My Slow Dance in Purgatory Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon is a paranormal teen romance that sparkles with longing, nostalgia, and a touch of mystery. The story follows Maggie O’Bannon, a 17-year-old orphan who finds a new home with her elderly aunt in a small Texas town. Working as a part-time janitor at the local high school, Maggie becomes entwined in a decades-old tragedy—because the ghost of Johnny Kinross, a 1950s bad boy who died during a fight outside the school, never really left. When Maggie begins to hear old music echoing through the halls and finally sees Johnny, the connection between them takes on a life of its own. Johnny can only physically exist within the school walls, so every stolen moment is fleeting. Their love story is mismatched and bittersweet: she’s alive but lost, he’s a ghost stuck between worlds, and both must navigate secrets, longing, and the real possibility of heartbreak as they search for answers to unspoken questions from the past.
Why I Love This Book
I love how this book blends swoon-worthy romance with real emotional weight. There’s something wonderful about falling for a ghost who’s as trapped by the past as Maggie is. The dialogue glows with wit and there’s real tenderness as Johnny tries to show Maggie what it means to let people in, even when loss feels inevitable. Harmon’s writing made every oldies song and empty hallway brim with meaning. The sense of longing, the ache of wanting something you can’t have, and the hope that maybe—just maybe—it could work out, grabbed me and never let go. I loved the cast of secondary characters, too; each one added more depth to the world and made the romance feel bigger than just these two. The story’s a little dreamy, a little sad, and totally engaging. For me, it’s that rare ghost story that balances sweetness and heartbreak, light humor and suspense, all in one.
Who Will Like This Book
If you’re drawn to bittersweet love stories, paranormal romance, or YA with mystery and nostalgia, this one is a good fit. It’s for readers who like opposites attract, a slow burn, and forbidden romance with real stakes. The book is more gentle than scary—think yearning, wit, and heartache, not jump scares. Want a story about healing after loss or finding connection in unlikely places? Give it a try. There are themes of grief, abandonment, death, and “found family,” so check for content warnings if you’re sensitive to those. The ending is a little wild, but if you like stories that leave you thinking, you’ll enjoy it.
Tagged As
young adult, paranormal romance, ghost romance, forbidden romance, slow burn, nostalgic, dual pov, opposites attract, found family, emotional healing, school setting, small town, swoony, 1950s, contemporary fantasy, heartache, second chances, witty banter, angsty, suspense, musical romance, open-door romance, sweet romance, tearjerker, quirky
Steam Level
This is a sweet, PG romance. Flirtation, a few kisses, and lots of emotional connection—but no graphic content. All the steam is in the longing and the looks, not in explicit scenes. If you want gentle, dreamy romance you can read in one swoon-filled sitting, this is the vibe.
