Must Love Ghosts

Banshee Creek #1

by Ani Gonzalez

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B014GF8GS2


Seducing the Rational Skeptic...

Abby Reed believes in folk songs, faery tales, and ghosts, but she doesn’t believe in love. She lost her soulmate when her fiancé died while deployed in Afghanistan, but she still has her music, her crazy spectre-filled town, and her pen-pal-slash-best-friend, Mike Stone. It's a good life and she's happy, but when Mike arrives in Banshee Creek after his last tour of duty in Afghanistan, Abby starts to have doubts, about music, ghosts and, most importantly... love.

Like a good soldier, Mike Stone follows the rules, and Rule #1 is: Don't Fall For Your Buddy's Fiancée. His relationship with Abby has been strictly platonic, and will remain that way, if he has anything to say about it. But when he arrives in Banshee Creek, a town where the impossible is an everyday occurrence, he'll find out that sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Ghosts, Cozy Mystery, Military Fiction, Contemporary Romance

158 pages, ebook

First published September 7, 2015

About the author

Hi! I write about smart, funny people making out (and finding corpses) in haunted houses. I like ghost stories, chocolate, and sangría.

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the blurb and thought this sounded perfect for a fun, fall lighter spooky read. I hadn't tried the author so that added to my interest. The book set things up in the beginning exactly in a way to pull me in- cozy mystery meets romance with a hint of magical realism. Now, while my early excitement waned a tad, I still had a good time with the story.

The book opens with Mike Stone returning to the States after his last overseas tour of duty. He's weary of heart for the task he needs to do. He has come to the small old Virginia town of Banshee Creek to deliver a gift from beyond the grave from his best buddy Cole Hunt to the woman who was Cole's fiancee and Mike's secret love. He caught one look at Abby Reed up on stage in Germany while he was on leave and fell into love only to discover she was with Cole. He could only play her friend and share grief after Cole was killed. One doesn't encroach upon your best friend's girl even if she is now free especially since she was so in love with Cole, right?

Abby Reed is a music-loving free spirited gal from her quirky colored house to her love of Banshee Creek's famous legend and past time of being a paranormal lover's dream haunting grounds. She has found a home in Cole's home town. But when handsome and straight-edged, Mike Stone, arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep, she realizes that there is more between them than a long-distance friendship. Mike is her opposite and she can see all the conspiracy theory-aliens among us-ghost hunting crowd that are her friends has him skeptical and nervous, but he plays along for Halloween Banshee Creek-style and is willing to explore the heat between them. He even challenges her to pursue her heart- her music, but he doesn't plan on sticking around. She'll have to make her and Banshee Creek irresistible.

Alright, as I said, this one is a bit of everything. And maybe because it was a bit of everything, it suffered a little. It had dragging spots and kept me constantly in a state of waiting for something more to happen or needing more.

Now that said, I loved the early description of a small town gigged out to the nines for Halloween, the hints of spookiness, the fun and light crowd of quirky characters, and Mike's observations of it all coming from a man who grew up in foster homes and his only home had been the military. He was such a straight arrow and it was hilarious to see these nutty people from his perspective who believed in The Mothman, aliens, and everything legendary or paranormal and were willing to drop everything to go on ghost hunts. He was easy going and just rolled with it making him so much more likeable.

As to the characters, the larger cast of characters were the fun and quirky types that I do enjoy in a small town situation. Caine the big bad biker looking guy who led a group of searchers and explorers and actually had a strong academic background beneath it all, Abby's best friend Cassie who was flirty, snarky and also had a brilliant brain, and the others- all so colorful and lively.
Mike was a good strong lead. He loves the idea of 'home' and wants to find it, but he is convinced that he can't have it with Abby since she was his best buddies' gal and forbidden fruit for so long. Abby was fun and I enjoyed her connection with her folk music and her town, but I felt Mike went a bit deeper than she did. For much of the book, I didn't feel it went much beyond lust and it didn't, but then she did have that epiphany moment in the end. The epilogue was the right touch to finish convincing me that all would be well with this pair.

