Review: Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by B.K. Borison

 

The New York Times bestselling author of First-Time Caller, B.K. Borison is back with a whimsical new holiday romance—this time with a magical twist—that will have everyone falling in love with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

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!

TItle: Good Spirits (Ghosted #1)

Author: B.K. Borison

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Review:

THIS BOOK!

I absolutely adore Borison so I knew, I KNEW, I would love this story and I was right.

Give me all the ghosts and the romance and the magic. Borison rolled that all into a fabulously fun tale of a ghost trying to move forward. And to top it off, she wrote it based on A Christmas Carol. How fun, right? I'm so happy Borison jumped into paranormal romance because she nailed it!

I absoltey adored these characters.

Harriet York, not interested in her family or anything to do with them. They have never treated her right and all she's ever wanted was their love. I felt for this character so much. It was hard to watch her be treated so poorly. Hard to watch her take it all, absorb it all, and still try to be ok. Who can be ok when your family doesn't believe in you? when your family treats you like you aren't good enough no matter how hard you try. But she grows. And that's thanks to her new relationship with a certain ghost: Noah Callahan.

Noah is tasked with ensuring people right their wrongs. He's the ghost of Christmas Past. He helps people find their past trepasses and then hands them off to the other ghosts for further redemption. But he gets stuck on Harriet and he cannot figure out why. When they both realize it's because Harriet is meant to help him move forward, they focus on that. But along the way they feelings grow and neither one really wants to let go.

The BANTER and fun times in this book are top notch. I loved the side characters so much. I loved the world building. I loved the flow.

I don't think there's anything Borison writes I will not love. Her stories are INTENSE. Every book I read, my heart is in my throat. My chest literally clenches because I just don't see a good outcome for the characters. But Borison makes it work, every time. I should know by now. Her pacing is on point; I never want to put her stories down. And once I'm finished, I want to dive right in. I literally put the audio on hold as soon as I finished the Kindle version. Then I ordered a hard copy so I could have the trophy on my self (plus it's just so freaking pretty - see below).

I cannot wait for more stories in this world. I heard the next book involves a certain Reaper! I know Borison will make it just as fabulous as all her other stories. If you love magic, Christmas, found family, romance, and witty banter, jump into this story and let it's magic take you away!

Author:

New York Times, Sunday Times, and USA Today Bestselling author B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for.

ARC Review: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2) by Mary E. Pearson

 

From NYT bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes the thrilling conclusion of the Courting of Bristol Keats romantic fantasy duology.

Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.

After Bristol Keats nearly loses her beloved King Tyghan to the monsters her mother had unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But when a daring rescue attempt turns into a disaster, and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could have ever imagined—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he encounters his former best friend and betrayer again, Bristol's own father, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question.

Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she fully embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a different kind of monster from her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most, if it means keeping them safe?

Brimming with dark secrets, lush world-building, and addictive romance, The Last Wish of Bristol Keats is the unforgettable conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's first adult series.

Title: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2)

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Audio

Expected Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

This is one of my most anticipated releases this year. I adored the first book, which I also got to listen to on audio. Brittany Pressley is the perfect narrator for this book. She does such a wonderful job with the pacing. She's also fabulous with the character voices, making each one distinct. Plus, she infused the perfect amount of emotion into the story. She brought ever single character to life,. She's one of my favorite audio book narrators and I was so happy to listen to her tell this tale.

This book jumps right in where the first book leaves off. It cannot be read as a stand alone if you want to know what's happened and has happened as it's truly connected to the previous book. There is a lot tied to what happened in The Courting of Bristol Keats which won't make much sense if you read this by itself. Pearson does a good job of tying that book in, but I don't think I could have followed along well had I not read the first book of this duolgy. I wish I could have gone back and re-read the first book before having to dive back into this one. While I remembered the story for the most parts, I really felt like I wanted to remind myself. But overall it didn't change how I felt about this installment.. Bristol and Tyghan are fighting for Elphame and trying their hardest to keep it out of the hands of Cormick.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it's told in third person in multiple points of view. This presents a so much more cohesive and deep story for me. I truly ejoyed hearing from every character and watching their contribution move the story forward and give so much more depth to the tale.

The romance! I just love Bri and Tyg together. They have their moments where they fight but they always come back to resolve it. I've seen some chatter about them being a bit juvenile, but, honestly, they are not all that old, so I don't expect them to be particularly mature. But the times when they are romantic together are top notch. And Pearson really knows how to write a great love scene. She infuses just the right amount of spice and adoration so you truly know these two are in love.

