Review: The Ex Who Won't EVER Leave
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2014
Just before he hits rock bottom financially, struggling actor Cal Parsons inherits the three-million-dollar estate of his ex-lover, playwright McCormack Williams. Though Cal's financial troubles are over, it seems his real problems are just beginning: turns out that McCormack's ghost haunts the house and won't leave unless Cal comes with him: even though Williams himself broke off their affair 15 years earlier, he nevertheless claims Cal is the only man he's ever really loved, and now he is attempting to convince Cal to commit suicide and join him on the other side.While waiting for the estate to settle, Cal moves into McCormack's house and gradually meets all of McCormack's friends (or at least, his acquaintances), becomes involved with the amateur community theater group that McCormack was helping to finance; and speaking of involvement, he has daily financial dealings with McCormack's lawyer, a very charming, intelligent man, who also happens to be gay. Much to McCormack's displeasure, Cal and the lawyer, Dewitt Morgan, click right from start.Anyone who's seen movies such as "Topper" or "Just Like Heaven" knows the kind of havoc that spirits can wreak if they are in the mood, and McCormack is definitely in the mood. He's chagrined that Cal is attracted to the estate lawyer, can't figure out why Cal doesn't want to join him "on the other side," and is outraged that Cal intends to wash his hands of everything to do with McCormack Williams, liquidate the estate, and go forward with his life -- only now, as a man of means.The book becomes an engaging comedy of many errors as Cal attempts to live a normal life with a stalker-ghost hovering about. In order to keep his new lover from thinking that he's gone insane, the actor must convince Dewitt Morgan that McCormack is haunting the house. Cal is also courted by the community theater McCormack was financing, which is now running out of money. Dewitt Morgan struggles to maintain a decent relationship with Cal while members of the acting troupe pressure him to ask Cal for money and threaten to make the request themselves when Dewitt can't bring himself to do so.This is an amusing and clever book. It practically begs to be made into a film or at least a made-for-TV movie. But the banter never becomes so endlessly scintillating that I ever thought to myself, "no way anyone really talks likes that." And for a ghost story, it's pretty darned believable!  From the beginning when Cal realizes McCormack is haunting him, to the end when Dewitt sets up a wickedly clever negotiation with the ghost to try to get him to go away, I had no problem willingly suspending my disbelief while thoroughly enjoying the ride. Honestly, the only thing I didn't like about it is the cover. I'm sure it's supposed to be cute but I didn't feel I could read the book in public!This is obviously a m/m story. It's not the kind of book I normally read, but I've read a few, and this was one of the best -- not to mention one of the most fun. The author of this book offered me a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. So here it is. I loved this book. I loved it so much that I also bought a copy for my kindle.