The combination of a book that takes place in Wisconsin written by one of my favorites, @aereichert , and I was in!! From the first page of this book, I was hooked. It is the story of Sabrina, jobless and single, who moves home to The Wisconsin Dells for the summer to work on one of those touristy duck boats. The twist is that Sabrina shares a family secret - she sees ghosts and helps them resolve unfinished business. Totally quirky and so sweet and funny. There is a such a cozy hometown vibe combined with the most appetizing descriptions of delicious food, flawed and realistic characters and the silliest, most lovable ghosts ever imagined. The relationships in this book will give you the warm fuzzies and, we have ourselves a new book boyfriend, Ray. Swoon. It is charming and enchanting and a little bit magical. All the love and warm fuzzies.

I am a fan on Amy E. Riechert's books. The Coincidence of the Coconut Cake is one of my all-time favourites. So I was super excited to read The Kindred Spirits Supper Club.

It's a sweet rom-com. It really is. The writing is strong. The characters are well-developed. There's loss, love, and personal growth. There are also ghosts. To be honest, I missed that in the title. I mean I saw it but expected it to be more of a spirit-like/ soulful connection between people. It's actually the spirits/ghosts that follow and talk regularly too Sabrina. I wasn't in the mood for ghosts, so that's on me.

Over all, it you want a good satisfying rom-com and don't mind a ghost hanging about, this book is for you!

Thank you Berkley & KCCPR for our gifted review copy.

I'm a huge fan of Amy Reichert. I've read all of her books & I dare say this is my favorite. I just loved this one so very much. THE KINDRED SPIRITS SUPPER CLUB has a lot going on & it all works! Every bit of it fits together for a memorable, atmospheric & fun book. Read this if you're down with:

-Small town feel
-Supper clubs with wonderful descriptions of food & cocktails
-Duck tours
-Talking to ghosts
-Little bit of mystery
-Heroine with anxiety
-Lovely & touching romance

What an absolutely fun and heartwarming book! Laugh out loud funny with the most selfless and compassionate heroine who has her quirks, I adored this book. Journalist Sabrina Monroe lost her job in Washington, D.C. and reluctantly comes home to the Wisconsin Dells with a plan: live with her parents, work a summer job, save all her money to pay off her bills, and find a job far away as quickly as possible. Sabrina doesn’t want to go into the family business. What is the family business, you ask? Well….the women in her family can see spirits who come to them looking for help with their unfinished business. Unfortunately for Sabrina, her first encounter came in the middle of class, which, of course, got her labeled as a freak in high school. Luckily for her, she only sees the spirits when she’s back home and can usually steer them to her Mom for help. All but Molly, who has been around for as long as she can remember, never having been able to finish her business. Sabrina is full of anxiety and her goal is to not talk to anyone outside her family as long as she is in Wisconsin. Of course, best laid plans start to crumble when she has a chance meeting with Ray, and another, and another. Unfortunately for Sabrina, Ray has found his place in the Dells and is determined to see more of her. Maybe he can convince her she belongs in the Dells, with him, if only she’d trust him with her secrets.
THE KINDRED SPIRITS SUPPER CLUB by Amy E. Reichert is a rollicking good time, full of heart. You won’t be able to resist Sabrina, a character with a big heart and a penchant for office supplies. Her random acts of kindness are second nature, done to make others feel better. She and Ray are more perfect for each other than she realizes. Toss in a few new (and old) ghosts, a handsy ex, her high school enemy, and quirky family members, and you have all the makings for a great read. I loved Ray and his determination to embrace Wisconsin and its culinary excellence, plus his nerdiness and open-mindedness. As an added bonus, Reichert gives those of us that haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Wisconsin an inside view of Supper Clubs and their food and drink. I so want to visit and enjoy the experience. This novel will leave you with happiness in your heart and a smile on your face.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#TheKindredSpiritsSupperClub #AmyEReichert #BerkleyPublishing #TallPoppyWriters #BloomReads #TallPoppyBlogger

3.5 stars rounded up

The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert was a heartwarming mix of romance, food, family, mystery and ghostly charm.

