Review of 'Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House' by Sharon Booth
Release date: Sept 1, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
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REVIEW
Heart-warming and festive, Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House by Sharon Booth captured my attention and heart from the first page. I adored the new Rowan Vale instalment in a series that has me eagerly waiting to read the next adventure. This unique and memorable story line with endearing characters who are both ghosts and living town dwellers, make me feel as though I know, empathise and respect each of them with their traumas and dramas. The dialogue between the characters is perfect, mature and engaging. The backdrop of this special village is exceptionally described and I can see clearly every image that surrounds and graces the setting. The plot is believable (even with the events surrounding the ghosts!) as it easily parallels the real world making it relatable. Emotions and reactions are universal in that the characters exhibit what one would expect in various circumstances. Yet there are surprises to keep a hungry reader wondering what might happen next!
The Christmas season is a special time of year with falling snow and twinkling lights that add more sparkle to the Cotswold historical village. The novel set during this period, adds a nice flavour to the drama. Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House focuses on two main relationships: Clara and Jack in the temporal world and Aubrey and Agnes in the spirit realm. Fear is a common negative emotion that flows back and forth between the two domains and couples. Fear that can foster the need to control. In Agnes’s case, it causes some serious relationship damage with her beloved Aubrey. Agnes keeps a tight rein on Aubrey’s activities for fear of losing him. She eventually sees the consequences of her actions and it is heart shattering. As for Clara, she hangs on tightly to a devastating secret that, if known, could seriously affect her marriage and bring into question her trust and motives. But behind this negative motivator is love: the positive force that pulls these four back together. For both Clara and Agnes feel great love for their special men. Once forgiveness is administered, happy resolutions come.
I loved this novel from start to finish with its wonderful surprises and turns of events. I felt the dialogue between Clara and Jack was very well written and the heated words shared between them were appropriate and relatable. It was easy to see each one’s point of view (though I favoured Clara’s the most!) and Jack’s injury of pride was, you might say, typical.
Callie, the caretaker of the village, was a wonderful equaliser of the characters’ conflicts. Her caring yet modern views injected some much needed wisdom into an archaic system that needed updating so her words and actions were a breath of fresh air in a stagnant and once unmovable code of rules!
I enjoyed getting to know Aubrey on a deeper level. He has a sweet personality but showed some fire when he felt betrayed. His actions and reactions were understandable and once we get Agnes’s backstory, we can understand her motives and what led her to do what she did. The main thing is that lessons are learned and joy comes out of the trials, once fears are addressed and dismantled, so that love can reign supreme!
Yes, I totally recommend the delightful Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House. It is a great addition to the series. Reading these books is like getting comfy in your favourite chair, wearing your cosy pjs and relaxing with your favourite cup of tea or hot chocolate. Warm and winsome, uplifting and memorable. It does the heart good to read these beautiful stories! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.
