Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG!!! This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

As a horror fan and sometimes a romance reader, I really loved this book. It was the perfect balance between romance and fright. I wasn't sure what to expect as oftentimes these books only lean into the romance and the horror part is barely there, but this one balanced both equally. I enjoyed the incorporation of doppelgangers, an underutilized scary creature, and the tension between the two main characters was equally tense.

The only thing I would have liked more of would be some humor as I feel that some light-hearted playfulness would have made this a full package. I will definitely be recommending this to my friends and horror fans alike and can't wait to read the third in the series.

A great story if you like:
-Paranormal activity
-Friends to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Spicy romance

Give Up Th Ghost by Kelly Moran

Paranormal investigators take on a case. An isolated mining town with ghosts.

I enjoyed this novel. Very intriguing, exciting and thrills connected with ghosts and spirits. Good character base. Well-written. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

The second book in Kelly Moran's Phantoms series can be read as a stand alone novel. Returning characters and important details are given enough description for any reader to understand without reading the first book.

The paranormal investigation of a ghost town is the backdrop for this friends to lovers romance novel. Paul Leake has been in love with his best friend, Kerry Baker, for six years. Now, Kerry is being haunted by her doppelganger, a harbinger of doom, and everything changes between them. As their team of paranormal investigators head to an isolated Arizona ghost town they are watching for danger around every corner. Many scares and near death experiences await them on the road to their HEA.

Recommended for: paranormal romance readers

Content warning. steamy sex scenes

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Give up the Ghost by Kelly Moran is the second book in a series about a ghost hunting reality tv show. This can be read as a stand alone but I loved the first. Give up the Ghost centers around one of the investigators seeing a doppelgänger. At first it is very scary but the novels moves to more dramatic as they investigate a ghost town. Loved the main characters and their romance. Loved the Ghosts more in the first novel but looking forward to the next in the series.

Thank you to #netgalley for the book. All opinions are my own.

Give Up The Ghost is a friends to lovers ghost hunting romance set in a haunted ghost town while trying to outmaneuver an omen of death. It’s the second book in the Phantoms series but can easily be read alone.

In the previous book of the series, Ghost of a Promise, the team of the hit tv show Phantoms lost lead investigator Jackson after he fell in love and decided to settle down with the owner of the haunted bed & breakfast they were investigating. In Give Up The Ghost the rest of the cast goes on their first ghost hunt without him.

Kerry and Paul have been attached at the hip since they first met as cast members six years ago. For Paul, it was love at first sight. For Kerry, it was the beginning of a beautiful (platonic) friendship.

Moran does such a wonderful job with adding depth to her characters, but I was particular impressed with Kerry. Kerry is beautiful and she knows it, and she’s annoyed by how it causes people to treat her. She was the weird kid growing up, playing with invisible spirits that nobody else could see, but then she hit puberty and suddenly everybody wanted in her pants.

One of the reasons Kelly liked Paul so much was because he always saw past her pretty face and treated her like a real person with a brain. It’s also one of the reasons she’s so betrayed when she first finds out he’s been hiding an attraction to her. For all that she’s supposed to be an empath, Kerry has a Paul-shaped hole in her gift, having no idea of his feelings until he literally spells them out for her and it causes her to second guess his motives.

When Kerry starts being haunted by her doppelganger – a dead-eyed, blank faced ghostly lookalike bringing a silent premonition of danger and death – it jumpstarts both their hearts and libidos with the fear of how quickly they could lose each other.

As the ghostly warning follows Kerry and the rest of the Phantoms crew to an investigation of a ghost town in the middle of the Arizona desert that proves to be much more dangerous then expected, the heightened emotions act like a magnet. The two can’t stay away from each other, even though they know all the reasons why they should – like ruining their friendship or getting fired due to the no romance clause in their contracts.

For two people trying to keep their secret relationship under wraps, Kerry and Paul have a lot of steamy moments in the hotel suite they share with the rest of their castmates, with only a wall and a door to separate them. But they’re in love and scared they’re going to be separated any moment by either death or network executives, so allowances can be made for reckless decision making.

In the previous book, I was equally as invested in the ghost investigation as the unfolding romance, but in Give Up The Ghost I was much more engrossed in what was happening with Kerry and Paul.

It’s not that the investigation wasn’t interesting, it’s just that as Kerry was going through the 5 stages of grief over her own perceived soon-to-be death, I was going through my own emotional rollercoaster as obstacles kept the leads going back and forth on their relationship – at one point I may have even have called their producer Elise a bitch out loud (sorry Elise).

