Jiro Haunted by my past, I came close to ruining my best friend's life. To atone for my sins, I had to return to the place where it all began. Unexpectedly, solace arrived as a crying girl with purple hair, a haunting link to my history that rendered her untouchable. Her plea for help compelled me to answer. Perhaps by aiding her, I could find redemption for myself.
Hope Amid my brother's disappearance, I longed for a savior. Little did I expect to find one in a cemetery. Jiro Saito, my late sister's ex-boyfriend and my childhood crush, emerged as that unexpected hero. He's a complex blend of danger, scars, and haunting memories. Strangely, I still long for him, despite knowing he views me only as a way to soothe his guilt. Perhaps he can help my brother. And maybe, just maybe, I can rescue Jiro too.
On top of being an International Bestselling Author, I’m a trained lawyer, world traveller, coffee addict and cheese aficionado.
When I’m not busy doing all my lawyerly mayhem or writing Contemporary Romance with heart, heat and a little darkness, alpha heroes and strong heroines and because I’m living in rainy (yet beautiful) Britain, I mostly enjoy indoor activities such as reading, watching TV, playing with my crazy puppies.
I hope my stories will make you dream and will bring you as much joy as they brought me by writing them.
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Safety warnings: - H 34 / h 22 - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Sibling's ex - Loss of loved ones - Violence/d*ath - Kidnapping - HEA
If you are like me then you must have read ''Her Ruthless Warrior'' (twice as of today) and patiently waited for Jiro's book. If you have not read that book, please do. There are a lot of references about what went on in that book in this one without spoiling things but in order to truly understand where Jiro is mentally and why then it's a must!
I'll admit that I was a bit scared about a book concentrating on Jiro and his late girlfriend’s little sister. Especially since that sister died and Jiro seemed to have never gotten over it- twelve years later. His guilt eats away any good he has in his life.
These two spend a lot of time both dealing with the aftermath of her loss in different ways. It was sad to see the life Hope lived because of circumstances that were beyond her control and how young she was when her sister passed.
Hope needs help with her brother who has gone missing and who might be involved in something sinister. Let's just say that I had no sympathy for him and his situation.
By the end of the book, you'll be happy with the outcome of the reveals and plot twists. You'll also not worry that Jiro chose Hope as a consolation prize.
Oh and of course I loved seeing Hoka and Violet make an appearance and how they missed Jiro, despite the way things went down in their book.
Ghosts is the emotionally gripping 4th story in The Syndicate's Series by RG Angel. If you're like me, you've been waiting (not so patiently) for Jiro's story ever since Her Ruthless Warrior came out. We all knew that Jiro needed to find redemption for the havoc he caused Hoka and Violet, but little did we know of his tormented past that put him on his current path. On his search for understanding, he comes across Hope, the little sister of his dead ex, and she needs help that only he can provide. Hope can't even believe the object of her long time affections appeared at her sister's gravesite seemingly to answer her call for help. Maybe they can help each other find what they need. Maybe they can find more, together.
Absolutely loved it! Ghosts has an interesting storyline that paces very well. It's definitely on the sweet and angsty side, but not so sweet that it'll hurt your teeth ;) The chemistry between Hope and Jiro sizzle right from the start, but he's definitely a man who is struggling with feelings of guilt over the death of Hope's sister, Anna, which makes it hard for him to move on his feelings. The smexy times are super hot and aided by Jiro's many body piercings, lol. Lots of action, a dash of suspense, and a great twist. Ghosts is a standalone, but definitely more appreciated when read in series order.
This story left me wanting... and not in the good way.
Ever since Her Ruthless Warrior, I was anticipating reading Jiro's story. And it all felt flat and shallow unfortunately. I loved meeting Hoka, Violet and Jiro again. But the romance did not feel romantic. There was so little happening and I did not really connect with the h, Hope. The tension between Jiro and her did not feel like much, more like we were pushed to believe in their soul connection but without any real emotional proof to it. And all the potential angst from Jiro's link to her late sister (re: the supposed 'ghosts') never really materialised; it felt like a big miss not to have exploited any of it to power up the romance.
