Rating: 4🌈
I just can’t resist a dog story. Even one where the dog is dead. And a ghost. Or two ghostly dogs.
The Haunted Love series are stories of ghostly romance told by ten different authors.
Cari Z gives us a alternate universe where necromancers were used on both sides of WWII, magic , especially necromancy, is common place as to have specific roles and abilities, even a power qualifier that would enable one to get into the highest ranks of society and business levels.
Having skills that allow one to communicate with animals, specifically dogs, or having companions that facilitate the interaction with ghostly animals, doesn’t rate high for most people. Except those with the need for help and love that involves dogs in some case’s.
Pet psychic Carsen McAllister works for a company that handles all types of cases that call for a necromancer. In his case, he , along with his two trained canine companions get handed those specific files that involve animal spirits.
The author has a special backstory for Carsen’s trained canines. One, Ruby is a Belgian Malinois, who just happens to be a ghost herself. The other is Bess, a darling very much alive Pomeranian especially breed to work with spirits. Carsen’s himself has a fascinating history with a near tragedy that he shares with his brother.
I really wanted to know more about what happened to cause Ruby’s death, and the events surrounding the incident that’s caused a rift between brothers. This short story just can’t handle the questions the great elements the author’s set afloat.
It starts with a job to clear a haunted property of its ghost. The family that owns it and a developer need the ghost gone so they can get in to clear the place. Problem is the ghost is a scary dog who’s kept everyone out for decades, even physically threatening them.
The author’s story turns into a layered investigation into a historical romance. Two soldiers and a dog.
I’ll be honest and say I definitely needed some tissues. Carsen’s intervention into one , make that two ghosts grief and then the recognition that love , being loved is enough.
The ending is lovely but I was left with questions. It’s in the details. As in what happens to that moving grave marker and Rafael Medrano’s body?
I’m mean, the plan is to bulldoze the place. It’s the small items like those that I need closure for.
On the whole? Necromancing with a Ghost (Haunted Love #8) by Cari Z is a heartwarming ghostly tale and I’m delighted to recommend it for all lovers of the paranormal stories.
Yes, dead dogs. But they’re splendid! And ghosts! And already dead when the story starts , so don’t let that stop you from reading. ( As it does me in the movies and TV shows).
Haunted Love series (10 books)
◦ Stargazing With A Ghost by K.L. Hiers
◦ Sexting With A Ghost by Ashlynn Mills
◦ Screwing With a Ghost by Morgan Mason
◦ Gardening with a Ghost by Amanda Meuwissen
◦ Baking With A Ghost by RM Neill
✓ Necromancing with a Ghost by Cari Z
◦ Dancing with a Ghost by Alex J. Adams
◦ Haunting With A Ghost by B. Ripley
◦ Flunking with a Ghost by Baylin Crow
Note: I realize 9 books are listed but unfortunately unable to find the 10th.
Buy Link:
Necromancing With A Ghost: An MM Paranormal Romance (Haunted Love)
Carsen McAllister isn’t much of a necromancer. He doesn’t lay spirits to rest or handle dangerous hauntings. He’s more of a dog guy—a pet psychic, to be precise, with a tiny Pomeranian familiar on one side and his childhood (un)dead dog on the other. So when his boss asks him to handle a haunting at an abandoned farm in rural Kansas, his first instinct is to say “Not only no, but hell no!” But when the spirit doing the haunting is a dog, Carsen can’t just leave it to suffer.
The farm turns out to have far more secrets than anyone knew, even the ghost of the man haunting the place. Rafael Medrano is handsome, funny, kind…and he died more than seventy years ago. What’s keeping him here? Why did his dog stay, driving away anyone who came here? And how does he keep pulling Carsen into visions from the past—not only the violence of war, but the tenderness of true love?
Most importantly…will their dogs get along?
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 