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Gillian StKevern
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The Secretary and the Ghost: A Gothic Paranormal Romance (Read by Candlelight Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Gillian St. Kevern (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 215 ratings

A gay gothic romance.

Disaster visits all who see the ghost of Foxwood Court...

Pip Leighton must stave off his family's impending financial ruin and social disgrace long enough for the ink to dry on his sister's marriage certificate. Untill then, he has to endure his employer's fearsome temper, conceal his impoverished state and, under no circumstances, indulge his curiousity about the ghost haunting Foxwood Court—even if that ghost has an alarming resemblance to himself.

Lord Cross has cut himself off from the world in his isolated ancestral home. Betrayed too many times before, he knows better than to trust anyone. Especially not a secretary in dire pecuniary stairs. Especially when said secretary is dangerously good tempered and obliging.

Cross and Pip grapple with forbidden desire, as tragedy threatens to repeat itself. Will Pip succeed in laying the ghost and freeing Cross from the regrets that haunt him? Or will he join the ghost in death?

★★★

The Secretary and the Ghost is a historical paranormal novella, the first in the Read by Candlelight series of loosely connected gothic romance standalones.

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  1. Book 1 of 5
    Read by Candlelight
  2. Print length
    122 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 6, 2019
  5. File size
    1.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07PFRB7GZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gillian St. Kevern (March 6, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 6, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 122 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 215 ratings

About the author

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Gillian StKevern

Gillian StKevern

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As a teenager, Gillian St. Kevern was frustrated that the characters in the stories she read never did what she wanted them to. Now she’s an author, they still don’t. Gillian writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, YA, vintage mystery, and contemporary comedy. Her stories reflect a variety of LGBTQIA experiences. Gillian is a member of RWNZ and co-founder of New Zealand Rainbow Romance Writers.

Read By Candlelight is a collection of stories loosely inspired by the works of M R James, J S Le Fanu, Anne Radcliffe, and other writers of gothic literature. If you’d like to learn more about Gillian’s writing, visit her website: gillianstkevern.com

To stay up to date with the latest new releases, subscribe to her newsletter:

https://gillianstkevern.activehosted.com/app/forms/1

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
215 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this Gothic Regency m/m romance, with one review noting it as a gripping read. The book features well-developed characters, and one customer particularly appreciates the atmosphere.

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7 customers mention "Enjoyment"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable, with one describing it as a gripping read.

"This is the first MM book I've read, and it is delightful...." Read more

"A wonderful gothic story! Well-written characters, good plot, lots of fun to read. I will be reading more by this author!" Read more

"...Well written and well worth reading. Jane Eyre and regency fans will not be disappointed!" Read more

"Thoroughly enjoyable read. Though there is little heat to the romance, it is enjoyable, as well as the mystery...." Read more

6 customers mention "Gothic setting"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the Gothic setting of the book, describing it as a real Gothic tale with a good plot.

"...Loved the setting and the storyline. A little mystery in the ghost, some drama in the local judge trying to discredit Lord Cross and add in Pip’s..." Read more

"...Dark and brooding, a real Gothic tale complete with a dark manor house, and a ghostly presence...." Read more

"A wonderful gothic story! Well-written characters, good plot, lots of fun to read. I will be reading more by this author!" Read more

"...Apart from a satisfying story and emotional arc, the thing I liked best about this book was the historic voice...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting the author's deft hand with plot and character, while another finds the main character very likable.

"...writes as if she was living within the scene, with realistic dialogue and characters." Read more

"A wonderful gothic story! Well-written characters, good plot, lots of fun to read. I will be reading more by this author!" Read more

"...I think Gillian St Kevern has a deft hand with plot and character, but a little touch of genius in her gothic writer’s voice, and I’m really looking..." Read more

"I really liked the gothic regency style of this book. The MC was very likable..a passionate virgin in love with his brooding dark-past employer...." Read more

3 customers mention "Atmosphere"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the atmosphere of the book, with one mentioning the charming setting.

"Fun! My first gothic romance book. Loved the setting and the storyline...." Read more

"...The modest young man, posing fully clothed is just charming and looks like he would be very good company...." Read more

"Great characters, lots of atmosphere!..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • MelC-23
    4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Fun! My first gothic romance book. Loved the setting and the storyline. A little mystery in the ghost, some drama in the local judge trying to discredit Lord Cross and add in Pip’s uncle interfering in the family affairs....and a whole lot of ‘will they - won’t they’ between Cross and Pip. I’m off to read the next book in series...
    One person found this helpful
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  • Fisherbabe
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first MM book I've read, and it is delightful. Dark and brooding, a real Gothic tale complete with a dark manor house, and a ghostly presence.
    Ms. St Kevern writes as if she was living within the scene, with realistic dialogue and characters.
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  • Lena Grey
    3.0 out of 5 stars Dont dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2019
    Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” ~ Denis Waitley

    In order to help his father repay an enormous debt his father owes due to the mismanagement of his estate by his brother, Pip Leighton goes to work for the ill-tempered Lord Cross, a distant relative. Pip isn’t looking forward to it, but it’s imperative that his family keep up appearances in society until Pip’s sister’s future is secured by marriage and this is the only contribution he can make to ensure that that happens.

    Lord Cross is not the easiest person to work for. Besides being a slave-driver, he’s unpredictable and hard to please. Pip doesn’t understand the tension between them, but tries his best to be a good employee and not to cross his employer. It’s a dismal place to live. The other staff are barely civil, leaving Pip lonely and isolated. Cross certainly does nothing to lighten the mood; he barely speaks to Pip except to give him tasks or to criticize him. There are times when Pip can hardly hold on any longer, but then he thinks what it would mean to his sister’s future if he left, and it gives him pause.

    Pip is still trying to figure out his employer when Cross does something that totally floors him; he kisses Pip with such fervor that it almost literally sweeps him off his feet. Then, just as suddenly, the moment is over, with an admonition from Cross to never mention it again. Cross’s hot and cold behavior toward him almost drives Pip crazy. He never knows what to expect from Cross. Try as he may, not to let it hurt him, it always does. Eventually the butler and Pip become friends, but even so, there is a lot he doesn’t know about the manor and the people there. Finally, Pip discovers that one reason the others are so distant is that, apparently, Pip is the spitting image of Cross’s past lover, who killed himself, and now is a ghost that has been seen several times, roaming the house and the grounds.

