He grabs his gun and handcuffs, and confronts this intruder .....hooker, it's a hooker! Jules recovers her feet, and faces a large, very handsome man in yellow pajamas with lambs on them, a gun and he is yelling she is under arrest. Despite the yelling and gun her first thought was that this man belonged in a condum commercial. Jules attempted explanations are confirmed by the landlord who lives next door, who happens to be her adoptive father.
Jules has a huge secret she tries very hard to keep. She sees, and has conversations with dead people. She has had very difficult times in the past from her "crift" (curse/gift), but somehow this particular vision has landed her in the middle of Seth's robbery investigation.
This novel is a perfect mix of humor, paranormal and romance. Some moments are suspenseful, and others will make you laugh out loud. There is a secondary story of the search for Jules sisters. They were separated when they were very young, and sent to different foster homes, Jules is desperate to reunite with them. I highly recommend this novel, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series, Guarded.
Pat Fordyce
Juliana Stone ( Jules) was headed home after attending a masquerade party. She had just won first place in the Pimp and Ho category and was quite pleased with herself. Except for the difficulties trying to breathe in her leather bustier, walking in stiletto heels and losing her keys and cell phone somewhere. Jules decides to climb up the fire escape and climb in the apartment window. Except, even though it is unlocked, it won't open. She is suddenly compelled to her neighbors window, scents and visions push her, and she falls head first.
Detective Seth English is asleep for the first time in a week, when he hears someone breaking in, or rather falling in. He grabs his gun and handcuffs, and confronts this intruder .....hooker, it's a hooker! Jules recovers her feet, and faces a large, very handsome man in yellow pajamas with lambs on them, a gun and he is yelling she is under arrest. Despite the yelling and gun her first thought was that this man belonged in a condum commercial. Jules attempted explanations are confirmed by the landlord who lives next door, who happens to be her adoptive father.
Jules has a huge secret she tries very hard to keep. She sees, and has conversations with dead people. She has had very difficult times in the past from her "crift" (curse/gift), but somehow this particular vision has landed her in the middle of Seth's robbery investigation.
This novel is a perfect mix of humor, paranormal and romance. Some moments are suspenseful, and others will make you laugh out loud. There is a secondary story of the search for Jules sisters. They were separated when they were very young, and sent to different foster homes, Jules is desperate to reunite with them. I highly recommend this novel, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series, Guarded.
Pat Fordyce
March 6, 2014
I love finding new authors!! Mary Behre new series is about sisters that have special gifts who were separated when they were young and adopted by separate people. First up is Jules Scott who see’s ghosts. Jules is not too fond of her gift and her dialog with the ghosts was some of the funniest moments in the book. Not only can Jules see dead people but she directionally challenged and could get lost even standing in front of her own door. Jules was an instant likable character that sucked you into her story from the start. There has been a murder and the murdered victim comes to Jules for help. As the story goes along we find out there was a connection between them that ends up putting Jules in danger.
There are plenty of characters we meet along the way. The hero is a Detective that happens to live next door and they have quite the interesting first meeting. Seth was divided down the middle at first with both his attraction to Jules and but also his devotion to his current case that ends up involving the murdered woman.
The author not only manages to make you laugh she also kept you on the edge of your seat with the suspense and mystery. I looking forward to reading the next sister’s book in the series who has to ability to talk to animals.
There are plenty of characters we meet along the way. The hero is a Detective that happens to live next door and they have quite the interesting first meeting. Seth was divided down the middle at first with both his attraction to Jules and but also his devotion to his current case that ends up involving the murdered woman.
The author not only manages to make you laugh she also kept you on the edge of your seat with the suspense and mystery. I looking forward to reading the next sister’s book in the series who has to ability to talk to animals.
February 6, 2015
A fun suspense/paranormal story.
Nothing mind-blowing, but really nice and easy read.
Both hero and the heroine were nice people and I liked them.
The heroine, Jules, is cursed/gifted, crifed as she thinks about that, with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Obviously, and I understand her, she's terrified how other poeple will react if they find out about her ability.
The hero, Seth is bitter about how his life and his carreer is going. He's lost his chance to advance in his career due to problems with his ex and became the victim of jokes of his coleagues because of that. So his last chance to get that promotion is to solve his present case.
That case involves Jules and the ghosts Jules sees...
As you can imagine the situation has all the right things to become fun, romantic, hot... and it does.
Both of them do not do TSTL things and act like normal people (well, ghost apart... :) and I liked how they fall in love and enjoyed the journey.
I'm curious to read the next one about the Dr. Dolittle sister! :)
Nothing mind-blowing, but really nice and easy read.
Both hero and the heroine were nice people and I liked them.
The heroine, Jules, is cursed/gifted, crifed as she thinks about that, with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Obviously, and I understand her, she's terrified how other poeple will react if they find out about her ability.
The hero, Seth is bitter about how his life and his carreer is going. He's lost his chance to advance in his career due to problems with his ex and became the victim of jokes of his coleagues because of that. So his last chance to get that promotion is to solve his present case.
That case involves Jules and the ghosts Jules sees...
As you can imagine the situation has all the right things to become fun, romantic, hot... and it does.
Both of them do not do TSTL things and act like normal people (well, ghost apart... :) and I liked how they fall in love and enjoyed the journey.
I'm curious to read the next one about the Dr. Dolittle sister! :)
January 28, 2014
Set in a coastal town where the crimes are getting stranger by the minute, Juliana Scott wants to be normal. In other words, not see ghosts and be mauled by them at their convenience.
Seth English, the hottie cop in town, meets his new neighbor in the most unconventional way. Jules lands in his apartment dressed as a hooker and with an explanation.
Her explanation was easier than telling English a ghost had told her to do it. Ghosts tell her to do a lot of things and help her get mixed up in a diamond heist.
English is reluctant to get involved with Jules if she’s on the wrong side of the law.
Fast-moving, suspicious characters, and a mystery to crack even with the help of the screaming ghosts. This is a delightful read and unless you’re psychic, the ending will come as a complete surprise.
Seth English, the hottie cop in town, meets his new neighbor in the most unconventional way. Jules lands in his apartment dressed as a hooker and with an explanation.
Her explanation was easier than telling English a ghost had told her to do it. Ghosts tell her to do a lot of things and help her get mixed up in a diamond heist.
English is reluctant to get involved with Jules if she’s on the wrong side of the law.
