Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a chance to read this early!

Lately I have really come to love more cozy types stories unfortunately this one just wasn’t a hit for me.

I only have 2 really major complaints about this book and the first is nothing remotely happens for the first 50% of this book. I know it’s a cozy story but I did expect something at least interesting to happen and it did not. I guess this is more slice of life type of story which might not be my thing. My second major complaint is Callie, our main character. I found her just kinda awful. There was just something about how she spoke to people that just really rubbed me the wrong way.

The part I did enjoy from this story was all the ghosts. I really would’ve liked to got to know them more in this book. I found their personalities so interesting.

Overall just wasn’t the book for me. I see why people have enjoyed it so far but I just wanted more

Absolutely loved this paranormal romance!! So cute and cozy!! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for arc of this book! Highly recommend if looking for something unique, light and funny!

This was a fun read. The world building and side characters were great. I wasn’t a fan of the MFC, she didn’t seem to grow throughout the book which was a shame. I also found the chemistry off; it didn’t quite come across as realistic or genuine.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

first of all, thanks to netgalley for the ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own opinion. so, for context, i requested this on netgalley mostly because of the cover. i mean, it’s stunning. i also liked the premise. a girl goes to a small town with her daughter and discovers a found family. it’s a trope i like and i never mind a story like that. unfortunately, i thought this book was just alright.

i loved the cozy vibes and the paranormal ghost aspect was well-done. i didn't take me long to read this, either. however, i felt apathetic the whole time i was reading. kind of like okay i’m reading this, but WHY am i reading this which wasn’t fun. also, i didn’t really connect with the writing. i didn’t like how the main character, callie, acted a lot younger than she really was. she would make just sort of silly decisions that i think a rational person her age wouldn’t make. i also didn’t like the romance, it felt kind of shoe-horned in near the end. i think i kind of just wanted more from this?

overall, this was right down the middle of the road for me. i don’t know if i would recommend this or not. i definitely think if anyone's interested in this, checking out the reviews would be worth it!

This was a perfect cozy paranormal book. I wasn’t anticipating starting to like all of the ghosts - but I did. It is a perfect book for those who want to escape from the reality of today and dive into a world that seems just a bit nicer.

This started off very cute and fun. I loved the characters and the children and it seemed to be a great read. Unfortunately halfway through I found it started to drag and get silly. Its a shame as I thought it would be a fun read but it wasn't. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A fun read, thanks so much for the opportunity to read it early! This book was cosy and well-written. I enjoyed it very much.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

All single mom Callie wants is to spend more time with her growing daughter, Immi. And while a lot of things are spread thin at their home (time and money, for example), the last thing Callie wants is for Immi to grow up feeling anything but loved. So, when the opportunity arises for her to assist with a school trip to the village of Rowan Vale, Callie takes the chance without thinking twice. And, at first, everything seems better than perfect; the village practically oozes charm, the children are relatively well-behaved, and so what if there are misbehaving actors at the train station?

However, when its revealed the men Callie scolded for fighting <I>weren't</I> just actors dressed as WWII soldiers, but <I>ghosts</I>, and that the entire village is populated by, well, another sort of population; Callie and her daughter are given the opportunity of a lifetime.

This was a charming spooky season read for any time of the year! It was a bit slow to start, but by the end I was so glad to have stuck it out. Booth does a fantastic job of juggling such a large cast of characters, and I am so excited to be returning to Rowan Vale in the second book of this series to uncover more secrets!

Unfortunately, despite several attempts, I was unable to get into this book. There seemed to be pacing issues and a lack of fandom for the author's writing style. It all was just a bit hard to understand and follow along with from the get go.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

DNF @ 27%.
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. Almost 30% of the way through and I feel nothing for the characters (and there’s a decent number of them) and can’t see at all where the plot is going. I didn’t vibe with the writing either.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

This was such an amazing read! I finished this all in one day. The background of the ghosts and their involvement in the storyline is incredible. The characters are so real and relatable, yet it remains whimsical. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though it is not what I’ve been reading lately. I’m looking forward to the next books in this series!

4.5 stars!

This book was definitely unique. The beginning was very cute, had me wondering but it all came together. I loved the characters. They were very believable and lovable in their own way. I feel like the plot to this book went at a medium pace, I appreciate that it wasn't rushed! Loved the banter as well! My first book from this author and I was absolutely pleased! I would definitely read another one from her!

While on a school trip with her daughter Immi, Callie is tasked with helping supervise the children. Their destination is a small village known as Rowan Vale in Yorkshire, famous for historical reenactments.

When they arrive to the village, Callie is horrified to see two men—who appear to be actors dressed in period clothing—in a physical altercation on the train platform. Concerned at the image the actors are displaying for the children, she vows to speak to the manager of the village, Lawrie, who lives at the large house known as Harling Hall.

Callie arrives to speak to Lawrie and is greeted with the offer of a lifetime. She is informed that the two “actors” on the platform are actually ghosts, and have been there for quite some time. Callie’s ability to see ghosts has also made her the de facto inheriter of Harling Hall and the entire estate.

Accepting the post would mean uprooting her and her daughter’s lives to move to the countryside, all the while managing an estate that she knows nothing about. However, is this opportunity the second chance she and her daughter need?

Overall a cute book, though I was much more invested in the first half than in the second half. The second half dragged to me a bit. There are many side characters in this book and some get more attention than the others. There are also many side plots and some feel a bit unfinished by the end of the book.

Despite this, a very quick, easy read. I can see why it is compared to the show “Ghosts”.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

I generally have taken to only requesting books that are smack dab in the middle of my favorite genre lately, but I requested this one anyway because it just seemed like something I’d like. While it definitely was outside my favorite genre (I like a mystery in my plot), but this still was so much fun. Yes, it did take me a little bit to get involved as the beginning was a little slow, but after that, I just loved this book. It’s sweet, heartwarming, well-written, and very touching. It’s simple in a good way, and fans of a heartwarming romance/plot of people finding their places in life will definitely love this one. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This book is definitely a slow burn kind of story. The plot is unique and all the characters, both living and not, are well developed and interesting.

What a charming light read! Sharon Booth is a deft hand with place and people, and I soon found myself immersed in Rowan Vale and interested in all the stories, whether from living folks or not so living. I do not customary read fantasy, or even romance novels in contemporary settings, preferring historical fiction. But this little novel won me over and drew me in.

Sure, there are flaws here and there. Callie was hard for me to warm up to, and often seemed rather obtuse. The romance is not compelling. But there was so much more happening that it was easy for me to be light-hearted about it all. In the end, that is what a cozy novel is about for me, just sitting back and allowing myself to enjoy. This is a good pick for precisely that.

All in all, I am glad I chose this title from NetGalley for an ARC. Despite not falling squarely in my usual reading genre, I found it engaging. If it is at all in your reading ballpark, I expect you will enjoy it very much.

This was such a cozy read! I enjoyed the historical aspect of the story and fell in love with most of the characters. I found myself occasionally frustrated with a few on the main personalities, but I think that just goes to show that we're all human at the end of the day. Thanks NetGalley for this ARC 🕺🏻🪄✨

cozy and well-written romance, definitely! it was a pretty good read and worth the short time. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

what a fun read! this was such an entertaining story with a fabulous cast of characters that i know you will fall in love with!
one i have already recommended to friends

I received an ARC of this book from #NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author, Sharon Booth, thank you!

We first meet Callie who is a struggling single mom on a field trip with her daughter, Immy. They visit Rowan Vale which is an adorable "living history" village with a large manor. Callie quickly starts seeing some interesting "actors" that lead her to confront the owner. Lawrie, of the Harling Hall manor. Here Callie realizes that some of these characters are actually ghosts, and she is one of the lucky few that can see them! Lawrie has a life changing reveal for Callie and her and Immy soon find themselves learning more about the manor and eventually themselves.

My favorite part of this story was the ghosts and their story lines. Even though they were not living they had complex emotions and I love how Callie worked on building their community. I also loved how their stories entwined with the other characters. One issue I had was they romance layer to the novel, Callie eventually falls for Brodie, the non ghost seeing grandson of Lawrie. He never really warmed up for me to believe that they were attracted to each other. I felt like this later fell flat. However, I think there were so many other interconnected story lines that the romance was not really needed to fully enjoy the rest of the novel.