The narrators did an amazing job at bringing this book to life. This is a lovely paranormal contemporary romance book. This reminded me of a hallmark movie with a paranormal twist. The FMC is Ida who was misunderstood due to the time period of when she was alive. Ida is sassy, smart and just trying to make sense of her current predicament. Then the MMC Gabriel who is a successful lawyer that finds himself in a bind after being extra involved with a person connected to his current case.

Gabriel takes his employers recommendations and ends up in a Victorian style home. At that time, we can sense the small-town vibes. I loved both characters together and how they help each other. Overall I loved the book from start to finish.

Thank you so much to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for this copy of Ghostly.

Adorable paranormal romance. I love how both of the characters were ocd. Great story of found community. The narrators did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.

This book was fantastic, the narrators really made a great job with it, I'm glad we had dual narration. We follow Gabriel a successful lawyer that gets involved into a scandal. He decides to move far away to avoid the press and there he meets Ida, the ghost that lives in his new home.

I absolutely loved both characters and their arcs, both together and apart. They have great chemistry and character growth. The story is really interesting, the plot is compelling and funny but at the same time heartwarming. Just what I needed!

This is such a great cozy fantasy read, just lovely. I'm so happy it's the first one on a possible series. I can't wait to read more.

Thank you so much to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for this copy of Ghostly!

I loved everything about this book. I was hooked from the start. I like how both main characters had a little bit of OCD, and how Gabriel helped Ida work through it. The timing of getting to know Ida’s backstory was also perfect. I was cracking up at the necklace/interview scene! I really wasn’t sure how they were going to tie everything together at the end, but it was so good.

I listened to the audiobook for this and the narrators were awesome! I like how they intertwined Ida’s perspective (even one or two words at times) into Gabriel’s.

Highly recommend this one!!

This was a cute little paranormal contemporary romance. I listened to the audiobook and it was a quick listen, easy to follow. I liked the duo narration. This gave me such Just Like Heaven movie vibes. Guy moves into a new place that happens to have a female ghost haunting but not really haunting the place. Victorian house, small town vibes. Ida was a fun character to follow, her curiosity was not all in your face. Gabriel is a lawyer on suspension and basically told to lay low for 6 months. I love his coffee obsession, and when he was trying to bring Ida some coffee because that was his love language. I liked their banter and conversations. While I didn’t really enjoy the last half of the book (I’m looking at you cheater) I was happy all that was resolved. I also liked the OCD representation!

I was hopeful that I’d love this book, as the premise was right up my alley, but one of the narrators distracted me so much that I listened to it at 3x speed to finish it quickly. (This is probably not something that will bother most people - I’m just picky when it comes to narration.) The paranormal aspect of the book was fun, the setting was charming, the OCD rep was interesting, and I liked Ida as a character, but Gabriel was very hard to appreciate. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, but I wished Gabriel was more endearing.

Thank you to Net Galley, RBmedia, and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*Ghostly* by Kate Serzenta is an atmospheric, small-town paranormal romance with a creative premise and charming cast of side characters. The story follows Gabe, a disgraced attorney seeking solitude after a scandal, who retreats to an old house outside the city. There, he meets Ida—who has lived in the house as a ghost for over a century. Though she’s been able to haunt objects, she’s never been able to interact with the living—until Gabe. Together, they first try to help her move on, but halfway through, the stakes rise as they attempt something riskier: resurrection.

I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and the quirky townspeople—especially the Skylar sisters, who are an absolute delight. Ida is a bright spot in the narrative: funny, curious, and full of life (despite being dead). I found Gabe’s transition a bit jarring, though. He begins very much the grumpy, closed-off type, but his attraction to Ida felt sudden and not as gradual or emotionally grounded as I would have liked.

As for the audiobook experience, the voice talent really brought the characters to life. Chris Chambers nailed Gabe’s curt and clipped tone, and Stefanie Key’s performance as Ida had a bubbly, endearing quality. One note: there were moments where character point-of-view shifts happened mid-chapter without much signal, which might be clearer in print, but felt abrupt in audio form.

The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and while I appreciated the story arc, the resolution felt rushed compared to the slower build. That said, the epilogue was a standout—sweet and satisfying, offering the kind of extended happily-ever-after I always hope for.

Overall, *Ghostly* is a charming, creative listen with some unique twists on the ghost romance trope. While a few structural and character pacing issues left me wanting a bit more depth, it’s a solid addition to the genre with lots of heart.

3.5 ⭐️ ALC Review of the audiobook

Dual narration for the win! Honestly, it’s the way to go. The narrators for this one did great. They both did so good bringing the characters and story to life, and they kept me wanting to keep listening.

This is a really cute, fluffy story. I loved the main and side characters in this one. The banter between the two main characters is great. It’s a fun palate cleanser. It did take a little bit to really hook me, but once it did I didn’t want to stop listening.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC. 🖤

I got the pleasure of getting to listened to the arc audio book and I loved every minute of it. The duet narration and the narrators did a wonderful job here. It honestly made the book better, I upped my rating because of it.
This was a heartwarming and whimsical story.

A successful lawyer Gabriel, on a fast track to become partner, gets involved in a scandal. Forced to lie low, he decides to run away to a small town, to live in an old Victorian house for the next six months. But the house comes with an unexpected guest. Ida, a woman who lived and died there, and it's now haunting it. Surprisingly, Gabriel can see her. To ensure himself some peace from a chatty ghost, he decides to help her cross over by fulfilling a magical contract. But the more time they spend together, the closer they get. And when they discover there's a contract that would bring her back to life too, the race to fufill that one first is on. Will they succeed?

