Compulsion by Martina Boone

Summary from Goodreads:

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead—a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn't what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Review:

I loved this book. It was the right book at the right time for me. I needed something a little lighter to read while on vacation. And this was it. It’s been a while since I got to sit down with a good paranormal romance. Reading this felt like a treat.

Not only was it my favorite kind of slow-building/friendship-first kind of romance, but it was sizzling too. Also, this book just had so many things in its formula that added up to a good book for me. It took place somewhere I’ve never been (nor know too much about): a plantation in South Carolina. Magic is real. Ghosts are real. It is a twin story. And it all takes place in a crazy small town where everyone knows each other. It felt like the small town in the show Hart of Dixie. I could honestly see it being quirky enough for a tv show.

Also, the main character’s one sane relative/godfather is a drag queen who makes her promise to wear gorgeous shoes and travel the world. Unfortunately, he’s dying from cancer –hence, her being sent to live with her aunt. Couldn’t this be a tv show?

Needless to say, I read this book in one sitting. The characters were great. The strange family mystery was so creepy and fun. I was maybe a little too invested in the drama of the past. I needed to know why Barrie’s mother told her nothing and what exactly happened in that fire? What a good story!

The crippling plantation setting was wonderful. I felt like I was there. The house felt like a character that was always out to get the women who lived there. There was an almost gothic, Bronte type feel to the whole story. I was sad when it ended. I’ll definitely need to get my hands on book 2. I give it a 9/10.