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Hellsinger #1
Fish and Ghosts
When his Uncle Mortimer died and left him Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, Tristan Pryce knew he wasn’t going to have an easy time of it. He was to be the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate, a way station for spirits on their final steps to the afterlife. The ghosts were the simple part. He’d been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child. No, the difficult part was his own family. Determined to establish Tristan’s insanity, his loving relatives hire Dr. Wolf Kincaid and his paranormal researchers, Hellsinger Investigations, to prove the Grange is not haunted.
Skeptic Wolf Kincaid has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. After years of cons and fakes, he can’t wait to reveal the Grange’s ghostly activity is just badly leveled floorboards and a drafty old house. The Grange has more than a few surprises for him, including its prickly, reclusive owner. Tristan Pryce is much less insane and much more attractive than Wolf wants to admit and when his Hellsinger team unwittingly release a ghostly serial killer on the Grange, Wolf is torn between his skepticism and protecting the man he’d been sent to discredit.
Skeptic Wolf Kincaid has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. After years of cons and fakes, he can’t wait to reveal the Grange’s ghostly activity is just badly leveled floorboards and a drafty old house. The Grange has more than a few surprises for him, including its prickly, reclusive owner. Tristan Pryce is much less insane and much more attractive than Wolf wants to admit and when his Hellsinger team unwittingly release a ghostly serial killer on the Grange, Wolf is torn between his skepticism and protecting the man he’d been sent to discredit.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2013
122 people are currently reading
1427 people want to read
About the author
Rhys Ford
79 books1,890 followersRhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and is a two-time LAMBDA finalist and a multiple Gold and Silver Medalist by the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards. She is published by Dreamspinner Press, DSP Publications and Rogue Firebird Press.
She shares the house with Harley, a gray tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled former alley cat, and Gojira, a mercurial Tabico as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird named Tengu and enjoys murdering make-believe people.
She shares the house with Harley, a gray tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled former alley cat, and Gojira, a mercurial Tabico as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird named Tengu and enjoys murdering make-believe people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
July 25, 2016
My first book by Rhys Ford was not all at what I expected it to be. I didn't expect funny and this book was funny. It is quirky, sexy, paranormal all squished up into one package--->Paraquexy? Whatever it was, I really, really enjoyed it, despite a few plot holes and little issues.
Wolf Kincaid is in the business of disproving people who claim that ghosts exist. He finds phonies and uncovered their ruses, and he is good at what he does. When he is called in by a woman who thinks her nephew, Tristan Pryce, is crazy because he runs a hotel for ghosts, Wolf is hired to investigate. What he doesn't expect is for Tristan to be so beautiful or the ghosts to be less than fake...
I didn't know when I started this book that it would have one of my favorite themes. . What a pleasant surprise for dirty-minded me! I was a wee bit doubtful that Tristan could be quite as pure as he was with his stunning good looks, but I let that slide because I love an innocent man! I thought that Wolf and Tristan had great chemistry and I loved their banter. I even loved the secondary characters and their zany, off-beat personalities. The character development was awesome through and through.
I also thought that the paranormal aspect of the book was well done. It was interesting and believable and just worked for the book. This book is more paranormal-humor than the more serious, dark paranormals out there. I didn't mind the silly one-liners that would happen amidst some scary ghostly $hit because it fit with the light-heartedness of the story.
I did have some issues with the speed of the romance. I thought that Wolf and Tristan went from begrudging attraction to love way too quickly. They took a long time to start their relationship, it's true, but once they started it moved a bit too fast for my tastes. I also had some plot incongruences that bothered me but I won't dissect them because that would get into spoilers and I'm just being nit picky.
The bottom line is that this book was hilarious and a super duper enjoyable read. I didn't want to put it down and you probably won't want to either!
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Wolf Kincaid is in the business of disproving people who claim that ghosts exist. He finds phonies and uncovered their ruses, and he is good at what he does. When he is called in by a woman who thinks her nephew, Tristan Pryce, is crazy because he runs a hotel for ghosts, Wolf is hired to investigate. What he doesn't expect is for Tristan to be so beautiful or the ghosts to be less than fake...
I didn't know when I started this book that it would have one of my favorite themes. . What a pleasant surprise for dirty-minded me! I was a wee bit doubtful that Tristan could be quite as pure as he was with his stunning good looks, but I let that slide because I love an innocent man! I thought that Wolf and Tristan had great chemistry and I loved their banter. I even loved the secondary characters and their zany, off-beat personalities. The character development was awesome through and through.
I also thought that the paranormal aspect of the book was well done. It was interesting and believable and just worked for the book. This book is more paranormal-humor than the more serious, dark paranormals out there. I didn't mind the silly one-liners that would happen amidst some scary ghostly $hit because it fit with the light-heartedness of the story.
I did have some issues with the speed of the romance. I thought that Wolf and Tristan went from begrudging attraction to love way too quickly. They took a long time to start their relationship, it's true, but once they started it moved a bit too fast for my tastes. I also had some plot incongruences that bothered me but I won't dissect them because that would get into spoilers and I'm just being nit picky.
The bottom line is that this book was hilarious and a super duper enjoyable read. I didn't want to put it down and you probably won't want to either!
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
December 18, 2013
I think Rhys Ford wrote this book just for me. My thinking is that one day Rhys sat down at her computer and thought, “You know, that Jenni Lea is one cool chick. I mean, just look at that pink hair! How can someone not cool sport that awesome hair? She deserves a book with all her favorite things in it. I will write her a story.” Yep, I’m gonna go with that because I can’t explain how else she managed to incorporate ALL of my favorites into one book. From enemies-to-lovers and hot, scorch-your-eyeballs sex scenes to a shout out to my all time favorite graphic novel series ElfQuest and my love of unicorns; she nailed it to the wall!
Wolf Kinkaid (love that name!) runs a ghost hunting business where he specializes in debunking haunted places. His skeptic view on ghosts and the paranormal has come in handy many times over in revealing frauds for the attention whores they are. He is contacted by a woman who wants him to investigate the family home and her nephew, the current owner, to obtain proof that there are no ghosts so her nephew can get the mental help he needs. Wolf takes the job expecting it to be a simple hoax unveiling. What he does not expect is the beautiful, fey-faced Tristan Pryce.
Tristan Pryce, proprietor of the Hoxne Grange, sees dead people. Yes, you read that right. He sees them, hears them and can speak to them. He’s not crazy. Oh no, he’s something wondrous. And he feels all alone; cut off from an unforgivable world and an even more intolerable family. A family who wants to see him put away for what they perceive is insanity. That and the money grubbers want the house.
When these two meet it is an instant clash of personality. Sniping and snarling at each other they reluctantly come together in the face of greater danger. But they cannot ignore the fierce attraction they have for one another. The bickering and banter finally culminates into a night of sizzling passion just as an evil darkness descends upon the manor. What follows is action, adventure and horror just made for the big screen. And romance. You can’t forget about the romance.
“…You and I… fit. There’s something between us. Even in this crazy nuthouse you’ve got going on, I feel like… it fits. You fit. Just… think about it, okay? You and me. Is that such a bad thing? Can you see us?”
This book knocked my socks off. I was blown away. The writing is so descriptive I could actually SEE and HEAR the scenes in great detail. From the way the house was shaking and the severity of the thunderstorms crashing down on them to the route of a single raindrop as it traveled down the side of Wolf’s face, I was not just reading about this - I was watching it and experiencing it for myself. Now that’s talent!
I once said in a review of another of her books, “I shall read all of Rhys Ford’s books”. This book just enforced that declaration. The writing is superb. The storyline flows beautifully and quite simply, I enjoy her stories. It’s like she gets me. We are on the same wavelength. From the witty banter to all the feels, I get lost in her stories and I don’t want to be found.
Brava, Ms. Ford. Brava.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. And I was totally honest. This book rocked!
May 31, 2016
I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would and here is why:
First, the pacing felt off. Despite the murderous ghost wandered about, the livings were mostly going about their usual business. There seems to be lack of urgency, even though the business had been disrupted and Tristan was almost possessed or killed. The pacing and the progress was disrupted by the chapter long sex scenes. Which I am not in favor of. And that lead to the second point.
Second, as I read this, a rather unkind comment popped in my head. That this book is clearly written by a woman. That I do not see men think or talk the way Tristan did. Their sex talks were... too sentimental for me and it didn't felt... masculine.
Third, the internal musing (often lustful thoughts) drag the pacing down even further. Not to mention the fact that it happen, often, between dialogues.
Fourth, Wolf's past, I understand why it was written the way it was but it seems that his behavior before his past was revealed and after did not quite mesh together. The way he seemingly quite hostile toward Tristan and all.
Fifth, the questionable *experts*,
And here is the nitpicking section. The bit about Mara was fine, I quite like it, BUT, There were various unresolved issues the the time the book ended. Wolf business must have been doing well for him to absorb the cost of repair for the damaged done by the ghost. There was no mention of how Tristan's relative take the news that the investigation did not went in their favors.
It was an ok read... But I supposed I expect too much... I can't help but compare this to
which, for me, close to perfection with the prose, the atmosphere, the pacing, the dialogues and the intrigues.
First, the pacing felt off. Despite the murderous ghost wandered about, the livings were mostly going about their usual business. There seems to be lack of urgency, even though the business had been disrupted and Tristan was almost possessed or killed. The pacing and the progress was disrupted by the chapter long sex scenes. Which I am not in favor of. And that lead to the second point.
Second, as I read this, a rather unkind comment popped in my head. That this book is clearly written by a woman. That I do not see men think or talk the way Tristan did. Their sex talks were... too sentimental for me and it didn't felt... masculine.
Third, the internal musing (often lustful thoughts) drag the pacing down even further. Not to mention the fact that it happen, often, between dialogues.
Fourth, Wolf's past, I understand why it was written the way it was but it seems that his behavior before his past was revealed and after did not quite mesh together. The way he seemingly quite hostile toward Tristan and all.
Fifth, the questionable *experts*,
And here is the nitpicking section. The bit about Mara was fine, I quite like it, BUT, There were various unresolved issues the the time the book ended. Wolf business must have been doing well for him to absorb the cost of repair for the damaged done by the ghost. There was no mention of how Tristan's relative take the news that the investigation did not went in their favors.
It was an ok read... But I supposed I expect too much... I can't help but compare this to
which, for me, close to perfection with the prose, the atmosphere, the pacing, the dialogues and the intrigues.
September 26, 2014
Written September 25, 2014
3 Stars - Fun, spooky and sweet but not fantastically engaging and enchanting ...for me
Book #1
An Rhys Ford crime-PNR-M/M about ghost-hunting and amazing sweet "boys-who-loves-boys" who meet a new boy to love for rest of life. The first part in the new (from December 2013) Hellsinger series about Paranormal Investigator Wolf Kincaid, his friends and love life.
I've listened to the 8 hrs audiobook narrated by Tristan James. ~ My first audio narrated by him (he 'does' the Sinner series as well) and I must say he did it great.
...BUT! - It just was something here that did that I lost interest quite often. I've never pushed that tiny 'back/reverse' button so often. ?!?!?! ~ It could be me, the story, real life etc etc. I'm not sure yet.
Anyway, I can't but give it 3, well worth, ghost stars.
***********************************************************
Dr Wolf (Wolfgang) Kincaid is a paranormal ghost investigatior (...not a cruel ghost hunter) in San Francisco. He has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. He is asked and hired to establish Mr Pryce's insanity by this (lucky) heirs (unlucky) relatives.
