Blog Tour Review: Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall (Ghosts of Rowan Vale #1) by Sharon Booth

I received this book for free from Rachel's Random Resources in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall by Sharon Booth
Series: Ghosts of Rowan Vale #1
Published by Boldwood Books on March 28, 2025
Genres: Adult Cozy Mystery, Adult Paranormal, Adult Paranormal Romance
Pages: 362
Source: Rachel's Random Resources
Format: E-galley
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My Rating:

Blurb:

The first in a delightfully warm, cosy and romantic new series with a fantasy twist, for fans of the BBC series ‘Ghosts’.

Can Callie give some needy ghosts their happy-ever-afterlife, while making Rowan Vale her own forever home?

When cash-strapped single mum Callie visits the beautiful Cotswold village of Rowan Vale on a school trip with her daughter, she is enchanted. It’s run as a living museum, with a steam railway, vintage teashop, Elizabethan manor house and old water mill allowing tourists to see history in action.

But there’s more to Rowan Vale than meets the eye…

To Callie’s surprise, the owner of the village, elderly Sir Lawrence Davenport, requests a meeting with her. It appears Callie has been observed talking to several villagers she shouldn’t be able to see – as they’re ghosts.

Sir Lawrence then makes an astonishing offer: to sell Callie the whole estate for a tiny sum, if she agrees to protect the village’s present tenants and make sure the headstrong ghosts are represented too.

With a spectral lord of the manor and his imperious wife, a naughty 1940s schoolgirl and the man who once taught William Shakespeare among them, it seems Callie’s role as owner wouldn’t be easy.

And that’s without the added complication of Lawrie’s disinherited grandson, the gorgeous Brodie.

Rowan Vale and Callie may need each other. But is this a match made in heaven or hell?

Fans of the BBC’s Ghosts, or books by Lucy Jane Wood, Laurie Gilmore and Heidi Swain will love this heart-warming and magical novel.

Purchase Links – https://mybook.to/kindredspiritssocial

My Review

If you follow my blog, you know that I am a fan of the tv show Ghosts, both the BBC and the US versions. So that little bit in the blurb had me signing up to review this one right away! This is a cozy little story with a bit of romance and lots of fun ghosts to get to know, definitely reminding me in a way of that tv show.

Callie starts out thinking about how nice it would be if only she could have enough money to have a nice home for her and her daughter with a yard, or garden as they call it in England I believe. Then, when her being able to see ghosts turns into the opportunity to actually get these things, at first she doesn’t want to take it. You see growing up, her parents had shamed her about being able to see ghosts, they didn’t really believe her, and eventually she did so much to ignore the ghosts, that as far as she knew, she didn’t see them anymore. But coming on a field trip as a chaperone with her daughter to Harling Hall, a place set in the past, partly because of all the ghosts there, and her ability to ignore them is gone. You see this place has a tradition of whoever owns it is someone who can see the ghosts and talk to them, etc. Now these ghosts are from ALL time periods and of course did die around the location. There is an ancient Roman centurion, a soldiers from world war I, and people who lived during world war 2. Models from the 60s, and even a Hollywood starlet. All ages as well, elderly, teens, and children.

Soon she realizes that taking the estate for the measly price of 10 pounds, the contract has always been to sell the estate to the next owner for that little, well it is going to be in the best interest for both her and her daughter. Callie has other issues that make it hard for her to want to just take over this enormous new responsibility. Such as dyslexia, and just not having ever been a part of something like this. The current owner/residents, Sir Lawrence Davenport, or Lawrie, and his grandson Brodie, are great to have around, and she asks them to stay, but as it’s never been done that way, and Lawrie is very much a stickler, they say they can’t.

All of the different ghosts have their stories, some funny, some sad, some just very unique and with interesting historical connections. There’s a bit of an attraction between Callie and Brodie, but of course with Brodie being about to leave, both kind of agree there’s no use in starting anything. So this of course leads to longing and frustration as it comes down to the very moment when one of them must say something. There’s a bit of miscommunication with that, of course. The romance is limited to a few kisses and some tingly feelings when Callie thinks about Brodie and kissing him.

I definitely enjoyed the story, and am interested in seeing how this will become a series as it says this is the first one. Will we continue with Callie and Brodie and Immy, her daughter, and how the ghosts are around the property? I mean, like the tv show? Or will there be another romance? Maybe Mia? I’ll definitely be interested to see where it goes next!

About the Author

Sharon Booth writes feel-good stories set in quirky villages and market towns, including the ‘Tuppeny Bridge’ series. Sharon writes cosy romances with a magical twist for Boldwood. She lives with her husband in East Yorkshire, England.

Social Media Links –  

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