Customer Reviews

A Phantom Affair (Zebra Regency Romance)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you like your Regency plots to be down-to-earth and plausible, you may not like this book. On the other hand, I am not in general particularly fond of stories concerning the supernatural, but I found this book entertaining and very moving, and I have re-read it a couple of times since.

Ellen and Lord Wulfric (Corey Wolfe, whose title is *not* Lord Corey Wolfe as the description on this site suggests, but the Marquess of Wulfric) meet and get on extremely well; then a tragic accident results in Corey's death. But not his departure from Ellen's life; he vows to find her the perfect husband before autumn comes. The problem is, as they both come to realise, the 'perfect' husband for Ellen is no longer alive!

The book is alternately very funny and very moving; the scenes where Ellen first meets her faithful ghost are hilarious, as are the scenes where Corey provides a running commentary on events which only Ellen can hear. More poignant are the scenes where Ellen and Corey realise their growing feelings for each other, feelings which they believe can never be resolved. More painful still is the fact that they cannot touch; Corey's ghostly touch gives living things frostbite.

Just when the reader thinks that the story can never be resolved (in any way other than, perhaps, Ellen's own death), Ferguson arrives at a resolution which may seem a little hackneyed, but it works - for me at any rate.

The book has flaws: some period and dialogue inaccuracies which I won't go into - these are pretty par for the course with many American Regencies, where US customs, vocabulary and so on are not in keeping with the English society of the time. There are also inconsistencies in relation to what Corey can and cannot do: in some scenes he is able to touch and hold things (a pillow, a book, Ellen's shawl), and in others he is not (in particular, when Ellen is in the boat in a storm, Corey is unable to hold the oars in order to help her row to safety). But the story itself is well-written and interesting enough to render these inconsistencies and inaccuracies less of a distraction than they would be for me in a less well-written book.

I recommend this book; you will want to keep and re-read it.

Pretty, wealthy Ellen Dunbar is very much the pragmatic Scot. She has had three Seasons in London and still remains unwed - by choice. She refuses to settle for less than her heart's desire. Ellen is spending the Summer with her best friend, Lady Marian, and her husband. Ellen meets the dashing Lord Corey Wolfe during a fireworks display at his estate and an attraction grows between them. Then an accident kills Corey and injures Ellen.

Though Corey no longer has a physical body, he cannot leave Ellen alone. So he vows to Ellen that he will find her the perfect husband before the end of the Summer, whether she wants his help or not.

***** What follows is pure pleasure to read. Only Ellen can see and hear Corey. So Ellen is forced to keep a straight face as she speaks to people, even though Corey is there saying the most outlandish things about the ones Ellen is talking to. It is witty, amusing, and the BEST way to spend a rainy afternoon that I can imagine. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Synopsis:
Pretty, wealthy Ellen Dunbar has had three Seasons in London--and still remains unwed. A stubborn Scot, she refuses to settle for anything less than her heart's desire. Which makes meeting dashing Lord Corey Wolfe all the more magical. Ellen knows at first glance that he is the man of her dreams. Until an accident spirits Corey to the "other side"...Now Ellen and Corey live in different worlds, and even love cannot cross the chasm to the great beyond. So Corey does the noble thing: He decides to find Ellen a living husband who can make her happy here on earth. Though the tabbies of the ton think her odd for having conversations with thin air, suitors are soon forming a line for her hand. With Corey's divine intervention, Ellen should make a wonderful match. But, heaven help her, it is the irresistible, ghostly Corey she desires...in the flesh, in her arms...and forever in her heart.

my review:
overall, Phantom Affair was an sweet, charming lil ghost story. The interaction between Ellen and Corey was fun, and fairly hot for a traditional Regency (no actual scenes per see, but lots of sexual tension). The biggest flaw in the story itself was the secondary characters, which were very one dimensional and cliche'

I'd recommend A Phantom Affair to a Regency fan looking for a change of pace in storyline, but not unless you can get the book very cheaply.

3.5 stars.

I liked this book - it didn't capture me at first and in fact I put it down for a while but did manage to finish it once I got past the first few pages. I liked our heroine (Ellen), a stubborn Scot, wanting to marry for love despite the fact it was her third season. Unique also in the fact she fell in and out of love very easily. Our hero (Corey) is spectral through most of the book except in the beginning when he and Ellen are sharing some special moments watching fireworks. Too bad Corey did not listen to an old family retainer Fenton who predicted doom!

Our hero is fatally injured when the fireworks misfire, and he is somewhat tended by Ellen who, due to her own injury, happens to be in the same room when he dies. Corey promises to "find her the perfect husband before the chrysanthemums bloom" for her constancy to him in his last living moments. Unfortunately Ellen has determined she is in love with Corey (and no one else will do) and the air crackles with unfulfilled passion when they meet while he is a ghost. He cannot even touch her since the "glow" causes a burn on her skin. You will like how Corey gets around this problem and manages to dance with Ellen - very sweet scene.

I felt that Ellen fell in love too quickly. For that matter so did Corey ... but this is a romance! Secondary characters are interesting. I liked getting to know Corey's heir but I don't know if he will have his own romance later - I kind of wanted him to. The ending is tied up fairly quickly but satisfies the Regency reader by being the happy one we expect. Do not peek ahead to find out how this is achieved. I can recommend this for some light reading - didn't touch my heart a lot.

A PHANTOM AFFAIR is a short, pleasant read. Plot-wise, it is about a Scottish lady seeking a husband with the assistance of a handsome ghost. Unfortunately, said ghost is the man of her dreams! I read this simply because I was in the mood for a ghostly romance, and this was the first book I found with that theme (though it is out of print, so I had to buy a used edition). As a ghost story, A PHANTOM AFFAIR is not at all spooky (nor did I want it to be). It dealt more with the frustrations of two people who want to be together, yet to touch is impossible. I also grew very curious to see how the story would end - would she marry a living man or would they somehow find a way to be man and wife, even though he was a ghost? Since this was the first Zebra Regency Romance I've ever read, I really can't compare it, say, to a traditional romance novel (like Johanna Lindsey) or even a paranormal romance (like Sherrilyn Kenyon). I can say that the author's constant use of Victorian(?) jargon caught me off guard (e.g., "bosom-bow," for "best friend" - I think). I also was astounded at how quickly the hero was killed off -within moments of meeting the heroine. Finally, I had hoped for a little more steamy passion, but I don't think Zebra romances are that type of novel. Anyway, I did enjoy reading A PHANTOM AFFAIR; it was sweet and had several truly witty moments. I'll definitely read it again, though I'll probably keep a dictionary by my side this time, so I can better understand the dialogue.