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Sole Possession
After David Girard inherits his family's creepy old estate—a place that holds only tragic memories for him—he wants nothing to do with it. The sooner it's out of his possession, the better, so he hires Andi Petrowski to fix it up for a quick sale. He's immediately drawn to the feisty contractor, but he fears his father's cruel legacy will ruin everything.
The moment Andi enters the Girard mansion, she's haunted by disturbing visions. She tries to brush them off, but her attraction to David isn't as easy to ignore. Their relationship soon crosses the line from professional to personal, despite his guarded nature and warnings about his dark past.
When the dreams and visions intensify into very real violence, David and Andi are desperate to uncover the evil threatening to possess him. Could Andi's gifts be the key to uncovering the darkness within David? And will he be strong enough to break the family curse and protect the woman he loves?
The moment Andi enters the Girard mansion, she's haunted by disturbing visions. She tries to brush them off, but her attraction to David isn't as easy to ignore. Their relationship soon crosses the line from professional to personal, despite his guarded nature and warnings about his dark past.
When the dreams and visions intensify into very real violence, David and Andi are desperate to uncover the evil threatening to possess him. Could Andi's gifts be the key to uncovering the darkness within David? And will he be strong enough to break the family curse and protect the woman he loves?
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First published January 1, 2012
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Bryn Donovan
16 books274 followersAuthor, book editor, blogger, and optimist who lives in Chicago. **no longer active on this platform**
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 25, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Deliciously sexy and fantastically creepy, this book was exactly the type of spooky story I was in the mood for this close to Halloween. Andi’s powers and David’s family history both added quite a bit of depth to the story, and the powerful attraction and chemistry between them definitely kept things heated up.
With plenty of steam and quite a few chills and thrills, I found myself thankful that I had to have my light on to read this one.
A wonderfully spooky 4.5/5 Stars.
Deliciously sexy and fantastically creepy, this book was exactly the type of spooky story I was in the mood for this close to Halloween. Andi’s powers and David’s family history both added quite a bit of depth to the story, and the powerful attraction and chemistry between them definitely kept things heated up.
With plenty of steam and quite a few chills and thrills, I found myself thankful that I had to have my light on to read this one.
A wonderfully spooky 4.5/5 Stars.
![Profile Image for ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1572968006i%2F3840999._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 6, 2012
My review contains spoilers and they're are mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
This book was totally worth it; me taking chance on a new-to-me author! Bryn Donovan’s Sole Possession was an excellent horror/mystery read with sweet romance blooming between the H, David and the h, Andi. The story itself had me glued to the book. It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything close to horror or haunting theme, though I read Paranormal. I even loved the ex-priest Morty who helps Andi and David along the way while they battle the evil of the mansion David inherits from his deceased father.
Do you remember that scene in The Sixth Sense, when the little boy tells Bruce Willis that he can see dead people? Well, every time I read about Andrea or Andi, I keep thinking about that scene, even though it’s been quite a long time since I’ve watched that movie. I loved it of course, and felt for the little boy who was so scared and didn’t know how to handle this situation that is beyond his control. In case of Andi, you can say almost the same. She didn’t have emotional support where her special ability was concerned. Her parents never believed in her ability (not that I can entirely blame them) and so, when she kept seeing that young girl crying in her bedroom mirror at a tender age, her parents were worried. After numerous visits with different shrinks and various drugs, when she stopped seeing ‘things’, Andi thought she’s cured of that craziness. Her only sister, younger Lissa knew. Lissa is a realist and (I thought) a bit on the cold side. I still admired Andy the way she handled her ‘situation’ almost all on her own, not having anyone to share it with. Then she got her degree, got a job, left it and got into the profession of a contractor; a job her father did, and she helped, a job she had always loved. House renovation was Andi’s passion and even though people might think her crazy for not getting a ‘real’ job, Andi thinks she could be happier this way. Her love life hasn’t been successful so far and she’s not the type to jump from men to men. Then there was the matter of her little problem. I really felt for her as it seemed like Andi has been fighting alone always.
Her job leads her to this new one which could be big for her. A man wants contractor to do wood-works in his mansion. When Andi steps out of her car in front of that big mansion, she felt that familiar dread overwhelming her. She hasn’t felt that way for a long time, and so, she got confused… and a bit scared. She jumps into her coping mechanism, which is almost always to try to ignore it. But the sickly feeling doesn’t go away. Andi still meets the man who has been waiting for the contractor. It’s the owner himself, David. Andi falls for him from the first moment, if not love, definitely lust. David is every girl’s dream; devilish handsome, tall and muscular with green eyes. Andi can’t but keep staring at him. With her short stature (poor you, I know just how you feel lol), it’s nothing new for her to stare up at people. But her daydream gets shaken when David tells her that she can’t work here. Andi takes it personally thinking he’s gender biased. Then Andi tries to make him see that she fits the bill for the type of work he’s looking for. As she was showing something on the wooden stairwell close by, Andi sees something terrible on the wood; a man with a nasty face and smile, someone who exudes pure evil. A flash of that, and Andi goes pale. David doesn’t understand of course, but as Andi puts herself together, somehow they work on it and make a deal about Andi getting the job.
Andi gets to know a few of the people already working there, especially a man named Carlos doing the stonework. Anyway, Andi’s happy to get the job and wants to prove David the sexy that she can do it. She shares her apartment with Lissa, who’s engaged to be married very soon. As the sisters talk about her new deal, the topic of David comes up inevitably. Hearing his name, Lissa suddenly identifies him as a Casanova lawyer who’s rich as Croesus and doesn’t keep one woman more than a few days. Andi is suddenly depressed. She’s been burned by some rich, good looking dude in the past and doesn’t trust in those sorts anymore. Was the pull she felt towards David all wrong, nothing more than lust? Lissa warns her off the man, asking to not get her heart break again.
Up to this point I was enjoying the book immensely. As Andi and David get to know each-other, some stuffs become clear. Yes, David doesn’t do relationships. We get to learn some of his past affairs, all no-strings attached sex. He hardly stays with one woman more than a few weeks, all those model-types, who don’t look for anything more. And that did make David look like a douche to me. Then, in a matter of few days, Andi and David exchanges kisses and then, they jump into bed. I just couldn’t believe it. It killed a bit of the fun initially since the ‘connection’ that the author kept mentioning about, I didn’t really feel it. But all these were a very small part of the story, until the haunting keep appearing. David starts relying on Andi, trusting her since somewhere deep inside, he feels the same way Andi does. David tells her about his abusive and violent father who cheated on her mother over and over again. His had been a rich family to begin with but his father was equally small-minded. David’s mother committed suicide right after he was born. What David doesn’t tell Andi that when he was a young boy, he had seen his mother in the same third floor bathroom, on the very same bathtub where she died. She was trying to speak to him but he couldn’t hear anything. David tells Andi that his father was abusive towards his girlfriends too. A young David had seen enough to know. Somewhere in his mind, that little boy was still there, confused and hurt since he’d never really known the love of a parent. David blames himself for his mother’s suicide, thinking his birth was the reason. And David’s father never could endure him, often beat him up, until David grew old enough to leave. Now, the SOB has left him nothing but this pile of rubble.
