Ghost House

by Jacqueline Grey

One night in a haunted house thrusts Andrew Hollenbeck into the center of a sixty-year-old curse. In his dreams, he meets a mysterious stranger named Caius. With each recurring dream, the connection between them grows. But it is one thing to fall for someone you cannot have, it is something else entirely to fall for a person who doesn't exist. Or does he?

Details from Andrew's dreams are seeping into reality, in the form of books he's never seen before and a terrifying creature called the Snake. He wants to believe that Caius could be real too, but waking Caius with a kiss would only be the beginning of their story.

Caius is a sorcerer who cursed people in the past, and he's been trapped in the dream as punishment for his crimes. Andrew doesn't think Caius is evil, but if he were to awaken, would he be the charming man Andrew knows? Or a villain in disguise?

A Fairy Tale.

Genres: Paranormal, Ghosts, M M Romance, Romance, Fantasy

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

Jacqueline Grey is a bit of a Jack-of-all-trades. She has many different interests and if you asked her what her job was the answer would be a list, even if she gave you the simplified version. She spends her days juggling work with her many hobbies which include dancing, aerial silks, sewing, cosplay, role-playing, drinking tea, and above all, writing. She currently lives on an island on the east coast of the United States. She loves to read and write male/male erotic romance, usually focusing on stories that include BDSM themes to one degree or another.

Reviews

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoyed!!

-----------Orig Review Oct 2019--------------
That. Was. Amazing! 

Story time... This past week at GRL, I witnessed a rather amazing and delightful thing -- an attendee (who I won't name, but it was quite the dramatic entrance and I fucking loved it) who had just finished Ghost House ran up to Jacqueline Grey and collapsed at her feet and gushed about this book for several minutes. I decided right then to move Ghost House up on my TBR to read next. I regret nothing. Ghost House sucked me in from the first chapter and I finished it the same day.

Blending fairy tales with ghost stories and lacing it all with magic, Jacqueline Gray has created a delightful story about finding love and learning from one's past. I loved every moment and could not put Ghost House down.

Definitely recommended!!

[Susan]

DNF at 50%

While the story was kind of intriguing and it could have been an interesting story, I couldn't get over the fact how unlikable all the characters were. Even the side characters were terrible.

I really wanted Andrew to grow a spince, since it looked like he didn't have one. He didn't tell his father he didn't want to work in his company, he also didn't tell his parents he didn't want to study business, and then he refused to tell anyone he was gay. Even though he mentions several times that his two best friends would be okay with it.

When the two friend figure out Andrew has a crush, they keep asking him who the girl is and harrass him about it constantly. Andrew just goes with it and never once corrects them about the gender of his crush.

I also thought it weird that Andrew had a crush on his best friend Jason, and that this was mentioned quite often. He even had to explain it to Caius, the cursed sorcered who was the love interest. I still don't get why this detail was included in the story. Why did Andrew had to have a crush on Jason? Why did we had to witness Andrew getting hot and bothered seeing Jason naked after the shower? If he isn't the love interest, just don't include things like this....

I gave up after Andrew broke Caius' curse and I still had half the book to go. It is vaguely mentioned that there is no such thing as a happy ever after (even though there will probably be one at the end of the book, I wasn't a fan of the suggestion that these guys had some suffering to do first).

Overall I don't think this author and I mesh very well.

[Denise GremoryKohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the blurb for this made me want to read it. I was thrilled to get an arc through LesCourt to read. Imagine my surprise as I started reading and realized it was so much more than a simple haunted house. A complex storyline with many exciting layers and well thought out characters with deep emotions. Yes even Charlie though we don’t get to see his true depth. Once I started I didn’t want to stop reading. I am definitely going to be keeping an eye on this author. This was a beautiful gem of a read and I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Patricia Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has got to be one of the most unconventional, grab-you-by-the-feels, fantastic, fascinating, simmering, mysterious, amazing, more twists and turns than a roller coaster, where nothing and no one is what they appear to be, and totally awesome twist on the traditional fairytale that I've read in quite some time. I was hooked from beginning to end, and I can't wait to see what happens next with this new-to-me author.

[❤Sharonica-Logic❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

💕👻PHANTOM-tastic!!!👻💕


Title: Ghost 👻 House: A Fairy Tale
Author: Jacqueline Grey
Release Date: 9/24/2019
Genre/ Trope(s): Gay Romance; PNR;
Page Count: 244p.
SteaMMy Swordplay: 2 out of 5⚔
Sharonica-Stars: 5 out of 5✨
GoodReads AVG: 4.44🌟


MMy Thoughts and Review:
I have a confession... I am one of those people who will skip a blurb and read a book solely based on the cover of the genre is right. That is precisely what happened with, Ghost House. I was so intrigued by the cover I just had to read it when the ARC came my way.

That being said when the book began I thought perhaps I had made a mistake as the opening scene involves a group of college kids, flashlights, alcohol, and a "haunted house." The group are going to spend the night in the derelict mansion, because no slasher story ever began that way in the history of books and film, right? !?!😂😂😂

Anyway, as the story unfolds and our young MC, Andrew begins to experience things through his dreams, many other aspects of his life are effected.

Andrew meets another man in these dreams, and it is this man who has the greatest effect on him, both in and out of sleep. The more Andrew learns however, the more he begins to wonder if Caius is real, and if he is, is he good or evil?

I thought this book was brilliant! It was smart, imaginative, and held me spellbound til the very end. It has a bit of a Gothic vibe to it, with a bit of old Vincent Price movie flare. Of all the books I have read this year, this is definitely one of the most original.

***For those who don't like a lot of steaMMy Swordplay, there is one scene and it takes place at the very end.***

If you don't read another PNR this year, you MUST read this one!😍

5 if-dreams-were-wishes-stars

I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review. 💋

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Ghost House was an interesting mix of semi-instalove, suspense, and melodrama. Grey frames this as a fairy tale and I think I can generally agree with that. For one thing, I never really understood how/why Andrew/Caius worked. Clearly, the fact that Andrew saves Caius from the curse is meant to bolster their connection. However, I never got the impression these two really connected on a deeply emotional level. Part of the trouble for me was the way Andrew often seemed to act like a “fair weather” boyfriend. That is, when things were going well between then, it never mattered that Caius had cursed his former lovers. However, when Andrew was specifically reminded of/presented with evidence that Caius had cursed former lover, Andrew automatically associates “curse” with “evil” and never seems to give Caius the benefit of the doubt, even after we learn at least one of these curses was retribution for Caius having been cheated on. It was equally frustrating that Caius takes a “I don’t have to explain my reasons to you” attitude. As annoying as this flip-flopping was, there always seemed to be some aspect of the curse and the Snake character who cast the curse that drew me back into the story despite the melodrama between the romantic leads.

Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.

[Janeylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me author, but won't be my last. Andrew & his college buddies decide to spend the night in the haunted house near campus. What they don't really know is that, it really is haunted. Caius was cursed a very long time ago into a dream state for a crime he may or may not have committed. Somehow Andrew ends up in the dream & meets Caius & his rent boys. The house was a gay bordello back in the day & run by Caius. Caius is a sorcerer who was a very arrogant, entitled snob. As Andrew continues to dream about Caius, he comes to realize that he is real and that he has to save him. He meets characters from that long ago time & some of the ones that Caius cursed into different things; ie one of the boys is cursed as a fragile woman, one is a frog, one is a snake, etc. Before Andrew finds out the reason for some of them being cursed as they are, he is horrified. While he is trying to help Caius he is also wanting to stand up to his dad as he does not want to follow down the path that he has laid out for him, as well as wanting to work up the courage to come out to his parents. There was so much going on & I did enjoy it. The only thing I would have liked is to find out what happened to some of the cursed that we meet. Did they learn their lessons?

ARC provided by LesCourt Services in exchange for an honest review.

[aj! · Rating 1 out of 5]

oh boy this was bad! highlights:

- characters do not talk differently than one another
- no chemistry between leads
- andrew learns that caius cursed a man to be in the body of a woman, and it is implied caius used the curse to make sure that the man in the female body would be SAed. though it is later revealed that this was not the case, that caius had cursed a r@pist to become a woman, it takes 50ish pages for andrew to ask about this, and within those 50ish pages he is truly delighted to continue his relationship with caius with no qualms. what?!?
- suddenly became a home renovation book halfway through
- forced outing!
- ends with a sex scene. what is with independently published romance novels and having no sex until literally like the last 10 pages and then making that the climax (lol) of the book

anyway. this was bad.

[kuro_puppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book from this author and won’t be my last! I loved this 😍

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of different facets running through the storyline. The main characters are fairly well developed, the world building is creative, and the writing style is smooth and flows nicely.

Andrew is a business major unsure of what he wants to be when he grows up. What he does know is that he doesn't want to join his father's consulting firm, he's had a crush on his best friend for years, and he's scared to death of confrontation. When his friend Charlie convinces Andrew and their friends to follow the campus tradition of sneaking into Ghost House and spending the night, Andrew goes along, but doesn't expect anything to happen.

But that night is when the dreams begin. Realistic dreams that are obviously set in the bygone days of the Ghost House when it was in business. However, when he dreams during the day, he meets Caius, an intriguing man who invites him to join him for tea. He learns that the bordello catered solely to men, and that he is becoming increasingly obsessed with seeing Caius. However, when he angers Caius, he is forced out of the dream world, and not allowed back in.

He tries to learn more about the mystery that is Ghost House, but learns little more than the age of the business and the true name, The Cut Sleeve. When he can't stand the silent treatment any longer, he returns to the house, but finds the snake, one of Caius's former lovers. You see, there is more to Caius than meets the eye, and Andrew can't decide if he is good or evil; only that he is a self-proclaimed sorcerer who has cursed those who he feels have done some wrong against him.

It turns out that the snake sought revenge and cursed Caius in return. He has been trapped in dreams of the past for the last sixty years. Now, Andrew must decide if setting Caius free is the right thing to do; even though selfishly he wants him in the real world for himself. He chooses to take a chance on Caius's goodness, and releases him from his long sleep. This angers the snake greatly, and he does many things to try to ruin their happiness.

Along the way, Andrew must deal with normal life, too. Coming out to his friends, dealing with the fallout of the snakes vendetta against Caius, and facing his worst fear; disappointing his father. Eventually, everything comes to light, though not without some serious relationship issues with the sorcerer. But, when Caius takes Andrew's advice regarding the snake, and Andrew is brave enough to open up about his thoughts with his father, everything comes together.

This is definitely a slow burn romance, although not necessarily by choice. The intervention of the meddling snake, and an untimely illness in the dorms, keep the two men from more than a few stolen kisses until the very end. The innocence of Andrew and the unexpected emotions for Caius make the intimacy all the sweeter. And as they agree, it is not a happily ever after, but a happy beginning to the rest of their lives.

Happy reading!

* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *

[Devoted❤️Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew and his friends sneak into a haunted house, Ghost House, with the hopes of seeing a ghost or two. While spending the night in the house Andrew begins to have strange dreams of the house in the past, including encounters with a mysterious, handsome stranger. The dreams follow him into his everyday life. Caius, the owner of Ghost House and a sorcerer who’s known for his curses, is now stuck in his own curse. Can Andrew free him and what will happen if he does?

Andrew and Caius are both understandably leery of each other. Andrew because he isn’t sure he can trust what’s happening to him, and Caius because while he desperately wants love has only been let down in the past with previous relationships. To add to their troubles, a scary villain, known as the Snake, adds an air of danger as he continually complicates the burgeoning relationship between Caius and Andrew.

I liked how Jacqueline Grey referenced other well-known stories in this book and gave the Sleeping Beauty myth a new twist with the paranormal. Even though it took a while for Andrew and Caius to get together, I enjoyed their journey. From the ending, it sounds like more will be in store for the characters and we will see them again.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew and his friends break into the “Ghost House” to see if the rumors that it’s haunted are true. What they all get is an uncomfortable night sleeping on the floor. However Andrew has a strange dream that he thinks is just that. When the dreams come again and again his life turns a little strange.

Caius is always in his dreams, along with a beast, a toad, a snake man, and various other oddities. Andrew realizes that Caius might be real but if he is so is the snake man. Andrew has to figure out what’s real. Is Caius good or is he evil like the snake man says?

This story had several fairy tales woven into it. I guess Caius is sleeping beauty. I thought the story was inventive and the characters were fleshed out. I like how the house itself seemed to have a personality. I haven’t read this author before and I enjoyed the writing.

I received an arc of this book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new author to me so I picked it up for curiousity sake.

For the tone, it’s a new adult title, the live characters are college students.

It has all the things I love. A ghost story, haunted house, and a sarcastic grumpy sorcerer and a curse solved by the most basic and awesome of ways.

It definitely had the gothic overtones that intrigue and the characters were very likeable.
Andrew was trying so hard to be everything everyone wanted that he lost himself.
He found himself through his affection and love of Caius.
Caius was very much true to himself and it was awesome.

At heart, it was definitely a fairy tale and how Andrew was the one who saved the damsel but in the end, well. read the book.

[Jennifer Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacqueline is new to me and I hope she comes out with more in this series. I found myself not putting the book down and even wrote to her asking for more. She sucked me right on in.

Andrew is a college student that goes to the Ghost House with his friends. While there he has a dream of Caius. Caius was cursed a very long time ago and communicates with Andrew while he sleeps. There is a connection there but is Caius good or evil as we learn be curses many others in past.

Andrew is also struggling with his coming out and standing up to his father about his future.

I loved the story. I want more. I want more of these guys and the guys of ghost house that have been cursed. Keeping my eyes open for future books.

[Rachwithheadinabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

I really wasn’t sure when I started this new to me authors book, in fact I very nearly put it down, but I am glad that I persevered as after a chapter or two I was hooked. A haunted house, a cursed sorcerer Caius, ghosts and slightly naive, drifting college student Andrew who has the power to save Caius.

Throughout this book I thought that Andrew was content to stick his head in the sand until made to confront the problems that he faces. Caius was aloof, mischievous, And a bit of a snob. I liked how well the characters are developed on the interesting world that this story in habits. I would have liked to have found out what happened to some of the other cursed characters but overall this was a lovely read, highly enjoyable.

[Edga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by Jacqueline Grey and I'll definitely be looking for more of her books. I quite enjoyed this story, Caius is so arrogant and has embraced and used his “cursed gift” as payback against those people who have hurt him in his past.

Andrew is drawn into Caius' world, he comes across as a really good guy , as he fights to save Cauis. Also, although there are ghosts present in the story, it's not a simple ghost story. There's a lot more going on. It's quite an interesting take on the supernatural.

The writing is good, as is the story development. The characters are interesting, especially Caius. I loved the relationship between him and Andrew. Worth a read.

[Xochitl · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I received this book as an ARC I expected a scary story, but nothing is further from the truth. The story has some scary moments but it is mainly a romantic fairy tale based in some of the classics. Of course evil is defeated and Andrew and Caius got their HEA. The interesting part is their happy ending got confronted with reality and survived making the plot more interesting. I would like to read more about this characters. Great reading, nice fairy tale!! Loved it!
This is my honest opinion.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost House by Jacqueline Grey is modern day m/m fairy tale. This is a wonderful read.... suspense, drama, magic, steam, humor and sweet romance... this book was filled with well written story and intriguing characters. Andrew and Caius are great characters who definitely had chemistry together. Definitely kept me engaged.

[Maria771 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Andrew and Caius. I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the fynamic of this book. It is written wonderfully. It has a interesting plot. I just wish more info was available on somevof the other charavters i. e. did they learn their lessons. This book is full of layers which I love. Great read.

I received this book as an Arc and I am reviewing it voluntarily.

[Violet Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spellbinding book with good writing. This book was different than I expected, and I enjoyed it. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters intriguing. The characters were developed and thought out. I can recommend this book as a good read. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Georgiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing and a bit complex storyline.

Andrew and Caius are well developed characters. I loved the slow-burn romance. This was a very imaginative story with great world building that held my attention to the end. There was suspense, mystery, drama, humor, magic, and of course romance.

This was my first book by Jacqueline Grey and won’t be my last.

[Kitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this modern, paranormal fantasy-mystery. The story is very inventive, with a mix of magic/sorcery, haunted dreamscapes, and enough mystery to make you question what is dream and what is reality. Great writing from this new-to-me author. I look forward to more of her work.

I received a complimentary ARC and have voluntarily left this honest review.

[HAYLEY SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was imaginative and interesting. There was good amount of mystery to the story and Andrew and Caius were the perfect characters to bring it to life!
I do love a good fairy tale and enjoyed this one very much.

[kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghost House by Jacqueline Grey is modern day m/m fairy tale. I found the story well written with interesting characters.
There is drama, suspense, humor and romance to be found in Ghost House. THe story kept my interest and I enjoyed it.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. I love creepy type stories..haha plus it was funny and sexy. Very good writing also