Spanning the boundaries of time and existence, this novel traces the extraordinary journey of a soul—from the mysteries of the pre-life realm to the revelations of the afterlife. At its heart lies the earthly incarnation of this soul: Sally Goldwyn, a woman whose life is marked by profound challenges, quiet triumphs, and spiritual awakenings.
As Sally navigates the human experience, she becomes a vessel through which the soul encounters the full spectrum of emotion, temptation, and transformation. Her story is not just personal—it is universal. Through her, the novel explores the invisible spiritual battles we all face: between fear and faith, ego and essence, despair and hope.
Rooted in thousands of years of philosophical and metaphysical inquiry, this story draws from ancient wisdom and modern research on life before birth and life after death. With a blend of storytelling and spiritual reflection, it offers readers a moving and thought-provoking meditation on what it means to live, to die, and to transcend.
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“Spanning the boundaries of time and existence,”…is a very bold statement of completion. Something I believe most intelligent life is trying to do. Wow!
What drew me in right away was Sally’s emotional journey. Her grief, growth, and relationships felt honest and heartfelt, and I especially loved the chapters set during her childhood in Hollywood and her time in Hawaii with Bobby. Those sections felt the most grounded to me and really stayed with me. I also really enjoyed the sense of adventure throughout the book—scenes like Marcus and Earle’s fishing trips or Sally’s hikes in Hawaii had a vivid, cinematic quality.
Something I thought was really well done was the research and attention to setting. I learned a lot about Hawaii and Bermuda, and I appreciated how thoughtfully the natural landscapes and cultures were described. The epilogue also stood out to me—it felt well researched and gave a glimpse into different cultures around the world, which I found really interesting. It also gave me the chance to see how far Sally had come, which I enjoyed.
The spiritual concepts you explored—like reincarnation, memory, healing, and how spiritual influence shapes human life—were fascinating, and I really liked the moments where the human and spiritual worlds touched, like through dreams, memories, or even physical sensations. Those were some of my favorite scenes.
That said, I did sometimes struggle to stay connected to the celestial plotline. There were so many interesting ideas, but I found myself with a lot of unanswered questions: What exactly is the “spiritual war”? Who is fighting it, and why? Why is Sally (or Pauline) so important? And how do things like reincarnation or Heaven/Hell actually work in this world? I think I just wanted a little more explanation to really understand the stakes and how everything fits together.
I also felt like there was room to dive deeper into some of the characters—especially those in the celestial realm like Stephan, Stephanie, Paul, and Pauline (in her spiritual form). I wasn’t always sure what motivated them or what their relationships were like with one another. Characters like Xina, Ricardo, and Axle had intriguing roles, but I found myself wishing I could understand them more emotionally—what they feared, what they wanted, and why they were so invested.
On the human/magical side, a few characters really stood out to me at the beginning but didn’t come back later, which left me a little confused. I was especially curious about what happened to Giovani after Bermuda. And Gloria felt really important at first, so I was surprised when she disappeared for most of the middle. George is a character I wish we got to know better—he plays a big role in how the demons influence Sally’s life, and I think seeing him wrestle more with his choices would have added depth. It would’ve been interesting to see him act out of his own internal conflict, rather than just being manipulated. And the gnomes—I loved their quirkiness and early importance, so I missed them when they disappeared for so much of the story!
There were also a few places where I noticed some repetition—especially in the dialogue between the demons or with the gnomes. Sometimes conversations circled back to the same themes without adding much new, which slowed things down a bit.
But overall, I really appreciated the heart of the story. Sally’s emotional growth and resilience were beautiful to read about, and I found a lot of meaning in the spiritual questions the book raised. I think with a little more clarity in the worldbuilding and more development for the supporting characters, the celestial side of the story could become just as powerful as the human one.
Great insight on “the celestial side of the story vs. the human experiences.
I’ve now finished Journey to the House of Raphael and I want to thank you again for the opportunity to read it. It’s a rare and luminous story, profoundly spiritual, and filled with beauty, tenderness, and quiet strength. All things I need right now. It’s like you’ve written the book for me. I’ve been sitting quietly with its final chapters, allowing the messages and imagery to settle – and I truly feel changed by the experience.
From the opening pages to the global vision laid out in the epilogue, the novel carried me through waves of beauty, emotional depth, and philosophical complexity. The pacing felt deliberate and sacred, inviting reflection rather than rushing resolution, and without losing narrative momentum. Each chapter built thoughtfully toward the next. By the end, it became clear that this was never just a story, but a blueprint for transformation.