Fast-moving, suspicious characters, and a mystery to crack even with the help of the screaming ghosts. This is a delightful read and unless you’re psychic, the ending will come as a complete surprise.
March 2, 2014
She keeps showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time making her the chief suspect in a murder case and yet the officer in charge believes her innocent. What will he say when he learns she sees and talks with ghosts?
Yeah, that grabbed my attention too. New author and a new paranormal romantic suspense series involving ghosts, murders, a danger-prone psychic and a hot cop jonesing to crack the case and get his promotion. It was all good. Jules Scott was such an unintentional trouble magnet and she took poor Seth English right along with her.
Here's a little sampling of the scene from their first encounter:
Was he dreaming? Detective Seth English of the Tidewater Police Department rubbed his eyes. Nope, no question about it. Someone was breaking into his apartment.
Criminals are just stupid.
Delicate feminine fingers slipped into the opening and wrapped around the frame, pushing the window slowly upward.
Seth watched, barely breathing, as she wriggled through the window. When she made it mostly through, her hands flew wide in front of her as if searching for leverage. Then she tumbled to the floor with a grunt.
"Stay Down" Lunging forward, he planted a knee into her back.
"Ouch" she screamed. "Help! Police!"
"I am the police." He ran his finger along her wrists to make sure he hadn't snapped the cuffs too tight. "You're fine"
pp. 6-7 Seth and Jules, Spirited
The story opens with a slight 'ahem' misunderstanding between Jules and Seth. Jules is accosted by a ghost who wants her help while at the same time Seth discovers that his jewelry robbery case has just escalated to a murder investigation. This is the break he has been waiting for after being passed up for the good cases before. He has a new partner and an attractive woman who he thinks is innocent, but knows more than she will say. Seth tries to balance his investigation alongside his growing feelings for Jules.
Jules has learned from past experience to hide her psychic ability. It grows hard between the ghost pushing her to help her finish one final task to find peace and Jules growing feelings for Seth who she really wants to trust with her secret, but can't. With all the clues in the case leading back to her, she discovers that even if Seth thinks she's an unwitting connection to his case, the killer isn't so magnanimous and she is in real danger.
This story just jumped right in with both feet. I have to admit that I felt a bit off kilter several times and at one point I checked to make sure I had the first book of the series in my hands. The writing style was to slowly reveal the explanatory details and then after a time I figured out that I was meant to be confused at first. Once I got used to this way of telling the story, I was fine.
The narrative is told from mainly Seth and Jules' perspectives, but ever so often there was a bit of the villain's thinking that was somewhat chilling. The pace never really slowed, but I thought the author did a good job of making it distinct whether I was following around Jules or Seth. Not all authors can achieve this and I just had to point it out. The tone and rhythm changed. Jules seemed to go through life with a survive and thrive attitude and Seth was more calculating and cautious though this all flew out the window when they got together.
The suspense portion of the plot was fun to follow. The clues are laid out steadily so its not until near the end that I had a pretty good grasp of what was going on and who was who as far as innocent, hero or villain. I love that. There was that big 'grave' danger pulse-pounding rescue bit at the end that had me flying through the pages to see what was going to happen next.
The romance developed well. It was fun, it was passionate and it had its serious side too. Both have a past that makes starting up a relationship a precarious thing particularly Jules. They have an instant attraction, but they're both cautious about doing anything about it. There were some interesting little psychic things- connections if you will- that happened when they were together that are left vague even by the end. I hope there is more explanation about that in the next book to satisfy my curiosity.
As characters go, I really liked both of them. Jules is extremely private and rightly so, but I loved seeing her give Seth a chance. Seth's career is on the line and he's already trusted so many people whether it was his wife or his past partners who have betrayed him. Like with Jules, it was good to see that he was willing to give trust one more chance. He had a big moment of doubt, but honestly I can't hold it against him because it was truly something tough to wrap his head around and it came during a rather intense time. They suited each other so well and it was obvious even in that first albeit comical scene that these two had some chemistry.
All in all, I had a good time reading this one and have a new series to which I'll eagerly await the next installment. Those who enjoy paranormal romantic suspense with a touch of humor should grab this one up.
My thanks to Penguin Group and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
Yeah, that grabbed my attention too. New author and a new paranormal romantic suspense series involving ghosts, murders, a danger-prone psychic and a hot cop jonesing to crack the case and get his promotion. It was all good. Jules Scott was such an unintentional trouble magnet and she took poor Seth English right along with her.
Here's a little sampling of the scene from their first encounter:
Was he dreaming? Detective Seth English of the Tidewater Police Department rubbed his eyes. Nope, no question about it. Someone was breaking into his apartment.
Criminals are just stupid.
Delicate feminine fingers slipped into the opening and wrapped around the frame, pushing the window slowly upward.
Seth watched, barely breathing, as she wriggled through the window. When she made it mostly through, her hands flew wide in front of her as if searching for leverage. Then she tumbled to the floor with a grunt.
"Stay Down" Lunging forward, he planted a knee into her back.
"Ouch" she screamed. "Help! Police!"
"I am the police." He ran his finger along her wrists to make sure he hadn't snapped the cuffs too tight. "You're fine"
pp. 6-7 Seth and Jules, Spirited
The story opens with a slight 'ahem' misunderstanding between Jules and Seth. Jules is accosted by a ghost who wants her help while at the same time Seth discovers that his jewelry robbery case has just escalated to a murder investigation. This is the break he has been waiting for after being passed up for the good cases before. He has a new partner and an attractive woman who he thinks is innocent, but knows more than she will say. Seth tries to balance his investigation alongside his growing feelings for Jules.
Jules has learned from past experience to hide her psychic ability. It grows hard between the ghost pushing her to help her finish one final task to find peace and Jules growing feelings for Seth who she really wants to trust with her secret, but can't. With all the clues in the case leading back to her, she discovers that even if Seth thinks she's an unwitting connection to his case, the killer isn't so magnanimous and she is in real danger.
This story just jumped right in with both feet. I have to admit that I felt a bit off kilter several times and at one point I checked to make sure I had the first book of the series in my hands. The writing style was to slowly reveal the explanatory details and then after a time I figured out that I was meant to be confused at first. Once I got used to this way of telling the story, I was fine.
The narrative is told from mainly Seth and Jules' perspectives, but ever so often there was a bit of the villain's thinking that was somewhat chilling. The pace never really slowed, but I thought the author did a good job of making it distinct whether I was following around Jules or Seth. Not all authors can achieve this and I just had to point it out. The tone and rhythm changed. Jules seemed to go through life with a survive and thrive attitude and Seth was more calculating and cautious though this all flew out the window when they got together.
