An amazing, cozy and haunting tale of found family, love and the emotions that connect us all. Loved every minute of it and crying a lot too.

A fun read. I enjoyed the tale of Callie and her daughter Immie's finding a new life at Harding Hall. Modern and ghostly characters were well drawn and lively and 'came to life' throughout the story. A well written, pleasant light read.

Ooh a cozy lil book that feels like the UK series Ghosts (I can’t explain why it’s UK and not US Ghosts but it just is, okay) and feels like a warm hug from a loved one!

This book has everything: a small town full of ghosts from all eras, a sweet romance with two idiots who can’t share their feelings, a manipulative child ghost, a cat that looks like it’s wearing a tuxedo, and a single mom who works too hard who loves her kid and never stops!! I thought this was the perfect cozy, escapist book we could all use right now!

Thanks so much to Sharon Booth and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Finding love, family and small town lives this is the book for you. I really enjoyed reading this book as I do love a story with magic and love.

my main issues:

1. cozy doesn’t mean without conflict. if there is no conflict, what is driving your story? i wasn’t sure what “the point” of the book was besides just the main character talking to ghosts again and deciding to live somewhere with a lot of ghosts. like there was no issue with her daughter leaving her friends/school behind for them to move into a haunted estate? she was just cool with FaceTiming her friends & living somewhere with no one they know?

2. there was nothing happening for like 50% of the book. it was incredibly hard to get thru bc i would get bored.

3. this was advertised as a romance, but i didn’t pick up on it until the last 15% ? i’m ok with non-romances and romance subplots, but the expectations set by the blurb kind of set this book up for failure.

so there is no driving force for the story (conflict) and there is nothing happening (plot).

positives:

1. i really liked the idea of this book. obviously, the ability to talk to ghosts is a cool premise.

2. if the pacing was better and *something* at stake for the characters, it could have been really good.

3. the writing style is easy & comfortable to read while still being skillful. this would be the main reason i would consider reading another book by this author.

thank you net galley for providing me with the ARC 🫶🏻

I was kindly given an ARC of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an absolutely stunning novel about finding home, finding love, and finding family, no matter the day and age. I had no idea so many of my likes and interests could be combined in a book and be done so well! This book has history, romance, AND ghosts?! I was hooked from the very start. Sharon Booth writes beautifully, it was so easy to read, it flowed all the way through, but it still packed a punch and had so much depth and emotion. I loved this book and will definitely buy a physical copy of it to have it in my bookshelf and available to lend to friends. Five out of five stars, I can’t fault it.

Rate : 4.80

rate : 4.80

Callie is just an ordinary person. A single mom lived with her daughter, Immi. One day, on Immi's school trip, she volunteers to help the teachers take care of the kids. The whole group visited Rowan Vale, to visit Cotswold village, which has a museum. When she got there, she got cold, freezing chill feelings when she saw several people, or… a ghost?
Drinking a hot chocolate with gingerbread on Halloween. That’s what I feel about this story. It is a warm heart family story plot with a little bit of drama. Fun, enjoyable and many positive affirmations which fill your heart with love. It is very relaxing to watch the characters' actions and thoughts, which most of them do in the name of love. Obviously, some of them get into problems, but surprisingly, besides Callie’s doubts and negative emotions about herself with her stubbornness with help from other characters, she solves the problem. Indeed, she is from zero to hero.
There are so many lessons learned from this story, which means the story is perfect for holiday vibes. The writing style makes the reader feel cocooned comfortably with a warm heart, makes the story touch your heart and become personal.
I like Callie’s character development and growth in the story. Sometimes it is okay to doubt yourself after facing a hard time. Finding the person you can lean on and trust them with your love is a first step towards happiness. Even though this story is not a high fantasy book that I often read, this story is relaxing, and I like it.

First in a new series by Sharon Booth, and it's delightful.

When Callie helps out on her daughter's school trip to a 'bygones' type village in the Cotswolds, she discovers that she can see and talk to ghosts. She's offered the opportunity to buy Harling Hall and look after the ghosts in the village, as well as the estate - and in this first bok she takes the opportunity and we\re introduced to the ghosts in the village.

