Customer Reviews

The Guardian

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not even thirty years old and Gerald Grandville, the Earl of Weston, is dead from a lung infection. Since his heir is a minor, Gerald named his estranged brother, Stephen, as his four year old son's guardian, an action that shocks Gerald's widow, Annabelle. Five years ago, Stephen was run out of England because he was nearly arrested for smuggling. He has lived in Jamaica, running the family's sugar plantation on the island. Annabelle loved Stephen before he was disgraced, but settled for Gerald. When Stephen arrives back in England, sparks fly between him and Annabelle. However, there is suddenly plenty of chicanery going on with the estate. Stephen quickly realizes that someone, most likely their beloved Uncle Adam, has embezzled money from the estate. This revelation does not help his already nebulous position with his family, especially Annabelle. Danger also surfaces when someone wants to keep Stephen and Annabelle apart rather than allow them to rekindle their love for each other. That unknown assailant will do anything, including murder, to stop any relationship from developing between Stephen and Annabelle. Before this couple can find the time to regain what they temporarily lost five years ago, they must uncover the identity of the would be assassin who has failed twice to kill Stephen. Joan Wolf may be considered Ms. Regency Romance, but with this novel she changes her format by placing a strong emphasis on the mystery, a circumstance that brings a freshness to the sub-genre. Stephen and Annabelle make a charming couple as they struggle to take advantage of a second chance at love. However, it is the who-done-it aspects of the tale that turns THE GUARDIAN from another run of the mill historical romance into a Regency romantic suspense. Harriet Klausner

although I thought it was a good read overall, there were several reasons why this book was not a keeper for me.

Anabelle and Stephen were brought together as children when his father the earl married Anabelle's mother. Stephen immediately befriended the young and scared Anabelle and in doing so won her undying loyalty. As they grew older their innocent childhood affection developed into a passionate love that neither of them could control.
They were desperate to marry but alas Anabelle's scheming and ambitious mother refused to let her daughter marry a younger son. She was determined that Anabelle marry Stephen's brother, the future Earl. She got her wish when Stephen was banished to Jamaica after being caught smuggling.
When Stephen left without any word to her, Anabelle felt betrayed, later when she found out she was pregnant she was terrified. There was no help for it but to do as her mother advised and marry Stephen's brother.
When her husband dies and Stephen is named guardian of her son Anabelle's feelings for Stephen resurface and not even his unforgivable abandonment can quench the love that she feels when they meet again after five long years. How will stephen react when he learns he is a father and furthermore how will he feel when finds out he, by rights, should be the next Earl of Weston? Can their love survive the past lies and deceit?

I found this book to be extremely well written. The heroine's no nonsense personality was a refreshing change from the insipid, too stupid to live heroines that are present on every other historical nowadays. What I didn't like was that the whole story is told from Anabelle's point of view. This was a first for me and although it was a change from the ordinary I found that I didn't like it so much because the reader never gets to know what the hero is thinking or how he feels, only what Anabelle perceives he is thinking. This was the main reason I rated this book two stars, another reason was because I felt the book was a bit slow. I mean forty pages went by before the hero made an appearance. Way too much time was spent on horse talk and hunting nonsense which I found incredibly boring. This, however is purely personal taste.
If you like hot love scenes and an edge of your seat plot, then stay away from this book. If you prefer mild love scenes and don't mine lots of drawing room coversation then this is the book for you.

Recommended with reservations. :0)

I am a fan of regency novels in general but have become somewhat disenchanted with them recently. I find I am bored with missish females and overdone plots. A friend suggested I try a Joan Wolf book. I found this book to be a really good read. Annabelle, widowed with a small son named Giles, finds out at the reading of the will of her now dead husband that he has named his banished brother, Stephen, as the guardian to their son, Giles. Annabelle hates Stephen (or so she tries to tell herself) as they were lovers 5 years earlier. Stephen, however, was caught smuggling and was sent to Jamaica and left without a word to Annabelle. Ms. Wolf writes nicely and descriptively about how the relationship becomes rekindled between them, even though Annabelle still has feelings of hurt. I did not have to wade through 200 pages to have the romance resolved. What was resolved by the end of the book with who was trying to murder Stephen. A great read. My only complaint would be that I never got a firm image of what Stephen or Annabelle looked like. Apparently Annabelle was a beauty but not sure about Stephen.

No one does first person voice in Regency historical fiction better than Joan Wolf. She is an original! Annabelle tells her story here, and readers will be enthralled by this tale of lovers cruelly parted by their families who reconcile at last, after a passage of years. Stephen is a noble hero, much maligned, but true, and he deserves a second chance. Lovely characterization, flowing plot. Check out Wolf's other first-person Regency historicals, too. They are a treat!

Joan Wolf is a great writer. All of her books are interesting. This one is no exception. The story begins after the heroine's husband dies and leaves his brother as the guardian of their son. The first person perspective really lets you in on what the heroine is feeling, especially since much of the story is told in flashbacks. The secondary characters are also entertaining. It has romance, suspense, and plenty of her trademark horses.

This is one of the finest examples of romance writing. A sensual (not pornographic) romance with a hero and heroine that I like and can fall in love with, well drawn secondary characters, against a backdrop of suspense. The plot is well-executed and, for the most part, makes sense. There is only 1 plot device that strained my credulity.

SPOILER ALERT!!!
Wolf made an error by having Aunt Fanny and Cousin Nell be the ones to tell Annabelle that her husband had given the hero the wrong date for the baby's birth. There is absolutely no reason Gerald would have confided such a thing to Aunt Fanny and no way in hell would anyone have discussed such matters with unmarried girl Cousin Nell.

Other than that, I was captivated and intrigued fron Page 1 till the end.