The suspense portion of the plot was fun to follow. The clues are laid out steadily so its not until near the end that I had a pretty good grasp of what was going on and who was who as far as innocent, hero or villain. I love that. There was that big 'grave' danger pulse-pounding rescue bit at the end that had me flying through the pages to see what was going to happen next.
The romance developed well. It was fun, it was passionate and it had its serious side too. Both have a past that makes starting up a relationship a precarious thing particularly Jules. They have an instant attraction, but they're both cautious about doing anything about it. There were some interesting little psychic things- connections if you will- that happened when they were together that are left vague even by the end. I hope there is more explanation about that in the next book to satisfy my curiosity.
As characters go, I really liked both of them. Jules is extremely private and rightly so, but I loved seeing her give Seth a chance. Seth's career is on the line and he's already trusted so many people whether it was his wife or his past partners who have betrayed him. Like with Jules, it was good to see that he was willing to give trust one more chance. He had a big moment of doubt, but honestly I can't hold it against him because it was truly something tough to wrap his head around and it came during a rather intense time. They suited each other so well and it was obvious even in that first albeit comical scene that these two had some chemistry.
All in all, I had a good time reading this one and have a new series to which I'll eagerly await the next installment. Those who enjoy paranormal romantic suspense with a touch of humor should grab this one up.
My thanks to Penguin Group and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
March 28, 2014
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2014/03/review-...
After a nasty divorce, Juliana Scott just wants a quiet normal life and to find her missing sisters, but fate has other plans for her. Able to hear and see ghosts, Jules finds herself embroiled in a dangerous mystery when an insistent ghost implicates her in a series of deadly jewel heists. The only one who can keep her safe is a sexy hot detective who doesn’t believe in consequences or the supernatural.
Detective Seth English is recovering from his own failed marriage and can’t afford any distractions; especially in the form of his tantalizing new neighbor. Seth knows Jules has nothing to do with the jewelry heists but he can’t discount the fact she keeps showing up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As Seth gets to know Jules better, it becomes obvious she’s hiding some things and Seth is determined to get to the bottom of it. But when the truth threatens more than just their burgeoning relationship, Seth will have to accept the unbelievable if he wants a future with Jules.
Spirited by Mary Behre is the first book in her debut paranormal romance series, Tidewater. Set in a small coastal town of Tidewater, VA, Behre introduces us to Juliana (Jules) Scott. Crifted (her word for her gift/curse) with the ability to communicate with ghosts, this “crift” has done nothing but make Jules’s life miserable. After attending a themed college reunion Pimp & Ho party and winning the costume for “best ho,” Jules is accosted on the way home by a belligerent ghost who uses deception and misdirection to force Jules to break into the apartment of a detective. A comedy of errors style meeting leads the detective to assume Jules is a hooker, thief, drug dealer, and liar. Once the various misunderstandings are corrected and the attraction between Jules and the detective is recognized and set in place, the story line proceeds, flipping between the romance and the mystery.
I’ve always been a fan of ghost stories both humorous and serious. I love Ghost Adventures and was a faithful watcher of Ghost Whisperer. I was excited to get Spirited for the above reasons and while it was an easy read, I wasn’t as taken with it as I thought I would be. It comes out of the gate with a bang but it slows down considerably until almost the very end. Behre does a good job of setting up the premise and interjecting personal subplots of the various characters into the main storyline. However, I felt the storyline was too loosely structured. Various subplots didn’t develop as they could have and the flow between the mystery and the romance was not smooth sailing. The first three quarters of the book is a rather tame with a large focus on the romance and the development of the characters. The mystery, while interesting, is revealed in small doses from several sources at random moments. It gives it a disconnected feeling and I found myself confused on several occasions.
The romance felt forced and unsure; as if it wasn’t fitting comfortably.The dialogue was lacking at times; coming off stilted and unauthentic. Seth, our hero, annoyed me with his condescending attitude and the endless cheek stroking. He is judgemental and quick to accuse. Though we get reasons for this, it didn’t excuse his behavior for me. In the beginning he muses that he can’t engage in a relationship with Jules because after a week in bed with her, she’ll be addicted to him and he’ll be bored. 0_o The only saving grace is the heroine has enough self confidence in herself that she doesn’t cower under his attitude and. Their banter was amusing and outright funny at times.
Additional secondary characters keep the story from being too linear and one dimensional. April and Ernie (Big Jim) are personable characters and learning how Jules came to be adopted by them was eye opening in regards to her emotional issues. Devon, Seth’s partner, is set up to help Jules with finding one of her sisters and I liked his protective behavior towards her. The two ghosts who invade Jules life play off one another in that one’s behavior is why Jules goes out of her way to ignore them while the other one is able to help Jules get a better grip on her crift and see the potential to use it to help others.
The ending picks up the story’s pace considerably and the last quarter is action packed with the suspense and intrigue I wish the entire book had been drenched in. We learn the hows and whys of the mystery along with seeing some serious eye opening on Seth’s part in regards to his past and future.
Though I wasn’t blown away by this story, I do think it has potential and hopefully with future installments will iron out the issues seen in this one.
RATING: C
After a nasty divorce, Juliana Scott just wants a quiet normal life and to find her missing sisters, but fate has other plans for her. Able to hear and see ghosts, Jules finds herself embroiled in a dangerous mystery when an insistent ghost implicates her in a series of deadly jewel heists. The only one who can keep her safe is a sexy hot detective who doesn’t believe in consequences or the supernatural.
Detective Seth English is recovering from his own failed marriage and can’t afford any distractions; especially in the form of his tantalizing new neighbor. Seth knows Jules has nothing to do with the jewelry heists but he can’t discount the fact she keeps showing up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As Seth gets to know Jules better, it becomes obvious she’s hiding some things and Seth is determined to get to the bottom of it. But when the truth threatens more than just their burgeoning relationship, Seth will have to accept the unbelievable if he wants a future with Jules.
Spirited by Mary Behre is the first book in her debut paranormal romance series, Tidewater. Set in a small coastal town of Tidewater, VA, Behre introduces us to Juliana (Jules) Scott. Crifted (her word for her gift/curse) with the ability to communicate with ghosts, this “crift” has done nothing but make Jules’s life miserable. After attending a themed college reunion Pimp & Ho party and winning the costume for “best ho,” Jules is accosted on the way home by a belligerent ghost who uses deception and misdirection to force Jules to break into the apartment of a detective. A comedy of errors style meeting leads the detective to assume Jules is a hooker, thief, drug dealer, and liar. Once the various misunderstandings are corrected and the attraction between Jules and the detective is recognized and set in place, the story line proceeds, flipping between the romance and the mystery.
