Review: Loved this mix of romance with paranormal elements
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 10, 2013
I won this book in a contest and was happy to read it since I'm a big fan of Meg's Konigsburg, TX series. It's set in San Antonio which is a somewhat uncommon setting for a romance and a nice change from the smaller town setting. Although I had read the synopsis and knew there was a paranormal element to this book, I was surprised (in a good way) at how much of it there was. I like paranormals, especially when those elements are well integrated into the plot, as was the case here, rather than just thrown in randomly. Also, I should note that the synopsis makes the book sound rather dark, but although it does deal with ghosts and hauntings, the tone of the book is not heavy or too suspenseful. The plot has those elements, but because Meg Benjamin does light romance so well, you never feel overwhelmed by them. I initially wasn't as interested in the book because of the synopsis, so I'm so glad that I won a copy because I would have missed a great romance otherwise.Danny, the hero, is referred to as a "house whisperer". He's done really well in real estate, because he seems to understand the story behind the houses he sells, and is easily able to find the right buyers for them. When he's given a rundown old carriage house to sell, he goes to see it unsuspecting, only to find himself having visions of past violence when he walks into the kitchen of the house. As the plot continues, it turns out that on the maternal side, the women in his family were all mediums who could communicate with the dead and a former inhabitant of the house is clearly trying to communicate with him. Danny then tries to solve the mystery of the carriage house, while in the meantime falling hard for his new assistant, Biddy, who in turn is falling hard for him.Danny was a bit of a player although not in a mean way. He's just a good looking guy who's never had to work much to attract women and he's somewhat clueless regarding the women in his life. He was respectful of his family, and a bit befuddled by the paranormal happenings, trying to take charge, but not succeeding all that well. I loved that he was very protective of Biddy and his mother, but he didn't have all of the answers and didn't turn into some superhero alpha male when confronted with a situation that he couldn't explain or control. Biddy was wonderful. When we are first introduced to her, she comes off as a ditzy and hapless assistant, but it turns out that she's only working at the real estate office to please her sister, the manager of the office. Her real love is music. She's a talented singer/violinist who has organized an eclectic band and is trying to break into the local music scene. When she's performing she is in her element. She's strong, sexy, and take charge. She has a crush on Danny, but she doesn't roll over for him. They come together as equals and their romance is strong and sweet. I really loved this book. I can't wait to read the next one. All I can say is, don't be put off by the synopsis. Buy this book. It's a great romance and I think fans of Meg's previous books will be pleased as will new-to-her readers.