#BookReview – “Ghost Hunter” by Jayne Castle

Blurb

Where deadly energy ghosts lurk in the ruins of an ancient alien civilization. Where dust bunnies prove to be loyal pets. And where a ghost hunter will discover that a woman's heart is the most dangerous adversary of all...

Local Guild boss and powerful ghost-hunter Cooper Boone is everything botanist Elly St. Claire could ask for-the handsome, strong, and silent type. Maybe too silent. For when Guild secrets threaten her career at the college, Elly has to call off their marriage-and leave small-town life behind...

But starting over in the thriving metropolis of Cadence City isn't easy, especially when one of Elly's new friends disappears in the eerie catacombs beneath the streets. Cooper turns up just in time to help Elly investigate. And as the mystery deepens and dangerous ghost myths and legends come to light, Cooper makes it clear he intends to stick around-and this time he's holding nothing back.

Review

In the third Harmony series book, botanist Elly St. Clair breaks off her wedding engagement to her Guild boss fiancé after she finds out that he was just using her for her family’s Guild connections. She leaves her small hometown of Aurora Springs for the bright lights of Cadence City to start her life over. After her friend Bertha goes missing in the dangerous catacombs beneath the city, she has no choice but to call in a ghost hunter—her ex—for help. Despite the pain he’d caused her, she still trusts Cooper and knows that he’ll help her find her friend.

When Elly left, Aurora Springs Guild boss and powerful ghost hunter Cooper Boone realized he’d made a terrible mistake. He didn’t use Elly for her connections, but he didn’t tell her that. After six months apart, he decides to win her back, but the shy woman he’d fallen in love with has blossomed into a kickass woman. Cooper’s planned courtship and seduction soon takes a drastic turn, but draws him closer to Elly than he’d ever expected.

I really enjoyed this book. Elly and Cooper are wonderful characters. They’re both strong, stubborn, and determined to protect each other. Elly was completely right to leave Cooper for his transgressions, but they were both to blame for the lack of communication. Cooper had a lot of secrets that he didn’t think Elly would be able to handle. Once he’d realized she wasn’t the fragile type, he started to confide in her, and their tense relationship bloomed into something strong and beautiful. All in all, they just needed time apart to figure out what mattered most to them.

The side characters were great. Lydia and Emmett from the previous two books made an appearance. Mercer Wyatt, the Cadence Guild boss, was mentioned a few times but never showed up on page. Elly’s friends, Bertha and Doreen, were great additions. The best characters in this series are the dust bunnies. On the alien world of Harmony, there are little fuzzy animals with two sets of eyes and six arms and legs. They’re loyal companions and have a psychic connection with the people they claim for themselves. Rose is Elly’s dust bunny, and she’s soooo adorable with her jewelry fetish.

I totally didn’t expect the twist at the end. I thought I knew who the villain was, but I turned out to be wrong. That’s awesome because I can usually guess correctly at the beginning of the book.

The story is fast paced and kept my attention. I definitely recommend it.

5 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.