Jamie Ward wasn’t sure why he went to his hookup’s funeral. They’d only slept together two-and-a-half times.
Drew had been fun, kind, and absolutely gorgeous, but when they started talking, neither he nor Jamie were looking for anything serious. And when things got complicated, and Jamie cut their third hookup short and ran out of Drew’s apartment as fast as he could, he assumed he’d never see Drew again.
At least, that was what Jamie hoped for when he subsequently ignored all of Drew’s calls and texts.
Jamie wasn’t proud of what he did, but he never expected Drew would come back from the dead as an angel to get his revenge—by haunting the man who ghosted him.
This short story is a steamy MM paranormal-rock star romance about an aspiring rock star and his second chance with an angel.
Alexandra Larson is a business woman by day, romance author by night. When she’s not writing or reading, she's trying to soak up the limited amount of sun the northern hemisphere provides.
4.75 Stars ⭐ for the fun premise! A MM romance short-story with hookups to lovers, Bisexual MCs, a paranormal twist after death & Second chances. I grabbed its #ARC as the premise of "I'm being haunted by my hookup's ghost, wait is he an angel?" sounded fascinating! I read it in 2hrs on Christmas 😁. I enjoyed this as a shortie, I'd LOVE if its made into a longer/full length book tho!
Jamie is flirty, charming, suave & makes his ends meet by being a musician. J's also flighty & represses feelings of "more", oh no 😅. Drew is kind, easygoing bartender (& college student) who's got the boy-next-door sweetness. D can be kinky & filthy, but nervous around J (First times alert!).
It uses dual timelines to tell us the story of their hookups, growing closer & then the death, haunting in present. It's fast paced, & doesn't gets bogged down with unnecessary details which is appreciated in a short story, straightforward that way. I'm curious why Hazel believed J so easily 🙃.
Their connection is sweet, yay praise kink 😁. D got his revenge 😂, I'm glad J accepts his feelings eventually tho. The classic, you don't know how important someone is until you lost him 🥺.
The last chapter paid off on the build up & fed us some angelic lore too which was fun. D+J are sexy together, especially when they allow the feelings to be in open. I wish we'd gotten Drew's POV, more chapters or an epilogue! Pretty fun still.
Story Ratings: POV: 3rd person, Single POV 1) Enjoyed? —> Yes! Short but interesting. 2) The Characters: 4.5/5 3) Top feels: 🥹😅😆🥲😁🥴🥺😍😶🌫️😤🥰👻 4) Steamy scenes: 2.5/5 (hot shortie) 5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4/5 Angst: 3/5 Dark: 2/5 6) Creativity: 4.5/5 + world: 4/4 7) Plot arc: (Hookups, paranormal—short but fun!) 4/5 8) Writing style + pace: 4.5/5
How to Ghost an Angel was a really fun, quick novella. We meet Jaime, who is an aspiring rock star, who has made the somewhat questionable choice to play the music at a funeral. The funeral of the man he'd hooked up with two (and a half) times. What happens from there is a lot of development crammed in to 75 pages!
Jaime is a great main character, it doesn't take more than a few pages to connect with him and his situation, and we get to see him and Drew through flashbacks showing how their hookups had gone and why it mattered. Drew is sunshine and golden retriever energy, and I think that is what makes it work. He's consistent compared to Jaime's back-and-forth.
If there's any downsides, I think that this story could easily have been over 100 pages and only benefited from more world building. The novella that it is now is a great appetizer for the authors series to come however, so I think that it does a stellar job for setting the mood and getting you interested! I just am greedy and wanted more time with these two.
Thank you to GRR and Alexandra Larson for the ARC copy in return for my honest thoughts!
This was such an interesting premise and done as a novella as well. Honestly, I would have liked this more if we got a full lenth book because the issues I had all centered around not enough time. Ultimately, it was a fun short read though. If death is a trigger, this is not for you, though.
