It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop by Sharon Booth, and sharing my review. Published on 25th June by Boldwood Books, this is the second in her new Ghosts of Rowan Vale series, now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback and hardcover, and also as an audiobook. Thank you, as ever, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
I’ve enjoyed so many of Sharon’s lovely books over the years – and I know many of you will have loved her recent Tuppenny Bridge series (published by Storm Publishing). But my personal favourite was The Witches of Castle Clair (pop her name into my search bar – you’ll find reviews of every book in the series) – so original, the product of an extraordinary imagination, with a real depth of research, wonderful characters, and every book so emotionally engaging. I was already excited to hear she’d joined Boldwood, but the first book in this new series – Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall – was even better than I could have ever hoped for. The perfect setting, and all the characters – ghostly or not – superbly drawn, along with all their relationships and interactions, and the developing romance at the story’s heart was so beautifully handled. You could always read that one as a standalone (you’ll find my no spoilers review here), but when I finished reading I could hardly wait until the next one.
So, let’s take a closer look…
The beautiful Cotswold village of Rowan Vale is run as a living museum, allowing tourists to see history in action. But there’s more to the place than any visitor would guess…
Fifty-something Shona grew up in the village and now runs its vintage, 1940s-themed teashop. Not everyone knows that the previous manager, her great-aunt Polly, still lives there too… as a ghost!
When newcomer Max arrives, hoping to find out more about the place where his German grandfather was a prisoner of war, both Shona and Polly are unsettled. Shona, because handsome, interesting Max is the first man to catch her eye since her divorce, and Polly, because she must finally confront the terrible truth about her past.
A 1940s-themed weekend planned for the village brings the families’ connections to a head and tragic secrets to light.
Can Shona help her ghostly great-aunt to find love and forgiveness once more, while also creating her own happy ever after?
The second in the comforting, feel-good, romantic series with a dash of fantasy that started with Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall.
If this is your first visit to Rowan Vale – and yes, you could most certainly enjoy this book without having read the first in the series – you’ll soon feel surprisingly comfortable there. And you’ll discover that there are ghosts among the residents of the living history museum in the Cotswolds, mostly only seen by some members of their families – although the new owner Callie took on her role because she’s able to interact with them all.
But this time, it’s Shona who we get to know rather better – universally liked, she’s in her 50s, long divorced and now living with her dad, and runs the village’s 1940s teashop. And in the flat upstairs, there’s her great aunt Polly – she was killed in 1948 (and it’s an incident no-one talks about – the murderer’s identity is still unknown), but now enjoys spending time in the teashop, staving off loneliness and keeping track of everything that’s going on in the village.
And she can soon see that Shona – who’s rather given up on any possibility of romance – is attracted to newcomer Max. He’s the father of Rissa, one of the land girls at the farm – and he’s rather horrified to find his daughter living with the family he believes were implicated in the death of his German grandfather, who spent time in Rowan Vale while a prisoner of war and never came home. As he doggedly tries to uncover the full story – ruffling a lot of feathers along the way – Shona does her utmost to help, but more secrets are revealed than either of them expected.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of the village preparing for a 1940s weekend – one of Callie’s new initiatives planned to appeal to visitors and to the ghosts from that time that are still around. There’s bunting everywhere, the shop windows are suitably decorated with wartime memorabilia, Brief Encounter is playing at the vintage cinema, the speakers are blaring Glenn Miller and songs from the time, everyone gets dressed up – but the ongoing story has a rather darker edge, as the truth about events of the past slowly emerges.
The characters are simply wonderful – I loved Shona with all my heart, trying to do the right thing by everyone whatever the personal consequences. Max was a lovely surprise too, with layers to his personality and history that were slowly uncovered – and I really believed in their slow-burn and gentle romance, along with all the barriers in its way. And as for Polly – her personal story was unexpected, and absolutely heartbreaking. The family relationships were beautifully drawn too – Shona’s with her daughters and father Jimmy, Max’s more complicated one with daughter Rissa, and Polly’s with the family she loves while wrestling with her own difficult memories and wartime secrets.
I absolutely loved the ghosts – distinct and very real personalities, all with their own stories. It was particularly good to get to know Harmony Hill (what a great character!), a 1940s Hollywood starlet who Shona tries to get involved in the events of the weekend, but who ultimately plays a rather more significant role in the story. Then there’s Isaac, the seventeenth century landlord of the village pub causing real complications by listening in to conversations – and the 1920s Reverend Silas angrier than ever about the influx of visitors. And as for the Roman centurion Quintus Severus, constantly patrolling the village perimeter – he has his own part to play in the cleverly constructed and quite wonderful story.
There’s humour, there’s drama, and there’s heartbreak – and the author’s emotional touch is faultless. The pacing is perfect, and the 1940s mystery kept me engaged throughout – but so did many aspects of the present day story, especially the desire for Shona and Max to have their own happy ending. The world the author has built is something so very special – such an imagination, such superb storytelling, and this book delighted me every bit as much as the first in the series. I’m very much looking forward to my next visit…
About the author
Sharon Booth is the author of feel-good stories set in charming, quirky locations, and now writes cosy romances with a magical twist for Boldwood. She lives with her husband in East Yorkshire, England.
Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub | Newsletter Sign Up
Thanks so much, Anne. What a gorgeous review! I’m so happy that you’re enjoying spending time in Rowan Vale. xx
I’m loving it there Sharon – I’m just sorry there’s not an Airbnb nearby so I could visit! The review was an absolute pleasure, as always xx