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book_lady_13's review
4.0
I stumbled upon this book while waiting for the new Rose Gardner book to come out and I have to say I'm so glad I did! I was unsure about the ghost aspect at first (mostly because I'm a scaredy cat) but it's really not scary at all...
This is the first book of the series that follows Graciela Harper back to her small (quasi) hometown after a spoiled engagement. Right off the bat Gracie is funny and engaging and I felt a connection with her. While seeing ghosts is a new phenomenon for Gracie, attracting drama isn't, a that fact is very nicely woven in with snippets of past friendships possibly rekindling and troubles with the law not a new occurrence. It's hard to explain without giving away too much so just do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, the only downside (I say in complete sarcasm) is that you will find a new series you will want to cancel all plans for to read as fast as possible!
This is the first book of the series that follows Graciela Harper back to her small (quasi) hometown after a spoiled engagement. Right off the bat Gracie is funny and engaging and I felt a connection with her. While seeing ghosts is a new phenomenon for Gracie, attracting drama isn't, a that fact is very nicely woven in with snippets of past friendships possibly rekindling and troubles with the law not a new occurrence. It's hard to explain without giving away too much so just do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, the only downside (I say in complete sarcasm) is that you will find a new series you will want to cancel all plans for to read as fast as possible!
100pagesaday's review against another edition
4.0
A new adult, paranormal romance with ghosts! And no, no one is in love with a ghost. Graciela Harper returns to the small town of Heron Creek, South Carolina to take care of her grandfather who is not doing to well health wise. She is also using the homecoming as a retreat after an embarrassing break-off engagement. Gracie has to quickly come to terms with being an adult,with her grandfather's health, old friends with new dynamics and a cousin who might be in an abusive relationship, even though she would rather drown her sorrows in alcohol and not come out of her bedroom. Meeting the town's hunky new mayor doesn't help matters; neither does the appearance of the town's rather insistent resident ghost, Anne Bonny. It seems that Gracie is the only one who can see Anne and Anne really wants Gracie to do something for her.
This was a good mix of genres, a cute romance, a light haunting and plenty of family drama. Gracie starts out as a pretty pitiful mess, but she has a fierce love of her family and history. It was a little hard to connect with her in the beginning, but things picked up for me when the ghost of Anne Bonny started to appear. I liked the tie-in's with actual history and learning more about Anne Bonny and Mary Reid, actual women pirates. I also enjoyed going back in time for a while with Anne's journal entries. The added mystery of what Anne wanted Gracie to find was fun, but I could see where it was going. I am anxious to see what happens in the next book as Gracie is left with another ghostly dilemma. Overall, a fun, light, different type of ghost story.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
This was a good mix of genres, a cute romance, a light haunting and plenty of family drama. Gracie starts out as a pretty pitiful mess, but she has a fierce love of her family and history. It was a little hard to connect with her in the beginning, but things picked up for me when the ghost of Anne Bonny started to appear. I liked the tie-in's with actual history and learning more about Anne Bonny and Mary Reid, actual women pirates. I also enjoyed going back in time for a while with Anne's journal entries. The added mystery of what Anne wanted Gracie to find was fun, but I could see where it was going. I am anxious to see what happens in the next book as Gracie is left with another ghostly dilemma. Overall, a fun, light, different type of ghost story.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
spowers2627's review
4.0
This was a fun mystery by a new to me author. This story had everything I look for in a mystery: charming characters, compelling storyline, complete with fascinating twists and turns. An added bonus are the romantic moments.
Gracie is a relatable heroine. She has returned to the home of her heart, Heron Creek, South Carolina in order to care for her ailing grandfather. Gracie seems to be navigating a minefield of complicated relationships while trying to find a job. Complicating things even further, the appearance of a ghost seems to be demanding something from Gracie, if only she knew what. This book is the first in a series, and I will definitely be reading more from this series.
