One Last Touch

by Jade Church

I had never seen a ghost before I came to Alswell Manor...

Staff who disappear after sunset. Footsteps that echo in the halls. Alswell Manor is at once a place of life and death, love and tragedy. When the manor passes to Georgina after her mother’s death, she is unprepared for how much the old house would feel like home. Haunted by the mysteries in her past, Georgina is determined to unravel the truth of what happened to her mother, and their twisted connection to the house drawing her in. With malevolent forces stalking her every move, and a man she could never have growing closer to capturing her heart, Georgina must uncover the truth, before it too claims her.

One Last Touch is a standalone romantic horror perfect for fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor and Spells For Forgetting. If you love haunting romance, mystery and spice, then click to buy now!

Genres: Horror, Romance, Adult, Paranormal

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2023

About the author

Jade Church is putting the ‘O’ in romance with her high-heat and swoony romance books. Jade currently lives in the U.K. and when she’s not cuddling her cats or writing, she spends the majority of her time reading and binge re-watching The Vampire Diaries.

Reviews

[✨ Helena ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this complimentary ARC, courtesy of Jade Church, in exchange for an honest review.

This is my favourite Jade Church novel to date 🙈

Everything about it just screams me! 👻

Haunted house? ✔️
Stubborn girlie? ✔️
Broody ghostie? ✔️
#Complicated family? ✔️
Deadly poison? ✔️

Georgina inherits a manor she had no idea exists when her mum unexpectedly passes away, and by passes away, I mean … is murdered. Desperate to uncover the truth as to what happened to her mum, Georgina moves into the very manor that she died in and begins to investigate … just as things begin to go bump in the night. This manor isn’t only the site of more than one grisly murder, but it’s also the stomping ground of many a tethered spirit. Some of which are benevolent, but unfortunately for Georgina, not all. As danger lurks around every corner and Georgina nears closer to the truth, she must ensure she doesn’t meet the same fate as her mum.

I really adored this spooky standalone and even though I’m well aware that it IS indeed a standalone, I can’t help but wish that Jade has more haunted house books like this in the works. It’s clearly where she shines. If you enjoyed Crimson Peak and Supernatural, I highly recommend giving this one a go!

[Verv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jade Church's One Last Touch crafts a hauntingly beautiful story of love, mystery, and the supernatural, set within the eerie walls of Alswell Manor. Georgina, our tenacious heroine, inherits this mysterious manor only to find herself plunged into a world where the lines between the living and the dead blur. Brooding and enigmatic Sage becomes an unexpected ally in her quest to uncover the truth behind her mother's death.

This novel is a brilliant fusion of gothic romance and spine-tingling horror, creating an atmosphere that's both chilling and alluring. Church's writing is wonderfully lyrical, painting each scene with a gothic brush that brings the manor and its ghostly inhabitants to life. The relationship between Georgina and Sage, with its slow-building tension and raw emotion, adds a heart-wrenching depth to the story.

The book's fast pace kept me on my toes, eagerly flipping pages to unravel the manor's dark secrets. Sage, the standout character for me, captivates from the start—his mysterious past and tender moments with Georgina making him a standout character.

One Last Touch is perfect for fans of romantic horror who appreciate a quick, immersive read. It's a story that skillfully balances the macabre with moments of levity, ensuring that even amidst the spooks and scares, there's a warmth that comforts the reader. Church has created a gothic romance that's not just about the thrill and the chills—it's about finding love and redemption in the most unexpected places.

Thank you so much to Jade Church for the ARC!

[María · Rating 1 out of 5]

Em…si bueno ¿quién tiene hambre? Me leí esto esperando un romance paranormal entre una chica y un fantasma, y eso es lo que me dieron. Aunque me gustó la dinámica entre los dos siento que todo fue muy soso. El misterio tampoco fue sorprendente. Y el final fue muy MEH. Por otro lado, la ambientación y el spice si me gustaron, así que le doy 1.5 ⭐️ por eso.

[Stephanie Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book was well written, I don’t think this genre is for me. I was intrigued at first, drawn in by the mystery. I want to know the backstory of the manor and her family. I found it hard to get on board with her not suspecting haunting right away. And then the ending, while of course it’s the “happy ending” we want, it just didn’t fit in my mind. How can they live happily ever after when his gravestone is in the cemetery, how can they get married and have kids if he has a death certificate. But again, it’s a supernatural romance so that’s what you get, just not my favourite genre.

[iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted a gothic romantasy with Crimson Peak vibes, and One Last Touch delivered just that. I fell in love with the dark atmosphere, and the story was gripping as well. However, I found the main protagonist a bit intolerable, and the ghost powers were confusing.

[CaiReeds ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Because it hurts far more to see you and be unable to touch you than to die a true death with my hand in yours"
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️.5
I have not read too many paranormal romances but this one really made me think I need to be reading more of them.
The way the author set the scene in this beautifully tragic yet romantic paranormal horror was astounding and it captivated me from the very beginning.
This is a short read at I want to say only a little over 200 pages so this is fast paced. If you're looking for a slow-burn romance with drawn out suspenseful horror, this book may not be for you.

I love the way the author built out these characters, especially the relationships between them all. Sage and Georgina gave me all the vibes and I loved every second of their interactions together. The storytelling was so romantically devastating and ethereal it just captivated my heart all while transporting me to a place where I felt some serious gothic spooks.

I loved everything about this book and I cant wait to dive deep into the rest of what Jade Church has to offer!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good it reminded me of a mystery and a ghost story all in one! my favorite books are about haunted houses set in historical times.
this book had romance and it had spook. I think the family in the house was also strange. the footsteps in the house made me freak out while reading but perfect for halloween!! I give this book 5 stars!!

[Kaitlyn DeHerrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Last Touch by Jade Church is a short ghost romance, perfect for readers looking to get a quick/easy read in for spooky season.

While the main character Georgina had her baddie moments, I have to say that she ultimately frustrated the heck out of me. She made bad decision after bad decision, and the romance felt a little unnatural (and no, that's not just because one of them is a literal ghost).

Overall, I'm glad I read it because I'm an increasingly bigger fan of the spooky romance genre, but it's not the strongest that it could be. Stronger character development/world building would come a long way in conjunction with the brilliant concept that this book has, but it was still a fairly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and The INKfluence for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

One Last Touch by Jade Church is a short ghost romance, perfect for readers looking to get a quick/easy read in for spooky season.

While the main character Georgina had her baddie moments, I have to say that she ultimately frustrated the heck out of me. She made bad decision after bad decision, and the romance felt a little unnatural (and no, that's not just because one of them is a literal ghost).

Overall, I'm glad I read it because I'm an increasingly bigger fan of the spooky romance genre, but it's not the strongest that it could be. Stronger character development/world building would come a long way in conjunction with the brilliant concept that this book has, but it was still a fairly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and The INKfluence for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, this is probably more of a 3.5, but I am a romance reader who absolutely needs her HEA, and Jade Church delivers that in spades. That's not always a given when a story's romantic leads are a living woman and a dead man, and since the back copy billed this as a story with a happy ending, I wasn't quite sure how Church would pull it off. Did it mean I had to suspend my disbelief? Absolutely, but I'd argue that that's true of all romance novels, not just the paranormal ones, making that a very low barrier to enjoyment.

Slightly more of an issue was heroine Georgina. She skirts perilously close to being TSTL, making poor choices over and over again, even when (especially when) she is repeatedly warned against them. While I sympathize with her needing to know more than she's being given, the alacrity with which she goes haring off after knowing it's dangerous makes me question how she got to be twenty-odd years old in today's world without ever once encountering a horror trope. English major? Avid horror reader? Sorry, I had an easier time buying into the ghost story.

Fortunately for Georgina, this is compulsively readable, even when she's being a twit. It moves at a good pace without feeling rushed and the lore is interesting, if not always sound. The atmosphere is also very well done, and if I wanted a bit more history, that's probably down to personal preference. All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was a lovely break from reality when I very much needed one and a sound choice for a Halloween read.

Merged review:

In all honesty, this is probably more of a 3.5, but I am a romance reader who absolutely needs her HEA, and Jade Church delivers that in spades. That's not always a given when a story's romantic leads are a living woman and a dead man, and since the back copy billed this as a story with a happy ending, I wasn't quite sure how Church would pull it off. Did it mean I had to suspend my disbelief? Absolutely, but I'd argue that that's true of all romance novels, not just the paranormal ones, making that a very low barrier to enjoyment.

Slightly more of an issue was heroine Georgina. She skirts perilously close to being TSTL, making poor choices over and over again, even when (especially when) she is repeatedly warned against them. While I sympathize with her needing to know more than she's being given, the alacrity with which she goes haring off after knowing it's dangerous makes me question how she got to be twenty-odd years old in today's world without ever once encountering a horror trope. English major? Avid horror reader? Sorry, I had an easier time buying into the ghost story.

Fortunately for Georgina, this is compulsively readable, even when she's being a twit. It moves at a good pace without feeling rushed and the lore is interesting, if not always sound. The atmosphere is also very well done, and if I wanted a bit more history, that's probably down to personal preference. All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was a lovely break from reality when I very much needed one and a sound choice for a Halloween read.

[andshe.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance, spook, and a little bit of spice.. what more could I ask for. Oh yeah, a living female protagonist falling for a ghost!

This was just what I needed to round off the spooky season. The storyline flowed effortlessly. It was fast-paced and had a bunch of great characters to boot.

Admittedly Georgina was an absolute mare at times and honestly I did wonder how on earth she would cope in the big wide world when she's off running into the face of evil even after being warned but seriously I couldn't help but adore her.

Another fantastic book from Jade Church. Thank you for the ARC and for having me on your team.

[Lacie W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a cute short ghost story. The synopsis had me expecting something scary - more along the lines of a horror romance. Instead, I would describe it as a cozy paranormal romance. I loved the idea, I just wish the story had been more solid. The writing was all over the place and the characters weren’t very strong. Sage’s strength, in particular, was inconsistent and changed depending on circumstance in the plot. The main character, Georgina, was completely oblivious to things that are obvious to the reader. All in all, I think this storyline was too big to be a novella.

I received this ARC for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Jade Church, and the INKfluence.

[Rebelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels like the only right way to read this story is to be sitting in a window on a rainy day. This is a quick read that perfectly brings in relaxing spooky vibes with a side of spice. The story flows nicely and the descriptions were lovely and lively, and the characters felt like a family. Loved it!!

[Lindsay Attrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short, binge read for me - and one I could not put down at that. As a lover of The Haunting of Hill House, I was very interested to see how this book was written and I was not disappointed!

The setting was beautifully written, and I absolutely loved all the characters. they were all written in such a way that it took me a while to catch on who was what, aka who was alive and who was..not. The main twist as to the big bad who was also something that took me by surprise, which just attests to the great writing in this book.

The romantic aspect was done very well, and the relationship build was sweet and wholesome. Despite the circumstances surrounding the characters, the steam was oh so good, and the last few pages definitely hit me in the heart for so many reasons.

I loved the length of the book, it was an easy one sitting for me but wasn't so short that it felt rushed or had plot holes. The details that the author fits into this book is perfect and didn't leave any unanswered questions, I wish there was more simply for the sake of it being a good book and a great story!

[Franceska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je remercie NetGalley de m'avoir donné ce livre en échange d'une critique honnête de ce livre.

Je donne à ce livre la note de 2.5 que j'arrondis à 3.

Dans cette histoire, nous suivons Georgina qui suite au décès de sa mère emménage dans le manoir secret de cette dernière. Elle réalise que sa mère a de nombreux secrets et tente de les découvrir. En se rendant au manoir, elle fait la connaissance des employés du domaine. Après un certain temps, elle réalise que la maison est hantée et tente de briser une malédiction s'acharnant sur la maison.

Le début de ce livre avait énormément de potentiel. L'atmosphère épeurant était bien présente et bien réussie. Cependant, plus le livre avançait, plus il y avait des détails qui ne fonctionnaient pas. En effet, de nombreux éléments ne faisaient pas de sens ensemble. Il y avait plusieurs aspects dans l'histoire qui ne fonctionnaient pas ensemble.

L'intérêt romantique est un fantôme. Ça pourrait fonctionner mais leur relation ne fait pas de sens. C'est le cas puisque lorsqu'ils se rencontrent, il n'y a pas vraiment de chimie entre eux. Leur relation ne change pas au fil du temps. Cependant, du jour au lendemain, les deux développent des sentiments romantiques gigantesques au point qu'ils ne peuvent plus vivre l'un sans l'autre. Ce n'était pas du tout réalise. Si au moins dès le départ il y avait eu un intérêt marqué l'un pour l'autre cela aurait pu fonctionner. Mais ce n'était pas le cas.

L'univers des fantômes ne fait pas de sens. Les fantômes ne sont pas comme ceux préétablis dans les oeuvres de fictions. C'est correct de sortir des normes mais à condition que les "règles" de l'univers ne se contredisent pas.

