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Harmony #19
It Takes a Psychic
Dive into the alien world of Harmony in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.
Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organisation of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artefacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora's Box. But she's not the only one interested in that artifact.
Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent - they say you never see him coming - is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver - a risky decision that gets her fired.
Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.
Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organisation of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artefacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora's Box. But she's not the only one interested in that artifact.
Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent - they say you never see him coming - is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver - a risky decision that gets her fired.
Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2025
380 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Castle
55 books2,159 followersThe author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
July 19, 2025
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
IT TAKES A PSYCHIC (Ghost Hunter Book #17) by Jayne Castle is another exciting and fun addition to the Ghost Hunter series. All these books can be read as standalone paranormal romances, but this one does tie back to People in Glass Houses, Book #16 with the heroines of both stories being sisters.
Para-archeologist Leona Griffin is still riding the wave of her celebrity from her recent discoveries in the Underworld when she is asked to authenticate items at a meeting for membership in a secretive organization. From the moment she arrives, she has a bad feeling about this group, especially when the final object for her to authenticate is the infamous Old World object Pandora’s Box.
Oliver Rancourt is also at the meeting and has an interest in Pandora’s Box. While the other attendees all seem to ignore him, Leona not only sees him, but feels he is watching her. And she is right. Oliver has a unique ability to blend in and seem to disappear, which is perfect for retrieving his stolen property, but Leona’s ability to see him has intrigued him.
When Leona tries to make a discrete exit, she discovers a dead server wearing the symbol of a dangerous cult around her neck. Before she can alert anyone, a police raid occurs. Oliver shows up at her side and rather than be arrested, they slip away. Oliver has Pandora’s Box, which he tells Leona was stolen from him and when they open it, it has, in addition to its original contents, a strange golden pyramid inside.
Leona and Oliver work together to uncover secrets about the long dead cult leader and the illegal paranormal experiments. The attraction grows between the two, but they are both hiding secrets about their psychic profiles. The answer to questions about Leona and her sister’s past may be within reach, but can Oliver and Leona stay alive to find them.
I wait anxiously for each new installment in this long running series. Not only for a fun, intriguing new pair of romantic protagonists, but also for the new dustbunny. Roxy and her blue fascinator did not disappoint. There was a good amount of heat and chemistry between Leona and Oliver that grew believably over the course of the story, and even though there is sexual intercourse, it is a smaller part of this story than in other books in this series. These books are always a great mash-up of paranormal romance, mystery, and adventure in Harmony.
I highly recommend this addition to the series and would recommend the entire series to anyone. Long live dustbunnies!
IT TAKES A PSYCHIC (Ghost Hunter Book #17) by Jayne Castle is another exciting and fun addition to the Ghost Hunter series. All these books can be read as standalone paranormal romances, but this one does tie back to People in Glass Houses, Book #16 with the heroines of both stories being sisters.
Para-archeologist Leona Griffin is still riding the wave of her celebrity from her recent discoveries in the Underworld when she is asked to authenticate items at a meeting for membership in a secretive organization. From the moment she arrives, she has a bad feeling about this group, especially when the final object for her to authenticate is the infamous Old World object Pandora’s Box.
Oliver Rancourt is also at the meeting and has an interest in Pandora’s Box. While the other attendees all seem to ignore him, Leona not only sees him, but feels he is watching her. And she is right. Oliver has a unique ability to blend in and seem to disappear, which is perfect for retrieving his stolen property, but Leona’s ability to see him has intrigued him.
When Leona tries to make a discrete exit, she discovers a dead server wearing the symbol of a dangerous cult around her neck. Before she can alert anyone, a police raid occurs. Oliver shows up at her side and rather than be arrested, they slip away. Oliver has Pandora’s Box, which he tells Leona was stolen from him and when they open it, it has, in addition to its original contents, a strange golden pyramid inside.
Leona and Oliver work together to uncover secrets about the long dead cult leader and the illegal paranormal experiments. The attraction grows between the two, but they are both hiding secrets about their psychic profiles. The answer to questions about Leona and her sister’s past may be within reach, but can Oliver and Leona stay alive to find them.
I wait anxiously for each new installment in this long running series. Not only for a fun, intriguing new pair of romantic protagonists, but also for the new dustbunny. Roxy and her blue fascinator did not disappoint. There was a good amount of heat and chemistry between Leona and Oliver that grew believably over the course of the story, and even though there is sexual intercourse, it is a smaller part of this story than in other books in this series. These books are always a great mash-up of paranormal romance, mystery, and adventure in Harmony.
I highly recommend this addition to the series and would recommend the entire series to anyone. Long live dustbunnies!
June 6, 2025
It Takes a Psychic takes place in Jayne Castle’s fun, futuristic world of Harmony. People came from Earth after interstellar travel opened up, and those who colonized ended up with paranormal abilities awakened by the planet’s energy.
Ms. Castle does a fantastic job introducing and explaining the world of Harmony at the beginning so even though this is book seventeen in a series it works well as a standalone.
Leona Griffin is called into an elite event to authenticate alien artifacts but is amazed to discover she feels a connection to one of the items, Pandora’s Box. It could unlock information about her and her sister’s psychic abilities. The event takes a dangerous turn and is helped to flee by Oliver Rancourt, a man interested in that particular Object of Power. In their escape they stumble upon a dead body.
Their investigation into the history of Pandora’s Box leads them to the town of Lost Creek, a place full of followers of the missing cult leader Vincent Lee Vance.
Both Oliver and Leona have paranormal abilities they use to help solve the mystery. Teaming up brings them closer, and they can’t help but act on the immediate attraction they felt upon meeting. This is a low angst romance, with the majority of the conflict coming from the mystery and danger they encounter in their investigations.
One of my favorite parts about the series is the dust bunnies! Leona gets attached to Roxy when she helps her in the beginning. These dust bunnies can go from “full on adorable mode” to “sleeked out” attack mode in the blink of an eye. Roxy “the licensed emotional support dust bunny” cracked me up always ready to defend or up for an adventure! Never ask “What could go wrong?” when a dust bunny is involved!
This was a fun combination of mystery, romance, humor, sci-fi with paranormal elements mixed in.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Ms. Castle does a fantastic job introducing and explaining the world of Harmony at the beginning so even though this is book seventeen in a series it works well as a standalone.
Leona Griffin is called into an elite event to authenticate alien artifacts but is amazed to discover she feels a connection to one of the items, Pandora’s Box. It could unlock information about her and her sister’s psychic abilities. The event takes a dangerous turn and is helped to flee by Oliver Rancourt, a man interested in that particular Object of Power. In their escape they stumble upon a dead body.
Their investigation into the history of Pandora’s Box leads them to the town of Lost Creek, a place full of followers of the missing cult leader Vincent Lee Vance.
Both Oliver and Leona have paranormal abilities they use to help solve the mystery. Teaming up brings them closer, and they can’t help but act on the immediate attraction they felt upon meeting. This is a low angst romance, with the majority of the conflict coming from the mystery and danger they encounter in their investigations.
One of my favorite parts about the series is the dust bunnies! Leona gets attached to Roxy when she helps her in the beginning. These dust bunnies can go from “full on adorable mode” to “sleeked out” attack mode in the blink of an eye. Roxy “the licensed emotional support dust bunny” cracked me up always ready to defend or up for an adventure! Never ask “What could go wrong?” when a dust bunny is involved!
This was a fun combination of mystery, romance, humor, sci-fi with paranormal elements mixed in.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
June 3, 2025
I love spending time on Harmony. Harmony is full of Earth settlers when a door opened between worlds. That door has since closed and the people on Harmony live with alien artifacts left behind by previous colonizers. Some humans have psychic abilities and can tune and work with the amber left behind. Oh, and did I mention there are cute dust bunnies who can be very scary when needed and adorable when befriended?
Leona Griffin is a para-archeologist who has been asked by an elite group of collectors to authenticate objects. She is shocked to discover they have a powerful Old-World relic known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact. The tale that unfolds was suspenseful, swoon-worthy and full of danger as Leona finds herself teamed up with Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent as their investigation leads them to a strange cult.
The world Castle has created which got its origins in Krentz’s Arcane Society. Both Griffin and Rancourt are high-ability psychics, something they keep hidden from the rest of society. I loved their interactions and the sizzling chemistry these two had. The two end up in Lost Creek with Leona’s adorable dust bunny, Roxy. Lost Creek is a town obsessed with a cult leader who is dead but prophesied to return.
It Takes A Psychic, delivered a suspenseful, fast-paced paranormal romantic suspense with characters I was rooting for and an intense mystery. Castle is an auto-buy for me and I devoured this one! This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Leona Griffin is a para-archeologist who has been asked by an elite group of collectors to authenticate objects. She is shocked to discover they have a powerful Old-World relic known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact. The tale that unfolds was suspenseful, swoon-worthy and full of danger as Leona finds herself teamed up with Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent as their investigation leads them to a strange cult.
The world Castle has created which got its origins in Krentz’s Arcane Society. Both Griffin and Rancourt are high-ability psychics, something they keep hidden from the rest of society. I loved their interactions and the sizzling chemistry these two had. The two end up in Lost Creek with Leona’s adorable dust bunny, Roxy. Lost Creek is a town obsessed with a cult leader who is dead but prophesied to return.
It Takes A Psychic, delivered a suspenseful, fast-paced paranormal romantic suspense with characters I was rooting for and an intense mystery. Castle is an auto-buy for me and I devoured this one! This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
June 15, 2025
Looking for a fun, lighthearted escape with a dash of mystery and romance?
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle delivers just that, set in the intriguing world of Harmony. Whether you're already a fan of paranormal romance or looking to try something new, this book is a quick and enjoyable read. Jayne Castle has been honing her craft for nearly three decades, and It Takes a Psychic is another fantastic example of her skill in crafting heartwarming, adventurous tales. If you're craving a feel-good read with a touch of the paranormal, this book is definitely worth picking up!
The beauty of a Jayne Castle novel is in its consistency. While you may know what to expect—strong, independent heroines, charming heroes, quirky dust bunnies, eccentric relatives, and a handful of villains to defeat—it’s precisely this familiarity that makes her books feel like comfort food for the brain. There’s something incredibly satisfying about knowing you'll get a story that’s both engaging and comforting, with just the right blend of suspense and romance.
In It Takes a Psychic, the plot is solid, and the chemistry between the main characters is built up in a way that feels authentic. It’s not too spicy, but just enough build-up to keep things exciting without overshadowing the heart of the story.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.*
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle delivers just that, set in the intriguing world of Harmony. Whether you're already a fan of paranormal romance or looking to try something new, this book is a quick and enjoyable read. Jayne Castle has been honing her craft for nearly three decades, and It Takes a Psychic is another fantastic example of her skill in crafting heartwarming, adventurous tales. If you're craving a feel-good read with a touch of the paranormal, this book is definitely worth picking up!
The beauty of a Jayne Castle novel is in its consistency. While you may know what to expect—strong, independent heroines, charming heroes, quirky dust bunnies, eccentric relatives, and a handful of villains to defeat—it’s precisely this familiarity that makes her books feel like comfort food for the brain. There’s something incredibly satisfying about knowing you'll get a story that’s both engaging and comforting, with just the right blend of suspense and romance.
In It Takes a Psychic, the plot is solid, and the chemistry between the main characters is built up in a way that feels authentic. It’s not too spicy, but just enough build-up to keep things exciting without overshadowing the heart of the story.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.*
August 22, 2025
This is book 17 in the Harmony series but any of the books can be read on their own. I will say that these books are predictable but it is part of what I enjoy about them. I know I will get a quirky but loyal dust bunny. I will find a strong woman who stumbles upon love with a capable partner. There will be villains and struggles and there will be triumph. This book followed the same basic pattern and just like every time before I enjoyed it. These are fun light hearted paranormal romances. Leona Griffin and Oliver Rancourt are unlikely allies when they meet over a dead body at a raided event. Leona was there to certify artifacts and Oliver was there to re-acquire one. The two of them stumble down into a plot they both had no idea they were already the pawns in.