So, in the end, it was a fast read with a light plot and steamy couple set against an entertaining small town Halloween. Those who want a light distraction for the fall will find it with this story.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must Love Ghosts (Banshee Creek Book #1) is a fun start to a new contemporary romance series with a bit of the paranormal thrown in. This was a fun read because the human characters were all very warm and real, you have to decide if the paranormal is real and the whole town itself is a character as the town people try to turn it into a tourist destination.

Abby Reed lost her fiancé in Afghanistan, but she stays in the town he loved and wanted to rejuvenate with all its eccentric inhabitants. She is a major music talent and has to make serious decisions soon about her career. Mike Stone was her fiance’s best friend in the Army and has a package to deliver to Abby from him. The secret that complicates things is that Mike has loved Abby since the first time he saw her. The time they spend together is a very well written romance. Mike takes off thinking Abby is still in love with her dead fiancé, but is she?

I really enjoyed this well written story. The characters were entertaining and I want to read more about Banshee Creek and its inhabitants. The paranormal stories and legends included in the plot were fun to read and I am really looking forward to reading more by this new to me author.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Must Love Ghosts is a fun and lighthearted romance novel with a bit of heat and a hint of the paranormal. I had fun reading this one and while it didn't completely wow me, I am still glad I picked this up and am planning to read more by this author. This book is as fun and cute as the cover suggested. There's also a bit of heat to the romance, which I hadn't expected, but fit the book nicely. The paranormal aspect was very mild, mostly hints about it and a scene at the end. The setting of Banshee Creek was a lot of fun and I hope to return soon to this town!

For some reason I thought this book was about a girl falling in love with a ghost, yes I probably didn't read the blurb too well, but the cover grabbed my attention and the box set was only 0.99$! So I grabbed it without reading the blurb too closely. This book is actually about Abby who's fiancé has died two years ago and she is now in love with her best friend Mike, who comes to visit to banshee Creek with leads to some fun scenes. The town of Banshee Creek has a big Halloween party and they love all things paranormal. But there's very little actual paranormal in this book, mostly hints about what the towns people believe in and stories and a few mentions of things that might be supernatural in origin. I didn't mind that too much, but I had expected more paranormal. It reads more like a romantic comedy or a contemporary romance set in a Halloween town most of the time than a paranormal book.

Abby the main character believes in everything supernatural and she likes to sing and hopes to make a career out of it. She was quirky with her unicorn sleeping bags, her house decorated with vintage items and her love for everything supernatural. And donuts! This book made me crave donuts. She was a character who went after what she wanted and wasn't afraid to voice her opinion. I liked her.

Then there is Mike who was the best friend form Cole, Abby her dead fiancé. Mike has always worked for the army and now is taking a break to deliver something to Abby. I am normally not a fan of books with death previous love interest as it feels like part of the character their heart will always belong to them. I thought here it was pretty done well as Cole has been dead for two years now and Abby had healed and is ready to start a new relationship. But I still wasn't too happy with the bit of conflict surrounding that. And the delivery Mike has to make is this big things in his mind and it felt a bit blown out of proportion. Mike seemed like a nice enough guy, although I did feel like we got a better feel for Abby.

Abby and Mike have known each other for a long time. This meant that the romance developed quite fast, a bit too fast to my opinion as I didn't fully feel their connection and how they already knew each other. So must of their friendship develops before this book and we only get to see the point it turns into romance. I liked these two, but I never got fully invested in their romance. There is very little drama, which I did appreciate. There is a bit of conflict surrounding Mike being Cole his best friend and how he still sees Abby as Cole's girl and the object he has to deliver. The conflict didn't fully work for me. I did enjoy seeing Abby and Mike together and how they worked things out. The romance also had a bit of heat, lots of flirting and touching and talk about sex, but the actual sex scenes are behind closed doors.