Les rebondissements du livre ne se seraient jamais produits si la protagoniste avait suivi la seule règle pour la garder en sécurité : rester dans sa chambre pendant que le soleil est couché. C'est tout. Elle aurait pu être en sécurité tout le livre si elle avait fait ça. Mais Georgina sortait sans cesse de sa chambre sous prétexte qu'elle n'aime pas quand on lui dit quoi faire. De plus, ça ne fait aucun sens qu'une maison soit hantée partout sauf dans sa chambre. L'autrice de donné pas de raisons. C'est simplement un fait qui n'est pas expliqué.

La fin du livre ne fait aucun sens. Il y a une intervention divine qui clôt l'histoire. Il y a de nombreuses solutions qui apparaissent et qui règle le livre en "tout est bien qui finit bien". Ça fait du bien des histoires qui finissent bien mais à condition qu'elles fassent du sens.

Bref, ce livre a énormément de potentiel mais il y a trop de détails qui ne fonctionnent pas pour que je puisse lui donner une bonne note.

Merged review:

Je remercie NetGalley de m'avoir donné ce livre en échange d'une critique honnête de ce livre.

Je donne à ce livre la note de 2.5 que j'arrondis à 3.

Dans cette histoire, nous suivons Georgina qui suite au décès de sa mère emménage dans le manoir secret de cette dernière. Elle réalise que sa mère a de nombreux secrets et tente de les découvrir. En se rendant au manoir, elle fait la connaissance des employés du domaine. Après un certain temps, elle réalise que la maison est hantée et tente de briser une malédiction s'acharnant sur la maison.

Le début de ce livre avait énormément de potentiel. L'atmosphère épeurant était bien présente et bien réussie. Cependant, plus le livre avançait, plus il y avait des détails qui ne fonctionnaient pas. En effet, de nombreux éléments ne faisaient pas de sens ensemble. Il y avait plusieurs aspects dans l'histoire qui ne fonctionnaient pas ensemble.

L'intérêt romantique est un fantôme. Ça pourrait fonctionner mais leur relation ne fait pas de sens. C'est le cas puisque lorsqu'ils se rencontrent, il n'y a pas vraiment de chimie entre eux. Leur relation ne change pas au fil du temps. Cependant, du jour au lendemain, les deux développent des sentiments romantiques gigantesques au point qu'ils ne peuvent plus vivre l'un sans l'autre. Ce n'était pas du tout réalise. Si au moins dès le départ il y avait eu un intérêt marqué l'un pour l'autre cela aurait pu fonctionner. Mais ce n'était pas le cas.

L'univers des fantômes ne fait pas de sens. Les fantômes ne sont pas comme ceux préétablis dans les oeuvres de fictions. C'est correct de sortir des normes mais à condition que les "règles" de l'univers ne se contredisent pas.

Les rebondissements du livre ne se seraient jamais produits si la protagoniste avait suivi la seule règle pour la garder en sécurité : rester dans sa chambre pendant que le soleil est couché. C'est tout. Elle aurait pu être en sécurité tout le livre si elle avait fait ça. Mais Georgina sortait sans cesse de sa chambre sous prétexte qu'elle n'aime pas quand on lui dit quoi faire. De plus, ça ne fait aucun sens qu'une maison soit hantée partout sauf dans sa chambre. L'autrice de donné pas de raisons. C'est simplement un fait qui n'est pas expliqué.

La fin du livre ne fait aucun sens. Il y a une intervention divine qui clôt l'histoire. Il y a de nombreuses solutions qui apparaissent et qui règle le livre en "tout est bien qui finit bien". Ça fait du bien des histoires qui finissent bien mais à condition qu'elles fassent du sens.

Bref, ce livre a énormément de potentiel mais il y a trop de détails qui ne fonctionnent pas pour que je puisse lui donner une bonne note.

[River 🔪🩸 (horror.books.and.chill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For this having been my first ever ghost romance, I’m going to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Most of your spicy stuff happened more towards the end of the book, BUT, the build up was 😮‍💨😮‍💨 Let’s just say, it was definitely worth it in the end.

I felt the writing was quite beautiful, eerie, and atmospheric. I love how Jade gave such amazing details to Alswell Manor, making it easy to imagine being there.

The story was not only beautifully done but also quite tragic, too. I feel you can’t really do a ghost romance without some tragedy showing up along the lines. But, I’m also happy to say that within the tragedy there was also love, so I think that makes it all worthwhile.

All in all, this book was amazing, and I definitely plan to read more from the author. (And probably more ghost romance 😂).

[Bzz Kolla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and INKfluence for this eCopy to review

One Last Touch is a supernatural mystery. Georgina inherits Alswell Manor after her mother was murdered. With no other options Georgina goes to live there even though it is where her mother was murdered and no one seems to want her to stay. The staff behave mysteriously and never seem to do any work and insist Georgina stays in her room after sunset.

Georgina is determined to stay and find out what it all means and who murdered her mother

The mystery aspect was good but the sense of fear never really materialised and I had worked out most of the revelations half way through

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was incredible and the perfect book to read during spooky season 👻

It immediately gave me gothic mysterious horror vibes and loved the opening quote to the book and really appreciated the author took time to put a brilliant playlist in there as well.

I think the author did a touching job at the grief aspect of the book and what it’s like to lose a parent especially when you’re a young girl yourself - speaking from experience.

I loved the characters and think they blended beautifully together and the dynamic between Georgina & Sage.

I was definitely sobbing at the end! What an incredible book and can’t wait to read more of Jade’s novels🤍

[Yolanda | yolandaannmarie.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
One Last Touch releases October 13, 2023

Georgina has just recently lost her mother, and now holds ownership of the Alswell Manor as part of her inheritance, which just so happens to be the location where her mother died.

This is eerie, mysterious, and full of secrets and ghosts.

I enjoyed this short seasonal read for what it was, but the logistics surrounding the transference of souls/energy and being alive/dead made no sense.

cw: mentions of grief, death, murder, suicide

[Noemi Lenart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was curious how a love story between a ghost and a human could turn out and Jade Church did not disappoint me. I thought it would be weird, but as it turned out, it wasn’t for me. The atmosphere that was set in the book with the haunted manor and the mysterious death was eerie and thrilling at the same time. I was led on for quite some time like Georgina with what was happening, but it was a good thing. Georgina and Sage were good together and I liked how their story turned out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first romance horror book, and I think it was scary enough for me!

If I was Georgina, I would have run at the first sight of the danger and then overall creepy vibes of the manor. Her strength was admirable.

The whole mystery was great and was explained well at a perfect time. It was lovely to finally get some answers.

While I was a little unsure of how Georgina and Sage would get their happy ending. Despite the third act drama, their happy ending was so sweet and well earned!

Thank you Jade Church for an early copy.

[Kate Mettler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the easiest 5 stars I have EVER given a book. This book made me happy, made me sad, made me angry and all in all just made me feel a vast range of emotions. I read it in one sitting at it is very short but it was the perfect pace. I read it on a rainy day with a few cups of tea and I have to say it was the perfect book for that type of day. Will 100% be reading more from the author and have already and will continue to recommend this book to my book loving friends!

[Omm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming paranormal romance. Content warnings were appropriate without giving away spoilers. Part of the enjoyment of the book was that it was self-aware enough about the tropes to lampshade some without feeling contrived. Profanity felt a bit overused at times but not vulgar. Overall a light romp through a haunted house.

[Claire Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This was a mixture of haunted house vibes with smut. I actually really enjoyed this book. The only thing that made it flop a little for me was how easy it was to get rid of Jared. I was expecting a lot more hauntings as well. Overall, if you want a quick read and likeable characters, then pick this one up.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Last Touch by Jade Church is a wonderful gothic tale set in present time. It's a spooky, hauntingly good romance filled with danger, and intrigue. I really enjoyed reading this book. It's the Perfect book for fall.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with the cover and had fun in reading this mix of horror and romance. Some parts are not feasible but it was a good read
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Eleanor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book expecting a spooky romance that deals with the process of coming to terms with grief. The story has all those things but I felt the romance (smut) really overshadowed the whole grieving process, and the rest of the storyline. I get that it's a romance novella with sex scenes but they really seemed to be shoehorned in at inopertune times.

I'm not sure if it's just an issue with the ARC but I feel like the book definitely needed a lot of editing. I found it hard to keep up with who was speaking and a lot of the sentences were very long, drawn out, and hard to follow.

These are just my personal views, BUT if you're into far-fetched ghost smut then this is definitely the book for you.

[Greene Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much!!
I think ghost romance might be my new favorite trope

[Erica Egel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Jade I love your books. This one was short, sweet, spooky, and gothic. Love a good haunting story. Georgina x Sage 🫶

[Rayven Hatchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Nicole Quigley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went into this solely off vibes & because of the dedication, I have no regrets