Stumptown Spirits (Legend Tripping 1) by E.J. Russell



Sheena reviewed Stumptown Spirits, telling us that this book is "a second chance romance with paranormal ghost element."

From the blurb:

A life in hock.

Seven years ago, Logan Conner and his legend tripper college roommate stumbled into the middle of a ghost war. Logan escaped. Trent did not. Guilt has driven Logan to hunt for answers ever since—not only for why Trent was trapped, but how to return and save him.

On the verge of abandoning the search as hopeless, Logan discovers the solution at last thanks to folklorist Riley Morrel, the man he never expected to fall in love with, and the man he’d do anything to keep safe, including leaving him behind.

A life on hold.

When Logan disappeared in a puff of motorcycle exhaust, Riley’s life took a nosedive. After dropping out of school, he’s not entirely sure it’s not still diving. Sure, he has a job—one that’d send his thesis advisor screaming. Still, there are perks to his gig as the researcher for paranormal investigation show Haunted to the Max: He’s in the ideal position to propose projects for the team to tackle.

Like their latest episode in Portland, for instance, where Logan just happens to be bartending. If nothing else, confronting the big jerk will give Riley some closure.

A life’s last hour.

But as the two men take tentative steps toward each other again, they begin to realize that their relationship, the shoot, and Logan’s quest to free Trent are hopelessly entangled with one tragic day at the riverside, over a century and a half in the past.

And when the smoke finally clears? Not everyone will walk away.

Stumptown Spirits is a second-chance, opposites-attract, supernatural suspense romance featuring a TV show one step past jumping the shark, a narcissistic TV personality, a craven ex-ghost, annoying bosses, interfering (but well-meaning) friends, personal redemption, and, of course, an HEA.

Note: This book was previously published. It has been lightly revised and re-edited, but the story remains the same.



Sheena's Review:

Here's the thing, I LOVE a good ghost story, especially one based on fact.  I will watch any of those ghost hunter shows even though they scare the life out of me, for the most part.  This is all of those things and I am here for it.  This is also a second-chance romance which also happens to be something I love.  Add in two extremely likable MCs, a fierce best friend and secrets revealed and that's a winning recipe for me.

I adored Riley.  He was so sweet and good, and immediately I hated Logan for walking away from him and seemingly ruining his life.  (Side note, I sincerely hope he went back and finished off that masters 😂).  Then I found out more about Logan, and while I don't really forgive him for running away, I get why he did that.  This is one of those situations where you wish they'd just talk to each other, honestly.  Logan is carrying around a lot of guilt for what happened 7 years ago, but if anyone would get it, it's Riley.  

I loved that the ghost story is partly based on a true story, and the whole thing was really well done.  The supporting cast are great too, and I certainly wouldn't want to cross Julie.  Nope, no way.  She's fierce, and Logan is a brave man to face her 😂.  Max is odious, and terrible with zero redeeming qualities, you're supposed to dislike him and I did, intensely.  The story moves along at a great pace, I couldn't put it down once I started as I needed to know.  There's a little heat, it's more fade to black though which is fine.  There's plenty of chemistry between Riley and Logan though and I really was rooting for them.  I really enjoyed this and I'm going straight on to the next book now.

Rating: 4 Stars

Stumptown Spirits is available to buy as an ebook or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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