This book is a wild, it gives style, glamour, ghosts, and secrets that should stay buried. Gwendolyn our FMC pulls you in with her polished surface, only for the cracks to reveal something much deeper, darker and intriguing. She is the kind of character who captures your attention. I enjoyed the combination of high stakes mystery, supernatural intrigue, and that magnetic energy between past and present.

Fonsi’s character brings a unique vibe and atmosphere to this story. With voice and heart, and layers of queer, cultural, and spiritual nuance. If you enjoy haunting, horror, and a fierce heroine forced to face what she thought she buried, this one is absolutely worth the read. It’s moody, clever, and impossible to put down.

This was a fast paced read. Magic + mystery. Psychics, ghostly love triangles, a curse, and a lot of secrets.

In all honesty, this book was a lot lol. It gave me MCU vibes near the end, and if/when you read it you’ll understand what I mean.

The culture was amazing, I loved every aspect of its display. The Black representation was (as far as I can tell since I’m not a New Yorker) hella relatable and the Latin inclusion was smooth.

I followed the mystical aspects just fine and really enjoyed them; I think I just struggled with so many plot lines and how they didn’t converge until so late in the book. I do agree with some of the reviews that indicate it would have benefited from being a longer book because there was so much more that could have gone into it. don’t want to knock it down too far though because it is definitely a good book.

The description and the cover definitely led me to requesting it in the first place because I was so drawn to that. It didn’t let me down, I just think it could have been a little more impactful. I have become more thoughtful in my reviews - past me would have rated this 5 stars and kept it moving but I want to be fair to people interested as well as to the author.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review. 4.25 stars. I’d definitely read another book Clarence A. Haynes writes.

This was a short, but very mystical read. I enjoyed the magical elements with a bit of mystery involved while the character tried to figure out what was happening at Gwendolyn's events.

Thank you for the arc. The storyline kept me engaged and had me intrigued from start to finish . There were so many plot twists and WTF moments. The writing was very descriptive. The spice had me gigling and kicking my feet. Loved the mystery , the fantasy world, and the magic! it was beautiful.. This was a fun read! I enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, this really was not for me. I can get on board with a mystical, otherworldly horror book, but this one wasn’t written well enough to make it work.

This book did a great job mixing in magic with Afro-Latinx spirituality to create a unique fantasy story. The New York City setting was vibrant and authentic not touristy like some NY set books can feel.

This story was special to me as I have afro-latina's in my family. I really enjoyed the structure of the story and the Gwendolyn's character growth. This is something I'd love to see on screen.

LGBTQIA+ Rep
Identity
Facing the Past
Culture & History
From the beginning, this had me pulled in! It's engaging and the prologue immediately has you wondering how that ties in. Although it starts out fun, you really get into the nitty gritty towards the middle and end. I actually teared up during a single moment towards the end with just one word. I do wish there was more on the characters feelings and thoughts about everything that quickly happened.
This is fast paced! The exploration of identity towards the end and not letting go of certain parts of who you are was beautiful. The personal/ romantic relationships shown of Gwendolyn and Fonsi's love interests were so realistic (minus the ghost part). She was scared and he was changing himself to stay in a relationship that wasn't building him. It does start out pretty spicy but the magical elements to this was so interesting to read!

Author: Clarence A. Haynes

Genres: Romance/YA/Fiction/Latin American Fiction/Mystical/Fantasy/Magical Realism/

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary: Gwendolyn Montgomery is New York’s top publicist that appears to have it all until her first show was sabotaged. She then begins to experience mystical and supernatural situations after her first show was sabotaged. When her cousin, Fonsi, a psychic, appears, Gwendolyn begins to understand the secrets that ties her.

Tropes and Themes: time loop, grief, emotional healing, fate and destiny, revenge, family secrets.

Character: I love the development of Gwendolyn's character. As the story unfolds, she begins to come into her true character and unleash the gift that was hidden.

Thoughts: I listened and read this book at the same time-immersive reading. I observed that in the beginning it was very slow paced in building towards the plot. The climax did not appear until about 55% of the book, starting with chapters 10 and it continued to thicken as the story unfolded. Throughout the book, there was a lot of character development, which some of the information was found a bit irrelevant to the book. Other background information was needed in order to help the reader establish the connection with her cousin, Fonsi, whom is a psychic that is able to communicate with spirits. Moreover, the author rooted the book in Latin American cultures as there was Spanish language embedded in the book.