Also, since the substance of the story was thin, the writing at times came across as disjointed, missing some points that left me wandering what was being said - I got the gist of it, but some good editing was needed to clear the phrasings and remove repetition of ideas. There was some little twist in the last 20% of the story, but this too fell flat.
I get the feel that this book was written too quickly without the plot thoroughly being planned through. The one good thing was that the book was not too long and so the thin plot did not have to be dragged around too much. *sigh* I really wanted to like this one but nope. I still believe in RGA, so hoping that the next ones will be better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is the 1st book that I've read from R.G. Angel, and 1st Yakuza themed story. Common themes in this book are sorrow, regret,redemption and 2nd chances. I felt that the author really delved into the mmc, Jiro's character, his thoughts & feelings. I enjoyed reading his and Hope's story. And I especially loved the artwork used for both characters for the book's teasers, it's what drew me to the book as well as the blurb. Wow they are hot!!! 🥰
Good story line and pace. 👍
My only teeny bit of criticism and why I didn't 5 star - For a Yakuza (former) enforcer, I expected a more fierce quality about Jiro. The other aspect was kinda the instant transfer of feelings. Which I won't elaborate on further to avoid spoilers.
Overall though, a really good story. And I look forward to reading more books by this author. 👍😁
Thank you so much to Midnight Readers Promo, for providing me with this ARC.
Guys. I’m like 6 pages in and I’m already hooked. I’ve been waiting waiting on Jiros story for so long and I am sooooooo excited man
Allllll day this is what I’m doing!!!!!!!!!
Ok finished. I took a break and just got back and read it I. A day lol. I love jiro. I felt the heart ache and appreciated his stance on hope.
I liked hope a lot. I enjoyed her character.
Hoka and killian are still my favorite but this book was top tier.
I felt I needed a little more angst or something though. It was just missing….something idk what it was. But I felt a little untied or something. Or easily wrapped up. Their third act breakup was also very minimal. I want that break up at the door way kissing your friend while she’s pregnant and you pretend you’ll shoot her if she doesn’t leave angst (aka hoka lol)
Ghosts is a romance with a bit of unrequited young love, age gap, mafia, and a satisfying HEA. The first book I read by R.G. Angel was Her Ruthless Warrior I really enjoyed that book, so much that I’ve reread the book multiple times. When it was released on audiobook, I enjoyed it in that format as well. Jiro plays an important role in that book, so I was excited to read his story.
Jiro is part of the yakuza (Japanese mafia), but he voluntarily left for reasons that were explained in HMW. The separation has been a struggle due to his loss of identity and his best friend and family. Additionally, for the past twelve years, Jiro has been carrying guilt for indirectly causing the death of his girlfriend. While visiting her grave he encounters her younger sister Hope.
Hope was only ten years old when her sister died, but she had a crush on her sister’s boyfriend. In the last twelve years Hope’s life has drastically changed. Her family is no longer financially stable and instead of a house in a safe neighborhood, they share an apartment in a questionable area. Her mother has Alzheimer’s and thinks that Hope is her dead. Hope’s older brother has now gone missing. Despite all these struggles, Hope is resilient.
Hope asks Jiro for his help in finding her brother. Hope’s childhood crush turns into something more the more time they spend together. Her self-confidence has been affected by all she has experienced, so Hope is willing to accept anything that Jiro will offer her. Yet she cannot believe that she is worthy of more from him.
Jiro has his own demons and does not think that he is good enough for Hope. But his attraction to her is so strong that he cannot stay away. And it is attraction to all of whom Hope is, not just her body. Jiro also struggles to keep Hope safe and ignorant of the darker side of himself and the world. There is action, romance, heat, violence, and a few unexpected twists. There is even an update on Hoka and Violet. This book grabbed my interest from the start and kept it through the HEA. Highly recommend!
