Forged

Summoned #3

by M.B. Thurman

In November 1662, Esther MacGregor was executed as part of the Forfar Witch Trials. She died wearing a ring infused with her family’s powers. Then the ring vanished.

Nearly 350 years later, Hadley Weston and Fitz MacGregor have just been kicked off the crusade against Lorenzo Belmonte, a powerful witch intent on using the ring’s magic for his own benefit. Desperate to recover the family heirloom that now threatens witchkind, Hadley and Fitz journey across time back to where it all began: Forfar, Scotland, 1662. But they quickly learn that the past might be even more dangerous than the present.

Through suspicious villagers, reticent governments, wary ancestors, and more, Hadley and Fitz must work together to retrieve the ring that might destroy their world and to survive the rampant witch hunts that are underway. But as Esther’s execution date looms near and they grow closer to Fitz’s ancestor, Hadley must make her most difficult decision yet: will she let time take its natural course or will she risk angering Fate to chart a new way forward?

Author M.B. Thurman weaves a magical tale of love and sisterhood across time and space in the exhilarating third installment in the Summoned Series.

Paperback

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

M.B. Thurman traded her career as an executive assistant to fulfill her
lifelong dream of becoming an author. She spends her time writing and
operating her bed and breakfast, the notable Miller Tree Inn, which is known as the Forks Cullen House. Though her Southern roots run deep, Thurman has embraced the lifestyle of the magical Pacific Northwest with her husband and feisty feline, Midnight.

Thurman’s book settings echo her love of travel—especially areas of the world that brim with magic and echo ancient marvels. Her company, Firecracker Entertainment, is dedicated to bringing Thurman’s novels to life through immersive storytelling in mediums ranging from screen to audio and beyond.

Summoned & Crossed, books one and two in the Summoned Series are available now. Forged is her upcoming third book, releasing September 9, 2025.

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Share yer burden, Hadley. None of us should carry our troubles alone. Sisterhood is sacred.” 🤍

Thank you so much Contrarian Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve been a fan of The Summoned Series for years, and I truly didn’t think that anything could beat Summoned the book, but Forged said “bet.” I can’t even begin to express how much this story means to me. I literally wanted to immediately reread as soon as I finished! Hadley and Fitz travel back in time to try to stop Lorenzo Belmonte from stealing a family ring that could alter the entire world as they know it. So many things make this trip difficult in addition to the time travel. Hadley and Fitz have to make their way through 1662 Scotland in the height of the witch trials, so being the “strange visiting family” doesn’t help them at all. They have to gain the trust of the family and friends they’re there to help, as well as navigate their feelings after the events of Crossed, as well as becoming close to their ancestors who are set to perish in the trials. Will they be able to stop Lorenzo, as well as keep their friends and family safe without angering Fate?

This is by far MB’s best work. She treated this story with so much care because innocent women really did lose their lives in 1660’s Forfar, and I’m so glad more people will become aware of this piece of history. The found family is one of my favorite pieces in this series, and it continued with Forged and these new characters we get to know. Hadley and Fitz’s relationship is just *chefs kiss* and while it isn’t explicit, the romance is ROMANCING. 🥵 The villains are just so good-one of my favorite past times is hating on Lorenzo and his dad Lucio. 😂

If you’re looking for an action packed romantasy with a beautiful world and magic system, the best found family, feminine rage, and “if bad why sexy?!” villains, I beg you please pick up The Summoned Series! 🌙🔥

[Anna McG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’ALL. MB did NOT come to play on this one—it’s so obvious in every page that she’s been working toward this point in the story since the inception of Summoned. what incredible loving care she put into telling the stories of the real life women who were victimized by the hatred of men. the misogyny in this book makes you BURN with vengeance for these women. i cried my eyes out for them all. i can’t wait to read this again😭

[Katelyn Fenech · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this series enough! I absolutely LOVE this story and these characters! MB did an amazing job of incorporating the history of the Forfar Witch Trails and really taking the reader back to 1662 Forfar, Scotland. There are so many new characters that you meet and fall in love with and also new villains you love to hate. This story was an incredible journey and I had no idea where we were going or how we were getting there, but the ride was EPIC! Absolutely amazing and cannot wait for book four! If you love magic, witches, found family, history, romance, and adventure then this book is for you!

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout the whole Summoned series I have always loved MB Thurman’s characters - they feel so real and multifaceted! While Forged takes a step back from the action packed pace of Crossed it allowed Thurman to dive deeper into Hadley and Fitz (and their ptsd from Crossed) as well as introduce a few new faces (who you will absolutely become emotionally attached to). I can’t wait to see where this story goes next!

Thanks to Contrarian Publishing for the Arc!

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is undoubtedly the best so far in the Summoned Series. The journey Hadley and Fitz go on, the people they meet, and the places they go were amazing to read. MB has truly outdone herself in this book with her descriptions, and I felt as if I myself was transported back in time. You can feel the emotion that went into this book. It is incredibly special and I am so excited to see what happens next.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Contrarian Publishing and MB Thurman for an ARC of this book.

[Nicole]

A breathtaking fusion of time, magic, and moral complexity

M.B. Thurman delivers an unforgettable triumph with Forged, the third installment of the Summoned series a book that feels like both a historical epic and an intimate journey of identity, courage, and love.

The novel opens with the chilling aftermath of the Forfar Witch Trials in 1662, grounding the reader in a world of fear, superstition, and sacrifice. From the moment Esther MacGregor is executed wearing her enchanted family ring a relic pulsing with generational power the tone is set: this is not just a story about magic, but about the survival of legacy through the darkest moments of history.

Centuries later, Hadley Weston and Fitz MacGregor’s desperate search for that same ring takes them across time and into the heart of Scotland’s witch panic. The stakes are both cosmic and personal. Through their journey, Thurman crafts an emotional alchemy of history and imagination every page thrums with urgency, vulnerability, and devotion.

The historical setting is rendered with astonishing authenticity: the smoky taverns, the paranoia of villagers, the cruel certainty of witchfinders. Yet Thurman’s prose is luminous, lifting even the bleakest scenes with heart and hope. Her command of pacing is masterful alternating between suspense and tenderness, with bursts of lyrical intensity that stay with you long after reading.

Hadley is a heroine for the ages: brave yet conflicted, powerful yet achingly human. Her growing bond with Fitz (and by extension, his doomed ancestor Esther) captures the emotional depth of timeless love one that challenges fate itself.

In Forged, time becomes more than a backdrop it’s a living force, one that tests every character’s belief in destiny, sacrifice, and the price of rewriting history. The climax, steeped in both heartbreak and transcendence, solidifies this as not only the most ambitious entry in the Summoned saga but one of the most emotionally resonant works of modern fantasy.

M.B. Thurman has crafted something rare: a story that thrills, haunts, and heals in equal measure. Fans of Outlander, A Discovery of Witches, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue will find themselves spellbound.

[Sophia Arcand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of Forged by Contrarian Publishing.

Forged was such a fun dive into time travel, Fitz's ancestry, & the found family dynamics of sisterhood. Hadley's growth in her magical abilities throughout this series is such an amazing journey to go on. I loved Katherine & Esther's characters, and I loved the fair folk, especially Faolán.

M.B. really did an incredible job weaving historical Forfar & the reality of the witch trials into the storyline; she truly captured the heartbreak & injustices of the time, and as a reader my heart was shattering at the end of this book.

& wow. the cliff hanger at the end of this book left me wanting more immediately. i did not see that coming, but looking back M.B. sprinkled hints throughout the entire book. I can't wait to see what the next book in the series holds.

[Cherish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Contrarian Publishing and as soon as I opened this book, I was blown away by the way MB has once again managed to elevate her storytelling and writing with each release. Forged had me gagged and gooped from beginning to end!! The twists and turns, the character development, the heartbreaking and the heartfelt moments, just amazing! Also, her attention to detail in regard to the real witch trials of Forfar, Scotland and the women whose lives were taken in the name of hate was extremely timely and incredibly sobering. Beyond being well written and exciting, this book is important and a wonderful portrayal of the power of empathy, love, family, and the magic that connects them all. Do yourself a favor, and read this book and the entire series!!!

[Megan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her best book yet, MB weaves a beautiful story of sisterhood and resilience. Forged is the third book in the Summoned Series and it will send you thru an array of emotions as Hadley and Fitz continue on their journey to secure a powerful ring that has the earth and Opimae hanging in the balance. Traveling back in time during the Forfar witch trials they risk it all to ensure that it does not get into the hand of Lorenzo, a witch who is seeking to rule both worlds.

I am blown away by the heart, love and relationships that are built with Fitz ancestors and the Fairy World. Specifically, Hadley and Esther's connection, they both have so much fight in them and are willing to do whatever it takes to save their worlds. I promise you will not want to put this book down. Buckle in for a wild ride that will leave you wanting more!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review | 5 / 5 stars | out september 9, 2025

thank you to contrarian publishing for the arc!

how do i start this review? tears were definitely shed and so many emotions were happening. since this is the third book in the series i do not want to give too much away. however it is a journey from beginning to end. we meet so many wonderful new characters that bring this world more to life. and now we celebrate this book as we wait for the next one!

[Barbara Dougherty Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.B. Thurman's Summoned series is incredible. I love all the amazing charcters and diverse settings. It allows me to travel through time and in my magination I am able to travel to exciting places I will never be able to visit in real life.

I can not express how awesome the series is and have to say Forged is my favorite. The books keep getting better and better.

Highly recommend!