Gracie is a relatable heroine. She has returned to the home of her heart, Heron Creek, South Carolina in order to care for her ailing grandfather. Gracie seems to be navigating a minefield of complicated relationships while trying to find a job. Complicating things even further, the appearance of a ghost seems to be demanding something from Gracie, if only she knew what. This book is the first in a series, and I will definitely be reading more from this series.
jenn703's review against another edition
5.0
Don't be scared off by a ghost story
So I am not going to lie, I was hesitant to read this because of it being a ghost story (yes, I am a scaredy cat). However, I am glad that I did not let that hold me back. While there were a few parts that I read and wished the lights were on, the overall story was beautiful, gripping, and left me wanting more. Gracie's relationship with her gramps reminded me so much of mine with my grandparents and some of her other life events in general. Definitely a new series I am happy to encourage others to read.
So I am not going to lie, I was hesitant to read this because of it being a ghost story (yes, I am a scaredy cat). However, I am glad that I did not let that hold me back. While there were a few parts that I read and wished the lights were on, the overall story was beautiful, gripping, and left me wanting more. Gracie's relationship with her gramps reminded me so much of mine with my grandparents and some of her other life events in general. Definitely a new series I am happy to encourage others to read.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
4.0
You can also READ MY REVIEW HERE.
Look at me reading a ghost story and actually LOVING IT!
First of all, if you're looking for a ghost story with spine chilling chapters, I don't think this is for you. But if you want a ghost story with a heart and depth? HERE. READ IT. LOVE IT. SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY. THE BOOK TWO IS ALREADY OUT AND IF YOU LOVE ME YOU'LL GIFT IT TO ME!
I did not type the last part. Maybe it's Anne Bonny, idk
I admit, what I wanted at first is to get a creepy, scary and horror-like story. Not because I'm into that genre, HA, but because I want to challenge myself. I'm always avoiding those books and I thought "you know what, i'm tired of being a wimp" So yeah, I've seen ghost in the title and I just signed up. Ghost is pretty hard core for me already, mind you.
Anyway! Imma stop the blabbering. Let's get down to business. Graciela Harper is a mess! From a broken engagement, she went back to her hometown where she practically ran away from, Heron Creek. With her Grandfather counting the last days of his life, she must deal with the fact that her Gramps won't always be at her side. She needs to cut off an old flame permanently, reconcile with lost relationships, deal with a brewing romance and... befriend a pirate ghost?
Graciela or Gracie is sooo amusing for me. Her inner monologues are always so interesting and even though there are some chapters that is spent nothing but just her thinking, I always found myself interested and fixated! Like, yes GRACIE THAT IS SO NONSENSE BUT OKAY I'LL LISTEN. Characters are well done, I must say. Fully developed and well detailed. When you finish the book, there's.. longing. You got to know them, and bonded with them so you'll really miss them. No worries, as it was mentioned, THE BOOK TWO IS ALREADY OUT.
The books atmosphere or/and setting is, just wow, I LOVE IT. Heron Creek (the setting of the book) sounds so enticing to me. When I was reading this book, I felt like I'm just there with Gracie, following her (there's a chance that I'm really Anne Bonny). It's like I also know those people, like I grew up with them. It's because, Lyla Payne is such an excellent writer that when it comes to describing us a particular scene, it is nothing but brilliant!
If there's one thing I'll ask, it's that Gracie needs to work on more to that 'Nancy Drew attitude' There's some circumstances here where certain things are so obvious, I was practically yelling at her. It's too obvious so it's kind of impossible to miss it. (But then again, there's a big chance she's drunk at those times, LOL)
The Romance is.. how do I say this, uh, slow burning? I was struggling at first because I HONESTLY don't trust Gracie's love interest. I don't know, there's something fishy about him and besides, the author did not give him enough character background, so I'll still keep my suspicion. But Ms. Layne, you need to fix this.
You know what I'm talking about! ;)
Overall, Not Quite Dead is a charming, mystifying and absolutely heartwarming read. It's not everyday that you'll come across a ghost story that will will satisfy your drama, mystery, and romance fix. A book with skillful writing, endearing characters and satisfying plot, I HIGHLY recommend it!
Look at me reading a ghost story and actually LOVING IT!
First of all, if you're looking for a ghost story with spine chilling chapters, I don't think this is for you. But if you want a ghost story with a heart and depth? HERE. READ IT. LOVE IT. SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY. THE BOOK TWO IS ALREADY OUT AND IF YOU LOVE ME YOU'LL GIFT IT TO ME!