Andi also doesn’t tell David about the fact that she’d already seen his mother the same way but probably more vividly because of her psychic ability. Of course, she wasn’t sure if to rely on him about her secret. While working one day, she sees a man in black suit, looking up at her; his head bashed in, eyes sad and haunted. Andi doesn’t know what to do when he appears while she was working on the stairs. But the man doesn’t disturb her and vanishes. Andi thinks she should mention David about these things. Then in one of their times together, Andi confesses about her special gift. Obviously, David didn’t believe it outright but with his experience he couldn’t outright deny Andi’s ability either. So, they exchange these facts. David becomes worried about Andi’s safety. In between they start staying together most of the times, keeping busy with themselves when they weren’t worrying about the house. Andi is a bit scared about her new-found relationship with David. She doesn’t do these kind of things and right now, her relationship doesn’t have a name other than the f*ckbuddy-type. Andi doesn’t know if this would evolve into something deeper, if ever. Yet, in the midst, I start keep seeing the connection. How David is always attuned to Andi, as she is. How he cares for her and shows her in little ways.
One day, something else happens. Carlos starts singing this song that mentions a lady called Irene. Andy already knew that Carlos had a feeling that the house had something going on. He even had a La Anima Sola candle burning close by. When Carlos kept repeating that song, Andi good-naturedly jokes with him. Then she’s in the kitchen where he was supposed to be working, only to find him sitting still, staring up at the space. Something Andi does that triggers violence in Carlos, and he almost ends up killing her. Andy is saved because of David’s timely appearance. Carlos is fired that instant. Andy had to keep David from killing Carlos this time. But neither David, nor Andi could tell what might’ve gone wrong with the trusty contractor. David wants to take Andi to the hospital but she refuses to go. But these incidents bring them closer than ever. David is still worrying about Andi’s safety... even though, sometimes, something in his head would tell him that hurting Andi would be such a satisfying thing to do…
After this incident, Andi and David get to the business of researching about the house and learn of the identity of an Irene in David’s ancestry. Those are shady stuff I tell you, about abusive, violent males and missing wives and friends who never turned up alive. And they all lived in this house since the late 19c, when it was built by a man named Edgar, one of David’s ancestors. David is really depressed by this history and only more firm in his conviction that he would also someday turn out to be like his abusive relatives. This is why he has always distanced himself from a serious relationship. And now that Andi’s here, he doesn’t know what to do because he has already started caring for her. He knows she’s not the type who wants those no-strings-attached things.
We meet Mr. Willingham, the original landscaper for the property soon. Andi recognizes him when he comes to pay a visit. She saw him staring at the house the first day she came here. Willingham is really glad to see David all grown up. Apparently, the man lived and worked on the property for a long time before moving on. He has been very fond of David as a kid, and David returns the feelings still. The older man takes up the job of clearing the property, which David was more than happy to give him. But things don’t go well. One day while working on a tree, Mr. Willingham is attacked by someone and is badly hurt. Andi witnesses it all, along with the black-suited man who attacks him. She is horrified by the evil vibe that comes from that unholy man. David and Gloria, the estate agent, don’t see anything. David believes that Andi has seen something, but Gloria doesn’t. After taking Willingham to the hospital, they discuss about this incident. Andi doesn’t understand why this black-suited man, who didn’t give any evil vibe to her before, suddenly turned this violent. She decides it’s time to bring in some pro. David, even after everything, scoffs at the idea of engaging professional psychics. But he gives in when Andi puts her foot down.
The first hunt for a psychic goes wrong but when they meet Morty, a middle aged ex-priest, Andi immediately feels that he’s the real deal. David is still confused about what to believe but I know why he might feel this way. Not seeing something is not believing in it as well, most of the times anyway. Morty doesn’t give them a very promising appearance. He permanently reeks of alcohol and lives in a shabby little apartment. Morty senses Andi’s power immediately as well. They get down to the business of discussing the case at hand. Now, Morty was an interesting character. He’s a lot more than his appearance as we soon get to experience ourselves. He gives them the idea of a planchett to find out about the entities that are roaming the houses. By now they know that there is Irene, one of David’s great-great-grandmothers, David’s mother Katherine and a friend of Edgar’s, Clarance.
I totally loved the whole atmosphere of the planchett scene. It was so spooky! The author wove the tale so well about the whole Girard Mansion mysteries that I got creeped out more than once. This scene, where David gets to meet his mother for the first time (and starts believing in supernatural for real) was very emotional. Andi senses Katherine and even though she didn’t cry, I did. I kinda felt for the woman whose life was so brutally shortened. She also confides in some very positive things about David’s paternity (which finally gives him some piece) and a horrible fact about her death. When Irene is there, Andi senses her too. She confirms the same thing about her death. But overall, all of the spirits want them out of this house, right now. After the session, Morty thinks there might be something powerful going on here. Irene and Katherine weren’t violent or negative, neither was Clarance, so he decides that a banishment will do to guide the spirits into the path of light. But before that, something needed to be taken care of that involves years old secretly buried bodies in the basement (can you see my goosebumps? I had them all the while I read this part). David thinks Carlos will help in exchange of subtle manipulation about his attack on Andi.
David had already became aware of the fact that this thing is trying to mentally manipulate him. He suspected and had to find it out for a fact in the most uncomfortable of ways when he almost ended up choking Andi. This scares the shit out of her. David can’t remember a thing of what he was doing. He leaves being all guilty and flustered. Andi knows he’s not to blame but she decides they should keep apart for awhile. Morty agrees with Andi’s idea when they return for a visit, until the house is cleaned up. David panics. He doesn’t want to let go of Andi but he feels that she’s distancing herself already. It was painful to read because David has already fallen for her. It hurts him. Andi did too, and even though I knew her actions were justified, I still felt for the poor baby. But there was no denying that this thing, that probably controlled the male descendants of the house, was trying to control him the same way.
The time of the banishment appears. I felt for these poor people, who were haunting the place because no one knew what really happened to them. And then, at the banishment, things take a drastic turn. The real evil rears up its head and for the first time, shows them his strength and to Andi, his face once again. It was a scene full of horror and actions because the demon attacks them right after the banishment, to laugh at them at their puny attempts to clean the house. That scene was something! Morty is wounded, Andi is beyond horrified by the vision of the dark pits of that demon’s eyes. By now, after reading some of the personal documents and further research, they all start understanding something; the designer of the house, who was insanely obsessive about it, never actually left this place. Not even when he died. He would to ANYTHING to keep it in the Girard family, which is what he’s been doing for these 100 or so years. Morty decides that this would need some serious a$$ whipping aka something akin to an exorcism. Morty was so much fun to read! Even though, he gave the appearance of taking things lightly, he always knew his way around the supernatural. I wish we knew more of his background.
