This is not what I expected, I thought Aubrey was just going to summon a ghost. This book is so much more. She does have a ghost friend, Finn, who can only communicate by fogging up glass or mirrors and can only talk in one or two word sentences. My favourite character is Moe, a baby demon who loves furry lollipops. Then there is Roman who has a job to do but he doesn’t want to complete it this time. I really like this story and loved the ending.I hope they will be in the other books. I do want to see if Stella and Lucas get married. I also want to know what is going to happen next in Wickwood. I would recommend this book and series. I plan to read the other books now that I have finished reading this book. I received a free book and the views and opinions are my own. ( )

Ghost of a Summoning by J.E. McDonald. An ER book. 3rd in the Wickwood Chronicles. Aubrey Karle (roommate of Stella, heroine of the previous book in the series) runs an antique store. Since she has been haunted since childhood by the ghost of a 12 year old boy and her roomie is a witch, she's well aware of the paranormal. Roman Milone is a demon hunter trying to prevent a prophecy from coming true. Insta-attraction, pretty close to insta-love, a mystery, and stopping the apocalypse make for a decent story. I personally found the sex scenes overwrought and over-long, but others might enjoy them more. I will think twice before requesting any more of this series through Early Reviewers.

Ghost of a Summoning is the third book in the Wickwood Chronicles series of paranormal romances. Aubrey Karle runs an antique store in the town of Wickwood. She is no stranger to the supernatural. Her best friend is a witch and a ghost of a young boy has been her invisible friend since she was a child. When a mysterious stranger answers her ad for an assistant, she is immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, her ghostly companion reacts very negatively to his presence.

A prophecy of doom has led demon hunter Roman Milone back to his hometown of Wickwood. He is dismayed to discover his target is a sweet antique store owner with a soul as bright and beautiful as she is. When a danger from her past, and a deadly threat from his, puts everyone in danger, can Roman and Aubrey find a way to keep the prophecy from coming true?

While this book contains characters from the previous books in the series, and refers to earlier events, it is not necessary to have read them to enjoy this novel. I like this series, and am intrigued to see what happens next in Wickwood. I really enjoyed Roman’s little demon companion. I had a similar problem with this book as with the previous one. The author gives her characters a pretty full history, which I appreciate. However, I find that the issues and motivations her main characters have aren’t fully explained by their backstory.
This book contains some explicit sex, but not excessive. ( )

I love returning to the town of Wickwood. This third book in the Wickwood Chronicles can be read as stand-alone as an excellent job was done by the author to link back to previous books. This is Aubrey's book. She's a struggling business woman with a 12-year old friend who's a ghost - Finn. Finn's pledged to help protect Aubrey and he does a good job but more help is needed and comes in the, first reluctant, form of Roman, a demon hunter. Bree and Zack, from the first book, play supporting roles but Stella and Lucas, from the second book, are more strongly inserted as Aubrey's friends and protectors. Roman has the difficult, often unknown and thankless, job of ridding the world of demons. He fears that his soul is becoming tainted by the work he's been called to do. But he can't walk away. He also feels that prohibits him from being a decent enough person to have friends or a special relationship. Roman also has a little friend and helper but he's even more unique than Aubrey's little ghost friend. This is not a short read but I must admit that I enjoyed the whole of it, with all it's twists and turns. Ander Martinez, the enigmatic FBI agent and brother to Lucas, also returns with his team to help rid the world of evil - and his job appears on-going as evil is forever popping up everywhere. Although there is a conclusion to this e-book, the evil continues and I'm looking forward to future books in this series. ( )

The Ghost Summoning by J.E. McDonald (2021)
Reviewed by: Patricia M. Muhammad
Date: October 02, 2021

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*
(To avoid major spoilers, read only the first and last two paragraphs of this review)

**I received this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The Ghost Summoning is a magical realism, paranormal romance primarily set in the fictional town of Wickwood. The author prepares the reader from the outset that the story will contain supernatural elements and prepares a literary framework for ensuing action sequences. The story begins with the protagonist, an awkward, but determined young woman named Aubrey Karle. She owns and operates an antique store named Relics. The protagonist purchased the property and its inventory using her inheritance from her adoptive mother and father. Her heritage, or the lack thereof becomes a pivotal part of the plot. The social services system placed her in foster care where she was haunted by a ghost named Finn. He never materializes in any discernible form. He remains the age of twelve forever while his self-designated charge, Aubrey, is now a grown woman. Finn promised Aubrey long ago that he would never leave Aubrey until he knew she was safe. Over time, Aubrey does not know exactly what he means by this. He communicates with her through phrases, shorthand or using his ability to move tangible objects in the real world. Although McDonald does not directly explain what type of ghost he is, Finn has the characteristics of a poltergeist. Aubrey has a best friend named Stella who can sense ghosts and types of energy. It is later revealed that Aubrey's best friend is also a witch. Early in the story, Aubrey receives a strange artifact with ancient symbols on them. It is delivered in a crate with an address and sender that after Aubrey's research, appears to fictional. She stores it in the stock room and nearly forgets about the relic. It becomes a crucial piece in the paranormal enigma that the author carefully guides the reader to help solve.

One day while Aubrey is opening the store, she is greeted by a tall, handsome and muscular stranger, who always carried two knives strapped to his body. She is surprised by his presence as he does not appear to be the antique or delicate porcelain buying sort. Roman has one intention, to find the source of a prophecy and to permanently disarm it. The prophecy was iterated long ago by a fallen angel named Gusion. He speaks of an orphan who has the ability to open a pathway that would unleash hell on earth, leading to the destruction of Wickwood and its inhabitants. From what Roman understands, Aubrey is his next target. The story shifts from Aubrey's inconsistent relationship with Finn, to Roman Milone's history. He is a demonologist and a demon hunter. Roman was a member of the Foreign Legion. He has practical combat skills and is able to successfully protect himself and others at a moment's notice—even if it involves the paranormal. He accepts his assignments through a local parish called Our Lady of Sacrifice. A priest by the name of Robertson usually doles out his assignments; that is to assess, identify and destroy demons. Roman learned most of what he knows about these entities due to his father, Grant Milone. Milone lost his mother and father when he was young. His father was friends with a man named Jude who also worked for the local church. Roman witnessed his father die at a young age at the hand of a great demon named Aym. Roman never forgave Jude who was at the battle. He is reluctant to trust Jude. During this battle, Aym, claims Roman and leaves a scar on his forearm. Milone believes he is forever tainted. This evil touch allows for him to detect demons nearby, which makes him more adequately skilled in combating and destroying them. The author makes a distinction between air demons, fire demons and earth demons. Air demons can easily possess human without being easily detected. Fire demons are "fully- formed, solid, and intelligent, making nests in homes of the unfortunates who thought there would be some gain in making a deal with evil." Their skin is "…red and cracked, their postures hunched." Earth demons bury themselves far into the ground.

Long ago, Roman encounters a demon born of a human as a result of one of his assignments. Its human mother died during childbirth. The demon has a huge appetite and changes colours like a chameleon which reflects the emotional state he is in. It also has the ability to make itself disappear and hide in plain sight. Moe can speak multiple languages of his realm, though he is not tainted by hell. However, Moe has difficulty speaking, especially when he is distracted by hunger, which is most of the time. The manner in which he filters his understanding of words is descriptions manifests through television and observation and translates in a sort of 'Yoda' speak. The author was able to make Moe a sympathetic character whose natural reactions and responses to things are amusing. When Roman found Moe as a babe, he was able to assess that Moe was not evil. The author makes an interesting distinction between Moe and humans. Aym's touch also provided Roman with the gift of reading souls. Thus, Milone can readily tell if someone has a higher degree of darkness or light. Moe, who was born a demon, technically has no soul, yet his master was able to determine that Moe was not tainted.

After Roman's initial encounter with Aubrey, comprised of her falling onto him due to her own clumsiness; he is able to easily read her. She is full of light, a near pure soul. He easily becomes conflicted with the prophecy, the entire purpose why he returned to Wickwood. Moe is ready to help Roman, whom he calls "Ro" to implement his mission. Roman provides different instructions that Moe will help him protect Aubrey instead of kill her. This was the last assignment that the dying Robertson gave Roman. Roman had promised he would carry it out. Aubrey and Roman have an intense and mutual attraction towards one another. Aubrey directly confronts Roman with how she feels, each time regretting it, thinking her behaviour is unacceptable, especially when Roman keeps reminding her that someone else would be better for her. Aubrey's ghost Finn does not like her new acquaintance. Nevertheless, Aubrey hires Roman to work part time at the antique shop. His primary goal is to protect Aubrey. He knows that people are after her. Finn, her childhood ghost, wishes to protect her as well—from Roman.

