Title: The Captain’s House
Author: Donna M. Bevans Ph.D.
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-7283-0612-4
Pages: 279
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Mystery
Reviewer: Gabriella Harrison
Pacific Book Review
Set in the picturesque town of Harwich Port, author Donna M. Bevans’ The Captain’s House follows Rachel Morgan, a young woman who after a lifetime of moving from place to place as a military brat, finally believes she has found her forever home. Of course, she’s ecstatic. She and her husband, Ryan, plan on turning it into a bed-and-breakfast, but it comes with unexpected residents, and secrets that will rip apart everything she thought she knew about her marriage.
Transporting readers directly to the Massachusetts coast with descriptions of the ocean view from Pilgrim Road (“the vastness of the ocean makes me think how small and insignificant we are”) and the quaint villages along Route 6A, there’s a deep personal connection that’s so obvious and feels so authentic in how Bevans captures Cape Cod.
One of the best parts of this book for me was seeing the romance between Rachel and Chase develop slowly and naturally. I love how it wasn’t rushed and made to feel fabricated. It was built slowly on shared meals at Gus’s Watering Hole and quiet conversations on the porch, rather than insta-love or contrived drama. A true relief. Then there’s this genuine friendship between Rachel, Angie and Nikki, which is simply truly sweet, especially when Nikki tells them about her pregnancy and they give her honest, tough-love advice and steady support. Nikki’s (Rachel’s assistant and a young college student) confusion and fear is plain when she becomes pregnant and finds herself in a life-changing situation. I like the sensitivity and realism used to show how she moved from a frightened, isolated young woman to someone who makes difficult but empowered decisions about her future.
Bevans also addresses difficult topics like family rejection, adoption and even rape, most importantly, without shying away from their emotional weight. These issues are given the gravity they deserve, no matter how painful or uncomfortable the situation surrounding them is. “I’ve lived in a lot of places,” Rachel reflects, “and I feel more at home here on Cape Cod than I have ever felt before.” This longing for belonging and somewhere to call home is thoughtfully captured in a way many readers will recognize in their own lives, particularly through Rachel’s backstory of a nomadic childhood and her desperate need for roots.
Rather than terrifying apparitions, the ghosts here are protective, domestic spirits who want nothing more than to just keep the home they love safe. Fierce guardianship is shown in the way the ghosts bang on the pipes to drive away unwanted visitors. This unusual gentle approach to supernatural conflict here is truly refreshing, matching the overall message about the importance of honoring history and community.
Warm and hopeful, Donna M. Bevans’ The Captain’s House reminds that family isn’t limited to blood through the unconventional family formed here, including both the living and the departed. The Captain’s House is a delightful escape. Suspenseful and romantic, this paranormal mystery invites readers to wonder what, or who, may still be waiting inside the house.
