What do you think?
Rate this book
Masonry, Magic, and Love #1
Stone Guardian
No Steam! No Spice! Gargoyles are immovable statues of stone. Lifeless, the librarian thought, until one of them takes flight to save her from an untimely demise.
A kindhearted but lonely librarian. Nancy is drowning under the weight of an abusive boyfriend, failing grades, and looming unemployment. While at work, she confides her deepest, darkest secrets to the gargoyle perched near her desk. But she’s unprepared when the strange stone statue comes to life.
A gentle gargoyle born under a curse. Treyton can’t believe it. In the past century that he’s been guarding the beloved Victorian library he calls home, the lonesome man never had anyone notice him until now. And he’s enchanted by the beautiful woman yearning for true love under his watchful gaze. But the witch who gave him life wants him back. And she’s willing to kill anyone who stands in her way.
As his vile witch plots against them, will Nancy and Treyton be torn apart forever, or can they overcome the evil threatening their love — and their lives?
The Masonry, Magic, and Love sweet paranormal romance series includes:
Book 1: Stone Guardian
Book 2: Stone Protector
Book 3: Stone Champion
Book 4: Stone Fury
Book 5: Stone Outcast
Book 6: Stone Sisters
Book 7: Stone Reunion
Book 8: Stone Chaos
Book 9: Stone Victory
Stone Guardian is the captivating first novel in the Masonry, Magic, and Love sweet paranormal romance series. If you want all of the dreamy romance, heroic beasts, and paranormal magic without the steam (or eggplants), you’ll adore Gayle Katz’s spellbinding gargoyle shifter romance.
A kindhearted but lonely librarian. Nancy is drowning under the weight of an abusive boyfriend, failing grades, and looming unemployment. While at work, she confides her deepest, darkest secrets to the gargoyle perched near her desk. But she’s unprepared when the strange stone statue comes to life.
A gentle gargoyle born under a curse. Treyton can’t believe it. In the past century that he’s been guarding the beloved Victorian library he calls home, the lonesome man never had anyone notice him until now. And he’s enchanted by the beautiful woman yearning for true love under his watchful gaze. But the witch who gave him life wants him back. And she’s willing to kill anyone who stands in her way.
As his vile witch plots against them, will Nancy and Treyton be torn apart forever, or can they overcome the evil threatening their love — and their lives?
The Masonry, Magic, and Love sweet paranormal romance series includes:
Book 1: Stone Guardian
Book 2: Stone Protector
Book 3: Stone Champion
Book 4: Stone Fury
Book 5: Stone Outcast
Book 6: Stone Sisters
Book 7: Stone Reunion
Book 8: Stone Chaos
Book 9: Stone Victory
Stone Guardian is the captivating first novel in the Masonry, Magic, and Love sweet paranormal romance series. If you want all of the dreamy romance, heroic beasts, and paranormal magic without the steam (or eggplants), you’ll adore Gayle Katz’s spellbinding gargoyle shifter romance.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2022
342 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Katz
50 books108 followersDaring Women. Dangerous Worlds.
Gayle is a fan of zombies, sci-fi fantasy, and psychological horror—though not necessarily in that order. She writes the kinds of books she wants to read but often can’t find. Hoping to scare you, make you swoon, and root for her characters, her love of kick-butt heroines and sassy snark shines through in her work.
If you'd like to find out about Gayle's new releases, exclusive promotions, and get some free reads, check out her website: http://gaylekatz.com
Gayle is a fan of zombies, sci-fi fantasy, and psychological horror—though not necessarily in that order. She writes the kinds of books she wants to read but often can’t find. Hoping to scare you, make you swoon, and root for her characters, her love of kick-butt heroines and sassy snark shines through in her work.
If you'd like to find out about Gayle's new releases, exclusive promotions, and get some free reads, check out her website: http://gaylekatz.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
December 20, 2023
A gargoyle story with a witch!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: N/A – Clean Romance
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🤭☺️🥰
The heroine: Nancy - she is going to college for business management, which really bores her, meanwhile she is working as a librarian in a library she just loves in a small town called Misty Brook. She just broke up with her deadbeat boyfriend and kicked him out of her apartment and she is afraid she might lose her job due to budget cuts. The thing she likes most about the library is the gargoyle statue near her desk which she often talks to and tells all her problems to.
The Story: - Nancy was feeling pretty low one night and she decided to make a wish in the fountain outside her library. This was the first time she ever made a wish in that fountain as she was waiting for something special. Not long after making that wish, she noticed the coin she threw in the fountain seemed to be glowing, but then it stopped and she thought she imagined it. Though ever since that night, she has been having lucid dreams in which she wakes up in her town but in the distant past and her gargoyle saved her from a fire the first night. She has also met some cool townspeople.
