What do you think?
Rate this book
Harmony #4
Guild Boss
Welcome to Illusion Town on the colony world of Harmony—like Las Vegas on Earth, but way more weird.
Living in this new, alien world doesn’t stop the settlers from trying to re-create what they’ve left behind. Case in point—weddings are still the highlight of any social calendar. But it’s the after-party that turns disastrous for Lucy Bell. Kidnapped and drugged as she leaves the party, she manages to escape—only to find herself lost in the mysterious, alien underground maze of glowing green tunnels beneath Illusion Town. She’s been surviving on determination and cold pizza, scavenged for her by a special dust bunny, when help finally shows up.
Gabriel Jones is the Guild Hunter sent to rescue her, but escaping the underground ruins isn’t the end of her troubles—it’s only the beginning. With no rational reason for her abduction, and her sole witness gone on another assignment for the Guild, whispers start circulating that Lucy made it all up. Soon her life unravels until she has nothing left but her pride. The last thing she expects is for Gabriel Jones to come back to town for her.
The Lucy that Gabriel finds is not the same woman he rescued, the one who looked at him as if he were her hero. This Lucy is sharp, angry, and more than a little cynical—instead of awe, she treats him with extreme caution. But a killer is still hunting her, and there aren’t a lot of options when it comes to heroes. Despite her wariness, Gabriel is also the one person who believes Lucy—after all, he was there. He’s determined to help clear her reputation, no matter what it takes. And as the new Guild Boss, his word is law, even in the lawlessness of Illusion Town.
Living in this new, alien world doesn’t stop the settlers from trying to re-create what they’ve left behind. Case in point—weddings are still the highlight of any social calendar. But it’s the after-party that turns disastrous for Lucy Bell. Kidnapped and drugged as she leaves the party, she manages to escape—only to find herself lost in the mysterious, alien underground maze of glowing green tunnels beneath Illusion Town. She’s been surviving on determination and cold pizza, scavenged for her by a special dust bunny, when help finally shows up.
Gabriel Jones is the Guild Hunter sent to rescue her, but escaping the underground ruins isn’t the end of her troubles—it’s only the beginning. With no rational reason for her abduction, and her sole witness gone on another assignment for the Guild, whispers start circulating that Lucy made it all up. Soon her life unravels until she has nothing left but her pride. The last thing she expects is for Gabriel Jones to come back to town for her.
The Lucy that Gabriel finds is not the same woman he rescued, the one who looked at him as if he were her hero. This Lucy is sharp, angry, and more than a little cynical—instead of awe, she treats him with extreme caution. But a killer is still hunting her, and there aren’t a lot of options when it comes to heroes. Despite her wariness, Gabriel is also the one person who believes Lucy—after all, he was there. He’s determined to help clear her reputation, no matter what it takes. And as the new Guild Boss, his word is law, even in the lawlessness of Illusion Town.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2021
289 people are currently reading
1261 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
November 13, 2021
In
Guild Boss
, Jayne Castle brings murder, kidnapping, storms, ghosts, suspense, romance, and action to her latest book in the Ghost Hunters paranormal romantic suspense series set in Illusion Town on the colony world of Harmony. Readers can easily imagine a Las Vegas –like setting with weddings, bright lights, and casinos, but combined with unpredictable weather, prospectors, an underground city built by aliens with lots of paranormal activity, and plenty of criminals.
Lucy Bell is kidnapped and drugged as she leaves a party. After managing to escape in the underground maze of tunnels, she survives by eating pizza brought to her by a dust bunny she names Otis. Guild Hunter Gabriel Jones finds her, but that isn’t the end of Lucy’s problems. Her professional weather channeling reputation is ruined when rumors start that she had a psychological breakdown and wasn’t kidnapped. Gabriel wants to help her when he returns two months later as the new Guild Boss. There’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Lucy and Gabriel have depth and are wonderfully nuanced and complicated. Readers won’t have trouble identifying with Lucy and Gabriel as they try to resolve all of the mysteries. Both of them have moments of both vulnerability and strength which provides more balance than in many romantic suspense novels. The supporting cast of characters are excellent; especially Otis, Aiden, and Veronica. Otis provides humor, cuteness, and protection while Aiden focuses on organization and the Guild’s public image. Veronica contributes friendship and attitude. There’s also a variety of other characters that furnish interest and conflict. Which ones are evil and which ones are merely greedy?
The exciting plot and excellent writing kept me turning the pages. There are several subplots that came together nicely. However, there are threads left open for future novels. While this is not the first book in the series, the author does a great job of bringing Illusion Town and the tunnels below it to life, including their known history, without overdoing it for long time readers of the series. However, while this works as a standalone novel, it helps to read the earlier books to get an even better feel for the colony and its people and the dangers they face.
Jayne Castle is one of the pseudonyms used by author Jayne Ann Krentz. This pseudonym is used for futuristic romantic suspense. Guild Boss has a paranormal twist that is unique, dramatic, and exciting. If you are looking for an engaging story with complicated characters facing danger, storms, and surprises while the main characters are experiencing their own romantic chemistry in a paranormal-laced world, then this is a book to consider. Themes include greed, family, friendships, romance, politics, criminal masterminds, adventure, and more.
Berkley Publishing Group and Jayne Castle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 16, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Lucy Bell is kidnapped and drugged as she leaves a party. After managing to escape in the underground maze of tunnels, she survives by eating pizza brought to her by a dust bunny she names Otis. Guild Hunter Gabriel Jones finds her, but that isn’t the end of Lucy’s problems. Her professional weather channeling reputation is ruined when rumors start that she had a psychological breakdown and wasn’t kidnapped. Gabriel wants to help her when he returns two months later as the new Guild Boss. There’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Lucy and Gabriel have depth and are wonderfully nuanced and complicated. Readers won’t have trouble identifying with Lucy and Gabriel as they try to resolve all of the mysteries. Both of them have moments of both vulnerability and strength which provides more balance than in many romantic suspense novels. The supporting cast of characters are excellent; especially Otis, Aiden, and Veronica. Otis provides humor, cuteness, and protection while Aiden focuses on organization and the Guild’s public image. Veronica contributes friendship and attitude. There’s also a variety of other characters that furnish interest and conflict. Which ones are evil and which ones are merely greedy?
The exciting plot and excellent writing kept me turning the pages. There are several subplots that came together nicely. However, there are threads left open for future novels. While this is not the first book in the series, the author does a great job of bringing Illusion Town and the tunnels below it to life, including their known history, without overdoing it for long time readers of the series. However, while this works as a standalone novel, it helps to read the earlier books to get an even better feel for the colony and its people and the dangers they face.
Jayne Castle is one of the pseudonyms used by author Jayne Ann Krentz. This pseudonym is used for futuristic romantic suspense. Guild Boss has a paranormal twist that is unique, dramatic, and exciting. If you are looking for an engaging story with complicated characters facing danger, storms, and surprises while the main characters are experiencing their own romantic chemistry in a paranormal-laced world, then this is a book to consider. Themes include greed, family, friendships, romance, politics, criminal masterminds, adventure, and more.
Berkley Publishing Group and Jayne Castle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 16, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
January 8, 2023
There is something special about the dust bunnies in this universe. I’d read anything with those cute little death floofs in them. This wasn’t my favorite in the series, but it wasn’t bad at all. A nice, light, entertaining paranormal romantic suspense book. Otis clearly stole the show with his obsession with pizza and his adorable stuffed mini me. Gabriel was a decent love interest. My biggest issue was his complete dismissal of our other love interests story and concern in the beginning of the story. He got there but it took a frustratingly long time. I really liked our other main character Lucy. She is a realist but a strong, determined, and intelligent lady. I liked that she didn’t just fold immediately when Gabriel came back and that she held him accountable to his mistakes.
November 16, 2021
Years ago I devoured all things Jayne Castle during one of my biggest PNR phases. I read every paranormal romance I could get my hands on. I'm reading less PNR nowadays, but when I saw this new releases I was so excited about it. And I'm happy to report that GUILD BOSS was just what I needed.