But the question still remained, would the exorcism be enough to drive this demon away?
I was a bit bummed by the ultimate solution though. David and Andi come up with another idea to get rid of the house entirely. But that didn’t matter ultimately. I enjoyed most of the book and read it with bated breath, sometimes spooked, sometimes all hot and bothered from David and Andi’s sexy times. *heehee* It was everything I could’ve hoped for a Halloween read. 4.5 stars and definitely recommended. I’ll keep an eye on BD’s later releases. I hope she publishes more books like this one (ghost/haunting-themed). I, for one, would absolutely love to read a few more from her.
This Review Copy was provided to me by Carina Press via netgalley which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
This book was totally worth it; me taking chance on a new-to-me author! Bryn Donovan’s Sole Possession was an excellent horror/mystery read with sweet romance blooming between the H, David and the h, Andi. The story itself had me glued to the book. It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything close to horror or haunting theme, though I read Paranormal. I even loved the ex-priest Morty who helps Andi and David along the way while they battle the evil of the mansion David inherits from his deceased father.
Do you remember that scene in The Sixth Sense, when the little boy tells Bruce Willis that he can see dead people? Well, every time I read about Andrea or Andi, I keep thinking about that scene, even though it’s been quite a long time since I’ve watched that movie. I loved it of course, and felt for the little boy who was so scared and didn’t know how to handle this situation that is beyond his control. In case of Andi, you can say almost the same. She didn’t have emotional support where her special ability was concerned. Her parents never believed in her ability (not that I can entirely blame them) and so, when she kept seeing that young girl crying in her bedroom mirror at a tender age, her parents were worried. After numerous visits with different shrinks and various drugs, when she stopped seeing ‘things’, Andi thought she’s cured of that craziness. Her only sister, younger Lissa knew. Lissa is a realist and (I thought) a bit on the cold side. I still admired Andy the way she handled her ‘situation’ almost all on her own, not having anyone to share it with. Then she got her degree, got a job, left it and got into the profession of a contractor; a job her father did, and she helped, a job she had always loved. House renovation was Andi’s passion and even though people might think her crazy for not getting a ‘real’ job, Andi thinks she could be happier this way. Her love life hasn’t been successful so far and she’s not the type to jump from men to men. Then there was the matter of her little problem. I really felt for her as it seemed like Andi has been fighting alone always.
Her job leads her to this new one which could be big for her. A man wants contractor to do wood-works in his mansion. When Andi steps out of her car in front of that big mansion, she felt that familiar dread overwhelming her. She hasn’t felt that way for a long time, and so, she got confused… and a bit scared. She jumps into her coping mechanism, which is almost always to try to ignore it. But the sickly feeling doesn’t go away. Andi still meets the man who has been waiting for the contractor. It’s the owner himself, David. Andi falls for him from the first moment, if not love, definitely lust. David is every girl’s dream; devilish handsome, tall and muscular with green eyes. Andi can’t but keep staring at him. With her short stature (poor you, I know just how you feel lol), it’s nothing new for her to stare up at people. But her daydream gets shaken when David tells her that she can’t work here. Andi takes it personally thinking he’s gender biased. Then Andi tries to make him see that she fits the bill for the type of work he’s looking for. As she was showing something on the wooden stairwell close by, Andi sees something terrible on the wood; a man with a nasty face and smile, someone who exudes pure evil. A flash of that, and Andi goes pale. David doesn’t understand of course, but as Andi puts herself together, somehow they work on it and make a deal about Andi getting the job.
Andi gets to know a few of the people already working there, especially a man named Carlos doing the stonework. Anyway, Andi’s happy to get the job and wants to prove David the sexy that she can do it. She shares her apartment with Lissa, who’s engaged to be married very soon. As the sisters talk about her new deal, the topic of David comes up inevitably. Hearing his name, Lissa suddenly identifies him as a Casanova lawyer who’s rich as Croesus and doesn’t keep one woman more than a few days. Andi is suddenly depressed. She’s been burned by some rich, good looking dude in the past and doesn’t trust in those sorts anymore. Was the pull she felt towards David all wrong, nothing more than lust? Lissa warns her off the man, asking to not get her heart break again.
Up to this point I was enjoying the book immensely. As Andi and David get to know each-other, some stuffs become clear. Yes, David doesn’t do relationships. We get to learn some of his past affairs, all no-strings attached sex. He hardly stays with one woman more than a few weeks, all those model-types, who don’t look for anything more. And that did make David look like a douche to me. Then, in a matter of few days, Andi and David exchanges kisses and then, they jump into bed. I just couldn’t believe it. It killed a bit of the fun initially since the ‘connection’ that the author kept mentioning about, I didn’t really feel it. But all these were a very small part of the story, until the haunting keep appearing. David starts relying on Andi, trusting her since somewhere deep inside, he feels the same way Andi does. David tells her about his abusive and violent father who cheated on her mother over and over again. His had been a rich family to begin with but his father was equally small-minded. David’s mother committed suicide right after he was born. What David doesn’t tell Andi that when he was a young boy, he had seen his mother in the same third floor bathroom, on the very same bathtub where she died. She was trying to speak to him but he couldn’t hear anything. David tells Andi that his father was abusive towards his girlfriends too. A young David had seen enough to know. Somewhere in his mind, that little boy was still there, confused and hurt since he’d never really known the love of a parent. David blames himself for his mother’s suicide, thinking his birth was the reason. And David’s father never could endure him, often beat him up, until David grew old enough to leave. Now, the SOB has left him nothing but this pile of rubble.
Andi also doesn’t tell David about the fact that she’d already seen his mother the same way but probably more vividly because of her psychic ability. Of course, she wasn’t sure if to rely on him about her secret. While working one day, she sees a man in black suit, looking up at her; his head bashed in, eyes sad and haunted. Andi doesn’t know what to do when he appears while she was working on the stairs. But the man doesn’t disturb her and vanishes. Andi thinks she should mention David about these things. Then in one of their times together, Andi confesses about her special gift. Obviously, David didn’t believe it outright but with his experience he couldn’t outright deny Andi’s ability either. So, they exchange these facts. David becomes worried about Andi’s safety. In between they start staying together most of the times, keeping busy with themselves when they weren’t worrying about the house. Andi is a bit scared about her new-found relationship with David. She doesn’t do these kind of things and right now, her relationship doesn’t have a name other than the f*ckbuddy-type. Andi doesn’t know if this would evolve into something deeper, if ever. Yet, in the midst, I start keep seeing the connection. How David is always attuned to Andi, as she is. How he cares for her and shows her in little ways.
