Desert Isle Keeper

Rock N Soul by Lauren Sattersby is an unexpected gem; funny, emotional and sexy. I am surprised it seems to have slipped under the reviewing radar.

Tyler Lindsey is a bellboy at a nice Boston hotel. He has an okay girlfriend, an okay apartment, an okay life. Then one day he enters a wealthy rock star’s suite with his room service, and finds the musician, Chris Raiden, dead on the floor from a heroin overdose. Tyler’s life changes from this point onwards. His girlfriend leaves him and he discovers he is haunted by the …world’s most narcissistic ghost.

First and foremost this book is very funny. Not stand up / farce, but wordplay and situational comedy that had me laughing aloud. The ghost of Chris Raiden is clueless about being a ghost and about why he is still here. Tyler – who is a fan of the TV show Supernatural – suggests that either Chris has unfinished business or that they need to burn his bones. As he was, fairly speedily, cremated they go with the unfinished business angle. There is no immediate road trip because Tyler is extremely poor and can’t take time off work, so he starts saving. This gives Chris and Tyler time to get to know each other, and time for the reader to accept the possibility of a relationship between a non-corporeal ghost and a living person.

There is discussion about drug taking and the fact that Chris dies from an overdose means this issue has to be faced. The author approaches this subject sensitively and without unnecessary detail. Chris, although deceased, changes and grows during the story, develops regrets for his decisions and sincerely desires to make recompense. Believe me; by the time, Tyler and Chris are on their mission you are rooting for them to be successful, yet dreading it, because then Chris will be able to leave. The story is written in the truest tradition of urban fantasy – where the paranormal is blended into the normal so well, you believe and accept the unbelievable. The author also avoids any religious overtones that would alienate those with strong opinions either way. I mentioned that I laughed aloud whilst reading – I also cried. The longer length of this novel, the wonderfully written dialogue, and the unresolved sexual tension ensures that the reader is totally invested in these characters and cares about them.

The sexual tension obviously stems from Tyler being physically attracted to a non-corporeal being. Despite this, Ms. Sattersby manages to create several scenes that are extremely hot, although no real touching takes place, although later, a clever plot device enables even steamier scenes. The main protagonists identify as bisexual and if the author hadn’t resorted to an over-used trope – making their previous girlfriends very unpleasant – I may have awarded the book ‘A’.

Rock N Soul is a sparkling, funny story – sexy with a poignancy and depth I didn’t expect. There is an HEA, and as long as you don’t delve too deeply into the complications that could ensue – it works. I have no hesitation in recommending it and making this novel one of my Desert Isle Keepers.