Phantom Hearts

by Minnette Meador

Brianna's house is filled with ghosts, the neighborhood association is trying to get her evicted, and she just found out she's pregnant with a demon child. Not even her tarot cards can help her. To top everything off, officer Thompson, her new love, thinks he can make it go away, but he's just making it worse! When she winds up touring the 9 levels of Hell with her baby daddy, only Thompson and her dead grandmother can help her. But they better do it quick... A Ghost Series Book

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2023

About the author

Somewhere between thirty and dust...red hair, blue eyes...six kids, one slightly used husband, and any number of pets from time to time... wanttabe hippy... wanttheirmoney yuppie... pro musician and actress for 20 years...native Oregonian... lover of music, beauty and all things green. Willing slave to the venerable muse.

Minnette currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and one dog. The dog, Milo, pretty much runs the show.

Her published works include:
Starsight, Volume I & II,
The Centurion & The Queen, Historical Romance, Book I
The Edge of Honor, Historical Romance, Book II
The Gladiator Prince, Historical Romance, Book III
A Boy & His Wizard, Children's Book
A Ghost of a Chance, Paranormal Romantic Comedy
The Bell Stalker, Urban Fantasy
Nogero, Alternate Universe Fantasy/Scifi
Phantom Hearts, Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Family Motto: Nobody Died

COMING SOON:
Wy'East, Urban Fantasy
Haunted Hearts, Book III in the Ghost Series, Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Pirate Prince, Historical Romance, Book IV in the Centurion Series

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short chapters make for a fast pace. The writing is descriptive and imaginative, creating a world that is easy to see--atmospheric. Greek mythology is woven throughout, as well as a dash of humor.

The romance between Bri and Thompson is tender yet strong. The author has done a good job at showing that their love is the real thing.

Not only is the story engaging, but the characters learn things and grow. They come to realizations during their supernatural adventures. Bri is pregnant with a demon baby, and this means trouble. How will she get out of this mess? When Thompson tries to rescue her, he gets in deep as well. Is there any hope for them?

His travels through hell to help out Bri are page turners. The end of the story leaves open an opportunity to see what will happen with certain characters while at the same time giving a certain closure to the present story. This is an entertaining and quick read.

[Carey P.W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than other books that I have read in a while. It is a fun take on Dante’s Inferno with some eroticism thrown in to keep it spicy. The concept of demon seduction is not new. But I thought the author did a good job at describing the internal experience of the characters when they were getting seduced. I felt like I could sense the intense passion that was overwhelming them.

Reggie was a well-written villain. It wasn’t always easy to know if he was good or bad. So if he could trick me, then that’s a good antagonist! The lead character Bri is likeable, and her insecurities are relatable. The ghost of her grandmother is a fun character who also serves as a bridge between the living world and the underworld. The descriptions of hell and its rings were believable and allowed me to envision the torment of it. If anything, I feel like the story could've been expanded more. It still works, though.

There were some passages and phrases that did not make sense to me. I feel that these could have used some more revisions, which is why I give it 4-stars instead of 4.5. Also, I didn’t grasp the comedy aspect of the book since it is listed as a comedy, or I didn’t see comedy as a major theme. Perhaps it's also a take on the Divine Comedy aspect.

If readers are looking for demons, ghosts and eroticism, this book will not disappoint. I think you’ll have a fun time!

I received a free copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lynn Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bri has a way of reading people. Whether or not you believe in the power of tarot cards, it makes for an interesting read. Thompson seems to be a very caring man. This is a story where you need to have an open mind.

I haven’t seen the series Ghosts, but I could see some of the characters within these pages making an appearance. This author has written an enjoyable fantasy where her imagination is front and center. One character had me shaking my head, but I could picture her as being an actual person. It’s a great reminder as to what I love about the paranormal genre. Nothing is off limits.

One thing I loved about our author was how she gave her characters some lessons to learn. Then you have to wonder if those lessons are learned or forgotten. I didn’t get the impression that this book is tied to another so you can consider it a standalone. But I do have to wonder if there are any more books to follow and what I might have missed from not reading the first book in the series.

I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't lie, the blurb made me wonder if this was going to be incredibly memorable in a good or bad way. This was excellent. If you enjoy cheesy romantic comedies and campy "horror" like Daybreak or Ash vs Evil Dead, and ever wondered what would happen if they got mixed together, then this is your answer. It's funny, it's sweet, it's steamy. There are ghosts, demons, psychics, and a kind, sweet, ordinary human caught up in the madness. The first chapter is when I knew I was going to love this, and I honestly blew through the book quickly. The characters are all great, but Brianna's grandma is probably my favorite. I loved following the story from multiple POV, and there were quite a few moments that had me giggling. A must-read if you're looking for a new twist on the romantic comedy genre.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phantom Hearts was not quite what I expected. That’s not to say it was a terrible read. In fact, once I got past the graphic sex scene, the story line was pretty good. I’ll be honest here- it really wasn't my cup of tea, but I’m not reviewing based upon my personal preferences.
I did get a bit lost in the reality vs non-reality, but I believe I managed to get it figured out before the end of the book. My Rating: 3 out of 5

I was provided a copy of this book for the purpose of review as part of a book tour. The thoughts and opinions of this review are one hundred percent mine and not influenced by any author, publisher, or tour group.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative and suspenseful spicy paranormal romance!

Phantom Hearts by author Minnette Meador is the latest novella in her Ghost series, which began with A Ghost of a Chance. The plot is intriguing, with the main character, psychic Brianna “Bri” Eugenia Alberic, discovering she’s been impregnated by the demon, Reggie, seduced in her dreams. She learns of her condition only a day after she and the man she loves, Sgt. John Thompson, finally consummated their relationship. I could feel her shock and anger as she came to understand what had been done to her. The two main male characters are complete opposites. While Reggie literally drags her through hell, John goes through hell to rescue her.

The story contains explicit adult situations, so this one is not for children or readers who prefer their romances sweet. Some scenes are loving, passionate moments between two people who have long waited to commit to each other. However, others include Reggie’s scene of seduction and lust-filled orgies in the third circle of hell. The author has the marvelous ability to make both types vividly real, and they make quite an impression.

Supporting the main cast are some fascinating and quirky characters. Bri’s deceased grandmother, Gomo, has some fun moments and always has her back. I also enjoyed Reggie’s sister, Beatrice, and Charon from Purgatory.

With its tense, well-crafted plot and a cast of likable characters, both recurring and new, I recommend PHANTOM HEARTS to readers of spicy paranormal romances.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

My Review:

This paranormal romance by Minnette Meador is quite an imaginative tale. A lot happens in less than 200 pages – love, trips to hell, meeting demons, going up against the Prince of Hell.

There are interesting characters – Brianna and her dead grandma, Sgt. Thompson, Reggie and Charon to name a few. There are several encounters between good vs evil characters. And there was a fascinating look at tarot card reading.

Brianna doesn’t know her won power and has hidden away for most of her life. But with the help of her grandmother, ghosts and her new love Sgt. Thompson, she attempts to access that power and face Reggie, Prince of Hell.

That attempt had me reading to find out how they could escape hell. I did enjoy reading this paranormal romance.