One day, something else happens. Carlos starts singing this song that mentions a lady called Irene. Andy already knew that Carlos had a feeling that the house had something going on. He even had a La Anima Sola candle burning close by. When Carlos kept repeating that song, Andi good-naturedly jokes with him. Then she’s in the kitchen where he was supposed to be working, only to find him sitting still, staring up at the space. Something Andi does that triggers violence in Carlos, and he almost ends up killing her. Andy is saved because of David’s timely appearance. Carlos is fired that instant. Andy had to keep David from killing Carlos this time. But neither David, nor Andi could tell what might’ve gone wrong with the trusty contractor. David wants to take Andi to the hospital but she refuses to go. But these incidents bring them closer than ever. David is still worrying about Andi’s safety... even though, sometimes, something in his head would tell him that hurting Andi would be such a satisfying thing to do…
After this incident, Andi and David get to the business of researching about the house and learn of the identity of an Irene in David’s ancestry. Those are shady stuff I tell you, about abusive, violent males and missing wives and friends who never turned up alive. And they all lived in this house since the late 19c, when it was built by a man named Edgar, one of David’s ancestors. David is really depressed by this history and only more firm in his conviction that he would also someday turn out to be like his abusive relatives. This is why he has always distanced himself from a serious relationship. And now that Andi’s here, he doesn’t know what to do because he has already started caring for her. He knows she’s not the type who wants those no-strings-attached things.
We meet Mr. Willingham, the original landscaper for the property soon. Andi recognizes him when he comes to pay a visit. She saw him staring at the house the first day she came here. Willingham is really glad to see David all grown up. Apparently, the man lived and worked on the property for a long time before moving on. He has been very fond of David as a kid, and David returns the feelings still. The older man takes up the job of clearing the property, which David was more than happy to give him. But things don’t go well. One day while working on a tree, Mr. Willingham is attacked by someone and is badly hurt. Andi witnesses it all, along with the black-suited man who attacks him. She is horrified by the evil vibe that comes from that unholy man. David and Gloria, the estate agent, don’t see anything. David believes that Andi has seen something, but Gloria doesn’t. After taking Willingham to the hospital, they discuss about this incident. Andi doesn’t understand why this black-suited man, who didn’t give any evil vibe to her before, suddenly turned this violent. She decides it’s time to bring in some pro. David, even after everything, scoffs at the idea of engaging professional psychics. But he gives in when Andi puts her foot down.
The first hunt for a psychic goes wrong but when they meet Morty, a middle aged ex-priest, Andi immediately feels that he’s the real deal. David is still confused about what to believe but I know why he might feel this way. Not seeing something is not believing in it as well, most of the times anyway. Morty doesn’t give them a very promising appearance. He permanently reeks of alcohol and lives in a shabby little apartment. Morty senses Andi’s power immediately as well. They get down to the business of discussing the case at hand. Now, Morty was an interesting character. He’s a lot more than his appearance as we soon get to experience ourselves. He gives them the idea of a planchett to find out about the entities that are roaming the houses. By now they know that there is Irene, one of David’s great-great-grandmothers, David’s mother Katherine and a friend of Edgar’s, Clarance.
I totally loved the whole atmosphere of the planchett scene. It was so spooky! The author wove the tale so well about the whole Girard Mansion mysteries that I got creeped out more than once. This scene, where David gets to meet his mother for the first time (and starts believing in supernatural for real) was very emotional. Andi senses Katherine and even though she didn’t cry, I did. I kinda felt for the woman whose life was so brutally shortened. She also confides in some very positive things about David’s paternity (which finally gives him some piece) and a horrible fact about her death. When Irene is there, Andi senses her too. She confirms the same thing about her death. But overall, all of the spirits want them out of this house, right now. After the session, Morty thinks there might be something powerful going on here. Irene and Katherine weren’t violent or negative, neither was Clarance, so he decides that a banishment will do to guide the spirits into the path of light. But before that, something needed to be taken care of that involves years old secretly buried bodies in the basement (can you see my goosebumps? I had them all the while I read this part). David thinks Carlos will help in exchange of subtle manipulation about his attack on Andi.
David had already became aware of the fact that this thing is trying to mentally manipulate him. He suspected and had to find it out for a fact in the most uncomfortable of ways when he almost ended up choking Andi. This scares the shit out of her. David can’t remember a thing of what he was doing. He leaves being all guilty and flustered. Andi knows he’s not to blame but she decides they should keep apart for awhile. Morty agrees with Andi’s idea when they return for a visit, until the house is cleaned up. David panics. He doesn’t want to let go of Andi but he feels that she’s distancing herself already. It was painful to read because David has already fallen for her. It hurts him. Andi did too, and even though I knew her actions were justified, I still felt for the poor baby. But there was no denying that this thing, that probably controlled the male descendants of the house, was trying to control him the same way.
The time of the banishment appears. I felt for these poor people, who were haunting the place because no one knew what really happened to them. And then, at the banishment, things take a drastic turn. The real evil rears up its head and for the first time, shows them his strength and to Andi, his face once again. It was a scene full of horror and actions because the demon attacks them right after the banishment, to laugh at them at their puny attempts to clean the house. That scene was something! Morty is wounded, Andi is beyond horrified by the vision of the dark pits of that demon’s eyes. By now, after reading some of the personal documents and further research, they all start understanding something; the designer of the house, who was insanely obsessive about it, never actually left this place. Not even when he died. He would to ANYTHING to keep it in the Girard family, which is what he’s been doing for these 100 or so years. Morty decides that this would need some serious a$$ whipping aka something akin to an exorcism. Morty was so much fun to read! Even though, he gave the appearance of taking things lightly, he always knew his way around the supernatural. I wish we knew more of his background.
But the question still remained, would the exorcism be enough to drive this demon away?
I was a bit bummed by the ultimate solution though. David and Andi come up with another idea to get rid of the house entirely. But that didn’t matter ultimately. I enjoyed most of the book and read it with bated breath, sometimes spooked, sometimes all hot and bothered from David and Andi’s sexy times. *heehee* It was everything I could’ve hoped for a Halloween read. 4.5 stars and definitely recommended. I’ll keep an eye on BD’s later releases. I hope she publishes more books like this one (ghost/haunting-themed). I, for one, would absolutely love to read a few more from her.
This Review Copy was provided to me by Carina Press via netgalley which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2012
Weak 3 stars. The plot and events were reasonably interesting. The characters and the relationship needed something.
The main plot was about multiple ghosts in an old house. Evil things happened in the past, and something evil is influencing people today. The process of how Andi and David found out about the ghosts, learned what happened to them, and what they did to get rid of them was interesting - but not fascinating. I never felt pulled in or eager to read. It was more of a way to pass the time. It needed something. It felt more of a mystery than a romance. I enjoyed the definition of Andi, a female construction contractor.
