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Harmony #6
Sweetwater and the Witch
Listening Length 10 hours and 15 minutes
Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.
If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.
But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.
What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…
Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.
If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.
But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.
What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 20, 2022
457 people are currently reading
865 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Castle
54 books2,159 followersThe author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 441 reviews
June 23, 2022
Ravenna (love that name) is a matchmaker, and was formerly a criminal profiler. She has a well-known client, Ethan Sweetwater, who has been dissatisfied with the dates she's arranged, and he requests that she accompany him to a business function as a "fake date." There is a lot of excitement in this paranormal town, not to mention that several people have tried to kill Ravenna. And of course there is the chemistry between her and Ethan that she tries desperately to ignore--after all, it's unprofessional for a matchmaker to date a client. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
September 21, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
SWEETWATER & THE WITCH (A Ghost Hunters/Harmony Novel Book #16) by Jayne Castle is another fun and exciting trip back to Harmony. This paranormal/romantic suspense matches the infamous Sweetwater with a matchmaking fire witch just trying to make a living in Illusion and the dust bunny who adopts her. This book is easily read as a standalone, but characters from previous books do appear and with the overall family and character arcs, I just prefer to read them in order.
Ravenna Chastain is a criminal profiler who volunteers to be the bait for a trap to take down a cult, but she almost ends up in a waking coma when her backup is late to arrive, but a dust bunny appears instead to help. Ravenna is ready for a change and uses her skills to work for the premiere matchmaking company in Illusion. She is excited to be given the chance to match a Sweetwater even though his past may make it difficult.
Ethan Sweetwater has gone on nine terrible dates, and he is demanding Ravenna be his final contracted date. Ravenna takes him up on his demand and then adds her own request for him to accompany her on a “fake” date to a family function. Ethan has gotten what he wants and more than he is willing to admit, but their dates never seem to go smoothly. Ravenna has dates from her past trying to kill her and Ethan’s investigations have assassins coming after them both.
I always enjoy returning to Jayne Castle’s world. The worldbuilding has been interesting from the start with the variety of para talents, the alien Underworld, the generations of families and the dust bunnies. The romance and suspense are equally represented. The banter between Ravenna and Ethan is entertaining as each attempt to keep their heart safe as they increasingly care for each other, even though it is clear Ethan purposefully picked Ravenna. The sex scene was steamy, but it was not gratuitous.
I always love the chance to return to Harmony for a romantic suspense that always satisfies. And the dust bunnies.
SWEETWATER & THE WITCH (A Ghost Hunters/Harmony Novel Book #16) by Jayne Castle is another fun and exciting trip back to Harmony. This paranormal/romantic suspense matches the infamous Sweetwater with a matchmaking fire witch just trying to make a living in Illusion and the dust bunny who adopts her. This book is easily read as a standalone, but characters from previous books do appear and with the overall family and character arcs, I just prefer to read them in order.
Ravenna Chastain is a criminal profiler who volunteers to be the bait for a trap to take down a cult, but she almost ends up in a waking coma when her backup is late to arrive, but a dust bunny appears instead to help. Ravenna is ready for a change and uses her skills to work for the premiere matchmaking company in Illusion. She is excited to be given the chance to match a Sweetwater even though his past may make it difficult.
Ethan Sweetwater has gone on nine terrible dates, and he is demanding Ravenna be his final contracted date. Ravenna takes him up on his demand and then adds her own request for him to accompany her on a “fake” date to a family function. Ethan has gotten what he wants and more than he is willing to admit, but their dates never seem to go smoothly. Ravenna has dates from her past trying to kill her and Ethan’s investigations have assassins coming after them both.
I always enjoy returning to Jayne Castle’s world. The worldbuilding has been interesting from the start with the variety of para talents, the alien Underworld, the generations of families and the dust bunnies. The romance and suspense are equally represented. The banter between Ravenna and Ethan is entertaining as each attempt to keep their heart safe as they increasingly care for each other, even though it is clear Ethan purposefully picked Ravenna. The sex scene was steamy, but it was not gratuitous.
I always love the chance to return to Harmony for a romantic suspense that always satisfies. And the dust bunnies.
January 1, 2023
This is a light, quick, suspenseful romance read. It’s the 15th book in the series, but each book can be read as a standalone. I like the world of Harmony, filled with psychic talent, dust bunnies (adorable aliens creatures), and aliens tech (no aliens). The romance was pretty straight forward and from the beginning I knew where it was going and how both of them felt. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. Ethan and Ravenna were a good match. The chapters are short and the perspectives switch pretty quickly but that style works for me. This was a perfect light first read of the new year!
November 21, 2022
Jayne Castle is an author I connect fondly with my first years in the US, a time I devoured all the library books I could find from this author, from her HR written as Amanda Quick to her contemporary books by Jayne Ann Krentz. I adored her writing. Loved them all.
Because of this fondness I love picking up her books whenever I get a chance.
Her books deliver every time. A Jayne Castle novel promises some romantic-suspense, the author's signature dry humor, likeable characters, a dustbunny and down to earth romance. It's such a nice change to know, before I open up the book, what I'll get. Especially at a time when most everything else bores me to tears.
___________________________________
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.
Because of this fondness I love picking up her books whenever I get a chance.
Her books deliver every time. A Jayne Castle novel promises some romantic-suspense, the author's signature dry humor, likeable characters, a dustbunny and down to earth romance. It's such a nice change to know, before I open up the book, what I'll get. Especially at a time when most everything else bores me to tears.
___________________________________
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.
November 24, 2022
This is another Harmony psy-fi romance though it stands alone well-enough. Characters from some of the previous stories make appearances, but not in any important way.
This was a giant disappointment. Ethan is okay, though kind of a standard Castle hero, but Ravenna was a whiner. I mean, she got things done so it wasn't like she just sat around or anything. But every time she opened her mouth I cringed. This was particularly galling with regards to Ethan who deserved her gratitude and thanks, not the endless rounds of "matchmaker blah blah" screeds. At least he didn't respond in kind.
And I really hate the romance book thing where they've finally declared feelings and one (or both) goes "I was in love with you from the beginning". It's almost never true, or, if it is, it makes her a jaded jerk if she was in love with him that whole time. I'm sorry, but this does not work for me without at least some kind of support. Ethan at least acted like he fell in love with her from the start. Consistently, even. Ravenna couldn't even manage a little jealousy about the other women she set him up with or regret that she couldn't offer herself as a potential match. I just can't square her getting all mad that he never gave those other girls a chance. It undercuts your whole "loved you from the start" claim and makes it silly.
Add that we're still supporting Melody Palentine as the actual big-bad and I can't go above two stars for this one. She's the least interesting super villain I've ever heard of. She's barely even plotting at all, she just happens to be the administrative assistant of successive failures, still convincing herself that she's a big plotting plotter despite not actually doing any plotty plotting. She's got those mad assistant skillz, yo. So mad that all her bosses fail and get caught.
A note about Steamy: There's some explicit sex, but on the low end of my steam tolerance. Ravenna does this fire-talent fireworks thing that was very nearly interesting the first time it came up and became less so every time it happened. Having it make a sexy-times appearance ended up being kind of lame.
This was a giant disappointment. Ethan is okay, though kind of a standard Castle hero, but Ravenna was a whiner. I mean, she got things done so it wasn't like she just sat around or anything. But every time she opened her mouth I cringed. This was particularly galling with regards to Ethan who deserved her gratitude and thanks, not the endless rounds of "matchmaker blah blah" screeds. At least he didn't respond in kind.