The Hero: Treyton - he is a gargoyle, the same one that sits inside the Misty Brook library. In the 1800’s, he originally came from another realm through the fountain outside the library and became the protector of the town. He was fleeing a witch who held his heart in the pendant she wore which tied him to her and made him her slave.
The story was original, and I really liked the characters. Nancy and Trey were both great characters and there were quite a few mysterious characters that were hard to figure out. From Nancy’s friend Diana to Diana’s new roommate CeCe and especially Gram, the guy Nancy worked with and his Aunt Opal who owned a bookstore in town. Even Nancy’s deadbeat boyfriend Travis is mysterious at times. The story was certainly unpredictable and seemed to get stranger and stranger as it went along. This surprised me because I can usually figure out what is going on long before anything is revealed in most of the books I read.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: N/A – Clean Romance
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🤭☺️🥰
The heroine: Nancy - she is going to college for business management, which really bores her, meanwhile she is working as a librarian in a library she just loves in a small town called Misty Brook. She just broke up with her deadbeat boyfriend and kicked him out of her apartment and she is afraid she might lose her job due to budget cuts. The thing she likes most about the library is the gargoyle statue near her desk which she often talks to and tells all her problems to.
The Story: - Nancy was feeling pretty low one night and she decided to make a wish in the fountain outside her library. This was the first time she ever made a wish in that fountain as she was waiting for something special. Not long after making that wish, she noticed the coin she threw in the fountain seemed to be glowing, but then it stopped and she thought she imagined it. Though ever since that night, she has been having lucid dreams in which she wakes up in her town but in the distant past and her gargoyle saved her from a fire the first night. She has also met some cool townspeople.
The Hero: Treyton - he is a gargoyle, the same one that sits inside the Misty Brook library. In the 1800’s, he originally came from another realm through the fountain outside the library and became the protector of the town. He was fleeing a witch who held his heart in the pendant she wore which tied him to her and made him her slave.
The story was original, and I really liked the characters. Nancy and Trey were both great characters and there were quite a few mysterious characters that were hard to figure out. From Nancy’s friend Diana to Diana’s new roommate CeCe and especially Gram, the guy Nancy worked with and his Aunt Opal who owned a bookstore in town. Even Nancy’s deadbeat boyfriend Travis is mysterious at times. The story was certainly unpredictable and seemed to get stranger and stranger as it went along. This surprised me because I can usually figure out what is going on long before anything is revealed in most of the books I read.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
August 15, 2023
I really, really, REALLY hate giving a less than positive review for a book I requested from an author to read and review. I don't generally request books unless it looks like something I will enjoy, because I don't want to be less than positive. This was offered to me via an email and I really thought before requesting it, but it looked amazing and I wanted to give it a try.
As someone who can only write poetry and short stories because I can't go the distance with a full-sized book, I understand how difficult it is to write a book. It's a labor of love. Unfortunately, I didn't love this book.
The MC h is written as too naive. She doesn't think ahead, think of consequences or think to get answers when she has the opportunity to do so.
1) she just eats the charge on her credit card after she realizes her BF stole her card to take another girl out.
2) she agrees to go to his new place to talk (after he has already had the cops called on him for forcing himself into her apartment, so he's shown himself to be violent and unable to let go), tells no one where she is going and apparently doesn't think to do a drive by of the place to make sure it isn't sketchy (she is just there at the beginning of the chapter, we don't see her get there. Did she drive, walk, fly? No clue. But if she drove, then she wouldn't need to be saved by her gargoyle. Which leads me to the next point.)
3) damsel in distress, at least one of the times she put herself square into danger all on her own.
4) Graham more than once mentioned his aunt at the bookstore. When she finally goes to see the aunt, does she stay to talk and get info or does she run out in a pelter that seems odd?
I can't see how an entire community would be ok with the library, that the local Historical Society would probably have gotten protected status for due to it's history and age, being torn down/closed. And there is a local college, you can't tell me that NONE of the college students and faculty are picketing and up in arms about it. Does the school not have Poli-Sci as a major/at least a class? NO ONE is interested in conservation of a historic landmark-aged building? It just doesn't ring true.
This isn't a bad book, but I think it needs some more polishing. It has good bones, a good premise and a CinnaRoll of an MC H.
2, not bad maybe needs another round of edits, stars.
As someone who can only write poetry and short stories because I can't go the distance with a full-sized book, I understand how difficult it is to write a book. It's a labor of love. Unfortunately, I didn't love this book.
The MC h is written as too naive. She doesn't think ahead, think of consequences or think to get answers when she has the opportunity to do so.
1) she just eats the charge on her credit card after she realizes her BF stole her card to take another girl out.
2) she agrees to go to his new place to talk (after he has already had the cops called on him for forcing himself into her apartment, so he's shown himself to be violent and unable to let go), tells no one where she is going and apparently doesn't think to do a drive by of the place to make sure it isn't sketchy (she is just there at the beginning of the chapter, we don't see her get there. Did she drive, walk, fly? No clue. But if she drove, then she wouldn't need to be saved by her gargoyle. Which leads me to the next point.)