Not far from San Francisco...
Tristan Pryce got Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, from his Uncle Mortimer when his much loved uncle died a couple of years ago. Tristan is the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate. A way station for spirits (ghosts) on their final steps to the afterlife.
Tristan feels like a quite alone young man. He has been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child and his relatives don't belive a single word about ghost which needs a last weekend in this grand old mansion. He is not an very experienced "adult" guy neither.
Then arrives Wolf and his Hellsinger Investigation team to prove the Hoxne Grange isn't haunted. Suprise, surprise!! ~ There are not just "imagined ghosts" there...
A gorgeous, golden blonde, 'dream' to drool over..
Wolf is instantly way too h*rd and completely captivated from the first glance. Big strong Wolf wants. Uhhhh, he neeeed this dream on two long legs. ~ NOW!!
***********************************************************
I'm still not sure why this wasn't a huge winner for me,
I really enjoyed all books in Rhys Ford' nice Cole McGinnis series. In many way can I feel Ms Ford's kind of characters from that series here as well.
# A gruffy tough, manly, sexy (cave man) first MC. - You know the type: "one night stand".
# A more enchanting, slender beautiful second main character. - Who has a little sting of soft youngster femininity in him.
I like that kind of love couple concept in my M/M books. I'm even a huge fan of paranormal stories and this ghost hunting topic felt new and fresh.
***********************************************************
Fish and Ghosts is hot when it was supposed to be hot. Ms Ford is very explicit and write the beedroom scenes quite sensual and also sincerely touching and emotional. They may be too lengthy, but they are always beautiful. So even this time.
I actually belived in Wolf and Tristan's insta-love (..it all happened quite fast). This first book ended also very cute and tender. It is never far from the humor, and nothing is really deadly serious.
Other goodies here:
***********************************************************
No happy dancing?
Maybe is it just me (and this awful grey, damp, chilly autumn here).
I'll try the second book Duck Duck Ghost in this Hellsinger series later. I need to feel and probe if it just was my form of the day right now which did this to a nice but "just okay" book. I don't want "just okay" from this author. I want more.
I LIKE - ..well yeah, but not as much as I wanted
**************
The Hellsinger series so far:
3 Stars - Fun, spooky and sweet but not fantastically engaging and enchanting ...for me
Book #1
An Rhys Ford crime-PNR-M/M about ghost-hunting and amazing sweet "boys-who-loves-boys" who meet a new boy to love for rest of life. The first part in the new (from December 2013) Hellsinger series about Paranormal Investigator Wolf Kincaid, his friends and love life.
I've listened to the 8 hrs audiobook narrated by Tristan James. ~ My first audio narrated by him (he 'does' the Sinner series as well) and I must say he did it great.
...BUT! - It just was something here that did that I lost interest quite often. I've never pushed that tiny 'back/reverse' button so often. ?!?!?! ~ It could be me, the story, real life etc etc. I'm not sure yet.
Anyway, I can't but give it 3, well worth, ghost stars.
~••
***********************************************************
Dr Wolf (Wolfgang) Kincaid is a paranormal ghost investigatior (...not a cruel ghost hunter) in San Francisco. He has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. He is asked and hired to establish Mr Pryce's insanity by this (lucky) heirs (unlucky) relatives.
Not far from San Francisco...
Tristan Pryce got Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, from his Uncle Mortimer when his much loved uncle died a couple of years ago. Tristan is the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate. A way station for spirits (ghosts) on their final steps to the afterlife.
Tristan feels like a quite alone young man. He has been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child and his relatives don't belive a single word about ghost which needs a last weekend in this grand old mansion. He is not an very experienced "adult" guy neither.
“I don't feel the gay. Sh¡t, I barely can tell I'm gay.”
Then arrives Wolf and his Hellsinger Investigation team to prove the Hoxne Grange isn't haunted. Suprise, surprise!! ~ There are not just "imagined ghosts" there...
A gorgeous, golden blonde, 'dream' to drool over..
Wolf is instantly way too h*rd and completely captivated from the first glance. Big strong Wolf wants. Uhhhh, he neeeed this dream on two long legs. ~ NOW!!
It was a perfect spot to place a kiss. The shallow crease of Tristan's lower back begged for one, and Wolf's mouth warered when he thought of his teeth scoring red lines on that pale skin.
***********************************************************
I'm still not sure why this wasn't a huge winner for me,
I really enjoyed all books in Rhys Ford' nice Cole McGinnis series. In many way can I feel Ms Ford's kind of characters from that series here as well.
# A gruffy tough, manly, sexy (cave man) first MC. - You know the type: "one night stand".
# A more enchanting, slender beautiful second main character. - Who has a little sting of soft youngster femininity in him.
I like that kind of love couple concept in my M/M books. I'm even a huge fan of paranormal stories and this ghost hunting topic felt new and fresh.
***********************************************************
Fish and Ghosts is hot when it was supposed to be hot. Ms Ford is very explicit and write the beedroom scenes quite sensual and also sincerely touching and emotional. They may be too lengthy, but they are always beautiful. So even this time.
I actually belived in Wolf and Tristan's insta-love (..it all happened quite fast). This first book ended also very cute and tender. It is never far from the humor, and nothing is really deadly serious.
“You're like Sleeping Beauty in this place. Waiting for a prince to climb the roses and battle the dragon to set you free?”
“You...didn't have to do that.” Tristan took a step back from Wolf and lifted his fingers to his mouth. “I don't need a Prince Charming, Kincaid. Not even one to kiss me awake.”
Other goodies here:
***********************************************************
No happy dancing?
Maybe is it just me (and this awful grey, damp, chilly autumn here).
I'll try the second book Duck Duck Ghost in this Hellsinger series later. I need to feel and probe if it just was my form of the day right now which did this to a nice but "just okay" book. I don't want "just okay" from this author. I want more.
I LIKE - ..well yeah, but not as much as I wanted
**************
The Hellsinger series so far:
October 14, 2022
4 Stars
This story was appropriately spooky for my Halloween reading season. Featuring one ghost-seeing virgin and one cocky paranormal researcher, Fish and Ghosts is a fun blend of supernatural suspense and opposites-attract romance, with a smart and engaging plot, and bundles of quirky energy and wit.
I enjoyed the setting of Hoxne Grange—essentially a hotel for ghosts to stop in on their way into the beyond—run by solitary and shy Tristan Pryce, who inherited the Grange from his eccentric late uncle, and now spends his days helping ghostly visitors pass on peacefully.
Soon, Tristan’s quiet and lonely life is upended when his greedy relatives hire the ghost debunking company, the Hellsingers, to prove Tristan’s insanity (and potentially lay claim to the estate). But what they didn’t count on was that lead paranormal investigator, Wolf Kincaid, would fall hard and fast for sweet Tristan, and, through an unfortunate turn of events, Wolf would come face to face with paranormal activity the likes he’d (surprisingly) not encountered in his business before now, proving Tristan is anything but crazy.
I always enjoy a good ghost hunting story and this one had a unique ring to it. I liked the fact that, predominantly, the Grange was a place for ghostly souls to visit before transcending. The darker supernatural elements here were a bit creepy, but nothing insurmountable—if anything, the crazy serial killer lady-ghost was a fun addition to the otherwise peaceful ghost setting that made up the larger story.
I liked Tristan and Wolf a good deal, enjoying their dynamic and their instant attraction and inevitable passion together, but beyond those two, I wasn’t overly fond of the other side characters in the story. Housekeeper Mara was great, as were the dogs (alive and not-so-alive), but the other Hellsinger members were tiresome and caused more problems than they solved, and Wolf’s mother, who featured heavily in the second half, was too much of a hippy-dippy nit-wit for my personal liking.
As with my one and only other Rhys Ford reading experience, I found the writing a bit flowery at times, but mostly I fared better in this supernatural world than in her contemporary settings.
Overall, Tristan and Wolf were fun, quirky characters, sharing a lovely (albeit fast-moving) romance that I enjoyed reading about. I look forward to reading more in their series.
This story was appropriately spooky for my Halloween reading season. Featuring one ghost-seeing virgin and one cocky paranormal researcher, Fish and Ghosts is a fun blend of supernatural suspense and opposites-attract romance, with a smart and engaging plot, and bundles of quirky energy and wit.
I enjoyed the setting of Hoxne Grange—essentially a hotel for ghosts to stop in on their way into the beyond—run by solitary and shy Tristan Pryce, who inherited the Grange from his eccentric late uncle, and now spends his days helping ghostly visitors pass on peacefully.
Soon, Tristan’s quiet and lonely life is upended when his greedy relatives hire the ghost debunking company, the Hellsingers, to prove Tristan’s insanity (and potentially lay claim to the estate). But what they didn’t count on was that lead paranormal investigator, Wolf Kincaid, would fall hard and fast for sweet Tristan, and, through an unfortunate turn of events, Wolf would come face to face with paranormal activity the likes he’d (surprisingly) not encountered in his business before now, proving Tristan is anything but crazy.
I always enjoy a good ghost hunting story and this one had a unique ring to it. I liked the fact that, predominantly, the Grange was a place for ghostly souls to visit before transcending. The darker supernatural elements here were a bit creepy, but nothing insurmountable—if anything, the crazy serial killer lady-ghost was a fun addition to the otherwise peaceful ghost setting that made up the larger story.
I liked Tristan and Wolf a good deal, enjoying their dynamic and their instant attraction and inevitable passion together, but beyond those two, I wasn’t overly fond of the other side characters in the story. Housekeeper Mara was great, as were the dogs (alive and not-so-alive), but the other Hellsinger members were tiresome and caused more problems than they solved, and Wolf’s mother, who featured heavily in the second half, was too much of a hippy-dippy nit-wit for my personal liking.
As with my one and only other Rhys Ford reading experience, I found the writing a bit flowery at times, but mostly I fared better in this supernatural world than in her contemporary settings.
Overall, Tristan and Wolf were fun, quirky characters, sharing a lovely (albeit fast-moving) romance that I enjoyed reading about. I look forward to reading more in their series.
January 8, 2014
I feel so weird, off like I read a different book than what others have read.
Then I read the reviews and I realize I did read the same book. Let me say I did not finish the book. I stopped right before the first sex scene which apparently is incredibly long if I believe other reviews. I guess I stopped at the right time. Actually I know I stopped at the right time.(And this scene begins right after an attempted murder by a ghost with an axe and that made perfect sense)
I didn't see any love interest/spark between the MC's (Tristen and Wolf). In fact all I knew of the guy who owns the mansion (Tristen) was his blonde hair and his toe ring, on his right foot 4th toe. I mean Jesus, Mother and Joseph I really wish I didn't remember that at all. That was just one of the reason I stopped reading. Ridiculous pieces of information that I didn't want or care about. I barely remember the other dude (Wolfy) except what he said about blonde dude. Internal monologue was instlust and blonde hair is hawt and he has long legs and his hair is blonde with brindle highlights.
The other issue was the Bath and Body Works writing style. Could the internal monologues get anymore floral. My sinuses were screaming.
So Wolf's employees (the het couple) think its ok to have sex in a clients home, in a common area? I was actually pissed about that. (I stopped reading this days ago, would have left my review then but -35 degrees and foot and half of snow kilt the internet for 3 days.) And I am still pissed the pineapple earring girl and belly boy got caught having sex and didn't get in trouble. Yes, I don't remember names but I sure do remember the descriptions.
