Wow wow wow! I loved this book. The premise felt cozy and fresh, I love the idea of a small village with a shared secret like this. The story within that setting had me sighing sweetly. I love the attraction and tension of the main couple trying to find a solution to a long ago murder that has both their ancestors tied in. I really enjoyed the personalities given to all the ghosts and how they interplay with the living through relatives, each other, and Callie. Definitely keeping up with this series!!

Book two in the Ghosts of Rowan Vale series takes us deeper into the charming, quirky village and its haunted teashop. Loving Spirits centres on Shona, who runs the teashop, and Max, a visitor investigating his grandfather’s past as a prisoner of war. At the heart of it all is the decades-old mystery of Shona’s great aunt Polly’s murder.

The story starts off a little scattered, but once the mystery kicks in, it becomes hard to put down. I actually enjoyed this instalment more than the first, thanks to the intriguing whodunnit and the fun of piecing together clues.

Much like the TV show Ghosts, the resident spirits add humour, warmth, and depth to the story. The slower pace of village life and the gentle unfolding of ghostly backstories made this a cosy, satisfying read.

This is the 2nd book on the rowan vale series and was even more of a joy to read than the previous one. Such a magical read which cleverly mixes the past and present with an element of mystery intertwined. I was captivated from the first page the characters and descriptions and the storyline are very engaging.

Looking forward to what comes next for the inhabitants of Rowan Vale

Loving Spirits at the Village Teashop by Sharon Booth is a curious book about a living history village wherein humans and ghosts live together in harmony. Not all human can see the ghosts, and some that can can only see one. Some of the ghosts are ancestors of the residents and some are not. It involves the murder of one of the ghosts, Polly Herron, who is the great-aunt of the proprietress of the tea shop, Shona. There is a new owner of the village, Callie, as the descendants of the previous owner had not been able to see and communicate with the ghosts and that was a requirement. Callie is young and full of ideas, including her current one of having a 1940’s weekend. Shona was not sure as Polly had been murdered in 1948, but Polly was excited about it. No one had ever known who killed Polly and she couldn’t, or wouldn’t say. It was a sore spot.

Polly was very active, always out and about, able to overhear conversations that the participants though was private. She was not a gossip, but very knowledgable. One day she was startled by a voice she knew, but when she turned she saw it was not him but a younger man with his voice. Max’s grandfather had been a German POW nearby and he was there looking for answers. It was sometimes confusing, but always endearing. A mystery solved, romance bloomed, and people lived their lives. An intriguing story with excellent characters, a good plot, a decent mystery, and so much more.

I was invited to read Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #SharonBooth #LovingSpiritsAtTheVintageTeashop

Great story with a fun cast of characters. I loved the cozy plot and the supernatural elements. It was nice to be back with the cast at Rowan Vale.

This book did not disappoint. When Max visits town, to meet with his daughter, he meets Shona an older resident of the village. They are attracted to each other, but Polly Shonas aunt, and a resident ghost does not encourage the relationship. Polly was murdered and a German POW is suspected (he's Max's relative). Pollys secrets on who killed those years ago, create a rift betweenShona and Max. Revelations and some endearing moments later Shona and Max get their hea.

Like book 1, this was fast paced, you got the backstories of some more ghosts. Preferably read it in order, for the context.

#LovingSpiritsattheVintageTeashop #NetGalley

Warning, My review might sound biased because I will always have a soft spot for this series whether the story is good or not. And I have to tell you this, you need to read the first book for you to love this series and also get to know what Rowan Vale is about in depth. I know it’s a different main characters for both books, but the story timeline is continuous from the first book and I’m sure it will be the same for the third. You won’t really get the hype or the magical feeling from the village because you haven’t gotten a proper introduction of it.

I fell in love with the story not because of the romantic encounters or tragic ending but because of how heart warming the whole Rowan Vale estate is. How the life of the past and present tenants coexist. It just feels dreamy to imagine a village that preserves its history and somehow we got to hear and see the side story of the people in history.

The romantic encounter here in this book isn’t about intimacy or physical attraction like most romance stories. It was simply a lovely story between man and woman, brother and sister, father and daughter. Personally, I think it’s not easy to write a lot of characters that are easily connected with each other that are not weirdly entangled just just for the plot. Each character serves really well and holds importance despite being a minor character.

I want to really say it again, I love this book. If you’re looking for a book with heartwarming, lovely but tragic at the same time read the series. And like I said I might be biased in this but I’m all for a heartwarming story.

I’m so happy to be able to continue reading about the friends of Rowan Vale! I have to admit, I didn’t love this one as much as I did the first book. It took me a while to finish, because it felt like it dragged on much longer than it needed to. The last 25% percent contained all the “action”. It’s a well written and easy read. I’m looking forward to part 3!

Thank you boldwood books and NetGalley for the arc I fully enjoyed it

It was good I like the characters and the plot it’s about a ghost a teashop a village and supernatural things it was fun romance cozy read

Also after reading this I realised it’s book 2 I now need to read book 1

Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop is a heart-warming, cosy romance with a gentle sprinkle of the supernatural—perfect for readers who love their fiction with charm, comfort, and a touch of whimsy.
Set in a quaint village and centered around a vintage teashop, the story delivers on its promise of coziness. The atmosphere is delightful, and the setting feels like a warm hug—ideal for curling up with on a quiet afternoon. The characters are likeable, with an endearing cast that adds both humor and heart to the narrative.
The magical twist involving spirits adds a fun and unexpected layer, though at times it felt a little underexplored. I would have loved a deeper dive into that aspect to really elevate the uniqueness of the story. The romance itself is sweet, though a bit predictable in places, and the pacing occasionally slowed, especially in the middle sections.
That said, Sharon Booth’s writing has an easy, comforting flow to it, and she clearly knows how to craft a feel-good story with emotional warmth. The themes of healing, community, and second chances are woven in with care, making this a lovely, low-stakes read with just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ghosts, romance, secrets... and tea!

This delightful novel invites readers into a world where the past never quite lets go as if time feels almost suspended here. Step into the nostalgic charm of Rowan Vale, a Cotswold village where history lives and sometimes lingers beyond the grave. In this beautifully woven tale of love, loss and long buried secrets, Shona, a woman finding her way again after heartbreak, runs a 1940s themed teashop alongside the spirited ghost of her great-aunt Polly.

The teashop is also home to the ghost of great-aunt Polly, a spirited (and at times, rather opinionated) presence who once ran the place in its heyday. Polly isn’t just lingering for sentimental reasons—she has unfinished business, secrets buried deep in wartime shadows, and a heart still tethered to old regrets.

When the dashing Max arrives searching for clues to his family’s wartime past, he stirs up more than just memories. As romance brews and a haunting mystery unfolds, Shona must help Polly face the truth she’s hidden for decades and perhaps find her own chance at love again.

As the village prepares for a 1940s reenactment weekend, old wounds surface and long held secrets unravel. The story gracefully shifts between past and present, offering a moving exploration of forgiveness, healing and second chances. Polly’s ghostly arc is particularly poignant – an aching reminder that sometimes love lingers long after life, waiting to be resolved.
With its misty lanes, spectral whispers and stolen glances over teacups, it is a story that leaves you believing in the power of love across time and the possibility of new beginnings at any age.

Thank you Sharon Booth, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sending the ARC of this novel!

With thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review. To note I haven’t read the first in the series and perhaps that put me at a disadvantage. I was attracted by the spririt/magical realism concept of the book. Overall it made for an entertaining read, but it was a little slow to get going, not helped by a complicated list of characters, which took the first half of the book to get to grips with. This is where I think perhaps reading the previous book in the series may have helped. The story unfolded well with a group of likeable if a little far fetched characters. The plot line was entertaining and the conclusion satisfying. Worth a read, but maybe in order of the series to get the full value.

I wasn’t ae to read the first book and so I think I missed a lot of the backstory. Anyway, right off the bat there were just too many characters that were introduced and I start doubting that all of them played huge roles in the story. If you have too many characters in a supposedly cozy read, it’s not gonna work because you will feel disconnected with the characters. Over-all I really wanted to enjoy this but it just didn’t make me invested enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC version of this book!

Loving Spirits at the Vintage Teashop is a magical, cozy read about a niece finding a second chance at love under unexpected circumstances while her ghost great-aunt come to terms with the truth of her murder after almost a decade. I did pick up on the cozy, whimsical atmosphere that the author intended to portray. The book was set in September, but I thought it could fit in as a Christmas read.

However, that alone wasn't enough the make me appreciate the book. The most important element of a good book, in my view, is the writing—and that’s where this one fell short. The large numbers of characters and names threw me off and was tricky to keep up with, so I stopped caring early on. The living characters were not as distinctively portrayed as the ghosts characters – ironically, i feel that the ghosts have more voices and colors. The conversations and dialogues were carried out in a stiff and unnatural manner that I can't help but cringe for the characters, preventing me from connecting and symphatising with them. I did somewhat enjoy the surprise at the end of the book, but this part of the story was so fleeting—treated as if the revelations were nothing major, just an accessory to an otherwise pretty boring story. It got to the point where I considered DNF-ing the book a couple of times.

The book briefly touched on a part of history, but it wasn’t explored in depth. It felt more like a convenient story-connector—used to fill in the blanks until a new idea emerged—rather than a meaningful element. It also tried to juggle so many themes that it felt lost: a little bit of mystery to engage the reader, but wait, let's make it historical so that it'll be relevant. Oh and let's also add in some romance to engage younger readers!

In the end, while the concept had promise and the tone had potential, the execution left me feeling disconnected and underwhelmed.

Having recently finished reading the author Sharon Booth’s last book Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall, I dived straight into her second book of this series. I couldn’t wait to get reading it.
This book certainly didn’t disappoint, I so enjoyed reading it.
Returning to Rowan Vale village, snatches of previous characters, meeting new one’s was great fun.
This book was centred around the tea shop, involving the living characters and the ghosts.
Shona’s Aunt Polly was murdered in the 1940’s, but the family never knew who had done it.
The book is full of feelings, mystery, intrigue and secrets. It’s funny too.
Sharon Booth captures the inner thoughts and turmoils of her characters so well.
Reactions, love, friendship, excitement, this book has it all.
I can’t wait for her next book.

Definitely not as endearing as the first book in the series. Not much of a romance to get behind here. The characters from the first book are barely a footnote in this one. I was kind of hoping this series would center around them as they help each ghost move on/solve the mystery of why the town is so haunted. But...it looks like every book will be about different family in the village.

This is the story of Polly Herron, a ghost whose 1947 murder is still unsolved until Rissa's German dad Max comes to visit and research his grandfather's time in a work camp during WW2 and stirs up the mystery. As Max works with Shona (Polly's grandniece) to research Polly's death and his grandfather's time at Rowan Farm, they start an underwhelming romance.

The best parts of this book were finding out how Polly really died and the introduction to Harmony Hill a 30's starlet/reclusive ghost and Quintas a Roman solider. There was a nice surprise at the end but why aren't these ghosts moving on?! As of now we are not even investigating why they are all stuck and, I'm on the fence about whether I'll continue with the series.

I loved the first one in the series for its originality and quaint setting and, while both of those were present in this one, they didn’t pack the same punch as the first. For some reason, I had a difficult time telling the different between which characters were ghosts and which ones were alive in the present day. It could be the sheer number of characters that were in this one that made it so confusing. The story was still touching and sweet but I just didn’t warm to the characters the same way I did in the first one.

In this second book of the series we are back in Rowan Vale, a little town in the Cotswold. It is not only a living museum town, no here also ghosts live.
This book concentrates on Shona who is running the Tea shop in town, her family and most of all about Polly the ghost of her great-aunt.
Max arrives in town after finding a picture of his daughter in a newspaper. She is not happy that she is working in Rowan Vale a town he suspects to be the cause of horror for his grandfather. During the war he was a German prisoner who worked on the farm but never shared any information about his time there. Only close to his death it became clear that memories of the farm are hunting him and Max wants to proof that his grandfather was badly treated there.
Shone wants to help this interesting and handsome stranger. She is not aware that this is linked to the death of Polly which means finally Polly must confront herself with a terrible truth.


This is the second book of the series and it is more about the ghost in town. I like this very much and might be the reason why I enjoyed this book a bit more than the first one.

Now we know the structure of Rowan Vale, the ghosts and the living there already. Now we learn more about some of the ghosts and it is easier to understand their behaviour, their pasts.
This combined with the love story for Shona who I really like as character, a bit mystery as we learn that Polly was murdered and the question is why and by whom but also the normal friendship and daily live in Rowan Vale is for me well combined.

A cozy story, well written and with nice characters (living and ghosts).

If you’ve ever wished your summer read could mix ghostly goings-on, unexpectedly enchanting romance, twisty murder mysteries, and postcard-perfect countryside charm—this book is calling your name. Think: Agatha Christie took a stroll through a rom-com and got haunted along the way.

Rowan Vale is a village with a difference. It is run as a 1940s museum, and there are some extra special inhabitants – some ghosts. Not everyone can see them – mainly family members, but the new owner, Callie is in that position because she can see and hear all of the ghosts. When Max comes into town to find his daughter, he realises that she is working on the Farm where his Grandfather was a prisoner of war. Shona, the café owner finds herself drawn to Max, but her late Aunt Polly is distraught as his arrival stirs up memories she’d rather keep buried—including the one that ended with her untimely death.

It’s got all the ingredients: wartime history, hidden truths, haunted romance, and that irresistible small-town setting where everyone knows everyone—but not necessarily everything. I really enjoyed it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7703541095

https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/loving-spirits-at-vintage-teashop-by.html

*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*

In this wonderful return to the cozy village of Rowan Vale, mysteries are unraveled and families nearly torn apart-- all because of a murder that happened over fifty years ago and a newcomer to town who can't seem to let things go...

This was an unexpected triumph for me, I genuinely think I loved this sequel more than the first book! I was a little thrown off at first with the new narrator, but quickly settled in with Shona's warm and funny storytelling (and don't worry, there's plenty of scenes with some familiar faces). This story had everything: love, mystery, heartbreak, family, forgiveness, and murder; and while it was a little long-winded at times, the pace felt true to our new narrator and I genuinely didn't mind the stroll her story took us on.

While the ending wasn't a total surprise, I was genuinely delighted Booth took the story in an unexpected direction. LOVING SPIRITS is a great choice for someone looking for a low-stakes cozy mystery with a touch of emotional turmoil!