Delightful characters (even the difficult ones, once we find out why they behave as they do), a gentle romance in the middle, and a gorgeous mother-daughter relationship (with some surprises for Callie - not giving any spoilers!). Excellent backstories for the ghosts (who are all very different).

If you enjoyed the BBC sitcom 'Ghosts', you'll LOVE this. It has the same kind of warmth and charm. Very enjoyable, escapist book!

If you love small-town romance with a sprinkle of cozy magic and a strong, lovable heroine, Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall is worth the read!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and to the Publisher for allowing me to read this book as an e-Arc in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely adored this book. It is everything someone would want from a cozy paranormal romance, and the characters are all so deeply lovable and easy to connect to. I especially love the two young foils Florrie and Immi. I really hope that they can someday solve a mystery a la Flavia de Luce and Undine, because that would be the cherry on top of the cake for this new series! The reluctant allies to lovers trope was well done here and didn’t feel tired or overdone at all. I can’t wait to read more from the friends in Rowan Vale and to learn more about the Wyrd Stones.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the first in a new series by Sharon Booth.

Cali is with her daughter and other children from her school travelling to a field trip in the Cotswold. When they arrive at the station, she sees something, and that is a place that has ghosts.

She’s in Rowan Vale where there are those that have died, but can speak to anyone that has the gift to see them.

When she goes to Harling Hall, to speak about something she saw in the village and at the station, she’s offered an opportunity to buy Harling Hall to live there and it’s not going to cost her a lot of money. She has to accept, even though she will be surrounded by the spirits.

She has to take over the place and live with the spirits as well as handle the estate.

I loved all the characters, each one so different from the next, whether they’ are dead or alive.

I’m looking forward to see what happens next.

I highly recommend this nook.

A great mix of ghostly activity, sweet romance, and historical fiction.
It was also pleasant to read because it contained no sex scenes, drug use, or vulgar language. Quite unusual for an adult book written nowadays!

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

This was a cute story about how it is less important to feel normal than to embrace your own character and personalities.

The village and the estate are a nice setting with friendly ghost that are seen by only some people. The side characters make everything.

Cute and funny.

I was a little wary when starting this book as stories with ghosts don’t always provide the basis for a coherent story. However I was pleasantly surprised with the portrayal of the characters both living and deceased and the wealth of humorous situations described. I was quickly drawn into the story and found it hard to put down.
The Cotswold village was described in delightful detail and provided various settings for the ghosts and their back stories. Having ghost characters from different periods in history was a nice level of detail.

Callie’s blossoming romance with Brodie is obvious to everyone except themselves and repeated scenarios of them both hesitating and missing the moment to move the relationship on was a bit of a letdown. This is the first in a series and has set some good foundations for its sequel.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Liked the ghosts more!

When single mother Callie Chase visits Rowan Vale on a school trip, the last thing she expects is to see ghosts. Turns out, the elderly Sir Lawrence Davenport, the village head can also see them and has been their keeper for years. He even offers to sell the place to Callie for a teeny sum so that she could be his successor.
After much hesitation, Callie agrees. However, becoming the new owner of a village filled with humans and ghosts is easier said than done! Can she handle the responsibilities? Will the ghosts accept her?
The story comes in (mostly) Callie’s first-person POV and the third-person POV of another character.

My Thoughts:
This is the first book in the series, so it takes some time to set the stage and introduce us to various characters, living and dead. The cast is pretty large, so you may want to make notes.
The ghosts are pretty quirky and have distinct personalities. In fact, I liked them more than some of our living folk! Florrie is a little monkey, though you can’t help but fall in love with her.
While it took me a lot of time to warm up to Callie, I loved Immi pretty soon (not at the beginning but when she gets a dialogue). I tried my best to empathize with the FMC but it wasn’t easy. Though she has good intentions, her approach is a bit all over the place.
Immi, on the other hand, is a delight to read. I so wished she would have more space in the book. She sometimes acts like a tween but is a really lovely girl. Mia is another character I like a lot.
Bordie is the male main lead though I didn’t see him as anything other than a trope – the handsome brooding guy with a soft heart. Good that romance isn’t central to the plot and I read this for the ghosts. Otherwise, the rating would have tanked.
The pacing is uneven. The first half is spent on the setting but quite a few things happen in the second half. This doesn’t leave space for the romance to develop organically. Since this is any way to be a series, maybe we could have limited this one to attraction and ended it in a slightly different manner.