And I really hate the romance book thing where they've finally declared feelings and one (or both) goes "I was in love with you from the beginning". It's almost never true, or, if it is, it makes her a jaded jerk if she was in love with him that whole time. I'm sorry, but this does not work for me without at least some kind of support. Ethan at least acted like he fell in love with her from the start. Consistently, even. Ravenna couldn't even manage a little jealousy about the other women she set him up with or regret that she couldn't offer herself as a potential match. I just can't square her getting all mad that he never gave those other girls a chance. It undercuts your whole "loved you from the start" claim and makes it silly.
Add that we're still supporting Melody Palentine as the actual big-bad and I can't go above two stars for this one. She's the least interesting super villain I've ever heard of. She's barely even plotting at all, she just happens to be the administrative assistant of successive failures, still convincing herself that she's a big plotting plotter despite not actually doing any plotty plotting. She's got those mad assistant skillz, yo. So mad that all her bosses fail and get caught.
A note about Steamy: There's some explicit sex, but on the low end of my steam tolerance. Ravenna does this fire-talent fireworks thing that was very nearly interesting the first time it came up and became less so every time it happened. Having it make a sexy-times appearance ended up being kind of lame.
January 7, 2023
4.5 stars
September 19, 2022
Sweetwater & the Witch may be the fifteenth book in the Ghost Hunters series set on the planet Harmony, but each book features a romance, suspense and its own story. Readers can jump in and join in the fun. I must warn you though, chances are you’ll go back to read the rest.
The story opens deep in the tunnels under the surface where Ravenna posing ironically as a witch is being held by a group determined to rid the planet of witches. Ravenna is actually undercover with the Paranormal FBI (FBPI), but her backup is late. She, along with a fuzzy dust bunny who she later names Harriet, are going to need to save themselves. It is here we get an inkling of the power Ravenna wields.
After the events in the tunnel, Ravenna left the agency and took her skill set as a criminal profiler and applied it as a matchmaker. Her client, Ethan Sweetwater, isn’t satisfied with her service, and none of the women who went out with him were impressed. Ravenna wants to discharge the contract, but Ethan is requesting she accompany him on a fake date to assess where he is failing. I love the fake troupe and immediately snuggled in. She reluctantly makes a deal with him, a tit for tat, if you will. It’s a good thing to, because her employer indicated a failure with this high-profile match might mean the end of her career.
The tale that unfolds delivers suspense and a wonderful romance. Ethan is donning his ghost hunter skills as a favor and investigating a casino owner. Ravenna finds past dates trying to kill her. As always, we have a feisty dust bunny. Harriet has a fondness for pens and sweets.
The mystery was well done, with plenty of action and twists. It helped force the couple to spend more time together. Both have powerful abilities, and those skills will be needed. Ravenna struggles with people, fearing her skill set, but Ethan doesn’t seem deterred. Family, sexual tension, and a little heat gave way to a delightful romance.
I loved the back-and-forth banter between them and the reader’s awareness that Ethan is quite smitten. The author delivered allowing both to shine, while having room to grow and trust.
For those who don’t know, Jayne Anne Krentz writes of this paranormal world and investigative teams that began with the Arcane Society. She writes historical stories as Amanda Quick where it all began in Second Sight, modern stories as herself and off-planet adventures as Jayne Castle. All of them deal with artifacts that contain some sort of power, people with abilities, suspenseful stories, and delightful romances.
As always, I loved my trip to Harmony and encourage fans of romantic suspense with paranormal elements to add this to their bookshelf. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The story opens deep in the tunnels under the surface where Ravenna posing ironically as a witch is being held by a group determined to rid the planet of witches. Ravenna is actually undercover with the Paranormal FBI (FBPI), but her backup is late. She, along with a fuzzy dust bunny who she later names Harriet, are going to need to save themselves. It is here we get an inkling of the power Ravenna wields.
After the events in the tunnel, Ravenna left the agency and took her skill set as a criminal profiler and applied it as a matchmaker. Her client, Ethan Sweetwater, isn’t satisfied with her service, and none of the women who went out with him were impressed. Ravenna wants to discharge the contract, but Ethan is requesting she accompany him on a fake date to assess where he is failing. I love the fake troupe and immediately snuggled in. She reluctantly makes a deal with him, a tit for tat, if you will. It’s a good thing to, because her employer indicated a failure with this high-profile match might mean the end of her career.
The tale that unfolds delivers suspense and a wonderful romance. Ethan is donning his ghost hunter skills as a favor and investigating a casino owner. Ravenna finds past dates trying to kill her. As always, we have a feisty dust bunny. Harriet has a fondness for pens and sweets.
The mystery was well done, with plenty of action and twists. It helped force the couple to spend more time together. Both have powerful abilities, and those skills will be needed. Ravenna struggles with people, fearing her skill set, but Ethan doesn’t seem deterred. Family, sexual tension, and a little heat gave way to a delightful romance.
I loved the back-and-forth banter between them and the reader’s awareness that Ethan is quite smitten. The author delivered allowing both to shine, while having room to grow and trust.
For those who don’t know, Jayne Anne Krentz writes of this paranormal world and investigative teams that began with the Arcane Society. She writes historical stories as Amanda Quick where it all began in Second Sight, modern stories as herself and off-planet adventures as Jayne Castle. All of them deal with artifacts that contain some sort of power, people with abilities, suspenseful stories, and delightful romances.
As always, I loved my trip to Harmony and encourage fans of romantic suspense with paranormal elements to add this to their bookshelf. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
January 7, 2024
We're back with the Sweetwater clan for this installment and I like them. Ethan is very aware of his family's history, but the Sweetwaters have changed the family business up a bit since settling on Harmony and he's really just a very good engineer now. Or at least that's what he tells people. In reality, he's gifted, not afraid to get his hands a little dirty, and he's pretty much unfazed when dangerous things happen around him. Which is something Ravenna appreciates since she seems to be a danger-magnet lately.
But before Ravenna reaches the appreciation portion of their relationship, she has to face the facts that Ethan just might be unmatchable. At least by her and the matchmaking company she works for. When he digs in his heels and demands his final contracted date, Ravenna decides to use him to help her out of a potentially awkward family gathering. As you might imagine, things don't go exactly as she plans. Mostly because Ethan is more than he seems (and more than he'll admit to) and Ravenna has people gunning for her left and right.
There's (more than) a little danger, a touch of subterfuge, a family who like their dramatic relationships, a little steam, and bad guys setting up pieces behind the scenes. Fortunately for the people of Harmony (and Illusion Town), the Guild and the various people they contract to help them (like *cough* the Sweetwaters) are doing what they do best to keep the bad guys from resurrecting an old, dangerous enemy. Good stuff all around!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
But before Ravenna reaches the appreciation portion of their relationship, she has to face the facts that Ethan just might be unmatchable. At least by her and the matchmaking company she works for. When he digs in his heels and demands his final contracted date, Ravenna decides to use him to help her out of a potentially awkward family gathering. As you might imagine, things don't go exactly as she plans. Mostly because Ethan is more than he seems (and more than he'll admit to) and Ravenna has people gunning for her left and right.
There's (more than) a little danger, a touch of subterfuge, a family who like their dramatic relationships, a little steam, and bad guys setting up pieces behind the scenes. Fortunately for the people of Harmony (and Illusion Town), the Guild and the various people they contract to help them (like *cough* the Sweetwaters) are doing what they do best to keep the bad guys from resurrecting an old, dangerous enemy. Good stuff all around!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
June 22, 2025
Another wonderful, Harmony, paranormal romance!
After she is almost killed during a takedown of a cult that murders women they accuse of being witches, Ravenna Chastain walks away from her career in an FBI-type organization. She moves, instead, into a career as different from that dangerous life as possible, becoming a matchmaker in Illusion Town, the Las Vegas of the planet Harmony. Things are going swimmingly until, after nine failed attempts, she despairs of ever finding a match that is acceptable to wealthy, gorgeous Ethan Sweetwater, a man with off-the-charts paranormal talent. Ravenna informs Ethan that she obviously isn’t the right matchmaker for him, but he insists that the only way he is willing to walk away from their contract is if she will be his date to a business function. Ravenna at first resists his offer, fearing it would be an unprofessional thing to do. Until it occurs to her that Ethan would be an ideal candidate as a fake date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration. They agree to this bargain as a simple exchange of favors—and, thus, their romantic adventure begins.
