5⭐️

In the acknowledgements of this, the author says she hopes the book brought us something that we needed. I just want to say, B.K Borison, that it absolutely did. You have emotionally wrecked me and I greatly appreciate it.

This book is going to be perfect for the holiday season. The right mix of festive cheer, spice and emotional impact. Also it would make an amazing movie, my mam would love it.

I love Harriet and Nolan so much. They feel like they're my friends and you couldn't help but root for them to find a way. Their initial banter is funny, and then you get to this lovely place of softness between the two of them. It's beautiful to watch (read). Also, the spice is very good. I like that we don't just ignore that he's out of practice (don't worry, he catches up fast).

The most important part of the book for me, though, is the journey Harriet goes on around her relationships with her family. It hits so hard, and you're just waiting for the moment when she breaks through because you know it's going to be so satisfying. Nolan is so supportive, and it just makes you love that man more.

The last section of this was very hard to read... through all of the tears. Did I have an idea of the ending? Yes, but that didn't make it any less beautiful when it came. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series as well as the sequel to first-time caller. B.K. is well on her way to joining the autobuy author list.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I don't know what Borison puts in her books but I remain obsessed. The premise of this book was so interesting and I was curious as to how it would work and it worked beautifully. The banter between Harriet and Nolan was TOP NOTCH. I found myself laughing out loud at it more than once. The characters of Harriet and Nolan were so interesting and so beautifully developed throughout the story. The way they grow together and how they bring out new sides to one another is so touching. There were a couple of unexpected twists as well that I really liked.

The standout element of this book for me was the emotional depth that seemed to be seeped in every word on the page, which seems fitting for a festive book. Some of the phrases were so stunning they stopped me in my tracks. I cannot wait to see what is happening with that Reaper...

good spirits was everything i imagined it to be and more. this was the perfect contemporary romance, absolutely beautiful and FULL of emotion. b. k. morison is at the top of her craft when it comes to writing female characters — she imbues them with a vulnerable softness along with strength and passion. harriet is such a beloved character to me — every quirk and moment of joy for her was something i felt deep in my bones. and nolan, my grumpy ghost!!!!!! immediately yes! the connection harriet and nolan formed was so special and intimate and absolutely worthy of the term soulmates. this book is a dream come true for the readers who love romance and the fall and winter months.

5 big bright stars for this one! 🥹

If there’s one thing Becs absolutely nails, it’s taking something we already know and love and making it even better with her own unique spin. Her take on the Ghost of Christmas Past was so beautiful and magical.

I adored how descriptive everything was. The way she described the sights and scents of Christmas in Annapolis made me feel like I was right there alongside Harriet and Nolan, experiencing every light, festive smell, and bit of Nolan’s magic.

Harriet was such a beautifully written character. Her aunt perfectly sums her up when she says Harriet is “just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.” Despite being the product of a narcissistic parent, a storyline that was difficult and infuriating to read at times, Harriet’s journey was one of the most heartwarming character arcs I’ve read.

Nolan MY SHAYLA 😭 I loved him from the moment we met him, even if he did have some grumpy, rude moments that made me want to shake him. His relationship with Harriet began with bickering and irritating each other and honestly who doesn’t love a bit of that? But then it grew into one of the most tender and romantic connections I’ve ever read. Nolan being touch starved gave so much depth to their romance, making their interactions incredibly soft and gentle.

The final chapters wrecked me in the best way possible…I literally sobbed uncontrollably 😂 There’s one line Nolan kept repeating that made me cry a little more each time I read it. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say it was one of the most emotional and beautiful endings I’ve ever read.

This was everything I wanted in a festive read. It was whimsical, magical, emotional and deeply romantic. A beautiful paranormal holiday romance with a twist that’s now a new favourite 🩵

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher HQ for allowing me to read this beautiful ARC.

