I'd like to thank Gallery Books for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. If I'd been asked to read and rate this book five years ago, I probably would have turned down the offer, but after I lost my sister (a big believer in mediumship) in 2015, my skeptical view of psychic mediums was completely upended. Ann Marie would encourage me to watch "Long Island Medium," and I would scoff or roll my eyes. She would excitedly point out phenomena that she believed were messages from beyond the grave and I would humor her, but I thought she was kind of manic, always reading way too much into small coincidences. When Ann Marie lay dying and told us she would be sending us signs after she passed, I was still dubious. But the sheer volume and wide variety of signs and messages I received (and still do receive!) from her after her death convinced me, without a doubt, that our deceased loved ones are always nearby, eager to communicate with us if we are open to their presence.
So I opened this book not needing to be convinced that mediums exist. I had never heard of Matt Fraser, though, and I was curious to find out more about him. Is he the "real deal" and, if so, how does he make use of his gift? What I found was a delightful young voice filled with warmth, positivity and hope. It is clear that this man has the gift of connecting with departed souls, and he uses it for the greater good by passing on messages of encouragement and healing to those who need it. Although he never mentions Theresa Caputo in his book, Matt Fraser's background story seems similar to hers--he began connecting with spirits as a young child and was at first frightened by what that entailed. It turns out that he may have inherited his abilities from his Grandmother Mary and his own mother, both of whom had mediumship abilities. (As a devoted grammarian, I'm not sure if "mediumship" is even a word, but here I am using it as both an adjective and a noun. It's a fun term, so why not?!) Matt speaks so fondly of his departed grandmother, who had to put great effort into hiding her gift from his cynical grandfather. His mother did quite a bit of suppressing in front of her husband as well, but it seems the husbands eventually got on board and, in time, everyone rallied around Matt sharing his gift to benefit others.
Skeptics always wonder if people who claim to be mediums are in it for personal gain and glory. Matt's story indicates that he originally resisted his mediumship and never intended to pursue it as a career. He was always drawn toward healing others and studied to be an EMT. He genuinely loved his job in the medical field and was torn about leaving it, but he ultimately decided that he could do more good for others by helping them heal from loss. It all seems very sincere. He has learned a great deal about both living and dying, and he wants to pass on that wisdom so others may embrace joy and live their lives to the fullest. At the end of each chapter, he includes a "Tools for Life" section and a suggested video. I watched several of these videos and just fell in love with this guy's compassionate heart. One video shows him reading two very cynical news anchors who are completely blown away and transformed by the experience. You can tell that it brings Matt great joy to be able to serve people in this way. I believe he is the "real deal."
The book could use a bit of editing, but it should be an engaging read for anyone who is open to the power of spirit!