Haunting You by Viola Estrella
Series: Bewitching Women #2
Published by Indie
Published on: October 22, 2014
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 282
Format: eBook
Source: Author
Amazon | Book Depo | Kobo | B&N | GoodReads
Strike a bargain with a ghost? Never again. Fall in love with the ghost's brother? Well, maybe...
Rachel Spencer's life has been hijacked by the supernatural. Ghosts seeking help with their unfinished earthly business won't leave her alone. Her only hope for returning to normalcy and passing her next attempt at the bar exam is making a deal with one of the ghostly intruders. It should be simple--Ella keeps the other spirits away if Rachel agrees to help Ella's two teenage sons. No problem. Well, not until she meets the boys' guardian.
August Kline misses his old life. He never planned to raise two teenage hurricanes in an old house in small-town Indiana. But here he is, and he's determined to make the best of it...if he could only keep the house in order and not completely screw up his nephews.
Enter a gorgeous redhead who pops into August's world when life is at its grimmest. Rachel claims to be an old friend of Ella's and offers to help around the house. Sparks fly whenever they're together, and August is falling fast. Rachel keeps her distance, worrying her ghostly secrets will sabotage any chance of a relationship. But when danger appe
I am all for a creepy ghost story-the creepier the better sometimes. At other times, I really like a good lighthearted ghost story, and that’s what you get with Haunting You. I say lighthearted, but this one also has a pretty bad villain to add a murderous element to the story.
Rachel can see ghosts. And it scares the stuffing out of her. It all started when a man from her past(in the previous book)dies and makes himself known to her. This opens the door to being bombarded by spirits of all types, and they all want Rachel to help them. All Rachel wants to do is pass the bar exam, something she can’t do with all the ghosts bothering her. When Ella shows up, and is the first really coherent ghost Rachel has encountered, she listens, and then she tries to help. Ella’s son’s are being cared for by her brother, and Ella wants things to go a lot smoother then they are in her old home. So Rachel goes and pretends that she used to know Ella, and wants to pay her back for mentoring her, by helping to clean the house, and re-do Ella’s garden. August is pretty overwhelmed with two teenage nephews, a big house to care for, and a medical practice. He takes one look at Rachel, and can’t say no. Did I mention this was a really good romance? What neither one of them knows is that the house is being haunted by a completely different ghost.
Rachel was an interesting character. She grew up rich, and has the mother from hell. She has been trying her whole life to live up to her parents expectations-something no one can ever do. She has chosen to live in a small apartment, and distance herself from her parents as much as she can. August has always wanted to be a musician, but became a physician instead. He had stopped practicing, and spent a year as a professional musician. When Ella dies, he has to step up, so he moves to Ella’s small town to raise the boys, and goes back to practicing medicine. The women of the small town are practically lining up to go out with him. When Rachel shows up from out of town, August is smitten.
This may seem like I have told a lot of the plot, but not really. Most of this is just background. The real story, besides the romance, is the story of the other ghost, the teenage boy’s story- one in particular, a really nefarious villain, a horrible neighbor, and all the busybodies of this small town. And I can’t forget Ella, and all her machinations to get what she wants.
I hadn’t read the first book, but I think this one could stand alone. The author tells just enough to explain a bit from that book, so it was not a big thing, that I hadn’t read it. I wasn’t lost like I usually am when I don’t read a book in order. I really enjoyed the premise of a ghost seeking help for her family she left behind, and of course the romance that ensues. The other ghost, and mystery just add to the story.
This was a really fast read, well written, a good romance, fun ghost story, and I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend it to all lovers of a good, and fun ghost story/romance, and I do consider it an adult read.
I would like to add that the author is a 2010 Rita Award finalist for Angel Vindicated.
