A quick and worthy read.
Isaac is a 25 yo who feels odd most of the time.
It is 1996. The internet is in its beginnings in terms of widespread use.
He meets Noa. She is enigmatic. Their relationship is - eerie.
Then we learn why.

The first part and the second part, although tied by the same thread, give different vibes, the first being more of a romantic mystery, the second part explaining the romance via sci-fi.
A curious concept, I liked Noa, Isaac and Isaac’s granny.

The 1996 part with references to sci-fi novels felt slightly less authentic in the beginning, but then caught up thanks to the writer’s meticulous writing. The structure fit the story. This could have worked as a short story too.

I would happily read more by Hayden.

An Old Soul is a short but dense novel that’s part sci-fi, part romance, and part mystery. It had a pretty slow build for me, but I was invested in Isaac and Noa’s journey - individually and together - and by the second half, I was cruising through it. I appreciated all of the little foreshadowing references tucked throughout the book, and the ways in which reality and surrealism, dreamlike consciousness and tangible identities were woven into the plot. It was a really interesting, genre-bending novel and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slow build with rich character development, sort of mild sci-fi rooted in the question of distinguishing reality from imagination, and a little romance at the center of it all.

I can’t wait to read more from this author! Thank you so much to M. Kevin Hayden and NetGalley. Congratulations!

An Old Soul by M. Kevin Hayden is a poignant and beautifully written debut that delves deep into themes of identity, love, and personal growth. The story is enriched by subtle yet powerful elements of synchronicity—recurring motifs like birds, music, and art—that mirror Isaac’s emotional journey and add a layer of surreal grace to the narrative.

What stood out most to me was the interplay between the spiritual and the grounded. Isaac’s search for authenticity and belonging is deeply human, and the backdrop of 1996 Chicago—with all its grit and complexity—grounds the story in a vivid, real-world context. The city is almost a character in itself.

The characters are incredibly well-developed. Isaac’s internal struggles and transformation are at the heart of the novel, and Noa’s presence brings warmth, hope, and contrast to his darker, more introspective path. Their dynamic is compelling and deeply moving.

An Old Soul resonates on an emotional and psychological level. It’s a novel that stays with you after you finish the last page. I would love to see a book subscription like Broken Binding pick this up and create a stunning collector’s edition—this book deserves it.

Thank you so much M. Kevin Hayden, Muse of the Moon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this fantastic book!

An Old Soul is more than just a book title, but a play on words. A phrase that we've all heard before, is now a guiding light for our subconscious. This light helps us know where we are going as we enter Isaac's world. As we are exposed to 1996 Chicago, the vibes, the feels, the MUSIC, and the commercial jingles we all know - predicting a feeling of nostalgia for GenXer's. This book has it all, a budding love, exploration, angst, tenderness! Trust me, these characters learning to appreciate each other will have you 'kicking your feet like a school girl..' When the story shifts from "Save the Last Dance" to "Total Recall" the pace quickens, and you'll want to try and keep up. Emotions run high in the 2nd half so hang in there. Great first offering from this debut author. Extra star for the great music file that accommodates the book.

You’re familiar with the concept of “uncanny valley”? The idea that when we encounter something almost-but-not-quite human—certain animation styles, or CGI, for instance—it can cause an underlying sense of unease.

That sense of unsettledness permeates this book—and that’s totally by design! This debut novel is intricately detailed—say, laying out the precise layout of the kitchen, with such attentive descriptions that I should be able to visualize it exactly....yet, there’s an almost ominous feeling that something is just not quite right.

That’s the sense that 25-year-old Isaac Andre, our titular “Old Soul,” has carried with him throughout his life. His life is marked by what he terms “synchronicity”— public transport appearing on command; inexplicably timed music forming a perfect soundtrack to his life, hazy familiarity— and yet, he can’t fully shake this lingering sense that he doesn’t quite fit, can’t quite connect, is somehow, eerily wrong.