July 9, 2025
Great fun, with dust bunnies as a bonus.
Fast paced story, with plenty of action, with engaging main characters.
I always enjoy my trips to Harmony.
Note: This is a direct follow-on to the author's previous book, People in Glass Houses, with this book's heroine, Leona Griffin, being the sister of that book's heroine. You don't need to have read 'Glass Houses' for this book to make sense.
Fast paced story, with plenty of action, with engaging main characters.
I always enjoy my trips to Harmony.
Note: This is a direct follow-on to the author's previous book, People in Glass Houses, with this book's heroine, Leona Griffin, being the sister of that book's heroine. You don't need to have read 'Glass Houses' for this book to make sense.
January 19, 2026
Review from 1/19/2026:
I just reread the entire Harmony series, and I couldn't skip this one even though I read it only six months ago. I completely agree with my previous 5-star review below.
Review from 6/8/2025:
Another fun futuristic romance set on the planet Harmony
This novel is part of the Ghost Hunters (GH) series, and it is also part of its sub-series, Illusion Town (IT). In addition, within the IT sub-series, this novel and the one just before it, People in Glass Houses (PIGH), are a tightly connected duology. The FMC of the previous book is the adoptive sister of the FMC of this novel. It is therefore highly recommended to read PIGH before reading this novel.
Leona Griffin has an off-the-chart psi talent that she believes will make it impossible for her to ever marry. As a result, she has focused entirely on her career as a prestigious para-archaeology professor, a kind of paranormal Indiana Jones. Her career recently took a huge leap forward because she was kidnapped while in the midst of a new and highly significant Underworld discovery, which is an important part of the plot of PIGH. Leona's newly minted fame nets her an invitation to authenticate alien artifacts at a glittering event held by an organization of elite, secretive collectors. But instead of items that are exclusively from the planet Harmony, Leona is startled to discover that one of the relics is a storied Old-World (Earth) object known as Pandora’s Box.
Oliver Rancourt is the wealthy head of a private museum. He also has an off-the-chart psi talent, and he already knows that he's never going to be able to find a wife who can tolerate it. When the woman he married, an official, agency-recommended match, witnessed the full extent of his talent on their wedding night, she screamed, fled, and immediately filed for an annulment.
Leona meets Oliver for the first time at the gala during a police raid of the event. As they escape together, they stumble over the still-warm body of a murdered waiter. Thus begins a series of thrilling adventures as they join together to solve a life-threatening mystery while outrunning a dangerous villain.
As one of JAK’s most devoted fans, I have read every book she has ever written. As is the case in all of her paranormal romances in the GH series, and all of her romantic-suspense novels as a whole, JAK offers an FMC and MMC who are a dynamic, crime-solving duo. Leona and Oliver are equally brave and determined, and there is enthralling mental, emotional, and sexual chemistry between them. In every GH novel, JAK includes a cute and clever dust bunny, who is psychically bonded to either the FMC or the MMC. In this novel, the dust bunny, Roxy, is attached to Leona. There is a clever riff throughout the novel of Leona sneaking in Roxy everywhere she goes by claiming she is a "licensed emotional support animal."
JAK frequently provides fun crossovers between her many novels. This particular story references the Bluestone Project and the evil Vortex organization, which are a central feature of her Fogg Lake trilogy. Also, the MMC of the third book in that series, Lightning in a Mirror, is Oliver's ancestor.
As often happens in JAK novels, no ages are given for either Leona or Oliver. But whenever JAK does provide ages, all of her FMCs tend to be between 28 and 31, and her MMCs tend to be between 35 and 39. For that reason, I would guess that Leona is around 30, and Oliver is around 37.
I adore the GH books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series in audiobook format. This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has narrated Books 11 through 17 in the GH series (see below). Ms. Rosenblat is one of my all-time favorite narrators. Her dramatic talent brings the story fully to life, and she is tremendously gifted at authentically portraying both male and female characters, of all ages.
For any fellow JAK fans who might find it of interest, I have provided below a list I made for myself of all of the novels in the Ghost Hunters series, which stretches across 25 years:
0.5. Bridal Jitters (1999)
1. After Dark (2000)
2. After Glow (2004)
3. Ghost Hunter (2006)
4. Silver Master (2007)
5. Dark Light (2008)
6. Obsidian Prey (2009)
7. Midnight Crystal (2010)
8. Canyons of Night (2011) (Rainshadow #1)
9. The Lost Night (2012) (Rainshadow #2)
10. Deception Cove (2013) (Rainshadow #3)
11. The Hot Zone (2014) (Rainshadow #4)
12. Siren's Call (2015) (Rainshadow #5)
13. Illusion Town (2016) (Illusion Town #1)
14. Guild Boss (2021) (Illusion Town #2)
15. Sweetwater and the Witch (2022) (Illusion Town #3)
16. People in Glass Houses (2024) (Illusion Town #4)
17. It Takes a Psychic (2025) (Illusion Town #5)
I just reread the entire Harmony series, and I couldn't skip this one even though I read it only six months ago. I completely agree with my previous 5-star review below.
Review from 6/8/2025:
Another fun futuristic romance set on the planet Harmony
This novel is part of the Ghost Hunters (GH) series, and it is also part of its sub-series, Illusion Town (IT). In addition, within the IT sub-series, this novel and the one just before it, People in Glass Houses (PIGH), are a tightly connected duology. The FMC of the previous book is the adoptive sister of the FMC of this novel. It is therefore highly recommended to read PIGH before reading this novel.
Leona Griffin has an off-the-chart psi talent that she believes will make it impossible for her to ever marry. As a result, she has focused entirely on her career as a prestigious para-archaeology professor, a kind of paranormal Indiana Jones. Her career recently took a huge leap forward because she was kidnapped while in the midst of a new and highly significant Underworld discovery, which is an important part of the plot of PIGH. Leona's newly minted fame nets her an invitation to authenticate alien artifacts at a glittering event held by an organization of elite, secretive collectors. But instead of items that are exclusively from the planet Harmony, Leona is startled to discover that one of the relics is a storied Old-World (Earth) object known as Pandora’s Box.
