My Past, Your Future

Deerbourne Inn

By: Gabbi Grey

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Callum MacLaren, a professor from Scotland, visits Willow Springs, Vermont, during winter solstice to study and explore the rich history of St. Joseph's Cemetery. His encounter with a sexy soldier in a tattered Civil War uniform is a captivating puzzle, and the more he learns, the deeper his attraction.

A hundred and fifty years ago, Elijah Freeman was killed during the Second Battle of Fort Wagner and woke up in Willow Springs, the only home he'd known. Alone, he roams the town, unable to leave or interact with a single soul until an intriguing Scot addresses him. Even stranger, the man can see him, hear him, and touch him - a sizzling caress that leaves Elijah aching for more. But will Elijah return to his ghostly form when the magic of the solstice fades, or is Callum's love enough to keep him in the land of the living?

©2020 The Wild Rose Press (P)2021 Gabbi Grey

Sweet and magical

I have been wanting to read this author for a while but time for reading books has been short, so I was so excited to see an audiobook by Gabbi Grey become available. It didn't hurt that it was narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Michael Ferraiuolo. I would usually wait until the end of the review to talk about narration, but since I have already mentioned it, I am gonna go ahead and discuss it now. The narrator's Scottish accent for Callum was superb, downright dreamy, really. He out-narrated my expectations and only made me like him more.

On to the story. From the blurb, I kind of thought that the ghost of Elijah appeared around the same time as Callum came to the town of Willow Springs. It is not the case though as he has been haunting the town, especially the cemetery since shortly after his death 150 years before. He has watched people come and go and never been able to communicate or interact with the world around him. For a few reasons, Elijah has thought himself unworthy of heaven and doomed to just be. It is a very sad existence and I definitely felt bad for him. Callum is visiting the states from Scotland, researching the history of Willow Springs. Older (in terms of the age Elijah was when he died) and larger than Elijah, he comes to feel protective of the ghost.

Though calling Elijah a ghost becomes more difficult as the story goes on. From being seen for the very first time, to finding himself unable to walk through walls anymore, Elijah is becoming more corporeal. He can finally experience the touch and pleasure he hasn't since he was fell for a fellow soldier in the Civil War. Though the story takes place fully in the present day, there is a lot of discussion of the time Elijah came from. I can tell the author did a lot of research to make the story more real, and I definitely appreciate that.

There isn't a lot of explanation of why Elijah is becoming more solid, though the story takes place during the winter solstice. Is it the magic of the time? Did fate or God give Elijah the second chance in a world where he could find his second chance at love? I don't have any answers, but maybe there doesn't need to be. Bottom line, this is a sweet story of an interracial couple who found magic, love, and a happy ending.

Ghostly love

I found this an enjoyable book. It showed a different way for an author to approach the ghost angel. I thought the characters were really well thought out and worked will together. I really liked that it was set in an area of the US that doesn't get showcased a lot in writing. I would recommend this book if you enjoy ghosts and happily ever afters.