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Welcome to my blog tour stop celebrating the paperback release of Karen White’s The Guests on South Battery now available from Berkley Publishing! I am a huge fan of the Tradd Street Series, and I cannot wait to share my thoughts on the latest book with you!

My Thoughts:

I once lived within a short driving distance of Charleston, South Carolina. I never tired of my time there, the people, food, history, and architecture. The Tradd Street series by Karen White gives me the opportunity to visit those historic streets again. 

If you have followed the Tradd Street series, you’ll be familiar with Melanie, one of the two main characters. She is a real estate agent in Charleston whose main sales are of the old, stately homes in the Battery. She is not thrilled to be working with these homes and for good reason. She sees and can communicate with spirits, and these historic homes have more than their share of spirits. That’s just a taste of the backstory. Melanie is now married to Jack, and the two have twins. 

At the start of the story, Melanie is returning to work after her maternity leave, and it has been over a year since she has heard from any spirits; however, that quickly changes with an eerie phone all she receives. 

Nonetheless, Melanie goes back to work with a bang as a home on South Battery is offered to her for a quick sale. The owner, Jayne, wants to be rid of the house as soon as possible, but whenever she is near Melanie, a spirit is as well. 

The past is explored, and secrets are squandered, while Karen White’s signature storytelling is at its finest. I believe this book could be read as a standalone because in and of itself it’s a complete and fulfilling story. That said, there is a richness to reading the full series that cannot be beat. Melanie’s story is engaging and delightful, and the spirits add their usual … levity. I know some are not fans of paranormal in books, and I definitely understand that; however, here it’s done with a light hand and manages to add to the charm of the storytelling. A reader can tell when the author loves the characters as much she does, and that is certainly the case here with Karen White and Tradd Street. 

Thank you to Berkley for the invitation to join the blog tour and for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. 

Synopsis:

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Karen White invites you to explore the brick-walked streets of Charleston in her fifth Tradd Street novel, where historic mansions house the memories of years gone by, and restless spirits refuse to fade away…

With her extended maternity leave at its end, Melanie Trenholm is less than thrilled to leave her new husband and beautiful twins to return to work, especially when she’s awoken by a phone call with no voice on the other end—and the uneasy feeling that the ghostly apparitions that have stayed silent for more than a year are about to invade her life once more.

But her return to the realty office goes better than she could have hoped, with a new client eager to sell the home she recently inherited on South Battery. Most would treasure living in one of the grandest old homes in the famous historic district of Charleston, but Jayne Smith would rather sell hers as soon as possible, guaranteeing Melanie a quick commission.

Despite her stroke of luck, Melanie can’t deny that spirits—both malevolent and benign—have started to show themselves to her again. One is shrouded from sight, but appears whenever Jayne is near. Another arrives when an old cistern is discovered in Melanie’s backyard on Tradd Street.

Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried…. (less)

Have you read The Guests on South Battery, the Tradd Street Series, or any other books by Karen White? Do you have any favorites? Happy Reading and thanks for visiting my blog tour stop! ~ Jennifer THR