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Samuel Dexter #1
The Ghost in the Mirror
What do you do when you have no memories of your life except the one moment that took everything away?
My name is Dex and I'm a Marine. Somewhere in the horrors of the sand overseas, an explosion took out not only most of my unit but also my memories of everything that happened before that day. When my memories don’t return, the explosion also ends my career in the military. That one moment costs me everything.
Starting from scratch sucks. I don’t even know what foods I like or what types of music I listen to. Am I a boxer or briefs man? Do I like women or men? I also have to figure out what I’m going to do with my life from this point on.
While adjusting to my new life, I start seeing things -- things that no one else can see. I think that maybe my head injury caused more than amnesia. When one of my "visions" won't leave me alone, I have no choice but to believe in ghosts.
Along with the ghosts during the day, at night I dream vividly of two men. But are these two men merely dreams, or are they memories? When one man steps through the door of my hospital room, I have the answer. This man literally tries to lead me down memory lane, culminating in a searing kiss. Too bad my brain isn't cooperating, because this man is breathtaking.
With the help of my sassy grandmother, I begin to rebuild my life.
I am Samuel Dexter, and these are my stories.
WARNING: This book contains scenes that might be considered triggers for some. Sam is a Marine involved in an explosion. This book also (mildly) describes children being kidnapped in the past and their remains found later.
My name is Dex and I'm a Marine. Somewhere in the horrors of the sand overseas, an explosion took out not only most of my unit but also my memories of everything that happened before that day. When my memories don’t return, the explosion also ends my career in the military. That one moment costs me everything.
Starting from scratch sucks. I don’t even know what foods I like or what types of music I listen to. Am I a boxer or briefs man? Do I like women or men? I also have to figure out what I’m going to do with my life from this point on.
While adjusting to my new life, I start seeing things -- things that no one else can see. I think that maybe my head injury caused more than amnesia. When one of my "visions" won't leave me alone, I have no choice but to believe in ghosts.
Along with the ghosts during the day, at night I dream vividly of two men. But are these two men merely dreams, or are they memories? When one man steps through the door of my hospital room, I have the answer. This man literally tries to lead me down memory lane, culminating in a searing kiss. Too bad my brain isn't cooperating, because this man is breathtaking.
With the help of my sassy grandmother, I begin to rebuild my life.
I am Samuel Dexter, and these are my stories.
WARNING: This book contains scenes that might be considered triggers for some. Sam is a Marine involved in an explosion. This book also (mildly) describes children being kidnapped in the past and their remains found later.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2016
46 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Faith Gibson
51 books576 followersFaith Gibson's love of books started early on. So much so that she decided to write her own stories. When a college professor told her she had a gift, she took him at his word and put pen to paper (because back then, there were no computers. Shh, we don't mention her age.)
Her love of all things paranormal mixed with crazy dreams led to her first series, The Stone Society, about Gargoyle shifters in search of their mates while protecting humanity from unhinged beasts known as The Unholy. The Hounds of Zeus MC series was born from one of their own being a mate of a Gargoyle. The Rebel Moon Shifters are the next generation, all the kids from the first two series.
Faith also abbles in MM worlds and contemporary suspense, but her first and forever love is fantasy.
When Faith isn’t hard at work on her next story, she can be found reading, cooking, playing in the dirt (planting stuff) or playing with her staffy pup, all while listening to hard rock music.
Sign up for Faith's newsletter for special contests, first-to-know information and cover reveals -
https://www.faithgibsonauthor.com/new...
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http://bit.ly/FaithGibsonAmazon
Her love of all things paranormal mixed with crazy dreams led to her first series, The Stone Society, about Gargoyle shifters in search of their mates while protecting humanity from unhinged beasts known as The Unholy. The Hounds of Zeus MC series was born from one of their own being a mate of a Gargoyle. The Rebel Moon Shifters are the next generation, all the kids from the first two series.
Faith also abbles in MM worlds and contemporary suspense, but her first and forever love is fantasy.
When Faith isn’t hard at work on her next story, she can be found reading, cooking, playing in the dirt (planting stuff) or playing with her staffy pup, all while listening to hard rock music.
Sign up for Faith's newsletter for special contests, first-to-know information and cover reveals -
https://www.faithgibsonauthor.com/new...
Follow Faith on Amazon to know when the next book has been released -
http://bit.ly/FaithGibsonAmazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
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October 18, 2016
DNF @ 64% and no rating
I really debated with myself whether to write a review or not, but I wanted to explain what bugged me and unfortunately there is not enough space for this in an update.
At the beginning I had some difficulties getting into the story, but then I saw that there is a prequel (not a sequel, silly me!) and resolved on reading this first. Good call! I loved The Ghost in the Desert and it really did wonders for me to understand what was going on.
I began to enjoy this book until I got to round about 30%. After one third of the story being told in first person POV of Dex, it suddenly changed into third person POV of Dex’s former lover Orlando and from then on, the author switched occasionally between both perspectives. Don’t get me wrong, I normally love to get the POV’s of both characters, but this came out of thin air and the combination threw me off completely. Blame it on me being a creature of habit, but the sudden change somehow did not sit right with me. I tried to make the best of it, but overall it dampened my enjoyment.
Furthermore, the story is too lengthy for my liking. I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed it more would it be shorter. There are passages that are dragging with too much needless information about side characters and endless dialogues. To top it all off, the development of the relationship between Dex and Orlando is the epitome of a slow burn. To put it another way: nothing really happened and I got pretty bored.
I should add that the ghost of a little girl plays a major role in this story. I have recently read another book with the same topic and several reviews for this story indicated that some people have problems with this issue. To be honest, this was almost the only part I rather enjoyed in The Ghost In The Mirror. Dex’s interaction with Cindy and his dedication to find her murderer in order to give her closure in the process were somewhat adorable.
