Title:  Ruby’s Letters
Series:
Author:  Maggie Van Well
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Published:  October 10, 2014
Publisher:  Booktrope Publishing
My Rating:  5 stars
Source:  Owned, Kindle Edition
Cover Description:

You never know what you’ll find behind the wall of a closed up fireplace.

Emma Hopkins is a recently divorced chimney sweep trying to make it in a man’s world. When she wins a huge job in Brooklyn Heights , she finds more than she bargains for; a sexy general contractor who makes her blood boil and an evil spirit who wants her dead.

Ryan Atkinson struggles to keep his once-successful general contracting business alive, but horrors in his past have made him a shell of the man he once was. Now he has to face those fears to save Emma from a murderous ghost hell-bent on revenge.

Together, Ryan and Emma become ghost hunting partners, hoping to solve the mystery behind Ruby’s letters. What they uncover is a one-hundred year old murder and a budding love that can’t be denied.

Read on for  my thoughts on Ruby’s Letters.  No true spoilers, promise.

I don’t really know what drew me to purchase Ruby’s Letters.  Maggie Van Well is a new author for me, one that I am very glad to have found.  So it wasn’t the author.  The cover is delightful and appealing.  And the description of the story makes a ghost lover like me want to know more.  A combination of all of that and maybe a slight shove from a ghostly hand… who knows why we are drawn to certain stories.  But I am extremely grateful to whatever impulse caused me to start reading this delightfully entertaining novel.

This story is set in the year 2006.  While I do not normally give spoilers – that is an important date for you to remember, for many things that happen to the characters within Ruby’s Letters count the years backwards.

Emma is a chimney sweep – or rather one of the owners of a company that deals with the cleaning, creating and repair of chimneys.  Ryan is the general contractor on the building that is currently under renovation.  While working on one of the fireplaces in the old building, Emma uncovers a skeleton that had been walled up in the fireplace.  We know when the woman was killed and hidden by the newspaper found with her bones.  The 1800’s.  When the bricks came tumbling down Emma had felt a blast of icy cold air, a tingle that dashed through her quickly then left as if it had never happened.

Once the police have left and the building is approved for continued work strange things begin to happen.  Small things at first, slowly growing in occurrences and in strength.  Emma had released a ghost when the fireplace had been dismantled.  One very good and innocent ghost, and one very angry, nasty ghost.  Good-Evil.  A battle is being fought and evil will do anything to win.

Ryan’s life changed five years ago.  One moment in time ravaged him, changed him from the happy, laughter-filled man he was into an almost completely destroyed man.  His nightmares, fears and memories have left him a shell of his former self – and he sees no end to his personal hell.

While he feels an attraction for Emma, he is reluctant to pursue it.  Emma as well feels the sparks between them and is confused when Ryan moves forward towards her, then almost immediately backtracks into rudeness and the silent treatment.

One matchmaking ghost who sees soul mates will do all in her power to unite them, evil will do anything to keep them apart.

Ruby’s Letters is such an intricate story, blending the past and the present seamlessly into a story that captures your attention and won’t let go until the final word.  The sadness and despair that can be felt throughout this story are easily countered by the love between Emma and her daughter, the growing love between Ryan and Emma and the determination of one good ghost to make everything right.  I was captivated by this well thought out story and enjoyed every single moment of my time with the characters.  If you enjoy paranormal romance then you may be just as charmed by this gem as I was.  I hope you’ll pick up Ruby’s Letters and take a chance – on the other end you will find a wonderful love story on so many levels.

Available in paperback and for the Kindle