I’ve always been a fan of ghost stories both humorous and serious. I love Ghost Adventures and was a faithful watcher of Ghost Whisperer. I was excited to get Spirited for the above reasons and while it was an easy read, I wasn’t as taken with it as I thought I would be. It comes out of the gate with a bang but it slows down considerably until almost the very end. Behre does a good job of setting up the premise and interjecting personal subplots of the various characters into the main storyline. However, I felt the storyline was too loosely structured. Various subplots didn’t develop as they could have and the flow between the mystery and the romance was not smooth sailing. The first three quarters of the book is a rather tame with a large focus on the romance and the development of the characters. The mystery, while interesting, is revealed in small doses from several sources at random moments. It gives it a disconnected feeling and I found myself confused on several occasions.
The romance felt forced and unsure; as if it wasn’t fitting comfortably.The dialogue was lacking at times; coming off stilted and unauthentic. Seth, our hero, annoyed me with his condescending attitude and the endless cheek stroking. He is judgemental and quick to accuse. Though we get reasons for this, it didn’t excuse his behavior for me. In the beginning he muses that he can’t engage in a relationship with Jules because after a week in bed with her, she’ll be addicted to him and he’ll be bored. 0_o The only saving grace is the heroine has enough self confidence in herself that she doesn’t cower under his attitude and. Their banter was amusing and outright funny at times.
Additional secondary characters keep the story from being too linear and one dimensional. April and Ernie (Big Jim) are personable characters and learning how Jules came to be adopted by them was eye opening in regards to her emotional issues. Devon, Seth’s partner, is set up to help Jules with finding one of her sisters and I liked his protective behavior towards her. The two ghosts who invade Jules life play off one another in that one’s behavior is why Jules goes out of her way to ignore them while the other one is able to help Jules get a better grip on her crift and see the potential to use it to help others.
The ending picks up the story’s pace considerably and the last quarter is action packed with the suspense and intrigue I wish the entire book had been drenched in. We learn the hows and whys of the mystery along with seeing some serious eye opening on Seth’s part in regards to his past and future.
Though I wasn’t blown away by this story, I do think it has potential and hopefully with future installments will iron out the issues seen in this one.
RATING: C
February 14, 2014
If someone you knew told you that they were able to communicate with ghosts, would you be inclined to believe them? If it was me, I would think they were nuts and tell them a week in Bellevue Hospital would do them some good. After reading "Spirited" by Mary Behre, my view on communicating with the dead has completely changed. It's Behre's style of writing that has left me feeling I was a part of the characters' world.
The book centers around Jules and her sexy detective neighbor Seth. Jules is trying to move forward from a disastrous marriage and the fact that she ghosts! Yup you read that right. Actually communicates, sees and help them cross over to the other side. One ghost she has come across will not take no for an answer when she decides she is DONE with helping them out. This ghost wants Jules to help her makes things right and bring her killer to justice. With this, Jules has become the one and only suspect in her murder. Seth is trying to become Sergeant in his police department. After one too many fail attempts, he knows this is his last shot. When a jewelry heist and murder fall into his and his partners' lap, he knows he's got to solve this case in order to get his glory. But when mysterious circumstances lead his investigation to Jules he realizes there is no way she could be involved...or could she?
This book was marketed as a paranormal read, I guess because the female lead talks to ghosts. There was so much more to this than just paranormal. With romance and a murder mystery added to the mix, this made the journey into Behre's world quite enjoyable. With her descriptive and engaging writing style I couldn't have been more enthralled with this book. Seth and Jules were just beyond cute and gush worthy. I feel another couple being added to my, "Favorite Couple's" list in my near future. Seth, at first, is moody and a bit standoffish. After while he is anything but. His facade of coldness starts to crack when he gets to know Jules. He just knows that in no possible way that Jules could be caught up in this jewelry heist/murder case. Seth, overall is such a sweet guy. Tall, rugged, sexy somewhat of an alpha male, he did make my heart jump. He's been burned in the past so it was nice to see his snarkiness toward Jules started to subside. Jules...misguided, lovable, goofy Jules. I just adored her. She made of been a bit aloof at times, but seriously don't let that fool you. Strongly written female character she was a breathe of fresh air to me. I hate reading sometimes how these female characters have no damn backbone. She had it and then some.
Fun and quirky read. I truly thought I was a neighbor or something living in Seth and Jules world. I swear I thought I was watching an episode of "The Ghost Whisperer". Freaking adored that show to pieces. I think that was why I was so taken with this book. I did hate the fact that real life took over and I had to keep stopping but once all that washed away I was able to appreciate the book for what it was: Good writing and very well developed characters. One thing that did bother me was the smut. Now I love a good story, but I also need for it to balance out with some good and steamy sex scenes. Their sexual tension and ghost cock blocking (you'll see once you read the book) that made me want to shank the mess out of that damn Ghost. We didn't get a good scene until about half way towards the end. Behre surely does know how to keep you pent up :-). Lucky for me it isn't always about sex when it comes to a book. Good characters and storyline makes me overlook that stuff.
Other than that, I loved this book and look forward to continuing the rest of this series. Now the next two books are about Jules long lost sister. Each with their own special and unique ability. This is gonna be fun! Out of a 5, I'm giving this a 4. Ms. Behre you definitely made a fan out of me.
SMIBookClub received an ARC of Spirited in exchange for a honest review.
The book centers around Jules and her sexy detective neighbor Seth. Jules is trying to move forward from a disastrous marriage and the fact that she ghosts! Yup you read that right. Actually communicates, sees and help them cross over to the other side. One ghost she has come across will not take no for an answer when she decides she is DONE with helping them out. This ghost wants Jules to help her makes things right and bring her killer to justice. With this, Jules has become the one and only suspect in her murder. Seth is trying to become Sergeant in his police department. After one too many fail attempts, he knows this is his last shot. When a jewelry heist and murder fall into his and his partners' lap, he knows he's got to solve this case in order to get his glory. But when mysterious circumstances lead his investigation to Jules he realizes there is no way she could be involved...or could she?