I did not type the last part. Maybe it's Anne Bonny, idk
I admit, what I wanted at first is to get a creepy, scary and horror-like story. Not because I'm into that genre, HA, but because I want to challenge myself. I'm always avoiding those books and I thought "you know what, i'm tired of being a wimp" So yeah, I've seen ghost in the title and I just signed up. Ghost is pretty hard core for me already, mind you.
Anyway! Imma stop the blabbering. Let's get down to business. Graciela Harper is a mess! From a broken engagement, she went back to her hometown where she practically ran away from, Heron Creek. With her Grandfather counting the last days of his life, she must deal with the fact that her Gramps won't always be at her side. She needs to cut off an old flame permanently, reconcile with lost relationships, deal with a brewing romance and... befriend a pirate ghost?
Graciela or Gracie is sooo amusing for me. Her inner monologues are always so interesting and even though there are some chapters that is spent nothing but just her thinking, I always found myself interested and fixated! Like, yes GRACIE THAT IS SO NONSENSE BUT OKAY I'LL LISTEN. Characters are well done, I must say. Fully developed and well detailed. When you finish the book, there's.. longing. You got to know them, and bonded with them so you'll really miss them. No worries, as it was mentioned, THE BOOK TWO IS ALREADY OUT.
The books atmosphere or/and setting is, just wow, I LOVE IT. Heron Creek (the setting of the book) sounds so enticing to me. When I was reading this book, I felt like I'm just there with Gracie, following her (there's a chance that I'm really Anne Bonny). It's like I also know those people, like I grew up with them. It's because, Lyla Payne is such an excellent writer that when it comes to describing us a particular scene, it is nothing but brilliant!
If there's one thing I'll ask, it's that Gracie needs to work on more to that 'Nancy Drew attitude' There's some circumstances here where certain things are so obvious, I was practically yelling at her. It's too obvious so it's kind of impossible to miss it. (But then again, there's a big chance she's drunk at those times, LOL)
The Romance is.. how do I say this, uh, slow burning? I was struggling at first because I HONESTLY don't trust Gracie's love interest. I don't know, there's something fishy about him and besides, the author did not give him enough character background, so I'll still keep my suspicion. But Ms. Layne, you need to fix this.
You know what I'm talking about! ;)
Overall, Not Quite Dead is a charming, mystifying and absolutely heartwarming read. It's not everyday that you'll come across a ghost story that will will satisfy your drama, mystery, and romance fix. A book with skillful writing, endearing characters and satisfying plot, I HIGHLY recommend it!
paddlefoot55's review against another edition
4.0
Copy received from the author for an honest review.
I am not much of a paranormal/supernatural book kind of reader - ghost stories, yeah whatever lol - but I have loved the other works by Lyla Payne that I have read, so when she approached me to read Not Quite Dead I decided to give it a go.
And I am glad I did.
This is not just a ghost story. There is mystery, suspense, humour, romance.
Heron Creek is a bizarre little town full of bizarre people, and Graciela sure does shake things up a bit when the moves back to care for ailing family!! From the first chapter when we meet her I just knew that I was going to love her.
I was drawn into the ghost story/mystery story and needed to find out what the ghost wanted, why she was hanging around. There was a a bit of the scooby-doos about the story at times with some of the characters, hell I was expecting someone to come and say they "would have got away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids"
I don't mean that in a bad way either, it added an amusing, lighthearted feel to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed Not Quite Dead, and look forward to reading Not Quite Cold when it is released.
I am not much of a paranormal/supernatural book kind of reader - ghost stories, yeah whatever lol - but I have loved the other works by Lyla Payne that I have read, so when she approached me to read Not Quite Dead I decided to give it a go.
And I am glad I did.
This is not just a ghost story. There is mystery, suspense, humour, romance.
Heron Creek is a bizarre little town full of bizarre people, and Graciela sure does shake things up a bit when the moves back to care for ailing family!! From the first chapter when we meet her I just knew that I was going to love her.
I was drawn into the ghost story/mystery story and needed to find out what the ghost wanted, why she was hanging around. There was a a bit of the scooby-doos about the story at times with some of the characters, hell I was expecting someone to come and say they "would have got away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids"
I don't mean that in a bad way either, it added an amusing, lighthearted feel to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed Not Quite Dead, and look forward to reading Not Quite Cold when it is released.
ctorretta's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I was hoping that my Kindle wasn’t going to die as I was trying to get finished! I stayed up way into the night for this one!
