this was a strong opening chapter to the Immortals of East Greenwich series, it had that paranormal romance elements that I was hoping for and enjoyed from this type of book. It was a unique concept and worked with the world that was going on. The characters had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. Sharon Booth wrote this well and left me wanting more.

3 stars – Cozy concept, I LOVE GHOSTS, charming setting, but not quite enough magic or spook to keep me interested!

The premise hooked me right away: a living museum village, quirky ghosts, and secrets to uncover. Love it. I'm really into the "horor concept done cute" recently and a haunted village gets right to that. And this book delivers warmth and low stakes without a problem.

Unfortunately, I had trouble getting into this one from the start. About a third of the way in, I still felt like we were barely past the premise explained by the blurb. The ghosts were all fun characters but Callie, our lead, seemed flat.

Maybe I was already biased at the point (I'm kind of an impatient reader, but the rest didn't pick up enough to make up for it for me. The emotional and fantastical beats didn’t always hit with the depth I was hoping for. I think I mostly wanted more complexity or depth throughout.

Still, there’s undeniable heart here and it delivers on its overall premise. If you like a leisurely read and low stakes, this is a light and low-conflict read that feels good throughout. It didn't land right for me but I think it's a sweet book and worth a read if you're curious!

Callie accompanies her daughter and other school children on a trip to Rowan Vale, and falls in love with the Cotswold village. She also sees strangely dressed people, and is seen speaking with villagers that she should not be able to see at all, and who turn out to be ghosts.

The owner of the village, Sir Lawrence Davenport, in consultation with the ghosts and his grandson, make Callie a strange offer: he'll sell the entire village to her for a miniscule amount, as long as she agrees to move there and protect its ghosts.

Callie and her daughter accept the offer, and pretty soon Callie is up to her eyeballs in strong personalities and traditions the ghosts and the living are reluctant to change or break, even if it would mean their lives could be improved. Callie eventually wins everyone over, and even finds romance with Brodie, Davenport's grandson.

The story is cozy, romantic, and sweet. It's soothing because ultimately people see the errors of their ways, or agree to work together, or put aside conflicts, and things are solved and people are happy. Callie becomes more confident over the course of the story (she's suffering from a lack of self esteem at the book's outset), the setting seems idyllic, and the story explores found family (one of my favourite tropes) over the course of the novel.

3.5 stars.

This is the first in a series, and I'll probably be checking out book two.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Loved the fantasy side…. Or is it?

I loved everything about this book from the start, it’s so totally up my street.
The writing style of the author Sharon Booth is so easy to fall into step with, and become absorbed into the narrative.
There is an array of various characters to meet, all different, and in era’s too, can’t wait to meet more of them in future books.
I found this a “feel good” book, it worked its charm on me. I loved the fantasy side of it all, fate, chance, old traditions, this book could be a film.
The book is funny, certainly thought provoking from a different angle. It had me trying to guess the characters stories, and that was fun.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

I absolutely loved this book, if you loved the tv show "ghost" you will love this book. I love the evolution of the relation between the ghosts and Callie and her acceptation of her power.
It's a really great book, perfect for spooky season.

In this unique and entertaining novel, readers follow single mom Callie and her daughter as they arrive in the charming Cotswold village of Rowan Vale, a perfectly normal town -- except she can see the town’s many ghosts. Upon learning this fact, Sir Lawrence Davenport, the owner of the village, offers to sell Callie the massive Harling Hall estate if she agrees to protect the living and dead tenants. With some ghostly residents and the (living) disinherited grandson Brodie causing trouble upon learning about the transfer of ownership, Callie’s road to happiness in Rowan Vale is by no means guaranteed, and it will take all her strength and courage to make this new life work. Fun, unique, and entertaining, this novel’s brilliantly unique plot and its lively and entertaining cast of characters will draw readers into this brilliant new series. Callie’s relationships with her daughter, Brodie, Sir Lawrence, and the ghosts are particularly charming and really bring the book to life. The many conflicts and characters, coupled with the details in the setting and background characters, help readers immerse themselves into the story and Rowan Vale, and readers looking for a cozy, charming romantasy novel (and series) will absolutely love this book.

Review Dorothy Parker style:
I found myself on the blog tour for the second book in this series, and it occurred to me (with the slow horror of realizing one has left the iron on while vacationing in Vienna) that I had, in my infinite negligence, failed to review the first. Naturally, I decided to atone the way any self-respecting book reviewer does: by smudging my lipstick, sighing deeply, and writing one review for both. Efficiency, darling—it’s next to godliness.

Sharon Booth, bless her storytelling heart, has written other series that were perfectly charming, but this one? This one pirouetted past them all and gave me that rare and bewildering feeling one might call... enjoyment.

In The Kindred Spirits of Harling Hall, we’re introduced to a heroine who talks to ghosts with the ease most people reserve for houseplants. Callie, the new gal in town, has the dubious honor of being qualified to protect said town solely on the basis of her spiritual party line to the afterlife. The village? Quaint. The ghosts? Chatty. The magic system? Delightfully structured, like a very polite séance with rules.

It's a tale of finding oneself—or several versions of oneself, depending on how many spectral former selves are floating about—and attempting to fit into a village filled with living people and dead ones who still think they run the neighborhood watch.

Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop begins with a 1940s-themed weekend (because nothing says community bonding like ration cards and tea dances) and introduces Shona, who runs a charming teashop with the unsolicited assistance of her ghostly Aunt Polly. Enter Max, who turns up looking for family, stirs some long-buried secrets (as one does), and provides ample opportunity for brooding, revelations, and perhaps—if the lighting is right—romance.

The entire series is a warm cashmere throw in book form. Rowan Vale is the sort of place one escapes to when reality feels rather too much like a Monday with a migraine. It made me smile, occasionally sigh, and absolutely forget to water my ficus. I consider that a strong endorsement.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the digital copies, though any opinions—witty or otherwise—are entirely mine.

My original review:
I'm on the blog tour for the second instalment in this series, but I noticed I hadn't written a review for the first book (my bad), so I decided to write a combined review of both.
First things first: I've read other series by Sharon Booth, and this is my favourite so far.
There's a lovely setting, humour, emotion, and well-done, intriguing world-building. I loved how the magic system works and how the relationship with ghosts shapes the story.
I appreciated how the characters’ journeys, the paranormal elements, and the relationships were all well balanced.
The Kindred Spirits of Harling Hall is a lovely and well-plotted cosy fantasy that introduces the reader to this quaint village. Callie is the new girl in town, but she's also the one who meets the requirements to protect and own the village: she can communicate with ghosts—all of them.
This is a story about discovering new sides of oneself, trying to be accepted in a small community by both the living and the dead, and falling in love—even if your romantic interest might be an enemy.
Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop begins with Callie proposing a 1940s-themed weekend event for the village. Shona, the owner of the teashop, runs it with the help of the ghost of her Aunt Polly.
Max, a visitor searching for his uncle, uncovers old secrets, brings Polly’s past into the spotlight, and maybe sparks some new love stories.
It’s another cute and heartwarming book. I loved catching up with the characters and seeing how they’ve evolved. The world-building expands beautifully, with more detail and depth.
Rowan Vale is a lovely series—an excellent cosy fantasy that helps me relax, smile, and feel good.
Strongly recommended if you're looking to have fun and escape from the bleakness of reality.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the digital copies. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this beautiful cozy arc, this was right up my alley and what I needed. You just turn page by page and enjoy the ghost vibes similar to a popular tv series. One i'll definitely recommend to others and will also check out the author's other works.

This is a tough one to review- it's definitely a sweet, cozy read, which I love. I don't have any major negative feedback, but nothing wowed me or blew me away either.... it was good.

I loved this, felt quite different to other books that I have read, really fun ideas, I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

This was a fantastic book, very cozy just like I like them. I will definitely check out more from this author!

Ghost stories aren’t normally my thing, but I thought this sounded fun so decided to jump in. And I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed this coat romance with ghosts.

Callie accompanies her daughter on a school trip to Rowan Vale, a living village in the Cotswold. The village is beautiful and unbeknownst to most of the visitors, full of ghosts from different eras.

Sir Lawrence Davenport, owner of the village, is ready to retire and pass Rowan Vale and it’s spooky residents on to the next generation. The new owner has to be able to see the ghosts which rules out Davenport’s gorgeous grandson Brodie.

Callie agrees to take on the task of running Rowan Vale and moves into Harling Hall with her daughter Immy. But once she moves in it is clear that she has no idea exactly what she has got herself into.

As well as the estate and villagers, she has to get to know the ghostly residents – some of whom are not very impressed by her. There’s also the matter of the spark between her and Brodie.

