Gabriel Jones rescues Lucy Bell after she was kidnapped, drugged, stripped of her amber, and left underground. Then he goes off to his next job leaving Lucy to deal with the fallout: rumors fly saying she was drunk and took drugs. She's lost her reputation and her career and is now driving a tour bus to make ends meet.

When Gabriel returns, Lucy is angry with him, but he needs her skills with managing psychic storms in the underground and also wants a chance to get to know her better. An arcane object brought from Earth has been stolen and he has the skills to track it down - with Lucy's help.

Meanwhile, other plots are unfolding and Lucy is needed for all of them. When a second kidnapping attempt is made and attempts are made on Gabriel's life since he's the new, and first, Guild Boss in Illusion Town, the two begin investigating to protect themselves and restore Lucy's reputation.

The dust bunny in this one is Otis. He finds Lucy when she is lost underground and brings her pizza to live on. Later he leads Gabriel to her.

I liked the relationship between Lucy and Gabriel. The plot was twisty enough to keep me reading late into the night. There were also a number of Easter Eggs that brought reminders of earlier books in the Arcane series for readers who have read them.

All in all, this was a fun addition to both the Arcane series and the Harmony series.

A fun and engrossing addition to Castle's Guild Hunter series! I'll admit I hadn't read any of the previous books, so it was a bit of a drop in the deep end, but the world was easily accessible and I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of it all, plus Lucy and Gabriel had some fun chemistry (although I'm not sure I bought the marriage proposal happening at the same time as the love confession, it would've been nice to see that spaced out a little more). It does make me want to go back and read more in this series, though, and I can envision these books being up there with JD Robb's In Death series for me as something resembling comfort reads.

This is the 14th book in the Ghost Hunters series. It takes place in Illusion Town, where people are trying to recreate the lives they formally had before coming to this new, alien world. Lucy Bell is kidnapped, drugged, and left for dead in the tunnels beneath Illusion Town. Only, she manages to escape and survive until help shows up in the form of Guild Hunter Gabriel Jones. Jones was sent to rescue her.

Unfortunately, for Lucy being rescued is not the end to her troubles. With no explanation for her abduction and everyone believing she made it up, her life has completely unraveled. With nothing left, she is now running tours, but then Gabriel Jones comes back because he discovers that someone is still hunting Lucy. Lucy and Gabriel begin to investigate the motivation for what happen to Lucy. It is a weird and wild ride to discover a way to clear her reputation.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I found both Lucy and Gabriel highly intelligent and entertaining. The dialogue was fast paced and humorous. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christine Feehan's Ghost Walkers series or Jennifer Ashley's Shifters Unbound series.

I was provided and ARC by NetGalley for an honest review of this book.

The Guild Boss and His Weather Goddess! I really enjoyed the latest from the Harmony Novel series.

The cast of characters are the same - the big man in charge, the unlucky but secretly talented lady, adorable dust bunny, loyal friends, jealous a**holes and a bad guy who wants control of something random.

Even with the same cast of characters there was something fresh, humorous and sexy about Guild Boss. Also it made me hungry with the talk of pizza.

I'd love to see a role reversal in her upcoming novels.

Gabriel Jones is the new Guild Boss, paranormal law enforcement, in Illusion City. One of his first jobs is rescuing Lucy Bell after she goes missing . She claims that she was kidnapped but everyone else believes that she partied too hard and is slightly out of her mind. But Gabriel, who can’t forget the beautiful Lucy, and he atarts that believe her version of the story when more kidnappers come after her.
I’ve been wanting to read a Jayne Castle book for a long time. She writes under three pen names and has.a HUGE backlist. This story and the paranormal world were fascinating and have definitely piqued my interest in reading more Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krenyz. That said, while technically this novel works as a standalone, I’m not sure it was the best place to hop into this well established book world. I felt like I was missing some of the world and character development and I later realized that this was book 20!! In a series. So, I would recommend this book but I think it was tough to fully enjoy without some context from other books.

I am a huge fan of Jayne Castle’s Harmony series and her latest book, Guild Boss, does not disappoint.

After a dramatic and seemingly fantastical opening chapter, Guild Boss’ story moves into a classic Castle mix of mystery, adventure, romance, and dust bunnies. The companion in this book is Otis who is as cute and mischievous as he is dangerous. This is the 2nd book set in Illusion Town and we get to discover more about the city’s entertaining and eclectic cast of characters who, in a running joke, all seem to be on the make, at least when it comes to the new Guild and its boss. Speaking of the new Guild Boss Gabriel Jones, I really appreciate how Castle has made her classic alpha male hero, especially towards the end of the book, a little less alpha and a lot more human.

Although the book can absolutely be read as a standalone story, fans of Castle’s self-described “Jayneverse” will appreciate how the author cleverly weaves in the series’ previous plot points and characters into the current storyline, while also referencing her paranormal series as Amanda Quick (historical romance) and Jayne Ann Krentz (contemporary romance) in a way that suggests that there will be more Harmony books in the future.