The world building continues to be fantastic. Pearson truly knows how to emerse her readers in such a all consuming way.

I will admit, I had a few issues with this book that I feel were a bit unresolved. Since they are both potential spoilers which happen towards the end of the book so I will be as vague as I can be. The first was with the betrayal from a beloved character. There was not much depth to that part of the story. It happened and then the characer retaliates and that's it. The story starts wrapping up. Even in the epilogus we don't get anything about what happened to this character who was so essential throughout the story. The second thing was the time jump. Perhaps Throughout the story we know that time passes differently in Fairy and the mortal world. Short times in Fairy equal long times in the other. There is a time jump at the end that is mentioned on both sides and, while perhaps it was just a mention in Fairy, it makes it seem like the same amount of time has passes there and that was confusing for me as I know that's not what was presented throughout the story. Third, a rescued character didn't make as much of an impact as I would have liked to have had them make. I needed a bit more from that part of the story. While their rescue was significant, I wanted that character to play a bigger role at the end then they did.

Finally, the wrap up seem too tidy and neat for me. It made it a little unsatisfying after all we when through with the characters. It was too easy for the characters to carry out their HEA with easy resolution when I really needed there to be more tension and conflict before that happened. It almost felt like the author ran out of ideas of how to make it happen.

Overall, I completely enjoyed this book. I was sad to see it wrap up as I felt like there could definitely have been a third book. So many twists and turns happend in this instsallment. I enjoyed jumping back into this world, watching all the characters (Pearson does amazing side characters), and following along as the battle ensued. Once again Pearson has solidified she is top notch when it comes to fantasy writing and I will absolutely read anything she writes. If you're looking for a muli-POV story with romance, betrayal, political intrigue, fabulous magic, found family, power struggles, angst, a fantasy Fairy world that draws you in, and an epic story, give this duology a try!

4.5 stars rounded to 5

Author:

Author:

Mary E. Pearson is the NYT bestselling and award-winning author of eleven YA novels and one novella. Her works include the completed trilogy, The Remnant Chronicles, which in a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly called “masterfully crafted.” Her favorite activities as a child were climbing tall trees imagining she was a hero in some fantastical world, or running along fence tops and roofs pretending she was a spy with a bagful of amazing gadgets. She was rarely herself. Amazingly, she never broke a bone until she caught a basketball in gym class. Catching real balls was not her forte. These days she continues to live in make-believe worlds she creates in her books. Her latest 2-book series, Dance of Thieves, allows her do all kinds of dangerous things without breaking any bones. So far.
You can learn more about Mary and her books at www.marypearson.com

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday October 28, 2025

 

Here's what I'm excited about this week!

Hazelthorn by CG Drews

Love me some gothic fantasy and this one looks good. There was another book by this author I had seen around prior that also looked good. Might grab that one when I get this one!

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

I actually have this copy of this book and unfortunately have not had a chance to get to it before publication. I have read one other book by this author and I enjoyed it.

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder

The blurb for this gives me Elsie Silver vibes so I'm interested to see how it compares.

The Book of Autumn by Molly O'Sullivan

Dark academia is my jam. And this book is compared to some authors I love so I'm excited to give it a try!

Never Ever After by Sue Lynn Tan

I love me some fairytale retellings. I actually have a copy of this from my Fairyloot subscription.

Never Over by Clare Gilmore

I almost requested this one but then I knew I would not have time to get to it. So I had to grab it since it's out today!

Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay

This one just looks so cozy!

Julia Song is Undateable by Susan Lee

Another one I was going to request but didn't have time for. I hope it's a good one!

Pickle Perfect by Ilana Long

I know nothing of pickle ball but I love that someone made a romance about it. I definitely have had my eye on since seeing it on NetGalley. It just looks so cute!

While It Was Snowing by Julia London

I'm getting into my holiday book era and I'm looking forward to this one!

Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida

I have a paper copy of this one the publisher sent me but I didn't get to. Maybe some day! It looks fun.

What are you looking forward to reading?

ARC Review: And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens

 

She's found the perfect man . . . There's just one big twist.

Stuck in a Production Assistant job and living at home with her parents after a painful breakup, thirty-one-year-old Chloe Fairway isn’t where she wants to be in life. The last thing she needs is to face the people who once voted her "most likely to succeed" at her upcoming ten-year college reunion. And she definitely doesn’t want to see her former best friend, Sean Adler, who is now a hotshot film director living the life Chloe dreamed of. Desperate to make a splash—and to save face in front of the man who might be the one that got away—she turns to a mysterious dating service.

Enter Rob, her handsome, well-read, and charming match, the perfect plus-one to take to her reunion. The more she gets to know him, the more perfect he appears to be. Could it be that this dating service knows her better than she knows herself? And can she overlook the one big catch? As Chloe reconnects with old friends, she begins to question everything she thought she wanted. Maybe, just maybe, revisiting the past is exactly what she needs to move forward.

Title: And Then There Was You

Author: Sophie Cousens

Publisher: Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons

Expected Publication Date: November 18, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is my first book by this author. I have seen her books around and they always have good reviews so I wanted to give her a try. I really like the idea of exploring AI. Especially considering how it's invading everything in our lives. I also like the second chance vibe the blurb gave.

Chloe's life is not where she thought it would be. She feels a bit lost and like she should be farther along in her career. When her college reunion is looming, she's desperate to make herself look good. Enter Rob, the robot who can be whatever she needs him to be. She thinks he's the perfect way for her to show her classmates she's made something of herself. But she doesn't expect the connection with an old schoolmate to blossom.

I liked Chole enough, She's a bit self-depreciating. Her emotions clearly jump off the page. I could feel her anxiety over not having achieved the success she feels she should have. It's hard to come back to old friends and feel like you haven't made anything of yourself. I can understand her need to employ Rob. He gives her some purpose. He makes her feel special. He lifts her up and supports her. But he's not real. And you definitely feel that throughout the book. John, on the other hand, isn't perfect, but he's at least real. It's an interesting love triangle that's set in motion.

The pacing was ok for this book, not too fast, not too slow. The author imbues a lot of heart into this story. And she takes a risk with the AI plot line. There's a bit of an ethical aspect to it, diving into thoughts about how AI will change our society and what impact it may ultimately have.

There are lots of cute and funny moments infused into the story, as well. 

The chemistry between Chloe and John wasn't really where I would have liked it to be. I know there is a past but I feel like there needed to be more of a build, especially on Chloe's end. She goes from zero to sixty with how she feels about John and it just didn't ring as true to me as I would have liked. I also felt like I needed more about John, It felt like he was inserted into the story but I didn't actually know much about him besides how Sophie saw him.

Overall this was a fun read. I'd like to explore other stories from this author.

Author:

Sophie Cousens has worked in television for twelve years. She attributes surviving this long to always knowing where the Post-it notes are kept, and her ability to carry six coffee cups at once.

Fat Stack Friday October 24, 2025

 

Here's what I got this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

Unbound by Petyon Corinne

I am loving this series by this author. So much great mental health rep in these. Highly recommend!

Burn The Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley

This just sounded good and it was a read now (yes, this feature will kill me for sure). I'm excited to see how this story goes.

Kindle:

Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by B.K. Borison

When I say I tried and tried to get this book early, I am not kidding. I tried ALL methods, none worked. But I scooped it up on release day and I'm already done reading it. Another 5 star read from Borison for me. I don't think there's anything she could write that I won't love.

What did you get?

ARC Review: An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

 

From the “masterly” (The New York Times) Jodi McAlister, a charming new romance about two English professors who embark on a fake relationship…only to discover that it may be harder to pretend than they realized.

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since they first crossed paths as undergraduates in the literature department thirteen years ago. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Jonah needs the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her children, while Sadie needs the financial security and freedom of a full-time teaching position.

When Sadie notices that the job offers partner hire, however, she hatches a plot to get them both the job. All they must do is get legally married. It’s a simple win-win solution but when sparks begin to fly, it becomes clear that despite their education, these two may not have thought this whole thing through.

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Abby Jimenez, and Kayla Olson, An Academic Affair brings Jodi McAlister’s “smart, scorching, and emotionally resonant” (Freya Marske, author of A Restless Truth) writing to the forefront and demonstrates her talent as one of today’s best rom-com authors.

Title: An Academic Affair

Author: Jodi McAlister

Publisher: Atria

Expected Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love a books that compiles a bunch of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake marriage.  When I read the blurb after the widget was sent to me, I knew for sure I was going to love the story. And I did! It was fun and intriguing and a joy to watch things bloom between these two rivals.

I'm not very familiar with the British university system. I don't really know how things work there as I'm American. I can see a lot of similarities to the American system in how things operate academically. The author did a nice job setting up how things are structured for the most part. I did find myself a bit lost at times, but it didn't really take away from the story for me. I enjoyed how the author worked in the misogyny of the system and how unfair it can be as a woman in academia. Yes, the story was about position and what that means but it's also about the rapport between the two characters and how they've grown their friendship over the last 15 years. 

Jonah and Sadie truly lean into the rivals thing. I love their banter and how they bounce ideas off one another. I also loved the pining on Jonah's part, which gets more intense as the story progresses. I will say, I needed a bit more of the chemistry on Sadie's end. While I understand how she can realize she has feelings for Jonah, it wasn't as believable as I would have liked it to be. I need a bit more introspection from her character. A deeper dive into parsing out how the friendship she has held in a certain light throughout the years has actually been more than she thought it was. But overall, it was a slow, cozy burn to the end and their HEA.

Sadie's sister, Chess, made me super angry. Even once they reconciled, I was mad at her. She tried so hard to make things about Sadie but they weren't and this just made me so mad. I was glad to see Johan stand up for Sadie and for Sadie to ultimately stand up for herself. But I still saw Sadie giving in to some things I don't think she should have.

The ending was a bit abrupt for me. I needed more out of that last chapter. Or an epilogue? I felt like it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been. Overall I enjoyed the writing, my first time reading this author. I'm definitely going to look into her other books.

Author:

By day, Jodi McAlister writes romance novels. By other time of day, Dr Jodi McAlister studies them. She's written romantic comedies for adults, romantasy and contemporary romance for young adults, and several academic books.

For adults
If you're a reality TV lover, the Marry Me, Juliet series are the books for you. Even if you're not a reality TV lover, they might be the books for you - several reality TV haters have enjoyed them.

The trilogy all take place at the same time on the same season of a reality dating show called Marry Me, Juliet (which bears a very strong resemblance to The Bachelor). While they all stand alone and can be read in any order, they work best when read in order.

Start with Here For The Right Reasons (he's the series lead, she's the contestant he eliminates on the first night), move on to Can I Steal You For A Second? (she's a contestant, she's... also a contestant), and finish with the book the New York Times called a "full-on villain romance", Not Here To Make Friends (she's the villain, he's the producer who's pining for her).

For young adults
If you're a romantasy reader, you'll like the Valentine series, a young adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy series about smart girls, small towns, and scary fairies. There are three books: Valentine, Ironheart, and Misrule. If Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Holly Black sounds like something you’d be into, these are the books for you.

And if you're a theatre kid, Libby Lawrence Is Good At Pretending is the book for you. It's my love letter to theatre kids as someone who used to be one.

Academic books
No one really cares much about these on Goodreads, do they? More info on my website if you're interested.

About Jodi
Jodi is originally from Kiama, a seaside holiday town on the south coast of New South Wales, and has lived in a bunch of different cities: Canberra (where she did her undergrad degrees), Wollongong (where she lived while she did her PhD in Sydney), and Hobart (where she held her first academic job) among them. Currently, she lives in Melbourne, where she works as a Senior Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture at Deakin University.

When she’s not writing about romance, Jodi is an academic studying romance. Her research focuses on representations of love in popular culture and fiction. It means that reading romance novels and watching (and let’s be real, writing huge amounts about) The Bachelor/ette is technically work for her.

**Want to dip your toes into the Valentine universe? Try the free short story Galentine, set a year and a bit before the events of Valentine. http://jodimcalister.com.au/galentine/ **

**Want to read a bonus epilogue to Libby Lawrence Is Good At Pretending? Check it out here: https://jodimcalister.com.au/libby-la... ** 

ARC Review: He Knows When You're Awake (Naughty or Nice #2) by Alta Hensley

 

This deluxe paperback edition features special sprayed edges with digital artwork and glow-in-the-dark cover effects!

This Christmas, it’s all about getting what you really want in this dark billionaire stalker romance sequel to He Sees You When You’re Sleeping.

Stalking in a winter wonderland...

Jewelry designer Sloane dreams of launching her own custom line—but she needs a Christmas miracle to pull it off. With traditional banks turning her down left and right, she can’t resist when a mysterious stranger offers her a lifeline.