What an intriguing ghost story! Loved almost every word.
I’m going to hit on that very tiny negative for just a second because there is a lot of positive for this one. At times what is in the plot can be a little redundant. For instance Graciela will comment multiple times on something. It wasn’t overwhelming, just something I noticed. This is also pretty long. Maybe some of the story could have been pared down. Maybe not though because…
It ended perfectly!
I loved the characters. Graciela (geez that’s hard to type. I am going to misspell that one) is sarcastic but she has been devastated and is just trying to figure out if she wants to get back into life or not. Like seriously, she is debating on being an alcoholic. I totally understood this. Sometimes you just don’t WANT to get out of bed. Or you open that bottle of wine at noon cause hey, it’s 5:00 somewhere!
Beau is also pretty awesome. Although… I have absolutely no reason to doubt him (YET) but I just don’t trust that guy. He’s just too perfect and nothing has come out about him. I have my eyes on you Beau! And not just cause you’re a hottie either!
And then the push / pull between the rest of her family. It’s drama but it’s drama that could actually happen! I loved to hate it all!
But, this book isn’t only about drama, and ghosts that smell horrible, this is hilarious as well! For a semi horror I laughed my ass off multiple times! Just fell head over heels in love with how Lyla Payne writes. It’s fabulous and even though at times I wanted to cry, she someone found the ability to make a character do or say something that would make me laugh, even as my eyes were getting a little teary.
Didn’t technically end on a cliff hanger although the way it ended left it open for another book. Which is fabulous because I want more! Most questions are answered although I’m still curious about Beau.
In short: Easy, fun read! Although this IS a ghost story I can see this being a great read for a lot of people.
4.5/5 Received by the author for an honest review.
What an intriguing ghost story! Loved almost every word.
I’m going to hit on that very tiny negative for just a second because there is a lot of positive for this one. At times what is in the plot can be a little redundant. For instance Graciela will comment multiple times on something. It wasn’t overwhelming, just something I noticed. This is also pretty long. Maybe some of the story could have been pared down. Maybe not though because…
It ended perfectly!
I loved the characters. Graciela (geez that’s hard to type. I am going to misspell that one) is sarcastic but she has been devastated and is just trying to figure out if she wants to get back into life or not. Like seriously, she is debating on being an alcoholic. I totally understood this. Sometimes you just don’t WANT to get out of bed. Or you open that bottle of wine at noon cause hey, it’s 5:00 somewhere!
Beau is also pretty awesome. Although… I have absolutely no reason to doubt him (YET) but I just don’t trust that guy. He’s just too perfect and nothing has come out about him. I have my eyes on you Beau! And not just cause you’re a hottie either!
And then the push / pull between the rest of her family. It’s drama but it’s drama that could actually happen! I loved to hate it all!
But, this book isn’t only about drama, and ghosts that smell horrible, this is hilarious as well! For a semi horror I laughed my ass off multiple times! Just fell head over heels in love with how Lyla Payne writes. It’s fabulous and even though at times I wanted to cry, she someone found the ability to make a character do or say something that would make me laugh, even as my eyes were getting a little teary.
Didn’t technically end on a cliff hanger although the way it ended left it open for another book. Which is fabulous because I want more! Most questions are answered although I’m still curious about Beau.
In short: Easy, fun read! Although this IS a ghost story I can see this being a great read for a lot of people.
4.5/5 Received by the author for an honest review.
shadyhero's review
3.0
On one hand this book was funny, easy to read, with some likable characters and some very despicable ones, it had a very interesting story that makes you interested in our main lead, Graciela. On the other hand, and this is a personal thing, I’m annoyed at how some things were handled, like I’m pretty sure I would not take finding out I’m the descendant of some important pirate woman from town history and my family has a curse which kills our male borns as easily as Graciela did... which made the whole thing kind of... anticlimactic, I guess? She just accepted the fact that she was seeing a ghost land everything that came with it and that was it!
We had a pretty solid storyline with pretty solid connections, and ghosts and mysteries are always cool to read about but Graciela’s character was so? bland? that yes, I wanted to know more but I wasn’t really invested in the whole thing which made me really sad.
I did love her relationship with her grandpa so much and her cousin’s situation made me sick to my stomach. I guess when it comes to Graciela’s development my girl has a lot of room for it since this series has a total of 11 books up to date so I’ll just stick around and hope for the best!
We had a pretty solid storyline with pretty solid connections, and ghosts and mysteries are always cool to read about but Graciela’s character was so? bland? that yes, I wanted to know more but I wasn’t really invested in the whole thing which made me really sad.
I did love her relationship with her grandpa so much and her cousin’s situation made me sick to my stomach. I guess when it comes to Graciela’s development my girl has a lot of room for it since this series has a total of 11 books up to date so I’ll just stick around and hope for the best!
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
Not Quite Dead ( A Lowcountry Ghost Story) by Lyla Payne is a 2014 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Graciela is dealing with inner demons , an ill grandfather, tense family relations, old memories, and the mayor of Heron Creek , and one stinky and persistent ghost. That's a lot of for anyone, but Grace is tougher than she knows and she will need every last ounce of her strength to survive.
Graciela has lots of regrets and is nursing a broken heart and deep humiliation. Now she is face to face with her old boyfriend, Will and his wife, Melanie who was once Grace's bestie. Awkward. Being back in Heron Creek has also stirred up old memories for Grace. Her cousin who was like her sister growing up hasn't spoken to her in years, her relationship with Will which was a sure thing has her feeling like she missed out on something great with him, and to rub salt in the wound she has to watch him and her former best friend live the life she could have had. Instead she ended up with a guy that cheated on her countless times and left her in rotten state of mind. But, now the most important thing is her grandfather. Her elderly grandfather is struggling with his health and trying to maintain his dignity. He worries about Grace a lot, but tries not to show it. When the new mayor in town takes an instant liking to Grace, she puts up all her defenses. However, Beau refuses to give up on Grace. The town has decided that Grace may be one brick shy of a full load and she suffers odd looks and is the subject of much gossip. When the ghost of Anne Bonny shows up ,Grace has her memory refreshed about the legend of Anne and the reports of seeing her ghost from time to time.
It becomes apparent that Anne wants Grace to help her and if Grace wants any peace she will have to go along. As Grace begins to feel a little sympathy toward her ghost the history about Anne begins to put many things into perspective for Grace. But, before she can get all the facts she needs, her grandfather takes a turn for the worse and Grace has to deal with her bitch of Aunt, Melanie warning her away from Will, and before long a dreaded reunion with her cousin, Amelia. Not only that but Beau has found a way to break down some of Grace's walls but a disturbing story about Beau has left just a niggle of doubt in Grace's mind as to whether or not she can trust Beau in general, much less with her heart.
Grace is quite a character. Snarky, sarcastic, funny, and flawed, but you will root for her from start to finish. Gramps is also a great guy, but the other characters in the story all had me wondering who to trust or like . Melanie was kind of an odd duck I thought, Will was wishy washy, Beau was too tight lipped about his past, but didn't have any trouble pumping Grace for information about hers, Aunt Karen made me want to reach through the pages and slap her, Amelia was just in a really bad situation and I couldn't help but feel for her. Another of Grace's old friends from Heron Creek provides a mystery that we don't get to the bottom of in this chapter of the series, but I have a feeling we will learn a lot more about that soon. Then Anne Bonny and her sadness, determination, and her back story made her one of the best characters in the book. Of course she doesn't speak out loud, but her story is still told in her own words.
There is a lot going on in this book. The ghost story was really interesting as we get to hear about events of over 200 years ago from Anne herself. The family dynamics are really heavy and frankly realistic. Not all families are just perfect and Grace has pretty much been left on her own except for her grandfather due to some delicate situations in the past. An old curse that threatens all the descendants of Anne Bonny comes to light but Grace is having a hard time getting to the bottom of it because of a librarian who is overprotective of the archives. The relationship with Beau seems like a good one for Grace and I thought she deserved some happiness after everything she had gone through. While a part of me was glad to see Grace shrug off her doubts about Beau, another part of me wondered if that was a good thing or not. The reader will have to decide that for themselves and of course I'm sure the next book will reveal more about Beau and his all so secret past. There was closure for everyone thankfully on all other fronts. Amelia and Grace are going to finally be alright with each other, Will and Melanie are on solid ground and maybe Grace and Melanie's friendship will regain some of it's strength now that Melanie is not as insecure. But, it looks like Grace's job is not over just yet.... so stay tuned.
This is a New Adult Mystery/Ghost story with mature themes and some romance. The heat level is a one, there is some language sprinkled throughout and some mild violence.
This one gets a 4 star rating.
Graciela is dealing with inner demons , an ill grandfather, tense family relations, old memories, and the mayor of Heron Creek , and one stinky and persistent ghost. That's a lot of for anyone, but Grace is tougher than she knows and she will need every last ounce of her strength to survive.
Graciela has lots of regrets and is nursing a broken heart and deep humiliation. Now she is face to face with her old boyfriend, Will and his wife, Melanie who was once Grace's bestie. Awkward. Being back in Heron Creek has also stirred up old memories for Grace. Her cousin who was like her sister growing up hasn't spoken to her in years, her relationship with Will which was a sure thing has her feeling like she missed out on something great with him, and to rub salt in the wound she has to watch him and her former best friend live the life she could have had. Instead she ended up with a guy that cheated on her countless times and left her in rotten state of mind. But, now the most important thing is her grandfather. Her elderly grandfather is struggling with his health and trying to maintain his dignity. He worries about Grace a lot, but tries not to show it. When the new mayor in town takes an instant liking to Grace, she puts up all her defenses. However, Beau refuses to give up on Grace. The town has decided that Grace may be one brick shy of a full load and she suffers odd looks and is the subject of much gossip. When the ghost of Anne Bonny shows up ,Grace has her memory refreshed about the legend of Anne and the reports of seeing her ghost from time to time.
It becomes apparent that Anne wants Grace to help her and if Grace wants any peace she will have to go along. As Grace begins to feel a little sympathy toward her ghost the history about Anne begins to put many things into perspective for Grace. But, before she can get all the facts she needs, her grandfather takes a turn for the worse and Grace has to deal with her bitch of Aunt, Melanie warning her away from Will, and before long a dreaded reunion with her cousin, Amelia. Not only that but Beau has found a way to break down some of Grace's walls but a disturbing story about Beau has left just a niggle of doubt in Grace's mind as to whether or not she can trust Beau in general, much less with her heart.
Grace is quite a character. Snarky, sarcastic, funny, and flawed, but you will root for her from start to finish. Gramps is also a great guy, but the other characters in the story all had me wondering who to trust or like . Melanie was kind of an odd duck I thought, Will was wishy washy, Beau was too tight lipped about his past, but didn't have any trouble pumping Grace for information about hers, Aunt Karen made me want to reach through the pages and slap her, Amelia was just in a really bad situation and I couldn't help but feel for her. Another of Grace's old friends from Heron Creek provides a mystery that we don't get to the bottom of in this chapter of the series, but I have a feeling we will learn a lot more about that soon. Then Anne Bonny and her sadness, determination, and her back story made her one of the best characters in the book. Of course she doesn't speak out loud, but her story is still told in her own words.
There is a lot going on in this book. The ghost story was really interesting as we get to hear about events of over 200 years ago from Anne herself. The family dynamics are really heavy and frankly realistic. Not all families are just perfect and Grace has pretty much been left on her own except for her grandfather due to some delicate situations in the past. An old curse that threatens all the descendants of Anne Bonny comes to light but Grace is having a hard time getting to the bottom of it because of a librarian who is overprotective of the archives. The relationship with Beau seems like a good one for Grace and I thought she deserved some happiness after everything she had gone through. While a part of me was glad to see Grace shrug off her doubts about Beau, another part of me wondered if that was a good thing or not. The reader will have to decide that for themselves and of course I'm sure the next book will reveal more about Beau and his all so secret past. There was closure for everyone thankfully on all other fronts. Amelia and Grace are going to finally be alright with each other, Will and Melanie are on solid ground and maybe Grace and Melanie's friendship will regain some of it's strength now that Melanie is not as insecure. But, it looks like Grace's job is not over just yet.... so stay tuned.
This is a New Adult Mystery/Ghost story with mature themes and some romance. The heat level is a one, there is some language sprinkled throughout and some mild violence.
This one gets a 4 star rating.
beckymmoe's review against another edition
4.0
You can't go home again--or can you?
Graciela Harper has moved back to Heron Creek. On the surface it's to help her grandfather, but she also needs some alone time to lick her wounds from a broken engagement. Oh, and maybe to work on her budding alcohol problem. She hasn't been back in years--in fact, she hadn't really planned on ever coming back, not to stay--and much has changed. Two of her former friends are now married (and there's some major backstory in there, because one of them was also Gracie's first boyfriend) and the third, her cousin Millie, hasn't spoken to her in five years.
They'd all been as thick as thieves once upon a time. Now it's all just...awkward.
Before she knows it she has a new job, and an old enemy has become an unexpected new friend. And then there's her stalker. No, not the hot new mayor--though he does manage to pop up an awful lot when Graciela's around. The other one. The one who supposedly died two hundred years ago, give or take a few years, yet keeps popping up at really inconvenient times.
Not that there's a good time to see a ghost, but still...
I really liked Ms. Payne's writing style. There were quite a few lines that made me smile or even laugh out loud, and several that I read out loud to those around me. She even had me darn close to tears at one point, and a couple of other scenes had me literally on the edge of my seat.
Gracie--once she gets past her initial "poor me" phase--is a likable heroine with a lot of snark. The secondary characters are nicely fleshed out, and we get just enough of everyone's past to make us become invested in their future. The ghost is deliciously creepy--I was almost hesitant to shut off the last light before going to bed last night after staying up late reading.
I did shut it off of course, but the cottage we're renting does indeed have some interesting shadows, not to mention strange noises...
Anyway.
I really enjoyed reading Not Quite Dead. The main parts of the story were wrapped up at the end--one bit was resolved a *touch* too neatly, but it wasn't glaringly so and it was satisfactorily handled, so I didn't mind it too much. There are a few threads left hanging that will presumably be addressed in a future book, giving the reader something to look forward to. There's nothing remotely cliffhanger-ish about the ending, but there is something that happens on the very last page that pretty much guarantees I'll be first in line for book two of the series.
All in all, an entertaining read!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Graciela Harper has moved back to Heron Creek. On the surface it's to help her grandfather, but she also needs some alone time to lick her wounds from a broken engagement. Oh, and maybe to work on her budding alcohol problem. She hasn't been back in years--in fact, she hadn't really planned on ever coming back, not to stay--and much has changed. Two of her former friends are now married (and there's some major backstory in there, because one of them was also Gracie's first boyfriend) and the third, her cousin Millie, hasn't spoken to her in five years.
They'd all been as thick as thieves once upon a time. Now it's all just...awkward.
Before she knows it she has a new job, and an old enemy has become an unexpected new friend. And then there's her stalker. No, not the hot new mayor--though he does manage to pop up an awful lot when Graciela's around. The other one. The one who supposedly died two hundred years ago, give or take a few years, yet keeps popping up at really inconvenient times.
Not that there's a good time to see a ghost, but still...
I really liked Ms. Payne's writing style. There were quite a few lines that made me smile or even laugh out loud, and several that I read out loud to those around me. She even had me darn close to tears at one point, and a couple of other scenes had me literally on the edge of my seat.
Gracie--once she gets past her initial "poor me" phase--is a likable heroine with a lot of snark. The secondary characters are nicely fleshed out, and we get just enough of everyone's past to make us become invested in their future. The ghost is deliciously creepy--I was almost hesitant to shut off the last light before going to bed last night after staying up late reading.
I did shut it off of course, but the cottage we're renting does indeed have some interesting shadows, not to mention strange noises...
Anyway.
I really enjoyed reading Not Quite Dead. The main parts of the story were wrapped up at the end--one bit was resolved a *touch* too neatly, but it wasn't glaringly so and it was satisfactorily handled, so I didn't mind it too much. There are a few threads left hanging that will presumably be addressed in a future book, giving the reader something to look forward to. There's nothing remotely cliffhanger-ish about the ending, but there is something that happens on the very last page that pretty much guarantees I'll be first in line for book two of the series.
All in all, an entertaining read!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.