Overall, I very much enjoyed every minute (even the frustrating ones) of watching Kerry and Paul navigate a premonition of death, a ghost hunt in an isolated ghost town where one thing after another goes wrong, and disapproving producers to get the happy ending they deserved. The next book in the Phantoms series stars Sammy, the headstrong spitfire of the crew, and Cain, the new investigator that rubs her the wrong way – can’t wait to see the sparks fly!

kerry is a paranormal investigator and she sees her doppelgänger and gets spooked as when you see your doppelgänger it foreshadows death. paul has been in love with kerry forever but they never dated due to work contract and circumstances. however when they start working together in their investigation of an arizona ghost town, mysterious hauntings and stuff start happening including chemistry between kerry and paul. this is a spooky paranormal book with romance. i would love to read more books in this series. i received this arc on NG and this is my voluntary review.

Give up the Ghost is the second book in the Phantoms series by Kelly Moran. While you could get away without having read the first book before reading this one, the first book really does set this one up nicely.

Paranormal investigator Kerry Baker has seen it all. But nothing in her work with the Phantoms TV program prepares her for the most terrifying spirit of all—seeing her doppelganger. Rumored to be a foreshadowing of one's death, the specter shakes Kerry to the core, sending her into the arms of her best friend and fellow cast member for comfort. Except their contract with the show strictly forbids crossing that line, so not only is her life at risk, but so is her job. Paul Leake has been in love with Kerry for ages, yet unwilling to compromise their friendship. As their investigation in an isolated Arizona ghost town grows more intense, however, so does the chemistry between them. The mysterious hauntings and chronic on-set accidents at their location are wreaking havoc with the crew. With her life in danger and their careers on the line, giving into their attraction couldn't be a worse idea—and yet they can't bring themselves to stop. Even if it kills her.

As soon as I finished Ghost of a Promise I knew I wanted to see how things played out between Kerry and Paul in Give up the Ghost. The haunting and spooky aspects did not disappoint. I liked the setting and the various levels of angst from the ghosts, and how the team worked to handle all of it with the worry of the doppelganger looming. I would have liked to see some more resolution on a couple ghostly points, but it was nothing major or that ruined the read for me. I did enjoy the character development and growth as Paul and Kerry figure things out and deal with some of their issues.I did feel like there was significantly more sexy time in this book than in the last, but I could be wrong. I did like that Kerry and Paul had so much friendship and background with each other, so there was much less wondering what the other might be thinking, since they knew each other so well. As a whole I really enjoyed the read, but think it fell a little short of my expectations and this first book in the series. It is still worth the read, but it did not wow me like I had hoped it would.

Give up the Ghost is a good follow up to the first book, and a good book on its own. It just did not live up to my high hopes for it.

"Give up the Ghost" had me from the very beginning when I read the description of the story on Netgalley. If you love paranormal investigation tv shows and romance, this book will give you a good time. The story, without giving too much away, focuses on Kerry and Paul. They are two best friends who have been working on their paranormal tv show for 6 years. They also have a crew that is a tight knight of a family and a brand new crew member named Cain who is adjusting to their group. There are some secret unrequited love tropes in this story, coupled with well described paranormal investigations. The setting is mostly in a deserted ghost town in Black Canyon, Arizona. Kerry is haunted by a doppleganger, or vision of herself. The vision or ghost shows herself throughout the story as a premonition for events. Tragedy occurs for both Paul and Kerry, and the circumstances bring them closer together. Those events include near death experiences related to sinkholes, aggressive ghosts, and anaphylaxis.

Things I really enjoyed about this book:
1) So many romance tropes, I'll list them at the bottom so that readers can stop before getting spoilers.
2) I loved how respectful Paul's character is to Kerry. Despite his feelings, he really is a good friend.
3) I loved Kerry's character. She's strong but also soft when she needs to be.
4) Paranormal fiction is my jam. My favorite show is Ghost Adventures, so reading this story was a blast.
5) Loved that there was an excerpt for Book 3 included- "The Ghost of You",
6) I have never read a storyline that included a doppleganger haunting legend. That was incredibly refreshing to read.
7) There was a glossary of terms at the beginning of the book for people who are unfamiliar with paranormal investigating.

***DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS***

Book Criticism:
I gave the story 4 stars as I would have liked to read an epilogue for Kerry and Paul. I felt like the story ended a little abruptly. It had a lot of momentum, and It would have been nice to know what their life was like after all the drama had concluded.

Here is a treasure trove list of tropes that I found while reading this book (do not continue if you want to avoid spoilers!):
Secret Love, Friends to lovers, Forbidden love, Workplace Romance, Beta male turned Alpha, Fake Engagement, Damsel in Distress, Dude in Distress, Soul Mates, Curse/Haunting, Belated love, Unrequited love, Sworn Off Relationships, Epiphany, Oblivious to love, Not good enough, Rejected by parents, Wants different things

Conclusion: I can't wait to read and review the third book. I'll definitely be checking out other titles by Kelly Moran.

