Detective Jack Harker is living in his dreams – only they’re really nightmares.Ivy Morgan wants to help, especially since she’s become a frequent visitor in his subconscious – only she doesn’t know how.When a battered teenage girl shows up in Ivy’s greenhouse, the duo must put aside their misgivings and constant miscommunication so they can try and help.Sixteen-year-old Kelly Sisto is living in a … is living in a nightmare of her own, and whether through trauma or refusal, she can’t tell Ivy and Jack what happened to her.
Shadow Lake’s favorite witch and newest police transplant have their hands full with Kelly, but it’s their hearts that are getting away from them.
When the truth of Kelly’s sad life is finally revealed, everyone is in danger, and they’re going to have to work together if they want to survive – and find a happy ending.
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Ivy Morgan is back with another mystery in the small hamlet of Shadow Lake. This time, a young girl needs her help before danger gets too close.
Summary:
After helping him catch a killer, Ivy Morgan didn’t think she’d be seeing Detective Jack Harker again. Luckily for her, it’s looking like Jack just can’t stay away. Not only has she seen him in person, but she’s also been seeing him in her dreams. His proximity comes in handy, though, when Ivy finds a battered and traumatized teenage girl hiding in her greenhouse. They both will have to set aside their fears and miscommunications in order to try to help the frightened teen. It’s clear Jack and Ivy will have their hands full with their sixteen year old charge, since she’s not talking. Whether from trauma or outright refusal remains to be seen. One thing is clear. Until Kelly tells them her story, danger lurks around every corner. In the name of security, Jack appoints himself as their protector. But his nightmares are ever-present, too, and he’s somehow pulled Ivy smack in the middle. Can Jack and Ivy get it together to not only slay Jack’s demons, but also the very real demon that stalks them in reality?
I have mixed feelings about Wicked Dreams. In some ways, I liked it, but in others that I think I should have, I didn’t. I really wanted to see progress in Jack and Ivy’s relationship, and we did. I loved that doors and communications were opened. Jack and Ivy have an intense chemistry that sparks when they’re in each other’s vicinity. I also loved that. The banter between them can be cute, but it can also be overdone. I just felt that a lot of the bickering was a tinge childish and annoying. IMO, it happened too frequently and with no real results. Both Jack and Ivy were determined to not want the other. I couldn’t help but feel the majority of the book was them just yelling at each other. That said, I do enjoy watching Jack and Ivy together. I think they’ve both been hurt in the past and the other is just what they need to heal and move forward, but I want to see a push/pull dynamic that sees them taking steps towards each other. Ivy is still very stubborn, and just scared of having her heart broken again, but Jack has trust issues and guilt about past actions to overcome. I did enjoy seeing them eventually navigate their issues to some extent and come to a compromise that isn’t a promise of a future, but is a promise to try. As for the mystery, it was sad and made my stomach upset, but it came up lacking in the thrilling department. Don’t get me wrong, a mystery like this isn’t good entertainment, but it is supposed to be a mystery that keeps me turning the pages. Unfortunately for me, I had already pretty much figured out the situation and players long before the end of the book. My favorite part of the book had to be the dreams and how Ivy and Jack reacted to them. It gave us a ton more history for Jack and a little bit better understanding of why he’s so adamant about being alone. In the end, I did enjoy stepping into Jack and Ivy’s world once again. I’m still bummed that there isn’t more magic, though. I have hope that Ivy is just being stubborn about putting a label on herself, though, and that future books will see her accepting it so we can see more.