The Ghost Pirate's Treasure: Mystery of the Jaguar Warrior
The Paranormally Yours series, Book 1
Barbara Ivie Green
Amazon Digital Services
Fiction, Fantasy/Humor/Romance
Themes: Cross-Genre, Ghosts, Occult, Pirates
**+
Description
Fresh from a bitter divorce, Jessie needed a new start. When her Aunt Kate asked her to housesit her old mansion for the holidays, it seemed
like a great idea, a chance to recharge and figure out where she wants her life to go. But Kate left out a few pertinent details... such as the
nosy matchmaking neighbor, the hunky electrician, the peculiar gardener, and - oh, yes - the matter of the resident ghost.
Jacques seems harmless enough, as ghosts go, if irritatingly handsome and seductive. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the curse that
binds him to the town, or the all-too-living treasure hunters snooping around the property - both of which might ultimately determine the fate
of the world when the Mayan calendar rolls over on December 21, 2012.
So much for Jessie's relaxing vacation...
A Kindle-exclusive title. This book also appears as Treasure of the Jaguar Warrior - Mystery of the Mayan Calendar.
Review
I suppose I should've been wary when, after downloading this title, it filed itself under "B" for Barbara instead of "G" for Green - a minor
formatting error, true, but one that calls into question the professionalism and quality of the title. Nevertheless, I read on... and regretted
it.
This was billed as a fun, lighthearted romance with action and aventure. It turned out to be an exercise in verbal slapstick, full of goofy,
paper-thin characters stumbling through a threadbare plot. I have a limited tolerance for slapstick in the best of circumstances; by the time I
cleared the first chapter, I was already well past that limit. None of the multiple interlocking romances rang true... but, then, I struggled in vain
to find a character who wasn't a simple caricature sketch, or who displayed an iota of intelligence. Not caring about the fates of the characters or
their fictional world made the climax - where said world and characters stand on the brink of disaster - fall flat, and the ending had me rolling my
eyes. The whole time I was reading, I kept hearing dorky TV sitcom music and canned laughter, because not even a live studio audience could be
convinced to laugh on cue.
If you love unbridled slapstick silliness and quick reads, this should be right up your alley. Otherwise, unless it's offered as a freebie download
again (as it was when I grabbed it), I can't recommend it.