Aubrey's best friend, Stella, visits the store on a near daily basis. When she is first introduced to Roman, Aubrey realized that they had known one another before. Roman had not only worked for the local parish, he consulted with a private company owned by the Lillers family. They too, investigate paranormal happenings, and with Stella's gifts with ghosts, she and Roman have encountered one another on more than one previous occasion. At some point, Aubrey and Roman begin to physically acknowledge their attraction to one another. During one of their bouts of passion in the store, Roman notices the content of the crate. He tells Aubrey that he knows someone who can translate the symbols on it. Roman takes the relic vase to Jude at the church that he accepts his assignments from.

Finn communicates to Aubrey that she is in danger. She finds his messages indecipherable and confusing. Finn becomes upset and begins to destroy nearly all of her inventory. Aubrey calls Stella. She cannot understand what he speaks, but only that Finn is upset. Aubrey thinks that it may be due time for Stella to help Finn to crossover to the other side. Due to Finn's actions, Aubrey seeks to restock her store with antiquities. She and Roman takes her car to an estate sale on the outskirts of town. They have an eerie feeling after they arrive from the man hosting the sale. Roman and Aubrey decide to immediately leave. They are then tailed by another driver and hit. The car is steered off the road and into a ditch. Roman uses his survival skills to save her and move her car to a safe location. Aubrey suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. Their accident triggered the latter. Roman helps her breathe through it and help her mind to return to the present. He is more determined than before to protect her. Moe reminds Roman of the prophecy and Orphan Karle. Others intertwined in the story, a social worker, an FBI agent and Jude, help unravel the mystery of Orphan Karle. Aubrey does her own investigation and finds out that she had a brother. Aubrey and this half-sibling shared the same mother but had different fathers. This half-sibling was pure evil and physically harmed Aubrey when she was a child. The system decided to separate the two for Aubrey's safety. Ever since then, Aubrey has been living her own life, making her own dreams come true and moving forward—until now. Roman now believes Orphan Karle in the prophecy referred to Aubrey's brother not her. As Aubrey and Roman grow closer together, he continues to accept his paranormal assignments. Aubrey demands to accompany Roman on one. There is a shed on the back of the property. A dead woman and a demon's nest. It was more evidence that her half-sibling, Shawn, was a devil-worshiper and summoning evil entities for years. He was also using his devil worship to help track down his innocent half-sister, Aubrey. After kidnapping or conspiring in her false imprisonment, Shawn planned on using his demon associates to kill her. Aubrey becomes unconscious from witnessing the remains of the scene. Once again, Roman rescues her. When she awakens, it is the first time she encounters Moe. Moe can understand many languages, but his innocence and curiosity causes him to sometimes disobey Roman. Roman takes her home with him and Moe. The investigation and pursuit of demons continue.

Aubrey, Roman and the rest visit another person, Celeste who has a higher capability of communicating with ghosts. Finn's death is explained. The ghost's mysterious messages on Aubrey's windshield when she and Roman were ran off the road become clear. Her half-sibling had been stalking and tracking her for years and sought revenge for something she was not responsible for. Roman and Aubrey continue to become closer. As they prepare themselves for intimacy, Aubrey notices the scars on Roman's chest and the rest of his upper body. She is shocked. She had grown to care for him deeply and it hurt her that he would intentionally place himself in grave danger on numerous occasions. Roman is prepared for rejection. As it was when he initially encountered her light, he believed he would never be good enough for her. Aubrey only wanted to please him as much as he did her that day in the antique store. She displays compassionate affection towards his scars. Roman still doesn't understand why such a beautiful and good-hearted woman would ever want someone like him. She continues. In this moment, the author alludes to the scars that Roman and Aubrey share. Although many of his can are physically visible, he has unseen wounds. It is these that they have in common: both have supernatural entities as unexpected companions, both lost their family when they were young, both suffer from panic attacks, both sought purpose in their endeavours and both needed each other to heal and evolve. The author mentions Aubrey's passing thought of "She’d always wished for family but hadn’t ever imagined a homicidal sibling." Aubrey and Roman, along with Moe, had become their own new family. When Roman realizes that they love each other it only strengthens his resolve to protect Aubrey even more. He does not like it when she disobeys his request for her to not be alone. Eventually she realizes that " Beside him was the best, the safest, place for her to be—" Now, she does not like it when he accepts these dangerous missions to destroy demons. Yet, each allow for the other to be who they are in their natural state, with the author poignantly stating that Aubrey did not want to change him.

