Ghosted

by J M Darhower

[stacey_is_sassy]

***IT'S ALIVE!!!***

My first J.M. Darhower and it was bloody awesome

***Sorry, it's long, I rambled but I just couldn't help myself.***

I think I must be the ONLY person in the world (slight exaggeration) that had not experienced the greatness of J.M. Darhower. I feel like a bloody fool, to be honest. I knew of J.M. Darhower and that she was very popular but hadn’t had the chance to try her out. A few of my blogging friends online were doing emoji and gif fist pumps and bumps when the ARC request form came out. I read the blurb, was very interested so I decided to fill the form out. Maybe, there’s a book angel up there keeping an eye on me, knowing that I HAD to experience Ghosted. Thank you, the experience was by far one of the best book buzz’s I’ve had in a long time.

So, I woke up at 5:30 am and got started. It’s nearly 9:30 pm and I’ve just finished, and I hope that this will all make sense.

This book was LONG…well, longer than my usual. It’s been a while since I’ve had a dedicated reading day and to be honest, I can see why. My back feels like it’s breaking. I hardly moved all day. Every time I was interrupted by one of my boys, I had one of those fake smiles, I’m happy you’re telling me this story, but please hurry the heck up and get out. They soon decided to just let me be…THANK GOODNESS!! Honest, I do love my boys.

Holy Shamoly!! This book was one heck of a journey and I loved every single minute of it. There were plenty of ups and downs, highs and lows. Every step of the way was important. Each obstacle needed to be experienced to really feel the impacts. To me, this wasn’t just a blame him, it’s all his fault. Ghosted proved that there is no one reason alone that a relationship doesn’t last. In this case, Jonathan can take a lot of the responsibility for their issues, but Kennedy made mistakes too. Unfortunately, she carried most of the burden though.

Jonathan has dreams of becoming an actor. Unfortunately, Daddy has other ideas and uses a firm hand (too firm) to try and make Jonathan follow his direction. Jonathan, being a bit of a rebel, takes his hits and does what he wants anyway. He knows that high school is short-lived, once he’s out, he has no plans to ever follow the rules again (not that he did follow many rules). But, one thing is making him hesitate to take the first step. He doesn’t want to start his dreams if Kennedy isn’t with him.

Kennedy starts at Jonathan’s high school and realises pretty quickly that she doesn’t really fit into the politically-focused approach to education. Kennedy would much rather be writing in her notebook. She has a story to tell and would rather be doing that. The first day, she meets a boy and that boy is trouble. Trouble is bad…but oh so good, and even her father’s warnings won’t stop her from hooking up with trouble. When Jonathan tells Kennedy his dreams, she wants to be a part of them too. So much, she sacrifices her own and runs with him.

Dreams don’t always turn out as you planned.

I’ll be honest, for a long way through the story I just wanted Kennedy to forgive Jonathan. I knew what he did was bad, but it’s so bloody obvious that he’s trying and I just wanted her to forgive him. At times, I even felt sorry for poor Jonathan. A superhero with a crumpled cape that just needed an opportunity to prove himself. What we realise later, is that his crumpled cape is of his own making. It was his decision to squander his opportunities and it’s his job to prove himself.

There’s a little snowflake who steals the show. Maddie, Kennedy and Jonathan’s 5-year-old daughter is confident, cute and funny. She can’t believe her luck when she finds out that her favourite superhero knows her mummy and he wants to feed the ducks with her…COOL!! Maddie, like any 5-year-old, has her priorities and thought processes. She doesn’t care how he came into her world, she just wants him to stay. Her own superhero in the house.

Ghosted was EPIC. We get to experience young love and acting stupid because of it. We see the ugliness of fame and fortune. The sacrifices and burdens that many young actors face when you want your name in lights. You can’t trust anyone. Your friend today will stab you in the back tomorrow. Relationships start with a Confidentiality Agreement and end when the paparazzi get the story anyway. There are no secrets. There are a lot of lies. That name in lights isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Kennedy and Jonathan’s love story is not an easy one, but it is EPIC. I wouldn’t say it was an overly sexy read but it definitely had enough to prove their connection and compatibility.

I’m so glad Ghosted was the story that I got to start with. If this is what J.M. Darhower is capable of, I’m going to be very busy catching up.

Amazon link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753B7HYZ/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.