To summarize, Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall has an interesting premise and even more interesting ghosts in a beautiful village. It deals with important themes like self-esteem, found family, friendships, etc. I’m curious to see what the next book will deal with!
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

3.5 stars rounded up!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, I really enjoyed this book, and it was a pleasure to get to it early!!

If you like cozy books, any sort of UK countryside vibes, or ghosts, you will LOVE this book! I happen to love all 3 things, so this book worked beautifully for me. I really enjoyed the found family, Florrie's character development, as well as our main character's development with her relationship with her daughter, and the ghosts were perfectly funny and fit in nicely.

The entire concept of her inheriting an estate and a whole village being ok with ghosts may be off-the-wall, but if you can look past that and focus on just the cozy elements, you'll be in for a real treat. I think sometimes people forget the difference between a "cozy" book vs a regular piece of literary fiction. The cozy elements are absolutely what carried and made this sweet book so enjoyable!

What I loved:
- Immi and her cat lol
- Lawrie's old grandpa vibes
- Pub trivia sounds so fun
- Callie navigating emotional abandonment issues and overcoming them

What didn't quite work for me:
- Unfortunately, the reason I deducted stars, was the romance didn't work for me. Yes, there were hints to the romance throughout the book, but it ultimately felt pigeonholed into the last 12 percent of the book, which made it hard to believe/follow. You're telling me they went that quickly into saying I love you, after totally avoiding the subject and barely interacting with each other through the whole book? That was my biggest gripe. I like them as a couple, the timeline was just a little too rushed. I would have loved to see them on a date or two beforehand. I think the focus was on the ghosts too much first.

Despite that, I still really liked this book and would recommend!!

Kindred Spirits of Harting Hall is a lovely story. My personal highlight was the ghost characters. If you enjoy the show Ghosts, you’ll probably appreciate the quirky, fun dynamics of the spirits in this book. Each ghost has a unique personality, and their storylines are well-developed, adding some much-needed depth. Their banter kept me wanting to read more, and I found myself rooting for them!

However, the romance felt a bit forced. I didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters, and while their relationship made sense from a plot perspective, I never truly believed in their connection.

The writing style took a little getting used to, but once I settled into it, it became easier to follow. There are some clunky moments, but overall, it was still an enjoyable read. If you can look past the weaker romance arc and focus on the ghosts and their stories, there’s a lot to like here. By the time I turned the final page, I felt glad to have spent a few hours with these characters, even if the book didn’t completely win me over.

It was alright. Love the world building and the structure of the stories. Every ghost had a unique and engaging backstory. However, the chemistry wasn't quite there for me. The prose read a bit stiff and the romance felt a bit awkward and forced. However, there was some really fun dialogue.

Such a a cozy read. I had absolutely zero expectations when it came to this read and was happily surprised with this little adventure.

Kindred spirits at Harling Hall by Sharon Booth follows Callie, a single mother who has the especial ability to see ghosts; While accompanying her daughter in a school trip to Costworld Village, she gets an offer that will change her life forever.

As an avid fan of horror books, I'm used to reading about a haunted house where the ghosts make horrible things to the living, I was interested by this book's premise.
However, I felt the story needed more depth. I am aware this is a cozy book and things will not get the least scary. But I thought the plot lacked a real reason to why Callie and others before her had to be a liaison between the dead and the living, but these ghosts did not pose a threat at all, even if they were unhappy with their living arrangements.

This is series that can have the potential to become a cozy classic, I will read more from this author in the hopes this story can unleash it's true potential.