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.

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
I really didn't know what to make of "Good Spirits" when I started. Harriet receives a vist from a handsome ghost of Christmas past, who states that they must travel to the past together in order to fix her future. It's a love story, that leans heavily on the supernatural and whilst I don't think these things have to make sense, the whole story wasn't strong enough to excuse all the absurdity. However, the characters were likeable and it is a lovely addition to books you can read over the festive season.

A journey into the past, memories that blossom to give rise to new doubts, pain, desolation, and the inability to let go of our mistakes. This book contains a level of depth I didn't expect. A beautiful connection between the characters and an even more fascinating plot.

Good Spirits is a story of revelations, reunions, and memories. Of overcoming pain and loss, of remembering the past to face the future. It's a story that leaves emotions throughout the chapters.

In my personal opinion, what I highlight most about this book is the delicate depth of the plot. It has a good thread, a solid structure that easily guides the reader toward a brilliant and beautiful ending. The characters feel real, human. It's easy for the reader to connect with them on a deep level. And not to mention the author's prose, exquisite and fresh. This is how contemporary romance books should be written. Only B. K. Borison can make me read a Christmas book and turn it into a favorite.

Thank you Avon & NetGalley for this ARC!
#GoodSpirits #NetGalley

The scrooge retelling that I didn't know I needed! Fantastically written and a brilliantly original twisty take on this tale. Superb characters that will leave you desperate for them to have a happy ending. Nolan is a hundred year old ghost of Christmas Past but when he shows up for the redemption of Harriet, things start going awry .Perfect for reading when you need an escape from everything.