My favorite part of this book was probably the setting in Banshee Creek. It just seemed like this quirky town were everyone believed in the supernatural and with the costume party, the mothman hunt and the interesting cast of side characters it really brought the town alive. I also liked the owl that made an appearance and the last scene was interesting.

To summarize: this was a fun and light read with some romance and a hint of paranormal. It isn't really a ghost story as the title suggested and the paranormal element is very mild. The town of Banshee Creek does really play up it's love for everything supernatural and the setting was one of my favorite parts of the book. I liked Abby the main character, she was quirky and open. She voiced her opinion and went after what she believed in. Mike was okay, but I felt like I got less of a feel for him than Abby and I just didn't like him as much as Abby. The romance was nice, but most of their connection is built off screen and we only see how it develops into a romance here. I never got fully invested into the romance, but I did like reading this book. All in all it was a fun read and I am curious to read the rest of the books in this series.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun goof of a book, about as substantial as cotton candy. It glances off the surfaces of deeper emotions but won't get your eyes wet.

Mike, a military man, arrives in Banshee Creek, Virginia, from deployment overseas, to deliver something to the girlfriend of a fallen comrade. But when he sees her, he gets sidetracked and doesn't cough up the goods till much later. It's Halloween in Banshee Creek--or is it the fall equinox? The first chapter appears to conflate the two--and the whole town plus scads of tourists are turning out for a crazy costume party. Just about every alien and monster from popular culture, plus a scattering of mythological beasts, are represented in costumes that sound delightfully creative and witty. The girlfriend, Abby, however, is going a different route with her costume: she is dressed as Emma Peel from the original Avengers TV series--and for all you clueless youngsters, that means she is the very epitome of irresistible.

Mike, of course, cannot resist and the two enjoy some very hot and steamy mutual seduction (the sex remains offstage but everything before and after is present in vivid detail). There's a lot of entertaining stuff on the side about the town of Banshee Creek and its status as a magnet for all things paranormal, and then Abby and Mike suffer a Misunderstanding. But in a story this lighthearted, you can bet that won't last too long.

The book is short, more novella than novel, and feels a bit thin. But it was tasty enough as I swallowed it in one bite. It's the first in a series that promises more romances among the wacky and bizarrely erudite inhabitants of Banshee Creek.

[D.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the idea of Must Love Ghosts. I’m slowly falling madly and deeply in love with paranormal and was thus super-duper excited to try this interesting-sounding novel. Unfortunately, there’s not really a whole lot of paranormal in this book. The town of Banshee Creek is eccentric and loads and loads of fun, but it’s not paranormal just kooky. Totally fine by me. I’d move there in a New York minute. And not just so that I could try out of the bakery either.

I loved Abby. She was fun, a bit looney and crazy-talented. I loved the references to old folk music based on ghost stories. I was not so much a fan of Mike. Don’t get me wrong. Mike was hot and the sex was scorching, but Mike was just another idiot male incapable of having a conversation with a woman. And he was a total scaredy cat to boot! Not an attractive quality for a military man.

Overall, I’d characterize this as a quick, erotic read with a heavy dose of kookiness. Great for reading while you’re waiting for relatives to have a look at a palace you’ve seen one too many times. Give it a try!

