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Ghostly Guardians #1
Spirited Situation
When you can talk to ghosts, things are bound to get spirited.
The ghosts have been there since before I can remember. When I was a kid, they doted on me, but as I got older, they got more demanding. I've spent my whole life seeing and talking to dead people and trying to pretend I'm not, because the living just don't understand. Nobody wants to be around the freak who claims to see ghosts.
Until I go to Mannix Estate.
Once a private country home, then a posh hotel, it was closed after a suspicious incident but is now an immersive historic experience. It's also haunted AF, and everyone knows it. Finally, I've found a place to work and live where I can be useful. Where I'm actually wanted.
There are only two problems: I spent a hot, sweaty, satisfying night with Ewan the blacksmith before I knew we'd have to work together. Everyone knows sex with colleagues is a bad idea, right? Even if he's the world's most ripped cinnamon roll.
Plus, the ghosts are keeping secrets. There's something going on that's not normal, even for a haunted estate. And I suspect that when the truth comes out, I'm the one who'll have to deal with it... and it won't be good.
The ghosts have been there since before I can remember. When I was a kid, they doted on me, but as I got older, they got more demanding. I've spent my whole life seeing and talking to dead people and trying to pretend I'm not, because the living just don't understand. Nobody wants to be around the freak who claims to see ghosts.
Until I go to Mannix Estate.
Once a private country home, then a posh hotel, it was closed after a suspicious incident but is now an immersive historic experience. It's also haunted AF, and everyone knows it. Finally, I've found a place to work and live where I can be useful. Where I'm actually wanted.
There are only two problems: I spent a hot, sweaty, satisfying night with Ewan the blacksmith before I knew we'd have to work together. Everyone knows sex with colleagues is a bad idea, right? Even if he's the world's most ripped cinnamon roll.
Plus, the ghosts are keeping secrets. There's something going on that's not normal, even for a haunted estate. And I suspect that when the truth comes out, I'm the one who'll have to deal with it... and it won't be good.
262 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2022
555 people are currently reading
1582 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Masters
75 books1,605 followersLOUISA MASTERS started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels. Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
March 10, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. It's light and entertaining, exactly what I was looking for, and it has a great set of characters. I can honestly say that I loved every single one of them, ghosts included. I liked the humor and a bit of suspense thrown in.
I wasn't sure how the romance between Josh and Ewan would develop after their initial hook up, but it was actually quite adorable. There was some misunderstanding at the very beginning, but I thought it was fun. It took them a while to get together again and when they did, it was really cute. Totally worked for me. Except for ILY's that I feel came too soon.
I liked the setting and the found family aspect of the story. It was lovely to see the friendships between the characters and how well Josh fit with the rest of the group, especially since he'd never been accepted by the people around him.
Excellent narration by Nick J. Russo. He's always great, but this audiobook might be one of my favourites narrated by him. The dialogues flow so nicely and naturally, and the drunk scene is hilarious.
I'll be continuing with the series, because I want more of these characters. I'm looking forward to read about one future couple, hinted at in this story.
I wasn't sure how the romance between Josh and Ewan would develop after their initial hook up, but it was actually quite adorable. There was some misunderstanding at the very beginning, but I thought it was fun. It took them a while to get together again and when they did, it was really cute. Totally worked for me. Except for ILY's that I feel came too soon.
I liked the setting and the found family aspect of the story. It was lovely to see the friendships between the characters and how well Josh fit with the rest of the group, especially since he'd never been accepted by the people around him.
Excellent narration by Nick J. Russo. He's always great, but this audiobook might be one of my favourites narrated by him. The dialogues flow so nicely and naturally, and the drunk scene is hilarious.
I'll be continuing with the series, because I want more of these characters. I'm looking forward to read about one future couple, hinted at in this story.
January 10, 2023
After an explosive one-night-stand starts the story, it took me a while to appreciate and all of the characters and get into the meat of the story.
✔️Talking ghosts
✔️A sexy blacksmith
✔️A sweet slow-ish burn
✔️An old murder mystery
Josh can see and hear ghosts. Ewan is a blacksmith at a local working farm and hotel. These two hit it off immediately.
That was one hundred percent truth, and yet never mentioned the fact that we met over tequila shots and then competed to see who could generate the most cum in the course of one night.
Josh begins his new job and realizes he will be more of a spokesperson for the ghosts, and he soon learns of a mysterious evil that has the local ghosts frightened.
It was odd how many times the author mentioned nail polish. The colors of nail polish, the amount of time Josh spent worrying if someone liked his nail polish, or was judging him for wearing nail polish, what the ghosts thought of his nail polish, but the guests at the hotel thought of his nail polish, wondering what his coworkers thought of his nail polish. Who cares! Just wear it and get on with your life!
There were a surprising number of fade-to-black scenes, that left me wondering why the author started with so much heat and then left us hanging the rest of the story. Still, a really sweet love story here. Enjoyed their honesty and vulnerability together.
Mystery solved. A few questions left dangling for the next book, although I'm not certain I'll continue with this series.
✔️Talking ghosts
✔️A sexy blacksmith
✔️A sweet slow-ish burn
✔️An old murder mystery
Josh can see and hear ghosts. Ewan is a blacksmith at a local working farm and hotel. These two hit it off immediately.
That was one hundred percent truth, and yet never mentioned the fact that we met over tequila shots and then competed to see who could generate the most cum in the course of one night.
Josh begins his new job and realizes he will be more of a spokesperson for the ghosts, and he soon learns of a mysterious evil that has the local ghosts frightened.
It was odd how many times the author mentioned nail polish. The colors of nail polish, the amount of time Josh spent worrying if someone liked his nail polish, or was judging him for wearing nail polish, what the ghosts thought of his nail polish, but the guests at the hotel thought of his nail polish, wondering what his coworkers thought of his nail polish. Who cares! Just wear it and get on with your life!
There were a surprising number of fade-to-black scenes, that left me wondering why the author started with so much heat and then left us hanging the rest of the story. Still, a really sweet love story here. Enjoyed their honesty and vulnerability together.
