. . . The Passenger: a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found . . .
About the Book: Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of her empathic gift and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of a lonely old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home.
Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who, he believes, abandoned him as a child. To help Paolo, the father, pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction. Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her?
Our Review: From the first page this brilliantly written historical ghost story, we were entranced. The author’s skill at describing setting—from the foxholes of wartime Europe to the trolleys of Boston, then on to California’s vast wine country, the reader is absorbed. The desperately lonely and critically ill Paolo is heartbreaking. His only goal is to seek forgiveness from his wife and son. The still grieving Elizabeth is unable to refuse his plea for help. Then to meet taciturn Gio who, though he does not recognize it, is desperate for a love of his own, like the one his madre claims she had with his padre. Who doesn’t want that? The secondary plot line of enduring love of the generations is a real heart breaker. Do not pass on The Passenger. It’s a beauty.
