When single mum Callie accompanies her daughter Immi on a school trip the last thing she expects is that it will change their whole lives.
Initially Rowan Vale seems like a historically themed village. People walk around in period costume and there are exhibits showing life during the second world war.
But Callie notices people in costumes far older than the 1940’s and they seem strangely shocked when she speaks to them. Then Callie meets the owner Sir Lawrence Davenport, who explains everything.
Rowan Vale is a place where the living and the dead live side by side, and Sir Lawrence needs someone who can literally see both sides to take over the estate. When he offers Callie the chance to buy the estate for just £10, Callie thinks it is a joke, but a visit from Sir Lawrence’s grandson Brodie changes her mind.
Can Callie navigate keeping all of the population of Rowan Vale happy, including herself and Immi, and how much of a part will the gorgeous Brodie play in that?
This is an utterly enchanting, funny and at times moving story, once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. The stories of the characters both alive and not had me hooked and I can’t wait for the next one to continue the journey.

3.5/5 ☆:– Thanks NetGalley for this ARC! 👻💐🌲✨

Overall this was such a cute and cozy paranormal read — easy to get into and enjoyable overall. The characters were likeable (special shoutout to Brodie and Florie, who were both absolute sweethearts).

I loved the setting — a charming manor in the Cotswolds that Callie inherits, complete with a found family dynamic. While the plot wasn’t particularly eventful, I still loved reading about the resident ghosts, their fascinating pasts, and the village life.

Florie’s character development was the best for me — her story was interesting, and her growth throughout the book was chef’s kiss perfection 😗.

That said, I struggled to warm to the main character, Callie. While her stress was understandable given the pressure she faced, she often came across as quite self-centred and, at times, unnecessarily rude. Like me personally if I was to receive a whole estate that was in the cotsworld, you best believe I would be the happiest thing aliveeee.

As for the romance… I didn’t really feel much chemistry between Brodie and Callie. For most of the book, it leaned more towards a paranormal story, with the romance only kicking in during the last 15–20%. Their connection felt a bit forced, and I’d have loved to see their relationship explored in more depth.

All in all, a cozy and entertaining read — perfect for fans of gentle paranormal stories with a touch of found family charm! I feel like if you enjoy Laurie Gilmores books you would enjoy this sort of read. 🫶😛

Romance set in an idyllic English countryside manner with paranormal side kicks. It was cute and great if you need a cozy read. Exactly what you would expect. 3.5 stars.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. This book sounded so amazing, so I was so excited to receive it. ❤️ My opinions are my own and are freely given.

I have never read (or even heard of the author) a single book by Sharon Booth before, but I am so delighted to have stumbled across this novel on the NetGalley site. The blurb references the TV show Ghosts 👻 which is one of the reasons I chose to read the book.

Even with so many side characters, as there are so many ghosts (sooo many), there aren't any flat characters. The only problem, though that's more a general romance genre problem overall, is meeting someone and falling in love with someone in the span of a month. So much you are talking about forever. I much prefer a slow burn. :)

Definitely would recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one!

When single mom Callie goes on a field trip with her daughter, she isn’t expecting it to change her life. The trip to Rowan Vale started out ordinary with people wearing period clothing and the town being a living museum. However, Callie soon discovers her experience is anything but ordinary as she is seeing ghosts, and is one of the few people who can. She meets Sir Lawrence, the current caretaker of Rowan Vale and when he makes her an offer that seems too good to be true, Callie makes her reservations known.

This is a feel good, cozy story that follows a journey of self acceptance as Callie goes from resenting her gift to fully embracing the responsibility that comes along with it. There is humorous banter as she navigates committing several faux pas as she learns how to co-exist with the non-living residents of Rowan Vale. I loved her relationship with her daughter and how her daughter was a part of her healing journey.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sharon Booth for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall coming out March 28, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I am obsessed with the TV shows Ghosts. And I just really love ghost stories in general. So I was excited to check out this book. I definitely thought it was cozy. I was thinking there would be a little more backstory on the ghosts. I really enjoyed it, but I was wanting a little more. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys ghost stories!

"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."

Oh, but think of the money should could make proving exactly who Shakespeare was!

