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Enchanted Hearts #1
The Haunted Heart
When inexperienced Gina and her family move into the haunted house called Canterville Chase, she's stunned to find herself torn between the irrestible, aristocratic Jonathan Canterville and his archenemy, the moody, sensitive Thomas.Thomas happens to be the mansion ghost. He wants Gina for himself, and he's ready to forsake his own immortality to keep her from Jonathan, with whom she's falling in love.By following her heart, will Gina sacrifice a lonely soul to eternal suffering, or will she sacrifice her own heart instead?
00 Quick Picks Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (ALA)
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1999
About the author
Cherie Bennett
136 books155 followersA popular novelist, playwright, and newspaper columnist, Cherie moves effortlessly from genre to genre, writing powerful and entertaining work, whether in literary hardcover teen fiction, mass market paperback fiction, for the stage, film and television, and for her nationally-syndicated teen advice column.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
nevermind
October 5, 2021DNF pg. 43
I might have gone ahead and finished this back in the day, but it's just too silly for me now. This family rents a haunted house with guaranteed hauntings so the horror writer parents can get inspiration. The house has a sketchy history of killing or maiming the Canterville family, who still own it to this day but can never live in it because of said killings. On the Otis family's first night in the house, 18yo daughter Gina wakes up from a dream to find a ghost choking her. She also realizes she's covered in blood. At first she screams, but when her family comes rushing in, she calmly explains that the house ghost covered her in fake blood! The family quickly changes tune and the parents all but whip out notebooks to document everything for their book. The ghost then proceeds to pull some poltergeist shenanigans while they talk about what a wuss it is.
The ghost, Thomas, lives in some tapestries in the house and regularly talks to the still figures of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln (who feature in the tapestries). Besides throwing around perfume bottles and dousing people with fake blood (I'm wondering where he procured that, by the way), he can do things like fly into hard drives and mess up manuscripts, and make the word "REVENGE" appear on computer screens.
It's just so silly! And the romance hasn't even had much page time, though I'm told Gina and Jonathan Canterville really like each other. The Canterville sister, Lydia, is the resident mean girl and seems interesting enough, but I'm just not into what this book is offering.
I might have gone ahead and finished this back in the day, but it's just too silly for me now. This family rents a haunted house with guaranteed hauntings so the horror writer parents can get inspiration. The house has a sketchy history of killing or maiming the Canterville family, who still own it to this day but can never live in it because of said killings. On the Otis family's first night in the house, 18yo daughter Gina wakes up from a dream to find a ghost choking her. She also realizes she's covered in blood. At first she screams, but when her family comes rushing in, she calmly explains that the house ghost covered her in fake blood! The family quickly changes tune and the parents all but whip out notebooks to document everything for their book. The ghost then proceeds to pull some poltergeist shenanigans while they talk about what a wuss it is.
The ghost, Thomas, lives in some tapestries in the house and regularly talks to the still figures of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln (who feature in the tapestries). Besides throwing around perfume bottles and dousing people with fake blood (I'm wondering where he procured that, by the way), he can do things like fly into hard drives and mess up manuscripts, and make the word "REVENGE" appear on computer screens.
It's just so silly! And the romance hasn't even had much page time, though I'm told Gina and Jonathan Canterville really like each other. The Canterville sister, Lydia, is the resident mean girl and seems interesting enough, but I'm just not into what this book is offering.
March 16, 2023
Gina Otis's parents are writers, paranormal mystery fiction, and they needed a boost to help them get their inspiration back. So they decided to rent a haunted mansion in Virginia for a year, which just so happens to be Gina's senior year.
The house is actually haunted by Thomas, an eighteen-year-old man who was executed for his wife's murder but claimed innocence and revenge of the family of Canterville - the owners of the mansion. Thomas tries to get the Otis family to leave, but is shocked that his attempts at scaring them not only don't work but are mocked.
Thomas is searching for something, though he doesn't say what, every sliver moon. He's frantic in his searching and it seems very important.
A fun and entertaining read.
The house is actually haunted by Thomas, an eighteen-year-old man who was executed for his wife's murder but claimed innocence and revenge of the family of Canterville - the owners of the mansion. Thomas tries to get the Otis family to leave, but is shocked that his attempts at scaring them not only don't work but are mocked.
Thomas is searching for something, though he doesn't say what, every sliver moon. He's frantic in his searching and it seems very important.
A fun and entertaining read.
July 7, 2018
Cute retelling of The Canterville Ghost
June 13, 2023
This was one of my favorite series growing up. It has romance and the paranormal so I was all in. I still love it even though it’s cheesy but so good!
February 2, 2021
I first read this book in middle school. Even now at age 31, i still enjoyed it. Some parts are cheesier than I remember (i mean, it is a teen book!), but it is still pretty enjoyable!
February 13, 2026
When inexperienced Gina and her family move into the haunted house called Canterville Chase, she's stunned to find herself torn between the irresistible, aristocratic Jonathan Canterville and his archenemy, the moody, sensitive Thomas. Thomas happens to be the mansion ghost.
Loved Thomas and Gina...
Loved Thomas and Gina...
August 4, 2012
When I saw this book, I had to get it. As a teen, I loved reading about first love and since this was mixed with the paranormal, it was a double bonus. This was the first time I had ever read a book by Cherie Bennett and I soaked the story right up from beginning to end in one sitting.
June 12, 2007
I really enjoyed this book. It has a little bit of everything- romance, mystery, suspence. I loved this book.
June 18, 2012
Very different but fun book. It was easy to read and was a new fun take on life. A fun ghost story.
February 18, 2012
This was my favorite book when I was younger. My copy is absolutely falling apart, but I just can't part with it.
October 1, 2014
Love this book! One of my all time favorite books. Keeps you wanting more!! It is a must read!!!
May 3, 2014
this was a cute, funny, quick read. I absolutely hated the parents and the twins, especially when the eldest daughter Gina seems more mature than her parents was kind of annoying.
March 15, 2017
It was a wonderful book!Totally captivating!!! Must read!! Has some mild language and sexual stuff though.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews