For anyone who has ever felt the sting of loss or dared to dream of a love that could last beyond a lifetime, The Reincarnation of Marie is a journey through time that is sure to resonate. Facing enlistment in the Algerian War in 1950s Paris, French Army officer Yann Roussel had a heart heavy for the future. Seeking solace, he found The Journal of Marie Bashkirtseff, the diary of a late French-Russian artist who’d lived in Paris in the late 1800s. The first woman's diary to ever be posthumously published (to bestselling success), its sensual details of a bohemian life cut short fascinated Roussel. But soon, fascination gave way to near madness when he found himself in love with the spirit of a dead woman. The Reincarnation of Marie , an epistolary, historical romance by Jim Woodman, tells the story of how Roussel’s obsession led to a doomed love affair with Marya, a haunted young art student with uncanny similarities to Bashkirtseff. Convinced he'd discovered Bashkirtseff’s spirit reincarnated, Roussel found the impossible love he'd been looking for—just on the eve of his leaving for war. Loosely based on a true story (and hints that author was the one fell in love with Marie), The Reincarnation of Marie is a rich narrative blurring historical reality with supernatural love. In the end, readers are left with one question: can love truly conquer all—even death? 2024 Global Book Awards Winner - Silver "A tale of impossible love that unfolds over centuries, The Reincarnation of Marie: A Love Reborn in Paris from the Pages of History by Jim Woodman is a fantastically original mix of historical and supernatural romance. Set in 1950s Paris, Yann - a lonely history student - finds an astonishing diary in a Parisian market written by a young artist who lived and died in the 1800s. His obsession with the diary leads to him falling deeply in love with Marya, a young art student, who he believes to be the reincarnation of the diary's subject, but how can one be in love with a mere phantom? Charged with eroticism and passion, this is a tender, complex, and at times disquieting novel about love and infatuation, set against a charmingly drawn backdrop of historical Paris, made all the more evocative by the story being partly based on the author's own life." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★½ Loved it! - Reviewed by Ailyn Koay at Reedsy Will you dare fall in love with me? - from the Journal of Marie Bashkirseff Synopsis "The Reincarnation of Marie" invites readers on a journey that challenges the very notion of love and its ability to transcend death.This historical romantic fiction explores a young army officer's fascination with the diary of Marie Bashkirtseff. Her spirit transcends death, weaving a timeless love story through the streets of Paris and culminating in a profound connection with Marya, a living embodiment of Marie's soul. This tale unfolds against a backdrop of war, art, and the eternal dance of love beyond time. In a world where time is fluid, and love is eternal, this story offers a beacon of light to the power of soulmates. In a world where time is fluid, and love is eternal, this story offers a beacon of light to the power of soulmates. The Reincarnation of Marie is a story within a story. The story starts with the Author's Note, a guise that will catch you unaware should you decide to skip it. You will double back, as I do, because the author, Jim Woodman, is telling is what his friend is telling him. With war looming, it is a moment between two friends sharing happiness and hope with a drink. A brief introduction later, we meet his friend, Yann Roussel from Dijon. Yann wants to meet up before leaving for the war in Cornavin, and the author accepts. The story then begins in Yann's point of view and in the first person narrative. It is easy to follow the story as it focuses on Yann's recounts of his brief but passionate romance. It begins with The Journal of Marie Bashkirtseff that Yann found in Paris during his studies. The book's a journal written by Marya Konstantinova Bashkirtsevan, and it begun in 1873. 11 years' worth of living of a young woman who long passed. Almost a hundred years later, Yann finds in and falls in love with her. Yann describes his obsession with her before moving on to the main crux of the story: he has found her! It is as if god has mercy and made his dream come true. Yann grasps each moment with urgency, because time is fleeting. His courtship with a young girl named Marya Courventin begins while he struggles with his strong obsession with Marie Bashkirtseff. Is it really paranormal romance, or is it fate? Either way, the words are poetic and strikes resonance in any reader's heart. There are no grand gestures of love and hate. War is a looming threat, a reason to seize the day. The Reincarnation of Marie can steal your breath and make you wish someone loves you like Yann does his Marie. He does not blow up a building or make grand promises, he sim