David never dated anyone more than a few weeks and always dates the willowy model types. Along comes Andi to work for him, she’s short and on the round side. He talks to her on day one. They have sex on day two. It was too soon. I didn’t see why he was attracted to her. A gossip magazine called him the hottest bachelor of something. Andi seemed to be attracted to him the way most women would want to date the hot bachelor. I guess I wanted to see something unusual or special causing an attraction. It wasn’t there. They just meet, and soon they have sex. The sex scenes were ordinary. They could have used more emotion or anticipation.
I did not like one stupid event. David and Andi had a plan for getting rid of an evil spirit, but David forgot to bring something. They decided to go ahead without it. They should have delayed two hours to get it, or wait until the next night. I was annoyed.
It was not explained. It bothered me.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Maia Guest was ok, but I noticed two problems. More than once she didn’t show the correct emotion. Example, someone screamed something, the narrator read it in a calm voice. The second problem was the psychic Morty. He had a Chicago accent. I live in Chicago and know about two well known accents. The narrator wasn’t close to anything I’ve heard. What the narrator used for Morty was weird.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 31 mins. Swearing language: mild including religious swear words, but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 6. Setting Chicago, Illinois area. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: paranormal contemporary romance mystery.
The main plot was about multiple ghosts in an old house. Evil things happened in the past, and something evil is influencing people today. The process of how Andi and David found out about the ghosts, learned what happened to them, and what they did to get rid of them was interesting - but not fascinating. I never felt pulled in or eager to read. It was more of a way to pass the time. It needed something. It felt more of a mystery than a romance. I enjoyed the definition of Andi, a female construction contractor.
David never dated anyone more than a few weeks and always dates the willowy model types. Along comes Andi to work for him, she’s short and on the round side. He talks to her on day one. They have sex on day two. It was too soon. I didn’t see why he was attracted to her. A gossip magazine called him the hottest bachelor of something. Andi seemed to be attracted to him the way most women would want to date the hot bachelor. I guess I wanted to see something unusual or special causing an attraction. It wasn’t there. They just meet, and soon they have sex. The sex scenes were ordinary. They could have used more emotion or anticipation.
I did not like one stupid event. David and Andi had a plan for getting rid of an evil spirit, but David forgot to bring something. They decided to go ahead without it. They should have delayed two hours to get it, or wait until the next night. I was annoyed.
It was not explained. It bothered me.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Maia Guest was ok, but I noticed two problems. More than once she didn’t show the correct emotion. Example, someone screamed something, the narrator read it in a calm voice. The second problem was the psychic Morty. He had a Chicago accent. I live in Chicago and know about two well known accents. The narrator wasn’t close to anything I’ve heard. What the narrator used for Morty was weird.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 31 mins. Swearing language: mild including religious swear words, but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 6. Setting Chicago, Illinois area. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: paranormal contemporary romance mystery.
November 24, 2012
'Sole Possession' is the epitome of paranormal romance, being equal parts love story and ghost story. This particular genre isn't usually my thing. So for me to enjoy it as much as I did...well, that's saying quite a lot. Honestly, I bought it to support the author who I consider a friend BUT she did not ask me to write a review nor did I get a free copy of the book. This is all my honest opinion. If I didn't like the book, I would've just not written a review at all.
Anyway, like I said, this is equal parts love story and ghost story. And when contractor Andi Petrowski takes on a remodeling job, she finds herself at the center of both. The house belongs to David Girard, who inherited it from his father. But there's more to the house than just wood and bricks. The house, along with the Girard family, holds a whole lot of dark secrets. But Andi has secrets of her own, secrets she is forced to reveal in order to help David put the past behind him for the sake of their future together.
It took me a while to get started on 'Sole Possession' because real life happened but once I finally had the chance to get into it, I couldn't put it down, reading "just one more chapter" until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Anyway, like I said, this is equal parts love story and ghost story. And when contractor Andi Petrowski takes on a remodeling job, she finds herself at the center of both. The house belongs to David Girard, who inherited it from his father. But there's more to the house than just wood and bricks. The house, along with the Girard family, holds a whole lot of dark secrets. But Andi has secrets of her own, secrets she is forced to reveal in order to help David put the past behind him for the sake of their future together.
It took me a while to get started on 'Sole Possession' because real life happened but once I finally had the chance to get into it, I couldn't put it down, reading "just one more chapter" until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
March 20, 2015
The idea is interesting, but the exection in not.
It seemed to me that they were behaving like high school teenagers and not lie grown-ups.
Their actions and reactions were so volatile that I felt my head spinning! Once or twice that could have happened without problem, but it was like that every 2 pages! It's big no, no for me...
Also their jumping on each other all the time was to over the top. It was not sexy and not hot. I wanted to slap them in order to get their attention where it was really necessary!
So why 3 stars? Because of the idea. :)
It seemed to me that they were behaving like high school teenagers and not lie grown-ups.
Their actions and reactions were so volatile that I felt my head spinning! Once or twice that could have happened without problem, but it was like that every 2 pages! It's big no, no for me...
Also their jumping on each other all the time was to over the top. It was not sexy and not hot. I wanted to slap them in order to get their attention where it was really necessary!
So why 3 stars? Because of the idea. :)
October 10, 2012
Cover image for Sole Possession
Blurb
After David Girard inherits his family's creepy old estate--a place that holds only tragic memories for him--he wants nothing to do with it. The sooner it's out of his possession, the better, so he hires Andi Petrowski to fix it up for a quick sale. He's immediately drawn to the feisty contractor, but he fears his father's cruel legacy will ruin everything.
The moment Andi enters the Girard mansion, she's haunted by disturbing visions. She tries to brush them off, but her attraction to David isn't as easy to ignore. Their relationship soon crosses the line from professional to personal, despite his guarded nature and warnings about his dark past.
When the dreams and visions intensify into very real violence, David and Andi are desperate to uncover the evil threatening to possess him. Could Andi's gifts be the key to uncovering the darkness within David? And will he be strong enough to break the family curse and protect the woman he loves?
Review
Sole Possession is a perfect book for this time of year. It is a great mix of romance, mystery and horror, I could not put it down. Now for you scaredy kitties, you will still be able to sleep at night though you might see things when you don't ;) Now the romance is on the softer side, but it is a sweet heat.
Andi is a contractor who goes to give an estimate on an old house owned by David. Once she gets there she has an instant bad feeling about the house, but when she meets the hunky David there is an instant attraction. The house shows its true colors almost right away, in the way to Andi seeing the face of a man in the wood work she is coming to restore. David wants to sell the house right away, he inherited the house from his father but David has too many bad memories about growing up in the house. David tries to warn off Andi about house and him but soon she is working on the house. It get creepy when Andi starts seeing people in the house. As a girl she saw people who were not there and was put on medication and therapy, so now Andi thinks her problems are starting over. Little does she know that David has seen things too, namely his mother who took her life in the house. As they work more closely David and Andi get closer until they admit to the attraction and start sleeping together. As the two get more emotionally involved with each other the paranormal activity ramps up, until a very dramatic and on the edge of your seat ending.