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the title, when a returned soldier arrives in a small town looking for a lady who loved his deceased friend, I was waiting the whole story long to be told the returnee was a ghost. Well, this is set in a town which is dressing up for Hallowe'en and hoping to be called the spooky capital of the country, so a lot is going on that would not be normal town life. As we don't know anyone, hearing that four people are dressed as Star Trek crew and six as motorcyclists etc. doesn't bring the place to life, it just paints it in bright colours.
This is a contemporary romance novella, some people will enjoy it more than I did. The type in my version is like an old typewriter font, which is quite hard on the eyes.
I read an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love paranormal & a sweet love story so this was a win win for me. Abby was adorable and Mike was such a sweet hunky guy. Abby's finance/Mike's best friend was killed and these these two have become friends via social media and email. It has been a little over a year and Mike is finally following through with a promise he made. They both have more than friend feelings for each other but Mike more than Abby are fighting it. Ugh. Loved the Halloween setting. Great beginning of this series.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable tale about a town that is trying to build it's reputation as being "the most haunted." Abby's fiance died while deployed and his friend, Mike, is on a mission to deliver a package left by the deceased. The two have stayed in contact over the years, and Mike has been in love with her from afar. When he arrives on her door step, he's swept up in her crazy world. Their chemistry melts off the page, and as an erotic novella, this was a pretty steamy story. I was a bit disappointed in the paranormal aspect. I was hoping for an actual ghost in the story. There is a lot of mention of paranormal beings, and a lot of characters dressed as paranormal beings (it's Halloween). So I'd recommend this if you are looking for a quirky tale that is full of chemistry and steam, but not as a paranormal story. 4 stars. Entertaining.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, Quick Read

This was a fast, entertaining read. It was well-written, but fluffy.

The romance revolves around ex-military Mike, who is in love with his late best buddy's girlfriend, Abby. Unfortunately the paranormal element of this book was superficial, added for flavor and to highlight the differences between Type A Mike and manic pixie dream girl Abby.

Bottom line: it's a fun book, but not one I'll reread and continue to enjoy.

[Harmony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I struggled with my rating for this book. I wanted to give it a lower rating because of the massive number of errors in this book. There are an insane amount of grammatical errors; missing words, wrong word usage, misspelled words. However, that's not what bothered me the most, it was the inconsistencies that made me want to lower the rating.

For example; Mike has blonde hair. Yet in one of the final scenes, the author has him run his hand through his "dark strands". Uh, what? This sort of thing happened often. Where the author forgot something she had stated and made it something different later. This is a fast and easy read so details aren't easily forgotten by the reader (however the author forgot them!).

I also struggled with the location of the book. I am intimately familiar with DC and all it's surrounding areas. I am also very familiar with William & Mary and where it is located. W&M is NOT an easy commuter drive to DC. Yes, it's roughly 115 miles HOWEVER that also includes some of the worst traffic I have ever encountered. What seems like an easy commute can take upwards to 3 hours one way depending on traffic. Also, the location of this town makes zero sense topographically for the region. It felt as if the author isn't familiar with the area and only wrote on it based off an internet search. I could be wrong, however, that's my gut feeling.

In spite of the above, I enjoyed reading this book. I've had it up to here with ghost cozy paranormal book so I hesitated to read this one. However, this book doesn't really feature any ghosts (till the end... and an intriguing ending it was! I did NOT see that last chapter coming).

Abby and Mike are amazing characters. They are both very likable. Typically I am not a fan of the whole best friend (or sibling) of the dead (or former) fiancé (or girl/boyfriend or spouse) thing. I often avoid books with this as a plot device. However, the author did a fabulous job with this and I wanted Mike and Abby to find their HEA's.

I found the whole premise of the book interesting. A ghost obsessed small town filled with quirky characters. I enjoyed reading about the side characters, the town, their obsessions with the paranormal. I also enjoyed "watching" as Abby and Mike danced around each other and finally admitted their love. Abby and Mike have a ton of chemistry, their relationship is smoking hot and believable.

If you can get past the errors, the inconsistencies, the inaccurate location of the book (and the whole Pentagon thing...um...no...that would never happen) then this is a really great book and should definitely be on your too read list.

This is not a clean romance. There is no swearing but there is a ton of sex and adult content. This book is not categorized correctly. There is no mystery and there is no paranormal (other than a ghost at the end). It's a romance with sex and a teeny bit of paranormal tossed in.

