Alice won’t be tied down, not to a man, a place, or a house plant. Even her job as a traveling nurse allows her to go where she wants, when she wants. And men? She enjoys their company, but when a man gets too close, it must be time to ghost him.James is a man whore who lives for the no-strings hookup. James thinks he has it made with Alice – until he falls hard for her and starts second-guessing … second-guessing his playboy ways.
When James and Alice discover a 100-year-old journal in the walls of an old house she has inherited, they learn to fall in love alongside the writer of the diary.
But do they have a ghost of a chance of making this relationship work?
The Art of Ghosting is a standalone in a series of interconnecting novels. All of the books are set in the small, fictional town of Peacock, and the characters cross over from book to book. Although the books are linked, you can jump in and start reading with any book.
Dual POV, contemporary romance with strong historical elements.
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Well, I’ve found a new author to add to my list of favorites. I absolutely loved The Art of Ghosting by Ashley Hastings. The story follows Alice, a traveling nurse who’s just inherited a big ole haunted house in Peacock, Mississippi, and James, a real estate developer who pretends he’s a handyman so he can get closer to Alice. When the two find a 100-year-old journal hidden in the wall of the house, we are treated to a story within a story as they read the diary entries to each other.
Hastings has a great knack for writing really funny dialogue and extremely likable characters. The love story that builds between Alice and James is sweet and oh so steamy, and other characters who dot the book are fun to follow too (this is a standalone, but it’s part of a group of books set in Peacock with overlapping characters).
My absolute favorite thing about the book, however, is the sex positivity. Both of the main characters partake in frequent casual sex (before they start to realize what they feel for each other is more than casual) and it’s never slut-shamed. Thank you!!!! It’s about time that more romance started allowing for characters with libertine sex lives to find love. Sex can be fun and meaningless and it’s nice to see that without all the puritanical slut shaming.
My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed, or maybe it’s just that I wasn’t ready for James and Alice’s story to end. I give this one 5 shiny stars, and look forward to visiting Peacock again.
A hundred year old diary plays a central part in this sweet, emotional romance. It’s a love story within a love story, that weaves a bit of a spell over the entire book. It’s funny, it’s hot, it’s entertaining and interesting. All the things you want in a sexy romance. This story truly touched my heart. I loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Alice and James are both afraid of commitment but are instantly attracted to each other will they manage to get past that and let themselves explore a relationship. The characters are well developed and engaging and the storyline flowed smoothly.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love this story when it comes to ghosting. I don’t really condone ghosting people when it comes to relationships, but with this book, I can make an exception. It is a must read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Heartfelt and occasionally teary-eyed towards the end but a magnificent story of a love found in the South with the help of ghosts and cats.
It was a warm and fuzzy all over story! This is an outstanding tale that shows the map of a great love in a family’s past with the love to be found in the now. Terrific story!
Red Robin
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Alice and James were meant to be – they just didn’t realise this at first meeting. She is a travelling nurse who has a gypsy spirit who won’t let any man tie her down and James is a womaniser and thinks his life is just fine. When Alice comes to the wonderful, fictional town of Peacock [where Ashley Hastings stories are set] she meets him. When going through the deserted house of her deceased aunt, they discover a 100 year old book with a mystery that they need to solve. At times the chills tingled down my spine it is so very well written by Ashley who really grabs your attention with her must have read stories. Don’t get me wrong though – this is not a horror story. It is very much a love story with mysteries and coincidences that cannot be explained! It was fun reading how Alice made James really ‘work’to even have a date with her and she certainly lead him quite a dance. If you haven’;t read any of Ashley’s previous books then I think you will be hooked on her writing after discovering this story! Superb! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.. Most Definitely Recommended!!!!
Any chance I have at returning to the town of Peacock, I will take! I love the stories and characters of peacock they are an amazing mix of reads. Alice and James meet when Alice comes to town for her aunts funeral. She’s left the house and wants to fix it up to sell, she lives her life on the go with no attachments, so she’s ready to move on once the project is done. James lives the bachelor life and is the definition of no strings attached. That is until they find a diary in the house while fixing it up and fall for each other while reading Willows story.