How can I describe a book that is just utter perfection? This book was endearing, heartbreaking, romantic, tragic, pure and just what you need to welcome in the winter season cuddled up on a sofa with a warm drink. A beautiful warm hug.

Harriet and Nolan, our main characters, were written so beautifully I couldn’t contain the smile on my face while reading about them. Their story brought me to tears at times as well. B.K. Borison creates a world with her exceptional writing that just surrounds and envelopes the reader making the reading experience sensational. You connect with the characters and the setting and feel like you are right there with them experiencing their journey alongside.

Not only is this a perfect Christmas book but a perfect romance and the best one I have read this year. Cannot wait to read this again and share this story with others.

You know those books that are SO good you wish you could go back in time—pun unintended—and read again for the first time? This is one of them.

Good Spirits is just the right amount of silly and whimsical that makes for a good spooky festive read—and let me tell you, I finished this in less than 24 hours!

Good Spirits is a dual pov festive romance that follows Harriet and Nolan.

Now this isn’t your traditional romance where the main characters have a meet cute, and the rest of the story follows from there.

Harriet is an antique shop owner who lives and breathes Christmas. Nolan, however, is a ghost of Christmas past who has been sent on his annual mission to make a human a better person.

On the surface, Harriet hasn’t seemingly done anything outrageous to warrant being haunted by a dashing ghost who looks like he’s been pulled straight from a Patagonia catalogue. So what gives?

I loved this and finished it in less than 24 hours. I loved the immediate banter from the main characters that we see in any B.K. Borison book. And while the characters seem a certain way on the surface, there’s more to them than meets the eye. Which is what I love about B.K. Borison’s characters because there’s always a depth to them.

There’s time travel, silliness, whimsy, and overall it’s a really cozy read that can take you from the real world into something you can really get invested in. I truly can’t wait to see what is next in the series!

Overall this is the book to pick up this holiday season—and every holiday season going forward. I’m excited to read it again when it’s published when I have the physical copy in my hands.

Thank you so much HQ for the advance reader copy!

B.K Borison has done it again!!

I absolutely adored Nolan and Harriet and their heartwarmingly, festive story. This book had all of B.K Borison's usual char, but still felt like a bit of a departure from her usual fare. The plot reminded me of something Ashley Poston might write (and since she is another author I love, I was very happy about it!)

I'm thrilled to hear this will be a series, I think there is so much B.K. Borison can do with this concept and these characters.

✨5 stars✨

This book was amazing. In the past, I don’t remember rating many books set at Christmas this highly because normally I find that they’re surface level and don’t stick with me past the festive period. However, this one was different. I don’t think I have ever read about a character that I have identified with as much as I did when reading about Harriet. It was a bit jarring seeing myself reflected back on the page!!😂

That being said I loved Harriet’s character growth, I loved Nolan and finding out about his background. The way the two of them were willing to put each other first time and time again resulted in me being so invested in their relationship that by the end tears were shed.

This was definitely one of my favourite, if not my favourite festive book I’ve ever read. I also think that their author’s writing gets better with each book she publishes. Therefore, I cannot wait for her new books in the future, especially as I believe there are going to be two other books in this series.

Definitely add this to your TBR this winter as I’ll probably reread it closer to Christmas.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

-You know what I say if a book makes me cry it’s automatically a 5 star read ….
-I adored this , it was fun and emotional. It had all the things you could want in a romance book but with a back story I don’t think Iv read anything like before.
-Did I mention that Nolan is an Irish ghost ? Aye I said IRISH ☘️
-Harriet is our candy cane loving female main character and she is being haunted by Nolan a ghost of Christmas past but neither can work out exactly why he was assigned to her this year and if you want to know why your gonna have to pick this book up !
-To make this even better we get both characters pov which I go absolutely mad for in a book, there’s a few spicy scenes.
-Honestly I have no complaints about this book it gave what I needed nothing more nothing less ! Add this to your Christmas tbr asap !
Thank you netgalley & HQ for this earc

This was so magical and filled me with so much joy!!