If you love an alpha male falling head over heels in love with a strong kick ass female, you’ll love this series. Also, every book has an adorable side kick, a dust bunny who sometimes even steals the show.
But what I enjoy the most about JAYNE CASTLE books are how reliable they are. With every novel I know exactly what I’m getting – an entertaining and adventurous romance, with great chemistry and wonderful bander. The couple is likeable, the supporting cast is fantastic, and the mystery is just right.
My favourite books are still, Amaryllis, Zinnia, and Orchid, they make the St. Helens series, published in 1996/98.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
If you love an alpha male falling head over heels in love with a strong kick ass female, you’ll love this series. Also, every book has an adorable side kick, a dust bunny who sometimes even steals the show.
But what I enjoy the most about JAYNE CASTLE books are how reliable they are. With every novel I know exactly what I’m getting – an entertaining and adventurous romance, with great chemistry and wonderful bander. The couple is likeable, the supporting cast is fantastic, and the mystery is just right.
My favourite books are still, Amaryllis, Zinnia, and Orchid, they make the St. Helens series, published in 1996/98.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
November 23, 2021
It's great to be back on Harmony with the Guild Bunny…er, Guild Boss.
August 21, 2022
Another smashing book from Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle!! I love taking another trip into the harmony series with new characters like Gabriel Jones the new guild boss who is a very experienced tracker with good looks and a serious sexy vibe and he's a total opposite of Lucy Bell. I knew the first few pages in that this was going to be another awesome book with not only great characters but dare I say another totally adorable dust bunny named Otis!!!! He stole the show with his great personality and antic's like climbing a engagement party cake and eating the top off and their also was the incident with the handcuffs he got from the next door dominatrix and the producer who thought he could get away with giving this pizza loving dust bunny a empty pizza box!!! I almost pissed myself laughing. As usually Krentz has written a fabulous book full of mystery and suspense with a little romance on the side. This is a slow burner but a good one and you'll love the chemistry between the serious Gabriel and the fisty fireball Lucy! She doesn't care who believes her about being drugged and kidnapped and she lets Gabriel know that she will find the proof herself with or without him. But when this tracker starts putting things together the bad guys must get rid of them both to cover up their secret project. In harmony theirs always something going bump in the night with ghosts and long ago alien technology, one wrong move could get you lost or killed in the tunnels and never be found.
This book like all others in this series are standalones. I've read every book in the harmony series and it just keeps getting better. Jayne ann Krentz is a fabulous gifted writer who's storytelling is unique and never gets old. So if romance with a touch of paranormal and a little scfi mixed in with a cute fuzzy sidekick like dust bunny Otis is you thing check this book out! This is one of those feel good romances! Until next time Luv's 💕💋
This book like all others in this series are standalones. I've read every book in the harmony series and it just keeps getting better. Jayne ann Krentz is a fabulous gifted writer who's storytelling is unique and never gets old. So if romance with a touch of paranormal and a little scfi mixed in with a cute fuzzy sidekick like dust bunny Otis is you thing check this book out! This is one of those feel good romances! Until next time Luv's 💕💋
November 5, 2021
Sweet and undemanding. It was kind of wonderful to return to this world of guilds, dust bunnies and the underworld after such a long break. This author/series is nothing but a reliable break from reality. The couple (as always) have an undeniable, immediate, attraction, but circumstances and bad guys keep them from expressing their feelings whilst also continuing to throw them constantly together (as always). The dust bunny is cute, and eagerly steps up as kind of a danger Geiger counter so our heroine knows when bad guys approach.
The story/plot flowed and was interesting enough. There was probably too many info dumps for my taste, but I guess if you are new to the series they are required. The romance had a medium heat and I appreciated their journey and eventual happy ending.
Why 3 stars? Because this book felt 'too familiar'. The names change, but make a few adjustments and this could be any book in the series. Seriously, how many times has one of JAK's heroes had to stay at the heroine's place to 'protect her' and ended up in bed with her? 6 times? 8 times? Too many damn times, get a new plot device... please, just to shake things up. Yes, it was great to be back in this world, but I was hoping for things to take a step up, more heat, more intricate plotting - this was too many shades of every other book in this series, rather than busting out, revitalising the world/series.
Sure, I will probably take a chance on the next book... but, if the author doesn't bring something new to the table, then I'm all but sure I will be bowing out of this world/series. Why waste my money when I can just re=read all the earlier books in the series, that have the exact same vibe/characters/plot and outcome?
The story/plot flowed and was interesting enough. There was probably too many info dumps for my taste, but I guess if you are new to the series they are required. The romance had a medium heat and I appreciated their journey and eventual happy ending.
Why 3 stars? Because this book felt 'too familiar'. The names change, but make a few adjustments and this could be any book in the series. Seriously, how many times has one of JAK's heroes had to stay at the heroine's place to 'protect her' and ended up in bed with her? 6 times? 8 times? Too many damn times, get a new plot device... please, just to shake things up. Yes, it was great to be back in this world, but I was hoping for things to take a step up, more heat, more intricate plotting - this was too many shades of every other book in this series, rather than busting out, revitalising the world/series.
Sure, I will probably take a chance on the next book... but, if the author doesn't bring something new to the table, then I'm all but sure I will be bowing out of this world/series. Why waste my money when I can just re=read all the earlier books in the series, that have the exact same vibe/characters/plot and outcome?
November 22, 2021
Lucy finds herself drugged, kidnapped, left in the underground hallucinating with no apparent way out, until Ghost Hunter Gabriel Jones, with the help of a dust bunny named Otis, shows up to rescue her. There’s an instant attraction, but Gabriel must ship off for the next assignment immediately, not realizing that the danger and drama has just begun for Lucy.
No one believes Lucy’s story, thinking she got drunk, got lost and then had a mental breakdown, her work reputation goes down the toilet. Gabriel disappears and she has no one to back up her story. Now that Gabriel’s back in town as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, Lucy is less than pleased to see him. However, he plans on getting to the bottom of Lucy’s ordeal, while helping salvage her career.
Guild Boss is set in a futuristic world reminiscent of Las Vegas with its glitzy lights and atmosphere with a darker underbelly and some paranormal oddities. Lucy and Gabriel are powerful talents in their field, and that makes Lucy a target for a larger conspiracy. They work together while Lucy works through her hard feelings toward Gabriel, and he tries to figure out whether Lucy’s recollection of the past wasn’t the product of her hallucinations. All the while battling constant dangers and the attraction brewing between them.
Guild Boss was a fun, action-packed futuristic mystery with a steamy romance at the core. I haven’t read the previous books, it’s part of a larger series, but it works well as a standalone.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley Books in exchange for an honest review.
No one believes Lucy’s story, thinking she got drunk, got lost and then had a mental breakdown, her work reputation goes down the toilet. Gabriel disappears and she has no one to back up her story. Now that Gabriel’s back in town as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, Lucy is less than pleased to see him. However, he plans on getting to the bottom of Lucy’s ordeal, while helping salvage her career.
Guild Boss is set in a futuristic world reminiscent of Las Vegas with its glitzy lights and atmosphere with a darker underbelly and some paranormal oddities. Lucy and Gabriel are powerful talents in their field, and that makes Lucy a target for a larger conspiracy. They work together while Lucy works through her hard feelings toward Gabriel, and he tries to figure out whether Lucy’s recollection of the past wasn’t the product of her hallucinations. All the while battling constant dangers and the attraction brewing between them.
Guild Boss was a fun, action-packed futuristic mystery with a steamy romance at the core. I haven’t read the previous books, it’s part of a larger series, but it works well as a standalone.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley Books in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2021
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
GUILD BOSS (A Harmony Novel Book #15) by Jayne Castle is another action-packed adventure on the colony world of Harmony which is a mash-up of paranormal/urban fantasy/romantic suspense genres. I have been reading this series from book #1 and have never been disappointed! This book can easily be read as a standalone, but I can guarantee once you finish, you are going to want to go back and read all the rest in the series.
Lucy Bell is an exceptionally talented independent weather channeler in Illusion Town. Lucy disappears after a friend’s wedding reception and is found by a dust bunny and rescued from the underground by the dust bunny and a hunky Guild Hunter. Everyone believes she has had a psychic break rather than believing her story of being kidnapped.
Two months later and Gabriel Jones is back in Illusion Town as the new Guild Boss and looking for Lucy once again, but for an entirely different reason. There is something about this weather channeler that he has been unable to forget, but their reunion does not go as Gabriel planned. He offers Lucy a contract to get back into her good graces and as they work together Gabriel learns there is more going on in town than simply recovering a stolen Arcane item.
Lucy and Gabriel discover a conspiracy that threatens the power source of all Harmony besides the truth behind Lucy’s kidnapping. Will they be able to discover all the players and stop the conspiracy?
I always love my return trips to Harmony and the dust bunnies. Lucy and Gabriel are both wonderful characters with very different backgrounds, but perfect for each other. Lucy is resilient and strong, and Gabriel is driven not only in his pursuit to rebrand the Guild’s image, but to get the woman he wants even as he is not always able to communicate his true feelings. Otis, the latest dust bunny to befriend his humans is a fun addition to this story as well as an integral player. The suspense/mystery plot in this story has many threads and kept me turning the pages. There is an overall conspiracy thread that leaves an opening for future stories but does not leave you feeling cheated in this book.
I highly recommend this latest Harmony book and the entire series!
GUILD BOSS (A Harmony Novel Book #15) by Jayne Castle is another action-packed adventure on the colony world of Harmony which is a mash-up of paranormal/urban fantasy/romantic suspense genres. I have been reading this series from book #1 and have never been disappointed! This book can easily be read as a standalone, but I can guarantee once you finish, you are going to want to go back and read all the rest in the series.
Lucy Bell is an exceptionally talented independent weather channeler in Illusion Town. Lucy disappears after a friend’s wedding reception and is found by a dust bunny and rescued from the underground by the dust bunny and a hunky Guild Hunter. Everyone believes she has had a psychic break rather than believing her story of being kidnapped.
Two months later and Gabriel Jones is back in Illusion Town as the new Guild Boss and looking for Lucy once again, but for an entirely different reason. There is something about this weather channeler that he has been unable to forget, but their reunion does not go as Gabriel planned. He offers Lucy a contract to get back into her good graces and as they work together Gabriel learns there is more going on in town than simply recovering a stolen Arcane item.
Lucy and Gabriel discover a conspiracy that threatens the power source of all Harmony besides the truth behind Lucy’s kidnapping. Will they be able to discover all the players and stop the conspiracy?
I always love my return trips to Harmony and the dust bunnies. Lucy and Gabriel are both wonderful characters with very different backgrounds, but perfect for each other. Lucy is resilient and strong, and Gabriel is driven not only in his pursuit to rebrand the Guild’s image, but to get the woman he wants even as he is not always able to communicate his true feelings. Otis, the latest dust bunny to befriend his humans is a fun addition to this story as well as an integral player. The suspense/mystery plot in this story has many threads and kept me turning the pages. There is an overall conspiracy thread that leaves an opening for future stories but does not leave you feeling cheated in this book.
I highly recommend this latest Harmony book and the entire series!
November 16, 2021
It was wonderful to go off-planet again to Harmony with its alien ruins, tuned amber, and dust bunnies. Castle brings us a kidnapping, suspense, danger and sizzling chemistry.
Lucy Bell was attending a wedding where she was drugged and kidnapped before ending up in the alien underground where she survived until Guild Hunter, Gabriel Jones, saved her. While he heads off for another case, Lucy is left with her career in ruins when no one believes her story of a kidnapping.
There was instant chemistry when the two first met, so when Gabriel returns and needs her special skills, he was shocked at the changes to her life and that she was still being pursued. Lucy is hesitant to work with him, but he not only believes her, but could restore her reputation. As the two work together, the chemistry continues to sizzle, and I was waiting for them to combust.
A cute dust bunny who loves wedding cake, a plot to rule, and a new Guild Boss made for an exciting story. I easily slipped back into this world with the underground tunnels and alien technology. A rare artifact and its abilities proved deadly as factions seek to gain control of Ilusion Town.
Both Lucy and Gabriel are confident characters, and they worked well together on and off the case. Castle gives readers a swoon-worthy romance served as a side to the suspenseful action.
As the fourteenth book in this paranormal world, there is a familiarity to it that makes it feel like coming home. While the characters change, the history and links to the Arcane Society world do not.
Despite being so deep into a series, the books work on their own, but be warned you’ll want to read them all. Fans of paranormal romantic suspense will enjoy traveling to the colonized world of Harmony. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Lucy Bell was attending a wedding where she was drugged and kidnapped before ending up in the alien underground where she survived until Guild Hunter, Gabriel Jones, saved her. While he heads off for another case, Lucy is left with her career in ruins when no one believes her story of a kidnapping.
There was instant chemistry when the two first met, so when Gabriel returns and needs her special skills, he was shocked at the changes to her life and that she was still being pursued. Lucy is hesitant to work with him, but he not only believes her, but could restore her reputation. As the two work together, the chemistry continues to sizzle, and I was waiting for them to combust.
A cute dust bunny who loves wedding cake, a plot to rule, and a new Guild Boss made for an exciting story. I easily slipped back into this world with the underground tunnels and alien technology. A rare artifact and its abilities proved deadly as factions seek to gain control of Ilusion Town.
Both Lucy and Gabriel are confident characters, and they worked well together on and off the case. Castle gives readers a swoon-worthy romance served as a side to the suspenseful action.
As the fourteenth book in this paranormal world, there is a familiarity to it that makes it feel like coming home. While the characters change, the history and links to the Arcane Society world do not.
Despite being so deep into a series, the books work on their own, but be warned you’ll want to read them all. Fans of paranormal romantic suspense will enjoy traveling to the colonized world of Harmony. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
April 22, 2021
Mmm. Yes. Please just pour Jayne Castle books down my throat. Over and over. In fact, after I read this amazing book I went to my shelf and dragged down every other Jayne Castle book I own and speed read those just to keep the high going.
This book starts off with a hilarious bang and just keeps the humor going. The heroine, Lucy, and the hero, Gabriel, have all the charm of usual Castle pairings. I don't know how she writes such serious heroes who are totally in love with the heroines over and over again and not have it become stale. Because it doesn't. And the best part is that her heroines, though occasionally damsels, are never truly in distress. Her couples are equally powerful and the heroes never doubt (and always build up) their women. I cannot get enough of it, honestly.
And the dust bunnies! Gah! I love them more and more with every single book.
The plot in this is just as exciting as usual with mystery and violence and excitement. The worst part of this book is that it ended, and since I read an early ARC I have to wait like three times as long as the general public before I can get another installment. Wah.
This book starts off with a hilarious bang and just keeps the humor going. The heroine, Lucy, and the hero, Gabriel, have all the charm of usual Castle pairings. I don't know how she writes such serious heroes who are totally in love with the heroines over and over again and not have it become stale. Because it doesn't. And the best part is that her heroines, though occasionally damsels, are never truly in distress. Her couples are equally powerful and the heroes never doubt (and always build up) their women. I cannot get enough of it, honestly.
And the dust bunnies! Gah! I love them more and more with every single book.
The plot in this is just as exciting as usual with mystery and violence and excitement. The worst part of this book is that it ended, and since I read an early ARC I have to wait like three times as long as the general public before I can get another installment. Wah.
March 11, 2022
This story wasn't the best in the Castle's series of futuristic romances, but it wasn't bad either. Immensely readable, it was pure escapism. The characters were forgettable, the plot formulaic, and the conflict easily resolved, but I still enjoyed the reading experience. I was glad to have the opportunity to step back on Harmony, the planet Castle had invented as the setting of all her light-hearted futuristic romances. And of course, there is Otis, the dust bunny.
October 19, 2022
While this is fourteenth in a series, it works fine on its own. I mean, you'll miss some of the fun and some background things, but it won't mess you up, I don't think.
This is very on par for Jayne Castle's Harmony stuff, though the heroine has a fascinating setback after the first bit. We meet her surviving, barely, in the ruined city shortly before she's rescued by Gabriel. So they do some banter and bonding and then there's a two-month break and we pick up with Lucy in a crap job after her career tanked. This is all explained in the blurb and it worked for me, not least because it puts Gabe on the back foot because he just kind of took off. His reasons make sense. There was important work to do. But it also highlights how he tends to get wrapped up in his own projections and neglect the stuff on the periphery.
And Lucy has no intention of being on the periphery of anyone, let alone her romantic partner.
Which was a lovely dynamic as they try to solve the central mystery and take on the bad guys. It was a great growth arc, if mostly in their communication.
I'm not a fan of Castle's villain PoV shifts, but have learned to roll with them. This one includes a villain PoV that didn't actually have anything to do with this book, however, so I'm crying foul (it's obviously a setup for Vortex playing a bigger role in the next (few?) story(ies).
The plot is a little slapdash, so I'm going to go with four stars despite really liking the dynamic with the main couple. I'm certainly looking forward to the next.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this on the edge of (but not quite over) the middle of my steam tolerance. They fit the story fairly well and served as relationship markers in a good way, I think.
This is very on par for Jayne Castle's Harmony stuff, though the heroine has a fascinating setback after the first bit. We meet her surviving, barely, in the ruined city shortly before she's rescued by Gabriel. So they do some banter and bonding and then there's a two-month break and we pick up with Lucy in a crap job after her career tanked. This is all explained in the blurb and it worked for me, not least because it puts Gabe on the back foot because he just kind of took off. His reasons make sense. There was important work to do. But it also highlights how he tends to get wrapped up in his own projections and neglect the stuff on the periphery.
And Lucy has no intention of being on the periphery of anyone, let alone her romantic partner.
Which was a lovely dynamic as they try to solve the central mystery and take on the bad guys. It was a great growth arc, if mostly in their communication.
I'm not a fan of Castle's villain PoV shifts, but have learned to roll with them. This one includes a villain PoV that didn't actually have anything to do with this book, however, so I'm crying foul (it's obviously a setup for Vortex playing a bigger role in the next (few?) story(ies).
The plot is a little slapdash, so I'm going to go with four stars despite really liking the dynamic with the main couple. I'm certainly looking forward to the next.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this on the edge of (but not quite over) the middle of my steam tolerance. They fit the story fairly well and served as relationship markers in a good way, I think.
November 8, 2021
It was great fun to revisit the world of Harmony with Guild Boss! Gabriel and Lucy meet when he saves her from the Underworld (alien ruins with lots of hidden dangers)... but then he leaves for 2 months. By the time he gets back, she's lost her reputation and consequently her source of income, so she's not exactly happy to see him.
As usual in Castle's Harmony-set books, there is a convoluted mystery with lots of red herrings and conspiracy theories that our heroes have to solve while at the same time falling in love. Guild Boss felt like a return to form, with enjoyable characters, a cute dust bunny animal companion, and lots of Easter eggs for previous series (Arcane Society, the original Harmony books, and more). If you like Jayne Castle, you'll enjoy this one. It is probably all right to read it as a standalone, but as longtime Krentz/Quick/Castle fans, the hidden nuggets of information just made this more fun to read.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
As usual in Castle's Harmony-set books, there is a convoluted mystery with lots of red herrings and conspiracy theories that our heroes have to solve while at the same time falling in love. Guild Boss felt like a return to form, with enjoyable characters, a cute dust bunny animal companion, and lots of Easter eggs for previous series (Arcane Society, the original Harmony books, and more). If you like Jayne Castle, you'll enjoy this one. It is probably all right to read it as a standalone, but as longtime Krentz/Quick/Castle fans, the hidden nuggets of information just made this more fun to read.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
January 12, 2026
Relisten 1/12/2026:
I just revisited this wonderful paranormal romance in audiobook format for the fourth time. I am happy to report that I am just as enthusiastic about it as I was when I wrote my glowing review below.
Review 11/24/2021:
Another wonderful Harmony novel!!
Two months before, Lucy Bell was kidnapped and taken into the underground ruins beneath Illusion Town, a city similar to Las Vegas on the planet of Harmony, which was colonized 200 years ago by adventurous people from Earth. If not for the timely intervention of an enterprising dust bunny, who provided her with food in the form of pizza, Lucy would not have survived until a powerful ghost hunter named Gabriel Jones showed up and rescued her. Unfortunately, no one else besides Gabriel believes she was kidnapped. He disappeared soon after rescuing Lucy for another Guild mission, has been out of town ever since and, meanwhile, Lucy has been labeled a crackpot and her professional reputation has been trashed. By the time Gabriel finally shows up again, Lucy is no longer staring at him with stars in her eyes, because her hero abandoned her to her fate. But given the fact that her life is still in danger from the same villains who previously kidnapped her, she has no choice but to forgive the man and move on because, as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, it would be hard to find a more powerful ally against her enemies than gorgeous Gabriel Jones.
This novel is Book 14 in the paranormal, futuristic, Harmony/Ghost Hunters series which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel is Book 2 of the sub-series, Illusion Town. In addition, it is Book 16 in the Arcane Society series, by virtue of the fact that the hero, Gabriel Jones, is part of the same Jones family that founded the Arcane Society. He also bears the same name as his ancestor of hundreds of years ago on Earth, the hero of the very first Arcane Society novel, Second Sight, written by Jayne Ann Krentz under her historical-romance pseudonym, Amanda Quick. We, her most devoted fans, who have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), greatly enjoy these quirky series crossovers! More than that, it is ecstasy that JAK has gifted us with another Harmony novel! Of course, for readers who are not super-fans of JAK, it is not essential to read the Harmony books (or the Arcane Society books) in order, but you can get a whole lot more enjoyment out of this novel if you have read all of them, or at least Illusion Town, the first book in this subset of the Harmony series.
In 2011, we paranormal-romance fans, who adore the Arcane Society and Harmony series, were desolate when we were informed that there would very likely be no more books from JAK in those series. Then, lo and behold, JAK gave us The Hot Zone in 2014, which is connected to both the Arcane Society and Harmony series. Then, two years later, in 2016, she gave us another wonderful surprise in the form of the novel, Illusion Town, which is also connected to both Arcane and Harmony. That seemed to be it for those two series with, once again, no hope for more, until—tah dah!--in 2021 JAK gave us this book, which is also both Arcane and Harmony. And in September, 2022, JAK is releasing Sweetwater and the Witch, which is—you guessed it!--connected to both Arcane and Harmony! There is also going to be another Harmony novel in May, 2024!
As always in her paranormal romances set on Harmony, JAK has created in this novel two dynamic, highly sympathetic romantic protagonists, who have loads of sexual chemistry and engage in lots of snappy repartee. There is a fun cast of colorful, continuing characters in the Illusion Town series, and this fascinating city provides an extremely entertaining new setting on the exotic planet Harmony for fans to enjoy. We can also always count on every Harmony book offering us a cute and clever dust bunny, in this case it is a lovable male bunny, whom Lucy has christened, Otis.
I love absolutely everything about the Harmony books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. From 2000-2011, I purchased all the books in this series as mass market paperbacks, but after that, I repurchased those first books as both Kindle and audiobooks, and ever since, I have obtained every one of the Harmony books (as well as all of JAK’s other books, too) in both Kindle and audiobook format (which Amazon offers a deal on with their Whispersync system). This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated the following novels in the Harmony series: The Hot Zone, Illusion Town, and the sequel to this book, Sweetwater and the Witch. What richness! Ms. Rosenblat is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and it is a magnificent treat owning any and all narrations she has done for JAK audiobooks.
Finally, I just have to say, though it doesn’t influence my opinion of the book itself, I absolutely adore the cover of this novel!
For any 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 Arcane Society series, including all of the Harmony novels that are simultaneously part of that series.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Dust Bunny Plot: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
ARCANE SOCIETY SERIES
Second Sight by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #1 (Gabriel Jones), 2006
White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #2, 2007
Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #3 (Zack Jones), 2008
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #4 , 2008
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #5, Eclipse Bay cameo, Sweetwater cameo, Fallon Jones cameo, 2008
The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #6 (Caleb Jones), 2009
Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle, Ghost Hunters #6, Arcane Society #7 (Cruz Sweetwater), 2009
Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #8 (Jack Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #1, 2009
Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #9 (Griffin Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #2, 2010
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #10 (Adam Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #3, 2010
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11 (Fallon Jones), Looking Glass Trilogy #1, 2010
The Scargill Cove Case Files by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11.5 (Fallon Jones), 2011
Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #12 (Owen Sweetwater), Looking Glass Trilogy #2, 2011
Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #13 (continuation of In Too Deep & Quicksilver as Looking Glass Trilogy #3), 2011
The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #14 (Cyrus Jones), 2014, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Illusion Town by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #15 (Sylvester Jones circus on Harmony), (Elias Coppersmith), Illusion Town #1, 2016, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Guild Boss by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #16 (Gabriel Jones), Illusion Town #2, 2021, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #17 (Ethan Sweetwater), Illusion Town #3, 2022, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
I just revisited this wonderful paranormal romance in audiobook format for the fourth time. I am happy to report that I am just as enthusiastic about it as I was when I wrote my glowing review below.
Review 11/24/2021:
Another wonderful Harmony novel!!
Two months before, Lucy Bell was kidnapped and taken into the underground ruins beneath Illusion Town, a city similar to Las Vegas on the planet of Harmony, which was colonized 200 years ago by adventurous people from Earth. If not for the timely intervention of an enterprising dust bunny, who provided her with food in the form of pizza, Lucy would not have survived until a powerful ghost hunter named Gabriel Jones showed up and rescued her. Unfortunately, no one else besides Gabriel believes she was kidnapped. He disappeared soon after rescuing Lucy for another Guild mission, has been out of town ever since and, meanwhile, Lucy has been labeled a crackpot and her professional reputation has been trashed. By the time Gabriel finally shows up again, Lucy is no longer staring at him with stars in her eyes, because her hero abandoned her to her fate. But given the fact that her life is still in danger from the same villains who previously kidnapped her, she has no choice but to forgive the man and move on because, as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, it would be hard to find a more powerful ally against her enemies than gorgeous Gabriel Jones.
This novel is Book 14 in the paranormal, futuristic, Harmony/Ghost Hunters series which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel is Book 2 of the sub-series, Illusion Town. In addition, it is Book 16 in the Arcane Society series, by virtue of the fact that the hero, Gabriel Jones, is part of the same Jones family that founded the Arcane Society. He also bears the same name as his ancestor of hundreds of years ago on Earth, the hero of the very first Arcane Society novel, Second Sight, written by Jayne Ann Krentz under her historical-romance pseudonym, Amanda Quick. We, her most devoted fans, who have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), greatly enjoy these quirky series crossovers! More than that, it is ecstasy that JAK has gifted us with another Harmony novel! Of course, for readers who are not super-fans of JAK, it is not essential to read the Harmony books (or the Arcane Society books) in order, but you can get a whole lot more enjoyment out of this novel if you have read all of them, or at least Illusion Town, the first book in this subset of the Harmony series.
In 2011, we paranormal-romance fans, who adore the Arcane Society and Harmony series, were desolate when we were informed that there would very likely be no more books from JAK in those series. Then, lo and behold, JAK gave us The Hot Zone in 2014, which is connected to both the Arcane Society and Harmony series. Then, two years later, in 2016, she gave us another wonderful surprise in the form of the novel, Illusion Town, which is also connected to both Arcane and Harmony. That seemed to be it for those two series with, once again, no hope for more, until—tah dah!--in 2021 JAK gave us this book, which is also both Arcane and Harmony. And in September, 2022, JAK is releasing Sweetwater and the Witch, which is—you guessed it!--connected to both Arcane and Harmony! There is also going to be another Harmony novel in May, 2024!
As always in her paranormal romances set on Harmony, JAK has created in this novel two dynamic, highly sympathetic romantic protagonists, who have loads of sexual chemistry and engage in lots of snappy repartee. There is a fun cast of colorful, continuing characters in the Illusion Town series, and this fascinating city provides an extremely entertaining new setting on the exotic planet Harmony for fans to enjoy. We can also always count on every Harmony book offering us a cute and clever dust bunny, in this case it is a lovable male bunny, whom Lucy has christened, Otis.
I love absolutely everything about the Harmony books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. From 2000-2011, I purchased all the books in this series as mass market paperbacks, but after that, I repurchased those first books as both Kindle and audiobooks, and ever since, I have obtained every one of the Harmony books (as well as all of JAK’s other books, too) in both Kindle and audiobook format (which Amazon offers a deal on with their Whispersync system). This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated the following novels in the Harmony series: The Hot Zone, Illusion Town, and the sequel to this book, Sweetwater and the Witch. What richness! Ms. Rosenblat is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and it is a magnificent treat owning any and all narrations she has done for JAK audiobooks.
Finally, I just have to say, though it doesn’t influence my opinion of the book itself, I absolutely adore the cover of this novel!
For any 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 Arcane Society series, including all of the Harmony novels that are simultaneously part of that series.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Dust Bunny Plot: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
ARCANE SOCIETY SERIES
Second Sight by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #1 (Gabriel Jones), 2006
White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #2, 2007
Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #3 (Zack Jones), 2008
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #4 , 2008
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #5, Eclipse Bay cameo, Sweetwater cameo, Fallon Jones cameo, 2008
The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #6 (Caleb Jones), 2009
Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle, Ghost Hunters #6, Arcane Society #7 (Cruz Sweetwater), 2009
Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #8 (Jack Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #1, 2009
Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #9 (Griffin Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #2, 2010
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #10 (Adam Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #3, 2010
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11 (Fallon Jones), Looking Glass Trilogy #1, 2010
The Scargill Cove Case Files by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11.5 (Fallon Jones), 2011
Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #12 (Owen Sweetwater), Looking Glass Trilogy #2, 2011
Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #13 (continuation of In Too Deep & Quicksilver as Looking Glass Trilogy #3), 2011
The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #14 (Cyrus Jones), 2014, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Illusion Town by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #15 (Sylvester Jones circus on Harmony), (Elias Coppersmith), Illusion Town #1, 2016, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Guild Boss by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #16 (Gabriel Jones), Illusion Town #2, 2021, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #17 (Ethan Sweetwater), Illusion Town #3, 2022, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
December 13, 2021
Delightful visit to a a fascinating place
If you're new to Harmony or an old friend, you will love this latest installment. The Guild Boss is everything you hoped for.
If you're new to Harmony or an old friend, you will love this latest installment. The Guild Boss is everything you hoped for.
April 6, 2021
I enjoy everything aspect of Jayne Castle's Harmony series, as well as the St. Helen's series, which is the first of Jayne Ann Krentz writing paranormal romances that I tried. Harmony is a colonized alien world in humanity's future. When the phenomena of the 'Curtain' occurred on Earth, opening up to another world on the otherside, humanity jumped at the chance to colonize the new horizon. Now, hundreds of years after the Curtain closed as mysteriously as it opened, the citizens of Harmony of adapted to their new world and are moving into a future of exploration and discovery.
More and more discoveries of the alien race that inhabited Harmony before humans are being discovered and the abilities emerging in the human population to interact with them are becoming more prevalent and powerful. Lucy Bell thinks of herself as just another weather channeler, proud to be an independent consultant for projects needing her services to deal with the alien storms in the zones of the Ghost City. After surviving a kidnapping attempt and multiple days Underground in the Ghost City alone and without her tuned amber and getting rescued by a hunky Guild Hunter, she hopes it means a possible new love interest and reputation of strength that will lead to more work. Instead, no one believes her story of being kidnapped and she's marked as a crazy person.
Now that Gabriel Jones is back in Illusion Town for good, he is looking forward to reconnecting with Lucy. She's been in his mind since he had to leave her right after her rescue. Anticipating their reunion, Gabriel is surprised by the cold attitude he finds after seeking her out. Discovering that her reputation was shattered after their last encounter, throws a wrench in his plans to woe her. Offering her a contract for the new Illusion Town Guild is the best starting place he can think of to get back in her good graces. Together, Lucy and Gabriel delve into recovering a stolen item and end up embroiling themselves into a much larger conspiracy that could uncover the truth behind Lucy's time in the Ghost City.
More and more discoveries of the alien race that inhabited Harmony before humans are being discovered and the abilities emerging in the human population to interact with them are becoming more prevalent and powerful. Lucy Bell thinks of herself as just another weather channeler, proud to be an independent consultant for projects needing her services to deal with the alien storms in the zones of the Ghost City. After surviving a kidnapping attempt and multiple days Underground in the Ghost City alone and without her tuned amber and getting rescued by a hunky Guild Hunter, she hopes it means a possible new love interest and reputation of strength that will lead to more work. Instead, no one believes her story of being kidnapped and she's marked as a crazy person.
Now that Gabriel Jones is back in Illusion Town for good, he is looking forward to reconnecting with Lucy. She's been in his mind since he had to leave her right after her rescue. Anticipating their reunion, Gabriel is surprised by the cold attitude he finds after seeking her out. Discovering that her reputation was shattered after their last encounter, throws a wrench in his plans to woe her. Offering her a contract for the new Illusion Town Guild is the best starting place he can think of to get back in her good graces. Together, Lucy and Gabriel delve into recovering a stolen item and end up embroiling themselves into a much larger conspiracy that could uncover the truth behind Lucy's time in the Ghost City.
February 18, 2023
Newest, long-awaited addition to the Ghost Hunters series, set on a different world, complete with dust bunnies.
Cute. Well done. Maybe a few too many 'easter eggs', harking back to earlier books. But worth the time. I went back and re-read Illusion Town in prep for this.
And yes, some may wish to fast-forward through some of the sexy-bits. I just don't find those as thrilling as I used to do.
Cute. Well done. Maybe a few too many 'easter eggs', harking back to earlier books. But worth the time. I went back and re-read Illusion Town in prep for this.
And yes, some may wish to fast-forward through some of the sexy-bits. I just don't find those as thrilling as I used to do.
June 27, 2022
Lucy is a weather channeler, and she is kidnapped from a wedding reception, drugged, and hidden away until Gabriel Jones, guild boss, rescues her. There's a problem though: no one believes she was kidnapped, they think she left the reception drunk. Her reputation is ruined so she has to take a menial job for very low pay until Gabriel requests her weather assistance with a case he's working on. Otis the dust bunny is a fun addition to their group. No one is better at paranormal world building than Jayne Castle, and this book provides pure escapist enjoyment.
December 29, 2021
Two words. Dust bunnies. I love the dust bunnies in this series!! They are cute and fluffy (unless they are in protect/attack mode) and oh so entertaining. Seriously, I’d read a book just about the dust bunnies. Add in a macho hero (Gabriel), a badass heroine (Lucy), some slow burn chemistry, a planet where paranormal energy has given some humans different kinds of talents, and a mystery to be solved, and I am all in! This is the 14th book set in Jayne Castle’s Harmony/Ghost Hunters World and the first since 2016.
Castle also writes as Amanda Quick (historical) and Jayne Ann Krentz (contemporary). I have been reading and loving her books as they are published for decades (literally). I love how there are connections and common elements across the series. All have quirky characters, many have some paranormal element, the dialogue is wonderful, and the romance is typically alpha male with hidden talents/secrets, and strong female- also with hidden talents/secrets. I love them all, but especially love the creativity of the Harmony books.
While this one did have some HEA closure, it also set up the storyline for the next book which will hopefully not take five years . There are some mysterious characters that I am sure we will see again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Castle also writes as Amanda Quick (historical) and Jayne Ann Krentz (contemporary). I have been reading and loving her books as they are published for decades (literally). I love how there are connections and common elements across the series. All have quirky characters, many have some paranormal element, the dialogue is wonderful, and the romance is typically alpha male with hidden talents/secrets, and strong female- also with hidden talents/secrets. I love them all, but especially love the creativity of the Harmony books.
While this one did have some HEA closure, it also set up the storyline for the next book which will hopefully not take five years . There are some mysterious characters that I am sure we will see again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2021
Nice return to the author's sf/paranormal Harmony world.
I liked our put-upon heroine, Lucy Bell, and the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, Gabriel Jones. Their road to romance has a number of bumps, but they work well together, and I enjoyed their verbal exchanges. The humor throughout the book is low-key and dry, with a good amount of snark. I especially enjoyed the 'Guild Boss: The Movie' storyline.
Longtime fans of this series will be delighted to know that there is a dust bunny on hand, who has bonded with Lucy. Otis is a great character and steals every scene he's in.
Another scene-stealer is Gabriel's administrative assistant, Adrian. He's the epitome of efficiency and relishes his job. It's fun to watch him in action.
The mystery is interesting, with a few little twists--no real big surprises as to who the baddies are. The story wraps up on a good note--HEA for Lucy and Gabriel. However, there is one final reveal at the end that hints of more books to come.
I'm not sure why the author decided to revisit Harmony, but I'm glad she did. I'll be here for any follow-on books.
Note: The author built in enough background info that new readers can easily follow the story without the need to read the previous dozen or so books. She also provides, in an afterwords, info on the related books she wrote under the Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz names.
I liked our put-upon heroine, Lucy Bell, and the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, Gabriel Jones. Their road to romance has a number of bumps, but they work well together, and I enjoyed their verbal exchanges. The humor throughout the book is low-key and dry, with a good amount of snark. I especially enjoyed the 'Guild Boss: The Movie' storyline.
Longtime fans of this series will be delighted to know that there is a dust bunny on hand, who has bonded with Lucy. Otis is a great character and steals every scene he's in.
Another scene-stealer is Gabriel's administrative assistant, Adrian. He's the epitome of efficiency and relishes his job. It's fun to watch him in action.
The mystery is interesting, with a few little twists--no real big surprises as to who the baddies are. The story wraps up on a good note--HEA for Lucy and Gabriel. However, there is one final reveal at the end that hints of more books to come.
I'm not sure why the author decided to revisit Harmony, but I'm glad she did. I'll be here for any follow-on books.
Note: The author built in enough background info that new readers can easily follow the story without the need to read the previous dozen or so books. She also provides, in an afterwords, info on the related books she wrote under the Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz names.
November 20, 2021
It’s been a while since I have read a book by Jayne Castle, but it was just like coming back to an old friend. These books are really interesting and unique. Lucy Bell is going through some stuff. First up, she is kidnapped, drugged and left in the underground tunnels. Ghost Hunter Gabriel Jones is hired to rescue her and he instantly drawn to her. Then she is restrained at a hospital and drugged, again. She escapes, but her reputation is in ruins. She takes a job as a tour guide. One day, months later, Gabriel shows up to offer her a job and things just get weirder. This is a fast paced, action packed story that has a great romance as well. I love the dust bunny pet, Otis. Definitely was not disappointed.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 3, 2021
Everything I hoped for in the latest Harmony novel showed up in Guild Boss. There is romance, mystery, danger, sexy times and above all else, a dust bunny. Never underestimate the draw of a dust bunny. Otis nearly steals the show in this book. I just adore him and wish I had my own little dust bunny buddy.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
February 1, 2022
Long time ago used to read all Jayne Castle and her other alter ego Amanda Quick books , they are good , imaginative ,light stories ...when I saw Overdrive had some of her books on audio , I decided to revisit her backlist.
December 9, 2021
Ms. Castle/Ms. Krentz has FINALLY returned to Harmony and I couldn't be happier. Lucy is a weather channeler and that was a new skill for me to learn about as I read. Her talent is off the charts and quite impressive - paranormal lightning anyone? Gabriel is a Guild man through and through. He has a lot to learn about being a Guild CEO but he's a Jones so I have faith that he'll pick up on all of the political and social skills that he'll need in Illusion Town.
Kidnapping, a weapon that can suppress amber, murder, rogue ex-Guild baddies, romance, a little suspense and a cute dust bunny who loves olive and cheese pizza made for an entertaining trip to the future. Thanks, JAK, for finally returning to Harmony.