I like that the story is not a cookie cutter story, different but it really hooks you in. Andi and David are really two different people from two different worlds. You can feel the instant chemistry and it is totally believable the way the story is written. I know you Smutty Kitty's love the smut but this is not a true erotic novel and the love scenes are more a spicy sweet. I enjoyed that edgy feeling that I got while reading this book where you are expecting for things to happen and they still surprise you when they do. This is a very well written book and I have not read any of Bryn Donovan's books before but look forward to reading more of her work.
Blurb
After David Girard inherits his family's creepy old estate--a place that holds only tragic memories for him--he wants nothing to do with it. The sooner it's out of his possession, the better, so he hires Andi Petrowski to fix it up for a quick sale. He's immediately drawn to the feisty contractor, but he fears his father's cruel legacy will ruin everything.
The moment Andi enters the Girard mansion, she's haunted by disturbing visions. She tries to brush them off, but her attraction to David isn't as easy to ignore. Their relationship soon crosses the line from professional to personal, despite his guarded nature and warnings about his dark past.
When the dreams and visions intensify into very real violence, David and Andi are desperate to uncover the evil threatening to possess him. Could Andi's gifts be the key to uncovering the darkness within David? And will he be strong enough to break the family curse and protect the woman he loves?
Review
Sole Possession is a perfect book for this time of year. It is a great mix of romance, mystery and horror, I could not put it down. Now for you scaredy kitties, you will still be able to sleep at night though you might see things when you don't ;) Now the romance is on the softer side, but it is a sweet heat.
Andi is a contractor who goes to give an estimate on an old house owned by David. Once she gets there she has an instant bad feeling about the house, but when she meets the hunky David there is an instant attraction. The house shows its true colors almost right away, in the way to Andi seeing the face of a man in the wood work she is coming to restore. David wants to sell the house right away, he inherited the house from his father but David has too many bad memories about growing up in the house. David tries to warn off Andi about house and him but soon she is working on the house. It get creepy when Andi starts seeing people in the house. As a girl she saw people who were not there and was put on medication and therapy, so now Andi thinks her problems are starting over. Little does she know that David has seen things too, namely his mother who took her life in the house. As they work more closely David and Andi get closer until they admit to the attraction and start sleeping together. As the two get more emotionally involved with each other the paranormal activity ramps up, until a very dramatic and on the edge of your seat ending.
I like that the story is not a cookie cutter story, different but it really hooks you in. Andi and David are really two different people from two different worlds. You can feel the instant chemistry and it is totally believable the way the story is written. I know you Smutty Kitty's love the smut but this is not a true erotic novel and the love scenes are more a spicy sweet. I enjoyed that edgy feeling that I got while reading this book where you are expecting for things to happen and they still surprise you when they do. This is a very well written book and I have not read any of Bryn Donovan's books before but look forward to reading more of her work.
October 15, 2012
This review is also posted on my blog, Books Books and More Books
Thanks to the publisher, Carina Press, and NetGalley for the chance to read this!
Bryn Donovan has written a winner with Sole Possession, the author’s debut paranormal romance. It is the perfect mix of thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. This book is a great read, nicely written. This book kept me on the edge of my seat; I felt as if I floated though this book. The story is fraught with pain and loss -- the author did an excellent job of making the character’s emotions realistic.
David Girard, a personal injury lawyer, wants nothing to with the decrepit old mansion he inherited; even if it was his childhood home. So he hires a couple of contractors including Andi Petrowski to fix it up for a quick sale. However, his efforts to renovate seem to be hampered by one mishap after another. It seems that the evil from his childhood is back and determined to consume him. Andi soon discovers the horrifying secrets of those who lived and died there. Andi & David soon find themselves fighting against an unseen force…the suspense was intense!
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through NetGalley for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
Thanks to the publisher, Carina Press, and NetGalley for the chance to read this!
Bryn Donovan has written a winner with Sole Possession, the author’s debut paranormal romance. It is the perfect mix of thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. This book is a great read, nicely written. This book kept me on the edge of my seat; I felt as if I floated though this book. The story is fraught with pain and loss -- the author did an excellent job of making the character’s emotions realistic.
David Girard, a personal injury lawyer, wants nothing to with the decrepit old mansion he inherited; even if it was his childhood home. So he hires a couple of contractors including Andi Petrowski to fix it up for a quick sale. However, his efforts to renovate seem to be hampered by one mishap after another. It seems that the evil from his childhood is back and determined to consume him. Andi soon discovers the horrifying secrets of those who lived and died there. Andi & David soon find themselves fighting against an unseen force…the suspense was intense!
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through NetGalley for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
April 19, 2013
Well, my first foray into the world of romance novels wasn't as painful as I thought it would be! The attraction and relationship between the two leads were actually believable, and I absolutely looooooooooove the secondary characters, particularly Morty with his pleasant nicknames like "Slappy." My only complaint lies with the sex scenes, which really isn't that much of a complaint; you can only write so many descriptions of sex acts before you start to either sound too flowery or too porny. Thankfully, things didn't go into the porn side, but I did find myself giggling at David's "length." Then again, the scenes certainly did the trick (my husband thanks you, Ms. Donovan), so it's not really so much a complaint. :)
October 23, 2012
This wonderful contemporary suspense-filled romance and ghost story is great fun reading! Set in the northern suburbs of Chicago, it revolves around a young female home renovator, a run-down mansion, the house's reluctant owner, and some intriguing secondary characters. When the house's owner, meets the young renovator, he is immediately drawn to her, a mutual attraction that builds as they begin to uncover the many mysteries and dark past of the old home. A delightful read. It scared me at times.
October 23, 2012
This book is, despite it's paranormal fright factor, at it's core a very sweet tale of two people falling head over heals for each other. Andi and David are a very endearing couple and I was rooting for them in earnest. The ghost story gives them a compelling problem to solve and kept me turning the pages. If I have any complaints at all, it's simply that the side character Morty was so interesting that I wanted to read more about him.
December 11, 2012
While I enjoyed this book, I spent half of my time looking over my shoulder while I was reading it. Why? Two reasons...I kept thinking something creepy was in the room, and I was worried someone would see me blushing when I read the very erotic love scenes. ha!
November 28, 2012
This is a decent enough paranormal romance read. Quick and easy, but feels like it's lacking depth. I didn't have any big problems with the plot (other than an issue with the end). It's a fairly standard haunting story but it didn't have anything extra. It wasn't spooky or scary and didn't move me. I liked the characters and cared about what happened to them. I believed their relationship and feelings for each other, and even thought their ending was cute. But I didn't feel like I really connected with them. It was a strange sort of disconnect.
The biggest problem I had with this book is the editing. Transitions in the book were either completely lacking or fairly bad. It made the story hard to follow sometimes as scenes and time would just jump in the very next paragraph with no warning. There were a lot of little things wrong such as misspelled and missing words. ("David set the phone down gain." "…but the times were together… we were really happy. In spite of everything.” "Bitterness welled up in her as rose to her feet." "David set the phone down and took her hand in both of hers." "There were all upholstered with purple scratchy material.") This line where it was third person and first person in two successive sentences: “Oh.” David sat paralyzed. What do I say now? (the first person sentence isn't italicized in the book). And several scenes where a character would move somewhere, not move back, but somehow complete the action all over again: "David kneeled down beside the bones. 'It’s got to be our guy, though.' He knelt down by the bones and dusted the dirt from what remained of the clothing."
"Andi got to her feet, her eyes blazing. 'I am not crazy.'" Four dialogue paragraphs later… "David crouched down in front of Andi and put his hand on her shoulder."
"Andi sat down near him as he took out a set of keys big enough for a custodian…" Three paragraphs later… "Andi ignored him and sat down."
Like I said, the plot was okay and there was nothing really wrong with it other than the fact I think the resolution of the problem was too easy. It doesn't quite make sense to me that everything would be taken care of by that one action and nothing else. Also, considering they talked over the ramifications of taking that certain action it seems odd to me that nothing happened to them after they did it.
There were also some lingering questions that were never addressed, or at least not addressed adequately in my opinion.
In the end, this book was just okay. Definitely not bad but I don't feel much more for it than that. I'm not sure how it could have been improved other than better editing.
The biggest problem I had with this book is the editing. Transitions in the book were either completely lacking or fairly bad. It made the story hard to follow sometimes as scenes and time would just jump in the very next paragraph with no warning. There were a lot of little things wrong such as misspelled and missing words. ("David set the phone down gain." "…but the times were together… we were really happy. In spite of everything.” "Bitterness welled up in her as rose to her feet." "David set the phone down and took her hand in both of hers." "There were all upholstered with purple scratchy material.") This line where it was third person and first person in two successive sentences: “Oh.” David sat paralyzed. What do I say now? (the first person sentence isn't italicized in the book). And several scenes where a character would move somewhere, not move back, but somehow complete the action all over again: "David kneeled down beside the bones. 'It’s got to be our guy, though.' He knelt down by the bones and dusted the dirt from what remained of the clothing."
"Andi got to her feet, her eyes blazing. 'I am not crazy.'" Four dialogue paragraphs later… "David crouched down in front of Andi and put his hand on her shoulder."
"Andi sat down near him as he took out a set of keys big enough for a custodian…" Three paragraphs later… "Andi ignored him and sat down."
Like I said, the plot was okay and there was nothing really wrong with it other than the fact I think the resolution of the problem was too easy. It doesn't quite make sense to me that everything would be taken care of by that one action and nothing else. Also, considering they talked over the ramifications of taking that certain action it seems odd to me that nothing happened to them after they did it.
There were also some lingering questions that were never addressed, or at least not addressed adequately in my opinion.
In the end, this book was just okay. Definitely not bad but I don't feel much more for it than that. I'm not sure how it could have been improved other than better editing.
October 7, 2012
Originally posted at Novel Reveries
From the beginning to the end this book consumed me. The renovations on the house are turning horrid as a disease of unfortunate events fall upon David and his contractor turned girlfriend, Andi. For some reason, the house possesses the men who dare to cross it’s threshold and it is time for it all to end, before someone else gets hurt. Upon discovering the history of the house, David learns of his own family history and the skeletons in it’s closets.
“Back then, Edgar inhabited a body. Now he inhabited a house like a black hole that wanted to swallow David whole.” (loc. 3018)
David fears for the safety of Andi and is determined to put the haunts to and end, but can he pull it off when he, himself, becomes influenced?
I like how David’s character has the theme, “love conquers all evil” as he fights with himself and inner demons to protect Andi from the house and himself. Andi comes to terms with her own past of spiritual mediumship and hones her skills as she is determined to help David take back control of his soul. David’s a protector, while Andi wants to fight. The battle against the house and it’s murderous history is on.
I love how the plot graduates with the character development of David and Andi and how they find love and trust in each other throughout the evil of their situation. I enjoy how the author shows her audience the point of views of both David and Andi, so we can see how their different thought processes played into their decision making. We, as the readers, are able to decipher how they perceive each other and how their actions (whether consciously or not) affect their relationship.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for those who are looking for a haunted thrill, some romantic steam, and an interesting journey of a mystery. This book is definitely filled with suspense and guarantees a good scare. With suspense, angst, sex, mystery, and of course, the paranormal, this book will keep you rooted as you yourself become possessed with it’s allure.
First Line: “Andi parked her truck, got out and looked up at one of the most amazing houses she had ever seen.” (loc. 34)
Last Line: “She had complete possession of his heart.” (loc. 3529)
------------
Quotes
“She had a feeling that was like the sound of a music box playing in a abndoned room...a sense of danger and fascination.” (94)
“When Andi looked down at the raw wood again, her breath caught for a moment.
She saw a face in the wood grain.” (loc. 109)
“David couldn’t believe they were returning to the godforsaken house that very night. Why was he even going along with it? He didn’t want to be there. The house for damn sure didn’t want them to be there.” (loc. 2100)
“I didn’t know what I was doing. The thought didn’t comfort him. It did exactly the opposite. All he’d wanted, all his life, was to be free, to be in charge of what happened to him.
Now Marty and Andi were saying he didn’t have control over himself at all. And he feared they were right.” (loc. 2448)
Galley provided by Carina Press via NetGalley
From the beginning to the end this book consumed me. The renovations on the house are turning horrid as a disease of unfortunate events fall upon David and his contractor turned girlfriend, Andi. For some reason, the house possesses the men who dare to cross it’s threshold and it is time for it all to end, before someone else gets hurt. Upon discovering the history of the house, David learns of his own family history and the skeletons in it’s closets.
“Back then, Edgar inhabited a body. Now he inhabited a house like a black hole that wanted to swallow David whole.” (loc. 3018)
David fears for the safety of Andi and is determined to put the haunts to and end, but can he pull it off when he, himself, becomes influenced?
I like how David’s character has the theme, “love conquers all evil” as he fights with himself and inner demons to protect Andi from the house and himself. Andi comes to terms with her own past of spiritual mediumship and hones her skills as she is determined to help David take back control of his soul. David’s a protector, while Andi wants to fight. The battle against the house and it’s murderous history is on.
I love how the plot graduates with the character development of David and Andi and how they find love and trust in each other throughout the evil of their situation. I enjoy how the author shows her audience the point of views of both David and Andi, so we can see how their different thought processes played into their decision making. We, as the readers, are able to decipher how they perceive each other and how their actions (whether consciously or not) affect their relationship.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for those who are looking for a haunted thrill, some romantic steam, and an interesting journey of a mystery. This book is definitely filled with suspense and guarantees a good scare. With suspense, angst, sex, mystery, and of course, the paranormal, this book will keep you rooted as you yourself become possessed with it’s allure.