3) damsel in distress, at least one of the times she put herself square into danger all on her own.
4) Graham more than once mentioned his aunt at the bookstore. When she finally goes to see the aunt, does she stay to talk and get info or does she run out in a pelter that seems odd?
I can't see how an entire community would be ok with the library, that the local Historical Society would probably have gotten protected status for due to it's history and age, being torn down/closed. And there is a local college, you can't tell me that NONE of the college students and faculty are picketing and up in arms about it. Does the school not have Poli-Sci as a major/at least a class? NO ONE is interested in conservation of a historic landmark-aged building? It just doesn't ring true.
This isn't a bad book, but I think it needs some more polishing. It has good bones, a good premise and a CinnaRoll of an MC H.
2, not bad maybe needs another round of edits, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2022
I enjoyed this book very much, especially the fact that is a sweet romance that was plot-focused. I read a lot of romance and have really become bored with the "secretory" descriptions of intense sex scenes. The hero Trey was beyond dreamy, and I could viscerally feel his yearnings for Nancy and frustration with his captivity. The sequential time travel scenes were intriguing and charming as well. The only disappointing moments I had with this book were the occasional lack of detail in certain scenes-one which I allowed to be revealed here. And there was a name switch-which tends to occur whenever the name of two characters begin with the same letter. I'll read the rest of the books in this series, I am very much looking forward to reading Gram's story. :)
April 2, 2025
Awful book. I almost didn't finish it but I don't like DNF-ing books so I suffered through. The sample was decent, if a bit slow and repetitive at times. The author would describe something then say something about it a different way the next sentence or paragraph. But a few pages past the sample, after I paid $4 for it, it took a turn to abysmal writing, boring characters, and the slowest story I've ever read, with the most unsatisfying climax ever.
Our girl Nancy does a lot of sitting and thinking, at one point for an hour while at work! She whispers to and shares her deepest longings with a gargoyle statue at the library she works at while the other librarian actually works. She's very blasé and then something will happen and suddenly she's insanely angry. Like, what?
35% into the story our love interests communicate with each other for the first time. Over a third of the book has been been her pining after *her* gargoyle statue, thinking, keeping her deadbeat ex at bay, wondering if her coworker is into her, and going to the same place at different times in its history in dreams multiple times.
At the 53% mark our lovers have actually spoken to each other with their voices (yes, actually speaking now) FOR THE FIRST TIME. The gargoyle is rather interesting, I didn't mind him at first then found him to be flat as well.
They were so in love with the strongest bond days later. He saved her, and there was a lot more sitting and gazing into his blue orbs (I kid you not, she described his eyes this way twice on that page and more after that. ORBS!), and then the kiss. I don't know if Nancy has a weak grasp on time or if they made out forever but moments after their kiss she wanted to go back in time 10 minutes so she could share their first kiss again. What?
When they face off the evil witch that controls her gargoyle, Treyton, they basically just shout weakly at each other until the witch uses up her own magic and is worn out. That's it. Nancy is a good heroine and convinces the witch to let him go because she could do one last nice thing for someone she cares about.
My favorite part was when the witch was so sick of listening to their pathetic declarations of love that she dramatically gags. Nancy just gazes at her golden orbs though, she has nothing to say about it.
I have never read such a poorly written book and am honestly worried about the self publishing community. Please y'all, hire editors (content, copy, and proof readers) and have someone outside of your own family and best friend read your works. Then take their suggestions to heart because they want the best story out of you.This could have been good, but it was so full of typos, stilted, cheesy dialogue; overly used names, slow pacing, repetitive narrative, and juvenile writing that it was a slog to get through.
Our girl Nancy does a lot of sitting and thinking, at one point for an hour while at work! She whispers to and shares her deepest longings with a gargoyle statue at the library she works at while the other librarian actually works. She's very blasé and then something will happen and suddenly she's insanely angry. Like, what?
35% into the story our love interests communicate with each other for the first time. Over a third of the book has been been her pining after *her* gargoyle statue, thinking, keeping her deadbeat ex at bay, wondering if her coworker is into her, and going to the same place at different times in its history in dreams multiple times.
At the 53% mark our lovers have actually spoken to each other with their voices (yes, actually speaking now) FOR THE FIRST TIME. The gargoyle is rather interesting, I didn't mind him at first then found him to be flat as well.
They were so in love with the strongest bond days later. He saved her, and there was a lot more sitting and gazing into his blue orbs (I kid you not, she described his eyes this way twice on that page and more after that. ORBS!), and then the kiss. I don't know if Nancy has a weak grasp on time or if they made out forever but moments after their kiss she wanted to go back in time 10 minutes so she could share their first kiss again. What?