This book was marketed as a paranormal read, I guess because the female lead talks to ghosts. There was so much more to this than just paranormal. With romance and a murder mystery added to the mix, this made the journey into Behre's world quite enjoyable. With her descriptive and engaging writing style I couldn't have been more enthralled with this book. Seth and Jules were just beyond cute and gush worthy. I feel another couple being added to my, "Favorite Couple's" list in my near future. Seth, at first, is moody and a bit standoffish. After while he is anything but. His facade of coldness starts to crack when he gets to know Jules. He just knows that in no possible way that Jules could be caught up in this jewelry heist/murder case. Seth, overall is such a sweet guy. Tall, rugged, sexy somewhat of an alpha male, he did make my heart jump. He's been burned in the past so it was nice to see his snarkiness toward Jules started to subside. Jules...misguided, lovable, goofy Jules. I just adored her. She made of been a bit aloof at times, but seriously don't let that fool you. Strongly written female character she was a breathe of fresh air to me. I hate reading sometimes how these female characters have no damn backbone. She had it and then some.
Fun and quirky read. I truly thought I was a neighbor or something living in Seth and Jules world. I swear I thought I was watching an episode of "The Ghost Whisperer". Freaking adored that show to pieces. I think that was why I was so taken with this book. I did hate the fact that real life took over and I had to keep stopping but once all that washed away I was able to appreciate the book for what it was: Good writing and very well developed characters. One thing that did bother me was the smut. Now I love a good story, but I also need for it to balance out with some good and steamy sex scenes. Their sexual tension and ghost cock blocking (you'll see once you read the book) that made me want to shank the mess out of that damn Ghost. We didn't get a good scene until about half way towards the end. Behre surely does know how to keep you pent up :-). Lucky for me it isn't always about sex when it comes to a book. Good characters and storyline makes me overlook that stuff.
Other than that, I loved this book and look forward to continuing the rest of this series. Now the next two books are about Jules long lost sister. Each with their own special and unique ability. This is gonna be fun! Out of a 5, I'm giving this a 4. Ms. Behre you definitely made a fan out of me.
SMIBookClub received an ARC of Spirited in exchange for a honest review.
February 27, 2014
Source: Received copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
She’s running from who she is…...
All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life—preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s talent for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her.…
He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.
Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding—no matter how impossible the truth may be….
Available March 4th
My Thoughts:
First Impressions...
In need a a genre change but still wanting to keep some romance in there, I was drawn to this one. I liked the premise of the cop trying to resist the girl next door while he solved his case. So I decided to give this one a try.
The Story...
I was definitely giggling as Jules dressed as a hooker from a costume party falls through the window of her neighbors apartment only to meet the sexy and gorgeous cop next door. Drawn to each other for what seems like more than physical attraction, it's all kinds of fun to watch them resist. But there's way more going on than just the romance. There's a rash of diamond burglaries in the area, a murder, a bunch of ghosts bugging Jules, and a few twists along the way. What I enjoyed about this story was that as I figured out one aspect of the story, another popped up to take it's place. The clues where there and I did pick up on them but there was always more to the story. That was nice.
The Characters...
I loved Jules. Her ability to hear the dead has made her life more interesting that she would like. She's a little mouthy and full of spunk. I love it when she grumps at the ghosts or gives Seth what for. Was totally pulling for her life to get better.
Of course, I loved Seth. He's so cute. He keeps telling himself to pay attention to the case and not to react to his neighbor but his body didn't get the memo. I loved when the story was from his point of view. He was always trying to be professional but words just kept coming out of his mouth and no effort on his part could pull them back. One of my favorite scenes was when his teenage daughter waited on them at a restaurant and Jules finds out who she is when she calls Seth Dad. Hehe.
The Writing...
I'm surprised that this is debut author. It's written in third person but still focuses on a point of view. I generally struggle with third person but this one was done right. I think the clues for what was happening were a little too clear but that was balanced with new problems popping up. I would have expected a veteran author for that.
Did I Put It Down...
Yeah, I did. It's not that it wasn't good, I just rarely get to read a book straight through. I can say that I thought about it while I wasn't reading it.
In The End...
This was a nice change for me. More adult and thriller than I normally read, it was a good change of pace. If you enjoy the romance combined with a little more story, then this is a good one to try.
She’s running from who she is…...
All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life—preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s talent for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her.…
He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.
Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding—no matter how impossible the truth may be….
Available March 4th
My Thoughts:
First Impressions...
In need a a genre change but still wanting to keep some romance in there, I was drawn to this one. I liked the premise of the cop trying to resist the girl next door while he solved his case. So I decided to give this one a try.
The Story...
I was definitely giggling as Jules dressed as a hooker from a costume party falls through the window of her neighbors apartment only to meet the sexy and gorgeous cop next door. Drawn to each other for what seems like more than physical attraction, it's all kinds of fun to watch them resist. But there's way more going on than just the romance. There's a rash of diamond burglaries in the area, a murder, a bunch of ghosts bugging Jules, and a few twists along the way. What I enjoyed about this story was that as I figured out one aspect of the story, another popped up to take it's place. The clues where there and I did pick up on them but there was always more to the story. That was nice.
The Characters...
I loved Jules. Her ability to hear the dead has made her life more interesting that she would like. She's a little mouthy and full of spunk. I love it when she grumps at the ghosts or gives Seth what for. Was totally pulling for her life to get better.
Of course, I loved Seth. He's so cute. He keeps telling himself to pay attention to the case and not to react to his neighbor but his body didn't get the memo. I loved when the story was from his point of view. He was always trying to be professional but words just kept coming out of his mouth and no effort on his part could pull them back. One of my favorite scenes was when his teenage daughter waited on them at a restaurant and Jules finds out who she is when she calls Seth Dad. Hehe.
The Writing...
I'm surprised that this is debut author. It's written in third person but still focuses on a point of view. I generally struggle with third person but this one was done right. I think the clues for what was happening were a little too clear but that was balanced with new problems popping up. I would have expected a veteran author for that.
Did I Put It Down...
Yeah, I did. It's not that it wasn't good, I just rarely get to read a book straight through. I can say that I thought about it while I wasn't reading it.
In The End...
This was a nice change for me. More adult and thriller than I normally read, it was a good change of pace. If you enjoy the romance combined with a little more story, then this is a good one to try.
March 6, 2014
I really want to give this story a 4 star, I really do. But though this story has great potential and unique characters, I can't help but think that the plot and characterization wasn't developed enough for me to relate to the characters or stay focus on the story.