Oliver Rancourt is the wealthy head of a private museum. He also has an off-the-chart psi talent, and he already knows that he's never going to be able to find a wife who can tolerate it. When the woman he married, an official, agency-recommended match, witnessed the full extent of his talent on their wedding night, she screamed, fled, and immediately filed for an annulment.
Leona meets Oliver for the first time at the gala during a police raid of the event. As they escape together, they stumble over the still-warm body of a murdered waiter. Thus begins a series of thrilling adventures as they join together to solve a life-threatening mystery while outrunning a dangerous villain.
As one of JAK’s most devoted fans, I have read every book she has ever written. As is the case in all of her paranormal romances in the GH series, and all of her romantic-suspense novels as a whole, JAK offers an FMC and MMC who are a dynamic, crime-solving duo. Leona and Oliver are equally brave and determined, and there is enthralling mental, emotional, and sexual chemistry between them. In every GH novel, JAK includes a cute and clever dust bunny, who is psychically bonded to either the FMC or the MMC. In this novel, the dust bunny, Roxy, is attached to Leona. There is a clever riff throughout the novel of Leona sneaking in Roxy everywhere she goes by claiming she is a "licensed emotional support animal."
JAK frequently provides fun crossovers between her many novels. This particular story references the Bluestone Project and the evil Vortex organization, which are a central feature of her Fogg Lake trilogy. Also, the MMC of the third book in that series, Lightning in a Mirror, is Oliver's ancestor.
As often happens in JAK novels, no ages are given for either Leona or Oliver. But whenever JAK does provide ages, all of her FMCs tend to be between 28 and 31, and her MMCs tend to be between 35 and 39. For that reason, I would guess that Leona is around 30, and Oliver is around 37.
I adore the GH books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series in audiobook format. This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has narrated Books 11 through 17 in the GH series (see below). Ms. Rosenblat is one of my all-time favorite narrators. Her dramatic talent brings the story fully to life, and she is tremendously gifted at authentically portraying both male and female characters, of all ages.
For any fellow JAK fans who might find it of interest, I have provided below a list I made for myself of all of the novels in the Ghost Hunters series, which stretches across 25 years:
0.5. Bridal Jitters (1999)
1. After Dark (2000)
2. After Glow (2004)
3. Ghost Hunter (2006)
4. Silver Master (2007)
5. Dark Light (2008)
6. Obsidian Prey (2009)
7. Midnight Crystal (2010)
8. Canyons of Night (2011) (Rainshadow #1)
9. The Lost Night (2012) (Rainshadow #2)
10. Deception Cove (2013) (Rainshadow #3)
11. The Hot Zone (2014) (Rainshadow #4)
12. Siren's Call (2015) (Rainshadow #5)
13. Illusion Town (2016) (Illusion Town #1)
14. Guild Boss (2021) (Illusion Town #2)
15. Sweetwater and the Witch (2022) (Illusion Town #3)
16. People in Glass Houses (2024) (Illusion Town #4)
17. It Takes a Psychic (2025) (Illusion Town #5)
March 22, 2025
Another great installment in the Harmony series and it picks up pretty much right after the last one ended. This ties up the loose ends from the previous book and gives a more complete backstory for the girls and what the scientist was trying to accomplish. The chemistry between Oliver and Leona was intense and Leona with her new dust bunny Roxy is super fun and Roxy is a troublemaker. This was a fun fast read and I can’t wait to see what Harmony has in store next.
Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
July 13, 2025
Leona is a para-archeologist who has been invited to authenticate some items by some elite collectors. Oliver, who runs an museum, is there too, and they escape together after the event is raided. They decide to work together, headed for a mysterious town where followers of a cult believe their erstwhile leader will return.
July 12, 2025
I really enjoy this series by Jayne Ann Krentz. This book is the latest in the Harmony series and brings together para-archaeologist and triple talent Leona Griffin with Oliver Rancourt a man with an exceptionally strong illusion talent after they stumble across a murder victim. The writing is fast paced and witty, only slightly spicy, and the dust bunnies are adorable. While the series will likely continue, the book includes a HEA for the main characters.
July 12, 2025
Another fun entry in the author's Harmony world series, with several dust bunnies!
June 3, 2025
Read this review on Got Fiction? book blog
If you’ve been following for a while then you know how much I love this Harmony series Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz is writing. This takes place on another planet a couple hundred years in the future, however, once the original settlers made it there, the gateway closed and they were stuck, cut off from Earth. Their tech crumbled and they wound up having to adapt. So while they’re on another planet in the future, it’s very similar to the current year we the reader are in, here on Earth.
This book opens up with Leona at a really important event for her company and her career. She’s going to verify an artifact at an auction. However she keeps getting distracted by a man. Not just because he’s handsome, but also because no one else seems to see him. He’s moving in and out of the crowd as if it isn’t even there. She assumes this man is a thief, and she keeps an eye on him. But once she’s verified the item, things feel “off” to her. And she’s right! There’s a murder, and she’s right in the thick of it.
Oliver sees a damsel in distress, knows she didn’t kill the poor victim, and helps her out. Turns out he can make himself not invisible so much, as just no one will notice him. And he can keep Leona in his “bubble” as well, so the two of them jet out of the chaos and into the Underground tunnels.
What happens next is that the mystery goes much deeper than a dead body. There are stolen artifacts, an enthralled town, and an eccentric old man who seems like he’s pulling the strings one minute, and seems like he couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper sack the next. And through it all, the two of them are fighting their attraction to each other. Well, Leona is fighting it for a while, but Oliver is all in.
One of my favorite things about this series is the fun. These books are fun. They’re exciting, and sexy, and interesting, but they’re also fun, and I love how the men usually fall in love first, and the women need to be persuaded. I love the mystery, I love the romance, and I can’t wait for the next Harmony/Ghost Hunters book. They’re like candy! Easy to read, enjoyable to read, and you want to read them all in one sitting!
***ARC courtesy of the publisher Berkley via NetGalley
If you’ve been following for a while then you know how much I love this Harmony series Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz is writing. This takes place on another planet a couple hundred years in the future, however, once the original settlers made it there, the gateway closed and they were stuck, cut off from Earth. Their tech crumbled and they wound up having to adapt. So while they’re on another planet in the future, it’s very similar to the current year we the reader are in, here on Earth.
This book opens up with Leona at a really important event for her company and her career. She’s going to verify an artifact at an auction. However she keeps getting distracted by a man. Not just because he’s handsome, but also because no one else seems to see him. He’s moving in and out of the crowd as if it isn’t even there. She assumes this man is a thief, and she keeps an eye on him. But once she’s verified the item, things feel “off” to her. And she’s right! There’s a murder, and she’s right in the thick of it.
Oliver sees a damsel in distress, knows she didn’t kill the poor victim, and helps her out. Turns out he can make himself not invisible so much, as just no one will notice him. And he can keep Leona in his “bubble” as well, so the two of them jet out of the chaos and into the Underground tunnels.
What happens next is that the mystery goes much deeper than a dead body. There are stolen artifacts, an enthralled town, and an eccentric old man who seems like he’s pulling the strings one minute, and seems like he couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper sack the next. And through it all, the two of them are fighting their attraction to each other. Well, Leona is fighting it for a while, but Oliver is all in.
One of my favorite things about this series is the fun. These books are fun. They’re exciting, and sexy, and interesting, but they’re also fun, and I love how the men usually fall in love first, and the women need to be persuaded. I love the mystery, I love the romance, and I can’t wait for the next Harmony/Ghost Hunters book. They’re like candy! Easy to read, enjoyable to read, and you want to read them all in one sitting!
***ARC courtesy of the publisher Berkley via NetGalley
April 30, 2025
Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. She has been hired by the Antiquarian Society to authenticate a powerful Old-World artifact. Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is quite interested in said artifact and helps Leona out of a perilous situation. Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments.
I love the Guild Hunter series, it keeps getting better and better with each subsequent entry. This is the 17th book in the series and I would recommend reading all of them. However, if that's too much of a dedication, definitely read the book prior to this one 'People in Glass Houses' to get a full understanding of the Griffin family and learn about Leona's sister, Molly, who plays an important role in this book. Jayne Castle (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) developed this intricate sci-fi world called Harmony with a great deal of lore and history, and I love that we keep getting to return to it. I will also add that I love the Arcane Society series and I am always impressed by Jayne's ability to weave past storylines and worlds together, calling back to previous characters as well as long-standing family histories.
I really liked Leona and Oliver; the couples are always the highlight for me in these series. They were a fun pair to follow, although I would have liked to see a little more use/explanation of their abilities. But I really appreciated the lack of angst with this couple. They pretty much worked together the whole time, were honest about the fact that they had their own agendas that were temporarily aligned, and fell for each other very quickly. And as always, the dust bunnies stole the show and I loved Roxy and her fascinator.
Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and Jayne Ann Krentz for a free eARC in return for an honest review.
I love the Guild Hunter series, it keeps getting better and better with each subsequent entry. This is the 17th book in the series and I would recommend reading all of them. However, if that's too much of a dedication, definitely read the book prior to this one 'People in Glass Houses' to get a full understanding of the Griffin family and learn about Leona's sister, Molly, who plays an important role in this book. Jayne Castle (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) developed this intricate sci-fi world called Harmony with a great deal of lore and history, and I love that we keep getting to return to it. I will also add that I love the Arcane Society series and I am always impressed by Jayne's ability to weave past storylines and worlds together, calling back to previous characters as well as long-standing family histories.
I really liked Leona and Oliver; the couples are always the highlight for me in these series. They were a fun pair to follow, although I would have liked to see a little more use/explanation of their abilities. But I really appreciated the lack of angst with this couple. They pretty much worked together the whole time, were honest about the fact that they had their own agendas that were temporarily aligned, and fell for each other very quickly. And as always, the dust bunnies stole the show and I loved Roxy and her fascinator.
Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and Jayne Ann Krentz for a free eARC in return for an honest review.
January 29, 2025
This is Leona (Molly’s sister from #17), and Oliver’s story. This book can be considered a continuation (but can be read as a stand-alone) of People in Glass Houses (Harmony #17). I like these stories because of this idea of alien technology in an otherworld where humans had settled in the past and evolving psychic talents in some humans. First, can I just say that I love the dust bunnies. These little creatures are described in such a way, that you want one, regardless of the fact that they have multiple limbs, 4 eyes and fangs. I love how they’re incorporated into the stories and this one is my favorite of the those I am familiar with. Roxy (the dust bunny), is introduced into the story early on to Leona. She (Leona decides that the dust bunny is a girl) is feisty, adorable and Leona is a para-archeologist and her presence has been required at an affluent, secretive society’s event. Oliver is also at the event and he ends up having several interactions with Leona, causing them to become associates in the search clues as to the a few interesting coincidences. Both Leona and Oliver have “extra” talents and they’re forced to utilize them as the story moves forward. The legend of a long gone “cult leader” adds more to the drama as well.
While Leona and Oliver are trying to stay out of harms way and find the answers, they’re searching for regarding a small artifact they’ve located; their attraction for each other takes the lead and Leona is questioning the “rules” Molly and she had been determined to live by. I enjoyed the book so much, I finished it in one evening. I hope the author continues to write about Harmony, the different zones and of course, more dust bunnies.
While Leona and Oliver are trying to stay out of harms way and find the answers, they’re searching for regarding a small artifact they’ve located; their attraction for each other takes the lead and Leona is questioning the “rules” Molly and she had been determined to live by. I enjoyed the book so much, I finished it in one evening. I hope the author continues to write about Harmony, the different zones and of course, more dust bunnies.
