LGBTQ+ Romance and Erotica Book Reviews
The British Empire reigns supreme, and its young Queen Victoria has expanded her realm to St. Francisco, a bustling city of English lords and Chinese ghettos. St. Francisco is a jewel in the Empire’s crown and as deeply embroiled in the conflict between the Arcane and Science as its sister city, London—a very dark and dangerous battle.
It’s that time. The night before All Hallows’ Eve. This is not a favorite holiday for my own stupid reasons you can read all about here in my self-deprecating blog post. I know loads of people who go all-out for this day. That’s cool. The ghoulish stuff folks come up with is crazy good, and I’m always amazed. It’s just…not my day.
But what kind of person would I be if I hid on my back porch and ignored it altogether? So, in the spirit of goodwill and goblins, I bring you a ghostly story that scared me out of my fucking mind. Have at it. Note though, it’s book two in a series. I think this can be read as a stand-alone, though.
Or, check out the recently released, read, and reviewed Stygian by Santino Hassell…it also scared the bejeezus out of me.
Paranormal investigator Wolf Kincaid knows what his foot tastes like.
Mostly because he stuck it firmly in his mouth when his lover, Tristan Pryce, accidentally drugged him with a batch of psychotropic baklava. Needing to patch things up between them, Wolf drags Tristan to San Luis Obispo, hoping Tristan’s medium ability can help evict a troublesome spirit haunting an old farmhouse.
With Wolf’s sister handling Hoxne Grange’s spectral visitors, Tristan finds himself in the unique position of being able to leave home for the first time in forever, but Wolf’s roughshod treatment is the least of his worries. Tristan’s ad-hoc portal for passing spirits seems to be getting fewer and fewer guests, and despite his concern he’s broken his home, Tristan agrees to help Wolf’s cousin, Sey, kick her poltergeist to the proverbial curb.
San Luis Obispo brings its own bushel of troubles. Tristan’s ghost whispering skill is challenged not only by a terrorizing haunting but also by Wolf’s skeptical older cousin, Cin. Bookended by a pair of aggressive Kincaids, Tristan soon finds himself in a spectral battle that threatens not only his sanity but also his relationship with Wolf, the first man he’s ever loved.
Shame, shame, shame on me. See, I’m a big ole scaredy cat, and I explained in my review of Fish and Ghosts (Book 1) here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show… that I don’t particularly go for ghost/paranormal stories unless they’re written by an author I really like who typically writes in other genres I like. I handled Fish and Ghosts like a champ and only got a little bit squicked out once. So I sallied forth without a thought or a care and dove right on into Duck Duck Ghost without reading the description or any reviews. That was my first mistake.
My second mistake was that I woefully underestimated Rhys Ford. I thought (stupidly in hindsight) that Ms. Ford had exhausted all of her horror-inducing tricks in Fish and Ghosts. I thought (again, stupidly), I’d get another steamy romantic tale with a few brushes with some ghosts who might be aggravating at worst. They’d cause some mostly mild disturbances, move some furniture around, stuff like that….but mostly, I’d get a lot of laughs. But noooo. Ms. Ford upped her game. She was holding back. She’s got a sick and twisted, twisted mind. I imagine she’s pretty damned pleased with herself right now with a MWA-HA-HA evil, maniacal laugh going on. Go ahead. I deserve it.
***F-Bombs and Warnings Ahead***
Child ghosts….horrifying. Just….I can’t go further with that. Don’t get any ideas Rhys, but thank fuck there weren’t twin child ghosts. RED-RUM anyone?
DOLLS people! Dolls are straight-up fucking creepy. I did NOT play with them as a child because I KNEW back then they were creepy. They’re all possessed. They all do things when left unattended and especially, especially, at night when everyone is asleep. Who does not know this? Y’all think Toy Story is a sweet, innocent Disney flick? Go back and read the real Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty then come tell me I’m nuts. I’m telling you, Toy Story is Disney’s sparkly version of Chucky.
Then Rhys had to up the freak factor with CLOWN dolls. Clowns alone – the real living, breathing, circus freak, McHamburger peddling, Birthday party crashing clowns – are also sick-ass creepy, full-body shiver frightening. There had to be clown dolls?
Oh and DOLL PARTS. And why would anyone have doll PARTS lying around? Everyone knows those things don’t need to be part of the whole to wreak havoc. Jars of doll eyeballs and grasping, choking, tongue-pinching doll hands, and cracked and faded doll HEADS that move and crawl in bed with you. Oh, Hellz No.
Christ on a popcorn kernel, I won’t sleep for a week.
There’s gonna be another book, isn’t there? I know there is. Just please more funny stuff from the likes of Gildy and Mara and more sexy times with Wolf and Tristan.
My being freaked right the EFF out aside….this was a great, well-constructed read in the high-caliber style I’ve learned to expect from Ms. Ford. It was fast-paced and sexy with some funny to break up the fright factor.
Yeah, I’ll read book three. But gotta say I’m glad it’s not out yet. I need a shot or twelve of tequila so I can get some sleep.
This review also posted on GoodReads.
This is probably the last post from me mentioning Queer Romance Month until next year. I hope you’ve paid them a visit, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I’ll still be bringing you queer stories since that’s primarily what I read. I also hope to provide links, so you have good resources for information if you’re an ally, or have questions. Or when I have questions and find answers I’ll be sure to share.
Thanks for visiting!
Halloween is nearly upon us in all its spooked-out ghoulishness.
Lean in and I’ll tell you a little secret…..
……..are you listening?…….
It isn’t easy being a Morgan. Especially when dead bodies start piling up and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it.
Quinn Morgan never quite fit into the family mold. He dreamed of a life with books instead of badges and knowledge instead of law—and a life with Rafe Andrade, his older brothers’ bad boy friend and the man who broke his very young heart.