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy. My review is my own and freely given.
this banger of a book was such a good follow up to Her Ruthless Warrior and i loved every minute of it.
After the last book i had HIGH expectations and boooiiii they were met. Jiro and Hope basically every have odd stacked against them from his Yakuza ties and their shared connection over a traumatic backstory. when i tell you this man is SO FINE but also SO stubborn (i speak with love) he had me yelling at him through my phone😂.
there was a bit of a mystery element to this one as well which kept me on my toes. i never skimmed which is kind of rare for me. the pacing was good, and the spice was just the right without being too much or not enough. also did i mention he’s an executioner for the mf YAKUZA?! Japanese mafia really does just hit different😭. this author deserves her pillows to be cold forever for blessing me with an ARC. i cant wait to see what’s next😉
🌶️-2.5/5 HEA - yes cheating - no ✨Tropes✨: friends to lovers, age gap, mutual pining, second chance, dark romance.
5⭐️ did receive as an ARC but this is my honest review first off i knew i was gonna love this book because miss maam never misses but this one just hit on another level i absolutely loved it the storyline was amazing im in love with jiro he’s this scary yakuza enforcer but his soft side is so cute as soon as this book hit my kindle it was an immediate read
ARC Review of Ghosts by R.G. Angel * * * * * A romance blossoming between a heartbroken former executioner and the younger stronger-willed, lilac-haired sister of his late first love. Thrilling!
Jiro was only in his twenties when he suffered his first love and heartbreak. Watching the woman he loved dying in his arms, blaming himself and the world he came from, influenced his actions years later. Now, he is approached by the one person who never blamed him for the death of Anna. Hope. She's grown up now and dealing with some hardships. Working hard, terrible love life, a mother who is barely there and a brother who has now gone missing. To find him, she needs the help of someone who has connections, and Jiro is that man. Neither of them expected for the feelings that would come rushing at them...or the answers they might find.
Loved the previous books of the series, as well as the art that came with the book from the author in her posts. I can just picture them as I read about Jiro and Hope, and I loved them! Jiro's life is a mess but soon everything will be okay as he accepts things about himself, and Hope, well, her job is awesome! Steamy, sexy, pushy and sweet!
I wrote this review for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner. I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in this series and was so excited the final book was written. This book can be read as a standalone because of the cleverly crafted manner in which this author has written the story. But I urge you to read the other three books anyway because they are amazing books, too.
I thank Ms Angel for writing the concluding story, I didn’t realise how many times I had wondered about what would happen until the release was announced. It is everything and more than I’d hoped for and have to give kudos to the author for making me do a complete one-eighty regarding my thoughts about the lead character, Jairo Saito. I never in my wildest dreams thought I could like him, and yet, I do and I admire him. I won’t go into too much more but I will say these yakuza characters work together like fitting pieces of a puzzle.
Hope Myers is such a wonder character too. She is strong when she needs to be and mischievous, as well. She is the yin to Jiro’s yang and they complement each other so well. My heart felt so sorry for the way her life had ended up going, but in true Hope form, she made the best of everything.
Answers to questions are given and Hoka, Violet and Jiro’s relationship ones full circle. Amazing descriptions fill each page and you do experience every emotion with the character. I was deliriously happy in one scene yet in another was sitting on the edge of my seat with worry. All I can say once again is, this book is so worth reading and I totally recommend it as well as the previous three in the series.
I loved Jiro’s story and was so pleased with this redemption tale. Jiro really made me angry with how he treated Hoka in the previous book. I was worried that I would not enjoy his book but boy was I wrong. This story shows us a different side to Jiro. A brave, protective side that I adored. Hope was such a kind, determined character. She was just a perfect match for Jiro. This story took some turns that I didn’t expect and I really enjoyed that aspect. This author is one of my favorites. She always delivers a well written, steamy and entertaining book.
