First off, ignore the Christmas-themed cover. Secret Wishes is set around Christmas but I wouldn’t consider it a Christmas romance. There’s no decorating of trees or anything like that. This is a good ol’ Regency, a good ol’ PARANORMAL Regency.
I know, I know… I’m not usually a paranormal lover (though I did gobble up J.K. Coi’s latest installment of her Immortal Series, Dark Immortal – what a tear jerker!). I’m squeamish about blood and scary supernatural beings.
Although Secret Wishes has ghosts, it has no blood or gore and the ghosts are more charming than frightening. The heroine Emma is haunted by a former Rake (former because he’s dead, not that he’s given up being a Rake). The dead Rake, having made a dreadful mess of his own life, decides to help Emma pursue her true love. She is head over heels in love with Ross Stanton, Earl Of Brynmor, the only other person she knows who can also see ghosts. Yes, they are perfect for each other!
Ross, however, doesn’t see that. He came back from the war wounded not only physically but psychologically, and refuses to have anything to do with Emma. He has troubles of his own, being haunted by a squabbling brother/sister duo.
Give Emma a real live squabbling brother, add one money hungry suitor, and you have a wonderful Regency read with a few twists. Ross is deliciously broken. Emma is healing yet strong (and stubborn as an ox but she’d have to be to deal with Ross). Our dear dead Rake proves that dying doesn’t make you more savvy about life. Secret Wishes is a fun, fresh read from beginning to end.
Note: Secret Wishes does contain different types of romantic relationships (as secondary storylines) but then with ghosts in the story, you know this is not a traditional Regency.
To read more about Secret Wishes and Catherine Stang’s other novels, please visit http://www.catherinestang.com/
1 comment:
Great job, K! Sounds like a really well-rounded story.
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