Maybe my expectations on this book were simply too high. There are lots of high ratings for this book, so you can probably consider it being a typical case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ and you might love it, but as for me, at this point I don’t even care about the solution to the case and whether Dex and Orlando get their HEA or not.
March 27, 2018
I enjoyed most aspects of this book. It has military, amnesia, second chances, and ghosts all rolled into one story. I would've rated this higher, but there were things that bothered me. I believe Rex and Orlando jump into a relationship too quickly after claiming they were going to go slowly. I hated that Dex's lover while in the military (Danny) was not given his due. Dex doesn't really remember him with the exception of a few dreams and flashes. I read the prequel before this, and they were in love. It breaks my heart that Dex doesn't remember, and Danny can't be properly mourned. Nobody should ever be forgotten, and it feels like a shadow waiting to pounce on Dex and Orlando's relationship. I'm on to book 2.
May 2, 2020
4,5 stars
This book has been calling out to me for a long time, and finally I had the time to pick it up. I’m drawn to stories with psychics but also with people with amnesia and I always have been. So of course this book really appealed to me. I love that there was no quick fix, that everything was a work in progress, that things took time. There were no easy answers, not in regards to Sam’s amnesia or his ability to see ghosts. We learned everything on the go and had to work for the answers, and I loved every minute of it. Every character was engaging, and some captured my heart more than others. Ghost in the Mirror was a solid start to a new series and new characters that I can’t wait to explore more of. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a good paranormal mystery.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
This book has been calling out to me for a long time, and finally I had the time to pick it up. I’m drawn to stories with psychics but also with people with amnesia and I always have been. So of course this book really appealed to me. I love that there was no quick fix, that everything was a work in progress, that things took time. There were no easy answers, not in regards to Sam’s amnesia or his ability to see ghosts. We learned everything on the go and had to work for the answers, and I loved every minute of it. Every character was engaging, and some captured my heart more than others. Ghost in the Mirror was a solid start to a new series and new characters that I can’t wait to explore more of. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a good paranormal mystery.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
August 5, 2017
I was pleasantly surprised, I really enjoyed this book it was really great. I really liked Sam and Orlando together. They were so sweet and hot together. There's a lot that goes on in here. There are people who can explain it better. I'm really excited this is going to be a series. It's actually perfect to be one.
October 6, 2016
✨✨✨✨✨5 My Little Ghost Stars✨✨✨✨✨
I do not read paranormal stories! I repeat, I do not read paranormal stories! Oh, wait! I read THIS phenomenal paranormal story by the very talented Faith Gibson! Ms. Gibson is a new author to me and the synopsis sounded so intriguing, I took a chance that I would like it. I didn't like it, I freaking LOVED it!
I am not sure even how to write a review about this amazing tale! There were so many awesome aspects to this story it is very hard to pick out a few. Here are some poignant quotes that convey my feelings ✨
“I don’t want you to worry about being gay, Samuel. I’ve seen too many young men and women come through these doors who let their sexuality bring them down. It’s who you are. How you were designed. It’s not a choice. It’s a part of your DNA just like your hair and eye color or your height.”
Orlando’s words killed me. Stabbed me in the heart, twisted, and pulled the organ out of my chest, tossing it to the ground where it landed with a flat thud at my feet.
Zayden moved between us and took the hands he was holding and put them together.
This was a little boy sending a message.
Love like yours doesn’t forget. You might not remember, but your heart does.”
In this story you will meet a young Marine, Sam, injured in a blast that killed his team, and is now unable to remember anything in his life from before the tragedy. Grams is Sam's feisty grandmother who is the only family Sam has left.
Orlando is a cop who was the love of Sam's life 6 years ago before he left him to enter the Marines. Orlando never recovered from that devastating blow to his heart.
Cindy is a young girl who can't pass over to the afterlife and attaches herself to Sam, who is the only one that can communicate with her. She has a powerful message for Sam that leads to him investigating a series of murders that occurred 30 years ago.
Zayden is a young autistic boy who doesn't speak or interact with strangers until he meets Sam, who has the ability to reach out and pull him out of his shell.
These are the characters you will fall in love with!
There are many well developed secondary characters that also play key roles in this spectacular story.
That's all I will give you as you MUST read what is now in my top 10 reads this year!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Barb from Alpha Book Club
I do not read paranormal stories! I repeat, I do not read paranormal stories! Oh, wait! I read THIS phenomenal paranormal story by the very talented Faith Gibson! Ms. Gibson is a new author to me and the synopsis sounded so intriguing, I took a chance that I would like it. I didn't like it, I freaking LOVED it!
I am not sure even how to write a review about this amazing tale! There were so many awesome aspects to this story it is very hard to pick out a few. Here are some poignant quotes that convey my feelings ✨
“I don’t want you to worry about being gay, Samuel. I’ve seen too many young men and women come through these doors who let their sexuality bring them down. It’s who you are. How you were designed. It’s not a choice. It’s a part of your DNA just like your hair and eye color or your height.”
Orlando’s words killed me. Stabbed me in the heart, twisted, and pulled the organ out of my chest, tossing it to the ground where it landed with a flat thud at my feet.
Zayden moved between us and took the hands he was holding and put them together.
This was a little boy sending a message.
Love like yours doesn’t forget. You might not remember, but your heart does.”
In this story you will meet a young Marine, Sam, injured in a blast that killed his team, and is now unable to remember anything in his life from before the tragedy. Grams is Sam's feisty grandmother who is the only family Sam has left.