This story is a cozy romance set at an English country estate that has generations of spirits still in residence. It takes almost the first quarter of the book for the main character to take ownership of the estate - a will-she/won't she decision that readers already know if they read the book description. The plot is rather predictable and the pacing is slow - just not my style of book.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book literally reminded me of the show “ghosts”. Which i loved!! It was cozy, quirky, lighthearted but yet twisty!! I really enjoyed it and I’d read more if this becomes a series.

This is a cute slow burn, very very very slow, with ghosts! The characters are cute and the author does a great job with creating back stories and personalities that make each character feel real and whole.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

I thought this story was magical and really sweet. As I am a fan of Ghost Whisperer and Ghosts (the series), this book was a really fun read for me.
The ghosts' lives (and afterlives) were really touching and original. The only thing was that it was a bit slow from time to time and I would have liked the romance to be a bit "deeper" as it felt kind of insta-lovey at the start.
Other than that, I had a really great time reading this book and got attached to the characters, I even felt really emotional reading one of the ghosts' story.
Really recommend if you are looking for a cosy and magical read.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood books for providing my with this ARC! 🫶🏻

I absolutely loved this cozy, ghostly romance. I couldn’t put it down! It reminded me so much of the series ‘Ghosts’, which I also adore, so this immediatly had me hooked into the book haha.

While there wasn’t a heavy focus on the romance, I was far more invested in the ghosts and their lives, so I didn’t mind at all. I especially loved seeing how some of the ghosts grew as characters and how Callie slowly came to tearms and see her gift as a blessing rather than a curse, thanks to the ghosts, her friends, and her daughter.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves the series ‘Ghosts’ or just wants a cozy, fun, and heartwarming paranormal read!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC.
If you love cozy ghost books then this one is for you.
Set in modern day, this book takes us on a journey of a single mother and her daughter and their rags to riches story which comes with a bunch of ghosts, a lot of self-doubt and self-learning, growing and changing and navigating life together. This has a HEA and the ending is just perfect. I would absolutely recommend this book. I do wish we got to see more of the daughter's perspective, but maybe the author will write a second book from her perspective as a story continuation? (Fingers crossed!)

This is a lovely story to make any day feel cosy. At least that's what it is giving me. It's the perfect mix of romance, magic, mystery, history and family.

Callie is a single mum to Immi. On a schooltrip they go to Rowan Vale, a historical village. Once there, Callie discovers some unsettling people she wants to report. She soon realizes that not everyone can see or speak to them like she can — because they are ghosts.
She then meets with the village's owner Sir Lawrence Davenport who weirdly enough offers to sell the estate to her for a tiny amount. Providing she will look after the tenants and ghosts.

The way the story unfolds, with its charming setting and dynamic character interactions, kept me engaged throughout. I especially loved the theme of unity that ran through it.

It's well written, the pacing is very steady which I like. With some books I sometimes feel the need to skip ahead but never with this one.
A nice feel-good book with a hint of magic.

A really sweet urban paranormal fantasy with a dash of romance!
Personally I was under the impression that this would be slightly more romance forward, although there was nothing to suggest it in the overview for me to feel lead astray… I think I just made an incorrect assumption. The cast of characters - especially the ghosts - were wonderful, and given how many there were to keep track of, I thought Booth did an awesome job giving each their own very recognisable voice.

I loved the dynamic between Callie and her daughter, as well as between her and Brodie later in the book. The care and consideration shown for each relationship was lovely, even when characters were at odds with each other. It felt very real, very plausible; even though there were ghosts in almost every scene!

This was a lovely, light read that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal fantasy, urban settings and a splash of (mature, unfussy) romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books & Booth for the opportunity to read and review this story prior to its release.

This was a really cute read! It will draw a lot of comparison to the BBC show Ghosts, because it features a community of ghosts from different time periods living in a manor house and its surroundings, and the woman who can unexpectedly see them, but it is nicely constructed in its own right, with a likeable lead who's very believable as an out-of-her-depth mother, and a host of secondary characters that are a lot of fun to get to know. It's quite a gentle book, and fairly slow-paced, but good for a very cozy Sunday afternoon read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the early ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Having never read this author before, I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of writing style, character development, or world-building. But when I saw a new cozy book with magical ghostly themes, I was absolutely thrilled to give it a try. I am ALWAYS down for a spooky romance—no matter what time of year it is.

That being said, it wasn’t my favorite cozy paranormal book I’ve read. Overall, my experience was good, and I would rate this 3/5 stars. The world created is so vivid and charming. The descriptive imagery paints a clear picture of Rowan Vale, right down to the cracks in the sidewalk. The best way to describe the atmosphere is eerily charming—inviting yet unsettling, like something is just slightly off. I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop when the mystery aspects were at their peak.

The story itself felt a bit slow until you reach the halfway point, where everything comes into focus and the plot really gains momentum. I appreciate that the side characters received just as much care and attention as the main ones. The inclusion of various ghostly POV chapters offered deeper insight into the inner workings of the town’s residents—both living and dead. Those chapters were crucial in advancing the plot, and the character development of the ghosts was masterfully executed.

Some choices in this book weren’t my personal cup of tea—and that’s okay! For instance, Callie saying "I’ve lost the plot" felt jarring and out of place. It’s a pet peeve of mine when authors use trendy phrases or current slang unironically. The language actually threw me off in the beginning because Callie initially spoke in a posh, almost dated way. Once it became clear the book was set in the present day, some of her word choices felt bizarre to me. The ghosts, of course, came from different eras, so their dialogue felt more fitting. Callie herself was rough around the edges and borderline rude at times, which made her a harder pill to swallow for me.

Another personal qualm was that the romance felt rushed and somewhat forced, especially given the book’s otherwise slow pace. It seemed like the romance was squeezed in, and it didn’t feel entirely authentic.

Overall, I think there were some pacing issues, a few overly elaborate details that could have been trimmed, and some language inconsistencies that could have been polished.

That said, it was a delightfully cozy read, and I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a slow-paced spooky read with quirky characters!

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall by Sharon Booth is a cozy, heartwarming paranormal novel. If you enjoy Ghosts (tv show), you’ll love this book! Callie, a stubborn and insecure woman, inherits a beautiful estate and discovers she can see and communicate with ghosts—something she’s been trying to hide for years. The journey of her accepting this gift, especially through the eyes of her daughter Immie, was truly touching.

The setting in Cottswold and the charming ghosts added to the magical atmosphere, and I loved the found-family dynamic that developed throughout the story. My only complaint is that the romance felt a bit rushed and didn’t fully develop until late in the book, but I’m hopeful it will grow in future installments.

Overall, this book is a delightful mix of cozy paranormal elements and heartwarming relationships. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! Would recommend for fans of cozy mysteries and magical stories.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC to read and review.

An entertaining read that has the potential to lead to being book one in a great series.

I really enjoyed reading it, but being the reviewer I am, will include constructive criticism.

Firstly, it's a great book, but not what I'd call historical fiction or sci-fi fantasy. But that may just be due to the limit options of genres offered by Netgalley when listing your book. To me, it was more a YA spec fic. And an entertaining one. The romance was definitely there, but came across as a little "cookie cutter" for me. And the drawn out reveal was drawn out a little too long.

I found the pace of the story good, but a tad too slow in places, and overly wordy in a way that looked like the author was told to beef out the word count, rather than add more story. If that makes sense. Then again, it was the first book and had a lot of world building to do. It just seemed a little over crammed with not much more than endless, repeated details. Good details! But, yes, over done.

But it was a lovely, almost original, concept that really does set the scene for a potentially entertaining series.

I know most of what my review says sounds harsh, but it truly was a fun read, and an author and (hopefully) series I will look out for.

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall was such a cute cozy read for anyone that's a fan of the paranormal! Thank you Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an e-ARC. The book is marketed towards fans of Ghosts which I've yet to watch, however parts reminded me of the show Being Human as the relations are between humans and ghosts alike.

As a reader, I tend to read cozy books as breaks between fantasy worlds and this was a perfect book for that task! It was a bit slow to start, with the amount of new to everyone characters and explaining Callie's backstory. Since it's the first book of a new series I'm sure the relationships between most of these characters will grow and blossom throughout the following books.

Overall review: 4 stars out of 5, 100% recommend and look forward to the series continuing!