I definitely enjoyed this book more towards the end and there was a scene that made me a little teary eyed. However, it did feel as though it started off a little slow and took a bit to really get into.

I loved the direction the story went and all of the representation spread throughout.

I think I would have been happier if the ending had a little more added to it and had a more substantial feeling to it since the book definitely focused on things like that.

Overall, it was a but slow, but definitely enjoyable.

A paranormal ghost story, with a touch of horror, layered with a sweet queer rom com between two grieving men. Peter was cursed (you won't know how or why) many years ago and now he can't die and he wanders the world seeking angry spirits-not always quite ghosts but sometimes- who need to move on. And he helps them. He arrived in Harrington, Ohio after hearing about a particularly difficult one and his whole life changes. First he meets two children and then he meets David, who is mourning the death of his husband. But there's a vengeful spirit out there which sets up a confrontation between them- and which finally provides some answers for Peter. I was surprised at how much I liked this. The storytelling is good and you, like me, will fund yourself roped in and rooting for Peter and his new friends. Especially David. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read.

Equal parts cozy and heart wrenching, this book had me alternating between cooing over the sweet found family and sobbing over my desk during my lunch break.

The first few chapters of the book I struggled to find my stride with the voice and the characters but the second Samira came onto the scene and adopted Peter as Favored Adult, my heart was stolen.

If you cry at books I might recommend this as an at home read and not an in public read. Unless you’re cooler than I am about people seeing you cry.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, I’ve had this preordered for what feels like forever but I’m so glad I didn’t have to wait to read it.

This book is a beautifully written, emotionally gripping story that pulls you in from the very first page. It has a perfect mix of mystery and heartache. A must-read for anyone who enjoys powerful, soul-stirring fiction. Five stars without a doubt!l

I was fortunate to get an ARC copy of this book for an honest review!

Peter has lived a long time (over 200 years), and he goes through life helping spirits move on. Peter's story is heart-wrenching and emotional. He makes his way to Harrington, Ohio, where his life changes forever. The characters he meets there are interesting and well thought out. They were my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed getting to know David, Samira, Sayid, and Neveah. Even though they are minor characters, they are integral to Peter's growth. This isn't really a ghost story, but a story of Peter's personal growth. Unfortunately, the climax fell flat for me. There was a lot of build up, only for the conflict to be resolved too easily. To me that was the most interesting part of the novel, and it took me almost sixty-five percent of the novel to become interested in what would happen next.

Over 200 years ago, a young man is cursed to never return home to his native Ireland. With his eternal curse, he gains the ability to communicate with ghosts & plants, so he wanders from town to town to help ghosts move on.

When he moves to Harrington, Ohio, he thinks this town will be like the rest. He'll find the ghost haunting the town, help it to move past whatever is keeping it from moving on, then he'll leave before anyone can remember he was there. He makes no connections. But, Harrington proves different. Despite his best efforts to remain distant, the townsfolk make their way into his life and, eventually, his heart.

Without a doubt, my favorite aspect of this book was the characters. I love the established relationships and the ones that blossomed as the story unfurled. I loved the glimpses into their heads which really allowed me to know the characters and better understand their motives. Even the minor characters felt fleshed out and real.

While the characters made me fall in love with the story, the mystery made me stay up too late to finish it. The reveal felt obvious to me, but the way the characters reacted to it really had me *in* that moment.

Come for the cozy mystery, stay for found family.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc!

This was a beautiful book! The depictions of grief were so real and vulnerable. I enjoyed this a lot, particularly the way the characters were written. They all felt real and distinct which made the book super engaging! Would recommend!

Oh this was such a pleasant surprise of a book! I was unfamiliar with this author going in, and I will absolutely be keeping them on my radar from now on! Taking what could have been a predictable premise and turning it entirely on its head with the lead character had me won over within just a few pages!

Peter Shaughnessy has dedicated his extremely long, cursed life to putting ghosts to rest. After a run in with one of the folk back in Ireland almost two centuries ago, he's had the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants - and he's barred from returning home... and refuses to get attached to people after everyone he's ever loved has long since died. So when he follows rumors of a haunting to tiny Harrington, Ohio, his goals are to deal with the ghosts and NOT to get involved in the lives of the living there. But the young director of the cemetery where he's placed himself as groundskeeper desperately needs therapy after the death of her father (whose ghost lingers nearby and refuses to leave until she does so), two children are constantly sneaking into the cemetery, and a very attractive museum curator is researching the cemetery's history and could use some protection.

The delight I felt when I realized I was getting to read about an immortal trapped in the body of a 70-year old! That fact alone immediately changes so much about the premise of this book. That he's also some flavor of asexual is also a high point. And the diversity in this book is just so lovely - all of the characters are so different and Anderson has managed to fit in so much representation without it feeling tokenized. This is just how small towns are! Sure, there's a mystery and an aggressive ghost for the main plot, but this book is SO cozy anyway. It's an elderly immortal trying and failing to avoid getting attached. The romance was minor, but so so so precious, especially in how it handled the aftermath of grief and healing together.