The next day, Roman receives a new assignment from the church. He leaves Moe to protect Aubrey. Roman expects Aubrey to stay at home or work only, but when she receives a call from Jude she does the opposite. He lures her to the church informing her that he understands the symbols and wanted her and Roman to be there when it is opened. She is hesitant, but acquiesces to his request. Meanwhile, Roman realizes that his new assignment was a ruse. After all this time, Finn reappears with messages informing Milone that Aubrey's in trouble at the church. Other authorities, as well as Stella are there. Roman enters and witnesses unconscious parishioners. He ventures to the lower level. The demon-hunter witnesses a dramatic scene, and Aubrey, the only one he has ever truly loved is at the center. A portal which allows for demons to enter this realm is opened by a device. It is the same one that caused an unfortunate incident in Aubrey's antique store a year or so ago. General Aym emerges in partial human form. Fire demons are sprawled in the shadows everywhere against the wall. Aubrey is bound. Jude is present. Roman needs to save Aubrey. His initial strategy of killing off the demons did not work. Shawn taunts Aubrey and admits his elabourate scheme was because he blames her for their mother's mental illness. Their mother is schizophrenic and he believes Aubrey was the reason she was in her incurable and criminal mental state. Aubrey was innocent and knew nothing of her mother's delusions or mental incapacity, she was an orphan as well. Her half-sibling reveals that he was never an orphan, which reverts Aubrey as the center of the prophecy again. Aym manipulates everyone by trying to make a deal with Roman. Moe had secretly followed Aubrey by using his invisibility powers. The fire demons now had innocent Moe in a trance. Roman pledges himself for Moe and Aubrey, but only if Aym kills Shawn immediately. He does. Shawn receives the fiery end that he always deserved. Aubrey tries to find a way to save Roman. Aymn directs Moe to feast on Jude or Aubrey. Aubrey breaks the relic vase. A large crack begins to overtake the land. Demons with weapons emerge. Fire demons and the rest, including Jude are sucked in. Aubrey was able to free herself and hold onto Roman. Roman thinks it is too late, but somehow Aubrey saves him. Aubrey was untainted and therefore could not enter Plight (hell). Her ability to hold onto Roman saves him as well. They realize how each was willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. Aubrey and Roman, with Moe accompanying him, decide to live together. They begin their new future as their own true family.

The Ghost Summoning interweaves magical realism and paranormal romance as the primary basis of the story. There are small portions in which the novel becomes 'police procedural', yet this does not detract from the overarching plot. The author was able to normalize the supernatural and make the reader comfortable with what many do not understand or willing to accept in today's reality. Certain parts of the book are graphic in relation to intimacy, but of a natural description for two consenting adults. The book also contains a few curse words for those of more sensitive reading. The author pens the story primarily in sequential order, though sometimes the characters' memories takes the authors back to a brief time for better understanding of why they are in the present situation. McDonald is able to use humour, vulnerability, loss, and obstinacy as the driving forces behind her characters' motivations. Sometimes one results from the other. In other moments, one is used to conceal the other. Yet, the protagonist and her love interest overcame more than most to have each other and the future they both deserved.

About the Reviewer: Patricia M. Muhammad is an American multi-genre fiction author of crossover contemporary romance/science fiction, science fiction/fantasy, mystery/detective and historical romance genres. She has written 21 novels. She reviews both fiction and non-fiction. Her favourite genres to read for leisure are magical realism and fantasy. Patricia is currently based in the United States. ( )