Review: Short, sexy, slapstick comedy
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 17, 2011
Vivi Andrews is always good for a witty, comical escape.  No matter what, I've enjoyed all of her stories, but the differentiator between I like her story and I love her story is definitely the length.  Both of her full length novels as part of this Karmic Consultants series are five stars.  This story is actually the first in the series and is not required to enjoy the others, but it provides a nice background and introduction to important characters.Lucy Cartwright is essentially a counselor for ghosts.  She helps them resolve their issues and to accept that they are dead so they can move on to the white light.  Unfortunately, you don't get to pick which ghosts come to you and since Lucy has been going through a dry spell romantically, she apparently is broadcasting her horniness to the dead.  This means that every horn dog ghost with unfulfilled sexual fantasies are visting Lucy with the hopes she'll be able to fulfill their cravings.  Of course it doesn't work that way and she can't even touch the ghosts, but she calls her boss Karma to see what she can do and Karma advises that she needs to get laid.The next day, Lucy is dragged out of bed by the pounding on her front door to find a strange, but hunky man on her doortstep and it's lust at first sight.  He introduces himself as Cox and tells her Karma sent him over so Lucy is mortified thinking Karma has sent her a gigolo to help her with her problem.  The thought of paying for sex is debilitating for only so long before she rationalizes she needs to get over her morals and succomb to temptation.  While she's entertaining fantasies in her head, the conversation gets a little awkward and it turns out that Cox is actually private investigator Jake Cox, Karma's brother, and he's there because Karma had a vision that a man who was recently murdered would be visiting her that evening.  Jake is investigating his murder and trying to track down evidence that will bring the murderer into custody.  Jake and Lucy have to wait it out together with the strain of their attraction since Lucy has to remain horny if she wants the ghost to show up.This story was fast paced with laugh out loud moments, but a whole lot less beleiveable, yes even with ghosts, than a full length novel where characters get a little more depth or there's more than your hookup within moments of meeting one another.  Although Lucy and Jake move on to be recurring characters in future books and actually a focal point for book 3, The Sexorcist, there really isn't much development of their relationship here beyond the physical.  Still, it's a light enjoyable escape and a great foundation for books 2 & 3.