Member Reviews
I had a hard time getting through this because I kept putting it down. It didn’t hold my interest and moved too slow at times.
Covers topics of grief, panic attacks, parental abandonment
Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this- really great premise, but not my jam. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read!
I didn't think I would be into this since I generally dont like magical stgories, but I really loved this, both leads were excellent and the chemistry + real attention to not only love but grief was lovely
dnf at 20%
No one is more disappointed than me that this most-anticipated paranormal romance of mine turned into an unfinished two-star rating. I'm shocked at how boring the plot was, considering that the heroine makes out with a dead man in the very first chapter. The whole multiverse couldn't make me care about the stilted characters when the protag and her best friend use a verbal intensity scala to communicate their feelings. I'm sorry, but it's a no from me.
This was cute but honestly really hard for me to get into. I liked the idea of the story but wasn't that invested in it. I kept putting this book down and forgetting about it which tells me to dnf it. Since i received an arc i chose to continue but honestly if I had bought this myself I wouldn't have finished it.
Oh wow did I not like this. It started out funnily enough with the weird dead teacher showing up to teach her the ways of seeing ghosts, but then it just...wasn't good. The rules of being a ghost didn't make sense. Why she only saw them at 18 didn't make sense. I couldn't read this, despite the adorable cover.
As I was reading this book, part of the story line seemed very familiar. When I paused and looked it up, I then realized that its somewhat connected to And they lived happily ever after. The way the two stories are connected is that they were twins separated at birth and did not find out until they were in their 30's. Gia's character from the other book was not adopted, while Gemma, the female character in this story was. While they both seem to have supernatural powers, they are different. Gemma is able to see ghosts/spirits that are in need of help, and has been able to since she was a teenager. She meets Levi, who is now a ghost who died after accidentally ingesting almonds. Or at least he was a ghost who no one was able to see until he and Gia kissed. Now, he has two options. Continue to the other side, or help Gemma with her situation and possibly be reunited with his family.
Truth be told, I actually enjoyed this book more than I did the first one. It also has a grumpy troupe with Levi, so you might like it if you enjoy those types of reads.
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was right up my alley, but it did not work for me. I liked Gemma, but I did not like Levi. I think he was kind of an asshole to Gemma. He was very judgy. I was also still left with questions about how the whole ghost thing works, and how Gemma's power works. The pacing was off, and the relationship progression did not make sense to me. I was also unhappy about it being basically close door. I don't mind close door books, but I hate when the characters are super horny and spent the whole book thinking about sex and what they want to do to each other, and then the book ends up being closed door. That's just mean. I saw another reviewer say "if edging was a book" about this book and I completely agree. I felt like the author meant to used that horniness as a way to create chemistry and heat, but it did not work out. They was no built up or any real chemistry.
Despite not necessarily disliking this title, I did find myself forcing myself through it.
It wasn’t entirely what I had expected based on the premise, which I was very excited for. Paranormal rom-coms are very fascinating to me, and I love the creative mix of genres and inherent angst that comes with the tangible separation between the leads. All of these things were the fixings of a great romance, but some extra additions to the plot gave me a pause.
Between Levi’s alternate dimension, guardian ghosts, and an adoption side plot, it felt like there was a lot going on and the rules of the universe became a little convoluted in ways that felt unnecessary.
Perhaps it was going into the story without having read the previous instalment— which was the unfortunate result of having no idea it existed— that lead to A Ghost in Shining Armour feeling somewhat incomplete, but I can’t say the discovery of its predecessor has me jumping to read it.
I found myself hoping it would take itself more seriously. Levi’s death, for example, had the potential to be an emotionally impactful reveal that was instead reduced to a second hand embarrassment inducing joke that I didn’t feel quite landed.
It’s quite unfortunate that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would, because I really did have high hopes for this book.
I will say that the development of both characters, showcased through a shifting dual perspective, was done very well. Both characters were relatable and realistically flawed, and their growth as people was given as much as if not more focus than the romantic arc between the two.
The insta lust was a bit grating, especially given that there was little to no payoff. I simply struggled with the believability of the romance and plot entirely, the situations the characters found themselves in often outlandish and embarrassing without dedicating any time to fixing these holes that they (mostly Gemma) dug for themselves.
The ending fell kind of flat and felt rather anticlimactic— the whole “true love was the answer all along” reveal felt like a major cop out, somehow managing to be unexpected yet predictable at once.
Overall, I can’t help but feel like I spent the whole book waiting for it to begin. I had really hoped to like it, but something was just off. So much was either left unresolved or wrapped up too neatly, and it seemed like much of the conflicts could have been solved far earlier than they were in a much more satisfying way.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for this novel.
This book was excellent. At first, I wasn't having the ghost and human love thing, but it all proved worth it in the end. This is a beautifully written work of art. it was an incredible book.
8/10 for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Very cute, paranormal romance. Perfect for if you want a romance with no actual scares that feels right if you miss the spooky season! I really liked the characters and their chemistry. The supernatural romance is adorable and their emotional and romantic journeys are super satisfying. I absolutely adored it. This was such a fun fast paced read.
While there wasn't anything "wrong" withA Ghost in Shining Armor, I just didn't enjoy it at all and found it tiring to keep reading.
This was a cute, paranormal romance. Gemma has been able to see ghosts since she was a child and Levi has recently died. He has the task of helping her figure some things out so that he can go back to his sister. It was definitely a grumpy/sunshine book that also made you think about the choices you make in life and the consequences that come with it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A heartfelt paranormal, fake dating romance perfect for fans of The dead romantics by Ashley Poston. A Ghost In Shining Armor tells the story of Gemma who can see ghosts and often helps them and Levi,the ghost that has been sent to help her. Pretty standard, there’s nothing really sophisticated or outlandish about it - I would put it more along the lines of whacky but heartfelt. The plot is mediocre at best, the romance is flimsy, the message is confusing. I did feel that sometimes scenes and dialogue jumped a bit erratically leaving me a little confused, and that the ending felt a bit abrupt and a little unresolved (what happened to Haley and his old life??). I liked Gemma and her internal struggle, it was relatable and it was written well. However, the concept remains intriguing.
The premise of this book hooked me in so much! Therese Beharrie developed some realy good characters and a super fun story.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!
A cute paranormal rom com! This book had the bibes of Bewitched with a romance that was full of chemistry.
Oh my goodness this was such a fun read! A Ghost in Shining Armor is filled with paranormal romance, supernatural happenings, self reflection and a lot of laugh out loud moments! Totally fun and unique read! Therese Beharrie hit the ball out of the park with this book! I hope we see many more installments in this world she has created!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review.
This was a unique contemporary romance novel, that I would definitely recommend!
I received an e-ARC from the publisher.
This book was fun, but something about it didn’t click with me. I feel like there were too many different subplots/plot threads, which pulled my attention in different directions. The general concept is quite clever and I enjoyed a lot of ghostly inventiveness, but it’s just okay for me.
Gemma and Levi's story was so good. I really enjoyed how their love grew. They truly helped each other. I liked how Gemma's gift was different from her sister's. I liked the balance of paranormal and romance in this story.