Noel Chandler had a good reason for leaving the L.A.P.D. for New Orleans, but when he walks into a burned out Garden District mansion, he discovers there are some things he can’t outrun. The spooks can find him anywhere.As the resident historian for the cable show Haunts and Hoaxes, Professor Adam Morales keeps an open mind about the supernatural. Or that’s what he tells himself, until he meets a … until he meets a man who puts that principle to the test. Noel’s smart, sexy, and has killer cop instincts. One glance from his bedroom eyes has Adam ready to believe anything.
But is Noel haunted, crazy, or just another hoax?
⚜ This story in the Hours of the Night Universe can be read as a standalone.
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Always fun to get a creepy, spooky story from one of the most haunted places NOLA!
Noel Chandler is rich, snarky and a former Los Angeles cop. He has a secret why he left the LAPD and is now working in New Orleans for Hughes Wallace Insurance as an investigator. Bergeron, his boss has sent him on an investigation of a mansion in the Garden District. As soon as Noel enters the mansion eerie things start to happen.
Adam Morales has also entered the house and is doing his neighborly duty, as he’s been seeing a lot of people enter the mansion. He’s caught in the act by Noel and gives the excuse of just being a neighbor and making sure there’s no looting going on. Adam’s done a little looting himself as he makes his exit with a gris-gris.
When Noel reports his findings to Bergeron, the name of Adam Morales rings a bell and it sends Noel back into investigating, but first Adam Morales. Things get steamy and lot’s of intriguing information is revealed about both Adam and Noel as they take a journey into the supernatural.
This was a first time read for me by this talented corroboration of Irene Preston and Liv Rancourt and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a good novella with lot’s of potential to get the “Haunts & Hoaxes” series started.
I liked both the characters of Noel and Adam and found for a novella there’s an in-depth look at both of them. Even though they hook up sort of fast I like the connection that starts to grow between them. Beauregard is a fun character and brings the humor and is a good addition to this story.
This was a page-turner for me and I’m looking forward to the creativeness of Preston and Rancourt’s next book “Harrowed”.
THE CHARACTERS
Adam Morales:
The stranger stepped out into the foyer, head tilted like he was looking for a fight. He wore a crewneck jersey cut to show his biceps, and his jeans had reached a stage of faded perfection. “Who the hell are you?”…
Adam smiled, and Noel wanted to freeze the moment in time: the hazy glare of the sun, the muggy warmth, the easy way Adam moved his big body. He had a comfortable sort of confidence, his body toned but not obsessively buff, as if he had other things on his mind besides appearance.
Noel Chandler:
Tousled was the first word that came to mind, complete with a day’s scruff along his chin and a hint of bedhead that would normally send all kinds of inappropriate thoughts flitting through Adam’s mind. Except no. Because hair that looked that accidentally sexy cost a bundle. Looking like you just rolled out of bed and fell into Brunello Cucinelli cost more…
Noel was still coming at him. And Holy Mother, if sleepy Noel was a walking wet dream, pissed-off Noel was scorching. Hot as hell. Also intimidating.
THE STORY
So there’s a few things I’m a sucker for, some of those are ghost stories, cop/ex-cop stories, and two alpha men, and Haunted has this all in spades wrapped up in a fantastic paranormal story.
I don’t do spoilers, however suffice it to say that the way this story develops along and the totally unexpected paranormal happenings, along with Noel’s also unexpected paranormal connection is so enticing that I was literally glued to my Kindle. I could not put this down, that’s how much I personally enjoyed, relished the way these two characters develop and come together.
The one good thing is that this seems to be book one of at least one more and I am really, really wanting a sequel to this book. Adam and Noel definitely deserve at least one more book to their story.
THE WRITING
What can I say about the writing. I mean, it’s Preston/Rancourt, Rancourt/Preston – ‘nuff said.
These two authors weave a wicked paranormal tale with such descriptive, enveloping writing that I could feel the heat coming off of Noel and Adam. These are two of the hottest MCs I have read in a long time . I literally experienced the sexual attraction and magnetism these two men had. An inexorable pull with an incredible crescendo. I wish I still smoked, I would have had a cigarette, seriously.
I need more Adam and Noel.