The first few chapters managed to pull me in and give me a good insight of our main leads. But as you read, you'll notice that not only does the plot was dragged out, but the characters later became dry. Not to mention, I felt that the story as a whole is deconstructed, as if the author is trying to hard to tie the story together when it doesn't necessary click together.
I'm always a sucker a sucker for physics because I always love reading the creative way they view the world and how the world view them. It also give me insights to the lives of these people, whom I believe do exist in the world. But Jules, the heroine, failed to tug me in. I understood what she was going through but I felt that there's an essential piece missing, one that will tie everything together and allow me to see her as a living person. When reading any story, i always try to relate to my heroines so that I can understand their values, emotions, and actions. So as much as I want to like her, I felt as if I'm an outsider looking in, but a detached spectator nonetheless. There was nothing for me within her characters, despite moments where I do felt sad for her.
The hero, Seth, was pretty much the same to me as the heroine. His character was pretty dry and undeveloped. His character background hinted strength, integrity, and love for his family and justice. But that was all I get from this story. When reading I try to relate to the person base on his background information, then learn more about him as he developed with the story. But I got nada. Nothing. It was as if the author just give me a list of the character he is and that was all. Nothing else new was develop, except maybe his abrupt change of heart at the end regarding his feelings for the heroine. And even that was put together in a way that made it a little to rushed to be believable.
Plotwise, the story needs more development. it has great potential for a great read but I think it was put together very inadequately. halfway through the book, I already felt the story felt disconnected somehow and had to force myself to finish it. the ending felt pretty abrupt and the characters didn't tug at my heartstrings by the end of the book. However, there's always room for improvement and I hope to see it in the next book.
Although I do not recommend this novel, it wasn't that bad of a read. If you're looking for a light story to pass the time, go right ahead and pick this one up. However, if you're looking for one where you'll could fall in love with the hero/heroine and enjoying a got plot, then look somewhere else.
The first few chapters managed to pull me in and give me a good insight of our main leads. But as you read, you'll notice that not only does the plot was dragged out, but the characters later became dry. Not to mention, I felt that the story as a whole is deconstructed, as if the author is trying to hard to tie the story together when it doesn't necessary click together.
I'm always a sucker a sucker for physics because I always love reading the creative way they view the world and how the world view them. It also give me insights to the lives of these people, whom I believe do exist in the world. But Jules, the heroine, failed to tug me in. I understood what she was going through but I felt that there's an essential piece missing, one that will tie everything together and allow me to see her as a living person. When reading any story, i always try to relate to my heroines so that I can understand their values, emotions, and actions. So as much as I want to like her, I felt as if I'm an outsider looking in, but a detached spectator nonetheless. There was nothing for me within her characters, despite moments where I do felt sad for her.
The hero, Seth, was pretty much the same to me as the heroine. His character was pretty dry and undeveloped. His character background hinted strength, integrity, and love for his family and justice. But that was all I get from this story. When reading I try to relate to the person base on his background information, then learn more about him as he developed with the story. But I got nada. Nothing. It was as if the author just give me a list of the character he is and that was all. Nothing else new was develop, except maybe his abrupt change of heart at the end regarding his feelings for the heroine. And even that was put together in a way that made it a little to rushed to be believable.
Plotwise, the story needs more development. it has great potential for a great read but I think it was put together very inadequately. halfway through the book, I already felt the story felt disconnected somehow and had to force myself to finish it. the ending felt pretty abrupt and the characters didn't tug at my heartstrings by the end of the book. However, there's always room for improvement and I hope to see it in the next book.
Although I do not recommend this novel, it wasn't that bad of a read. If you're looking for a light story to pass the time, go right ahead and pick this one up. However, if you're looking for one where you'll could fall in love with the hero/heroine and enjoying a got plot, then look somewhere else.
March 8, 2014
Review Courtesy All Things Urban Fantasy
I’ve always had a thing for ghost stories – from the days of sleepovers, campfires, and my own haunted house experiences, there’s just something about souls in unrest that calls to me. For that reason alone I was very excited about starting SPIRITED and also loathe to put it down. Probably why I was able to read it in a little over 24 hours. It scores high in the ghost whisperer column, but not without its glitches.
We meet Juliana on her way back from her college reunion which was, for some reason, a theme reunion; one which found Juliana dressed as a hooker. It might have worked better if it had been anything else, Hallowe’en maybe, because all it really felt like was a vehicle for sit-com misunderstanding and insta-lust between Jules and Seth. The fact that Jules can not only communicate with the dead, but feel Seth’s little sexual fantasies as if they’re actually happening only adds to that. Not that there’s anything wrong with the fantasy share, it just would have been more effective if it was explained, or even addressed. Once it served its purpose and the two did the deed, it was never mentioned again.
There’s also something almost contrived and forced about the sex aspect of SPIRITED that gives it the feel of something that was added/changed after the story itself was written to “amp up” the sexual aspect of the story. The stilted and awkward phrasing in the sex scenes only feeds that feeling. Despite all that, I did enjoy the relationship aspect of Seth and Juliana very much, and had a few happy sighs as their relationship progressed and the overcame the hurdles of a disbeliever and a reluctantly accepted “crift.” (Juliana’s term for her ability – a cross between a curse and a gift.)
Apart from that, the story itself is pretty good. I loved the differences between the two main ghosts Juliana encounters. The violence of the angry poltergeist, frustrated with her inability to communicate juxtaposes nicely with the peaceful spirit simply waiting to move on. The first causes Juliana pain and fear, the other helps her both with the underlying mystery and to understand her “crift” and better use it to help other spirits.
I will probably pick up the next book in the Tidewater series, because the plot arc of Juliana and her separated sisters intrigues me and I want to meet Shelley, and see if they find their other sister. I’ll do so with a hope that the little glitches in SPIRITED are tightened up.
I’ve always had a thing for ghost stories – from the days of sleepovers, campfires, and my own haunted house experiences, there’s just something about souls in unrest that calls to me. For that reason alone I was very excited about starting SPIRITED and also loathe to put it down. Probably why I was able to read it in a little over 24 hours. It scores high in the ghost whisperer column, but not without its glitches.
