“Highly propulsive, incredibly seductive. A masterclass in how to develop intrigue and heighten tension. I loved it.” CJ Skuse, author of SWEETPEA Langlands House is haunted, but not by the ghost you think. Augusta McAndrew lives on a remote Scottish estate with her grandmother, Rose. For her own safety, she hides from outsiders, as she has done her entire life. Visitors are few and far between – … has done her entire life. Visitors are few and far between – everyone knows that Langlands House is haunted.
One day Rose goes out and never returns, leaving Augusta utterly alone. Then Tom McAllister arrives – good-looking and fascinating, but dangerous. What he has to tell her could tear her whole world apart.
As Tom and Augusta become ever closer, they must face the question: is love enough to overcome the ghosts of the past?
In the end, Langlands House and its inhabitants hold more secrets than they did in the beginning…
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Author Helen Grant takes you on chilling read that will keep you guessing until the very last page is read. Augusta ‘Ghost’ McAndrew lives in the remote Scottish estate, Langlands House, with her grandmother, Rose, shielded from the outside world and convinced that she is living in the 1940s during the war. They grow their own food, wear the ancient gowns of their ancestors, and keep up the rooms of the house as they can. Only Rose leaves the estate to go out for essentials. Augusta is soon to turn eighteen and is longing to find out more about the outside world that her grandmother refuses to let her get to know.
A storm causes major damage at the estate, forcing Rose to bring in outsiders for the repairs. Augusta views the workers from the attic where she is forced to hide when they’re working. Tom McAllister captures her interest, and the two exchange innocent, yet forbidden hidden messages. The work is completed, and Augusta’s brief interlude with the outside world ends until the day when grandmother Rose doesn’t return home from her trip into town. Augusta is all alone in her fabricated world, until the day when Tom returns.
Tom and Augusta work to uncover the details of her past that her grandmother kept hidden from her. Their young love develops and takes Augusta to the outside world for the first time. Dark family secrets and deeds emerge–will Augusta ever be able to forgive her grandmother for her actions? Will she ever be able to acclimate to the outside world, or will the internal demons of the mind keep her hidden at Langlands House forever? A haunting read with an ending that chills–highly recommended!
I received this ARC from the author and publisher. Thank you to Love Books tour for having me. This is my honest opinion.
*Ghost* is a thriller that has some romance and a touch of horror. And it really does have some horror.
The reader is introduced to the old Langlands House set out in the beautiful countryside of Scotland. This old house has seen lots of secrets. It’s 1945 when we meet Ghost (Augusta) who lives there with her grandmother as they hide out from WWII. The story is told in first person through Ghost’s 17 year old eyes. The author artfully describes their daily life on the old manor. I could see myself walking around the grounds with Ghost.
One day, Grandmother has to go to the village to get provisions and never comes back. This is turning point of the story. Tom is introduced when he goes to check out the old house. Then he meets Ghost and turns her world upside down. He tells her that it’s actually 2017 and attempts to get her acclimated to current times. This is where it gets tricky. There are mysteries from the past to unravel, new feelings to explore, and the future is unknown.
This review was a tough one for me to write as I don’t know how I feel about *Ghost*. To me, this book is like a relationship that is really going well but then you get dumped unexpectedly.
I was drawn into the plot as it twisted and turned throughout the story. There were so many surprises that I didn’t know what to expect. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was one of those that I thought about it when I wasn’t reading!
I fell in love with Tom. He was so normal and unassuming. His character was vibrant, and I felt that I got him.
Now here’s the rub. I just couldn’t get into Ghost’s character. I felt that Ghost was being irrational throughout the story. Granted she was sheltered and she thought it was 1945. I wondered if there were underlying mental illness in Ghost, her mother, and grandmother. I just couldn’t get myself to like her or her decisions. It was one of these “decisions” that wrecked the ending for me. I just didn’t see it coming and then bam! The whole story changed direction. Some people may like it but it wasn’t my type of ending.
This book really kept me thinking about the plot and characters long after I finished the book. I just didn’t care for the MC or the ending. But you may feel differently!?