Don’t Seduce A Specter (Craven Manor 3) by Melody Raven-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 25, 2022

To do list:

Find out if Adam really loves me.
Who killed the out-of-towner?
Join Layla and Adam as they navigate community theater, brownie bribery, and a curse that could take away everything they’ve worked for!

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REVIEW: DON’T SEDUCE A SPECTRE is the third instalment in Melody Raven’s contemporary, adult CRAVEN MANOR romantic, suspense series focusing on former Chicago accountant Layla Craven. DON’T SEDUCE A SPECTER can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion.

SOME BACKGROUND: Having recently inherited Craven Manor located in the small but magical town of Ashland Springs, from an aunt she never knew existed, Layla quickly discovers that all is not as it appears to be in Ashland Springs. From magic to mayhem, ghosts and potions, murder and mystery, Craven Manor begins revealing its’ secrets one supernatural entity at a time including a small kitten that may or may not be of the feline variety.

Told from first person perspective (Layla) DON’T SEDUCE A SPECTER follows in the wake of yet another murder in Ashland Springs. The town is preparing for their annual community theater presentation, and our heroine, Layla Craven has ‘volunteered’ to help but shortly after her arrival, the body of theatre critic and reviewer Shane Lawson is discovered, and our heroine begins an investigation into the death, on her own. Now that her houseguest has become more or less corporeal, thanks to the presence of a magic, Layla struggles with her attraction to Adam, believing she is no longer the object of his desire and attraction but as Layla continues to investigate the murder, someone else is threatening to take down our story line heroine. With the help of her bestie Poppy, the man that she loves Adam, and a little kitten called Bubbles, Layla is about to become the center of attention in a game of betrayal and greed.

The relationship between Adam and Layla has been building throughout the series but Adam is a ghost who has no idea as to the how or why. His attraction to Layla is matched only by Layla’s need to put some distance between herself and the man with whom she is falling in love but everything in the town of Ashland Springs is centred on magic, and Layla is caught in the middle without knowing why.

DON’T SEDUCE A SPECTER is the third and final instalment in the fast paced trilogy focusing on Layla and Adam ..but.. there is no resolution to several other aspects of the series premise, which is frustrating on soooo many levels. I am going to go out on a limb and say that, hopefully, the author has plans to write more stories focusing on the people and town of Ashland Springs – we need the details and backstory, history and fates of Adam, Layla’s aunt Carolann, Poppy, and of course, Bubbles’ appearance and magical abilities.

DON’T SEDUCE A SPECTER is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and greed, love and acceptance, magic and murder. The premise is intriguing; the romance is unique and captivating; the characters are magical, determined and odd.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Don’t Accept Gifts From Ghosts
Don’t Party with a Poltergeist

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy