REVIEW: Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison: Harriet has built her life on quiet compromises, making sure everyone around her is happy. All she has really done is run her antique shop and tucking away the dreams she never dared to chase. But when she finds herself face to face with Nolan, the Ghost of Christmas Past, everything she thought she knew about herself begins to unravel. Surely the universe can’t think that she is a bad person, right? Nolan has one job; usher his charges through a journey and await his turn to join the afterlife, the one thing he isn’t supposed to do is fall for the living! Simple really: guide, remind, haunt. But there is just something so different about Harriet… her kindness disarms him, her honesty unsettles him and her presence reminds him what it feels like to be more than a shadow. With Christmas Eve fast approaching and the clock ticking on their fragile and impossible connection, Harriet and Nolan need to figure out how they are connected to each other and if they can defy the odd to find their version of a happily ever after…

Borison always delivers a sweet, heart warming and completely memorable read and that was very much the case with Good Spirits. Going in I had expected a cozy holiday romance with a touch of magic but what I got was something far more tender and memorable. This was such a cute play on a Christmas Carol, with an unexpected romantic twist. Harriet and Nolan’s journey was laced with humour, vulnerability and just enough bittersweet tension to make the ending all the more satisfying!

I instantly found myself drawn to Harriet, she was the kind of leading lady that just had a sense of warmth to her. She was not loud or over the top dramatic, instead we got to see a character that felt very relatable in her quiet struggles and trying to balance putting her needs first above the people she cares about. I will say there were a few moments that had me wanting to shake some sense into her, like girl don’t let anyone walk all over your happiness, but this only made getting to see her realise her own self worth all the more sweet in the end. I wasn’t to sure how the whole haunting element would work but I have to say it sort of just made sense, I really enjoyed getting to follow her as she revisits the choices she’s made, and getting to peel back her layers to show us a woman who has always longed for belonging but was only just learning that belonging doesn’t mean bending herself out of shape.

Now for our ghostly hero, Nolan was so far from the cold and grouchy ghost of Christmas past that we are used to seeing, instead we get to see a man that is still trying to figure out his place and what his next step could possibly be. I loved the depth that came with Nolan, he was funny, charming and still a bit weary and almost confused about where her stood. Loved the fact that Nolan wasn’t just a paranormal element to this book, but he was actually a man wrestling with his own second chance, even if it comes with limitations.

I found the dynamic between Nolan and Harriet quiet interesting, while they had great banter and an instant sparky connection, there was also this element of time running out on them. Borison does such a good job in bring life to their romance which breathes through small, intimate moments, their lingering conversations, the vulnerability of shared memories and the quiet ache of wanting more than the rules will allow. Truly there was something so bittersweet about their connection that had me wanting more but nervous that they wouldn’t get the ending they both deserve.

Overall Good Spirits was the kind of book that sneaks up on you, it starts with festive charm and playful banter, then slowly reveals a story that packs a punch in the heart. Harriet and Nolan’s romance feels both magical and human and so completely easy to get lost in. If you are looking for a romance that is sweet, magical and heartfelt then this is definitely the book for you!

Book Info:

Publication: October 21, 2025 | Avon | Ghosted #1

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?