This is such a fun and warm-hearted read. The ghost have their own tales to tell. The children are particularly poignant reminders of the tragedies of war and loss of young lives. I loved that even the ghosts could find families and a measure of contentment.

This is a really fun start to a promising series. And despite not being my normal genre, I will definitely be looking out for future books as there are a lot more stories to tell in Rowan Vale.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for my gifted digital copy of Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall, and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this spooky blog tour.

Kindred Spirits At Harling Hall by Sharon Booth is a most delightful contemporary fantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the first book in the Ghosts Of Rowan Vale series which promises to be fabulous.
The whole novel is highly entertaining with alight-hearted tone. It warms the reader’s heart as we enter the make-believe world of Rowan Vale.
There is a unique plotline where ghosts of past times interact with the few who can see them in the village. There are the usual spats and disagreements, as well as a lot of love and care.
We witness how events have been misconceived. Characters need to know the truth. Sometimes it has been with-held in order to protect, but the reality was that it has harmed those involved.
We witness the importance of love. When we have love, we will bloom. Some have shied away from love for fear of getting hurt – but it is always worth facing one’s fear and taking a chance on love.
Education is important. We are never too old to learn something new.
We see how a character has been ridiculed and squashed by her father. She believed she was ‘no good’ and ‘stupid’, when the reality was very different.
There are some delightful interactions between characters. I loved the two small girls who bonded.
Kindred Spirits At Harling Hall was a very charming and enchanting read that I loved.
I received a free copy. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

I really liked this book! This book was right up my street from the start as I tend to love anything with ghosts, small towns/villages and romance.

Initially, I struggled a little bit to get into the story and it took some time for me to get to the middle of the book, but as soon as I got there I devoured the last half!

The characters made the story, and overall this book gave me cozy, charming and heartwarming vibes. I very much look forward to the rest of the series!

This was a fun and cozy read that’s reminiscent of BBC’s show “Ghost”. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, characters, and setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this book. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

What a wonderfully enchanting cosy tale. I was captivated from the start by the mix of characters and the antics that they got up to. Very reminiscent of of the BBC Ghosts series, this was an easy read and perfect for when you just want to escape.

I truly wanted to like this story. However, it was overall predictable and the writing was okay. Just dialog between characters was forced and fluffy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Sharon Booth's Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall offers a delightfully cozy and unique start to a new series, blending charming romance with a fun fantasy twist! The premise immediately caught my attention: a single mom who can see ghosts inherits a historic village. What's not to love?

Callie, our single mom heroine, visits the picturesque Cotswold village of Rowan Vale and discovers she can communicate with its spectral residents. This leads to an astonishing offer from the village's elderly owner, Sir Lawrence Davenport: she can purchase the entire estate for a song, provided she protects both the living and the highly opinionated dead. Among the spirited residents are a spectral lord, an imperious lady, a mischievous 1940s schoolgirl, and even William Shakespeare's former tutor, all adding layers of humor and personality to the setting.

The cast of characters, both living and departed, is wonderfully quirky and distinctive. While it took me a little while to warm up to Callie, her daughter, Immi, is an absolute delight and quickly became a favorite. The ghosts themselves are incredibly engaging, each with their own unique quirks and backstories that make them almost more interesting than some of the living villagers!

The budding romance with Brodie, Sir Lawrence's disinherited grandson, is a sweet addition to the story. He's the handsome, brooding type with a hidden soft heart, and their connection adds a lovely layer to the narrative. While the romance isn't the sole focus, its slow development felt appropriate for a series opener, allowing the intriguing world and its inhabitants to take center stage.

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall has an interesting premise, even more interesting ghosts, and a beautiful village setting. It gently explores themes of self-esteem, found family, and the importance of forging new friendships. It's a charming read that leaves you curious to see what adventures, both earthly and otherworldly, the next book will bring!

Tropes to expect:

~ Single Mom Romance
~ Ghosts & Magic
~ Small Town Charm
~ Found Family
~ Enemies-to-Lovers (subtle)
~ Mystery/Intrigue

DNF @ 70%

Definitely for fans of BBC’s Ghosts. I think this book just got off to a really slow start and was difficult to get into.

The plot is so cool in theory, but it took way too long to build up any of the relationships. Despite there being several characters, dead and live, many of the characters were static and frustrating.

I think this could be done well with a tweaked focus.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the relationships the characters had with each other. I loved the ghost characters. I loved how it had the same vibes as the tv show ghosts!