THE PASSENGER

Author: Joie Lesin ISBN: 0978536894 2/2007 PARANORMAL/HISTORICAL Publisher: VINTAGE ROMANCE PUBLISHING
Time Period: 1945

The musky scent of skin, a brush on the shoulder, a gust of bitter air--all forewarn Elizabeth a spirit will soon seek her help to pass from this world to the next. Yet a living man's wounded soul offers her the challenge of a lifetime. Set in the 1940's, The Passenger tells the story of Elizabeth Reilly who travels to the Clemente Vineyard to help the spirit of an old man find peace and loses her heart to the son he left behind.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE PASSENGER is one of those books that is read, enjoyed and then passed on. It's not a keeper but it's a good, solid read.

The 1940's is portrayed so vividly that the time and place become characters of their own. I could see the clothing, hear the music and feel the scratchy car upholstery. It is a ghost story, a story of love and loss that bridges the gap between the living and the dead. When Beth first meets Paolo, the ghost, it is a bit confusing, but I soon got used to having the dead man poking in on her thoughts.

THE PASSENGER is well told and I think that most will be intrigued by Beth's determination to fulfill her promise to Paolo. Doing so entails traveling across the country and meeting his family, including his son, Gio. Gio is bitter and does not easily accept what Beth has promised to tell him. But the facts, as well as a growing attraction between messenger and recipient, work to bring him to face the truth. The final pages have a bittersweet twist that wraps things up nicely.

As I said, THE PASSENGER is an enjoyable read.

Kay James