When they face off the evil witch that controls her gargoyle, Treyton, they basically just shout weakly at each other until the witch uses up her own magic and is worn out. That's it. Nancy is a good heroine and convinces the witch to let him go because she could do one last nice thing for someone she cares about.
My favorite part was when the witch was so sick of listening to their pathetic declarations of love that she dramatically gags. Nancy just gazes at her golden orbs though, she has nothing to say about it.
I have never read such a poorly written book and am honestly worried about the self publishing community. Please y'all, hire editors (content, copy, and proof readers) and have someone outside of your own family and best friend read your works. Then take their suggestions to heart because they want the best story out of you.This could have been good, but it was so full of typos, stilted, cheesy dialogue; overly used names, slow pacing, repetitive narrative, and juvenile writing that it was a slog to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2022
Nancy is a young woman who loves books and works in a Library. Nancy is having problems with her live-in boyfriend. In the opener, Nancy gets a call from the bank stating that her card has been charged with a rather large sum. Nancy knows right away what happened. Her boyfriend has taken her card without permission once again.
I loved it when she confronts him. She kicks him out of the house and then throws his things out the window. This tickled me pink. I could just see the whole thing playing out in my head and boy did I laugh. I was so proud of her. Nancy seems to be one tough cookie. She knows what she wants and she is not afraid to go after it.
Boyfriend problems are not the only thing bothering Nancy at the moment she is looking for another job as she is afraid that hers is about to play out. Oh, and let's not forget to mention the weird dreams she has been having lately.
Whenever she enters dreamland she goes to the same place every time. Well, maybe not the exact same place but at least the same town but it seems that there is a time difference of sorts.
Her dreams take her back to a time before the library was built. In dreamland, Nancy’s daydreams seem to come to life. Nancy dreams of meeting her one true love. Nancy falls deeper and deeper in love with the man of her dreams each night.
Stone Guardian is a magical, enthralling read filled with love and romance. The world-building was immaculately well done leaving everything to the imagination and so easy to see with my little mind's eye. I can just picture the little village, the stone water fountain and all the people and their clothing and the buildings. Oh, what a thrilling story that will leave your heart feeling all warm and cozy.
I can’t wait to read more in this new series Masonry, Magic, and Love. With that title, it leaves you wondering about what comes next. Who and what creatures are coming next and where is their story going to be? Masonry, Magic, and Love, how many new worlds could it contain? How many new and wonderful characters could there be?
So, so many questions are left unanswered. So many unanswered questions for this magical world of Stone Guardian as well. Some of the answers can be found between the pages of Stone Guardian. Grab your copy of Stone Guardian today for some of the answers and more!
I loved it when she confronts him. She kicks him out of the house and then throws his things out the window. This tickled me pink. I could just see the whole thing playing out in my head and boy did I laugh. I was so proud of her. Nancy seems to be one tough cookie. She knows what she wants and she is not afraid to go after it.
Boyfriend problems are not the only thing bothering Nancy at the moment she is looking for another job as she is afraid that hers is about to play out. Oh, and let's not forget to mention the weird dreams she has been having lately.
Whenever she enters dreamland she goes to the same place every time. Well, maybe not the exact same place but at least the same town but it seems that there is a time difference of sorts.
Her dreams take her back to a time before the library was built. In dreamland, Nancy’s daydreams seem to come to life. Nancy dreams of meeting her one true love. Nancy falls deeper and deeper in love with the man of her dreams each night.
Stone Guardian is a magical, enthralling read filled with love and romance. The world-building was immaculately well done leaving everything to the imagination and so easy to see with my little mind's eye. I can just picture the little village, the stone water fountain and all the people and their clothing and the buildings. Oh, what a thrilling story that will leave your heart feeling all warm and cozy.
I can’t wait to read more in this new series Masonry, Magic, and Love. With that title, it leaves you wondering about what comes next. Who and what creatures are coming next and where is their story going to be? Masonry, Magic, and Love, how many new worlds could it contain? How many new and wonderful characters could there be?
So, so many questions are left unanswered. So many unanswered questions for this magical world of Stone Guardian as well. Some of the answers can be found between the pages of Stone Guardian. Grab your copy of Stone Guardian today for some of the answers and more!
May 14, 2022
Fantastic modern-day fairy tale!
I was hooked by this 3-book series, and read all 3 in a marathon of less than two days. The books were different, intriguing and worth the cost and effort. The love between Nancy (an abused mortal librarian) & Treyton (a gargoyle hiding from his witch, Selene) is interesting, enchanting, and action-packed. The author's descriptive style provides the reader with rich visual imagery. One of the best series I've encountered and one which should appeal to readers from middle school to adulthood.
I was hooked by this 3-book series, and read all 3 in a marathon of less than two days. The books were different, intriguing and worth the cost and effort. The love between Nancy (an abused mortal librarian) & Treyton (a gargoyle hiding from his witch, Selene) is interesting, enchanting, and action-packed. The author's descriptive style provides the reader with rich visual imagery. One of the best series I've encountered and one which should appeal to readers from middle school to adulthood.