Literally had me kicking my feet, screaming into a pillow and giggling throughout, the romance was so good!! Omg their first kiss I was so giddy it was incredible and the vibes were immaculate

I love a man with a little slutty mustache who's down bad for his girl and Nolan was no exception

I loved the magic in this and travelling to the past (and I don't want to spoil anything) but the little nuggets we got and how everything came together was so good

Omg the ending!! Throughout reading I knew what was going to happen towards the end and I trusted my girl Becs to give me a HEA and the twists and turns to get there had me shocked at times like omg it was so good (even if I did end up sobbing)

I love the little Easter eggs we got about Lovelight Farm and now I have the urge to go back and visit cos I love that series with my whole entire heart

Everyone should preorder this book and read it as soon as it comes out so you can experience the magic and joy and romance (& how insanely talented Becs mind is, I'm in awe) for yourself

The biggest thank you to HQ for the eARC - all opinions are my own

B.K. Borison has made my heart hurt again and my face has tears on it - in the best way! I genuinely didn’t want this book to end and I can’t wait for the next book in this series, which is set up in this book!

Good Spirits follows Harriet who is haunted by a ghost of Christmas Past - Nolan. As any normal person, Harriet is very skeptical of this random person randomly showing up, but they soon embark on adventures to Harriet’s past, to try and put things right before time runs out. Harriets memories were definitely one of my favourite parts of this book, it helped add layers to Harriet’s character, and it was really emotional too.

When things start going “wrong” - really trying to keep things spoilers free here! - it gets tense and emotional, and by the end I was crying. Honestly I don’t know how B.K Borison does it, but she puts so much emotion onto every page!

The set up for the next book was also done very cleverly, and I will be impatiently awaiting the next book! Good Spirits is an absolute 5 star read, and I can see myself rereading this in the future!

Good Spirits is a cute, cozy holiday romance with a fun twist on A Christmas Carol. It follows Harriet, an antique shop owner, who gets a surprise visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past—Nolan. But instead of haunting her like usual, he ends up connecting with her in unexpected ways.

The story is sweet and has some heartfelt moments, and I really liked the unique setup and the chemistry between the characters. That said, something felt like it was missing, and the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as I hoped—it felt a bit anticlimactic. I also felt like the fact he was a ghost wasn't really written how i'd have liked it? Like he didn't seem very ghostly at all?

Overall, it’s a fun, feel-good read with holiday charm, just not quite as good as i was hoping.

5 stars.

I really enjoyed this cute romance story set in the holiday period.
Good spirits isn't just a surface level romance it packs an emotional punch.
Will definitely be recommending this to my friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is B.K. Borison at her best - which is saying something, because every one of her books feels like the loveliest thing you've ever read. This book is sexy and funny and so sweet it'll give you a tooth ache. Harriet is for those of us who have spent our life trying to shrink ourselves to fit in boxes we were never meant to fit into in the first place, all for the sake of others. Nolan is the reminder that we don't have to live like that, that there are people who not only love us just as we are, but who will actively support and fight for our happiness alongside us, holding our hand the entire time.

I loved the ghostly aspect of this book, the idea of a slightly bureaucratic afterlife where you have to speak to a receptionist before you can go speak to your boss about how your haunting assignment is going. I loved seeing the connections between Harriet and Nolan slowly come together through their visits to the past and watching their relationship go from mutual yearning (god, the YEARNING!) to 'let's be together for as long as we have left'. The ending broke my heart but put it back together again, which is the best kind of ending in a love story.

This book is absolute perfection and a gift to the world of romance books.

A fantastic seasonal romance, Borison strikes the perfect note between hopeful and bittersweet in this spin on A Christmas Carol.