Orlando is a cop who was the love of Sam's life 6 years ago before he left him to enter the Marines. Orlando never recovered from that devastating blow to his heart.
Cindy is a young girl who can't pass over to the afterlife and attaches herself to Sam, who is the only one that can communicate with her. She has a powerful message for Sam that leads to him investigating a series of murders that occurred 30 years ago.
Zayden is a young autistic boy who doesn't speak or interact with strangers until he meets Sam, who has the ability to reach out and pull him out of his shell.
These are the characters you will fall in love with!
There are many well developed secondary characters that also play key roles in this spectacular story.
That's all I will give you as you MUST read what is now in my top 10 reads this year!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Barb from Alpha Book Club
October 7, 2016
To begin with, this is the second book in the series- I read the prequel The Ghost in the Desert after this because it tells the short story of what happened to Dex before he woke up with amnesia. After reading 'Mirror' first and then 'Desert' I was
This story went in a completely different direction than I thought it was going. And while it wasn't a bad thing, it just turned out to be more mystery than romance. And I'm all about the romance.
The MC, Dex, is a marine who wakes up in hospital with amnesia from a bomb blast he survived while deployed. He doesn't remember a lot but he begins to see things. Namely another Marine he served with, who died in the blast, and a little girl. The prologue obviously fills you in on the Marine Dex keeps seeing so if you don't want to know about him yet, and let the mystery unfold, make sure you read book 2 (this one) first.
Here is where I had to suspend belief But that's just the sceptic in me- I very rarely read paranormal books.
While the mystery lagged a little for me in the middle, it probably had a lot more to do with me wanting something, anything, anything at all, to happen between Dex and his high school sweetheart Orlando. I expected more angst. Their relationship felt lukewarm throughout most of this.
What I didn't like was that while it's told in dual POV - Dex is clearly the main character and his part is written in 1st person- and Orlando is more of a supporting character and his small sections are written in 3rd. At first it's jarring to read.
But all in all lots of people will like this. It's well written but there's just not enough of the love stuff, for me. But I'll still check out the next book.
This story went in a completely different direction than I thought it was going. And while it wasn't a bad thing, it just turned out to be more mystery than romance. And I'm all about the romance.
The MC, Dex, is a marine who wakes up in hospital with amnesia from a bomb blast he survived while deployed. He doesn't remember a lot but he begins to see things. Namely another Marine he served with, who died in the blast, and a little girl. The prologue obviously fills you in on the Marine Dex keeps seeing so if you don't want to know about him yet, and let the mystery unfold, make sure you read book 2 (this one) first.
Here is where I had to suspend belief But that's just the sceptic in me- I very rarely read paranormal books.
While the mystery lagged a little for me in the middle, it probably had a lot more to do with me wanting something, anything, anything at all, to happen between Dex and his high school sweetheart Orlando. I expected more angst. Their relationship felt lukewarm throughout most of this.
What I didn't like was that while it's told in dual POV - Dex is clearly the main character and his part is written in 1st person- and Orlando is more of a supporting character and his small sections are written in 3rd. At first it's jarring to read.
But all in all lots of people will like this. It's well written but there's just not enough of the love stuff, for me. But I'll still check out the next book.
m-m-read
November 4, 2016I haven't read far enough to really decide if I like this book or not, but I have to say one thing.
There seems to be a misconception about the military. I've seen several authors make the same mistake. When a person joins the military, and is in for oh, let's say ten years, they do not spend that ten years in the desert. They do not never spend their paychecks. They go to work, and come home just like normal people working normal jobs. The hours may be a little different, but they don't spend every moment on a military base being fed free food, being provided free clothing (for enlisted, only your first set of uniforms is issued, after that you buy your own, you get a clothing allowance, but it's a couple of hundred a year, and it's intended for things like alterations, not buying entire uniforms), you don't live in your uniforms, so you buy your civilian clothes. When (if) you deploy it's generally for several months, maybe up to 18 if you're really unlucky, and generally you come back and you don't go again for a year or so if ever. Obviously there are exceptions. Yes, sometimes people go, come home for 6 months turn around and go again, but that is not the norm. Regardless, you live in your house, if it's off base you get a housing allowance, if it's on base you don't. You pay for your own cell phone, cable/internet service, you buy your car, you buy food, you live a normal life. You do not, as is stated in this book, deposit your checks for 6 years and end up with 250k in the bank because you spent that entire 6 years in the desert. That's patently false. I read one book where the main character apparently didn't spend any of his paycheck his entire 20 years. I spent 20 years in the military. I wish I'd been able to not spend my paychecks that entire time. I wouldn't be working another 20 as a federal employee.
I've now read enough to know there is a lot this author knows nothing about, not just the military, and I'm not a fan of the writing style. I'll finish because I want to know the outcome of the mystery, but I won't be reading any others in the series.
There seems to be a misconception about the military. I've seen several authors make the same mistake. When a person joins the military, and is in for oh, let's say ten years, they do not spend that ten years in the desert. They do not never spend their paychecks. They go to work, and come home just like normal people working normal jobs. The hours may be a little different, but they don't spend every moment on a military base being fed free food, being provided free clothing (for enlisted, only your first set of uniforms is issued, after that you buy your own, you get a clothing allowance, but it's a couple of hundred a year, and it's intended for things like alterations, not buying entire uniforms), you don't live in your uniforms, so you buy your civilian clothes. When (if) you deploy it's generally for several months, maybe up to 18 if you're really unlucky, and generally you come back and you don't go again for a year or so if ever. Obviously there are exceptions. Yes, sometimes people go, come home for 6 months turn around and go again, but that is not the norm. Regardless, you live in your house, if it's off base you get a housing allowance, if it's on base you don't. You pay for your own cell phone, cable/internet service, you buy your car, you buy food, you live a normal life. You do not, as is stated in this book, deposit your checks for 6 years and end up with 250k in the bank because you spent that entire 6 years in the desert. That's patently false. I read one book where the main character apparently didn't spend any of his paycheck his entire 20 years. I spent 20 years in the military. I wish I'd been able to not spend my paychecks that entire time. I wouldn't be working another 20 as a federal employee.
