This novel requires some significant suspension of disbelief not because of the supernatural elements (though that aspect was a little confusing and under-baked), but because of the supposedly realistic elements. The world-building is so-so, and I just didn't buy most of these characters as fully developed people, as opposed to just dolls for the author to move around and pose as needed. (The only real exception is Ash, who --probably not coincidentally -- is the only character for whom we see a healthy family life at home, outside of the titular pub.)

In regards to the supernatural stuff, it just didn't really fly. The ghost's (or really, ghosts') motivations and powers are not consistent, so as characters in their own right the ghosts don't work. The main ghost's mortal backstory is also not adequately explored, relying instead on some late-stage armchair psychology and urban history handwaving. Other side characters are also deus ex machina, dropped in from on high as needed, like the hippie female friend of a female pub regular (otherwise, there aren't many women in this book) who just happens to be a... spirit expert... or something, and comes in to do a slapdash exorcism.

More on the relationships, which are of course central. There are THREE m/m couples the book ultimately ships. The relationship between (view spoiler)

For all the problems, the 6 main characters were in fact endearing. By the end of the book, I realized that I had gotten attached to them. So am I glad I read this book? Sure. But would I recommend it to others? Probably not.

One could argue that I'm being too harsh. One might ask, how much can be expected from a Less Than Three Press title, as LT3 primarily publishes romance, a genre not known for its literary merit (for all that LT3 strives to provide quality and substance)? Well, I expect my fluffy romance to be fluffy, not an arguable horror novel with a mentally handicapped MC. There are also some questionable consent issues, glossed over as supernatural influence, which bothered me. I'm normally down for "the spell made us do it" in m/m, but I didn't like how it was handled here.

I could go on, but I'll stop here.