Initially I was unsure about the paranormal twist and took a few chapters to settle into the story. However, Reichert did win me over! Molly was one of my favourite characters and I loved the supernatural side stories, with one in particular giving me all the feels.

Ray and Sabrina really complemented each other and made such an adorable couple. I also enjoyed the small-town cosy setting and celebration of Wisconsin history & culture, but be prepared to feel hungry and thirsty as you read! Sabrina and Molly's friendship was another highlight for me as well as Ray's sweet nature.

If you're looking for a feel good romcom read, #TheKindredSpiritsSupperClub might just be what you need!

Huge thanks to Berkley Publishing for providing this eARC for review

Gave me big Pushing Daisies vibes, in the best possible way. At first I worried it might be too quirky, too eccentric - with the ghost who couldn’t cross, and the supper club, the bully and the too perfect male lead - but Reichert’s vision won me over fair and square. Now if I could just get some of those breadcrumbed not battered cheese curds or Ray’s risotto delivered that would be lovely.

So first off, I laughed through the entire first chapter! It involved an indoor water park in the Dells and a mishap with a giant frozen margarita. 🍹And being a Midwestern I could see the whole thing play out in my head so clearly it was like I was there.

There is a twist though - the MC, Sabrina can see and speak to ghosts. But there's nothing sinister here, just some good ol' fashioned helping folks to the other side.

And Sabrina & her love interest, Ray, are so cute and I just want to join them on dates at the supper club.

So if you're looking for a cute spring romance (with a 👻 twist) pick this one up! Especially if you're looking for a story with some Midwestern flair!

Thank you to @netgalley @aereichert @berkleyromance for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If this past year has taught us anything, its that we should relish every single moment that brings us joy. From start to finish, Amy E. Reichert’s latest novel, The Kindred Spirits Supper Club, had me brimming with joy and then some.

The Kindred Spirits Supper Club introduces us to Sabrina Monroe, who has no choice but to return home to the Wisconsin Dells after losing her job. Unfortunately for Sabrina, this also means returning to her family secret: the fact that all of the Monroe women can not only see spirits, but have a duty to help them with their unfinished business. With the exception of her favorite ghost, Molly, Sabrina has gotten into the habit of avoiding all interaction with anyone outside of her family—that is, until she meets new-in-town restauranteur Ray. For Ray, the Dells offers a chance for a new beginning and an opportunity to mark his own path outside of what his wealthy family has planned for him. His feelings for Sabrina—and her valuable opinions on both his cheese curds and burgeoning supper club—only sweeten the deal. Will her desire to keep her secret under wraps outweigh their mutual attraction, or will she realize that the curse she’s spent her life running away from is a gift worth embracing?

I fell head-over-heels in love with every single thing about this book. Sabrina and Ray captured me with their waterpark meet-cute in chapter one, and I only swooned harder as the novel went on. Amy E. Reichert packs every page with humor and heart, and creates characters—both living and ghostly—that are good for the soul. Between Sabrina’s practice of conducting anonymous acts of kindness and Ray’s penchant for rescue dogs and waterslides (not to mention the most hilarious list of embarrassing secrets to ever exist), I could have read about this pair forever. As with her other novels, Reichert brings Wisconsin to life so vividly, I’d swear I’ve spent years of my life there. Only after closing the book did I remember that I’ve never been, which is really unfortunate, because now I can think of nothing but Ray’s delicious cheese curds. The Kindred Spirits Supper Club is the kind of book you just want to live in for a while and will have you believing in real-life happily ever afters that are far more meaningful than what we see in the movies.

If you’re looking for a sweet and heartfelt novel you can get totally lost in, you must do yourself a favor and pick up The Kindred Spirits Supper Club. Just be warned: you may find yourself looking for a one-way ticket to Wisconsin and will definitely be on the hunt for the perfect cheese curds.

Full of whimsy, humor, and charm, Reichert’s seasoned her latest novel with spirited characters (literally), beautifully rendered romances, witty banter, and mouthwatering descriptions of food…all this sprinkled with a heaping dash of local charm. Yep. She’s checked all of my boxes. Every single one of the characters is brought to life (even the dead ones, which does sound weird! But weird in this case is good) with heartfelt prose. A page-turner, The Kindred Spirits Supper Club is a true delight. I ate up the words in two sittings! And now I want more!