Okay I did NOT excpet a quick novella to hit me like this! I would have so read a couple hundred pages more of this book if I could! I cried reading this book and Jamie's guilt, sadness, regret and grief over Drew passing and the way he ghosted him after feeling too much and then running scared. The start of their relationship and their banter was so damn sweet especially Drew being so oblivious lol Jamie is a musician and did a couple of gigs at the bar Drew bartends at. Jaimie noticed him right away and knew he had to go for it. But he didn't know if Drew swung his way and after six weeks of trying he finally gets his answer after he sees Drew on a hook up app and they match. Drew is a little awkward in person but through text he can be himself. While Jamie is traveling and doing his music on the road he and Drew talk through text and on the phone all the time. Feelings are sprouting but Jamie doesn't do feelings or relationships besides hook ups. He feels that after they hook up then he'll be over the spell Drew has on him. Except after their first night together the feelings intensify and Jaime tries to keep a sort of emotional detachment and doesn't treat Drew the best and after their feelings grow stronger Jamie bolts and ghosts Drew not answering his calls or texts until he finds out about Drew's passing. Jamie is devastated but in denial about how important Drew was to him. If only he had another chance to make it right when he knows now that they had something so special. Well it turns out maybe passing doesn't mean they're over. Read this book and enjoy the joys of a book that's fast to read but can also hit you in the feels and make you want to cry and fan yourself because of the chemistry these two have. Such a good book and I had a great time reading it even when I wanted to whack Jamie a few times lol
I was pleasantly surprised by this novella. The premise was intriguing, but a little vague, which is what led me to try it. It doesn't have the most in depth character development (understandable, given the length) but it had the feeling of a short film. The atmosphere was well-established and the scenes were pretty vivid for me. I was drawn in and didn't find myself questioning too much, which is something for a paranormal story.
I agree with reviews that said they would have liked a longer version of this, but I think this works, too. It's pithy, but I wasn't left thinking "that's it?" at the end, either. The addition of
Overall, a fun time and an author I'll be keeping an eye out for future releases.
A clever, entertaining short story that still manages to balance humour, emotion and a touch of the paranormal really well. The premise is unusual in the best way with a casual hookup taking an unexpected turn into something much deeper, even after death. Jamie is a wonderfully flawed narrator, and his mix of guilt, denial and lingering feelings felt very believable.
Drew comes across as warm and gentle despite the limited page time, which makes the haunting elements both funny and oddly touching rather than frightening. There’s plenty packed into such a short story, including some steamy moments and a few well-timed nudges from side characters that keep things moving.
While I would happily have read more, this was still a satisfying and memorable read that proves second chances can come in the most unexpected forms. A fun, slightly chaotic romance with heart. i received a free arc copy and this is my honest review
Yeah. I was attracted by the cover and the premise, but unfortunately this one had issues. I still think the idea was good, but the execution left a lot to be desired. It might have been better if it had been longer, but trying to fit that amount of angst and drama into 16k left it feeling rushed and there were a bunch of things that didn't make sense. It didn't seem to know what it wanted to be, either. The characters were all over the place, especially Drew. I don't understand how someone so sweet and shy in life became dominant and controlling as an angel, it seemed like a complete 180. Suddenly backtracking on that at the last minute doesn't really help, just made it more confusing. The other MC was a little more consistent but not very likeable or sympathetic. The writing was questionable at best. I really wanted to like it, but I was very disappointed.
This is a fun short story with interesting characters. Jamie has been hooking up with Drew, while running away from the feelings he's developed for Drew. The two of them texted and spoke on the phone over a period of a few months, during which Drew displayed his shy, sweet, caring side. We don't find out how he died, but Jamie thinks he is being haunted because he ghosted Drew for a few weeks. There's spice and humour in the story, as well as some nice side characters who push the story along. Although the book is short, quite a lot of information has been packed in. I would have loved to see how things worked out in the long term, though, so even a short epilogue would have been good. I still recommend this entertaining book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*Tropes: -MM Romance -Paranormal Romance -Angel x Human -Second Chance Romance -One Night Stands -Lust to Love -3rd Person POV
*Spiciness: 2.5 / 5
Jamie and Drew
This was my first book by Alexandra and I had fun reading it. She has done a good job with story telling and capturing a lot of different emotions experienced by Jamie. We didn’t get Drew’s POV but from Jamie’s description, I can say Drew is a Green Flag. The whole story revolves around how Jamie realizes his mistake a little too late but life gives him a chance to fix it and I am happy that Jamie grabs that second chance with two hands and all his strength. If you are looking for a quick read for any above mentioned tropes, give this Novela a chance.