This novel is Book 15 in the romantic-suspense, paranormal, futuristic, Ghost Hunters (GH) series, set on the planet Harmony, which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel, Sweetwater and the Witch, is Book #3 of the Illusion Town sub-series. This novel is also Book #17 in the Arcane Society (AS) series, by virtue of the fact that it involves a member of the Sweetwater clan. (Obsidian Prey AS #7, GH #6, from 2009, includes Cruz Sweetwater, Ethan’s older brother. In Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, AS #12, Ethan’s ancestor, Owen Sweetwater, is the hero. In Running Hot, AS #5, there is a cameo by a Sweetwater.) We also learn in this novel that Ravenna Chastain’s ancestor is Sierra Raines, the heroine of All the Colors of Night, Fogg Lake #2, from 2021.
The trope of the heroine as professional matchmaker, with the hero as a dissatisfied customer, also occurs in the second book in the Eclipse Bay series, Dawn in Eclipse Bay from 2001. Interestingly, Arizona Snow is a crucial character in all three of the books in that series, and JAK has linked her to the AS series several times, both on Earth and on Harmony, including: Running Hot, AS #5 (Arizona Snow cameo); In Too Deep, AS #11 (Arizona Snow cameo); Guild Boss, AS #16, GH #14 (Arizona Snow doll).
As one of JAK’s most devoted fans, I have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), and I greatly enjoy her tendency to frequently create character and series crossovers like the ones in this book.
As is the case in all of her paranormal romances in the GH series—and all of her romantic-suspense novels as a whole—JAK offers a dynamic duo for her romantic protagonists. Ravenna and Ethan are equally brave and determined, and there is blazing sexual chemistry between them, as well as tons of amusing, snappy dialogue. In every GH novel, JAK offers a cute and clever dust bunny, who is psychically bonded to either the heroine or the hero of the novel—in this case, the dust bunny is attached to Ravenna.
I love absolutely everything about the GH books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated multiple other novels in the GH series (see below). Ms. Rosenblat is one of my all-time-favorite narrators. Her acting ability brings the story fully to life, and she is tremendously gifted at authentically portraying both male and female characters, of all ages.
For any fellow JAK fans who might find it of interest, I have provided below a list I made for myself of all of the novels in the AS series, including all of the GH 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, Arizona Snow cameo), 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, Arizona Snow doll), (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
After she is almost killed during a takedown of a cult that murders women they accuse of being witches, Ravenna Chastain walks away from her career in an FBI-type organization. She moves, instead, into a career as different from that dangerous life as possible, becoming a matchmaker in Illusion Town, the Las Vegas of the planet Harmony. Things are going swimmingly until, after nine failed attempts, she despairs of ever finding a match that is acceptable to wealthy, gorgeous Ethan Sweetwater, a man with off-the-charts paranormal talent. Ravenna informs Ethan that she obviously isn’t the right matchmaker for him, but he insists that the only way he is willing to walk away from their contract is if she will be his date to a business function. Ravenna at first resists his offer, fearing it would be an unprofessional thing to do. Until it occurs to her that Ethan would be an ideal candidate as a fake date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration. They agree to this bargain as a simple exchange of favors—and, thus, their romantic adventure begins.
This novel is Book 15 in the romantic-suspense, paranormal, futuristic, Ghost Hunters (GH) series, set on the planet Harmony, which Jayne Ann Krentz has written under her pen name, Jayne Castle. Within that series, this novel, Sweetwater and the Witch, is Book #3 of the Illusion Town sub-series. This novel is also Book #17 in the Arcane Society (AS) series, by virtue of the fact that it involves a member of the Sweetwater clan. (Obsidian Prey AS #7, GH #6, from 2009, includes Cruz Sweetwater, Ethan’s older brother. In Quicksilver by Amanda Quick, AS #12, Ethan’s ancestor, Owen Sweetwater, is the hero. In Running Hot, AS #5, there is a cameo by a Sweetwater.) We also learn in this novel that Ravenna Chastain’s ancestor is Sierra Raines, the heroine of All the Colors of Night, Fogg Lake #2, from 2021.
The trope of the heroine as professional matchmaker, with the hero as a dissatisfied customer, also occurs in the second book in the Eclipse Bay series, Dawn in Eclipse Bay from 2001. Interestingly, Arizona Snow is a crucial character in all three of the books in that series, and JAK has linked her to the AS series several times, both on Earth and on Harmony, including: Running Hot, AS #5 (Arizona Snow cameo); In Too Deep, AS #11 (Arizona Snow cameo); Guild Boss, AS #16, GH #14 (Arizona Snow doll).
As one of JAK’s most devoted fans, I have read every book she has ever written (192, and counting), and I greatly enjoy her tendency to frequently create character and series crossovers like the ones in this book.
As is the case in all of her paranormal romances in the GH series—and all of her romantic-suspense novels as a whole—JAK offers a dynamic duo for her romantic protagonists. Ravenna and Ethan are equally brave and determined, and there is blazing sexual chemistry between them, as well as tons of amusing, snappy dialogue. In every GH novel, JAK offers a cute and clever dust bunny, who is psychically bonded to either the heroine or the hero of the novel—in this case, the dust bunny is attached to Ravenna.
I love absolutely everything about the GH books, and every couple of years I revisit the entire series. This particular book is narrated by the fabulously talented actor, Barbara Rosenblat, who has also narrated multiple other novels in the GH series (see below). Ms. Rosenblat is one of my all-time-favorite narrators. Her acting ability brings the story fully to life, and she is tremendously gifted at authentically portraying both male and female characters, of all ages.
For any fellow JAK fans who might find it of interest, I have provided below a list I made for myself of all of the novels in the AS series, including all of the GH 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, Arizona Snow cameo), 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, Arizona Snow doll), (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
November 20, 2023
Get set for another great romantic suspense story from the amazing Jayne Castle!!!