Nolan and Harriet are a fantastic case of opposites attract. Nolan, having spent a century haunting the wicked and mean, is cynical - always looking for the worst in humanity, and always finding it! Harriet, a people-pleaser to her core, is nothing that Nolan expects when he is sent to haunt her as the Ghost of Christmas Past. They were fantastic in their early moments, Harriet second guessing every memory, while Nolan is forced to acknowledge that. perhaps, she isn't like his other hauntings.

I can't say the twist towards the end was unexpected, the book largely played out as I thought it would. But it was a beautiful read, the characters were so likeable, and my own tears definitely caught me off guard! It creeps up on you, this book, and tugs on the heartstrings wonderfully. Definitely one to add to the shelf this autumn, and one that will, no doubt, be read again and again as the festive season rolls round.

Huge thanks to Borison, NetGalley and HQ books for the chance to read this one ahead of release. It's only August, but I'm feeling in full autumnal mode now, so bring on the pumpkin spice!

I don’t know that I can put into words all that this book is making me feel. It is lovely, and heartfelt, intoxicating and addictive. Beautiful and hopefully, slightly spicy but also just perfect.

I am not a Christmas girly, that is not my season, and I usually hide away as soon as anything remotely festive rears its head, so explain to me why I am currently in love, aching with having finished, a love story featuring a Ghost of Christmas Past and a woman who is festive cheer personified.

Explain to me how Nolan and Harriet have dragged me so deeply into their love story that I feel like I’m going to be in a book hangover for days. I don’t have any more words; they’ve eluded me, so I leave you with quotes instead.

‘I’ve wondered if I worked hard enough at my bruised and broken bits, if I could be shiny again, too. I’ve wondered if anyone might ever see me as something precious.’

‘For the first time in over a century, I had a dream. And I dreamed about Harriet.’

‘I want to hold her hand so bad my bones ache with it.’

‘I’m developing feelings for a ghost who will disappear by the end of the month.’

‘I’m struck speechless by the bare expanse of her back.’

‘“You said I have universes in my hair, whatever that means. That you wished you could wrap yourself in it like a blanket.” “That’s, uh…” tragic. Embarrassing. Wildly accurate.’

‘“Do not mistake me for a good man. I am not here out of some misplaced sense of honour or duty. I demand your attention and I desire your affection.”’

‘“I can take it.”
“I know you can.” “And you will, I promise you that. You’ll take everything I give you, won’t you?”’

‘“It was always supposed to be you.”’

I already know that everyone will be sick of me because I’ll be talking about this book until it’s released—and for a good while after that.

Everyone, and I mean everyone I know, reader or not, will be getting this book as a Christmas present.

This book has everything:

Christmas magic – check
Romance – check
Banter – check
Hot book boyfriend – check
Sunshine, strong FMC – check
Spice
Healing
Emotional damage – check, check, and check

What more could you ask for?

''Good Spirits'' is the kind of story that wraps itself around your heart and stays there. It’s tender, heartfelt, and brimming with warmth in every scene. The emotional beats are so well done—raw in places, comforting in others, but always sincere. The chemistry between the characters is electric, the vulnerability is palpable, and the love story unfolds like a soft snowfall: quietly, beautifully, and all at once.

I cried myself to sleep because of how beautiful and magical this book was. It felt like being caught in one of Harriet's snow globes from her antiques shop—sparkling, heart-fluttering, and just a little bit unreal in the most delightful way. The romance had that fairy-tale charm that makes you want to twirl around in twinkle lights and believe in Christmas miracles.

I don’t know what kind of magic B.K. Borison has access to, but she always gives us the most gorgeous, warm, and precious stories—the kind you want to tuck close to your soul and never let go.

''Good Spirits'' is a gift! And I’m so grateful to HQ and NetGalley for letting me unwrap it a little early!!