Seriously, I could babble about how soft this book is for paragraphs. Please just read it.

This is an unusual type of cozy fantasy. Personally, I'm not always a fan of cozy fantasy. Sometimes it's just a bit too much of characters just vibing in a nice and cozy environent you wished you lived in, but there's just not enough going on for it to be interesting. This book wasn't like that.
It's not "everything's nice and we're just vibing" cozy, it's more of a "we've all have trauma and shit going on but it's easier if we hold hands" cozy, which I really liked.

The story follows Peter, a man who was cursed by the folk in Ireland to forever wander far from home. This means he cannot return to Ireland, and cannot die. He travels around towns, where he stays for a while to help ghosts move on, and then moves on himself, never stayng long enough to get attached. After all, everyone dies at some point and he doesn't.

What I really liked was that Peter presents as a man in his seventies. He's not forever young like a lot of immortal characters are, he is an old guy, and remains an old guy. I think this made for a nice dynamic, because over 200 is a lot older than 70, but he feels realistic and grounded as an immortal rather than having a several centuries year old being look like mid 20s and act like a teenager. He also has a romance subplot with a man in his 70s who lives in that town, who lost his husband a year prior.

Apart from the love interest, there's a great cast of side characters. There's Nevaeh, who works at the graveyard with Peter, and is struggling with her grief for her father. My personal favorites were Sayid and Samira, a pair of siblings, who first meet Peter while breaking into the graveyard at midnight because Samira is a fearless little girl who tends to act out in response to difficult things happening. The two children start looking up to Peter like a grandfather, which I thought was really sweet. They're also dealing with some things in the family, since their grandfather is dying of dementia.

I think grief is the overarching theme of this book, what loss does to people, but also to keep loved ones close. Peter has already lost everyone he knew from his own lifetime, and has become detached to avoid having to experience that loss over and over, and his character arc is about finally letting people in again, because living in solitude is no way to live, and love is worth it even if eventually you will lose someone.

There's also a ghost mystery in this book, as there's an especially powerful and angry spirit stuck in this village, and much of the plot revolves around Peter trying to figure out who it is and help them pass on, which is not so easy, and he really needs the help of all the side characters to figure this out since some of them, have more knowledge about the town's history, its ghost stories, etc, and I think overall there was enough tension in the story to keep me interested.

Would recommend this to people who enjoy quieter fantasies and stories about grief and loss, and people who would like to see more fantasy with old MCs.

Thank you E.M. Anderson, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an electric advance readers copy of this book in exchange for a honest and fair review.

This was so darling. It's been a awhile where a book moved me to tears at the end. It's was intense with the ghosts at times yet sweet and loveable with the chosen family. I'm a sucker for a chosen family story. It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be but I loved it so much. My only small issue was when they started to tell the back story of the MMC it felt forced but once it started I was hooked and I just wanted to finish the book to get everything revealed. I loved this book. The author got me in the feels and hooked me emotional.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This year’s cozy fantasy has been amazing and I’m always here for it. This deals with grief, love, and finding yourself. I also really loved the horror influences with the spirits and the charm of the MC. This book was so fun to read and I’m looking forward to more!!

"In this mesmerizing, wonderfully moving queer cozy fantasy, an immortal ghost hunter must confront his tragic past in order to embrace his found family.

Find an angry spirit. Send it on its way before it causes trouble. Leave before anyone learns his name.

After over two hundred years, Peter Shaughnessy is ready to die and end this cycle. But thanks to a youthful encounter with one o' them folk in his native Ireland, he can't. Instead, he's cursed to wander eternally far from home, with the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants.

Immortality means Peter has lost everyone he's ever loved. And so he centers his life on the dead - until his wandering brings him to Harrington, Ohio. As he searches for a vengeful spirit, Peter's drawn into the townsfolk's lives, homes and troubles. For the first time in over a century, he wants something other than death.

But the people of Harrington will die someday. And he won't.

As Harrington buckles under the weight of the supernatural, the ghost hunt pits Peter's well-being against that of his new friends and the man he's falling for. If he stays, he risks heartbreak. If he leaves, he risks their lives."

Them folk are dangerous for sure. Just read a book about them.

I've fallen in love with the cozy fantasy genre in recent years, and that's why I was immediately drawn to the premise The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits. The curse, the ghost hunter angle, the Ohio setting, the promise of friendships and romance... It all sounded SO good, and I've been looking forward to read it. And I have to say that I ended up having such a wonderful time with this story! Sure, it was a bit slow to start, but once I got used to the writing and characters I couldn't stop reading. New favorite alert!

I usually don't like comparing books to the work of popular authors, but in this case I feel the comparison to T.J. Klune's cozy fantasy stories is justified. The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits has that same cozy vibe, although it is more paranormal horror than fantasy in my opinion. It also has that same queer slowburn romance element incorporated into the plot, done in a way that will make you fall in love with both the characters themselves and their growing connection. If you enjoy his books, I'm positive you will fall in love with The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits as well! It's definitely put E.M. Anderson firm on my radar, that's for sure.

The cast of characters is simply fantastic, and one of the reasons this story works so well. Peter is such a wonderful main character, flawed and very easy to start rooting for. His past, the curse, his job as a ghost hunter... It all made him into who he is today, and I loved following his journey as the people of Harrington slowly change the way he lives his life. The rest of the cast are likewise easy to warm up to, and I especially loved the found family vibe and the (very) slowburn romantic connection with David.

Like I said, this story felt more paranormal horror than fantasy with its focus on the ghosts and the strange things happening both in town and inside the cemetery. It's nothing too scary though, but enough to keep you on your toes and especially the final part is quite intense. I loved the hints at folklore elements and how everything came together in the end... And while there is a lot of focus on sadness and grief, The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits balanced things out with moments of hope, friendship and love.

There was something about the blurb of The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits that told me I was going to enjoy my time with this story, and my instincts were most definitely right. Sure, it took me a little while to get used to the writing style and characters, but once I did I couldn't let go. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time! It's also I story I wouldn't mind rereading in the future, which says a lot since I hardly reread books...

A beautifully heartfelt story that follows a man cursed with immortality.

Peter O'Shaughnessy spends his life dealing with spirits and talking to plants, and avoiding meaningful relationships of any kind. He takes care of business and moves on, never staying in one place for long - until he arrives in Harrington, Ohio. There are spirits to deal with, of course, but Peter is really just done with everything and wishes his existence could end.

But then something happens. Peter begins to truly care for people in Harrington, and he feels himself falling for David, a historian. The slow building of relationships is heartwarming, the tendrils of love that being to form around Peter's heart blooming as his life becomes intertwined with various townspeople. Their struggles and joys, the small moments in their lives pull him in until he realizes that he no longer wants to die. He wants to live, and he wants his life to be connected to theirs.

E.M. Anderson has a talent for the heartfelt, and this cozy, sometimes scary story is perfect to enjoy when you want to smile upon finishing a book.

Thank you to Mira and Netgalley for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this one. All thoughts are my own.

This was SUCH a good book. I had my doubts at the start but once I settled into the style and tone, I was absolutely hooked.

This one is marketed as a cosy fantasy and while it definitely has elements of that, I’d argue that it’s more cosy horror if such a thing could exist. Very horror lite, but also definitely has horror elements throughout.

I LOVED Peter so, so much. He’s such a sad, tired, wonderful person. He’s suffered so much and he builds these protective walls to keep his heart safe, but he still goes out of his way to help people without letting them in too far.

But all that changes when the people of Harrington get under his skin and its history entwines with his own.

The relationships he forms in this book, every single one of them, hooked my heart. His love for these people and the spirits around them was palpable. I laughed, I teared up, I was on the edge of my seat during some moments. I felt so many things reading this book.

The soft, slow romance between Peter and David made my heart sing. They were so lovely together, so careful with each other.

Ahh! I can’t recommend this book enough.

This book was my introduction to this author and I think I'll be back for more. This was a cute and heartfelt read that made me need a cup of tea.

pretty cool book with some awesome vibes, both of cute romance and of horror ghosty stuff. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I received an eARC through NetGalley. When I read the description I was worried it might be too heavy to actually go through, that it would leave me feeling somewhat.. hollow? I lost a loved one last year and feared it would just open up some wounds. Instead, this really felt like a warm hug or a cup of tea while talking through my feelings or what had happened.

Now, it might obviously affect everyone different. It’s not your usual HEA per se, but I enjoy that it’s a nice blend of reality with comfort and coziness. I wasn’t expecting to call this cozy but here we are!! I’d say grab a blanket, wrap yourself, and thoroughly enjoy this read!

This book felt like a warm hug. For a story that dealt with death, grief, and lonely and/or cursed spirits it was so cozy. The way the author handled grief was beautiful, exploring the many complex emotions of loss while always highlighting the beauty of love and memory. Peter was a great main character — it is not often I’ve read MCs that are over seventy, so I really appreciated that. This book is a both comforting and heartwarming while also beautifully heartbreaking.

Peter Shaughnessy is cursed. He has spent 200 years hunting ghosts unable to die. Peter gets to a new city, gets the job done and leaves before anyone can even learn his name so he doesn't ever have to go through the heartbreak of watching the people he loves age and die without him. Things go as planed until he gets to Harrington, Ohio. There's a vengeful spirit here having ill effects on the townspeople. He should be in and out and NOT becoming attached to anyone or falling for the local historian.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the beautiful cover. It was so refreshing to read a cozy queer story with an older protagonist. This book is full of interesting, well-fleshed out characters who it's impossible to not become attached to.

The story beautifully deals with grief, all different kinds of love and figuring out what's really important to you. Peter and David's slow burn romance is so sweet and this story is full of found family.

I wish I could forget this book just so I could read it for the first time again.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.