Mystery solved. A few questions left dangling for the next book, although I'm not certain I'll continue with this series.
March 14, 2022
Boring and unbalanced storytelling.
The 'relationship' is reversed. They have anonymous sex that's so amazing we keep getting told how great it was for the remainder of the book. Then the silly misunderstanding. Then they possibly get to know each other? There's brief backstory, zero depth, one date and they're in Love. Plus a weird nail polish obsession; the way it's mentioned and given importance felt odd and a fetish.
The ghosts are 'quirky' cheerleaders of unknown decades that are obsessed with gay sex, watching drag race, stalking bedrooms. I think the Maise behaviour is supposed to seem cute/funny and not creepy af!
Nothing happens -aside from the amazing sex- until anout 60% and then there's sudden plot. Dark happenings told through tedious ghostly info dump. There's a lack of sleep but zero tension. This has been fine for 50yrs but is suddenly urgent? Dumbed down Scooby gang without Velma or the dog to save them. Luckily an annoymous internet person found at random has all the answers, presumably they'll be appearing for their own book.
Events are supposed to be dramatic but read like a series of work meetings, throwing salt around, then sleeping. With time-out for that date, because saving the world or whatever they're doing must never interrupt date night! And when you make that an important factor to your urgent panicked scheduling you've lost any chance of me considering the threat real.
Boring, unbalanced, lack of developement.
The 'relationship' is reversed. They have anonymous sex that's so amazing we keep getting told how great it was for the remainder of the book. Then the silly misunderstanding. Then they possibly get to know each other? There's brief backstory, zero depth, one date and they're in Love. Plus a weird nail polish obsession; the way it's mentioned and given importance felt odd and a fetish.
The ghosts are 'quirky' cheerleaders of unknown decades that are obsessed with gay sex, watching drag race, stalking bedrooms. I think the Maise behaviour is supposed to seem cute/funny and not creepy af!
Nothing happens -aside from the amazing sex- until anout 60% and then there's sudden plot. Dark happenings told through tedious ghostly info dump. There's a lack of sleep but zero tension. This has been fine for 50yrs but is suddenly urgent? Dumbed down Scooby gang without Velma or the dog to save them. Luckily an annoymous internet person found at random has all the answers, presumably they'll be appearing for their own book.
Events are supposed to be dramatic but read like a series of work meetings, throwing salt around, then sleeping. With time-out for that date, because saving the world or whatever they're doing must never interrupt date night! And when you make that an important factor to your urgent panicked scheduling you've lost any chance of me considering the threat real.
Boring, unbalanced, lack of developement.
February 19, 2022
Opening his eyes, he meets my gaze. "If we make this round quick, can you go again after?"
Spirited Situation by Louisa Masters is the first book in the author's new Ghostly Guardians series. Book 2, Vortex Conundrum, is out later this year.
I was first introduced to Louisa Masters’ writing style when I read her fabulous book Demons Do It Better, so I knew what to expect, namely:
💗fast, pacey writing
💗lots of banter
💗some snark
💗witty characters
💗steamy scenes
💗great world building
💗an actual plot
💗HFN/HEA
Spirited Situation has all that in spades too.
Josh can see and talk to ghosts and has been able to since he was a child, which has been somewhat problematic living in a big city with lots of ghosts. It's also meant he's never been able to hold down a job or a relationship for long, because he's always been viewed as 'strange'. So he decides to apply for a job in the country. At a haunted house, where his 'strangeness' might not be noticed.
When he meets Ewen, he doesn't realise his hot hook up will also be his co-worker at Mannix Estate, the haunted ghostly retreat he's just landed a job at.
But everything is not as it seems at Mannix Estate; there's a strange vortex in the Garden Suite and a demonic presence in the basement.....none of which is helping with the growing sexual tension between Josh and Ewen....
I loved it! ❤️🔥
This was a fun and steamy 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me.
Spirited Situation by Louisa Masters is the first book in the author's new Ghostly Guardians series. Book 2, Vortex Conundrum, is out later this year.
I was first introduced to Louisa Masters’ writing style when I read her fabulous book Demons Do It Better, so I knew what to expect, namely:
💗fast, pacey writing
💗lots of banter
💗some snark
💗witty characters
💗steamy scenes
💗great world building
💗an actual plot
💗HFN/HEA
Spirited Situation has all that in spades too.
Josh can see and talk to ghosts and has been able to since he was a child, which has been somewhat problematic living in a big city with lots of ghosts. It's also meant he's never been able to hold down a job or a relationship for long, because he's always been viewed as 'strange'. So he decides to apply for a job in the country. At a haunted house, where his 'strangeness' might not be noticed.
When he meets Ewen, he doesn't realise his hot hook up will also be his co-worker at Mannix Estate, the haunted ghostly retreat he's just landed a job at.
But everything is not as it seems at Mannix Estate; there's a strange vortex in the Garden Suite and a demonic presence in the basement.....none of which is helping with the growing sexual tension between Josh and Ewen....
I loved it! ❤️🔥
This was a fun and steamy 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me.
April 5, 2024
Well, this is actually my dozenth time reading and I still love this series. This time I’m rereading before the new spin-off release!
The characters are all lovely, it’s a found family type of book; my favorite ghosts are Hattie and Freddy and both of their first appearances are HILARIOUS 🧡
There is a big ongoing story, so you’ll have to read in order even though it’s a different couple in each book; and on that note, I’m off to my favorite couple’s book 🥰🥰
The characters are all lovely, it’s a found family type of book; my favorite ghosts are Hattie and Freddy and both of their first appearances are HILARIOUS 🧡
There is a big ongoing story, so you’ll have to read in order even though it’s a different couple in each book; and on that note, I’m off to my favorite couple’s book 🥰🥰
Read
March 3, 2022DNF @50%
Not feeling this at all.
Not feeling this at all.
October 16, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
🎧🎧🎧
This probably isn’t the best review on my part because I can admit I didn’t pay enough attention. I’ll have to go back eventually and read it, hopefully my rating would go up. But I got the gist so I’ll carry on.
Josh can see ghosts and it’s a burden for him with all that pesky salt and the spirits that never shut up.
But then he stumbles upon a job at a hotel that includes him dealing with not just paying customers but the spooks that haunt the place.
I’m actually not sure how in depth the romance is. For 3/4 of the story I thought Josh was with Kellan/Kieran? Turns out he’s with a blacksmith named Ewan.
There was a memorable part that was hilarious in which Josh and Ewan get drunk and watch Talledega Nights. They’re harping on about how good McDonalds is and then they start talking about how they’re close enough to be brothers. Which led to this hilarious line … ‘yeah, twincest is not as good as McDonalds.’
Anywho, the ghosts are freaked out because there’s a ‘dark’ spirit cramping their style. Turns out it’s a demon and adventures ensue as they try to figure out how to get rid of it.
Obviously it was forgettable but I’m not sure if it’s the writing, the narrator or a combination of both. I’d say it’s a waste of time but at least I can use it in my Halloween challenge.
🌶🌶
🎧🎧🎧
This probably isn’t the best review on my part because I can admit I didn’t pay enough attention. I’ll have to go back eventually and read it, hopefully my rating would go up. But I got the gist so I’ll carry on.
Josh can see ghosts and it’s a burden for him with all that pesky salt and the spirits that never shut up.
But then he stumbles upon a job at a hotel that includes him dealing with not just paying customers but the spooks that haunt the place.
I’m actually not sure how in depth the romance is. For 3/4 of the story I thought Josh was with Kellan/Kieran? Turns out he’s with a blacksmith named Ewan.
There was a memorable part that was hilarious in which Josh and Ewan get drunk and watch Talledega Nights. They’re harping on about how good McDonalds is and then they start talking about how they’re close enough to be brothers. Which led to this hilarious line … ‘yeah, twincest is not as good as McDonalds.’
Anywho, the ghosts are freaked out because there’s a ‘dark’ spirit cramping their style. Turns out it’s a demon and adventures ensue as they try to figure out how to get rid of it.
Obviously it was forgettable but I’m not sure if it’s the writing, the narrator or a combination of both. I’d say it’s a waste of time but at least I can use it in my Halloween challenge.
March 7, 2022
Another wonderful paranormal series opener
I just love the way Louisa Masters writes, she's able to mix humour into a fully grounded world in which the paranormal is simply part of life.
With this new series, the focus switches from paranormal creatures to the occult and ghosts and demons.
And while the occult and mystery side of the narrative is brilliant, the real heart comes from the found family and the romance between Josh and Ewan.
There wasn't a part of this book that I didn't love.
From the idea of a haunted house staffed by people who knew that ghosts were real, to the wonderful people - and ghosts - living there, the plot gently unfolded.
I'm intrigued by the hints of who else we might get stories about and Keiran is up next.
I'm holding out that we might get an appearance from the delightfully named NotEvenDemonsDeserveThis who made a big impact with very little page time!
Can't it be April already?
I just love the way Louisa Masters writes, she's able to mix humour into a fully grounded world in which the paranormal is simply part of life.
With this new series, the focus switches from paranormal creatures to the occult and ghosts and demons.
And while the occult and mystery side of the narrative is brilliant, the real heart comes from the found family and the romance between Josh and Ewan.
There wasn't a part of this book that I didn't love.
From the idea of a haunted house staffed by people who knew that ghosts were real, to the wonderful people - and ghosts - living there, the plot gently unfolded.
I'm intrigued by the hints of who else we might get stories about and Keiran is up next.
I'm holding out that we might get an appearance from the delightfully named NotEvenDemonsDeserveThis who made a big impact with very little page time!
Can't it be April already?
February 17, 2022
3.75 stars
Josh has always struggled to fit in. His number one problem being he can see and talk to ghost. When it looks like one is always talking to himself keeping relationships does become an issue. That is until Josh finds the perfect job. Working at a known haunted manor seems like the perfect solution to all his problems. What Josh doesn't expect is to find his hookup from the night before as one of his new coworkers.
Ewan is a blacksmith who works on an old haunted estate. He loves his jobs and would love to find someone to share his life with. He knows one night stands are the standard for now and he will take them happily but when his one night stand shows up to his work place he doesn't know what to think.
The story was entertaining. I loved all the different ghost who lived on the mansion's estate. They were quirky busy bodies plus I really like all the other coworkers as well. I can see Skye having his own book for sure. I will say I wanted to like this more but I do feel like the romance part was put on the back burner and played second fiddle to the whole haunted mansion and demon story line. When Josh and Ewan are reintroduced there is a misunderstanding that leads Josh to giving Ewan the cold shoulder but even when that is corrected the two decide a friendship is better. Which makes the story seem more of a simmer than a blaze. Besides their initial hook up nothing really happens until after the 65% mark and even then it's sparse until the 87% mark. I just wanted more of Josh and Ewan 🤷🏽♀️. However, I did love the other aspects...so it worked. Overall a solid read.
*ARC provided by GRR, this is my honest review.*
Josh has always struggled to fit in. His number one problem being he can see and talk to ghost. When it looks like one is always talking to himself keeping relationships does become an issue. That is until Josh finds the perfect job. Working at a known haunted manor seems like the perfect solution to all his problems. What Josh doesn't expect is to find his hookup from the night before as one of his new coworkers.
Ewan is a blacksmith who works on an old haunted estate. He loves his jobs and would love to find someone to share his life with. He knows one night stands are the standard for now and he will take them happily but when his one night stand shows up to his work place he doesn't know what to think.
The story was entertaining. I loved all the different ghost who lived on the mansion's estate. They were quirky busy bodies plus I really like all the other coworkers as well. I can see Skye having his own book for sure. I will say I wanted to like this more but I do feel like the romance part was put on the back burner and played second fiddle to the whole haunted mansion and demon story line. When Josh and Ewan are reintroduced there is a misunderstanding that leads Josh to giving Ewan the cold shoulder but even when that is corrected the two decide a friendship is better. Which makes the story seem more of a simmer than a blaze. Besides their initial hook up nothing really happens until after the 65% mark and even then it's sparse until the 87% mark. I just wanted more of Josh and Ewan 🤷🏽♀️. However, I did love the other aspects...so it worked. Overall a solid read.
*ARC provided by GRR, this is my honest review.*
February 19, 2022
3 stars
Okay didn’t feel like a romance..I enjoyed the spirit/ghost part of it but the romance felt like an afterthought.
Didn’t feel like the greatest ghost book I’ve read but wasn’t the worst. Could also be my mood, I am not able to find anything to keep my attention.
It’ll be interesting to read Kieran’s book, wonder who his romantic interest will be.
Okay didn’t feel like a romance..I enjoyed the spirit/ghost part of it but the romance felt like an afterthought.
Didn’t feel like the greatest ghost book I’ve read but wasn’t the worst. Could also be my mood, I am not able to find anything to keep my attention.
It’ll be interesting to read Kieran’s book, wonder who his romantic interest will be.
June 13, 2024
This book took way too long got me to get into. It had an interesting premise and the characters and world is cute. All my GR friends love Louisa Masters. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me 🤷🏻♀️ but it just didn’t grab me and make me want to finish the series so this is where I’m stopping.
March 10, 2022
A little spiritless.
PNR that is low on both the paranormal, and the romance.
I was disappointed by this book. It started off with a bang, literally, then fizzled out, with a halfhearted attempt to revive it at the end.
The book begins with the main characters Josh and Ewan having a one night stand. Not my preferred way for a relationship to start, and there is the dreaded conversation about not needing to use condoms as they’re both on PrEP - enjoy the gonorrhea boys! However, it is mostly fade to black and at least started the book off with a bit of energy.
This is continued into the next day as Josh rushes off to a job interview that is hijacked by a ghost. I thought “Yes! We’re in for some laughs here!”
However, things went swiftly downhill as soon as Josh got to the Mannix Estate. Josh is unreasonably rude to Ewan, and even after that is cleared up, there is a distinct lack of warmth between them. For more than half of the book there is no relationship development at all. I wouldn’t even call them friends, just work colleagues. The sex scenes continue to mostly fade to black, and are kind of cold.
The comedy potential of the ghosts is lost too. Aside from walking through a few walls, it’s easy to forget that they’re even ghosts. Just like the rest of us, they’re tired and a little miserable.
At about 70% in, you blink and suddenly Josh and Ewan are a loved up couple. They are very cute, but it’s disorientating with almost no lead-up to it. I have always had trouble with the romance aspect of Louisa Masters’ books, however the overall story arc, comedy, group dynamic and worldbuilding in the Hidden Species series was more than enough to keep me reading.
The paranormal aspect of this book is not satisfying if you are a fan of the genre. The whole storyline is predicated on the ghost’s tale, and Josh having a funny feeling when he walked past the basement door once. There were no signs whatsoever that there was a terrible menace threatening to befall them. There’s a lot of tell-not-show which I really dislike in books: the ghosts telling their story, Josh and Ewan telling us what must have happened through putting their interpretation on that lady’s diary, the rando on the internet telling Josh how to deal with the situation.
I was equally prepared for them to find that there was nothing there (that at least would have given me a laugh) as I was for them all to be killed. Blindly following the instructions of some random person on the internet was also strange. There’s a flurry of activity towards the end of the book as they deal with the menace, but I was far too disinterested by this point to care what the outcome was.
I feel this would have done better as a series prequel of half the length since there’s very little content or worldbuilding. The only draw to continue the series is wondering whether Skye will land Daniel, but I doubt that will be enough to keep me reading.
I listened to the audiobook, and Nick J. Russo did an outstanding job, definitely a 5 star narration. Somehow I haven’t listened to him before, but I will look forward to diving into his back catalogue as I seem to have many of his narrations on my wishlist!
PNR that is low on both the paranormal, and the romance.
I was disappointed by this book. It started off with a bang, literally, then fizzled out, with a halfhearted attempt to revive it at the end.
The book begins with the main characters Josh and Ewan having a one night stand. Not my preferred way for a relationship to start, and there is the dreaded conversation about not needing to use condoms as they’re both on PrEP - enjoy the gonorrhea boys! However, it is mostly fade to black and at least started the book off with a bit of energy.
This is continued into the next day as Josh rushes off to a job interview that is hijacked by a ghost. I thought “Yes! We’re in for some laughs here!”
However, things went swiftly downhill as soon as Josh got to the Mannix Estate. Josh is unreasonably rude to Ewan, and even after that is cleared up, there is a distinct lack of warmth between them. For more than half of the book there is no relationship development at all. I wouldn’t even call them friends, just work colleagues. The sex scenes continue to mostly fade to black, and are kind of cold.
The comedy potential of the ghosts is lost too. Aside from walking through a few walls, it’s easy to forget that they’re even ghosts. Just like the rest of us, they’re tired and a little miserable.
At about 70% in, you blink and suddenly Josh and Ewan are a loved up couple. They are very cute, but it’s disorientating with almost no lead-up to it. I have always had trouble with the romance aspect of Louisa Masters’ books, however the overall story arc, comedy, group dynamic and worldbuilding in the Hidden Species series was more than enough to keep me reading.
The paranormal aspect of this book is not satisfying if you are a fan of the genre. The whole storyline is predicated on the ghost’s tale, and Josh having a funny feeling when he walked past the basement door once. There were no signs whatsoever that there was a terrible menace threatening to befall them. There’s a lot of tell-not-show which I really dislike in books: the ghosts telling their story, Josh and Ewan telling us what must have happened through putting their interpretation on that lady’s diary, the rando on the internet telling Josh how to deal with the situation.
I was equally prepared for them to find that there was nothing there (that at least would have given me a laugh) as I was for them all to be killed. Blindly following the instructions of some random person on the internet was also strange. There’s a flurry of activity towards the end of the book as they deal with the menace, but I was far too disinterested by this point to care what the outcome was.
I feel this would have done better as a series prequel of half the length since there’s very little content or worldbuilding. The only draw to continue the series is wondering whether Skye will land Daniel, but I doubt that will be enough to keep me reading.
I listened to the audiobook, and Nick J. Russo did an outstanding job, definitely a 5 star narration. Somehow I haven’t listened to him before, but I will look forward to diving into his back catalogue as I seem to have many of his narrations on my wishlist!
October 18, 2023
I’ve really been enjoying branching out of contemporary reads lately. This audiobook was on sale so thought I’d take a chance on it and I’m so glad I did. It was so good! If you’ve watched the show Ghosts and loved it then you absolutely must read this book. I recommend the audio as the narrator did a fantastic job with all the ghosts and a hilarious scene where both MCs were drunk!
Josh was an incredible character who can see ghosts. It was amazing to see him finally fit in somewhere and find a place to be himself. The romance between Josh and Ewan was really secondary compared to the storyline of the ghosts and trouble at the estate. Don’t expect too much spice in this book.
Overall this book was so much fun and I’m really interested in future books in this series to see what the ghosts are up to!
Josh was an incredible character who can see ghosts. It was amazing to see him finally fit in somewhere and find a place to be himself. The romance between Josh and Ewan was really secondary compared to the storyline of the ghosts and trouble at the estate. Don’t expect too much spice in this book.
Overall this book was so much fun and I’m really interested in future books in this series to see what the ghosts are up to!
February 15, 2024
I'm a huge Louisa Masters fan and was really looking forward to reading her latest offering. I certainly wasn't disappointed. I love the whole "hookup then turning up at work" trope, it always leads to hijinks and this was no exception, just with added ghosts, lots of humour and a fab background story. Can't wait for the next book!
Edited to add: Listened to the audio, Nick J Russo narrated this perfectly, his characterisations were spot on and had me laughing out loud rather a lot!! :)
Edited to add: Listened to the audio, Nick J Russo narrated this perfectly, his characterisations were spot on and had me laughing out loud rather a lot!! :)
November 2, 2023
This book started so good. I was interested in the two MCs and the haunted hotel was cool. The ghosts who inhabit the hotel were funny and lots of fun. Buy it got to be more about the hotel and less about the couple. I’m DNFing this at 81% because the two MCs JUST started officially dating. 🙄 Why, yes, there are “I love you”s exchanged by the end of the book and that makes no sense to me since they’ve hardly spent time getting to know each other yet. It’s all been focused on this haunted hotel and some demon that’s living in the basement.
I’ve lost interest and don’t care what happens anymore. There should be some actual romance in a romance book! I will not be continuing on with the series. This is an Aussie author writing a story set in the US (which irks me beyond belief) and there were several things that an American would never say. I know I’m repeating myself, but I wish foreign authors would stick to setting their stories in their own countries rather than getting crap wrong. It’s annoying.
1.5 stars rounded up only because the ghosts were funny. But I didn’t find anything original about this story. The whole “soul eater” thing seemed to come from another book that was published before this one, and it all felt like it’s been done before.
I’ve lost interest and don’t care what happens anymore. There should be some actual romance in a romance book! I will not be continuing on with the series. This is an Aussie author writing a story set in the US (which irks me beyond belief) and there were several things that an American would never say. I know I’m repeating myself, but I wish foreign authors would stick to setting their stories in their own countries rather than getting crap wrong. It’s annoying.
1.5 stars rounded up only because the ghosts were funny. But I didn’t find anything original about this story. The whole “soul eater” thing seemed to come from another book that was published before this one, and it all felt like it’s been done before.
March 20, 2022
I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars rounded up.
Louisa Masters’ Spirited Situations is the first in a new series of paranormal romances entitled Ghostly Guardians . It’s a fun, light-hearted read with a spooky vibe and a fun cast of characters, and I enjoyed the author’s lively, easy-to-read style - although if you’re looking for a story that’s going to scare the pants off you and make you want to hide behind the sofa, this isn’t it.
Josh’s lifelong ability to see and hear ghosts has seriously screwed up his life in a number of ways. He’s never alone, and it can be really difficult for him to distinguish between the living and the dead – as ghosts look like regular people to him – and many’s the job or roommate or boyfriend he’s lost because he (as they thought) started talking to thin air, or because the sudden appearance of a ghost has made him jump for no reason… and learning to drive is a big no-no; he could end up with a car full of ghostly distractions or ghosts jumping out into the road in front of him as a joke and… just no. Being constantly surrounded by ghosts who are so delighted that he can see and hear them that they can’t leave him alone is exhausting, and he’s tired of not fitting in or being able to have anything approaching a normal life. But he’s hopeful that might change soon; he’s applied for a job at the Mannix Estate, an old country house that is now a museum and immersive historic/re-enactment experience that is reportedly “haunted as fuck”. It’s this last part that is the real attraction for Josh:
Josh is nervous, but the interview goes well, despite the presence of a ghost sitting in and continually yelling at Kieran, the interviewer and manager at the estate. Josh has to work hard to make out he doesn’t see or hear her – and is stunned when Kieran calmly tells him that everyone at the estate can see the ghosts, that there’s something about the place that enables them to sometimes manifest. Josh can’t believe what he’s hearing – and gladly accepts the job. At last, he’ll be somewhere he doesn’t feel so out of place all the time, somewhere he can let down his guard and be himself. This has the potential to be life-changing for him and he’s determined to make a success of it.
Things are complicated however, when Josh is being shown around the grounds and sees the familiar face of the big, muscly guy he’d picked up in a bar the night before, fucked all night and then run out on in the morning so he could get to the interview on time. It turns out that Ewan is the estate’s blacksmith – and even though the attraction they’d acted on the night before is as strong as ever, Josh isn’t going to risk losing his perfect job and the chance to have a (mostly) normal life by getting involved with a colleague. Or that’s the plan, at least. But you know what they say about the best laid plans…
The first part of the book breezes by as Josh settles in and we get to meet the secondary cast of humans and quirky ghosts, an odd bunch who bicker and tease but would clearly do anything for one another. I liked that we were given time to get to know them all before the plot kicks in, and that they’re all very distinct personalities. The two leads are likeable, although Josh is the more strongly characterised of the two. He’s sweet and he’s been through a lot; I enjoyed seeing his confidence grow once he accepted nobody would ridicule him for seeing ghosts and that he could actually be useful to both them and his human colleagues. Ewan is a big, brawny hottie and I liked that he’s so protective and caring towards Josh, but honestly, he’s pretty two-dimensional, and I’m hard pressed to remember much about him. The chemistry between them is decent, but the romance is basically insta-love and I don’t understand why, when this is only the first in a series, the author has to have them suddenly throw ILYs around with no real build up when it would have been much more satisfying to have developed the relationship and built to an HEA across two or three books.
Despite that, Spirited Situation is entertaining, and Ms. Masters does a good job of building a growing sense of unease in the second half when the spooky stuff comes into play and we start to learn the truth about what’s in the basement! The book has a lot going for it – the characters, the gentle humour, the plot and the author’s assured writing style – but the weakness of the romance means I had to drop the final grade down a bit. I can’t give Spirited Situation a wholehearted recommendation, but I enjoyed it enough to say that it’s worth a look if you adjust your expectations and take it for the warm and spirited (!) bit of fun it is.
Louisa Masters’ Spirited Situations is the first in a new series of paranormal romances entitled Ghostly Guardians . It’s a fun, light-hearted read with a spooky vibe and a fun cast of characters, and I enjoyed the author’s lively, easy-to-read style - although if you’re looking for a story that’s going to scare the pants off you and make you want to hide behind the sofa, this isn’t it.
Josh’s lifelong ability to see and hear ghosts has seriously screwed up his life in a number of ways. He’s never alone, and it can be really difficult for him to distinguish between the living and the dead – as ghosts look like regular people to him – and many’s the job or roommate or boyfriend he’s lost because he (as they thought) started talking to thin air, or because the sudden appearance of a ghost has made him jump for no reason… and learning to drive is a big no-no; he could end up with a car full of ghostly distractions or ghosts jumping out into the road in front of him as a joke and… just no. Being constantly surrounded by ghosts who are so delighted that he can see and hear them that they can’t leave him alone is exhausting, and he’s tired of not fitting in or being able to have anything approaching a normal life. But he’s hopeful that might change soon; he’s applied for a job at the Mannix Estate, an old country house that is now a museum and immersive historic/re-enactment experience that is reportedly “haunted as fuck”. It’s this last part that is the real attraction for Josh:
“… if a staff member should happen to be caught talking to “nobody”, he could claim to have been chatting with a ghost, wink wink, and the guests would probably think it was part of the whole “immersive” experience.
Josh is nervous, but the interview goes well, despite the presence of a ghost sitting in and continually yelling at Kieran, the interviewer and manager at the estate. Josh has to work hard to make out he doesn’t see or hear her – and is stunned when Kieran calmly tells him that everyone at the estate can see the ghosts, that there’s something about the place that enables them to sometimes manifest. Josh can’t believe what he’s hearing – and gladly accepts the job. At last, he’ll be somewhere he doesn’t feel so out of place all the time, somewhere he can let down his guard and be himself. This has the potential to be life-changing for him and he’s determined to make a success of it.
Things are complicated however, when Josh is being shown around the grounds and sees the familiar face of the big, muscly guy he’d picked up in a bar the night before, fucked all night and then run out on in the morning so he could get to the interview on time. It turns out that Ewan is the estate’s blacksmith – and even though the attraction they’d acted on the night before is as strong as ever, Josh isn’t going to risk losing his perfect job and the chance to have a (mostly) normal life by getting involved with a colleague. Or that’s the plan, at least. But you know what they say about the best laid plans…
The first part of the book breezes by as Josh settles in and we get to meet the secondary cast of humans and quirky ghosts, an odd bunch who bicker and tease but would clearly do anything for one another. I liked that we were given time to get to know them all before the plot kicks in, and that they’re all very distinct personalities. The two leads are likeable, although Josh is the more strongly characterised of the two. He’s sweet and he’s been through a lot; I enjoyed seeing his confidence grow once he accepted nobody would ridicule him for seeing ghosts and that he could actually be useful to both them and his human colleagues. Ewan is a big, brawny hottie and I liked that he’s so protective and caring towards Josh, but honestly, he’s pretty two-dimensional, and I’m hard pressed to remember much about him. The chemistry between them is decent, but the romance is basically insta-love and I don’t understand why, when this is only the first in a series, the author has to have them suddenly throw ILYs around with no real build up when it would have been much more satisfying to have developed the relationship and built to an HEA across two or three books.
Despite that, Spirited Situation is entertaining, and Ms. Masters does a good job of building a growing sense of unease in the second half when the spooky stuff comes into play and we start to learn the truth about what’s in the basement! The book has a lot going for it – the characters, the gentle humour, the plot and the author’s assured writing style – but the weakness of the romance means I had to drop the final grade down a bit. I can’t give Spirited Situation a wholehearted recommendation, but I enjoyed it enough to say that it’s worth a look if you adjust your expectations and take it for the warm and spirited (!) bit of fun it is.
November 23, 2025
“How does one ask about summoning demons without sounding like one wants to summons demons?”
Yo no sé qué hacer contigo, Louisa Masters. Cada vez que empiezo una saga tuya acabó enganchada y leyéndomelos todos en poco tiempo.
Me ha gustado mucho la temática de la casa encantada y los fantasmas que en ella habitan. Puede no ser la mejor historia de ella escrita pero me lo he pasado en grande y echado unas risas, cosa que no es poco para mí.
Los personajes les faltan un poco de desarrollo, sobre todo en cuanto se refiere a su relación, pero no me voy a poner exquisita.
A por el siguiente.
Yo no sé qué hacer contigo, Louisa Masters. Cada vez que empiezo una saga tuya acabó enganchada y leyéndomelos todos en poco tiempo.
Me ha gustado mucho la temática de la casa encantada y los fantasmas que en ella habitan. Puede no ser la mejor historia de ella escrita pero me lo he pasado en grande y echado unas risas, cosa que no es poco para mí.
Los personajes les faltan un poco de desarrollo, sobre todo en cuanto se refiere a su relación, pero no me voy a poner exquisita.
A por el siguiente.
August 2, 2025
This is really good and I loved it. But I wish it had a couple more chapters dedicated to the romance. A lot of the relationship building was just skipped over with a time jump. The story focused a lot on the ghost story, which I loved, but would have loved more romance. Excited for the next book!
February 17, 2022
Keeping my attention is difficult at times but I basically read this in one sitting.
It had great flow, a decent amount (as in not an overwhelming amount) of interesting side characters (Skye and Kieran in particular) and 2 lovely leads.
The romance is a slow burn despite the way the book starts and I really liked that. It gave Ewan and Josh time to get to know each other. They were really well suited and it really came across how much Josh had longed for a home, found family and friends.
There was some of the author's trademark humour but more subdued compared to others I've read and it was peppered throughout to stop it getting too heavy.
Plot wise, it was pretty fascinating, the ghosts being around and the way they manifest.
As a series opener goes, it has me hooked and ready for book 2
It had great flow, a decent amount (as in not an overwhelming amount) of interesting side characters (Skye and Kieran in particular) and 2 lovely leads.
The romance is a slow burn despite the way the book starts and I really liked that. It gave Ewan and Josh time to get to know each other. They were really well suited and it really came across how much Josh had longed for a home, found family and friends.
There was some of the author's trademark humour but more subdued compared to others I've read and it was peppered throughout to stop it getting too heavy.
Plot wise, it was pretty fascinating, the ghosts being around and the way they manifest.
As a series opener goes, it has me hooked and ready for book 2
February 17, 2022
Humorous Supernatural Thriller
I've enjoyed the majority of this lady's stories, especially her early work, but I have to admit it's her characters who really do it for me. They're so quirky and engaging, and are always the highlight of her novels. I found this particular story such an entertaining read, filled with well-written characters and lots of snark and humour.
Ewan and Josh were great MCs, (wasn't keen on the misunderstanding between them though) ,but the secondary players really made the book.And don't get me started on the ghosts, they had me in stitches, especially Johnny. There's also a little bit if suspense thrown in, just to keep you on your feet. Lots of humour, some romance and ghosts. Looking forward to the next book.
I've enjoyed the majority of this lady's stories, especially her early work, but I have to admit it's her characters who really do it for me. They're so quirky and engaging, and are always the highlight of her novels. I found this particular story such an entertaining read, filled with well-written characters and lots of snark and humour.
Ewan and Josh were great MCs, (wasn't keen on the misunderstanding between them though) ,but the secondary players really made the book.And don't get me started on the ghosts, they had me in stitches, especially Johnny. There's also a little bit if suspense thrown in, just to keep you on your feet. Lots of humour, some romance and ghosts. Looking forward to the next book.
March 14, 2022
What an incredibly fun and clever story!
I'm impressed with Louisa Masters' spin on the idea of ghosts and spirituals and demons... and it's so much fun! There's humor and romance and friendship, just lots of plain ole' good times.
Seriously, just a flawless story. Brava.
Audio performed by Nick J. Russo.
a copy of Spirited Situations was provided for the purpose of my honest review for my honest reivew, all opinions are my own
I'm impressed with Louisa Masters' spin on the idea of ghosts and spirituals and demons... and it's so much fun! There's humor and romance and friendship, just lots of plain ole' good times.
Seriously, just a flawless story. Brava.
Audio performed by Nick J. Russo.
a copy of Spirited Situations was provided for the purpose of my honest review for my honest reivew, all opinions are my own
June 18, 2022
Loved it. Loved Josh and the way he interacted with the ghosts. A great set of secondary characters both dead and alive and whoever thought of a ghost union.
October 4, 2023
So much fun and awesome characters, humans as well as ghosts! I'm definitely going to listen to the following books of this series. 😊
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
April 13, 2022
I am having such a streak of bad luck with books lately. I feel like I have nothing but grumpy things to say in my reviews. My losing streak continues with Spirited Situation, my (I’m pretty sure) first read by Louisa Masters.
This "romance" didn’t feel like much of a romance at all until maybe the last 20% or so (maybe it was earlier but it felt like it took forever). The book opens with the MCs randomly hooking up after meeting in a bar. They spend a hot night together, although to me it didn’t seem hot bc MCs banging right out of the gate with no build-up or slow burn never turns my crank. They end up becoming coworkers, quickly undergo a nonsensical miscommunication gaffe thanks to a stupid assumption on MC #1’s part, and then spend the majority of the rest of the book skirting around their desire for each other. They finally get it on but to me, it was underexplored, anticlimactic, and dull. Suffice to say, the romance here was underwhelming. And the nail polish obsession was hella annoying.
My other big complaint was that the ghost element of this book was so blase. I enjoy ghost stories bc the idea of ghosts is zany and scary and causes people to react in interesting ways. I always love to see how an author depicts the interactions between ghosts and people, esp when a character has to convince others that s/he can interact w ghosts. But here the ghosts were so accepted and part of everyone’s normal life that they might as well have just been regular people. No one had to adjust to their existence (everyone who worked at the manor had already had lots of exposure to the ghosts—their getting used to them was never explored on page), no one had to wrestle with their beliefs, no one had to convince anyone of anything. Where’s the fun in that?? There was the added element of the demon subplot but the demon was just some nebulous evil entity to be destroyed. The focus was only on getting rid of it. For me, that was boring. Also, the ghosts were too bizarrely drawn, with their weird fashion sense, overzealous interest in gay sex and TV, etc. The author just tried too hard, I think.
I also didn’t connect with the author’s humor in this story. I did laugh at the scene where the MCs got drunk together but beyond that, none of the supposedly funny parts or banter resonated with me. I just ended up feeling vaguely annoyed.
Although this wasn’t for me and I won’t continue w the series, it looks like plenty of other folks really enjoyed it. Take my thoughts w a grain of salt. In the meantime, I'm gonna plow forward and hope this god-awful losing streak ends soon.
This "romance" didn’t feel like much of a romance at all until maybe the last 20% or so (maybe it was earlier but it felt like it took forever). The book opens with the MCs randomly hooking up after meeting in a bar. They spend a hot night together, although to me it didn’t seem hot bc MCs banging right out of the gate with no build-up or slow burn never turns my crank. They end up becoming coworkers, quickly undergo a nonsensical miscommunication gaffe thanks to a stupid assumption on MC #1’s part, and then spend the majority of the rest of the book skirting around their desire for each other. They finally get it on but to me, it was underexplored, anticlimactic, and dull. Suffice to say, the romance here was underwhelming. And the nail polish obsession was hella annoying.
My other big complaint was that the ghost element of this book was so blase. I enjoy ghost stories bc the idea of ghosts is zany and scary and causes people to react in interesting ways. I always love to see how an author depicts the interactions between ghosts and people, esp when a character has to convince others that s/he can interact w ghosts. But here the ghosts were so accepted and part of everyone’s normal life that they might as well have just been regular people. No one had to adjust to their existence (everyone who worked at the manor had already had lots of exposure to the ghosts—their getting used to them was never explored on page), no one had to wrestle with their beliefs, no one had to convince anyone of anything. Where’s the fun in that?? There was the added element of the demon subplot but the demon was just some nebulous evil entity to be destroyed. The focus was only on getting rid of it. For me, that was boring. Also, the ghosts were too bizarrely drawn, with their weird fashion sense, overzealous interest in gay sex and TV, etc. The author just tried too hard, I think.
I also didn’t connect with the author’s humor in this story. I did laugh at the scene where the MCs got drunk together but beyond that, none of the supposedly funny parts or banter resonated with me. I just ended up feeling vaguely annoyed.
Although this wasn’t for me and I won’t continue w the series, it looks like plenty of other folks really enjoyed it. Take my thoughts w a grain of salt. In the meantime, I'm gonna plow forward and hope this god-awful losing streak ends soon.
November 16, 2023
11/16/2023
Yelp I like
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
An interesting premise!
Yelp I like
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
An interesting premise!
January 31, 2022
There’s something really satisfying about a novel that can scare you a little, make you laugh a lot, and offer up a simultaneously sweet, hot, and endearingly awkward romance, all at the same time. I love the ghost group so much, and they never fail to make me smile– witnessing the fallout of ghosts discovering collective bargaining is not something I thought I needed in my life, but I was wrong. Ewan and Josh have great chemistry, and while their romance seems, in some ways, lightning quick to develop, they’re well matched enough that it’s hard to hold the “hookup to awkward work colleagues to true lovers forever in the space of a few weeks” trajectory against them. There’s a lot to like here: an interesting premise (with lots of potential for future stories) and a great setting and supporting cast (both living and not so much). It will be interesting to see where the whole ghosts/mediumship narrative goes next– I’m definitely hoping for a bit more detail as to *how* exactly it all works. Tl;dr: this is a really enjoyable and rewarding read, and I highly recommend it!
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 3, 2022
Audiobook Review
In this one, we have a young man who has been able to see ghosts his whole life and was suffering for it. He comes across a job in a haunted hotel/b&b and it's perfect for him.
The night before his job interview he hooks up with a nice guy. Come to find out, that guy works at the same place.
I loved the ghost parts as much as the romance here. I thought it was well done.
This is a series so while the main MCs got their HFN, the ghost situation is still ongoing.
The narration was perfect and Nick Russo always does a good job.
_______________________________
Lovely...
I really liked this new series.
Not gonna lie, I was a bit worried as the other series seemed to have less and less romance in them, but this one actually had some!
I loved that Josh was the more straight forward one and the big buff tough guy was so sweet.
I also really liked the whole found family, the living and the dead.
In this one, we have a young man who has been able to see ghosts his whole life and was suffering for it. He comes across a job in a haunted hotel/b&b and it's perfect for him.
The night before his job interview he hooks up with a nice guy. Come to find out, that guy works at the same place.
I loved the ghost parts as much as the romance here. I thought it was well done.
This is a series so while the main MCs got their HFN, the ghost situation is still ongoing.
The narration was perfect and Nick Russo always does a good job.
_______________________________
Lovely...
I really liked this new series.
Not gonna lie, I was a bit worried as the other series seemed to have less and less romance in them, but this one actually had some!
I loved that Josh was the more straight forward one and the big buff tough guy was so sweet.
I also really liked the whole found family, the living and the dead.
January 29, 2025
When I pick up a Masters book I know I'm in for a good time, so am very excited for this new series! There was more creepiness than I've seen in previous books by the author, but it was well balanced with Masters's trademark humor and banter. I really really loved the ghost crew, the cast of human characters, and of course, our intrepid MCs. This has the set up for both an interesting overarching plot, and enough likable characters to have a romance each book that I'm sure I'll enjoy. The romance in this one was a touch unbelievable to me, but I still enjoyed it and definitely couldn't put the book down.
April 11, 2023
4.5
The ghosts stole the show with their unique personalities but I loved all the senior staff at the estate. I liked Josh and Ewan together and that they did date stuff and got to know each other. The author’s love yous were a little fast but facing danger can do that. Highly entertaining and I look forward to the next book!
The ghosts stole the show with their unique personalities but I loved all the senior staff at the estate. I liked Josh and Ewan together and that they did date stuff and got to know each other. The author’s love yous were a little fast but facing danger can do that. Highly entertaining and I look forward to the next book!
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