The (most unusual) haunting of Edgar Lovejoy

A haunted house designer meets a man who has been plagued by ghosts since childhood in this endearingly wholesome queer contemporary from Parrish (The Holiday Trap). New Orleans local Edgar Lovejoy, a perpetually anxious and undeniably adorable part-time delivery person and cat café worker, wishes to lead a peaceful life free from frightening phantoms. Unfortunately, due to his second sight, the best way to avoid interacting with unwanted spirits is to leave his house as little as possible. When the confident Jaime Wendon-Dale, a transmasculine burlesque performer whose day job involves designing highly detailed scare mazes, flirts with Edgar on a rare night out, he is instantly captivated and risks leaving his self-imposed isolation to get to know them. But when their first date is interrupted by a ghost, Edgar wonders if he will ever feel comfortable enough to explain why he appears constantly preoccupied and distraught. Through alternating chapters from Edgar and Jaime, Parrish develops a satisfying slow-burn romance and skillfully balances humor with poignant moments and thoughtful discussions of mental health struggles. The result is a delightful romance celebrating the courage required to fully embrace one's true self. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (Sept.)

Edgar, who works at a cat café, sees terrifying ghosts and lives in a state of paranoia and hypervigilance, rarely leaving his house. Occasionally, in an attempt to fit in, he'll push himself go out with people he knows, which is why he is at tonight's queer burlesque show, riveted to the most seductive person he's ever seen: amateur burlesque performer (and full-time haunted-house designer) Jamie. Jamie glimpses Edgar in the audience of their show and is instantly attracted to the very hot, sad-seeming man. The pair begin to date, but Jamie wonders why Edgar doesn't seem to be fully present and has frequent panic attacks. Meanwhile, Jamie is the most amazing person Edgar has ever met, but being in a relationship requires honesty, and Edgar fears that if he spills about the ghosts, Jamie will leave him, like everyone else in his past. This sweet, sizzling romance has paranormal elements, but they take second place to the character development. Edgar, a cis man, and Jamie, who is nonbinary transmasculine, are wonderfully realistic and delightfully perfect for each other. VERDICT Readers will clamor for this unique opposites-attract novel from Parrish (The Holiday Trap).--Heather Miller Cover

Can a professional haunter and someone who's been haunted all his life escape the ghosts of their pasts? Edgar Lovejoy sees ghosts. He's been tormented by the grotesque faces of dead people lingering on Earth since he was a little boy. He works part time for a cocktail business and a cat café, and then he goes home. It's safer and less scary that way. When he meets Jamie Wendon-Dale, a genderqueer burlesque performer and haunted-house designer, they challenge him to step outside his comfort zone. Jamie loves their life and the pockets of comfort they have found in queer and spooky communities. Predictably, their choices cause their traditional family--their mother is a politician--to bristle. Their sister, Emma, asks Jamie to be her maid of honor (despite the very gendered term), and to step up and help out with wedding plans that coincide with Halloween--Jamie's busiest time of year, professionally. After Edgar opens up to Jamie about seeing ghosts, he's able to let Jamie coax him out of his comfort zone and back into the world. And when he has a panic attack at Emma's rehearsal dinner, it emboldens Jamie to stand up for themself for the first time with their family. Edgar's own family is only marginally less complicated. His parents aren't really in the picture anymore, and no one really talks to the crazy aunt who sees ghosts, but his sister's impending pregnancy might just be enough to bring their absentee brother back into Edgar and his sister's lives. There's as much hurt and comfort passing between Parrish's two very likable love interests as there is scorching chemistry and hot sex. The supporting characters are well-written and nuanced enough to have their own spinoffs, and the book is every bit as cozy as it is steamy. Somehow both adorably wholesome and unbelievably hot. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.