Jamie Ward attends the funeral of Drew, a hookup he only saw a couple of times, mostly out of guilt for ghosting him after their third attempt at meeting went awkwardly wrong. Jamie never expected to hear from Drew again—until Drew returns as an angel determined to haunt him. What begins as a simple case of ghosting turns into a supernatural reckoning, with Drew seeking a little celestial revenge on the man who ran out on him.
This was an enjoyable story of Drew who was sure of their relationship and Jamie who was afraid of commitment. It was sweet but missing the kind of emotions and feelings that could have been possible. This was an MM story with mature content
I really enjoyed “How To Ghost An Angel”—it’s funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly tender. What starts as an awkward, painfully relatable hookup-gone-wrong turns into a clever supernatural rom-com with real emotional depth. Jamie’s guilt and avoidance felt very human, while Drew’s return as an angel was equal parts charming, heartbreaking, and hilarious. The haunting antics made me laugh, but it was the vulnerability underneath—the regret, the second chances, and the slow emotional reckoning—that really got me. It’s a quick read with a big heart, blending humor and feelings in a way that left me wanting more!!!!
I loved this book. I found the premise unique and fascinating. Even from the opening with Jamie playing at Drew's funeral, there was something so beautiful about picking up on Drew's scent, playing for his grieving family no matter how long they needed it, and the white feather that came to him on a breeze and stayed. I loved both Jamie and Drew. My heart ached a bit the more I read their story- past and present. It was a journey that I won't go into as it should be experienced during the read. This was a very short story and I wouldn't have minded if it was longer. This is the first story I've read by this author and I would read more. 5 stars
I was curious to see if the author could actually achieve three things in this story. First, make us care about the characters enough in a short time to truly feel the death of one. Second, let us get to know them as a couple enough to believe one would care to come back from the dead to get revenge for being ghosted. Third, while being serious as per point one, could this also be kept light enough to charm me into having fun as the revenge turns into a desire for a genuine second chance. I'm delighted to say the author accomplished all these things and I had a great time with this story.
Narrative: 📕📘📗 Angst: Low to Moderate Spice: 🌶🌶🌶 Humor: 😆😆🤣 Heart: 💧💧💧 Romance: ❤️❤️❤️ Burn Time: Fast
Its really well developed and although its short (less than 100pgs) it spans a few months time. I would say its an interesting concept but my only complaint is that since its short the ending seems the only under developed part. Just can't grasp how its all going to work out but I guess thats what you get with short stories, always wanting more.
The premise of this story was great, but its execution was not as strong. For such a short story, I feel like the writing should have been a bit less...simple. I felt like I was reading something along the lines of fanfiction, if that makes sense. If this book had been a full-length novel, with a more in-depth storyline and richer writing style, it could have been great. As it is, it was an okay read with a lot of missed potential.
not sure if this was for me. I like the synopsis but I thought there would be more development of the past hookups and why Jamie ran away. I wanted more about Drew and we did not even find out what happened to him.
Even when Drew comes back there is little development of his character. Overall a little disappointed.
This was such a fantastic short story. We get some much it really didn't feel like it lacked in details regarding out two MCs in the past and present. The mix of the 2.5 hook ups plus getting to see them talk each day in between hookups. Then getting the present and how they were able to repair their relationship. It was all just perfect and I really enjoyed it.
3.5 - novella about a musician who ghosts his hookup after the third time or so that they get together because he gets spooked by developing feelings. I enjoyed the premise of this angelic love story - there's humor, some emotion, and some spice too. I would have liked to have seen a bit into their future, though.
This is a very unique story. I loved the characters. Jamie is filled with a guilt he doesn't understand. There has never been a more understanding character than Drew. There are things Jamie didn't know about Drew and the interactions they had. It's a quick read so the end comes too soon but I really enjoyed this story! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Very quick. Would have loved for it to be a full length book. There were something’s that didn’t make sense but for it being short it is what it is. I just wanted to know more. It was good just not great.
He is going to his brief hookup funeral but he has no idea why. He is about to find himself haunted by them when they appear as an angel. They want their revenge. Follow them to find out how it will go
I enjoyed this story! It was a fast and a surprisingly, given the premise, low-angst read. I thought the concept for the story was unique, and I enjoyed the dynamic between the two MCs. Dual-timelines are not usually my favorite, but I thought it was used well in this story!
I was hooked by the blurb and this ended up being a quick and enjoyable read. Even though it was short there was a lot happening between Jamie and Drew.