Haunted by a tragic past, despite years that passed, still feeling guilty, Jiro separated himself from Yakuza and people around him, trying to atone for his mistakes. When one day accidentally he meets Hope, his deceased ex-girlfriend's younger sister, without second thoughts he decides to help her find her missing brother. All the time saying to himself it’s just another way to amend the past. Without even realising and admitting to himself, he becomes protective and possessive of Hope, a little ray of sunshine who lives in her dead sister's shadow, trying to keep her family together, find positives in every single thing, and keeps things going, at the cost of her own happiness and future. Both afraid to admit their true feelings, playing a dangerous game of seduction, constant push and pull, until too much is finally too much. I really enjoyed Jiro and Hope’s story, unexpected twists and how it ended. Getting another look for characters from previous books warmed my heart, and made me want to reread the whole series once again.
I adored Jiro in Her Ruthless Warrior and was so excited we were getting his book.
I was totally hooked reading this, it’s so gripping. You just need to know what happened in Jiro’s past. Loved his meeting with Hope. His need to help and protect Hope. Loved seeing more Hoka.
Desi nu atat de intensa si emotionala ca alte volume ale seriei The Syndicates, povestea dintre Jiro si Hope e frumoasa, plina de "vină" si resentimente, însă păstrează același aer misterios in jurul plotului. Happy-end garantat!🦋
Another great installment in this series. I have been waiting for Jiro's story for ages and this didn't disappoint. Jiro is trying to ease his conscience with his guilt about his girlfriend being shot 12 years ago, he finally goes to visit her grave and while there see's her younger sister, who is all grown-up now! She thinks he's the answer to her prayers as her brother has gone missing and she needs someone to help her find out what happened. But the more they work together the closer they become, surely they cannot ever have a relationship?
Odie a Jiro en el primer libro porque me pareció un personaje que estaba solo para generar drama innecesario y ahora me vienen a decir que además de dramático es intenso y delulu porque ¿cómo es posible que estuviera años traumatizado por su más grande amor y ahora me dicen que solo estuvieron juntos como 2 semanas? la verdad la protagonista se merecía algo mejor no solo tuvo la peor familia sino también la peor pareja.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Sign up to her newsletter cause you definitely don’t want to miss out on her new releases. R.G. Angel has gone straight up as one of my go-to one-click authors
Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner
I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in this series and was so excited the final book was written. This book can be read as a standalone because of the cleverly crafted manner in which this author has written the story. But I urge you to read the other three books anyway because they are amazing books, too.
I thank Ms Angel for writing the concluding story, I didn’t realise how many times I had wondered about what would happen until the release was announced. It is everything and more than I’d hoped for and have to give kudos to the author for making me do a complete one-eighty regarding my thoughts about the lead character, Jairo Saito. I never in my wildest dreams thought I could like him, and yet, I do and I admire him. I won’t go into too much more but I will say these yakuza characters work together like fitting pieces of a puzzle.
Hope Myers is such a wonder character too. She is strong when she needs to be and mischievous, as well. She is the yin to Jiro’s yang and they complement each other so well. My heart felt so sorry for the way her life had ended up going, but in true Hope form, she made the best of everything.
Answers to questions are given and Hoka, Violet and Jiro’s relationship ones full circle. Amazing descriptions fill each page and you do experience every emotion with the character. I was deliriously happy in one scene yet in another was sitting on the edge of my seat with worry. All I can say once again is, this book is so worth reading and I totally recommend it as well as the previous three in the series.
I always wanted Jiro to have a HEA just like HokaViolet and him finally getting his share of happiness after so much guilt made me so happy.
We have seen Jiro broody side in HokaViolet book but seeing him joke and be so thoughtful and possessive towards Hope was refreshing to read.
Hope is like a mini version of Violet for me but also different. She was so positive and optimistic despite going through so much at young, loosing so many people had my heart. Her stubbornness and her way of accepting Jiro like the way he was is so good to see. Their banter and teasing had me giggling and kicking in the air.
HokaViolet crumbs ?! Hello my favourite couple, it’s so good to see them again.
P.s: We have seen Yakuza men falling in love with women outside their clan and I really want to see HokaViolet Son and JiroHope Daughter story at one point.
Jiro is still haunted by his past when he gets a plea of help by Hope. His pasts younger sister.
Hopes brother goes missing, and she has done all she can to find him . When she funds Jiro, she takes that as a sign of fate.
She asks him for help in finding her brother, but being so close to Jiro is torture. Hope always had a mad crush on him. Jiro also finds it difficult being so close to Hope as well.
“You want a yakuza?” he growled, his voice low and husky. “I’m the only one you’ll ever have.”
Ghosts was just another fantastic read in this series and by this author. I was intrigued and hooked from the beginning. Jiro, hope and their story was a sad one, but it also had that spicyness and danger as well. All things I love in a book.
What a wonderful story. Loved it very much. This is book four in the Syndicate series. It can be read as a stand alone. If you want more details on all the characters start with book one. I have only read this one and I definitely feel like I missed stuff from the other books. I was still able to enjoy it even having not read the others. Jiro is on a mission to try and atone for what happened to his ex girlfriend. Her sister Hope is in need of some help. She wants him to help her find her brother. Jiro feels like this will be one step closer to redemption. Hope has always been half in love with Jiro. Hope is just the thing that Jiro is missing in his life. Will he left go of the past so they can be together? Will they find out what happened to her brother? Read the story to find out.
Ghosts by R.G. Angel is book 4 in The Syndicates Series. This is the story of Jiro and Hope. When Jiro was younger he had fell in love with Anna who later died. This of course caused heartbreak and darkness in his life. Now in his present day he still carries the sorrow of his past but Hope appears in his life asking for help. Hope was just a kid the last time he saw her. Hope is Anna's younger sister. Hope is out looking for her brother who has gone missing. Hope has been trying to keep her family going after so much loss but finding her brother she knows she needs Jiro's connections. Enjoyed their story. I highly recommend this author's writing!!!
Ghosts by R.G. Angel is the hugely romantic story of Jiro and Hope. Jiro is haunted by the past…and what could have been. Hope is struggling to help her brother. His world has morphed into something completely different. From being the right-hand man to the head of the yakuza…to being nothing at all…his existence hangs in the balance.
Loved this intense story of survival, redemption, and the pursuing of more….these characters touched my heart and soul. The outside world whirls around them…keeping them in a bubble. There’s so much more than meets the eye between these star-crossed lovers! Soooo good!!
I really enjoyed Jiro and Hope's story. The combination of drama, emotion, danger, heat, heart and twists was smart and seductive. I found both these characters extremely likable, and my heart truly ached for them. I think this book was very relatable because we all have regrets and have to deal with the ghosts that haunt us, whether they be of a person, a place, an event in our lives or of a love that we have lost.
No sabía que este libro existía, pensé que Jiro no tenía libro, he de admitir que este libro me sorprendió para bien, él no fue santo de mi devoción en el libro de Hoka, gracias a él se presentaron ciertos percances feos, y eso hizo que le tuviera como que rabia, pero cuando leí que este libro trataría de que Jiro se enamora de la hermana de su ex muerta me encantó, yo amo los libros así, y este me sorpendio, fue corto, pero me gustó, es que queria que Jiro fuera mas posesivo, más adorable, pero el libro fue bueno y ya hice las paces con él, y que bueno que pues todo al final salio bien para todos, y que regreso con Hoka, me hubiera gustado que Hope le hubiera confesado bien du amor, que le hubiera dicho que ella desde pequeña gustaba de él, memoria por leer eso 😞
Pero bueno, necesitaba leer este libro, he estado sin muchas ganas de leer, nada me gusta, nada me llena, y este logro que me fuera a dormir a las 5am leí sin parar, lo leí sin descanso, de un solo sentón, no le doy 5 estrellas porque faltó más posesividad de parte de Jiro, faltó más juegos artificiales, faltó más desarrollo, faltó que Jiro luchará más por su mujer, pero me encanta este libro, seguramente me lo reeleria