That all changes—and accelerates—when a chatroom connects him with a seems-too-good-to-be-true beauty that just may be the “Her” he has sought for so long…..


Some observations:
—Major bonus points for opening this with a QR code linking to a coordinating playlist—such a creative touch, especially with the way specific song titles are referenced throughout the book.
—Isaac’s relationship with his grandma is really special.
—I noticed that the author frequently employs a style of contradiction —“A although B”, “C despite D”, “X even with Y,” etc. I couldn’t help wondering if that’s just a matter of style, or was a conscious choice to reflect the themes of paradox, destiny, encoding, fate??
—It may be worth noting that the first half is heavily weighted toward Romance, with the speculative fiction aspects coming primarily in the later portion of the narrative.

Having been labeled an old soul myself (as I imagine many of us bookish folk have), I went in to this with certain notions, and it turns out I was in for a completely different ride than I was expecting! This is outside my usual genre but was a quick and intriguing read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Muse of the Moon publishing for allowing me to read this book, and congratulations to Mr. Hayden on his debut!

This book follows the life of a twenty-two year old.And his name is Issac he decides to save up. For this computer so that he can chat with people. When Issac gets the computer. He meets Noa and him in her hit it off. Throughout this book the reader will see .How much Noa and Issac connect on a deeper level. As the story begins to progress we the readers see that Miss Noa has some secrets.

An Old Soul by M. Kevin Hayden is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant mystery that treads the line between science fiction and literary fiction, exploring memory, identity, and the longing for connection in a world that often feels just out of reach.

Set against the backdrop of 1996 Chicago, the book follows Isaac André, a twenty-five-year-old VHS store employee who can't shake the feeling that something in his life isn’t quite right. When he buys his first computer and joins a conspiracy-laden internet chatroom, he connects with Noa Gayle, a woman as enigmatic as she is familiar. Their shared love of sci-fi and their eerie, magnetic connection lay the foundation for a story that grows ever more complex as secrets unravel and reality begins to bend.

Hayden handles the speculative elements with subtlety, allowing the mystery of who Noa really is — and what Isaac’s role might be in the strange synchrony of events — to build slowly. The atmosphere is suffused with nostalgia, but it never feels indulgent. Instead, it serves as a counterpoint to the uncanny turns the narrative takes, adding emotional weight to the central question: what if we never truly lose the ones we love, just experience them in ways we don't yet understand?

With prose that is both poetic and accessible, Hayden delivers a story that lingers long after the final page. An Old Soul is a captivating meditation on time, grief, and fate — a book for readers who enjoy their mysteries with heart, and their love stories with a twist of the extraordinary.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

An Old Soul is a strong debut that I really enjoyed. The opening playlist was a nice touch and added to the reading experience. Issac’s relationship with his grandmother was heartwarming, and his care for her was genuinely sweet. I also loved seeing his connection with Noa grow. The plot twist was unexpected and thought-provoking. A solid first novel! Thank you to NetGalley and Muse Of The Moon Books for the ARC.

The premise sounded so interesting, but the writing was so hard to get through I had to DNF. The prose was just bad. The insta-love between Isaac and Noa was ridiculous. The dialogue was straight out of a bad movie. I just couldn’t deal with it.

This book is all about finding your person, that special someone who just gets you. It's set in a time when the internet was brand new dial-up, Blockbuster, VHS tapes so it's super nostalgic. The story follows Isaac and Noa, and their connection is intense, but there's a mystery surrounding Noa that keeps you guessing. It's a sweet, romantic story. thanks to Muse of the Moon Books and NetGalley for this ARC .This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

I think we've all learned that can, in fact, judge a book by its cover and in this case, you should: there are subtle clues there that make more sense by the end of the book. Further, upon opening the book, we are gifted with a soundtrack-an eclectic collection of songs which feels like something your cool Uncle would put you on to (if that cool Uncle was Questlove). And then we begin to read and are transported back to the 1990s. I was in high school in the 1990s and I appreciated the invitation to time travel back to the time of my youth. Whilst there, in the time of dial up, I recalled a time where humans interacted with media and each other differently. It is in those interactions that a mystery develops. Like all good sci-fi, there is a modern truth in the landscape of this book that will make interesting conversations in a multi-generational reading group. I would recommend this for groups of 16 and up and can envision lots of themed activities surrounding this book. To be fair, there were glitches in the matrix: sometimes the story felt repetitive or dragged, but I can't say that that wasn't the point- remember what dial up was like?

