Book Review: Ghost of a Promise (Phantoms #1) by Kelly Moran

Ghost of a Promise (Phantoms #1)
by Kelly Moran 
Published January 31st 2022 
Received via NetGalley

The haunting lore of her family's estate on the coast of Maine never bothered Ava Trumble. Truly, the big ole house seems less lonely with a ghost or two. However, when it finally becomes her time to inherit the elaborate mansion on the bluffs, the deed comes with a shocking ultimatum. She has exactly one year to solve the two-hundred-year-old mystery of the disappearance of a girl that has always plagued their town, or her dreams and the property will wind up in the hands of the Historical Society.

As the lead investigator for the hit paranormal TV show Phantoms, Jackson Granger is prepared for any metaphysical encounter. Until now. It's not just the uncanny sense of "coming home" since getting his team inside Trumble Mansion or even his reaction to the fiery redhead owner who seems to consume his every waking thought. No, it's that, as the investigation unfolds, the ghosts are using Jackson and Ava's attraction to play out a centuries-old tragedy. Heartbreak. Loss. Overwhelming passion.

Now, Jackson and Ava must determine if they're sharing something real...or if they've merely been possessed by a love that never died.

Book Review: I’ve been looking for a book like this for awhile, and just managed to trip over this on NetGalley. 

Ava inherits her family home from her great aunt, a home that is possibly cursed and haunted by the ghosts of their ancestors. There is one stipulation to her getting the house, she has to solve the mystery of a death on the property that happened over a century ago. I was drawn into Ava’s plight and how she just wanted to fulfil her dream of turning the old house into a bed and breakfast.  

As a last ditch effort she calls in a paranormal group/ show to investigate the house and hopefully find some answers. As Jackson and his crew investigate things get kinda weird, especially after it comes out that Jackson is distantly related to the victim. As the investigation goes on the attraction between Ava and Jackson grows. The sexual tension between these two is intense. Yet I was pulled in and kept reading to find out if it was genuine or due to the spirits.  

The mystery paired with the relationship between Jackson and Ava kept me reading. The plot was well done dropping hints and offering clues for both the readers and investigators. I found myself engaged and wanting to know more about the whole team, not just Ava and Jackson.