Castle seems to have enjoyed writing this book. While the dust bunnies usually provide most of the humor in her novels, Guild Boss has a general playful and exuberant tone that I particularly enjoyed and hope to see more of in the future.

After a 5 year break, Jayne Castle’s Harmony series is back and looks set to continue for many books to come. I can’t wait!

Lucy's life has taken a turn and not for the better. But when Gabriel returns will he be her savoir once again?
Guild Boss is ninth in Jayne Castes' Harmony series. I can say I loved that Ms. Castle returned to this world. And I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Lucy and Gabriel.
Lucy's talent on its surface is par for the course in her town. But when she finds herself part of a kidnapping no one believes happened, she is left with few employment or life choices. Gabriel saved her once before, so when Gabriel returns she trusts him about as well as everyone else...which is not at all. But I love seeing Gabriel work his way past her defenses. Ms. Castle did not make it easy for him. I love that as Gabriel and Lucy searched for artifacts and truth they found each other. Lucy wasn't ready to trust in Gabriel. After all he left her to the wolves so to speak. But time and presence can take a man quite a ways into a woman's affections. And Lucy's are no different.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Gabriel and Lucy's journey to happily ever after and answers. This is a wonderful addition to this series and I can't wait to see where Ms. Castle will take us next.

5 Hearts, Recommended Read
SJ, Romance Junkies

Author Jayne Ann Krentz, writing as Jayne Castle, is back with a story set on Harmony, an alien planet, in Illusion Town, a city a lot like Las Vegas on Earth, with GUILD BOSS. Lucy Bell has been kidnapped, rescued, and then made to look a fool before she's kidnapped yet again! The cover of the tabloids, she's lost her reputation and is working by driving a tourist bus with her best pal Otis, a dust bunny. (Think ball of drier lint with six eyes and paws who links with his person.)

The story is a terrific return to romance, adventure, and mystery, with the perfect blend of all three. Gabriel Jones, yes one of those Joneses (Castle likes to write about the psychic Jones family in several of her books,) is the new Guild boss in town who's decided to help Lucy for reasons of his own.

The romance blossoming between the pair moves at a steady pace and is nicely guided by a romantic hero and a stubborn heroine with a lot of fight in her. I loved the pairing of these two, who play off each other nicely.

Solving the mystery of who was after Lucy in addition to a killer on the loose, Lucy and Gabriel work together to learn the truth. But can they do that before it's too late? Tons of fun for the scifi and mystery and romance reader, GUILD BOSS is a must-read! One-click your copy today!

A Recommended Read

I love the Harmony series…a little sci fi, romance, fantasy and quite a bit of paranormal activity. Along with most Jayne Castle readers, my favorites are the dust bunnies. I was trying to decide which Earth animal(s) the dust bunnies resemble. Dogs for loyalty, foxes for cunning and cats for mischief. I suspect other traits will come to me as well. There were some hints toward where the series will go in future books. I also liked the references (Easter eggs) to previous books. With Ms. Castle’s intro, I think this could be read as a stand-alone book. Quick, enjoyable read.

Jayne Castle's newest book, Guild boss is indeed a treat for longtime fans and newbies alike. References to past happenings in Harmony abound but do not detract from the story unfolding within the existing story. I love all the intrigue and the interaction between the newest Guild Boss, Gabriel Jones, and Lucy Bell. He comes to her rescue but stops just short of really helping her. This is why he's got a long way to gaining her trust. Otis has actually been more of a Hero than the big guy...which is hilarious!
Rez up your Amber (no matter the color) and dive into this amazing novel of fun, action, and romance. I highly recommend this novel.

4.5 stars

This book starts with a wonderfully intriguing opening line! Readers soon learn that Gabriel Jones is about to be the new guild boss of Illusion City. He has been sent to find Lucy Bell, who apparently got lost in the underground tunnels because she was drunk and/or on drugs...Or so the story goes. She was actually kidnapped and drugged, but she has no way to prove it, other than a pendant that she took from one of her kidnappers. Gabriel and Lucy are thrown together out of necessity while trying to figure out what really happened and why.

This story is a mystery, and is filled with interesting characters of the good and bad variety. The author lays out the story in a logical way, and introduces readers to most of the players early on in the story. There is increasing tension as the protagonists get closer to solving the mystery, and the pace speeds up toward the end as well. When the ending finally arrives, it happens fairly quickly with only a couple of minor surprises.

It’s fascinating the way this author ties stories together with other books she has written in the past. Readers won’t be lost, because the details are merely snippets added here and there, but those snippets adds depth and resonance if readers are familiar with the earlier stories, and
serve as a gentle reminder of the complex world this author has created in her amazing imagination. Past, present, and future are all woven together in a tapestry filled with amazing detail if readers are familiar with her other books.

I've greatly enjoyed Castle's Ghost Hunters series, and I mostly enjoyed this latest installment. While it is clearly setting up the next arc in the Ghost Hunters series, the ending was dragged out in such a way that I lost a lot of the enjoyment that I had for the rest of the story. Gabriel and Lucy make for an entertaining and easy to root for couple, one that actually communicates well and are able to focus on the greater issues that they're facing. Hopefully the next installment of this series flows a little better.

This was a fun new instalment to the Ghost Hunter series, but it wasn't quite as good as the previous books. Something just wasn't quite connecting for me. Not quite sure why.

Welcome to Illusion Town, like Las Vegas on earth, but a lot weirder.

Kidnapped and drugged as she leaves an after wedding party, Lucy Bell manages to escape—only to find herself lost in the mysterious, alien underground maze of glowing green tunnels beneath Illusion Town. She’s been surviving on determination and cold pizza, scavenged for her by a special dust bunny, when help finally shows up.

Gabriel Jones is the Guild Hunter sent to rescue her, but escaping the underground ruins isn’t the end of her troubles—it’s only the beginning. With no rational reason for her abduction, and her sole witness gone on another assignment for the Guild, whispers start circulating that Lucy is crazy. Soon her life unravels until she has nothing left but her pride. The last thing she expects is for Gabriel Jones to come back to town for her.

The Lucy that Gabriel finds is not the same woman he rescued, the one who looked at him as if he were her hero. This Lucy is sharp, angry, and more than a little cynical—instead of awe, she treats him with extreme caution. But a killer is still hunting her, and there aren’t a lot of options when it comes to heroes. Despite her wariness, Gabriel is also the one person who believes Lucy—after all, he was there. He’s determined to help clear her reputation, no matter what it takes. And as the new Guild Boss, his word is law, even in the lawlessness of Illusion Town.

I love Jayne Castle's weird world, and her dust bunnies, and wish she would write more of them. Recommended for all fans of crazy, weird fantasy.

Wasn't my favorite of the series. Love story felt very rushed. Liked the Easter eggs from precious books. I felt like the vortex chapter could have been put further towards the end of the book. It was jarring where it was placed

I am new to Jayne Castle's Harmony series, but I am definitely a fan. While this book is classic Castle/Krentz/Quick, it continues the story of Harmony and its human inhabitants. After rescuing Lucy Bell from the alien Underground maze, Gabriel Jones comes back months later as the newly appointed guild boss eager to see her again. But in that short time, Lucy's life hasn't been going so well. Her career as a weather worker has ended because everyone believes she was on drugs and drunk the night she entered the tunnels, but she insists she was kidnapped. Gabriel decides to find out the truth and together they stumble into a mystery that proves that Lucy is the key.

Castle's books are predictable, but in the way that fans and readers find comforting. You know what to expect. First, you have the adorable dust bunnies who always steal the show. Then there is the intelligent, tough, with a heart of gold, hero who will fall head over heels for his heroine and finally, a heroine who is determined and spunky. These are fast reads and entertaining ones. Give this to readers who enjoy fast paced romantic suspense with a sci fi or paranormal twist.

It was great fun to revisit the world of Harmony with Guild Boss! Gabriel and Lucy meet when he saves her from the Underworld (alien ruins with lots of hidden dangers)... but then he leaves for 2 months. By the time he gets back, she's lost her reputation and consequently her source of income, so she's not exactly happy to see him.

As usual in Castle's Harmony-set books, there is a convoluted mystery with lots of red herrings and conspiracy theories that our heroes have to solve while at the same time falling in love. Guild Boss felt like a return to form, with enjoyable characters, a cute dust bunny animal companion, and lots of Easter eggs for previous series (Arcane Society, the original Harmony books, and more). If you like Jayne Castle, you'll enjoy this one. It is probably all right to read it as a standalone, but as longtime Krentz/Quick/Castle fans, the hidden nuggets of information just made this more fun to read.

Was so happy to see Jayne Ann Krentz finally returned as Jayne Castle - her world on Harmony is great and a lot of fun. This one keeps to her usual arc and fulfills all the expectations a reader would have for a Jayne Castle.

Review (4.5 stars): This is the 14th book in the Ghost Hunter series by Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick). While there are several overlapping characters in her book, it could be read as an introduction to the series without losing too much of the backstory. For the dust bunny fans, Otis is just as wonderful as all the others!

Lucy Bell, Weather Reader, is trapped in the Dark City and is recused by Gabriel Jones (yep, one of THOSE Jones). She insists that she was drugged, kidnapped, and trapped, but Gabriel thinks she was too drunk to remember what really happened. As soon as she’s brought to the surface, she’s taken to a mental hospital for evaluation and treatment. Fast forward several months to Lucy now working as a tour guide, since no one is willing to hire someone crazy. Gabriel is baffled at her off-handed and cold response to him reappearing, since he saved her.

Gabriel is definitely starting to think that there’s more to meet the eye in Harmony and he hires Lucy to help him investigate. This slow-burning romance is paired with a supernatural mystery, full of twists and turns for the reader.

Note: I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own. #GuildBoss #NetGalley

I keep waiting for a series to be made from the Harmony books. The dust bunnies alone would be fun to watch. Guild Boss was another great read by Jayne Castle.