That's it, I give up. I realize I am never gonna finish this book. It was a bore and a chore to read. The book follows several different people with the main heroine being Alexa. Normally I don't mind following different characters but it should add interest not bore me to death. Whatever is happening in a scene with a character sounds like it should be interesting but it just was not. There was no rush of intense feeling or just plain interest in what's going on for me. Sometimes characters would pop up without an explanation of who they are and what's really going on in their current scene. Yeah I can tell they will have a lot to do with what takes place eventually but their boring and i'm impatient to find out what drives them. There was something about the protagonist Alexa that I didn't connect with that I couldn't put my finger on until the last page I read. I think Alexa was suppose to be portrayed as a genuine, responsible workaholic but instead, I got arrogance. Being in her head eventually got really annoying. She sees herself as the savior and the victim, the only one keeping everything from falling apart. Even when she thinks of Damon it's more like he's going to be a good investment and if he want's anything from her then he's just using her. Damon has been stuck in the same place for three centuries and he has all the right to want to be free. I was interested in unraveling the plot at the end but not enough to force myself to finish. Too many annoying things about this book is tumbling over in my head so I digress. ( )

Hotel heiress and developer Alexa Chandler has discovered that her late father left her a surprising legacy: a castle in Florida, one that was moved stone by stone from Europe and is rumored to be haunted. She visits it hoping to turn it into the exotic, fantasy-inspired hotel to beat all hotels. When Alexa arrives, she discovers that the castle is indeed haunted, but not by a ghost. Damon, who came to the castle seeking his missing sister and the dark sorcerer who stole her away, was trapped in a painting by a curse several hundred years ago. Somehow Alexa's arrival partially frees him, and he finds that not only is he able to interact with her, but he can tap into the magic that serves the castle.

Although 'Phantom Pleasures' jumped so quickly into the existence of ghosts and psychic abilities that I found it slightly jarring, this was a momentary blip. The tale of Damon and his brothers, an old Romani hideaway, a castle filled with magic, and a cult in search of power was sufficiently complex and fascinating to certainly hold my interest. It's obvious that the scope of the sorcerer Rogan's tale is far greater than this one book, and I definitely came out wanting to know more, yet feeling that the immediate tale had reached a satisfying conclusion.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed in this book was the characterization of the bad guys. Bad guys are often relatively superficial in romance novels because they're largely present as foils and obstacles to the romance plot. In this case, nearly every named character lined up against our heroes was more than a simple foil.

I also find it interesting when the main characters have a few flaws of their own. Damon's arrogant, and only gets worse as he uses Rogan's magic. Alexa's stubborn, and doesn't tend to take others' needs into account. Yet they're both likable enough to make an enjoyable couple. They might not have the most breathtaking character chemistry I've ever come across, but they have enough to make them a worthy focus of a novel.

Speaking of which, there's plenty of adult content in here to satisfy your phantom-inspired daydreams. It's of the fiery, passionate type, yet not overly kinky (considering we're talking about a phantom lover here).

For a longer version of this review, visit Errant Dreams. ( )

Really 3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the story in the book and the sex and characters were very hot!! However, there were many things left unsaid. I always seemed to feel as if I were missing vital information or motivation for many of the characters.

Alexa has inherited a haunted castle! As the head of the Crown Chandler hotels, she plans to turn this castle off the coast of Florida into a premiere location, complete with its own ghost.

Damon was cursed centuries ago and trapped inside a painting by a powerful magic-user. He just wants out so he can find his family and seek revenge...and he'll do anything or anyone to achieve those goals.

Sex as a cure to black magic. Intersting premise, but not done as well as I'd hoped...at least not for me. ( )