Book Review: “Ghosted” by Rosie Walsh

• Title: Ghosted
• Author: Rosie Walsh
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Structure: First-person linear narrative
• First Line: “Dear You, It’s exactly nineteen years since that luminous morning when we smiled and said good-bye.”

Synopsis: Seven perfect days. Then he disappeared. A love story with a secret at its heart. When Sarah meets Eddie, they connect instantly and fall in love. To Sarah, it seems as though her life has finally begun. And it’s mutual: It’s as though Eddie has been waiting for her, too. Sarah has never been so certain of anything. So when Eddie leaves for a long-booked vacation and promises to call from the airport, she has no cause to doubt him. But he doesn’t call. Sarah’s friends tell her to forget about him, but she can’t. She knows something’s happened–there must be an explanation. Minutes, days, weeks go by as Sarah becomes increasingly worried. But then she discovers she’s right. There is a reason for Eddie’s disappearance, and it’s the one thing they didn’t share with each other: the truth.

THE GOOD

This is a mixed bag book. Some people loved this book. Some people chucked it. I really wanted to love this book. I tried hard to love this book. This book is like the friend you have that is always a blast when you’re with them, but then you get home and think about your day and you realize that they’re maybe not that great. So, you sit there in denial. You guys hang out several more times before said friend does and/or says something utterly stupid (again) and you decide that maybe you guys can’t be friends after all. That’s how this book felt for me. Long-story-short, it reads like a first novel and I’m not sure I can truly fault Walsh for that. You can read more reviews on Goodreads and decide if you do want to give it a go, but here’s my take:

1. The characters are relatable. Some characters more than others. I found the main character to be rather witty and it felt like if she were to come to life, we could be friends. Part of what made the characters so relatable is watching them navigate problems that so many of us encounter while voicing the thoughts we have (but will never admit to). There were a lot of refreshing moments in this book because of that.
2. This is a true, true matter of opinion, but I enjoy a more leisurely writing style. I don’t think every novel has to be a masterpiece or feel like you’re reading a written Monet. It makes for an easy, fun, and light read. I think this is the main reason that I’d be willing to give another book by Rosie Walsh a shot in the future. I can tell she has “it”. Her ability to make something good is there; it’s just not there all the time and it’s missing some key components (more on that below).

THE UNFAVORABLE BITS

Honestly, I think I would’ve rated this book higher if it wasn’t so hyped before I read it. I think I could’ve given it at least 3 stars. But, the problem is that I went in with expectations. This is the double-edged sword of reviews: you get know whether a book is worth it or not, but you go in with expectations one way or the other. This is also why, as a standard, don’t read any reviews, bookstagram captions, or skip to the end halfway through it. So, when I heard Liane Moriarty (author of Big, Little Lies) endorse this book, I got high, high expectations. I looove Moriarty’s books so I think I assumed that this one would be as well-written with as interesting and put-together story line. Nope.

Either mystery is done well or it’s masked as trying to do well. There’s not really an in-between. There may be a couple moments of “that was quite well done”, but overall, the effect is abysmal. The try-hard mysteries feel exactly like that: a moment that is just trying to hard to bring an air of mystique that it ruins the whole thing. There are so many moments in this book that it’s painful.

For a mystery, the stakes are too low. I never got the sense of imminent danger. This may be because this book has tropes up the wazoo and we’ve seen it all before. Or, it could be because the storyline was not that interesting. The storyline broke my heart the most because I did find the characters interesting and lively, but they weren’t pushed far enough. Thus, the whole thing fell flat.

As always, I give you a heads up about strong language or graphics in case you’re sensitive, or if the person you’re recommending the book to is sensitive. This book does not have strong language or anything too graphic.

CONCLUSION

I rate this book 2/5 stars. Overall, I think the stakes are too low, the mystique is too try-hard, and the storyline is meh. While the characters are fun and relatable and the writing makes for an easy read, I was never hooked in this book, which is not good considering it’s supposed to be a mystery novel. I would give another book by Rosie Walsh a go in the future because I think she has what it takes to write a good one, but this isn’t it. I recommend that before you decide whether or not to add this one to your book list, read through some more reviews since so many people have had mixed feelings on this one. Then, let me know what you decide or if you felt the same way!

GET YOUR COPY OF GHOSTED HERE!

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I received Ghosted from the Book of the Month Club. It was so great to receive personalized book recommendations at my doorstep! Honestly, I’m not sure if I would’ve picked up and experienced Ghosted if it wasn’t for BOTM. You can join the club here for under $15 a month!