Stone Champion

Heart of Steel #3

by Demelza Carlton

It was meant to be a joke – trying out a demon summoning spell from an ancient spell book. Callie didn't expect it to summon one demon, let alone four.
Now she can't get rid of him.
Grant Steel isn't sure what's worse – that Callie is a better Latin scholar than he is, or that he's forced to protect her.
But when a family wedding looms and Callie needs a date, she has no choice but to make a deal with Grant. If he pretends to be her fake fiancé for the wedding, she'll allow him to protect her.
But Callie gets far more than she bargained for…

Genres: Romance

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2022

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Reviews

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie was smart and had interesting and special skills that she had honed over the years, and she found very useful. Her way of reasoning through her things and her funny analogies had me chuckle all the time and were putting images on my mind. Witty girl! She had many doubts, but the adventure and the desire to get protection was greater. One step forward and one backwards but it doesn't matter, she jumped with eyes closed dragging the other girls with her. And surprise! Things turned out better than she expected, for her. Callie's predicament was very interesting, and I liked how the topic was approached that was pertinent to the dangers that are often encountered. We still have the other Steels and girls to look forward to, who I hope will keep us interested and entertained with their different personalities and ways of dealing with the consequences of summoning a demon. A lot happens here with suspense, lots of camaraderie, a despicable villain, romance, and passion. I voluntarily reviewed this interesting copy which entertained me.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but I'm confused!🙁

3.5🌟 stars
Good enough but not my favorite of Demelza Carlton's gargoyle-got-the-girl stories.

This story includes characters from the Heart of Stone series and, since I've read everything in both series, I was confused by the events here seeming to occur both before and simultaneously with the earlier books. Why the backwards movement of the timeline?

Modern Australian women summoning buff gargoyles: a simple alpha male out of his element but primed to care for his woman in every way romance with ogling, touching and heat. The gargoyle Grant is a good guy from Western Australia's early settlement who ran afoul of some individuals with powerful magic and has only now been reanimated by Callie's conjuring with her BFF's. Not deep, just an entertaining, short fantasy.

Trigger warning: talk of previous sexual abuse of a child.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie didn't believe in magic. Really, she didn't. But she was willing to use her research into Viking spells and witches to try to call forth a demon to protect her friend Alethea from a stalker. But the spell didn't seem to have worked... or did it. A man, or demon, or gargoyle shows up in her warded bedroom and says he is her protector. He apparently turns to stone if sunlight hits him, which is a little inconvenient, but she can work with it. She is in desperate need of a plus-one for her cousin's wedding. Especially one that can protect her from her uncle Lucius because he is the reason she knows about spells to call demons...

I won't spoil the story for you. There are characters from the previous Gargoyle books and clues for the next ones. Everything ties together - so you really should read the others. I was given an advanced copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.

[Lisa Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC, I am leaving my honest review. Callie is smart, witty and living on her own, til a pair of shoes found in an attic floor causes a research for protection spells. Three other friends join her in chanting a spell found in a book taken from her uncle. Little do they know they have called 4 guardians of stone to their side. Callie is not afraid, and research turns to longing as Grant stands by her side. He was called to protect her, but their hearts call to each other as Destiny unfolds. There is danger lurking but Grant will stand between it and Callie. Action packed and suspense filled with lighthearted moments and spicy emotions, this story will keep your attention and have you wanting more!

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful continuance of the saga. Callie helped to call forth several gargoyles, stone protectors, in an earlier title. Grant was one of those summoned. He was summoned as her protector. There are trials and tribulations for both to face. And they come out stronger for their efforts. Unfortunately, the story does not conclude as succinctly as the ones before. But it does come to a good, solid conclusion.

Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Happily Ever After. Page-turner. Romantic. Scary. Steamy. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.

[Adena Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as light-hearted as Kate Moseman's "A Good Demon is Hard to Find" but I do enjoy how Callie, like Erin, grabbed at the nearest alternative for a wedding plus-one, if for different reasons. As always, I am such a sucker for the romance that develops between two very different people in forced proximity. The triggers in this novel may have been dark, but that is why Callie needed her protector and Grant is so that!

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheryl Drake johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie summons Grant a gargoyle who comes bidder into her life from a century before. Call ie is wanting a protector and Grand wanting a woman to love and be loved and he finds the woman he wants is a witch. He and Called find themselves in a delimma. An exciting storyline and characters that you can get close to. Rimantic suspense. Series. I read a copy via BookFunnel without obligation. I volunteered an honest review.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie and her three friends used an ancient spell from an ancient spell book to summon a demon, but they summoned four.

Grant Steel says he is Callie's protector. He says he is a gargoyle not a demon.

Callie needs a date for a friend's wedding and she needs protection whilst there. Grant fits the bill.

I loved this story about Grant and Callie.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This stand alone book is well written, fast paced and has such incredible world building that you find yourself pulled into it and you don’t want to leave. The storyline is exciting, and brimming with action, adventure, danger, mystery and suspense, whilst our characters are intriguing and have steamy hot chemistry. It’s a great read and a fab addition to this incredible series!

[RoseyLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grant is a sweet and protective Scot who wants a woman worth stealing, as is tradition. Is Callie the sort of woman who would want Grant to steal her? Stone Champion is an entertaining paranormal romance full of drama, suspense and steam that sucked me in!

[William Vegvari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series. This is the third book and has you turning pages from start to finish. It is a standalone but has references to the the previous books The characters and story line are fantastic.

Highly recommended

[Stephanie Villere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stone Champion: A Paranormal Protector Tale written by Demelza Carlton. When you cast a spell for a protector be very sure of what you wished for. Apparently it’s mass chaos and you can never be sure of who you will you get when you ask. I hope I get as lucky as Callie does!

[Chris Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always miss Carlton has written a wonderful book as part of a great series. If you love gargoyles and steamy sex you will love this book.

[Flo Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

All she could wish for

Thoroughly enjoyed this story about Callow and her stone champion, Grant. There was great chemistry between them right from the start.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this entertaining and engaging PNR storyline with danger, humor, chemistry, developed MCs, and magic. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Juanita E. Arp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an other amazing well written story and I can't wait to read more. I was given this book as a Free copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.

[Cleocutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story with an interesting supernatural aspect.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story again

Another book in series and well written too. I enjoy these stories. I have to read them all. You will enjoy the story of Callie and Grant.

[Amanda Bhear · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved it! It was fun to read with mix of hot & magic with everything with it. I know I will reread it many times. They are very good.