The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle by Sharon Buchbinder

Tallulah sees dead people. No, really. Her mother was institutionalised for her visions so Tallulah’s medicine woman grandmother cautioned her against revealing her talents. Instead, she is a hotel inspector, travelling the country with her pet pug Franny. When she step into the Hotel LaBelle, she has no idea that she will meet a not-quite-ghost who will turn her life upside down.

This was a fun read – the plot was fast-paced, the dialogue witty, and the research into and portrayal of the Native Americans was fantastic. The book pulled no punches when it came to the effect of colonisation which I really appreciated. It also highlighted some moral discrepancies between Lucius (born 100 years ago) and Tallulah (an independent woman, thank you very much). He starts off rather annoying and pushy, but they learn to get along and there is a spectacular declaration of love at the end.

My main criticism is that it bounces around genres a bit too much for my liking. It starts off as a paranormal romance and blitzes through crime, legal thriller, and back to romance. Each part has its own mini-conflict to resolve and this made it a bit disjointed. The romance tied it together but the instant attraction felt a little forced and the miscommunication was repetitive at times.

If you are looking for a whirlwind romance with fantasy and echoes of the Wild West, give this book a try!

Four fast-paced stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through ReadingAlley in exchange for an honest review.