Hennessee House stuck out like a Victorian sore thumb trapped in suburbia.
It was three stories including the attic, painted dark brown with cream trim, and had a startling number of windows and a short but wide set of stairs that led up to the front door. Most of the cul-de-sac sidewalk framed the expansive front gate, which blocked the entrance to the half-circle driveway.
Up close it loomed much larger than Lucky thought it should. She’d known it was the biggest house on the block by far, but taking in its perfectly green grass, expertly trimmed hedges, and blooming red rose bushes felt strangely intimidating. A quickening in the pit of her stomach warned her to leave while simultaneously daring her to enter.
“Relax.” She made the command through gritted teeth, hands white-knuckling the steering wheel for dear life. Her sense of self- preservation was too damn strong. More than once she’d ended up fist-fighting it in abandoned mines and the like. Ignoring her gut often came at her own peril. But Hennessee House would be worth the risk. Eventually.
The truth was Lucky didn’t get into her graduate school of choice. Twice. It was small, exclusive, and the only accredited program specializing in parapsychology in the entire country. One school. One program. Zero slots.
To make her lifelong dream of legitimizing the supernatural come true, she’d been forced to take matters into her own hands. Two years of self- funded investigations—everything ranging from harmless interviews to dangerous overnight expeditions—making acquaintances, establishing trusted contacts, and getting her name out there within the community had all led to this moment.
Lucky had given up the security of her day job as a nanny to become . . . a reality TV actress. In her defense, it seemed like a great plan when she mapped it out in her journal.
Her phone chimed in the front pocket of her purse—a new number with the correct area code appeared on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Lucky?”
Melodic and smooth, the caller’s voice resonated with her like a tuning fork. She sat up straighter, immediately searching her memories for a match as she looked out the window. “Are you watching Hennessee House remotely?” she asked after spotting three of the many exterior cameras Xander promised.
“No?”
“Then how did you know I was here?”
He paused. “I didn’t.”
“So, you just happened to call me at the exact moment I pulled up?” Give or take ten panicked minutes. “Sure.”
“You’re there? Right now?”
“I am.” She glanced at Hennessee House’s front door, thoroughly committed to ignoring the resulting chill that ran through her. “Xander told me to expect a call from production with this area code. He’s an extremely surly man. Must be lovely to work with.”
“Haven’t had any issues so far.” He laughed. “I mostly work with Stephen.”
“Huh. This might sound odd, but why do I know your laugh? You sound so familiar. Who is this?”
He laughed again and she swore she felt something in her chest flutter.
“Well, my name’s Maverick.”
Lucky gasped softly, then whispered, “Phillips?”
He whispered back, “Yes.”
The phone slid clean out of her hand, bouncing off the seat and onto the floor. “Shit.” She leaned down, face smooshed against the wheel, still hush- swearing. Her fingertips brushed the sides and the stupid thing flipped over. She sat up quickly, pushing the seat back and picking the phone up just as Maverick said, “Hello? Are you still there?”
“Yes! Hi! Hello! Sorry! I—um— Sorry!” She squeezed her eyes shut. Stop apologizing!
She thought she’d meet Maverick Phillips someday because they shared a production company now. But she didn’t think, not in a million haunted years, that he’d be the one to call.
Excerpt from LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE HAUNTED PLACES by Claire Kann provided with permission for Penguin Random House, Copyright Berkley, 2024
Love brings down the haunted house in this captivating romance from the acclaimed author of The Romantic Agenda.
Lucky Hart has a special affinity for the supernatural but almost no one takes parapsychology seriously. She’s estranged from her family, lost her friends, and has been rejected from graduate school. Twice. But her big break finally arrives when she gets insider info about a troubled production company. Every actor on their new show mysteriously quits after spending three nights inside Hennessee House, an old Victorian with a notorious reputation.
After scheming her way onto the show to investigate, Lucky meets Maverick Phillips and chemistry instantly crackles between them. He tempts her in ways no one ever has, challenging and supporting her, and making her finally feel seen. Their connection is so palpable everyone notices it–including Hennesee House.
Now Lucky and Maverick’s relationship has a challenger: the lonely, sentient house desperate for her undivided attention. As love begins to clash with career, Lucky refuses to choose one over the other because everyone deserves a happily ever after, even houses with haunted hearts. But when all her plans begin backfiring one-by-one, she realizes that if she wants to have it all? She'll have to risk everything.
Romance Military [Berkley, On Sale: May 21, 2024, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593336656 / eISBN: 9780593336663]
Supernatural RomCom with ACE Main Character
Claire Kann is the author of LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE and an award-winning online storyteller. In her other life, she works for a nonprofit that you may have heard of where she daydreams like she’s paid to do it.
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