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
This does sound good, Lorna. I like that there’s so much going on. And it kinda seems like Ella plays matchmaker for her brother as well as getting her sons taken care of. 🙂 I’m interested to see how things unfold for Rachel and August. And the ghosts, too. 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…**When Life’s Kicking Your Butt, How About a Theme Song? ~ December**
I thought it was a fun romance with just enough of the spooky to make it even more fun 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
This one sounds good and I went to amazon to check out the first one and it was FREE!!! OH YEAH one more for the TBR pile…lol. 🙂
Stormi recently posted…Book Review: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
YAY! I didn’t know the first one was free..free is always good!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
I am a sucker for a good ghost story as well, whether those ghosts are good or evil doesn’t really matter so much as the rest of the story. I like that you could jump right into this and didn’t feel lost at all.
kindlemom1 recently posted…WoW Pick of the Week
Yes, I hate it when I have no idea what’s going on, but it didn’t matter this time 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
I tend to struggle with ghost stories, to be honest, but I like that this book has more to it than that.
It was a pretty lighthearted read for the most part, and a romance as well, so that was a good thing for me 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
I enjoy creepy! lol Although I can’t say that I have read many romances with ghost involved I finding this interesting . I like when there’s a good villain too. This sounds a little like a book I listened to along time ago, Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie, and enjoy that lot.
Thanks Lorna 🙂
Lupdilup recently posted…Audiobooks I should have read instead
Oh, maybe I should check that book out, thanks for the recommendation!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
Heck any RITA award finalist is a sure thing, no wonder this was hella good. Also it’s a great incentive that you got away with grasping the story even if you haven’t read the first one. From someone who has a ton of books on my TBR, this lessens the pressure of adding and reading the entire series.
Braine Talk Supe recently posted…Loved It: A Cursed Bloodline by Cecy Robson
I agree, I just had to rush to read the second book in a series cause I got the third from Net Galley.But I didn’t want to miss what happens. So much easier if you don’t need to know for sure 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Haunting You by Viola Estrella
Oh I love stories that you can start in the middle of a series…. since I often have that happen. LOL I do like ghostie stories and so curious about the romance here. Now to decide if I want to jump into the series or read from the beginning…
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
I haven’t read the first one, but I may be doing that someday 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Unleash the Moon by Zoe Winters
What is that girl sitting on?
blodeuedd recently posted…Maybe This Christmas – Sarah Morgan
Umm a cloud maybe?
I like a good ghost story too! I think I’d like this, but I’ll read the 1st book first. 😉
Christy recently posted…Sweet Damage by Rebecca James
Oh I hope you do enjoy! Sorry just saw this
Lorna recently posted…Early Review: Strayed by Amber Lynn Natusch
This sounds very nice, Lorna. Especially because you think it can be read as a stand-alone! Sometimes, it’s nice to be able to just read one book in a series, and then maybe later decide to go back and read previous books if there is time 🙂
I enjoy different kind of ghosts stories, too, and Rachel seeing ghosts, then acting to help one of them makes it interesting.
Great review!
Lexxie recently posted…Up Close and (un)Conventional #10 – WP Security?
Thank you! A good ghost story is probably what first drew me to paranormal when I was a lot younger. Sorry it took me so long to answer this 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Early Review: Strayed by Amber Lynn Natusch
The thing about ghost stories is I find them interesting, but after a while they all seem to sound the same after a while. I like the family aspect in this one though and having a villain seems to mix things up a little. A wonderful review Lorna!
Jeann recently posted…Talon by Julie Kagawa Review: Lamest Dragons Ever
Thank you! It was a good small town story about a family. I like those too. Add in ghosts and a mystery and I did enjoy it 🙂
There are a lot of I see ghost stories, but they’re all so different. It sounds like a good romance. I like that she’s trying to help him out for his dead sister. I like that it’s not just a romance, that there’s mystery and a bad guy.
Yes there’s a mystery and a horrible villain. I loved the romance,main characters, and actually one of the ghosts was a really good character-although she was manipulative.:) Sorry it took me so long to realize I had more comments.
Oh good to know this worked as a standalone. Rachel sounds like a character I would enjoy and I like that the villain is darker despite this being a lighter read.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Sweet Cowboy Christmas by Candis Terry
Yes the villain was pretty horrible, despite it not being a really dark read 😉
Lorna recently posted…Early Review: Strayed by Amber Lynn Natusch