B. K. Borison is a must read author for me and Good Spirits is one of my most anticipated books of the year.
There’s mystery, magic, adventure, a slow to medium burn with incredible tension and spice that made me gasp, and even some small nods to the Lovelight Farm series. I really enjoyed that it wasn’t plain sailing once Nolan & Harriet realised their feelings for each other, they still had moments of conflict along the way that they managed to resolve, which made them stronger as a couple and as individuals.
This gave me everything I wanted and more, I absolutely loved it. It’s the perfect festive read. I’m so excited there are more ghosts to come!

Good Spirits was beautiful. It was funny, cosy, spicy and completely heart-breaking.

This was my first B.K. Borison book and from the author’s note, I understand it’s not her usual style. If her other stories are as wonderfully devourable as this one, I’ll be hooked.

I knew it would be special very quickly. I started ARC reading it in July, in a fucking vicious heatwave as a seasonal purist who steadfastly refuses to consider anything Christmas related until Well after Halloween, thank you very much, and I still found myself humming Christmas carols – can you imagine?

Full disclosure, I cried SOLIDLY for the final 10% of the book. How do I know? Kindle silently tracked (okay, judged) my sob fest. I’m not even due on my period and it still made me cry like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.

The story opens with Harriet having a spectacularly terrible start to Christmas. She falls over, rips her tights, has to deal with a grumpy cat, and then has to miss out on her yearly tradition of a blueberry Danish from her favourite bakery. (This may sound small, but it’s really not, and Harriet deserves for the bakery owner to put one aside for her. I mean, come on. Harriet’s there on December 1st every fucking year to get a blueberry Danish every fucking year. Save the poor thing her tradition pastry, yeah?)

Anyway, Harriet’s having a shit day and it’s made all the worse by shitty customers being shitty and demanding refunds to which they’re not entitled.

Once she finally gets home, a strange man has the fucking nerve to appear unceremoniously in her living room and announce that he’s a ghost of Christmas past who’s haunting her for her past transgressions.

Fuck. Off.

Her ghost, Nolan, has a very tight deadline in order to turn around her future. He wants to get his job done and get out to his afterlife. He’s been Stuck since his death in 1902, and he’s quite done with corporate haunting, as most would be

However, Harriet’s different. Despite his better judgement, Nolan warms to her with each visit to her past and he cannot figure out why he’s been assigned to her.

She’s such a good person. So why are they so drawn together?

Borison unfolds the tale beautifully and intricately for the reader
Nothing feels forced or obvious, except perhaps when you find yourself thinking, okay shouting, “kiss you fools just kiss, already!”

It took me less than 2 days to read the whole thing from cover to cover, and I’m already itching to read it again, to look for any clues I missed the first time.

I’m hoping it won’t hurt as much now I’m prepared for that treacherous 10%!

A beautiful and surprisingly emotive festive romance with a fantasy twist.

This is the first festive read I’ve ever full-heartedly fallen in love with. Generally, I find them a little lacklustre and forgettable, but not this one - this was so full of heart and warmth and spirit (literally) and it’s not only my favourite seasonal read, it’s now one of my favourite books of all time. I’ve awarded it 5 stars and it deserves every single one.

Set in December, we follow Harriet York, an antique shop owner and Christmas enthusiast, who is visited by the ghost of Christmas past. Only she’s no Scrooge and he’s hot, Irish and addictively moreish.

Harriet is so colourful and full of life, she’s a people pleaser to her core with so much love to give, she’s a warm hug of a character. Nolan is divine. He’s the ghost of Christmas past, a devastatingly gorgeous fisherman from 1902 - and did I mention he’s Irish. He’s a walking green flag. Together, they must unravel the mystery surrounding their pasts and embark on a beguiling adventure to navigate their future. The perfect grumpy x sunshine combo.

Good Spirits is brimming with romance, magic and warmth with a delicious dash of festive spice - all tied neatly with a bow. It’s hauntingly cosy and intimately romantic, yet so much more than just a romance. It’s a story of self-acceptance, purpose and an exploration of love wrapped up in magic - I cannot recommend it enough.