Heart of Stone: A Paranormal Protector Tale

Heart of Stone #0.5

by Demelza Carlton

A prequel to Demelza Carlton's Heart of Stone gargoyle shifter steamy paranormal romance series, set in the Scottish Highlands. On the outside, Pamela is the perfect lady, spending her days sketching landscapes while waiting for her father to find her a husband, until she meets Ben, the stonemason building her father's new castle, she knows she's found a kindred spirit, with a heart as artistic as her own. But when family secrets come to light and the supernatural steps in, fate has other plans, and their very lives hang in the balance...

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Audiobook, Paranormal Romance, Ebooks, Novella

180 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2021

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

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read some of Demelza Carlton’s work and loved it, so when I saw that this was free and Broken Chains was available for review, I grabbed them both. Soooo disappointed. Heart of Stone read like a Prologue, a tease, and it did its job. I liked Ben and Pamela right away and felt they had a great story to tell. I wanted more. The bad thing is, the series is not complete, they are novellas, and you will need to read them all to get the whole story. I feel set up, cheated. I will be reading Broken Chains, because I already have it, but after that?

See more at fundinmental

[BookishKB · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a prequel going in, so it felt more like a teaser than a full story. It’s a short novella with minimal plot development.

The audiobook narration didn’t help much—it was a bit of a rough listen.

[Poppy || Monster Lover]

I lost interest around 60% through.

[Cassandra Doon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book: Heart Of Stone
Read By: Ebook
Author: Demelza Carlton
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Recommend: Yes
Spice:0
< b>Age recommendation: 18-30+ Years
My feelings:

I grabbed this on Stuff Your Kindle day.
I didn't realise it was the prequel to the series, not that it matters it's always good to read the 0.5 book first if you can.

"Love. The desire to protect, to nurture all that we hold dear. And if you are truly Marisa's sons, then you have her heart. The heart of a kelpie. Protectors, all three of you, who will love fiercely and do all that you must for the women you love."

This book was super interesting, and I did not get a fantasy feel about it. I wonder if it will all be in book 1.

"Brandon, please, I beg you! She's my only daughter. She's all I have. Take the castle, and all my lands, but let her marry Colbrand. She does not deserve such a fate."

Also, the narrator was Australian I think but the book is clearly England/Scotland area. So that was a bit strange with the random accents.
I did enjoy the story and wanted to find out what happens so overall it was good.

laughter. Ben set down his tools and glanced over his shoulder. Yes, the first gargoyle looked

[Marie Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really getting into this and was super excited to see what came next for Ben and Pamela and then...cliffhanger. Okay, that's fine. This was a prequel, after all. Book 1 starts with a new era, a new country, and new characters. I assume this is some sort of flashback that won't make sense until the end of the series. Thankfully, the author has the series on her YouTube channel.

[LaLibreriaDiSara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Noia

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun prequel and totally worth 5 stars so long as you go in knowing that, as a prequel, it’s a (really well written) taste of what’s to come and not the end of the Heart of Stone story arc. Having said that, Demelza Carlton has provided a fun story with a well crafted cast of lead and supporting characters and great world building. Most definitely recommended.

[Chris Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Looks to be a great start to another great series by Ms. Carlton. Read it and enjoy just as I did.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a prequel and therefore ends on a cliffhanger, and my god was I HOOKED. I need to see how the gargoyles come into play and how Ben and Pamela’s stories shake out.

I really enjoyed the writing - it’s been a hot minute since I picked up a historical, and Demelza Carlton’s writing is really accessible and easy to get into.

There’s only a tinge of paranormal in this one with some Kelpie content, so I’m keen to get more stuck into the world.

[Demelza Carlton]

Heart of Stone, the prequel to my Heart of Stone gargoyle shifter steamy paranormal romance series, set in the Scottish Highlands, is out now. Better yet, it's FREE!

Grab your FREE copy from:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NP9ZSP2
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id160...
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hear...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hear...

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (1/3/2022)! 🎁

[Alyssa (HeartwyldsLibrary) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well this was a big disappointment. Not sure how you can call this a paranormal romance that focuses on Gargoyle shifters when that literally NEVER happens in the whole story. Talk about misleading. This feels more like a very overly drawn out prologue to a larger story that ends on cliffhanger but left me more annoyed then interested in picking up the next book.