We meet Juliana on her way back from her college reunion which was, for some reason, a theme reunion; one which found Juliana dressed as a hooker. It might have worked better if it had been anything else, Hallowe’en maybe, because all it really felt like was a vehicle for sit-com misunderstanding and insta-lust between Jules and Seth. The fact that Jules can not only communicate with the dead, but feel Seth’s little sexual fantasies as if they’re actually happening only adds to that. Not that there’s anything wrong with the fantasy share, it just would have been more effective if it was explained, or even addressed. Once it served its purpose and the two did the deed, it was never mentioned again.
There’s also something almost contrived and forced about the sex aspect of SPIRITED that gives it the feel of something that was added/changed after the story itself was written to “amp up” the sexual aspect of the story. The stilted and awkward phrasing in the sex scenes only feeds that feeling. Despite all that, I did enjoy the relationship aspect of Seth and Juliana very much, and had a few happy sighs as their relationship progressed and the overcame the hurdles of a disbeliever and a reluctantly accepted “crift.” (Juliana’s term for her ability – a cross between a curse and a gift.)
Apart from that, the story itself is pretty good. I loved the differences between the two main ghosts Juliana encounters. The violence of the angry poltergeist, frustrated with her inability to communicate juxtaposes nicely with the peaceful spirit simply waiting to move on. The first causes Juliana pain and fear, the other helps her both with the underlying mystery and to understand her “crift” and better use it to help other spirits.
I will probably pick up the next book in the Tidewater series, because the plot arc of Juliana and her separated sisters intrigues me and I want to meet Shelley, and see if they find their other sister. I’ll do so with a hope that the little glitches in SPIRITED are tightened up.
March 16, 2014
Talk Supe review & Interview with Mary Behre
GIVEAWAY: Win a print copy of SPIRITED (US Only)
REVIEW
SPIRITED has a light feel to it although the humor was sporadic after the first quarter of the novel. I love the contrasting layers of the characters, the supporting cast as well as the series plot. The conflict like I mentioned is slightly predictable in the sense that you'll have a framework of what happened midway but how MBehre executed the revelation and resolution still managed to astonish me. The pace was fast and even and the myth is simple with no ties to any pantheon, legends or lores. It's straightforward and rather normal where you have a set of siblings who have psychic crifts, I stand corrected of course as there might be more to the Scott sisters as the series progress but for now, I love the simplicity of things. It's believable which is rare when one is reading a fantasy story.
INTERVIEW
BRAINE:Fascinating. Aside from ghosts, what other otherwordly creatures should we expect to come across in Tidewater?
Mary Behre: Tidewater is pretty tame compared to other cities. No werewolves or vampires. But we have ghosts aplenty and locals who possess unique talents, including one person who speaks to animals.
BRAINE:That's an interesting combo, LOL. I see that with every Tidewater book, there's a different couple featured. How are the characters connected?
Mary Behre: The first three books are about the Scott sisters. Jules is in SPIRITED. Her sister Shelley is a telepathic vet who speaks to animals in GUARDED, and third book, ENERGIZED (working title), centers around Hannah’s psychometric gift. In each story there’s a mystery, ghosts, and a new psychic gift.
BRAINE:I love the title, ENERGIZED. How many books do you have lined up for Tidewater?
Mary Behre: Books 1 and 2 are already written. In fact, I’m in the middle of copy edits for book 2 this week. I’m also writing the proposal for books 3, 4, and 5.
Tidewater is rich with quirky characters, ghosts, and mysteries to be solved. I hope to see this series go on for a long time.
GIVEAWAY: Win a print copy of SPIRITED (US Only)
REVIEW
SPIRITED has a light feel to it although the humor was sporadic after the first quarter of the novel. I love the contrasting layers of the characters, the supporting cast as well as the series plot. The conflict like I mentioned is slightly predictable in the sense that you'll have a framework of what happened midway but how MBehre executed the revelation and resolution still managed to astonish me. The pace was fast and even and the myth is simple with no ties to any pantheon, legends or lores. It's straightforward and rather normal where you have a set of siblings who have psychic crifts, I stand corrected of course as there might be more to the Scott sisters as the series progress but for now, I love the simplicity of things. It's believable which is rare when one is reading a fantasy story.
INTERVIEW
BRAINE:Fascinating. Aside from ghosts, what other otherwordly creatures should we expect to come across in Tidewater?
Mary Behre: Tidewater is pretty tame compared to other cities. No werewolves or vampires. But we have ghosts aplenty and locals who possess unique talents, including one person who speaks to animals.
BRAINE:That's an interesting combo, LOL. I see that with every Tidewater book, there's a different couple featured. How are the characters connected?
Mary Behre: The first three books are about the Scott sisters. Jules is in SPIRITED. Her sister Shelley is a telepathic vet who speaks to animals in GUARDED, and third book, ENERGIZED (working title), centers around Hannah’s psychometric gift. In each story there’s a mystery, ghosts, and a new psychic gift.
BRAINE:I love the title, ENERGIZED. How many books do you have lined up for Tidewater?
Mary Behre: Books 1 and 2 are already written. In fact, I’m in the middle of copy edits for book 2 this week. I’m also writing the proposal for books 3, 4, and 5.
Tidewater is rich with quirky characters, ghosts, and mysteries to be solved. I hope to see this series go on for a long time.
April 7, 2014
Like a ghost story with heart? I do and that’s what I got when I read this book. One of the blogs I follow gave it 5 stars, so I decided to try it. And I am glad I did! Not only is it a ghost story, but it’s also a mystery who done it, and a really good romance, with a total Alpha Male. Throw in a main character that can see ghosts, and I am in!
Jules has moved back to her hometown to manage her parents flower shop. She meets her new neighbor in a comedy of errors moment, when a ghost mentally boosts her into entering his bedroom window. And that’s all I am telling about that..too cute of a scene not to let you read it yourself. Seth is a police detective with one major thing in his life-his work and his need to get promoted after some set-backs. He certainly doesn’t need a neighbor that starts driving him crazy from minute one! When a female ghost starts haunting Jules with visions of her(the ghost’s) murder, Jules can’t help but to get involved. And of course, Seth gets in on the action too.
I liked the characters of Jules, and her parents were well written too. Seth was a total hot guy with a liberal dose of arrogance. I wanted to slap him upside the head on more then one occasion! There were other characters that I liked but since this is a who done it, not going to say which ones. There’s lots of sexual tension and a couple of steamy scenes.
If you are looking for a really deep story, this isn’t it. But if you like a good romance with a good mystery and some funny moments, then you are in luck. Don’t get me wrong. There’s some really bad villains and more then one ghost. Seth wasn’t always my favorite character but he did grow on me and Jules manages to get into life threatening moments more then once. She is also one of three sisters, all adopted to different homes and she has been hunting them for years. The next book features her sister that can communicate (not talk) with animals. I am interested in seeing what the third sister can do.
