Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: My Past, Your Future
SERIES: Deerbourne Inn
AUTHOR: Gabbi Grey
NARRATOR: Michael Ferraiuolo
PUBLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 4 hours and 4 minutes
RELEASE DATE: April 26, 2021
BLURB:
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?
REVIEW:
Callum is visiting the cemetery at the historic church in Willow Springs, Vermont when he encounters what appears to be a man guarding the Civil War section. It’s December and just before the Winter Solstice, so it’s cold and snowy. He notes that this man does not appear to have on appropriate winter clothing and that indeed it appears that he is wearing some sort of a uniform. Upon pondering further, he thinks is might be a Union uniform? Like a Civil War uniform? Did re-enactors hang out in the cemeteries in winter? However, when he enquires, he’s informed that no, there is no watchman.
Elijah Freeman has been guarding his gravemarker since 1863, when he was killed at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner. He lost his beloved, Cornelius that day and then lost his own life 🙁 And Callum is the first person who has seen him and tried to communicate after more than 150 years. He’s surprised and has no idea what this means.
But when Callum returns, he finds that the man is there again. And surprisingly Elijah can talk to Callum and even more surprisingly, he can touch Callum and actually feel him. Callum is shocked when he finds out that Elijah is actually a ghost who has been haunting the cemetery since December 21, 1963. When the priest from the local church finds Callum, he’s concerned that Callum is sitting out in the cold seemingly talking to himself 😉 But Callum doesn’t share his discovery of Elijah.
As the weather worsens, Elijah invites Callum back to the cabin in the woods where he’s been staying – a cabin that until a couple of years before had been inhabited by a lone trapper and hunter. Callum agrees and after they reach the cabin, the weather worsens and so Elijah convinces him to stay the night. And they find that they have a lot more in common than originally thought 😉 They give into their mutual attraction, but Elijah continues to notices changes – like he’s hungry, he’s cold and he has to use the privy for the first time in over 150 years. What is happening? Callum knows what he’d like to have happen, but Elijah refuses to go along with Callum when he tries to offer a potential future. He’s not been around anyone or talked to anyone for a century and a half, and he’s not sure that he can move on.
Well this was completely unexpected! I really enjoyed this little ghost story 🙂 I am a huge Civil War buff – my great-great grandfather was on Sherman’s March and I have his GAR memorial pins. Elijah’s experience was part of the Massachusetts 54th – the regiment depicted in the Academy Award winning film, Glory. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it for so many reasons. Elijah’s description of the life of a black civil war soldier was so interesting – and he covered some of the most contentious things that happened to these brave and dedicated men. Callum is interested in history, but he’s fascinated by Elijah and he wants to spend more time with him. Elijah’s fear of moving in the modern world is completely warranted and I loved the way the author built a little bit of suspense around how indeed Callum and Elijah could figure out a path forward. I don’t want to spoil the story, but suffice to say that by Christmas, I was really happy with the way things turned out 😀 I didn’t care that we don’t have an “explanation” for how Elijah’s world has changed. I was just glad to see him get a second chance. As usual, Michael Ferriauolo, one of my absolute favorite narrators, does a marvelous job here particularly with his lovely Scottish accent for the character of Callum 🙂 The rest of the characters expressed the personalities of the characters well – especially Elijah’s deeply resonant and almost sootyhing tone. Recommended for fans of ghost stories, second chances and happy endings.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
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