Category: Rom Com

Ghost Me, Maybe by Manda Collins

On By TracyIn Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, Rom Com, Standalone Title, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Ghost Me, MaybeGhost Me, Maybe by Manda Collins

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: September 22, 2026

When Khaki Boudreaux passed away, librarian Callie Jameson was shocked to learn that she had not only left Callie her beachfront home which was formerly the library of St. Ignatius College on Petite Cote Island in Louisiana, but also a one million dollar bequest, if Callie moved to the Island and lived in the home for at least one year. Overwhelmed by the inheritance, Callie packs up her life (and her cat Stella) in Cincinnati and moves to Petite Cote Island with big plans. But almost immediately it becomes clear that things are not going to go as planned. First her hotel reservation at the inn that she had booked months in advance was lost and she was forced to immediately move into the library. She is delighted to learn that Khaki’s great-nephew, Trey LeBlanc had been renovating the library for the last year but was less delighted to discover that he was living there.

Trey LeBlanc was stunned to learn that his great-aunt Khaki had left his childhood refuge to a stranger. Convinced that Callie scammed his aunt, he calls his cousin Julie (Khaki’s daughter) and is set straight, now he has to find a way to convince Callie to sell him the library when her year of tenancy is up. But despite a mutual attraction, that might be harder than he expected when they clash from the moment, they meet and the “hauntings” that have been nothing more than a nuisance for the last few months ramp up. It takes a few weeks, but eventually they find a way to cohabitate and even form a friendship. It isn’t until the “hauntings” turn dangerous, that their relationship changes and they agree to work together to find out who is behind them before things get worse and someone gets hurt.

I love Manda Collins writing style, I have read all her historical romances and while I don’t usually read contemporary romances, I was intrigued by the blurb for this book, and I am happy to say I was not disappointed. Callie and Trey are wonderful characters and their chemistry is apparent as soon as they meet. The book is more cozy mystery than rom-com, but there are enough elements of each to satisfy both genre lovers. The book is filled with good friends, found family, small-town vibes, decent mystery, slow burn romance with a closed-door love scene, lots of banter and finally a satisfying conclusion to both the mystery and the romance. The only thing that kept this from being a 5-star read is a scene towards the end with Trey and his ex-wife that pulled me out the story and that I felt was an unnecessary sidetrack, I guess it was to show he was over her but it didn’t hit that way for me. Despite that little hiccup, I enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it to both cozy mystery and romance lovers!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

 

Morfran, Dark Lord Reformed by S. B. West

On By TracyIn Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Rom Com, Romantasy, Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

Morfran, Dark Lord ReformedMorfran, Dark Lord Reformed by S.B. West

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: September 8, 2026

After twenty years as the Dark Lord of Ruthven, Morfran the Beheader, decided he had had enough and left. For the last ten months, he has been lying low as Bernard, a goat farmer and jam maker. He has sworn that he has put his Dark Lord ways behind him, but his past, namely his ex-wife, Ravana are not willing to let him walk away. She sends her soldiers to find him and bring him back; he thankfully anticipated trouble and set booby traps in his yard, giving him time to grab his goats and escape. But as his luck would have it, his plan to make his way to the coast and disappear is thwarted when he is captured by forest rebels and taken prisoner.

To save the life of his goat Benjamin aka Beni and her two kids, he confesses to being a former General in the Dark Lord’s army and agrees to help the rebels fight the Dark Lord (him) and to eventually overthrow the Dark Lord (him). But Morfran has other plans, namely, to not help them, but take his goats and disappear. He has a plan, yet the more time he spends with the rebels, the guiltier he feels about his previous actions, and decides that he will help them win back the towns that the Dark Lord (him) captured and then he will slip away. Partly because of guilt, but mostly because they are holding his goats hostage. Yet when the end draws near, will Morfran flee or will he be reformed?

This was not your average fantasy read, it was silly, bordering on absurd, but if you don’t take it too seriously, it was a fun read that reminded me of India Holton’s The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, which is sort of a Monty Python fantasy story. I don’t usually care for over the top ridiculousness, but I have read quite a few darker stories recently and this was the perfect dose of nonsense that I needed to cleanse my reading palette. Morfran is hilarious and the secondary characters are wonderful, throw in a couple of goats, a hexed assassin, a lost prince, an evil ex-wife with a foot fetish, a flying squid, a bit of magic and you have a laugh out loud (plus a lot of head shaking) romp that is sure to make you smile and hope that Morfran can actually reform and maybe find his own HEA.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *