Book Review: Civil Hearts by Claire Gem

05/10/2018Claire Gem, Paranormal, RomanceLeave a Comment

Author: Claire Gem
Release Date: 1st April 2018
Genre: Paranormal Romance
~~Series~~:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 326
Publisher: Erato Publishing
Blurb:
He’s a sexy Southern gentleman–with epilepsy. She’s a widow scarred from her late husband’s brain cancer. Her new home, an abandoned antebellum mansion, is haunted by a Confederate ghost–and she’s a Yankee.
A widow with no family, web designer Liv Larson yearns for big change. After all, she can work from anywhere, right? Why not throw a dart at the map? She heads out of the big city for the rural South and falls in love as soon as she arrives—with the Belle Bride, an abandoned antebellum mansion.
Heath Barrow loves his country life, managing his antiques store in sleepy Camellia. But he’s lonely, and his condition—epilepsy—makes life uncertain. It’s already cost him a marriage. A new medication and the new girl in town have his heart hopeful again.
Sparks fly between Heath and Liv. But his first seizure sends Liv into a tailspin. Its mimics those her husband suffered before he died . . .
To make matters worse, Liv discovers she’s not living alone. Her challenge? Dealing with a Confederate soldier, one who clearly resents his Yankee roommate—even though he’s been dead for over a hundred and fifty years.

Review

★★★+1/2

Civil Hearts by Claire Gem is a fast-paced and enjoyable new paranormal romance book. The book was written well and it had a cast of interesting characters. I wasn’t particularly able to relate to the characters, but they seemed interesting enough for me to want to know what happens to them.

The story was a good blend of a romantic relationship and a ghost story. The pacing was good and the storyline interesting. I enjoyed reading this book as much as I can a paranormal romance book (I’m not a fan of the genre, so that’s something.) I’d recommend this book to all the genre fans and to those who’re looking to explore a new light read or a new romance author.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: The Phoenix Syndrome by Claire Gem

06/02/201706/02/2017Chick-Lit, Claire Gem, Romance1 Comment

Author: Claire Gem
Release Date: 29th September 2016
Series: –
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Edition: Ebook
Pages: 267
Publisher: Erato Publishing

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Rock Star Contemporary Romance
Turning forty rocks a research technician’s world. Her husband leaves her, and then she’s bitten by a mouse at work. She snaps, taking off to chase after her old dream of a music career and her new crush: a rock band drummer.
Turning forty, for Lannie Marvin, is rough. It’s the day she discovers her marriage has been over for awhile. . .she just never got the memo. At work, a crazed lab mouse brutally bites her–one being treated with a libido-enhancing drug. Lannie snaps and takes off for a wild weekend.
Allard, drummer & songwriter for a metal band, lost his wife and muse to breast cancer five years ago. So when the sexually charged Lannie literally plows into him at the backstage reception, Tristan is ready to learn more about her–and her long-buried interest in musical composition.
But their frenzied affair can’t last. Tristan is headed to the UK to audition his next album. And Lannie soon learns an elevated libido isn’t the only effect of that experimental drug.
The treated mice have gone deaf.

Review

The Phoenix Syndrome by Claire Gem is a fun and light romantic comedy that is a highly pleasant read.

The book started out at a steady pace, but before I knew it I was so engrossed in the plot that I found it difficult to put it down even to make a cup of coffee! This book is one of those books that gives you a feel-good feeling about the story and makes the time go by in the blink of an eye. I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly and found myself chuckling quite often owing to the author’s witty, sarcastic and intelligent\remarks.
I’ve previously read Hearts Unloched by the author and loved her writing style, but this book was even better and I found the writing style even more engrossing. I’m really looking forward to reading her next releases.

I loved the characterization and was able to connect to the main character, Lannie. Even though I rarely read books about characters above 30 years of age, this book proved to be a pleasant experience. I also loved the other secondary characters and enjoyed the background stories of them all. The ending of the story was perfect too.

I’d recommend this book to all the romance and chick-lit lovers and also to those who won’t mind reading a warm funny read.

Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Hearts Unloched by Claire Gem

25/08/2016Book Reviews (by Genre), Books Reviews (by Author), Claire Gem, Paranormal, Romance1 Comment

Author: Claire Gem
Release Date: April 14, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 320
Publisher: Erato Publishing

Rating: ★★★★

Blurb:

AWARD-WINNER! 2016 New York Book Festival Runner-up!
A psychic interior designer reluctantly agrees to renovate a sexy investor’s abandoned hotel on a lake rumored to have once been the mob’s body dumping ground.
Interior designer Kate Bardach loves her single girl’s lifestyle—living in Manhattan and spending weekends at her lake house. She’s passionate about her career, reinventing old buildings. But there are some projects she can’t take on because of the spirits trapped there. Kate is psychic—she sees dead people.
Marco Lareci is one of Wall Street’s most successful investment brokers who’s achieved all of his life’s goals—except for finding his soulmate. His latest project, an abandoned resort on Loch Sheldrake, needs a savvy designer to transform the crumbling complex into a boutique hotel. When Marco meets Kate, he can’t believe his luck. She’s the perfect match for his business and his heart.
Marco’s body excites Kate even more than does his renovation project. But the haunting there, a bonafide poltergeist, affects her on an intensely personal level. Kate’s aunt disappeared from the place fifty years ago.
Will the spirit doom Kate and Marco’s love, or drive them closer together?

Review

This book started out with a brilliant opening and I was dragged into the story right from the very first page. It was a perfect blend of all the emotions one can think of, love and lust being the primary ones. I really enjoyed it and would love to read more books by the author.

The writing is great and had a really good flow to it. The characterization was also brilliant and I was able to connect to both Marco and Kate. And to top it all off, the book really scared the hell out of me. I’m easy to scare and this book hit the bullseye beautifully (at least for me.)

I really enjoyed how the author explored an abandoned and aged property and associated it with spirits and ghosts. Seriously, how can it not be a perfect setting for a spooky story? And the passionate romance just elevated the plot to a whole new level.

The ending is was good too and one that I thought went perfectly with the story. I’d highly recommend this book to people who enjoy ghost stories and don’t mind passionate romance (or the other way around.)

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.