June 19, 2025
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle is the 17th book in The Ghost Hunters Series. The book absolutely can be read as a standalone or out of order in the series. The novel takes place in the future in an alien world called Harmony. One of the best characters to come from Harmony are the dust bunnies. They are like guinea pigs with fluffy hair, four eyes and sharp teeth. They are known to steal things and are very protective of the humans they claim.
In Harmony, everyone seems to have an extra trait called a talent. It is considered abnormal to have two or more talents. Leona Griffin is a para-archeologist and has a talent she keeps hidden as a person who can unlock anything. She is asked to help verify some objects as artifacts as genuine. Interestingly enough she runs into Oliver Rancourt, who has a talent of hiding in plain sight. Together they run into a death and escape (while being chased) into the tunnels. Meanwhile they end up being acquired by a dust bunny! They band together to solve a mystery. Of course they are HOT together and sparks fly!
The author, Jayne Castle is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz. Jayne Ann Krentz is a prolific author who writes under her name when writing contemporary novels. When she writes as Jayne Castle, she is in the future in the world of Harmony. Amanda Quick is her pseudonym for when she writes in the past. The books sometimes share family lines across the generations, although needing the knowledge does not take away from the novels. I love Jayne Ann Krentz no matter what name she writes under!
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle is a great read with elements of humor, hotness, thrill, and suspense.
In Harmony, everyone seems to have an extra trait called a talent. It is considered abnormal to have two or more talents. Leona Griffin is a para-archeologist and has a talent she keeps hidden as a person who can unlock anything. She is asked to help verify some objects as artifacts as genuine. Interestingly enough she runs into Oliver Rancourt, who has a talent of hiding in plain sight. Together they run into a death and escape (while being chased) into the tunnels. Meanwhile they end up being acquired by a dust bunny! They band together to solve a mystery. Of course they are HOT together and sparks fly!
The author, Jayne Castle is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz. Jayne Ann Krentz is a prolific author who writes under her name when writing contemporary novels. When she writes as Jayne Castle, she is in the future in the world of Harmony. Amanda Quick is her pseudonym for when she writes in the past. The books sometimes share family lines across the generations, although needing the knowledge does not take away from the novels. I love Jayne Ann Krentz no matter what name she writes under!
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle is a great read with elements of humor, hotness, thrill, and suspense.
January 26, 2025
Grimly riding the fame that came with her unexpected experience in the Underworld, Leona is realistic enough to know this fame will likely end as soon as the next discovery is announced. So she puts up with the attention begrudgingly and authenticates as needed.
What she doesn't expect at the most recent engagement she's been asked to authenticate at is Oliver. He's unobtrusive and unremarkable on the surface, but Leona absolutely knows there's more to him than he's showing. When he steps in to help her out after she stumbles over a dead body, she goes with the flow. Sure, she might not entirely trust him, but she doesn't have a whole lot of other options once her job lets her go and all signs seem to point to them heading in the same investigative direction.
On Oliver's end, it throws him when Leona sees through his unassuming, regular guy disguise. Or maybe I should say it intrigues him. When the stars aligns and they need to head to the same place (for seemingly different reasons), he jumps at the chance to spend more time with her. Probably not surprising anyone, their investigations stir up danger that has the two of them relying on one another to survive.
A voice from beyond, family ties, a small town with a whole lot of secrets, a man who knows a good partner when he sees her, and a lady who isn't afraid of a man with a whole lot of talent. MAN, I like spending time on Harmony!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
What she doesn't expect at the most recent engagement she's been asked to authenticate at is Oliver. He's unobtrusive and unremarkable on the surface, but Leona absolutely knows there's more to him than he's showing. When he steps in to help her out after she stumbles over a dead body, she goes with the flow. Sure, she might not entirely trust him, but she doesn't have a whole lot of other options once her job lets her go and all signs seem to point to them heading in the same investigative direction.
On Oliver's end, it throws him when Leona sees through his unassuming, regular guy disguise. Or maybe I should say it intrigues him. When the stars aligns and they need to head to the same place (for seemingly different reasons), he jumps at the chance to spend more time with her. Probably not surprising anyone, their investigations stir up danger that has the two of them relying on one another to survive.
A voice from beyond, family ties, a small town with a whole lot of secrets, a man who knows a good partner when he sees her, and a lady who isn't afraid of a man with a whole lot of talent. MAN, I like spending time on Harmony!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
June 3, 2025
Review: IT TAKES A PSYCHIC by Jayne Castle https://bit.ly/3T30xCe
Publication Date: 06/03/2025
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars
This is my first time reading Jayne Castle, and I was not disappointed. I am trying to categorize the genre of this story and can only say it is a combination of Syfy, fantasy, and paranormal romance. It all takes place on an alien planet called Harmony. I didn’t realize this was book 18 in the series, but that did not matter. The world building was smooth, and I quickly fell into the nuances of a different reality.
It was fun reading the exciting introduction of Leona and Oliver, their quick banter while danger surrounded them made me want to read more. Later their flirting was a joy as their lively conversations flowed. I enjoyed Leona’s family as well. They added a nice dimension to the book. The action thrown at them was interesting and kept me reading. Overall, it was a fun book. Oh….and now I want my own dust bunny.
*Review copy provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/4jAu40W
Publication Date: 06/03/2025
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars
This is my first time reading Jayne Castle, and I was not disappointed. I am trying to categorize the genre of this story and can only say it is a combination of Syfy, fantasy, and paranormal romance. It all takes place on an alien planet called Harmony. I didn’t realize this was book 18 in the series, but that did not matter. The world building was smooth, and I quickly fell into the nuances of a different reality.
It was fun reading the exciting introduction of Leona and Oliver, their quick banter while danger surrounded them made me want to read more. Later their flirting was a joy as their lively conversations flowed. I enjoyed Leona’s family as well. They added a nice dimension to the book. The action thrown at them was interesting and kept me reading. Overall, it was a fun book. Oh….and now I want my own dust bunny.
