I somehow picked up a BookFunnel copy of Adored by the Grumpy Ghost (by Ivy Knox). The problem is that I have lost track of who gave me the book and why, and I suspect I was supposed to post something on Instagram that got lost. (which means I probably flaked on someone, sorry.) So, I opted to read it instead.

Unemployed, broke, and on the verge of homelessness is not how Natalie pictured life in her early 40s, but since being her mother’s caregiver wiped the last of her savings, she’s forced to grieve her mother’s death in a state of panic as she looks for a job. Any job that’ll pay enough to keep a roof over her head.

Luckily, her college roommate just inherited an old Victorian mansion in the mountains of northern New Hampshire, and doesn’t have the time to fix it up or rent it out herself. Natalie can stay rent-free as long as she needs. There’s gotta be a catch, right?

A grumpy ghost set in his ways …

There’s nothing Winston hates more than roommates. Now this irritating blonde woman has moved in, she won’t stop crying, she leaves crumbs everywhere, and she plays way too much Taylor Swift for his liking. It should be easy enough to scare her away.

As much as he hates sharing a space with her, though, he can’t deny his attraction. Those soft lips. Her luscious curves. The adorable scrunch of her nose when she’s frustrated. He can’t get her out of his mind. But this isn’t her house. At some point, she’ll have to leave. How can he keep her by his side when she deserves more than a penniless ghost could ever offer?

This was cute, but it is very low stakes. Other than the obligatory 3rd act breakup, there is almost no tension in the plot. Even the discovery of ghosts and monsters, more generally, is glossed over with no reaction, not once, but twice (two characters). Once, it was such a non-issue that it was even off-page.

This low angst, shallow plotting is often fine for a sweet, cozy romance. And it likely would have been here, except that this book is 268 pages long. That is dragging a wafer-thin plot a looong way. The characters deal with some heavy topics in their past. But other than that, the plot is about as deep a puddle. And it struggled to stretch to the page length.

I did like the main character a lot and appreciate that she is both plus-sized and in her 40s, not to mention child-free and without a successful career. She is relatable, is what I am saying. The MMC is not without issue, but he is also eager to please and careful about his partner. That’s a whole lot in his favor.

All in all, if you’re just looking for a cotton candy, feel-good read. This will likely fill the bill, but won’t do much more.

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