I’ve never read a romance with older people and now I’ve read two Christmas ones in a few weeks. Life is funny like that.

About the Book

How can Silas French be homophobic? He’s playing Santa on a gay cruise.

After 13 years of not talking to his grown-up son, Joey, New Yorker Silas gets worrying health news, meaning the coming holiday season might be his last chance to make things right.

A job onboard the Crown Atlantic Holiday Wonderland Cruise finds him bound for Florida in the company of 3,000 gay men—and one woman.

Will Joey welcome his estranged father or slam the door? And when love appears unexpectedly, is it in Silas to let go of his past and grab onto his future?

Ghosted is a dark romantic comedy about the continuing bonds we have with our loved ones after they are gone.

My Thoughts

I read another book by Mo Fanning earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so I was quick to grab this one. He has a quirky, dark humor that I enjoy. It is self-deprecating but it knows when to stop. He doesn’t push things too far.

I really enjoyed our main characters, but I especially loved Patrick. He was my favorite character throughout. Zack was also a delight. In fact, I felt a little sorry for Zack.

Fanning is wonderful at weaving messy, gorgeous relationships of all kinds – romantic, friendships, family, work, etc. Characters and relationships are my favorite part of any story, and this author brings his absolute A game.

The ending wasn’t quite what I was looking for, but it was still good. It offered hope. And sometimes hope is all you can ask for. That and good, solid writing, and the author delivers on that as well.

I’m so grateful to the author and Love Books Tours for including me on this tour! I’ll definitely be checking out more by Mr. Fanning. I already have another sitting in my to-be-read list.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever been on a cruise?

Who’s It For?

If you love a good second chance romance, and a good look at the messy, complicated picture of life – this is the book for you. I personally enjoyed that it was a story of love late in life, second chances all around, and the messiness of friendship and family. The ending is not tied up in a neat little bow, so if that is something that frustrates you – it does me – be forewarned. I’m hoping that means there will be a second book. But it’s also how life is sometimes.

Content Warnings: Homophobia, Religious Discussion, References to 9/11, Cancer, Health Issues, Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Adult Situations, Adult Language, and More. This is not meant to serve as a list of all possible topics that may trigger sensitive readers.

About the Author

Mo Fanning grew up near Birmingham in the UK but left for pastures new as soon as he could legally drive, spending much of his grown-up life in the Netherlands, before returning home just before lockdown took hold.

He writes about damaged people finding ways to overcome their past mistakes and seek a happier future. Although his novels are comedies, they dig into themes drawn from experience, including alcoholism, mental illness and prejudice against LGBTQ+ people.

His first novel ‘The Armchair Bride’ was nominated for Arts Council Book of the Year, and his work was turned into a short play for BBC America. After having lived in Manchester, Amsterdam, Lyon and Brighton, he’s back in the West Midlands, determined to get on top of his geraniums.

---

---