This book was such a cute rom-com!

After losing her job, Sabrina moves back home to the Wisconsin Dells, where she must deal with her family’s curse of helping spirits with their unfinished business. Along the way, she meets Ray, the new owner of a local supper club who enlists her help planning an end of summer celebration. Sabrina keeps telling herself that her time in the Dells is only temporary, but will the handsome Ray change her mind?

My favorite thing about this book was the setting. This story takes place in the Wisconsin Dells. Being from Wisconsin and having visited the Dells on numerous occasions, I thought the author did a great job depicting the charm of the beautiful Wisconsin River scenery that surrounds the “Waterpark Capital of the World.” I also loved how so many Wisconsin-centric elements like supper clubs, cheese curds, brandy old fashioneds and army duck tours were an integral part of the story.

Overall, this was a really fun and light-hearted read. This would be one I would definitely recommend to fans of rom-coms. And to anyone who has ever visited the Wisconsin Dells, this book should make you smile.

This was one of the first books that I went “request happy” when I joined NetGalley, and to be honest, I requested it because I thought the cover was cute! I went into this book blind, and glad that I did.

This book is a quirky rom-com mixed in with friendly ghosts that have some unfinished business that Sabrina helps with, and I really enjoyed it!

The plot was unique with the supernatural element, and I thought that it was fresh and different. There was also a mystery element to the book, and I felt like I was helping to solve the mystery within the book.

I thought that the book was a little slow to start, but once I got into the characters and plot, I was able to finish it quickly. Such a fun and easy read!

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher @berkleypub for a copy of this digital ARC! I am behind in my book reviews, but this book was published last week, on 4/20/21!

❓

Harlequin Junkie Recommends!

The Kindred Spirits Supper Club might just be my favorite book by Amy E. Reichert so far. With enough humor, offbeat characters and situations (fake dating!) to keep me grinning, a whole host of emotions to sort out, and even a supernatural twist, this was one enjoyable ride.

I had so much fun reading The Kindred Spirits Supper Club. It admittedly took me a couple of chapters to get the gist of our heroine Sabrina's personality and the issues she was facing down, as well as figuring out if hero Ray was as good a guy as he seemed to be. (He was!!) This slow burn romance was told mainly from Sabrina and Ray's POV but there was a third, very special POV--that I won't spoil--but will say that it added a unique perspective that, to me, seemed to bring everything full circle.

I loved that Reichert included many details about the Dells area in Wisconsin, creating this quirky little community in a gorgeous setting filled with local history, rivalries, family secrets, and even delectable descriptions of regional food. It really brought Sabrina and Ray's story to life on the pages. And it made it clearer to me why Sabrina wanted to get out of Dells after growing up with her family's secret--the women in her family can see ghosts--hanging over her; as well as why Ray was drawn to the (slightly) slower pace of the area compared to his society-driven family life in New York.

They were at odds when it came to their feelings on Dells. Sabrina definitely had her reasons for wanting to move on. And Ray had his own reasons for wanting to put down roots in the town. But it was lovely to watch Sabrina conquer her fears, take steps to battle her anxiety, and realize that she had more control in finding her own way than she had thought. And as for swoony Ray? Sigh... Not only will you want to hug him for the awesome person he was, but the mystery about his family's past was solved in a way that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming--and something that will surely be memorable for readers.

Touching, sweet, giggle-worthy, and a book that simply made me happy, The Kindred Spirits Supper Club was all about finding your place in the world, acceptance, and what love and family truly means to us in our everyday lives.

4.5 stars

This was a books that I was kind of ‘meah’ about when I read the description. It didn’t grab me in the way that I was expecting. Sure is a romcom with ghosts sounds interesting but for me ghosts are more about horror than romcoms. So it didn’t stand out as one that I was dying to read (no pun intended). However so many people were raving about it all over social media which made me stop and ponder a little bit more.

After a week of seeing it all over the place on social media I finally broke down and downloaded it! Suddenly this book went from ‘meah’ to ‘must read’ in the matter of days! I mean I was fully ready to not like it, but when I started to read it, it wormed it’s way into my heart when I was least prepared!

Don’t get me wrong, this book was quirky AF but it was so fun and I am so glad that I did read it because there was so much to enjoy even if it was a bit weird! I adored it almost instantly and I stayed up late one too many nights to finish is. If you are looking for your next romcom this one needs to be it! It’s great and stands out because it’s so quirky!

Summary
Jobless and forced home to Wisconsin, journalist Sabrina Monroe can tolerate reunions with frenemies and kisses from old boyfriends, but not the literal ghosts that greet her in this heartwarming tale of the power of love and connection from acclaimed author Amy E. Reichert.

For Sabrina Monroe, moving back home to the Wisconsin Dells–the self-described Waterpark Capital of the World–means returning to the Monroe family curse: the women in her family can see spirits who come to them for help with unfinished business. But Sabrina’s always redirected the needy spirits to her mom, who’s much better suited for the job. The one exception has always been Molly, a bubbly rom-com loving ghost, who stuck by Sabrina’s side all through her lonely childhood.

Her personal life starts looking up when Ray, the new local restaurateur, invites Sabrina to his supper club, where he flirts with her over his famous Brandy Old-Fashioneds. He’s charming and handsome, but Sabrina tells herself she doesn’t have time for romance–she needs to focus on finding a job. Except the longer she’s in the Dells, the harder it is to resist her feelings for Ray. Who can turn down a cute guy with a fondness for rescue dogs and an obsession with perfecting his fried cheese curds recipe?

When the Dells starts to feel like home for the first time and with Ray in her corner, Sabrina begins to realize that she can make a difference and help others wherever she is. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
The amount of times I laughed at this one was insane. There was so much humor and heart and even though it was a weird quirky novel, it was funny, memorable, and addictive! I love romcom books but not in the same way that I love romcom movies. For me romcom movies are a lot funnier because I can see the actor’s facial expressions and I don’t know they just come across as funnier especially if you get a good comedy actress to play the lead. Romcom books are funny and cute but not in the same way as films for me. However—this book was funny and I could absolutely see it as a movie. I adored it and laughed more often at this one than other romcoms I have read!

I can see why this one has been such a hit for so many readers—romance, humor, food, ghosts (random but great!), a memorable meet-cute, and like-able characters. Ray and Sabrina had great chemistry and I felt invested in their romance. But their chemistry and romance couldn’t have worked had they not each been individually developed. The author did a great job developing Sabrina’s anxiety and inner dialogue. It was spot on and it made her character come alive in the story and I found her endearing. And Ray was charming in his own nerdy way and as they came together their chemistry grew and I just loved seeing it unfold. Spot on characterization!

The dialogue was snappy as one would expect from a romcom and I loved the food descriptions! For those who are wary of the supernatural element in this one, don’t be. I know I certainly was wary but it was done well and had a whimsical feel to in rather than a weird sinister one. I totally thought it sounded strange but it really worked in this one and actually the book stood out more with Molly (the ghost) in it. I was not expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did but it ended up being the perfect breath of fresh air! It had charm, humor, romance and of course a ghost. It was great to read something that was truly memorably and different. If you are looking for your next read then look no further. It is 100% worth the hype!

Book Info and Rating
Format 336 pages, Paperback

PublishedApril 20, 2021 by Berkley

ISBN9780593197776 (ISBN10: 0593197771)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley in partnership with the Tall Poppy Writers/Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Genre: romance, rom-com

Quirky, just plain fun, this book will put a smile on your face. Sabrina returns home to Wisconsin Dells with no intention to stay. When at home, the spirits of the recently deceased contact her for help to let them leave once a problem is solved. Sabrina is made fun of and not appreciated by anyone outside her family until she meets Ray. The talking to spirits has always been a secret and has caused Sabrina to be alone. I loved this book, for being uplifting. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Random acts of kindness have a special place in my heart, and as one of the themes in this book, reading it was an absolute delight. With an unexpected best friend who’s a GHOST and an adorable would be meet-cute (who would’ve thought a FOOD FIGHT would have potential?!) I quickly fell for Reichert’s warm and witty writing style.

I LOVED Sabrina Monroe, as a fellow office supply lover she was a gal after my own heart. I felt for her as she was surrounded by a cast of characters — from Erika bullying her throughout her life, to her ex boyfriends unwanted kiss, her struggle to become comfortable with WHO she is was endearing and fun to read.

OH, and her family sees ghosts - hope that’s not a problem.

Ray takes his time to get to know her and convince her she’s worth it - family business and all and I am SO here for this slow burn!

A huge thank you to Berkley Romance for inviting me to be a part of this book tour and to @kccpr for the physical copy, I really enjoyed reading this title as we kicked off spring! 4.5 stars from me, and a total unexpected treat!

I jumped at the chance to read this one because I'm originally from the midwest so Wisconsin Dells was a popular vacation destination. This book brought up old memories and made me want to visit a waterpark ASAP.

What I loved about this book:

1. I loved the unique plot. I wasn't sure how I would feel about a ghostly love story, but I actually really enjoyed it. It made me contemplate the after life a bit and what happens when we leave this world.

2. Honestly what's not to love about a heartwarming romcom with ghosts, a hot supper club owner, and a heroine who courageously faces the local bullies? I loved it all, but I especially enjoyed the main characters Sabrina and Ray. They were busy figuring themselves out and what was important to them all while trying to plan an amazing end of year bash for their community. Sabrina was a refreshing heroine that I can see being loved by many and Ray is the newest book boyfriend you swoon over.

3. I loved the mystery thrown into this one that kept me invested in the HEAs. I thought this book was very well written with great pacing and the descriptive writing kept me engaged throughout the whole novel. I will note all the yummy food descriptions are sure to make you hungry so make sure you have snacks near by.

Honestly if you haven't picked this one up, you definitely need to. This laugh out loud romcom is one that should be on everyone's TBR list and is a fun read you won't want to miss.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub date: 4/20/21

This is a sleeper of a book. For me, it started out slow, and a little confusingly, but eventually I got hooked by this small-town romance with a paranormal edge.

Bullied throughout high school due largely to a family secret, Sabrina fled Wisconsin with dreams of becoming a journalist, but plagued by anxiety, she can't hold a job and returns to Wisconsin with huge student loan debt and unresolved anxiety issues. Worse still, she finds herself working for her nemesis, Erika, who is now engaged to Sabrina's high school boyfriend.

Ray left his high-powered New York life to help out at his uncle's restaurant, and despite pressure from his wealthy parents, would prefer to stay in Wisconsin. He is immediately drawn to Sabrina and determines to help her.

This book is enjoyable, even if its premise is far-fetched--and by that, I don't mean the paranormal angle, which makes it fun. Ray is not convincing as a successful, urban businessperson, and Sabrina seems like too much of a hot mess for anyone to really be interested in. And it's difficult to believe that a person could be as evil as Erika in her single-minded determination to torture Sabrina. Still, suspend disbelief for a few hours and enjoy this unique romance. #TheKindredSpiritsSupperClub #NetGalley

When Sabrina loses her job and moves home to the Wisconsin Dells, she is forced into the “family business” helping spirits with their unfinished business. Planning to get a job and hightail it out of town as fast as possible, her plans change when she ends up planning the party of the year with Ray. Ray is a former big city real estate agent and current supper club owner perfecting his Brandy Old-Fashioneds. Will Sabrina and Ray fall in love and stay in the Waterpark capital of the world? Or will the ghosts of Sabrina’s past run her out of town for good?

I thought this was super quirky and quaint. It is definitely not my usual type of book - I’m not really into ghosts and all that. However, this was a super fun rom com read, and I’d recommend it!

Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC!

This was a really sweet, uplifting story that I ended up loving. It took me a little bit to really get into the story but I soon fell in love with the characters and I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story. I also loved the paranormal aspect. This story featured some great character development, quite a bit of humor and a lot of heart. I definitely recommend this one.

The saying goes that “home is the place that when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Sabrina Monroe, unemployed and in student loan debt hell way over her head, has to go there – no matter how much she really, really doesn’t want to.

Her parents are more than willing to take her in. The rest of the town, not so much. Or, at least not so much in the person of her lifelong arch-nemesis, who is happy to have Sabrina back in the Dells just so that she can continue her literally lifelong torture of the one girl in school who never begged to be part of her inner circle of bitches.

I have to say that part of the story was not my favorite.

What was lovely, however, was the relationship that Sabrina reluctantly develops, one-step-forward and two-steps-back, with Ray Harper, the new owner of The Otter Club, a restaurant and supper club that has been in his family – and in the Dells – so long that both are institutions.

A relationship that is pushed and pulled and connived at and encouraged, not just by Sabrina’s mother who wants her oldest daughter to come home, but by the Monroe family’s resident ghost, Molly.

The Monroe women see dead people. It’s their duty to help the recently deceased with unfinished business finish that business so they can actually rest in peace. Or in the light. Or wherever they go when they shuffle off this mortal coil and all the worries and responsibilities that go along with it.

Molly, dead since Prohibition, is an exception. Whatever unfinished business she has can’t seem to be resolved, so she sticks around and helps the Monroes do the work that only they can do.

So far, at least, it hasn’t been a terrible afterlife. Molly loves movies – especially romantic comedies. She wants her friend Sabrina to get her own happy ending – no matter how much baggage Sabrina has piled in the way. Little do either Sabrina or Molly know that helping Sabrina get out of her own way with Ray Harper will lead Molly to her own, long delayed but seemingly literal, happy ever after.

Escape Rating B: This is one of those books that drove me absolutely crazy, both in a good way AND in a bad way at the same time.

The good way took me on a bit of a search, because as I read I kept having that “I’ve read this before” kind of deja vu. The trip down reading memory lane was a whole lot of fun, as I managed to latch onto what this reminded me of so strongly.

For most of this story, Molly reads very much like Colleen, the genius loci of Stella Maris Island in Susan M. Boyer’s cozy mystery series that begins with Lowcountry Boil. Both Molly and Colleen are ghosts that protect their respective families, have limited ability to act in the real world, and do one heck of a lot of spying for their favorite people. Both also died young with unfinished business.

But the heart of the ghostly interactions in The Kindred Spirits Supper Club echoes the way that the paranormal talent that Clare Cermak the protagonist of Robin D. Owens’ Ghost Seer series finds herself inheriting a family gift for interacting with the spirit world and helping the recently and not-so-recently dead finish their unfinished business and “go towards the light”. Clare and Sabrina would have a lot to talk about, especially about the negative impact that “seeing dead people’ has on their social life, professional reputation, and opportunities for romance.

In the not so good way of driving me bonkers, while I know that Erika is supposed to serve as the villain of the piece, her behavior, especially the way it continued to the present day, read as much too far over the top. The amount of humiliation that she has put Sabrina through since grade school – and continues into adulthood – made for an uncomfortable read. As did the way that Ray’s parents treated him over his desire to stay in the Dells and continue to operate his late uncle’s supper club. The way that relationship resolved worked out for the best, but it middled in a way that was pretty damn nasty.

And it still made more sense than Erika’s crazy. I detested Erika’s crazy and it colored my feelings about the entire book, which is a real shame because I wanted to love this book and expected to love this book but the Erika plotline made that impossible.

Your reading mileage may vary.

Even though I guessed the resolution of Molly’s story fairly early on, I still liked that part of the story and Molly as a character. I also enjoyed the strong sense of place that imbues this book – another similarity to the Lowcountry Boil series, BTW. In spite of living in Chicago for 20 years, I never visited the Dells as so many Chicagoans do. This story both made me wish I had and made me feel like I almost but not quite did.

I also felt for Sabrina, her love of her family combined with her conflicting desires both to be with them and to be as far away from the Dells as possible. Her retreats into herself, her panic attacks and her anxieties made her feel real and I liked her a lot. I wanted to see her happy as much as Molly did.

In the end, while there was one character/situation to hate, there was a LOT to love about The Kindred Spirits Supper Club.