In this stand alone light paranormal comedy, Molly Harper's trademark humor shines between instances of ghost-induced spine-shivers. The setting: a ramshackle mansion on an isolated Atlantic island. The main characters: a strong yet vulnerable heroine standing up to some harsh life stuff and a self-made multimillionaire geek who is doing his best to exorcise an uncomfortable childhood. The supporting cast fits in well and provides a few interesting love angles without getting in the way of the main thrust of the story.
Did I like BETTER HOMES AND HAUNTINGS? Yes, I enjoyed reading it a great deal. Was it as astoundingly clever and humorous as Harper's other, series books? Although it had it's laugh-out-loud moments, not quite, at least not for me. Would I urge a fan of light paranormal romance to buy it? Yes. Absolutely. If they liked that one, I would go on and urge them to give Molly Harper's Naked Werewolf series (my favorite) or her Nice Girls series. If they want to give her non-paranormal writing a try, the Bluegrass series is another great choice.
What I think I appreciate about Molly Harper is her ability to infuse zany yet highly believable humor into just about anything she writes, while still engaging my heart in her characters as they face the challenges the story presents. Whether the book is one of my beloved paranormals or a contemporary non-spooky love story I find myself riveted by the issues the characters face and startled into laughter at the realistic repartee or ridiculous predicaments throughout the books.
Bottom line, Molly Harper is a fine writer, and BETTER HOMES AND HAUNTINGS is a great blend between her paranormal and non-paranormal work. It provides a great jumping off point for readers who would like to give a new-to-them author a try.
When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.” But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart. But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.
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