B-movie actress turned real estate agent Elizabeth Hunt should have it made. The real estate market is thriving and she has a fabulous house to sell. Too bad the house is in Banshee Creek, a tiny Virginia hamlet that has been recently crowned as the “Most Haunted Town in America.” But with the help of the Banshee Creek Historical Preservation Committee, Elizabeth hopes to put the ghost stories … stories to rest. Her hometown will again be known for its vintage homes, its heirloom apple orchards, and its historical, not phantasmagorical, attributes, and she won’t let anyone, even her long-time crush, Gabe Franco, stand in her way.
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It’s been a while since I read the first book in this series, but I’m glad to finally getting back to the quirky ‘most haunted’ small town where the bizarre is tre passe and a certain hometown guy’s ghost may just be working on unfinished business among his family and friends.
Ghost of a Chance is book two in the Banshee Creek series. It is a standalone story that also connects nicely to Must Love Ghosts that came before it. This time the spotlight has moved to Cole’s sister Elizabeth and one of his best friends, Gabe Franco.
Elizabeth went through a Goth state and a clumsy stage, but crushing on Gabe was apparently not a phase because she’s still not over him years later when they both come back to Banshee Creek. Elizabeth left her mediocre acting jobs out in LA to help her depressed mother save her real estate business and Gabe’s mom has guilted him into a visit and to purchase a house in the area along with a chance to check up on his local business investments. Too bad Gabe’s business investments involve shoring up the paranormal frenzy which is killing the real estate business for Elizabeth who is working to get rid of the paranormies as she calls them. Attraction flares and both might have to scrap their plans if they can get past their reasons for not wanting a relationship.
It was a fun and feisty battle of wills and some hijinks as Elizabeth pushes to get rid of the paranormal stuff that fuels tourism, but not purchases of haunted houses and businesses. She also can’t resist trying to sell one of those homes to billionaire Gabe who won’t let her sexy legs and vixen smile talk him into a bad business deal. They both really like to have their way in things and they don’t see eye to eye on much so it was quite the battle of wills.
There is also a tender aspect to their romance. Both are still grieving Cole’s death in their own ways and both have some family trouble that stunts their ability to trust and commit- Elizabeth especially after her stuffed shirt, stuffy dad cheated on her mother and left the family. This was definitely full of humor with all the crazy small town antics and even their own antics, but the layer of their pasts balanced that.
And then we have the spicy hot sexy romance. Elizabeth may have trust issues and Gabe with his all business and plans, but man, they don’t hold back once they get going. It was meant to be a fling, but it morphs into more as they are thrown together so much.
I had a good time with this one. I loved the seasonal and small town setting, the small hint of paranormal. The families and friends and events were great background. I am definitely looking forward to the next book. I hope its another of the zany Franco brothers.
I love the Banshee Creek Series. I’ve read them all and they are more a romance series, but if you read the next series Main Street Witches they all piece together. I enjoy how all the characters intertwine from book to book.
****SPOILER ALERT*****
However, I am stumped that in this Book, Elizabeth and Gabe (Franco), end the book pregnant, but the bundle of joy isn’t mentioned in any of the following books.
This world is so much fun, you can almost image the town and all it’s characters. I enjoy her books and read pretty much whatever she writes.
Elizabeth is so funny and sassy. She has had a crush on Gabe for years but he is just now noticing her. Loved their interaction and banter. Gabe didn’t stand a chance against her or resisting her. Paranormal books are some of my favorite and really enjoyed the story in this book.