This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Mystery Romance, Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Published by Tantor Audio
Released on January 12, 2021
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
The Delight
A honeymoon in a Hawaiian beech condo, how can that not be romantic? Erm, three ghosts, a live reality show next door, and a suspicious death for starters. I love the series and particularly in audio so I was excited that it keeps going after the happily ever after with more ghost capers and a smidge of romancing.
Review
Ghosts Just Wanna Have Fun is the sixth of the Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries that work best in order because the personal and romantic plot threads that develop through the series.
Scarlet and Lucas have landed in a luxurious beach condo loaned out from a friend and they are set to have a relaxing and romantic honeymoon. They ignore the excitement next door and even the fact that Lucas isn’t too thrilled to find Scarlet’s ghost friends along, but they can’t ignore the mysterious death followed by an angry ghost determined to have a very lively afterlife. So, solve her murder they must even if Lucas’ patience starts to wear thin about Scarlet seemingly avoiding such matters as selling her shop or helping him pick a house in Seattle. Is the marriage doomed in its first week?
Ghosts Just Wanna Have Fun started out pretty iffy for me. I was not happy with Scarlet at all. She’s been sandbagging for nearly a year of their engagement on preparing to move which she blames on work and the wedding, she puts her ghost friends and ghostly mysteries ahead of Lucas and even on their honeymoon. He had a right to call her on it and I thought it was telling that her ghost cat Flapjack gave her a similar calling out. Fortunately, she works through all that even as she is forced into the ghostly mystery when only her magic and ghost talent will save a deteriorating situation. Lucas backs her all the way even though he can’t see or hear on the ghostly plain.
Unlike others in the series, this one doesn’t start as a murder investigation though there are hints of foul play and Scarlet isn’t in full crime-solving mode because she really does try to let the police do their jobs and even delegates to her ghost friends so that she can prioritize for Lucas and her honeymoon. She gets pulled in when the ghost pulls a move that a new ghost isn’t usually capable of and she becomes a danger.
The backdrop of this mystery is a The Bachelor-style reality show and it was fun to get the behind the scenes since they were right next door and the ghosts kept them in the loop early on. It was as dramatic off scene as the producers tried to get on screen with the bachelor’s ex there and also a contestant who is off the hook even beyond the others.
There’s a side romance for Hayward and Gwen that has them drifting apart as she flutters about next door engrossed in the show and the people while completely ignoring the fact that Hayward wanted to spend time with her and not on a TV set. It comes to a head and isn’t entirely resolved whether they are too opposite though there was a nice happy for now feeling.
Amanda Ronconi remains a fabulous series narrator. I got a kick out of all the women’s voices she did with the contestants included and I didn’t have trouble distinguishing them any more than Scarlet and Gwen. I say it every time, I think, but I love so much her Flapjack the sarcastic ghost cat voice though he has a few moments of seriousness that were great scenes.
After all the uneasy stuff and the ghost mystery, it ended in a good place. I look forward to seeing what comes next for Scarlet and the gang. Paranormal cozy mystery fans should give this series a try.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Challenges Met
New Release #206
Audio #108
COYER #194
Books N Tunes #51 Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
About the Book
GHOSTS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN BY DANIELLE GARRETT
Nothing puts a damper on a romantic Hawaiian honeymoon quite like a dead body.
A reality dating show is filming next door to our rental digs, and besides the giggly pool parties and late night soirées, things are tolerable. At least, until a contestants goes belly—and fabulous ball gown—up in the pool. Suddenly, our vacation suddenly takes a backseat to a murder investigation.
Chaos is unleashed on the quiet community, complete with a pesky paparazzi, brawling bachelorettes, and a bitter ghost hellbent on revenge. It’s impossible to relax, and I’m plunged into the hunt for the killer before someone else gets hurt.
At least I’m getting a tan.
Preview
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That cover is so dang cuteeeee!
I love her covers. They match the tone of the books so well.
Amanda Ronconi’s performances are always so much fun! Glad to hear you’re still enjoying this series. Someday I’ll have to get to it! 🙂
She is the perfect match for this series. These are light fun and I hope you like them when you get the chance, Rachel.
Well at least it ended well even if it didn’t start out that way.
Yes! I was glad to see it all come together in the end.
Nice review. I felt like Scarlet really made progress in this one. She and Lucas talked things out, even though she was “sandbagging” as you put it. The mystery was a bit different and fun, too. It will be interesting to see where things end up in the next book.
I was irritated at first, but I did love seeing her really work through things and figure out what she wanted. It really was a fun mystery with those over the top people next door.
Her books are always fun!
Very true! I’m glad to see there are more in this series, a few left in the other, and she has started another series with more magic and mystery.
AW I missed this one and it looks like there is another. I thought the series would end with the wedding, silly me. Excellent review!
I thought it might, too, but looks like we’re getting a few more. Now the other series is down to its last two and will have a spin-off series.
I can see why the start was iffy for you, that doesn’t sound nice how she prioritizes her ghosts over her marriage. That’s good her husband and cat both called her out on it and she ends up working through it. The reality show backdrop sounds like a fun setting for a mystery. I like the covers for this series and I’ve enjoyed the book by this author that i listened to.
Yes, she had me frustrated at first, but then she snapped out of it and made great efforts to balance her new marriage and her ghost skills.
Ha, that show next door made for some hilarious scenes.
The covers are definitely cute and match the tone of the books.