On paper (or blurb), this book sounded right up my street. Unfortunately, it just wasn't believable, and the character's reactions and responses to certain things didn't sit right. The book felt forced in places. It's an ok read, but I wouldn't pay much for the privilege.

Hello Again by Stan Schatt goes so many different directions at once, but it works in this story. This story revolves around a character by the name of Bill. The main plot revolves around Bill's new girlfriend and paranormal investigator Amber Love being murdered by car bomb. Suddenly Bill is being contacting by text from her phone claiming to be the dead Amber Love. The big twist? The texts make it sound like she is still dead, but texting from beyond the grave. Yet, something has changed about the Amber Love Bill once knew. Now she is cold and seemingly heartless. She wants him with her forever: dead.

There were more things I didn't like about this book then those I did. However, it was a good read because the things I did like I adored. One thing that literally induced an eye roll was the character name "Amber Love". It's so cliche and even though there is meaning and reason behind it, it still bugged me. Another thing I didn't like was that this book moved extremely fast. It moves from drama to drama.

The thing I adored most was the character Wilson. My favorite thing he said was actually a quote by Albert Einstein: "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious". I wish he was the main character because the way this quote directly relates to Amber Love.

The other thing I really loved was paranormal twist. I loved that it touched on the paranormal while not losing the sense of reality. This is not a paranormal horror book at all. It stay true to it's roots as a thriller.

Bottom line: It wasn't perfect, but it was worth the read. If you can overlook the slightest of flaws and love thrillers, then read this book! It wasn't five stars for me, but it was still a very excellent read.

I found this book difficult to get on with at the beginning and the ending confusing. I did however enjoy the writing enough to finish the book.
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

3.5 stars- This book seemed a little slow to build up to anything for me. I thought that the author did a good job with the characters though. Once the story started picking up it became much more interesting and enjoyable to read. Thank you NetGalley.

2.5

This was not what I was expecting. Paranormal stuff can go either way for me and this wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. I liked the premise and the writing. Bill was an interesting character. Though for a former lawyer he does seems a bit naive. Plus he seems a bit younger and a tad too superficial at times.

The story doesn’t get going for a while. After the halfway point it does pick up but for me that was a bit too long. You do get the psychic thrown in (I’m good with that) and finally the investigator. There is a fair amount of technical know how which was pretty interesting. It was quite different and entertaining in parts. Overall ok. Pls do give it a shot though if it sounds like it might be for you!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Xpresso Book Tours for a copy in exchange for a review.

2 1\2 stars
Hello Again can't seem to decided what it wants to be. Paranormal? Mystery? Thriller? The story doesn't really take any of those genres far enough. While the basic story line is interesting and the author creates some interesting twist to keep readers pushing though the confusing parts. The author is able to write but he lacks the focus to be able to create a cohesive story that readers can enjoy. The Bill and his best friends are what people would consider typical men with the desire to find the perfect 10 of a man while they lack the perfect 10 themselves.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Stan Schatt Hello Again.

Hello Again capitalizes on our greatest fear and our deepest hopes- losing the ones we care about, while being able to communicate with them beyond the grave.
Bill Eisner is trying to navigate getting back into dating, while juggling his small coffee shop business, which is threatened by his greedy landlord. When he's talked into attending a speed dating event with his friend, he's convinced it will be a bust before he even gets there. And it is, until his last "date", with writer Amber Love, a woman who spins the conversation from the ordinary and inquires on Bill's greatest passion, while clearly being at ease remaining a mystery to everyone around her.
When Amber is killed in a car explosion, Bill begins receiving texts from Amber with information only she would know about some of their dates. Is there really such a thing as ghosts? Before he knows it, Bill is suspect numero uno, as police have records that he was the last one to communicate with Amber before the explosion and he requested she come over. Did he lure her to her death?
When the messages become more desperate, and a psychic coworker of Amber's, who is assisting the police in the case, reads Bill and informs him of a "dark presence" that is following him, Bill becomes increasingly convinced that Amber's killer wasn't just after her.
Hello Again dives into the technology of deception, while sowing the seed of doubt on whether the paranormal exists or not.
It was a tense read, with several underlying conflicts to push the story along. Hello Again will keep you reading from the first page just to see whether Amber Love faked her own death, or if she really is gone.

Hello Again
Stan Schatt
Description
Bill Eisner escaped the high-powered world of dog eat dog and opened a neighborhood coffee shop. His high-maintenance girlfriend stayed behind. Now all he wants is a second chance in life, a chance to do something he enjoys and meet someone who can love him for who he is, not what he can buy her. The community loves him, the press loves him, and even the homeless think he’s one of the nicest guys around.Finally, he thinks he’s found true happiness with the woman of his dreams. Until she’s murdered. At her funeral, Bill discovers that the woman he loved had a lot of secrets and told him a lot of lies. But does it matter? She’s gone forever. Or is she? Her text messages say otherwise.The police don't believe Eisner and suspect he might be responsible for his girlfriend's death. Meanwhile the text messages become more and more threatening. When a car bomb blows up his car he is forced to accept that someone or something clearly wants to kill him.Hello Again combines the spine-tingling tension of a paranormal mystery and the descent into madness of a psychological thriller.
This book had me going from the start. I was connected with Bill. Wow, Poor Bill suffered after losing her. Now she is texting. I held my breath often.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy to review.