Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Vortex Conundrum
SERIES: Ghostly Guardians
AUTHOR: Louisa Masters
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
LENGTH: 7 hours
RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2022
BLURB:
Wanted: one demon hunter. Beware the matchmaking ghosts.
After years managing a haunted hotel and estate, I thought things were good. Sure, the ghosts can be a handful—nosy, opinionated, interfering—but they’re also friendly and fun. We have a system. Everything was under control.
Cue hysterical laughter.
But after a minor blip with a demon in the basement and a vortex to the spirit world, the ghosts swear they have no more secrets. The danger is gone, and we’ve done everything we can to make the vortex safe. It should be fine. Nothing’s come through it for 50 years.
It’s never that easy at Mannix Estate.
Lucky for us, the demon expert we met online is willing and able to help us out. I’m so grateful, I’d willingly kiss his feet. Until he arrives and opens his mouth.
Connor is…a jerk. But he’s a sexy jerk who’s doing us a favor, so I’m going to be polite no matter what. Even when he makes me mad. When he flirts hard. When the roof falls in and we have to share a bed. When we realize the vortex upstairs is just the beginning.
Suddenly, Connor’s real strengths shine. Beneath the smoking-hot yet annoying surface is a heart of gold, and I don’t think I can hold out against it…or that I want to.
REVIEW:
Mannix Estate is haunted. The staff is aware and they also are friendly with the resident ghosts. However, when something takes of Skye, one of the hotel staff, it’s clear that they are having a problem with the vortex that had been successfully closed to keep the demons away from the human world and the guests. But now Skye has been possessed. His eyes are red and he’s speaking with a British accent. Say what what? So Kieran, the manager calls on the guy that helped them with sealing the vortex with this new problem. The guy agrees to come help – but he’s a couple states away and he has to drive. Ugh! In the meantime, they need to keep Skye quiet so that whatever is possessing him isn’t drawn to him.
When Connor, the guy who comes to help arrives, well he’s kind of a jerk. He also seems to have a very old and rather obnoxious ghost with him as well. Like a REALLY old ghost from Connor’s family line. They both lack some social skills, but the Mannix team really need the help. Kieran has to share the spare room with him at the estate because he doesn’t feel comfortable going to his home in town while there is a problem. And of course it turns out to be kind a big problem. There is a gateway to the otherworld and demons are able to get through. What they really need is a gate keeper. Connor calls his mysterious organization, The Collective, and they send his good friend Gage. Gage realizes that Connor is attracted to Kieran right away and this makes Kiernan every more nervous. Then there is a storm, a roof leak and now they are down to one room and one bed. That Connor and Kieran have to share because they can’t leave the estate. Oops!
Meanwhile, the resident ghosts are doing their best to try to matchmake. Kieran and Connor aren’t exactly thrilled with the interference. But the do get closer. Well of course Kieran and Connor give in their mutual attraction eventually. When they need to follow a lead to try to find the person who started the trouble, the road trip leads to some eye opening discoveries for Kieran especially. Turns out Connor has a lot more skills than he shared and Kieran is grateful 🙂
The ghost in this series are hilarious and made me laugh repeatedly. It was fun to visit this estate and this great group of guys again. I will say I didn’t feel the same connection between Connor and Kieran that I with Josh and Ewan in the first book. Connor and Gage and Connor’s ghost “Uncle” are all new characters in this one and they add quite a bit to the story. I liked the bickering and banter between the whole team, but I didn’t have quite the same desire for the two MCs to get together like I did with the first book.
Nick Russo does his usual fantastic job performing this book. There is quite a lot of tension and action in this one, and he amps up those qualities with his performance. I am looking forward to Skye’s book next and can’t wait to listen. Recommended particularly for fans of this series and ghostly and creepy stories.
RATING: 
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