Purgatory Duet – Reviews – Ashes Books & Bobs

Slow Dance in Purgatory

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Orphaned from the age of ten, 17-year-old Maggie finally finds a permanent home with her elderly aunt in a small Texas town. Working part-time at the local high school, she becomes enmeshed in a fifty-year-old unsolved mystery where nothing is as it seems. Who is the boy no one else can see? And what do you do when you fall in love with a ghost? This volatile and mismatched romance is doomed from its start, as Maggie struggles to hold on to yet another life destined to be taken from her. Secret love and hushed affections are constantly threatened by outside forces resulting in a terrifying race to stay alive.

‘Slow Dance in Purgatory’ captures the heart-ache of a love story where there can be no happy ending…

I finally made time to read the only two remaining Amy Harmon books I had yet to check off my TBR list. I had been hanging on to this duet for quite some time because I wasn’t ready to be to the end of that list! However, I’ve been able to read 4 of Amy’s books this year alone and it’s been a complete joy. Each one has been utterly unlike the last! What a treat to know such a versatile author! She continually has me adding genres to my blog’s categories that I’ve never needed before. This time the word Paranormal came into play and I had no idea I would love the idea of it as much as I did.

This book had some intense Twilight vibes for me. Are you hearing my sigh of contentment? It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that took me back to that place and it was a nostalgic ride. I’m extremely thankful this story encompassed two books because I simply couldn’t get enough of Johnny and Maggie. I was fully absorbed in the story, feeling like I was bobbing around somewhere between the 1950s and 2010s, mixed with all of the good feelings of being a teenager.

Amy has such an incredible way of conveying emotions and writing feelings I’ve never had the words to express before. I love feeling connected to her characters in a way only she can manage as a writer. She weaves many layers together and makes a dreamy experience. I had never read a Paranormal Romance before and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Though, I think this might not be a fair representation of the genre because I enjoy anything Amy Harmon writes.

I also appreciated the chapter titles throughout the story – old song titles from the 50s that fit the events in the chapter to come! They reminded me of sitting in a Whataburger in Tyler, Texas that had a 1950s theme, with Oldies blasting through the speakers. I genuinely grew to love music from this time period and it was fun to recognize many of the songs I enjoyed as a preteen!

With the suspenseful ending, I couldn’t wait another minute to start reading the second book!

Rating: 4 stars

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Prom Night in Purgatory

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Where does before end and after begin?

Johnny Kinross is a boy from the 1950s, a boy trapped in time, and Maggie is the girl who loves him. By some miracle and against all odds, Johnny and Maggie are given a second chance at life and love. But Johnny is freed from Purgatory only to find himself in a totally different time and place, in a world full of strangers. One unsolved mystery becomes another, and Johnny and Maggie must unravel the past to have any chance at a future. ‘Prom Night in Purgatory’ is the sequel to the love story that is unlike any other, where time is shifting and everything can change, and Maggie must fight for Johnny all over again.

When I woke up this morning, I realized I had been dreaming about this story. For me, that’s always a sign of a great book. It imprints itself into my subconscious and allows me to live the story in the only way I can. And now, I’m sad it’s over. I absolutely adored these books! Somehow, I loved Prom Night in Purgatory even more than the former book in the duet.

I was surprised by how different each of these books were. I didn’t quite know where the trajectory of Prom Night in Purgatory would go, but I know I wasn’t expecting time travel. I’ve always been fascinated with all things time-related, making it a welcome surprise. I loved the theme of this story, with time echoing all around us and the same events happening over and over throughout history. For Maggie, the veil between the past and present became thin enough to force her to constantly wobble between the two.

The suspense of this story was excellent! I truly had no idea how things would pan out for Johnny, Maggie, Irene, Roger, Billy, and the rest of the characters I had come to cherish through these two books. In the end, I was pleased with how the events from both books were wrapped up, making these fantastical elements feel realistic.

My only wish for this book was that there were a few more scenes of Johnny and Maggie together, especially in the conclusion of the story. I was missing the sweet moments from the first book during their forced separation in this story.

Again, I was excited to see the chapter headings in this book as well. I thought the use of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 was a beautiful layer to this already amazing story. This book of the Bible has been one I’ve come to appreciate more as I’ve aged. It has a somewhat melancholy feel to it, but it is comforting at the same time. It helps us to realize everything we can possibly experience in this life has been done before. This idea set the tone for the entire story. Absolute perfection, in my opinion!

I wish I could have more!!!

Rating: 4 stars

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