Blue Dahlia is the first of a trilogy of books written by Nora Roberts. Each book moves the main story along a bit, with the final volume wrapping it up, but every individual story is also a romance in its own right. It’s a pattern that the author has used very successfully for years.
Stella has been newly widowed and she and her children are looking for a new beginning. She gets the job of running a nursery (flowers, not children) for Roz who owns the business and also a large house in which her new employee and her family can also live (together with live-in babysitting). As Stella gets to grips with the business she also meets Roz’s son Logan and after a touchy beginning they start to have feelings for one another. The problem is that the house in which they all live has a resident ghost who is not at all happy about the situation.
This story has a ghost which tries to terrorise the inhabitants of the house but it’s not a horror story although there are a couple of unpleasant encounters with the spirit. This is a romance with a ghost as a plot device to link together the themes and stories. It is very light with little conflict and is really a story of a young couple coming together in the midst of some mild adversity.
This author has a number of things which she likes to include in her books such as independent women, successful small businesses, community support and some mild supernatural activity. This book hits all the buttons and is a quick and warm-hearted read. You are well aware of who will get together with whom by the end of the book and of the romances which will feature in the next two books of the trilogy.
If you like this author’s novels (see here for my review of a standalone novel of hers) then you will enjoy this. It’s a very easy read but sometimes I am in the mood for simple and satisfying romance and when I am then a Nora Roberts book often meets that need.
Anne Is Reading 