This book will suck you in and keep you reading until the very end. I learned that in this book that there were two types of ghosting going on, the leaving a person without warning and the one involving spirits. This book was a romance and mystery together and it kept my attention until the very end of the book, plus the two epilogues. I just had to know what the conclusion of the mystery was going to be. This book includes the main characters, possibly a ghost or two, four cats, a hidden journal, a mystery and leap or two of faith. I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I wasn’t sure what to think about this book, but I LOVED IT! This isn’t my first trip to Peacock, Mississippi and I can’t wait to go back! Everything about this story was perfection! The journal gave the story an interesting plot that just added to all the greatness that was this book! LOVED!
Hooray for an original storyline! This book has heart, history and mystery in the small town of Peacock. Alice is in Peacock for the funeral of her aunt and to fix and sell the home. She is a travel nurse who has no interest in being tied down.
James is also a free spirited real estate developer who helps Alice with the house. They embark of a physical relationship but more develops and they work on the house and discover the diary of a girl named Willow. Their relationship develops and does their fascination with Willows diary.
Such well written and descriptive storyline. I can picture this house, town and characters so well in my head.
Amazing character development and I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book!
James and Alice’s story was fantastic! I loved how the story went between the past and present telling the story of Alice’s relatives. The story grabbed me from the start! I couldn’t put it down! It had mystery, humor, romance, secrets and a little bit of history. It was a wonderful love story that everyone will love!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
James and Alice are two people who believe they do not want to settle down with one person. They meet in Peacock when Alice inherits her aunt’s house. James is a real-estate developer and Alice wants to fix up the house to sell. While they are working on a wall they find the diary of a girl named Willow. I found this story held my interest from start to finish. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I totally loved this book – safe to say I inhaled it.
Two not-so-uncommon love stories intertwine a century apart to create a one-of-a-kind book. The historical element is perfectly balanced with the contemporary one and the paranormal crumbs are a nice add up, without being overwhelming and enhancing the suspense element.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I swear every single book I read from Ashley Hastings I fall more and more in love with Peacock, Mississippi. There is so much to love and discover about the town itself, but also the residents. The Art of Ghosting was hauntingly beautiful and I couldn’t get enough of it!
Alice and James are both afraid of commitment, however, from the moment they meet they are drawn to each other. James was quick to give up his bachelor life and start something real, however, Alice is a little harder to break. I loved the chemistry between Alice and James, the tension at the beginning and the sparks once they gave into each other.
But this book was more than just Alice and James. It was also very much about Willow and Kirby’s love. I loved the tie in from past and present. The historical aspect of this story was fantastic and that is what absolutely made me fall in love with this story.
Of course, since The Art of Ghosting takes place in my favorite town there are a few visits from some old friends, such as Casey and Cade and plenty of Maxwell, Millie and Ivy, with mentions of Darby, Nathan, Lucy and Grayson.
This is a complete standalone, however, if you haven’t read any of the previous books I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND it! You’ll be transported into a beautiful small town in Mississippi that you’ll never want to leave. I can’t wait to see what is next in store for the town of Peacock.
Alice and James meet and have the same philosophy about relationships. They are drawn together by the discovery of Willow’s journal. Unexpected family connections are revealed. Alice and James are a very loving couple, so were Willow and Kirby. Good book, well written!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The art of After reading the other books in this series I was intrigued to see what happens in this story. This book took you on a journey into the past where Alice and James relived the lives of a couple from a hundred years ago. It was truly amazing to read. Getting lost in the past and trying to follow through at their example of how to live life. Great book, great series. Each book has its own unique style and worth the read.
Any book of Ashley Hastings is a great book. I loved heading back to Peacock Alley and getting to go on this journey with Alice and James. There is so much going on in the story that it keeps you captivated and enthralled. The house itself is like a separate character all on its own and getting to read Willow’s diary and her story had me on the edge of my seat. I could see and feel everything and seeing how jaded Alice and James grew along with the history of the house just made my day. There’s mystery and suspense, friendship, and love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Art of Ghosting by Ashley Hastings is the story of James and Alice.
Alice has come to town to settler her Aunt Rose’s house. This leads her to meet James. Both James and Alice are instantly attracted to the other but both don’t do commitment. But when they start working together on the house they find a journal that starts to bring them together. I am a fan of Ms. Hastings’s writing so for me this was a must read. Loved it!.