Romantic Ghost Stories (Books 1 - 3‪)‬

This Bundle contains three separate stories that stand on their own. The only things in common are that they all take place at different locations in Virginia, and that they all have at least one ghost. I thoroughly enjoyed all three stories. I must mention that my favorite was The House at Homecoming Cove. I recommend all three and hope you read all of them from beginning to end, as there are unsuspected surprises at the end of each one.

The Ghost Next Door
Wow - I never saw the ending coming, and you probably won't either. Blayton, Virginia, by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a sparse area where residents come and go. The newest residents, Elizabeth and her 15-year-old daughter Claire have just arrived and are welcomed by Nathan, the sheriff of Blayton. Relationships form, high school bullies present themselves, the Internet is down, phone communication is rare, and spooky things happen. Everything moves along as expected in a love story, and then everything changes. I was enchanted. Again, wow! [I purchased this story with a gift card received from the author and because I loved The House at Homecoming Cove.]

The Light at the End of the Road
This romantic ghost story is Samantha and Jake's story, who start out as strangers but due to circumstances beyond their control, find that they need to help each other get to where they need to be, and it is imperative that they both get there. You never know when or who will turn up as a ghost or a spirit. I really enjoyed this light, charming story. It is a stand alone book with the common elements being that they all take place in Virginia, and there is at least one ghost in each story. [I purchased this story with a gift card received from the author and because I loved The House at Homecoming Cove.]

The House at Homecoming Cove
This book is hauntingly beautiful. I was entranced from the start. I can almost hear the piano music flowing from Melissa's fingers and heart when she composes music for TV shows and movies. Melissa came to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to get away from New York and her ex-boyfriend, Peter, because she wasn't able to complete an assignment. A secluded 50-plus acres of land by Homecoming Cove was the perfect place to rediscover her talents. Melissa meets Stone Thomas, the groundskeeper to the property and Captain Bill, the house's caretaker and Stone's grandfather. The soulful connection between Melissa and Stone is immediate. Strange incidences occur in the house and on the property, such as the sound of someone beautifully or angrily playing a piano with no one at the keys, or a brisk, cold wind that affects their internal temperatures. There is a lot of past history here going back to Stone's great-great-grandmother Mary's brother, Lewis Stone and his fiance, Fiona. Both Melissa and Stone seek answers. As a musician myself, I really connected with this fine work, although you don't need to be one to be pulled into the suspense. I also noted to myself phrases such as Melissa had "touched a chord with" or "she'd also become more in tune with herself." I look forward to reading and discovering the other two romantic ghost stories and other works by this author. [I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

Note: I purchased book 1 separately and was given a complimentary copy of books 2 & 3 for honest review. When I saw that they'd been compiled in a box set, I decided to summarize my previous reviews.

Book 1, The Ghost Next Door
When the book opens, you meet Elizabeth and Claire who have just arrived in town. They notice a cemetery across the street, but dismiss it. Later that night, they get spooked, but it turns out to be Nathan, the town's sheriff. As the days and weeks go by, Elizabeth and Nathan grow close together, but they can't shake the feeling that something is different. Why can't Elizabeth call her boss back in the city? Where have other people in the town gone?

I do not normally read paranormal books, but this one is gentle and subtle as the clues keep building. Then, when the ending arrives, everything clicks! I found myself mentally going back through each of the events in the story and I was impressed by how well the author tied everything together.

This appears to be Ginny's first paranormal and I loved it.

My rating - 5 stars

Book 2, The Light at the End of the Road.

Wow, just wow, did I love this book.
First, let me say that I have read a lot of this author's works and consistently enjoy them. But, I can honestly say that this surpassed my expectations. In fact, midway through reading it, I had to pause to email the author and exclaim over the book. I was completely blown away. This is the first time I've ever done that.

This is a gripping tale that holds true to several themes - fog, light, darkness, cold, warmth, life, death, keeping promises and most of all - love.

The book opens with fog and a cold, sleeting night. Our heroine, Samantha (Sam) is desperately trying to get home to her father who collapsed with a heart attack and is going into surgery.

We next meet Jake, our hero, who is a lawyer heading out on emergency assignment because his client has suddenly fallen ill and needs to make sure everything is in order in case he dies.

Both Sam and Jake are caught up in the same ice storm on the backroads over a mountain pass. At this point, I need to be careful not to give spoilers. But, let me say this - Once you begin reading, you're going to want a block of time dedicated to finish reading this because you're not going to be able to stop until you read "The End."

There is a hint of paranormal, but it works well. So well in fact, that I didn't even realize the paranormal aspect until much later in the book. It was only near the end that I was able to put the pieces together. It actually helps tie the story together and bring closure to the characters. There's also discussion of luck, the fates, and chance.

This is one of those stories that would benefit from reading more than once. I'm sure that there are elements to the story that I missed the first time through and that would jump out at me with a second reading.

One last comment - I think that one detail that helped me enjoy the book even more was the fact that I started reading it without any prior knowledge of the plot or any details. It was completely new to me. Therefore, I had nothing to sway my thoughts and I could truly enjoy the "I wonder what happens next" feeling.

This is, hands down, a 5 star read.
Language - clean
Romance - a couple of kisses, but cleanly described.
Ending - HEA, although there are scenes that can be very emotional depending on your level of sensitivity, so be warned.
Genre - Romantic Suspense, Paranormal,
Sub-Genre - Military veteran, medical

Book 3, The House at Homecoming Cove

This is another gripping romance with just the right balance of suspense and romance.

Melissa is a musician who's in a slump. Her music seems to have dried up. So, in a last effort to revive her career, she heads to the eastern shoreline of Virginia, to an old farmhouse. There, she encounters Stone, who is currently working the grounds until he can get the motivation to pursue his dream of opening a museum.

As soon as Stone and Melissa meet, they are drawn to each other - almost as if they have a past. But, that's impossible since they just met. They recognize the pull, but can't explain it. Yet, together, they feel complete - ready to reach for their dreams and make them happen.

Unlike the previous two books in this series, the paranormal element begins early in the book. Melissa learns shortly after moving in that the house is considered haunted, but she's convinced that there's a logical explanation to everything - that is until it becomes all too real.

Stone has heard the rumors too, but always dismissed them because he's never witnessed anything - until Melissa shows up. What is it about Melissa that's stirred up the ghosts of the past? Are there ghosts or is there an explanation? Is Melissa in danger?

The plot develops nicely - giving just enough clues to keep you reading.
The romance feels slightly steamier than the previous books in this series, but it still stays within the bounds of a PG rating.
The language is clean, without anything offensive
And, the end is satisfying with a good sense of closure.

My rating - 5 stars.

Personally, I loved these stories. They are full of suspense and good, clean romance. Also, you can definitely tell how the author develops her skill through the series.