Bottom line? I did enjoy it, and it was very readable. I will be watching for the next in the series titled, Guarded. If you don’t care about the sisters, then this is can be a stand alone read.(RabidReads.ca)
Jules has moved back to her hometown to manage her parents flower shop. She meets her new neighbor in a comedy of errors moment, when a ghost mentally boosts her into entering his bedroom window. And that’s all I am telling about that..too cute of a scene not to let you read it yourself. Seth is a police detective with one major thing in his life-his work and his need to get promoted after some set-backs. He certainly doesn’t need a neighbor that starts driving him crazy from minute one! When a female ghost starts haunting Jules with visions of her(the ghost’s) murder, Jules can’t help but to get involved. And of course, Seth gets in on the action too.
I liked the characters of Jules, and her parents were well written too. Seth was a total hot guy with a liberal dose of arrogance. I wanted to slap him upside the head on more then one occasion! There were other characters that I liked but since this is a who done it, not going to say which ones. There’s lots of sexual tension and a couple of steamy scenes.
If you are looking for a really deep story, this isn’t it. But if you like a good romance with a good mystery and some funny moments, then you are in luck. Don’t get me wrong. There’s some really bad villains and more then one ghost. Seth wasn’t always my favorite character but he did grow on me and Jules manages to get into life threatening moments more then once. She is also one of three sisters, all adopted to different homes and she has been hunting them for years. The next book features her sister that can communicate (not talk) with animals. I am interested in seeing what the third sister can do.
Bottom line? I did enjoy it, and it was very readable. I will be watching for the next in the series titled, Guarded. If you don’t care about the sisters, then this is can be a stand alone read.(RabidReads.ca)
March 21, 2014
Enjoyable story of a psychic and a cop. I typically prefer stories like this one where not everyone has powers. I like the juxtaposition of the person with powers against the normal rest of the world. I liked the heroine and the hero both. The plotting mostly made sense. There were however a few places where things were unnecessarily obscure just to drive the story along. The ghost set up was pretty good. The reason this didn't get 5 stars from me though was the ending. I felt it was a pretty big fail.
Still worth the read though.
Still worth the read though.
June 18, 2014
Well I didn't like this in the beginning. Jules was just not enjoyable. I think maybe the author was going for humor but I just thought some of the things were ridiculous.
The relationship between her and Seth seemed too fast, the attraction too fast. I didn't connect with either of them very well. Maybe with Jules at the end when she seemed to accept herself more.
The family stuff made no sense at all for awhile. It was all so convoluted. Then things starting happening with the plot and towards the end was pretty good.
But it introduced the characters for the next book and I liked them so I will read more. The next book is out in August.
The relationship between her and Seth seemed too fast, the attraction too fast. I didn't connect with either of them very well. Maybe with Jules at the end when she seemed to accept herself more.
The family stuff made no sense at all for awhile. It was all so convoluted. Then things starting happening with the plot and towards the end was pretty good.
But it introduced the characters for the next book and I liked them so I will read more. The next book is out in August.
December 16, 2017
This is a paranormal romance novel about a woman who can see ghosts and gets accidentally wrapped up with a murder case (as well as with the attractive cop who's trying to solve it). I'm not a regular romance reader, but I actually really enjoyed this novel. The mystery aspect was very well-written, and I didn't see the ending coming until shortly before it was revealed.
Most of my complaints about this story were honestly things that rubbed me the wrong way but that I think are normal for the romance genre (hence why I don't usually partake in it). I didn't like the obviously contrived ways that the main characters were forced into close physical contact in the early scenes, before the relationship had developed properly between them. The author's hand was very noticeable there. The connection between them and the initiation of the physical aspects of their relationship also seemed a little too immediate to be realistic, but that just may be a personal difference between me and the characters.
Finally, there were a few minor aspects about the love interest that I found more a turn-off than anything else. One of them was that he called the main character "precious" before any kind of romantic relationship had begun between them. It wouldn't have bothered me if he had waited until they had started showing more direct interest in each other, but when guys try to use pet names on women they're not involved with, it just comes across as sleazy to me. Another was that he was worried about her safety at one point, so he stole her keys so she couldn't go home alone, where she would be in potential danger. I see the logic behind that decision, but it still really bothered me. He could have just as easily woken her up and told her he didn't feel it was safe for her to be home alone, but his actions were much more controlling and took away her agency. That kind of decision doesn't fly with me.
All in all, though, the book was enjoyable. These complaints were truly minor issues when taken with the work as a whole, and I am definitely interested in continuing the series.
Most of my complaints about this story were honestly things that rubbed me the wrong way but that I think are normal for the romance genre (hence why I don't usually partake in it). I didn't like the obviously contrived ways that the main characters were forced into close physical contact in the early scenes, before the relationship had developed properly between them. The author's hand was very noticeable there. The connection between them and the initiation of the physical aspects of their relationship also seemed a little too immediate to be realistic, but that just may be a personal difference between me and the characters.
Finally, there were a few minor aspects about the love interest that I found more a turn-off than anything else. One of them was that he called the main character "precious" before any kind of romantic relationship had begun between them. It wouldn't have bothered me if he had waited until they had started showing more direct interest in each other, but when guys try to use pet names on women they're not involved with, it just comes across as sleazy to me. Another was that he was worried about her safety at one point, so he stole her keys so she couldn't go home alone, where she would be in potential danger. I see the logic behind that decision, but it still really bothered me. He could have just as easily woken her up and told her he didn't feel it was safe for her to be home alone, but his actions were much more controlling and took away her agency. That kind of decision doesn't fly with me.
All in all, though, the book was enjoyable. These complaints were truly minor issues when taken with the work as a whole, and I am definitely interested in continuing the series.
June 10, 2017
***1/2
Little too romancy, but enjoyable
Little too romancy, but enjoyable
December 30, 2017
Overall likeable, but uneven.
February 25, 2018
I read the third book in this series first, so I knew the outcome of a few things in this book. It took a little longer for this book to grab my undivided attention but once it did, I enjoyed it.
July 26, 2018
Enjoyable read. A little too obvious at times but I liked the story and the characters.
December 29, 2019
The world isn't monochrome.
April 19, 2020
The story was okay, but it didn’t make me want to continue the series. This was a 3.5 read for me.
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