I see what she creates in those stolen moments when she thinks no one’s watching. I see everything. There's a darkness at her core and I will unravel her until I find it.

Reclusive billionaire Cole Asher offers to fly Sloane out to an ultra-luxurious Swiss resort for a meeting. Reluctantly, she agrees—only to realize she’s met him once before in a New York bar.

She is crucial to my plans, and I need her close. She insists that we keep things professional, and I comply. But soon she will realize that every line is blurred when it comes to her and me. 

Cole offers to back her company—but there’s a cost. To secure his investment, Sloane must move into his Manhattan penthouse, where she’ll complete her first round of designs for him to review before Christmas.

Sloane throws herself into her work, yet soon the attraction between her and Cole becomes undeniable. As the city sparkles with Christmas splendor from her penthouse view, Sloane wonders if she has stepped into a fairy tale—until Cole's powerful enemies close in. They will stop at nothing to destroy him, including going after the woman he loves. 

I will burn down the world to get her back...and it will be in time for Christmas. 

TROPES

Billionaire Romance

Stalker romance

Christmas romance

Morally grey MMC

Forced proximity

Opposites attract

Kink friendly

He Knows When You're Awake is a dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warnings at the beginning of the book.

Title: He Knows When You're Awake (Naughty or Nice #2)

Author: Alta Hensley

Publisher: HarperAudio Adult/Avon

Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Review:

Thank you HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book to listen to and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Who knew dark stalker romance would be my thing? When I read the first book in this series, I totally got Lights Out by Navessa Allen vibes. I wasn't sure if I would move on to the next book but I'm glad I did. 

I think I would have enjoyed this book more in print or with different narrators. This audio was dual narration/dual POV, which I appreciate. I like to hear different voices in a dark romance. Both these narrators are new to me and I always like to give new narrators a chance. They just did not do it for me. Jillian Macie's voice was ok, but it grated a little. And I didn't like how she did the male voices at all. She tried to make them deep and they just came out husky but didn't sound right. Rock Engle reminds me of another narrator I've listened to and didn't particularly love. I think this distracted me in a way. Though I liked his voice much better than the FMC's voice. Still, they were fairly good with keeping the pacing going. I needed a bit more emotion from both and I didn't get that.

There's something about morally grey characters that I just love. You want to dislike them but you just cannot. There is something about them that endears them to you and you need to know their stories. Often times, their background has made them how they are, and this justifies things in a way. But I didn't get that vibe from Cole Asher. Yes, he has some background stuff, but it's so surface and I really would have liked more to see why he is the way he is. I needed a bit more development on him from this angle. Sloan, on the other hand, isn't morally grey, but she does have background information that shows who she is. We get a glimpse of her family and what they are like, how she has been shaped into what she is. 

The idea of Cole being this stalker type guy was intriguing. Sloan doesn't seem to particularly mind it, which I found a little frustrating. When she finds out all the stuff he knows about her, she's not as angry as I thought she might be. I almost needed that third act break-up and him groveling, even though third act break ups tend to drive me bonkers because they are often about miscommunication. But that did not happen.

I also expected a bit more of the Christmas vibe in this story. It's there but it's not what I really would have wanted seeing as it's themed that way. All that is mentioned is the timeline. Yes, there are some references to decorating and gifts, but not much else. I would have at least liked some background from the characters as to how they spent their Christmases as a child, but we don't get much of that.

I liked this one better than the first but still didn't love it as much as I would have liked. I will say, given the chance to do audio again if there is a third book, I will pass. I see these narrators were also used in the first book and I just don't think I could stand to listen to them again.

Author:

Alta Hensley is a USA Today bestselling author of dark romance where the villain always gets the happily ever after.

Twisted, clever, and occasionally unhinged, her books deliver morally gray anti-heroes, sharp-tongued heroines, and happily ever afters that taste even sweeter after a little ruin. With a signature blend of grit, wit, and heat, Alta’s stories prove one thing: Villains deserve love too.

Alta lives on the foggy coast of Oregon with her husband, two daughters, and a pair of dogs who think they’re in charge. When she’s not writing redemption for the irredeemable, she’s walking the coastline or sipping craft beer in eccentric little bars that feel like they belong in her books.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltaHensleyA...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alta-Hensley/e...
Website: www.altahensley.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/altahensley
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alta-...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altahensley
Join her mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...