In the end, it was definitely a page turner, and I really love how Gwendolyn was able to accept her place in the mystical order. All those years, she felt like she was to blame for her godmother's demise, but Gwendolyn eventually understood the true reason her godmother was pulled into the spirit world. in short, she was able to manipulate this reason in order to close the breach between the natural and spiritual world. In short, I was glad that she was able to accept her gift and want to be called by her birth name.

📖 Title: The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Clarence A. Haynes-debut

📅Publication date: 6/17/25 | Read: 6/11/25

📃 Format: eBook 240 pgs.

Genre:
*Multicultural
*Urban Fantasy
*Contemporary
*Paranormal
*Horror

Tropes:
* ghosts/mediums
* family drama
* Afro Latinx culture
* LGBTQIA+rep
* love triangle

👆🏾POV: 3rd person dual

⚠️TW: homophobia, death of parents, murder, arson

🌎 Setting: New York

Summary: Fonsi notices he's busier than ever working as a medium able to communicate with the dead. Gwendolyn is enjoying her career as a PR agent until her client events, her office, and boss are haunted by her past in the supernatural world. Fonsi has to find his cousin believing ghosts have breached El Intermedio-the in-between place for the dead who haven't passed on. Together they will save the world from a ghost invasion.

👩🏾 Heroine: Gwendolyn "Gwen" Montgomery/Giselda Rivera-an entertainment publicist@ Sublime Creative. She changed her name to Gwen and stopped practicing magic- she's a manipulator (one of the most powerful mystics in the world).

👨🏾 Hero: Fonseca "Fonsi" Harewood-owns La Playa Espiritu, a medium and a sculptor

🎭 Other Characters:

*Madrina/Ignacia Harewood-claimed to be Giselda's cousin/godmother. She took her to the USA from Panama when she was a child. Fonsi's mother-deceased
* James Watson-Gwen's new boyfriend
* Estelle Bailey- a medium and mentor to Fonsi
* Trevor Duarte-Ignacia's on/off gangster boyfriend -deceased
* Raphael-Fonsi's ex-boyfriend
* Amede-a ghost Fonsi has an affair with
* Arturo-an artist/friend of Fonsi's, likes Gwen

🤔 My Thoughts: This reminded me of Ghostbusters for some reason. I guess because of the red sky/cold temperatures, being in NYC, and Fonsi and Gwen were literally ghostbusters. There was a nice found community that rallied Fonsi and Gwen from neighbors, clients, to employees. I wished there was more spice and/or romance between Gwen and James or Fonsi and Amede, but I knew going in this wasn't a romance. I could have done without all the Guardian lore and divine spirits.

Rating: 3.5/5 ✨
Spice level 3/5 🌶️ off page

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing | Legacy Lit, and Clarence A. Haynes for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

The cover art and title of this book initially caught my attention, but it was the mystery surrounding Gwendolyn and Fonsi's supernatural job that kept me reading. I became enthralled by the mysteries surrounding Gwendolyn, Fonsi, their past, and the In-Between.

I like how Haynes crafted this story and brought these two characters together. He left enough gaps in the story for us to fill in with our imagination until we reached the explosive ending. If Gwendolyn and Fonsi couldn't work together, the world would have been taken over by spirits of all kinds. And man, you will not guess who's the mastermind of it all!

4/5 Star Review
Ending Leaves Open For Potential Series (Hopefully)
LGBT Ghostbusters/ Strangers Things But Make It
Adult
Clunky Dialogue
Good worldbuilding.
Rambling paragraphs that can be condensed at times.
Would read a second or third installment.

This book had that feel that I was looking for and was engaged with the fantasy element. The characters had that overall feel that I was looking for and was glad I got to read this, it left me wanting to read more. I was glad I got to read this from Clarence A. Haynes and was invested in what was going on. I thought the supernatural element that I was wanting and thought it worked perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central for the Arc!
4 ⭐️

A popular NY publicist named Gwendolyn Montgomery with a secret mystical past is connected to an Afro-Latinx queer medium, Fonsi Harewood, who tries to find her to get her help. When the barrier between the human world and the spirit realm start to dissolve, chaos is on the horizon. This blend of love, grief, family, culture, drama, and secrets will keep you turning the pages! ✨

This story starts off slow and cutesy in the beginning, with your basic everyday things that people are concerned about. As the story went on, I realized I forgot it wasn’t gonna be sunshine and rainbows. Things start to get weird and we are left wondering when our main characters paths will cross and what the outcome will be. The book immediately takes a turn and speeds off into the chaos.

I wish this book would’ve been longer because we get a lot of events happening quickly back to back. It would’ve been nice to truly see how the characters processed all the events that happen in the story. There was so much that was touched upon that left me wanting more! I wish we also would’ve learned more about the spiritual elements within the book as well. ✨

This story will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first book I’ve read with Panamanian characters. I loved the little details about our food and places back in Panama so much, it made me want to know more about my parent’s home country. The way this book celebrated culture and the diaspora, but didn’t shy away from a piece of tragic history, will stay with me forever. 🇵🇦❤️ I loved the queer representation as well!! Perfect diverse read for Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈💕

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a genre-bending, whip-smart novel that blends supernatural suspense with sharp social commentary, all wrapped in a glamorous New York City setting. At the heart of the story is Gwendolyn Montgomery, a high-powered publicist whose influence gives her clients an almost magical allure. With a glittering career and a seemingly perfect romance, Gwendolyn’s life appears charmed—until a gruesome, unexplained incident at the Brooklyn Museum cracks the polished surface of her world.

From there, the novel spirals into a deliciously eerie mystery, propelled by the reappearance of Fonsi Harewood, a queer Latinx psychic navigating his own complicated love triangle—with a ghost. Fonsi’s warning—that the veil between the living and the dead is thinning—forces Gwendolyn to confront the secrets she’s buried, the trauma she’s avoided, and the spirits that won’t let her move on.

Author [Name] expertly weaves dark humor, urban mysticism, and emotional truth into a story that is as much about personal reckoning as it is about spectral chaos. With vivid prose and biting wit, the novel explores identity, legacy, and the limits of control in a world teetering between the material and the metaphysical.

Equal parts chilling, cheeky, and emotionally resonant, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a supernatural tale for the modern age—where confronting ghosts, literal and figurative, may be the only way to find freedom. It’s a spellbinding read that thrills while daring readers to question what haunts them most.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a story that ultimately delivers, but not without a bumpy start. For a good portion of the beginning, I found myself confused—unsure how the dual timelines and characters were meant to connect. The pacing felt uneven, and I struggled to stay grounded in the narrative.

That said, the story does come together in a satisfying way. Once the pieces began to align, I was able to appreciate the emotional weight and the clever structure the author built. There’s a strong payoff if you’re willing to push through the initial confusion.

While it wasn’t a perfect read for me, I’m glad I stuck with it. A solid story that rewards patience, though I do wish the early chapters had been a bit more accessible.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Thank you, Libro FM for the Advanced Listening Copy of the audiobook for The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery
Read if you enjoy:
-Mind-blowing debut books from naturally talented authors
-A diverse cast of characters with a range of sexual identities
-Urban fantasy, horror & occultism, cultural mythology and deities
-Powerful Black women slaying their business and relationship goals in NYC
-Representation of the Diaspora and Afro-Caribbean indigenous peoples

Favorite aspects:
-The Afro-Latine medium Fonsi is my favorite character brought to life perfectly by the narrator
-The ghost romance!
-The blend of multiple sub-genres within horror/fantasy, including comedy
-I loved Fonsi and his care and concern for his community of customers and employees at his business, La Playa
-Gwedolyn Montgomery is a strong, capable, complex and flawed woman with deeply hidden secrets and compelling reasons for doing so-I enjoyed watching her navigate a professional and personal crisis
-Ghost equinox! Kinda reminded me of that scene in Ghostbusters where all the ghosts are let loose on the city
The audiobook is amazing! Such a talented narrator capable of voicing diverse characters with unique voices and accents
I love this book and will forever recommend it to readers craving something fresh and new in paranormal/supernatural horror

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery by Clarence A. Haynes is a beautifully haunting tale that takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. The protagonist’s journey of confronting the past as it collides with the present is both poignant and powerful. Haynes masterfully blends the supernatural with deeply human themes of memory, grief, and acceptance. The writing is evocative, drawing you into every twist and revelation with heartfelt intensity. Though a few moments felt slightly drawn out, the emotional payoff was well worth it, making this a memorable and resonant read.

The first half of this book had me completely hooked. The author masterfully wove Afro-Latino religions and spiritual rituals into an otherworldly and magical narrative. While the story maintained a compelling, fast pace, I found myself wishing the main characters had more time to truly process the highly emotional confessions revealed towards the end. Would've loved more sexy ghost scenes too........anywho.