I don't know if I will continue with this series. Yes, I know it's weird to give a book a 5-star rating and yet not continue the series. However, the inconsistencies are pretty intense. Reading reviews of future books, it gets worse. The author clearly can't remember what she writes in her own book. I will put this series on my maybe I will read later list.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abby is a singer/songwriter who lost her fiance while Cole was deployed to Afghanistan. When Mike, Cole's best buddy, arrives in Banshee Creek, Abby is glad to see him. The two of them founded a friendship of their own, which only deepened after Cole's death. After years in the military, Mike's life is orderly and regimented, and he has no place in it for a free spirit like Abby. Too bad he's been secretly in love with her for years. Soon, Mike is roped into Abby's crazy world, from attending the world's largest costume party to going on a night hunt for the Mothman. He's not sure if he likes it or not, but he knows one thing: he shouldn't be thinking of his best friend's girl the way he's been thinking about Abby.

So...yeah. The story was cute, but it took place in a very abbreviated time frame. We know that Mike already loved Abby, but it was surprising how quickly she adjusted her view of Mike from "friend" to "partner". As in, that first night that Mike arrived in town. Not only was there some smokin' hot nookie, but there was kink, too. I'm not a prude, but for them to go from platonic to immediate kink nearly sent my eyebrows to the back of my head. Another thing that took me aback was that this seemed like it would be a paranormal romance, but while most folks in Banshee Creek seemed to believe in ghosts and UFOs and the Mothman, nothing paranormal happened...unless you count that thing that Mike saw that was never discussed, either by him or even in the narrative. I also felt there was no real resolution. They declared their love for one another, but Mike had just accepted a new job at the Pentagon, while Abby was bound for Nashville and music stardom. Wha...? We can has closure, please?

Hm. I wish I could give this 3.5, because that's what it deserves, in my opinion. I hate to bump it down to a 3, but I don't think it earned a 4. Eh, average score.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, this book had an interesting premise but it failed to deliver. It was described as "A fun, humorous romance...with ghosts!"
- it wasn't funny. Not at all. I guess there were some scenarios that were supposed to be funny but they just weren't. And some were just annoying.
- Ghosts? There was ONE ghost, literally thrown in the last few pages of the book. I guess it was supposed to be some big reveal, to make you want to read the next book.
- Romance. Well, not so much. Yes, two people who are in love but not much romance and if you're looking for sexy scenes, not a one (I can go either way if the story/writing is good enough. In this, there was some good tension between the characters and the first kiss was great but then scenes with them later just weren't. And I felt she was kind of chasing him a little pathetically. A guy is more interested in his new car over you in the first few days? Not sexy).

I did like how Abby acted in the end with Mike. But just not enough to save the story for me.

I think this story just tried too hard - Abby was too quirky (but then not really). Mike was too rigid and frankly way too safety conscious it was annoying. The town's premise was interesting except it didn't deliver - I thought based on the summary and even the first pages of the book that this was going to be a haunted town. No. It's just a town full of people who believe in UFOs, ghosts, the Mothman and then a ghost and MAYBE a supernatural creature thrown in.

If you're looking for a book with a quaint small town with supernatural happenings, I'd suggest instead try Molly Harper's Half-Moon Hollow series

[MELODY · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will say it I have fallen into Ani Gonzalez, world of Banshee Creek! This is the first in her series. Banshee Creek, Virginia - wants to be known as the most haunted town in America - they are doing everything they can to prove it.

We meet Mike Stone, he is on a mission of his own, he has something to deliver to his deceased best friend's fiance. It's been awhile since Cole died, but Mike is trying to make things right. He doesn't want to admit that he has feelings for Abby, he has since he met her. He his the feelings from Cole, but they have never gone away. He doesn't plan on acting on them, just dropping the package and he is out again.

Abby, is a free spirit - she is right in the middle of the madness that is called Banshee Creek. She is in the process of moving on herself - Mike doesn't know it yet but she has feelings for him as well. And when the fates step in and Mike arrives on Halloween and he sees Abby dressed as Emma Peel, someone's good intentions may just be changed.

