My second work by this author. And second in this series.

The first book in this series was a straight forward contemporary romance that was, I believe, chick-lit. This book here, despite being in the same series involving many of the same people, is something else. I’m not exactly sure who the target audience for this book might be.

I knew going in that the second book was ‘different’, so, even though I had gotten the book roughly at the same time I had gotten the first book in the series, it still took me a month and a day to try it. What was my hesitation? What do I mean by ‘not sure about the target audience’?

Before reading this book I knew it involved the Blake brothers, had the impression that it involved Will (my least favorite of the brothers, at the time), and had some mystical/spiritual/supernatural element to it. A fantasy element which was not in the first book. So this is a chick-lit contemporary romance involving fantasy elements, ghosts, possession, and the meanest, angriest man in creation (that’d be Will).

Oh, and it also would involve Audrey. This is also something of a change from the norm. Most of the time cotemporary romance series (and here I’m talking about both straight romances and lesbian romances, of which I have reading experience), move from one couple to another. Likely one of the two main people in the coupling appeared in the prior book. Then some new person would come in and boom, another coupling. Move on to next book. And someone from the second book would be the main character for the third. Repeat as desired. Which is and isn’t what happened this time. Is in that one of the two people in the ‘new’ coupling was in the prior book. Isn’t because the other part of this coupling was also in the prior book. And both knew each other. And, largely, either hated each other (Audrey hating Will) or hated themselves (Will hating himself).

So, a couple that requires two books to become a couple – both were side characters in the first book, but they didn’t have cameo roles, they had pretty significant roles. And a series that switches from normal contemporary chick-lit romance to that plus fantasy elements.

I’m someone who reads anything and anything (within reason), though I’ve found certain things I just can’t get into (Steampunk for instance). And lately I’ve found myself bouncing between genres, sometimes actually going from romances set in fantasy worlds (or just fantasy books) to contemporary romances. And yet, I was hesitant to attempt this specific book. I liked the first book. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read another book that included Will, nor if I wanted to read one with fantasy elements.

Well, took me a month but I eventually tried the book. James and Bel, the stars of the first book, have a much reduced role in this second book, while Drew’s role is roughly at the same level as the first book. Audrey and Will took central stage.

Book starts roughly immediately after the ending of the first (I’ve some vague recollection that there might even be a certain level of overlap between the books). Audrey’s taking down Christmas Decorations, and is finding herself in a much happier place, mentally, than she expected to be. This, naturally, doesn’t last long. As a car pulls up and out steps . . . one of the people she’s been running from.

Well, it’s kind of the basis for the book so – Jem Bing has turned up and he wants his granddaughter – Jillian. It had already been established in the first book that Jillian wasn’t Audrey’s natural child, but was her sister’s child. So, some kind of custody battle, eh? It gets weirder than that. Because with Jem is Hildy – a . . . um, I forget what word is specifically used, but she’s a spirit world psychic type. And they are there to free Jem’s wife, Audrey’s mother, and Jillian’s grandmother from Jillian.

A weird, interesting story. Romance between William and Audrey was a lot better than I expected. The ghost part was weird. The alpha hole (alpha asshole hero) conversation/mention/story-line was more interesting than I’d expect. I’m not really into alpha males but this worked well for me.

December 18 2015 ( )