Speaking of... the dialogue was pedestrian compared to the internal monologe that it became painful. I think people speak similarity to how they think. Wolf was essentially monologuing as Thoreau and speaking as Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs. (Whom I love and will marry someday :))
Beyond all that the story was choppy, the thrilling fell into cutesy then to serious then to funny then to thoughtful to cutesy and none of it was smoothly done.
Have I read Rhys Ford before? I am so sure I have.... Let's say if this were my first read (because I am being sarcastic, I have read Rhys Ford), it would have been my last.
Then I read the reviews and I realize I did read the same book. Let me say I did not finish the book. I stopped right before the first sex scene which apparently is incredibly long if I believe other reviews. I guess I stopped at the right time. Actually I know I stopped at the right time.(And this scene begins right after an attempted murder by a ghost with an axe and that made perfect sense)
I didn't see any love interest/spark between the MC's (Tristen and Wolf). In fact all I knew of the guy who owns the mansion (Tristen) was his blonde hair and his toe ring, on his right foot 4th toe. I mean Jesus, Mother and Joseph I really wish I didn't remember that at all. That was just one of the reason I stopped reading. Ridiculous pieces of information that I didn't want or care about. I barely remember the other dude (Wolfy) except what he said about blonde dude. Internal monologue was instlust and blonde hair is hawt and he has long legs and his hair is blonde with brindle highlights.
The other issue was the Bath and Body Works writing style. Could the internal monologues get anymore floral. My sinuses were screaming.
So Wolf's employees (the het couple) think its ok to have sex in a clients home, in a common area? I was actually pissed about that. (I stopped reading this days ago, would have left my review then but -35 degrees and foot and half of snow kilt the internet for 3 days.) And I am still pissed the pineapple earring girl and belly boy got caught having sex and didn't get in trouble. Yes, I don't remember names but I sure do remember the descriptions.
Speaking of... the dialogue was pedestrian compared to the internal monologe that it became painful. I think people speak similarity to how they think. Wolf was essentially monologuing as Thoreau and speaking as Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs. (Whom I love and will marry someday :))
Beyond all that the story was choppy, the thrilling fell into cutesy then to serious then to funny then to thoughtful to cutesy and none of it was smoothly done.
Have I read Rhys Ford before? I am so sure I have.... Let's say if this were my first read (because I am being sarcastic, I have read Rhys Ford), it would have been my last.
September 22, 2015
So. much. fun!
'Fish and Ghosts' had everything that I've come to expect from Rhys Ford. An interesting plot, two opposites-attract MCs, some zany secondary characters, and a bit of humour to top it off. Oh, and scorching hot sex. Can't forget about the scorching hot sex.
As usual, Tristan James did an excellent job with the narration. This narrator has become one of my favourites.
Tristan Pryce has seen ghosts since he was a child, leading to derision and ridicule by the rest of his family, except for his great-uncle who takes him under his wing. After his uncle's death, Tristan continues to run a hotel for ghosts at Hoxne Grange. But the Pryce family is still trying to prove that Tristan is insane and unfit to be the heir to the family fortune. Wolf Kincaid makes a living off of debunking haunting myths. When he's contacted by a wealthy woman who's supposedly concerned about her eccentric nephew, Wolf decides to take up the case. What he finds at Hoxne Grange is a very attractive, and sane, young man, and a haunting that is definitely real.
I really liked the slight enemies-to-lovers thing between Wolf and Tristan. Reading about the two pushing each others buttons while trying to stamp down their attraction for one another made for a humorous read. I've said before that Rhys Ford's romances are a tad formulaic, and that's the case here. But it's a formula that works. The opposites-attract, taciturn characters, and alpha male + more twinky guy thing is just fun to read.
And once Wolf and Tristan finally got down to business, it was hella hot. I can always count on Rhys Ford to burn up my tablet screen.
I enjoyed the paranormal aspect a lot. I'm a total wuss, but I like my ghost stories. Rhys Ford took a more comedic approach to it, which was different, but I was still entertained throughout. There were a few things that were predictable, but it was a fun story nonetheless.
Overall, this was a great read/listen. The audiobook was very well done, the plot was entertaining, and the romance thawed my cold dead heart. Recommended!
'Fish and Ghosts' had everything that I've come to expect from Rhys Ford. An interesting plot, two opposites-attract MCs, some zany secondary characters, and a bit of humour to top it off. Oh, and scorching hot sex. Can't forget about the scorching hot sex.
As usual, Tristan James did an excellent job with the narration. This narrator has become one of my favourites.
Tristan Pryce has seen ghosts since he was a child, leading to derision and ridicule by the rest of his family, except for his great-uncle who takes him under his wing. After his uncle's death, Tristan continues to run a hotel for ghosts at Hoxne Grange. But the Pryce family is still trying to prove that Tristan is insane and unfit to be the heir to the family fortune. Wolf Kincaid makes a living off of debunking haunting myths. When he's contacted by a wealthy woman who's supposedly concerned about her eccentric nephew, Wolf decides to take up the case. What he finds at Hoxne Grange is a very attractive, and sane, young man, and a haunting that is definitely real.
I really liked the slight enemies-to-lovers thing between Wolf and Tristan. Reading about the two pushing each others buttons while trying to stamp down their attraction for one another made for a humorous read. I've said before that Rhys Ford's romances are a tad formulaic, and that's the case here. But it's a formula that works. The opposites-attract, taciturn characters, and alpha male + more twinky guy thing is just fun to read.
And once Wolf and Tristan finally got down to business, it was hella hot. I can always count on Rhys Ford to burn up my tablet screen.
I enjoyed the paranormal aspect a lot. I'm a total wuss, but I like my ghost stories. Rhys Ford took a more comedic approach to it, which was different, but I was still entertained throughout. There were a few things that were predictable, but it was a fun story nonetheless.
Overall, this was a great read/listen. The audiobook was very well done, the plot was entertaining, and the romance thawed my cold dead heart. Recommended!
May 12, 2018
Wolf Kincaid's job is to debunk the whole Supernatural everything. You have a pestering ghost, he'll come in and prove that it doesn't exist and likely your ass was in a con. So he doesn't know what to think when people show up asking him to prove that their nephew is unstable because he claims to see ghosts and might run a little hotel for them. Call Kincaid in, for the sheer purpose of blowing that shit out of the water and wanting to see what kind of person leads their family to wanting to have him committed. So he takes the case and brings his team to once again prove the absurdity of ghosts and the remarkables of science. He wasn't expecting Tristan Pryce and the crazy of The Grange.
Tristan has lived his whole life with ghosts and is used to the skeptics and his family thinking him crazy. It’s no surprise when a team shows up to prove that he's making shit up but its al types of surprising when it comes to Wolf. First, he's there to try to prove he's insane, second he's disturbing the hell out of his guests, and third the man is just too attractive for his own good. Tristan can't just up and kick out but if its ghosts their looking for, its ghosts they are going to get (even if they don't make it out alive).
Shit goes crazy when Wolf's assistants get in a lover's quarrel and a engagement rings gets thrown into a pond letting all hell loose. Releasing a psychotic serial killer loose on the grounds of The Grange and ruining the one home Tristan has ever known. The ghosts are in whack, Tristan was almost murdered by a psychotic granny, and Wolf might have to start believing that ghosts and crazy might be a legit thing, who knew? Then there are all these feelings between Wolf and Tristan which further complicates thing. But feeling aside, it’s time for them to go all ghostfacers and bring crazy granny down before she murders everything in sight. First things first, you can't bring a ghost down without calling mom.
Can I just say that a Rhys Ford book is always entertaining. Her characters are two parts sexy and three parts crazy and they always steal a bit of my heart. I love the innocence of Tristan and how he takes a firm stand when it comes to his ghost hotel (believe him or not, he's gonna keep on keeping on). Wolf has that bad boy defiance air about him, and there is no way you'll remain with your pants on. So many quirky characters jammed pack in a very entertaining read.
Should You Read It? All fans of Rhys should be on this one like white on rice cus trust me it’s crazier on the inside. While not my fave Rhys Ford out there, it’s still highly entertaining and I look forward to more from Pryce and Kincaid and the all types of trouble they will be getting up to.
March 17, 2018
4.5 stars
Review to come.
~*~
I really enjoyed this one. I thought Tristian and Wolf had amazing chemistry, they were hot together, and the ghostly aspect was totally creepy at times - especially near the end with Winifred the Ghost. Creepy.
I think most of my initial thoughts are gone because I was so busy with school and then work that I don't have much to say other than it was really good and I got sucked into the story.
Other than I totally knew it about this one character! And I can't say more without spoiling it.
Although I do wonder, later on in the story Wolf can see ghosts somewhat like Tristian is able to, but only in like spurts, like here and there, and I wonder if it's just because he's at the manor without all that ghostly energy or Wolf has a bit of ghost seeing qualities in himself? I dunno, but it did confuse me a bit.
Tristian and Wolf did move a tad fast, but it wasn't too unbelievable for me. And I really liked Wolf's mother as well.
I'll keep the second book on the back burner for now, but I'll definitely get to it someday. Definitely recommend this one! :)
Review to come.
~*~
I really enjoyed this one. I thought Tristian and Wolf had amazing chemistry, they were hot together, and the ghostly aspect was totally creepy at times - especially near the end with Winifred the Ghost. Creepy.
I think most of my initial thoughts are gone because I was so busy with school and then work that I don't have much to say other than it was really good and I got sucked into the story.
Other than I totally knew it about this one character! And I can't say more without spoiling it.
Although I do wonder, later on in the story Wolf can see ghosts somewhat like Tristian is able to, but only in like spurts, like here and there, and I wonder if it's just because he's at the manor without all that ghostly energy or Wolf has a bit of ghost seeing qualities in himself? I dunno, but it did confuse me a bit.
Tristian and Wolf did move a tad fast, but it wasn't too unbelievable for me. And I really liked Wolf's mother as well.
I'll keep the second book on the back burner for now, but I'll definitely get to it someday. Definitely recommend this one! :)
June 22, 2019
My first audio book....
How did it go?
Did I love it?
Did I hate it?
Did I sleep through it? Ha!
Let's see...
This was a new experience for me. It has come to my attention, that I am very much a visual person. I read in bed every night. No matter how hard I tried, I could not listen in bed. My eyes would drift, as well as my mind and suddenly, I had no idea what was happening. I also found it bothersome that I couldn’t always ‘read’ when I wanted to. My life is always spinning and listening to an audible required my complete focus. I mean, I could run the vacuum, fold laundry and blow dry my hair (yes, I have too much hair) while I listened, but only when I was alone. Otherwise, I was pulled from the story so much, I had to rewind…again. I’ve never reread, or relistened as it was, so many times…ever.
I believe audiobooks, for me, are a work in progress. I’m not dismissing them, but I will tread cautiously and only start one when I know I have the hours to devote to it.
I found the narrator very easy to listen to…hence- the lulling to sleep…but he certainly did an exceptional job. I’ve read one other book by the lovely Rhys Ford and my conclusion was comparable. It was entertaining and I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Her style is quite flowery and bursting with descriptions. Many of my friends adore her, but I haven’t caught the fever….yet.
I’m a huge paranormal fan and I need more ghost tales under my belt. It was a smidge creepy but never bone-chilling frightening (and I scare easily!).
