Looking for a sweet summer romance with a supernatural twist? The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert is a romantic magical story that blends fantastical abilities with a delightful hometown love story.
When Sabrina is forced to come home to Dell, Wisconsin, she will do anything she can to get out of there. On top of dealing with an unfulfilling summer job, old bullies, and ex-boyfriends, she has to deal with her family curse. All the women in her family can see ghosts in her town and help them fulfil their unfinished business so they can cross over to the other side. The upside is Molly, who is a ghost that has been around her family for generations and a steadfast friend and romcom enthusiast. The downside is the constant pestering of ghosts interrupting her life and asking her to do some pretty conspicuous final wishes.
The last thing that Sabrina wants is to jump into a new relationship while she searches for an out-of-town job. However, an adorably awkward meet-cute at a water park with the attractive local restauranteur Ray might cause her to rethink things. Ray is an incredibly sweet and passionate man that came to Dells to help his dying Uncle Henry with the town staple, “The Otter Club” even though his parents want to sell the place and make him come back to New York City. But how can he leave when he has a huge family secret to discover and a legacy to protect?
After the charming water park fiasco, Sabrina and Ray’s paths keep crossing and while she is charmed by him but hesitant, he is quickly smitten. He invites her to his supper club and they start to grow closer, despite her insistence that she will be leaving soon and shouldn’t date anyone. As she continues to figure out her life and he attempts to win her over before she leaves for good, the two begin to discover more about themselves, their families, and each other and combat the ghosts of their past.
I enjoyed every page and may have even audibly squealed a couple of times, which is rare for me. It was extremely fun, which made for a fast and enthralling read. Sabrina and Ray’s relationship is the heart of the novel and is developed organically and softly. Although he makes his interest in her clear from the start, he never pressures her into anything and is a complete gentleman. Their goals are very different but they clearly fit each other so well. You really get a sense of how their minds work and the way they view the world and each other. Sabrina is the kind of woman that has money problems yet still hides $5 bills in library books for people to find. Ray is the type of man to spend hours perfecting a cheese curds recipe to make someone he cares about happy. Their dynamic is sometimes awkward and messy but feels so real and endearing. They are both so easy to fall in love with.
Sabrina is a deeply relatable protagonist who struggles with anxiety, trauma from her past, and insecurities about the future. The way that Reichert addresses mental health felt very nuanced and real, not reduced to stereotypes or generalisations which I greatly appreciated. It is a driving factor in the story but doesn’t feel forced in any way. Sabrina is at a crossroads in her life while forced to live in a place where she is surrounded by nostalgia and trauma. Not only is that relatable in the general day to day, but especially in a time where so many people have been forced to uproot their lives, rearrange priorities and figure out what the future holds (Thanks COVID!).
Molly was one of my favourite characters and often a great foil to Sabrina. She had a tragic life and hasn’t been able to complete her unfinished business since, but she remains optimistic, bubbly, and a hopeless romantic. She helped Sabrina during her lonely childhood, almost like a sister, and continues to help her, especially when it comes to Ray. Her relationship with Molly is dynamic and complicated, but they balance each other so well. Despite being dead for so long, Molly appears so modern and young. We also learn a lot about the ghosts through her experience, expanding the world in a fun way. Perhaps there could have been more of her perspective, but even in Sabrina’s point of view, she is a powerful force.
Overall, the pacing was perfect, and Reichert leaves a lot of breadcrumbs throughout for the audience to put together things before the characters. There are lots of lightbulb moments that are woven seamlessly together with a satisfying payoff. I don’t usually live multiple POV switches in a novel but it works really well here without bogging down the narrative or making it confusing. I enjoyed each of their points of view greatly, especially as they interpret events very differently. This creates a lot of fun misunderstandings as we are given access to information that they are not. But it also is a great way to show how each of them falls in love, and what stands out to each of them.
This is definitely a novel that I could reread over and over and still have a fresh experience. With endearing characters, slow-burn romance, and supernatural fun, Reichert has created the perfect book for dreamers. She blends the grounded family and romantic drama with fantastical elements without overwhelming the story or making it trite. On top of the charming relationship, there is a hopeful reminder to us all that it is ok to not always stick with the plan and to look for someone who will accept you and all your quirks.
The Kindred Spirits Supper Club is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 20th 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Jobless and forced home to Wisconsin, journalist Sabrina Monroe can tolerate reunions with frenemies and kisses from old boyfriends, but not the literal ghosts that greet her in this heartwarming tale of the power of love and connection from acclaimed author Amy E. Reichert.
For Sabrina Monroe, moving back home to the Wisconsin Dells–the self-described Waterpark Capital of the World–means returning to the Monroe family curse: the women in her family can see spirits who come to them for help with unfinished business. But Sabrina’s always redirected the needy spirits to her mom, who’s much better suited for the job. The one exception has always been Molly, a bubbly rom-com loving ghost, who stuck by Sabrina’s side all through her lonely childhood.
Her personal life starts looking up when Ray, the new local restaurateur, invites Sabrina to his supper club, where he flirts with her over his famous Brandy Old-Fashioneds. He’s charming and handsome, but Sabrina tells herself she doesn’t have time for romance–she needs to focus on finding a job. Except the longer she’s in the Dells, the harder it is to resist her feelings for Ray. Who can turn down a cute guy with a fondness for rescue dogs and an obsession with perfecting his fried cheese curds recipe?
When the Dells starts to feel like home for the first time and with Ray in her corner, Sabrina begins to realize that she can make a difference and help others wherever she is.
