Good Spirits by BK Borison – Review

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?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm, this swoony romance is B.K. Borison’s best yet!

Purchase Link: Good Spirits

I chose Good Spirits as my December Book of the Month pick because it sounded like a cozy holiday read, which is exactly the kind of story I love reaching for this time of year. After I made my choice, I started seeing it everywhere on Instagram. Almost everyone seemed to be reading it and falling in love with it, and while I do not always gravitate toward whatever is trending, there was something really special about feeling like we were all experiencing the same story together throughout the season.

My reading experience ended up being a mix of physical and audio. I started with the hardcover from Book of the Month, but after hearing how good the audiobook was, I switched back and forth between the two. I am so glad I did. The audiobook uses both female and male narrators, and hearing Nolan voiced by an actual male narrator made the characters feel more realistic and alive. It added another layer of immersion to a story that already pulled me in completely. Every time I stepped into this book, it wrapped itself around me. I tuned everything else out. The characters and their story were all that mattered in those moments.

The paranormal element felt absolutely perfect to me, which is saying a lot because this is my favorite genre and I am very picky about it. This was not a typical ghost story. The book presents a parallel-world view of the afterlife that feels structured, intentional, and deeply thought out. It offers a layered understanding of what happens after death and why some spirits remain, which felt both comforting and fascinating, because no one truly knows what the afterlife looks like. Watching how that world interacted with the living world and how both were affected by each other was one of the most compelling aspects of the story.

The romance was, without question, the heart of the book. The attraction between Harriet and Nolan was instant, but what made it special was how the relationship grew beyond that. Because the story is told through dual perspectives, we get to see their connection evolve from both sides. We experience not only their interactions, but also what they are thinking and feeling afterward. That transparency allowed the emotional intimacy to deepen quickly while still feeling earned.

Their friendship developed slowly through vulnerability, shared struggle, and honesty. Harriet is forced into a situation where she has to open up, and Nolan meets her there, eventually doing the same. That emotional openness fast-tracked the depth of their connection in a way that felt real. At its core, their relationship is about being truly seen and understood. Watching Harriet be cared for and supported, and watching Nolan show up for her healing, made the romance feel incredibly meaningful.

What stood out to me most was how deeply I resonated with Harriet. Even though this story is loosely inspired by a Christmas Carol–style structure, Harriet is not a character you are meant to dislike or judge. She is wounded. She has been hurt, dismissed, and made to feel unworthy of love far too many times. That pain felt real to me. Many of the things spoken to her throughout the story mirrored words and experiences I have encountered in my own life.

Reading this book felt like watching both Harriet’s healing journey and my own. Seeing her learn to stand in her worth, to recognize her value, and to accept love felt affirming. Nolan, in many ways, represents the kind of guide and support that only exists in fiction. He provides a gentle stand-in for the validation and encouragement we often have to find on our own in real life. That made the story feel comforting without feeling unrealistic.

My final thoughts are that Good Spirits is not a surface-level romance. I would recommend it to people who truly enjoy rich, layered storytelling. If you love character depth, thoughtful world-building, emotional honesty, and relationships built on trust, mistakes, forgiveness, and second chances rather than pure attraction, this book is absolutely worth your time.