Wolf Kincaid is your classic alpha bad boy and Tristan is a recluse ‘gifted’ artist. Together they are a marvelous pair. Insta-hate transforms to insta-lust and finally morphs to insta-love. I had no qualms with this, I enjoyed the changing storms of their relationship. Wolf has been hired to prove once and for all that Tristan is crazy. His greedy relatives would love to boot him from the gorgeous Hoxne Grange estate and send him packing for the loony bin. To do so, they need Mister Kincaid to clear the manor of any paranormal activity. Much to his excitement, he cannot do this. The Grange is indeed haunted and when Wolf’s pair of assistant’s (also couple) have a wild lover’s quarrel on the property a psycho serial killer from the grave wreaks havoc on the grounds.
Things move from freaky to freakier.
My biggest gripe would be, everything felt long, but the sex scenes were especially drawn-out. This can be a good thing or a bad thing…and I was smack in the middle. Wolf opens Tristan’s eyes to the wonders of sexual pleasure and at times it was tender and then it was nearly absurd. The morning after talk near the pond was…odd.
Wolf’s mother comes to save the day, and what a colorful character she was. They prepare to take down a phantom hubby hacker. Things wrap up fairly quickly and I was pleased with the happy-go-lucky ending. As much as I was annoyed, I was equally tickled.
I believe Wolf and Tristan have many more spooky adventures to come, and I think I will hang around a little bit longer.
How did it go?
Did I love it?
Did I hate it?
Did I sleep through it? Ha!
Let's see...
This was a new experience for me. It has come to my attention, that I am very much a visual person. I read in bed every night. No matter how hard I tried, I could not listen in bed. My eyes would drift, as well as my mind and suddenly, I had no idea what was happening. I also found it bothersome that I couldn’t always ‘read’ when I wanted to. My life is always spinning and listening to an audible required my complete focus. I mean, I could run the vacuum, fold laundry and blow dry my hair (yes, I have too much hair) while I listened, but only when I was alone. Otherwise, I was pulled from the story so much, I had to rewind…again. I’ve never reread, or relistened as it was, so many times…ever.
I believe audiobooks, for me, are a work in progress. I’m not dismissing them, but I will tread cautiously and only start one when I know I have the hours to devote to it.
I found the narrator very easy to listen to…hence- the lulling to sleep…but he certainly did an exceptional job. I’ve read one other book by the lovely Rhys Ford and my conclusion was comparable. It was entertaining and I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Her style is quite flowery and bursting with descriptions. Many of my friends adore her, but I haven’t caught the fever….yet.
I’m a huge paranormal fan and I need more ghost tales under my belt. It was a smidge creepy but never bone-chilling frightening (and I scare easily!).
Wolf Kincaid is your classic alpha bad boy and Tristan is a recluse ‘gifted’ artist. Together they are a marvelous pair. Insta-hate transforms to insta-lust and finally morphs to insta-love. I had no qualms with this, I enjoyed the changing storms of their relationship. Wolf has been hired to prove once and for all that Tristan is crazy. His greedy relatives would love to boot him from the gorgeous Hoxne Grange estate and send him packing for the loony bin. To do so, they need Mister Kincaid to clear the manor of any paranormal activity. Much to his excitement, he cannot do this. The Grange is indeed haunted and when Wolf’s pair of assistant’s (also couple) have a wild lover’s quarrel on the property a psycho serial killer from the grave wreaks havoc on the grounds.
Things move from freaky to freakier.
My biggest gripe would be, everything felt long, but the sex scenes were especially drawn-out. This can be a good thing or a bad thing…and I was smack in the middle. Wolf opens Tristan’s eyes to the wonders of sexual pleasure and at times it was tender and then it was nearly absurd. The morning after talk near the pond was…odd.
Wolf’s mother comes to save the day, and what a colorful character she was. They prepare to take down a phantom hubby hacker. Things wrap up fairly quickly and I was pleased with the happy-go-lucky ending. As much as I was annoyed, I was equally tickled.
I believe Wolf and Tristan have many more spooky adventures to come, and I think I will hang around a little bit longer.
January 8, 2014
Compared to the writer's other works especially Black Dog Blue, this is a disappointment. The two main guys lack depth of character and chemistry. Wolf is the usual smirking alpha and Tristan is the usual sheltered geeky beautiful blond virgin. And speaking of blond, the writer's constant reference to Tristan as "the blond" just irks this reader. The guys' almost instant love thing is yawningly boring, starting with the usual sexual arousal musings/references littered about. And when they get to their first sex it dragged on for 350+ locations (kindle), the second sex scene occupying one whole chapter. Thankfully there were only 2 major scenes. Their relationship could have been more interesting if their initial hostility towards each other was prolonged without the usual instant attraction/lust thing.
Back to the plot, there are a few refreshing ideas I like. Tristan receiving his ghostly guests, the haunted little red ball and the little twist at the end up this one to a 2 stars rating for me. Other than that I thought this supernatural plot played out like a B grade haunting movie, the humor attempt during the action scenes falling flat, sometimes coming across forced and foolish. As for the secondary human characters, the het pair of Matt and Gidget are totally unnecessary and irritating with their lovers bantering. I could think of quite a few other mm writers who excel in this kind of story line, Jordan Hawk's excellent Whyborne & Griffin series being one of the few. I really expect better from this writer. Maybe it is suppose to be a comedy but it is nothing memorable in the end.
Back to the plot, there are a few refreshing ideas I like. Tristan receiving his ghostly guests, the haunted little red ball and the little twist at the end up this one to a 2 stars rating for me. Other than that I thought this supernatural plot played out like a B grade haunting movie, the humor attempt during the action scenes falling flat, sometimes coming across forced and foolish. As for the secondary human characters, the het pair of Matt and Gidget are totally unnecessary and irritating with their lovers bantering. I could think of quite a few other mm writers who excel in this kind of story line, Jordan Hawk's excellent Whyborne & Griffin series being one of the few. I really expect better from this writer. Maybe it is suppose to be a comedy but it is nothing memorable in the end.
December 2, 2013
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book, and as usual Rhys Ford hits a home run. Just as with her other series, Fish and Ghosts is filled with memorable secondary characters who are more than just placeholders, but fully-fleshed people in their own right. As for the main couple, I fell in love with Tristan immediately. He's unfailingly kind toward, and fiercely protective of, the ghosts checking into the hotel, and I could see why Wolf fell for him so quickly! Pick this book up ASAP--you won't regret it!
January 5, 2014
This was FUN! I love paranormal stories that don't take themselves too seriously, but can still give me the fun heebie jeebies and this was one of those stories.
Wolf and Tristan were great together, whether the were arguing, bantering or loving. When they did get together it was pretty quick, but knowing there are more stories to come and kind of the extraordinary circumstances in which they met, it really didn't bother me.
The secondary characters, both earthly and otherwise, were just as good and I hope they all make reappearances in book 2. I loved the song that Tristan used in the epic ghosty battle scene, and it was little things like that that added to the connection I had with this book.
Creepy, sexy, funny and unique.
Wolf and Tristan were great together, whether the were arguing, bantering or loving. When they did get together it was pretty quick, but knowing there are more stories to come and kind of the extraordinary circumstances in which they met, it really didn't bother me.
The secondary characters, both earthly and otherwise, were just as good and I hope they all make reappearances in book 2. I loved the song that Tristan used in the epic ghosty battle scene, and it was little things like that that added to the connection I had with this book.
Creepy, sexy, funny and unique.
August 19, 2016
Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford is a fun comical paranormal romance. This isn't the type of story I would usually read, I like paranormal if it's shifters and vampires but I haven't ever read a story with ghosts in it before, I was impressed and not only enjoyed the story in written form but I listened to it in audio as well on my commute to work. For the audiobook - Tristan James does an excellent job narrating this story and using his smooth voice to bring all the characters to life. I found myself really engrossed on the story which made my commute fly by and very entertaining. In-fact, I was so into the story I had to get the eBook so I could finish the story on my off days when I didn't have to commute!
To begin our review first, I must introduce you to Hoxne Grange..
This mansion has been in the family for generations and is now under the care of Tristan Kincaid, who not only cares for the enormous property but the unique guests and people who live there.
About Fish and Ghosts, Our MC are
Wolfgang ""Wolf"" Kincaid
and Tristan Pryce.
Wolf owns Hellsinger investigations and travels around investigating places that are claimed to be haunted, his goal is to disprove them because he thinks most people are lying. His family has a long history with the paranormal and the Kincaid are decedent's of the VanHelsings- all of Wolf's family firmly believes in the supernatural and works with it daily. They just are not trying to disprove it like Wolf is...his reasons are revealed don't worry.
Then we have Tristan Pryce - he owns and runs Hoxne Grange and he states it is not only haunted but a place spirits come to stay before they move on to the afterlife. He inherited the Grange from his uncle Mortimer who was more like a surrogate father to him after his own parents died and the rest of his family shunned him for being different. Tristan lives alone at the Grange with his dogs, the staff, his uncles old flame Maura who lives in the Carriage house most of the time and then the ghosts who come and leave after three days. Tristan has never had much of a social life, something Maura is always lecturing him about - and he has never had a lover, yes he is still a virgin. So, while he isn't overjoyed when he finds out his meddling family has hired Dr. Kincaid and his team to come to Hoxne Grange and try to prove him crazy, again. He will at least have some company - as long as they don't disrupt his guests.
When Wolf arrives at Hoxne Grange he is sure it will be another case of a feuding family and a strange recluse owner with stories of haunting to keep them from taking away his home. When he sees Tristan he forgets about the ghosts and decides maybe being a little crazy is okay, because Tristan mesmerizes him and Wolf finds himself in a state of lust. He quickly finds out that Tristan returns those lustfull feelings and the chemistry between the two heats up.. so does the paranormal activity and Wolf finds out the Tristan may be inexperienced in love but he is a pro when it comes to ghosts!
When dealing with normal love things often go wrong..so it comes as no surprise that when dealing with the paranormal this book would be full of twists and turns.
""She tried to fist me… and it was someplace I don’t even have any holes! We aren’t even sure this is going to work!”
So hang on to your hats, grab your salt and come on over to Hoxne Grange - where Maura Keeps the Sheets Clean and the cook serves you warm meals -4.5 Stars
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club 
January 15, 2014
4.5 Stars
Woot! That was awesome. I loved Tristan Pryce and Wolf Kincaid. I want to visit Hoxne Grange.
But first things first ... who is that dude on the cover standing next to Wolf? It sure as heck ain't Tristan, that's for sure. He looks nothing like that! What's with the coke bottle glasses?!? Where did it say Tristan wears big glasses? Did I miss that? Never mind. Not in my world.
Moving on. Despite not being a big fan of ghost stories, I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, charming, and engaged me from the get-go. I especially loved Tristan and Wolf. What's not to love? They were a match made in heaven. Beware: possible sugar overload. The two of them were really sweet ... a bit over the top at times IMO. So, if you're sugar sensitive, beware. I liked Wolf's family. Although, it grated that for "experts" on the paranormal, they royally f*cked up: Put a tent on that circus! Holy be-jeezus. The Hellsingers owed Tristan a refund and then some.
Lastly, I loved the purpose of Hoxne Grange and the spirits that came through, except the serial killer. I also loved the moment with Mara.
Bottom line: Ghoulishly good time. Recommend!
Woot! That was awesome. I loved Tristan Pryce and Wolf Kincaid. I want to visit Hoxne Grange.
But first things first ... who is that dude on the cover standing next to Wolf? It sure as heck ain't Tristan, that's for sure. He looks nothing like that! What's with the coke bottle glasses?!? Where did it say Tristan wears big glasses? Did I miss that? Never mind. Not in my world.
