source: personal copy
title: Somebody’s Darling (The Gettysburg Ghost Series Book 1)
author: Linda Fausnet
genre: paranormal romance/historical romance
published: February 1, 2021
pages: 359
rated: 5 out of 5
first line: The living don’t realize the dead walk among them.
blurb:
He finally found the love of his life…150 years after his death.
In modern day Gettysburg where ghosts roam among the living, Confederate soldier Jesse Spenser drifts aimlessly. The only light in his lonely existence is Lucy, a lovely waitress who works in a tavern in town. Falling more in love with each passing day, Jesse yearns to speak with her and tell her how he feels.
Lucy fears the ghosts that are said to haunt Gettysburg, so Jesse approaches her with great care. After overcoming her initial terror, Lucy develops a friendship with Jesse that soon blossoms into more. Lucy’s love and understanding brings Jesse a sense of peace, which only brings him closer to his final destination; Heaven.
Jesse and Lucy have found soulmates in one another, but will they lose their chance at true love if Jesse crosses over to the other side?
my thoughts:
Somebody’s Darling is the first installment in Linda Fausnet’s Gettysburg Ghost Series and I just have to say, I loved this book. It was just one of those fun, easy reads that swept me away. The storyline and the setting drew me in like a moth to a flame. I enjoy both American Civil War history and visiting Gettysburg, so this book was perfect for me.
This is a paranormal, Civil War ghosts modern day romance. At the heart of the story are Joel and Jesse, the ghosts of two Civil War soldiers who died in battle in Gettysburg and have not crossed over due to unfinished business. Twenty-something Lucy works at a local tavern in Gettysburg, and she is unaware that she has caught Jesse’s eye. Being a spirit, he can remain invisible if he chooses. Jesse was from Texas and fought for the South, while Joel was a Union soldier from New York. These two soldier ghosts make themselves visible and introduce themselves as Civil War reenactors in order to speak to Lucy and the story takes off from there. Also in the mix is Theresa, Lucy’s BFF and roommate.
The author does a good job in writing both Joel and Jesse as Civil War soldiers and she did her research on the Civil War and Gettysburg. I was hooked because obviously it’s a seemingly impossible love match between one of these Civil War ghosts and Lucy. Impossible love is one of my favorite reading tropes.
Some of the interactions between Jesse and Joel had me laughing out loud. The two are sworn enemies and I wanted to know why, and the author reveals this in a clever way, piece by piece. Jesse and Joel were both great heroes and they stole the show here. The author also does a great job at bringing these two ghost soldiers to life with the turns of phrase that they would have used during the Civil War time period. The modern-day Gettysburg setting was well written as well.
Lastly, the romance for the majority of the story was G rated, then things get spicy towards the end of the book. I enjoyed the slow burn romance and tension. Spiritual themes such as God and crossing over into Heaven are also woven into the storyline and it worked well.
“The thought of Jesse’s suffering, dying in a Northern town so far from his beloved South, and the idea that his precious, broken body lay on the battlefield was too much sorrow for her to bear.” -p.215, Somebody’s Darling by Linda Fausnet
Linda Fausnet set the story up nicely for the next in the series called Darling Soldiers.
source: purchased
title: Darling Soldiers
author: Linda Fausnet
genre: paranormal romance/historical romance
published: July 7, 2016
pages: 348
trigger warning: PTSD, physical abuse
first line: It had only been two weeks since Confederate soldier Private Jesse Spencer had come back from the dead.
rated: 3 1/2 out of 5
about:
She was supposed to help him cross over. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love. A psychology student at Gettysburg College, Theresa puts her studies to good use by starting a counseling group…for the dead. Many restless spirits of soldiers still remain earthbound more than a century after the war ended, and Theresa longs to help guide them home to Heaven. Sergeant Sean Stone is a difficult patient, severely traumatized from the horrors he witnessed in battle. He’s met his match in Theresa, who is compassionate yet fiery, and refuses to give up on him. The two fall hopelessly in love as Theresa helps Sean heal from his past. When Theresa discovers the secret of Sean’s true identity, it threatens to tear their love apart. This book can be read as a standalone and is book two in the Gettysburg Ghost Series. Download the book now and immerse yourself in a world of passion, love, hope, and healing.
my thoughts:
Darling Soldiers is the second installment in Linda Fausnet’s Gettysburg Ghosts series and I am here for it. This book picks up right where the first book ended. In this one Theresa is psych student at Gettysburg College and she’s also BFF and roommates with Lucy and Jesse. She knows all about the Gettysburg ghosts.
Theresa decides she would like to help counsel the spirits of the Civil War soldiers who still haven’t crossed over. She witnessed them cross over in book 1 and she decides she wants to help the others do the same. One ghost in particular named Sean catches Theresa’s eye and this second installment features these two characters. Lucy and Jesse from book 1 are a big part of the plot as well so IMO it’s best you read the first installment before diving into this one.
While I enjoyed this second book, I did find some of the storyline and dialogue was a little bit much at times, almost unrealistic. Theresa is written as a flirty, extroverted character even in book 1, so here she’s laying it on pretty thick with Sean and is letting him know up front that she wants him. This second installment is much spicier with the sex scenes. I thought that Theresa shared way too much information with both Lucy and Jesse about her sex life.
Sean’s PTSD is featured heavily in this storyline as well as the rest of the soldiers and they discuss the battles they fought during the group therapy sessions. I liked the supporting characters in this one and hearing about the other soldiers back stories. The author tackles the delicate subject of PTSD with care and respect. This one has a plot twist that I didn’t see coming but then I realized it’s kind of revealed in the book cover lol. Well played Linda Fausnet.
“Sean had bravely served his country and had suffered dearly for it. He deserved the chance to heal.” -p204, Darling Soldiers by Linda Fausnet
So, while I enjoyed this second book, the first remains my favorite. On a final note, do not judge a book by its cover! I’m not too crazy about the covers on these, yet they were entertaining and well written and I discovered a new favorite in Somebody’s Darling. I recommend these if you enjoy paranormal romance and Civil War history. There’s one last book in this series, I need to grab a copy.
Disclaimer: These reviews are my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing these books. I am under no obligation to write a positive review.
the bookworm 