(ARC read. Thanking NetGalley and the Musw of The Moon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book)


An Old Soul by M. Kevin Hayden is a sweet and engaging short romance that's a promising debut. The writing is warm and inviting, and I loved the suggested music playlist - it helped set the mood.
My only critique is that the beginning was a bit slow to get going.
Overall, it's a charming read that I'm excited to see more from this author. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a nice, quick feel-good read.

I think for a debut novel this story has so much potential and I really enjoyed the writing style. It was overall more romance then sci fi but for me that’s not necessarily a bad thing I do wish there were more sci fi elements though. Overall this was a really pleasant reading experience and still a new concept to me that I haven’t seen. Awesome debut novel!!!

Interesting concept, but felt a lot like a mash-up of concepts from sci-fi and dystopian films, including "The Matrix" series, "Transcendence", and more...which is not a criticism , because the genre is just so full of good stories that it's hard to imagine someone coming up with something totally original. The book is deep in imagery, though several phrases or words were repeated so often they stood out and I wondered whether alternates could have been found. At times, it felt like there was too much description and not enough story, particularly because the ending felt quite rushed (as compared to the slow build-up before). Nevertheless, a promising debut, and I would be interested to see how the author grows over time with future novels.

Fueled primarily by glowing reviews from other NetGalley users, I had high hopes for this work. Detailed world-building? Check. 1990s nostalgia? Check. An uncanny sense that's something not quite right? Check. I loved being immersed in Isaac's life in late 1990s Chicago; the details are such that I really felt that I was just walking alongside the characters. However, I would've appreciated it if more of Noa's world were woven into the rest of the story and certainly, if we knew more about Noa herself. Of course, we see Noa through Isaac's eyes, as an overly idealized woman (I guess that's how the first flush of limerence works?). Disappointingly, for this reader, Noa's individual agency is only demonstrated in an ending that feels rushed. Still, I did it read it in one sitting, and I enjoyed it, for the most part. I *would* read a standalone work of Noa's own adventures, or a story how the couple moves forward in a different setting.

This was an interesting one! From the very beginning, I found myself thinking, “What’s going on?” The direction of the story was unclear at first, and while that made me a little uncomfortable, I ultimately appreciated the ambiguity. It made this book a true mystery because there was never really a time when I could confidently say, “I know exactly what is going to happen.”

As I kept reading, the story kept my mind turning. I was constantly trying to pick up on clues to figure out what was going on, and I appreciated that sense of engagement. In addition, the songs mentioned throughout the book helped establish a mood for the story and, in a way, made me feel more connected to it.

That said, the beginning did feel a bit slow. However, I understand that in order to fully grasp the story, we needed to go through some detail-oriented world-building. I would have liked to see a more balanced approach to the character perspectives. While we did get some sprinkles of Noa’s point of view, the book felt a little unbalanced, with about 75 percent from Isaac’s perspective and only 25 percent from Noa’s. This imbalance made parts of the story feel a bit confusing and, at times, like two isolated events and not one central story.

On a positive note, the level of detail throughout the book was impressive. It helped me clearly visualize the scenes and almost placed me right in the world of Isaac and Noa.

Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of science fiction, mystery, romance, or anyone who is up for a fun and engaging read.

Set against the analog hum of 1996 Chicago, this atmospheric novel is a spellbinding blend of techno-paranoia, retro internet nostalgia, and profoundly human yearning. At its center is Isaac André, a quietly adrift 25-year-old whose sense of dislocation feels eerily familiar—until his world starts to echo back. Subtle coincidences, a persistent sense of being watched, and a growing awareness of something… more nudge him toward a digital destiny.

When Isaac logs into The Grassy Knoll chatroom, the story pivots from eerie realism into a low-key cyber-mystic romance. His connection with Noa Gayle—alias BirdGurl9—is electric, grounded in mutual obsessions with sci-fi, conspiracy theory, and the metaphysical weight of being alive in the “future.” Their exchanges are flirtatious, cerebral, and tinged with the bittersweet intimacy of two lost souls syncing across wavelengths.

But as their bond tightens, the narrative cleverly coils into deeper psychological and emotional territory. Secrets emerge, and doubt creeps in. Is their connection predestined or programmed?

Haunting, nostalgic, and quietly thrilling—this book is a beautifully rendered meditation on virtual and deeply human connection.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“People can be strange… but maybe this is all normal, and I’m the strange one.”

I love that this is titled An Old Soul because it has such an old, nostalgic feel. Reading this took me back to my childhood: when Blockbuster & Hollywood Video was a thing, VHS tapes, my first time using a computer, dial up internet, AOL chat rooms!! I felt completely immersed in the vividly drawn setting; Chicago, 1996…the sweltering heat of summer.

Twenty-five year old Isaac Andre feels like a stranger in his own life. His memories are slipping through his fingers in ways he can’t understand and the world seems full of strange coincidences that feel too intentional to ignore. Does Isaac have a string of good luck or is someone or something pulling the strings? After buying a computer with his hard earned money from the video store, Isaac logs into a chat room where he connects with the mysterious Noa Gayle, a girl that seems to get it. Noa is the only one that seems to get him. But why?

“Wherever your world is, so will mine be.”

In under 200 pages, Kevin Hayden explores themes of grief, human connection, identity, belonging, and the profound impact of love. I loved Isaac’s old soul and the relationships he had with the people in his world: Noa, his grandma, the guys at the barbershop, the people he worked with, and his cousin Pete. This is one of those books that you find more meaning in after you sit with it awhile. Isaac and Noa will sit with me awhile. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kevin Hayden, and Muse of the Moon Books for the early opportunity to dive into Isaac’s world.

An Old Soul is a well-written, immersive read with prose that flows beautifully. I was particularly drawn in by the vivid depiction of the 90s in the opening chapters — it stirred a real sense of nostalgia. While marketed as science fiction, the book leans more heavily into literary fiction. The speculative elements are minimal and come in quite late, which may not meet the expectations of a typical sci-fi reader.

I found it a bit difficult to connect with the characters on a deeper level, but Kevin’s creativity in weaving the storyline kept me engaged. At its core, An Old Soul is a reflective exploration of grief and the human longing for belonging — themes that resonate deeply, even if the execution felt a little uneven.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An Old Soul is the debut novel of M. Kevin Hayden, and I think the author did a great job, especially for a first novel. The story follows Isaac, a 25 year old living in 1990s Chicago, who feels like a stranger in his own life. I’m sure we’ve all felt that way at some point.

After buying a computer, Isaac starts chatting online with Noa, and they fall in love but Noa has some secrets of her own.

I liked the book. The first half, which focused on the romance, was really engaging. I found the moments between Isaac and Noa really cute in how they seemed to just "click". If only romance was so simple.

Unfortunately, as the story progressed, it started to drag a bit. Given the book’s short length, I was concerned that the sci-fi portion would feel rushed and it did.

The speculative elements felt underdeveloped, and I found it difficult to connect with the world the author was trying to build. That said, I appreciate the ambition it takes to attempt world building in such a short book.

Overall, I enjoyed An Old Soul and would recommend it to anyone looking for a short romantic read with a touch of mystery.