Moving on. Despite not being a big fan of ghost stories, I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, charming, and engaged me from the get-go. I especially loved Tristan and Wolf. What's not to love? They were a match made in heaven. Beware: possible sugar overload. The two of them were really sweet ... a bit over the top at times IMO. So, if you're sugar sensitive, beware. I liked Wolf's family. Although, it grated that for "experts" on the paranormal, they royally f*cked up: Put a tent on that circus! Holy be-jeezus. The Hellsingers owed Tristan a refund and then some.
Lastly, I loved the purpose of Hoxne Grange and the spirits that came through, except the serial killer. I also loved the moment with Mara.
Bottom line: Ghoulishly good time. Recommend!
February 18, 2014
Not a ghost fan, but had a good time. A very good time.
Tristan's different and he knows. His family knows it. And they've sent in the big guns to leverage themselves into a position to take matters into their own hands.
Wolf is the penultimate skeptic and his backstory adds a level of interest to this tale. Along with his crew, they set out for Hoxne Grange to get the skinny on "the hauntings". What they find is something they've never experience before.
Alright, so the set up for Wolf and Tristan's romance is entertaining and provides good opportunities. The secondary characters of Mara and Meegan are fabulous with Mara edging ahead easily with some spectacular lines:
Best yet, there's a fun little twist at the end;
Good ghost story with a sweet and feisty romance.
Tristan's different and he knows. His family knows it. And they've sent in the big guns to leverage themselves into a position to take matters into their own hands.
Wolf is the penultimate skeptic and his backstory adds a level of interest to this tale. Along with his crew, they set out for Hoxne Grange to get the skinny on "the hauntings". What they find is something they've never experience before.
Alright, so the set up for Wolf and Tristan's romance is entertaining and provides good opportunities. The secondary characters of Mara and Meegan are fabulous with Mara edging ahead easily with some spectacular lines:
"Yours is not the first dick I’ve seen, Dr. Kincaid. And it certainly isn’t the best.”On the other hand, Gidget and Matt were far less endearing with their lack of professionalism and common sense. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum need to be smacked upside the head a couple times and I would have staked them out for their behavior.
Best yet, there's a fun little twist at the end;
The blow to the man’s ego was going to be huge, and Tristan allowed himself a small bit of glee over Wolf’s continuing downfall.
Good ghost story with a sweet and feisty romance.
October 13, 2017
3.5 Stars
A fun paranormal, with an interesting premise and characters, plenty of humor, and lots of sex.
Dr. Wolfgang "Wolf" Kincaid of Hellsinger Investigations is basically a professional skeptic that makes his living debunking the faked supernatural. When he's hired to investigate Tristan Pryce and his home, Hoxne Grange, for some family members that would rather see Tristan committed than owning the huge estate, it's a case of opposites attract / insta-love followed by a really spectacular haunting gone awry and almost-death.
For the most part I really enjoyed the narration. Tristan James never fails to fully draw me into a story. He does great character voices, really makes the one liners pop, makes the creepy moments even creepier, and makes all the sexy moments HOT.
Unfortunately my enjoyment on the whole was dampened by my annoyance at the extreme overuse of the descriptor "the blond" throughout. It got to the point where I was cringing every single time I heard it.
It drove me nuts. However, that's more of a pet peeve and you might not have that kind of visceral reaction. Obviously, YMMV.
That aside, there is a lot more humor in this than I expected to find, and the one liners and banter in this mitigated much of the scariness of the story for me, which I highly appreciated. Overuse of "the blond" aside - I enjoyed this enough, especially the narration, to give book two a go.
For the sticklers: Tristan James does a wonderful job in general, but he does mispronounce a few words along the way (i.e.: "incorporeal" and "Samhain").
Audio copy of Fish and Ghosts (Hellsinger #1) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
A fun paranormal, with an interesting premise and characters, plenty of humor, and lots of sex.
Dr. Wolfgang "Wolf" Kincaid of Hellsinger Investigations is basically a professional skeptic that makes his living debunking the faked supernatural. When he's hired to investigate Tristan Pryce and his home, Hoxne Grange, for some family members that would rather see Tristan committed than owning the huge estate, it's a case of opposites attract / insta-love followed by a really spectacular haunting gone awry and almost-death.
For the most part I really enjoyed the narration. Tristan James never fails to fully draw me into a story. He does great character voices, really makes the one liners pop, makes the creepy moments even creepier, and makes all the sexy moments HOT.
Unfortunately my enjoyment on the whole was dampened by my annoyance at the extreme overuse of the descriptor "the blond" throughout. It got to the point where I was cringing every single time I heard it.
“Tris… babe….” Wolf kneeled down and slid his arm under the blond’s shoulders, lifting him up from the floor. “Talk to me.”
“Was… that Japanese?” Tristan gasped, coughing out a mouthful of sugar.
“Yeah, um… sorry. It was the only thing that popped up.” Wolf kissed the man’s forehead, relief flooding through him. “It doesn’t matter what the language is; you just need to be firm about the intent.”
“And the sugar?” The blond struggled to sit up, and Wolf cradled him closer, patting his back as he caught his breath.
“Yeah, you hear everyone screaming about rock salt and shit like that, but really, sugar will work too. Anything granular and mirrorlike. I’ve got a cousin who uses ground-up mica, but he’s fucking insane.” Crossing his legs, Wolf slid down to the floor next to Tristan and pulled the man into his lap, ignoring the blond’s feeble protests.
It drove me nuts. However, that's more of a pet peeve and you might not have that kind of visceral reaction. Obviously, YMMV.
That aside, there is a lot more humor in this than I expected to find, and the one liners and banter in this mitigated much of the scariness of the story for me, which I highly appreciated. Overuse of "the blond" aside - I enjoyed this enough, especially the narration, to give book two a go.
For the sticklers: Tristan James does a wonderful job in general, but he does mispronounce a few words along the way (i.e.: "incorporeal" and "Samhain").
Audio copy of Fish and Ghosts (Hellsinger #1) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
March 1, 2014
This was fun, entertaining absolutely fun paranormal story! An easy to read story that I couldn’t put down till I reached the end. Here we have Wolf Kincaid, who run Hellsinger investigators, they investigate supernatural occurrences and reveal them as frauds. Wolf and his team are hired to investigate the Hoxne Grange estate, and it’s owner Tristan Pryce. Tristan claims the house is filled with ghosts, and his aunt intends to prove Tristan is crazy.
Tristan is a wonderfully sweet, innocent character. Easy to like and love, shy awkward and quite virginal when it came to men and sex. Wolf was handsome, skeptical, and sexy. I found their relationship sweet and their banter funny. I did think their relationship happened all of a sudden, one minute Tristan hated them being there and the next Wolf was popping his cherry. And speaking of cherry popping let me say while the chemistry between them was good their first sex scene was long IMO. This is one of my own pet peeves, sex scenes that go on and on…..alright already, lets get on with getting on! Pages of getting clothes off, a couple of pages of getting the condom, next finding lube…how many times did Wolf say “are you sure?”….OMG I am losing interest already!! Maybe i am just a bit impatient and this is probably just me, but that irritated me. Ok, I am moving on from my little rant….
The writing in this was easy to follow and I think Ms. Ford is quite the talented writer. I loved the supporting characters, from the Hellsinger’s investigators, Mara the housekeeper, I really loved the dog and the red ball.
I love paranormal stories and I definitely enjoyed this one, it’s not as serious a paranormal book as the last series i just finished more Ghostbusters, but entertaining nonetheless. I will definitely be checking out the authors other books. Quite good!
Tristan is a wonderfully sweet, innocent character. Easy to like and love, shy awkward and quite virginal when it came to men and sex. Wolf was handsome, skeptical, and sexy. I found their relationship sweet and their banter funny. I did think their relationship happened all of a sudden, one minute Tristan hated them being there and the next Wolf was popping his cherry. And speaking of cherry popping let me say while the chemistry between them was good their first sex scene was long IMO. This is one of my own pet peeves, sex scenes that go on and on…..alright already, lets get on with getting on! Pages of getting clothes off, a couple of pages of getting the condom, next finding lube…how many times did Wolf say “are you sure?”….OMG I am losing interest already!! Maybe i am just a bit impatient and this is probably just me, but that irritated me. Ok, I am moving on from my little rant….
The writing in this was easy to follow and I think Ms. Ford is quite the talented writer. I loved the supporting characters, from the Hellsinger’s investigators, Mara the housekeeper, I really loved the dog and the red ball.
I love paranormal stories and I definitely enjoyed this one, it’s not as serious a paranormal book as the last series i just finished more Ghostbusters, but entertaining nonetheless. I will definitely be checking out the authors other books. Quite good!
January 3, 2014
I really stepped in it when I started this book and then was continually interrupted. That usually doesn't bode well. However, this book just kept entertaining me, even with all the interruptions. The MCs and the secondary characters were fleshed out and so much fun. There are many funny lines and even funnier scenes. It's absolutely the kind of book I like to recommend highly to my friends. You won't regret reading this little jewel.
June 3, 2022
Clever and funny. When you're in the mood for an interesting paranormal romance, I promise you'll thoroughly enjoy Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford. Nobody describes MM loving better than Rhys Ford, and where better than in this creative ghost motel.
Audio version beautifully performed by Tristan James.
Audio version beautifully performed by Tristan James.
July 29, 2015
I really enjoyed this. Its been in my TBR forever! And thanks to a push from some friends to read some Rhys. I'm glad I did. I so get it.. I've been on real life ghost hunts and they are insane, crazy, fun and yea at times super scary. Can't wait to start the next one hopefully soon.
January 10, 2016
I thought it was about time to read another Rhys Ford series. I've had this book on my Kindle for ages now... I really enjoyed it! It was witty and a little ridiculous, and altogether fun. I'm looking forward to delving into the next book :)
October 18, 2015
*** 3,5 ghostly stars ***
Audio edition.
-- Narrated by Tristan James --
Overall: 3,5 stars
Performance: 3 stars
Story: 3,5 stars
Audio edition.
-- Narrated by Tristan James --
Overall: 3,5 stars
Performance: 3 stars
Story: 3,5 stars
July 21, 2017
Darum geht’s:
Tristan hat von seinem Onkel Mortimer das Familienanwesen geerbt und führt dort die sehr spezielle Arbeit des Onkels fort – regelmäßig checken Geister in die Gästezimmer ein, um von dort aus den Weg ins Jenseits anzutreten. Der Rest der Familie glaubt nicht an Geister und möchte selbst Zugriff auf das Familienvermögen bekommen. Die beste Chance dafür ist, Tristan für geisteskrank zu erklären – was nicht schwer erscheint, denn Tristan behauptet ja, Geister zu sehen. Dr. Wolf Kincaid soll mit seiner Firma Hellsinger Investigations beweisen, dass es – natürlich – keine Geister auf Hoxne Grange gibt. Er zieht mit seinen beiden Mitarbeitern ein und baut seine technischen Geräte in der Villa auf, um alles, was dort passiert, wissenschaftlich zu erklären.
So fand ich’s:
Tristan ist ein bisschen verschroben, aber weder dumm noch unsympathisch. Und er scheint sich gar nicht darüber im Klaren zu sein, wie sexy er ist. Zumindest kommt das Wolf Kincaid so vor und er verfällt recht schnell Tristans speziellem Charme. Und Tristan scheint trotz seiner Unerfahrenheit selbst auch nicht abgeneigt, Wolf näher kennenzulernen.
Alles prima, wenn da nicht die Geister wären, die nur Tristan sieht und Wolfs Auftrag, diese Geistergeschichte als Spinnerei zu entlarven. Denn leider gibt es einen Geist, der sich nicht an die Regel hält, dass Fisch und Geister nach drei Tagen anfangen zu stinken und es damit Zeit wird, wieder zu verschwinden.
Wolf und Tristan haben einen völlig unterschiedlichen Hintergrund, wie sie mit Geistern in Kontakt kamen und das Übernatürliche zu ihrem Lebensinhalt gemacht haben. Es macht Spaß mitzuverfolgen, wie verschieden sie mit den Erscheinungen umgehen. Und noch viel mehr Spaß macht es zu sehen, wie die beiden sich zuerst kräftig kabbeln und sich dann doch recht flott ineinander verlieben.
Ab und zu war mir die Erzählung einen Hauch zu ausführlich und dass Tristan regelmäßig als „the blond“ bezeichnet wurde, nervte mich auch ein bisschen. Aber abgesehen von diesen kleinen persönlichen Irritationen, hat mir dieser Einstieg in die „Hellsinger“-Reihe sehr gut gefallen. Es gab Geister-Action, Humor und eine süße Liebesgeschichte mit dem niedlichen Tristan, den ein Hauch von Unschuld umweht und den man sofort gern haben muss – und diese Kombination hat mir richtig gut gefallen.
Tristan hat von seinem Onkel Mortimer das Familienanwesen geerbt und führt dort die sehr spezielle Arbeit des Onkels fort – regelmäßig checken Geister in die Gästezimmer ein, um von dort aus den Weg ins Jenseits anzutreten. Der Rest der Familie glaubt nicht an Geister und möchte selbst Zugriff auf das Familienvermögen bekommen. Die beste Chance dafür ist, Tristan für geisteskrank zu erklären – was nicht schwer erscheint, denn Tristan behauptet ja, Geister zu sehen. Dr. Wolf Kincaid soll mit seiner Firma Hellsinger Investigations beweisen, dass es – natürlich – keine Geister auf Hoxne Grange gibt. Er zieht mit seinen beiden Mitarbeitern ein und baut seine technischen Geräte in der Villa auf, um alles, was dort passiert, wissenschaftlich zu erklären.
So fand ich’s:
Tristan ist ein bisschen verschroben, aber weder dumm noch unsympathisch. Und er scheint sich gar nicht darüber im Klaren zu sein, wie sexy er ist. Zumindest kommt das Wolf Kincaid so vor und er verfällt recht schnell Tristans speziellem Charme. Und Tristan scheint trotz seiner Unerfahrenheit selbst auch nicht abgeneigt, Wolf näher kennenzulernen.
Alles prima, wenn da nicht die Geister wären, die nur Tristan sieht und Wolfs Auftrag, diese Geistergeschichte als Spinnerei zu entlarven. Denn leider gibt es einen Geist, der sich nicht an die Regel hält, dass Fisch und Geister nach drei Tagen anfangen zu stinken und es damit Zeit wird, wieder zu verschwinden.
Wolf und Tristan haben einen völlig unterschiedlichen Hintergrund, wie sie mit Geistern in Kontakt kamen und das Übernatürliche zu ihrem Lebensinhalt gemacht haben. Es macht Spaß mitzuverfolgen, wie verschieden sie mit den Erscheinungen umgehen. Und noch viel mehr Spaß macht es zu sehen, wie die beiden sich zuerst kräftig kabbeln und sich dann doch recht flott ineinander verlieben.
Ab und zu war mir die Erzählung einen Hauch zu ausführlich und dass Tristan regelmäßig als „the blond“ bezeichnet wurde, nervte mich auch ein bisschen. Aber abgesehen von diesen kleinen persönlichen Irritationen, hat mir dieser Einstieg in die „Hellsinger“-Reihe sehr gut gefallen. Es gab Geister-Action, Humor und eine süße Liebesgeschichte mit dem niedlichen Tristan, den ein Hauch von Unschuld umweht und den man sofort gern haben muss – und diese Kombination hat mir richtig gut gefallen.
February 10, 2014
I LOVE RHYS FORD!!! I swear every book I read just puts a smile on my face. *insert shit eating grin here* Tristan is beyond adorable and oh yeah, is Wolf yummy! Insert a ghost or two, a couple of sex crazed duck and run sidekicks, and one whirlwind of a mother and you have a recipe for fun and craziness you just can’t put down.
Wolf Kincaid is a died in the wool skeptic. He may spend his life chasing down ghosts and working to debunk the supernatural, but he has yet to see one thing that would give him absolute proof that ghosts exist. The people who play off the fears of people and use the ghost stories for their own profit just piss him off. His newest assignment, proving there are no ghosts at Hoxne Grange seems like the next perfect stop. He’s been hired by the owner’s aunt to show that there are no ghosts and prove that her nephew is just a tad bit crazy. Of course they claim it’s all for his own good.
Tristan Pryce has been able to see and speak to ghosts his entire life. But up until he met his Uncle Mortimer it was always something to be absolutely ashamed about and kept hidden. His parents certainly never understood when he’d be screaming about something only he could see. But his Uncle Mortimer understood and provided him a safe haven. When he died he left his estate Hoxne Grange to Tristan, charging him to continue managing the inn for the dearly departed once he was gone. The estate is a functioning inn for ghosts to spend their final nights before moving on to whatever greater thing comes after. Now his other uncle is insisting he left these ghost hunters from Hellsinger come in and prove one way or another that the ghosts he sees everyday truly exist. Of course the answer his uncle expects certainly isn’t the one Tristan knows to be true. But at the same time he didn’t expect to be stunned stupid by the handsome man walking in his door.
Ghosts, spooks, poltergeists and more!!! Oh man I just loved the creativity of this world. Tristan is adorable as the young proprietor of a spectral inn. His conversations with unseen ghosts were so cute and fun, his cook that returns ever Tuesday to ask for her job again among them. He’s perfectly content tending his inn and drawing his monsters for children. (I love what Tris does for a living! So cute!) Of course he needed a hot flesh and blood man to make his life complete though. Living amongst a house full of people you can’t touch must not be the most warming sensation in the world.
Wolf is the perfect match for Tristan too! I mean his skepticism is actually a wonderful foil for tripping upon the reality of the situation. I loved his family background that has driven him to be so passionate about finding the truth and proof. Besides his mom is a crack up. I absolutely adored Wolf’s relationship with Jack. Oh my god I giggled every time he threw that damn ball for the ghost dog. And of course when Tris and Wolf do finally come together it’s hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!!!
The supporting cast of characters here were wonderful, ghost dogs, special housekeepers, and one lazy wolfhound included. :D Boris’ sheer laziness and cowardly hiding was so sweet. Poor puppy! Of course Wolf’s assistant’s Matt and Gidget were wonderfully enthusiastic and bumbling. I loved what occurred because of their energetic fight. I mean how else are you going to release a hundred plus year old Grandmother serial killer back into the world. And Winifred was wonderfully suitably scary! Certainly not the sort of haunting I’d want to have existing in my household. Scaring away all the good paying guests with her nasty brand of evil. Naughty, naughty! Of course Wolf’s wonderfully eccentric handful of a mother was adorable and kooky in all the best ways. The final confrontation was exactly the blend of frenetic insanity and brilliance one needed to solve everything.
I think my only complaint here is we never got any resolution with Tristan’s family since Wolf isn’t going to be the one reporting back that ghosts don’t exist. Still I absolutely loved the ending and the reveal that I just knew had to be coming and was very satisfied to have confirmed.
There is such warmth to Rhys' writing. The characters are well rounded and the stories fleshed out. All together I really enjoyed everything about this story. It’s a fascinating concept and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in future books. This series is definitely going on my must read list!
Wolf Kincaid is a died in the wool skeptic. He may spend his life chasing down ghosts and working to debunk the supernatural, but he has yet to see one thing that would give him absolute proof that ghosts exist. The people who play off the fears of people and use the ghost stories for their own profit just piss him off. His newest assignment, proving there are no ghosts at Hoxne Grange seems like the next perfect stop. He’s been hired by the owner’s aunt to show that there are no ghosts and prove that her nephew is just a tad bit crazy. Of course they claim it’s all for his own good.
Tristan Pryce has been able to see and speak to ghosts his entire life. But up until he met his Uncle Mortimer it was always something to be absolutely ashamed about and kept hidden. His parents certainly never understood when he’d be screaming about something only he could see. But his Uncle Mortimer understood and provided him a safe haven. When he died he left his estate Hoxne Grange to Tristan, charging him to continue managing the inn for the dearly departed once he was gone. The estate is a functioning inn for ghosts to spend their final nights before moving on to whatever greater thing comes after. Now his other uncle is insisting he left these ghost hunters from Hellsinger come in and prove one way or another that the ghosts he sees everyday truly exist. Of course the answer his uncle expects certainly isn’t the one Tristan knows to be true. But at the same time he didn’t expect to be stunned stupid by the handsome man walking in his door.
Ghosts, spooks, poltergeists and more!!! Oh man I just loved the creativity of this world. Tristan is adorable as the young proprietor of a spectral inn. His conversations with unseen ghosts were so cute and fun, his cook that returns ever Tuesday to ask for her job again among them. He’s perfectly content tending his inn and drawing his monsters for children. (I love what Tris does for a living! So cute!) Of course he needed a hot flesh and blood man to make his life complete though. Living amongst a house full of people you can’t touch must not be the most warming sensation in the world.
Wolf is the perfect match for Tristan too! I mean his skepticism is actually a wonderful foil for tripping upon the reality of the situation. I loved his family background that has driven him to be so passionate about finding the truth and proof. Besides his mom is a crack up. I absolutely adored Wolf’s relationship with Jack. Oh my god I giggled every time he threw that damn ball for the ghost dog. And of course when Tris and Wolf do finally come together it’s hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!!!
The supporting cast of characters here were wonderful, ghost dogs, special housekeepers, and one lazy wolfhound included. :D Boris’ sheer laziness and cowardly hiding was so sweet. Poor puppy! Of course Wolf’s assistant’s Matt and Gidget were wonderfully enthusiastic and bumbling. I loved what occurred because of their energetic fight. I mean how else are you going to release a hundred plus year old Grandmother serial killer back into the world. And Winifred was wonderfully suitably scary! Certainly not the sort of haunting I’d want to have existing in my household. Scaring away all the good paying guests with her nasty brand of evil. Naughty, naughty! Of course Wolf’s wonderfully eccentric handful of a mother was adorable and kooky in all the best ways. The final confrontation was exactly the blend of frenetic insanity and brilliance one needed to solve everything.
I think my only complaint here is we never got any resolution with Tristan’s family since Wolf isn’t going to be the one reporting back that ghosts don’t exist. Still I absolutely loved the ending and the reveal that I just knew had to be coming and was very satisfied to have confirmed.
There is such warmth to Rhys' writing. The characters are well rounded and the stories fleshed out. All together I really enjoyed everything about this story. It’s a fascinating concept and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in future books. This series is definitely going on my must read list!
January 7, 2014
Enter to win a free ebook copy of Fish and Ghosts! Closes 1/11/14 11:59 pm EST!