I've now read enough to know there is a lot this author knows nothing about, not just the military, and I'm not a fan of the writing style. I'll finish because I want to know the outcome of the mystery, but I won't be reading any others in the series.
October 4, 2016
The Ghost in the Mirror was a very good ghost story, mystery and paranormal romance all in one that will have you caring for the characters and trying to solve the case right along with them.
I really enjoyed Sam's character. He's making the best of a truly crazy situation, finding his way again after losing his memories while at the same time being visited by ghosts with unfinished business. The story concentrates on Sam for a bit before Orlando is introduced, and the two of them need to get to know each other again in the midst of all the ghost business going on.
The story did feel a bit longer to me than expected given the page length, and for me that's because some parts moved at a slower pace than I usually find in the stories I read. It was well written with a solid plot and extremely well-rounded characters-not just Sam and Orlando, but the supporting characters as well. There are some things that don't see full resolution due to the fact that by the end of the book Sam hasn't gained back all of his memories, and I'm hoping that this is part of what will be addressed in future books in the series.
The mystery of what happened to the little girls is intriguing, and made for a great whodunit-I never guessed who the culprit was. This helped to keep me engrossed in the tale, along with the re-emerging relationship between Sam and Orlando. And once things became physical between them again, there were plenty of fireworks to be found between them.
The Ghost in the Mirror was a strong 4-star read for me, and I'm keeping an eye out for more in this series. I'd recommend this story to M/M romance fans who enjoy ghost stories and mysteries, and this is meant for readers 18+ due to adult language and M/M sexual content. There are some flashbacks to the blast that injured Sam and killed his team, so readers sensitive to scenes like this should be aware before reading.
I really enjoyed Sam's character. He's making the best of a truly crazy situation, finding his way again after losing his memories while at the same time being visited by ghosts with unfinished business. The story concentrates on Sam for a bit before Orlando is introduced, and the two of them need to get to know each other again in the midst of all the ghost business going on.
The story did feel a bit longer to me than expected given the page length, and for me that's because some parts moved at a slower pace than I usually find in the stories I read. It was well written with a solid plot and extremely well-rounded characters-not just Sam and Orlando, but the supporting characters as well. There are some things that don't see full resolution due to the fact that by the end of the book Sam hasn't gained back all of his memories, and I'm hoping that this is part of what will be addressed in future books in the series.
The mystery of what happened to the little girls is intriguing, and made for a great whodunit-I never guessed who the culprit was. This helped to keep me engrossed in the tale, along with the re-emerging relationship between Sam and Orlando. And once things became physical between them again, there were plenty of fireworks to be found between them.
The Ghost in the Mirror was a strong 4-star read for me, and I'm keeping an eye out for more in this series. I'd recommend this story to M/M romance fans who enjoy ghost stories and mysteries, and this is meant for readers 18+ due to adult language and M/M sexual content. There are some flashbacks to the blast that injured Sam and killed his team, so readers sensitive to scenes like this should be aware before reading.
May 7, 2019
I so wanted this to get all the stars, but I just couldn't!
I loved Sam Dexter. He truly is a good person and his love for those around him just caught me. His Grams is a lovely woman, but I lost a bit of the respect for her I also wasn't all that fond of her not answering his questions even if the doctors encouraged her to do so.
The mystery is good. His working partner and mentor is good, albeit a bit of a contradiction...
I really liked the paranormal touches and Cindy was just so sweet...
Then we have Orlando...
I did like the idea of him and Sam getting a second chance. What I didn't like was how Orlando treated Sam when he left for his training, and the years after. Or when Sam came back.
So, yes one of my biggest problem was that Sam was the one who had to apologize to Orlando for leaving, when he didn't do anything wrong and Orlando never ever asked for forgiveness for his part in the "break up".
But what bothered me most was that Danny never got the recognition that he deserved. Or the mourning he should have had.
And kept thinking where were his team through all this. The other survivors that is, because I got the impression there were some.
I loved Sam Dexter. He truly is a good person and his love for those around him just caught me. His Grams is a lovely woman, but I lost a bit of the respect for her I also wasn't all that fond of her not answering his questions even if the doctors encouraged her to do so.
The mystery is good. His working partner and mentor is good, albeit a bit of a contradiction...
I really liked the paranormal touches and Cindy was just so sweet...
Then we have Orlando...
I did like the idea of him and Sam getting a second chance. What I didn't like was how Orlando treated Sam when he left for his training, and the years after. Or when Sam came back.
So, yes one of my biggest problem was that Sam was the one who had to apologize to Orlando for leaving, when he didn't do anything wrong and Orlando never ever asked for forgiveness for his part in the "break up".
But what bothered me most was that Danny never got the recognition that he deserved. Or the mourning he should have had.
And kept thinking where were his team through all this. The other survivors that is, because I got the impression there were some.
May 12, 2017
I really liked this book. I went into it only having read the blurb and knowing it had lots of 5 star reviews. I knew there was a paranormal aspect to it but didn't know it would be the main focus. I still liked it. I also feel like the second chance romance took a back seat although I understand why given Sammy's accident and trying to figure things out. When it did happen, I felt it was rushed. I loved the secondary characters too. His Grams was the best!
