Rachel Greenlaw

Eva’s beloved grandmother died three years ago, and ever since, Eva has thrown herself into her work, trying to forget her grief. She is also grieving her miscarriage, suffered about the same time. Her husband James insists that this year, they are attending their friend’s weekend-long Christmas celebration. Once there, Eva tries to return to London and her job, but encounters her grandmother’s ghost on the road. Gran tells her she must face her fears to stop shutting out her loved ones. So Eva returns, but she lives the same day over and over, in the bodies of her friends, until she finally gets it right and makes amends for her distant yet demanding behaviors. It’s a little freakish to be sure. And she learns that she can’t stop bad things from happening, but she learns to cope with the problems in a kind and mature way. This is definitely not a warm and cozy Christmas tale, but it does imply that there is always hope for the future. The writing is good, but the main protagonist Eva was hard to like. Maybe that was the author’s point. An unlikable person can change, hopefully without the interference of a ghost, and become a better person.… (more)

"The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells" by Rachel Greenlaw was different from the novels I normally gravitate towards. The main character, Carrie Morgan, finds herself returning to her childhood home of Woodsmoke. She had left ten years earlier on not the best of circumstances. Her grandmother has passed away, and left Carrie her dilapidated home. Carrie has decided to make the necessary repairs, and either live in the home or sell it and use the funds to continue her traveling adventures. Matthieu enters the picture. He claims to have known Carrie's grandmother, and was familiar with the home, as he had completed some of the repairs. He returns to the property and assists Carrie with the repairs. They find themselves attracted to one another, and soon fall in love. The mountains of Woodsmoke have long been known for its magical powers, spells and curses. The tale includes several of the Morgan women that have fallen in love with men who arrive in the winter yet disappear in the fall. Men that never really existed. Does Matthieu fall into this category? Is he real or is he a ghost?
If you enjoy romantic fantasies, this may be the read for you.… (more)

Mira is part of a gang of villagers on a remote island who deliberately wreck ships to supplement their meagre existence. Mira's job is to help rescue survivors - she is tied onto a rope chain of villagers and swims out to the wrecked boat. On one such night, a wreck crashes and she discovers a boy still alive on board. The others in the village want to leave him but she saves his life and they all reap a great haul of glass beads from the ship which are worth a fortune. Unfortunately, the next day, the Watch ( the country's overlords) arrive and take her father and friend prisoner and threaten to execute them if the treasure is not forthcoming as well as the names of everyone who took part in 9 days. Mira decides to go with shipwreck survivor following some coordinates left by her late mother that may help her win riches to free her father. But is the stranger who he says he is? And what of the strange new man she meets at the first island they visit....

Set up for a sequel. For fans of Daughter of a Pirate King but not as good. Hopefully it will get a bit better in the second one....… (more)