Kidnapping, a weapon that can suppress amber, murder, rogue ex-Guild baddies, romance, a little suspense and a cute dust bunny who loves olive and cheese pizza made for an entertaining trip to the future. Thanks, JAK, for finally returning to Harmony.
October 16, 2023
Guild Boss
4 Stars
After being kidnapped and left to die in the alien ruins beneath Illusion Town, Lucy Bell has given up hope of rescue. Then her knight arrives in the form of ghost-hunter, Gabriel Jones. Unfortunately, he leaves on another assignment, and Lucy's claims soon become fodder for skepticism and disbelief. Upon his return, Gabriel finds a sharp and angry woman vilified and ostracized. As the new Guild Boss, he is determined to restore her reputation, but someone else is just as eager to destroy it.
Series note: Although set in the same location as the previous book, the characters are new and the story is standalone. That said, there are references to the Arcane Society, particularly Quicksilver and Canyons of Night. While it is not necessary to read these for the plot, it is fun to see the connections.
This installment in the Ghost Hunters series leans more toward the hit side of the hit/miss scale. Although it is predictable in many respects (this is often the case as Krentz's books follow a distinct yet comforting formula), the plot is entertaining and the romance is satisfying.
In terms of the world-building, it is as strange and unclear as always, and I wonder whether readers will ever learn to truth behind the alien's disappearance.
As to the suspense, the inclusion of Mrs. Bridewell's clockwork automatons from the Arcane Society is clever and the revelation of the mysterious "client" is intense with an excellent showdown. There are also indications of a more nefarious conspiracy at hand and it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Overall, Krentz's books can, more often than not, be counted on to be entertaining with engaging characters and a dash of excitement.
4 Stars
After being kidnapped and left to die in the alien ruins beneath Illusion Town, Lucy Bell has given up hope of rescue. Then her knight arrives in the form of ghost-hunter, Gabriel Jones. Unfortunately, he leaves on another assignment, and Lucy's claims soon become fodder for skepticism and disbelief. Upon his return, Gabriel finds a sharp and angry woman vilified and ostracized. As the new Guild Boss, he is determined to restore her reputation, but someone else is just as eager to destroy it.
Series note: Although set in the same location as the previous book, the characters are new and the story is standalone. That said, there are references to the Arcane Society, particularly Quicksilver and Canyons of Night. While it is not necessary to read these for the plot, it is fun to see the connections.
This installment in the Ghost Hunters series leans more toward the hit side of the hit/miss scale. Although it is predictable in many respects (this is often the case as Krentz's books follow a distinct yet comforting formula), the plot is entertaining and the romance is satisfying.
In terms of the world-building, it is as strange and unclear as always, and I wonder whether readers will ever learn to truth behind the alien's disappearance.
As to the suspense, the inclusion of Mrs. Bridewell's clockwork automatons from the Arcane Society is clever and the revelation of the mysterious "client" is intense with an excellent showdown. There are also indications of a more nefarious conspiracy at hand and it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Overall, Krentz's books can, more often than not, be counted on to be entertaining with engaging characters and a dash of excitement.
October 7, 2022
I've been a longtime fan of Jayne Castle as well as her non de plumes-Amanda Quick and Jayne Krentz. Her harmony series is a top favorite of mine. The 14th in this series-Guild Boss-picks up in Illusion Town and what follows is a rambunctious adventure with all the necessary componets guaranteed to entertain.
September 3, 2022
Another wonderful Harmony novel!!
Months ago, Lucy Bell was kidnapped and taken into the underground ruins beneath Illusion Town, a city similar to Las Vegas on the planet of Harmony, which was colonized 200 years ago by adventurous people from Earth. If not for the timely intervention of an enterprising dust bunny, who provided her with food in the form of pizza, Lucy would not have survived until a powerful ghost hunter named Gabriel Jones showed up and rescued her. Unfortunately, no one else besides Gabriel believes she was kidnapped. He disappeared soon after rescuing Lucy for another Guild mission, has been out of town ever since and, meanwhile, Lucy has been labeled a crackpot and her professional reputation has been trashed. By the time Gabriel finally shows up again, Lucy is no longer staring at him with stars in her eyes, because her hero abandoned her to her fate. But given the fact that her life is still in danger from the same villains who previously kidnapped her, she has no choice but to forgive the man and move on because, as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, it would be hard to find a more powerful ally against her enemies than gorgeous Gabriel Jones.
This novel is Book 14 in the paranormal, futuristic, Harmony/Ghost Hunters series which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel is Book 2 of the sub-series, Illusion Town. In addition, it is Book 14 in the Arcane Society series, by virtue of the fact that the hero, Gabriel Jones, is part of the same Jones family that founded the Arcane Society. He also bears the same name as his ancestor of hundreds of years ago on Earth, the hero of the very first Arcane Society novel, Second Sight, written by Jayne Ann Krentz under her historical-romance pseudonym, Amanda Quick. We, her most devoted fans, who have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), greatly enjoy these quirky series crossovers! More than that, it is ecstasy that JAK has gifted us with another Harmony novel! Of course, for readers who are not super-fans of JAK, it is not essential to read the Harmony books (or the Arcane Society books) in order, but you can get a whole lot more enjoyment out of this novel if you have read all of them, or at least Illusion Town, the first book in this subset of the Harmony series.
In 2011, we paranormal-romance fans, who adore the Arcane Society and Harmony series, were desolate when we were informed that there would very likely be no more books from JAK in those series. Then, lo and behold, JAK gave us The Hot Zone in 2014, which is connected to both the Arcane Society and Harmony series. Then, two years later, in 2016, she gave us another wonderful surprise in the form of the novel, Illusion Town, which is also connected to both Arcane and Harmony. That seemed to be it for those two series with, once again, no hope for more, until—tah dah!--in 2021 JAK gave us this book, which is also both Arcane and Harmony. And in September, 2022, JAK is releasing Sweetwater and the Witch, which is—you guessed it!--connected to both Arcane and Harmony!
As always in her paranormal romances set on Harmony, JAK creates in this novel two dynamic, highly sympathetic romantic protagonists, who have loads of sexual chemistry and engage in lots of snappy repartee. There is a fun cast of colorful, continuing characters in the Illusion Town series, and this fascinating city provides an extremely entertaining new setting on the exotic planet Harmony for fans to enjoy. We can also always count on every Harmony book offering us a cute and clever dust bunny, in this case it is a lovable male bunny, whom Lucy has christened, Otis.
I love absolutely everything about the Harmony books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. From 2000-2011, I purchased all the books in this series as mass market paperbacks, but after that, I repurchased those first books as both Kindle and audiobooks, and ever since, I have obtained every one of the Harmony books (as well as all of JAK’s other books, too) in both Kindle and audiobook format (which Amazon offers a deal on with their Whispersync system). This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated the following novels in the Harmony series: The Hot Zone, Illusion Town, and the imminent release, Sweetwater and the Witch. What richness! Ms. Rosenblat is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and it is a magnificent treat owning any and all narrations she has done for JAK audiobooks.
Finally, I just have to say, though it doesn’t influence my opinion of the book itself, I absolutely adore the cover of this novel!
For any 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 Arcane Society series, including all of the Harmony novels that are simultaneously part of that series.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Dust Bunny Plot: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
ARCANE SOCIETY SERIES
Second Sight by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #1 (Gabriel Jones), 2006
White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #2, 2007
Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #3 (Zack Jones), 2008
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #4 , 2008
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #5, Eclipse Bay cameo, Sweetwater cameo, Fallon Jones cameo, 2008
The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #6 (Caleb Jones), 2009
Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle, Ghost Hunters #6, Arcane Society #7 (Cruz Sweetwater), 2009
Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #8 (Jack Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #1, 2009
Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #9 (Griffin Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #2, 2010
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #10 (Adam Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #3, 2010
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11 (Fallon Jones), Looking Glass Trilogy #1, 2010
The Scargill Cove Case Files by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11.5 (Fallon Jones), 2011
Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #12 (Owen Sweetwater), Looking Glass Trilogy #2, 2011
Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #13 (continuation of In Too Deep & Quicksilver as Looking Glass Trilogy #3), 2011
The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #14 (Cyrus Jones), 2014, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Illusion Town by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #15 (Sylvester Jones circus on Harmony), (Elias Coppersmith), Illusion Town #1, 2016, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Guild Boss by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #16 (Gabriel Jones), Illusion Town #2, 2021, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #17 (Ethan Sweetwater), Illusion Town #3, 2022, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Months ago, Lucy Bell was kidnapped and taken into the underground ruins beneath Illusion Town, a city similar to Las Vegas on the planet of Harmony, which was colonized 200 years ago by adventurous people from Earth. If not for the timely intervention of an enterprising dust bunny, who provided her with food in the form of pizza, Lucy would not have survived until a powerful ghost hunter named Gabriel Jones showed up and rescued her. Unfortunately, no one else besides Gabriel believes she was kidnapped. He disappeared soon after rescuing Lucy for another Guild mission, has been out of town ever since and, meanwhile, Lucy has been labeled a crackpot and her professional reputation has been trashed. By the time Gabriel finally shows up again, Lucy is no longer staring at him with stars in her eyes, because her hero abandoned her to her fate. But given the fact that her life is still in danger from the same villains who previously kidnapped her, she has no choice but to forgive the man and move on because, as the new Guild Boss for Illusion Town, it would be hard to find a more powerful ally against her enemies than gorgeous Gabriel Jones.
This novel is Book 14 in the paranormal, futuristic, Harmony/Ghost Hunters series which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel is Book 2 of the sub-series, Illusion Town. In addition, it is Book 14 in the Arcane Society series, by virtue of the fact that the hero, Gabriel Jones, is part of the same Jones family that founded the Arcane Society. He also bears the same name as his ancestor of hundreds of years ago on Earth, the hero of the very first Arcane Society novel, Second Sight, written by Jayne Ann Krentz under her historical-romance pseudonym, Amanda Quick. We, her most devoted fans, who have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), greatly enjoy these quirky series crossovers! More than that, it is ecstasy that JAK has gifted us with another Harmony novel! Of course, for readers who are not super-fans of JAK, it is not essential to read the Harmony books (or the Arcane Society books) in order, but you can get a whole lot more enjoyment out of this novel if you have read all of them, or at least Illusion Town, the first book in this subset of the Harmony series.
In 2011, we paranormal-romance fans, who adore the Arcane Society and Harmony series, were desolate when we were informed that there would very likely be no more books from JAK in those series. Then, lo and behold, JAK gave us The Hot Zone in 2014, which is connected to both the Arcane Society and Harmony series. Then, two years later, in 2016, she gave us another wonderful surprise in the form of the novel, Illusion Town, which is also connected to both Arcane and Harmony. That seemed to be it for those two series with, once again, no hope for more, until—tah dah!--in 2021 JAK gave us this book, which is also both Arcane and Harmony. And in September, 2022, JAK is releasing Sweetwater and the Witch, which is—you guessed it!--connected to both Arcane and Harmony!
As always in her paranormal romances set on Harmony, JAK creates in this novel two dynamic, highly sympathetic romantic protagonists, who have loads of sexual chemistry and engage in lots of snappy repartee. There is a fun cast of colorful, continuing characters in the Illusion Town series, and this fascinating city provides an extremely entertaining new setting on the exotic planet Harmony for fans to enjoy. We can also always count on every Harmony book offering us a cute and clever dust bunny, in this case it is a lovable male bunny, whom Lucy has christened, Otis.
I love absolutely everything about the Harmony books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. From 2000-2011, I purchased all the books in this series as mass market paperbacks, but after that, I repurchased those first books as both Kindle and audiobooks, and ever since, I have obtained every one of the Harmony books (as well as all of JAK’s other books, too) in both Kindle and audiobook format (which Amazon offers a deal on with their Whispersync system). This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated the following novels in the Harmony series: The Hot Zone, Illusion Town, and the imminent release, Sweetwater and the Witch. What richness! Ms. Rosenblat is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and it is a magnificent treat owning any and all narrations she has done for JAK audiobooks.
Finally, I just have to say, though it doesn’t influence my opinion of the book itself, I absolutely adore the cover of this novel!
For any 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 Arcane Society series, including all of the Harmony novels that are simultaneously part of that series.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Dust Bunny Plot: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
ARCANE SOCIETY SERIES
Second Sight by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #1 (Gabriel Jones), 2006
White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #2, 2007
Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #3 (Zack Jones), 2008
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #4 , 2008
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #5, Eclipse Bay cameo, Sweetwater cameo, Fallon Jones cameo, 2008
The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #6 (Caleb Jones), 2009
Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle, Ghost Hunters #6, Arcane Society #7 (Cruz Sweetwater), 2009
Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #8 (Jack Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #1, 2009
Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #9 (Griffin Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #2, 2010
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #10 (Adam Winters), Dreamlight Trilogy #3, 2010
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11 (Fallon Jones), Looking Glass Trilogy #1, 2010
The Scargill Cove Case Files by Jayne Ann Krentz, Arcane Society #11.5 (Fallon Jones), 2011
Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, Arcane Society #12 (Owen Sweetwater), Looking Glass Trilogy #2, 2011
Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #13 (continuation of In Too Deep & Quicksilver as Looking Glass Trilogy #3), 2011
The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #14 (Cyrus Jones), 2014, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Illusion Town by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #15 (Sylvester Jones circus on Harmony), (Elias Coppersmith), Illusion Town #1, 2016, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Guild Boss by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #16 (Gabriel Jones), Illusion Town #2, 2021, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle, Arcane Society #17 (Ethan Sweetwater), Illusion Town #3, 2022, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
April 24, 2023
This book is a departure from what I usually read. I like fantasy, but I've never been fond of sci-fiction/futuristic books. I want to widen my reading materials. Since this book was written by Jayne Castle, who also goes by the pseudonym Amanda Quick, one of my favourite authors in historical romance, I thought I'd give this one a go. I wasn't disappointed. The entertainment value is solid. The writing, from my experience, has always been stellar, and this book is no different. The setting is Harmony, not Earth, which reminds me of the Vegas strip (with the casinos and the lights). You have paranormal talents, ghosts hunters, weather channellers, etc. The main characters are likeable. The star of the story happens to be Otiz, a dust bunny who is a pet/protector. His antics are super cute. Even though this book is no 14 in the series, I didn't feel lost. This book can definitely be read as a stand-alone. All in all, it was enjoyable read. 4 solid stars.
April 22, 2023
Another strong showing set in Illusion Town- Harmony’s version of Vegas. Lucy Bell is kidnapped and trapped in the underworld and guild agent Gabriel Jones comes to her rescue. Just when I thought this was going to be a forced proximity novel from page 1, the couple is separated when the hero leaves Lucy in the hands of those he thinks will keep
her safe. Lucy’s reputation is ruined when they finally reconnect 2 months later and she has mixed feelings about rekindling things. They need each other though and as usual romance ensues as they untangle the conspiracy.
I love this new setting. The powers were really fun and fit in to the Wild West vibe. I liked the development of the couple’s connection, and got a kick out throwbacks to Castle’s other series. Check it out!
her safe. Lucy’s reputation is ruined when they finally reconnect 2 months later and she has mixed feelings about rekindling things. They need each other though and as usual romance ensues as they untangle the conspiracy.
I love this new setting. The powers were really fun and fit in to the Wild West vibe. I liked the development of the couple’s connection, and got a kick out throwbacks to Castle’s other series. Check it out!
February 20, 2022
The Ghost Hunters/Arcane series was perfect for Covid reading - Adventure! Humor! Love! Dust Bunnies! All with a light touch. I assumed the series was finished since the last book was published in 2016, so the news of this book made me very happy, though worried it might not measure up. I needn't have worried. This is a great follow-up to the previous books, and I'm happy to see that the author has inserted some new characters that probably mean it will continue for a while. If she can keep the focus on the fun and the characters, I'll keep reading, very happily. Sometimes you just need to pick up a book, slip into another world, and have a little fun. :)
NB - Fortunately for fans, several chapters late in the book make it clear there will be more books in this series. Bring them on!
NB - Fortunately for fans, several chapters late in the book make it clear there will be more books in this series. Bring them on!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews