Book Review: High Spirits at the Village Inn By Sharon Booth

I am so pleased to be welcoming Sharon Booth back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, High Spirits at the Village Inn.

Spring has arrived in the Cotswold village of Rowan Vale and everyone is in an optimistic mood.

Everyone except Danny. He’s had a rotten eighteen years stuck in a village where all his hopes and dreams were shattered. His annoying ex-work colleague, who seems determined to look on the bright side of the afterlife, won’t leave him alone. And – as if that wasn’t bad enough – he’s facing eternity dressed as Adam Ant.

Meanwhile, in London, Rory plans to whisk his wife Kirsty away to the Cotswolds for their wedding anniversary. But when they arrive in Rowan Vale, Kirsty is horrified. How could her husband be so insensitive?

Rory insists that they stay at The Quicken Tree Inn and face up to the issues in their marriage. Kirsty has no choice but to go along with him, hoping she can finally put what happened all those years ago behind her. But when she spots her long-dead cousin in the village, things take a decidedly difficult turn…

Will confronting the ghosts from her past be a recipe for happiness or disaster?

*****

Kirsty and Rory are about to celebrate their 10^th wedding anniversary. Instead of being excited, Kirsty is dreading it. Can a few days away together fix what is in danger of breaking?

Brooke and Danny are two of the ghosts in the very special village of Rowan Vale. When something unexpected happens, it threatens to expose secrets from the past.

I was so incredibly pleased to be heading back to Rowan Vale. Having loved the previous novels in this series, I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour for the latest book by Sharon Booth – High Spirits At The Village Inn.

First, I want to talk about the cover. I am always so in awe of how pretty the covers for this series are.

As soon as I started this book, it felt like I was back in a cosy, familiar place where I was surrounded by old friends and getting a big, lovely hug. That’s the feeling you get with these novels. Sharon Booth has done a wonderful job at creating a beautiful, village setting that I can see so vividly in my mind.

This is book four in the series. Having read the previous novels, they enriched my experience as I knew who everyone was. However, this can also be read first if this turns out to be your introduction to the residents of Rowan Vale. It can stand alone.

As usual, I don’t want to give too much away. The plot unveils at a good pace, and it grabbed me from the beginning. There is such a charm woven through this tale but there is also a mystery that is driven by its characters. They are really the heart of these books.

I’m so pleased that Brooke and Danny had a chance to have their story told. They are two of my favourites. They are both easy to like. I wanted them to be OK. It took me slightly longer to warm to Kirsty, I’m not going to lie. However, as with everyone and everything in this village, things are never as they seem, and I was enthralled as I watched the narrative unfold. It was so fun to see some familiar faces too. There is a proper sense of community. I want to move in. Haha.

High Spirits At The Village Inn is full of warmth, humour, emotion and love. With themes including family ties, love, loss, guilt, betrayal and forgiveness, this book is a reminder that holding onto the past will only harm your future, whether you’re alive or a ghost.

About Sharon Booth –

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.

Say hello to Sharon via Facebook, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter.

High Spirits at the Village Inn is book 4 in the Ghosts of Rowan Vale series and was released by Boldwood Books on 28th March 2026. Click to buy on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.