Guardian: They chose to protect her. But forgot to guard their hearts.

By Heather Burch

Vigilance.

The mission to safeguard Nikki Youngblood depends on the fragile alliance of two half-angel, half-human guardians, both struggling with intense feelings for the girl who has been assigned to their care. Mace, steadfast and deeply in love, wants to protect Nikki at all costs, while Raven’s loyalty to Nikki finds him advocating for her independence and battling his own darker inclinations. At the same time, Nikki finds it harder and harder to choose between the two heavenly beings she may never have.

Dangers intensify, and tensions between Mace and Raven flare as the purpose of their mission becomes clear. Can their defenses hold up to master manipulator Damon Vessler and the powerful secret he holds regarding Nikki’s heritage? Can anyone protect Nikki from her true purpose and destiny?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Oct 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9780310728221

Heather Burch

Heather Burch, the author of the popular Halflings series, spent the last seven years in Southern Florida but recently returned to her hometown in the Ozark Mountains. Her books have garnered praise from USA Today, Romantic Times, and Booklist magazine. When not working on her latest novel, she can be found hiking in the hills or planning a trip to the beach with her husband, John, who is her hero in every way.

Reviews for Guardian

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The fact that I enjoy the Halflings series by Heather Burch remains an utter surprise to me. They are so much not my thing that I keep expecting to be annoyed beyond repair on every page. I say this to emphasize that, while my rating is certainly on the low end of liking the book, it's a miracle that I liked it at all. If you enjoy paranormal romance and Christian themes more than I do, then you should most definitely check out Heather Burch's Halflings books.

As those familiar with my reviews probably know by this point, one of the few genres I generally cannot stand is Christian fiction. Not being a believer myself, I hate being preached to, so that kills a book immediately. Thankfully, Burch does not preach much at all. Both Halflings and Guardian felt more like they were merely set in Christian mythology rather than trying to impart Christian values to me, a fact I am immensely thankful for.

Another reason I like these books is Nikki. Except with regards to romance, Nikki Youngblood does not act like the stereotypical heroine. She's strong, and always wants to help, even when people (primarily Will and Mace) try to marginalize her. From years of martial arts training, she's physically powerful. She loves motorcycles, and actually knows how to ride them, unlike Bella Swan who used them as suicide machines. On top of that, she knows and appreciates her own skills and refuses to let anyone tell her what she can or can't do. Best of all, she will not compromise herself to make a boy happy.

The plot meandered a bit in the beginning of the book, but took shape towards the end. I never did figure out precisely why the trip to Europe at the opening was necessary; the explanation that a higher power told Will does not fly with me. They really do not seem to have accomplished anything there that could not have been done in Nikki's home town. However, once the actual plot kicked in, it was both exciting and creepy, as Nikki confronts her internal battles and Raven studies some mad scientists.

The biggest weak point of the series is the love triangle. Of course, I'm generally not a huge fan of love triangles, so I suppose that's not surprising. On the plus side, there does seem to be a slight possibility Nikki might go for either guy, but I don't really imagine she would choose anyone but Mace. Unfortunately, Mace bores and irritates me, what with his desires to protect her like a manly man. Raven may be the "bad boy," but he empowers Nikki, helping her gain in strength so she can protect herself. Sure, he'll protect her if she needs it, but that's the back up plan. Mostly, though, I dislike the way Nikki acts when she's with them, because she finds herself unable to resist either Raven's or Mace's charms, swept away. Nikki is stronger than that, and it seems out of character for her to be so indecisive and to go from boy to boy, and especially to cheat.

Though I am not the ideal audience, I happily recommend these books to those who welcome Christianity as a main theme in their fiction and who are perhaps more tolerant of love triangle shenanigans than I am. They're well-written and certainly some of the better angel books I've read.

[glenajo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second in the series, with two short stories just to add to the excitement. As many ‘middle’ books do, this one lags a little after the racing pattern of the first book, but it still left me wanting more at the end. The premise is entertaining, and the story exciting. The Halflings are to protect Nikki, but they become involved with her emotionally, which is a big NO-NO. This book is a little less exciting because it deals with Nikki’s, Mace’s, and Raven’s feelings a great deal, but this is likely to be highly attractive to a teen reader because their feelings mirror that of many teens. If you like exciting novels with a mixture of paranormal combined with teen angst; then, check out this series.

[starrk_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A copy of this title was given to me, free, in exchange for my honest opinion. So, I am completely over this love triangle. I can see howit is used to move the story along, but I personally think that it's lazy on the author's part. Also, because Nikki is waffling and can't stand by any decision that she does make, I don't like, I don't trust her and I definitely don't respect her. Does anyone? I have yet to read a love triangle that I enjoyed, so I won't dwell on this one. This is the second book in the series and it picks up where the first one left off - with more questions that need to be answered. The halflings have been called to join up with another group of halflings. It is an extension of their original journey but this allows them to learn more about Omega and Vesseler. But, the knowledge comes a little too late. Nikki is still trying to find her place amongst the halflings, as well as trying to not give in to the forbidden romance. When, once again, she seems to be doing more damage then good she leaves. She returns to Vesseler, who welcomes her with open arms. But there is more going on and Nikki is completely unaware of it. The truth that is revealed towards the end is another lazy turn that the author takes. It sort of wraps things up with a nice bow, but there's no buildup to this possibility. Yes Nikki reflects on events and situations and reveals that - with hindsight- it should have been obvious. But, I don't buy it. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed Guardian enough to finish the trilogy, but I still think that the author took the lazy way when dealing with some issues.