From the back of the book:

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can’t prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

PASSION IGNITED

After years of fighting abroad, Ian MacDonald comes home to find his clan in peril. To save his kin, he must right the wrongs from his past…and claim the bride he’s long resisted.

As a young lass, Sileas depended on Ian to play her knight in shining armor. but when he rescue attempt compromised her virtue, Ian was forced to marry against his wishes. Five years later, Sileas has grown from an awkward girl into an independent beauty who knows she deserves better than the reluctant husband who preferred war to his wife. Now this devilishly handsome Highlander is finally falling in love. He wants a second chance with Sileas - and he won’t take no for an answer.

Scottish romances are always hit or miss for me and THE GUARDIAN is a big hit! I loved this book so much. Ian is a hero to die for - he is strong, fights for his family and country, and does whats right (even if he is forced into it). Sileas is also fantastic. She changes so much in the five years that Ian is gone. From a thirteen year old girl afraid of being married off to her step-fathers disgusting son to a beautiful woman who is the heart of her reluctant husband’s family. I really loved the way this book was written. It flows perfectly and not a single word is out of place. The action is fast paced and the tension is high. The relationship between Ian and Sileas is perfection. Even though she has been in love with him her whole life, she doesn’t allow Ian back in her good graces quickly. She makes him prove that he really wants her for her and not just because she has changed in appearance. Ian really has to learn what he wants from Sileas and their marriage. Another thing that I loved about this book was the relationship between Ian and his three cousins (who will have their own books). They work as a team and will do anything for each other - even die. They have a very strong bond that gave an emotional edge to the story. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

the book girl gives THE GUARDIAN a 5/5

to find the book:

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From the back of the book:

HE HIDES HIS TRUE COLORS…

Miss Grace Fairchild is under no illusions about her charms. Painfully plain, she is a soldier’s daughter who has spent her life being useful, not learning the treacherous ways of the ton. She may have been caught in a scandal with society’s favorite rogue, but how can she marry him when it means losing herself?

WHILE SHE HIDES HER TRUE SELF…

Diccan Hilliard doesn’t know which of his enemies drugged him and dumped him in Grace’s bed, but he does know the outcome. He and Grace must marry. To his surprise, a wild, heady passion flares between them. Yet Diccan is trapped in a deadly game of intrigue Grace knows nothing about. Will his lies destroy Grace just as he realizes how desperately he needs her? And how can he hope for a future with her, when an old enemy has set his murderous sights on them both?

I’m really not sure how to rate this book. The problem is that I loved the book - in the end. Several times I put it down, but then there was something about the story that I couldn’t stay away from. Diccan is a great character. He is a character, however, who does some not good things. He is doing them for the right reason, but a couple of them were hard for me to get past.  Grace doesn’t do anything wrong and really does a great job of trying to do the right thing for her marriage (even if the things take her further from who she truly is). My problem with Grace was that we were being constantly hit over the head with how unattractive she was. I know that the typical heroine is attractive, especially to the hero, and it was refreshing for the heroine to be less than gorgeous. However, she is treated as if she is an ogre. At one point, two people in the park are making fun of her and actually trip her. I felt that her “ugliness” was overdone. The reader gets that she isn’t attractive in the begining and doesn’t need to be reminded over and over.

The action to this story is great and is the reason why I wanted to keep reading. An organization, known as The Lions, are rumored to be performing acts of treason against the crown. The Drake’s Rakes, a group of aristocrats that protect the crown, are charged with making sure these acts don’t take place. Diccan is one of Drake’s Rakes and has an assignment that he must follow through. This is where some of his actions were not great and make it hard to really like him. But like I said earlier, in the end he is redeemed and I really loved him.

Overall, I would give this book a 3,5. It was well written and intriguing enough that I kept coming back even after putting it down. The parts that I didn’t like did add to the overall story and fit within the world created by the author.

to find the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY: IF YOU WANT TO SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT DICCAN COULD HAVE DONE THAT IRRITATED ME SO, ENTER TO WIN ONE OF THREE COPIES. TO ENTER, LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST. FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES TWEET THE LINK TO THIS POST WITH THE TAG #bookgirlgiveaway AND/OR COMMENT ON THE WEEKS OTHER POSTS. CONTEST WILL RUN THROUGH 4/24 AT 5PM CST. US ADDRESSES ONLY, PLEASE. MAKE SURE TO CHECK BACK AND SEE IF YOUR NAME IS PICKED - I DON’T NOTIFY WINNERS.