Part of my binge reading for Roaring Twenties series by Jenn Bennett.

Grave Phantoms is the third and also the last installment of Roaring Twenties series, feature Magnusson siblings and their significant others, set in San Francisco in Prohibition era. Being the last, so it's Astrid Magnusson's turn. The problem is, Astrid is still in her late teenage year aka 17-ish in Winter's book (Mid 1928). Lowe's book set half a year after Winter got his HEA with Aida and then the epilogue of Lowe and Hadley's story tell their journey to Egypt in early 1929. I think at first Bennett will give time for Astrid to be mature since she just start college in Lowe's book. But,nope. In this book, Astrid is in her first year of college. Just reach age 19. Then, how about Bo Yeung, Astrid's close friend? Apparently he just hit 21, since he's 2 years older than Astrid. With how young Bo and Astrid, Grave Phantoms feels like YA or NA novel for me but with the steaminess factor match book 1 & 2 #heh. I just realize that while Astrid in her 19-ish to found her love then married in her 20-ish is not unheard of, then it's make Aida and Hadley kinda..spinster? Honestly, I'm not disturbed with the fact that Aida and Hadley married in their mid twenties to thirties. It's just Astrid's (and also Bo) age that taken me aback since the gap is so apparent.

However, while the NA/YA factor kinda make me feel hesitant to read this one, with the story flows, I just feel into the same rythym that I already familiar from the previous books. Like book 1, Grave Phantoms pretty much focused to romance while the mysteries and the supernatural elements kinda like a background. The supernatural stakes might be not that high although I liked the Aztec myth that become its foundation. The higher stakes is the romance itself. Unlike the unbalance dynamic between Aida and Winter or the lies as relationship foundation between Hadley and Lowe, Astrid and Bo face the most difficult challenge that still resonate to this day. Love between different race and class. While Magnusson siblings and their staff were immigrants from Sweden, Astrid and her brothers are WHITE. They already have skin color privilege in the first place. While Bo is a Chinese, come from unquestionable parentage and he's also Winter's assistant therefore his feeling for Astrid can be too complicated. Bennett also tell reader that interracial marriage back at 1920-ish is totally forbidden. The xenophobia that mostly San Fransisco's resident have are pretty transparent although I like that Astrid didn't cower from their judgment. Don't worry, the HEA is guaranteed. If you love friends to lover trope, Bo and Astrid relationship is pretty much well written. I also liked how Bennett incorporated Chinese myth through Bo, especially about nine tailed fox spirit. Of course she used some liberties, like how Bo tell the story about the scholar and the fox spirit who loved him in which the story mirrored both Bo and Astrid situation.

Another things that I liked from Bennett is how all of her characters from book 1 to 3 is not virgin. Although, yeah, the men are pretty much experienced compared to the women and all the women have bad experiences with their latest lover or the sex is so bad. What I liked is how Winter, Lowe and Bo; all of them have past lover (or ex-wife for Winter) and they admit their mistakes. So basically the relationship between the hero and the heroine is an endgame despite so many past lovers. That make them realistic. However, while the sex scenes are still steamy, I still remember that both Astrid and Bo is too young for my reading preference in reading adult romance novels soo...yeah, awkward.

Grave Phantoms end with a good note and all the books can be read as stand alone. There's no a very evil organization that need so many books to defeat them. The supernatural threat for every books is different like ghost and curse in Bitter Spirits, Egyptian artifact and treasure hunting in Grim Shadows (still my favorite) and old dark magic in Grave Phantoms. Personally, my favorite still Grim Shadows with its Indiana Jones vibes, the rakish and cold queen relationship from the h/H and the steamiest sex scenes I've ever read. Followed by Grave Phantoms and the least favorite is Bitter Spirit. Like its title, the dynamics between Aida and Winter still left a bitter taste in me since I dislike the way Bennett handle their relationships although they got their HEA. But, eh, first book sometimes is the rough ones.

Roaring Twenties is one of paranormal romance series with historical settings that pretty much well written. Despite the series written almost 9 to 10 years ago from the time I read it in 2023, it's still manage to charmed me and remind me of the time when PNR is in golden era. Recommended!