The Ghostly Grounds: Disaster and Dessert

Canine Casper Cozy Mystery #6

by Sophie Love

“The perfect romance or beach read, with a its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.” --Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever) THE GHOSTLY DISASTER AND DESSERT is Book #6—and the finale!—in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews! Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan the house is haunted. Two things, her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog. In the series finale, Marie finds her own future on the line as a murder occurs near her premises, and she is forced to solve it or else be implicated. With her rival innkeeper involved, it could hardly get any worse. As if that is not enough, this series finale brings to a head many will Marie finally find her mother and what will happen between them? Will Marie end up with Robbie? With Brendan? Will she finally be able to claim her gifts, without Boo's help? And will she decide to stay and run the B&B—or be forced to leave this small town that has become her life? A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy series that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night. “The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.” --Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever) Don’t forget to check out Sophie Love’s other cozy mystery series, A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE, which begins with A FATAL FOLIO (Book #1), a bestseller with over 50 five-star reviews!

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fantasy

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 8, 2021

About the author

A lifelong fan of the romance genre, Sophie Love is thrilled to release her debut romance series: FOR NOW AND FOREVER (THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR—BOOK 1). Sophie would love to hear from you, so please visit www.sophieloveauthor.com to email her, to join the mailing list, to receive free ebooks, to hear the latest news, and to stay in touch!

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story but was annoyed and distracted by the number of typos and errors, which were literally on almost every page. She even used the wrong name for characters in places. Wasn’t there someone proofing and editing the book?? Occasional typos are one thing but every page? I find this level of sloppiness disappointing and unacceptable.

[Katherine Magnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for some fun halloween-y books that have happy endings then these are great. Mindless reads but hey… readings supposed to be fun!

[Heather]

This series just went on too long for me, considering each book we the exact same story line.

[T.L. Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last book in the series. In reading other reviews, I saw that the primary complaint with this book was proof reading and editing. This makes me glad I did the audiobooks.
The series was entertaining but I always knew who did it except for this last book. She did something different so you couldn't guess. No spoilers!
The main issue I had was with Brendan. He seemed so self serving and I didn't really like how he treated Marie in previous books. For me, it looked like he saw $$$ and fame when he looked at Marie and Boo. I believe Marie was drawn to him mainly because he believed she had ghost skills.
However, I would still recommend. But you might want to do the audiobooks instead.

[Suzen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Last in the series. Once again dead body, she is blamed, and the dog helps solve the murder. She does wind up with the journalist at the end. so true love and a solved murder. cute, but not really worth recommending.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m not crying, you’re crying,” Marie said. No actually I’m crying - I loved this series and am sad to finish the last book.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Plot, But Not Good Delivery.

I enjoyed the storyline and kept reading to see how it would turn out, but overall, the narration was fairly intrusive. There was too much telling, and not enough action and description. Also, the spelling and typographical errors were extremely annoying as they disrupted the flow of the story.

[Martine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the rest of the books in this series (I listened to the audiobooks). I was honestly really disappointed in this last one though. It started off so well, and I loved that a few of the characters came back. However, the plot was weak and the relationship development felt rushed. Plus there was a new audiobook narrator which was really jarring and a bit annoying for the last book.
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SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT:
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Things I’m annoyed about:
- Her relationship ending with Robby seemed so rushed and then he was used as a plot device almost at the end of this book for progressing her relationship with Brendan. It felt like Marie and Brendan didn’t have the chemistry they had in earlier books.
- There was so little dimension to Marie and her mother’s reunion.
- The person who committed the murder was brought in at the very end and had very little actual connection to the murder and story? It felt like a cop out.
- Marie chooses to LEAVE Port Bliss at the end of this book and move to CA for a man. After spending a mere 9 months running her dream B&B and spending loads of money to get it up and running?
- Changing the narrator on the last book (I get that scheduling can be hard but REALLY?)

What I liked:
- Marie’s mother’s relationship once it did get past the first chapter or two, it was a kind of nice relationship.
- The murder and hijinks of the investigation was fun until the murderer was revealed.

[Tina Gunther · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complications at June Manor

If you have enjoyed previous visits to the Haunted Grounds of June Manor B&B, then you should enjoy this last(?) adventure of Marie and Boo. I can’t help but hope there will be more. The ending is satisfying. The characters are appropriately charming, menacing, welcoming, spooky, and comforting. The plot is intriguing. The clues are well-presented. I think this story was easier to follow than previous episodes in the series.
That being said, what did hinder the flow of the narrative was the abundance of typos littering the pages. It looked to me as though someone unfortunately decided that a spellchecker was as effective as a real proofreader. It is definitely not. Some readers may not care but this reader does and will not recommend the results.tpoirworkmanship to

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie's nemesis, Katie Stillson, is losing business because it appears that her B&B is haunted. She believes that somehow Marie is responsible. She invites several psychics to her house on the same evening to check out the situation. Marie is in the attic with one of them when the woman suddenly screams and falls to her death out the window. As there was only one other person present, of course Marie is the number one suspect.

This sounds like the final book in the series. Marie goes off to California with Brendan and leaves her mother behind to help look after the B&B.

[tacitus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the romantic subplot(s) throughout this series to be unnecessary and forced, but was willing to gloss over them. That became harder as they consumed more and more page realestate, whole chapters of angsty who-gives-a-damn. Only to have this so-called mystery series end like the cringest 90s harlequin, with the heroine giving up her life to join a rather boring man on the other side of the country where his job is located.

Did this series not open with Marie waxing poetic about how running a BnB was her dream? What a disappointing turn.

[Anna Morelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great way to end the series, although I am a little sad that it's over. It's been a fun journey watching as Marie learns about herself and figures out what she wants out of life. I feel like all of the loose ends and issues in the other books were finally resolved. Marie even figured out her feelings for the men in her life and got her HEA. I would not be opposed to reading more stories about Marie and Boo's paranormal adventures.

[Sandra Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all six books in the series and enjoyed them. Sadly, the numerous typos and omissions were a constant distraction. It’s unfair to talented writers. With so many people wanting to work from home after the pandemic, editors and publishers could find better proof readers and improve the quality of the books they publish.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a fun series about a woman who was left an Inn, and the characters that make her life so full. Oh, and add a murder or two and the series is complete.
Loved these books but the typos and misspelled words drove me nuts.

[Julianne Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚🎧 same beginning, middle and end as the other books. The love triangle felt unnecessary, but it was a fun little audio series to listen to while doing chores. I do not think it needed to be six books though.

[Alyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are cute and entertaining but I absolutely hated the ending. Giving up a life long dream and the “family” she created to go be with a guy? It really ruined things for me.

[Jennifer Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little series is just a fun read.

[Serena Keene · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 185 pages

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cozy series

[J.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good end/beginning to the series.

[A.B. Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that's a wrap!

I really wanted Marie with Robbie. I really did. But I guess this is a good wrap up.

Cute series and draws you in wanting to know what happens with the characters.

[Marianne Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last book (#6) in this cozy mystery series. Wrapped up all of the loose ends in a believable way.

[Sally Banfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read....Ghostly story.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

6h, 20m

The final book in the installment wrapped up nicely. I like the twist of Marie being in the room when the actually murder occurred instead of the happenstance of discovering the body.

[Antonina Strazimiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the entire series (six books) and left a review on the first book. I enjoyed the setting (coastal Maine) and the characters (mostly the secondary ones including her dog and aunt in particular), though I was confused by the series tagline as a Casper Canine or whatever when her dog is very much alive. Also that the ghost-hunting and ghost-releasing abilities so hastily transferred from her dog to herself. Or were the abilities in both of them?

Anyway, my only real qualm with the MC was that she had absolutely no curiosity about who the ghosts were and why they haunted certain places? Another area with a lack of questioning was where the ghosts went when she/her dog scared them off? It felt thoughtless and mean-spirited of her (no pun intended) to scare off and shoo away specters with no care for their history or future (such as it may be). She's very wrapped up in her own existence (as we all our, of course), and it would have been nice and said something better about her character if she'd shown some concern in her ghost-hunting endeavors.

Side notes: MC's mother is a terrible researcher, and another book with a love triangle is unneeded.

Otherwise, easy quick reads, which is always appreciated.

[Diane Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually I wish I gave it a 3 star review.
The story itself wasn't so bad but the proofreading must have been done by a second grader. You'll spend more time translating the gibberish into a sensible reading than enjoying the story.

[jayne barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but….

A clever and entertaining read, Sophie Love writes a good Cozy Mystery and I enjoyed the story. However, the editing/proofreading left a lot to be desired. There were continuity errors, some within the same chapter, just paragraphs apart and occasionally the characters names got muddled up. I don’t recall the other books in the series being badly edited, so hopefully it’s just a one off fluke.