April 27, 2020
Samuel Dexter has amnesia after an explosion during a mission in Gulf. He is recovering, but with the added effects of seeing ghosts and visions in dreams. Dex can't remember his past, nor the two men who loved him. One of them is dead, but the other one, Orlando is back in his life determined to reawaken their love. Samuel keeps seeing the ghost of a little girl and is determined to help her move on. His efforts uncover years old crimes and murderers.
A good thriller romance with ghosts, kids, a wolfdog and a sassy granny. Loved the story especially Sam who is good soul, trying to move on with his amnesia. The medical issues have been dealt well. A good series to follow.
A good thriller romance with ghosts, kids, a wolfdog and a sassy granny. Loved the story especially Sam who is good soul, trying to move on with his amnesia. The medical issues have been dealt well. A good series to follow.
June 17, 2021
My new favorite book ever
I read a lot. Hundreds of books a year. And I haven't had a favorite since high school. Just in time for pride month, this book is my new favorite book ever.
~SPOILER ALERT~
You have a deployed Marine wounded, with amnesia. As he recuperates at home and gains some memories, he finds he can now see ghosts. His new mission? To solve an old case of kidnapping and probable murder. Along the way he meets new friends, rekindles an old romance, helps an autistic child and solves the case giving a happy ending that will shock you.
I read a lot. Hundreds of books a year. And I haven't had a favorite since high school. Just in time for pride month, this book is my new favorite book ever.
~SPOILER ALERT~
You have a deployed Marine wounded, with amnesia. As he recuperates at home and gains some memories, he finds he can now see ghosts. His new mission? To solve an old case of kidnapping and probable murder. Along the way he meets new friends, rekindles an old romance, helps an autistic child and solves the case giving a happy ending that will shock you.
May 26, 2024
Date finished : 2024-05-26
April 2, 2018
I really enjoyed it. It was well written, entertaining, and I didn't want to put it down.
September 22, 2016
This is the first book in a new series from Faith. It revolves around Dex who returns from the marines after a injury. He starts to see ghosts and doesnt know why at first but soon we come to find out that this is something that runs in his family. Dex has lost his memory when injured and now has to rebuild his life. We meet his grandmother who I loved, she was a great character. A feisty old lady who tries to help her grandson the best way she knows without telling him about the hard parts of his past. Dex has to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He learns about the ghosts that are with him with the help of some people. In all this Dex meets up with his x boyfriend, Orlando. Dex is under the impression that Orlando has moved on with his life after Dex left so he doesnt want to hurt him. We also meet Zayden who we find out is Orlando's nephew. Zayden forms a bond with Dex and looks like he only responds to him. It looks like Zayden can also see ghosts and he makes friends with one that Dex sees as well. I really am trying not to give alot away about this story but when you meet Cindy you will see why. This story has great writing as all Faith's books have. It draws you in and you have to keep reading. It is a story about lost and found love, new and old family and a mystery that Dex has to solve. Since this is the first of a series, I am hoping we get to see Dex and Orlando again and also them trying to right the wrongs done to people.
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
March 5, 2017
This one took me by surprise and ended up being much better than I expected. I enjoyed the mystery side of the story and the romance that was interwoven through it. I also liked the fact that there were a lot of strong female characters in the book and they were important to the development of the story. I am looking forward to more stories in this series.
September 23, 2016
I just got finished with The Ghost in the Mirror. I have to say this book wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be given the title of this book. But, I totally get the title after having read it. I actually had chills down my arms (good chills, not scary chills) when I finished this book.
I will let you read the synopsis for yourself and I hope you will want to read this book.
The Ghost in the Mirror is a Romantic Suspense and is the first book in a new series. This story is told by Samuel Dexter, himself. And, future stories will be told by himself as well.
Let me say I love the characters in this book! Samuel Dexter is called Sammy Lou by a very sassy and so down to earth grandmother. Dex (what he wants to be called) and he needs his grandmother since he was hurt in an explosion that took out most of his unit and his memory while in the military. (I won’t say more, no spoilers here)
The other characters that I dearly loved are Cindy, Zayden and Orlando. Also, his working partner Jillian and her partner Selina. Now I am not going to tell you why I loved them because you need to read The Ghost in the Mirror and you will see why for yourself.
It is very good to see that Faith Gibson can write in several different genre’s and I truly enjoyed reading The Ghost in the Mirror. Now I want Faith to get back to writing me more Sexy Gargoyle books.
I did receive a complimentary copy of The Ghost in the Mirror but, I will also be buying this book (already pre-ordered) to give a verified copy since I think this book deserves it.
I will let you read the synopsis for yourself and I hope you will want to read this book.
The Ghost in the Mirror is a Romantic Suspense and is the first book in a new series. This story is told by Samuel Dexter, himself. And, future stories will be told by himself as well.
Let me say I love the characters in this book! Samuel Dexter is called Sammy Lou by a very sassy and so down to earth grandmother. Dex (what he wants to be called) and he needs his grandmother since he was hurt in an explosion that took out most of his unit and his memory while in the military. (I won’t say more, no spoilers here)
The other characters that I dearly loved are Cindy, Zayden and Orlando. Also, his working partner Jillian and her partner Selina. Now I am not going to tell you why I loved them because you need to read The Ghost in the Mirror and you will see why for yourself.
It is very good to see that Faith Gibson can write in several different genre’s and I truly enjoyed reading The Ghost in the Mirror. Now I want Faith to get back to writing me more Sexy Gargoyle books.
I did receive a complimentary copy of The Ghost in the Mirror but, I will also be buying this book (already pre-ordered) to give a verified copy since I think this book deserves it.
October 14, 2016
4.5 STARS
This book was my introduction to Faith Gibson, and I have to say that it didn’t disappoint in any way. I’m now going to have to go back and read my way through this author’s other stories.