I really enjoyed the pace of the story and the setting. The small town reminded me of the town i grew up in, I loved meeting all of the people that lived in this amazing town.

Ida was such a great character, sassy and such a light, even do she struggled. I was rooting for her since the beginning. She was charming and sassy.
I didn't always liked Gabriel, some of his decisions were highly questionable, to say the least. But i loved them together, even thou they were an unlikely couple I could feel them falling in love with every chapter. Their banter was one of my favorite things i found myself laughing out loud many times through out the book.
Overall, it was a fun book and I'll always have a soft spot for stories with ghosts, my favorite type of books are a little ghostey!!!!
This is my first encounter with the author and I would like to read more. I really liked her writing style, i will be checking out more of her books

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

The banter and yearning between Gabriel and Ida was so good.

The way Ida was able to interact with the world was very interesting - possessing things in order to absorb information and enjoy entertainment was fun.

I enjoyed how the book concluded, but disliked how we got there. It wasn’t even a third act break up, they just separated. I wish something else happened. To be honest, it took me out of the story as it was a complete 180 from how the majority of the book was progressing.

The audiobook really saved me here as I could increase the speed to get through it quicker. The narrators did a great job. The production and performances were done well.

I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed it. I love duet narration and the narrators did a wonderful job here. It honestly made the book better, I upped my rating because of it.
This was a heartwarming and whimsical story.

A successful lawyer Gabriel, on a fast track to become partner, gets involved in a scandal. Forced to lie low, he decides to dissappear to a small town, to live in an old Victorian house for the next six months. But the house comes with an unexpected guest. Ida, a woman who lived and died there, and it's now haunting it. Surprisingly, Gabriel can see her. To ensure himself some peace and quiet from a chatty ghost, he decides to help her cross over by fulfilling a mysterious contract. But the more time they spend together, the closer they get. And when they discover there's a contract that would bring her back to life too, the race to fulfil that one first is on. Will they succeed?

I really enjoyed the pace of the story and the setting. The small town was charming and I really liked the people we met there.

Ida was such a great character, sassy and such a light, even do she struggled. I was rooting for her since the beginning.
I didn't always liked Gabriel, some of his decisions were highly questionable.
I did liked them together though, even do they didn't always make sense. Their banter was the best thing.

The main issue is the last 20% of the book. I didn't like the direction it took at all. I honestly hated it, and I would've gave this a lower rating if it wasn't for the audiobook.
I liked the conclusion, I just wish we got there differently.

Overall, it was still a fun book and I'll always have a soft spot for stories with ghosts, they are my favourite.
This is my first encounter with the author and I would like to read more. I really liked her writing.

3.5 stars.
Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ARC of this. I listened to the audio of this one and narrators did a great job, I particularly liked Stefanie Kay who voiced the FMC. This story was cute and fun and without spoilers I did feel like the 'third act breakup' didn't entirely make sense. This was a cozy small town romance with a side of mystery and ghost. Parts I liked - Ida and the Schuyler sisters/the town. The ghost 'magic'. Things I didn't love - Gabe, third act breakup and the backstory for Ida.
Character rating - 3.5.
Setting rating - 3.5.
Plot rating - 3.

I really liked the premise of this book but I found the delivery to be lacking. I loved Ida and thought she was really cute and funny, I did not love Gabe. I didn't find him likeable as a character at all.

Things I really liked about this book:
Mental Health Rep
Growth in Characters
Secondary Character Development.

Things I didn't like:
What the heck was going on with Gabe just peac-ing out on Ida like that. RUDE. It also seemingly went against all the growth he'd made leading up to that moment.
Some of the pacing felt off and the inner monologue for Gabe didn't seem to match how he was presenting.

In regards to the audio portion, I loved the female narrator, did not love the voice of the male narrator, I don't feel like his delivery matched Gabe.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one but it was absolutely delightful. I had some reservations about Gabe at the beginning but I quickly forgot about them as the story progressed. I got fully sucked into the story and couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it. I absolutely adored it and am really looking forward to the next book from Kate Serzenta. I also really liked both narrators.

This was really cute and a quick read. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters. I also really liked the side characters within the town of Buttons. Some of my favorite aspects of the story were the ghostly ability of absorbing information, as well as the ghost book having a contract - with a lawyer as the MMC.
The narrators did a great job bringing each of the characters to life (or to ghost lol).
Thank you NetGalley for the advance audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This story is so cute. It is like reverse hallmark, the big city lawyer goes to hide out in the small town and finds real friendships, community, and love with his ghostly companion. I love that Ida has learned and grown with the changes since she died so she can understand the current world. Ida helps Gabriel learn to enjoy live and be present in the moment and he helps her decide that life is worth living. If you love hallmark plus a little spice this is for you.
The narrators did a great job, both narrators really brought the characters emotion to life and maintained great pacing and voice acting. It was great.

This book really suprised me. I didn't think I was going to like it this much.
The beginning really had me thinking Gabriel was a certain type of character, but he turned out to be the opposite. His and Ida's relationship was a nice slowburn. There was yearning and really hot perfume scene.
Ida's OCD, I think, was depicted really well.
I liked how the supernatural element of this book was handled. I was left with an unanswered question, but I enjoyed the overall story too much to mind.
The writing flowed really well, and as previously mentioned I enjoyed being surprised by author's choices and subverting expectations. I will be reading more books by her.
The audiobook was very good, both narrators were excellent.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.