Haunted on Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase (Jade Calhoun #1)

Jade Calhoun has just moved to New Orleans.  She lives above a Strip Bar, works in the adjoining coffee shop, and is an empath.  What is an empath?  Jade has the ability to read people's emotions.  Sometimes that can be helpful to see what people are feeling about you, but sometimes is can be very overwhelming.

Jade enjoys meeting her new landlord, Kane, but she is also deeply attracted to him.  Along with his business partner, Pyper, and the ladies who work the bar and coffee shop, Jade is finally realizing that she is starting to fit in and really does have friends.  She also realizes that her apartment is haunted.

Jade's life is spiraling out of control.  She has a very affectionate ghost, a ghost dog, a hunky landlord, a nasty ex who moved to town, and two part time jobs.  How many more strange instances can she take?

I started this book somewhere in Georgia.  I was immediately drawn in by the characters.  It isn't easy to read going through the mountains in Tennessee, but I really wanted to keep reading this book.  It was something out of my normal reading choices, but I am glad I took a chance on the book.  I did lose a bit of steam toward the end of the story as things became convoluted, but I rallied and would be interested in reading another book in the series.  If you decide to join me, let me know how you like the book!

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

Greer Hennessey has been given a task.  That task seems a bit impossible as she drives through the coastal towns near Panama City, Florida.  She is looking for the perfect location for a movie; however, her director/boss wants a certain charm, a certain beach town,  She doesn't want fast food restaurants, Walmart, or anything that resembles a modern town.  She needs a town with Southern charm - with that charm (hopefully) still stuck in the 80s.

As Greer is driving along the coast, she finds the perfect town.  As the drives into Cypress Key, she KNOWS this is the place to make the movie.  Greer's director boss agrees, and now she has been ordered to prepare this town for a movie location and look for a place that can be blown up for the movie's final scene.

There are a few issues with this part of Greer's job, she has to convince the mayor, chief engineer, hotel owner, and grocery store owner to be on board with the movie and all that shooting in that location brings.  Eben Thibadeaux, the mayor, engineer, etc isn't too keen on the idea of changing his town around.  He sees the movie people as an intrusion in the town, and he believes Greer is bringing more than money to his town.  He sees other potential issues - and problems.  He also finds himself attracted to the new gal in town.  

I enjoyed Beach Town.  I connected with the entire idea of the small Florida town as I was in Florida at the time I was reading this book.  I could almost smell the salt of the sea, and I loved reading about the small town of Cypress Key.  I also didn't realize what the job of a movie location manager entails.  One thinks about the actors and of course, the director, but we often don't think about the location manager's job which involves managing everything from catering to nosy and obnoxious neighbors.  

I enjoyed Beach Town for my beach read.  I am missing the sandy toes right now though!