[A big thank you to Brilliance Publishing for providing me with an ARC of the audiobook on NetGalley!]

This story handles a lot of unique ideas concerning the human experience and Ben Gould's strange case of non-death. I would personally classify this as Contemporary Speculative Fiction, rather than Sci-fi or Fantasy. The audio narration as amazingly done, and well-suited to all the strange events that the characters encounter!

Though I do prefer the new synopsis over the old one, I still think both the synopsis and title don't quite capture the essence of what this book is about. Ben Gould is ultimately the main character of the story, even if we don't really get his perspective in the beginning, and meanwhile 'the ghost' is a relatively minor character in the grand scheme of things. I can understand the argument that, perhaps, the ghost referred to by the title is actually Ben. But since Ben is never called a ghost in the book, it's not really a strong association.

However, I still found this story to be thought-provoking! It touches on many complicated themes and presents them in a way that's fresh and interesting, yet still undeniably recognisable.

I stumbled upon this story more out of curiosity than anything else, without really knowing what to expect. Jonathan Carroll’s writing has a very particular way of pulling us into worlds where the most unlikely things happen almost naturally. In the audiobook, the experience felt even more immersive — the narration really captured the strangeness and delicacy of the story.

The book touches on life, death, love, and the connections that somehow continue even when everything seems to have ended. It’s not a story with clear explanations or a tightly closed plot; it’s more like a journey through emotions, encounters, and moments that feel suspended in time. At times, I felt it was more about sensations than actual events.

I especially liked the way the characters are drawn — not as heroes or villains, but as people full of contradictions, desires, and fears. There were parts where I got a little lost, maybe because the story spreads out in many directions, but in the end, that also felt like part of the experience.

It’s not a book for those looking for clear answers. It’s for those who like to be left thinking about what they have read (or listened to) for a while afterwards. And, for me, it was well worth it.

People who are “supposed to” die but don’t seem to be the heart of this mind-bending novel. It’s also a story about relationships: with others and with ourselves. My favorite part was how the characters come face-to-face not only with earlier versions of themselves, but the “ugly” people we often see ourselves as being and the “beautiful” people we are when seen through the eyes of those who love us. There is also a ghost and a talking dog. Not my favorite of the three Carroll’s I’ve listened to, but still an entertaining albeit confusing romp. 3.4 rounded down.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the newly produced audiobook of #TheGhostinLove for review purposes. The book and audiobook are now available.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review

Unfortunately, this was another DNF for me. This time at 53%

What started as a charming and bizarre story steadily became equally more difficult to follow and less engaging, so I'm cutting it off there.

The audiobook narration is absolutely spectacular and did a lot to keep me going as long as I did. I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review

Unfortunately, this was another DNF for me. This time at 53%

What started as a charming and bizarre story steadily became equally more difficult to follow and less engaging, so I'm cutting it off there.

The audiobook narration is absolutely spectacular and did a lot to keep me going as long as I did.