I found the metaphysical structure incredibly compelling : layered and original yet grounded in emotional realism. Sally’s arc, especially through her collapse and return as Pauline, was exquisitely handled. The feminine collaborations, the ancestral echoes, the philosophical tension between fame and soul truth all felt purposeful and profound.
There were moments that genuinely touched me : Sally’s move to Kauai made me reflect on how I’m still affected by my own relocation from North America to West Africa at age 12 ; her relationship with her father stirred memories of my own; and the way the story explores how easily we silence our truth when we’ve been taught it’s less valuable than someone else’s – that struck me deeply. I also found myself confronting how long-held limiting beliefs still shape so much of my life. Your book isn’t just for those who have lost someone or who wonder what lies beyond, it speaks powerfully to anyone who’s ever thought they’re fundamentally flawed. I truly believe this story has the potential to reach and comfort many people.
I’d also love to offer a few general reflections that might be helpful as you refine or prepare the book for wider release. At times, the density of spiritual concepts or metaphysical language may challenge some readers, particularly those newer to this kind of fiction. A few moments of narrative pause or grounding, whether through everyday imagery, emotional anchoring, or slight simplification, could help maintain engagement and widen the book’s accessibility without compromising its depth.
Additionally, some transitions between scenes or realms (especially in later chapters) might benefit from a touch more clarity or spacing, simply to give readers a chance to absorb the emotional shifts. That said, the ambition and richness of the work are remarkable, and I truly believe with just a little more smoothing, the book could resonate even more powerfully with a broader audience.
I’ve been gathering my notes for each chapter as I read and am organizing them to send them your way. I’d also love to put together a promotional one-sheet. If you have a particular tone, format, or audience in mind for that, I’d be happy to tailor it accordingly.
Thank you again for the opportunity to read this extraordinary work. I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the book and can easily see it primed for cinematic adaptation or high-concept serialized storytelling. It’s unlike anything I’ve read, and I feel genuinely honored to have walked alongside its journey.
I have been reading the book and loving it so far. I am going slowly since I’m studying at the same time, but really wanted to tell you how much I’m enjoying it.
First of all, I love the theme of the book, the story is full of details that transports you to the place and make you feel empathy for every character.
I really love how you describe all the situations that surround “Sally”, how can people around, actions and decisions influence in her growth, emotionally and spiritually talking.
I like the way the story talks about the soul as something that needs care and attention, teaching us to look our own reflections and be aware of our behavior and parenting.
I love how you show different perspectives in the story, a great way to understand others feelings and priorities.
So far, I feel very connected with the story, I’ve found very meaningful messages and lessons. Since I told you before, I am passionate about parenting and reading it in a story makes it more attractive and easier to learn, it carries beautiful and meaningful lessons and the way you write them teaches me to be more aware.
The way you write makes me look at my children’s growing phases and at my journey as a mom. It feels nice to be aware for myself and compassionate for others, especially my kids.
I still have much to read, but so far, I think it´s fascinating. You remind me the importance to be aware of how our inner voices can strongly influence us in every aspect, the importance of recognizing this internal voices to make more conscious and thoughtful decisions.
I love the way the story explores the parent´s different approaches with Sally and how deeply these interactions shape her self-esteem. To read how Sally´s parent’s words and actions are nurturing or limiting her makes me feel so much for her, I feel concerned about her, how his father is affecting what she truly is and wants, and who she will become, and on the other hand her mother trying to live every moment and nurture her soul, sometimes over protecting her. This contrast is a great way to teach every reader all this lessons and I definitely think that when you see a situation from the outside it is a lot easier to reflect and get the message, that is what I´m loving the most about this book, it is not a teaching book written by lessons and phases, it is a story where all this situations come up and you realize all the different approaches that exist for solving this situations, and you also realize the importance of making the right decision. And to make the right decision, you have to be aware of your inner voices, your own feelings and others feelings, and the impact you can make with each action, and never forget your true self.
I love how you express the contrast of both parents, George prioritizing his ambitions over his connections, he is desperate for validation and recognition. His intentions are to secure her daughters future and can´t see how he is damaging her essence, he even thinks he is acting out of love.
I love these two worlds that are guiding the soul, one (Gloria), helping it grow and find its own way, while the other (George) obstructing and complicating that path. I find this contrast very meaningful, it mirrors the challenges we face every day and how actions can nurture or limit our true essence and others essence. Even if Glorias intentions are protecting her daughter with so much love, she is also making mistakes, over protecting her and suffocating her some times.
I love how you talk and remind us every time of that essence, how it remains, even if we experience things or take bad decisions, our essence is deep there somewhere. I love how you talk about the energy fields, how our hearts seek for light and our minds obstruct that path, you remind us to find the balance and to know that the choice is ours, we just need to be aware of our thoughts and feelings.
I learned about how we all sometimes carry negative energies and bring them home allowing them to influence in our children.
Our kids need be accepted as they are, we need to protect their true spirits, and we need to understand that nurturing our own voids with their essence is only damaging theirs. This affects our bond with them and their self-esteem. This lesson is reminded through the whole story and also we learn to never forget about our own essence to teach our kids the importance of taking care of it no matter what.
I can reflect on my own fears when I see Gloria concerned about Sally, how she keeps her emotions contained. How she instead of giving emotional support she gives advice, I do that all the time.
I learn from George all the time as well, how his ambitions, worried about his status, thinking his success is what makes him valued, pushing him away from his real feelings and from his essence. He is not present with Sally at all and then Sally is searching for parental approval instead of her own desires.
Showing this different perspectives makes us understand why parenting with awareness is so important.
The importance of emotional connection to nurture the soul, the people that surrounds us like teachers, peers, how can all reinforce or not our positive aspects.
I love how you explain through the story the phases a child goes through and what impacts on their development, insecurities, self-worth, identity formation, social circles, we can reflect on this by looking at George restricting her self expression.
You teach us how each of this phases and transitions have different vulnerabilities and how to cope with them. Children work very hard to please their parents, that makes me so sad.
I love the advice from friends to Gloria, saying to prepare kids not to terrify them, to teach them what’s appropriate and when to say no, the way friends support Gloria, you teach through the book not only the importance of connections and empathy but also of other perspectives and valuable advice.
I can keep on going and going, I am really appreciating this book in every page.
Its been a very meaningful read, It’s made me reflect on myself, in the way I parent, in how I react, how I carry my own issues. There are many valuable lessons and reminders that I´m keeping and sure will never forget. It has helped me see how, as parents, we can make mistakes without noticing because we are not aware.
The way you write the book makes it easy to reflect not just on our children’s growth, but also on our own journey as parents. It encourages a lot of self awareness and compassion.
I also love how the book reminds us of our essence that it’s still there, even when we go through hard things or make mistakes. I love how you write about the importance of emotional energy, and how our minds sometimes get in the way. It made me realize how sometimes we bring negative energy home and how that can affect our kids and marriage without us even noticing.
We have to stay true to our selves. The book is full of meaningful reflections about parenting, childhood, identity and emotional growth. I’m learning so much just by reading it, and I’m being moved by it in every page.
Thank you Shawn for sharing this incredible book, sorry I´m taking so long, and for my terrible writing, it’s not my thing, I´m sure this book is gonna be a success, I can’t wait to finish it. I truly love how you teach every lesson in such an easy way and the way you write just makes it more fascinating . You are a great writer.
Thanks again !!
Samantha, what a beautiful review. I think you at least wrote a chapter.☺️ My favorite part of this novel was the “yoga namaste”. In ‘Journey to the House of Raphael’ I feel so much connection for spiritual growth. I had to quiet my mind/(ego) and listen to the truth coming from a different direction of my path…a spiritual wind was blowing all throughout the novel, and my soul resonated with several happenings in the book. It’s hard for any writer to reach my soul because I believe I am an old soul (much experience in both worlds). But after reading this blessed novel, I found a healing necessary in my life concerning forgiveness and apologies.
I know you understand.
LDKSidhu🧕
Linda, I totally agree with you, you can feel the spiritual growth through out the book, I am getting better at listening to my inner voices and being aware of my actions and words with myself and my children and all the people around me, reading this book is definitely healing.
Can´t wait to finish it.
Due to limited time resources I expected to take much longer to dive into the story and to finish it, but the first chapter “Heavenly Gardens” drew me right in with their first sentences and I finished in no time.
I could feel the grace and lightness of the described place so much that -after reading- I floated through the rest of my day, enchanted by this clear picture of what the afterlife /before life can look like. The three gnomes add a humorous, sympathetic and earthly note and I realized how much I would love to continue reading not just because of them (though they cover a significant part) but to get to know how Pauline’s / Sarah’s life will unfold. Loved how it opened up my consciousness to a bigger picture.