Ms. Gonzalez' writing is lovely, her character's are believable, well developed, and humorous. I laughed, a leaked a bit, and the steam is lovely - not a diversion. The fact that Mike and Abby are basically polar opposites, makes for a unique and quirky story. Her plot lines flow and keep you turning pages. The paranormal aspects are not as involved as they could have been but still it's a great beginning to the series.

So, if you are in the mood for a lovely story - I highly recommend this one. Well done!
I am an independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Must Love Ghosts" is about as fluffy and sappy a book as I have ever read. That's not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes you just like something light.
Soldier Mike Stone has put off the day to return an engagement ring, bought by his best friend, Cole Hunt, shortly before he died in Afghanistan, to his girlfriend Abbie Reed, in the quirky town of Banshee Falls.
Mike is a by the rules guy who likes things nice and organised. He's kept in touch with Abbie though social media since Cole died, but they've never met.
And when they finally met it gets hot and heavy quickly, despite Mike's qualms about dating a buddy's girlfriend (even if he is dead).
Just as everything comes together between them Mike runs away. Will Abbie let him go, hell no!
There's a lot of talk about Banshee Falls (bringing Ambrose Bierce into the plot was a nice touch), the most paranormal town around (but there is little evidence of it in the book - except for the mysterious damage to Mike's car).
I liked it.
3 Stars.

[Mary Lou Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUST LOVE GHOSTS is the first book in the Banshee Creek series. Though each will stand on its own, they are even better when read as a continuing serial.

I love sweet, fun, paranormal romance and this one touched all of those buttons. Plus, it was cute, bordering on ridiculous. It was the type of silliness that made me smile, laugh, and enjoy the whole day.

The characters are believably flawed and quirky. The story is light-hearted and the romances (both of them) made me so happy. Abby deserves her HEA.

I cannot wait to continue reading the stories in this wonderful town.

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.



Title: MUST LOVE GHOSTS
Series: Banshee Creek #1
Category /Genre: Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Received from: Amazon purchase
Grammar/editing: C – average writing, poorly edited

[Diana Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series, and there are also spin offs set in the same world. Some may find these a little light, but over time, the same characters appear and as you learn more about them, there is some significant character development. Sooner or later, you fall in love with Banshee Creek and its denizens. The books are fun, light hearted and generally include a little romance. So start here and keep reading. If you like paranormal romance, you will LOVE these. And while you're at it, sign up for Ms. Gonzalez' newsletter; she often sends out a link to a free story that you can't buy or to discounted copies of her work. And if you are on Kindle Unlimited, you can usually borrow them for free. What a deal! These are my absolute favorites in this genre, so grab them all and start reading. (And nope, I have no connection with the author; I just really like these stories.)

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 2 out of 5]

The authors paranormal adventures are better than the romances.


Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled into this series backwards, because I found the Main street witches spin off series and read that first then came back to this one. But frankly I loved them all so much, I've been devouring all the Banshee Creek books in the last couple of days. I love the quirky setting, the intermingling cast, the different romances, and the fact that the sex stays behind closed doors. There is plenty of steam to spark my imagination but without the details that aren't necessary for the romance or plot. Truthfully, I'm an inpatient fan because now that I've read all the current books that are out, I'm clamoring for more right now and figure out

*spoiler alert*



just what our ghostly soldier's overall goal is exactly and how he plans to deal with the rising magic that is strengthening the ghosts and the spells and curses.*

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of the Banshee Creek series with romance for singer Abby Reed. When her deceased boyfriend's best friend come to see Abby, it is the same night as the Halloween party that the paranormal researchers (members of PRoVE) are throwing. Hoping to get into the record books as the world's largest Halloween party, Abby drags Mike along. The evening ends on a totally different note as Mike and Abby discover their compatibility. Before the weekend is over, they have gone camping with PRoVE in search of Mothman and dispelling non-paranormal explanations for his sightings.

A love story, paranormal creatures, and barn owls make for a fast and fun read that is laced with spookiness and oddities. Fun characters!

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Did It Have Claws Stars

Must Love Ghosts is the first book in the Banshee Creek series by Ani Gonzalez.

I honestly don’t know how it took me three Main Street Witches books to realize who Cole Hunt really was.

I love the mystical and mysterious aspect that goes along with the Banshee Creek centered series’ Ani Gonzalez has provided us with.

We follow Mike Stone on his mission to guide an important treasure of his best friend, Cole Hunt’s, back home to Banshee Creek into the waiting arms of his fallen comrades fiancee’s arms. Abby Reed doesn’t know it yet but there’s a new wing blowing in; prompt and tempting in all his straight-laced glory.

[Leta Hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Are the Ghosts?

Overall, this wasn't a bad read; it was just a little disappointing, given the title, that there wasn't much in the way of ghosts in the story. There was a little bit of paranormal investigating (although they seemed to be looking for Mothman and not ghosts), but the majority of the plot revolved around the main characters, Abby and Mike, and their attraction to each other.
The only paranormal activity in the book was found in the last few chapters, and it almost seemed like an afterthought.

[Carin · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 - I was introduced to this series via a short in the 'Witch or Treat' short story collection. I had high hopes for this, and although it is billed as a paranormal romance, so much focus was placed on the romance that it seemed pointless to even brand it as paranormal, especially since the main (or supporting) characters aren't even supernatural. It felt like pulling out an old Harlequin romance novel. Just didn't do it for me.

[A. Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know why, but I just couldn't get into this book. It was a pretty easy and quick read, so it went by fast and wasn't exactly boring or anything... but it just wasn't for me. Communication difficulties and assumptions made between characters? Check. Unrequited love due to said lack of communication? Check. Oops, they've been in love with each other this whole time? Who would have ever seen that coming?

[Margo James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice romp in small town trying for the title of most haunted town in the US. There is a large paranormal society leading the race to the title. There is an equally aggressive Historical Preservation society blocking the efforts. As a Army vet comes to Banshee Creek to bring a package to his dead best friend’s fiancé, he finds himself smack in the middle of the feud. He also finds himself in love, with just the town?

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A cute story. Started a little slow for me, but as I kept reading, the pace got better and I liked it more. It is one of those feel good stories that is not heavy on the paranormal, but more on the romance with a mix of comedy. The paranormal did not really kick in until the end, and have to admit, I actually liked that.

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will read the next book in this series

I really like the concept of this series, there are some wrong words and some misspelled words, minor, but throughout the book, I'm scratching my head and saying 'Huh?'. The vision of what the author wanted to say or describe didn't occur. Maybe it's time for an updated editing? Anyway, thank you for the entertainment Ms Gonzalez.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Banshee Creek Series. I’ve read them all and they are more a romance series, but if you read the next series Main Street Witches they all piece together. I enjoy how all the characters intertwine from book to book. I enjoyed how the author dropped current and past TV shows information so I could actually picture all the cosplay going on.

[Stephanie Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just an owl?

There were some spelling errors and words left out.
I loved the name of the town which was part of the reason I was drawn to the book. The story itself was sweet, it showed true friendship and love.
Since the ending took me by surprise, I am very curious as to how the second book evolves.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read every Ani Gonzalez novel you can find!!!

I’m serious!! (You can tell by the exclamation points ;)

Her novels are a little out of the ordinary but every single one of them is fantastic! They have killer romance, a dash of extraordinary, and plenty of giggles.

This series is a winner!

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

fabulous

I thought Abby was sweet and nice. I think there was a lot going on in her life and with Cole dying it just put her in a spiral that Mike helped her out with. I don’t think Mike understood how much he helped her. I like to think that Cole is living his best undead life and happy for his friends.