Sure there is the incredibly slow build up of the relationship between Ben and Pamela but we get no pay off for it. Also I just wasn't vibing with Pamela, she was frankly kind of boring as a love interest. But we don't get to see Ben protect her, we don't get to see any shifting, we don't get to see either character have any internal monologue about how much they want the other, we were given nothing, I feel cheated and frankly grateful that I didn't spend any money on this, and I'm not inclined to pick up the rest of the series.

[Cheryl Drake johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Catena wanted was to get back to her apartment safely but she has a man chasing her home, Tor hears Catena's call for help and their lives are changed. It was a very enjoyable storyline and the characters were very entertaining. The future is hopeful for them both. Drama, mystery, suspense, adult content, and attraction. I purchased a copy. I volunteered an honest review.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I am a big fan of paranormal books. I was a little disappointed reading this book to find no gargoyles in it.. other then the ones carved out by Ben.. one of which happened to have his brothers face which I thought was funny as he kept calling it a demon.. I suppose back in those days that is what they would call a gargoyle. The other gargoyle he carved with his face on it... I didn't make the connection with that at first... but after reading the book descriptions of the rest of the books in the series it makes sense... and leaves me so very intrigued. I have so many questions and I can't wait for the books to be released so that I can have my answers!

The only thing that saddens me is that it seems like Pamela will not be in the other book with Ben.. I have so many questions about what happened to her? I hope we get some answers about that. It seemed in this book as if they were starting to fall for each other. I'm not sure how I will feel about that when we get to his book... but I am looking forward to reading it and hoping that I get the answers that I need.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

🙄Victorian era, paranormal touch, cliffhanger end 🌊

3.5 🌟 stars
I was expecting magical gargoyles and they didn't appear (at least not in this prequel). There's a touch of the mystical Scottish legendary kelpie though, and an introduction to three working class brothers looking to improve their lot in life by immigrating to Western Australia during the Victorian era when far away places led men to dream of treasure found and fortunes made.

Heart of Stone sets up a possible romance for one of the brothers with a local Scottish beauty of a titled family that's in dire financial straits. But their fate remains unresolved by this prequel's end.

The continuation might be good but this taste of their story origin leaves everything up in the air and it's not really a full tale, just a set-up teaser. I'd be inclined to read more to find out where and how they end up but this definitely does not qualify as a standalone novella.

[Of Butterflies & Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shift-A-Thon 2022
Prompt: Read a book with shifters (other than werewolves)

This was a an interesting read. I've never read any paranormal book about Gargoyle shifters and the fact it's set in Scotland made me even more interested to read it. Now this was a 70 page prequel/novella so it was kind of hard to gage how I feel about it. I think it did what a book like this was supposed to which was some set up for the main series and I'm sure there will hopefully be reference to the events that occurred in this, as short as it was and how it follows are main characters. However, I think it despite being a prequel the author could have given it at least maybe 20 pages or more because most of the time it felt like we were just hoping all over the place to get to the end point. I already have the first book and am planning on reading it regardless of how in-between I am on my feelings about this prequel. All and all, it was ok. Not the worst way I've started a read-a-thon.

[Kathy Wideman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the prequel for the Heart of Stone series. To be honest I didn’t really see how this works with the series. That being said it may make more sense as the series continues. Pamela is a lady but her father is deeply in debt. He hopes to marry her off before it can affect her too much. Ben and his are working on a building for her father. There other brother is on his way to meet up with them after being away working. They hope to go to the colonies in Australia. Pamela finds herself in some danger and hopes that Ben and his brothers will be able to keep their promise to help her. I have read the first book and I still wasn’t quite sure how it really connects but hopefully it will make more sense as the series continues. I have an idea about how it connects but I’m not completely sure yet. I was excited to start the first book in the series after reading this and wasn’t disappointed. I am looking forward to reading the series as it continues.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it is a cliffhanger, but hey it's the prequel to the series, tells the story of how it all started for Ben and Paula and all the brothers for that matter.

Two artistic souls, there's Pamela the beautiful Fine Lady of the manor, she loves painting and then she meets the dashing Ben apprentice to his brother and chipping away at stone to reveal a gargoyle to keep watch over the new manor his brother is building for her father. He's a very skilled sculptor and very appreciative of her art, they become fast friends, but must hide it from her father. No one has ever taken an interest in her art, hers is picturesque and light, while Ben's is solid and dark.

Read the beginning of what is to become a tumultuous life and love for the 3 Stone brothers.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story written by Demelza Carlton, and better still it was free. It is a prequel to her series of paranormal books of Heart of Stone series.

Ben and his brother Torstan are stonemasons. The third brother Dunstan is a carpenter on a ship. Ben and Torstan are contracted to work on building a folly for Sir William Burke. Ben is a whiz at making stone figures from the blocks of stone. He crafts two gargoyles for Sir William as requested to go on top of the building. The three Stone brothers are planning on moving to the colonies.

Pamela Burke loves to draw. She and Ben Stone are attracted to each other. This is the beginning of Ben and Pamela's story and it ends in a cliff hanger. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[Adena Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author introduces us to three brothers, one of which is a very talented sculptor who is much taken with a lord’s daughter being threatened by a less-than-gentlemanly gentleman. The stage is set for what appears to be an usual potentially messy yet touching commoner-to-lady historical romance – but there are gargoyles. Why are there gargoyles? What do these gargoyles have to do with the romance brewing in this story? Okay, what happens next? I have a feeling it is not going to be a historical romance HEA, but I could be wrong.

[Joanne H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an enduring story. A daughter and father lived in a castle but was eat up by bills from the previous relation that had lived there. With no money Pamela didn't have all the fancy dresses or balls young girls usually had. Some stone masons were making a folly castle by the ocean as Pamela liked to draw and was watching them build it while talking to Ben Stone. Pamela was supposed to marry a man that had three children and coming to get her but the creditor showed up and wanted to do bad things to Pamela to get some payback. Good storyline.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story

I know this story is the prequel for this series and it started off interesting. I like the characters and the plot. I am going to listen to the next book now and hopefully it will be a great series! The narrator did a nice job, however, with some of the accents I really had to listen to understand what she was saying. I ended up having my Kindle open while listening in case I didn't understand something. I won't let that small thing stop me from listening to the next book in the series!

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Nice Beginning

This is a prequel story to a new series. It is set in the time of the colonization of Australia. Ben Stone is an artist at heart and meets the daughter of the landowner he is working for. He is a steadfast, decent, gifted man. She is an budding artist too. This is a mystical beginning and features Kelpies, which are interesting creatures. I am looking forward to reading the rest of these books.

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of Stone

This is a quick introduction to the Protector Tale world. The Stone brothers are saving for passage to the colonies; Torstan and Ben are stonemasons while Dunstan is a ship’s carpenter. Pamela is the unsuitable woman Ben has fallen for whose father has fallen on hard times. You meet the characters here and get the beginning of the story. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next with Ben and Pamela.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short introductory book for Demelza's Heart of Stone series and, like most other books of its kind, it leaves you wanting more. You do get an introduction to Dunstan, Torstan, and Ben and how they were working to save money to go to the colony of Australia for a better life. (I will say that you will be slightly confused when you begin reading "Broken Chains," as it doesn't start where this book ends - at all.)

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid prequel. An introduction to the Stone brothers and at least one possible female, Pamela, for the series to follow. As many have told us before, life in England, with a failing aristocracy, was hard. While the romance between Ben and Pamela is the light of the story, it seems to be the only light. Having already read the next in the series, it appears that things can only improve for the lot.

Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Tragic. Twisted. Wonderful characters.

[Lake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another one of those prequel novellas that's always a promotional freebie. Despite being <200 pages/2 hours long, the writing is so repetitive it felt endless.

It's set in 1700s-ish Scotland with three brothers who need money for passage to Australia. It ends on a cliff hanger fyi, and I'm a little curious what happens next but the author seems really intent on romanticising the colonies as lands where 'all men are free and equal' which, like. C'mon.

[Cait Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm confused...

Did I get a sample and not the full book? This was basically the book equivalent of a movie trailer. I'm not sure if this was intentional, like a short story prequel? But it had no real arc. It's like getting stuck halfway up the hill on a rollercoaster. Not enough to hook me. No paranormal, no romance, just the beginnings of chemistry, revelations about the boys' mother. They get back from a jaunt to Skye and... the end?

[Marissa Goetschel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a pretty good quick read. It is definitely setting up the series so only read it if you want to commit to reading the series. It ends on a cliffhanger. The characters are interesting and I would like to see where they are going. There needs to be a bit more development of the characters particularly Pamela, she just doesn't seem to be fully presented in this story.

[Michelle Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

The storyline did not grab my attention, I kept thinking a gargoyle was going to pop up and it never happened.
It is actually only the start of a story,it is a prequel after all; however, it doesn't compel me to read anymore about it.
I believe it is usually free,or on KU, so give it a try. You might like it more than me.