Ghost Rider
Taylor ManningParanormal romance
Available from New Concepts Publishing
August 2004
| Ghost Rider is a quick little story about a man who was killed in the old west and comes back to reclaim what was his. Quinn Farrell, killed one
hundred seventeen years prior, now spiritually resides in the cave where he
and his horse were slain by the man who stole his life, family and property.
Periodically, Ghost Rider revisits his land to warn away the inhabitants, and
this time, Sara Bennett, is the recipient of his "haunting."
Bennett, an ex-cop, has plans to open a dude ranch on Quinn's land, so when you factor in a handsome cowboy who comes looking for work as a hired hand, a villian who has an interest in the property and a few sexual twists and turns, and you have a potentially interesting read. The premise of Ghost Rider is very good but feel short. Still, I recognize potential when I see it. I would have loved to see the story developed with more realistic feelings and background on the heroine, even extended with much more explanation that grabbed me. The plot jumped around a little more than I liked and left me wondering about too many things. Although,the premise of the tale was unique, it was difficult for me to believe that Ms. Bennett wasn't scared speechless when confronted by a ghost on her doorstep, let alone having him hover over her with lustfilled eyes. I think a little more apprenhension and questioning her rationnale and attraction would have made her more realistic. I also found her continual muttering of "fudge" throughout the dialogue somewhat distracting given her past career and present sexual conduct. Coming up with a great book idea is hard, making all the pieces fit together so that the story doesn't leave the reader hanging is sometimes even more difficult. I applaud Ms. Manning's ability to conceive an immaginative storyline and I certainly don't discredit her potential. I would love to compare this with her future work.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Brett Scott |