March 17, 2025
This was such a sweet and unique story. Nancy is a librarian who “talks” to the gargoyles there (I absolutely can imagine myself doing this!) and imagine her surprise when one of them comes to her rescue! Oh Trey, I really felt for him - he was such a sweet gargoyle. If you love paranormal romance with NO spice, I would give this a read!
✨What To Expect:
🏡Small Town
💖Sweet Paranormal Romance
💙Gargoyle Shifters
🪄Magical Library & Town
📚She’s A Human Librarian
🫣He’s A Cursed Gargoyle In Hiding
🚫No Spice
💕Heart Warming HEA
✨What To Expect:
🏡Small Town
💖Sweet Paranormal Romance
💙Gargoyle Shifters
🪄Magical Library & Town
📚She’s A Human Librarian
🫣He’s A Cursed Gargoyle In Hiding
🚫No Spice
💕Heart Warming HEA
September 6, 2023
Nancy and her gargoyle
It’s a must read, it follows our FL Nancy whom has had an attraction to the gargoyle at the front of her desk at the library, she does talk to him etc.
It does throw you back in the past w Nancy dream/time traveling
Ofc there’s always someone or something ‘evil’ ‘mean’ behind the scene, you’ll fall in love too with ‘her gargoyle’ as well.
Give it a try!
It’s a must read, it follows our FL Nancy whom has had an attraction to the gargoyle at the front of her desk at the library, she does talk to him etc.
It does throw you back in the past w Nancy dream/time traveling
Ofc there’s always someone or something ‘evil’ ‘mean’ behind the scene, you’ll fall in love too with ‘her gargoyle’ as well.
Give it a try!
September 23, 2023
A lighthearted, easy read. I hope to read the rest of the series.
September 23, 2023
The story is wonderful, the characters are great and lovable, and the best part is the story continues on. This is a good beginning to a marvelous series.
March 20, 2024
It was okay but needs more work to fix it up. It took forever for Nancy and the gargoyle to actually have a conversation. Apparently, he could talk to her both telepathically and for real yet for all the months she talked to him, he never replied. I don’t get how Nancy could be in love with him when he finally does communicate as he never communicated before so she knows absolutely nothing about him except he “listened to her”. Seems like some sort of trauma issue that she’s had men or other people never listen to her so the first person to listen to her she’s going to fall in love with?! Even though he didn’t even communicate back?! There was ample opportunity.
Why were the dreams even necessary? He said it was so he could communicate with Nancy yet for all the dreams she had he only talked to her and showed himself to her very very briefly in two dreams. And why would he have her dream and communicate with all the other townspeople in the past when really they were not necessary for the story? Didn’t make sense.
The whole boyfriend thing was unnecessary too as he wasn’t really part of the story was just a side problem she had to deal with and she didn’t really deal with it, he just got scared after seeing the gargoyle and he threatened him.
It was also unrealistic for the library to be sold and being cleared out within a day. Most libraries are run by the county they’re in, not privately owned. I’d have to do some research to see if a privately owned public library exists. I don’t think they do. But a property cannot be sold in one day. Paperwork has to be done for the contract first, then it goes to the title company and lender (if there is one), title searches, lien searches etc need to be done. Even in a cash transaction, depending on what state it’s in is going to take AT LEAST a week to do. I work in real estate and have bought property in two states.
Also it’s unrealistic that a historic society didn’t get involved considering the age of the property. They would have protested the destruction of the property. The townspeople likely would have protested its destruction as well and not one single person did. Except for Nancy’s pitiful crying to the movers. She needed to call the county, the city, the historical societies etc and never did.
What was the point of Aunt Opal? It sounded like she was going to be a witch but that never happened. She added nothing to the story but she was built up like she was going to be..
Why were the dreams even necessary? He said it was so he could communicate with Nancy yet for all the dreams she had he only talked to her and showed himself to her very very briefly in two dreams. And why would he have her dream and communicate with all the other townspeople in the past when really they were not necessary for the story? Didn’t make sense.
The whole boyfriend thing was unnecessary too as he wasn’t really part of the story was just a side problem she had to deal with and she didn’t really deal with it, he just got scared after seeing the gargoyle and he threatened him.
It was also unrealistic for the library to be sold and being cleared out within a day. Most libraries are run by the county they’re in, not privately owned. I’d have to do some research to see if a privately owned public library exists. I don’t think they do. But a property cannot be sold in one day. Paperwork has to be done for the contract first, then it goes to the title company and lender (if there is one), title searches, lien searches etc need to be done. Even in a cash transaction, depending on what state it’s in is going to take AT LEAST a week to do. I work in real estate and have bought property in two states.