This series begins with injured Marine, Samuel Dexter, aka Dex, waking up in hospital with no memory of…anything. Forget the trauma of not remembering how he got injured, he doesn’t even remember the face looking back at him in the mirror. With only his grandmother by his side, his grandmother who wants him to remember his memories in his own time, Dex must rediscover the life he lived and work on achieving the life he wants.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favourite element of this story was the paranormal aspect. As the blurb says – Dex can see ghosts, and two ghosts in particular become very important to him. One is the ghost of a fellow soldier, a man that Dex feels meant something to him, even though he’s not even sure if he’s gay. The other is the ghost of a little girl, wearing a pretty dress and with long blonde hair, who was murdered a long time ago. Although Dex doesn’t know many things, he knows that he needs to discover the truth of what happened to little Cindy, so she can finally find peace. The ghost of Cindy became a very present character through most of the story. She was very well presented, there was nothing creepy or hokey about her, and I loved that Dex became attached to her, and cared about her even though she was actually long dead. It could almost be said that this book is about a man with a child with the way she becomes an important person in his life.
The other side of this story is, of course, the romance aspect. The romance definitely plays a secondary role in this story to the paranormal mystery, however I’m assuming that the romance angle will be furthered in following books. I honestly didn’t feel there was a lack in this book because the ghost aspect kept me hooked. Dex’s love interest here is Orlando, his high school boyfriend from (I believe…) six years ago. They were madly in love and swore that they’d be together forever, but then Dex joined the Marines and Orlando was left behind, devastated. OMG, the freakin’ heartache! Most of this story is told from Dex’s point of view, but what we get from Orlando!? Knowing he waited six years only to find out that Dex fell in love with someone else!!! And while Orlando is still wildly in love with Dex, Dex doesn’t even remember Orlando. Holy shit, the emotion pain! But don’t you all go hating on Dex. Everything is explained better in the story. Guess you’ll have to read it
This book was my introduction to Faith Gibson, and I have to say that it didn’t disappoint in any way. I’m now going to have to go back and read my way through this author’s other stories.
This series begins with injured Marine, Samuel Dexter, aka Dex, waking up in hospital with no memory of…anything. Forget the trauma of not remembering how he got injured, he doesn’t even remember the face looking back at him in the mirror. With only his grandmother by his side, his grandmother who wants him to remember his memories in his own time, Dex must rediscover the life he lived and work on achieving the life he wants.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favourite element of this story was the paranormal aspect. As the blurb says – Dex can see ghosts, and two ghosts in particular become very important to him. One is the ghost of a fellow soldier, a man that Dex feels meant something to him, even though he’s not even sure if he’s gay. The other is the ghost of a little girl, wearing a pretty dress and with long blonde hair, who was murdered a long time ago. Although Dex doesn’t know many things, he knows that he needs to discover the truth of what happened to little Cindy, so she can finally find peace. The ghost of Cindy became a very present character through most of the story. She was very well presented, there was nothing creepy or hokey about her, and I loved that Dex became attached to her, and cared about her even though she was actually long dead. It could almost be said that this book is about a man with a child with the way she becomes an important person in his life.
The other side of this story is, of course, the romance aspect. The romance definitely plays a secondary role in this story to the paranormal mystery, however I’m assuming that the romance angle will be furthered in following books. I honestly didn’t feel there was a lack in this book because the ghost aspect kept me hooked. Dex’s love interest here is Orlando, his high school boyfriend from (I believe…) six years ago. They were madly in love and swore that they’d be together forever, but then Dex joined the Marines and Orlando was left behind, devastated. OMG, the freakin’ heartache! Most of this story is told from Dex’s point of view, but what we get from Orlando!? Knowing he waited six years only to find out that Dex fell in love with someone else!!! And while Orlando is still wildly in love with Dex, Dex doesn’t even remember Orlando. Holy shit, the emotion pain! But don’t you all go hating on Dex. Everything is explained better in the story. Guess you’ll have to read it
October 3, 2016
Wow - I was pleasantly surprised by this book…although I’m not sure why. There are several stories within this story and it took 4 days to read even though I’m normally a book a day kind of girl. The writing was really good. The cast of characters will make this one of my favorite series I think as I loved them all. In my opinion Dex’s super-sleuthing takes a back seat to everything else going on, even though that was a major part of the story. Maybe it was just because all the other stuff was so good. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, you should read this story. There is so much to love here. Dex and Grams banter is ridiculously endearing. I would have loved to meet Pop. Really, Dex’s interaction with most everyone in the story is what makes this book so, so good.
Seeing Dex rediscover his love for Orlando was amazing and probably slower than most people like but it couldn’t have happened any faster. They are clearly soul mates and were fated to be together, even if they took the long way getting there. We get to revel in him slowly remembering their time together and celebrate everything that comes back.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I’m anxious to see how Zay is coming along and see more of Cindy. I want to see how Freya is progressing as well. The mystery of Grant Manor is yet to be resolved as well as the case Dex is working with Jillian. I’m betting there is more family stuff still to be unveiled as well. Needless to say, the next book will be packed with more good stuff just like this one!
Seeing Dex rediscover his love for Orlando was amazing and probably slower than most people like but it couldn’t have happened any faster. They are clearly soul mates and were fated to be together, even if they took the long way getting there. We get to revel in him slowly remembering their time together and celebrate everything that comes back.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I’m anxious to see how Zay is coming along and see more of Cindy. I want to see how Freya is progressing as well. The mystery of Grant Manor is yet to be resolved as well as the case Dex is working with Jillian. I’m betting there is more family stuff still to be unveiled as well. Needless to say, the next book will be packed with more good stuff just like this one!
September 29, 2016
The Ghost in the Mirror by Faith Gibson is a story different from previous book I have read by this author. Samuel Dexter has woken up in a hospital looking at a woman he doesn’t know but he is told she is his grandmother. Not only does he not know the lady but he doesn’t know who he is either. He knows he is in the service and he was injured when he and his team were on a mission. He now finds himself back state side in the home he grew up in with a lady he doesn’t know. His is a strange journey of trying to find out who he is but most importantly where he goes now since his career is over. As he is trying to answer these questions he starts to a little girl who is a ghost. This was a very interesting premise for a story and his journey has many twists and turns. Now he is not only trying to solve the mystery of his life but the mystery of who killed this young girl. As the story unfolds we meet other characters that are just as interesting. After I finished the Arc of the book I had to contact the author to tell her I loved the book and am excited about book 2. I also had to tell her that her character development is like no other. I already said she was one of the best storytellers. Now I know why! After finishing her books I still want to know more about all the other players in the story. I give this book 5 stars.
October 4, 2016
Follows on immediately from The Ghost in the Desert, and this one tells the story of Sam, the 'ghost hunter', who has been sent back to the U.S. after the explosion which took out most of his company. He is now able to see ghosts [including Danny] unable to move on from this earthly plane for whatever reason. If you read the previous little novella, then you'll know that Danny and Sam were lovers in Afghanistan and this story picks up on that theme, although Sam is unable to remember a lot of stuff from his past, and his memories are fairly sketchy.
When a little girl ghost attaches herself to him, he begins to investigate her background and discovers that she wasn't the only little girl to go missing from the county fairground back in the late 80's. He retires on medical grounds from the Army, and joins forces with a former cop turned PI Jill, and her lover Selina, which of course brings him into close contact with his teenage sweetheart and first lover, Detective Orlando Shaw.
I did like this one, and will run with it, but would've preferred a few less typos I must admit. 4 stars from me.
October 6, 2016
This book was right up my alley. Sam is a Marine that was injured in the line of combat. He wakes up in the hospital and has no clue where he is, why he's there or even who he is. Once released to go home with his Grandmother, who I love by the way, he starts to see things that he chalks up to PTSD. While he thinks he's going crazy, he actually realizes that he has a special gift of seeing ghosts.
He feels that his little ghost, Cindy, did not die of natural causes and is determined to find out what happened to her. He joins forces with a kick ass PI to help him solve the mystery of Cindy’s death.Along the way he is starting to remember small pieces of his life and those that he loved and lost.
There is a lot more mystery than romance in this book in my opinion and that is something that I gotta say I liked that. When Sam and his first love Orlando reconnect I felt that it was secondary to finding Cindy’s killer. But when their romance is brought to the front, it's super fast, and it almost felt rushed to me.
I really can't wait to see what the rest of this series will bring.
I give this book 4 1/2 Supernatural Stars!
He feels that his little ghost, Cindy, did not die of natural causes and is determined to find out what happened to her. He joins forces with a kick ass PI to help him solve the mystery of Cindy’s death.Along the way he is starting to remember small pieces of his life and those that he loved and lost.
There is a lot more mystery than romance in this book in my opinion and that is something that I gotta say I liked that. When Sam and his first love Orlando reconnect I felt that it was secondary to finding Cindy’s killer. But when their romance is brought to the front, it's super fast, and it almost felt rushed to me.
I really can't wait to see what the rest of this series will bring.
I give this book 4 1/2 Supernatural Stars!
September 26, 2016
~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads Review Team~
I am excited to see where this series goes. I really enjoyed this book, I didn’t want to put it down. The whole element of Dex being able to see Cindy was just great, I loved it. I could have had a whole book of just him talking to Cindy. I thought it was a huge coincidence that Dex’s nickname in the military was Ghost. There were so many elements I enjoyed in this book, the flashbacks of memories coming back, the stuff happening in the present, it was all so good. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Characters: well written
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: yes
Genre: M/M/parnormal
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
I am excited to see where this series goes. I really enjoyed this book, I didn’t want to put it down. The whole element of Dex being able to see Cindy was just great, I loved it. I could have had a whole book of just him talking to Cindy. I thought it was a huge coincidence that Dex’s nickname in the military was Ghost. There were so many elements I enjoyed in this book, the flashbacks of memories coming back, the stuff happening in the present, it was all so good. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Characters: well written
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: yes
Genre: M/M/parnormal
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
April 8, 2018
4.5 stars
May 11, 2020
I am a huge Faith Gibson fan, but I was hesitant to start this series because I am not all that into military type books/characters. If you are hesitating because of this also, I encourage you to hesitate no longer. There is very little about this book that is military themed. The military part is only so we can understand what has happened to the main character in his past and how he moves forward.
This book was so well written. I can't put my finger on the exact element that made it for me, but there are several things that really shine.
1. The drawn out mystery. It was like every chapter had a mini-cliffhanger that had me rushing to the next chapter. I finally had to stop mid-chapter so I could get some peaceful sleep.
2. The memory loss aspect is not overdone, but we are able to have sympathy for Samuel Dexter without making him a weak main character who is now mentally disabled.
3. Seeing ghosts adds a bit of paranormal to an already interesting plot line and using it as a catalyst for his new career is genius.
4. The romance is sweet and spicy. True to typical Faith Gibson form we get a great love story that isn't "harlequin-esque".
I loved this book and heartily recommend for a mature reader.
This book was so well written. I can't put my finger on the exact element that made it for me, but there are several things that really shine.
1. The drawn out mystery. It was like every chapter had a mini-cliffhanger that had me rushing to the next chapter. I finally had to stop mid-chapter so I could get some peaceful sleep.
2. The memory loss aspect is not overdone, but we are able to have sympathy for Samuel Dexter without making him a weak main character who is now mentally disabled.
3. Seeing ghosts adds a bit of paranormal to an already interesting plot line and using it as a catalyst for his new career is genius.
4. The romance is sweet and spicy. True to typical Faith Gibson form we get a great love story that isn't "harlequin-esque".
I loved this book and heartily recommend for a mature reader.
October 17, 2020
I enjoyed the book and it had a lot of back story with Sam trying to remember his past after an explosion took not only his team and lover away from him, but also his memories. What I had a hard time believing is that Orlando was never with anyone in the 6 years that Sam was gone. I also didn't understand why Sam fell in love with Danny when he was in love with Orlando when he left for the service. I guess that is a little love triangle with one of them being a ghost. Also, I would have liked them to have come together sooner in the book. Since Sam is recovering from his injuries at his Grams house, he comes to find out that he can see ghosts and one little girl Cindy has attached herself to him. What we then have is the investigation into the death of the little girl, and turns out several little girls. I didn't have any of it figured out until & was pretty surprised when all was revealed. I love Orlando's nephew, who is autistic, and can see Cindy. For the first time, Zayden is starting to communicate & Cindy plays a part in this. Also, Sam falls hopelessly for this little boy & Zay really opens up to him. I need to read the next book in the series as I want to watch Sam fall in love all over again with Orlando as well as seeing him solving additional cases.
September 9, 2018
Unbeatable Combination
Another M/M series from Faith Gibson...perfection. When that book is also a series? Fabulous. And when it involves mystery, crime-solving and ghosts? Well, that’s an unbeatable combination. I adore Faith Gibson’s work and discovering this series (which until now had somehow eluded my attention) has just been a joy. What’s even better, is that every piece of these stories can be logically carried forward into as many books as Ms. Gibson can imagine. Sam, Orlando, darling Zayden and the tragic, yet redeemed Cindy....just some of a well written cast that will have me coming back for as many as Faith will give us! And don’t think my heart didn’t do a dance right along with Cindy when the book ended with: “I am Samuel Louis Dexter, and these are my stories.”
Another M/M series from Faith Gibson...perfection. When that book is also a series? Fabulous. And when it involves mystery, crime-solving and ghosts? Well, that’s an unbeatable combination. I adore Faith Gibson’s work and discovering this series (which until now had somehow eluded my attention) has just been a joy. What’s even better, is that every piece of these stories can be logically carried forward into as many books as Ms. Gibson can imagine. Sam, Orlando, darling Zayden and the tragic, yet redeemed Cindy....just some of a well written cast that will have me coming back for as many as Faith will give us! And don’t think my heart didn’t do a dance right along with Cindy when the book ended with: “I am Samuel Louis Dexter, and these are my stories.”
April 5, 2020
3.5 stars
Alors je vais dire que c'est une bonne surprise, parce que je ne connaissais pas l'auteur et que je me suis lancée dans le bouquin sans lire le résumé.
J'ai vraiment beaucoup apprécié les deux premiers tiers du livre, qui sont très bien écrits et qui sont vraiment prenants. Zayden est juste adorable, et on s'attache très vite à ce garçon et à Cindy.
J'ai bien aimé l'histoire même si je ne suis pas fan de tout ce qui est fantôme - c'est contrebalancé par le côté enquête (que j'aime beaucoup évidemment).
Mon point négatif, ce serait les 15 derniers pourcentages du bouquin qui pour moi sont un peu bâclé - ça va trop vite, tout est trop. Par ailleurs, j'aurais aimé en savoir plus sur Danny, et sur la vie de Sam "avant" - peut-être dans le prochain tome qui sait.
Mais dans l'ensemble j'ai bien aimé et je pense sérieusement lire la suite :D
Alors je vais dire que c'est une bonne surprise, parce que je ne connaissais pas l'auteur et que je me suis lancée dans le bouquin sans lire le résumé.
J'ai vraiment beaucoup apprécié les deux premiers tiers du livre, qui sont très bien écrits et qui sont vraiment prenants. Zayden est juste adorable, et on s'attache très vite à ce garçon et à Cindy.
J'ai bien aimé l'histoire même si je ne suis pas fan de tout ce qui est fantôme - c'est contrebalancé par le côté enquête (que j'aime beaucoup évidemment).
Mon point négatif, ce serait les 15 derniers pourcentages du bouquin qui pour moi sont un peu bâclé - ça va trop vite, tout est trop. Par ailleurs, j'aurais aimé en savoir plus sur Danny, et sur la vie de Sam "avant" - peut-être dans le prochain tome qui sait.
Mais dans l'ensemble j'ai bien aimé et je pense sérieusement lire la suite :D
May 30, 2018
This was just not the book for me. Both mysteries and ghosts are very hit-or-miss for me, and neither worked for me in this one. I found Sam's relationship with Cindy creepy rather than cute and found their "investigation" style pretty absurd. I also had issues with a lot of the factual things about military life, as mentioned in this review. Finally, and this is probably the biggest one for me, I really didn't like the writing style. I found it boring and repetitive. Characters would frequently describe out loud exactly the same event that had just occurred on page. I also didn't find the addition of a 3rd person viewpoint for Orlando to be at all helpful.
March 25, 2018
This was a new author for me and I won the book in a contest. As I don't usually read the book synopsis before reading, I only knew it was about a ghost by the title. I really enjoyed the story. I did think it was a little long in some parts, but I also appreciated the detail. Already halfway through I was hoping this was going to be an ongoing series, so I was happy to see at the end that it will continue. I'm really glad I entered that contest, because I've added another great author to my list.
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