*Review copy provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/4jAu40W
June 9, 2025
another thrilling joy read from Jayne Castle
Jane Castle’s Harmony books delight my heart. It takes a psychic is even better than its predecessor, People in Glass Houses. A fast paced romantic suspense with plenty of humor. A take-to-your–heart hero, and heroine, and of course, a dust bunny. I love this series. Thank you, Jayne.
Jane Castle’s Harmony books delight my heart. It takes a psychic is even better than its predecessor, People in Glass Houses. A fast paced romantic suspense with plenty of humor. A take-to-your–heart hero, and heroine, and of course, a dust bunny. I love this series. Thank you, Jayne.
June 9, 2025
Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist when she is fired by the organization she works for. She meets Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent, at a reception where a waiter is murdered.
June 3, 2025
I enjoy the world Jayne Castle has created with this series, and it was fun to jump into this one, thanks to an ARC from NetGalley. Leona is a para-archeologist with a traumatic past and secret powers. Oliver runs a small museum that acquires rare artifacts. This was an easy read! I especially liked the dust bunny's shenanigans and the cult town.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the early reader copy.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the early reader copy.
October 3, 2025
Not even the dust bunnies could save this one. A bit lackluster. Not bad, just no intensity in the plot or characters.
November 19, 2025
Hmmm. If memory serves me correctly, a previous couple found Vance’s remains. So why the whole…. Ahhhh. It was a trap all along. The nut job who’s been in the background for several past books orchestrated the whole thing.
Now…what I hate is criminal masterminds who cause problems for multiple books. It requires me to keep track of something over a course of years. I have too many in my TBR pile to reread everything before reading an installment. And I actually did do a reread a couple years ago I think after the author had a nearly 10 year hiatus.
Anyway…so our H can create nightmares or something. Pretty sure a previous h did that. Our h can mess with someone’s aura, given enough motivation. Also pretty sure a previous h did that. So…? I mean; the whole drama made me think they was special but a previous H could go invisible and and and…. So the big thing here was the h was the other orphan whose birth mom was experimented on. And no idea who she was even though theoretically one can run dna there. You’d think that might be one of the things the adoptive moms would do, but no.
Anyway…. Lots of drama in this one.
Now…what I hate is criminal masterminds who cause problems for multiple books. It requires me to keep track of something over a course of years. I have too many in my TBR pile to reread everything before reading an installment. And I actually did do a reread a couple years ago I think after the author had a nearly 10 year hiatus.
Anyway…so our H can create nightmares or something. Pretty sure a previous h did that. Our h can mess with someone’s aura, given enough motivation. Also pretty sure a previous h did that. So…? I mean; the whole drama made me think they was special but a previous H could go invisible and and and…. So the big thing here was the h was the other orphan whose birth mom was experimented on. And no idea who she was even though theoretically one can run dna there. You’d think that might be one of the things the adoptive moms would do, but no.
Anyway…. Lots of drama in this one.
June 13, 2025
To read this book you don’t need to have read the others they very much are stand alone books with a new couple of the centre of each book. This series is set on another planet making it fun and unique and is romantic suspense and in each book, there is some sort of mystery to investigate. In this book Leona and Oliver find themselves in an investigation that leads them out of town to place where there is a legend around a long dead cult leader and paranormal experiments. I like how the characters were drawn to each other and how the story unfolded and of course in each book there is a dust bunny to provide some fun and humor. I look forward to the next in the series.
August 8, 2025
I love this series. I actually love all books by Castle, Krentz and Quick. I am making it my mission to read her books in all her incarnations.
Castle writes the books in the future, which takes place on the planet of Harmony. We find ancestors scattered among the Krentz and Quick books.
This book takes place immediately after the previous book, which was about Molly, and this book is about her sister Leona.
I really enjoy that these books follow a predictable pattern, yet each one is a fresh take. Two para normal people who scare others, but to each other they are a perfect match.
Plus dust bunnies! Wearing a blue fascinator with ribbons. I have a collection of fascinator, so I loved the reference.
Castle writes the books in the future, which takes place on the planet of Harmony. We find ancestors scattered among the Krentz and Quick books.
This book takes place immediately after the previous book, which was about Molly, and this book is about her sister Leona.
I really enjoy that these books follow a predictable pattern, yet each one is a fresh take. Two para normal people who scare others, but to each other they are a perfect match.
Plus dust bunnies! Wearing a blue fascinator with ribbons. I have a collection of fascinator, so I loved the reference.
August 28, 2025
I love the Harmony series, with the dust bunnies. Roxy was the special one in this story. This dealt with Vortex, a cult leader, and a descendent that hoped to continue his work, and be successful where he failed. It was about two women that had gained special talents, as infants. Leona stars in this book as the heroine, with several amazing talents, who meets Oliver , who also has over the top talents. They take us through the mystery, with suspense, lots of action, and romance. I love these stories, and this one did not disappoint. Five stars. ⭐️
July 4, 2025
I'm always happy to get a new Harmony novel, especially since the audiobooks are narrated by the incomparable Barbara Rosenblat. This was a delightful listen, but I felt the story wasn't one of the author's strongest. I was happy to see the overarching plot resolves, as I didn't think it was that interesting anyway. Still, spending time in Harmony is always fun, and who can revisit a Dust Bunny? Not me.
September 29, 2025
I love this series, and the dust bunnies are the best. We need Harmony merch. I want a licensed emotional support dust bunny. LOL
What I also love about Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz is how badass her heroines are and how willing her heroes are to go to the mat for their women. This is super refreshing, considering how many Harlequins are back on the market.
A very worthwhile read.
What I also love about Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz is how badass her heroines are and how willing her heroes are to go to the mat for their women. This is super refreshing, considering how many Harlequins are back on the market.
A very worthwhile read.
June 8, 2025
Jayne Castle Delivers a Another Delightful Harmony Novel
Jayne Castle, which is a nom de plume of the prolific author Jayne Ann Krentz, writes witty, delightfully satisfying stories that deftly combine genres and thereby defy categorization. Her novels are about a fantastical world in the future, a planet where settlers who lived in our present day on Earth emigrated through a spacial anomaly akin to a wormhole to create another version of their home planet. Suddenly, however, the wormhole collapsed, cutting off the settlers from all contact with Earth. Harmony, the Earthlings’s newly-settled planet, had once been home to a long vanished people whose habits, size, and methods of survival differed from those of the new colonists.
