Ghost of a Chance by Katherine Garbera

Ghost of a ChanceGhost of a Chance by Katherine Garbera

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone Title

Release Date: September 30, 2025

After a long day promoting her newest book, Kirsty Henson AKA cozy fantasy mystery author K.L. Henson, needs to unwind and as luck would have it, her favorite band, the Dead Boys were playing at a club in town. Things get even better when she meets Jasper, an extremely hot guy who is also a super fan. Sparks fly between them, and they go back to his place, but too much tequila cuts their night short, and she leaves in the morning thinking she will never see him again. She returns to her hotel and gets ready for a television interview on a popular morning talk show, Live with Bri O’Brien. But while in the green room she comes face to face with her almost one night stand and he begs for her help. Jasper tells her his old college roommate Paul is haunting him via physics book, and he wants her to help him move on. Kirsty thinks he deceived her and refuses to help him, not just because she is angry, but because despite her author bio saying she is able to talk to ghosts, just like the heroine in her books, she can’t. But when Bri overhears their discussion and blindsides Kirsty during the interview by inviting Jasper to join them. When Jasper’s ghost makes itself known, Kirsty is backed into a corner and ends up agreeing to help the ghost move on. She plans to fake it until she can make it, but she doesn’t count on falling for Jasper and wanting to give him closure.

Jasper Cotton believes the ghost of his college roommate Paul is trapped in a physics textbook. In the years since Paul’s death, not only has the book has been following him but the ghost has been communicating with him via his phone’s playlist and the Judge Judy show. He is wracked with guilt about Paul’s passing and has never really dealt with his grief. Meeting Kirsty seems to be fate, not only is she beautiful, smart and has great taste in music, but she can talk to ghosts. If he can get her to talk to Paul, maybe he can finally move on with his life and maybe he can convince Kirsty to be a part of it. But first they will have to figure out why Paul hasn’t moved on and how to be honest with themselves and each other about their past experiences.

I was hooked on the first page and had a hard time putting this one down! I loved Kirsty and Jasper, both as a couple and individuals, they are both intelligent, considerate people with a lot in common. Their lives have been similar, but at the same time vastly different. Being forced to spend time together will cause them both to face themselves and decide what they want from their lives. The book is filled with emotion, great characters, witty banter, spicy love scenes, an adorable dog, frat parties, temporary tattoos, a ghost who wants to be heard, grief and healing. Overall, I found this story to be a well-written and fast-paced third person POV romance with an actual “happily ever after” ending not just a “happy for now” ending. I was lucky enough to both read the print edition and listen to the audiobook – both were great, and I would happily recommend this book to anyone who loves a dash of paranormal in their romance novels.

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

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The Nanny’s Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes by Amy Rose Bennett

The Nanny's Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes (The Parasol Academy)The Nanny’s Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes by Amy Rose Bennett

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Parasol Academy #1

Release Date: September 30, 2025

The Parasol Academy for Exceptional Nannies and Governesses is very prestigious, thanks to a charter from Queen Victoria and magic bestowed to the Academy by Maeve, the Fae Queen. Having been left penniless after the death of her husband, Emmeline Chase was thrilled to learn that she could attend the academy as a “legacy” since her mother was a graduate. Now that she has graduated, she is sent on an interview and the opportunity could not have come at a better time, as she needs to earn enough money to help her father get out of debtor’s prison. But a teleporting mishap on her way to an interview, lands her on the roof of the Duke of St. Lawrence’s London townhouse. Thankfully, he has a pet raven, and Emmeline is able to talk to him and summon the duke to help her down. The duke is clearly in need a of nanny for his wards, but Emmeline can’t stop to help if she wants to get to her interview, she mentions the academy and is soon on her way. Her interview was disappointing, and she is worried, but the next day she learns the duke called and asked for her to interview for a position at his home. It would be the perfect position, if she wasn’t so attracted to the duke, because fraternizing with her employer is a huge no-no for Academy graduates. But aren’t rules made to be broken?

Xavier Mason, the Duke of St. Lawrence is considered odd by most people, but he is a gifted horologist and is currently in a competition to design the King of Clocks which will grace St. Stephen’s Tower in the newly rebuilt Palace of Westminster. He has been trying to perfect his design, but his home has been invaded by his new wards, he three young, orphaned cousins and a series of unfortunate events that disrupt his normally ordered life. He is at his wits end when he meets Emmeline and is immediately intrigued and hires her at the first opportunity. In Emmeline he finds not just an amazing nanny for his wards, but a true friend and supporter. Together they will figure out who is trying to sabotage his design efforts and maybe for the first time in his life, Xavier will finally find something he has never had, love and a family.

I enjoyed this book so much! I loved Emmeline and Xavier and all the secondary characters but Xavier’s pet raven “Horatio Ravenscar, Esquire” was quite possibly the best secondary character ever written! This story has something for everyone, emotion, a strong female heroine, a brilliant virgin hero who is on the spectrum, adorable kids, a sassy raven, some magic, some mayhem, found family, witty banter, warmish love scenes, a little mystery, nasty villains, good friends, and a happy ever after made complete with an epilogue! I really enjoyed this story, but I don’t think I would categorize it as part of the romantasy genre, I would say it was more of an historical romance with a bit of magic. This is the first book in a new series, and I am already impatiently awaiting the next installment!!

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