Complimentary review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

4.5 stars.

With an intriguing mystery, an eerie ghostly presence and a sizzling hot romance, Kelly Moran's Phantoms Trilogy is off to a spooktacular beginning with Ghost of a Promise. If you are a fan of ghost stories (or the TV show Ghost Hunters), you absolutely do not want to miss this riveting first installment in what promises to be a very spooky series about a group of paranormal investigators.

Ava Trumble is dismayed to discover that in order to inherit her great-aunt's mansion she has to solve the mysterious disappearance of Sarah Kerrick. Sarah vanished without a trace over 200 years earlier and the family estate has been plagued with ghostly appearances and unexplained deaths ever since. While the hauntings do not bother her, Ava is genuinely interested in learning the fate of Sarah and calling in the Phantoms team is her best chance for solving the mystery.

Jackson Granger is the lead investigator for the paranormal show and he is immediately charmed by both Ava and her home. He is a bit unsettled by his unexpected feelings of familiarity upon his arrival, but he pushes his unease away as they begin their investigation. For the first time in his career, Jackson's experiences at the estate have a personal effect on him and his surprising attraction to Ava seems to be a trigger for some of the supernatural phenomena. Pairing up to get to the bottom of the mystery, Jackson and Ava eventually give in to their desire, but will Jackson's commitment issues and Ava's fears prevent them from staying together once the investigation has ended?

The paranormal/supernatural element of Ghost of a Promise is absolutely outstanding. The ghostly occurrences are very spooky and rather chilling. The history of the house is quite fascinating and the mystery surrounding Sarah's disappearance is equally spellbinding. The paranormal investigation is very well researched and fans of ghost stories will be thrilled by this aspect of the storyline.

Ghost of a Promise is a captivating start to Phantom's Trilogy. The cast of characters is superbly developed and the plot is quite engrossing. Kelly Moran expertly weaves mystery, romance and the supernatural into a compelling story that is sure to delight readers and leave them impatiently awaiting the next novel of this marvelous series. ( )

Loved the creepiness in this! Though it was nowhere near "sleep with the lights on" horror but it was good nonetheless. It was great up until the very end. The only real problem I had with this was the ending felt too...rushed? It felt somewhat abrupt and only happened because the story needed to end. I felt there would have been a lot better ways for Ava to get her answers that didn't seem so forced. ( )

Great book. I loved the Phantoms team and the ghost story, not to mention the glorious haunted house. Looking forward to the next book. ( )

"I love you, Ava. I should've started this whole crazy thing by saying that. I love you and I missed you like mad. It wasn't a spell. It was you. I found home." - Jackson Granger

What an exceptional story! After the disappointment of another paranormal romance I recently read, this one was truly a breath of fresh air!

Ava Trumble needs help to make sure she keeps the Trumble Manor. Her aunt's will states that she must solve the mystery of the house's resident ghost. And who better to help her than the TV crew of the famous show called Phantoms? But with its leader, Jackson Granger, being extremely attractive, and a strange force trying to bring them together, can she focus on the things that matter the most? After all, a womanizer like Jackson would never settle down, no matter how appealing a spooky house seems to him...

I'm telling you, this story was freaking awesome! It had more than just one ghost. On one hand, we have Sarah who is playful and likes to play matchmaker. On the other, we have Peter who is out for blood, and puts poor Jackson in great danger more often than not.

And it keeps getting better!

Because, adding to the great mystery of who REALLY killed Sarah, we have a couple of scenes where Ava and Jackson get possessed, and their intense attraction. We're talking sizzling sexual tension here, people! Those two were so good together, it was unbelievable! One moment they were acting domestic, the next they were arguing and nearly screwing each other through the wall - so to speak.

Lucky Ava, now I'm jealous! I want a Jackson of my own, too!

Still, there was more to this book than mere action, humor and romance. There were some times I nearly wet myself from what happened thanks to the ghosts. Peter, especially, was mighty scary. I had to look behind me and check under my bed FIVE TIMES once - and that was while reading a single paragraph!

Yeah, it was THAT scary. Not to mention that Moran didn't use any extravagant way to do it, in fact it seemed so natural - I think that's the main reason it freaked me out so much.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.*** ( )