It’s the first day of December and the last thing Harriet York expects when she returns home from work is for a mysterious ghost to appear from behind the depths of her Christmas tree —or that this mysterious stranger would tell her that her soul is in danger and he has been tasked with repairing her past. Nolan Callahan is everything a Ghost of Christmas Past should be, living his afterlife aimlessly and determined to pull off his latest assignment with time to spare. But his current haunting with Harriet York could not be more atypical. For one, she doesnt appear to be at all similar to his usual assignments, she’s not sending scam emails to friends and family or forgetting her kid’s Christmas concerts. She is shockingly normal. But no matter, the assignment rests and her past must be examined. As Nolan takes Harriet through the key moments of her life, the two find themselves abruptly pulled into Nolan’s past as well. Moving on might not just be a goal for Harriet and as time moves forward and the Christmas deadline looms, Harriet and Nolan will race to uncover what’s tethering them together while fighting the real truth: that the only way they want to move on is side by side.
On the first day of December the universe gave to me a hot Irish ghost who appeared to audit my soul from behind my Christmas tree. B.K. Borison forges a new path in her latest holiday romance, Good Spirits, that not only had me romanticizing the concept of A Christmas Carol (minus Scrooge and with a hot ghost), but more importantly had me wondering where do I sign up for this soul auditing scheme. Blanketed by holiday cheer, snow, and peppermint sticks, Good Spirits is a holiday romance of epic contradictions — much like the holidays themselves. The yuletide carols and wholesome family gatherings are out of the question for Harriet York, a late twenty-something dealing with the passing of an aunt who helped her leave behind the stifling expectations of her family. Working at the antique shop she inherited while shuffling between her everyday paths has left Harriet to become her own kind of ghost. But who doesn’t want an actual ghost to appear and tell them their soul is in mortal peril? Infusing her captivating charm and capacity for unparalleled love stories, B.K. Borison’s Good Spirits is a heartening holiday romance involving loneliness and the power of memory in refortifying our present.
Romancing a ghost wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card for romance novels but I am so glad it delivered. In Good Spirits, B.K. Borison takes readers on an introspective journey through the lives of a regretful Irish fisherman turned ghost and a former lawyer turned antique dealer, Harriet York. Now I’ve never put it past B.K. Borison to introduce a unique concept and completely take it where you never expected. Romancing the mundane is her motto — those everyday tasks and quirks unexpectedly find meaning within this flourishing romance. For Good Spirits everything has its place, and the mundane is made deeper by the overhanging weight of the past and the threads of fate which become more prevalent, not unlike the irksome mistletoe conjured up by our resident ghost. Love truly is in the details for Nolan and Harriet, working to determine the cause of Harriet’s need for redemption while discovering the unexpected ways they are bound together. Borison always leaves these delicious crumbs for her readers to uncover and as a reader who likes to find connections and mull over symbolism I feasted on this novel. Like Harriet working at an antique store called the Crows Nest while her soulmate is an out of practice fisherman? Come on! Good Spirits is a treasure trove of wonder not only in its romance, but the ways in which we can find connection to others and build affirming lives.
Good Spirits in essence challenges what really makes a ghost. It isn’t just someone who has passed away clinging to some unfinished business. In many ways, loneliness and the unfinished business of the present can leave us as little more than ghosts ourselves. Harriet York is the perfect example of someone seeking affirmation while grappling with loss that has left her aimlessly wandering through the motions. The spirit of the holidays are a way for her to find comfort and bask in the beauty of this time of year. Too bad a ruggedly handsome ghost throws a wrench into these plans. Nolan Callahan not only helps Harriet recontextualize her past and present, he is the love interest Harriet deserves. Nolan is someone who can provide insight into her past but also a loyal partner who can stand by her side as she faces her family. The messy sides of these two characters is half the fun and Borison draws this out with her typical witty banter and an abundant side of holiday charm. The draw between Nolan and Harriet is in their shared loneliness and together they make each other better. Harriet who has spent years molding herself to suit her family while just wanting to be loved finds that unconditional love with Nolan who loves her without reservation.
Good Spirits isn’t your typical holiday romance, but Borison is writing in the tradition of so many romance writers both past and present —the flavors of which I felt scattered across this narrative. At the same time there is something about this romance that feels wholly unique. It’s not everyday you read a book about a woman romancing an Irish ghost in a series of ridiculous (his words not mine) patterned pajamas. But Good Spirits is about so much more than what appears on the surface, it’s about the living ghosts that haunt our present and how we can excise them. This coalesces in a satisfying final arc with Harriet and her family as she truly breaks free from their influence, and Nolan chooses a second chance and comes back to himself. And the unifying theme is found as Harriet and Nolan choose one another and endeavor to build their lives together.
Full of warmth, string lights, hot cocoa, and various peppermint sweets, Good Spirits is the epitome of cozy holiday romance. Surrounded by all the comforts of home and the holidays, Good Spirits brings focus on the paths we walk and the fates we resign ourselves to when we aren’t really living. The real kernel of romance within is in showing up consistently for the people we care about and opening up a dialogue to our past. Letting people see the messy, imperfect parts of ourselves is daunting, but Borison proves that it’s never not worth it in the grand scheme of things. Good Spirits starts out with a bang and never lets up on the romantic tension front. Fate and memory intertwine in a romance that is endlessly heartfelt and far too entertaining to put down. Good Spirits is a continuation of B.K. Borison’s obscene powers for soul crushing romance and I was not at all surprised that this struck an emotional chord with me. I’d like to thank B.K. Borison for this entire book and also the sexy ghost representation. Not only was it desperately needed but it’s incomparable.
Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: death of a loved one, grief
Literaryrobin 