    Historical romances are my favorite genre and I love a good ghost story, but I wasn’t able to connect that well with Pip, who was too passive for me. I know he was in a difficult situation, but he seemed too accepting. What I got to know about Cross, I didn’t like. It was difficult for me to understand why Pip felt the way he did about him, but I guess there’s no accounting for taste in matters of the heart. The villains, Uncle Arthur and Justice, were quite nefarious. The ghost story part of the tale was an interesting twist, but quite vague. I wasn’t exactly sure whether he was friend or foe, but in the end, he was quite helpful, although in a very strange way. In any case, Cross and Pip worked it out. Thanks, Gillian, for giving Pip and Cross their happy ending. Originally reviewed at Rainbow Book Reviews.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Brooks50
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great characters, lots of atmosphere!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A wonderful gothic story! Well-written characters, good plot, lots of fun to read. I will be reading more by this author!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • MB from Blasted Stump
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quiet hero, perfect gothic setting, ghostly intervention and romance
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Oh, I so judged this book by it’s cover. The modest young man, posing fully clothed is just charming and looks like he would be very good company.
    Pip Leighton is a quiet, observant young man who places family at the centre of his universe. His family, due to serial misfortunes, tend to lean rather more heavily on him that is kind or appropriate to his age, but he is devoted to their well-being and good name, and willing to do anything, including being immured in the service of some fusty old gentleman in the country to serve his father’s bond.
    There are a number of shocks waiting for Pip, the first of which is his employer, the vital, handsome and dangerous Lord Cross, who is not what he seems to be. The next is the very evident fear the servants show towards him, leaving him isolated and alone and wholly at the mercy of his evil Uncle Andrew, who wasted the family’s fortune. Pip’s fortunes are bound with those of the ghost of one of his distant ancestors, who died by his own hand, they say, as a result of disaster brought on him from Cross house. Pip is astonished to find himself accurately portrayed in a painting of that doomed young man.
    Pip’s loyalties and motivations are tested and retested through the story, and we come to admire the honesty and generosity of his character – despite being quiet and self-deprecating he is very much his own man. The question asked is always, will that sweetness be enough, or will the machine of social niceties mow down another young man in his prime?
    Apart from a satisfying story and emotional arc, the thing I liked best about this book was the historic voice. It was exactly the right blend of fully spoken words, gentle formality and rigid social norms holding natural reactions at bay. The writer cleverly used just enough of these disciplines to keep faith with her genre, without overdoing it, or boring the reader. She also let the masks slip, as they must have done, to allow the protagonists and reader to occasionally glimpse the volcanoes beneath the starched collars.
    I think Gillian St Kevern has a deft hand with plot and character, but a little touch of genius in her gothic writer’s voice, and I’m really looking forward to reading more in this series.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Kymberlyn A Reed (The Fountain Pen Diva)
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Beginning to a Series
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2021
    I'm a big fan of those old gothic novels featuring creepy mansions or castles, a ghost or other mysterious creatures, a brooding hero and the ingenue with a bit of spunk. The first book in a series of paranormal gothic M/M romances was a quick, enjoyable read with those very tropes. It was hard to discern exactly what time period this was set and there were few clues. Still, a good read and looking foward to the next book in the series. Oh, loved the sensible woman doctor. Hope she gets her own story.
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  • Lily Bushong
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This isn't my usual type of book but I thought I would give it a chance and I rather enjoyed it.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Crystal Carr
    4.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous start to this series
    Reviewed in India on March 17, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the elegance in this story and the way it is revealed in the character's thoughts and views.

    I loved the tension between Cross and Pip - I would have loved to read more about them in the upcoming books - I never though I would enjoy m/m romance but I find it absolutely refreshing.

    Steam Level : oral foreplay + kisses
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  • morganarosana
    3.0 out of 5 stars Ok
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 13, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Eu gostaria de mais páginas para o romance se desenvolver com propriedade. E a história do fantasma ficou muito em aberto.
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  • K.H.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Setup but fell through
    Reviewed in Canada on July 2, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I found this a good period piece to start, with a very gothic middle and the right balance of mystery and fear, but it all sort of fell apart at the end.

    There is a bit of Beauty and the Beast to this- Pip is essentially being indentured to Lord Cross to pay off the family debt to him. But it is only for a few weeks and Lord Cross is no beast. It also involves no kidnapping or capture, the agreement simply called to old tale to mind at first. Pip is determined to work well to help his family and Lord Cross indeed puts him to work. The two have a spark between them, but the time does not allow for any romance between men, and the place also seems to be conspired against. There is a build up as villains make themselves known, a mystery of paintings occurs, and a tragic past is revealed. But then suddenly the ending comes about with a swift dispatchment of the villains (not even by the main characters) and the matter of the times and the tragedy of the past no longer being of consequence to the two being together. It was such an abrupt jump that it simply felt that some large part of the story was left out.

    There was a good gothic setup here and the potential for more, so this could be a fascinating series and bears more reading to see.
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  • Lia
    3.0 out of 5 stars Okay?
    Reviewed in India on April 27, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Yeah, it was a okay read. I was expecting so much more. I missed the romance. Yes I was expecting that, there would be some romance build up between the two in this romance novel. But I feel disappointed.
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  • Erin Inwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written
    Reviewed in Australia on June 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the storyline, the breakaway from the same old tired tropes. This had intrigue, romance, and a fair bit of tension. I loved the old world setting and propriety, but without that feeling of abject guilt that some MM romances of the time often portray. Pip's innocence and Lord Cross' restraint were perfectly balanced.
    I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who likes a well maintained plot, juicy romance scenes and a little intrigue thrown in for good measure.
    Report

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