It's difficult these days in the glut of genre fiction now available due to e-presses to find an author worth following. To say an author isn't is generally a statement of preference and taste. For perspective, I hated Harry Potter and despite being a sci fi/fantasy fan don't like Dr. Who.

Because this about opinion and fact, it is tricky to not damn with faint praise; I rarely review books I don't award 4 stars or more. This book is in that category. I wanted more.

For the most part this is a stock review. It's basically about rating and not a review.

This novel is loosely based off The Christmas Carol. I happened to like Christmas Carol so I thought I'd give this book a try. This book is about adoption, alcoholism, music, fame, accident, and etc.

The book will alternate between the times. Will Libby let her ghosts of past drag her under or save her? With all of her poor decisions she's made in the past, will she ever be able to save herself?

It is an inspirational novel.

This is a quick and enjoyable read but also haunting because it can be relatable to many of us in this world.

I'd give a 3 3/4 stars



I received this ARC from Pelican Book Group through Net Galley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Thank you!

Ghost of Christmas Past is a very good inspirational romance. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Libby had given her newborn son up for adoption right from the hospital. She felt he would have a better life and she wanted to pursue her music career. Libby hadn’t been home in a long time. Libby went right to the bar to drink after her set was done. Libby had been on the road for eleven years now. Only thing she had to show for it was a battered portfolio with half written songs . Libby had also lost her faith she had as a child. There had been a time when on Saturday nights Libby had sung to a room full of listeners of all ages. Now as she sat at the bar a guy came up to her and complimented her on her voice. But than Jake- the guitarist - came up next to Libby and said it was band business so Libby didn’t have to deal with the guy at the bar. Jake still went to church on Sunday and invited Libby to go but she again declined. Jake also tried to get Libby to drink less but she never listened. When Libby was younger there was a rumor there was a rumor of Libby becoming a successful singer in Nashville. As the years went by the chance of that kept getting less possible. Her band mates had been as eager for success as Libby. Curled up in the back room of the bus Libby cradled an half empty bottle of booze. Libby also had pills to help numb the pain of decisions that Libby had made that even now felt like another person had acted on her behalf. One night a talent scout approached Libby about her career and going to Nashville . But the band wasn’t part of the deal. Libby decided she would just sneak away and not say anything to the band members. She also decided to get a gift- a harmonica- and take it to her son Nathaniel. The adoption had been open so Libby had his adopted parents name and where they lived in Mississippi. It was Christmas time and Libby rented a car and headed to Mississippi. Libby seen her son across the street with his dad and brother than they went in the house and she seen his mother. She left the harmonica on the porch and headed for a bar . She knew when she went to leave the bar she should not be driving and did end up in a ditch. When she wakes up she is in the hospital alone. She wakes up a second time and Jake is there.
I had mixed feelings on this. I felt Libby was selfish and self centered. I just didn’t really connect with her for a lot of the book. She also couldn’t live with her bad decisions and not seeming to be able to catch the fame she craved. Than her band stuck with her but the minute she gets a chance at fame she doesn’t even tell them just slips away. I did really like Jake though. I loved how he stood by Libby and I really loved the ending. I loved the country singers ghosts taking Libby on the journey and how Libby grew and changed. She could have been closer to her son with the open adoption. I liked the plot but this did drag for me at times. I liked the characters for the most part and the ins and outs of this book. A as I said I had mixed feelings.

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Laura Briggs is a loosely based on “A Christmas Carol”. In this version Libby has it in her head that if she just becomes a famous singer she can undo all the mistakes she has made in the past. The prologue begins with her giving up her son for adoption knowing she cannot care for him properly. Chapter 1 then begins eleven years later. She is still touring with her band and has not made it to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. She tries to cover her pain with booze and pills and continues to perform in bars and low-end venues. What, if anything, will be able to save her from herself? Will the ghosts of her past save her or drag her under? Will she ever reach the fame she desires and find happiness at the end of the rainbow?
I liked this book and read it quickly. At times I found the back and forth with the past a bit confusing but overall it works well within the story line. The characters are realistic and believable. Their reactions to situations is what I would expect of the average person. I give this book 4 of 5 stars as I believe it moves a bit slowly at times. The ending is not too surprising but wraps up all the loose ends very nicely.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.