I've read every Harmony book from the beginning and it always is a exciting adventure full of twists and turns with great characters with old time romance and a touch of passion and lets not forget the stars of the show the adorable and unique dust bunnies!!!! I truly want all of them!!! The new one Harriet has a passion for pens! She has quite the collection and like all the other dust bunnies she's fierce and very protective of her human, Ravenna Chastian a beautiful fire witch she helped save when a cult brain washed by one of the monsters who have hidden talents marks her for death. After almost ending up dead as a paranormal FBI unit she starts a new career as a match maker that leads her to Ethan Sweetwater.The Sweetwaters are a very powerful family with ties to both the Guild and Arcane and even with Ethan being involved in a love triangle Ravenna believes she can find him a wife. But after 9 dates she's ready to throw in the towel but its not happening. So in desperation and fear of losing her job they decide to evaluate what's going wrong by going to a function that Ethan needs a date for but in true Harmony fashion when you live among ruins of alien ghost energy and jacked up energy talents you'll find the monsters willing to kill anyone to keep their secrets. Ethan and Ravenna have great chemistry and while their was a couple of steamy scenes they were very tame. Jayne Ann krentz writing as Jayne Castle is a awesome writer who weaves a good tale with a great spooky atmospheric feel and some great light romance with a edge of passion. And the dust bunnies make great side characters with their individual personalities. Until next time Luv's💕💋
I've read every Harmony book from the beginning and it always is a exciting adventure full of twists and turns with great characters with old time romance and a touch of passion and lets not forget the stars of the show the adorable and unique dust bunnies!!!! I truly want all of them!!! The new one Harriet has a passion for pens! She has quite the collection and like all the other dust bunnies she's fierce and very protective of her human, Ravenna Chastian a beautiful fire witch she helped save when a cult brain washed by one of the monsters who have hidden talents marks her for death. After almost ending up dead as a paranormal FBI unit she starts a new career as a match maker that leads her to Ethan Sweetwater.The Sweetwaters are a very powerful family with ties to both the Guild and Arcane and even with Ethan being involved in a love triangle Ravenna believes she can find him a wife. But after 9 dates she's ready to throw in the towel but its not happening. So in desperation and fear of losing her job they decide to evaluate what's going wrong by going to a function that Ethan needs a date for but in true Harmony fashion when you live among ruins of alien ghost energy and jacked up energy talents you'll find the monsters willing to kill anyone to keep their secrets. Ethan and Ravenna have great chemistry and while their was a couple of steamy scenes they were very tame. Jayne Ann krentz writing as Jayne Castle is a awesome writer who weaves a good tale with a great spooky atmospheric feel and some great light romance with a edge of passion. And the dust bunnies make great side characters with their individual personalities. Until next time Luv's💕💋
September 30, 2022
Ravenna has special talent perfectly suited to her job as matchmaker. However, she has one client she can’t seem to get right, Ethan Sweetwater. Trouble is he’s part of an influential family on Harmony and so it’ll be tricky dropping him as a client. Instead of dumping him they agree to do a date assessment where she goes on a date with him. Ravenna gets more than she bargained for though when the date puts her in the sights of a deranged artifact hunter. Also, there’s someone from Ravenna’s past on a mission to take her out. Ethan is supposed to be a mild-mannered engineer, but it’s lucky for Ravenna that he’s more than that, carrying on the family tradition of hunting down bad guys, and he’s set on protecting Ravenna!
Sweetwater and the Witch was set in the futuristic world of Harmony and in the glitzy town of Illusion Town. It’s sort of like a futuristic Las Vegas/prospecting town where the hunt for magical artifacts is like mining for gold was on Earth back in the day. A lot of the populace, like Ravenna and Ethan have supernatural powers. Ravenna’s is a little more dangerous and is the reason she has some crazy people after her. Ethan and Ravenna’s fell for each other little by little, while trying to stay one step ahead of the bad people and stay alive. I had my suspicions about why Ethan’s potential matches were always failing, and I was right. Can’t leave off without mentioning Ravenna’s sidekick, Harriett, the fun-loving dust bunny who could turn into a force to be reckoned with, getting all “sleeked out” and ready to attack whenever Ravenna or Ethan was in danger! I just loved the dust bunnies!
Sweetwater and the Witch was a fun, action-packed futuristic mystery with a sizzling romance as its center! It is part of the long running Harmony series but can easily be read as a standalone and enjoyed.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Sweetwater and the Witch was set in the futuristic world of Harmony and in the glitzy town of Illusion Town. It’s sort of like a futuristic Las Vegas/prospecting town where the hunt for magical artifacts is like mining for gold was on Earth back in the day. A lot of the populace, like Ravenna and Ethan have supernatural powers. Ravenna’s is a little more dangerous and is the reason she has some crazy people after her. Ethan and Ravenna’s fell for each other little by little, while trying to stay one step ahead of the bad people and stay alive. I had my suspicions about why Ethan’s potential matches were always failing, and I was right. Can’t leave off without mentioning Ravenna’s sidekick, Harriett, the fun-loving dust bunny who could turn into a force to be reckoned with, getting all “sleeked out” and ready to attack whenever Ravenna or Ethan was in danger! I just loved the dust bunnies!
Sweetwater and the Witch was a fun, action-packed futuristic mystery with a sizzling romance as its center! It is part of the long running Harmony series but can easily be read as a standalone and enjoyed.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2022
The author is obviously having fun in her current visit to Harmony. And I had a fun time reading it.
Longtime fans will find a lot that is familiar and comfortable. For new readers the author supplies enough background info so that they can settle in and enjoy the story.
I liked our hero, Ethan Sweetwater, who says he's 'just an engineer'; and our heroine, Ravenna Chastain, former police profiler, now working as a matchmaker. There's good chemistry between them, along with a goodly helping of smart banter. They meet when he hires her to find him a wife and complications ensue.
There's a mystery or two, one of which is solved in this story; the other is part of a longer running story arc (started on Harmony in Guild Boss,)* that looks to continue into future books.
This being Harmony, there's a dust bunny! This one aids Ravenna early on and decides to stick around. Harriet is a delight, with a fixation on pens. Her collection comes in handy, of course.
I'm on board for whatever the author comes up with next, especially if there are dust bunnies involved.
*Longtime readers may recall that the Big Bad is referenced in the author's recent Fogg Lake series, and earlier Arcane Society books.
Longtime fans will find a lot that is familiar and comfortable. For new readers the author supplies enough background info so that they can settle in and enjoy the story.
I liked our hero, Ethan Sweetwater, who says he's 'just an engineer'; and our heroine, Ravenna Chastain, former police profiler, now working as a matchmaker. There's good chemistry between them, along with a goodly helping of smart banter. They meet when he hires her to find him a wife and complications ensue.
There's a mystery or two, one of which is solved in this story; the other is part of a longer running story arc (started on Harmony in Guild Boss,)* that looks to continue into future books.
This being Harmony, there's a dust bunny! This one aids Ravenna early on and decides to stick around. Harriet is a delight, with a fixation on pens. Her collection comes in handy, of course.
I'm on board for whatever the author comes up with next, especially if there are dust bunnies involved.
*Longtime readers may recall that the Big Bad is referenced in the author's recent Fogg Lake series, and earlier Arcane Society books.
August 11, 2022
This book had a lot of elements that worked for me.
The personalities of the two leads were well established. I could understand why they work fanatically as a couple.
The supernatural animal companion was also a win.
What didn't work for me, in the end, wasn't anything you can tell from a blurb. It was the writing style that I didn't click with.
The book is written sparsely. So much so, that I didn't feel like it had connective tissue at all. Switching POVs was jumpy. Switching scenes was jumpy. Going from moment to moment in a scene was jumpy. I didn't have enough prose to understand what was really happening from beat to beat.
A video review including this book will premiere on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
The personalities of the two leads were well established. I could understand why they work fanatically as a couple.
The supernatural animal companion was also a win.
What didn't work for me, in the end, wasn't anything you can tell from a blurb. It was the writing style that I didn't click with.
The book is written sparsely. So much so, that I didn't feel like it had connective tissue at all. Switching POVs was jumpy. Switching scenes was jumpy. Going from moment to moment in a scene was jumpy. I didn't have enough prose to understand what was really happening from beat to beat.
A video review including this book will premiere on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2022
It's always fun to revisit Harmony, and this book was no exception. There aren't many surprises for the experienced Jayne Castle/JAK/AQ reader here: Ravenna is a matchmaker with more than her fair share of psychic powers, Ethan is a mild-mannered engineer who can also take down the baddies, and there's a cute dust bunny companion. That said, this is a formula that works for us. We had a lot of fun seeing Ravenna and Ethan discover that their psychic powers might just be complementary, and the "it's always been you" moment was perfectly timed. Check this one out if you know and love JAK - it's probably not the place to start if you're not sure!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
December 1, 2025
Yay! Another Harmony novel! The best (and worst) thing about a Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz book is that you know what you're getting when you open one up: great repartee between the leads, fun new locations to explore Indiana Jones style, evil villains and in the case of the Harmony books, pet dust bunnies! The last few Harmony books have focused in on the exploration-this one, however, is more about the couple getting to know each other and, while I miss the cool locations, that makes this book actually much better. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments and a wonderful ongoing story of the naughty dust bunnies. Delightful!
February 10, 2024
Sweetwater & the Witch
3.5 Stars
A former FBPI profiler, Ravenna Chastain has changed careers after almost becoming the latest victim of a witch-hunting cult. Now working as a matchmaker in Illusion Town, Ravenea has struggled to find a match for her most recent client, Ethan Sweetwater. Determined to get his money's worth, Ethan offers a deal - Ravenna will accompany him to a business function and he will attend a family gathering with her. Unfortunately, Ravenna and Ethan's seemingly simple arrangement takes a sinister turn when they are targeted for death. Who has it in for them and why?
Series note: In addition to continuing the ongoing storyline from the previous installment, this book is also connected to, Obsidian Prey, featuring Ethan's older brother, Cruz. Moreover, Ravenna is a member of the Chastain family, which appears in Jayne Ann Krentz's Fogg Lake series.
To begin with, readers unfamiliar with JAK's Arcane series and those who have not read the earlier books in this series might be at a disadvantage. Moreover, there are also references to the Fogg Lake series, which the author mentions in her note at the end. It would be better to have this note at the beginning.
The plot consists of several threads that are all ultimately resolved, but never fully come together. Moreover, the villains are more cartoonish than threatening, which undermines the tension and suspense. Lastly, the foreshadowing for a particular event, i.e., is completely overdone.
In terms of Ethan and Ravenna's romance, they are a likable pairing, but their chemistry isn't as strong as some of the other couples both in this series and in JAK's works overall. It is clear from the start that Ethan is in love with Ravenna, but the reasons are never made clear. While Ravenna also falls in love, it is over the course of the story once she gets to know Ethan better, so this at least makes sense.
As always, the Dust Bunny steals the show. In this case, Harriet is an adorable pen lover and collector. It is so cute how she ends up with a souvenir from every place she visits.
Overall, a satisfying read but not the best example of JAKs writing.
3.5 Stars
A former FBPI profiler, Ravenna Chastain has changed careers after almost becoming the latest victim of a witch-hunting cult. Now working as a matchmaker in Illusion Town, Ravenea has struggled to find a match for her most recent client, Ethan Sweetwater. Determined to get his money's worth, Ethan offers a deal - Ravenna will accompany him to a business function and he will attend a family gathering with her. Unfortunately, Ravenna and Ethan's seemingly simple arrangement takes a sinister turn when they are targeted for death. Who has it in for them and why?
Series note: In addition to continuing the ongoing storyline from the previous installment, this book is also connected to, Obsidian Prey, featuring Ethan's older brother, Cruz. Moreover, Ravenna is a member of the Chastain family, which appears in Jayne Ann Krentz's Fogg Lake series.
To begin with, readers unfamiliar with JAK's Arcane series and those who have not read the earlier books in this series might be at a disadvantage. Moreover, there are also references to the Fogg Lake series, which the author mentions in her note at the end. It would be better to have this note at the beginning.
The plot consists of several threads that are all ultimately resolved, but never fully come together. Moreover, the villains are more cartoonish than threatening, which undermines the tension and suspense. Lastly, the foreshadowing for a particular event, i.e., is completely overdone.
In terms of Ethan and Ravenna's romance, they are a likable pairing, but their chemistry isn't as strong as some of the other couples both in this series and in JAK's works overall. It is clear from the start that Ethan is in love with Ravenna, but the reasons are never made clear. While Ravenna also falls in love, it is over the course of the story once she gets to know Ethan better, so this at least makes sense.
As always, the Dust Bunny steals the show. In this case, Harriet is an adorable pen lover and collector. It is so cute how she ends up with a souvenir from every place she visits.
Overall, a satisfying read but not the best example of JAKs writing.
September 25, 2022
When I originally saw the title of this latest entry in the Harmony series, at first I thought it was going to be a Western – or at least a Weird West – kind of story. (The rhythm of the words in the title keeps taking me back to the movie McCabe & Mrs .Miller which was a sort of Western. I digress. Again. I know.) Harmony is absolutely wild enough and definitely weird enough to resemble the Weird West, but it’s a far-future lost colony world that presented some unique challenges to the first settlers and still does to their descendants even two centuries later.
The planet of Harmony – which doesn’t generally exhibit all that much harmony or we wouldn’t have this marvelous series – was settled by a group of human colonists that included members of the Arcane Society and their allies back on Earth. Who were people with psi powers as portrayed in the Victorian and contemporary set Arcane Society series and its offshoots, which were published under the author’s Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz pen names.
(If the setup sounds a bit familiar, it’s also the setup for the Celta series by Robin D. Owens, so if you like one you’ll like the other.)
By the time in Harmony’s history when this story takes place, Harmony has lost all contact with Earth, and the upheavals of that loss have settled back into a history that is still well-remembered but no longer as influential as it once was. Not that there aren’t some people looking to recreate the past glories of their ancestors. Even if those so-called glories are only in the minds of past – and present – psychopaths.
Which is what this entry in the series turns out to be about. Two people who think they can do their criminal predecessors one better, and two people who stand in their way. And eventually stand together to do it.
Escape Rating A-: What makes this entry in the series so much fun is the witty banter and slowly building romance between Ethan Sweetwater and Ravenna Chastain. She’s a police profiler turned matchmaker, and he’s the client she’s supposed to find a match for but it’s not working. At all. Which he refuses to acknowledge or let the project go for reasons that Ravenna doesn’t see but the reader probably does.
It’s only when Ethan helps her take out the trash – by which I mean the comatose body of her first stalker – that Ravenna gets the idea that there’s more to Ethan than initially appeared. Which is, of course, more than true.
He presented himself as a mild-mannered, kind of dorky engineer. And he is. But underneath that unassuming persona lurks a man who knows just who to call and how to dispose of a not-quite dead body. Ravenna is worried that he might be connected to the mob.
Ethan, on the other hand, knows that she’s his match. Lucky for him – in a twisted sort of way – the deadly adventures that keep finding them give them plenty of chances to bond into a relationship where they both know they’ll have each other’s backs through thick, thin, nightmares and flame-throwers.
All they have to do is convince each other it’s for keeps. And keep fighting to make sure that they will be a “keeps” to have.
That this turns out to be a delightful romance to go with the deadly danger has to do with the personalities of the three protagonists; Ethan, Ravenna, and Ravenna’s dust bunny Harriet. They make one hell of a team where each has a crucial part to play in taking down the villains and having a bit of fun along the way.
Dust bunnies excel at finding the fun in EVERYTHING!
One final note; there is obviously a long and storied history to Harmony but each book stands pretty much on its own. The necessary parts of the background history are always explained, while the occasional mention of a particular person or incident is more in the form of an “Easter Egg” that brings a smile if you know but lack of that knowledge does not detract from enjoyment of the book in hand. The romances are always self-contained to the individual book. That being said, the books in the series are a bit like potato chips in that you won’t want to read just one.
And I guarantee you’ll wish you had your own dust bunny to chortle at your side as you read!
Originally published at Reading Reality
The planet of Harmony – which doesn’t generally exhibit all that much harmony or we wouldn’t have this marvelous series – was settled by a group of human colonists that included members of the Arcane Society and their allies back on Earth. Who were people with psi powers as portrayed in the Victorian and contemporary set Arcane Society series and its offshoots, which were published under the author’s Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz pen names.
(If the setup sounds a bit familiar, it’s also the setup for the Celta series by Robin D. Owens, so if you like one you’ll like the other.)
By the time in Harmony’s history when this story takes place, Harmony has lost all contact with Earth, and the upheavals of that loss have settled back into a history that is still well-remembered but no longer as influential as it once was. Not that there aren’t some people looking to recreate the past glories of their ancestors. Even if those so-called glories are only in the minds of past – and present – psychopaths.
Which is what this entry in the series turns out to be about. Two people who think they can do their criminal predecessors one better, and two people who stand in their way. And eventually stand together to do it.
Escape Rating A-: What makes this entry in the series so much fun is the witty banter and slowly building romance between Ethan Sweetwater and Ravenna Chastain. She’s a police profiler turned matchmaker, and he’s the client she’s supposed to find a match for but it’s not working. At all. Which he refuses to acknowledge or let the project go for reasons that Ravenna doesn’t see but the reader probably does.
It’s only when Ethan helps her take out the trash – by which I mean the comatose body of her first stalker – that Ravenna gets the idea that there’s more to Ethan than initially appeared. Which is, of course, more than true.
He presented himself as a mild-mannered, kind of dorky engineer. And he is. But underneath that unassuming persona lurks a man who knows just who to call and how to dispose of a not-quite dead body. Ravenna is worried that he might be connected to the mob.
Ethan, on the other hand, knows that she’s his match. Lucky for him – in a twisted sort of way – the deadly adventures that keep finding them give them plenty of chances to bond into a relationship where they both know they’ll have each other’s backs through thick, thin, nightmares and flame-throwers.
All they have to do is convince each other it’s for keeps. And keep fighting to make sure that they will be a “keeps” to have.
That this turns out to be a delightful romance to go with the deadly danger has to do with the personalities of the three protagonists; Ethan, Ravenna, and Ravenna’s dust bunny Harriet. They make one hell of a team where each has a crucial part to play in taking down the villains and having a bit of fun along the way.
Dust bunnies excel at finding the fun in EVERYTHING!
One final note; there is obviously a long and storied history to Harmony but each book stands pretty much on its own. The necessary parts of the background history are always explained, while the occasional mention of a particular person or incident is more in the form of an “Easter Egg” that brings a smile if you know but lack of that knowledge does not detract from enjoyment of the book in hand. The romances are always self-contained to the individual book. That being said, the books in the series are a bit like potato chips in that you won’t want to read just one.
And I guarantee you’ll wish you had your own dust bunny to chortle at your side as you read!
Originally published at Reading Reality
November 20, 2022
Anyone else bored? Perhaps it was just me then. I found everything from the plot to the characters just kind of mediocre. A lot of the story is kind of resolved off page, as the guild discovers the glasshouse, yet we never see it. Plus all the encounters with the bad guys felt so familiar, more power hungry insane dudes hiring ex-guild to do their dirty work for them - could have been any of the last 15 books. Even the road trip to her grandfathers birthday felt so familiar, and there were no surprises anywhere, everything was telegraphed.
Ethan seemed nice, but came across as bland. Ravenna (seriously, I just finished the book and I had to look her name up) she had little to nothing to do, but act as Ethan's caddy. Carrying equipment. standing back whilst the "men" do all the hard and dirty work - which felt kind of 80's, seriously let her be kick ass with her talents and protect the 'engineer'.
this one missed the mark for me. nothing gets achieved in the back story threads, and this novel just felt short and nothing but a filler. a bland romance to add to a bland storyline.
Ethan seemed nice, but came across as bland. Ravenna (seriously, I just finished the book and I had to look her name up) she had little to nothing to do, but act as Ethan's caddy. Carrying equipment. standing back whilst the "men" do all the hard and dirty work - which felt kind of 80's, seriously let her be kick ass with her talents and protect the 'engineer'.
this one missed the mark for me. nothing gets achieved in the back story threads, and this novel just felt short and nothing but a filler. a bland romance to add to a bland storyline.
September 19, 2022
Although it has been quite some time since I have read a Harmony novel this was like catching up with an old friend. The introduction at the beginning was especially helpful in refreshing my memory and will help any Harmony newcomers to feel right at home.
As I look back over the Jayne Ann Krantz books that I loved, I have to admit they all have one thing in common... The characters! I absolutely love the dialogue, the snark, in the fortitude of her wonderful people who share their time with me in her books.
Sweetwater and the Witch was no different. I absolutely loved Ravenna and Ethan. They were both a lot of fun, very intelligent, and stubborn... Plus snarky 🤷
The plot was intricate but believable... Well, in a fantasy sort of way. The romance was fun and steamy. The characters were enchanting and real.
Bottom line - If you enjoy a fun and light suspense and don't mind a paranormal world with few new words Sweetwater and the Witch is a fabulous book!
As I look back over the Jayne Ann Krantz books that I loved, I have to admit they all have one thing in common... The characters! I absolutely love the dialogue, the snark, in the fortitude of her wonderful people who share their time with me in her books.
Sweetwater and the Witch was no different. I absolutely loved Ravenna and Ethan. They were both a lot of fun, very intelligent, and stubborn... Plus snarky 🤷
The plot was intricate but believable... Well, in a fantasy sort of way. The romance was fun and steamy. The characters were enchanting and real.
Bottom line - If you enjoy a fun and light suspense and don't mind a paranormal world with few new words Sweetwater and the Witch is a fabulous book!
September 23, 2022
Enjoyable read
Lots of action, great story line, and hiss worthy villains. I love dust bunnies. I recommend this book. So try it out.
Lots of action, great story line, and hiss worthy villains. I love dust bunnies. I recommend this book. So try it out.
September 13, 2022
Read this review on Got Fiction? Book Blog
This is a Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz book that takes place on Harmony, her alien world that humans inhabit. Imagine a wormhole that landed in an abandoned planet that could host human life. But one day that gateway closes permanently. The settlers, the crews, the people on the planet were forever cut off from Earth. The planet’s ancient inhabitants had left behind underground cities made out of a green quartz and it enhanced almost everyone’s psychic side. However, after being cut off from Earth, the technology began to fail. So the settlers focused on survival and building up their world. Two hundred years later, Harmony is very similar to early 21st century Earth. But with psychic powers.
The book starts off with a bang. The heroine Ravenna works for the FBPI (Paranormal FBI) and was used as bait to take down a cult. She’s a witch who is about to be burned by the psycho cult leader…and her backup is late. She’s a pretty awesome heroine who saves herself. But this case makes her realize that she doesn’t love profiling the murderers the way she thought she would. So a change in jobs is in order. Moving into the matchmaking business makes sense as she’s still using her profiling intuition yet in a different form.
When Ethan Sweetwater uses Ravenna as his matchmaker, he knows right away that she is who he wants to be matched with. It takes nine failed matches for him to finally get Ravenna to agree to a date…to try to figure out why his matches never want a second date. She needs him too, though. She has a big family event and she can’t show up without a date, so she agrees to Ethan’s proposal of critiquing his dating technique which is at a black tie work event, while also using him as a fake boyfriend. What she doesn’t know is that he will be doing a tiny bit of spying, oh and he wants her to be his real girlfriend.
One thing I love about a Jayne Castle book is that almost always the men know they want the heroine, but she’s usually pretty independent and doesn’t want to commit. I love spending the book watching the hero show the heroine how good they could be together. This book has a lot going on in it, and I feel that Castle is able to make it work and pull it off. There are several threads to the main plot being woven together and it takes a deft hand to do it well.
When you read a Jayne Castle book, the read is quick, the characters feel real, and you don’t want to leave the world. In fact, I found a book in the series I hadn’t read and bought it just so I could live in this world just a little bit longer. This book can be read as a standalone, so don’t let the number fifteen in the series turn you away. However, I would recommend reading Guild Boss since it ties in so well with this book.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley via Netgalley
This is a Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz book that takes place on Harmony, her alien world that humans inhabit. Imagine a wormhole that landed in an abandoned planet that could host human life. But one day that gateway closes permanently. The settlers, the crews, the people on the planet were forever cut off from Earth. The planet’s ancient inhabitants had left behind underground cities made out of a green quartz and it enhanced almost everyone’s psychic side. However, after being cut off from Earth, the technology began to fail. So the settlers focused on survival and building up their world. Two hundred years later, Harmony is very similar to early 21st century Earth. But with psychic powers.
The book starts off with a bang. The heroine Ravenna works for the FBPI (Paranormal FBI) and was used as bait to take down a cult. She’s a witch who is about to be burned by the psycho cult leader…and her backup is late. She’s a pretty awesome heroine who saves herself. But this case makes her realize that she doesn’t love profiling the murderers the way she thought she would. So a change in jobs is in order. Moving into the matchmaking business makes sense as she’s still using her profiling intuition yet in a different form.
When Ethan Sweetwater uses Ravenna as his matchmaker, he knows right away that she is who he wants to be matched with. It takes nine failed matches for him to finally get Ravenna to agree to a date…to try to figure out why his matches never want a second date. She needs him too, though. She has a big family event and she can’t show up without a date, so she agrees to Ethan’s proposal of critiquing his dating technique which is at a black tie work event, while also using him as a fake boyfriend. What she doesn’t know is that he will be doing a tiny bit of spying, oh and he wants her to be his real girlfriend.
One thing I love about a Jayne Castle book is that almost always the men know they want the heroine, but she’s usually pretty independent and doesn’t want to commit. I love spending the book watching the hero show the heroine how good they could be together. This book has a lot going on in it, and I feel that Castle is able to make it work and pull it off. There are several threads to the main plot being woven together and it takes a deft hand to do it well.
When you read a Jayne Castle book, the read is quick, the characters feel real, and you don’t want to leave the world. In fact, I found a book in the series I hadn’t read and bought it just so I could live in this world just a little bit longer. This book can be read as a standalone, so don’t let the number fifteen in the series turn you away. However, I would recommend reading Guild Boss since it ties in so well with this book.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley via Netgalley
August 31, 2022
Sweetwater and the Witch is another entertaining installment in Jayne Castle’s Harmony series. Castle clearly enjoyed writing this book. There is a sense of playfulness reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 1930’s that permeates the story from an adorable dust bunny with an affinity for pens, to an unfortunately stalker prone witch/matchmaker and a seemingly staid engineer with possible mob ties. While the romantic outcome is, thankfully, a foregone conclusion (this is a romance novel, after all), the journey is fun and even thrilling as the human duo get caught up in a dangerous Vortex plot. Speaking of Vortex, Castle weaves it and various story elements from her self-described JayneVerse (books she has written as both Jayne Castle and Jayne Ann Krentz) in a way that is sure to please fans of both authors, but clearly explained for those who are not familiar with either. Sweetwater and the Witch is another must read novel from Jayne Castle.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2022
Sweetwater & the Witch by Jayne Castle is the 15th book in her Ghost Hunters series. Having read the previous book in this series, I looked forward to reading this new book, even though I had not read the earlier books. One day, if time ever allows, I might go back to some of those books This takes place in Illusion Town within Harmony, which is a colonized alien world, and the underground maze in Illusion Town, has weird paranormal activity/hallucinations, with many people never escaping.
We meet Ravenna Chastain, our heroine, at the start, when she was captured by an evil cult, who considered her a witch; Ravenna actually was a profiler for the police. She managed to use some of her fire ability to escape, with the police finally arriving to arrest the cult members. Ravenna decided that she did not want to continue working at this dangerous job, and moved to Illusion Town and became a matchmaker.
Ravenna has a well-known client, Ethan Sweetwater, and wasn’t having any luck in finding a good match, with 9 unsuccessful tries. When she tries to offer him a refund, he turns her down, and insists she find him someone else; with one last match, Ethan convinces her to be his fake date to an event, and she can monitor what he does wrong. While waiting for Ethan to arrive for their date, a former date forces his way in and attempts to kill her, with her using her fire witch ability to stop him, and Ethan arriving in time to send the unconscious man elsewhere for the police to find him. Ethan alerts Ravenna that the Guild Boss, needs him to do some espionage, and she is thrilled to help.
Slowly, the chemistry between them escalates, even if Ravenna denies her feelings, since matchmakers are not allowed to date a client. Ethan, already knows he is falling hard for Ravenna, as she is the one for him. I absolutely loved Harriet, the dust bunny, who is always with Ravenna and Ethan; they were a wonderful threesome. 😊 The danger escalates for Ravenna, as well as Ethan’s attempts to stop a dangerous enemy trying to gain control; both of them recognize that they are indeed a match, with sizzling chemistry between them.
What follows is an exciting mysterious, intense and romantic story, with a fantastic couple in Ethan and Ravenna, and little Harriet. There is a lot of non-stop action, as we race to the climax, with lives on the line. To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I do not want to ruin it for you.
Sweetwater & the Witch was a very good paranormal mystery, great world-building, lots of fun, especially between Ravenna and Ethan, as well as Harriet. I really loved Ravenna and Ethan together. I enjoyed this story, which kept me glued to my kindle. Sweetwater & the Witch was very well written by Jayne Castle.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
We meet Ravenna Chastain, our heroine, at the start, when she was captured by an evil cult, who considered her a witch; Ravenna actually was a profiler for the police. She managed to use some of her fire ability to escape, with the police finally arriving to arrest the cult members. Ravenna decided that she did not want to continue working at this dangerous job, and moved to Illusion Town and became a matchmaker.
Ravenna has a well-known client, Ethan Sweetwater, and wasn’t having any luck in finding a good match, with 9 unsuccessful tries. When she tries to offer him a refund, he turns her down, and insists she find him someone else; with one last match, Ethan convinces her to be his fake date to an event, and she can monitor what he does wrong. While waiting for Ethan to arrive for their date, a former date forces his way in and attempts to kill her, with her using her fire witch ability to stop him, and Ethan arriving in time to send the unconscious man elsewhere for the police to find him. Ethan alerts Ravenna that the Guild Boss, needs him to do some espionage, and she is thrilled to help.
Slowly, the chemistry between them escalates, even if Ravenna denies her feelings, since matchmakers are not allowed to date a client. Ethan, already knows he is falling hard for Ravenna, as she is the one for him. I absolutely loved Harriet, the dust bunny, who is always with Ravenna and Ethan; they were a wonderful threesome. 😊 The danger escalates for Ravenna, as well as Ethan’s attempts to stop a dangerous enemy trying to gain control; both of them recognize that they are indeed a match, with sizzling chemistry between them.
What follows is an exciting mysterious, intense and romantic story, with a fantastic couple in Ethan and Ravenna, and little Harriet. There is a lot of non-stop action, as we race to the climax, with lives on the line. To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I do not want to ruin it for you.
Sweetwater & the Witch was a very good paranormal mystery, great world-building, lots of fun, especially between Ravenna and Ethan, as well as Harriet. I really loved Ravenna and Ethan together. I enjoyed this story, which kept me glued to my kindle. Sweetwater & the Witch was very well written by Jayne Castle.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
September 22, 2022
I just love having a chance to spend some time with a dust bunny. Oh yeah, the hero and heroine weren't bad too. But the dust bunnies are always my favorite characters in any book that Castle writes. Without them even having a thought you know how they feel. Castle has done a wonderful job of bringing them to life and making them such a big part of these books that people really miss them from book to book.
Okay, let's move on to the hero and heroine. I really enjoyed them both. As always there is more than meets the eye with them. You should never take them at face value. They have more up their sleeves.
I totally loved both Ravenna and Ethan. They really work well together even if Ravenna refuses to see that. She's so busy trying to do the right thing with her job that she's missing what's right in front of her eyes. But as she gets to know Ethan more she realizes that he's more than what he shows the world.
Both are stronger people than most realize and they take care of those they love. It might have taken Ravenna
some time to figure out how she feels about Ethan but when she does you can see the love that they share. With Ethan, she has found her other half. He's not worried about what she can do. As a hunter, he's tough and knows how to use what's available to him.
So much happens within the story. You'll find yourself going along for the ride. I loved how each time someone came at her Ethan was willing to do anything to keep her safe. He doesn't keep her safe alone he does it along with Harriet the dust bunny. You'll love her.
As you can see I really enjoyed this book. I think if you already read her books you'll love them. If you haven't yet read any of her books then start at the beginning. It will help you to really understand this world and the people who live in it. Plus you'll get to enjoy so many more dust bunnies.
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ARC received for an honest review
September 24, 2022
This was another great installment in the Harmony series and set in Illusion Town just like the previous novel Guild Boss. I really enjoy how Jayne Castle writes and how the mystery was really interesting since it was 2 separate mysteries just when you think that everything is tied up Ravenna gets kidnapped and you are back in the mix of it. So we have Ravenna Chastain a fire witch who is a matchmaker after getting out of the profiling business when she was almost killed while acting as bait who is confronting her first personal matchmaking failure Ethan Sweetwater who she only took on as a client because of his families’ reputation and status it would have made her career to make a match for him. Unfortunately, after 9 unsuccessful dates she is ready to fire him as a client but he won’t go and is determined to get his 10th date. So she suggests an unorthodox arrangement since she is trying to get matched unsuccessfully herself and will go to his business function with him if he will go to her grandparents’ anniversary party with her. They end up in more danger while trying to figure out about who is starting up the Vortex labs again which is a underlining enemy in each of these books and while they catch the people who are the immediate bad guys they still don’t know who is in charge of the vortex lab. All in all a great read and a fun romance.
Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.
August 22, 2023
I enjoyed this latest book set on Harmony. This time our heroine is a fire witch and our hero is an engineer with some very special powers. I liked both the hero and the heroine, and of course, the dust bunny was adorable.
September 15, 2022
Coming September 20 th the next Harmony book. Can you believe that this is Book 16 of the series. And Harmony is still an exciting setting for this series with all it’s mystery combining New with old . As Ethan Sweetwater engineer goes to match maker Ravenna for a match and they get more than they barging for. Nothing is ever simple with Sweetwater’s as they fall in love while chasing bad guys through tunnels and illusions. If you are a long time fan of this series you will enjoy this latest book. Even if you have missed a few books you will enjoy this New book and wonderful characters. And let’s not forget Harriett the Dusty bunny that always steal the show in every book. Dust Bunny Rules!!!!
April 15, 2023
I've read every book in this series over the last 20 or however many years it's been, but this book was a real stinker. Of course we all know this author follows a strict formula even to the point where all of her characters tend to look the same, enjoy the same things, act the same, are attracted to the same thing, etc. But for nostalgia sake, and because it's been about four years since I've read MF romance, I used my Amazon digital credits to buy this book. What a mistake that was.
First, the characterization was very weak. We had the same cookie cutter characters we've seen before, so there was nothing to hold my interest there. Second, the story was convoluted and heavily dependent on the reader remembering pretty much everything that had ever happened across like three different series and pen names. Finally, I did a LOT of skimming because the villainy parts were just rote at this point--if you've read one, you've read them all. There was really nothing in this book to capture or hold my interest.
The one positive thing I can say about this book is that at least this time the bad guy didn't monologue for multiple pages about why he did whatever he did. Instead, unfortunately, the main characters monologued about how they ended up falling in love with each other, something the author must have had to add at the very end because, whoops, she forgot to show that part on the page. I'm not even going to talk about the outdated language (who calls dating an "affair" anymore?). Well, I'll talk about it a little because OMG please start using contractions in the dialogue. Literally no one talks like these characters did.
All in all this was just a very, very poorly written book that cost $15 on Kindle, which is pretty outrageous. If you're on the fence about buying this book, save yourself some money and try something else. There are a lot of struggling indie authors out there who will sell you a book for $5 that is of much better quality.
First, the characterization was very weak. We had the same cookie cutter characters we've seen before, so there was nothing to hold my interest there. Second, the story was convoluted and heavily dependent on the reader remembering pretty much everything that had ever happened across like three different series and pen names. Finally, I did a LOT of skimming because the villainy parts were just rote at this point--if you've read one, you've read them all. There was really nothing in this book to capture or hold my interest.
The one positive thing I can say about this book is that at least this time the bad guy didn't monologue for multiple pages about why he did whatever he did. Instead, unfortunately, the main characters monologued about how they ended up falling in love with each other, something the author must have had to add at the very end because, whoops, she forgot to show that part on the page. I'm not even going to talk about the outdated language (who calls dating an "affair" anymore?). Well, I'll talk about it a little because OMG please start using contractions in the dialogue. Literally no one talks like these characters did.
All in all this was just a very, very poorly written book that cost $15 on Kindle, which is pretty outrageous. If you're on the fence about buying this book, save yourself some money and try something else. There are a lot of struggling indie authors out there who will sell you a book for $5 that is of much better quality.
December 11, 2025
When the book begins, Ravenna Chastain is a profiler for the FBPI (Federal Bureau of Psi Investigation). She's not really supposed to be in the field but she volunteered to pose as a witch. Well, as the type of woman a specific cult is targeting as witches. But the FBPI isn't exactly knocking down the door of the cultists to rescue her. It's a good thing she has her fire talent and a dust bunny she names Harriet who ends up being an inveterate pen collector. It's that night that causes her to pivot into matchmaking. It's there that she meets Ethan Sweetwater. He has, of course, lied on his application making it hard for Ravenna to find him a match. But, they both have events coming up that would be nice to have someone else at. So they agree to go as each others dates.
This is a plot point that Castle has used a lot in this series. And this book feels like a mishmash of a number of other books she's written (which, at this point, is probably really hard not to do.) The whole time I was reading this book though, I was thinking of Filomena from "The Main Attraction"; she is basically the same character as Ravenna. Small, red haired, volatile (the scene with Ravenna's family felt like a major Krentz throwback; heroine embarrasses herself by being too emotional while the hero is uber calm and makes the family love him even more than the actual family member.) Overall, the book was fine but it felt like a lot of retread to the 90s with shallow characters and a plot that was not as tightly woven or fleshed out as more recent books.
This is a plot point that Castle has used a lot in this series. And this book feels like a mishmash of a number of other books she's written (which, at this point, is probably really hard not to do.) The whole time I was reading this book though, I was thinking of Filomena from "The Main Attraction"; she is basically the same character as Ravenna. Small, red haired, volatile (the scene with Ravenna's family felt like a major Krentz throwback; heroine embarrasses herself by being too emotional while the hero is uber calm and makes the family love him even more than the actual family member.) Overall, the book was fine but it felt like a lot of retread to the 90s with shallow characters and a plot that was not as tightly woven or fleshed out as more recent books.
July 1, 2022
This is my first read into this series, and I loved it.
I have jumped around a lot with these stories, and know a little about the world Ms. Castle has built but found that the pre story chapter about the world itself helped me understand so much more. If you read that part than this is easily a pick up and read without having to read the series as a whole. That being said, Ethan and Ravenna set this book on fire. I love a strong fiery (hehe) heroine who can hold her own, but also knows when she is over her head in situations. Ethan was very Clark Kent in many ways and I enjoyed how he let Ravenna be herself while still making sure she was okay when things got out of hand.
If you enjoy sci fi reads, like Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson this series is a must add to you list.
I have jumped around a lot with these stories, and know a little about the world Ms. Castle has built but found that the pre story chapter about the world itself helped me understand so much more. If you read that part than this is easily a pick up and read without having to read the series as a whole. That being said, Ethan and Ravenna set this book on fire. I love a strong fiery (hehe) heroine who can hold her own, but also knows when she is over her head in situations. Ethan was very Clark Kent in many ways and I enjoyed how he let Ravenna be herself while still making sure she was okay when things got out of hand.
If you enjoy sci fi reads, like Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson this series is a must add to you list.
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