Powerful waves of psychic energy emanating from the ruins left by the alien species eventually helped the newly-stranded colonists figure out how to thrive on a planet that became incompatible with Earth technology, but the collapse left them scrambling for ways in which to regain the technological advances they had once had as Earth-adjacent travelers. The rift between worlds has also led to strict laws intended to promote family life, marriage, and commitment.
At the time of the setting of Jayne Castle’s Harmony novels, several hundred years post-collapse, energy “rezzed” through tuned amber powers the machines we on Earth take for granted: electricity, automobiles, phones, etc. Perhaps most importantly, Earthlings on Harmony have over the years seen a mysterious and life-changing rise in their psychic abilities. Nearly every character has a psychic ability of one form or another, and the protagonists fall into this enriched class of humans.
As these novels are romantic as well as containing elements of science fiction/fantasy/mystery/suspense (!), readers are treated to two main characters (often people have direct dealings with alien ruins or the artifacts they contain), who must learn about each other as the combine to reach a goal or resolution (Each Harmony novel can stand alone, though they are in my opinion best read in publishing-date sequence).
Huge, complicated green quartz catacombs, tunnels, and endless varieties structures that the vanished beings left abandoned under the planet’s surface have fascinated the people who now live on Harmony for as long as they’ve been there.
Castle’s central characters also encounter flora and fauna native to Harmony though alien to Earth, including the amazing creatures called “dust bunnies.”
While solving some mystery or unraveling a dilemma, Castle’s characters are thrust into close proximity, and —voila!—romance and attraction bloom between her dual protagonists. It’s amazing how much variety Castle can devise given the similarities the books exhibit. Each Harmony novel is its own gem, its own slice of lovely suspense, desire, history, and the fortitude and tenacity of her characters.
This novel, It Takes a Psychic, is a fun read, and it is closely connected with her previously published book in which this book’s heroine is her sister. The novel also brims with connections to plot lines that Krentz has touched on in both contemporary novels written under her own name, as well as novels set in earlier times in the twentieth century . Some of her earlier work that deal with emerging psychic talents on Earth are set as far back as the nineteenth century; these historical novels she publishes as Amanda Quick.
This newest novel can be read as a stand-alone, but for anyone who has enjoyed reading it, I recommend a deep dive into all the Harmony and Harmony-precursor novels. They never disappoint. Hero, heroine, and a fascinator-wearing dust bunny named Roxy give this novel the spark and liveliness that make me enjoy this series so much. Witty, sexy, sharp, and suspenseful, I unreservedly recommend this novel to my friends and to any reader who enjoys a fast-paced, HEA novel.
Jayne Castle, which is a nom de plume of the prolific author Jayne Ann Krentz, writes witty, delightfully satisfying stories that deftly combine genres and thereby defy categorization. Her novels are about a fantastical world in the future, a planet where settlers who lived in our present day on Earth emigrated through a spacial anomaly akin to a wormhole to create another version of their home planet. Suddenly, however, the wormhole collapsed, cutting off the settlers from all contact with Earth. Harmony, the Earthlings’s newly-settled planet, had once been home to a long vanished people whose habits, size, and methods of survival differed from those of the new colonists.
Powerful waves of psychic energy emanating from the ruins left by the alien species eventually helped the newly-stranded colonists figure out how to thrive on a planet that became incompatible with Earth technology, but the collapse left them scrambling for ways in which to regain the technological advances they had once had as Earth-adjacent travelers. The rift between worlds has also led to strict laws intended to promote family life, marriage, and commitment.
At the time of the setting of Jayne Castle’s Harmony novels, several hundred years post-collapse, energy “rezzed” through tuned amber powers the machines we on Earth take for granted: electricity, automobiles, phones, etc. Perhaps most importantly, Earthlings on Harmony have over the years seen a mysterious and life-changing rise in their psychic abilities. Nearly every character has a psychic ability of one form or another, and the protagonists fall into this enriched class of humans.
As these novels are romantic as well as containing elements of science fiction/fantasy/mystery/suspense (!), readers are treated to two main characters (often people have direct dealings with alien ruins or the artifacts they contain), who must learn about each other as the combine to reach a goal or resolution (Each Harmony novel can stand alone, though they are in my opinion best read in publishing-date sequence).
Huge, complicated green quartz catacombs, tunnels, and endless varieties structures that the vanished beings left abandoned under the planet’s surface have fascinated the people who now live on Harmony for as long as they’ve been there.
Castle’s central characters also encounter flora and fauna native to Harmony though alien to Earth, including the amazing creatures called “dust bunnies.”
While solving some mystery or unraveling a dilemma, Castle’s characters are thrust into close proximity, and —voila!—romance and attraction bloom between her dual protagonists. It’s amazing how much variety Castle can devise given the similarities the books exhibit. Each Harmony novel is its own gem, its own slice of lovely suspense, desire, history, and the fortitude and tenacity of her characters.
This novel, It Takes a Psychic, is a fun read, and it is closely connected with her previously published book in which this book’s heroine is her sister. The novel also brims with connections to plot lines that Krentz has touched on in both contemporary novels written under her own name, as well as novels set in earlier times in the twentieth century . Some of her earlier work that deal with emerging psychic talents on Earth are set as far back as the nineteenth century; these historical novels she publishes as Amanda Quick.
This newest novel can be read as a stand-alone, but for anyone who has enjoyed reading it, I recommend a deep dive into all the Harmony and Harmony-precursor novels. They never disappoint. Hero, heroine, and a fascinator-wearing dust bunny named Roxy give this novel the spark and liveliness that make me enjoy this series so much. Witty, sexy, sharp, and suspenseful, I unreservedly recommend this novel to my friends and to any reader who enjoys a fast-paced, HEA novel.
July 17, 2025
4.5 stars
December 30, 2025
It is a nice book and with a very interesting setting but quite boring.
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