Tristan Pryce is a reclusive artist who’s caretaker of Hoxne Grange. He can see ghosts and that makes him crazy in the eyes of just about everyone, especially his family who hires Dr. Wolf Kincaid to prove the Grange doesn’t have ghosts. That’s just what Wolf plans to do until his attraction to Tristan and the things that happen at the Grange start to change his priorities. The story takes you on a wild ride by making the peaceful Hoxne Grange into a very dangerous cage for a vindictive ghost… who just happens to be Matt’s, one of Wolf’s technicians, serial killer great-grandmother. She’s much more dangerous than any ghost that’s been in Hoxne Grange and makes her presence known in the chaos she causes for Tristan and his guests, forcing Wolf to call upon his medium mother to put things to rights.
There’s something about Rhys Ford’s writing that always pulls me in. She’s got the gift of writing openings that are action-packed enough to draw you in and keeps you interested. Beyond that, I absolutely adore her characters and how different the main characters end up being. Tristan’s a sweet, sexy but innocent man that captures Wolf’s attention immediately. He’s a mild-mannered guy until you mess with his house. Wolf is different in that I would call him almost ‘loud’ in his skepticism of everything that Tristan represents. He’s tall, dark and dangerous especially when it comes to the trouble he’s brought to Hoxne Grange! The two together are very sweet but very hot and I loved that Tristan pulled out Wolf’s protective instincts while Wolf made Tristan more playful.
As I said, this book was a wild ride. It’s very fast-paced and explores a lot of the spectral beings but also has a good balance of the relationship Tristan and Wolf are discovering. I loved that Tristan and Wolf could be having a very sweet moment and it would be interrupted by something happening. The conflict they have to endure and its resolution was very well done. I don’t want to give any spoilers on that because I think readers will get a kick out of seeing it as it unravels. The secondary characters were loads of fun, especially the dogs that they’re forced to deal with.
I only had two issues with the story. One, we don’t really get a conclusion to how Tristan’s family will deal with the Grange having ghosts but considering this is book one in a series, I fully expect to get my curiosity of that sated in the next novel. Second, I felt like Wolf’s behavior in the beginning, didn’t exactly match up to his behavior and his beliefs after his past was revealed. It was a little hard for me to understand how someone that grew up the way Wolf did would be such a bastard to Tristan’s claims, even after Wolf started believing what Tristan was saying. Granted, I could kind of understand why but it took Wolf a very long time to actually start believing Tristan but there was just something in the way he was acting before everything became clear that just didn’t add up, IMO.
In the end, this was a very fun, fast-paced story. I absolutely adored it, its various characters and everything they ended up going through because of Matt’s crazy bitch of a great-grandmother. It’s got its funny moments, its sweet moments and its sexy moments but it also has Rhys’ trademark suspenseful bomb-dropping moments. Definitely worth the read!
This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site!
Tristan Pryce is a reclusive artist who’s caretaker of Hoxne Grange. He can see ghosts and that makes him crazy in the eyes of just about everyone, especially his family who hires Dr. Wolf Kincaid to prove the Grange doesn’t have ghosts. That’s just what Wolf plans to do until his attraction to Tristan and the things that happen at the Grange start to change his priorities. The story takes you on a wild ride by making the peaceful Hoxne Grange into a very dangerous cage for a vindictive ghost… who just happens to be Matt’s, one of Wolf’s technicians, serial killer great-grandmother. She’s much more dangerous than any ghost that’s been in Hoxne Grange and makes her presence known in the chaos she causes for Tristan and his guests, forcing Wolf to call upon his medium mother to put things to rights.
There’s something about Rhys Ford’s writing that always pulls me in. She’s got the gift of writing openings that are action-packed enough to draw you in and keeps you interested. Beyond that, I absolutely adore her characters and how different the main characters end up being. Tristan’s a sweet, sexy but innocent man that captures Wolf’s attention immediately. He’s a mild-mannered guy until you mess with his house. Wolf is different in that I would call him almost ‘loud’ in his skepticism of everything that Tristan represents. He’s tall, dark and dangerous especially when it comes to the trouble he’s brought to Hoxne Grange! The two together are very sweet but very hot and I loved that Tristan pulled out Wolf’s protective instincts while Wolf made Tristan more playful.
As I said, this book was a wild ride. It’s very fast-paced and explores a lot of the spectral beings but also has a good balance of the relationship Tristan and Wolf are discovering. I loved that Tristan and Wolf could be having a very sweet moment and it would be interrupted by something happening. The conflict they have to endure and its resolution was very well done. I don’t want to give any spoilers on that because I think readers will get a kick out of seeing it as it unravels. The secondary characters were loads of fun, especially the dogs that they’re forced to deal with.
I only had two issues with the story. One, we don’t really get a conclusion to how Tristan’s family will deal with the Grange having ghosts but considering this is book one in a series, I fully expect to get my curiosity of that sated in the next novel. Second, I felt like Wolf’s behavior in the beginning, didn’t exactly match up to his behavior and his beliefs after his past was revealed. It was a little hard for me to understand how someone that grew up the way Wolf did would be such a bastard to Tristan’s claims, even after Wolf started believing what Tristan was saying. Granted, I could kind of understand why but it took Wolf a very long time to actually start believing Tristan but there was just something in the way he was acting before everything became clear that just didn’t add up, IMO.
In the end, this was a very fun, fast-paced story. I absolutely adored it, its various characters and everything they ended up going through because of Matt’s crazy bitch of a great-grandmother. It’s got its funny moments, its sweet moments and its sexy moments but it also has Rhys’ trademark suspenseful bomb-dropping moments. Definitely worth the read!
This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site!
December 2, 2013
I can't believe that in 'Fish and Ghosts', Rhys Ford bought me every dirty, sexy, entertaining little bit of 'what I need' in one book. Sexy men with personalities that flame off the page, hot sex and sensuous encounters, ghost hunters, the paranormal, historical and evocative setting and her usual incredible flair of drawing me into a story and cursing like hell when it finished. She is truly an adept at seducing the reader into her lair like a giant, grinning spider and I'm sure she knows and gives a loud cackle her side of the pond when you get to that final phrase 'The End' and look at it in complete stupefaction. Hell, really, the book's actually damn finished?? Well, crap and crapola.
I am SO glad this is only Book 1 of her new Hellsinger series. Why? Because that means that there's a lot more to look forward to.
Where to begin? I guess with the wonderful, quirky persona of Tristan Pryce, owner of the family mansion Hoxne Grange with its strange and eclective stream of visitors. His snarky, sexy demeanour completely floors the sceptical and wonderfully named Dr.Wolf Kincaid from Hellsinger Investigations, who's come to the Grange to debunk any hanky panky that might be going on there. He's keen to ensure that Tristan is not a con man of note. Wolf is a bad boy, blue eyed, tough and can be a real meanie but when he lays eyes on the gorgeous, blonde, ethereal and yet steel spined Tristan, he knows he's in trouble. So does his groin. Tristan feels the same as about the six foot plus investigator who's been sent to discredit him if possible.
'Running away was the only option, but Tristan stayed as long as he could, gripping the edge of the reception desk so he wouldn't climb over the counter, wrap his legs around Kincaid's, and beg the man to split apart his virgin body with anything Wolf wanted to use on him..."
God, how hot is that?
This sums it all up when they first meet and then Tristan gives his view of why Wolf is there.
'They want me locked up someplace that serves me strawberry Jell-O and pudding, and they hope your report will help them buckle me into a wraparound jacket. I'm not stupid, Dr. Kincaid." The green in his eyes turned emerald, and the air around Wolf grew icy cold."Or crazy."
I loved the supporting characters of Matt and Gidget, two of Wolf's employees, and who are in a relationship together. After all, they're the ones that begin the descent into hell that both Wolf and Tristan find themselves in together as the 'boo-wigglies' are determined to kill them all. And Mara is an absolute treasure..And so the team work together to find the truth which is rather startling and the suspense keeps you on your toes.
Rhys Ford has written yet another incredibly satisfying and entertaining romp between two strong and different men, enveloped in wonderful description of the Grange, the area surrounding it and the unworldly and worldly visitors who come there. Her descriptions make you wish you too had a place like Hoxne Grange for your own, even with the murderous inhabitants. Personally I think they'd add to the ambience :)
I can't say enough good things about this book, except to say Rhys Ford has always been a favourite author and her books continue to amaze and entertain me. She can't write enough books to keep me happy and if she did, I'd probably be bankrupt as I'd have to have them straight away.
So do yourself a favour and let Rhys' inimitable style, writing craft and sizzling, easy way with words take you into another world, one you'll never want to leave.
I am SO glad this is only Book 1 of her new Hellsinger series. Why? Because that means that there's a lot more to look forward to.
Where to begin? I guess with the wonderful, quirky persona of Tristan Pryce, owner of the family mansion Hoxne Grange with its strange and eclective stream of visitors. His snarky, sexy demeanour completely floors the sceptical and wonderfully named Dr.Wolf Kincaid from Hellsinger Investigations, who's come to the Grange to debunk any hanky panky that might be going on there. He's keen to ensure that Tristan is not a con man of note. Wolf is a bad boy, blue eyed, tough and can be a real meanie but when he lays eyes on the gorgeous, blonde, ethereal and yet steel spined Tristan, he knows he's in trouble. So does his groin. Tristan feels the same as about the six foot plus investigator who's been sent to discredit him if possible.
'Running away was the only option, but Tristan stayed as long as he could, gripping the edge of the reception desk so he wouldn't climb over the counter, wrap his legs around Kincaid's, and beg the man to split apart his virgin body with anything Wolf wanted to use on him..."
God, how hot is that?
This sums it all up when they first meet and then Tristan gives his view of why Wolf is there.
'They want me locked up someplace that serves me strawberry Jell-O and pudding, and they hope your report will help them buckle me into a wraparound jacket. I'm not stupid, Dr. Kincaid." The green in his eyes turned emerald, and the air around Wolf grew icy cold."Or crazy."
I loved the supporting characters of Matt and Gidget, two of Wolf's employees, and who are in a relationship together. After all, they're the ones that begin the descent into hell that both Wolf and Tristan find themselves in together as the 'boo-wigglies' are determined to kill them all. And Mara is an absolute treasure..And so the team work together to find the truth which is rather startling and the suspense keeps you on your toes.
Rhys Ford has written yet another incredibly satisfying and entertaining romp between two strong and different men, enveloped in wonderful description of the Grange, the area surrounding it and the unworldly and worldly visitors who come there. Her descriptions make you wish you too had a place like Hoxne Grange for your own, even with the murderous inhabitants. Personally I think they'd add to the ambience :)
I can't say enough good things about this book, except to say Rhys Ford has always been a favourite author and her books continue to amaze and entertain me. She can't write enough books to keep me happy and if she did, I'd probably be bankrupt as I'd have to have them straight away.
So do yourself a favour and let Rhys' inimitable style, writing craft and sizzling, easy way with words take you into another world, one you'll never want to leave.
August 27, 2014
This one started out well, but I ended up having some problems with it.
I liked the premise of a professional debunker sent to discredit a guy who runs an inn for ghosts. I expected an enemies to lovers situation, but they’re never really that adversarial; the attraction starts pretty quickly. And that was one of my problems: other than a physical attraction and Wolf feeling bad for Tristan’s lonely existence, there wasn’t much developed between these two to explain their feelings for each other.
But it was really three writing quirks that annoyed me, and two of these seem to be chronic problems for this writer.
First, the sex scenes are way too long. Luckily there are only two, but the first one goes from the 46% mark to 55%. That’s 30 pages!! Thankfully, the second was only 11 pages – which is still too long. They're also presented as some kind of religious experience with moments like these:
@location 2001 (tasting Tristan): It was if someone poured a drop of silvery-lit night onto his tongue, and Wolf was afraid to swallow, in case he never had the taste of stars in his mouth ever again.
@location 2954 (when penetrated): And it was like winging up to heaven.
This is just not how I imagine two men having sex and with everything described with way too much detail, it’s just not very hot either.
The other problem I’ve encountered in Ms Ford’s books is the use of too many or oddly chosen descriptive words. For example:
@location 1682 (when attacked by a ghost): The logical chunk of gray matter normally in charge scoffed at the nonsense flowering up from his primal fears, carelessly buffing its nails in smug arrogance as it reminded the rest of his consciousness that one did not simply tackle something that had no physical presence.
@location 1800 (concerned that his voice is not conveying his anger): Instead, his traitorous mouth and tongue slid a husky rasp into his words, wrapping a seductive slither around them.
@location 1953 (describing Tristan’s voice): A smear of posh over a tumbled amber voice did something to Wolf’s innards, and every time the man opened his mouth, a pour of heady verbal liquor flowed from between his kissable lips. There was a rich smokiness to the blond’s words, a slow slide of intelligence and sin, as if God took his time carving out a shard of golden moonlight and decided to use it for Tristan’s voice instead.
@location 2964:…his kaleidoscope eyes bled gold…
@location 2968:…caught in the man’s heated-brandy stare…
This kind of language takes me right out of the story. I find myself thinking ‘What??’ and rereading to try to understand what she’s saying or to picture what she’s describing. Maybe some people find this clever, I just find it distracting.
Finally – and it really blows my mind that a professional writer would do this – Tristan is referred to as “the blond” 42 times throughout the book. His blond hair is mentioned an additional 15 times. Talk about taking you out of the story! It really got to be laughable, even occurring more than once on the same page a few times. How did this get by an editor?
Now after all those complaints, I’m giving this 3 stars because overall it was an okay book. Except for the sex scenes, the pacing was good and it was more readable than books I’ve given two stars.
I liked the premise of a professional debunker sent to discredit a guy who runs an inn for ghosts. I expected an enemies to lovers situation, but they’re never really that adversarial; the attraction starts pretty quickly. And that was one of my problems: other than a physical attraction and Wolf feeling bad for Tristan’s lonely existence, there wasn’t much developed between these two to explain their feelings for each other.
But it was really three writing quirks that annoyed me, and two of these seem to be chronic problems for this writer.
First, the sex scenes are way too long. Luckily there are only two, but the first one goes from the 46% mark to 55%. That’s 30 pages!! Thankfully, the second was only 11 pages – which is still too long. They're also presented as some kind of religious experience with moments like these:
@location 2001 (tasting Tristan): It was if someone poured a drop of silvery-lit night onto his tongue, and Wolf was afraid to swallow, in case he never had the taste of stars in his mouth ever again.
@location 2954 (when penetrated): And it was like winging up to heaven.
This is just not how I imagine two men having sex and with everything described with way too much detail, it’s just not very hot either.
The other problem I’ve encountered in Ms Ford’s books is the use of too many or oddly chosen descriptive words. For example:
@location 1682 (when attacked by a ghost): The logical chunk of gray matter normally in charge scoffed at the nonsense flowering up from his primal fears, carelessly buffing its nails in smug arrogance as it reminded the rest of his consciousness that one did not simply tackle something that had no physical presence.
@location 1800 (concerned that his voice is not conveying his anger): Instead, his traitorous mouth and tongue slid a husky rasp into his words, wrapping a seductive slither around them.
@location 1953 (describing Tristan’s voice): A smear of posh over a tumbled amber voice did something to Wolf’s innards, and every time the man opened his mouth, a pour of heady verbal liquor flowed from between his kissable lips. There was a rich smokiness to the blond’s words, a slow slide of intelligence and sin, as if God took his time carving out a shard of golden moonlight and decided to use it for Tristan’s voice instead.
@location 2964:…his kaleidoscope eyes bled gold…
@location 2968:…caught in the man’s heated-brandy stare…
This kind of language takes me right out of the story. I find myself thinking ‘What??’ and rereading to try to understand what she’s saying or to picture what she’s describing. Maybe some people find this clever, I just find it distracting.
Finally – and it really blows my mind that a professional writer would do this – Tristan is referred to as “the blond” 42 times throughout the book. His blond hair is mentioned an additional 15 times. Talk about taking you out of the story! It really got to be laughable, even occurring more than once on the same page a few times. How did this get by an editor?
Now after all those complaints, I’m giving this 3 stars because overall it was an okay book. Except for the sex scenes, the pacing was good and it was more readable than books I’ve given two stars.
January 2, 2014
Synopsis:
When his Uncle Mortimer died and left him Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, Tristan Pryce knew he wasn’t going to have an easy time of it. He was to be the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate, a way station for spirits on their final steps to the afterlife. The ghosts were the simple part. He’d been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child. No, the difficult part was his own family. Determined to establish Tristan’s insanity, his loving relatives hire Dr. Wolf Kincaid and his paranormal researchers, Hellsinger Investigations, to prove the Grange is not haunted.
Skeptic Wolf Kincaid has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. After years of cons and fakes, he can’t wait to reveal the Grange’s ghostly activity is just badly leveled floorboards and a drafty old house. The Grange has more than a few surprises for him, including its prickly, reclusive owner. Tristan Pryce is much less insane and much more attractive than Wolf wants to admit and when his Hellsinger team unwittingly release a ghostly serial killer on the Grange, Wolf is torn between his skepticism and protecting the man he’d been sent to discredit.
My Thoughts:
4.5 stars
Another Rhys Ford hit. I love her work.
I very much liked both Tristan and Wolf, even when they start off practically at each others throats. Wolf is so used to finding out that people are faking their hauntings that he doesn't believe that Tristan is really checking in ghostly guests into his inn. Tristan is so used to always seeing dead folks that he's none to happy at Wolf and his team coming in to prove that he's nuts like his family says he is. What neither of them expect is to be so attracted to each other.
Still, despite the fact that Wolf doesn't believe Tristan, he can't seem to help but want to protect the guy. And he definitely wants in his pants. It takes them a little while, but they do get there and both of them seem prepared to stay with each other. Tristan was still a bit iffy on it, but considering his life up until he met Wolf, that was understandable. Besides, he didn't do stupid crap to try to push Wolf away.
Things really take a turn once Gidget throws the engagement ring Matt gave her into the folly on the Grange's property. That's when Wolf really starts believing. He'd started to a little bit prior to that once he starts seeing a ghost dog, but the arrival of Winifred on the scene made it pretty hard to deny things any longer. That was one crazy ghost. Seriously, talk about insanity. And then Wolf's mom shows up. That woman is her own brand of crazy, but at least it's the fun kind of crazy.
I really enjoyed reading this. Totally in love with Wolf and Tristan and I'd love to see them again. I'm sure there's more craziness that they can get up to. Plus, with as many references to Wolf's family (and especially his cousin Cin), I wouldn't be surprised if more of them pop over to the Grange. And I want to know what Wolf put into his report to Tris's uncle. Will Tristan family back off about trying to get him out of the Grange? I'd really like to know.
When his Uncle Mortimer died and left him Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, Tristan Pryce knew he wasn’t going to have an easy time of it. He was to be the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate, a way station for spirits on their final steps to the afterlife. The ghosts were the simple part. He’d been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child. No, the difficult part was his own family. Determined to establish Tristan’s insanity, his loving relatives hire Dr. Wolf Kincaid and his paranormal researchers, Hellsinger Investigations, to prove the Grange is not haunted.
Skeptic Wolf Kincaid has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. After years of cons and fakes, he can’t wait to reveal the Grange’s ghostly activity is just badly leveled floorboards and a drafty old house. The Grange has more than a few surprises for him, including its prickly, reclusive owner. Tristan Pryce is much less insane and much more attractive than Wolf wants to admit and when his Hellsinger team unwittingly release a ghostly serial killer on the Grange, Wolf is torn between his skepticism and protecting the man he’d been sent to discredit.
My Thoughts:
4.5 stars
Another Rhys Ford hit. I love her work.
I very much liked both Tristan and Wolf, even when they start off practically at each others throats. Wolf is so used to finding out that people are faking their hauntings that he doesn't believe that Tristan is really checking in ghostly guests into his inn. Tristan is so used to always seeing dead folks that he's none to happy at Wolf and his team coming in to prove that he's nuts like his family says he is. What neither of them expect is to be so attracted to each other.
Still, despite the fact that Wolf doesn't believe Tristan, he can't seem to help but want to protect the guy. And he definitely wants in his pants. It takes them a little while, but they do get there and both of them seem prepared to stay with each other. Tristan was still a bit iffy on it, but considering his life up until he met Wolf, that was understandable. Besides, he didn't do stupid crap to try to push Wolf away.
Things really take a turn once Gidget throws the engagement ring Matt gave her into the folly on the Grange's property. That's when Wolf really starts believing. He'd started to a little bit prior to that once he starts seeing a ghost dog, but the arrival of Winifred on the scene made it pretty hard to deny things any longer. That was one crazy ghost. Seriously, talk about insanity. And then Wolf's mom shows up. That woman is her own brand of crazy, but at least it's the fun kind of crazy.
I really enjoyed reading this. Totally in love with Wolf and Tristan and I'd love to see them again. I'm sure there's more craziness that they can get up to. Plus, with as many references to Wolf's family (and especially his cousin Cin), I wouldn't be surprised if more of them pop over to the Grange. And I want to know what Wolf put into his report to Tris's uncle. Will Tristan family back off about trying to get him out of the Grange? I'd really like to know.
February 9, 2014
Insta-love and a lame ghost story I very much wanted to like this.
But it was pretty much a miss the moment the two MCs met...aaaaand the "magic" happened. This kind of instant attraction with ensuing feelings right away just doesn't feel realistic - and is simply not interesting. I feel cheated because the most interesting part in a love story is missing. Also major flowery language in delicate situations - major eyerolls on my part.
I also disliked the way Tristan was always called "the blond", "the long-legged blond", "the slim blond" etc. I didn't like that he was a virgin and the dynamic between them felt off for me. He was basically a damsel in distress.
The whole ghost storyline was very illogical and just not very interesting. There was no mystery to it, the resolution came before the problems really started, so a lot of tension and suspense was given away.
I guess the whole crazy family theme was supposed to be funny, but it really wasn't. And sorry, but no matter how open minded you are, you don't ask your mother to bring you condoms and lube. Really not.
But it was pretty much a miss the moment the two MCs met...aaaaand the "magic" happened. This kind of instant attraction with ensuing feelings right away just doesn't feel realistic - and is simply not interesting. I feel cheated because the most interesting part in a love story is missing. Also major flowery language in delicate situations - major eyerolls on my part.
I also disliked the way Tristan was always called "the blond", "the long-legged blond", "the slim blond" etc. I didn't like that he was a virgin and the dynamic between them felt off for me. He was basically a damsel in distress.
The whole ghost storyline was very illogical and just not very interesting. There was no mystery to it, the resolution came before the problems really started, so a lot of tension and suspense was given away.
I guess the whole crazy family theme was supposed to be funny, but it really wasn't. And sorry, but no matter how open minded you are, you don't ask your mother to bring you condoms and lube. Really not.
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