First Line: “Andi parked her truck, got out and looked up at one of the most amazing houses she had ever seen.” (loc. 34)
Last Line: “She had complete possession of his heart.” (loc. 3529)
------------
Quotes
“She had a feeling that was like the sound of a music box playing in a abndoned room...a sense of danger and fascination.” (94)
“When Andi looked down at the raw wood again, her breath caught for a moment.
She saw a face in the wood grain.” (loc. 109)
“David couldn’t believe they were returning to the godforsaken house that very night. Why was he even going along with it? He didn’t want to be there. The house for damn sure didn’t want them to be there.” (loc. 2100)
“I didn’t know what I was doing. The thought didn’t comfort him. It did exactly the opposite. All he’d wanted, all his life, was to be free, to be in charge of what happened to him.
Now Marty and Andi were saying he didn’t have control over himself at all. And he feared they were right.” (loc. 2448)
Galley provided by Carina Press via NetGalley
October 15, 2012
David has what most people dream of - a career he loves, money enough to be comfortable and great looks… Unfortunately he doesn't have nor did he ever truly have the one thing most people take for granted… The love of his family. His mom died when he was still young and his father was an abusive cruel man. He's inherited the house but all he wants to do is get it fixed up enough to sell so he can finally put everything behind him. He's not open to anything more than a quick no-strings affair because he has convinced himself that his family is cursed when it comes to love. He needs a contractor to clean up the woodwork in the house and ends up getting our heroine which does not make him a happy man. There is something about this house and he does not want any woman to have to anything to do with it as long as he owns it.
Andi is trying to make a go of her contracting business and is a little pissed when David tries to fire her before he even gives her a shot. She's stubborn though and manages to keep the job. The thing is she's a bit spooked when she sees a face in the grain of the wood but doesn't say anything because when she was younger her family treated her like she was insane rather than believe that she could see ghosts. She's attracted to David but is trying hard to keep everything between them professional. As this is a romance you know how well that went, it isn't long before the two of them find themselves trying to figure out what exactly is growing between them. She's willing to fight for something she feels is right even though the house and the spirits within are pushing them apart.
I found myself creeped out a bit by the house but I loved the man they brought in to help figure things out and am glad the story resolved the way it did. I'm very thankful to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. This is a great first book in a new genre for the author.
Andi is trying to make a go of her contracting business and is a little pissed when David tries to fire her before he even gives her a shot. She's stubborn though and manages to keep the job. The thing is she's a bit spooked when she sees a face in the grain of the wood but doesn't say anything because when she was younger her family treated her like she was insane rather than believe that she could see ghosts. She's attracted to David but is trying hard to keep everything between them professional. As this is a romance you know how well that went, it isn't long before the two of them find themselves trying to figure out what exactly is growing between them. She's willing to fight for something she feels is right even though the house and the spirits within are pushing them apart.
I found myself creeped out a bit by the house but I loved the man they brought in to help figure things out and am glad the story resolved the way it did. I'm very thankful to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. This is a great first book in a new genre for the author.
November 22, 2012
Sole Possession
By Bryn Donovan
David Girard has just inherited his old family home, though it is filled with nothing but awful memories he intends to “flip” it by making renovations and selling it for a profit. This is where Andi walks in, she is there to help fix it but as soon as she walks into the house she is assailed with haunting visions. Between the ghosts and the renovations Andi and David soon find themselves falling in love triggering a deadly curse.
So I know this is supposed to be a romance novel with all the steamy scenes included but for me the romance felt lacking, however the horror side of the book was absolutely amazing. At first the author seems to tease the readers with bits of the ghosts that reside in the mansion but then as the novel picks up speed it soon turns into and intense read. I am a sucker for ghosts, but the fact that Bryn Donovan combined romance and horror is so distinctive that the novel is worth reading just for this aspect. I have Bryn Donovan to thank for a sleepless night for one I couldn’t put the book down and two I was reading it late at night, by myself, in a house I have just recently moved into yeah I kept hearing noises and looking over my shoulder, so thanks for that. I did love this book even if the romance was a bit forced Bryn Donovan has a way with words brining to life some of the best scenes to make your heart rate speed up.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
By Bryn Donovan
David Girard has just inherited his old family home, though it is filled with nothing but awful memories he intends to “flip” it by making renovations and selling it for a profit. This is where Andi walks in, she is there to help fix it but as soon as she walks into the house she is assailed with haunting visions. Between the ghosts and the renovations Andi and David soon find themselves falling in love triggering a deadly curse.
So I know this is supposed to be a romance novel with all the steamy scenes included but for me the romance felt lacking, however the horror side of the book was absolutely amazing. At first the author seems to tease the readers with bits of the ghosts that reside in the mansion but then as the novel picks up speed it soon turns into and intense read. I am a sucker for ghosts, but the fact that Bryn Donovan combined romance and horror is so distinctive that the novel is worth reading just for this aspect. I have Bryn Donovan to thank for a sleepless night for one I couldn’t put the book down and two I was reading it late at night, by myself, in a house I have just recently moved into yeah I kept hearing noises and looking over my shoulder, so thanks for that. I did love this book even if the romance was a bit forced Bryn Donovan has a way with words brining to life some of the best scenes to make your heart rate speed up.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
January 21, 2013
Very well written ghost / romance story. Loved both Andi and David. They were well written characters and I rooted for them to overcome the evil. Morty was also an enjoyable character. Would have liked to see more from him. The way the house was described and the events that happened there in the past, made for an engaging, suspenseful story. Andy's ability to remodel and see ghosts made her a pretty strong female, who also longed for some romance, which she got from hunky David.
January 4, 2013
The story was interesting and kept me reading. I really liked the main characters, and the love story was nice. The only reason why this isn't getting a four star rating is that the love story sometimes was a bit flat. I can't put my finger on why, but at some points in the story, the love connection waned. Other than that, a worthy read. If you're in the mood for a ghost story, pick this up.
July 4, 2015
This story was terrifying and exciting and adorably romantic! Andi is a general contractor with long denied psychic abilities. David is the heir to a very dangerous house and even more dangerous family history. Together they try to find a way to defeat the past and build a future. Paranormal romance fans will not be disappointed by this wonderful read!
August 22, 2016
Sole Possession is a great read! Bryn Donovan's story rings true when it comes to her descriptions of the supernatural occurrences. This story has many enjoyable elements, including romance, humor and believable characters (even the spirits). It was hard to put down once I started. Great job Bryn!
August 9, 2013
excellent story !
January 31, 2014
An excellent horror and romance novel. The heroine is truly that and doesn't make you want to stab yourself in the eye.
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