Ohmygosh this was such an amazing book
it had paranormal/ghosts (ghost hunting) to friends to lovers
great characters, they all had their own personalities that the author represented perfectly
I love how it had great team (aka friends) a haunting and romance all rolled up in one great story
loved that added part with the boppler....
this author wrote it sooo well I couldn't put this book down til I finished it
cant wait to read more books from this author

Thanks to the publisher/author and NetGalley for allowing me to get an ARC of this book, read and review it honestly and voluntarily.

My second read of the series and I really enjoyed it. This time the story hits closer to home for the Phantoms team as one of their own is in danger.
Kerry just knows that she is going to die everyone agrees that since she has seen her doppelganger that she needs to be more careful. They worry that she is giving up before they can even find out what could happen.
Paul won't allow her to give up he needs her in his life and he is just about to break his contract as she means the world to him.
Is Kerry willing to give up her career for Paul? She knows that she can always count on him and that she loves him but what does it matter now that she could die soon?
Their latest case hasn't gone all that smoothly as the ghosts don't want the truth to come out but Kerry isn't about to let them suffer and she won't stop until she gets the truth.
Kerry had it all wrong and now she needs to make a big decision about what she wants in her future. Paul is afraid that he has lost his best friend forever can he convince her to give them a chance?
I love the characters in the series. Need to watch Cain as he is a man full of mystery. What I liked about Paul & Kerry is that they are both such caring genuine people that would do anything for each other & for others. I am glad that they took that chance as they would have never have found out what they really meant to each other.
Can't wait for the next book in the series. I have a feeling that it is even going to be better than this one.
Thank you so much Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC copy. This is my voluntary review.

I started reading this immediately after reading the first book, which I really enjoyed. With Ava and Jackson's story, I had wanted a bit more of THEM.

Paul and Kerry's story? A fantastic amount of them. :)

These two have been best friends since they started filming six years prior, though he has been into her the entire time, holding back. After she's traumatized by her very own haunting and turns to him for help, he decides he can't anymore. That same haunting stirred up some feelings in her, which emboldens Paul.

I loved that Paul is more bookish, and not at all an alpha. Just my type! He's sweet, clever, and supportive.

Kerry didn't necessarily come off as much of a former Southern belle to me, but she was definitely caring and had a sense of humor.

The two together definitely had some great chemistry.

The paranormal aspect of this was fun. Set in an old western town that time forgot, they discover some interesting ghosts and the filming runs into several problems as accidents keep occuring. Kerry's doppleganger added some interesting drama, as well, though I didn't have an aha moment at the end like I would have assumed was coming.

Overall, I am loving this series! The ghost stories and all of the characters are really great!!

This paranormal romance is a quick read. I thought the premise of the investigative phantoms show was interesting. I really liked the new addition of Cain to the story.

I am enjoying this series and these characters. This book focuses on Kerry and Paul. Paul has had feelings for Kerry for years but never wanted to say anything because they are best friends and he didn't want to ruin that. Unfortunately Kerry sees her doppelganger which only can mean that bad things are coming. The crew gets sent to a haunted ghost town in Arizona. Kerry and Paul cannot get together because of their contracts for the TV show so all sorts of problems occur.

This was such a great read... I'm not usually able to read something in one sitting, but I was with this book, so that was just great!

I can't wait to read what's next from the author And my wallet is ready for whenever another one of her excellent books is published!!!

I didn't read the previous book but I throughly enjoyed this one that can be read as a stand alone.
The characters are interesting and relatable, the world building is interesting, and the plot kept me hooked.
I want to read other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Give Up the Ghost is the second book in Kelly Moran’s Phantoms series, and it checked all the boxes: Spookiness, Friendship, and Love! I enjoyed the dynamic of the Phantoms crew in the first book, and it was great seeing more of their interactions in book two. Paul and Kerry’s romance was an emotion filled adventure with their friends chiming in with all the right advice. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Paul and Kerry are so cute together. It's a very typical friends to lovers story, but with ghosts, mystery, and danger. I really enjoyed this addition to the series and look forward to the next.

This series by Kelly Moran is seriously creepy. I am not usually one to read horror (even Romantic horror) - but a good ghost story is hard to resist - and this is definitely a good one. Paul and Kerry have become best friends while working on the show Phantoms. For Paul, however, the feelings have been much more than friendship. But their contracts specify no romantic relationships and Paul doesn't want to take the chance that Kerry will push him away if he tells Kerry about how he feels.

When Kerry sees a truly terrifying doppelganger - things start to change quickly between the two of them. Kerry has a difficult relationship with her family and has closed herself off to romantic feelings and future committed relationships. But seeing the potential for her life to be cut short - her heart opens up a bit to consider the possibilities.

This book does a great job of balancing the spooky and the romantic elements. I can't wait to read the next book in the series - as it promises to amp up the scare factor and the romantic relationship is one I am very interested in!

Overall - I definitely recommend - and highly recommend reading with the lights on.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.