Also it’s unrealistic that a historic society didn’t get involved considering the age of the property. They would have protested the destruction of the property. The townspeople likely would have protested its destruction as well and not one single person did. Except for Nancy’s pitiful crying to the movers. She needed to call the county, the city, the historical societies etc and never did.
What was the point of Aunt Opal? It sounded like she was going to be a witch but that never happened. She added nothing to the story but she was built up like she was going to be..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2023
Stone Guardian😍
Loved this book. A unique story I fell in love with. The characters are wonderful, story line exceptional, Trey and Nancy's adventure is outstanding. Thank you for a wonderful read.😁
Loved this book. A unique story I fell in love with. The characters are wonderful, story line exceptional, Trey and Nancy's adventure is outstanding. Thank you for a wonderful read.😁
August 9, 2023
Well-written NA fantasy romance! I enjoyed this sweet story. Not only is it clean, there are gargoyles. I thought it took the heroine a while to figure things out, but it seemed to fit her personality. The book world is also pretty interesting. If you're looking for a short, clean fantasy/paranormal romance, then try this one.
October 20, 2023
I bought the book and it is with my other Gargoyle books 📚
August 2, 2023
A great read! Very sweet!
July 15, 2023
Gayle Katz doesn't just write, she takes the reader by the hand and guides us onto the thrill ride of never ending adventure.
From the start to the fantastic end, you'll never want it to stop.
There's a few times I thought I knew what was going to happen. I was actually more delighted with the twist of the 'scene'. All twists just makes it more interesting.
The characters are amazing and the relationships between them works completely.
She weaves the storyline that flows perfectly. You won't be disappointed. Trust me, I read at least 45 books each month.
I've not seen many books with Gargoyle's and I believe I got the perfect one.
I definitely recommend this to any one that enjoys fantasy, with Gargoyle's, humans - of course - a Witch and a bit of time travel, this is the trip through reading-ville you'll not want to miss.
From the start to the fantastic end, you'll never want it to stop.
There's a few times I thought I knew what was going to happen. I was actually more delighted with the twist of the 'scene'. All twists just makes it more interesting.
The characters are amazing and the relationships between them works completely.
She weaves the storyline that flows perfectly. You won't be disappointed. Trust me, I read at least 45 books each month.
I've not seen many books with Gargoyle's and I believe I got the perfect one.
I definitely recommend this to any one that enjoys fantasy, with Gargoyle's, humans - of course - a Witch and a bit of time travel, this is the trip through reading-ville you'll not want to miss.
July 30, 2023
Excellent story
This is a fantastic story of romance and drama. Choosing unselfish love in the face of grave danger makes this story exceptional.
This is a fantastic story of romance and drama. Choosing unselfish love in the face of grave danger makes this story exceptional.
March 15, 2023
This was not my favorite book. There was way too much telling versus showing, interspersed with brief spates of dialogue and even briefer action scenes. POV switches abounded. Most of the book consisted of internal angst by the protagonist. I became very tired of the protagonist’s name repeated over and over in a paragraph. Another issue was Nancy referring to “her gargoyle” repeatedly. It’s in human nature to give names to things/places/people when the true name is unknown. The book was billed as a sweet romance, and it was. Way too sweet for my taste.
August 10, 2023
Nancy works at the old Victorian library, it has stone gargoyles all around. She talks to her favorite one by her desk, unaware he can hear her. Strange things happen and Nancy is there for it. To find out more please read the book.
May 25, 2023
I felt engaged with the characters, wanting my happy ending, which I got, but wasn't expecting that type of ending.
The story kept me wanting to read, didn't want to put it down.
The story kept me wanting to read, didn't want to put it down.
Read
July 17, 2023A one day story.
Excellent story. Read it in one day. Couldn't put it down. Very interesting story line. Good to the very end.
Excellent story. Read it in one day. Couldn't put it down. Very interesting story line. Good to the very end.
February 27, 2025
Cozy small town paranormal romance with a sweet gargoyle who resides in a library, this book was a much-needed pallet cleanser from the normal dark romance that I typically read. If you grew up watching the Gargoyles cartoon and now you like paranormal shows like charmed mixed with a sweet, no spice, HEA romance and hallmark vibes, then this is for you!!
This story follows Nancy, a college student who works in a library in her small town to pass the town. After she catches her a$$ of a boyfriend cheating on her and using HER credit card to take the other girl out, she fears that her issues may be compounded by the possibility of loosing her job due to budget cuts. One thing she takes solace in, is the gargoyle statue that is located next to her desk in the library. She finds herself talking to it and telling her struggles in an attempt to make sense of it all. After a bout of low feelings, she makes a wish at a fountain with a coin. Soon she learns that her wish may come true in ways that she could have never anticipated… Treyton, the gargoyle… is ALIVE and has a magical past.
I know that this is a paranormal romance, so the basics of the story are meant to be supernatural that defy the laws of the natural world. That being said, some of the plot points seemed a smidge unrealistic. For example, the FMC fell in love with essentially a statue (as far as she knew) that she treated as a sounding board for the things going on in her life. No indication that this statue was supernatural or could possibly be anything other than stone until one day when the gargoyle speaks a snippet to her telepathically. It’s hard to understand how the feelings on her side of the relationship could be so strong with absolutely NO reciprocation. The FMC just seemed a little naïve and timid. But overall, I did enjoy the story and it was a pleasant read.
This story follows Nancy, a college student who works in a library in her small town to pass the town. After she catches her a$$ of a boyfriend cheating on her and using HER credit card to take the other girl out, she fears that her issues may be compounded by the possibility of loosing her job due to budget cuts. One thing she takes solace in, is the gargoyle statue that is located next to her desk in the library. She finds herself talking to it and telling her struggles in an attempt to make sense of it all. After a bout of low feelings, she makes a wish at a fountain with a coin. Soon she learns that her wish may come true in ways that she could have never anticipated… Treyton, the gargoyle… is ALIVE and has a magical past.
I know that this is a paranormal romance, so the basics of the story are meant to be supernatural that defy the laws of the natural world. That being said, some of the plot points seemed a smidge unrealistic. For example, the FMC fell in love with essentially a statue (as far as she knew) that she treated as a sounding board for the things going on in her life. No indication that this statue was supernatural or could possibly be anything other than stone until one day when the gargoyle speaks a snippet to her telepathically. It’s hard to understand how the feelings on her side of the relationship could be so strong with absolutely NO reciprocation. The FMC just seemed a little naïve and timid. But overall, I did enjoy the story and it was a pleasant read.
July 17, 2024
DNF - quit at 64%
I tried, have been trying to read this for days, I keep putting it down, cause I get frustrated, but it doesn’t get any better each time I pick it back up. Way too many plot holes to even keep track of, that messed up the flow of the story. There's a point where the book just seems to ramble on about different things & then the writer keeps adding things that don’t help move the story forward, but instead just muddle it into confusion. The story got lost in too many side things/characters going on. She truly doesn’t “speak” to the gargoyle until somewhere around the 50% point (up until then- only endless staring at him up high & her pouring out her life to the statue like he’s her diary), when he finally speaks -in her mind, one small little blip, she freaks out thinking she’s crazy. How can she feel she loves (as that’s what it’s portrayed as -love) a statue type creation without mutual physical or emotional contact -with him? That’s like saying a person is in love with their diary where they write all their deep secrets that they don’t share with anyone else. I just lost interest (sorry, but that seems to be the problem with all the DNF’s I’ve been reading lately). Luckily this was free on Amazon, but I’ll be deleting it from my library.
At my age (approaching 62), life is way to short & my time is to important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
I tried, have been trying to read this for days, I keep putting it down, cause I get frustrated, but it doesn’t get any better each time I pick it back up. Way too many plot holes to even keep track of, that messed up the flow of the story. There's a point where the book just seems to ramble on about different things & then the writer keeps adding things that don’t help move the story forward, but instead just muddle it into confusion. The story got lost in too many side things/characters going on. She truly doesn’t “speak” to the gargoyle until somewhere around the 50% point (up until then- only endless staring at him up high & her pouring out her life to the statue like he’s her diary), when he finally speaks -in her mind, one small little blip, she freaks out thinking she’s crazy. How can she feel she loves (as that’s what it’s portrayed as -love) a statue type creation without mutual physical or emotional contact -with him? That’s like saying a person is in love with their diary where they write all their deep secrets that they don’t share with anyone else. I just lost interest (sorry, but that seems to be the problem with all the DNF’s I’ve been reading lately). Luckily this was free on Amazon, but I’ll be deleting it from my library.
At my age (approaching 62), life is way to short & my time is to important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
March 11, 2025
If you're in the mood for a romance filled with intrigue and swoon-worthy moments but prefer your stories without the spicy details, then Stone Guardian by Gayle Katz is the book you've been looking for. This "romantasy" with elements of time travel or is it astral projection? Not too sure which works best in this situation, but anyway, it will captivate readers who love a slow-burn romance with a touch of the supernatural.
Nancy is a librarian and she works at one nifty library that has gargoyles. One particularly special gargoyle catches her attention, and she affectionately claims it as her own, even talking to it and giving this inanimate stone creature a lot of details about her life. However, this gargoyle is not just a lifeless statue, it holds secrets and has a story of its own.
Without giving too much away, Stone Guardian offers a sweet romance about Nancy and her mysterious stone companion. Nancy has quite a story of her own in this book as she’s struggling with an ex-boyfriend and career troubles. I mean, honestly, her life is messed up and her job is unsteady she could really use a strong, hard shoulder to lean on.
Nancy is a librarian and she works at one nifty library that has gargoyles. One particularly special gargoyle catches her attention, and she affectionately claims it as her own, even talking to it and giving this inanimate stone creature a lot of details about her life. However, this gargoyle is not just a lifeless statue, it holds secrets and has a story of its own.
Without giving too much away, Stone Guardian offers a sweet romance about Nancy and her mysterious stone companion. Nancy has quite a story of her own in this book as she’s struggling with an ex-boyfriend and career troubles. I mean, honestly, her life is messed up and her job is unsteady she could really use a strong, hard shoulder to lean on.
March 5, 2023
I enjoyed the storyline, it was an introduction to a new fantasy genre for me, my first time reading about gargoyles.
Nancy is a student that sometimes lives in the clouds, she is a dreamer who followed her instincts to a town, fell in love with the library where gargoyles decorate the beautiful building facade and she secures a job there.
She finds herself confiding her deepest secrets to the gargoyle closest to the main desk.
Dating a loser, Nancy finally comes to her senses and leaves him in order to make way for more positivity in her life.
As Nancy’s life becomes more stressful, she begins to have extremely vivid dreams. Soon, she is sleep deprived and wonders if she is losing her grip on reality, finding the line between dreams and daytime are suddenly blurred.
Treyton reveals himself to Nancy, altering her path with unconditional love.
I enjoyed the dream portions of the story, it was fun. I didn't want the story to end.
Nancy is a student that sometimes lives in the clouds, she is a dreamer who followed her instincts to a town, fell in love with the library where gargoyles decorate the beautiful building facade and she secures a job there.
She finds herself confiding her deepest secrets to the gargoyle closest to the main desk.
Dating a loser, Nancy finally comes to her senses and leaves him in order to make way for more positivity in her life.
As Nancy’s life becomes more stressful, she begins to have extremely vivid dreams. Soon, she is sleep deprived and wonders if she is losing her grip on reality, finding the line between dreams and daytime are suddenly blurred.
Treyton reveals himself to Nancy, altering her path with unconditional love.
I enjoyed the dream portions of the story, it was fun. I didn't want the story to end.
March 9, 2025
I loved this book! Ohhh my lord! It was amazing! It’s was so cute! And absolutely so freaking sweet to read, like my heart was melting with Nancy and Trey! It has no spice, which I don’t mind. I will admit, I did kinda guess a certain something that happens, but anyone who knows me knows I can’t resist and I have a problem with doing that! 😂😭 but that didn’t stop me from absolutely loving this book! It was such a nice cozy read, it’s very cold, windy, and cloudy, where I live right now and this book was perfect for this day to read. I couldn’t put it down! This book kinda reminded me of the Grimm legacy a little bit, I read it in 5th grade so it gave me a little bit of nostalgia! But by all means they don’t have anything in common, except that the main character works at a library lol. Anywho, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! I give this book 5 stars! It was so cute and cozy and definitely an amazing read!
September 9, 2025
To be fair, I practically DNF'd this one as I started reading VERY diagonally about 2/3 through. But, like with any bad tv soap opera where you can still follow along with the main story even after not watching it for weeks on end, you also didn't need to reach every single page of this book to know what was going on.
Though I loved the premise and storyline, the writing could have used another editing round or 2-3, which imho is what took away from the actual magic.
- characters were very one-sided
- POV jumped from 3rd person to omniscient
- writing was rather simple and bland, almost child-like
- there was lots of "chuckling" and "giggling" going on
- character actions and what they said contradicted each other
- too much telling; not enough showing
Though I loved the premise and storyline, the writing could have used another editing round or 2-3, which imho is what took away from the actual magic.
- characters were very one-sided
- POV jumped from 3rd person to omniscient
- writing was rather simple and bland, almost child-like
- there was lots of "chuckling" and "giggling" going on
- character actions and what they said contradicted each other
- too much telling; not enough showing
November 21, 2023
No steam and no spice, but there is an overly sappy overtone, with too many adjectives. If I had to read another sentence about strong arms, etc, I probably would have given up. As it was, I skimmed over too much of the descriptive content.
No editing mistakes, but in need of an editing pass. I think that too much of the story and "character development" was told instead of shown. The story had potential, but I'm not interested in reading any more of this series.
No editing mistakes, but in need of an editing pass. I think that too much of the story and "character development" was told instead of shown. The story had potential, but I'm not interested in reading any more of this series.
February 22, 2025
I just couldn't get into this story. The writing style was repetitive and was more telling outright than really feeling what characters were thinking and showing. It's about 50% in when the gargoand her actually talk outise if these mysterious dreams that they share. Side characters are quite weak. The idea sounded very compelling but in the end fell flat and watered down for me. I began skimming it.
March 3, 2023
I loved the concept of this book and the writing was great. I just wished it would not have taken so much of the book for the two main characters to interact. Thus my three star rating. I wanted more of them together. Now perhaps since this is the first in the series there was more set up of characters for the remaining books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews