Nikki Benton crossed the threshold of the historic Palace Hotel, leaving her shattered dreams behind. Determined to follow in the footsteps of the hotel’s original owner, she puts her heart into creating an intimate lodging experience while becoming an integral part of the community. So what if she takes lessons on embracing life? And does it truly matter that her teacher, Mrs. Victoria Wyatt, is … is the hotel’s live-in ghost?
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Do spirits in a haunted hotel show glimpses into the future, or merely reenact the past? It’s a question posed in the first book, Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel of the paranormal Creekside Dreams series by author Stella Jayne Phillips. With a mix of excitement, fear, and great anticipation, brand new hotel owner Nikki Benton reopens the historic Palace Hotel. When asked, why the Palace? Nikki answers, “Three reasons, Creekside’s cooler than the desert. Price was good . . . It’s haunted. How cool is that?” For readers, it’s very cool.
The influence of the spirited past on the present can sometimes be chilling, and sometimes illuminates an emotional nostalgia, and sometimes simply reveals the unknowns of what has come before. Nikki is one of those people keenly attuned to the paranormal. And she has lots of exposure to it, with the resident ghosts at her hotel. That’s not all that’s keeping her busy. Guests checking in and out offer a steady stream of new faces and new stories. Nikki is also close to family and many friends. Sometimes she’s called to support and aid them, and sometimes she can use a hand herself.
The small town community of Creekside provides a beautiful backdrop for these characters. Romance is in the air for Nikki when she meets police chief Alex Stark. There are some unexpected bumps ahead for the two of them. It’s funny how talk spreads throughout the town, friendly gossip. These town characters present great glimpses into this small town’s life, and sometimes drama.
Author Stella Jayne Phillips is an Arizona native. The strong women from her own lineage, willing to risk it all for family, are inspiration for the female lead characters in the paranormal Creekside Dreams series. Her spirited books Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel and her newest, Promise In A Dream keep readers turning pages. When not writing at home or in a hotel lobby, Stella can be found enjoying her active life with yoga, line dancing, reading, cooking, traveling, volunteering and spending time with family and friends. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband and small white dog Candy. Find out more from the author herself on YouTube’s podcast, A Novel Talk with Stella Jayne Phillips. And visit the author’s website at Stellajaynephillips.com
Big Dreams Fulfilled
“Sweet” just about sums up this story, so that is well placed in the title. I was drawn into this story right away as soon as Nikki, our heroine, saw the ghost on her arrival, and instead of being afraid of it, she was completely accepting of having this former owner as a perpetual paranormal guest. I thought the paranormal aspect was really well done in this story, just enough to make it interesting without overwhelming the rest of the book. I particularly enjoyed Nikki’s relationships with her brothers. Her brothers were so supportive of her dream, and I liked it when one of them said something like whatever money they invested in the hotel was worth it to see their sister happy. Awwww…. How can you not like a family relationship like that?
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel was a quick and pleasant read. LOVED the characters right off the bat. Was swept away into the haunted and quirky town of Creekside, Arizona. Looking forward to more books in the Creekside Dreams Series.
This was such a great story. The storyline pulled me in from the first page. The storyline is very well written and flows well. The characters are likable and well developed. I’m looking forward to the next book. I would recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.