The premise of the book really caught my attention and I loved the idea behind the story. I could tell the author put a lot of thought into the world-building, and Noa’s character added a nice spark to the plot. I definitely felt more invested once she was introduced. Her and Isaac’s relationship was incredibly sweet and I loved how the author navigated their dynamic together. I also love the cover, it was eye catching and definitely piqued my interest.

That said, the first half of the book felt a bit slow and I felt it hard to connect with the characters at times. The pacing picked up with Noa, but then lost steam again towards the end. The plot was a bit confusing in certain places. Some sections were overly detailed while others felt too vague for me to fully understand or enjoy.

I think this was a solid read with a lot of potential and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

An Old Soul by M. Kevin Hayden

Something is not quite right in Isaac’s life—the lingering feeling of not fitting in, a childhood filled with uncertainty. This is different, however; Isaac is an adult dealing with a sneaking hunch that he was born in the wrong era. Chicago, 1996: Isaac should be out picking up girls with his cousin in the summer heat. Should be…. Instead, he loves to paint, listen to jazz, and look after his elderly grandmother. Isaac might be better described as an introvert. Saving his pennies, he invests in his future and buys a computer. The chat rooms come calling upon firing up the PC, and soon he is chatting with a girl named Noa into the wee hours of the night. This is where M. Kevin Hayden, our author, drops readers into an interesting love story about future times and what a person is willing to do for love.

Futuristic love. Finding our person, that one single being who connects with us. Striking up an anonymous conversation with hopes of love and trepidations of a dreaded catfishing. An Old Soul is a standard affair in warmth and intimacy. Young people find love, like-mindedness, and security in a world where they might feel different. Passionate in its delivery, the book delivers a nostalgic feel as we visit a time where the internet is brand new and a VHS store becomes a destination. The author reminds the reader of dial-up connections and weekly visits to Blockbuster, certainly resonating with people who lived through the era.

I found myself thinking, where is the sci-fi element? The cover, in all its 16-bit glory, suggests as much. The blossoming relationship between Isaac and Noa seems perfect. Perhaps overly ideal. Isaac is left to wonder, what is Noa hiding? We are led down a journey of hoping Isaac has stumbled upon the woman he has been searching for, and yet there are so many questions as to how and why. Noa is mysterious and seems to know more about Isaac than he knows about himself. Of course, when one spends enough time with a significant other, this becomes natural, and yet in this case, it has happened so quickly.

As I rock-climbed the wall of passion, my feet dangled into the unknown. Looking down, I understood the magnitude of a misstep. I was over halfway up the rockface and yet to see the answers. Then it happened. A bombshell drops, leaving me stunned. The seeds had been planted and nurtured through my reading; I saw them, and yet I was unprepared for them to sprout and tell their truths. Connecting the proverbial dots, it all made sense. I had crafted my theories and double-checked my work. I was only partly correct. My ego dwindled, and with a solemn nod of my head, I saluted the author.

Steam rose from this volcanic relationship. Intensity oozed with reckless abandon, snaking its way down a fabricated landscape. Until reaching the bottom, where waves from the ocean cooled the fire and also my thoughts. As my hands clasped behind my head, I felt content. Not a perfect novel, as the love story is a bit drawn out for my liking. Nevertheless, it was entertaining, enigmatic, and had a compelling conclusion. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended for those who love a modern scientific love story.

Many thanks to Muse of the Moon Books for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Muse Of The Moon Books for providing me a copy of this book for my honest review.

This book starts with a music playlist that you can listen to while reading. I love that this is something that is becoming common among authors because it helps you get into the story.

This story follows Isaac as he goes through life. Right away I was intrigued with this story. There were so many things that just didn’t seem right with people Isaac came into contact with. Things always seem to work out for him. Was it just good luck or something else going on? Noa was a mystery and I just knew that she was using him. I couldn’t figure out if Isaac was forgetful or if she was hiding secrets. Then came the plot twist that I did not see coming.

This story is definitely a slow burn that takes its time building this world around Isaac. You have to pay attention to the details because they make you think. I really enjoyed this story and I am surprised that this is a debut novel Hayden. The Afterword was so beautiful. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this author.

After finally buying his first personal computer, Isaac André is pulled into the strange, buzzing world of dial-up internet—chat rooms, screeching modems, and early digital wonder. It’s in one of these chat rooms that he meets BirdGurl9—Noa Gayle. Their connection is immediate, deep, and uncanny. When they meet in person, it’s as if their bond was written in the stars. But something about Noa doesn’t quite add up. Or maybe... It’s Isaac. He’s always felt out of place in the world, unable to explain why.

What follows is a genre-bending blend of love story and metaphysical exploration. The writing is rich and immersive—I could feel the thick summer air of 1996 Chicago, hear the click of VHS tapes, and almost smell the static of old electronics. As someone who rarely reaches for sci-fi or fantasy, I was surprised by how deeply this story pulled me in. The emotional vulnerability of the characters, especially Isaac and Noa, is what kept me turning pages.

At its core, this is a romance, wrapped in the skin of sci-fi. Noa’s love for Isaac runs so deep it seems to bend time, space, and even reality. Their relationship is haunting, tender, and unlike anything I’ve read. There’s a haunting sweetness to their connection, one that kept me emotionally hooked even when some of the plot’s more complex layers (like all the GAIA, SOMA, NP, and AGI talk) became difficult to follow. I didn’t always fully grasp the technical framework, but the emotional resonance was clear and compelling.

Some moments dragged a bit, particularly for me, in the second act. A long scene involving a trash chute fall felt overly detailed and slowed the momentum. I also would’ve loved a bit more clarity on certain subplots—like the conflict between Carolyn and Jace Faber, which felt underdeveloped or unresolved.

Still, An Old Soul is a nostalgic, heartfelt, and genuinely original novel. It's romantic, strange, and soaked in 90s charm. At just over 200 pages, it’s a quick but memorable read—perfect for a weekend trip or a long flight. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something different: a story that explores love, identity, and the uncanny way technology connects (and divides) us.

“This is our world.”

(I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for accepting my request to read this arc in exchange for an honest review ♡)

Firstly, I want to mention that this is a debut book from a debut author and because of that Hayden already has my respect and admiration! This book, especially from a new author, is a great read and I can completely see the potential and promise this author has.

An old soul was a very interesting read for me as there were many elements that had me intrigued and engaged, but there were also many moments where I was beginning to feel a little weary.

This book, without giving any significant spoilers, is a book that explores the human existence and its future together with grief and second chances. Despite these aspects being heavily discussed within literature, the meaning and effects of (specifically) grief isn’t lost, muddled, or forgotten within this book and I really liked Hayden’s take on it. It provided my mind with new dilemmas to feast upon about the ethics of technology, science, mortality, and human consciousness; all things that I wasn’t expecting when I first requested to read this novel.

The first few acts of this book, while having good moments, definitely felt like they dragged for me, which is honestly very unexpected seeing as this novel is under 200 pages long. A lot of the enjoyment issues I had towards the beginning did begin to make sense towards the end (you’ll know what I mean if you read it). Admittedly, the pacing towards the end also felt a little off for me as it strongly juxtaposed the slowness of the start by instead rushing ahead to the end. Additionally, I couldn’t help but feel a lack of connection to the world as none of it is explored in great depth. I do, however, appreciate that this is the author’s debut novella and that there’s only a certain amount of world-building that one can do within these parameters, but I honestly wouldn’t have minded the book being a little longer if it meant that I got better pacing and more important, immersive detail about the world, society, technology, government, culture, etc.

Despite this, I did really enjoy the 1990’s environment that the novel explored, as well as the side characters. I’ve had issues with side characters in the past because they felt like they lacked any significance/meaning, but these characters felt as though they had their own roles within Isaac’s life, roles that ultimately helped bring the storyline together.

The relationship between Isaac and Noa was very sweet and fun to read. I loved the way they immediately clicked and understood one another on this deep, intrinsic level. I wouldn’t say they were my favourite aspect of this book, but they definitely added to its charm. I loved the mystery that Noa had as it kept me intrigued and guessing. My theories were unfortunately a little off, but I also wasn’t too off the mark!

Ultimately, this was an enjoyable, short-read that definitely had its charms. It’s a great piece of work by a debut author and I can’t wait to see where Hayden goes next!

(Also, the afterword at the very end was incredibly sweet and I loved the amount of respect and gratitude that Hayden showed to women, especially the women in his own life.)

I enjoyed reading this book. The writing is superb, keeping me interested in reading from the first page. The descriptions of Isaac made me feel that he is a friend of mine. The other characters are fully developed, and the reader feels like they’ve known them a while too. Isaac’s grandma is everybody’s grandma, or at least the kind you wish you’d had. And everyone has had coworkers like Isaac has.

I was not expecting the plot twist that happened. I didn’t know why Noa was frequently visiting “home” but I wanted to read more and find out what was behind that. Readers can’t anticipate what is to come, but I excitedly read on, hoping for a happy ending. No spoiler alerts about what actually happens, but I think you’ll enjoy the journey that Kevin Hayden will take you and the characters through.

An Old Soul is a solid debut novel and I enjoyed reading it. The playlist in the beginning was a nice touch and I treated it as the book's soundtrack. Reading about Issac and his grandmother's relationship was heartwarming and the way her cared for her was very sweet. I also enjoyed watching the relationship between Issac and Noa develop and blossom. The plot twist was both interesting and thought provoking. The chapters in this book are on the longer side but fly by. I was able to complete this book in one sitting.

Poetically captured, An Old Soul explores themes of existence, reality, and identity in a way that feels both intimate and mysterious. I really enjoyed the way the story opened—it immediately pulled me in with its atmospheric tone and sense of something deeper at play but I felt that Books 3 and 4 could have been given more time to develop. The world was so intriguing and full of unanswered questions, and while that ambiguity may be part of the novel’s charm, I was left wanting just a bit more from the final chapters.

i didnt know what i was expecting from this. but it went above whatever that was. there was so much obvious meanings and so much that left me coming up with meanings of my own. i like the time this was set in and because of my age it instantly felt familiar and of a time filled with my own connections of the time.but the plot twists and Isaacs own experiences were such a different take on things. the main and side characters were exactly what youd want them to be.

Arc review

The story captivates the reader from the first chapter . You’ll love the secondary characters, like Isaac’s grandma. I have to say, chapter 7 blew my mind. I was t expecting that at all! Loved the plot twist .

Isaac André has always felt like something's off—his memories don’t quite stick, and the world seems full of strange coincidences that feel too intentional to ignore. It’s 1996 in Chicago, and while he's working at a VHS store, saving for a computer, and caring for his grandmother, reality begins to feel like it's unraveling.

Things take a turn when he meets Noa Gayle in an internet chatroom. She's magnetic and oddly familiar, and their connection is instant! As they grow closer, Isaac realizes he might not just be noticing patterns—he might be part of something much bigger. To uncover the truth, he’ll have to chase the mystery of his own life, even if it means confronting things he was never supposed to know.

This is definitely a slow burn . But it’s so interesting and I wanted to understand what was going on so bad that I read it in one sitting ! Definitely worth the read !